Eli.

Blaine.

How are you?

Blaine, do we really have to do this?

Do what? I was just curious as to how you were.

It’s just…I miss you.  A lot.  I mean, I can’t get you out of my head.

Blaine, it’s over, when are you going to realize this?  It’s been over for longer than it’s been officially over.  When are you gonna get it?

You can’t just say that it’s over.

Yes I can.  It’s over.  Leave me alone.

Eli stared at his phone.  Sending that reply had been the hardest thing he’d ever done.  He was in no way over Blaine.  It was just incredibly too hard to be away from him.  New York City was exactly 593 miles from Lima, and the beginning of November was probably getting really cold there, and oh, how he just wanted to hold that other man in his arms and tell him that he was sorry and that he’d never do anything like that again and that he loved him.

That he loved him.

Love.

Yes, Eli Mason was still desperately in love with Blaine Anderson.  Having been together for five years, the two knew everything about each other.  They had plans for the future.  They were going to move to California so that Blaine could maybe find something in his degree field.  Eli, who’s accounting degree from the community college was getting him just about as far as it could in Lima, was going to find something out there too, maybe even be some movie star’s personal accountant.  They were going to buy a house together.  Plant a garden together.  Get married and adopt kids together.  And send them to the best school, where they’d be able to do whatever they wanted with their professional lives, only after being raised right.  Then they’d go off to UCLA or Harvard or Yale, and Eli and Blaine would grow old together, sitting on their back porch in their rocking chairs, with their gray hair, and Blaine’s bowties, holding hands, and watching the sunset.

But, no.

Instead, Blaine was getting on without him in New York, and Eli was left behind in Dead-End, Ohio, working at some stupid tax office that really only got interesting around the beginning of the year.  He was 23 years old.  There was no reason for this to be his life.  Chasing some stupid dream that would never happen because the man he loved had to go and move on in another city.

However, even after sending that text, Eli knew that it wasn’t over.  He couldn’t see through the tears that had formed in his eyes at Blaine’s last text, and during the six and a half minutes it had taken for him to type out the last one he’d sent.  They rolled down his cheeks and he fell back into his pillow.  The pillow on his bed in his queen-sized bed that Blaine used to share with him on long weekends sometimes.  The pillow on the bed in the apartment that he’d picked out with Blaine.  That he’d decorated with Blaine.  That he’d imagined living in with Blaine.  

He set his phone on his nightstand, afraid that if he held onto it, he might accidentally call his now-ex boyfriend of ten days.  Ten days of agony.  He’d called out of work the first three, claiming some kind of stomach flu, and getting way too graphic with the details for his boss to be comfortable enough to look at his face in the office.  Those three days, he’d spent eating way too much junk food, ordering takeout, and watching Blaine’s favorite romantic comedies in bed, drifting in and out of sleep.  

Word spread like wildfire what had happened, and he knew it because of all of the pitiful looks he got.  No one said anything about Blaine; they all knew it would have sent him over the edge.  He hadn’t even answered the phone when Sarah had called, though after he’d received 37 text messages from her, he’d responded.  As his best friend, she said all the right things at all the right times, and did everything in her power to make him feel better.

The days passed.  November flew by, Thanksgiving being the most depressing holiday he’d ever experienced.  He’d gone shopping at five in the morning on Black Friday with Sarah, but everything he saw reminded him of Blaine.  It was only nine when he asked for her to take him home, and she hadn’t even thrown a fit.

December had rolled in, bringing with it Christmas lights, ornaments, carols, and snow flurries.  So many things that Blaine loved, especially the snow.  It had been exactly one month since Eli had talked to his ex boyfriend.  And he was mourning the day over a miserable cup of bland tea at the Lima Bean, when Sarah had walked up to him.

“Maybe you should do something about it, if you’re not going to be able to move on, Eli,” she said.

Eli nearly jumped out of his seat.  “Sarah!  What are you doing here?  You scared the crap out of me.  Jesus.  Don’t do that again.”

