“Daisy don't run too far ahead-”

“I'm not running, I'm skipping.”

“Honey, your shoe laces, careful you don't trip-”

“Dad-” The little girl comes to a halt on the pavement and spins around, her little squeaky voice taking on the tone of one very irritated little girl, all hands on hips and pursed lips (a very daddy thing to do.)

“My laces are doubled looped and knotted like I was told how, and I'm not even skipping that fast, chill out.”

She throws her hands up in the air and huffs an over dramatic exasperated sigh, like she has a million and one things to do today, and talking about this with her dad, is truly interfering with her day. 

Blaine's mouth snaps closed, eye brow raised as he looks back at his little girl, a few yards down from him on the side walk. His little girl, just five years old, with dark brown wavy hair teased into neat plaits cascading down her shoulders and bright Aqua like eyes burning with annoyance (so, so much like her daddy).

“Well I guess that's you told then.” Ms Miller (please, call me Lisa) steps up beside Blaine, with a smirk on her cosmetically applied face, lips overly smudged with peach looking liner and lipstick, and an oversized white leather purse attached to her arm.

Her son Thomas, a sweet little boy with a mop of fair shaggy hair, who's also in Daisy's class runs past them to join the little girl up ahead. Daisy's face lights up when she sees him. She offers Blaine a bright innocent smile, like she hadn't just gave him what for ten seconds ago and the two kids start walking onwards sensibly together, chanting some kind of video game song.   

“I guess it is.” Blaine murmurs, shaking his head lightly, his eyes dancing with humour. He begins walking and Lisa falls in step along side him, a tad too close.

“So good morning Blaine, how are you?”

“Good morning Lisa, I'm well, thanks, and you?” Blaine smiles politely with a slight head tilt but keeps his eyes trained on the kids up ahead of them.

Lisa laughs for no reason at all, and bats playfully at Blaine's arm. “Oh I'm fine-well I'm dog tired actually after night shift- I mean look at me, I look like I've just rolled out of bed.” She gestures down towards her self and barks out an unnecessary laugh again.

Blaine doesn't need to glance over at her to know that she is dolled up to the nines, and her idea of a night shift is a 5-10pm sat behind a desk and phone in a warm building with a never ending supply of coffee. Blaine can smell her false eye-lash glue, and lord knows that she doesn't need to work, she makes it fairly well known how well off she is, or rather her husband is, it's company she needs, not money. She's so full of it, but Blaine is polite, and Thomas and Daisy seem to be really good friends and Blaine doesn't want to taint that.

Daisy needs stability and comfort in her life right now, she needs friends her own age, someone to talk to and play with besides Blaine.

The rest of the walk to school is a short one, Blaine was careful to choose a neighbourhood with schools within a safe walking distance, but with bus routes available also if ever needed. They've been living here for a little over six months now after Blaine was given the option to move somewhere more fitting and accommodating for his current circumstances.

Lisa continues chatting away to Blaine about herself and her job, and her home, the strenuous hour she plans to spend at the gym, all whilst brushing against Blaine, flicking her dirty blonde hair over her shoulders and dabbing at her black kohl lined eyes.

Blaine nods and smiles, occasionally humming a response every now and then and glancing in her direction, not even trying all that much to act like he's interested. He thinks about what he needs to add to the grocery list, what's left in the kitchen cupboards and refrigerator to make for dinner, calling the gardener about the over-grown shrub in the front yard, the cesspit that Daisy likes to call her bedroom. All mundane, everyday things, but all things that keep him sane, keep him grounded and under control.

Because when he doesn't plan and organise his day and his thoughts, his mind wanders to memories and times that fill him with undeniable happiness and warmth, and then the sadness kicks in not long afterwards.

When they reach the school gates, Daisy comes skipping happily back to Blaine with her plaits swinging and pleated light grey skirt swishing in the slight fall wind. Blaine kneels down grinning and lifts Daisy's tanned leather satchel with stitched flowers and butterflies embroidered all over it, up and off from around his neck and shoulders and over his daughter's little head.

She smiles up at him gratefully and bumps her forehead lightly against his (it's a thing that she used to do when she was a baby and couldn't quite grasp the concept of kissing, it's just stuck ever since.) Blaine fidgets with her navy blue polka dot coat collar and presses a spit slick thumb down to an unruly lock of hair by her temple.

“Bye Dad.” Daisy says, scrunching her nose whilst trying to wriggle out of Blaine's grasp, Blaine kisses her nose, smirking and stands.

“Bye sweetie, have a good day, I'll pick you up tonight and we'll make something good for dinner together, just you and me.”

“You and me.” Daisy repeats on a light whisper. She beams as Thomas comes back to her side, after having received his Star Wars backpack from Lisa and a bright lipstick smudge on his cheek in the shape of pouted lips.

“Love you dad.” She calls out, as a teaching assistant comes out from the classroom, wrapped up in knitwear with tired eyes, ringing a hand bell and calling for the children to line up at the door.

Blaine smiles, feeling his heart both filling and emptying at the same time at the statement, both cracking and expanding, it's something he's used to now, but hearing those words never ceases to send a flurry of emotion through him.

“Love you Daisy, always.” He says as brightly as he can manage and starts back stepping towards the gate.

He's just made it out on to the sidewalk, through the hurried crowds of parents and carers dropping the kids off before starting their regular midweek day routine, whatever it shall be.

The breeze picks up and Blaine ducks his chin into the collar of his dark green pea coat, feeling the cool air wash over his skin and through his hair.

“Blaine? Blaine? Have you got time for coffee today?” Blaine hides his wince at the familiar voice, and starts to slow his steps, he's already been caught, there's no point in trying to get away now. You'd think she'd get the hint after all of the mornings and afternoons that Blaine has spent trying to worm away from her.  

He hears the clipping of heels catching up to him and stops, nodding apologies to the flurry of people around him. Lisa hurries up to him, grasping at his shoulders and huffing out shallow breaths. “Blaine are you joining us for coffee this morning?”

Blaine turns to find Lisa smiling at him with the most hopeful expression and a gaggle of women forming a small semi-circle behind her, waiting eagerly for Blaine's answer.

The military wives.

In all shapes and sizes, all patiently waiting for their brave other halves to return to them, all having chose this neighbourhood out of the options they were provided with, with the same intentions- good schooling district, nice people, low crime rate, other lonely spouses just around the corner.          

“I um, I have an appointment,” Blaine rubs at the back of his neck, tucks his collar up further and gives his best fake ‘sorry' face. “Another time, maybe. Thanks though.”

He turns and crosses the road (after looking both ways) and hurries away before any one of them can speak up, you'd think they give up by now.

It's not because they're all women and he is obviously not, it has nothing to do with sexual orientation or masculinity or femininity in any sort. No. It's because he's just not like them.

They don't miss they're partners the way he does. They're not all the same, he knows that and he's not labelling or tarring them all with the same brush. Some of the ladies are very nice and committed and go on about their days and business in a normal everyday manner.

Blaine would just rather not be associated with them that much, he hates that he's here, so detached and so far away from his friends and his family, his own world. He hates that he's in this position at all, but it was his choice in the beginning, he knew what he was getting in to.

But when you're young and experiencing life and living to the fullest, when you find and fall in love and learn that it's your forever love, you'll do anything to keep and hold on to it, you'll forgo all consequences and future ifs and buts.

Ultimately you'll do anything for love, that one special ‘soul' love, as long as you can keep it for as long you're allowed to.

*

10 years ago…

“Oh yes, oh god yes-”

“Blaine sshh…oh god…yes, shit- sshh…we'll get caught-”

“I don't care. Take off your clothes.” Blaine barely tears his lips away from the soft cool, silken skin of a slender throat enough to crowd them both further into the dark corner they'd buried themselves in.

Laughter bubbles up between them, high and light and soft, a beautiful sound which makes Blaine feel weak at the knees. 

