– Vow of the Night’s Watch

As Kurt mechanically went about the odious task of feeding Maester Aemon’s ravens, his mind was flooded with thoughts of Blaine. It had been ninety-six days since Kurt had watched Blaine gallop toward the unimaginable dangers that waited in the frozen expanse beyond the Wall. Ninety-six days Kurt had spent waiting anxiously for Blaine’s return. Ninety-six days of dreading cold nights, knowing that Blaine would not be there to warm him. Ninety-six days off imagining the worst, of worrying and doubting. Ninety-six days of being incomplete, of feeling like a part of himself was missing.

Kurt shook himself from his thoughts, opened a cage and tossed in a handful of corn, only to be pecked by a particularly vicious bird.

“Corn! Corn! Corn!” the raven cried, flapping his wings and darting about the cage.

Slamming the door shut, Kurt glared at the bird as he sucked his bleeding finger.

“That really hurt,” Kurt huffed under his breath.

A voice came from behind him. “Pain is a necessary part of life.”

Kurt spun around, his hand pressed against his chest. “Maester Aemon, you startled me.”

“I do apologize, my dear boy, but I find it difficult to believe that a feeble, old, blind man like me could startle someone as mindful as you.”

Kurt tried to smile but found it too difficult. Instead he moved to the next cage. “I fear my thoughts are elsewhere today, maester.”

“Of course they are.” Maester Aemon chuckled as he perched himself upon a stool. “And I bet I know exactly where your thoughts are.”

A prickle of unease worked its way up Kurt’s spine, and he stiffened as he said, “And where do you believe my thoughts are?”

“I don’t believe, I know. Young ranger Anderson is always in your mind, is he not?” The maester’s tone was gentle and his smile was sincere. “Worry not, Hummel. Your secret is yours to keep or give away, not mine.”

Swallowing hard, Kurt asked, “How did you know?”

“Sometimes a blind man can easily see what is hidden from others.” Maester Aemon shrugged. “Besides, did you really expect me to believe that thick vanilla oil that we make is simply to soothe your supposedly dry skin?”

Kurt flushed, his cheeks turning a dark red. “I… I… Maester…”

“Stop,” the old man said kindly. “We are both men here, Hummel.”

Laughing nervously, Kurt stammered, “I… I don’t know what to say.”

“Say nothing,” Maester Aemon replied. “You have served me for two years now. I like to think that we’re close and that there should be no secrets between us.”

“We are close.”

The maester smiled. “And people who are close get to know each other quite well. I know you, Hummel. And you’ve got nothing to be embarrassed about with me.”

“Thank you,” Kurt said softly. “It’s just that… I didn’t realize that I was so easy to read.”

“You are. For instance, it’s quite plain to me that you worry about him.”

“Of course, I worry,” Kurt whispered. He turned to meet the blind man’s milky, blank gaze. After keeping all of his feelings walled up inside of his heart, Kurt felt a sudden need to divulge everything to the maester. “He’s all I think about. He is always there, in my head. I imagine the most dreadful things, that he’s hurt or… or worse. I worry about him all of the time, and then I feel guilty for worrying.”

A look of surprise overtook the maester’s features. “Why should you feel guilty?”

“Because I took the vows. I said the words. My oath to the Night’s Watch should come before all else.”

Maester Aemon smiled and shook his head. “And how does worrying about your beloved take away from your vows?”

“I swore to…” Kurt fumbled as he searched for the proper words.

“You swore to be the sword in the darkness and the shield that guards the realm of men, to protect the Seven Kingdoms. I fail to see how loving someone might interfere with that.”

“But right in the oath, it says that I can’t…”

“The oath says that you can’t take a wife or father children. As far as I know, Anderson is not a woman and neither of you can bear a child. So again I ask you, in what way does loving him go against your vow to the Night’s Watch?”

Kurt bit his bottom lip as he pondered the question. “I suppose that I never really thought about it like that.”

Maester Aemon shrugged. “Love is rarely something we think about, my dear boy. It works its way into our hearts whether we wish it to or not, and once it’s there, we are helpless against it.”

“I never said that I loved him.”

“You didn’t have to,” Maester Aemon said with a grin.

To ease his embarrassment, Kurt quickly resumed his task of feeding the ravens.

“Do you think the Lord Commander knows? About Blaine and me, I mean?”

