Kurt and Blaine had been sitting in a booth, stifling yawns and sipping bourbon for the last hour.  Every means of getting out of the bar had been foiled, including Blaines attempt to set off the smoke alarm.  Finally, they had resigned themselves to simply waiting it out until Mike came to open the bar the next day. 

Well, technically, later that day, since it was now nearly three in the morning. 

"I dont get it," Kurt said, his eyes red-rimmed and bleary.  "Why would your Uncles ghost trap us in here?"

Blaine shook his head.  He had no answer. 

"Wasnt Charlie the uncle who always called you the queer one?"

Blaine nodded, "He used to introduce me like that, ‘This is my nephew, the queer one.  He was a pretty hardcore homophobe.  He wouldnt have left me the bar, except he was mad at Cooper when he died."

"So, he wouldnt really want the two of us trapped together in his bar, right?"

Blaine shook his head.  "Do you think it was Finn?"

Kurt considered that for a minute and then shook his own head slowly, "I dont think so.  Finn was really mad at you when we broke up, and you know how loyal he was.  Plus, I really think hes tied to Rachel."

"Im not so sure," Blaine argued. 

"What do you mean?"

"I think hes coming here at night to drink beer with Uncle Charlie.  I think hes been hanging out with him, and thats how he figured out he could eat.  Santana said you had a problem."

Kurts eyes grew wide, "Oh!  Thats why our food keeps disappearing."  He shook his head.  "I really thought it was Santana; I wondered why she wasnt getting fat." 

They fell into silence for a while after that, too tired to come up with new topics of conversation.  Eventually, however, Kurt put his empty glass on the table and looked across the room at the long, wooden bench flanking the sides of two adjacent walls.  His jaw cracked into a huge yawn he could no longer suppress.  "Maybe Ill lie down on the bench and try to get some sleep.  Ill send you the chiropractor bill if and when we ever get out of here." 

Blaine gave him a pained smile, "Im so sorry about this, Kurt.  I think Ill join you.  And then tomorrow Im going to look into having all of these benches padded or a bed put in my store room or something.  I cant believe theres not a single comfortable place to lie down in the entire bar." 

They made their way across the room, and Kurt rolled up his coat.  He stretched out on the bench on his back, tucking his jacket under his head like a pillow.  Blaine switched off the overhead light and groped his way toward Kurt, putting his own coat near Kurts head, so that they were both stretched out with their heads almost touching. 

"Goodnight, Kurt."

"Goodnight, Blaine." 

Thirty minutes later, they were both still awake. 

"Blaine?" Kurt whispered.

"Hmmm?"

"Does it suddenly feel really cold to you?"

Blaine considered that for a moment, "Yeah."  Then something occurred to him, and he sat up suddenly, swinging his feet to the floor.  "I forgot.  Theres a programmable thermostat that turns the heat down to 55 once the bar closes.  Hold on, Ill reset it." 

Blaine stumbled back to the light switch.  His eyes were now accustomed to the dim glow from the exit signs, but he needed more light than that to work the thermostat.  "Hide your eyes," he warned Kurt before flipping on the switch. 

Walking over to the thermostat behind the bar, Blaine lifted the cover and began pushing buttons.  Then he pushed more buttons.  Then he swore softly. 

"Shit."

"What now?"

"For some reason, it wont let me override the program."

"God, Blaine, did your uncle secretly hate you?"

"No!  Well, yeah, not so secretly, but still, I was his favorite nephew."  He thought about that for a moment and then shrugged, "Well, except for the gay thing.  Besides, it could be Finn, remember?"

"Finn could barely operate a wristwatch.  He could hardly sabotage a heating system."  Kurt was sitting up now.  He pulled on his coat and whacked at his arms a couple of times to try to improve the circulation. 

Blaine considered Kurts actions and noticed that he was shivering a little; honestly, the man had no body fat to keep him warm.  He walked over to the bench and grabbed his own coat.  Then he sat down at the corner where the two benches joined at a right angle and put one leg up, full length, on the bench, the other on the floor. 

"Come here," he said to Kurt. 

