"It's funny - we could have almost been replying to each other," Kurt said, setting aside one of the letters Blaine had written and starting to read the next one. "We've answered each other's questions a few times."

Looking up from the laptop on which he was reading Kurt's emails to him, Blaine smiled. "We must have subconsciously known what the other was thinking about."

Kurt hummed in response, his attention focused on the letter again. Blaine covered his hand with his own. Kurt looked up to find Blaine frowning down at the letter in his hands. He met Kurt's gaze, his brow still furrowed. "I think I'd better explain something before you read any further."

The seriousness of his tone had Kurt shifting his body to face his, concern rising inside him. "What is it?"

Blaine licked his lips, looking uncomfortable. "When- Not long before I came back here my parents gave me a ring."

"A ring?" Kurt repeated blankly. Then he understood; there was only one kind of ring Blaine's parents would give him, and only one kind of ring that would make him look sick to his stomach. "Oh."

Blaine nodded, looking horribly distant. "They requested I propose marriage to Anna - you know who Anna is, don't you?" he asked, his gaze focusing on Kurt again. When Kurt nodded, he continued, "By this time I knew I wanted to come back here and was determined to do so, so I delayed it as much as I could. It frustrated my parents and they were becoming suspicious, but I kept putting it off as much as I could-"

In his head, Kurt put together Blaine's words and his distressed, almost ill expression. "Wait," he interrupted, feeling something close to panic unfolding inside of him, "you didn't get engaged to her, did you?"

Blaine's eyes widened, his expression clearing. "Oh, no! No, no, no." He patted Kurt's hand reassuringly. "No, I managed to return here before I was cornered into proposing. It was a close escape, though."

Relaxing, Kurt breathed out in relief. He didn't know what he'd do or how he'd feel if Blaine was engaged to someone - and a girl nonetheless - back in his own time, even if that engagement would now technically be irrelevant. "Okay. That's good."

"My parents had arranged for myself and Anna to have lunch at my father's country club the day after I came here," Blaine continued. "My father essentially threatened me; saying I'd better propose to her over lunch, or else."

Kurt gaped at him. "He said that?"

"I'm so glad I got back here when I did. There's no way I could have-" Blaine shook his head. "I just wanted you to know about this." He glanced down at the letters in Kurt's lap. "I mentioned it in the letters, but I wanted to explain it to you." He rubbed Kurt's hand with his thumb, his expression turning almost pleading, like he was begging Kurt to believe him. "Nothing happened between Anna and I. I thought only of you in the time we were together."

Frowning at his tone of voice and the desperate look in his eyes, Kurt cupped Blaine's face with his free hand. "Blaine, I know," he said softly. "It's okay." He rubbed soothingly over Blaine's cheekbone. "You've done nothing wrong, honey."

Blaine closed his eyes and leaned into Kurt's touch. Smiling softly, Kurt continued to caress Blaine's face, content to sit in silence while Blaine calmed down. He knew that while Blaine was happy and sure of spending his life in this time, it was still a big upheaval for him. It had been a tough decision for him, choosing to leave behind the world and people he knew, and these first few days would be the most difficult for him as he came to terms with how his life had changed. Kurt made a vow to help Blaine adjust to the change. He would do everything he could for the man he loved.

"Even if I had wanted to marry Anna I could never have proposed to her in that way," Blaine said quietly, surprising Kurt out of his thoughts. He looked back down at Blaine just in time to see the other man's eyes open. "I would never want to be forced into a proposal. I would want the moment to be special and just between the two of us; not something planned by my parents."

"You know, gay marriage is legal in New York," Kurt blurted without thinking.

Blaine stared at him, his hand stiffening on top of Kurt's. He stared until Kurt's cheeks darkened in a blush and he ducked his head to look down at the letters in his lap, taking his hand away from Blaine's face. He internally cursed his careless mouth. What was he even meaning in saying that?

It felt like ages before Blaine finally responded, finally reacted in some way to Kurt's sudden, thoughtless announcement. It was long enough that Kurt's blush had spread down to his neck and that his insides had begun to curl in on themselves in embarrassment.

"I remember," Blaine said softly in a voice barely louder than a whisper. "You told me that before."

Hearing him caused Kurt's embarrassment to recede and he finally dared to look up, the pinkness fading from his face.

Blaine's face was soft and his gaze looked almost hopeful. "I've always wanted to get married," he said. His voice held the breathy quality of someone confessing a deep secret, one they held close to their heart and never thought they'd be able to reveal. "I never thought it would be possible. I never thought I'd be able to have the marriage I dreamed of: a husband to come home to and a matching ring that symbolised our eternal love to wear proudly."

