When he announces that he’s transferring back to McKinley Kurt seems more surprised about it than Blaine does.

Oh, that it doesn’t hit him like a punch to the gut. Not that it doesn’t steal the breath from his lungs, make his throat clench shut against the panic, the knowledge that it’s really happening, he’s really leaving. But he looks at Kurt, sees how wide his eyes are and the way his fingers clench against the five-hundred thread count sheets on his bed. And a clear, serene part of his mind says, ‘well, of course you are.’

Because this has never been permanent. Kurt even seems to make an effort not to entirely settle in at Dalton – he doesn’t decorate the door of his locker the way he did at McKinley, for instance. Just little things like that. He’d needed Dalton for a time, but that time was over. He could go home now.

“I can’t keep making my dad pay for it; I can see how hard it is on him.” Kurt continues his rushed, slightly rambling explanation. His Adam’s apple bobs, as if he’s trying to hold back tears. “And Santana is getting picked on by Karofsky now and I can’t just sit by and let her face that alone and… and I miss them, Blaine, I miss them so much. I didn’t realize how much I missed them until Regionals.”

So no, Blaine isn’t surprised, not really. Still, at first the only reply he can make comes out in a whisper. “No, you can’t,” He says, quiet and strangled and weak. Kurt’s bottom lip trembles, and so far he’s been able to meet Blaine’s eyes as he speaks but now he looks down, gripping the sheets tighter. Blaine hates himself, a little bit, because Kurt needs him to be strong but he’s just scared and selfish.� He was supposed to have grown up since running away from his old school, but no, he’s still the same old cowardly Blaine who can’t soldier on without someone to hold his hand.

“I would say I’m sorry, but I’m not,” Kurt whispers, still not meeting his eyes. “Blaine…this isn’t about us, you have to know that. I can’t make this about you. Do you understand that?” It sounds like he’s pleading. “I just can’t.”

Blaine nods, breathing shakily. “I… I know. I understand.” Kurt has to distance himself, even this tiny amount, or else he’ll never be able to leave.

“It wasn’t easy to decide,” he continues. “It was probably harder than deciding to leave McKinley in the first place, actually. But New Directions is going up against Vocal Adrenaline at Nationals, and honestly, I don’t think they can do this without me. They need me.”

But I need you.

“You’re going to get hurt again,” Blaine says, but he’s not arguing. After all, Kurt has already signed the transfer papers. There’s no point in arguing. “Karofsky will still be there. And he’ll hurt you and I won’t be able to help.”

More than anything, Blaine feels like a hypocrite right now. Kurt had taken his talk of courage to heart even though he was already the bravest person Blaine had ever known, while Blaine stayed behind and hid behind a uniform.

“You can’t be my knight in shining armor anymore,” Kurt says softly. He reaches across the distance between them and brushes the tips of his fingers against Blaine’s hand. “But you’re underestimating yourself. Even though you couldn’t protect me, you did help me when I was being bullied before. You saved my life in so many ways. I never really thanked you for that. You can be my emotional support, like always, and I can protect myself.

“And as for Karofsky, he needs help. He needs someone to help him come to terms with who he is. And I know I can’t be that person, but… maybe I can do something. I can stand up to the bullies and maybe, just maybe, I can change things.”

Blaine shakes his head. “Don’t be a martyr, Kurt.”

“I’m not.”

“Promise me you’ll keep yourself safe.” His voice cracks on the last word, but he puts on a smile. A sad smile, but a smile nonetheless. “Promise me.”

“I promise.” Kurt takes Blaine’s hand and squeezes it, putting on a little smile of his own. “I’ll miss the Warblers. And actual challenging classes. And your useless shortcuts.” He laughs a little. The sound is beautiful and heartbreaking. “I’ll miss you.”

Blaine knows that he should be able to live without daily coffee dates, without walking Kurt to class and sharing little glances during Warblers practice, but… “I’ll miss you too.”

“We can hang out every weekend. And some weekdays, maybe. Any chance we get.”

He can only nod. He knows they’re not breaking up, but it’s almost as frightening.

It all feels impossible.

Kurt scoots closer and rests his head on Blaine’s shoulder, sighing heavily. Blaine puts an arm around him, hugging him tightly. “I wish you could just come with me,” Kurt mumbles. “It would be so much easier.”

The thought leaves Blaine speechless and he’s not even sure why. He’s almost okay with not being enough to keep Kurt at Dalton, but he doesn’t know how to feel about this simple sentence.

“I’m not asking you to,” Kurt says hurriedly, which is a relief and disappointing at the same time. “I know you couldn’t. It’s okay. I just… I wish I could have the best of both worlds.”

“And without the worst.”

“You, my friends, no uniforms and no bullies? I might start believing in god if that happened.”

Blaine’s laugh is hollow.

