A spicy, tangy scent wafted towards them, and Kurt turned his head to spot where it was coming from. Grabbing Blaine’s arm to get his attention, he pointed to the stall. 

“Oh yes, that does look good.” Blaine nodded in understanding, and glanced at Carole. “Did you want some as well?” 

Dabbing her lips with a napkin, Carole shook her head. She was still eating a sausage on a skewer they had bought a couple minutes ago. 

As Blaine waved to the vendor, Kurt leaned back to watch his husband in action. Tanned, fit, looking so handsome in dark khaki shorts and yellow Velvet Underground t-shirt. The friendly Thai vendor easily returned his smile. 

Their long boat moved along slowly once they had their food. Kurt dug in hungrily, using a skewer to pick up a round fish cake, and making sure he had some basil and sauce on it. It had just the right amount of spice, enhancing the flavor of the fish. It was all served in a small bowl fashioned out of a banana leaf. 

“We have to get you some green papaya salad, Blaine. It’s so much better here, so fresh.” Carole pointed to a nearby stall. 

It was fun playing tourist today, driving a few hours on the highway with frequent stops to look at local sites and stretch their legs. Carole enjoyed showing off her adopted country, answering all their questions as they travelled. 

The floating market outside of Bangkok was a unique experience. Gliding along to look at the goods in stalls along the canal, or in boats. Buying lots of tempting snack foods for their supper. Kurt had picked up a new wide-brimmed hat and some small gifts for friends back home. 

After the market, they strolled around an ancient Buddhist temple, lovingly maintained by the monks who lived there. Kurt lit joss sticks and left a donation, liking the quiet serenity of the space. Blaine took pictures of the temple; Kurt took pictures of him, trying to be a little subtle about it.

This was their first long trip away together. Their Honeymoon. It still seemed amazing to Kurt sometimes. A couple years ago he was waking up from a coma, at one of the lowest points of his life. But a few days later, this man had walked into his room, his life, and everything had been getting better since then. It hasn’t been a smooth path, but that had just made it sweeter in the end. 

This man had been beside him for so much of it, quiet support, giving him a push when he needed it. His moon shining bright during his darkest times. Kurt couldn’t imagine Adam on this trip, being so easy going and adaptable.

A scoffing sound nearby had Kurt jolting out of his thoughts. He turned to find Carole giving him a fond look. 

She stepped up to his side to give him a half-hug. “I thought you and Blaine were trying to act like friends in public. Anyone seeing the way you were just looking at him would know the truth.” 

Kurt knew she was only teasing him, and had often caught her giving them approving glances. Kurt leaned into her, and she shifted until it became a full hug. They had been doing this often during this trip. Since she had last visited New York, they had kept in touch with letters, emails, and care packages. Deepening their relationship in so many ways. They couldn’t have been closer if they were blood-related. It was nice to share hugs and small touches. 

Pulling back, Kurt gave her a happy smile. He picked up his phone. “I love him so much, Carole. I’m so lucky.”

“You are both lucky. He’s just as happy to be with you.” Carole said, pulling him towards the exit. 

When they got to the car, Kurt climbed into the backseat with Blaine. Carole just smirked at them in the rear view mirror, when Kurt snuggled up to his husband and stole some kisses.  Newlyweds.

...

“I really just want to shower and be lazy tonight. Is that OK with you?” Kurt went to the window to look down at the city street below. They had checked into the hotel, and Carole was in her own room, a little tired from all the driving today.

Blaine came up to stand behind him, snaking his arms loosely around his waist. “Do you need help in the shower?”

The question had Kurt laughing in his almost silent way. Plumbing was a little different in Thailand than Blaine was used to, and Kurt often had to explain things. 

“I’ve been here before. I know how it all works.” Kurt grinned as he typed. 

Rolling his eyes at that, Blaine stood and took off his tee, leaving him in only shorts and sandals. A lot of beautiful olive skin on display. “I meant maybe I could scrub your back.”

Getting up, Kurt let his hands trace down his muscular chest, loving how he felt and his response to his touch. He nodded, and tugged his husband towards the washroom. 

They both stripped before entering, and then closed the door. There was white tile covering the floor and up the wall to about six feet. The floor sloped slightly towards a drain on one side. Kurt grabbed the showerhead off the wall, turning on the tap and spraying Blaine. 

Letting out a squawk, Blaine grabbed the sprayer near the toilet, and tried to get Kurt back. The hose wasn’t as long, so he ended up getting soaked before Kurt directed the water over himself, wetting his hair and rinsing off. 

Pushing his wet hair off his face, Blaine got up to stand behind Kurt, picking up a sponge and lathering it up. “I think I will kind of miss these washrooms when we go back home. It’s nice having so much space.” 

Kurt had to leave his phone outside, so it wouldn’t get wet. He relied on expressions and gestures. Their signing wasn’t that good yet. He pointed to the hose near the toilet with a questioning look.

