Kurt sniffled and took his hand, allowing Blaine to help him stand up and step out of the shower. Blaine grabbed a towel and rubbed it quickly over Kurt’s head, then down each of his arms before wrapping it around his waist. “I”ll go get you some clean clothes,” he said, wrapping a second towel around his waist. “Just...sit here,” he pushed Kurt onto the closed lid of the toilet. “I don’t want you falling down cause you’re too weak to stand.” He turned away and had a hand on the door handle when Kurt spoke.”

“Blaine?”

He turned around. “Yeah?”

Kurt’s gaze was focused on his lap, his hands twisted together. “Could I...borrow something from you? Please?”

Blaine smiled softly, stepping back to press a gentle kiss to his temple. “Of course.”

He left the room, leaving the door open behind him as he walked to their bedroom to pick out clothes for each of them.

When Blaine returned a few minutes later, Kurt was standing at the sink, gripping the countertop fiercely, his arms trembling with strain. Blaine dropped the clothes to the floor and wrapped his arms around Kurt’s torso. “What on earth were you thinking getting up on your own?” Blaine scolded.

“Wanted to brush my teeth,” Kurt mumbled, relaxing his hold on the counter. “My mouth tastes disgusting.”

“I was planning to help you do that once we got you dressed,” Blaine sighed. He slid a leg between Kurt’s and shifted closer, dropping his arms as he reached for Kurt’s toothbrush and toothpaste.

“I can do that,” Kurt protested, taking the items from Blaine. “I just...I need more hands if I want to stay upright, I guess.”

Blaine returned his arms to Kurt’s waist, squeezing tight. He kept his grip firm as Kurt brushed his teeth twice before returning his toothbrush to the holder.

“Better?” Blaine asked.

“Much,” Kurt replied, relaxing into his embrace.

“All right.” Blaine stepped away, his hands moving to Kurt’s shoulders to turn him around. “Let’s get some clothes on you so we can go talk.”

Kurt stiffened, his head dropping to his chest as his hands clenched into fists.

“Hey.” Blaine placed a gentle finger beneath his chin, raising Kurt’s head back up so he could look him in the eye. “I love you. I’m still a little mad at you, but I absolutely love you.”

Kurt gave him a watery smile. “I love you, too,” he whispered.

Blaine leaned forward and kissed him gently, then bent to pick up the clothes he’d thrown on the floor. “Can you get dressed without my help, you think?”

Kurt bit his lip. “Yeah. I think so...” He took the clothes from Blaine, tugging the shirt over his head before dropping the towel from his waist.� He nearly toppled over as he tugged the pants on, but Blaine pressed a steadying hand to his side, holding him upright. Once Kurt was dressed, Blaine quickly got dressed as well.�

“Couch or bed?” Blaine asked after he’d hung up their towels.

Kurt gave him a confused look.

“For our talk,” Blaine clarified. “Should we sit on the couch or on the bed?”

“Bed,” Kurt replied. “I...” He looked away. “I’d like to lie in your arms while I talk about what happened. If...if that’s okay.”

Blaine clasped one of Kurt’s hands in his, bringing the other up to gently cup his cheek. “Of course it is,” he whispered. He tugged gently on Kurt’s hand. “Come on; wrap your arms around me while we walk.”

The two of them slowly made their way down the hall to the bedroom, Blaine settling up against the headboard and Kurt crawling between his legs, his back resting against Blaine’s chest as Blaine wrapped his arms around him. Neither of them spoke for a little while, and then Kurt broke the silence.

“I went to a bar,” he said quietly. “I can’t even remember the name, but it wasn’t one of our usual places. I had the bartender make me the strongest drink they offered and downed it in one gulp. When I asked for another, he told me to ask again in fifteen minutes because it probably hadn’t hit me yet.” Kurt shifted a little before continuing. “I drank the next one more slowly, and I remember being tugged out the door once they closed because I couldn’t get my feet under me properly.” He slumped a little, his head resting on Blaine’s chest as he sighed. “I walked for a while; I don’t know how long. And then....these guys showed up - two or three or four - I can’t remember...” Kurt paused and took a shaky breath.