“He knows,” Maester Aemon said, “and he does not care. So long as you do your jobs, it doesn’t matter to the Lord Commander that you share a bed. Anderson is one of his best rangers, a loyal brother, and a man of honor. You are a dutiful steward, destined to be Anderson’s right hand once he becomes Lord Commander.”

Kurt’s breath caught in his chest. “Blaine will become Lord Commander?”

“Of course he will,” the maester said. “He’s being groomed to take the reins from Lord Commander Mormont. Why do you think he is worked so hard, pushed so much? One day, he will oversee all of the Night’s Watch.”

“I…. I had no idea.”

“I’m sure Anderson doesn’t know either.” Maester Aemon shifted on his stool, turning slightly to better face Kurt. He straightened his spine and lifted his chin. “And I trust that you will not tell him.”

“No,” Kurt said hurriedly. “No, I won’t tell him.”

“Good.” The maester seemed to slump a little, relaxing after Kurt’s response. “I also trust that you and Anderson will continue to be discreet.”

Kurt’s brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”

“I mean that not all men are as intelligent as the Lord Commander and myself. The Night’s Watch is full of brave and honorable men, but there are some that come to us out of desperation. Thieves and rapists find their way to Castle Black because they have nowhere else left to go. These are angry, dangerous men. Their minds are small, and they know nothing of the world. Some of these men are violent and they are skilled with weapons. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

“Of course, I do,” Kurt said quietly. “That is something that Blaine and I are always mindful of.”

“Good.” Maester Aemon said with a curt nod. “I would not see you or Anderson hurt… or worse.”

“Thank you,” Kurt said, his head bowed. “You are a kind man, maester.”

“I try to be,” Maester Aemon said with a tilt of his head. “I like to think that I have a big heart.”

“Were you ever in love? You seem to know a lot about it.”

“Me?” Maester Aemon drew a deep breath. “Once, but it was a very, very long time ago.”

Kurt turned away from the birds and approached the maester. “What happened?”

The maester shook his head dismissively. “It’s a long, boring story, my dear boy. Suffice it to say that sometimes love is fleeting and leaves pain in its wake.”

Laying a gentle hand on Maester Aemon’s shoulder, Kurt said, “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be,” Maester Aemon said. “I consider myself lucky to have had the pleasure of feeling love’s sharp sting.”

Kurt smiled. “Thank you, maester, for speaking to me like this. You’ve helped me to see things more clearly.”

“Any time, my dear boy.” The maester stood. “The Lord Commander is waiting for me, so I’m afraid that you must excuse me.”

“Maester, before you go…”

“Yes?”

“Did we receive any ravens last night? Any messages? Has there been any word from… from the rangers?”

The maester’s face grew solemn, his usual grin turning into a slight frown. “No, my boy. There has been no word.”

“Thank you,” Kurt said before turning back to the task of scattering corn for the noisy, hungry birds.

Kurt was dreaming of cold, dead creatures with bright blue eyes and pallid skin the color of snow. They were chasing Blaine, their hands clawing at his ebony cloak as Blaine uselessly hacked away at them with his sword. Kurt tried to run to Blaine, to help ward off the creatures, but in the nightmare he was frozen, forced to watch Blaine struggle alone.

He felt a cold hand close around his wrist and he screamed.

“Shh… shh… it’s okay. You were only dreaming.”

Kurt’s eyes shot open and he looked frantically around the room, seeing nothing in the pitch darkness. Then he felt the warm, solid body beside him and his breath stopped. A hand was circled around his wrist while another was gently running through his hair.

The voice that woke him reverberated through the room. “I’m sorry if I woke you, but it seemed like you were having a nightmare.”

“Blaine?” Kurt’s voice was hoarse and thick with sleep.

“Yes, it’s me.”

Kurt choked back a sob as he threw his arms around the man that had filled every waking thought and every dream, the man he missed so much that it made him ache. Relief flooded through him as he breathed in Blaine’s scent, a thick smell of sweat and horse and cold winds. He raised a hand to cup Blaine’s cheek and was surprised by the scruff he felt there.

Blaine placed a gentle kiss to Kurt’s forehead as Kurt began to silently weep.

“Shh…”

“I just…” Kurt gulped in air as he tried to stem the flow of his tears. “I just missed you so much. I… I…”

“I know,” Blaine soothed. “It was the same for me. You were all that I thought about. All I wanted was to come back to you.”

