Kurt put aside that letter and the memories, both sweet and randy, that went with it, and reached into the box for the next, printed on hot pink paper. A grin re-formed on his face as he glanced down at it. Behind it was a small manila envelope, the metal clasp firmly sealed. Kurt put that down beside him, saving it until at least part of the letter was reread.

Kurt smoothed out the colored paper, remembering how surprised he’d been to receive a package so soon after seeing Blaine, who must have had to skip a class on Monday morning to get this to the post office on time, no matter what his boyfriend would admit to.

Not only had that, Blaine had managed to get the timing exactly right. The note about having a package had been waiting for Kurt as he checked his mailbox after his last class on Valentine’s Day. Not a day early or late.

Kurt,

I know that we’ve only just parted, but I couldn’t let Valentine’s Day go by without sending you something. What kind of boyfriend would that have made me? Can you picture me laughing even as I write that?

I love you, and I never want a single Valentine’s Day to go by without a chance to tell you that. I know I’ll tell you on Skype tonight, but it bears saying as often as possible, in as many different ways as possible. Especially today. (Just pretend you don’t know that I’m writing this on a Sunday afternoon.) Consider everything in this box a way to accomplish that as many times as I can.

I miss being with you already. It was a dream come true to spend all that time together after so long apart. And to spend it there! I can so clearly picture myself living in New York City already. Taking the subway over to that little coffee shop down the block from your dorm to study together. Laughing at the tourists who are lost while I pretend to know my way around. Seeing you more than once every two or three months.

I’ve been trying to organize my thoughts on all three colleges today. Well, today and the flight home. I still don’t see myself getting into Columbia. They admit less than ten percent of students who apply. What do I have to offer? A scattered high school history and a Glee Club National Championship? Applying made my dad happy though, and it didn’t cost me anything. Literally, since he paid the fee.

I really like Sarah Lawrence. It’s eclectic and very academic. I could find kindred spirits there, I think. I don’t like the location as well. It’s only a train ride into the city, but I really want to live somewhere more central. It’s not just the distance from you, it’s the chance to experience city life. Something different from Lima or Westerville. It’s definitely still under consideration though.

I loved NYU. It does have that city feeling. It has a great program in what I want to do. I just hope they thought my audition went as well as I did. At least I didn’t choke or screw up. Plus, I promised my father that I would live in the dorms for at least my first year of college. Mike and I talked at lunch about rooming together if I get in. Apparently his current roommate is nice enough, but a bit of a slob, and it’s driving him crazy.

Now that’s all spelled out on paper, again, (and I have my own pro and con list created for each college, as well) it’s just a matter of waiting to get acceptance letters. Please God let me get at least one.

Now, back on track for Valentine’s Day. What I’m going to call Exhibit J was in the envelope behind this letter. It might be cheating a little bit because it’s not a piece of Lima, but I hope you enjoy it all the same. I won’t divulge my secrets as to how I got pictures of our trip printed already, but let’s just say that airport wifi is a wonderful thing. This might not be my life in Ohio, but it is something I’m holding onto as my future on days when life in Ohio starts to get me down. These are my very favorite pictures from the trip. Of us together. Of you. Of the beauty in the small and big things that surround where you live. That picture of you laughing so freely, sitting in your new favorite coffee shop, is going up in my locker on Monday morning. Between classes I can imagine that I’m back sitting across from you.

The rest of the package is just gifts. It is Valentine’s day after all. Yes, most of it is very cheesy. What else would you expect? This is where you pause reading and go through the box. Then you can come back and finish this.

Kurt remembered doing just as he’d been instructed, putting the letter aside to look first at the photos, a reminder of just how good a photographer Blaine could be, before he’d dug into the box.

The first thing he’d found was a little box of conversation hearts, then a heart shaped box of chocolate truffles. Underneath it all had been a pair of rubber duckies dressed as grooms that now sat on the bookshelf portion of his desk, along with the tissue paper flowers that had been surrounding it all. All of that sitting near the rubber ducks that had been part of his finals care package. Who cared if they were Christmas themed? They were from Blaine, so they deserved a spot in his room. He might have to talk to his boyfriend about this apparent new found love for rubber ducks though.

Scattered throughout the package had been little kid’s Valentine cards, all in a superhero theme. Kurt unclasped the manila envelope to dump them out onto the bed beside him, laughing again at the cheesiness of the cards already combined with the silly notes Blaine had written there. Like the Spiderman card where Blaine had added his own words coming out of the superhero’s mouth: “I’m going to catch you in my web of love.” Others held more heartfelt sentiments. “I love the way you smile at me when we’re alone together.” Kurt looked over all the cards for a moment, then tucked them neatly back in the envelope to return to reading the letter.

Did you look? Alright, you’re allowed to keep reading now, then. I hope you enjoy the candy. I did make sure to buy the good brand of candy hearts, so you can eat them. They aren’t the ones that taste like chalk. I wouldn’t do that to you.

I was at the store before I left for New York looking for cute things to add into the package, and I fell in love with the rubber ducks. You’ll have to keep these safe for me, because I expect to be able to visit them next year. I loved both patterns of little grooms they had. I’ve decided that one with the big red bow tie is me, which would obviously make the one with the top hat and cane you. This isn’t me proposing by letter (for one thing I know you’d murder me if I did), but it is where I see us headed. Someday. In my head, I can see us in five years or so when we’ve both finished college, and we’ll be as happy a pair of grooms together as these ducks are.

I know the cards might cross the border into groaning at me, but I mean every word, serious or not. So read the cards, enjoy the candy, fluff up those poor flowers, and take care of the ducks for me.

I love you more than yesterday. I can’t wait to Skype with you tonight.

Blaine

Kurt ran his finger along the edge of the paper lightly, remembering back to that night of Skyping. He’d had a bouquet of red and yellow carnations sent to Tina the day before, so that she could take them in to school and give them to Blaine for him. It hadn’t been as good as being there for the moment, but even the residual joy that night had been wonderful. That and the picture Tina had texted him of Blaine standing in the hall smelling his flowers raptly.

The picture was saved to his phone still, and the mental image of Blaine’s joy was filed away forever in his memories. This letter would always bring them back to him. Even once they were back together, Kurt would still be able to treasure this reminder of how they’d pressed through their time a part and come out stronger.

He folded the pink letter carefully before settling it, and all those kid’s Valentines, back into his wooden memory box.