A week after Kurt leaving, Blaine is obviously stuck in a rut. He feels absolutely lonely, knowing that he can’t just pop over to Kurt’s house for a surprise hang out, or even just knowing that his boyfriend was just a very short car ride away. It’s very hard for him, and everyone else definitely notices.

To cheer the former Warbler up, Puck decides to have a party for the members of the glee club that are still in Lima. (He himself hadn’t figured out quite what he had wanted to do yet, career wise.) It was a surprise to Blaine, really, Puck had invited him over for some video games and watch a football game. Instead, Blaine walks in to find the remnants of glee club and alcohol.

At first, Blaine wants to leave, “Guys, I’m not really up to this kind of stuff right now... I’m still really hung up about Kurt leaving.”

But somehow, Puck persuades him to stay a little longer by telling Blaine, “It’s hard to know he’s gone, but you just have to get through it... C’mon, let me get you a beer.”

That doesn’t work very well, though, because apparently sad Blaine mixed with alcohol makes a very weepy Blaine. It happens in stages though. In the beginning, everyone is sitting around the table, telling stories about the seniors. Blaine starts talking about the morning after Rachel’s first big party and how Burt had found him in Kurt’s bed. He makes sure, though, to make it very clear that they hadn’t done anything, despite Burt’s suspicions.

After the reminiscing ends and more of the party begins, Blaine goes along with this. He initiates a game of flippy cup, three rounds of Thunderstruck, and a beer pong tournament. And the moment Blaine actually feels like it could actually be okay without Kurt being here with him, everything comes crashing down with a ring of his cellphone.

How had Blaine not noticed Kurt had called? He was too busy drinking and being oblivious to what was going that needed paying attention to. Blaine really should be home right now, watching cheesy romance movies with Kurt on Skype. He should have told Puck that it was too soon to be hanging out with people.

Blaine rushes into an empty, quiet room to listen to the voicemail: “Hey, Blaine. I know you told me that Puck invited you over, but I miss you. It’s 11:30, just for reference. Well, text me when you get this, but I might be sleeping, so no promises of me replying right away. I love you, Blaine, and I really miss you. Talk to you later.””

Blaine lets out a small sob and presses the corresponding number to replay the message. Tears are streaming down his face, because Blaine realises Kurt was sitting at home, thinking about him enough to call him. Calling each other isn’t unusual, but the fact that Kurt knew Blaine would be with Puck, and was understanding enough to only call once so that Blaine could have friend time, just ripped the junior’s heart to bits.

His fingers race to tap out Kurt’s number, knowing the digits by heart because of the numerous times he’s called from vacation homes (because his parents don’t allow electronics on family bonding trips). Blaine has to suck in a breath when he hears the tell-tale “Hi, this is Kurt Hummel, please leave a name, number, and a message after the beep.” Kurt must be sleeping now. Blaine leaves a message, anyways.

“Hey, Kurt... It’s me, Blaine... I got your message, and I’m really sorry that I didn’t hear it until now. I should have been home, not at Puck’s. The glee club surprised me with a party.. I didn’t know, because it was a surprise. Puck only invited me over for video games.”

He grits his teeth, because he knows that Puck was only trying to help, but Blaine should have learned from the other times alcohol was involved in anything. Blaine ran his free hand through his hair, leaning back against the headboard.

“ I wanted to go home so bad, once I found out. I didn’t feel like it was right to be with them without you.. I mean, you’re the one that had introduced me to all of them, and I had felt like I was intruding tonight. Puck was being nice, though, he was trying to get me to have fun, got me a beer... I’m drunk, if you can’t tell by now. But, I miss you, Kurt. It’s so hard without you here.”

Blaine has to take a deep breath, looks at his phone to see if maybe Kurt had texted him, before continuing on with his message.

“I feel like half of my world is missing. I never thought that I would need to depend on someone, and its not like a debilitating thing, but I just feel so empty without you here. I know I tell you this all the time, but after every Skype chat we have, or phone call, I feel so lonely again that I am always so tempted to call you again... Just to hear your voice... You know that saying, ‘you don’t know what you have until it is gone?’ It feels like I’ve known all along what I’ve had, and now that you’re gone, the feelings have grown even more.. Kurt, I lo-”

Then there is that beep to say that the time limit is up. Blaine sighs loudly, sniffing and spluttering, wondering how he managed to say all that he had without hyperventilating. He’s thankful, now, that he had the sense to lock the door before he called, because now someone is knocking at his door, yelling about how it was his turn to play against Puck in beer pong. That’s when Blaine remembers that he is at a party, and yes, he had felt like everything was okay and even though his boyfriend was hundreds of miles away, things could still be the same.

Blaine wipes the tears from his eyes, grabs a couple of tissues to blow his nose, and unlocks the door to find Tina at the door with a buzzed-but-concerned look.

“I just needed to call Kurt. I’m okay now.”

-----

To: Kurtsie <3
Hey, how was your weekend?

From: Kurtsie <3
We need to talk to you about the your call from Saturday night. I’m going to call you.

It takes Blaine a minute to register what call Kurt was talking about, but just a few seconds before his phone rings, the events of that night come rushing in, Blaine also remembers that all he could think about was the horrible hangover he had yesterday.

Blaine lets his phone ring once, because both he and Kurt know even if he lets it ring more than that, it would be on purpose.

“Blaine, is that how you’re really feeling? About me leaving and everything else?”

“Everything that I said on that message is what I am and was feeling.. Even the part that I didn’t get to say fully.”

“What part did you not get to finish, Blaine?”

Blaine smiles softly, because he can here the curiosity in Kurt’s voice, can imagine him settling into his couch so he can listen intently.

“What I didn’t get to finish telling you before the machine cut me off, was that I love you dearly, and couldn’t imagine my life without you.”

“Blaine Matthew Anderson, I love you with all my heart, but don’t you dare think that I’ll get angry at you for enjoying yourself. Your life shouldn’t go on pause just because I’m not there. It broke my heart how you felt as if you were betraying me for having fun.”

“It just hurts to know that we can’t have sleepovers where I sleep on the pull-out couch in your living room, and I sneak up to your room, or you sneak down.. To know that I can’t even hold you, at all, it is all just very painful.”

“Blaine, I feel the exact same way. And I promise you, when I come back for the holidays, I will devote a full day and night to you before and after the holiday.”

There is a moment of silence, it isn’t awkward, but just a moment for both of them to let things sink in. Blaine is the one to break it.

“As long as I can sleep on the pull-out couch.”

“As long as you sneak up to my room.”

“Always.”

Both of them start to laugh, because they said it at the same time, like it was a part of a cliche chick flick (which both of them would watch together without a second thought). Kurt then sighs softly into the phone.

“Now get on Skype so we can watch a movie together.”