“Was it awful?” Kurt’s voice was small and full of fear. “Are you hurt?”

“I don’t want to talk about it tonight,” Blaine whispered. “Right now, all I want is to hold you and sleep in our warm bed with you in my arms. Can we do that?”

Kurt nodded and pulled Blaine close, molding their bodies together beneath their blankets and furs. After a long time spent holding each other in the silent dark, they slept, and there were no more nightmares.

In the morning, Kurt stretched and blinked against the sun spilling in through the one tiny window their room offered, disappointed to find Blaine was not in bed with him. He looked around the room frantically, wondering if he had merely dreamed Blaine’s return. It was then that Blaine quietly slipped through the door, balancing a tray of food in one hand. He looked at Kurt and smiled.

“You spoiled it by waking. I was going to surprise you with breakfast in bed.”

Kurt grinned and then pouted. “The food looks amazing, but I have to go fetch Maester Aemon his breakfast before I can have my own.”

“Nonsense,” Blaine said. “He was made aware of our return last night. I’m sure that he’s made other arrangement for today.”

“We have the whole day together?” Kurt asked with a smile.

Blaine set the tray on the bed and flopped down beside it. “The whole day.”

Kurt squealed with delight, clapping his hands. “I’m so happy to have you back. I just want to sit and look at you.”

“Look all you’d like,” Blaine said happily, “so long as I can do the same. I’ve really, really missed your face.”

“Not as much as I’ve missed yours,” Kurt said, his eyes roaming over every feature. He smiled when he noticed that the beard he’d felt on Blaine was gone. “You shaved?”

Blaine laughed and ran a hand over his smooth, hair-free chin. “Yes. I’m well aware of your aversion to beards, and I plan on kissing you quite a bit today.”

“I’m kind of disappointed,” Kurt said with a wink. “I was wondering what you looked like with a little scruff.” Kurt tilted his head, clearly assessing Blaine’s appearance. “Your hair is really long. Would you like me to cut it?”

“Do you want to cut it?”

Kurt considered the question and then shook his head. “No. I think I might really enjoy running my fingers through those curls during… certain activities.”

Falling back on the bed with a laugh, Blaine threw his hands above his head and stretched. As his tunic rode up, Kurt couldn’t help but notice how much thinner Blaine was than before he left on his mission.

“You’ve lost weight.”

Blaine shrugged. “That tends to happen when one is in the wilderness and there’s nothing to eat but acorn paste and snow.”

Kurt’s face fell.

“Hey, hey, we’ll have none of that,” Blaine scolded. “I have missed your smile far too much to be denied of it now.”

Embarrassed, Kurt dipped his head. When Blaine lifted his chin with two gentle fingers, Kurt was smiling. Blaine grinned like a child waking on his name day. Without a word, he plucked a grape from the tray and slid it into Kurt’s mouth.

They ate in silence, studying each other’s faces, becoming reacquainted with each other’s features. When the food was gone, they simply lay on the bed and stared at each other. After some time, Blaine grasped Kurt’s hand.

“I made a promise to myself on the day that I left Castle Black that I would do something upon my return.”

Squeezing Blaine’s hand, Kurt asked, “What exactly did you promise to do?”

Blaine closed his eyes and took a deep breath, as if he were gathering strength for some great task.

“You are worrying me,” Kurt whispered.

Opening his eyes, Blaine smiled and said, “There is nothing to worry about, but there is something that I must say to you.”

Kurt shifted closer to Blaine and leaned in to kiss his cheek. “You can tell me anything.”

Blaine chuckled and covered his face with his hands, turning his head away. “I didn’t think it would be this difficult.”

“Just tell me,” Kurt said. “Whatever it is, I promise I won’t run away screaming.”

Nervous energy seemed to fill the room, and with each silent second that passed Kurt became more anxious. He had to fight to remain quiet as his heart pounded and his breath became forced and labored. When Blaine finally spoke, Kurt’s breath stopped all together.

“I promised myself that when I returned, I would tell you that I love you.” Blaine looked up at the ceiling as if afraid of facing whatever was to be found in Kurt’s expression. “I love you, Kurt, and I’ve been waiting to tell you ever since the morning that I left.”

Blinking back tears that threatened to spill from his eyes, Kurt playfully slapped Blaine’s shoulder and said, “You had me so worried!”

“I’m sorry,” Blaine whispered, taken aback at Kurt’s outburst. “I didn’t mean to worry you, but this was hard for me. I was scared.”