Kurt smiled fondly at him and squeezed his hand. "You'll get your dreams," he told him, without really thinking about what he was promising. "All of them. You're not asking for much - love, acceptance, happiness."

"That's a lot to some people," Blaine replied. "It's a lot to me. I didn't think any of that was attainable."

Kurt chastised himself for his careless words. He'd never really thought about how much he took for granted. While he'd struggled for acceptance in high school he'd always known it would get better once he got out of Lima and he'd always had it at home. He'd sometimes had his doubts about falling in love, but deep down he knew he'd experience it at some point. As for happiness, he already had that. He hadn't thought about Blaine and so many others who could barely hope to achieve one of those before he'd spoken.

Before he could say anything about this, could apologise for being tactless, Blaine smiled at him.

"I can see now that my dreams are possible," he said. "I'm already living most of them." His gaze was so full of adoration that it made it difficult for Kurt to breathe.

Taking in a shuddering breath, Kurt eventually lowered his gaze back to the letters on his lap. "Wes helped you get back here?"

Kurt felt rather than saw Blaine nod. "Yeah, it was painful for both of us, knowing we would never see each other again, but he wanted me to come back here, almost as much as I did; he knew it was for the best."

Kurt glanced up at Blaine when he paused, finding him looking down at the letters, his expression difficult to read. "He was going to tell my parents that I ran away to start a new life in another state."

With a lurch of his stomach, Kurt remembered the newspaper articles Rachel had told him about that covered Blaine's disappearance. The final article about him reported the police concluding Blaine had moved away and started a whole new life.

"It's true, in a way," Kurt murmured.

Blaine nodded. A tiny frown appeared on his face, before smoothing out just as quickly as it came. He met Kurt's eyes again.

"I'm not upset that I left and I certainly don't regret it," he said, obviously feeling the need to clarify this. "I was truly miserable in that time. I know it's wrong, but I won't miss my parents at all; I'm glad they're out of my life."

"That's not wrong," Kurt assured him. "With the way they treated you - it sounded like they didn't really care for you, Blaine; not for your happiness, anyway."

"They didn't," Blaine agreed bluntly. "But it doesn't matter. They've never really been there for me." He rested his free hand on Kurt's arm, stroking it through his sweater. "I'm gaining far more than I'm losing."

That evening while Blaine was in the shower, Kurt called his dad. He couldn't wait to tell him there was no need for him to worry about him anymore; that his time travelling boyfriend was back for good and he was no longer miserable and cursing fate.

"Hey, buddy," his dad greeted. "How's everything?"

For the first time in the weeks that his dad had been asking him that question, Kurt smiled. He finally had a positive response, one which made him beyond happy.

"I'm great, dad," he replied. "Everything changed for the better yesterday and I'm just-" He looked around his bedroom, lit brightly by lamps and his joyous mood, searching for the words to describe how utterly euphoric he was. "I can't believe how quickly my life has turned around again."

There was a short pause, broken only by the soft buzzing of the connection sounding through the phone, and then his dad spoke.

"Kurt, what are you talking about?" He sounded cautious, like he was afraid of believing Kurt's happiness too quickly and having his own hopes dashed when Kurt fell back into a state of despair.

Kurt's eyes landed on Blaine's jacket draped over the back of the chair in his room. His smile widened. "He came back, dad. Blaine came back."

There was another pause, this one so long Kurt pulled the phone away from his ear to check the connection hadn't been lost. "Dad?"

"Blaine...came back?" his dad repeated slowly.

"Yeah, he-" Kurt had to sit down on the edge of the bed; his legs were shaking too much. "He realised he'd made a mistake and got some people to help him come..." Kurt trailed off, realising something. "You- You do believe me, don't you, dad?"

"Kurt, I-"

Holding his breath, Kurt stared fixedly at Blaine's jacket - solid, physical proof he was really here. His dad thought he was delusional; that he'd finally cracked; his despair and desperate, fruitless wishes finally warping into the belief he had Blaine back. His dad didn't believe Blaine could come back, just as Kurt hadn't done until New Year's - but he was back. Blaine was here. His jacket hung on the back of the chair, his scent clung to Kurt's sheets, and the sounds of him showering escaped through the crack beneath the bathroom door. He was here.

Kurt gripped the phone tighter as his dad spoke again.

