In most intimate relationships, sacrifices are made in order to preserve the love of the couple. It allows the couple to grow stronger together; their bond tightening and love hearts growing in their eyes. For Kurt, spending the better part of five years in a relationship with Blaine had been bliss. Blaine was almost the perfect boyfriend and perfect roommate. Blaine was all for conserving water and showering with Kurt, he always muffled his burps at the dinner table and would go weeks without shaving just because Kurt asked him to. It was just one of those relationships; Kurt liked to call it perfect.

During April of 2016, Kurt and Blaine were still trying to bask in the glory of their fifth anniversary that they had celebrated the previous month. Both men were swamped with finals and work, with Blaine teaching piano at the local elementary school and Kurt with a demanding internship at Thakoon. The constant pressure that Kurt felt was intense, but at the same time he absolutely loved it.

On one particular day in late April, Kurt trudged through the front door, thankful to be home after such an intense day. He had been awake for almost 34 hours straight and could not wait to fall into bed with his boyfriend and sleep for the rest of the weekend. Kurt had been up finishing off three dresses for an assignment due that day, and had managed to lay down (and not sleep) with Blaine for twenty minutes before their alarm went off. It had been a mad dash between lazy kisses and cereal but both boys managed to get to their classes in time. Kurt had gone straight from a tutorial to Thakoon, where they had a dress rehearsal for a runway show next week. Two models had not shown up, and just to Kurt's luck, he was the one to hire two new models to fill their places. Cue seventeen more run-throughs and Kurt was ready to either throw up or throw himself in front of a cab. He wasn't sure which one.

Walking into their apartment at ten-to-four (oh my God), Kurt dumped his bags at the front door and all but ran into the bedroom, ready for Blaine to cuddle him into the next century: but Blaine wasn't there. Kurt searched through the apartment, finally finding his boyfriend sitting out on the fire escape. Blaine was sitting in one of their deck chairs; his legs pulled up to his chest, his head tipped back and a cigarette dangling in his hand. Beer bottles were stacked haphazardly on the side table, and Blaine lifted his head to pick up a small pink box from the side of his chair. He twisted a small latch at the back of the pink box and carefully placed it back down beside his thigh. It must be a music box, Kurt thought as he watched Blaine take a swig of his beer.

Sliding the glass door open, Kurt recognizes the tune of Pachelbel's Canon playing from the music box. Kurt had never seen it before; the porcelain roses glued to the side were jabbing into Blaine's thigh. Lifting his head up and stubbing out his cigarette, Blaine spoke.

"On my thirteenth birthday, my mom gave me this music box. She told me that my dad had bought it for me the day she found out that she was pregnant and having a baby girl. The doctor had told them I was a girl in the ultrasound. What a shock it must have been to have me pop out instead," Blaine said with a sad laugh and finished off his beer.

Kurt approached his boyfriend, putting a hand on his shoulder and watched as he spun the latch for the music box again.

"You okay, B?" Kurt asked as he slid his hand up to cup Blaine's cheek. Kurt noticed the distant look in his eyes.

"My dad died tonight, Kurt. They found his car wrapped around a tree, two streets away from their house." Kurt gasped and quickly moved to wrap his boyfriend up in a hug. Sitting on his lap, Kurt pulled Blaine's head into his chest, running his hands up and down his back.

"Oh my God, Blaine. I am so sorry. Why didn't you call me? I would have been home in an instant, you know that, baby."

Kurt could feel Blaine's hot tears start to soak into his chest and pressed him further into his chest, Kurt's hand moving up to run his fingers through Blaine's curls.

"Don't ever apologize for anything he did, Kurt. Never. He didn't deserve it." Kurt felt himself tearing up at his boyfriend's words, feeling the pain and anguish that Blaine was feeling seep right into Kurt.

"Come on, Blaine. Lets get to bed. Things will seem better in the morning," Kurt said and guided Blaine into their bedroom. Kurt quickly undressed and threw on a pair of pajama pants and turned to face his boyfriend. Blaine was curled in on himself, and Kurt was quick to cuddle up to Blaine's back. Blaine reached back and pulled Kurt's arms over his waist. Kurt smiled into Blaine's hair, placing a kiss behind his ear. Kurt waited until Blaine had fallen asleep before he let his own tears fall.

Sometimes sacrifices have to be made in order to preserve love, Kurt thought as thirty-four ticked over to thirty-five and sleep finally consumed him.

The difference between Kurt's mom passing and Blaine's dad dying is something that Kurt knows is hurting Blaine. When Elizabeth Hummel died, Kurt remembers sobbing into her hospital bed: "Momma, please don't leave me. Please, please stay with me and daddy, please mom! I love you and I need you forever." The last conversation Blaine had had with his father was over two years ago.

"Blaine, I've paid off the rest of your tuition at NYU. Don't pull out," Blaine's father had said, his words stern and hurtful.

"Wow, um. Thanks so much, dad. I was wondering what you and mom are doing for Christmas? Would Kurt and I-"

"Your mother and I will be in France this year. Remember what I said about NYU." Dial tone.

Kurt crept up the stairs of the house that he had only ever lived in for two years. It was a gorgeous house that Burt and Carole had continued to live in, even after both Kurt and Finn had moved out. Kurt paused in the doorway, watching his boyfriend snore in Kurt's bed, his old Dalton sweatshirt pooled around his neck. Moving into the room, Kurt put a hand on Blaine's face, checking that he wasn't too warm and just savoring the feel of his soft cheeks.

Blaine had gone to bed soon after dinner, and Kurt had expected this. The funeral had been a whirlwind of emotions, and Kurt knew Blaine was wrecked. Placing a kiss on Blaine's forehead, Kurt walked back downstairs, and was met with his father in the kitchen.

"Blaine alright?" Burt asked, loading the dishwasher with dinner plates.

"He's still asleep," Kurt answered, and Burt turned to study his son.

"That's not what I asked, kiddo."

Kurt paused, looking at his father before confessing, "He's so depressed, dad. And I have no idea how to handle this."

Burt pulled his son into a hug, Kurt's face pressed into his shoulder.

"You are the most compassionate person I know, Kurtie, and things will probably be tough for Blaine for a while, but I have the utmost faith in you to love and support him. You're doing a damn good job of that so far."

Blaine does break out of his depressed state, approximately two months and four days after his dad had died. Kurt comes home from work to find Blaine sitting at his piano, belting out Pachelbel's Canon. His smile is warm and full of love when he looks at Kurt, waving him over and patting the piano bench.

"Come and join me, sweetie. I want to play this at our wedding."

Yep, there it was, Kurt thought as he looked at his boyfriend with love hearts in his eyes, feeling their bond grow even closer as he wrapped his arms around Blaine's waist and leaned his head on Blaine's shoulder, feeling content and so in love.

fin.

The song that Blaine's musicbox plays can be found here: /watch?v=ApmVympt72E&feature=related