Kurt resisted the urge to scoff. He couldn’t imagine his brave ranger being afraid of anything, let alone him. “Why would you be scared to tell me that?”

“Your reaction,” Blaine replied sardonically, “which I am still waiting for.”

A chuckle that Kurt was helpless to stop bubbled up from his chest. “You are really stupid sometimes.”

“Wonderful,” Blaine said tersely, his jaw clenched tight. “I confess that I love you and receive laughter and insults in return. Maybe I should have stayed on the other side of the Wall. The wildlings were kinder.”

“Stop it,” Kurt admonished softly, his expression contrite. He gently turned Blaine’s face so that their eyes met. “I’m sorry if I upset you, but how could you ever doubt how I feel about you? Of course, I love you, too.”

Blaine blinked and shook his head as if trying to clear it. “You do?”

Smiling warmly, Kurt ran his fingers through Blaine’s unruly hair. “Of course, I do. How could you possibly think otherwise?”

“Say it again.”

“I love you.”

Blaine pulled Kurt in close and kissed him hard. When they reluctantly broke apart to catch their breaths, Blaine’s eyes were sparkling.

“You love me,” Blaine said with a voice full of wonder as he gazed at Kurt’s face.

“Of course,” Kurt said dismissively, as if his love for Blaine was something that had always been understood and acknowledged. “I love you, and I never want to be without you again.”

Blaine ran his hands up and down Kurt’s back in long, soothing strokes. “I am so sorry that I had to leave you, Kurt.” Blaine kissed him softly in apology. “I can’t promise you that I won’t be sent away again. It may be that I get orders to go beyond the Wall again tomorrow. You must know that I never want to leave, but I have no choice but to go where the Watch commands me.”

“I know,” Kurt said with a sad smile. After a moment, his expression grew mischievous. “But we’re together now, and we love each other, and we have the entire day to ourselves, and it’s been far too long since we’ve been naked together. Why are we still clothed?”

Blaine laughed. “I’ve been living in the wilderness, Kurt. It’s been weeks since I last was able to wash myself. Perhaps a bath is in order before anything else?”

Kurt’s nose crinkled in disgust. “You crawled into bed with me without bathing first?”

“I rode hard to get back to you, you little brat.” Blaine playfully swatted Kurt’s backside. “Forgive me for being exhausted.”

“I’ll forgive you anything, because I love you,” Kurt said, leaning in for another kiss. “Now, let’s go see about that bath.”

They were happy to find the tiny bathhouse empty. As they soaked together in the large tub, Blaine leisurely rubbed a sweet-smelling soap over Kurt’s shoulders and back.

“We’re doing this wrong,” Kurt said. “You’re the one who’s been out riding and fighting. It is I who should be washing you.”

“Hush,” Blaine chided. “I’ve missed your body and the feel of your skin. Indulge me in this.”

“As you wish,” Kurt sighed, allowing the warmth of the water and the wonderful pressure of Blaine’s fingers to sink into his body. When Blaine was finished washing Kurt’s back, he scooped water in his hands and let it run down Kurt’s skin, rinsing the fragrant lather away. Kurt leaned back, sealing himself tight against Blaine’s chest. He closed his eyes.

“Can you tell me about your time away now?” Kurt asked softly. “You don’t have to, of course, but I want to hear about it.”

Blaine shifted slightly. “What would you like to know?”

“You were gone for so long. Where exactly did you go?”

“We rode the entire length of the Wall four times, looking for any signs of trouble.”

“Were you hurt?” As they had stripped and slid into the tub, Kurt noted one new scar on Blaine’s body, a small but jagged thing on his left shoulder.

“No,” Blaine said. “We encountered a small band of wildlings, but they didn’t give us much of a fight. They were fleeing from something else. They were scared, which made them vulnerable. There was a small tussle, but then they scattered.”

“So no one was hurt?”

“No. We’re all fine.”

“What was it that the wildlings were running from?”

“No idea,” Blaine said quietly. “We never came across anyone else. But the wildlings were very frightened. One of the rangers was convinced that the wildlings were screaming about white walkers.”

“White walkers?”

“It’s silly, I know.”

“Maybe not so silly,” Kurt said with a shudder, scenes from the previous night’s nightmare invading his mind. He opened his eyes and forced himself to focus on Blaine. “Is that all that happened?”

