Kurt stood in front of the door of his bedroom, Blaine’s hand held carefully over his eyes. Blaine still couldn’t believe that Kurt’s family had given him the house for the night. Even though it took both his and Finn’s convincing.
Kurt had been home for only a few days. They may as well have been years considering how bored he had been staring at walls and counting the hours between pain medication and antibiotics. He thought the hospital was bad, his room was even worse.
Blaine slowly turned the doorknob, leading Kurt out into the hallway. He was stepping carefully not to let either of them trip, hand on Kurt’s perfectly curved back. Kurt leaned into his touch, letting the darker-haired boy lead him completely.
Blaine stopped, holding Kurt close to his hip. “Okay. Before I remove my hand, remember that it’s not much. I just really wanted to do something for you. It’s just a-”
Kurt cut him off, “Blaine, stop. Just ‘lemme see.” Kurt had been entirely too excited ever since Blaine had told him earlier that day that tonight he was taking him on a date. It didn’t matter to him that “taking” meant walking a few steps out of his room or that Blaine had actually walked into his room just moments before dressed nicely in some of Finn’s clothes. It was almost comical to look at Blaine drowning in his step-brother’s clothing. A dress shirt, slacks, and a thin black tie, all pinned, tucked and rolled to hide the fact that it was all too big on the small boy. It was not something Blaine would have picked out, but Kurt thought it was cute how Blaine was trying to make it important.
“Okay, fine,” Blaine huffed, letting his hand fall to his side. Letting Kurt’s eyes flutter open.
Kurt’s house had a connecting kitchen and living room. It was a fairly large and open area. Although, now, it all looked different. It looked perfect to Kurt and he couldn’t help but suck in a breathe as he saw what was in front of him.
The light fixtures had all been turned off, with only the romantic glow of christmas lights looming. The lights started where they stood and circled around the living room into the kitchen, ending at the kitchen table. A faint sound of music filled the air, it was the piano tributes to the playlist Kurt had given Blaine months back. The same music Blaine had played for Kurt in the coma. Kurt realized that Blaine must have gone through to find a tribute to most, if not all, of the songs.
Candles of various sizes filled the room, all white. They were placed perfectly, giving the room a faint glow. On the coffee table, various DVDs of musicals that Kurt knew were both his and Blaine’s favorites were scattered. Kurt moved his eyes around the room, almost unable to breathe.
Blaine immediately saw Kurt’s face and began to panic, “Ohmygod, It’s too much. Shit, I’m-I-”
“Perfect,” Kurt whispered, “When did you-”
“That day I picked up dinner, I had the idea. So I went to pick up supplies before. Finn helped me set it up today, while you were sleeping,” Blaine said, studying Kurt’s expression.
He walked, slowly into the room. As he came closer to the kitchen, he could see the table.
It had been pulled out, now only two chairs on each side. Candles also sat on top of the table, along with a full setting of his families’ nicest dishes. Kurt realized that something had smelt amazing.
“I can’t cook,” admitted Blaine, now standing behind Kurt, “So I picked up lasagna from one of those take-and-bake places?” he was now fully blushing.
Kurt spun around. “It’s perfect, Blaine,” he whispered. Kurt leaned in and gave Blaine a light kiss. Blaine smiled giddily. “I’ll teach you how to cook, someday,” Kurt said, his lips curling up into a smile.
“Listen,” Blaine said lightly, placing his hand on Kurt’s good shoulder, “I want you to know- I mean- I know we’re here alone and I got the house to make it just us. But I-” Blaine’s face was blushing again, “I don’t want you to think I had any intentions.”
A faint glow of pink began to set in on Kurt’s cheeks as well, “I don’t, besides right now-” Kurt let out a small giggle, “Well, I’m on some heavy pain meds and you know, my shoulder.”
Kurt looked into Blaine’s perfect eyes, his own eyes going soft, “But, Blaine, I want you to know that I’m in any rush, just because I almost died.”
Blaine let out a breathe, “I couldn’t have said it better myself.”

--------

After the lasagna and movies, after holding hands across the table as they ate, the shared laughs, the sweet nothings, after it was over and the Hummels were home, Kurt found himself laying in the grass in the backyard, Blaine at his side.

Nothing was certain. Blaine still didn’t feel that he had a place to call home, still didn’t have a phone call from his parents. He knew that things weren’t simple still. He understood that nothing was what it used to be before that day.
Blaine reached down and held Kurt’s hand in his, feeling the smoothness. He couldn’t help but let the memory of the shooting invade. Only now, it wasn’t a tinge of pain, now it was only a dull reminder. A reminder that life was short. A reminder that what him and Kurt had was something worth fighting for, worth giving everything he had for. He let his hand trace over Kurt’s skin.
Kurt stared at the night sky, at the stars above, Feeling Blaine’s fingers brush his skin. He let his body relax into the grass. “I love you,” he whispered. The words floated through the air and seemed to blanket over Blaine, protecting him, as he repeated the three simple words back.
They both knew the shooting was over. They knew the memories would invade both of them for the rest of their lives. They knew that things had changed, not all bad, not all good, just different. Understood that there were still words left unsaid and forgotten questions still unanswered. But for now, they could lay here and just be. They could just breathe.
Blaine inched his hand that was still holding Kurt’s up a little. He let his finger sit on Blaine’s wrist, exactly where his heartbeat was. Somehow Kurt knew exactly what Blaine was doing without explanation. Blaine could feel the tiny pulses in Kurt’s arm beat against his hand. So faint, yet so alive.

THE END.