"When did he come back?" he asked in a measured voice; carefully choosing his words, placating Kurt rather than truly believing him.

In spite of everything, Kurt smiled again. "Yesterday. He came back yesterday evening." He readjusted his grip on his phone. "You should come over and meet him."

"I think that's a good idea," his dad agreed. "I'll book flights for sometime in the week. I'll call you when I have the times."

Kurt nodded. "Okay." He paused, wanting to say something else, something to prove Blaine was really here and not just a figment of his imagination, a projection of his loss. He thought briefly about having Blaine speak to his dad, but in the end he decided it would be best if he just waited until his visit. That would set things straight once and for all.

"I love you, dad," he said instead.

"I love you, too, buddy. I'll call you with those times, okay?"

When the call ended, Kurt tossed his phone aside on the bed and buried his face in his hands. His dad didn't believe him. He thought Kurt had gotten worse in the short time since they had last spoken, despite Kurt starting to feel and sound happier.

The bed dipped next to him and he lifted his head to see Blaine sitting there, his hair damp and curly from the shower, his brow knitted together with concern.

"What's wrong?"

Sighing, Kurt waved a hand at his phone. "My dad doesn't believe you're here. He thinks I've gone crazy and I'm only imagining you."

Blaine's eyes widened in disbelief, his expression turning indignant. "What? How can he not believe you?"

Kurt lifted his shoulders in a small shrug. "I didn't exactly cope well with you being gone," he admitted. "I guess he thought it affected me badly enough for me to lose my mind, in a way."

Blaine stared at him, too shocked to say anything.

Kurt shrugged. "It doesn't matter. He's coming out to visit soon to meet you. He'll see the truth then."

Nodding slowly, Blaine looked down at where his hand rested on Kurt's thigh. "I didn't think your dad was like that," he said quietly.

"He's just worried about me, that's all. Has been ever since I told him everything that was going on."

Looking over and seeing the frown lines still between Blaine's pinched eyebrows, Kurt leaned over and kissed the spot softly. Blaine looked up, his frown smoothing out.

"It'll be okay," Kurt told him. "He'll meet you soon and he won't have to worry anymore."

Despite Kurt's assurance, Blaine still remained troubled for the rest of the evening. Though he never said anything about it and would appear unworried to most people, Kurt could tell by his long silences and the shadow in his eyes that something was still bothering him.

He waited until they were in bed to ask about it. They had come to a mutual, unspoken agreement to share a bed again. Kurt had no desire for Blaine to go back to sleeping in his old room and Blaine seemed in no hurry to sleep elsewhere, so Kurt didn't mention it. After so long without Blaine he wanted him beside him as much as possible.

Once the light was off and they were cuddled together with their legs tangled and breaths intermingling, Kurt searched Blaine's face with concern.

"Are you okay?" he asked, rubbing Blaine's ribs with his thumb through the soft cotton of his sleep shirt.

Blaine looked back at him silently and for a second or two Kurt thought he was going to deny there was anything wrong, but then his expression shifted, a tiny frown line appearing between his eyebrows.

"Are we still boyfriends?" he asked nervously, his voice small. "I know we never exactly broke up, but-"

Kurt cut him off with a soft kiss. "Of course we are, silly," he breathed against Blaine's lips. "We never let each other go."

Sliding his hand up Kurt's back, Blaine closed the sliver of space between them, pressing their mouths together again in a smoldering kiss. Kurt's thumb ceased its caressing of Blaine's side, his hand curling around his waist instead, drawing the other man closer so that Blaine's burning skin pressed against his own. His mouth opened under the touch of Blaine's lips to his own, groaning softly in the back of his throat when their tongues traced each other.

There was fire in Kurt's stomach, fire that burned through his veins and made his muscles tremble and shiver with desire. He'd felt this fire before when they'd kissed, but he'd always managed to contain it, to keep it in a controlled ball of heat in his belly - but, tonight, Blaine was burning with him.

Heat hung heavy in the air around them, making sweat bead on the curve of Kurt's lower back and Blaine pant against the sensitive skin of Kurt's neck as he trailed kisses down from his jaw. Every reminder that Kurt had pinned up inside his mind reminding himself that Blaine was inexperienced and probably lacking in knowledge, reminders that had made him control the fire in the past, dissolved into ashes. Desire, lust, and love burned through him, making him crave - need - to be closer, to feel more of Blaine, to taste more of him.

