Day 12 – To Know Him Is to Love Him (Amy Winehouse)
A/N: A little sappy today. Also, in case you missed it, I did post a chapter for Day 11, "Top of the World," but this site didn't move the story up in the queue to reflect the update.
Just to see that smile makes my life worthwhile
Blaine remembers the first time he saw Kurt smile. Of course he does. After all, a man doesn't forget the day he meets the love of his life.
Kurt was so adorably transparent, trying to spy on the Warblers. Blaine found him sweet and charming, (and couldn't help but show off a little to the competition, too). Blaine kept an eye on Kurt throughout their "impromptu" performance (as if the Warblers ever sang anything in public without a dozen hours of meticulous practice). First, the boy seemed anxious and a bit awkward, as one would when committing show choir espionage. Blaine saw the moment, though – that moment when Kurt forgot to be anxious and allowed himself to be free and enjoy the performance.
That's when it happened. That was when Kurt smiled.
Blaine thought Kurt was attractive when they met on the staircase. He thought Kurt was stunning when he smiled.
There would be other smiles as time passed. There were the shy ones after a flirty Christmas duet. There was a breathless one after the first time they kissed. Kurt beamed when he announced to his friends at McKinley he was back, but Blaine was sure that even the sun didn't shine as brightly as Kurt the day Blaine told him he'd transferred to McKinley, too.
Along with all the happy memories, there were the painful ones, as well. Blaine soon came to realize that he appreciated the value of Kurt's smile a little more for having seen his tears. If he'd been charmed by Kurt's expression that first day they met, he'd been equally moved the next time they met and Kurt opened up about his troubles with bullies at school. The tears Kurt cried at prom when he'd been chosen as queen were like knives in his chest.
Don't even get Blaine started on the times he himself had been the one to make Kurt cry. Loving and being loved were incredible gifts; the fact that those gifts walked hand-in-hand with the ability to hurt and be hurt was an irony Blaine would never entirely understand.
Today, however, was a day to focus on the joy. Today was a day for love, and happiness, and smiles all around. Today was a day for promises and vows. Life wouldn't always be happy. Blaine knew he could not expect Kurt to smile forever just because they were getting married. Life doesn't work like that. While he would have loved to include in his vows that he would ensure Kurt would never hurt again, that wasn't realistic. So, with all the vows and promises he would make to Kurt today, he made one promise to himself: no matter what, Blaine would always strive to be a reason for Kurt to smile.
Just to see that smile makes my life worthwhile
To know, know, know him is to love, love, love him
And I do.