“Hey.” Blaine tugged him closer, leaning down to press a kiss to his hair. “You’re safe now.”

Kurt sniffed. “I know. It’s just...scary...because the details are so fuzzy and it could have been so much worse-”

“But it wasn’t,” Blaine interrupted gently. “Do you remember what happened next?”

“They dragged me off,” Kurt murmured. “They were shouting things at me, but I couldn’t understand anything because my brain was so foggy. One of them threw me into a wall, and the pain in my head cleared my mind a little.” Kurt laughed softly, but there was no humor in the sound. “They wanted my jacket of all things. For once, I wasn’t getting beat up for being homosexual.” Blaine could almost hear him roll his eyes. “One of them kept telling me to take it off, but I couldn’t make my fingers cooperate. They flung me to the ground and started kicking me...and that’s the last thing I remember. When I woke up, I was behind that dumpster, my clothes soaking wet and my jacket gone. I suppose I should be grateful they didn’t steal anything else.”

“And...that’s when you called me?” Blaine guessed.

“Yeah.” Kurt sighed. “And you know the rest so...”

Blaine didn’t respond. Kurt worried his lower lip between his teeth as he suppressed the urge to fill the silence.

“Kurt.”

“Yes?” Kurt replied, voice small.

“Why did you leave last night?”

Kurt closed his eyes as the memories of their argument came flooding back.

Blaine closed the door gently behind him, hoping Kurt would be asleep and not wanting to wake him. It had been a very long week for both of them, and Blaine was looking forward to collapsing into bed next to his fianc� and sleeping in the next morning.

“Blaine.”

Blaine jumped at the softly-spoken word. He peered into the darkness, eyes straining to see where Kurt was.

“You’re late. Again.”

Kurt’s voice was quiet. Far, far too quiet, which could only mean one thing.

Kurt was angry. Furious, more likely, and Blaine couldn’t blame him. He’d been stuck at work for twelve, fourteen, sometimes sixteen hours this week. He’d promised to be home by eleven tonight, and the clock was steadily creeping past midnight.

“Kurt, I -”

“Save it,” Kurt interrupted, voice rising.“I am sick of dealing with this.” He strode angrily into the kitchen, grabbing his coat from where it was draped over a chair.

“Kurt -” Blaine stepped towards him.

“I am DONE dealing with this - with you and this…this bullshit.” Kurt snatched his keys from the hook by the door and jammed a hat on his head.

“Kurt, wait -” Blaine reached a hand out to him.

“I’m going out.”

“Kurt!”

The door was slammed in his face, and Blaine slumped against it, tears racing down his face.

“Your job is more important than I am,” Kurt said softly.

“My jo- what?” Blaine asked.

Kurt shrugged out of his embrace, turning to face him. “Your job is more important than I am. You’ve hardly been home for weeks, and when you are here you’re either eating or sleeping. And you bring work home and lock yourself away.” Kurt rubbed a hand over his face. “Do you remember the last time we slept together?”

“Last night,” Blaine replied immediately.

“I don’t mean in the same bed, Blaine. And unless you took advantage of me while I was drunk...”

“I would never - ” Blaine began, affronted.

“You collapsed on top of me and fell asleep, Blaine,” Kurt said, his hands twisting in the sheets. “You came home and dragged me in here, tore off our clothes and barely took the time to prep me. And then you fell asleep while you were still inside of me and I hadn’t even come!” He stood shakily, crossing his arms over his chest. “Do you have any idea how that made me feel? Didn’t you wonder why I haven’t let you do anything more than kiss me?”

Blaine stared at him, mouth agape. He had wondered, but the two of them had been so busy that he’d just assumed everything was fine, especially since Kurt hadn’t mentioned anything.

But that...that really wasn’t an acceptable excuse, Blaine realized. The entire time they’d been dating, their relationship had been about communication, about talking about everything so they could be comfortable with each other, and about being equals in the relationship.