“Seriously.  As your best friend, I think you need to think about how you’re going to get him back, instead of dwelling on how you broke up and how you’re missing him.  Because, seriously, you’re not like this.  You’re not emo and depressed, and down all the time.  Eli.  You’re the source for my laughter.  Who’s going to be around to make Harry Potter references when I have a bad day?  I mean, seriously.”

“I can’t... just make it better.  He’s not going to want to talk to me.  I haven’t talked to him in a month.  He’s got finals coming up.  And then Christmas in New York City.  He and Wes are probably planning something awesome, like they do for other holidays.  Some kind of party or something.  He’s not going to want to talk to me.”

“If you don’t do something, I’m going to stop talking to you.”  Sarah’s voice was too serious when she’d spoken.  

Eli looked up from his stupid cup of tea, actually fearing he might lose his best friend this year too.  “You’d really stop talking to me?”

“Is my middle name Elizabeth?”

“Yes.”

“There’s your answer, Eli.  Just do it.  You know what?  Take some vacation days and go up there or something.”

“You... really?  You think I should go up there?”

“Yes.”

“I don’t know if I ca-”

“Elias Andrew Mason.  I am leaving right now if you finish that sentence.”

“Okay.  Okay.  Fine.  I won’t finish it.”

“Yes you will.  Not the sentence.  But you’ll finish this... thing.  By going to New York to see Blaine.  And then you’ll know.”

Eli nodded and sipped at his drink.  If he went up to see Blaine, chances were he’d be able to get there and get inside while Blaine was out.  If he set it up right with Wes.  Maybe it would be perfect.  Maybe it would be amazing.  Maybe Eli and Blaine would really end up with that house in LA and the 2.5 kids that go to Harvard and Yale.  And, it was worth that shot.  It was worth everything.

***

That night, Eli went home, determined to figure out his plan of action.  He decided that calling Wes was his best option, and quickly dialed his number.

~”Hello?”~
~”Wes?”~
~”Who’s this?”~
~”It’s Eli.”~
~”...Ooooh, wow.”~
~”I know, I know.”~

Was Wes laughing?  Was that Blaine’s voice in the background?

~”What can I do for you, Eli?”~
~”Listen, I want to come up and surprise Blaine.  I know I was sort of a jerk with the breaking up thing, but I can’t take it anymore.  I was stupid and I should have tried to make it work, and I’m sorry for you having to deal with that.  But I want to come up.  Maybe on the 14th?  For the weekend?”~
~”You know, I think that would probably work.  Listen, I’ll figure something out and get Blaine out of the apartment for the night.  Then when you show up- you still have your key, right?- t’ll be perfect.  Just let me know your flight time and I’ll meet up with you.”~

Had someone just clapped?  Maybe it was just Wes getting excited for Eli and Blaine getting back together.

~”Thanks so much, Wes!  I actually have the flight booked already.  It’s US Airways, flight 2596, then US Airways 2174.  It arrives at 3:21pm at La Guardia.”~
~”Got it.  See you then, Eli.”~
~”Thanks Wes.  You’re the greatest.”~
~”Oh, I know.  Talk to you later.”~
~”Bye”~

Eli hung up the phone, and clicked the ‘print’ button on his tickets.  They were reserved.  He was going to New York City.  He was going to get Blaine back.  And they were going to live happily ever after.

***

December 14th had arrived, and Eli, who’d gotten a haircut three days ago, and stressed over the perfect outfit for two weeks, was on the plane, landing gear was down, and he was looking out at the city as they came in to the airport.  He’d been to the city many times before, but there was just something about this time that made it feel special.  He was going to get Blaine back.

The wheels touched the ground, and he pulled out his cell phone, turning it on.  Everyone else was doing the same exact thing, too, and he smirked at the happy little ‘Think Possible’ logo coming up on his own screen.  Today was going to be the greatest day ever.  His phone booted up, and Eli decided to shoot a text to Wes to let him know he was in town.

