Page 30 of Decorated

“Yes,” Alfie said as the two of them stood there, out of everyone else’s way.

Blaine glanced at him, confused. “Yes what?”

Alfie, who had been watching the kids get into place, turned to Blaine with an impish grin. “Yes, I’ve considered having kids of my own. Have you?”

It felt like the most important question anyone had asked Blaine in a long time. He swallowed, then said, “Yes. Absolutely. Even though I could never do it on my own. If I found the right person to co-parent with me, though….” He let the thought fade into promise.

“If you found the right person?” Alfie asked, turning to face him fully.

Blaine turned to him as well. “That would make all the difference, wouldn’t it?”

“It would.” Alfie stepped closer, sliding a hand up Blaine’s arm to cup the side of his face. “Did you notice there’s mistletoe at the top of this arch?”

“Is there?”

Blaine went to look up, but his eyes didn’t get any farther than meeting Alfie’s as Alfie dipped down to kiss him. Just like the kiss that shut him up earlier, this kiss stole his thoughts and his breath, leaving his head spinning. It was a suitable-for-work kiss, considering they were in a room with a couple hundred people and a group of kids was most likely watching them, but it curled Blaine’s toes all the same.

Actually, it curled them more than the majority of the sexy kisses past guys had given him. It wasn’t a prelude to something else or a promise that would inevitably be broken. Alfie was kissing him because he wanted to, because he liked him, because they were good together. It was the kind of kiss that?—

“Corporal Spears.”

Alfie went suddenly tense, then turned as if someone had cracked a whip and stood at attention. “Group Captain Parker,” he said, saluting as he did. “I didn’t see you arrive.”

Still reeling from the kiss, Blaine could only gape for a moment as he looked at the distinguished, older man in a fancier RAF uniform than Alfie’s.

“It all makes perfect sense now,” Parker said, returning Alfie’s salute so that they could both drop their arms to their sides.

“Sorry, sir? What makes sense?” Alfie replied.

Parker nodded to Blaine with a knowing grin. “Why you’ve been hesitant to take the posting in Cyprus,” he said.

Blaine’s heart sank. “Cyprus?” he asked, glancing desperately between Parker and Alfie.

Alfie cleared his throat, his posture suddenly seeming rigid and anxious.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Parker said with genuine regret. “I didn’t realize I was letting a cat out of a bag.” He turned his apologetic look to Blaine. “Spears here has been offered a commission as lieutenant which brings with it a posting at RAF Akrotiri. Hecould be stationed there as early as January, but he hasn’t given us an answer yet.”

“Group Captain Parker,” one of the other officers in attendance called and waved for Parker’s attention.

“Gentlemen, excuse me,” Parker said, then bowed and walked away. Blaine had the distinct impression he was glad to get away from the bomb he’d just dropped.

“You’re moving to Cyprus in the new year?” Blaine asked, turning to Alfie.

He shouldn’t have felt like his heart was bleeding and breaking, but the pain was there anyhow. Alfie was the most wonderful man he’d met in ages. He’d thought they had a chance, that Alfie might actually want him, for real and not just for a bit of fun.

“I haven’t made any decisions or committed to anything yet,” Alfie told him carefully. “I applied to leave the Air Force at the end of the year, and as of right now, that stands.”

“But he just said you have a commission waiting. In Cyprus,” Blaine said, feeling silly for sounding so disappointed. He felt silly for getting his hopes up in the first place. He’d only just met Alfie.

“I haven’t accepted it yet,” Alfie said softly, though Blaine could see the conflict in his expression.

Blaine shook his head. “It sounds like a big deal. You need to take it. I don’t know much about the military, but I know a corporal is a non-commissioned officer and what you were just offered is a chance to be a commissioned officer. Isn’t that something huge?”

“It is, but I’m not sure it’s what I want,” Alfie said.

He stepped forward and touched a hand to Blaine’s arm.

Blaine stepped back before he could let himself lean into the touch, before he could let himself dream.

---