Kurt had a bad feeling in his stomach. He didn't know what it was, but ever since Finn and Blaine had surprised he and Rachel in New York earlier that day, Kurt knew that something was awry. Both of the men were quieter than usual, and considering Finn was not normally a thoughtful type of person, Kurt knew that something was definitely wrong. He was yet to work it out, but seeing Finn out of the corner of his eye almost red with anger as they watched Rachel and Brody finish the last few bars of their song, Kurt had a feeling that Rachel had a lot to do with it.

Now he just needed to work out what was wrong with Blaine. Kurt smiled gently as he felt Blaine shift beside him - gorgeous, wonderful Blaine who had travelled for nearly 9 hours to get to see him, but also the Blaine who had hardly said anything to him since he'd turned up outside their apartment door with Finn.

"Wait here," Blaine whispered as he leaned towards him long enough for Kurt to feel his warmth through their shirts and for his scent to surround them - god he'd missed that. Blaine squeezed his arm for a second and got up, walking towards the piano and switching places with Rachel and Brody with a quick smile and a thank you.

As soon as he sat down, he placed his fingers on the keys, getting ready to play, but pausing. He looked up and took a second to search for Kurt, making sure that he was watching and, when Blaine was certain that he was, he smiled, albeit uneasily, and looked back down, playing the first few chords of the song. It was a song that Kurt knew so, so well. It was their song.

You think I'm pretty without any make-up on,

You think I'm funny when I tell the punchline wrong,

I know you get me, so I'll let my walls come down, down.

It was slower than Kurt knew it, much slower, and sweeter. Gone were the upbeat backing vocals of the Warblers, or the flirty looks from one boy to another boy, coupled with a few classic two-step moves. Instead there was a light melody from the piano, and a man - just a man, with all the earnestness in the world. It was a moment that would bring a tear to anyone's eye whether they knew them or not, even if they didn't realise who Blaine was playing for. It was a moment that Kurt should have been drowning in, except he wasn't.

As the song played through, Kurt couldn't help but feel distracted by the voices at the other end of the bar that were growing increasingly louder. It was Rachel and Finn, Kurt knew it was, but wanted so desperately to have this moment with Blaine that he had been trying to ignore them all the way through the first verse and chorus. However, now it was too much; now it was so much that Blaine had gotten distracted also and stopped playing, just in time to see both Rachel and Finn rush out of the bar.

Kurt turned and glanced at the door for a few seconds, unsure of what to do until he felt Blaine's arm on his shoulder.

"We should probably go after them, make sure they're ok." Blaine said, watching the door as he spoke to see if they were coming back.

"Yeah, you're right," Kurt nodded, pocketing his cell and wallet before standing up and heading towards the door, quickly saying good-bye to a very uncomfortable Brody on their way.

Thankfully, when they stepped outside into the cool night air, they could see Rachel and Finn further down the street, and they could hear them clearly enough to get an idea of what they were arguing about.

"... can't believe you just flaunted that in front of me..."

"... been gone for two months, Finn... no contact, nothing..."

"... how long... sleeping with him..."

"... no right... what about surrendering... I haven't given up on us..."

They started to walk along the street and Kurt, glancing at Blaine for a second, started to follow them, walking briskly so he could catch up. He was stopped in his tracks when Blaine grabbed his arm and dragged him back.

"Blaine," Kurt frowned, glaring at the spot where Blaine was holding him, "I need to catch up with them!"

"Kurt, they haven't seen each other in a few months and it was fairly complicated where they left it, I think maybe we should give them some space..." Kurt glanced at Blaine who smiled gently and raised his eyebrows as his grip on Kurt's elbow loosened so his hand could graze along Kurt's bicep soothingly. "We'll follow behind them, just in case, ok?" Kurt nodded and smiled back placatingly, before moving to gaze at them intently as they started to walk and taking a few steps to follow the couple silently.

Kurt crossed his arms in front of himself as they walked. This was such a strange situation, and Blaine had been behaving so odd all day, that he wasn't certain what type of conversation would be suitable. It seemed neither did Blaine as he kept quiet too.

They continued to follow Finn and Rachel, catching small snippets of conversation as they walked, until finally Kurt spoke up just as they were entering Battery Park.

"I'm sorry you didn't get to finish your song back there," Kurt said quietly. Blaine smiled and shrugged.

"It's fine. It wasn't the right time, don't worry." Kurt nodded slowly. They noticed that Rachel and Finn had stopped walking, so they did too, making sure to keep enough of a distance to give them space, but not so much that they couldn't hear what was being said. They turned to each other, avoiding gazes by looking over the other's shoulder or staring at the ground so that they could try and ignore some of the awkwardness that was there.

