It was early Sunday morning when their car pulled into the Dayton International Airport. The sunlight streamed brilliantly around, bathing them in the warmth and sweetness that is found on a beautiful summer day. It was ironic, in Blaine's mind, that such beautiful weather could be attributed with a day he'd been painfully dreading for what seemed like years.
Shifting the car into park, he sat in silence for a moment, taking it all in. August 21st, 2012. This was it. This was the day Kurt had been anticipating for his entire life. In just a few short hours, he'd be thousands of feet in the air, making his journey to New York. Home.
And Blaine? Well, he wasn't going home. He was going back to Lima. Back to a school so distant and foreign to him, even after a whole year of being there. Back to fending for himself, without Kurt physically there to stabilize him, to be his rock. The thought of returning without his boyfriend was so surreal, so heartbreaking, that it hit him with such an impact that it left him numb.
Glancing over, he saw Kurt in the passenger seat. Just looking at him, he could tell that he was trying so hard not to break down altogether. Sniffling slightly, Blaine leaned over, running a trembling hand over Kurt's cheek. "Hey, Kurt, don't be like that," he whispered.
Whether it was the tone of his voice or the tender touch, Blaine didn't know. All he knew that Kurt had thrown himself into his boyfriend's lap, body racking with months' worth of pent-up sobs.
"I don't want to go," he cried into Blaine's shoulder, gasping and sputtering. Blaine gripped him all the more, his own tears trailing down his cheeks. "I can't do this, Blaine. I can't. I can't le-leave with-without you.."
"Yes you can," Blaine said, grabbing Kurt by the shoulders and forcing him to meet his gaze. "Kurt, you are the strongest person I've met in my entire life. You have to do this. This-this is your dream! This is what you've been working toward for the past four years of your life!"
"But that dream was made before I met you," Kurt replied shakily. "I love you too much to leave you."
"Who said you're leaving? Kurt, we'll make it work. We can text all the time, and have Skype dates at night. Hell, I plan on flying out every weekend to see you! I may be jet-lagged, but I think I could still be somewhat of use to you." Kurt giggled, a watery smile settling on his lips. Blaine smiled, leaning forward and kissing him swiftly. "As long as you'll have me, I'm not going anywhere."
"But…but what if you meet someone new? Someone bold and enticing, someone who can give you so much more than I ever could-"
"Hey, stop it," Blaine said, cutting him off brashly. "You honestly think that there's someone out there who's a better fit for me? There isn't. You saved me, Kurt. I spent my life preaching courage, but you? You live in. You embrace it. You gave me strength and humility and joy when all else failed. No one could ever replace you."
Blaine paused, taking a deep breath. Looking right into Kurt's eyes, he continued, "You are the love of my life, Kurt. Nothing can take that away from me. I've loved you since the moment I set eyes on you on that Dalton staircase. I've loved you since our first coffee dates, scarves obsession and all. I've loved you since a song about a damn bird made me get my act together. I've loved you since Junior Prom, despite all the fresh wounds open up that night. I've loved you since your first trip from New York, with all the mystic and wonder and excitement still fresh in your eyes. I've loved you since I'd given you everything I possibly could give a man. I've loved you since our first Christmas and Valentine's Day together. I've loved you, even when I was terrified that an enthusiastic NYU hopeful would whisk you away from me. It's you, Kurt. It's always been you."
Kurt smiled, swiping at the tears in his eyes, and pulling Blaine in for a passionate kiss. When they broke apart, Blaine squeezed his hand gently. "We should get going," he prodded gently. It took a moment, but finally Kurt gave a slight nod. Unbuckling his seat belt, Blaine went around and removed Kurt's luggage from the trunk, opening his boyfriend's door for him. Kurt gave a small smile of thanks, and the two embarked off in the bright sunlight.
Fifteen minutes later, Kurt slung his duffel bag over his shoulder as Blaine tugged his suitcase for him. After checking to make sure he had everything, he looked up, rapidly blinking away the tears already brimming in his eyes. "I'm going to miss you so much," he said, wrapping himself in Blaine's warm embrace. Blaine snuggled closer, desperately clinging to the other. "I'll miss you too. So much."
And now, Blaine knew it was time. Reaching into his back pocket, be procured a small black box. Gently freeing himself from Kurt's grip, he got down on one knee, his determination overriding the immense terror building up in his gut.
Kurt gasped, eyes wide as saucers. Clearing his throat, Blaine looked right into the deep aqua eyes he'd had memorized since that first day at Dalton, he said, "You are the only one for me, Kurt. I'm…I'm not saying that you have to marry me, or that you'll even accept me. But, it's a promise. A promise that no matter if we're thousands of miles apart, that the beat of my heart will always be because of you. I don't know what life is like anymore without you, Kurt. And I'm scared as hell to find out what this next year will bring. But, I know, with every fiber of my being, that I will love you until my dying day. And I'm going to fight for you. Whether my opponent is a precocious New Yorker or six thousand miles, I don't care. I will fight to the death to love you with all that I am. I don't care what anyone says, that I'm 'too young' or what I feel is an 'abomination'. If you'll take me….I'll be yours. To love and to cherish, as long as we both shall live and onward. "
Kurt blinked through the tears in his eyes, a timid smile spreading across his lips. Pulling Blaine up by the collar of his shirt, he whispered, "You had me at the Moulin Rouge reference," and kissed him.
It was the most majestic feeling either had ever experienced. All the love, the fear, the pain, the struggles-all fused together into one kiss. It was one that left them both gasping at the intensity of pure, unadulterated love.
It didn't matter that they had attracted scornful glares and ignorant remarks. What mattered was the perfect ease of slipping that cool metal band on Kurt's left ring finger, twinkling in the fluorescent lights. What mattered was the quick embrace and kiss blown to Blaine right before Kurt passed through to the other side of security. What mattered was that even as Blaine watched that magnificent plane become a dim speck and then vanish entirely, he knew. He knew that in the end, they would make it.
What mattered was the text Blaine received the next morning, a picture of Kurt's left hand and the caption, 'Suddenly the world seems such a perfect place.'
Seasons may change, winter to spring. But Blaine loved Kurt. Until the end of time.