Blaine chuckled. “Yeah, the bum gun took a little getting used to, but it feels cleaner now to rinse off afterwards.” He remembered using it the first time and ending up with water everywhere. 

Shrugging, Kurt poured out some shampoo and took his time working it into Blaine’s thick hair, massaging his scalp in firm circles. Blaine returned the favor, loving that they had time on this holiday for little things like this. Touching, being intimate, unrushed showers. 

They both felt relaxed by the time they dried off and slipped on clean underwear. The hotel had better Wi-Fi than they had in the village, so they got into bed and caught up on their emails and social media. They watched an American TV show, just wanting something familiar, cuddling together. 

Kurt was almost asleep when Blaine started kissing his neck, running his hand down his bare chest. Giving him a drowsy smile, Kurt welcomed his kiss. 

“Relax. Let me take care of you.” Blaine whispered, obviously more in the mood than Kurt was. 

In the last year, they had gone through all the phases. Months of almost constant sex, then periods when one or both of them were busier with work projects, and the sex was more sporadic. Stealing away for a weekend out of the city for some concentrated couple time. Many simple nights of cuddling, eating dinner, enjoying sharing time together.

They were comfortable enough together to ask for what they wanted. Kurt was a little tired, but seeing his husband’s desire was sparking something in him as well. He shifted into a more comfortable position, and ran his hand through Blaine’s hair encouragingly. 

Blaine knew the signs, and kissed down Kurt’s chest. His mouth felt fantastic, and his hands slid over his skin. “You feel so good.” Blaine murmured, nuzzling against Kurt’s hip. “Smell so good.”

Kurt missed his voice so much at times like this. Often, he would softly say a few words in response. But he couldn’t now. Instead, he arched into Blaine’s touch, letting his body language show that he was aroused and just as into this now. 

Blaine was thorough, his mouth and hands going everywhere, teasing and stroking. Building Kurt’s arousal up slowly, until he was panting for more. 

Impatient with the teasing, Kurt rolled Blaine over on to his back and straddled him. Blaine had prepped him enough that he was able to adjust fairly quickly, and was soon riding him at a slow, steady pace. Grinding, speeding up sometimes, loving seeing Blaine getting close, before slowing down again. 

“Enough!” Blaine said with a growl, grabbing Kurt’s upper arms and shifted him over on to his back. Pushing Kurt’s legs up to his chest, Blaine knelt as close as possible, holding them in that perfect position. He was moving fast then, pounding into Kurt hard with each stroke. He was strong, and a bit rough. They were both sweaty, and Kurt was arching up to meet each thrust, loving it. 

A few minutes later, they were lying together, sated, exhausted. Blaine chuckled. “Should we go have another water fight? Rinse off?” 

...

“Kurt, can you get another box of syringes?” Carole asked, putting one into the sharps container nearby. 

Nodding, Kurt went to their plastic tubs of medical supplies, and found what she needed. They had worked together enough he was able to anticipate most of her needs, keeping the patients moving along at a steady pace. 

Carole gave him a grateful look. “Why don’t you take a break and find Blaine? I’ll be out there in about fifteen minutes.”

Kurt nodded, walking out of the makeshift medical office. Like most of the camp, it was a simple structure made out of bamboo, on high stilts to keep it dry during the rainy season. 

He walked down the unpaved street, taking in the crowded conditions. Many children were running around, dressed in faded, old clothing. Adults seemed to sit in the open areas of their houses, taking care of small children or simply watching the people on the street. Many were watching him with curiosity as he walked along. 

Getting to the center of the camp, he went to the shady area in front of the small school. Blaine was sitting on a rock, strumming his guitar, and there was a good-sized crowd gathered around him. It was like he was busking on a busy street in New York. 

Seeing Kurt, Blaine brightened up and beckoned him close with a tilt of his head. “Hey everybody! My assistant is here! Now everybody follow along with his dance steps.” 

Kurt chuckled, and grabbed his phone. “You better not play the Macarena. Or the Chicken Dance.” 

Blaine smirked back, and started strumming an upbeat melody.  “Head, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes...”. His voice was clear and confident, smiling as he sang. 

Rolling his eyes, Kurt moved his hands to touch the body parts mentioned in the song, and by the second verse, was getting into it. He had been a performer too many years to not want to engage his audience, feeling good as more kids began to follow along with the dance. 

Slowing down, Blaine taught them the lyrics, and had them all giggling as he sped up the song until they could hardly keep up with the song or the dance. 

Carole had joined in, dancing at the back of the group with everyone else. By the time Blaine played the last chord, she got everyone clapping, and went to stand beside him. “Great job! Come on, let’s get some lunch.”

Pretty soon, they were sitting on a blanket with a simple meal of rice and vegetables, Blaine was practically bursting with questions. “Kovit, can you tell me more about this camp? I’m afraid I don’t know much.” 

