Chapter 17
Song in this Chapter:  Snow Patrol – Chasing Cars

Blaine:  Yeah, I'll be there at eleven.  Wait for me outside.
Jimmy:  Will do, dude.  See you later.

Blaine sighs and switches to his phone app.  He hasn't talked to Kurt all day since he's been running around from class to class, hardly able to come up for a breath.  He's driving back from school now and it's probably the only time he'll be able to catch up with his boyfriend.  He has homework and he needs to do laundry, not to mention Jimmy is forcing him to come out, and life without Kurt is a lonely, tedious routine. 

He dials the number and puts the phone on speaker while he waits for the call to connect.

“Hi honey.”

All the air in Blaine's lungs escapes.  The stress from his shoulders disappears and he sighs, content that he's whole again with the sound of Kurt's voice.  It's quite simple; there's only one way he could possibly be centered.

“Pretty boy…” He sings.  “What are you doing?”

“Nothing.  Pretending to work in the back room, but I'm just catching up on TV.  Jules has it covered.”

“Word.”

Kurt laughs the beautiful, melodic giggle reserved only for Blaine.  “And what are you doing, my tiny little delinquent?” 

“Driving home from school, which is kicking my ass royally, by the way.  I have so much due in the next week; I am actually beginning to wonder if anyone here would notice if I disappeared.”

“You'll get it done, just lock yourself away and try to avoid distractions.”

“Well, that's the thing.  Jimmy and Steve want me to come out tonight…” He trails off, setting up Kurt in a way for the reaction he hopes for. 

“Have you seen them since you've been back?”

“I've been avoiding that scene, for obvious reasons.”

“Just because you're there doesn't mean you have to fuck the first person that taps you on the shoulder, Blaine.”  Kurt laughs again; it's a joke.  “It's also an avenue where you can interact with your friends, isn't it?”

“Yeah, but…” Blaine sighs.  “I have so much work to do.”

“It'll be there this weekend.  Just don't drink too much so you can be functional all day tomorrow.”  There's a pause.  “I trust you if you trust you, honey.”

“I trust myself for all the wrong reasons… only because I know what it feels like to be without you and I don't ever want to go through something like that again.”

Kurt laughs again, clearly trying to keep the mood light.  “Motivation is motivation.”

Blaine sighs.  “Sorry, I didn't mean for intense conversation.”

Kurt continues.  “Look, I know I got nervous that one time I tried to… well, you know.  And I know you were with other people during our little, how did you put it to my mom that one day?  Disagreement? Detour?” 

Blaine huffs. “Digression.”

“Digression.  And that's okay.  I'd be really concerned if you sat there and waited for me all those years.  I didn't do that and neither did you, and that's okay.  But we're with each other now, and I trust that you'd rather have me than some random meaningless sex, right?”

“Correct.”

“Then go out with your friends, loosen up from what seems to have been a very stressful week at school, and just… have fun.  But please, for the love of all things holy and McQueen, please go home alone.”

“You're the best, Kurt.  This is proving a lot harder than I thought it was going to be.”

“You're the one who tells me it's only six months.  Six months is nothing.  Six months is something we eat for breakfast, Anderson.”

Blaine lets his cackle bubble up from his stomach.  “Really, Kurt?  God, I miss you.”

“Me too, honey.  Did you buy your flight for Valentine's?”

Blaine's grateful for the subject change.  “Yeah, did I not email it to you?  I will when I get home.”

“Okay.  Should I make reservations somewhere?  What do you want to do?”

“Honestly, I don't even care.  I just want to love you for the weekend and maybe see Burt and Carole for a few hours or something.  I really need the break.”

“Well, let's stay in.  We can go grocery shopping and get a few movies.  Some dessert.”

“That sounds perfect.  I love you so much.  Always knowing what I need.”

“Mmhmm.  So.”  Kurt pauses for a few seconds, as if he's willing up his courage to ask Blaine something.  “Do you like California?”

Blaine pulls into his driveway and shuts his car off.  He smiles at the phone because he knows exactly what this is.  This is phishing for information because Kurt is such an obsessive planner and the only thing he knows right now about his future is that Blaine will be in it.

