Kurt’s tongue ran along the top of his mouth and Blaine couldn’t help the moan that escaped his lips. Their tongues met again, rubbing against each other in a sort of dance that both had equal control in.

The hand on Blaine’s jaw moved towards the back of his neck and tugged at Blaine’s hair gently just as Blaine pulled at Kurt’s bottom lip with his teeth, a gently nip, before sucking at it and letting it go again.

Kurt ran a hand through Blaine’s hair, massaging gently at his scalp. He pulled back a little, not even an inch between their faces and opened his eyes slowly. Blaine stood still, a small smile appearing on his lips before he leaned forward again to press his lips against Kurt’s.

“Want you,” he groaned out between chaste kisses, “missed you so much.”

“hmmm, me too. God, Blaine.”

Kurt dropped his head forehead against Blaine’s. The tips of their noses brushed and Kurt let out a soft giggle. Blaine sighed.

For a few moments it was utter perfection. The world had righted itself and they were together again.

From the doorway to the dim lighted room, a figure entered. A champagne glass shattered on the tiled floor.

“What the hell is going on here?”

At once the couple pulled away from each other. Blaine stared at Kurt and Kurt stared right back and then almost simultaneously they turned to look at Nick.

- - -

Six Days Earlier

Blaine rushed around the apartment, trying to have everything clean by the time Nick got back. The last few days of his absence had been busy ones and Blaine had had to drag Mia more than once to the Hummel residence to have Kurt or Carole watch Mia while he dealt with all the drama that Rachel was still causing and more recently, figuring out who Burt’s mysterious business rival was.

He was a man that had popped up out of nowhere, an important rich man who had bought shares in the company and was relentlessly trying to destroy the Hummel empire according to Burt. Blaine half suspected that Burt knew very well who the man was, but he just wasn’t either sure or comfortable sharing the information yet.

Mia wiggled her feet at him when he bent down in front of her to pick up a few misplaced bowls that had been left on the floor from an impromptu movie night with Kurt, Amie, and Mia one late night after the last of Rachel drama had been dealt with. She and Finn were both attending separate rehabs.

“Daddy when’s Pa getting here?”

“In an hour, darling,” Blaine said and breezed past her to the kitchen to the stack of dirty dishes waiting for him. He regretted not taking Kurt up on his offer to bring Maria with him. Blaine hated doing dishes.

He was about halfway through them when Blaine heard the door open. He dropped the rubber gloves next to the sink and wiped his hands before he rushed out of the kitchen. Mia had already beat him there and Nick had her in his arms, peppering her face with kissed.

“I missed you, I missed you, I missed you,” he said between kisses and held onto her until she wriggled out, but stayed near him.

“We did lots, Pa, we went to the zoo and daddy took me to the park yesterday, and we went shopping, and daddy got me a new dress.”

Blaine stepped forward and ran a hand over Mia’s hair.

“Hey, you,” he said and broke into a smile, “I’ve missed you so much.”

Blaine pulled Nick into a tight hug and dropped a kiss to his neck, his head resting on his shoulder.

“Me too,’ Nick muttered, “phone calls aren’t enough. Mom and dad say hello. They sent a gift for Mia. It was a lot of fun. I wished constantly thought that two of you were there.”

Blaine pulled back long enough to look at Mia, but he stayed close to his fianc� before Nick pushed his bags out the way and began to walk farther into the apartment. The little family went into the living room and sat down. Blaine curled himself around Nick and Mia went right for sitting on Nick’s lap. Somehow though, Blaine couldn’t properly enjoy it. A night before Kurt had been so close to him on this same couch and Mia had been propped up on his legs while Kurt fixed her hair into a French braid. Comparing the two moments was horrible due to how different the situations were, but Blaine couldn’t help it.

Mia was blathering on about the days spent away from Nick and Nick listened intently. Kurt was just as good with her. Blaine shook the thought. It wasn’t fair. He wasn’t supposed to be so stuck on thinking about Kurt.

“Oh, and I have a new best friend! His name’s Kurtie. He doesn’t like it when Daddy calls him that though. Only I’m allowed…”

Nick stiffened and he nodded at Mia slowly and then slowly moved away from Blaine.

“Mia, can you do me a big favor,” Nick said, “go in my smaller bag. There’s a present for you there, okay.”

“Present!” she exclaimed and ran off, stumbling over her own shoes.

“Kurtie?” Nick said at once, turning so he was facing Blaine. His eyes were hard and his lips were set in a line. “How long did you wait before deciding to run around with your ex and our daughter? Did the two of you play house and act like the perfect little family while I was away? Huh? Did you fuck him?”