“Oh my god, Blaine, come on we can't-let's-let's go back to-”

Blaine gasps as he resurfaces, straightening up with his eyes clenched shut, his temples and chest pounding. Eventually his breathing evens out as he leans against the dingy brick wall, he opens his eyes to see bright blue and mossy green staring back at him, shining with dots of grey and depths of lust, desire, guilt and fear.

They are the very same eyes that had caught Blaine's attention all of those months ago back in regiment training. The eyes that never failed to catch his attention no matter of time of day, no matter where, no matter how hard he tried to divert his attention.

He didn't join the military for this reason, never realized it was even a possibility. But ever since it had happened, since their eyes met and their skin touched for the first time accidently during rainy boot camp exercises, all wet, hot and sweaty and no matter how grubby- Blaine knew that he would follow those eyes and the feel of that skin anywhere. He was doomed either way. 

“Kurt.” Blaine whispers, reaching out to card a hand through the other man's soft brown hair, recently shaved but quickly and stealthily growing back with vengeance.

Blaine remembers the first time he had felt those chestnut locks, properly grown, how it felt to have the strands glide through his fingers whilst their hips thrust into each others.

It was winter and their Squad had been deported back to the States for a short while. Blaine had wasted no time in inviting Kurt up to his family's cabin near the snowy alps for a long weekend, and Kurt had wasted no time in accepting. They spent most of that weekend on the faux fur rugged floor by the log fire, acquainting themselves with each other (de-army-fied.) 

Kurt blinks slow and deliberately, leaning in as Blaine's hand glides down and cups his cheek, his other hand coming up to frame both sides of his jaw tenderly.

How Blaine wishes that he could allow his hands to wander further, to grip at those arms that Blaine has seen lift rather impressively at the camp gym-there's no use, he'd be getting himself all worked up just to have to back down again.

“Kurt, you and I both know that we can't do anything there either, we cant do fuck all anywhere, this whole thing, it's all just so-everything is just bullshit-”

“Hey, hey come on, calm down.” Kurt steps up close, pressing himself to Blaine's body from thigh to chest. His arms bracket Blaine's slim waist and his hands wander up and over his broad chest, his fingers seeking out taut, sun bronzed skin even through the rough fabric of Blaine's camouflaged khaki jacket.

Kurt pulls them further into the shadows of an old almost torn down wall around the back of the service tents, where there is no lamplight and no need for anyone to be there. It's just them and a spattering of stars up above. They're lucky that they were able to get out here undetected, but they've had long enough time to practise now.

Being a little taller than Blaine, Kurt bends his knees just a fraction and settles them forehead to forehead, close and tight, sharing breaths and the quiet mist of the late night around them, and most importantly time.

“I just want you so much Kurt.” Blaine whispers, blowing air and cooling steam into Kurt's skin. It's the truth and it never stops, the wanting and the desire never dies. Blaine had never thought that he would want something or somebody as much as when he was high school and seen the ad campaign to join the US military, and he knew what he wanted to achieve with his life, what he wanted to accomplish- fight for and support  his country.  

“This isn't fair, none of this is fair, why can't I have you, why can't we have each other-”

“We can.” Kurt interrupts, his voice just as quiet and soft but deadly sure and serious. “We can, we do have each other. I'm yours Blaine, I'm yours and I want you to be mine, always, but not here, we just can't have each other here.”

Blaine nods, blowing out shaky breaths, squeezing his eyes closed again. “How long?”

“Eleven days.” Kurt says instantly. “We've made it all of this time, we go back home in Eleven days and then it's just you and me for three weeks, we'll go away, we'll go anywhere.” Blaine seems to perk up at that a little and Kurt lets his shoulders sag with relief, he hates seeing Blaine so defeated.

“You know that even if DADT wasn't in place, or even if we were a straight couple, we still wouldn't be able to fondle each other in the middle of camp right?” Kurt asks lowly with a smirk, his eyes glimmering under the starlight.

Blaine grins, nodding and nudging gently at Kurt's shoulder. “I hate that we have to hide though.”

“Me too, but I like that we're protected by it.” Blaine makes a confused unsure face and Kurt chuckles despite everything. “Kinda, sorta?”

Blaine laughs at that, a deep quiet chuckle and falls back into Kurt's waiting arms.

If anything they should be grateful that they are at least based within the same squadron- there's no reason for them not to be, nobody knows anything (thanks to Don't Ask, Don't Tell) but still, troops are transferred to different bases all of the time.

It's hard, not to show their emotions or true feelings during down time or  training exercises, or to not flinch when one of them takes a particular nasty fall in the mud, or when maybe they're on the not so nicer side of the Lieutenant's tongue that day. Still, above all of that, Blaine is grateful that he even has Kurt at all, and that he's here with him, and because their duties don't involve them being out on the firing line, for now they are somewhat safe.

They became friends quickly after their first sighting of each other. It was normal, friendly, unsuspicious- everybody made friends within the squad, some closer than others, though nobody had to know exactly how close. During the very little down time they were awarded and eating hours they would spend it among others but always close to each other in some way. Discovering their mutual love of music and performing, how they were both in their high school's Glee club, their shared taste of clothing, and preference of hairstyles when not having to being shaven, wearing Camouflage and hard hats.

And at night when they're surrounded by snoring grunts of their fellow troops, Blaine can smile up in the black of the night at the bunk above him and know that Kurt is up there, asleep and safe, and just there.       

“How long?” Blaine asks again a little deflated into Kurt's chest, hushed and rasped, an almost whimper whilst training whistles are suddenly sounded in the distance, followed by drumming chants and chorus's of loud angry sounding men.

“Eleven days.” Kurt answers instantly again, his words weighted with utter surety. “Eleven days and then it's you and me.”

“Yeah,” Blaine breathes. “You and me.”

*

Present day…

Blaine checks his grocery list on the shopping app on his phone one last time before nodding to himself and heading over to the check-out. The cashier helps him bag his stuff and they chat idly about the leaves browning and falling from the trees whilst he pays and finishes off.

Blaine bundles the bags close to his chest as he pushes through the supermarket doors, and heads out on the main street, back in the direction of home. He checks his wristwatch, noting that he'll have a few hours by the time he gets home, to put away the shopping, tidy the mess that the house was left in that morning, check some emails and then get back to the school for pick up time.

He goes through the list in his head as he walks- pull out the sofa's, clean out the closet under the staircase, throw out the thing in the fridge that has turned green, which Blaine is pretty sure wasn't green before.

He takes his usual route, crossing the street and heading towards the wide two-way lane lined with neatly trimmed trees and bushes, tall standing street lamps and white picket fenced gardens. And of course just before narrow commercial blocks stretch out into pretty housed areas, a little run down corner store sits underneath a battered pastel striped awning with clean but worn windows and a cute little off-white plastic signed turned to ‘open' against the glass door.

Blaine grins down into his coat as he gets to the building and pulls the door open, the fresh scent of baked bread, grilled meats and cheeses and melted chocolate wafting into his face and up his nose as he crosses the threshold.

Blaine has been coming to Bob's bakery and Delia's Deli for almost as long as he's been residing in the neighbourhood. Bob and his wife Delia (of course), a sweet elderly couple with almost matching silvery white hair styles- although Delia's is considerably a little longer- have been running their joint business since they were newly-weds almost forty-five years ago. Their freshly baked bread is well known and people from out of state travel for miles just to buy a loaf or two on a Saturday morning. Since the successful boom of their business over the years they now have a handy team of employees which consist of their own children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews, the list goes on.

Blaine has come to know the couple and their family well, and vice versa. Daisy plays with their grandkids who are of a similar age and who live close by, and Blaine is pretty sure that she has already been hired for when she is of legal consent –giving they are still living in the area by then.

Bob and Delia had spent a lot of time getting to know Blaine when he first moved here, understanding his need for socialisation and adult interaction. Bob had shared with him many stories about his brother being in the US Navy and his nephew in the Air force, whilst Daisy helped Delia decorate a batch of Bob's freshly baked cookies.