He slipped a hand underneath Blaine's shirt, smoothing over his burning skin where a thin sheet of sweat was already forming, and palmed desperately at his belly in an effort to curb his cravings. When it wasn't enough, he reached for the hem of Blaine's t-shirt, tugging at it and making a small noise of approval when Blaine's hands pushed his away and he pulled his own shirt off. Before Blaine could even reach for Kurt's shirt, Kurt tugged it over his head and tossed it aside. He eagerly pressed back up against Blaine, sighing happily at the feeling of their bare skin pressed together.

Kurt's lips found Blaine's again. "I love you," he gasped into his mouth, smiling when Blaine linked their fingers together over his wildly thumping heart.

Blaine's breath was coming in short, erratic pants; his pupils were blown wide and dark, nearly eradicating his golden hazel irises, and his hair was all ruffled curls where Kurt had run his hands through it. He melded his lips to Kurt's like a parched man tasting water for the first time in weeks, savoring his boyfriend's taste and doing his best to commit it to memory.

Blaine relished in the silky slip­slide of his lips against Kurt's until his need for air combined with the insurmountable sensory overload of pleasure he found being bestowed upon him at the moment became too much. He tipped his head back, inhaling and letting out a rough groan as Kurt kissed at his now­exposed throat, nipping gently at the soft skin with his teeth until Blaine clutched at him, needing more.

Kurt sucked eagerly at his boyfriend's neck, spurred on by Blaine's responses, until he was satisfied with the mark. He pulled his lips off briefly before tenderly licking and nipping at the forming hickey, earning him a rather wrecked groan from Blaine. Kurt shifted again, graceful in the heat of the moment, and touched his lips to the other man's kiss-swollen ones.

"I love you, too," Blaine breathed out as their lips parted, his eyes locking on Kurt's and his free hand tracing the length of Kurt's spine lovingly. Tendrils of pleasure licked down his slender body, making the taller boy's toes curl.

For a moment, the fire and its heat hung still and tender between and within them, more warmth than blaze, but then Blaine shifted slightly, his hips moving closer to Kurt's, and sparks shot through Kurt, fueling the fire once more.

The taller boy let a needy whimper escape as he crawled forwards, his hands flying to trail across the heated skin of Blaine's stomach. With the smallest little tilt of Kurt's hips downward, he rubbed fleetingly against Blaine, and the pleasure of contact was exhilarating, yet not nearly enough at the same time.

"Kurt," Blaine whined, his hips lifting to meet his boyfriend's above him, searching for more pressure. Kurt moaned at the feel of him, hard in his boxer briefs.

Blood and desire pulsed through Kurt's head, making it near impossible for him to think straight. He wanted Blaine, and it was obvious Blaine wanted him just as badly, but Blaine was going purely on instinct, chasing whatever felt good; Kurt wasn't sure that his boyfriend really knew what it was exactly that he wanted.

Blaine's hand slipped out of Kurt's and he fumbled for Kurt's waistband. His eyes, nearly all of their beautiful gold-hazel colour swallowed by his pupils, were filled with lust, love, and trust. Perhaps Blaine didn't know what he was asking for as he pawed at Kurt's pants and rolled their hips together, but he trusted Kurt to give him what he needed.

Placing his hands on top of Blaine's, Kurt helped his boyfriend guide his pants down until he had to finish removing them himself. He took the opportunity to take in Blaine's body as he leaned back to toss them out of the way. His eyes ran over Blaine's heaving chest with its dusting of dark hair and his toned stomach with the sharp line of his hipbones drawing the eye down to where his erection strained against his underwear. He leaned down to kiss Blaine again, tilting his head to deepen it and making it as tender as he could while his body screamed for hot, desperate passion.

"You are so beautiful, B," he said once he pulled back. He felt Blaine's hand caress his hip in response as his eyes softened. He ran a hand through Blaine's hair as he got up on his knees and shifted so he could reach the nightstand. "Let me know if you want to stop. It's okay if you're not ready yet." He pulled open the nightstand drawer and fumbled around until his fingers closed around a bottle of lubricant. He dropped it on the bed next to them and settled back down over Blaine, careful to keep their hips apart for a moment. At Blaine's questioning look, he shook his head. "No questions tonight. If it's alright with you, I want tonight to just be about us and not- not the mechanics of things. I'll tell you everything you want to know tomorrow, but tonight- tonight I just want it to be us - if you trust me."

Blaine took his hand and rubbed his thumb softly over Kurt's knuckles. "I trust you," he said.

