Blaine drank the shot quickly, feeling the burn in his throat as he set down the glass on the counter of the bar. He wanted to forget, even if it was just for one night. He asked Bill, the bartender, for another one. He wouldn't be drinking in the first place if it wasn't for the fact that Bill had seen the look on his face and told him the drinks were on the house. When his drink was placed in front of him, he grabbed the glass, his thoughts drifting back to his apartment and to the person waiting for him.

Kurt. His beautiful, beautiful Kurt. Was he still crying? Had he gone to bed – their bed – with tears in his breathtaking blue eyes? Blaine flinched at the thought. Just the memory of those eyes starting to fill with tears was enough to tear his heart into a million little pieces. He hadn't wanted to start yet another fight but he was just too tired. Trying to make it in New York had proven more of a challenge than they had originally thought. Things got really difficult after they graduated college. Kurt had managed to get a small part on a play but the pay was so low, he was practically working for free. Blaine worked as a delivery boy for an Italian restaurant and sang at bars at night, waiting for the day when a talent scout would watch him and offer him a record deal.

They had bills to pay and a small, cramped apartment with a bedroom that would never be able to hold Kurt's entire wardrobe. Their expenses far surpassed their income. But they had each other and that was more than enough for them.

Until it wasn't.

Exhaustion had started to take over Blaine's body. His morning job took him to places all around the city as he delivered the orders and faced the New York traffic. He couldn't even take a proper nap before he was out again for his late gigs at several local bars. The lack of sleep affected his day job to the point where they let him go. With one source of income lost, things got complicated between them.

Stress started taking its toll on both of them, making them bottle up their frustrations, their fears, their insecurities until they just couldn't take it anymore.

At first, they made time to see and support each other, Blaine sitting at the front for every one of Kurt's performances, Kurt singing along at the table nearest to the small stage where Blaine stood with just his guitar and his voice. But somewhere along the way, those seats were occupied less and less until the only thing that remained was the ghost of happier times hanging in front of them as a reminder of what they used to be and what they were losing.

Things started to go downhill from there. Fights over little things made them bring up what they had held in for weeks, months even. Hurtful words were exchanged. Words neither of them truly felt, but that allowed them to relieve the stress and frustration they were under.

They fell into the routine of city life. They forgot to talk to each other, forgot how they had promised that was the one thing they'd never lose. Their mornings became a silent agreement to ignore the other. Their days were spent away from each other; Kurt rehearsing every dayfor a performance each night and Blaine playing for an almost empty bar, pouring his soul into the few songs they allowed him to sing.

Slowly, they began to become strangers to one another, sharing only the bed they slept in.

The first one to realize what they'd become was Kurt. Of course he was, Blaine thought as he stared at the drink in front of him. Kurt would always notice what was wrong first, would always fight to make it right before Blaine could even notice what was going on.

He had talked to Blaine. He had asked him to fight for this. Fight for them. But Blaine had brushed him off, not realizing how bad things were. He thought it was just a low point for them. He didn't see that they were losing each other, slipping away from each other's grasp like water through a pair of hands. His mind was always focused on trying to get a new job, a new way to provide for his family. And his family was Kurt. But he couldn't see that what his family needed – what his Kurt needed – was him and not a job, not money or the glamorous life Blaine wanted him to have. The life he wanted to give him. Kurt only needed him to be there and he wasn't. Not really.

Blaine sighed heavily as he went through the events that had brought him to his local bar. Kurt had finally snapped. When a discussion that Blaine had started suddenly turned into a nasty fight, Kurt had let it all out. He told him that he couldn't fight for both of them anymore. That Blaine wasn't truly there. That they were no longer working. That they were losing each other and the only one that seemed to care was Kurt. He had cried and yelled at the top of his lungs with Blaine staring back stupidly, only then realizing what a fool he'd been. Kurt had ended up asking Blaine to leave before locking himself in their bedroom, refusing to say another word to him.

Blaine had begged. He had knelt outside the door asking him to forgive him, asking for another chance. They had stayed there, both on each side of the door, crying and longing for each other's warm embrace. After a while of sitting there, Blaine had slowly gotten up and out of the apartment. He'd wandered down the streets until he'd arrived to the bar he was now in. The one he usually went whenever he needed a drink. Whenever he felt lost.

