Blaine, as always, was prompt.  He showed up and rang the Hummels’ door right at eight, and shifted the folded blanket his arms as Burt opened the door.  “Evening, Mr. Hummel,” Blaine said brightly.  

“Hey, Blaine,” Burt said, pushing the door open and waving Blaine inside.  “You and Kurt have big plans tonight?  It’s a little late for a... picnic?” he said, motioning to Blaine’s gear.

“Oh, this?” Blaine chuckled.  “No sir, not a picnic.  My plan is to whisk your son away for an intriguing evening of astral delights,” he laughed.

Burt’s eyes narrowed as he stopped in the middle of the hallway.  “You’re going to do what now?” he asked.

Blaine’s eyes went wide, realizing just how that would sound to Kurt’s father instead of the amusing tone Jeff was using over text to plan it.  “Ah, I mean, stargazing,” he backtracked quickly.  “There’s a meteor shower tonight, and I thought that Kurt might enjoy going out and watching it.  It’s a clear night, and it’s supposed to be a really good show, and the community college is putting on a viewing out at the picnic area as you head out of town... and I promise to have him home by midnight,” he explained.

“Ah,” Burt murmured.  Blaine knew it wasn’t true, but ever since Mr. Burt Hummel, Kurt’s supportive dad and mild-mannered tire shop owner, had become Representative Burt Hummel, Kurt’s supportive dad and mild-mannered tire shop owner but now in addition to sitting member of Congress, the ‘ah’s and ‘oh’s and disapproving eyebrow quirk that Blaine had only recently realized was the same one that Kurt used when he thought Blaine was being ridiculous seemed much more intimidating.  It was probably because now Burt could actually send the National Guard after them if Kurt was out past curfew, instead of just threatening it.  At least, that’s what Finn said Burt had told him after he was out late with Rachel.  

Blaine knew to consider the source, but still... it wasn’t something he wanted to test out.  

“It’s something I’ve never done either,” Blaine continued, setting the blanket down by the door.  “Well, only when I was younger, but I was with Cooper, and I’m pretty sure there aren’t actually constellations called ‘Elvis Scandalizing Ed Sullivan’, ‘Duran Duran Accepting A Grammy’, and ‘Doogie Howser Typing’.”

That got a laugh out of Burt, and the tension that had been there was suddenly gone.  “Next time your brother’s in town, you should invite him over for dinner,” Burt insisted.  “I’ve heard too many stories not to want to put a face with a name.”

“I’ll do that, sir,” Blaine promised as Burt stopped as he passed the stairs and called up to Kurt that Blaine was here.  As soon as Kurt had responded (the typical ‘five more minutes - offer him something to drink!’), Blaine automatically followed Burt into the kitchen for the glass of water he always asked for in response to the question Burt no longer needed to ask.  “So, when do you have to head back to DC?” Blaine asked, taking a sip of the water.

“September 10th,” Burt replied, pouring a glass for himself and leaning back against the counter.  “I have a couple of meetings with my staff before then, but for one of them they’re all coming to the Lima office, so I’m enjoying my break.”

“I thought Kurt said that you were spending a lot of time at the shop?” Blaine asked.

Burt grinned as he took another sip.  “Like I said, I’m enjoying my break.”

“I’m ready!  I’m here!” Kurt exclaimed as he bounded down the stairs and into the kitchen.  At Blaine’s insistence, he was in dark jeans and one of the few t-shirts that he owned.  Blaine hadn’t explained why proper going out fashion wasn’t needed, but Blaine had been usually dodgy when he asked for the itinerary of the evening.  “You’re right on time.”

“The better to get things going,” Blaine beamed.  “I was just telling your dad a story about Cooper from when I was little.”

Kurt looked from Blaine, to his dad, and back to Blaine.  “Why were you talking about Cooper?” he asked.

“Don’t worry, I’ll tell you the same story on the way,” Blaine laughed, reaching over to link hands with Kurt.  “Now, c’mon, the first checkmark is waiting.”

“Be home by midnight, kiddo,” Burt said, as the boys went to grab Blaine’s gear at the front door.  

***

“So... this is why stargazing required my most casual of casual dress,” Kurt said, his hands tucked behind his head as he stretched out on the blanket Blaine had arranged near the edge of the park.  

Blaine just laughed.  “I didn’t think you’d want to be lying on the ground in some of the designer pieces you’re known to pull out of your closet.”

“I didn’t know that stargazing required lying on the ground at all.”

“It doesn’t always, but that’s part of the fun.”

Kurt tilted his head to look at Blaine.  “Lying on the ground is part of the fun?” he asked drolly.  

“Hey, you like doing all sorts of things lying on your back...”