Kurt turned his head and looked at him.  "Why?"

"Because its about 65 degrees in here, and its only going to get colder.  You might as well let me hold you and keep you warm.  I promise Ill keep my hands north of the Equator."

Kurt laughed and shook his head, "God.  I cant believe we had a rule like that.  We could have had so much more sex in high school if I hadnt been such a prude for the first six months."

Blaine laughed, too, "If wed had any more sex, Kurt, one of us would have caught fire from the friction.  I think your rule probably saved us from a fiery death."

"I dunno," Kurt said dubiously, "I remember going around chaffed raw half the time from all the whacking off I was doing."

"Seriously?  But you were my baby penguin."

"Oh my God, shut up."

"Get over here and make me."

"Fine!"

Kurt stalked over to Blaine, whirled around, and dropped into the space between Blaines legs with a little more force than was strictly necessary.  Blaine let out a little "oof," but one arm automatically wrapped around Kurts chest, pulling Kurts back against Blaines chest.  With this other hand, Blaine arranged his coat over their legs. 

Confident that Kurts lower half was covered, Blaine rubbed his hands up and down along Kurts upper arms, trying to get him warm and relaxed.  He could feel that even though Kurt was pressed up against him, he was holding himself a little stiffly, as though he couldnt allow himself to fully enjoy Blaines heat. 

They sat there for a few minutes, Blaine warming Kurt with his body.  Then Blaine noticed something, "I forgot to turn the light off.  Do you want me to get it?"

Kurt shook his head, "I dont think I can sleep.  Besides, youre warm; I dont want you to move."

"Okay."

A few minutes later, Blaine felt Kurt finally relax against him, and his head fell against Blaines shoulder.

"Mmmm.  You feel good," he muttered sleepily. 

In his own sleep deprived state, Blaines body reverted to autopilot.  His cheek pressed against Kurts hair, and his own head rolled a little so that his lips could brush against Kurts temple. 

He didnt realize he had kissed Kurt until he felt him stiffen again in his arms. 

Blaines head snapped up, "Sorry!  Sorry.  I just...I wasnt thinking.   It was just...habit."

Kurt settled back against Blaine again.  "Its okay," he murmured.  "It just surprised me a little. It...it was nice."

Blaine, who had been comfortably drowsy just seconds ago, was now suddenly hyper-aware that he was holding Kurt in his arms.  It was no longer just warm and comfortable; it was Kurt.  And Kurt must have felt something similar, because he began fidgeting a little in Blaines arms. 

Kurt brushed one hand along the bench and then sat up a little straighter and said, "Whats that?"

"What?"

Kurt pulled on a small piece of paper sticking out from between two slats on the bench.  It was a gum wrapper folded into a small, sharp point:  Juicy Fruit. 

Kurt stared at it for a few minutes as if transfixed, resting warm in the circle of Blaines arms.  Finally he said, "Do you remember our first Christmas together?"

"Ye-ah," Blaine dragged the word out, not sure where Kurt was going with this line of conversation.

"You made me a ring out of gum wrappers, do you remember?  I had forgotten until just now."

Blaine chuckled, "Oh, yeah.  I remember that.  I think it was a bow tie."

"Of course it was a bow tie."

They sat in silence for a few more minutes, Blaines arms wrapped around Kurt, both of them lost in contemplation.

"Do you remember what you promised me?"  It was Kurt who broke the silence. 

"What?"

"You said it was a promise ring.  Do you remember what you promised?"

Blaine thought about it, "To always love you.  To bake you cookies?  I think thats right.  To defend you."

Kurt nodded a little, and there was a something heavy in the air.  Blaine waited Kurt out, but he pulled Kurt a little more closely to him. 

"You said," Kurt started in a small voice.  He tilted his head down, as he screwed up his courage, "You said...you promised me that you would kiss me...whenever and wherever I wanted."

"I did," Blaine answered in a low voice. 

"It was a promise."

"It was."

"You have to keep your promises."

"I do."

"I-I want you to kiss me now."