“I do… it's definitely a different pace than New York, but San Francisco still has the city feel.  Why ever do you ask, my pretty?”

“Just wondering.  Do they have good coffee there?”

“Are you seeking new franchise locations for The Lima Bean?”

Kurt huffs.  “Shut up.  I know you're on to me.  I know you know what I'm doing.”

“So just come out and say it, then.”  Blaine teases.

Kurt sighs.  “Do you think you'll stay there after graduation?”

“I haven't thought about it yet.  But we can have the serious where-are-we-going-to-live-together conversation if you want to.  Do you want to live out here?”

“We're not doing this now.  In person.  You have homework.”

Blaine groans.  “Don't remind me.”

“Go get it done so you can go out with your friends.  Have you told them about me?”

“They knew about you when we weren't… together, yet; they know some of our history.   And they know I saw you over the holidays.  I'm planning on telling them the details later in response to them making fun of me for not actively seeking someone to sleep with.”

Kurt giggles.  “Not too many details, I will need to look them in the eye over Spring Break, I assume.”

“Not too many details.  I love you, Hummel.”

“Love you too, B.  Careful tonight.”

“Always.  Talk to you later.”  Blaine hangs up with a smile on his face, despite the piles and piles of words he's set to put together in some sort of flow until later when he'll allow a break.

xK&Bx

Kurt hangs up the phone, all of the fake optimism crushing his body like a bag of oxygen that they swear is flowing – even if it's not fully inflated – as the plane plummets directly into the ground.  His facial expression turns dark and twisted and he's concentrating too hard on inhaling and exhaling until breath escapes his lungs.  Microscopic molecules that are so important to the extraction of his lungs seek freedom as they run as far away and out of his body as possible with no intention at all to ever return. 

He retreats upstairs as calmly as possible to the outside world.  He falls, breathless in every sense of the word, onto his bed and shimmies urgently until he's under the covers, hidden from the outside world. 

He's shaking violently, limbs landing wherever they recklessly need.  He's probably warm to the touch but feels like he should have every blanket this side of the Mississippi wrapped around him.  He needs to breathe.  Inhale, exhale, breathe.

It's not that he doesn't trust Blaine.  Trust is a choice and he's conscious of that.  It's just that he hates knowing what type of environment Blaine is going to be in.  It's the type where he's bound to get a lot of attention and Kurt's not sure if he could handle knowing that he can't be there with Blaine.

The panic attack sets heavily in his veins and remains for the night as he plays out the movie in his head of Blaine up against faceless men throughout the city of San Francisco, licking, touching, feeling every inch of their incomparable bodies.  It's all he can do to lie perfectly still until the demon leaves him alone again.  His phone rings; it's perfect timing to be talked off the ledge but he just needs another minute to calm down some.  He watches as it goes to voicemail.

xK&Bx

“So, his father escorted the douche upstairs to pack and get the fuck out and now we're officially back together.  Although I like to think that we were together around Thanksgiving.”  Blaine shrugs and takes the last swig of his beer.

“Whoa.  If that's not a story to tell the grandkids, I don't know what is.”  Steve openly gapes at him, nudging his boyfriend in the ribs.  “Including the lame excuse for a threesome.”

“So Blaine Anderson is no longer a gay bar superstar?”  Jimmy slams his fist down in a mock-fit.  “Dammit!  Who am I going to live through vicariously?”  He grins and pulls Steve in to kiss his temple.  “I love you.”

Steve can only roll his eyes and Blaine laughs, shaking his head.  “Alright.  This is the new, boring me.  I'm going to cut out early.  I don't know why you guys come out all the time when you have each other.”

“Oh come on, Blaine.  Your boyfriend's across the country and if you go home now, you'll just be lonely and lame.  At least we can secretly judge other people here.”

“It's not secret when you stare at them until they look over and then you look away as if they're not going to notice.  I'll be fine; I want to call Kurt again anyway.  I'll see you guys soon.”