--

The week before Kurt transfers is quiet, peaceful and melancholy, and Kurt’s father doesn’t question it when he and Blaine spend every day after school together. Blaine gets to watch as Kurt prepares himself to jump back into the battlefield, watches him transition from uncertain to worried to calm to excited. Finn acts more overprotective than ever, and Blaine thinks he’s preparing, too, getting himself ready to protect his brother at all costs.

Even though they spend all of their time together, Blaine and Kurt don’t talk a huge amount during that week. It’s not that they’re tiptoeing around each other; it’s just that they don’t know how to say all of the things that need saying. But every touch feels something is ending, and every little glance feels like a goodbye.

When Kurt leaves for his first day of school, he clings to Blaine for as long as he can, and Blaine clings twice as tightly.

“Don’t go,” he whispers, even though he knows it’s too late. “Please don’t go.”

Don’t leave me alone.

Kurt breathes in shakily and pulls away from Blaine’s embrace. He kisses Blaine once, hard and fast, and then he turns and doesn’t look back.

--

A few days later - a few days of barely talking to Kurt, which hurts like hell but he doesn’t know how to begin - Blaine knows what to do.

He spends all night picking the perfect song, and he rounds up the Warblers, and they spend a stupid amount of time practicing. No one complains about the hours spend singing Somewhere Only We Know over and over. Eventually Blaine deems it perfect, and lies awake imagining all of the ways this could go wrong.

And all of ways it could – will - go right.

--

“There he is,” Blaine says, spotting Kurt quickly from across the courtyard – he can’t make out his face, but he’s sure no one else in this school would wear a top hat. “Gorgeous as ever.”

“Hey, don’t be nervous.” Jeff gives him a playful punch on the shoulder. “You know he’ll love it.”

“I’m not nervous.” Not for the reason Jeff thinks, anyway. He’s not trying to win Kurt’s heart, or trying to impress him. He’s just saying what he needs to say in the only way he knows how.

“Sure, Blaine.”

Blaine takes a deep breath.� “Let’s go.”

The Warblers get into position, and Kurt’s eyes lock onto them as Blaine starts to sing. They move throughout the courtyard as they preform, moving closer to Kurt as the song progresses, until Blaine can clearly see the shocked (but not embarrassed, not like Jeremiah had been) look on his face. Others stop to watch, but Blaine doesn’t see them.

He sees only Kurt. He sings only to Kurt. And he hopes Kurt sees that he means every single word.

Blaine feels dazed as the song ends, breathing heavily, his heart beating a million miles per hour. He’s sure he’s never put that much emotion into a song in his entire life, like putting a part of himself in it. It’s exhausting, but he still has the energy to gravitate across the courtyard and toward Kurt, who stares at him in amazement.

“Hi,” he says, smiling, because he can’t not smile when he’s seeing Kurt for the first time in days.

“Hi.” Kurt tries to hold back a giggle. “I think I have a new favorite song.”

“Yeah, well. I realized that I never really said goodbye. And it seemed kind of fitting. So…” He gestures around to the Warblers loitering in the background. �

There are tears clinging to Kurt’s eyelashes, but he’s smiling, too, and maybe looking a little confused, and probably grateful that Blaine decided not to sing about sex toys.� “It was beautiful,” He breathes as Blaine steps closer. “I don’t even know what to say. Just… amazing.”

“Thanks.” Blaine smiles and bites his lip. He’d spent all night plotting out what to say next, but he can’t remember any of it. “I love you,” he blurts out, which was not in his plan but he knows it’s true as soon as he says it. Not a single part of him doubts that he loves Kurt Hummel, that maybe he’s always loved him. Kurt covers his mouth with his hand to unsuccessfully hide a gasp, and one tears trickles down his cheek. “I love you so much. And I’m sorry I’ve been so distant since you decided to come back here.”

“Blaine, its okay –“

“No, it’s not. You needed me and I was being selfish. I don’t like any of this, I don’t agree with you, but I don’t have to. I do support you no matter what, I swear.” Blaine knows just from Kurt’s silent nod that he’d needed to hear that, and he feels terrible that he never thought to say it from the beginning. He reaches forward, entwining his fingers with Kurt’s and smiling shakily. “You are… so amazing. So much more than I deserve.”

“You’re ridiculous,” Kurt says with a watery laugh, wiping a tear from his eye even though more come to take its place. Blaine feels a little like crying, too, and he’s not sure why. Maybe it’s still the emotion of the song. He hesitantly lifts his hands and puts them on Blaine’s shoulders, warm and solid and there. Blaine follows, suit, wrapping his arms loosely around Kurt’s waist.

“Yeah, probably.” Blaine glances down, blushing a little. “I just needed you to know.”

“Thank you.” Kurt bites his lip. “We’re pretty amazing together, aren’t we?”

It catches Blaine off guard, and he laughs. “Yeah, we really are.”

“Do you think we can do this? Make this work even with the distance?”

“Do you?”