Smiling, Kurt leaned down to kiss him again, breathing out softly against Blaine's cheek as he brushed their lips together, softly at first, until Blaine started squirming beneath him and it became near impossible to hold back his own burning need for more.

Reaching down, he tugged at the waistband of Blaine's briefs, continuing to press open-mouthed kisses to his jawline and neck, paying special attention to his earlier mark, before sliding them off, smiling slightly when Blaine lifted his hips to help him. He was tempted to look down, but he fought the urge, brushing one last butterfly-soft kiss beneath where Blaine's eyelashes fluttered against his cheek, before pulling his own underwear off. Slowly, he lowered his hips to Blaine's again.

They both moaned, Blaine panting slightly against Kurt's neck. Kurt rolled his hips down, gripping Blaine's hand tightly at the feel of Blaine's hard length pressed against his own. He thrust his hips down again, only this time Blaine's hips jerked up to meet his.

"K- Kurt," Blaine gasped, his free hand finding Kurt's hip, gripping the flesh in a way Kurt was sure would bruise as their hips thrust together again.

Kurt threw out a hand in search for the bottle of lube, and he opened his mouth to say something, anything, in response, but he seemed to have the lost the ability to make any noise that wasn't an expression of pleasure.

He opened the cap and untangled his other hand from Blaine's, squeezing out some of the silky liquid onto his fingers. He warmed it in his hand, finally looking down at where Blaine's cock, thick and flushed at the head, was pressed against his own. His breath hitched and more of the burning heat pooled and swirled in his belly, making his hips jerk involuntarily. He wrapped his lube-slick hand around both of their lengths and stroked a few times, making Blaine groan, low and rough, and his own body quiver with pleasure. He wiped his hand off on the sheets and leaned back down to kiss at Blaine's neck.

They rocked together, the slickness making it easier and so much better. The sheets pooled around Kurt's sweaty thighs, clinging to his skin, and the heat in the room made his hair fall in limp locks over his forehead. Their desperate moans and gasps filled the air and the bed rocked slightly as their thrusts quickened, both of them chasing their escalating pleasure.

Blaine reached his peak first, his body tensing up beneath Kurt's before he spilled, hot and wet, onto his own stomach with Kurt following soon afterwards, gasping Blaine's name and dropping his forehead down into the crook of his neck.

They lay there like that for a while, breath panting and bodies fizzing and singing with pleasure. The muscles in Kurt's thighs quivered and his heart raced at a speed that felt almost too fast to be healthy, while Blaine's hand found his again. He squeezed the other man's hand gently, still too dazed to lift his head to look at his boyfriend.

When he recovered enough to notice the unpleasant stickiness between them, Kurt groaned softly and rolled off of Blaine, collapsing next to him. Blaine immediately shuffled in close, his nose brushing Kurt's. Kurt opened his eyes and met Blaine's sated, adoring honey gaze. They smiled at each other.

"I'm so in love with you, B," Kurt whispered.

Blaine's already heavy eyelids fluttered closed for a moment, like those words gave him so much bliss that he had to center himself and savor them. "I love you, too," he said when he'd opened his eyes again. "You complete me."

They entered the kitchen the next morning with their hands entwined and smiles on their faces. Blaine kept glancing over at Kurt, the memories of the night before vivid in his mind. His face warmed whenever Kurt caught him, and he honestly couldn't remember a time when he had been happier. Since he'd arrived back in this time, he'd been a little bit uncertain about where he and Kurt were in terms of their relationship, but now that he'd heard Kurt say they were still together and they'd shown their love in the most intimate of ways, he was overjoyed. He was back in the time where he belonged with his love, and his future looked promising. He was almost delirious with joy.

"Good morning, lovebirds," Rachel sang when she walked into the kitchen and saw them making coffee, their arms and hips brushing. "I've already been out this morning and invested in a pair of earplugs." She plucked a small package from her purse and waved it at them. "I can't go to sleep with my iPod on every night."

Blaine had no idea what an iPod was, but he still understood what Rachel was saying. He blushed, ducking his head and shuffling even closer to Kurt.

Rachel patted him on the shoulder on her way to grab a mug. "Aw, don't be embarrassed! Kurt's had to put up with me and Finn, so it's about time-"

"Okay!" Kurt cut her off, picking up his coffee and plate of toast. "Blaine doesn't need to hear all the sordid details."

Blaine shot Rachel a bashful smile, before picking up his own breakfast and scurrying after Kurt to sit at the table.