They let him go, of course, because Blaine Anderson will never do something he doesn't truly want to do.  He fights his way out and starts walking home as he clicks on Kurt's name for the second time today.

It rings and eventually goes to voicemail but as Blaine is leaving a babbly message about how pathetic and lonely he is, Kurt beeps in and he answers that call instead of finishing whatever he was saying.

“Hey baby.  Did I wake you?”

“Can't sleep.  You're done with the club already?”

“Walking home now.  Would you believe me if I told you it was boring?  Jimmy and Steve really want to meet you though.  They're convinced that you must be pretty great if you can sway me out of my, quote, gay bar superstar ways.  I don't understand why they go out if they have each other here all the time, it just… defeats the purpose.  I'm not gonna go anymore, it's stupid and makes me feel super lonely.”

“I'm so sad without you here, B.” 

“Ah ha, I knew there was something wrong.  You actually let me ramble.”

“I miss you.”

“Didn't you just say that we eat six months for breakfast, pretty?  Stay strong for me.  Valentine's Day is only like two weeks away.”

“That doesn't mean I can't miss you!”

“No, of course not.  I know; I miss you too.  We're failing to see the light at the end of the tunnel, though.”

“It's so pathetic.  I'm in my mid-to-almost-late thirties and I'm pining over you like you're just a high school crush.  I just feel, Blaine I'm just…” He sighs, clearly at a loss for words.

“I know.  You're breaking my heart, babe.  Hey, at least we have a tangible prize at the end of this, you know?  I understand how you're feeling, I do.  But we have to get through it because the rest of our lives together will be nothing but butterflies and rainbows.”  Blaine hears the sniffle on the other end and it breaks his heart that he can't be there to throw his arms around Kurt right then and now, squeezing the lot of his depression directly out of him.  “It hurts, how much I love you, you know, and you're killing me being this sad when there's nothing I can do about it.  There is actual pain.  Heartstrings are tethering.” 

“I'm waiting for you, I promise.”  Kurt continues as if Blaine never spoke at all.  “But I'm so… broken, Blaine, and I don't know if there's any other way to fix it besides being with you physically.”

“Then come be with me, Kurt.  If you truly think that's the only way to make you better, I will get you on the next fucking flight, I swear I will, because I need you to be okay so I can love you and be next to you until we die.  But baby, that's not really the only way to help you heal, is it?”

“No.  It's irrational.  I need to grow up and I need to be here for myself before someone else can be depended on like that.”

“You're going through a low right now, but you're allowed to seek help from me or anyone else.  You know who else would listen?  Your dad, Carole, Santana, Willa… that therapist you made the appointment with and never showed?”

“Don't want anyone else.”

Blaine sighs.  “I know.”  He unlocks his door and lets himself inside.  “Kurt, can you just… promise me one thing?”  He can't help but think this way, not since he found the note at Thanksgiving that has been branded inside the wrinkles of his brain ever since.

“What?”

“Please don't let your lows get so low that you try to take your own life?  If you ever feel like you want to, you need to call me or someone and we'll help you stop thinking that way.  I told you this already, and maybe it's super selfish to say again right now but I really can't do this without you.”

“Elaborate on ‘this.'”

“Life.  School.  I'd never be able to face your family.  I'd never be able to face myself, knowing that you were mine and I didn't see the signs.  Life without you is miserable and I can't imagine how much worse it would be with you gone… permanently.  I don't want to think about it.  I can't.  The only thing that kept me going for two years after I left is the possibility of a reconciliation or whatever.”

“I won't ever do that to you, B.  I had nothing to live for back then.  Now, I have everything.”

Blaine smiles.  “Me too, pretty.”

“I'm sorry, honey.  I'm gonna let you get some sleep.”

“No!”  Blaine clears his throat.  “I mean it's okay.  It's early still.  Why don't I stay on the phone with you until you fall asleep? Is Jules opening tomorrow?”

“Yeah.”

“Awesome.  Make sure to turn your alarm off and just… lie with me.  Okay?”

“Okay.  Thank you.”