Hey Wes.  I just landed.  
Great!  I sent you an email with my friend Chandler’s address.  That’s where you’re going to want to go.  It’s in Manhattan, and not too far from where you’re headed tonight anyway.
That’s awesome!  I’ll check for the email as soon as I’m off of this plane.  I’m about to get out of my seat.  Will you be at Chandler’s place?
Yes.  There are a few of us here right now, actually.  No big deal.  
Okay.  Thanks so much!  You’re a great friend for helping me set this up, by the way.
You can thank me later.
[20 minutes later]
Haha, okay.  You’ve got Blaine occupied tonight, right?
Hah, yeah, Chandler found out that he and his boyfriend are going out tonight. (unsent)
Hah, yeah, he’s occupied.  No worries.  See you soon.
:D

Once inside the cab, Eli put his phone away.  He sat back, imagining the look on Blaine’s face when he was there inside of the apartment tonight.  It was all too exciting.  Tonight was the night he’d been anticipating for two weeks now.  

He passed a few hours at Chandler’s apartment with Wes and their friend Sebastian.  Everyone had been so encouraging, and Eli was feeling great as he took his second cab ride of the day, then arriving at Blaine’s apartment.  He already had a key from Christmas two years ago, so at 10:30, he let himself in.  

Eli looked around, closing the door behind him.  The place was immaculate, and he wondered about that.  Blaine wasn’t the neatest person.  Maybe it was how he was dealing with being without Eli.  Yes, that had to be it.  A slight wave of relief washed over him.  At least Blaine hadn’t taken to drinking or not eating or punching things.  How many times had that boy needed to have fingers popped back into place, Eli didn’t know.  And every fight they’d ever had the younger male had stopped eating in his depression, and in the more recent years, taken to drinking away his sorrows.  He’d be lying if he said he hadn’t been worried about Blaine.  But, judging by the look of the apartment, Blaine had taken to cleaning with this fight.  

He made himself comfortable on the sofa, playing on facebook for a little while, and posting updates to his tumblr account as well.  After he got around to twitter, he noticed what time it was, just as he heard a rustling outside of the door.  He stood up, tucking his phone away, and faced the door.

Blaine’s beautiful face was all he saw at first.  It was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen in his entire life.  Blaine didn’t have any gel in his hair, which was weird, but it looked like he’d used hairspray or something to get the curls to stay together.  It was perfect.  Those perfect hazel eyes were staring at him now, and perfect, full lips were saying something.  Melodic.

“Eli?  Wha- what are you doing here?”

Blaine looked confused, and Eli’s heart fell a tiny bit.  

“I couldn’t do it anymore, Blaine.  I couldn’t live without you.  I tried.  I tried because you were here, and having fun and moving on, and I just didn’t think we were going to be able to make it past this, because I couldn’t take being away from you, at my crappy H&R Block job.”

“Eli, I... You shouldn’t be here.”

“I know, I’m sorry, I should have called, but I wanted to surprise you.”

Why was Blaine still standing there, just a few steps away from the door?  He should be in Eli’s arms.  Maybe the younger man was still in shock at seeing him there.  Eli decided to take matters into his own hands.  He stepped around the couch and smiled an apology at Blaine, who just stared back, still frozen and confused looking.

Okay, it was okay.  Blaine was just really surprised to see him.  That was all.  He stepped closer, melting as Blaine’s hazelnut eyes stared back up at him.

“Blaine, I have missed you so much.  I can’t live without you, and I want us to have our dream together, in LA with the garden and the house and the everything.  Blaine I love you.  I’ve never stopped loving you.  And I’ll never leave you again.”

Blaine was just staring back as Eli inched closer, wrapping him in an embrace and searching his eyes for the feelings that he felt being returned.  He pressed his own lips against Blaine’s.  The only thing he was confused about was why Blaine wasn’t kissing back.  And why his arms were just hanging by his sides like they had been since he’d been noticed.  But, he didn’t care.  He was finally getting Blaine back, and that was all that mattered.