His mind flew back to their high school days, when they didn't have a single concern. When the only thing they did was love each other and think about their future together. But now that future had become their present and it wasn't at all how they dreamt it would be.

He got his wallet out, willing to pay or at least leave some sort of tip, even when Bill had told him the drinks were on the house. As he opened it, he saw the picture of them he always carried around. It had been taken on a cold December day, back in Ohio. They were hugging each other, surrounded by snow, outside Kurt's house. Blaine had bent down from laughing too hard. He had his eyes closed and he was clutching Kurt's back tightly. Kurt had his arm on Blaine's shoulder and wore a big, toothy grin, a look of pure adoration in his eyes as he stared at Blaine, that beautiful moment caught forever in that timeless picture.

Blaine smiled longingly and took it out. He turned it to read the little note Kurt had scribbled when he had given it to him.

You see my face in that picture? See that look? Remember it, remember that face. Because that's the face of someone who is completely, infinitely and hopelessly in love with you. And will always be. I'm yours forever, Blaine.

Kurt.

Blaine could feel the pressure on the back of his eyes building up. He'd been so clueless, so hopelessly stupid. But he refused to let Kurt go, refused to lose the one perfect thing in his crazy, upside down life. He got up and ran out of the bar. He ran and ran through the streets back to his apartment.

He stumbled inside, his breathing erratic. He bent over, his hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath. He heard some noises and lifted his head to find Kurt sitting on the couch, nervously moving his hands. He gave Blaine a shy look and returned his attention to the hands on his lap.

Blaine's heart fluttered at the sight. His eyes finally gave up the fight and let the tears fall down. Because Kurt was there. He was right there in front of him. He'd been waiting for him because he wasn't going to let Blaine go either. Because even if he was tired and hurt, he was still willing to fight for them, one more time.

Blaine whimpered and let out shaky breaths as the tears came streaming down his face more forcefully. He tried to wipe them out with the back of his hand but they were immediately replaced by more. He heard Kurt's footsteps drawing near and he was suddenly wrapped in his arms. Those loving, perfect arms were there, holding onto him gently. He grabbed Kurt's shirt desperately and closed his eyes as a loud sob left his mouth. He could feel hot tears coming down his neck too and he tried to tighten his hold.

He kept mumbling "I'm so sorry, Kurt." over and over again with a broken voice. Kurt ran his hand through the curls in the back of his head softly, whispering back words of comfort and love.

Sit talking up all night, saying things we haven't for a while.

They stayed like that for a long time. Once they had both poured their hearts out and let every worry, every fear disappear between their tears, they pulled apart.

They settled on the couch and apologized over and over again for the mistakes both had made along the way. They talked and talked all night long, rediscovering each other. Recovering the ability they possessed to just talk. The ability to tell the other everything. To talk about everything and anything.

They said things that had gone unsaid for far too long. They let the other know everything they felt during those months that they seemed to lose each other. By the end of the night, they were crying again, but for a different, happier reason.

We just now got the feeling that we're meeting

For the first time.

In that moment, both felt like the teenagers they had once been. Right then, as they stared into each other's eyes after talking all night long, they fell in love all over again.

Kurt could finally recognize the beautiful, kind hazel eyes that had first settled on him at the end of the stairs of Dalton Academy, all those years ago.

Blaine could feel once again the amazement he felt when he had turned around after running late for his impromptu Warbler performance and coming face to face with the most beautiful boy he'd ever laid his eyes on.

They felt like they were meeting each other for the first time all over again. And in that moment, they knew they could make it. They knew they would be able to save this thing they shared. Because it was meant to last forever. Because this was what true love was like and neither of them would ever lose sight of it again.

Blaine leaned in and kissed Kurt deeply, lovingly, to show him that he was there now. And this time he wasn't going anywhere. Kurt happily returned the kiss.

They pulled away breathlessly, feeling like they did when they had shared their very first kiss. They knew they still had a long way to go. It would be hard but they were willing to go through whatever life threw at them as long as they did it together.

Blaine kissed Kurt again. And again. And again. He smiled and rested their foreheads together, closing his eyes and taking in Kurt's scent. He smelled like home. He always had.

"Don't give up on me, baby."

Kurt wrapped his arms around his shoulders and this time, he was the one that leaned in to kiss him.

"Never."