They know what Blaine likes to eat when he's in certain moods, how his appetite reflects his mood and when he's there to eat and there just to talk. They know how much Daisy loves choc chip Danish rolls on a Friday when schools out for the weekend and that Blaine normally orders a whole box of mixed variety donuts to take home to occupy them for the entire weekend.

“Blaine, buddy.” Bob says with a smile as he unfolds himself from leaning down into the glass display case he was busy stocking up.

“Hey Bob.” Blaine gives a salute, a kind of joke thing they've had going for a long while and steps up to the counter, already looking and pointing towards what he wants. Bob smiles and gets busy with a pair of serving tongs and a paper bag.

“Delia around?” Blaine says, turning around to look back at the delicatessen part of the store. Bob finishes up bagging a mini cupcake and an iced cream bun and slides them across the counter top towards him.

“Running errands. I'm supervising, but Lana will be back from community college soon to help out, she only had one class this morning. What do'ya need? A sandwich?”

Bob's already reaching for the box of latex gloves as Blaine smiles, shaking his head and fishes a twenty out of his back pocket.

“Nah, I'll be good with these. I think I'd break Daisy's heart if I got one of Delia's cheese and tuna subs without her.”

Bob grins nodding, taking the money and fumbling around in the cash register. Blaine waves Bob off when he tries to give him the change. “How is the little girl, she good? Good in school?”

Blaine bobs his head a few times, “Yeah she's a great kid, kind and well behaved, one of the highest academic achievers in her class, I mean she's remarkable…you know…considering.”

Bob nods, his crinkled eyes rounding with warmth and sincerity. “And you…are you ok…considering?

Bob asks Blaine the same questions almost every time he sees him, so there is no real need for asking today, Delia often offers him a light hug too, the replies are nearly always the same and they know that Blaine would be the first to update them of any changes, but Blaine appreciates the effort and the conversation anyway.

Blaine just smiles, though it doesn't quite meet his eyes, those honeyed eyes rimmed with green which seem to zone out for a fraction of a moment, like his mind is taking him elsewhere.

When he finally shakes himself out of wherever he was, his eyes meet Bob's again who gives him a small smile back with an understanding shrug, hoping that it's helpful enough to show Blaine that he doesn't have to expand or explain any further. 

“Thanks Bob, I'll see ya.” Blaine grabs the small paper bag tucking it under his arm along with everything else and heads towards the door, still facing Bob over at the counter waving enthusiastically.

He reaches out to grab the metal handle but the glass door swings open towards him first, followed by a familiar irritating click of heels against the shop floor tiles and an unwanted waft of too sweet perfume.

“Blaine?” He manages to step out of the way of being hit by the door, leaving enough room for Lisa to step in, all up in his personal space, a wide devilish grin curling over her sticky painted lips. “Oh, hi, I was just picking up some pastries for our coffee morning, are you free now? Please say you'll join us.”

Blaine just manages to catch a glance over at Bob out of the corner of his eye, who seems to be cringing for Blaine as Blaine is too polite to do it himself right in front of Lisa's face. Lisa tries to step forward to catch his arm and Blaine uses the opportunity to slide out of the open doorway before the door pulls closed. “Sorry Lisa not today.”

Blaine hurries out on to the main street without looking back. Glad of the cool breeze on his heated face he heads back in the direction of home with his bags tucked safely in his arms and his head pulsing with restrained frustration, he's not in the mood to deal with these feelings and emotions today.

*

Bob watches the kid leave his store, his old tired eyes falling back to Ms Miller who is also watching Blaine leave, her tongue darting out to lick at her lips and her eyes sparkling with undeniable want and longing.

Bob shakes his head as she finally pulls herself away from the door, her eyes leaving the glass window and over to Bob behind the counter. Bob grinds his jaw, rubs at his neck, drums his fingers along the serving counter, it's not his place to say, not his business to be involved in but he just can't help himself.

Ms miller approaches the counter, her attention now fully diverted towards the glass case of pastries. She glances up to Bob pointing and telling him her order whilst he sets about shovelling pastries into little bags, when he's done he rings it up on the register and waits patiently for her to fumble around in her purse. Bob points towards the street of the window, toward the direction of where Blaine had disappeared to.

“You know he uh, he's not exactly your- I mean you're not his type-not his team, you know?”

Bob had assumed that everybody who knew Blaine, just knew that about him. Blaine hasn't made it any kind of secret since moving here, he's hardly been shouting it from the rooftops either, but it's almost two decades into the millennium now and Blaine is both respectable and likable- but still some people unfortunately really are ignorant and self centered.

Ms miller's eyes snap upwards, connecting with Bob's over the glass case, she slams some money down onto the glass surface, snapping her purse closed and swiping the bag clean off of the counter. She smirks, flicking a fingertip up to her lips for no good reason that Bob can think of.

“Regardless of what or who he chooses to love or like or even be with Bob,” She accentuates the last ‘B' with a roll of her eyes and if Bob were a different sort of man he probably would have offered to escort her out of his store with the business end of his sweeping brush. “He's lonely, he can't deny that. We all are. And we're all here, in the same boat.”

“He wears his ring, if you hadn't noticed.” Bob calls a little loudly and insistently but still polite enough as Ms Miller readies herself to leave.

She smiles wide and a little unnerving, lifting her left hand and waggling her fingers, the obvious glint from her ring finger catching Bob's eyes. “Like I said, we're all in the same boat.”

With that she sweeps her hair pointlessly over her shoulders and leaves with a strop. Bob shakes his head as the bell above the door dings rapidly with the force of the metal being hauled open from the frame.

Some people really are deluded and mean and awful and clueless, and no doubt forever will be.

*

Blaine makes it to his front door just before the bottoms of the paper bags in his arms give out, with a jangle of keys and a thump of his shoulder he makes it through the door, through the front hall and into the kitchen where he dumps the bags on the countertops and heads back to close the front door and kick off his boots on the welcome mat.

There's plenty time before Daisy's home time, so he gets busy putting away the groceries, clearing up the breakfast dishes and emptying the dishwasher from the night before. When that's done he flicks on the radio over on the kitchen window ledge, picks nibbles from the iced bun from Bob's and sets Daisy's cupcake aside, and then rolls up his sleeves whilst dancing around the kitchen, looking for things to keep himself busy.

By the time he's cleaned down the countertops, washed the windows, prepared the leaky tap at the kitchen sink and polished the dining furniture which is rarely used in the corner of the kitchen, Blaine emerges from the kitchen around an hour later- a little sweaty and unkempt with a glass of water in his hand as he steps through to the living room.

After another hour of fluffing the couch cushions, vacuuming the carpet, dusting the books shelves and pulling out the sofa to find what seems to be a months worth of candy and crayon wrappers, it's just after noon and Blaine decides to head upstairs to wash and change before making some lunch.

The word lunch may be a little enthusiastic, Blaine's idea of lunch when he's alone during the day mostly consists of whatever he picks up from Bob and Delia's or leftover scraps from the refrigerator. He's a little healthier and strict when it comes to providing Daisy's meals. Blaine's whole daytime routine mostly consists of keeping himself busy in anyway possible, eating minimalist and hardly healthy and then devoting the rest of his time to his daughter when she gets home from school.

Back out in the main hallway as Blaine approaches the staircase, he finds himself side tracked, his attention averted to the little side table that sits just between the front door and the staircase. He sorts through the mail he had placed there on his way out to school that morning, and brushes a finger tip over the framed photograph of himself, Daisy and Kurt- as he does everyday.

The photo was taken not long before Kurt had been deployed out the last time- just after Daisy's fifth birthday. Kurt had paid for the three of them to have a family home portrait photography session, and this particular shoot was one that had been taken of them outside in the backyard. It was actually a ‘bts' shot, when Kurt had thought that the photographer was changing the film reel and Daisy had decided to try and ruffle his hair playfully. Blaine had caught on and come behind the two, scooping Daisy up in his arms and tackling all three of them down on to the picnic blanket he had set down on the fluffy green grass dotted with spring flowers.

