13th January 2012, the day Blaine went to Iraq for the second time with the

parachute regiment and kissed Kurt goodbye with a promise that he'd see him in
a year.

Kurt was left standing there sobbing – along with the other families – as he watched as Blaine boarded the plane in his full uniform.

The uniform that always got joked about, all their friends saying how Kurt liked a man in uniform, but to Kurt it was comforting, he knew that Blaine was safe at home when it was in the wardrobe, but when Blaine wore it, it filled Kurt with fright and sadness.

Kurt was always paranoid about Blaine leaving to go to war again, he had been in love with Blaine since high school, he couldn’t not care about the short, curly haired man who he shared his entire life with.

The first few weeks Kurt had no sleep at all, sitting on the sofa with a CD playing whilst he wallowed in fear that Blaine wouldn't come out alive, his friends repeatedly told him that Blaine would be alright, and that if Blaine had gone out there and come back, he could easily do it again.

Then the phone call arrived at 3:30am on the 14th February.

Kurt knew it would either be good news or bad news, he was hoping for the first option.

"Hello?" he asked in a shaky but sleepy voice.

"Kurt? Happy Valentine’s Day baby!" Blaine’s soothing voice came through the phone as Kurt let out a sigh of relief.

"Blainey!" he replied with a smile on his face, using the nickname Kurt’s niece used.

"We're at camp now so I thought I'd use this small time to call you and tell you I love you." 

Kurt’s stomach twisted in happiness just at the sound of Blaine saying those three little words.

After a conversation about the flight and how everything was in the US and Many “I love yous” and “I love you more!” Arguments, Blaine had to go all of a sudden.

"Oh shit, uh I gotta go; I'll talk to you soon as possible. I love you Kurt!" Blaine babbled on as the sounds of shooting were heard in the background and the phone was cut off.

Kurt’s stomach flipped and he gasped, curling up into a ball on the bed.

"stay safe." he whispered into the now beeping phone before putting it down and falling back onto the bed, rolling to Blaine’s pillow which smelt of Blaine - strawberries and coconuts with what seemed like apples - Blaine’s favourite shampoo.

Eight months later Kurt had heard from Blaine many times but his regiment was mourning the death of one of the soldiers, Benjamin Wallis, aged 21.

The couple had known Ben since high school and it was his very first time in Iraq, so Kurt took his time to go to The Wallis family household hold to pay his respects and wish them well from both himself and Blaine.

One month later, Kurt was sitting on the kitchen surface eating a bowl of fruit when a breaking news report came on the local news.

“19 soldiers caught in a roadside bomb accident in Iraq. Soldiers from the 5th Parachute Regiment have been seriously injured along with 25 civilians.” Said a woman’s voice as time almost stopped in the apartment.

“No...No Blaine would be alright, he’ll be alright, he will have still been at the camp or something, and he wouldn’t have been involved.” Kurt began to repeat to himself over and over and over again as the red banner scrolled across the top of the screen.

9 hours 30 minutes and 40 seconds later, the phone rang and Kurt sprinted out to the hallway to get it.

“Hello?” He asked in a hurried tone.

“Baby?” Blaine’s musical voice rang through and Kurt sighed in relief.

“Thank god you’re okay!” Kurt almost yelled into the phone and Kurt could imagine Blaine smiling on the other end.

“Yeah I’m safe, most of us are alright, three men have died though. No-one had any idea of the bomb.” Blaine told him with a small sigh. Kurt knew it pained Blaine to lose his friends in a country far away from home, but he also knew Blaine got a thrill of helping civilians out there in the warzone.

After an hour and a half on the phone and Blaine repeatedly telling Kurt he’d be alright, it was time for Blaine to get off the phone. 

“It was Jon Michaels and Conrad Barnes by the way. I love you Kurt, never forget that.” Blaine said into the phone before hanging up, leaving Kurt to whisper yet again an “I Love You” back to the empty phone line before going up to bed, not caring how early it was.

Jon Michaels and Conrad Barnes, again, friends of Kurt and Blaine’s and it was their third time in the warzone.

Kurt visited the families with a bunch of flowers from both himself and Blaine before going back home to their empty apartment. 

Two weeks later, the phone rang late Monday night, startling Kurt who was laying on the sofa watching the sound of music.

“Kurt! We’re coming home early!” Blaine almost screeched into the phone. 

“Really? You’re really coming home?” Kurt replied tears of happiness in his eyes as he sat up straight. 

Blaine told him everything that was going to happen before leaving – this time with enough time for Kurt to say “I love you” back for the first time in almost a year.

Kurt was told the plane would have a stop-over halfway through the flight to re-stock on fuel before coming home.

Kurt was almost leaping with joy for the next two weeks, knowing he was going to see Blaine, His Blaine, again.

14 days later, Kurt was stood at the same place he'd been 10 months before, awaiting the arrival of the plane along with all the other families.

He had spoken to many, finding out who knew and liked Blaine and was surprised at how many friends Blaine actually had who he never spoke about.

Then the whole crowd fell silent as the plane landed.

The regiment began to file off of the plane, each holding the small bag of belongings they had for 10 months.

Kurt stood there bouncing on his toes – he was wearing Blaine’s favourite outfit, red skinny jeans which were tight in all the right places, a plain white shirt, an old Dalton hoodie and his (new) Armani boots, as he waited for his short, curly haired boyfriend to come off the plane.

Children of all ages and family's ran forwards, meeting their partners, fathers and even grandfathers in some cases.

Kurt couldn’t see the short boy anywhere and was beginning to get worried.

Then he felt a pair of arms wrap around his waist.

"Hey baby." Blaine whispered and Kurt grinned.

"Hey Blainey." he said as he turned and wrapped his arms tightly around the smaller males neck.

They hugged for a short while before Kurt pulled away and inspected Blaine’s face, taking in the scratches and bruises with a frown.

"I don't like seeing you hurt like this." Kurt whispered, the frown still plastered on his face.

“Kurt, I’m fine! I’ve suffered worse over the past months.” Blaine said with a roll of his eyes as he peeled off his jacket. 

Kurt kissed him lightly before grabbing his hand and walking to the car.

Kurt kissed Blaine’s temple as they arrived at their car.

“I’ve missed you.” Kurt muttered, burying his face into Blaine’s shoulder.


"All that matters is that I'm here with you." Blaine replied as he wrapped his arms around his boyfriend’s waist and they stood there for what felt like years before they got into the car and left the airfield, both of them hoping they wouldn’t be going back there any time soon.