INCOMING CALL: Rachel Berry. 4 page

"Sebastian isn't home," Kurt told her. "I saw him at Starbucks."

"Oh," she said. "Well, thank God for that, because I definitely don't want to talk to that asshole. Let's go up and see Berry and manboobs."

Getting Rachel involved had been a terrible idea. She had cried, which only made matters worse. Kurt felt sick and he wanted to go out and look for him, but Santana was right. it was dark and cold and they had no idea where he could have gone. Kurt and Santana ended up back in the apartment, just waiting. Santana made some phone calls to people they knew from college, but nobody had seen Blaine. Kurt just paced the floor, conjuring up more awful scenarios. He had tried to stop, but his brain seemed to do its own thing.

"You should go to sleep," Santana told him. He looked at her like she was nuts. "Kurt, it's after midnight."

He shuddered at the mention of the time, because as the clock ticked, the worse things got. Blaine didn't stay out past midnight. Something wasn't right.

"Maybe we should call the police—"

"He's over eighteen, Kurt," Santana told him. "They won't do a thing until he's been missing for 48 hours. Do you know how many people go missing here every day? Tonnes. And that's—Not that Blaine is missing," she added quickly. "I'm sure he's just hanging out some place. He probably just needed some time to himself. He hasn't been taking this crazy break well, you know."

Kurt heart twisted again. "It's my fault," he said, quietly. "If anything has happened to him, it's because of me—"

"Snap out of it!" Santana said. She sighed. "Look, I'm sure he's fine. You, on the other hand, look awful. Go rest. I'll wake you up if I hear anything."

"I can't just—"

"Look, I don't think it'll come to this, but maybe tomorrow we will have to go looking and if you don't get some rest, what good will you be?"

"Santana, I don't know if I—"

She stood up and faced him, her eyes soft. "I'm worried, too. I mean, I know I laugh at you guys a lot and I insult you, like, all the time, but he's my friend, okay? Both of you are. You're the only ones who've shown me any freakin' kindness in this crumby place. Blainers is fine. I'm sure of it. He'll come strolling in that door like nothing happened and we'll have worried and stressed ourselves out for nothing. I can feel it." Kurt nodded, hoping she was right. A single tear slid down his cheek. "Look at you," she said, smiling. "You look like crap. Go inside," she said, pushing him to the bedroom. "I'll shout if anything happens, okay?"

Kurt sighed, defeated. "Santana," he said, softly.

"What?"

"Do you really think he's okay?"

She paused, then said, "Duh. He's okay. You'll see. Now get out of here, your pacing is giving me a headache." She smiled.

He gave her a weak smile in return, then went into the bedroom.

Voicemail left at 12.16 A.M.
Please pick up. I'm going crazy, Blaine... Please.

Voicemail left at 12.32 A.M.
I love you, Blaine. Please answer me.

Voicemail left at 12.43 A.M.
Text me. Let me know you're okay.

Voicemail left at 12.56 A.M.
I screwed up. I'm sorry. If this is some sort of punishment, okay, I get it. Please don't punish me any longer, even if I deserve it. I need you to be okay, Blaine. I need to know that you're okay. Just.. Please, babe.

Text message to: Blaine at 1.00 A.M.
I love you.

Kurt opened his eyes and there was a split second where he forgot, forgot that Blaine wasn't home, forgot that he had no idea where he was, then the reality set in and his blood ran cold and his stomach twisted and his head ached. He checked his phone, hoping Blaine had gotten in touch, but there was nothing on the screen but the date and the time (3.57 A.M.). Kurt felt the cold washing over him, his insides turning.

He decided he would go see if Santana was still awake. He got to his feet and opened the bedroom door and hit the switch on the tall lamp outside the bedroom. The room lit up, dimly and Kurt almost fell to the ground when he saw the dark figure under the blanket on the sofa. Kurt let out an unintentional whimper in relief and the figure shifted and sat up and honey coloured eyes landed on him.

"What's wrong?" Blaine asked, groggily.

Kurt went closer and exhaled. "You're okay," he said, kneeling down in front of Blaine on the sofa.

Blaine furrowed his eyebrows. "Of course, I'm okay," he said. "Hey, you're shaking." Kurt's heart was beating rapidly and he felt the salt water tears slipping warmly down his cheeks and then Blaine was wiping them away. "Come on," he said, moving back and pulling the blanket away from him. "Come here."

Kurt got up and lay down next to him and pulled him close to him. He buried his head in his neck and breathed in his scent. He thought about asking him questions, demanding to know where he had been and why he hadn't called, but he was far too exhausted. He fell asleep nestled against Blaine like that and it was the best sleep he had had in weeks.

When Kurt woke up the next morning, Blaine was already awake. He was stroking Kurt's hair back from his face, absently and when Kurt opened his eyes, he stopped. Kurt pushed himself up and untangled himself from Blaine. he blinked himself awake, Blaine simply watching him.

"You could have called," Kurt accused. "I was worried sick."

"My phone died," Blaine told him, gesturing to his phone which was now on charge.

"I don't know whether to kill you or kiss you," Kurt told him, truthfully. "Where'd you go, anyway?"

Blaine shrugged one shoulder and looked down at his hands. "Figured I'd give you some space," he said. "It's been hard on both of us."

"But where were you?" Kurt asked, not sure he wanted to hear the answer.

"I walked for a while, then I sat in the back booth of one of those 24-hour diners in the city," he told him.

Kurt's body sagged with relief. "Just..don't do it again, okay? How would you feel if I didn't come home and you didn't hear for me for an entire day?"

"Point taken," Blaine nodded. "I'm sorry."

Kurt didn't say anything.

"Happy birthday, by the way."

Kurt looked up. "Wh-what?"

"It's your birthday," Blaine told him. "December 15th? You forgot your own birthday?" There was a glint of amusement in his bright eyes.

"I guess," Kurt shrugged. "It's not important—"

"Of course it's important," Blaine said. Pause. Then, "You know, this day two years ago was the first time we slept together."

"I know."

"I made you cry," Blaine said, the faintest of smiles playing on the corners of his lips. "And last year, I wouldn't pick up your call and I made you cry and this year I made you cry again."

Kurt didn't say anything.

"I promise I won't make you cry next year."

Kurt looked at him, tried to keep a stiff upper lip, but gave in. "It's okay."

"It's not okay."

"Yes, it is," Kurt argued. "It doesn't matter."

"Kurt, look, I know we haven't been that close lately, but I still love you—"

"I know," Kurt told him. "Actually, I ran home yesterday to tell you that I knew. I—Maybe I'm taking liberties here, but I know you want this. I know you mean it. I know this is forever. If you still want that, I mean."

Blaine's eyes were wide. "Are you really asking me that?"

"Okay," Kurt said. "I know you do. So, can we be us again?"

Blaine's mouth developed into a full smile. "I would love that."

"You would?" Kurt asked, a little breathlessly.

"We didn't break up, Kurt," Blaine told him, grabbing his hand and squeezing it tight. "We spent a couple of weeks without interaction, that's all. There never should have been any doubt that we were going to go back to being us at the end of it all."

Kurt nodded and Blaine kissed his cheek. "What time is it?" Kurt asked, with a yawn.

Blaine leaned across Kurt and grabbed his phone from the coffee table. He pulled the chord from the charger out of it and switched it on. The screen came to life and Blaine said, "It's not even 6AM yet."

Words flashed across the screen then:

Date: 2015-12-24; view: 627