Blaine was standing at his locker slowly putting the books he needed for the morning into his messenger bag.
His hand paused midair as he stared at the pictures that adorned the inside of the door of his locker. They were his favorite pictures of him and Kurt and had been taken over the course of the last year, most of them from this past summer, as their time together dwindled before Kurt left for his internship at Vogue. There was one of the two of them lounging on a blanket on Kurt's front lawn, which Finn had taken without them knowing. There was another of him, Kurt, Rachel, and Finn at Six Flags, which had been taken by Burt after one of Blaine's performances. Others were of Kurt by himself – of him sleeping, of him laughing, of him thinking – which Blaine had taken himself whenever he felt Kurt was at his most beautiful. But Blaine's ultimate favorite, the thing he stared at now, was a strip of photos the two of them had taken in a photo booth two weeks before Kurt had left. There had been a carnival in town and Blaine had convinced Kurt to go with him; they had ended up having loads of fun and Kurt had pulled him into the booth on their way out. Taking the pictures had been the silliest thing they had ever done, but that's what made this memory and this filmstrip Blaine's favorite. There were five photos: two were of them making funny faces at both the camera and each other; one was of Kurt kissing Blaine's cheek; another was Blaine's kissing Kurt's cheek; and the last one was of them mid-kiss, Kurt's arms wrapped around his neck.
Blaine smiled at the memory and his heart fluttered a little. God, he missed Kurt so much. They tried to talk on the phone or via Skype every day, but sometimes Kurt's schedule got in the way. They hadn't seen each other in the flesh since Christmas break, and while the sex had been fantastic after being apart for more than a month since Thanksgiving, Blaine missed seeing Kurt's face every day, missed kissing him and holding his hand. He just missed being around Kurt. And now Valentine's Day was two days away, so he missed Kurt even more.
Sighing, Blaine tore his eyes away from the pictures and closed his locker. He saw Tina walking towards him and he smiled and waved at her. The two of them had struck up a really strong friendship at the beginning of the school year, both of them being left at McKinley with their boyfriends off pursuing their futures.
"Hey," Tina said, stopping in front of him.
"Hi," Blaine said.
"You okay?" Tina asked as they started to walk to their first class.
Blaine shifted his bag on his shoulder. "Are you and Mike doing anything for Valentine's Day?"
"Um…I think we're having a Skype date," Tina said. "What about you and Kurt?"
"Yeah. We're going to Skype. Did you send him a gift?"
"I made him a mix CD of the songs we danced to over the summer. There's also accompanying journal-like entries of the memories that go with each song."
"That's really cool," Blaine said. He turned into the AP English classroom and led Tina to their usual chairs.
"Did you send Kurt anything?" Tina asked.
"I was at the mall the other day with Artie and Rory and I saw a sweater with Marion Cottilard's Vogue cover on it. I bought it for him and sent it out a couple days ago," Blaine said, smiling slightly.
"He'll love it," Tina said, squeezing his hand. "Did he get you anything?"
Blaine's smile faded. "He texted me yesterday to tell me he had sent me something. But I haven't gotten it yet."
"Oh. Well, I'm sure it'll come today or tomorrow."
Blaine nodded and pulled his books out of his bag. They fell into silence as the teacher walked into the room.
Blaine opened his notebook and spent the next fifty minutes doodling hearts around Kurt Hummel.
Two days later, Blaine was sitting in his last class of the day. He was not listening to his teacher ramble on about the causes of World War I, opting instead to stare at the clock, willing it to be three o'clock so he could go home. He and Kurt were having their Skype date tonight for Valentine's Day.
After what seemed like an hour, though it was only two minutes, the bell rang. Blaine hurriedly shoved his books in his bag and left the classroom.
"You're in a hurry," Tina said, jogging to catch up to him in the hallway.
"Date with Kurt tonight. I want to do my homework and get ready before," Blaine said. He quickly dumped the books from his locker into his bag and slammed his locker shut.
Tina chuckled.
"See you tomorrow, T!" Blaine said, hurrying away. "Have a good Valentine's Day!" Blaine shouted over his shoulder.