The photographer had captured the shot when Kurt had landed on top of Blaine, sprawled over his chest laughing at the onslaught of kisses Blaine was peppering up at him and Daisy was happily giggling, cocooned at their sides.

Their back garden was a place where all three of them loved to be, fenced in, intimate and private with ivory and small dotted lighting strewn and weaved in and out of nearby small trees and bushes, with sweet smelling flowers blooming at the first sign of Spring.

*

5 years ago…

“What about Daisy?”

Blaine blinks his eyes open at the sun pouring down from the blazing blue cloudless sky. He smiles, scrunching his nose and the tickling softness of the small petals brushing against the back of his neck.

“Isn't that a Buttercup?” Kurt bends over and around from behind him, wafting the flower deliberately in his face and pecks his nose.

“No our garden doesn't grow Buttercups, otherwise I would have been inspired by the word Buttercup. And veto to calling our daughter Buttercup, by the way.” Blaine turns in his arms and smiles against Kurt's cheek, inhaling him. He smells like fresh air and sun screen. Gorgeous, always gorgeous.

“I like Daisy,” Blaine says smiling, “And that way when we call her name, she'll always remind us of out here, in our favourite spot, together.”

Kurt leans forward pushing their lips together slow and soft and deliberate. They had been careful and precise in choosing a surrogate donor for the birth of their child, and the choice to use Blaine as the fathering donor had not been a debatable decision in Kurt's mind, he just knew.

They were married, almost ten months in and the repeal of Don't ask, Don't tell had been a rather lovely little added extra bonus and had spurred on their engagement and the planning of their wedding. They had been able to be open and honest and some of their closest colleagues who were on leave the same time as them were happy to attend and join them on their happy day.

Both together and separately they were not in places where they were able to just up and leave their jobs, and find permanent steady work back home in the US, not yet. But since marrying and disclosing their application of surrogacy for a child of their own they had been advised to report for duty separately, for the sake and welfare of their new family.

It was a heart breaking and hard decision to make but one inevitable nonetheless, and the knowledge that their child would always be home safe and loved by one of them or the other was enough to calm their troubled minds.

One of the things about Blaine that Kurt had fallen for almost instantly had been his eyes. Not just the unique soft honeyed colour and the warmth and brightness within the depths of them, but the utter strength and courage that shone in them also.

They were the eyes that blinked wide at him over the weight benches in the camp gym and silently said ‘yes we're crazy and this is stupid and dangerous, but I want you anyway, I will always want you.”

And they were the eyes that Kurt wanted to see in his child whenever he couldn't look into the eyes of his husband, he would still be able to see the same strength and determination and encouragement.

Those eyes would fill him with purity, innocence, loyal love, beauty, patience and simplicity- all things commonly associated with the typical garden Daisy and all things he felt whilst sitting in this little sun spot in their back yard in the warmth of his husband's arms.      

*

Present day…

Blaine strips out of his clothes whilst he climbs the stairs and by the time he's reached the laundry basket on the first floor landing, he's down to his black boxer briefs. Opening his bedroom door he's met with a cool breeze, hurrying over to the bedroom window with prickled goose fleshed skin, he closes the window, confused and unable to remember if he left it open or not and why.

Whilst heading over to his en-suite Blaine ruffles at his hair, shivering a little and turns the door knob with a little too much force as he quickly stumbles into the small room.

“Holy shi-what the fuck-”

Blaine tumbles backwards almost completely back out into the bedroom, nearly falling on his ass, one hand on his head and the other over his heart, as if trying to keep both in place, unintelligible juicy murmurs still pouring from his mouth as he blinks wildly.

“Finally.” The voice, that voice, is exactly how Blaine remembers it, soft and teasing, secure and sure, it sounds like home.

Kurt is sitting in front of him on the closed toilet seat, legs crossed demurely and hands folded neatly over his knees.

His husband. His husband is home from service overseas and is now sitting in their en suite, grinning at him like he's only been gone ten minutes to the corner drug store. Not gone five whole months in a whole other country oceans away- five months plus added injury and R&R time.

“K-Kurt?” Blaine can hardly make his voice work, his words come out husked and rasped, his eyes still blinking rapidly as if making sure he isn't dreaming, that this isn't one of those times he was missing Kurt so much he started all but hallucinating.

Kurt watches him carefully, with his blue green eyes a little wide and wet, red at the rims and sparkling. He stays still, perched on the edge of the toilet seat, giving Blaine space and time to calm and collect himself.

“Yeah, hi honey.”

Blaine stumbles forward once more, dragging a hand through his matted dark curls on his head, carefully approaching Kurt like some wild untamed animal, his eyes raking over Kurt's body carefully from top to bottom. His hair is shorter than he usually likes to keep it and a little unkempt and uneven, but it's definitely longer than the regulated length it should be if Kurt's just flew straight home from camp.

Blaine's eyes land on Kurt's toned muscled bare arms in his dark green t-shirt and the off-white slightly dirty plastered cast that is cemented around his left wrist. Everything falls back in to place in that moment, the world slowing to an almost stop and then fast forwarding x10 until Blaine is crashing to his knees right in front of Kurt, gently pawing at his arms, his eyes filling with so much raw, unshed, unspoken emotion.

Kurt gently cards his left hand through Blaine's hair, and in doing so answering his silent question, that he is ok and the cast is just in place for more stability now than anything. Kurt shushes him lightly, smiling down at him, his own tears threatening to spill over his lashes.

“I'm ok baby, just a light fracture, all artificial wounds, it's all healed now, pretty much.” Blaine lowers his forehead on Kurt's knees, pressing light kisses over his clothed legs.

Blaine had received a call a few months back, followed by a string of email updates to say that Kurt had been flown out of camp and admitted to the nearest military hospital and rehabilitation center after being caught up in an attack.

It had been the most awful news Blaine can ever remember receiving in his life. His whole world had stopped until he had received the next update saying that Kurt was ok, and his injuries were not life threatening. Though even then Blaine had went about his days, mourning for Kurt still, grieving for the fact that though his husband was live and well, he couldn't hold him, he couldn't see him or touch him or even just talk to him.

He'd had to put on an act for Daisy, telling her nothing about Kurt's accident. It was unfair to expect a five year old to try and comprehend, try to understand that her Daddy had been hurt, but was ok and couldn't come home still. Understanding her parents position at all was hard enough.   

Kurt's role, duties and key responsibilities didn't involve being on the front line, he operated from the supposed safety of the forward operating base- like Blaine did when he was out there, but unfortunately this time security had slipped through the net and their camp had been ambushed.

Kurt had merely been involved in the aftermath of the scramble of dealing with the infiltrators but the hustle and bustle had been enough to hurl him backwards landing heavily the wrong way against the armour sheds, hitting his head and twisting his arm out of place. 

He'd spent the next few weeks recuperating and healing and Blaine had had little access to communication with him but had been informed to expect Kurt home around Christmas time if all went to plan, but Blaine wasn't holding out hope for that, he knows firsthand how these things work and how unrealistic and unreliable the systems sometimes are.  

Finally after quiet even breaths shared between them Blaine tentatively lifts his head, his eyes searching, seeking out Kurt, seeking out anything and everything about Kurt.

“You're-you're home?” Blaine manages to squeak out with the aid of some throat clearing and gulping. Kurt holds Blaine's face gently in his palms, rubbing his thumbs over his cheek bones, mindful of a small slight scabbed over cut above his eyebrow and some faded yellowing bruising surrounding it.  

He leans down, nodding, their noses almost brushing together. “Yeah, I'm home honey, I'm back, I'm here.”

Blaine blinks and gulps some more, bobbing his head shakily, he still seems so far off, so caught up somewhere in his head, like he's still not completely comprehending what's happening. “You're-but you're- how, just-how?”