“That’s all,” Blaine said, winding his arms around Kurt’s waist. “Not a very exciting story, I’m afraid.”

Kurt turned his head to place a kiss on Blaine’s neck. “Thank you for coming back to me.”

Blaine kissed Kurt’s cheek. “Thank you for loving me.”

Kurt twisted in the tub, water sloshing around him, until they were face to face and he was straddling Blaine’s hips. “Thank you for loving me.” Kurt found the soap on the tub’s rim and began to wash Blaine’s chest.

“That feels so good,” Blaine sighed, his head falling back as his eyes slipped shut.

“I’m glad,” Kurt whispered, his hands working rich lather over Blaine’s skin. “I want to make you feel good.”

“You always do,” Blaine murmured absently, lost in the feeling of warmth and the gentle pressure of Kurt’s ministrations.

Chuckling softly, Kurt dutifully washed Blaine’s torso and then his arms, rinsing him clean when he was done. He gazed at Blaine’s peaceful expression and couldn’t resist leaning in for a sweet kiss. Blaine’s eyes blinked open as he roped his arms around Kurt’s waist.

“Is the door locked?” Blaine whispered against Kurt’s ear.

Kurt nodded, his entire body thrumming at the implication in Blaine’s question. “It’s locked.”

“Good,” Blaine all but growled as he pulled Kurt close. He licked the delicate shell of Kurt’s ear, eliciting a shiver that ran through Kurt’s entire body. “I want you so bad. I’ve been so hungry for you, Kurt. You have no idea how much I need you.”

Kurt whimpered as Blaine’s words wound around him. He was surprised to feel himself growing hard without even being touched.

“I know,” Kurt sputtered as he rocked forward, his hips seeking friction that couldn’t quite be found.

“You don’t know,” Blaine said, his voice low and eager. “When I woke this morning to find you pressed against me, I almost lost my mind. I was so hard, aching for you.” Blaine kissed Kurt, quick and fierce. “I wanted to take you right then. Wanted to wake you up by sucking you.”

A needy sound erupted from Kurt’s throat as he threw his head back and ground his hips down hard, crying out when he felt Blaine’s hardness slide against his own. Blaine’s hands found Kurt’s hips, and he squeezed as Kurt bore down on him.

“Why didn’t you suck me?” Kurt asked brazenly, inhibitions burned away by the heat overtaking him.

“Didn’t know how you’d react,” Blaine grit out as he rocked up against Kurt, the water frustrating him as it dulled the sensation.

“What would you have done after you sucked me?” Kurt asked, his hands clamped hard on Blaine’s shoulders. “What did you want?”

“I would have wanted your hand on me while you kissed me. I wanted your tongue in my mouth while you stroked me,” Blaine gasped. “Oh, Kurt… Kurt… I need…”

Kurt cut off Blaine’s rambling by kissing him frantically, his body rutting hard, desperately seeking more friction, more connection.

“I want our bed,” Kurt whispered as he reached under the water to take Blaine’s erection in his hand. “I want us in our bed. I want your body on top of mine and you sliding against me. I want to wrap my legs around you and feel you hard against me. I want you to move against me until I come. I just… I want to feel you.”

“Yes,” Blaine hissed, moving his mouth up and down the column of Kurt’s neck. “And then do you want me inside of you, Kurt?”

“So much,” Kurt panted as his hand squeezed around Blaine’s length. “I want you… so much.”

“Out of the tub,” Blaine said, his tone sharp. “Now.”

Nodding jerkily, Kurt stood, shivering slightly as water ran down his body in rivulets. Blaine stared hungrily up at him, drinking in the sight. With a self-satisfied smirk, Kurt reached down to help Blaine to his feet. They kissed and then frantically dried and dressed each other before running back to the warm privacy of their room. As soon as the door was shut and barred behind them, their clothes were off again, strewn thoughtlessly across the floor.

“I love you,” Kurt whispered, giddy because he was allowed to say it out loud. He smiled and roughly pushed Blaine onto the bed.

“I love you, too.” Blaine grinned wolfishly as his leered at Kurt’s naked form. “Now get over here and show me how much you love me.”

Kurt snatched the bottle of oil from its customary place on the shelf above their bed and poured a healthy amount into his hand as he kneeled next to Blaine. Without warning, he took Blaine in his slippery fist and stroked. Blaine’s lips parted with a breathy sigh. Kurt moved to lie next to Blaine and kiss him, but Blaine stopped him, stealing the bottle of oil.

