"It's like you can't even wait to get out of here."

Kurt wasn't sure if it was the tears in Blaine's voice, the fact that this was the third day in a row he'd seen him cry, or the actual words that his boyfriend was saying. Whatever it was struck him deeply in the chest as everything that had seemed off between them over the last few weeks became obvious. Oh, my god, that's it. That explains it. I'm leaving, and he's scared, and that's why our spark has gone missing.

"How's that supposed to make me feel? In a few months, you're gonna be gone, with this brand new life, these brand new friends, this brand new everything, and I'm gonna be right here." Blaine laughed like he was trying to lighten the mood. However, it only hurt Kurt's heart more to see him so close to breaking down. "By myself." He breathed deeply, looking down at his hands.

God, the pain in his voice is just… Blaine… I just want to hug him. I-I want to tell him a thousand times that I'm sorry. I just... He's—He has to know that I'm not leaving him behind or moving on without him.

"You're right," Blaine was saying. "I have been distant. And I'm sorry. But I just… I'm trying to practice what life is going to be like without you." He looked up at his boyfriend again.

For a moment, they just stared at each other. Kurt wanted to say something. He willed the words to come out of his mouth, yet nothing came. If I try to say anything at all, I'm going to bawl. I-I need…

"You are the love of my life, Kurt. And I am pissed off that I have to learn the next year what being alone is gonna be like."

Alone. That thought echoed off the walls of Kurt's mind for only a moment, and it was enough for the words he couldn't find before to come spilling out. "But you're not gonna be alone. I'm gonna Skype you every day, and-and you're gonna come visit me in New York every weekend as far as I'm concerned."

Blaine had been searching his eyes, listening and fighting back tears at Kurt's words. When he said that, though, his brow furrowed, and he looked down at his lap again.

Kurt could see the glimmering tears he was fighting off as he continued to speak. "But I promise you aren't gonna lose me." He looked deeply into Blaine's eyes, begging him to believe him.

"I love you so much."

"I love you, too." For a moment, his eyes fluttered to Blaine's lips. I want to kiss him so badly. Right here and right now. We both agreed that we should save that for home. I know. We feel safer. I just… I need him. I need something! As he looked into his eyes, Kurt attempted a half-smile while his mind screamed, Grab him! Hug him! Hold him close and promise him you're not going anywhere. He's it for you. He has to know. And so he gave in, pulling Blaine in close, pressing as tightly against his body as he dared in the school. He could feel Blaine's fingertips digging into his back, trying to pull him closer, too, a sure sign that they needed to get out of there. His deep breath solidified that in Kurt's mind. I need to hold him in my arms and talk to him like we always have, work everything out. Staying here isn't an option. We need to go home. We're both ready to get this over with and get rid of the distance between us. I'm ready to be us again.

Standing up, Kurt held out a hand to Blaine. "Come on. Let's go, Blaine." His voice was gentle. He glanced in Ms. Pillsbury's direction, giving her a quick nod and a soft "Thanks," before guiding his boyfriend out of her office.

Blaine clung to him like a little starfish, both hands squeezing around one of Kurt's. "Can we go home?" he asked softly in Kurt's ear. "I know we have Glee now. I wanna talk, though, and I-I need…"

"Yeah. Me, too," Kurt reassured him. "I wanna go home, too. Your house or mine?"

"Yours."

The ride to Kurt's house was quiet. Not the strained quiet that it had been on their rides to and from school over the past few days, though. There was no tension or anger in the air. There was no fear or hurt feelings. There was just a need to be loved and forgiven and to hold each other close.

When they got to Kurt's, they both hurried out of the car, clambered into the house, and ran up the steps to Kurt's room. They stripped off their school shirts and laid down on the bed, Blaine cuddled into his boyfriend's chest, Kurt holding him close.

They both spoke at once.

"I'm so sorry tha—"

"Kurt, I have to te—"

Then they both stopped, looked at each other, and giggled softly, glad to feel some of the heaviness draining from the room.

Maybe we can get back to normal. Maybe there's hope. "Please let me go first?" Kurt begged. I have so much to say, so much to apologize for.

Blaine nodded.

"I'm so sorry that I che-cheated on you." The word stuck in his throat, yet he pushed past it, determined to say what he needed to say. "I was… I need to start at the beginning. I've been stressed, and I was really feeling it that day when I went to Between the Sheets. Out of nowhere, this guy came hopping up to me, so happy and exuberant. He reminded me of-of you, and when he asked for my number, I was surprised. No one has ever done that, Blaine. No one. And I… Even as we texted later, I knew immediately he wasn't you. He was obsessed with himself, and you never ever are. Never. You're an amazing boyfriend who encourages me to step out of the shadows; he wants people to propel him out of the shadows instead of putting in the work. Watching you sing to me in Glee made me realize what I was missing with you. I saw how hurt you were, and I think that was the first time it really hit me, when I finally realized that what I'd done out of fear of talking to you, out of fear of you maybe not wanting me anymore… I was—And I—God, this all sounds like an excuse, Blaine. I swear it's not. I really am so sorry. I was awful. That was awful, what I did. I'm so sorry. Can you-you—?" He couldn't finish his sentence. What will I do if he doesn't want to be with me anymore?