Kurt laughs, a small sob gurgling from the back of his throat as he shakes his head lovingly at his husband. “The doc signed me off honey. They told me to go home. I'm ok, I'm better but still have to rest and regain my strength and so I was permitted early leave. I-I know I should have called or something but I was just so eager to get back, I wanted to surprise you, I wanted this, this moment.”

Blaine smiles bright and wide, his eyes shining to match, tears now falling freely from his long dark curling wet lashes as he looks up at Kurt a little incredulously. Kurt wishes he could photograph this very moment, this was the reason why he chose to come back unannounced, this right here. For this very look on Blaine's face and the undeniable love pouring from every fibre of his soul and being.

“Can I hold you now?” Kurt whispers sniffling, “Can I touch you and kiss you, can I have you now and keep you?”

And it's like something snaps within Blaine, the penny finally dropping, everything drawing in and dawning on him. Kurt is here. Kurt is back. His husband is fucking home, in the flesh, safe and sound and well.

Blaine stands swiftly pulling Kurt up off of the toilet seat and into the air, held tightly within his arms as he spins them in small slow circles around on the bathroom tile, both laughing and crying as they go.

Kurt tries to kiss all over his face as they spin, his arms and hands roaming the planes of Blaine's firm shoulders and back, seemingly pleased to find his husband just in his underwear. Eventually Blaine slides Kurt down to his feet, mindful of his cast, takes his face between his hands and starts to kiss him slowly and chaste like. First on his brow and then trailing down the curve of his nose, as Kurt closes his eyes,  moaning and sighing lowly in his throat, little hums of pleasure. Blaine mouths over to his cheek bones, traces the curve down to his jaw, his chin, back up again and then finally lands his lips squarely on Kurt's mouth.

Kurt's skin and body is exactly how Blaine remembers it, it feels exactly how it should, his memory and hands have remembered it well, learning all of the dents and curves and planes to text book level. Even though Blaine considers Kurt to be flawless, he's aware of even the very minute areas where time spent in the mud and rain and dust and not enough time using his preferred skincare products, had taken it's toll on Kurt's perfect skin.

Blaine presses his lips firmly against Kurt's, once and then twice, whimpering very lightly in his throat as his body tenses, his chest firm against Kurt's.

“God,” Blaine breathes over Kurt's lips, “It's been so long since I've been allowed to do this, so fucking long.”

Kurt presses himself forward, melding himself against Blaine, his arms wrapped around him, toe to thigh to head and backs them up gently so that they're leaning against the wash basins, steadying their weight and balance.

“Don't stop Blaine. Kiss me.” He whispers.

Blaine opens his mouth, curves his upper lip over Kurt's and pulls, sucking gently. Kurt goes willingly, parting his lips, allowing Blaine as much access as needed, he allows his tongue to peek out at the tip, just a tentative nudge between their lips, Blaine takes the hint and then they're full on making out.

Kurt groans as Blaine lifts him by his thighs and hoists him up on to the bathroom counter, slotting himself between Kurt's legs and touching him, feeling him anywhere and anyway he can.

Kurt's layers are stripped off slowly and playfully, until eventually he's matching Blaine in just his underwear. Blaine's lips map out a trail all over Kurt's head and face, the back of his neck and that secret spot behind his ears, down the dip of his throat, over his collarbones and down over his sternum, bending as his tongue edges towards Kurt's ribcage.

Kurt fusses and paws at Blaine's neck, the cast on his wrist rubbing delicious friction over Blaine's bare shoulder. “Come back honey, come back up here. Need to see your face.”

Blaine glides back up between his legs grinning, hands sliding into every curve and nook of Kurt's body as he goes. When they're back on eye level, face to face they just spend a few silent moments drinking each other in, smiling at each other like a pair of love struck teens- in a way, they've never changed.

“Hi baby.” Blaine says eventually, sounding more like himself, his grin threatening to split his face, his eyes both bright and dark, shining like beacons under the spotlight ceiling of the en suite.

“Hi, yourself.” Kurt smiles back. Kurt wraps and tightens his legs around Blaine's waist as Blaine cards a hand through Kurt's soft hair and just leaves it resting there, like they have to be touching at all times.

“What are you even doing here,” Blaine starts to ask, giggling. “I mean, like here in our bathroom, trying to give me a heart attack?” Kurt giggles too leaning forward to place soothing kisses over Blaine's nose, the arch of his mouth and nuzzling through the slight dark stubble over and around his lips.

“Sorry about that honey, I-I got home this morning just after you'd left with Daisy I assume. I decided to come and freshen up a little, then I watched for you returning out of the window.”

Kurt traces a finger tip where his lips had just been and Blaine catches it between his teeth gently, nibbling and sucking. “You left it open and I was cold.”

Kurt smiles, tilting his head demurely and curling his lips in his best innocent apology gesture, Blaine accepts it with a smile and a kiss, nodding for Kurt to continue.

“I seen you coming down the street and decided to wait for you up here, but then I heard you start shuffling around down there and figured you would come up soon. After an hour or so I woke up, obviously fell asleep waiting for your ass and when I heard movement and huffs and grumbles from you I'd figured that you were up to something rather strenuous and decided to draw you a bath for afterwards.”

Blaine smiles, ducking to brush his lips against Kurt's shoulder, a little mad at himself that his husband had been lying in their bed waiting for him all of this time and he was playing house downstairs, oblivious. He looks back over to the claw tub in the corner of the room to see the bath filled with water and the last remnants of soap suds and bubble formula depleting over the waters surface.

“It's probably cold now.” Kurt teases in his ear.

“Refill? Join me?”

They sit in the now refreshed, reheated water, close and facing each other after some fussing and rearranging, with Kurt's legs hooked over Blaine's thighs. The tub is probably not big enough for this position, or for the two of them at all, but it works, even if it didn't they would still do it.

They're still looking at each other like it's the first time in years, like they have to drink in every last ounce of each other. After a while Kurt grabs a sponge from the side, dips it into the bubbles and starts dragging it softly over Blaine's shoulders and arms. He'd already explained that getting his cast wet wouldn't be so much of a problem.

“You sound like you were working pretty hard down there?” Kurt says softly after a while of silence, and just the sounds of sloshing water and calm breathing, though it is directed a little bit like a question, or at least something that he wants to understand. Blaine's eyes flutter closed, moaning softly at the feel of the sponge and the suds over his chest as Kurt ventures a little lower.

“Mm, yeah, well I like to keep busy, you know how it is.” Kurt doesn't answer, just purses his lips and moves the sponge lower over Blaine's ribcage and abdomen.

“You look, you feel like you've lost a little weight.” Kurt prods at Blaine's slightly bony side for effect and Blaine flinches, water spilling over the lip of the tub. He's still just as bronzed and gorgeous, stocky chest and toned arms and legs, but Kurt's his husband, Kurt knows the difference, no matter how long they've gone without seeing each other. 

“Was worried about you,” Blaine murmurs by way of reply, eyes fluttering, his back arching with the sensation of Kurt washing his skin. “Missed you. Missed you so damn much.”

Kurt worries his bottom lip, his own skin starting to shiver with the warmth of the water and the emotion he can feel pouring out of Blaine. The emotion, the worries, the nerves and the fear that Blaine is going through, Kurt knows only firsthand, he lives it too, they live through it together. Kurt sets down the sponge on the bath ledge, scooting as close as their bodies will possibly allow and envelopes Blaine in a warm, wet tight hug.

“I miss you too, so, so much, every day that we're apart. You know that right?” Kurt mouths into Blaine's neck, soothing his goose fleshed skin with his wrinkled hands. Blaine nods, making little responsive mewling sounds. Kurt pulls them apart slowly, framing Blaine's neck with his hands, making sure Blaine is looking at him and paying attention. “Honey I know that hearing I was hurt would have been awful for you, god knows how I would have reacted if it had have been you.”

They both shiver a little bit, exhaling shuddery breaths, as if imagining the role reversed in that scenario. “But Blaine you have to be strong for Daisy too, you have to look after yourself so that you can take care of you both. That was the deal.”