“What are you…”

“I’m giving you what you want,” Blaine said with a smile. He oiled his hand and set the bottle to the side before gripping Kurt’s erection and squeezing. When Kurt’s length was well covered in oil, Blaine gently pushed Kurt onto his back, spread his thighs wide and crawled in between them.

There would be time enough for slow caresses and later there would be hours to spend on worshiping each other, but at that moment, both of their bodies were thrumming with need, desperate to be joined together after being apart for so long.

“I love you,” Blaine said before lowering his hips and sliding his cock along Kurt’s in a smooth, seamless stroke.

Kurt gripped Blaine’s biceps and cried out in pleasure.

“Is this what you wanted?” Blaine asked with another pump of his hips.

Unable to find his voice, Kurt nodded frantically and wrapped his legs tight around Blaine’s waist, bucking up to bring their erections together again. Blaine whimpered and lowered his body until they were pressed tightly together, chest to chest, rocking together in an easy, gentle rhythm.

“So good,” Kurt whispered brokenly. “You feel so good.”

Blaine attached his mouth to the sensitive spot just below Kurt’s ear, sucking gently as their bodies continued to slide against each other, and Kurt jerked hard as pleasure spread through his body. Blaine sucked harder, bringing every nerve in Kurt’s body alive. Kurt’s heels dug into the small of Blaine’s back as desire burned through him, spurring his hips to move faster.

“You taste so good,” Blaine breathed. “You’re delicious.” And then he licked a long, hot stripe along Kurt’s neck, causing Kurt to dig his nails into Blaine’s back and the rhythm of his thrusts to falter. Blaine moaned and began to rock harder, heady with the feeling of having Kurt wrapped around him, falling apart at Blaine’s touch.

The scent of vanilla was thick in the air as the oil was spread between them, their bodies growing hot and slippery. Kurt dropped his legs and spread them wide, bringing his hands down to grip Blaine’s backside. He squeezed and pulled, urging Blaine to push harder, to thrust faster. Blaine obliged, his entire body shifting forward and back in a frenzied motion, his hips pumping vigorously as pleasure sparked with each slide.

“Is this enough?” Blaine forced out from between gritted teeth. “Do you need…”

Kurt threw his head back and moaned. “No, no, no. So close, so close. Please don’t stop. Please. I… I…”

Blaine rammed his hips forward, their cocks pressed tight together between their slick, gyrating bodies, and he was gratified to hear a series of desperate sounds spilling from the beautiful man beneath him.

“Needed you,” Blaine panted. “Needed you for so long.”

“Yes,” Kurt answered, his hips jerking hard and messy. “Love you…”

“Love you,” Blaine said before grinding down hard. “Love you so much.”

“Blaine… Blaine… I’m…”

Blaine thrust hard once more and Kurt fell apart, his entire body trembling as his climax crashed into him. It seemed to go on forever, and Blaine could do nothing but watch in wonder as Kurt writhed and warmth and wetness spread messily between them. Once the wave crested, Kurt blinked his eyes open and then jerked Blaine’s head down for a hard, hungry kiss.

The kiss snatched Blaine’s breath away, and then he was stunned as Kurt forcefully rolled him onto his back. His cock throbbed at the reminder of Kurt’s strength and masculine power. Kurt’s eyes were bright as he lowered his head to run the tip of his tongue along the seam of Blaine’s lips. Blaine opened his mouth and Kurt’s tongue slid in, moving sinuously against Blaine’s. Blaine exhaled through his nose, cupping the back of Kurt’s head with the aim of keeping him there.

Never breaking the kiss, Kurt reached down to run his warm, slick palm along the hard, hot length of Blaine’s erection. Blaine almost pulled away from Kurt’s mouth to gasp, but he fought the urge, flicking his tongue against Kurt’s as his hips bucked up against the smoothness of Kurt’s hand.

Kurt raised his head to take a deep breath, rubbing the heaviness of Blaine’s balls as he inhaled. He dipped his head to slide his tongue into Blaine’s mouth again as he finally, blessedly, took Blaine into his fist. Blaine was covered in Kurt’s come and oil, everything slippery and easy. With no more than a few expert pumps of Kurt’s fist and twirls of Kurt’s delicious tongue in his mouth, Blaine was arching off the bed, groaning loud and long as he coated Kurt’s fist and his own belly.