Unfazed, Rachel turned to smile at them both. "I'm just glad to see you both so happy." She glanced at the clock on the wall and took a big gulp of coffee. "I have to get to work soon."

Kurt smiled smugly around a bite of toast. "I took the day off work - said I had something important in my personal life to see to - which, I do." His gaze shifted to Blaine, who couldn't help but smile.

Rachel inclined her head. "Good, you've been working too much lately; you need some time off." She shot another look at the clock and took another hasty drink out of her mug.

They lapsed into silence: Kurt and Blaine eating their breakfast and brushing bare feet and ankles under the table, Rachel drinking her coffee. The second she finished her drink, Rachel set her mug in the sink and snatched up her purse from the counter.

"I'll see you two later," she said, shrugging on her coat and wrapping a scarf around her neck. She went to leave, but paused and spun back round to face them, apparently remembering something. "Not anywhere I have to sit or eat," she warned.

Kurt raised an eyebrow in response, while Blaine watched Rachel march out of the apartment, feeling baffled.

"What was that about?" he asked Kurt once the front door had closed behind her.

Kurt eyed him for a moment, before shaking his head, a smirk playing about the corners of his mouth. "Oh, nothing. Just Rachel being Rachel."

Blaine frowned at him as he returned his attention to his breakfast, trying to figure out what he was missing, but eventually deciding to drop it.

Burt called later that morning with the news that he would be visiting in two days time. A wave of nerves flooded Blaine's stomach upon hearing this. He wasn't sure how he would be received by Kurt's father. He had been the one who had left Kurt and caused him all the pain and distress of the last few months. He'd also been the one to give Burt - or rather, Mr. Hummel - reason to be concerned about his son's mental health. This could hardly put him in Burt's good books.

Blaine worried obsessively in the days before Mr. Hummel's arrival. Kurt spent a lot of time trying to calm and reassure him, but nothing he said could completely ease the nauseating cramping of his stomach. It only got worse the day Kurt was back at work, as he had hours by himself to stew over everything that could go wrong during the visit and all the reasons that Kurt's father had to dislike him.

On the morning of Mr. Hummel's visit, Blaine woke early after a restless night and sat rigid in bed waiting for Kurt to wake up. He got himself worked up into such a nervous, panicky state that Kurt took one look at him when he opened his eyes, and sighed.

"Come here," he said in a voice roughened by sleep. He held out his arm, inviting Blaine to lie close beside him.

Blaine slumped down next to him, curling close into his side and trying not to look as pathetic as he felt. Kurt's arm curled around his shoulders, holding him close. Blaine closed his eyes, breathing in his scent.

"He'll love you," Kurt assured him quietly. "And he'll understand why you had to leave me." He rubbed Blaine's arm. "He'll see how happy you make me and he'll love you; he loves everyone who makes me happy."

"What if I'm the exception?" Blaine mumbled, opening his eyes but refusing to look up at Kurt when he felt so small and pitiful.

A kiss was pressed into his hair. "You won't be - trust me."

Blaine was actually shaking when Kurt's father arrived. Kurt went downstairs to meet him from his cab and help him carry his bag, while Blaine waited in the apartment where he would be able to greet him in a much better manner. He tugged on the corner of his bowtie as he waited and rocked backwards and forwards on his heels, staring at the front door. When he heard Kurt's voice on the other side accompanied by lower, gruff tones, he wiped his sweaty palms on the legs of his pants. The door opened and he took a deep breath.

Burt Hummel looked nothing like the big, burly man he'd imagined. Though he looked like someone who wouldn't stand for any nonsense and would be able to tell if someone was lying, the concern and kindness in his eyes was evident, as was the softness in his expression as he looked at Kurt. His expression became more shrewd when his gaze landed on Blaine.

Kurt hurried to stand by Blaine's side. "Dad, this is my boyfriend, Blaine," he introduced. "Blaine, this is my dad, Burt."

Blaine held out his hand and fixed his best friendly smile on his face. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Hummel."

Mr. Hummel shook his hand, his grip firm. "Good to finally meet you. I've heard a lot about you from Kurt these past few months." He let go of Blaine's hand and surveyed him for a moment. Blaine tried not to let the fact that his hand was trembling show as he lowered it back to his side. "You have a pretty incredible story from what I've been told."

Blaine wasn't entirely sure what to say to this, but thankfully Kurt spoke up before he could worry about it.

"Everything I told you is true, dad. Blaine is from 1923 and he came back here a few days ago after he realized he didn't belong there."