Blaine nods, hot tears springing to his eyes again. “I'm sorry Kurt,” he sobs out quietly. “You're right and I'm sorry, it's just it's getting too much you know, we've been doing this for such a long time now and I worry that after the next time I wont get to hold you like this.”

Kurt brushes away Blaine's tears, blocking them from cascading down his cheeks and sniffling away his own. “Don't be sorry Blaine, don't ever be sorry, not for being yourself, not for loving me, and loving Daisy as well as you do. I just worry about you too you know, no matter who's at home and who isn't, I'll always worry about you and want you in my arms.”

They go quiet after that, sniffling away the last of their tears whilst they hold each other, until the water starts to grow lukewarm around them. They start sharing kisses, slow and easy and tender, Blaine kisses up Kurt's neck, trailing around in his ear and whispers, “We'll work something out right?”

“Yeah, yeah,” Kurt pants, blowing hot air in small puffs between them, “Of course.”

They start up kissing again, first chaste and then growing fervent. “Need you Blaine. Need you now, please, it's been so long.” Kurt mouths damply into his skin, licking into his mouth.

Blaine groans. “God, yes. Yes finally.”

They tag team as Kurt unplugs the tub to allow some of the cold water to drain out, whilst Blaine starts up the hot tap again and reaches for a tube of lotion.

A short while later they're situated back in their original positions in a tub of freshly poured steaming water, scented with something delicious, only now Kurt is fully seated in Blaine's lap, his ass tight and hot, his pucker open and snug around Blaine's stiff cock.

Blaine bends his legs, his knees rising out of the water as he tries to accommodate Kurt better in his lap, grasping at his hips and helps him lift up and down. When the position and pace is set Blaine loosens his hold and laces their fingers of both hands together along the sides of the tub as their bodies push and pull and rub and glide together. Blaine's lips are never far from Kurt's or some piece of his skin, his eyes always fixated somewhere on Kurt's body, whilst they reacquaint themselves intimately with each other, over and over.

“Fuuuck.” Blaine drawls out in a shuddery breath against Kurt's lips, as Kurt lifts his hips and swivels back down particularly hard and fast, water slapping against the side of the tub with the movement. “Fuck yes. Feels so good. Missed this, missed you.”

Kurt smiles, grinding and rocking as Blaine continues to mutter juicy expletives into the thick steamy air. “Love you,” he says, “love you so much, god Blaine, there, right there.”

Blaine pushes up, thrusts upwards as best as he can in slippery circumstances and tightens his grip on the edge of the tub with Kurt's fingers snug between his, as he pummels him up and down. Blaine shifts his angle until Kurt all but screams out his name, indicating that he's found that special sweet spot deep inside of him, his asshole clenching and fluttering around Blaine, milking him beautifully.

“Kurt,” Blaine almost growls, “I love you Kurt, fuck I love you so damned much.”

Kurt feels his stomach start to coil and tighten as Blaine continues to hammer up into him, one hand starting to loosen from it's deathly grip and crawl up Kurt's body, dragging through a smattering of light wet body hair and pinching at his nipples teasingly.

When everything becomes too much and yet still not enough Kurt slips off of Blaine and wobbly rises to his feet, pulling at the plug and allowing the water to start glugging and drain away. Blaine whimpers and hisses at the lack of contact but when Kurt turns and bends over, bracing his hands on the sides of the tub and presenting his wet pink, fucked out pucker to him- the whimpers turn to growls of want and greed. Blaine stands slippery and unsteadily, plasters himself over Kurt's back, takes hold of his hips tightly and slides back into him from behind in one fluid motion.

Kurt's back arches, his eyes rolling back in his head as Blaine drills right back in to the hilt, the head of his cock nudging against his swollen prostate with each thrust and grunt.

Before Kurt even has to ask for it, Blaine reaches a hand around to his front and takes Kurt's hard leaking cock in his fist, pumping him tightly on time with the movement of his hips.

“C-close Blaine, I'm so close.” Kurt breathes, his head bobbing wildly as he tries to keep himself stiff and still, bracing himself for Blaine to just take, take, take. He savours the feel of his husband inside of him again after so long, his body acclimatizing and remembering the feeling of this, of home.

“Do it sweetheart,” Blaine rasps against the back of his neck, “please come for me, let me feel you, let me feel you come around me, so tight, so perfect. Fuck I've missed you, I love you so much.”

Blaine continues to ramble as he pounds into Kurt and swivels his wrist and tightens his fingers around his cock, thumbing through the leaking slit at the head- and Kurt loses it.

Kurt cries out blissfully as his cock pulses in Blaine's hand, shooting out come in hot white spurts over them both, Blaine's hand and Kurt's groin and legs and a little in the tub with the residue of water. Blaine fucks him through it, as Kurt keens, he twists his hand up and down tightly around Kurt's shaft, milking him, whispering words into the curve of his spine. When Kurt convulses for the last time, whining as his ass clenches and tightens, Blaine presses his hips up and forward roughly and then he's coming too with a shout and his sweaty forehead pressed up against Kurt's back. “Coming-c-coming baby, too good-fuck.”

“Jesus, that was-Jesus,” Kurt breathes after a while, still hunched over. Blaine places a trail of light kisses up and down Kurt's spine and then lifts his head, rubs his hands over Kurt's back and sides as he slowly pulls out of him.

“You've finally forgotten my name after all of this time.” Blaine jokes as he reaches up past Kurt and switches on the shower, a down pour starts from up above them raining down on them and rinses over their bodies.

Kurt is thankful for the teasing, because the intensity of everything that has just happened is threatening to overtake Kurt again, tears stinging behind his eyelids. He smiles as Blaine presses a kiss to his jaw and wraps his arms around him from behind and sways them side to side under the cascade of hot water droplets.

“I'd never, ever forget you, in anyway. That was fucking unbelievable, just how I remember you.” Blaine says very matter of fact in his ear and Kurt smiles harder, lifting his face up to the spray and allowing his body to relax for the first time in what feels like forever.

They clean themselves up, only parting when it becomes absolutely vital and necessary and Kurt's afraid that he's going to get shampoo in Blaine's eyes. Freshly washed and groomed they eventually exit the bathroom together, wrapped up in matching towels around their waists.

*

Blaine flops down, star-fishing right in the center of the mattress holding his arms out, waiting for Kurt to join him. Kurt swats at him playfully with the corner of his towel, drying up some of the wet splodges on the duvet before giving up and slides right in up against Blaine's bare drying torso.

“Move over, you're not sleeping alone anymore.” Kurt tickles Blaine side but Blaine only wraps him tighter, exhaling a long contented sigh.

“God, hearing that makes me so happy.” Blaine muses, brushing his lips over Kurt's forehead, bringing his fingers up and using them to tweak some damp strands of hair back. Kurt hums, his eyes sliding closed whilst he happily allows Blaine to touch and kiss and lull his body in to some sort of sated bliss.

As Blaine shifts to make himself more comfortable pressed up alongside Kurt, he glances upwards and his eyes catch on to something over in the corner of the room. Only then does he notice the bundle of black and dark green luggage peeking out from the floor, underneath the dress cloth on top of the vanity table. Blaine smiles again, for no reason other than, he can.

It's quiet for some time, and even though Kurt can't see Blaine's face clearly he knows that he's smiling too, he can sense how happy he is, he can feel it in his very heart. He also knows when Blaine is starting a certain thought process, he can hear his mind ticking over and thrumming with possibilities.

“Wait,” Blaine suddenly says as if on cue, bolting upright and almost bringing Kurt up with him until he flops back down to the bed with a bounce beside Blaine's thigh.

“What?” Kurt peers up at him, amused, and starts rubbing Blaine's arm, tugging to get him to face him. Blaine does, slowly turning his upper torso so that he is completely facing Kurt, his face is a mixed mask of shock and surprise, confusion and disbelief.

“You-you said that the doctor signed you off?” Kurt nods slowly, it's merely a bob, his eyes shining, and lips starting to part into a knowing mischievous grin.