Kurt was unaware of how long they lay there in the aftermath, sunlight streaming in through their tiny window to paint their wet, oily bodies with stripes of golden light. Neither one wanted to move or speak, to break the fragile sense of wholeness and peace they’d created.

Finally Blaine rolled over and tenderly pushed the hair from Kurt’s forehead. “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” Kurt croaked, his voice cracking from disuse. He cleared his throat and tried again. “I love you, too.”

“It feels so good to say that,” Blaine said, the corners of his eyes crinkling as he smiled.

Kurt nodded in agreement. “Yes, it does. I don’t think I’ll ever grow tired of saying it.”

“Or hearing it,” Blaine added.

“I’m sorry,” Kurt said.

“Why?” Blaine asked, his brow furrowed with confusion.

“We finished before you could be inside of me.”

“Plenty of time,” Blaine said with a hungry grin as he ran a hand over the curve of Kurt’s backside.

“We’re disgusting,” Kurt said with a groan.

“Because we’re so in love?”

Kurt snorted. “No. Because we’re both covered in oil and come.”

Blaine laughed and playfully squeezed Kurt’s ass. “I’ll go fetch us some water. We’ll build a fire and get cleaned up before going to the Great Hall for some lunch.”

“Sounds wonderful,” Kurt said. “Thank you.”

Blaine reluctantly rose to get dressed and then looked down at his body to see come drying on his stomach and thighs. “You’re right. We are disgusting.”

“Throw on your dirty things to fetch the water,” Kurt said flippantly. “I’ll have fresh, clean clothes for you to change into once you’re clean.”

“What did I do to deserve you?” Blaine asked as he leaned on the bed to give Kurt a quick kiss. “You’re so good to me.”

“You say that now,” Kurt said. “Wait until I’m asking you to start a fire for me in the middle of a freezing cold night.”

Blaine laughed as he started to dress himself in his dirty clothes. His nose crinkled as the clothes clung to the oil spread all over his skin. He was lacing his boots when there was a knock at the door. The boys looked at each other, both of them surprised that anyone would be looking for them.

Kurt hid his nakedness beneath their blankets and furs as Blaine answered the door.

“Well if it isn’t Jon Snow!” Blaine greeted. “And his direwolf too!” Jon’s direwolf, Ghost, was standing near his master, his red eyes calm and his tongue lolling out of his mouth. “What can I do for you, Snow?”

Jon looked at Blaine, then towards Kurt, and ducked his head in embarrassment. “I’m so sorry to have to bother you both like this, but the Lord Commander needs to see both of you right away. It seems as though we’re getting ready to march north, very soon, and you’re both coming with us.”

Kurt’s eyes grew wide with fear. “Why? What’s happening? Is it the wildlings? Have they attacked?”

Jon couldn’t bring himself to look at Kurt again, so he directed his answer toward his own feet. “No. What we’re going after is much worse than wildlings.”

“What?” Blaine shook his head, trying to make sense of what was happening. “What could be worse than a wildling attack?”

“You’ll have to ask the Lord Commander,” Jon answered before walking away.

Blaine closed the door and then sunk down on the bed next to Kurt, fear and uncertainty lying heavily around them.

“Why would you need to come?” Blaine asked, his voice heavy with worry. “I won’t see you hurt, Kurt.”

Kurt cupped Blaine’s face in his hands. “I’m sure it’s just to take care of the ravens. We’ll need to communicate with Castle Black while we’re gone.”

Blaine nodded, satisfied with the answer. They allowed themselves a quick moment to hold each other before they dressed. They kissed each other and then started toward the Lord Commander’s quarters, ready to face whatever danger waited for them beyond the Wall.

“Are you afraid?” Blaine asked as they trudged through the snow, holding their cloaks tight around their bodies.

Kurt shook his head. “No, I’m not afraid.”

“Why not?”

Kurt resisted the overwhelming urge to take Blaine’s hand in his own. “Because we’ll be together.”

“Together,” Blaine repeated as he mustered a weak smile.

They quickened their pace, heads high and spines stiff. They were both brave men of Castle Black and they would face whatever threats that awaited them without fear. They both ached at the loss of what they had at Castle Black, but they would live up to their duties and stay true to their vows, for while Kurt and Blaine belonged to each other in their hearts, before all else they were men of the Night’s Watch.

~Fin~