“Nick,” Blaine hissed, “Mia.”

Nick laughed. “Out of all of that, all I get is admonished for cursing. Did you sleep with him?”

“Of course I didn’t.”

Blaine hadn’t told Nick about his and Kurt’s new found friendship, much less about Mia meeting Kurt and taking such a liking to him. Kurt was a sore subject with Nick and had been since practically the beginning of their relationship. Nick hated Kurt now even though they’d been the best of friends when they met. He hadn’t thought that Mia would go and just give him away just like that.

“She met him accidentally. My friend Amie was babysitting her here, but there was a technical issue in the building so she took Mia over there and Mia met Kurt.”

Blaine knew moments after explaining even that much that Nick still wasn’t very happy with the explanation.

“I didn’t even know they were together until I went to get her,” Blaine continued.

He resolved then to try and keep Mia from telling Nick more about how much time they’d spent with Kurt and Amie during the last few days.

“And of course she liked him,” Nick muttered, “freaking Kurt Hummel. I don’t want him around her again. You said that family wouldn’t come near her. What was Amie Hummel doing here in the first place? I don’t like this, Blaine.” He fixed Blaine with a cold look and then he stood up, “I’m going to unpack.”

Blaine sighed and dropped his head in his hands. He heard Mia and Nick in the hall and he tried to remind himself that this was what he had to preserve. This was his family and even though Nick was upset with him over Kurt, Nick was still the man he loved and he had chosen to say yes to.

“I’m tired, Mia, we can talk tomorrow, alright?”

Mia reluctantly rejoined Blaine on the couch and Blaine waited until Nick was in the bedroom to begin telling her to not talk about Kurt.

“But why, daddy?”

“It makes your pa sad. Just don’t talk about Kurtie okay, at least until I can talk to him about it.”

She nodded and smiled in her childish manner and then she was watching tv again calmly and Blaine got up and headed to the kitchen to finish the dishes.

- - -

Kurt was inspired. He couldn’t stop drawing. Mia, it turned out, was the best subject of inspiration. Kurt had never considered making clothes for kids, but seeing Mia and even looking through her closet the one time had led him to a simple conclusion: little girls had the cutest clothes and he wanted to create some.

They were a challenge. Not only did he want to make them stylish, but they also had to consider comfort on a whole new level than even adult clothes did. Kurt was absolutely fascinated by all the options and possibilities and he’d been drawing for days.

The only person that knew what he was working on was Amie and Kurt still couldn’t quite figure out why she’d given him a look that was partly excited and partly pitying. All he knew was that it probably had to do with Kurt’s unrequited feelings for the lawyer.

Kurt dropped his colored pencil in the case next to him and lifted the sketch pad up to look at the dress on the figure of a little girl. He sighed and stood up, walking around his work room to the lone window that looked down upon the street.

It was late, but still the city was lit up and a taxi, followed by a town car drove right past Hummel Plaza. Kurt continued to look out and considered calling Clark himself and going out for the night like he’d used to before Drew died and Blaine came back into his life.

They were falling back on their friendship surprisingly well, and Kurt simply adored Mia. But now the few days they’d had left of Nick’s trip home were over and Kurt knew that Blaine had to be welcoming his fianc� back and Mia her other father.

His phone which had been left by the drawing pad, vibrated and Kurt walked back to get it. He didn’t recognize the number and although usually he would have just ignored it, something told him to answer it.

“Hey, Kurt!” A familiar voice chirped, “It’s Steve. I know last time I called you hung up on me, but I was just wandering if you were free tonight and wanted to have some fun.”

There was his opening. Kurt didn’t know how to respond. Steve had been fun. He had a sense of humor and he had actually respected Kurt when he firmly stood on the stance of their one time thing staying a one time thing.

“Just tonight,” Steve added, “unless you want more. I just haven’t found anyone as cool as you lately.”

Kurt bit at his lip. He knew he had to find a way to move on from Blaine. He’d accepted that nothing would happen between he and Blaine, but being friends with him now and seeing him as more than the family lawyer was starting to make that much harder than he’d anticipated.

Steve was nice. He was funny and hadn’t been too weird about him being Kurt Hummel.

“Sure,” he sighed, “where do you want to go?”

“Awesome,” Steve said, “well, I haven’t had dinner yet, so I’m going to do that first and then we can maybe meet at the same place as last time?”

Kurt didn’t respond at once, but after he looked at the drawing on the slightly tilted table he did what Steve probably wouldn’t have expected.

“Mind if I join you for dinner?”

Kurt heard multiple noises from the other line and then Steve said, almost breathlessly, “Sure.”