“Like signed you off-off?” Blaine continues his voice pitched with excited anticipation and un-surety, “As in, signed you off and out of action, for the rest of this season? This year?”

“Forever.” Kurt interrupts, his voice high and a little breathless, he waits for Blaine's reaction, tugging his lips between his teeth. Blaine remains silent, blinking back at Kurt like he had just spoken in a foreign language.

“Blaine?” Kurt sits up, rubs at Blaine's arm, up and onto his shoulder and then back down in again in slow soothing circles. Blaine clears his throat.

“You? You're-”

“I'm done.” Kurt interrupts again and then mentally eye rolls himself for doing so, but Blaine obviously needs a little help with this. Kurt takes Blaine's face in his hands, scoots up and close and kisses him. “I've left active service now Blaine, for good. I served my notice whilst in R&R, the doc was happy to sign me off completely and assist with my resignation application. It's time.”

Kurt kisses him again, smiling the next time their lips meet as Blaine seems to catch on, kissing back, slow and careful.

“You're-you're home? For good? This is it?” Blaine says a little staccato, like he doesn't trust his own voice, his own words.

Kurt nods, breathing yes against Blaine's mouth, swallowing his gasps and breathless whimpers and then they're horizontal again, with Blaine tackling them both back down to the mattress.

“But-but what about-” Blaine starts, but Kurt kindly shushes him with soft brushes of his hands and lips.

“We'll work something out right? We'll talk about it. Just-just hold me Blaine, I'm back, I'm home, and I'm staying. We'll deal with the rest as and when, ok?”

They spend the next slither of time lazily trading kissing, wrapped up in a tangle of arms and legs, laughing and talking and teasing, simply catching up on all that they've missed in the passed months gone by.

Eventually Kurt rolls flat on top of Blaine at a particular angle and can feel the bulk of him hardening underneath the towels. Blaine accepts a messy kiss and strokes Kurt to full hardness though he needs very little encouragement and then they go at it again for round two.

*

Later Kurt emerges from the en suite dressed in a clean pair of underwear and lounge pants with a towel draped around his neck after their most recent session and clean up. He pats at his damp hair, smiling at the sight of Blaine who is dressed rather adorably demurely in striped PJ's with his curls drying in a wild frizz around his head and propped up against the head rest of their bed.

Blaine rolls over on to his side as Kurt sits on the edge of the bed beside him, and peers at the alarm clock on the night stand.

“We missed lunch.” He says disinterestedly, Kurt shrugs at him.

“I was hoping we could do something grand for dinner anyway.” Kurt says with a smile.

“I like the sound of that.” Blaine replies, groaning as he stretches, arches out his back and his body creaks deliciously, reminding him of the last hour or so of strenuous work he'd been put through, though wonderful as it were.

Blaine sits up and scoots forward so that he's hovering over Kurt's back, Kurt folds the damp towel up neatly and places it to one side as Blaine carefully takes a hold of his arm and places feather light kisses around the edges of the plaster bandage.

“When will you get this off?” He asks, tracing a finger over the bone of Kurt's wrist where the cast is covering.

“I think I have an appointment arranged at the hospital in the next week. Go with me?”

“Of course.” Blaine kisses him, smiling like he still can't believe Kurt is here and he can just kiss him whenever he wants to. “You know, honestly, I'm kind of glad that you chose to spring up on me when you did. I don't think I would have been too good at sharing you if Dais-”

Kurt suddenly pings up and off the bed, leaving Blaine reeling and laughing in his wake. “Oh my gosh Daisy, what time's school out again? We must go, oh I'm so excited, oh my baby girl-”

Kurt is almost vibrating out of is skin, bouncing on his toes and the balls of his feet, his smile wide and bright as he tries to buzz around the bedroom opening drawers and cupboard doors like he's hardly been away. Blaine get's up off of the bed, laughing, trailing after Kurt and pulling him into him to slow him down.

He sucks in his ear lobe, whispering into his ear. “There's still a half hour to wait, but actually I have an idea. I thought that you could maybe surprise Daisy in the same way you surprised me.”

Kurt spins around in his arms, grinning from ear to ear, an eye brow quirked questionably. “Oh well now I'm intrigued? Though, I hope you don't mean in the exact same way, because that would be inappropriate.”

They laugh and then kiss and then Blaine starts tugging Kurt still only half dressed out of the bedroom and down the stairs, in search of his cell phone.

Once situated together, huddled into a corner of the couch in the living room with Coffee's and a light snack of whatever they could find, complete with matching grins- Blaine does something he thought he would never do in his life, ever.

He sends a text message to Lisa Miller.

*

“So my dad asked you to bring me home today?” Daisy asks looking up at Thomas's mom, whilst Thomas walks alongside her, pulling his backpack into place.

Lisa barely glances away from the compact mirror she's holding, trying to reapply an unnecessary layer of blush whilst navigating the busy side walk of excited kids and harried parents outside of the school gates.

“Yuh-huh.”

“Why?” It's Thomas this time, peeking up at his mom questionably, as she pulls a gloss out from her purse.

Lisa does her best to look composed and not irritated by the constant questioning.

“I don't know honey, I guess that we've been invited over for dinner or something so that you and Daisy could work on homework together, and Blaine asked me to bring Daisy with us so he could get started?”

Both kids seem reasonably happy with that answer and begin a rhyming game that they had learnt during the day in class, before Lisa interrupts, clip clopping forward and looking at them rather sternly.

“Maybe you kids could play outside for a while first though huh?” Lisa says as her voice rises, her kohl lined and mascara smudged eyes widening and dancing a little unnervingly.

Inside she's positively convulsing with anticipation, she knew slipping Blaine her number a while back for any emergencies, would pay off.

When they get to Blaine and Daisy's house, the kids run up the driveway whilst Lisa, double checks her face for makeup smudges and her skinny jeans and blouse for creases. She hears the ding of the door bell followed by an impatient wrap of little knuckles and looks up at the kids at the door, a smile curving her pink stained lips.

The door swings open after a few seconds and just as Lisa is about to push through the rabble of the children and convince them to play outside, she's distracted by a high pitched shriek and a giggling wail.

“DAADDY!!!” 

Lisa's eyes dart to the door, to find it swung wide open, Daisy suddenly gone off of her feet and swept up into the arms of man who is most certainly not Blaine standing in the doorway.

“Hi baby girl.” The man whispers into her hair, pressing kisses all over. “Daddy has missed you so much, look at how big and even more beautiful you are now.” 

Kurt. This man must be Kurt. Blaine's husband and Daisy's other father who Lisa was vaguely aware of but didn't think she'd ever see him, certainly not like this. 

Lisa steps backward clutching at Thomas's shoulders, her mouth falling open in stunned silence as she watches the scene unfold in front of her. Kurt starts swinging Daisy around in small circles, both giggling, even Thomas lets out a little howl as he watches Kurt land the little girl back on her feet and kneels down to swarm her with kisses and tickling grabby hands.

Blaine appears from the living room, approaching the pair from behind with a wide grin on his face, eyes shining with unshed tears of joy, and Lisa can barely look at him.

Kurt eventually lets Daisy catch her breath, and picks her up pinning her on his hip, as Blaine wraps an arm around his waist, bringing his hand around to rub at Daisy's side.

“Thank you Lisa, for bringing Daisy home from school.” Blaine says as he leans in and presses a quick kiss to Daisy's smiley dimpled cheek followed by a chaste brush of lips to Kurt's jaw. “I found myself rather pre-occupied this morning when I got home to find my husband waiting for me.”

“Oh-um d-don't mention it. It's fine” Lisa all but stutters rather tersely. She reaches down to grab Thomas's hand and begins to pull him back up the driveway.

“Are we not staying for dinner now mom?” Thomas asks, looking up at her with big jewel like eyes, and something twists in her stomach, a pang of guilt followed by a wave of nausea. Thomas had always had eyes like his father, like her husband, they were like duplicates.