Kurt hesitates. “I know it’s not that far, but I’m scared. Terrified, actually. That we won’t make it. But we can do our best. Like I’d give you up that easily.”

Blaine lets out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. “Oh, thank god.”

“You’re absurd.” Kurt’s tears are flowing freely now, and soon enough Blaine realizes he’s crying too.

“I’m really hoping that’s a cute and lovable kind of absurd.”

“Shut up,” Kurt laughs as he tugs Blaine close and kisses him. It’s a little messy, wet and slick with tears, and it’s not perfect by any means but it doesn’t matter that the whole school can see them right now.� The courtyard melts into the background, and Blaine’s entire world narrows to the two of them. “I love you,” Kurt pulls away after a few moments to say, and Blaine ducks his head to kiss Kurt’s neck and jaw before capturing his lips again. They’re smiling against the kiss, then grinning and giggling, and it’s turning ridiculous so Blaine pulls back barely an inch and rests their foreheads together.

“Get coffee with me this weekend?” Blaine asks.

“Of course. Shopping after?”

“Absolutely. Want me to walk you to class?”

Kurt responds by hugging him tightly. “I have Glee next. Wouldn’t want you to get caught spying.” He winks, then gestures at the Warblers, who are ogling passing girls as if they’ve never seen one in their life. “Besides, you need to get these boys out of here before they cause some real damage.”

“True.” He lets Kurt go with a sigh. “Hey. I meant every word, you know.”

Blaine doesn’t think that Kurt has ever looked more devastatingly beautiful than he does right now, smiling that little half smile. “Thank you for everything.” Kurt kisses him on the cheek, waves at the Warblers, and then turns on his heel and walks away.

As the Warblers make their way back to their cars, Blaine imagines holding hands with Kurt in the hallways, giving him good morning kisses by his locker, serenading him – and being serenaded by him - in Glee Club. Only now, he tries imagining all of this taking place in McKinley instead of Dalton. He has to imagine fighting off bullies, too, but he doesn’t think he’d mind so much if it’s he and Kurt defending each other.

No, he doesn’t have the courage to leave Dalton just yet – the thought of going back to public school is still terrifying.

But Kurt always has inspired him to be braver.

--

“Kiddo, I gotta tell you, I’m still skeptical about this.”

Kurt sighs, staring down at the unsigned transfer forms. He feels his father’s steady gaze on him, but he can’t quite meet it. “I know. But I’ve explained my reasons, and I can’t really do more than that.”

“I thought you liked this Dalton place.”

“It’s not that I don’t like it. Dalton is a wonderful school. It’s just not where I belong.”

“You belong somewhere safe.” Kurt can tell his resolve is wavering.

Kurt shakes his head. “No. No, I’m tired of this. I’m tired of other people fighting for me and I’m tired of running away. Finn and Puck have already promised to keep an eye on me while I’m there, so that if Karofsky tries anything we’ll be ready. I don’t expect you to understand, I’m just asking you to support my decision. I know what I’m doing.”

Burt takes a long, deep breath. “If he, or anyone else, touches you again, you tell me. That’s my condition. I’ll sign these if you promise to tell me exactly what’s going on. You don’t try to go this alone. Promise?”

Kurt hesitates. His father still doesn’t know about the Kiss, and he hadn’t planned on ever bringing it up again, not to anyone but Blaine. But maybe he doesn’t have to. He doesn’t have to lie, just… twist the truth to suit his needs. It all depends on what Karofsky does.

“I promise,” he says.

Burt nods, and picks up the pen to sign the forms. As he writes, he asks, “What’s that Blaine kid think of all this?”

Kurt doesn’t reply.

--

Kurt is singing what he remembers of Somewhere Only We Know under his breath when he gets home that evening, a dopey smile on his face. He knows full well how ridiculous he’s acting – Puck had asked him what drugs he was on in the middle of class that afternoon – but he doesn’t care. He’s happier than he’s been in weeks.

“Hi, Dad!” Kurt chirps. Burt is in the middle of watching baseball, but he glances away from the TV when Kurt tosses his bag down and sits on the couch. “Who’s winning?”

“Uh, the Red Sox.”

“Which ones are they?”

“The ones with the uniforms that say Red Sox.”

“Ohhh. Horrid uniforms,” he says cheerfully.

“I don’t know much about that.” Burt looks over at him, raising an eyebrow. “What’s got you in such a good mood?”

“Life is just awesome right now. Karofsky hasn’t touched me since I got back and I might get a solo at Nationals – who knows – and I saw Blaine today.”

“Oh.” Whenever Blaine is brought up, the conversation turns awkward. “So, uh, are you two back together?”

“Technically we didn’t break up.” But there had been a few days there where Kurt was worried, had convinced himself that they had indeed broken up. Those days when Blaine didn’t talk to him were terrifying. “But yes. We are.” Kurt’s grin widens at the memory. “He brought the Warblers to McKinley to sing me a goodbye song and he told me he loved me.”