Kovit was a Thai man in his late forties, a liaison between the Thai government and the refugee camp. He had welcomed them in the morning, giving them a quick tour before leaving Carole to her work. She had already visited the camp a few other times. 

“This is one of the nine refugee camps that were set up along the western border about thirty years ago. Most of the residents are from Myanmar, part of a minority ethnic group that were driven out during decades of war.” Kovit explained patiently as he ate. 

Blaine glanced around at all the children and young adults. “Thirty years?”

Seeing where he was looking, Kovit nodded. “Yes, many residents were born here. They know nothing but the camp.”

Kurt had become comfortable using his phone in front of strangers in the last year. “Can they go back? Or become Thai citizens?” 

Shaking his head regretfully, Kovit met his eyes. “A few have gone back, many have moved on to another country, many to your country.” He gave a small smile at that. “But the ones here are restricted to the camps, and rely heavily on non-profit organizations for everything.” 

They talked on as they ate, the Thai man very open to answering their questions. Pretty soon, Carole and Kurt headed back to do more immunizations, and Blaine came along with his guitar to entertain the people in line. 

...

The sun was setting by the time Kurt and Blaine were loading the plastic bins back into the car. Carole had disappeared, pulled away by some local women who she knew from her other visits. 

“Should I go look for her? She’s been gone a long time.” Blaine asked, leaning against the car. 

Kurt took a long sip of water. “Let’s give it another ten minutes. We’ll just get lost trying to find her in the darkness.”

They were both a little tired from the long day, but felt good about being able to help so many people. The people had been grateful, and welcoming. 

When Carole finally appeared, it was even darker out. She was carrying a cloth wrapped bundle in her arms. “Sorry. That took a little while. Let’s go.”

She opened her car door, and urged the men inside. Kurt ended up in the backseat, Blaine in the front. Before Kurt shut his door, Carole put the bundle on to his lap. Kurt looked up at her with wide eyes.

She sighed. “Don’t worry. It’s authorized that I take him back to our clinic for a medical review. We can do more for him than they can here. I’ll explain it more later at the hotel.”

With that, she closed his door, and got into the driver’s seat. As they drove out of the camp, Kurt shifted the light bundle in his arms. Blaine was looking back at him from the passenger seat, curious as well.

When they got back on the highway, there was better lighting, and Kurt pulled the blanket slowly open. There was a tiny boy sleeping there, likely around three years old, but it was hard to tell because he was so thin. The movement must have woken him, as his large dark eyes opened and he sleepily blinked up at Kurt. 

Kurt wished he could say some comforting words, or at least make some comforting noises. He couldn’t, so he tried to convey that with his eyes, while rubbing the little boy’s back through the blanket. 

It either worked, or the boy was tired enough that he closed his eyes and seemed to fall asleep. Cuddling him closer, Kurt wrapped the blanket back around him. 

Sleep tight, little one.

...

-A/N: Sorry it’s taken a while to update! Thanks HKVoyage for suggesting a refugee camp as a possible setting for the story. It was interesting researching them. I will give a little more info about them in later chapters. 

-Floating Markets: Take a long boat along the canals, and then shop and eat from the comfort of your boat. I’m picturing them at Amphawa, the second most popular market in Thailand, located 90 km south west of Bangkok. 1 min clip here.

-Thai street food: ‘Som tam (papaya salad) is one of the most popular dishes in Thailand and comes in a variety of serving styles. The basic dish consists of shredded green papaya, tomatoes, carrots, peanuts, dried shrimp string beans, sugar, garlic, fish sauce, lime juice, and plenty of chilies. The ingredients are mixed together using a mortar and pestle, which blends the flavors beautifully.’ Carole is having a sausage: ‘The pork is usually mixed with ingredients like lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, galangal, and often red chilli paste as well.’ Article here.

-Velvet Underground: Wikipedia “The Velvet Underground was an American rock band formed in 1964 in New York City by Lou Reed, John Cale, Sterling Morrison, and Angus MacLise. The band was active until 1973, and briefly managed by the pop artist Andy Warhol, serving as the house band at the Factory and his events from 1966 to 1967. They had little commercial success, but they are now recognized as one of the most influential bands in rock, underground, experimental, and alternative music. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked the band No. 19 on its list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time".” I love the changing tempos of their song ‘Heroin’, video video here.

-Thai Buddhist Temple Etiquette: Quick video here.

-Bum Gun: In many countries, bathrooms don’t have toilet paper, using water to rinse off instead, and tiling the whole room instead of having a separate shower stall. Thai places usually have a little sprayer on a hose hanging near the toilet. 1.5 min video here.

-Head, Shoulders, Knees & Toes. I can picture Blaine teaching the kids this song and making it go faster and faster, like in this 2 min video here.

-Thai Refugee Camp: In August 2008, First Last Laura Bush visited one of the largest camps. Good 3 min video from CNN that summarizes the situation is here.