On the one hand, Kurt didn’t want to give up his Tuesdays with Blaine. He enjoyed them, he loved spending time with Blaine and just talking. It was comfortable, it helped ease his homesickness and relieve stress from school and work. Even when they just studied, Blaine’s company seemed to make everything so much better.

On the other hand, how could he refuse Adam’s invitation to practice privately for glee on Tuesday evenings? It would certainly give him an advantage, come their regular Thursday night glee rehearsals with all of The Apples. Furthermore, Adam- Adam- had personally offered to give Kurt extra dance lessons. While Kurt was not lacking at all in vocal capability, his dancing, he reluctantly admitted to himself, could really use a hand. And when that hand was sexy, British, and very forward, who would be in their right mind to refuse. Not to mention all the connections Adam had at school and with his off-Broadway friends.

So, walking toward the coffee shop on Tuesday morning, Kurt was torn. Blaine must have sensed something when Kurt walked into the café, because Blaine gave him a quizzical look when Kurt distractedly tried to pay for his own coffee. Blaine never let Kurt pay, he always insisted that Kurt was a special customer and that it was on the house. Eventually, Kurt had learned better than to argue, and let the boy treat him to coffee on Tuesdays.

“Is everything okay Kurt?”

“Yeah,” Kurt lied, “Just tired I guess.”

Blaine nodded and began to help the customer behind Kurt while Kurt moved around the counter to wait for his drink. He was still struggling with himself as he picked up his coffee and headed out the door.

“Kurt!”

Kurt turned around in the doorway.

“Kurt,” Blaine flashed his biggest smile and waved, arm straight up in the air, “It's okay, Kurt!”

Everyone looked at the two, puzzled by the barista’s outburst. Kurt would’ve been embarrassed and reprimanded Blaine for causing a scene, but Blaine was too adorable, so Kurt just laughed. The boy had a way of doing that to Kurt. And the boy knew Kurt too well. Even when Kurt tried to hide his anxiety, the boy knew. Kurt smiled and half-waved as he walked out onto the icy street.

--

“Hey handsome.”

Kurt jumped, more surprised by the warm body that pressed against his back than the greeting whispered in his ear. Fixing his bag on his shoulder, Kurt turned around and grinned, “Hey yourself.”

The golden-haired boy winked and stepped backward to head toward his classroom, “See you tonight, Hummel.”

Kurt’s smile dropped. He couldn’t abandon Blaine, not for the second week in a row. Not when he knew he’d hurt Blaine last time. Not when Blaine smiled at him with those big puppy eyes and lifted the weight off Kurt’s shoulders with a simple "It's okay."

“Um, look…”

The pair of blonde eyebrows furrowed, a dark voice interrupting, “Are you not coming?” Adam didn’t look pleased, Kurt was taken aback at the quickness in which Adam’s mood slipped.

“I, um, yeah. Yeah, looking forward to it. That’s all, I’m looking forward to it.” Kurt felt like a fool the way he tripped over his response, but peace returned to Adam’s face as he placed a single pat on Kurt’s shoulder and walked away.

Kurt kicked himself mentally several times. No. That’s not what he meant to say. Shit. But now he couldn’t not meet Adam. Not only did the glare that flashed in Adam’s eyes a moment earlier scare Kurt, but Adam was the club president of The Apples. The man with complete power to destroy Kurt’s glee club career before it even started. He’d be harmonizing in the back for three years, or worse, kicked out. Kurt didn’t think Adam was that kind of guy. Not until a few minutes ago.

Kurt kicked himself again for how disappointed Blaine would be. Would Blaine be angry?

Promise! he’d told Blaine. Would Blaine still trust him? Even though it was just coffee, it wasn’t just coffee. It was their day. When they gave each other their undivided attention, when they could laugh freely and sip coffee all night. The day that Kurt could just be himself because they knew each other so intimately. Even when they didn’t speak, they knew what the other was thinking. The day when everything could melt away and it would just be Kurt and Blaine. It was like sitting in the Lima bean- before Sebastian, before New York, before Eli the lighthouse. Before their trust slowly began to corrode.

It was their safe place, like standing upon a coastal bluff, looking down into the ragged waters but knowing that they stood upon a monument to the centuries, something that prevailed through the harshest tests of nature. When everything seemed too unkind, and they felt like they couldn’t keep their footing, they could retreat to the back of that little café and everything would be alright.

It wasn’t just coffee. And now, Kurt found himself between a rock and a hard place. Between losing something he wanted so badly and something he wanted so badly not to lose.

--

It was a quarter past five and Blaine’s eyes were burning holes into the clock on his phone. He heard the door open and close, light footsteps springing toward him, “Blaine!”

Blaine returned the giddy smile with a gentle, “Hey.”

Rachel beamed at Blaine and dropped herself down on the chair next to him without hesitation.