Mr. Hummel didn't take his eyes off of Blaine while Kurt spoke, as if he were checking for any sign that what Kurt was saying wasn't completely true. Blaine felt it was time to be brave and speak up.

"It's true, sir," he said, somehow managing to sound calmer and more collected than he felt. "I am originally from the twenties, but travelled here by magic, met Kurt, and fell in love, both with your son and with this time." Mr. Hummel's expression didn't change any and his gaze never wavered. Blaine licked his lips and tried not to start rocking on his heels again. "After a while I began to worry I was doing the wrong thing by staying here. It felt wrong and immoral that I got to choose which time period to live in, so I did what I thought was right and went back to my own time. It didn't take me long to realize I'd made a mistake. I couldn't be myself there and I was forced to follow my parents' wishes, parents who, incidentally, cared very little for me. Worst of all was how much I missed Kurt. I knew I could only be happy if I came back here to a time where I could live my own life and be with the man I loved - with Kurt."

A hand slid into his own and Blaine looked at Kurt, his nerves abating at the sight of his warm, loving smile. He turned back to face Mr. Hummel.

"I am in love with your son, Mr. Hummel, and it would mean so much to me if our relationship had your blessing."

Mr. Hummel's gaze flickered between Kurt and Blaine for a moment, his expression difficult to read. Blaine discreetly crossed the fingers of his free hand behind his back. He didn't know what he would do if Kurt's father didn't believe them, or if he didn't approve of their relationship.

"Well, of course you have my blessing," Mr. Hummel said, smiling at them. His smile softened his eyes and Blaine could see the approval there along with the happiness at their joy in being with each other. "You make each other happy and you love each other - how could I not approve of that?"

Relief flooded though Blaine in a relaxing warmth, like the kind experienced when slipping into a hot bath. Kurt gave his hand a little squeeze and he glanced sideways to see his boyfriend smiling at him, looking pleased.

"You two may not have the most typical relationship," Mr. Hummel continued, "but that doesn't matter. It doesn't matter how you met or where you both come from; all that matters is you love each other and you want to spend your future together." He inclined his head in a small, firm nod which Blaine recognised as signalling the end of his opinion on the matter.

Giving him a grateful smile, Blaine said, "May I offer you a coffee, Mr. Hummel?"

"Coffee would be great, thanks," Mr. Hummel replied. "And you don't have to be calling me 'Mr. Hummel' all the time; Burt's fine."

"I- Okay, um- Burt," Blaine stammered. He smiled once more before scurrying off into the kitchen to make the coffee.

The rest of the day went a lot more smoothly than Blaine had imagined it would. They talked about Kurt's work, how everything was back in Lima, and a little about Blaine's life in the twenties over their coffee. Burt and Blaine then spent a good portion of the afternoon getting to know each other better while Kurt did some work on his laptop. When Rachel arrived home later in the evening they all went out to dinner together.

Blaine only started worrying again when they got back to the apartment and Burt bade them all goodnight, before retiring to the spare bedroom.

"Should I sleep on the couch tonight?" Blaine asked Kurt as they stood side-by-side brushing their teeth at the sink in Kurt's bathroom.

Kurt stopped brushing and shot him a confused look in the mirror. "What - why?"

Blaine took his toothbrush out of his mouth. "Because otherwise your father will know we are sleeping together," he said thickly around his mouthful of toothpaste.

"Blaine." Kurt spat into the sink. "He won't care that we're sharing a bed. We're both adults in a relationship with each other; it's only natural that we want to sleep in the same bed." He rinsed out his mouth and stuck his toothbrush in the holder.

Blaine spat out his mouthful of toothpaste and rinsed his mouth, shoving his toothbrush next to Kurt's. "But- He would really be okay with it?"

Placing a hand on Blaine's shoulder, Kurt smiled softly at him. "Of course he would." He gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze. "You're not in the twenties anymore, sweetie; it's perfectly acceptable to share a bed and have sex with someone before you're married." He cast his eyes skyward for a second. "Acceptable to most people, anyway."

Blaine had blushed at the reminder of the other night and Kurt leaned down to kiss both of his pink cheeks. "You're still learning about this time. As the weeks go by you'll see it's a lot less restrictive and a lot more accepting now compared to what you're used to." He kissed Blaine once more, this time on the tip of his nose, and then bumped him gently with his hip. "Now shove over so I can wash my face."