"Blaine?" Kurt said, piercing the silence bravely. Blaine looked directly at him in answer. "Is everything ok? You've been acting so strangely all day..." Blaine dropped his gaze to the ground, nodding his head with the realisation that he was going to have to explain what was going on to Kurt. He opened his mouth to prepare to talk when Kurt heard the phrase "break-up" from Rachel and whipped his head round to look at them.

He managed to turn in time to see Finn glare at Rachel with an intense fire in his eyes, before simply uttering, "you've changed," and walking away.

"Oh my God," Kurt gasped, turning towards them in concern. "I think they've broken up... I-I don't understand, I thought they were going to try and work things out?" As he gazed in shock to where Rachel was now standing alone, Kurt saw Blaine shrug out of the corner of his eye.

"I guess they couldn't." He said simply, Kurt turned and looked at him questioningly. Blaine hadn't always been an advocate of Finn and Rachel's relationship decisions, but he definitely always supported whatever they chose to do, even if he wouldn't do the same thing. It was confusing to Kurt that he now appeared to be so nonchalant. Blaine noticed his look and shook his head. "Relationships are difficult, Kurt. Distance is difficult. It's sad, but surely it's not a surprise that it doesn't always work out?" Kurt frowned at him for a few seconds before turning in the direction that Finn had walked to, and Rachel had subsequently followed.

"I should go and find them and see if they're ok."

"Kurt," Blaine said quietly, grabbing his hand to stop him from leaving, "they need to work it out on their own. Anyway," Blaine continued, gripping both of Kurt's hands so he would turn to face him, "this is the first moment we've had alone all day and I really need to talk to you... about us." Kurt froze on the spot and dropped Blaine's hands as if he'd been burnt.

"No..." Kurt's eyes widened in shock. Somehow he knew already what was about to happen and couldn't believe it. "No." He shook his head fearfully, terrified that the sad look in Blaine's eyes was real and even more terrified of what was about to come out of his mouth.

"Kurt-" Blaine said, stepping towards him.

"Please don't," Kurt whispered, wrapping his arms around himself and stepping away from Blaine again. The same Blaine who had promised - promised - that they would always be together; the same Blaine who was now a liar because he clearly didn't see that anymore.

"Don't what?" Blaine said, frowning.

"Don't say it," Kurt pleaded, a few fat tears plopping onto his cheeks. "I know what you're going to say and I just... It hurts too much Blaine, it hurts too much so... just... don't say it, please. Don't break up with me."

"Kurt, I love you-" Blaine started, worry etched across his forehead as he moved to try and pull Kurt towards him, but Kurt flinched and stepped further away.

"No." Kurt said, shaking his head in disbelief, tears running quickly down his cheeks now. "No!" He yelled just before turning and running away, too early to see Blaine's eyes squeeze shut and tears start to fall heavy on his cheeks. Kurt ran through the park, away from Blaine, away from the heartache that he knew he was about to feel and passing Finn and Rachel's heartbreak that he knew they both were already feeling. He kept running until he got to a fountain that had a ledge big enough for him to sit on so he could catch his breath and gather his thoughts.

Gasping for air from both running and crying, Kurt flopped down on the edge of the fountain, before lifting his legs up and turning so that he could face the running water, hoping it would help to calm him down. He hugged his legs tightly to his chest and choked out a loud sob, not sure now if the water he was seeing was the water from the fountain, or his own tears. Not that it mattered as his life was about to break into so many pieces that he knew he wouldn't know which way was up for weeks, maybe months or even years if his heart kept hurting the way it was.

He heard a loud pounding of feet on the ground as someone ran over and stopped just behind him. He didn't look - he couldn't look - but knew it was Blaine without even seeing him sit down beside him.

Blaine sat for a few seconds, bent over and clasping his hands together worriedly. He took a few breaths as if he was preparing to speak, but seemed to changed his mind. Kurt buried his head into his knees, hoping that if he closed his eyes and hid long enough this day would end, everything would be fine and he and Blaine would still be together.

"Kurt-" Blaine looked over at him, pleading Kurt to listen, just for a second.

"Please, Blaine," Kurt shook his head, "I told you to not say it." He wiped his face from tears with the back of his hand and went back to staring into the water, sparkling in the moonlight - an ironically romantic setting for a break-up. He looked over to Blaine to see that he'd turned away again and had returned to wringing his hands together nervously. "We have memories together, Blaine. So many memories and I can't listen to you just throwing them away like this. You're my best friend, as well as the man I love, so you must know how difficult it is for me to have to hear that I'm l-losing that." Kurt teared up again thinking about just how much he was losing - how much love, how much trust, how much of himself.