“I’ll pick you up in an hour,” Kurt said and hoped that Clark remembered where Steve lived.

“See you…see you then.”

Kurt was surprised that he actually felt a bit excited for later. He sat down at his drawing table again as he hung up, and then he shot back up because he needed to find the perfect outfit if this was going to be something resembling a date. Kurt could barely remember the last time he’d gone on an actual proper date.

As soon as he was back in his room, he began to freak out. He shouldn’t have done that. Meeting at a club and dancing all night while getting properly intoxicated was one thing, but actually going out of his way to meet before hand as if they were more than mere acquaintances was something else entirely. And where were they even going to go. Did Kurt have to be the one to pick because he was the one that had asked?

After a moment longer of staring at his closet mindlessly he ran out of the room and began calling for Amie.

“I need you, Amelia! Come on, where are you?”

He found Amie in the playroom with Shelby.

“I need help,” he said as soon as he saw her, “I have a sort of date and I…I don’t know what to wear.” He worried his bottom lip and then sank against the door frame, “maybe I should call and cancel. I can’t do this.”

Amie was next to him in moments. “Yes, you can. Come on.”

- - -

Six/Five Days Earlier

Blaine entered the bedroom quietly and changed into his pajamas. He’d put Mia to bed just a few minutes before after feeding her a quick dinner. Blaine himself had barely had anything to eat and knew he’d end up getting up in the middle of the night for a snack.

Nick had already turned in and Blaine knew he must have been exhausted from the trip. He got into their bed tentatively and slowly slid closer to Nick but tried not to wake him.

Nick moved in his sleep, as if knowing that Blaine was there. He turned in Blaine’s direction and Blaine just looked at his face for a while. If there was one thing he didn’t want, it was to see Nick frowning at him again, or upset because of Blaine. He needed to tell him about Kurt and soon before Mia slipped again. He couldn’t make his daughter lie like this. He resolved to tell him as soon as it was morning.

In the meanwhile, he settled himself in bed and turned to kiss Nick’s forehead.

“I love you,” he whispered and cuddled as close as he could.

Nick moved closer to him and an arm was thrown around him. Blaine sighed.

The next morning, Blaine woke up first and he glanced at Nick who had actually moved away during the night. His stomach gave a grumble and Blaine patted it, before he moved closer to Nick, wrapping his arms around his fianc�.

“Blaine,” Nick whispered, “what time is it?”

“Time I told you something,” Blaine said and waited for Nick to respond.

Nick turned in Blaine’s arms so he was facing him. “What do you mean tell me something?”

“While you were away,” Blaine said gently, “I spent a bit of time with Kurt and Amie Hummel. Mia really liked them after she met them and so Kurt and I took her to the zoo and we had a movie night with Amie once. Anyway, Kurt asked if we could be friends again.”

Nick was stiff next to him, eyes moving from place to place as if he were contemplating just how he was supposed to respond.

“Please say something,” Blaine said after Nick had said nothing.

“Can I ask you to not be his friend?” Nick asked, his voice was low.
Blaine shook his head in disbelief. “I have to see him all the time anyway. I work for his family, and Kurt and I are getting along now. Nothing will happen between us. I don’t want it to, and I won’t let it. You have to trust me.”

Nick got out of the bed, but didn’t move past standing up. “Fine,” he said, “be his friend, Blaine. It’s not like I can make those decisions for you. Just, remember that he broke your heart.”

“I love you,” Blaine said at once and walked around the bed to face Nick, “you and I are getting married in seven months, and Kurt isn’t going to come between us like that. I just want the best friend I had a child back.”

Nick didn’t respond, but he leaned into Blaine and kissed him softly before walking towards the bathroom. Blaine sighed and sank into the bed. It had gone as well as it was going to go. He walked to his closet and began pulling out his clothes for the day.

He was spending the day, once again, trying to find the identity of Burt’s new rival. From what he’d gathered so far, he was just a few years older than Blaine and he was somewhere in New York. His first name was still a mystery, and the last name they had found was a very common one: Smith. A part of Blaine thought that it was probably a fake last name. He couldn’t understand why the man was hiding, either.

Nick came back out of the bathroom, fully dressed and he walked past Blaine, pausing at the door to ask, “are you having breakfast here?”

Blaine nodded. Any other answer would have probably been disastrous.

- - -

Five Days Earlier

Kurt couldn’t remember the last time he’d woken up wrapped around someone else that he didn’t immediately want to get away from. Steve was a cuddler. He was pressed up against Kurt’s back, an arm wrapped around Kurt’s waist and his face nuzzled into Kurt’s neck and for a moment Kurt thought that he could just lay there and not think about how despite the comfort he found being in Steve’s arms, it just wasn’t that same immediate feeling of rightness that he remembered when he woke up with Blaine.

