Two hours after they left Pine Bluffs they were pulling into downtown Laramie, Kurt fighting to steer the Matrix against gale-force winds. Blaine let out a low whistle, “It's like the set of Gunsmoke,” he said in awe as an icy tumbleweed bounced across the road in front of them.  Blaine looked around at the row of beat up pickup trucks that lined the street in front of the Buckhorn Bar. Many had gun racks and NRA bumper stickers. “Kurt, whatever you have to do to butch it up, I think you should do it while we're here.”

“I'll channel my inner Chuck Norris,” Kurt said with a shiver. “I hope you brought some flannel.”

Both men sank into silence.

“We're being stupid, right?” Blaine asked after a time. “I mean, this is a university town, which means it's likely full of well-educated and open-minded people, and hundreds of people came out in a parade in support of Matthew Shepard right after the incident, even before he died. I don't suppose this town is any different from any other town.”

“I think you're right about this town not being different. What happened to Matthew Shepard could have happened anywhere, even San Francisco or Key West, but I think being here is a bigger reminder of how careful we still have to be all the time. Please promise me you'll watch out for yourself.”

“I will if you will.”

“I promise.”

A little more than an hour before they were scheduled to see Tinas show, Kurt suggested that Blaine take a shower and that they start getting ready, so Blaine gathered his toiletries and went into the bathroom. When he emerged thirty minutes later, trailed by a cloud of steam, the hotel room was empty.

Blaine had an initial moment of panic, thinking that Kurt had left him, but then he realized that all of Kurt's things remained in the room. Kurt was a grown man; he could go out on his own if he wanted. Telling himself that didn't quiet the niggling voice in the back of his head that reminded Blaine that Kurt was not exactly a man who could pass as straight, and this town had a history. His rational mind reminded him that he shouldn't paint a whole town based on the actions of a couple of homicidal, homophobic rednecks, still, he dressed for the evening with shaking fingers and breathed a sigh of relief when he heard a keycard being slotted into the door, and Kurt entered with a big smile.

Blaine ran to Kurt and enveloped him in spine-cracking hug that made Kurt go, “oof” and then give a slightly laughing, “Hey.” Then Kurt stepped back so that Blaine was at arm's length. He looked Blaine up and down from head to toe as he unwrapped the wooly scarf from his neck and unbuttoned his heavy coat. “I dunno,” he said slowly, “I think something's not quite right.”

“What?” Blaine twisted around to try to look at his back, then twisted back to look down his front. He had dressed in a combination of his two recent purchases, pairing the nice slacks purchased in Omaha with the dress shirt and vest from Chicago which Kurt had thoughtfully sent down to the hotel laundry in Omaha for cleaning.

Kurt tapped his lips with an index finger. “It's missing…something.” With that, he pulled a box from a pocket inside his coat and handed it to Blaine.

“What did you do?” Blaine breathed, staring at the box that was now in his hands but not opening it.

“I saw a men's store near the hotel when we were driving into town. I took a chance; I hope you'll like it.” Blaine opened the box and gasped. Inside lay a blue silk bow tie covered with horses and multicolored jockeys. “It's perfect,” he whispered in a choked voice, “I love bow ties. How did you know?”

Kurt shrugged, “You let me look at the pictures in your phone when we were driving through Nebraska, remember? Bow ties seem to be your thing.”

“Kurt, I love…it. I do. I love it. Thank you so much.”  Blaine punctuated his remark by giving Kurt a tender kiss.  

After a performance that had both men sobbing, they were waiting in the lobby for Tina to change and join them when Kurt felt a tap on his shoulder. He whirled around. “Mike? Oh my God, what are you doing here?!” Kurt enveloped his old friend Mike in a huge hug, which Mike reciprocated. Then Kurt remembered Blaine, “Blaine, this is Mike Chang. We went to high school together. Mike, this is Blaine Anderson. He's…he's…he's my friend.”

Both men shook hands politely.

“Seriously, Mike. What are you doing here? Are you and Tina back together? She didn't mention it when I talked to her a few days ago.”

“Tina doesn't know I'm here,” Mike confessed. “I flew in from Chicago to surprise her, and…” he leaned in and whispered, “…I'm going to propose.”

“That's great!” Kurt exclaimed, hugging Mike again. “I didn't know you two were dating again.”

“We weren't. Aren't.” Mike threw both hands in the air, “I've been so stupid, Kurt. My dad always said that being a dancer was a pipe dream, and that my chances of being successful were so small, no matter how good I was at it. He was right, of course, although I've been lucky. But, no matter how hard I pushed myself in class and in rehearsals, even when I collapsed in bed so tired with my feet bleeding, I never stopped thinking about Tina. I guess I also took what my dad said to me to mean that if I chose to be a dancer, I would never have anything to offer anyone—at least, I wouldn't have anything good to offer. I always thought that you had to offer your spouse money—financial security—or you weren't a real man. It's our way; it's what I was raised to believe. So when I chose dancing, I thought I had to choose it over Tina. But I just realized one day that what I have to offer is me, and I am a dancer. I can have both, because all I want from Tina is her. If just me the dancer is good enough for her, then I'll be the happiest man on earth. If it isn't, then I guess I'll be heartbroken, but maybe someday I'll find someone who wants me for just me.”

“So you're going to propose?” Kurt asked. “When?”

“Um, now,” Mike said nervously, catching a glimpse of someone across the chandeliered lobby.

Blaine and Kurt turned to see a small Asian woman coming toward them, smiling. Then she saw Mike, and she stopped, her mouth open and her eyes wide. Mike pushed past Kurt and Blaine and rushed to her. From their vantage point Kurt and Blaine saw confusion on Tina's face as Mike spoke, then her face softened, then it broke out into a huge smile as Mike pulled a ring box out of his coat pocket. Then tears were streaming down Tina's face, and she was nodding, and Mike had her engulfed in a huge hug, swinging her back and forth with her feet off the ground.

Kurt surreptitiously squeezed Blaine's hand for a second, and then the two men stood shoulder to shoulder, their arms touching lightly.

Sometime later they were seated at a casual steak house, having been laughed at by the locals when they inquired about fine dining options. Kurt and Blaine had graciously suggested that Tina and Mike spend the evening alone together, offering to meet with them for breakfast, but neither Tina nor Mike would hear of it. “I've never been happier,” said Tina, and Mike nodded. “You have to share that kind of happiness.”

Over a dinner of prime rib and an over-dressed salad featuring too few vegetables for Kurts taste, they chatted about their lives, Kurt's new job, and Mike and Tina's future. “Are you going to move to Salt Lake City for Tina?” Kurt asked.

Tina put her hand on Kurt's arm, “Oh, Kurt, didn't Mike tell you? He's been accepted as an Arpino Apprentice at the Joffrey Ballet. I'm moving to Chicago.”

Mike squeezed Tina's hand, “You don't have to. You don't have to give up your job to be with me. I'll come to Salt Lake.”

“What's to give up?” asked Tina, “It's not like there's not theater in Chicago. I'll find acting work somewhere, and, in the meantime, we can live on love,” she sighed and put her head on Mike's shoulder.

“Hopefully, it won't come to that,” Kurt murmured.

“I'm really happy for you two,” Blaine smiled.

Eventually they said their goodbyes, and Kurt and Blaine made their way back to their hotel.

“That was so romantic,” Blaine said.

Kurt didn't answer, but he began humming “I'm in the Mood for Love,” which made Blaine shiver with anticipation.