“Oh my god, Blaine, shut up,” Kurt said, untucking one hand to shove his boyfriend hard enough to get the point across.  “We’re in public.”

Blaine playfully clutched his shoulder in mock pain.  “At least I didn’t add that to the list.  Although if you want to make changes...”

“Shut up,” Kurt insisted, attempting to ignore the earnest and playful look on Blaine’s face.  The only good thing about being out at night like this was that Blaine couldn’t see how hard he was blushing.  “This is not ‘outside where everyone can hear us’ type of talk.  I don’t want to discuss my sex life with a portion of the city of Lima.”

“No one can hear us, Kurt,” Blaine said.  “We’re far enough away from the crowd that no one should be listening in.  It’s as private as I could get us, since this is the one good place to stargaze within the city limits.”  He reached over and linked his fingers with Kurt’s, smiling up into the darkness as their palms pressed together.  

“Still,” Kurt murmured, turning his gaze up to the sky to try and look at what Blaine was looking at.  “I like knowing all of that’s just for us.  Not for anyone else.”

“I won’t bring it up again in public anymore,” Blaine promised.

“Now... private is another matter entirely...” Kurt added lightly, squeezing Blaine’s hand.

Blaine squeezed back and settled in to look at the stars.  “So... stargazing,” he said.

“Stargazing,” Kurt repeated.  “I guess I didn’t realize it was such a popular pastime in Lima.  There are a ridiculous number of people out here.”

“That’s because it’s a meteor shower tonight,” Blaine explained.  “One of the big ones.  The Perseids.  Named because the meteors look like they’re emerging from the constellation Perseus.”

“Look at you,” Kurt chuckled.  “When did you become a star guy?”

“Um...”

“That’s all you know about what’s going on tonight, isn’t it?” Kurt asked, unable to hide his amusement.  “I could start asking questions and you’d be as clueless as Mr. Schue in Spanish class.”

“Jeff was explaining it to me,” Blaine sighed.  “He’s really into this stuff, so he was trying to explain why this was a big one, and I just... I must not have been paying close enough attention.  But it’s so romantic, and they always do this in movies, and on tv, and it was a romantic things that we hadn’t done yet, so I thought... why not?”

Kurt laughed, shifting closer to Blaine on their blanket and pulling their clasped hands up to kiss Blaine’s fingers.  “It’s incredibly romantic,” he assured his boyfriend.  “And I think you’re really -- ooh!  Look!  I saw one!”

Blaine had been too busy looking at Kurt to catch sight of the shooting star, but according to Jeff there were supposed to be, like, forty every hour, so he was sure he’d see of one eventually.  And even if he didn’t see a single one, the look on Kurt’s face when he saw this last one, the pure excitement and wonder, made the trip worth it.  “You know what you’re supposed to do with a shooting star, right?” he asked.

“Make a wish,” Kurt answered.  

“So... what did you wish for?”

Kurt tsked and shook his head, although this time his gaze not faltering from the dark night’s sky.  “I can’t tell you that or it won’t come true.”

“Oh c’mon,” Blaine prodded.  “You don’t have to keep it a secret.  Maybe it’s a wish I can help make come true.”

“You told everyone your wishes when you were little, didn’t you?”

“You’ve met Cooper.  He didn’t take too kindly to things being kept from him, even if they were the wishes of a five year old.”

Kurt shifted again, this time to let his head rest against Blaine’s shoulder as another pair of stars shot across the sky.  “Okay, but you have to join in too.  For each one we see, someone has to make a wish.”

“That sounds good,” Blaine agreed.  “You go first.”

“Okay...” Kurt murmured, waiting a couple of long minutes until he saw a streak.  “I wish that I’ll find a way to get to New York,” he said softly.

Blaine nodded.  “You will,” he replied.  “There’s nothing in heaven and earth that could keep you from doing what you want to do.  You’re Kurt Hummel and you’re a force of nature.”

“You missed one,” Kurt said, pointing up.

“I wish that when you move to New York, we’ll talk every day,” Blaine said.  “I don’t ever want to go a day without talking to you.  Even if my phone bill is going to be ridiculous.”

“Skype is free,” Kurt pointed out.

“Yeah, we’ll deal with number four later,” Blaine grumbled.  

“I can’t believe you had to put that on the list.”

“It’s just weird.”

Kurt just laughed.  He squeezed Blaine’s hand again, loving the feel of Blaine squeezing back.  They wouldn’t have as many days like this as he’d like.  Because even if Blaine wasn’t right about him getting to New York, he knew that he was going to have to go somewhere.  He couldn’t stay in Lima.  He just couldn’t.  There was nothing for him here.  So even if he didn’t know when, he’d leave, and it would be too long before Blaine could join him, and just sit and squeeze his hand again.  