Blaine was rubbing his thumb over the skin visible above Kurt's undershirt, already nodding against his chest. "I do. I already did. I forgive you, and I… Kurt, I'm sorry, too. I was pulling away. It's just like I said in Ms. Pillsbury's office. You're leaving, and I'm—" The tears fell from his eyes, dropping onto Kurt's shirt. "Everyone in my life has left, Kurt. My parents are always gone, Coop's in L.A., I had to leave all my friends at my schools twice, and now you're leaving for New York, and I…" He paused to clear his throat. "I don't want to be by myself. I want to be where you are, and I know I can't be, and that doesn't make it any better. And I know I'll have my friends, that I'll be right behind you in a year, that we'll talk every day. I just… I need to be with you. I would never not want you, though. You're everything I want. You're the love of my life, Kurt. So, I'm sorry. I'm so, so, so sorry. I—" He turned and buried his face into Kurt's chest, grabbing fistfuls of his boyfriend's undershirt as he cried.

Kurt bent his neck, resting his head on top of Blaine's, tears leaking from his eyes, too. How did we let this happen? We're usually so good about talking. When he was at Dalton and I was here, we texted all day every day, and while it wasn't perfect, it was enough to get us through until we could be together again. What happened? Did we run out of things to say? Did I start pulling away first? Did we slowly drift apart? How do we get it back? God, I want us back. His mind swirled with questions and possibilities, and it only made him hold on to Blaine tighter, fighting back a sob that threatened to spill from his throat. Then something that Blaine had said earlier flashed through his mind: "New York is the only thing we talk about now, Kurt."

Reaching over into his nightstand drawer, Kurt pulled out the little box Blaine had given him at Christmas, the bow tie gum wrapper ring he adored with all his heart. He set it next to his leg, wiping away the tears with the back of his arm before he jostled Blaine. "Hey," he whispered. "Hey. I wanna show you something."

Blaine looked up, sniffling hard. "What?" he asked, his brow furrowing immediately when he saw the ring box Kurt had picked up. "Why do you have—"

"Open it," Kurt urged. He held it steady as Blaine reached over with one hand to pop open the top. There sat the ring, beautiful as ever. "Take it out for me, please."

"Kurt, why? What are you doing?"

"Please?" Kurt begged. When Blaine had it out, he said, "Put it on. Carefully."

No longer questioning it, Blaine slid the ring onto his left ring finger, looking up at Kurt with big, wet eyes.

"I want you to teach me how to make one of those. We can go together to pick out the gum from the store. Maybe we can get all the Five gum that you like, with the colorful foil wrappers? One in each of the flavors, and you can try them all at once, just like you've been wanting to." They both chuckled softly. "I want to make you one of these to remind you what you mean to me, complete with a bow tie and everything. I want you to be able to pull it out and put it on whenever you're missing me when I'm gone next year. I want to make you a promise ring, Blaine." He hugged his boyfriend a little closer when he sniffled.

"But what are you promising?"

"To always love you," Kurt said, echoing his boyfriend's words from Christmas. "To talk to you, especially when I'm upset or stressed about what's going on. To talk to you about things that are happening in our lives, to make jokes, to tell you how much I cherish you, to find out about what's going on in your life, not just mine. To surprise you."

"With unscheduled makeout sessions?"

"With unscheduled makeout sessions," Kurt answered, giving him a quick kiss on the tip of his nose. "To always pick up your phone calls, especially when I'm in New York. To stay up late at night and early in the morning, talking to you on Skype and keeping you company while we do our moisturizing routine together before class. To take you to all the best bakeries in New York whenever you come to visit me. To kiss you wherever and whenever you want. To remind you that you're perfectly imperfect to me. And to tell you that I will never cheat on you again. You are the love of my life, Blaine. I don't want either of us to forget that. Ever."

Blaine sniffled once more, turning his head to press a kiss to Kurt's chest near his heart. "I know I'll love it. And I love you. You're forgiven, Kurt. Am I? I promise to never pull away from you again, to talk to you when things are difficult."

"Of course, you're forgiven," Kurt answered, carefully slipping the ring from Blaine's finger and putting it back into the box, laying it back in his drawer. Then he bent, framing his boyfriend's face with his hands before bringing his lips down to meet his. "I love you, Blaine Anderson. More than you could possibly know."

"I love you, too."

Their lips met again, and it didn't take long before the kiss turned heated. Blaine twisted in Kurt's lap to straddle his hips, their mouths moving together as their tongues slipped past each other, silky soft and warm, exploring and tasting, relearning one another again. The kiss went on for several minutes, both of them pulling in huge lungfuls of air when their lips finally parted and they rubbed their noses together for a moment.

"Best unscheduled makeout session ever," Blaine whispered into the hot air between them, causing the electric sparks to sizzle as his fingertips brushed over Kurt's warm skin, lifting the hem of his undershirt ever so slightly.

"Agreed. Let's make it our best unscheduled blowjob session ever," Kurt whispered, beginning to kiss down Blaine's neck and across his shoulder, making his boyfriend moan in response. God, I love him, he thought as he continued his exploration of Blaine's body. I can't believe I came so close to losing him, and I never want to go through something like that again. Ever. He means so much to me. I never want to lose him. We are it for each other. He is my forever.