"You said you'd never say goodbye to me…" Blaine finally whispered as they lay together on Kurt's bed. His voice was thick with the sleep they were both slowly settling into. Kurt's heart clenched like a powerful fist had tried to rip it from his pale chest. Kurt clung on to Blaine a little tighter, pushing his face into the warm folds of his boyfriend's sweater.
Blaine let out a quiet little whine as his hand came to rest on the back of Kurt's head, securing him there, stroking the soft short hairs he found there.
"I'm sorry…Kurt I… I shouldn't have said that."
"No, baby, no it's okay to feel. But please know this isn't goodbye. I will never say goodbye."
Blaine exhaled through his nose, and ran his thumb up and down the length of Kurt's neck.
Kurt opened his eyes for the first time in what felt like forever, and glanced up at Blaine's face. Blaine's eyes were closed; the thick lashes fanning over his cheeks were clumped with dried tears. They looked like bird's wings. Kurt could picture them fluttering joyously as Blaine laughed at something Kurt had said. When Blaine was happy. Looking at Blaine's face in this moment, Kurt could see Blaine wasn't happy. His features were tense and the corners of his eyes were wrinkled as if keeping his eyes closed was a struggle. Kurt knew Blaine wasn't asleep because his heartbeat was uneven as it mixed with Kurt's own troubled, inner tempo.
"One year." Kurt breathed, as much to himself as to Blaine.
"I know." Blaine breathed back. "One year without you beside me. With you in New York."
Kurt bit his lip as tears welled up wetly. Blaine hadn't feel like this earlier today. At Kurt's goodbye party Blaine was supportive, and overwhelmingly excited and happy for Kurt. And Kurt knew he still was. But Blaine kept a lot bottled up inside. He learned to do that a lot time ago. Tonight a wall must have broken, exposing how Blaine himself was breaking.
Blaine's head slowly drooped down until his forehead was resting on the top of Kurt's own head. His breathing slowed and the anxious drum beat in his chest was quelled to a gently tump…thump…thump.
Kurt smiled, feeling the tears he had shed slide around his lips. His baby was so tired. Kurt would always be here for Blaine when his walls broke down. Always. When his mind was unsettled from exhaustion or tormented with hidden insecurities. Kurt would say many things to Blaine in these times to come, and "goodbye" wasn't one of them.
The next morning the two of them woke up at around the same time, 10 minutes before the 6:50am alarm was set to go off. Kurt's flight was at 10am.
During the night Blaine had found himself turned around, and pressed against Kurt's chest as Kurt's arms were wrapped around Blaine's body like a vise. Blaine made to turn around, and Kurt slacked his grip and took hold of Blaine's shoulder – guiding him around to face him.
"You go to New York today, beautiful." Blaine said in a voice hoarse with 6 hours of inactivity. "I am so, so proud of you."
Kurt's eyes lit up, and a smile split across his face.
"Thank you Blaine, baby, thank you." Kurt kissed Blaine's forehead 3 times before saying, "Thank you, that means so much."
This was Blaine. Sweet and caring. Last night was Blaine. Weak and tired. Take away either of the two and Blaine would cease to be the man Kurt fell in love with.
They both eventually got out of bed after hitting the snooze button three times, using the space in between alarms to kiss each other sweetly, savoring every moment.
Kurt had packed the night before, naturally. Blaine grabbed two of the bigger suitcases and left the smaller one for Kurt. Kurt rolled his eyes, smiling.
They ate breakfast slowly, smiling up at each other, lumps forming in their throats when they tried to make small talk. Quiet wasn't always a bad thing.
Soon Carol was telling them to hurry it up and Burt was out starting the car.
They walked hand in hand out the front door and settled into the backseat, Blaine sitting in the middle between Finn and Kurt.
When they got to the airport they tried not to make a scene, but it was hard.
The two of them were wrapped around each other, Blaine settling his left leg in between Kurt's two legs to bring them that much closer.
They both cried as silently as they could.
Blaine pulled back and looked into Kurt's eyes.
"Beautiful, you need to go. Go show New York who's boss, okay?"
"Oh believe, me, I will." Kurt replied, trying to supply a certain amount of the famous Hummel sass. His voice broke, but it worked. Blaine laughed.
Kurt sighed, and smiled, his blue eyes glistening with tears he had yet to shed.
"Goodb-"
Blaine quickly put a finger over Kurt's lips, effectively silencing him. He shook his head.
Kurt took Blaine's hand in his own and gently kissed his palm.
"See you soon, Blaine."
"I love you, Kurt."
"I love you too, Blaine."
Blaine watched Kurt walk away from him, and towards his dreams.