Not even a year from the day when he and his husband had completed their quest, Blaine's muscles had begun to stiffen, not only in his leg, where he was familiar with the tightness, but in his shoulder, where the black poison of the Orcs had done its damage and left its mark. As time moved on and Blaine grew older, it caused him considerable discomfort, which Kurt sought to heal, and often could with medicinal herbs and a call upon his own Grace. On those nights when Blaine could not sleep through the pain, for it seemed to gain strength at sundown, and with no aid available for he refused to wake his husband, he toiled, choosing for his labor a quiet task so as not to disturb his Elf.

So he would not need to leave him and spend the night alone.

In doing so, he could sit on the floor at Kurt's bedside and have both of the things he loved in his world more than life – his beautiful Elf husband, and the craft that his father had taught him.

More and more, Blaine found himself awake at night, anxious from excitement more than from pain, whittling and carving, buffing and polishing, meticulously creating his work of art. Little by little, Kurt began to learn this schedule his husband kept, felt him leave his side when he snuck away, and watched him through slit eyelids, with no want to startle him. Kurt loved to watch his husband work – the concentration on his face, how it furrowed his brow, sharpened his eyes, parted his lips.

There came a time when Kurt could not contain this secret much longer, curious to discover what it was exactly that his husband worked on so diligently when he should be taking his rest, but on the day he chose to ask, Blaine chose to tell, and came at Kurt with his hands full, a gorgeous scrolled step stool of yay height, perfect for the use of a Dwarf.

“And,” Blaine said proudly, “it is made from the wood of a Tree already fallen in the Forest, struck down by lightening, if I am correct, the top portion left to return to the Earth. So nothing was taken that could not be replaced.” And in his smile, Kurt found the reason he fell in love with his darling Dwarf, and then did so, all over again.

“That is wonderful!” Kurt exclaimed, glowing at his care for life, as well as the wonderful artistry of his talented husband. “What a marvelous stool! And so ideally proportioned for your use.”

“Thank you, Husband,” Blaine said with a slight rise of heat to his face, holding his masterpiece tight to his chest.

“But, if you would not mind my asking…why would you need such an implement? Your quarters are so thoughtfully appointed,” Kurt remarked, glancing around at shelves that reached to him only knee high, and chests that lined the walls, family heirlooms made by other members of the Andurinin Clan (but, in Kurt's opinion, none quite so glorious as Blaine's little stool) where Blaine stowed a great deal of his belongings. Kurt and Blaine together had installed several new shelves placed higher up along the walls for Kurt's use, but there was nothing on them that Blaine would ever need. “Tis nothing you cannot reach immediately when you desire.”

“That is not true,” Blaine countered in a good-natured way. “There is one thing, my love, that I find ever out of my reach when I most desire it.”

“And that is?” Kurt asked.

Blaine set his stool down at Kurt's feet, and, staring into the amused eyes of his husband, hopped up on it. Once Blaine stood upon it and straightened to his full height, Kurt could see that their gazes met precisely, eye to eye. “You see,” Blaine said, his pride doubling, “now you need not stoop to kiss me.”

“Oh, Blaine, how considerate you are! But I do not mind stooping for you, my love,” Kurt said, giggling as his husband gleefully kissed his face. “I do not mind kneeling for you…or bending for you…or hmm…” Blaine captured Kurt's mouth, swiftly silencing him, and Kurt smiled, happy to be kissed so by his husband. When Blaine finally set him free, Kurt took the opportunity to rest his head on the crook of Blaine's shoulder. “But I do admit,” Kurt said with a quiet hum of contentment, “I think I may grow to enjoy this ever much.”