Kurt let go of Blaine’s hand carefully and hugged Carole tightly as she cried openly before she turned and was swept into a tight hug by Finn. Burt and Kurt turned to each other before Burt’s arms flew around Kurt, pulling him into a strong embrace, both parents saying goodbye to their only children. Finn and Kurt were flying out to New York, meeting Rachel who’d been there since yesterday with her fathers, already settling into the two bedroom apartment they’d found.

She’d interrupted Blaine and Kurt numerous times as they’d spent their last night together with constant messages and excited phone calls, yelling shrilly in Kurt’s ear about the size of the bedrooms and the colour scheme of the kitchen. Blaine pushed last night from his memory, it made his throat burn and his palms sweat.

Blaine took a deep breath when Kurt turned around to look at him, his eyes shining with tears. Blaine didn’t want to cry, he knew it would make Kurt feel worse for leaving. He’d already told Blaine he would stay, to be with him, take a gap year and work with his dad. But Blaine wouldn’t allow it. Kurt walked up to him slowly, Burt giving them some time together going to say goodbye to Finn.

“Hi” Kurt offered weakly, linking his hand with Blaine’s. Blaine smiled at him.
“Hey you” he grabbed Kurt’s other hand, squeezing them. Kurt dragged his gaze from Blaine’s eyes as a few more tears dropped onto his cheeks. It figures that he’d be crying while saying goodbye to Blaine, considering within twenty minutes of meeting each other he was crying too. It hurt to see him upset then and it hurt Blaine now, his heart twisting in his chest.
“Hey, it’s okay.” Blaine made soothing noises as he reached his hand up and scooped some of the tears up before they fell any further. “We’re going to be okay, you know we will. This isn’t goodbye, not really. It’s only a…”

“Year. 365 days” Kurt finished for him, holding Blaine’s hand in place where it was cupping his cheek.
“525,600 minutes” Blaine sung softly, his heart fluttering when Kurt smiled at him. The lightness of the moment was gone all too soon as the woman over the loudspeaker called out the final boarding for Kurt and Finn’s flight in a monotonous tone.

Blaine squeezed his eyes shut and snaked the arm not attached to Kurt’s face around his waist, pulling him into an embrace. Kurt shuddered beneath him.
“I can’t do this Blaine, I thought I could but I can’t, I don’t care about NYADA or New York, I need you.” he pulled away from Blaine and looked at him wide eyed.
Blaine smiled, even though the panic in his mind mirrored that shown on Kurt’s face.
“You need to go Kurt; you need to go do amazing things and start your life. I’m going to be right with you I promise. Put your hand on your heart.”
“Just like the song?” Kurt smiled at the memory Blaine had flashing in his mind.
“Just like the song” he repeated softly. “Kurt, I’m with you, every step of the way. I love you and I’m counting down the days until I get to be right there with you. Remember, you said you’re never saying goodbye to me” Kurt looked at him with wonder in his eyes before launching himself on Blaine, their lips pressing together forcefully. He clung to Kurt and for a moment it felt like they were the only two people in the world.

Until reality set in and Kurt broke away, reaching to the ground to retrieve his carry on bag and hoisting it over his shoulder. He looked into Blaine’s eyes one more time, before pressing a soft kiss to his forehead. And then he was going, walking away towards the boarding gate. Until he walked through the small hallway and he was gone. Blaine stayed with Kurt’s parents, watching until the plane was a speck in the sky; he watched his heart get pulled away from him until it disappeared behind the clouds.

He was glad he’d decided to drive to the airport in his own car. The drive home gave him enough time to cry before he got home and saw his parents. They would never need to know how upset he was, not that they would care anyway. Blaine went to sleep that night clutching onto Kurt’s pillow he’d left behind for him to sleep with. He held onto it so tightly his arms started to ache, but it didn’t ache as much as the void left in his heart. He breathed in Kurt’s scent, holding onto the pillow until he fell into a fitful, dreamless sleep.