His phone on the nightstand began to vibrate and for a moment Kurt just watched the screen light up before he untangled himself out of Steve’s arms and he grabbed the phone, pressing answer on the touch screen and he grabbed his pants and pulled them up.

“Hello?” he said.

“Someone got laid last night,” Santana said, “wanky wanky.”

Kurt rolled his eyes and picked up a shirt. It wasn’t his and he dropped it back down again in search of his own.

“What do you want, Satan?”

“As much as I’d love to keep talking about your night, we have to talk about Britt’s party. You took care of the place, right?”

Kurt put on his shirt and wandered out of the bedroom towards the kitchen. “Yeah. Everything on that font is taken care of. The rest of the planning?”

“Done for the most part, last minute things can be taken care of later. I just wanted to make sure the place was ours. So, will you be bringing this man you’ve actually woken up to?”

Kurt hadn’t thought about inviting Steve along. He knew Blaine was pretty sure he’d be there and undoubtedly Nick would be with him and that was more than enough reason to bring Steve along. If he and Blaine were going to be friends, then Kurt definitely had to start trying to get over him and bringing someone else would at the very least give Nick an impression that Kurt really had moved on.

“I don’t know yet,” he answered, “I’d have to ask him first anyway.”

“Alright, but Amie is definitely coming, right? I wanted to introduce her to someone.”

They talked for a while longer while Kurt made coffee, Santana complaining about something Brittany had done or once again thanking Kurt for finding a place to hold their party.

Once Kurt had a steaming cup of coffee in his hand and he was seated at the kitchen table, he said goodbye to Santana and considered what his next move could be. Did he just leave and maybe write Steve a note in explanation, or did he wait until Steve woke up to say goodbye to him in person, or did he just stay until he felt that he really needed to leave? He hadn’t done this before. With Blaine everything had been easier and they had never had those awkward morning after days. For them nothing had been awkward past their first time.

He drank his coffee slowly and got up when he’d finished half the cup, glad that at least he hadn’t been so drunk the night before that it was already for the most part out of his system, even if there was a slight pounding of his head.

When he finished the coffee, he washed the mug and went in search for the rest of his belongings. He left most of the things he needed together by the door and then put the last of his things back on, his shoes going on last. Steve still hadn’t woken up, even though Kurt had taken his time. He sighed and pulled out his phone to call Clark.

“Be right there, Mr. Hummel,” Clark said and Kurt thanked him.

Kurt waited a few more minutes in the apartment which now that he was actually looking around at wasn’t entirely bad. It was very modern and decorated well and it wasn’t even the slightest bit messy which confused Kurt for a moment because no one could ever keep an apartment this clean unless they hired someone to clean it for them and Steve didn’t seem like someone that could actually afford to do that.

Steve still hadn’t woken up by the time, Kurt opened the door to the hall and walked out of the apartment. Kurt resolved to text him later in a form of explanation.

Clark was on his own this time and Kurt was glad that Blaine was nowhere to be found because he knew he wouldn’t have heard the end of it this time around.

“Where to?” Clark asked with a smirk.

“Home, and stop smirking at me.”

- - -

Four Days Earlier

“I heard you actually had a date.”

Kurt almost jumped at the sound of his father’s voice and he dropped the fabric he’d been holding. “I did,” he admitted.

“With a young man named Steve,” Burt continued.

Kurt nodded, not sure how to take that his father knew who he was going on dates with.

“What’s his last name?” Burt asked

Kurt cocked his head to the side. “Actually, I don’t know.”

Burt nodded and stepped farther into the room, sitting down on the armchair Kurt had made Maria bring in.

“He knows who you are though,” Burt said and reached for one of the closed sketch pads.

Kurt eyed his father. He didn’t know what to make of the strange way that his father was bringing up this topic, not since Blaine had he taken an interest in any of Kurt’s relationships.

“What is this all about, dad?”

Burt was looking at the drawings inside the book and smiling a little. “I really like these,” Burt said, “have you only been drawing so far?”

Kurt fingered the fabric he’d been holding earlier. “I was thinking I could start making something tonight, get back into it. I’ve only tailored a few things in the past few years but I’m hoping it’s like a bike.”

“You haven’t ridden a bike in years either,” his father said and closed the sketch pad.

Kurt shrugged. “So what about Steve?”

“I want to know if you’re serious about him, Kurt, because if you are then I don’t think this conversation even has to take place, but if you aren’t then there’s something you have to know.”