Kurt had to go back to work the next day, and as Rachel was having lunch with friends before going to work, it meant Blaine was spending the day alone with Burt. Kurt had told him yet again not to worry, before giving him a quick kiss goodbye and heading out the door, but Blaine was still nervous. He wanted the day to go well, and he was still waiting for Burt to threaten him or express his disapproval of him leaving Kurt and being indecisive about where he wanted to stay.

He was right to worry about this.

Blaine had suggested they go for a walk - something for them to do rather than sitting in the apartment, and a way to help settle and work off some of his nerves - and after they had been out for around five minutes, Burt brought up his return to the twenties.

"You really broke my kid's heart when you left," he said, his words and the edge of pain to his voice making a ghost of the agony Blaine had suffered while separated from Kurt sear through him. "It was different to when that jackass Liam left him; it hurt him deeper."

Blaine frowned down at the sidewalk, screwing up his face against all the old emotions surging up inside him again. "I am so sorry for leaving him. It destroyed me to do it. I will regret it for the rest of my life."

Burt placed a hand on his shoulder, stopping him. Blaine looked up at him, his face still creased with pain.

"Now, I don't want you to regret what you did," Burt told him firmly, surprising Blaine. "I know why you felt the need to go back and I understand that. I probably would've done the same thing in your situation. What I want you to do is learn from it: talk to Kurt whenever you feel overwhelmed, tell him if you lose the sense of belonging again; don't keep it to yourself so you lose sight of where you want to be." He patted Blaine's shoulder when he nodded in response. "Fitting in to life here is going to be hard," he continued. "It may take years before it feels completely normal and you have to be prepared for that."

Blaine nodded again. "I know that now. It felt so easy being with Kurt and it seemed so perfect for me to live in this time that I forgot I would still have to work to fit in sometimes. I got a little carried away with how wonderful being in the future was that it hit me hard when I began to really notice the differences."

"Since you came back here I figure that means you want to stay. I don't want you to mess up your life by going back again as much as I don't want to see Kurt hurt if you leave," Burt said.

"I won't leave again," Blaine told him sincerely. "I couldn't ever go back to that time."

Burt patted his shoulder one final time, before dropping his hand back to his side. "From what I've heard and seen, you seem like a really nice guy, Blaine, and I really am happy for you and Kurt."

Blaine smiled gratefully, feeling lighter as the remaining nerves lifted. "Thank you, sir."

Burt smiled. "Let's go get some coffee," he suggested. He set off along the street again, Blaine keeping pace beside him. "There's bound to be a place somewhere along here - this is New York."

After that Blaine was much more comfortable around Burt and was more than happy to spend time with him. He started opening up more around him, as well, telling him about his hopes for the future and his college plans. It was like he had subconsciously needed Burt to tell him he'd understood why he had gone back to his own time and that he didn't resent him for putting his son through hell. Approval was something Blaine had strived for his whole life, and he was so glad he had Burt's.

Kurt arrived home that evening carrying takeout and a hint of worry in his eyes. The wide smile that spread across his face when he saw Burt explaining the finer points of football to Blaine while a game played on TV showed just how delighted and relieved he was that his father and boyfriend were getting along.

"How are my two favorite men?" Kurt asked brightly, joining them in the living area once he'd dumped the food on the table.

Blaine turned to look at him and was greeted with a quick kiss and a tender smile.

"Did you have a good day?" Kurt asked.

"Blaine and I got to know each other a little better," Burt said. "It was good."

Kurt's smile widened, crinkling up his nose. "Great!" He gestured towards the table. "I've brought dinner home - Chinese. Let's go eat before it gets cold."

As they sat around the table, chatting happily and passing cartons of food around, Blaine was filled with a warmth he'd never really experienced before. It was the comforting, safe feeling of family. He'd felt hints of it when spending time with Rachel and Kurt, but those moments had elicited more of a carefree joy of being with best friends rather than the steady normalcy of being with family. Being with Kurt and his father made him feel like part of a family; he'd never felt that with his own parents.

With the path of his future illuminated by the bright lights of his dreams and the city, and with roads of possibility branching from all aspects of his new life and time, Blaine's future was set to be everything he had ever wished for. With Burt's approval and acceptance, Rachel's friendship, and Kurt's love and unwavering faith in him, Blaine's happiness and sense of belonging had never been greater. He may have had to put up one hell of a fight and struggle to get to where he was, but the pain and tears were all worth it when he got to open his eyes every morning to Kurt's blue eyes and soft smile. He may have had to travel ninety-one years into the future to get here, but he had finally done it; he was home.