“Come on, I can tell you're not nearly as ready for bed as you should be.  Strip down, you beautiful fucking creature, and get in bed.  I'm jealous you get to see your body right now and I don't.”

Kurt breathes out a giggle.  “Okay, okay.  Hang on.” 

Blaine listens to Kurt put the phone down as he seemingly strips.  It takes all of him to not touch himself right now in the middle of his living room.

“Back.”

“Those three words are said too much.
They're not enough.”

Kurt laughs softly.  “Blaine, what are you doing?”

“Singing my hubby a lullaby.  Now shut up and appreciate me.”

“If I lay here
If I just lay here
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?

Forget what we're told
Before Kurt gets too old
Show me a garden that's bursting into life.”

Blaine can hear a delicate giggle and he continues to sing although it's got to be clear to Kurt that he's grinning.

“All that I am
All that I ever was
Is here in your perfect eyes, they're all I can see

I don't know where
Confused about how as well
Just know that these things will never change for us at all”

“Love you, miss you.”

“Me too, pretty boy.  Call me when you get up, okay?  Six months then forever.”

“Six months.”

They hang up together and stare at the ceiling as if they are in the same room.  They fall asleep separately but as together as they've ever been.

xK&Bx

Two weeks is only fourteen days and for this, Kurt is grateful.  February thirteenth at two fifty-nine couldn't come quicker, and it feels like fourteen years later when it's finally the day to start his journey to the airport to pick up his one and only.

Blaine calls from the other side to let him know they're boarding and that he'll be in Kurt's arms in less than seven hours.  Seven hours is good; Kurt can deal with seven hours.

“Meet me at baggage claim, okay?”

“I'll be there.  Safe travels, honey.”

“Always.  I love you.”

“Love you.”

They hang up and Kurt wills himself not to stare at the clock until it's time to go.  He should leave at three, as Blaine's plane gets in at five, but he's completely useless and vibrating from excitement so much so that Julie eventually pushes him out the door with a large coffee, telling him to head down to Columbus now instead of in three and a half hours. 

He finds himself pacing up and down through two luggage carousels exactly two hours later, clicking for the time on his phone every four minutes.  He sits for a half hour then paces again.  He leaves the airport to find some food then comes back just as Blaine's flight appears on the screen in the arrivals terminal.  The status – in flight – is not what he wants to see and he stares it down until it's changed to arrived.  He stops in his tracks when he realizes it's changed and promptly finds the door that Blaine and his plane-mates will be coming from, just as his phone buzzes in his pocket.

“You're here!”

“Duh.  So you know how I can never sleep on planes?”

Kurt nods enthusiastically at the phone.  It's true; Blaine can only sleep when it's quiet and pitch black.  “Yeah?”

“Well, neither could the little girl next to me.  Kurt, I just got schooled on the history of One Direction by her and her sister.”

“Hmmm, B, as much as I think it's adorable that you were two little girls' entertainment all the way from the west coast, do you think maybe you can hurry up downstairs so I can shamelessly make out with your mouth?”

“Oh, only good for my mouth.”

“You're setting yourself up for a dirty, dirty joke right now.  Are you walking?”

“I promise as soon as they open the door to the airplane, I will be sprinting.  Until then, I'm going to go talk to little Valerie who appreciates me.”  He laughs on the phone but Kurt can just imagine his flirty little smile toward the girl.  Blaine really doesn't understand how appealing he is to anyone with eyes.

Kurt sighs.  “I'm so excited you're here.”

“Mmm, shhh.  Don't say that!  We won't have anything to talk about on the way home.”

Kurt laughs.  “Shut up.  Walking yet?”

“Kurt.”

“Run like the wind, Tiny Tim.”

Blaine laughs recklessly and then there's a shuffle.  “They're about to let us out, babe.  See you in a minute?  I just have to pee.”

“Hurry.  I'll be here.”  Kurt sits in a chair nearest the door, anxiously waiting to see Blaine's face, hanging up the phone and flipping it over and over between his fingers.  Finally, finally he locks eyes with Blaine, who has an armful of lavender roses and two little girls following and watching his every move.  He smiles to split his face open and turns to say bye to the little girls.  He picks up in a jog the rest of the way and smashes his body into Kurt's, dropping the flowers and his messenger bag to hug him.