The meteor shower was picking up speed, and it just made sense after a few minutes to take turns with the wishes without waiting for someone to point at one of the streaks.  “I wish... to become famous,” Kurt said brightly.  “To have my name up in lights and everyone concerned about the enormous talent that is me.”

“With paparazzi jumping out of every bush at you?” Blaine teased.

“They have to get a picture of my dashing boyfriend and myself somehow,” Kurt pointed out.

“Does that dashing boyfriend have a name in your fantasy?”

“Blaine Anderson.”

“Kind of a drab name for the arm candy of someone as famous as Kurt Hummel,” Blaine pointed out.  “Maybe he should change his name to Dakota or Montana or something else that screams manly and macho and, you know, my biceps have biceps.”

“Nah,” Kurt mused.  “Too much trouble to change all of the doodles in my notebooks.  I think I’ll stick with Blaine.”

“Okay,” Blaine laughed.  “Well, I wish... to get married someday.  To a great guy, with great fashion sense, who sings like an angel, can change my oil, and do a backflip cause he spent some time on his high school cheerleading squad.”

“That sounds terribly specific,” Kurt laughed.  

“Yeah,” Blaine sighed.  He shifted his head to rest on top of Kurt’s.  “Yeah it does.”

“I wish...,” Kurt trailed off softly, his heart racing at Blaine’s last wish.  He wanted to talk about it, but he didn’t.  They were young, and he’d made fun of Rachel for saying yes to Finn, but hadn’t he admitted to Blaine that he would’ve said yes, too?  And in the middle of the hallway at school, no less?  He’d meant it - sure, it had been in the middle of all of the Rachel and Finn wedding fiasco nonsense, and he hadn’t thought about it before he’d said it, but he’d meant it.  He didn’t care if they were eighteen and lived in Ohio, he would’ve said yes.  And then Blaine had made that ridiculous and wonderful ring of all things.  And...

He couldn’t think about it anymore.  Not now when Blaine was working through a ‘countdown list until you’re gone’.  “I wish that my Dad will stay healthy,” he said, attempting to change the subject.

“He will,” Blaine promised, even though there was no way he could make such a promise.  “Hummels are resilient.”

“That we are,” Kurt agreed.  

“I wish that Cooper keeps his promise to stay in touch more,” Blaine said.  “I miss him.  Even if he’s... Cooper.  I can hear him pointing at me over the phone.  ”

“I wish that I could magically know how to make the perfect cheesecake,” Kurt countered.  “Does Cooper like cheesecake?”

“I don’t know anyone who could dislike your cheesecake,” Blaine assured him.  

“Then that’ll be one way we can make him stay in touch.  Bribery with baked goods,” Kurt laughed.  

“I wish...” Blaine sighed.  “I wish that my parents would accept me like Cooper does,” he admitted quietly, squeezing Kurt’s hand again.  “I wish that they would accept me to the point where they stop referring to you as ‘my friend from glee club’.”

Kurt tucked his head against Blaine’s neck and pressed his lips against his skin.  He wished that for Blaine, too.  “They’ll come around,” he promised softly.  “They have to, because I’m not going away.  And that would be really awkward if I was forty and they were still calling me your friend from glee club.”

“You’re going to go away from Ohio,” Blaine pointed out.  His voice sounded sad, he knew that, and he’d tried to keep that tone at bay.  Because it wasn’t wrong that Kurt was going away.  It was sad, but it was an inevitability.  It’s why he made the list.  It’s why he wanted to take advantage of all of the minutes, hours, and days that they had before Kurt finally got out.  So he wasn’t sad that Kurt was going to leave and follow his dreams and take somewhere new by storm - he was sad that there was going to be time before Blaine could join him.  

“But you’ll come with me, eventually,” Kurt pointed out.  “Blaine, you’ll come with me.  I know it.  You know why?”

“Why?” Blaine murmured.  He could feel Kurt’s smile against his skin before he could hear the words.  

“Because you want to get married some day.”

“I do,” Blaine whispered.  ‘I’d follow you anywhere’ wasn’t said, but it didn’t have to be.  “But tonight I want to look up at the stars with you.”

“We have plenty of time before my curfew,” Kurt said, rubbing his thumb across the back of Blaine’s hand.  “So, why don’t you tell me one of these star facts or stories that you know, since you’re now an expert at stargazing.”

“Okay,” Blaine beamed, motioning up to a cluster of bright stars.  “Have you ever heard the story of the constellation ‘Duran Duran Accepting a Grammy’?”