Sometimes you just need Nightbird to be a real superhero, don't you?
The news spread through the subway platform in waves.
"Oh my God!"
"Someone's on the rails!"
"I think he's unconscious!"
"Has anyone called the police?"
"Isn't a train coming in soon?"
Blaine stopped dead as his brain finally processed all the chatter. Apologizing hastily, he ran off to the nearest single-stall restroom, thanking whatever was listening that this platform had one of those in operation. He shuddered to think what his options would be if such a private place wasn't available.
God, why does this always happen when I'm already exhausted? he whined to himself as he moved. All I wanted was to go home and have some cheesecake with Kurt, not save some random civilian and have to spend hours avoiding reporters.
Shaking off his irritation, Blaine cut off the middle-aged man who was heading for the same restroom as him and closed the door on the guy's outraged cries. He hung his satchel on the door hook and started digging, pulling out the familiar black mask and cape within seconds.
Once he was thoroughly Nightbird-ed, he tucked his cardigan and bow tie in the secret pocket in his bag and tucked it behind the sink, hoping it would still be there when he got back.
I really hope Kurt assumes I got caught up in that conversation with Madame Tibideaux and just keeps heading home, he thought as he ran for the tracks. How the hell would I explain this to him? "Remember how Brittany got into MIT? Well, math wasn't the only thing that she could do..."
Blaine would have snorted at his own lameness, but the sight that greeted him at the edge of the platform suddenly made everything in his life a lot less entertaining.
The unconscious man on the tracks happened to be Kurt, and Blaine's enhanced hearing allowed him to note that a train was only minutes away from pulling into the station.
"Holy crap, it's Nightbird!" a nearby teenager screamed, pulling Blaine out of his shock.
"Could everyone please back away from the tracks?" he yelled, thankful for his experience with projecting his voice. Once the crush of onlookers moved away, Blaine hopped down next to Kurt, gathering him up in his arms and sighing quietly when he felt how steady Kurt's breathing was. "I'm buying you a protective bubble the second we're home," he whispered teasingly.
Kurt wriggled in Blaine's arms at the flippant remark, proving to Blaine that his superpowers would never be a match for Kurt's indignation.
Blaine just smiled and jumped, easily clearing the height of the platform and sticking the landing like an Olympic gymnast. He gave the crowd a particularly glittering grin and started booking it for the stairwell back to the surface, grateful that his superhero status instantly cleared the way of pedestrians. Finally, Blaine gained enough momentum that he could push off the top step and soar into the air, burdened only slightly by Kurt's dead weight.
About halfway back to their apartment, Kurt started shifting in Blaine's arms, lifting one hand to his eyes and rubbing like he would after a nap.
"Cold," he mumbled, twisting closer to Blaine's chest.
"Shhh, darling. We're almost home," Blaine said, holding Kurt tighter. He'd resigned himself to telling Kurt at this point, knowing it really couldn't be put off any longer.
"'Kay," Kurt said. He smiled almost imperceptibly and fell back asleep, which Blaine knew he really shouldn't allow, but since their rooftop was in sight, he figured he could let it slide until they landed.
Blaine had to run for a few steps after landing, taking them over to the circle of benches that the landlord left on the rooftop as an amenity. He lay Kurt down fully on the cushioned one and knelt down by his head. "Kurt. Wake up, baby."
"Wha- Blaine?" Kurt asked, opening his eyes and blinking confusedly for a moment. Blaine was relieved to notice that his pupils weren't dilated, which might mean he wasn't concussed. "Sorry, you're not-"
"Actually?" Blaine interrupted. "I kind of am." He pulled his mask over his head, smoothing his hair back down in his standard nervous gesture once it was off.
"Oh my God," Kurt said, pushing himself upright. He looked vaguely like Flynn Rider after Rapunzel whacked him with her frying pan. "Oh my God."
"Are you gonna be okay? Do I need to get you a glass of water?" Blaine asked frantically.
"No. Blaine, don't leave," Kurt said, grabbing Blaine's wrist and tugging him up onto the bench, too. "If you go right now, I'm going to think this was a giant hallucination."
"Is finding out your fiance is one of the most popular superheroes in the city more or less weird than a giant hallucination?" Blaine asked, genuinely uncertain.
"Well, it sheds a whole new light on all your 'sneaky' late-night escapades," Kurt said, smiling. "I was wondering if I was going to have to leave out one of Oprah's non-cheating contracts as a hint soon."
"Never, Kurt. Never again," Blaine said earnestly. He grabbed Kurt's other hand and held it, too, hoping to convey his sincerity through touch.
"I know, B," Kurt said like it was as simple as breathing. "So how exactly did this happen?"
"Uh, the short version is that Brittany brought a 'science project' to school one day, and it kind of progressed from there," Blaine said. "I'll tell you the long version if you let me take you to the ER."
"What? No. Why?" Kurt said, flabbergasted.
"Two reasons," Blaine said, pulling Kurt back into him. "One, there's a chance you might have a concussion after being knocked onto the tracks, and I don't want it to go untreated if you do, and two, because the reporters are going to expect a story, so we need to provide."
"So you'd drop me off there..."
"And then you'd wait to get admitted before having them call your loving fiance, because he needs time to retrieve his street clothes from the station."
"I expect the long version of this story and cheesecake and a marathon of whatever's on TLC once we get home as repayment for leaving me alone in the hospital," Kurt said, giving Blaine his most serious glare.
"I'll even give you a neck rub," Blaine said. "I'm that happy you aren't running for the hills in terror right now."
"It would take a lot more than that to scare me away from you, B. Don't forget, I've seen you with your hair ungelled," Kurt teased.
"I'll make you walk to the hospital," Blaine said, mock-pouting.
"Oh, shush. You know I love your hair," Kurt said, leaning in and pecking Blaine on the temple before giving him a deeper kiss on the lips. "Thanks for saving me, Nightbird."
"It's kind of what I do," Blaine teased. "Up for one more flight? It's more fun when you're conscious."
"I only get one more flight? Don't I have special boyfriend privileges?"
"I'll take you on as many flights as you like, as long as the first destination is the hospital."
"Fine, but you'd better take me to the top of the Empire State one day."
"Anywhere, sweetheart. I promise."
And with that, Blaine swept Kurt into his arms and took a running start off the roof, laughing freely at Kurt's scream of exhilaration.