"So... you're saying that you're okay with me asking for his hand?"

"Oh, of course not. No. You're still kids."

Burt just didn't get it. Blaine wasn't thinking about this from the perspective of a kid. He may not be very old physically, but he was mature enough to make this decision, especially now. Six months ago, maybe he wasn't. Six months ago, he hadn't been able to handle the mere thought of Kurt away at college without him. It was still a difficult concept; now, though, he understood that they could have dealt with it better, sooner, so that it wouldn't have gotten so out of hand.

Blaine wished so much that he'd realized it sooner.

They were friends again, but it wasn't enough. It could never be enough. Blaine was just biding his time until Kurt finally accepted what they were to each other. As he'd told Burt, they're soul mates. He's known that for a long time.

What happened at the failure of a wedding only reaffirmed this for Blaine. He'd been so happy to see that Kurt was willing to dip back into their more... physical relationship. Kurt may have kept insisting that it didn't mean anything, which frustrated Blaine some, but he would go along with it as long as Kurt just kept doing that thing with his tongue please. Because he knew it was only a matter of time. Kurt felt the connection they had. He resisted, refused to acknowledge it verbally, but it was so obviously there.

And Blaine understood. He remembered the debacle with Chandler last year, how hurt he'd felt when Kurt had just been flirting with another guy. Blaine had done so much worse to Kurt, and that was on top of the Sebastian troubles that they'd had before. In some ways, Blaine wasn't sure how Kurt ever trusted him. He could still hear Kurt's voice.

"It was Sebastian, wasn't it?"

If Kurt said no to this, Blaine wasn't sure what else he could do. He may have to admit defeat at last.

He was just so ready to be KurtandBlaine forever. He still remembered that heart-stopping moment when he realized that they legally could be KurtandBlaine.

He and Kurt had been awaiting the news together. They'd talked about same-sex marriage and politics plenty of times. Sometimes, it was heartbreaking, seeing some states slide backwards with talk of same-sex marriage bans. Other times, it just seemed so inevitable that marriage equality would be seen in all fifty states and maybe, just maybe, eventually in every country. All they had to do was wait. It was a tiring wait, full of nights with silent cuddling when it became too much and days where all they could do when they were pushed down was stay down an extra few seconds. Sometimes, they had both confessed, they wished that they hadn't gotten back up.

So when the news had come that New York had finally passed the bill, Blaine had the immediate reaction of jumping up and down. He'd screamed and shouted and jumped on furniture, shaking Kurt's shoulders because oh my god this was another victory. Why wasn't Kurt as excited as he was? Why hadn't he moved an inch?

Kurt had just looked back at him, eyes wide.

"Kurt?"

"I'm going to be moving to New York, Blaine."

Suddenly it had made sense. Of course Kurt had realized it before him. While Blaine had thought about it in the abstract, it had never really clicked. Kurt was moving to New York. Blaine hoped to move to New York a year later. Maybe (Definitely) it was too soon to say it out loud, but he was pretty sure that they both knew in that moment that it would happen. They would happen.

He'd had to sit down as well after that.

So, yeah. Maybe now Blaine was a little more eager to finally do it. He didn't care about the wedding. Kurt could do whatever he wanted with it, full creative license. Blaine just wanted the marriage. He wanted the forever. He wanted the assurance that they would be it, that they (he) wouldn't screw it up.

"I really really care about you... I don't want to screw this up."

Mind, body, and soul, Blaine knew that he would spend the rest of his days with Kurt. He felt it in every step forward, every beat of his heart, every breath from his lungs. He knew this fact like he knew his own name.

"I got to thinking that maybe Kurt and I weren't meant for each other, that we weren't supposed to spend the rest of our lives together. But the horrible thing is, right after I did it, I knew we were."

Why was it a big deal to take that final leap now?

If they were to take it eventually, why not now?

Why couldn't he take Kurt's hand right now, after watching Mr. Shue's wedding and with the high of a Regionals win, and just ask?

Kurt would say yes, because Blaine didn't know what he'd do if Kurt didn't say yes, and they'd finally be back together. Kurt would finally understand that Blaine would never hurt him again, that he was serious about their relationship. He'd understand that Blaine knew he had a lot to make up for but that he was willing to start right now. They'd hug and kiss and tears would be running down their faces and the group would have something else to celebrate that night. It'd be emotional and messy but so so beautiful. He would sort of wish that he'd planned his speech better. He'd lament the lack of flowers and berate himself for not telling someone to record the moment. After all, Kurt deserved everything. Still, it'd be perfect.

Then they'd have the awkward conversation of telling Kurt's dad, especially since he hadn't given his blessing when Blaine had asked before. They'd get through it, though. Burt would see how happy Kurt was and how much Kurt wanted it, too. He'd see the love they have. Maybe he still wouldn't be okay with it right away, but he would come around.

Then Kurt would have all summer to plan their wedding. Blaine wondered what season it would be in, but secretly hoped it was in the fall just so it would be that much sooner. They'd go to New York earlier than needed so that Kurt could show him around. They'd visit Kurt's favorite spots, find some of their own. They could even go to Callbacks again, even if it was kind of the last place Blaine wanted to be.

Blaine would do absolutely anything Kurt wanted. All Kurt had to say was yes.

So, when Kurt said he was just glad to be here, it was all Blaine could do to stop himself from getting down on one knee right then. It wouldn't be right to steal this moment from Mr. (and now Mrs.) Shuester. Kurt and Blaine would find their own moment later.

Still, he fingered the ring box behind his back.

"When two people love each other like you two do, everything works out."

Soon. Blaine would ask soon. Because Kurt was his forever and he wanted forever to start now.