Once outside the school doors, Blaine practically ran to his car. He fumbled for his keys, unlocked the doors, threw his bag on the passenger seat, turned on the ignition, and pulled out of the parking lot. Once on the road, Blaine did his best not to speed – he didn't want to get a ticket – but he really wanted to get home as soon as possible.
An hour later, Blaine skidded his car into his driveway, glad his parents weren't home yet. At the door, he found there was a package on the step; picking it up he saw that it was from Kurt. Smiling, Blaine cradled it in his arms and unlocked the door. He shut the alarm and made his way up to his bedroom.
Blaine was just about to open the box when his phone buzzed. He pulled it out of his pocket and saw it was from Kurt.
Did you get my package?
Blaine responded immediately. Yes! I was just about to open it!
No! Don't open it until tonight! I want to see your face when you see it. I didn't open mine yet either.
I thought we should do it together. :)
Okay :D
I'm really excited for our date.
Me too. :)
I'm sorry we haven't had time to Skype the last couple weeks.
It's okay.
I miss seeing your face. :(
Me too.
I'm gonna go do my homework so I don't have to rush off tonight.
Okay. I'll see you later. :)
I love you. 3
Love you too. 3
Blaine smiled at his phone for a few seconds and then started pulling books out of his bag. His head and heart full of happy thoughts of Kurt, Blaine settled on his bed and started his homework.
Three hours later, Blaine was staring at himself in the mirror. He was wearing a nice blue dress shirt and his hair was gelled perfectly as usual. He wasn't quite sure he liked his outfit, but he heard a click from his computer and he rushed over to his desk. Kurt's apartment was coming into focus on his computer screen. Blaine smiled and sat down.
"Hi!" Kurt said cheerily, fiddling with something on his bed.
"Hi!" Blaine said breathlessly. Kurt looked absolutely gorgeous. He was wearing a perfectly fitted purple dress shirt tucked into a pair of black, skin tight pants, the bottoms of which were inside Kurt's favorite black, riding boots.
Kurt saw Blaine running his eyes up and down his body. He spun around and said, "You like my outfit?"
Blaine nodded furiously.
Kurt grinned and sat down in front of his computer. "You don't look so bad yourself."
Blaine smiled. "God I missed seeing your face."
"I know. I'm sorry. I'm only an intern, but they work me really hard. Isabelle's really tough. Even Rachel's starting to crack under all the pressure from her dance teacher."
"No?! Really?!" Blaine asked, his eyes wide with shock. "She was fine with West Side Story!"
Kurt laughed. "Rehearsals for West Side Story were like child's play compared to her rehearsals at NYADA. I expect rehearsals for Broadway shows are more like these."
"Yeah. I guess you're right. You're not busy tonight, though."
"Isabelle hasn't had a minute with her husband for about two months. She felt she should do something with him for Valentine's Day, so she gave us off for tonight," Kurt said.
"That was nice of her," Blaine said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
Kurt chuckled. "How's glee? You have Regionals soon, don't you?"
"Yeah. I wish you could come. I have a solo," Blaine said.
"Like I've never seen you sing a solo before," Kurt teased.
The ends of Blaine's mouth twitched. "Let's open our gifts!" Blaine said. The package from Kurt had been staring him in the face for hours and he wanted to know what was inside.
"Okay," Kurt said, smiling. He stood up from his chair and went over to his bed. Blaine watched him bend over to reach under his bed, his ass sticking out towards the computer screen. Kurt wiggled his hips a little as he stood up, Blaine's present in his hands.
He sat back down at his computer and saw Blaine gaping at him, his eyes wide and somewhat lust-blown, his mouth hanging open.
"Something wrong, Blaine?" Kurt asked, his eyes twinkling.
Blaine blinked a few times and closed his mouth. He swallowed and said, "You did that on purpose."
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Kurt said innocently, though a smirk graced his lips.
Blaine narrowed his eyes but smiled. "You first."
Kurt rummaged in his desk drawer for his scissors, pulled them out, and carefully slit the box open. As soon as he caught sight of the sweater, Kurt's mouth dropped open and he let out a gasp.
"Oh my god! Where did you get this?" Kurt said, standing up and slipping it on over his shirt. "Oh, wow. It's really comfy."
"I found it at the mall," Blaine said, grinning broadly, glad that Kurt liked it.