“Oh, well we're going to head out for dinner tonight, but you're both welcome to join us Lisa? Blaine has told me so much about you, and how…accommodating you have been towards my family.” Kurt calls out from the doorway where the three of them are still standing smiling at each other, connected like reunited jigsaw pieces.

Though Kurt is smiling Lisa can see the ice in his blue-green eyes, but he doesn't look angry or like he wants to maybes curl his hands around her neck, he just looks disappointed. The bile rises from her stomach into her throat and she shakes her head quickly, trying to back the feeling down as she continues dragging her son away.

“No, thank you for the offer, but no. You three should really have some family time. Let's set up a play date for the kids some time though, maybe.” She adds as she offers a tight half smile and leads Thomas waving frantically at Daisy out of the front yard and up the sidewalk.

“Mom? When is my dad coming home? Is it my turn?” Thomas asks and Lisa feels tears spring to her eyes. All the way home, she clasps Thomas's hand tightly with her right hand and rubs her thumb over the diamond in her wedding ring on her left. Mentally making a promise to herself, to her son, and to her husband.

*

“You're home Daddy, you came back early.” Daisy screeches, winding her little arms around Kurt's neck and bumping her forehead gently against Kurt's, as Blaine closes the front door and they all head into the living room.

“Are you ok?” She adds gently, carefully thumbing the bruise around Kurt's eye.

“I'm fine honey, thank you for asking. And yes I'm back, I'm home.” Kurt smiles.

“And here to stay.” Blaine adds happily, joining them on the sofa and draping a leg over Kurt's lap, beside where Daisy is perched.

Daisy looks back between the two, her little brain running a mile a minute visibly through her shining eyes. “Really? Really Daddy, you're not going back?”

Kurt grins, ducking down to kiss her nose. “No sweetie, I'm not going back, I'm here to stay for good.”

“Forever.” Blaine adds, unable to help himself, leaning forward to kiss them both too.

And then those little Aquamarine beady eyes are trained on Blaine's face, her lips pursed into a pout.

“What about you Dad? Are you not going-”

Before she can finish Blaine scoops her up and off of Kurt's knee, draping her over his chest whilst he lies back on Kurt's legs. She giggles as Blaine blows raspberries all over her face, causing a good distraction and Kurt smiles down on them, running a hand through both of their hairs.

“Let's not worry about anything like that right now ok, lets just go out the three of us and have the best dinner ever?” Blaine says when he stops attacking his daughter with kisses and gives her time to calm down and rub the fallen hair out of her eyes.

“Can I choose the place?” She blinks down at him and then up at Kurt, her cheeks flushed.

“Of course you can.” Kurt answers, tucking a wayward curl behind her ear.

“Just us?” Daisy asks excitedly. Kurt smiles nodding and bending down to kiss Blaine's forehead who is looking up at him with eyes so clear and full and bright, they're almost to beautiful to look at.

“Just me-”

“And you-” Blaine adds lifting himself up to press his lips to Kurt's quickly, almost swallowing his words.

“And me.” Daisy finishes excitedly, throwing one arm around Kurt's neck and the other over Blaine's shoulder as best as she can in their current folded position over each other.

“Just us.” She whisper's loudly into her Daddy's arm, sighing happily. “All of us.”

“Just like any other day.” – “Just like any other day.” Kurt and Blaine laugh as they both talk over each other with the same words.

It's silly and perfect, it's just them.

*

Eight Months later…

The bell above the door chimes as it swings open and Daisy comes running into the store, torn between whether to greet Bob or Delia first. Delia comes out from behind her counter kneeling down with her arms out stretched and a welcoming smile, so Daisy naturally veers towards her.

“Daisy I told you to slow down and wait for me.” Kurt huffs a little breathless as he steps inside just before the door slides closed again.

“Sorry Daddy, was too excited.” Daisy calls out, sounding like she couldn't care less as her eyes widen when Delia produces a Danish roll from the counter top for her.

“Were you good in school today?” Delia asks, chuckling and patting Daisy's head as she tries to unfold the paper wrapping.

“Yep.” Daisy nods enthusiastically around a mouthful, chocolate pastry crumbling from her lips. “I got all of my spellings right, it's Friday and I have no homework AND Dad is coming home TOMORROW.”

Bob laughs as he comes forward from his side of the store, patting Kurt on the shoulder in greeting and folding his arms over his chest.

“That True? Will Blaine be back?” He mutters lowly in Kurt's ear, whilst Delia distracts with Daisy with asking her questions about her spelling test.

Kurt shrugs, his face a mask of pure uncertainty. “I can only hope so Bob. I haven't had the confirmation yet, but I know only too well what it's like waiting to be given the orders to leave.”

Bob nods, understanding and not wanting to push too far, he remembers what it was like when it was Blaine sitting around waiting for word from Kurt, and now the poor kid's back in the same position only the roles are now reversed.

Blaine had been deployed in the second week of January after spending a lovely extended family Christmas with Kurt and Daisy and a small vacation to Lapland to visit Santa and the Reindeers. They'd also had their trip to Disneyworld that they had booked spur of the moment a few weeks after Kurt's surprise appearance and the school had accepted their appeal to take Daisy out for a few days.

Blaine's words still stick in Kurt's head, from the night before he was due to leave for duty. Daisy was tucked up in bed, fast asleep with tear tracks dried to her cheeks after an emotional family filled evening of movies, board games, pizza and ice cream.

Kurt had lay silently in Blaine's arms draped over his chest, staring up at the ceiling in the almost black of their bedroom, listening to the sounds of his breathing and the soft beating of his heart, as if bottling the sounds up, saving them to memory.

“I've wrote my letter.” Blaine had said softly, so quietly Kurt had almost missed it.

“What lett-”

“My letter of resignation. I've looked into it, contacted who I needed to. I've served my time, I'm ready, and it's time now. I have it in writing. I'll fly out, work my notice and I'll be back before the start of Summer. For good.”

Kurt is brought back to the here and now by Daisy suddenly at his feet, tugging on his shirt to get his attention. “Daddy? Dad is coming home tomorrow right?”

Obviously noticing how quiet Kurt had grown, she's a smart inquisitive girl and Kurt knows that he and Blaine are both to blame for that.

Daisy is almost Six now and wise beyond her years, and although he and Blaine still choose to be careful with what they say and discuss around her, he knows that in this instance she can handle the honesty. He respects her to know and understand the truth, much like he would in return.

Kurt bends down, setting himself at eye level with his little girl. “Dad is definitely coming home honey, and when he does, it will be for good, he won't be going away again. Dad is going to be working with me over at the training center not far from home.”

Daisy starts to bounce on her toes, her lips splitting into a grin over her chocolate smeared mouth. Kurt rubs at her shoulders willing her to calm and then takes napkin from his pocket to dab at the corners of her mouth.

“But baby? Listen to me, it might not be tomorrow, Dad's flight may get cancelled or he may have to work out there a little longer, but don't worry he IS coming home soon ok?”

Kurt notices the obvious quiver in Daisy's lip but then he sees the steeliness in her eyes as she draws in a breath and sniffs long and hard. “Ok Daddy, I'll be brave and wait some more for Dad to get home, I promise.”

Kurt kisses her head and stands up, sighing with relief slightly. “There's my good girl.”

He shares looks of relief with both Bob and Delia who smile back at him warmly and then takes his wallet out from his pocket and heads over to Bob's bakery counter where Daisy is already skipping over to.

“Ok let's get some Donut's for the weekend and head home.”

*

Daisy skips up the driveway as Kurt follows close behind, arms full of bags and boxes.

“Hey honey, come and help me with some of this so that I can get the key out to open the door-”

But just before Daisy can spin back towards him the door swings wide open in front of her and Daisy is swept up off of her feet.

“DAAAD!!! It's you, it's you. You're home early.”

“Finally.” A familiar voice says.  

Kurt hears his name rasped out huskily towards him in a beckoning call, and even though he's standing in the front yard of his house, he now knows that he is finally and forever will be home.

Fin…