“Oh, baby.  You look so good.”

“You do!  God, Blaine.”  Kurt grins and connects his mouth to Blaine's for a lengthy kiss.  “I missed you too much.  Unhealthy as fuck.”

“Whatever, we can be disgusting together.”  Blaine kisses him this time, harder and with more meaning than the last one.  He only breaks it to say, “Can we go home?  Need you in our bed.”

“That's all we're gonna do this weekend.”  Blaine bends to pick up the flowers and offers them to Kurt with an eye roll and a grin.  They head over, hand in hand, to the twirling luggage as they wait for Blaine's bag.

“No.  I mean, yes.  But I wanna go see Burt and Carole, too.  Can we do that?  Friday night dinner?”

“You just saw them.”

“So?  I love them.”

“You love me.”

“I love you, Kurt.”  Blaine grins at Kurt and blows a raspberry on his cheek as the luggage starts to be haphazardly thrown down the shoot and people gather, pushing their way to the front.  He keeps his eyes on the moving belt and continues to talk.  “But I love them too, and I wanna see them just for a few hours.  I don't need a lot of time.”

“A lot of time for what?”

“What?”

Kurt stares at him.  “Nevermind.  Did you use your regular bag?”

“Yeah.  The black Tumi.”

“How original.”

“Shut it, Hummel.”

Kurt grins and lets Blaine take him roughly around the waist, pulling him in close.  They wait patiently, Kurt's eyes on the belt and Blaine's mouth on Kurt's neck.  The bag handlers could take their sweet time.  Neither Blaine nor Kurt needs to be anywhere but right here with each other.

xK&Bx

Blaine's eyes linger to Kurt's backside as he extends the muscles in his arms and back to slam the trunk shut after they've placed Blaine's things there.  “God, baby.  Your body is incredible.  Can't believe all of this is for me.”

“Better believe it.  Get in the car.”

Blaine yawns and rolls his eyes before opening the passenger side door and climbing in.  He buckles his seatbelt and plugs his phone in to charge and play music.  “Julie texted me.”

“Oh, God.  Ignore everything that girl has to say about me today.”

He blinks.  “Why…?”

“Ugh.”  Kurt rolls his eyes as he starts to drive.  “I was really excited that you were coming home and I just… couldn't concentrate after I knew you were on your way and she kicked me out of the coffee shop and told me to come to the airport early.  I may have been waiting for you for the majority of your flight.”

Blaine's heart does a back flip.  “Awww, pretty.  Couldn't concentrate without me?”

“No sir, but don't let it go to your head.  It's only because of the long distance factor.  I wouldn't have been so excited if we saw each other all the time.”

“I was always really excited to come home from school and meet up with you when we lived together!  Here and in New York.”

“So I'm better than school.  Both schools of which you hated.”  Kurt deadpans and it almost sounds serious.  Blaine has to look over at Kurt again to confirm it's a joke.  Thankfully, it is.

“Shut it before I have to shut it for you.”

“Want to?  I can pull over.”  Kurt bites his lip.

“God.  Drive faster.”

xK&Bx

“Jesus, Blaine.  How are you so-ooh, good at that?”  Kurt's breath stutters and he's not sure he'll be breathing at all by the end of this.

“Don't think you want me…”  Blaine sinks the rest of the way down atop Kurt's cock.  “…to ans-answer that right now.  Fuck, shit.  Kurt, you're so big.”

“Move when you're ready.  So tight.”

“Mmmm, shit.  It's been so long.”  Blaine rises up and slams back down, impaling himself on Kurt's cock hard and fast.

It shakes Kurt to his core; the sensation feels like home as Blaine gathers himself at the edge of a rhythm, clearly pushing them both to the end of the earth.  Kurt follows, as per usual.  He'll always be right there with him. 

