Blaine turned and walked down the hallway, weaving in and out of doors as if he knew exactly where he was going. Which in reality, he should have. He had spent almost his whole life in this castle with his best friend, HIS best friend.. Playing tag and hide and seek, all the games that Kurt usually won at. But right now Blaine wasn’t paying any attention. He was just walking, trying his best not to let the tears fall, but he knew that however hard he did try they would come out.
“Stop it.. Stop it. He doesn’t like you, he likes him..” Blaine whispered to himself as the first tear fell. He wiped it away with his wrist and kept walking. His vision was starting to get more blurry as the tears kept coming, why did he have to do this now?
“Well, I’m sure there’s someone who will want to go..” Blaine stopped in his tracks and held his breath, wondering where the voice was coming from. He slowly walked further, against a door that he should have recognized as the opening of the Kings courts, but Blaine wasn’t too worried. Ever since he and Kurt had started hanging out, all of the castle help recognized him as the prince’s best friend, and basically as another prince. He was always brought the best choice of food and had servants meet him at certain parts of the castle, asking if he needed anything. But then again, Blaine never did take advantage of this, he always brushed the help off politely and only took the food when he was incredibly hungry, or staying with Kurt for the night.  Blaine inched forward until he was right next to the door.
“With all due respect your highness, this is quite the opportunity for anyone you choose to go. They will be going abroad across the sea into the country ruled by King Deflin. They will be trained in fighting from the best of the very best, and then they will come back and serve under your guard later on. This is not an opportunity that most will get to take in a life time.” An unfamiliar voice said.
Blaine could practically see Burt right now, sitting in his chair, which was lined in red velvet and sitting higher up, at one side surrounded by many other chairs sitting lower that made a big circle. Kurt and Blaine played in this room as kids, but not in a while. He could tell by the way Burt was now sighing that he was rubbing his forehead with his thumb and index finger. Blaine had seen this often, but only when they were in trouble.
“I just can’t think of anyone that has the privilege to go, that would want to just leave there family and friends like this. It’s a big commitment at such a young age, you know?”
“Yes your highness.”
Blaine suddenly had a million things going through his head once. His father hitting him, his mother telling him that he was worthless, Kurt always being there, Kurt’s mom getting sick. Kurt going out with Sebastian.. Blaine acted on impulse, and burst through the door.
“I’ll do it!” Blaine shouted, probably much louder than he really needed to. The two men were shocked that someone had heard what they were talking about, let alone someone of Blaine’s stature.
“I’ll do it. I’m sorry your highness,” Blaine saw Burt roll his eyes but didn’t think it polite to call the king by his first name in front of such important company, no matter how close they were, “I didn’t mean to be eavesdropping when and where I shouldn’t be. But I think I would be perfect for this.” Blaine looked Burt dead in the eye when he spoke and saw the other man shift in his step. Blaine needed this, he needed to leave. This would be his best, if not only opportunity to get out and he knew that he wanted to take full advantage of it.
“Pardon me young sir, but who are you?” The second man said to Blaine, trying to hide his annoyance but doing a very bad job of it.
“My son’s best friend.” Burt said without turning to the man, still staring right back at Blaine. Burt could see that Blaine’s eyes were puffy and red around the edge. He wondered why he had seemed like he was crying, and if he should have realized it earlier when he ran into Blaine. Blaine stared into his eyes as long and hard as he could, pleading for him to accept Blaine’s offer. But after a few seconds he couldn’t take it, and bent his head in defeat. Burt was always more like a father than his real dad, and he could always see right through him.
“Uh.. Sir Galleh, can you please excuse us a second? I will get back to you later tonight at dinner.”
The second man turned towards Burt and bowed his head in kindness, and slipped Blaine a glare before leaving and shutting the door behind him, muttering something about not wanting anymore foolish kids to listen in under his breath.
“Blaine..” Burt said, but Blaine couldn’t handle it. He started shaking his head, hoping this wouldn’t happen again. Burt stood up and moved over to him, held out his arms and pulled Blaine close into a very tight hug. The second Blaine realized what the king was doing, the tears started to fall. And they didn’t stop. Blaine was held for a few good minutes before Burt pulled them apart and put his hand on the back of Blaine’s neck.
“What happened kid? What’s wrong? Is it your parents again?”
All Blaine could do was shake his head side to side, hoping that Burt got the picture.
“Is it.. Does it have to do with Kurt?” Blaine’s head shot up at that and he looked Burt right in the eye, hazel eyes wide as can be. “Because if it is.. I just, well.. I know Blaine. I know about you two.”
“What..” Blaine coughed out. “What do—what are you talking about?” Blaine finished pulling away just a little, but being pulled in even further than before.
“I know. I know what you two feel for each other, I know when I see the way you two act together and how you act when you aren’t in each other’s presence.”