Why? almost came from Blaines lips, but the part of him that wanted to kiss Kurt more than anything prevailed over his curiosity and caution.  His hand slid up Kurts arm and shoulder to his jaw, and he tilted Kurts head back gently.  Kurt closed his eyes and turned his head slightly to give Blaine better access.  Blaine pressed his lips gently against Kurts, reveling in the softness of his lips. 

The angle was awkward, and the kiss was chaste and sweet.  After a moment, Blaine pulled away. 

Kurts eyelids fluttered open.  He looked into Blaines eyes for a long time, and then he pushed up slightly and pressed his lips to Blaines again, turning his whole body to get closer.  Blaine wrapped his arms more tightly around Kurt and opened his mouth slightly.  Kurt responded with a small gasp, lips parting.  Tentatively, Blaine touched his tongue to Kurts, and Kurt responded by pressing his own tongue back against Blaines a little more firmly, opening his mouth a little wider, until their  tongues were moving against each others with just the smallest pressure. 

Blaine let out a soft moan, and his lips moved more assuredly over Kurts, and Kurt met Blaine kiss for kiss until they both pulled away, lips tingling and breath coming a little bit faster. 

Blaine gave Kurt a searching look. 

Kurt turned back around and pressed his back against Blaines chest again, hiding his face from Blaines view.  Blaine waited for Kurt to speak, but when he didnt, Blaine finally asked the question that had been on his mind since before the kiss.

"Why, Kurt?"

"Hmm?"

"Why did you want me to kiss you?"

"Didnt you like it?"

"I was kissing you, Kurt.  Of course I liked it.  I loved it."

Kurt didnt respond for a long time, and Blaine began to wonder if he would.  Was he asleep?  He contented himself with just holding Kurt, reveling in how warm and solid he felt in his arms. 

Eventually, however, Kurt did answer, "Even before we were together I thought about kissing you.  Your lips have always been...perfect.  For months I wondered what it would be like to kiss you, and the first time you kissed me, it was so much better than I imagined."  Kurt let out a sigh, "And then after we broke up what I missed the most--well, what I missed the most was talking to you--but what I missed the most, physically, was your kiss.  I missed it more that the sex--which was phenomenal, believe me--but I really missed your mouth on mine.

"I still think about it, sometimes, but its been more than ten years, Blaine.  I couldnt remember what your kiss felt like--only that I loved it.  Id forgotten, and I wanted to remember again.  Is that weird?"

Blaine shook his head, "Its not weird, Kurt.  I wanted to kiss you, too.  I wanted to-to-to see if it was like I remembered."

"Was it?"

Blaine had a small internal debate with himself while he decided whether or not to tell Kurt the truth.  Then he reminded himself he had nothing to lose.  "No," he answered honestly. 

Kurt pulled out of Blaines arms far enough to turn and look at him.  He opened his mouth, and then he closed it again. 

Blaine gave Kurt a pained look, and then he explained, "Dont take this the wrong way, Kurt, but when we were together we were really young and really inexperienced.  I loved kissing you, and I loved being kissed by you, but youre better at it now.  More restrained; less aggressive.  More confident.  Hopefully, I am, too."

Kurt relaxed back into Blaines arms again and started laughing, "Its true," he chuckled.  "I think we may have tried to eat each other when we were in high school." 

"I did my best to try to lick your tonsils."

"Me, too."  By now they were both giggling uncontrollably.  "Its nice to know weve gotten better with age," Kurt managed to get out.  Overall, it wasnt all that funny, but they were both overly tired and feeling a little giddy.

"With age comes experience," Blaine intoned.

He didnt know what it was about what he said, but Kurt suddenly stiffened in his arms again.  Then he stood, pulling free of Blaines embrace, "Im...uh...Im just going to try to lie down and sleep again."  He moved down and away from Blaine, stretching out on his side, facing the wall, his head resting on a bent arm. 

Puzzled, Blaine stood and walked to the wall so he could switch off the light.  When the bar was once again inky, Blaine said quietly, "Goodnight, Kurt."

It was a long time later before he heard Kurt say, "Goodnight, Blaine."