Blaine swung his legs over the bed and stood, moving over to Kurt and cupping his face in his hands. “I’m sorry,” he whispered, leaning up to kiss his forehead. “I’m so sorry, Kurt, for making you feel like this.”

“Something has to change, Blaine,” Kurt said quietly, arms still crossed over his chest. “I can’t possibly marry you if this is how our relationship will be.”

Blaine felt like his heart was being gripped by a vice. “What?” he whispered.

“I need to come first,” Kurt said. “Before your job, before your own family. I need to be the most important thing to you.”

“You are, Kurt,” Blaine said, dropping his hands and reaching for Kurt’s. “You are the most important thing to me. I love you.”�

“Prove it,” Kurt whispered, locking gazes with him. “Don’t just say it, Blaine. Do something to change the way we are.”

Blaine took a deep breath. “I will,” he whispered. “I promise.”

----------

On Monday when Kurt came home from work, Blaine was standing in the kitchen in his loungepants, several pots and pans on the stove in front of him and something cooking in the oven.

“What’s all this?” Kurt asked as he hung up his coat. “You’re never home this early.”

“ ‘it my ‘ob,” Blaine said around a mouthful of food.�

Kurt smacked him. “What have I told you about talking with your mouth full?”

Blaine swallowed, grinning. “I quit my job,” he repeated.

Kurt froze. “You what?” he demanded, voice rising. “Are you insane? We can’t -”�

Blaine silenced him with a finger to his lips. “If you’re worried about money, we’re fine. I did get compensated for my overtime, and I’ve made some investments that have drawn a nice profit. Plus, the magazine loves you, so your job isn’t going anywhere. I’ll just draw from my savings until I find a new job.” He dropped his hand and returned to the stove.

“Blaine.”

Blaine turned to him, eyebrow raised.�

“What really happened?” Kurt asked.

Blaine sighed, reaching forward to turn down the burners. “I spoke with my superiors first thing this morning. Told them I wasn’t willing to work more than ten hours in a day, and I wouldn’t be bringing home work anymore. When they asked me why, I told them my family has to come first, and I couldn’t keep the schedule I had unless I was willing to lose you - which I’m not.” Blaine shook his head. “One of them had the gall to suggest I wait to start a family - and that the ‘person’ I was with would be willing to wait for me to be settled in my career. I looked at him and said ‘And how long will that be? Five years? Ten? I’ve been here for three years, and, if anything, the hours have gotten longer and the workload more intense. I don’t see any of you leaving the office before 8pm, and all of you arrive before I do. Were your partners willing to wait?’ And when my question was met with silence, I set down my case file and said, ‘That’s what I thought. Goodbye, gentlemen.’”

Blaine grinned sheepishly. “That’s the toned-down version of the meeting, but the end result is the same: I’m currently unemployed, and you can have me whenever you want.”

Kurt remained motionless, and Blaine’s expression fell. “Kurt? I know this probably isn’t what you wanted, but it seemed like the best way - "�

“Shut up,” Kurt interrupted.�

Blaine snapped his mouth shut.

“You,” Kurt whispered, stepping forward. “You are absolutely and utterly insane.” He was mere inches from Blaine now. “And I love you so much.” He wrapped his arms around Blaine’s neck and buried his face in his shoulder.

“Hey...hey...” Blaine rubbed his hand up and down Kurt’s back. “Why are you crying?”

Kurt pulled away. “Because you’re perfect,” he whispered. “And I can’t believe you did this for me.”

“For us,” Blaine corrected. “Because I love you and want to spend every day of forever with you. And I can’t do that if I’m so engrossed in my work that weeks go by without me actually talking to you.” He glanced over at the stove. “Dinner’s ready, I think. Why don’t you take a seat and I’ll bring everything over?”

Kurt sat down, shaking a napkin over his lap as he did so. “Hey, Blaine?”

“Mmm?” Blaine glanced at him as he set down the first bowl.

“How many kids do you want to have?”