“No..” Blaine whispered. He pulled away from Burt this time and moved closer to the door. He walked back and forth slowly, not knowing exactly what he needed to do besides not stop.
“No, no.. He’s got someone, but it isn’t me. He has Sebastian..”
Burt scoffed at this and Blaine looked back up at him.
“You really think that Kurt would pick him over you, kid? Are you crazy?”
“He already has, Burt! They went on a date tonight and according to your son, it went perfect..” Blaine retorted back, louder than he usually would when speaking to the king. He walked back and forth a couple more times before whispering, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that.. I didn’t mean to yell, I just..” Blaine stopped in his tracks, not knowing what to say. “I need to leave, Burt. I need to get out, I have nothing at home. I get home and my parents don’t even notice that I’ve gone. And really what else could I do with my life? I can’t make anything of myself here.. Please?” Blaine begged, he was closer to Burt now.
Burt put his hand on Blaine’s shoulder, “Blaine, I know what you have to live within your home and I am so sorry, your parents should accept you for who you are and love you all the same. But even if they won’t you know that you will always have a home here, you are a beautiful boy inside and out and I will forever see you as one of my own sons. But you gotta really think about this kid, you can’t just up and leave my kingdom. I can think of many hearts that would break to see you go, and you can’t just run from your problems.. Take tonight to think about it, okay? Really think about what you’re getting yourself into, and if you still feel like this is your correct path, then meet me tomorrow morn down by the docks and you’ll ship out first thing.”
Blaine nodded, thinking that this was the only way that Blaine was going to get to go. But he didn’t want to think about it, because he knew if he did he probably wouldn’t leave. He would probably stay, for everything that he did have here, for Kurt. He gave a light smile to Burt and walked out of the room, walking down the hallway to the door. He couldn’t think, he knew that he was going to be gone by this time tomorrow. This is what he wanted, he knew that this was going to be best.
Blaine’s chest felt heavy at the thought that he had no one to talk to right now. His parents wouldn’t care about him leaving, if they even noticed in the first place, and anyone else he wanted to talk too seemed to be pretty preoccupied. So he went to the kitchen.
The kitchen was filled to the top with beautiful shiny pots and pans that Blaine would probably have never seen in any other kitchen then the King’s, but he didn’t come for those.
“Hey there baby!” Blaine relaxed as the soft hand now cupping his face. “You look sick, what’s wrong?” Blaine smiled at the warmth that encased his body whenever he talked to Mama Jemm. She was the main cook for the king, he loved everything she made him even when she thought she did a terrible job herself. Blaine had made friends with most of the staff, but they were nothing like the cooks and the help that hung out in the kitchen. These guys were family, they came from the same lifestyle as him.
“Nothing, nothing. I’m fine.. I just wanted to know if you had any of that pie left over that I like so much?” Blaine spoke as he moved to sit down at a stool that sat across from where Jemm cooked. “Oh, baby. You know I always save you a piece for when ya feelin’ down and blue. Now you go ahead and tell Mamma Jemm exactly what happened, and who she needs to bop on the head with her rollin’ pin!”
Blaine chuckled to himself, there were people that cared for him, and he knew this. It just wasn’t the person who he wanted to care.
“No one did anything, now stop worrying! I’m fine, just couldn’t sleep.”
Jemm looked at Blaine and knew there was more to it, but figured she shouldn’t push. There was always time to talk tomorrow. Blaine snarfed his pie down in record time, “Kid, you sure were hungry! That’s probably why you couldn’t sleep.. Stomach rumblin’ all night long. Now get up stairs before the king closes the whole place down, I was supposed to be gone an hour ago!” Blaine laughed, he knew she was kidding, but she probably had kids to go home to that needed her more than he did. It just occurred to him that this would be the last time he would see her in God knows how long, he didn’t actually know how long he was going to be away nor did he care to find out this second. He stood up before she could push him any further and wrapped his arms around her big waist, and felt his fingers get caught in the tie of her apron. “Umph! Blaine baby, what has gotten into you?”
Blaine nuzzled his face further into her neck and squeezed harder, it was all he could do to not whisper goodbye in her ear. He wanted her to know that he cared, he wasn’t leaving because of her. She was his mom of the palace, and she would always have a place in his heart. She reached up and rubbed his back slowly, not knowing exactly what to do in this situation. After a couple more seconds Blaine pulled away and without looking back at her, made his way to the door.
“Goodby—I mean, good night. I’ll uh.. See ya tomorrow.” Blaine left before she could say anything back, he thought it best this way. He couldn’t handle having to say goodbye to her for good, and he didn’t want her to figure it out.