"Kurt, can I just talk, please?" Blaine said in a strained voice - he was just as choked up as Kurt was.

"No." Kurt said roughly, shaking his head. "I know exactly what you're going to say so you don't need to say it, ok? I get it. We're done. I can do without hearing you say it." Kurt stood up swiftly as he spoke, trying to avoid Blaine seeing the angry tears that were still rolling down his reddened cheeks. He turned away and walked off, wishing this time for Blaine to not follow him, but knowing that he would not get his wish.

Kurt could hear Blaine's footsteps behind him but kept walking briskly, long past when he was getting too breathless to walk and long past when his tears stopped, he kept going. He didn't stop until he got back to his and Rachel's apartment, promising himself that he would send her a text as soon as he got in to make sure she was ok.

He tried hurrying to unlock the door, hoping he could get inside before Blaine caught up with him, but he failed and Blaine suddenly appeared beside him, panting from trying to keep up with him and almost failing.

"Please, Kurt, for the love of God, please let me talk to you." Blaine begged, his eyes still wet from crying. Kurt didn't answer him - he didn't deserve answers - instead he just opened the door and walked in, leaving it open behind him to let Blaine go inside also.

He sat down at the cheap breakfast bar that he and Rachel used to eat all of their meals and didn't stop Blaine from sitting down next to him - he didn't have the energy to stop him anymore.

"Kurt," Blaine said, taking a deep breath as he continued, "this has been so difficult. More difficult than I could have imagined. You being here, me being in Ohio. I've missed you more than I ever thought possible and, I can't lie, the whole Rachel, Brody thing has really thrown me through a loop." Kurt paused and turned to Blaine, frowning. He didn't understand how that could have anything to do with this situation they were in right now. "I mean," Blaine continued, "Rachel and Finn were engaged and... it wasn't good enough. It wasn't enough for her to not consider her other options. And you,God Kurt, you're so beautiful and incredible that I was driving myself crazy thinking about all of the people who would be coming onto you and telling you exactly what I couldn't be here to tell you." Blaine frowned and started playing with his fingers nervously, his voice choking up as he thought about anyone else being with Kurt.

"I've been thinking so much about this too. About you and us. It just made me more crazy, because I'm just your boyfriend. If Rachel couldn't hold back for her fiance, what chance did I have that you would wait for just a boyfriend? All I've been thinking about is how much I miss everything about you, but how much I can't cope with you here in New York, probably being chased by a million gorgeous guys and I couldn't do anything about it." Kurt closed his eyes and buried his face in his hands. He could tell that Blaine was almost finished with what he was saying and so it was almost time for him to lose everything and he felt like he really would prefer to do it with fewer senses; maybe it would make it hurt less.

"I was finding it so difficult not being in control of that, Kurt. I felt so helpless that I had to do something; I had to take back some kind of control over us, which is why I came to visit you this weekend." Kurt could hear Blaine taking deep breaths to calm himself, which didn't surprise him. He imagined this was nearly as difficult for Blaine as it was for him; he never imagined it would be easy for him, but at least he was the one breaking hearts instead of having his broken. "I know I''ve completely messed it up, though, I've hurt you and I really, really didn't want that, Kurt." Kurt could feel Blaine shift closer to him just before feeling his hands on Kurt's arms, pulling them so he wasn't able to hide his face in them any longer and forcing Kurt to hold his hands. Kurt kept his eyes shut tight in defiance. "I should've taken the song as a sign, I guess," Blaine chuckled, an unexpected warmth in his voice as he gripped Kurt's hands tighter, his thumbs tracing circles around Kurt's knuckles. "But I can't leave you without saying what I need to say..." Blaine swallowed thickly, "I love you so, so much Kurt..." Blaine paused for a second and then chuckled again as he continued to speak, "Kurt, will you open your eyes please? I need you to look at me when I say this..." Kurt sighed and slowly opened his eyes obediently. "Kurt, I think... I mean... I want, or maybe I need..."

Just as Blaine was tripping over his words, Kurt noticed it on the breakfast bar: the key to the whole evening. The key to why Blaine had been acting so nervously all weekend, the key to why he'd wanted to talk to him alone; the key to why he'd chased him around New York instead of letting him leave to be upset, and why he was standing next to him gripping his hands so tightly that they were losing their colour. It was right there.

"Kurt..."

Except it wasn't a key. It was a box. And a ring.

"Marry me?"

I know, ever the optimist :D Just in case any of you are following me on Tumblr, I'm still there as getwhatyouwantorjustgetold, but I've also created a blog just for my fics - aslongastherearestarsaboveyo u, so make sure to follow me there for updates about writing things :D