"In Lima?!"
Blaine nodded.
"Huh. Who knew Lima, Ohio would have something like this? I really wish I could kiss you right now," Kurt said, his smile fading.
Blaine looked at him sadly.
They were silent for a few seconds, staring at each other, the distance and computer screen between handing in the air like a cloud of dust. Eventually, Kurt said, "Open yours!"
Blaine picked up his own scissors from his desk and carefully slit open the tantalizing package. On the other side of the screen, Kurt was bouncing slightly in his chair, anxiously awaiting Blaine's reaction.
Blaine pulled open the sides of the box and found a stuffed animal penguin staring at him. He stared at it for about a minute and then burst into laughter. "A penguin?"
Kurt nodded excitedly. "Remember when we were Warblers and we sang 'Animal'? And I said I had as much sexual appeal as a baby penguin? Well, they were doing this make-a-stuffed-animal thing here and I saw a penguin and thought of you," Kurt said.
Blaine pulled the penguin out of the box and examined it more closely. It was wearing a sweater and a matching scarf. He looked more closely and his eyes widened. "Did you make the clothes?"
"One of my old shirts ripped so I figured instead of giving it a funeral like I usually do when a piece of my clothing gets ruined I would turn it into clothes for the penguin," Kurt said. "Look at the pocket."
"It's a heart and…'I love you'. Kurt, thank you. I love it. He'll go on my bed right next to Maggie Dog. I love you," Blaine said, squeezing the penguin to his chest.
"I figure that you can hug it whenever you miss me," Kurt said.
Blaine smiled. "I really want to kiss you right now."
"I know," Kurt said with a sad smile. "Me too. But you know what? Spring Break is only three weeks away. I know I'm not in school right now, but Isabelle said she always takes off a week in the middle of March because her husband works at NYU and he gets off. They go to some exotic island or something. So we all get off too! And it coincides with Rachel's break, so we're both coming home!"
Blaine grinned. "When?!" He grabbed a red marker and his calendar.
"The first week of March!" Kurt said, smiling. He laughed as Blaine drew hearts around the days on his calendar.
"I can't wait," Blaine said. "The things that I am going to do to you are going to blow your mind," he growled.
Kurt blushed, but smiled contentedly. "I really miss you."
"I know. But we have Spring Break now. And then just a couple more months and I'll be in New York with you. I already got my acceptance to NYU and, unless anything catastrophic happens, I'm all set to move there as soon as I graduate."
"I'm so proud of you."
Blaine smiled. "Are you ready for your audition again for NYADA?"
"I think so." Kurt's face fell. "But to be honest, I just really feel like 'what's the point'? My audition went so well last year and then I didn't get in. What's going to change this year?"
"A different judge. A different group of applicants. Everything," Blaine said, trying his best to be encouraging.
Kurt smiled faintly. "Even if that's true, I definitely learned my lesson last year. I should be hearing from Parsons any day. Isabelle wrote my recommendation, so hopefully that helps. If not, she's promised I still have job at Vogue."
"See. Everything will be fine," Blaine said, smiling.
"Anyway. No matter what we'll be together in May!" Kurt said, excited now. "I can't wait to be able to see you every day. And wake up next to you every morning."
Now it was Blaine's turn to blush. "I look forward to it," Blaine said softly.
Kurt smiled.
They sat in silence again for a few minutes, just staring at each other, each wishing that they were wrapped up in the other and silently cursing the months left until they could be.
Eventually, Kurt broke the silence again, "It's getting late. We've been on for nearly three hours. I have to get up early for work tomorrow and have to do my skin care routine."
Blaine's eyes twinkled. "I can stay on while you do it. I used to listen on the phone."
"No you didn't. I know you fell asleep," Kurt said smoothly.
Blaine blanched, then smiled. "Okay. I'll talk to you tomorrow."
Kurt nodded. "I love you."
"I love you, too. Happy Valentine's Day, Kurt."
"Happy Valentine's Day. Next year we'll be together."
"And it will be fanastic."
"Yes, it will. I love you."
"Love you, too. Goodnight."
"Night," Kurt said. He blew him a kiss and logged off.
Smiling, Blaine crawled into, Maggie Dog and his new stuffed penguin snuggled in his arms.