Blaine walked back up the corridor to the stairs and started to climb the many flights, hoping he could to his floor soon. After about the third floor Blaine turned off the stairs and walked down another hallway leading to more stairs. He stopped halfway through when he noticed a window ajar, air blowing silently through, moving the curtains accordingly. He looked up at the night sky and saw millions of stars, some brighter than others and some seeming like he would see them one second, and then they’d be gone the next.
“Blaine! There you are!!” Something very solid rammed into his side and two long arms wrapped themselves around him. Blaine turned into the hug and put one of his arms on the small of Kurt’s back, and the other on the back of his neck. Blaine let himself go, and nuzzled his face into Kurt’s neck. He smelled like he always had, ever since they were kids and Blaine could smell Kurt when he entered a room. He loved this smell, he never wanted to forget it. This smell was home to him, this was his comfortable place, and soon he wouldn’t be smelling this anymore. For a very long time. Blaine sighed and just tightened his grip on his best friend.
“Uhm.. Is everything okay, Blainey?” Blaine smiled against Kurt’s neck. Kurt used to call him Blainey all the time, it was his nick name. But Kurt rarely called him “Blainey” nowadays, usually only when Kurt was very sleepy and had no idea what he was saying, or something was wrong, which wasn’t often. Blaine squeezed harder for a moment, knowing that that was probably the last hug he would ever give his best friend, then let go completely and pulled back so he was looking back out the window.
“Yeah, yeah.. I’m fine.” Blaine set his hands on the ledge of the window and could feel Kurt watching him, but didn’t want to indulge in his feelings right now. Kurt looked out the window and put his hands on the ledge, along with Blaine.
“I’m sorry about earlier, with Seb.. He was kind of a jerk. But it looked like you had something you wanted to tell me?”
Blaine looked down into Kurt’s eyes, and searched. Hoping that maybe Kurt would give him a sign that he wanted him to stay, he didn’t want Blaine to go and leave for years. But how could he? He didn’t even know that Blaine was leaving. Blaine looked back up into the sky and shook his head. Kurt moved his hand over so that it rested on top of Blaine’s.
“Well, you know that if there is something you want to tell me.. You can. No matter what it is, or how you think it’ll effect us, or whatever.. Just know that you can tell me. Okay?”
Blaine smiled and nodded.
“Good!” Kurt jumped up and took Blaine’s hand, pulling him down the hallway. “Because I have SOOO much to tell you about tonight!”
Blaine holds Kurt hand tight, not wanting to ever let go as he brings him up the stairs. Kurt starts talking about something that Sebastian said to him, or did to him.. Blaine wasn’t sure, he wasn’t really listening. He just laughed when Kurt laughed, and smiled when he smiled. He didn’t really want to listen to Kurt talking about this, but he wanted to see Kurt. He his face to be the last that he saw before he went to bed. He didn’t want to be thinking about how gorgeous Sebastian looked in his suit though. Blaine finally tried to listen to Kurt and what he was saying, when he found himself at Kurt’s door.
“Well, I’ve had a rough day. But I will talk to you later okay? I’ll tell ya the rest tomorrow.” Kurt took Blaine’s hand in his and lifted his chin so Blaine had nowhere to look but into his eyes.
“Are you sure you’re okay?”
Blaine raises his hand to Kurt’s, whose cupping his cheek. He takes both hands in his and then pulls forward until Blaine and Kurt are just inches apart, breathing the same breath. Blaine lingered for a few seconds, debating on whether he wanted to go through with it. He needed to kiss Kurt, he needed Kurt to know how he felt and he needed to know if Kurt would kiss him back. He kept his lips close to Kurt’s, he didn’t want to pull away. He wasn’t going to pull away, not just yet. He was going to give Kurt a chance to break the distance between them.
Kurt was breathing heavier now, he moved his hand up to Blaine’s shoulder, not knowing exactly what he wanted to do with it, just that he knew he needed more control in this situation. This way if something were to happen, Kurt could push Blaine away, or pull him back. What did Kurt want to happen?
Blaine decided the ending of this. He moved forward and heard Kurt breathe in a quick puff of air then tense up, but not move away. Blaine turned at the last second so that his lips just barely grazed against Kurt’s, and then planted a firm kiss on Kurt’s cheek. He held his lips against pure white, porcelain skin for only a second longer than normal, then pulled away completely. Kurt’s hand still in his as he whispered “goodnight, Kurt..”.
Blaine slowly let go of Kurt’s hand as the distance between the two boys grew, he wanted to hold it for as long as possible, but he knew he needed to let go. He had to leave, he had to get on that boat tomorrow and he couldn’t be thinking about what Kurt was doing back here. At home, with Sebastian..
Blaine turned around and walked down the hallway, without looking back. He could feel Kurt’s eyes on him, wide as a deer’s, but he didn’t look back. He couldn’t.