Blaine continues to bounce, speeding up when it's necessary and rutting in a circle every few thrusts.  Kurt starts to meet him in the middle, forcing the little uh uh uh's out of Blaine that Kurt loves more than any other sound ever, and he decides right then and there that he prefers this position above all others.  His Blaine truly looks like a porn star and it's taking everything in Kurt to not come like a teenager this second.

Kurt finds and holds Blaine's palms flat against Kurt's heart.  They're using his chest as leverage to lift Blaine up and over again and again.  It's a hell of an angle and possibly the deepest Kurt's ever been; words are not computing as Blaine's legs seem to go weak and he collapses against Kurt, and he shakes and shoots all over them both without being stroked at all.

Still pleasantly snuggled within Blaine, Kurt thrashes his head back against the headboard as his legs shake and tighten.  He screams Blaine's name and is effectively out of breath and being smothered by Blaine's body.  These are his favorite moments with his boyfriend.

“Kurt.”

“Hi.”

“Mmmm, my Kurt.”  Blaine rolls off of him and nuzzles his head into Kurt's neck.  “Can't wait 'til forever.”

It hits Kurt then.  Forever means forever.  There's no going back on that word; there's no reason for him to want to.  For the first time since he's known Blaine, he thoroughly understands just what forever means, and for the first time in his life, he thinks of forever as something one-hundred-percent positive.

Blaine continues, probably aware of Kurt's internal tangent.  “Good for you?”

“The best.”

“Need anything?”

“Just forever, B.  Give me forever.”

“Sold.”

xK&Bx

The warmth of the space next to him on the mattress is comforting, a temperature he would never be able to mimic on his own.  Kurt rolls onto his back and strains his ears to hear whatever must be happening wherever Blaine has ventured to.

He takes this moment alone to really revel in last night and flail about their undeniable connection.  He officially couldn't be happier with Blaine and he thanks his lucky stars that Blaine was still there to take him back, regardless of all the resistance.  Up until this moment, Kurt has never believed in the fact that he deserves a happy ending as much as he wants one.  He knows, now more than ever, that the long distance that's between him and Blaine may be difficult right now but it is strengthening their relationship for the long run.  He's content with the realization and is excited to see them learn and grow even more from everything they go through together.

He digs a fresh pair of sweatpants and a tee out of Blaine's suitcase and shuffles to the kitchen, where there are three empty grocery bags, the sizzle of a pan frying eggs, and Blaine keeping an eye while sipping coffee from downstairs.

“People from the west coast are supposed to sleep late.  It's so early in your head.”

Blaine jumps out of his trance at the sound of Kurt's voice and looks up to smile at him.  “Good morning, Valentine.”

“Good morning, baby boyfriend.”  Kurt grins and approaches him, hugging him around his waist.  “Sleep well?”

“Always with you.”

“Me too.”

“Okay.  I'm sorry, pretty.  I can't do this anymore!”  Blaine pulls away from Kurt and Kurt is terrified. 

“What?”

“We were a mush-fest last night and that's great, we haven't seen each other in a few weeks and I secretly love when we're all lovey-dovey sometimes.  But then!  Then, this morning, it's just a continuation, and I get that today is Love Day or whatever the fuck, it's supposed to be mushy and full of cotton candy and rainbows and sweet kisses on the lips and snookums and chocolate and breakfast in bed and puppies and all that bullshit.  And I love you, I love you so much it hurts and you know that.  Must we be all… lovey, though?”

Kurt laughs, thoroughly relieved that it's just that.  “You are the most romantic.”

Blaine joins him in laughing and pinches at Kurt's hip.  “Seriously.  That was gross.  I was beginning to lose my faith in just how meant to be we are for each other.”

“You can still feed me though.  It is a special occasion.”

“Whatever, it's just February fourteenth.”

“I'm still hungry on February fourteenth.”

“Sit, pretty.  This was already for you.”

“Mmmhmm, whipped.”

“Just love you.”

“Good enough.”  Kurt smiles and heads back into the bedroom to get his laptop.  He sits at the kitchen table and checks his emails in silence as Blaine finishes their breakfast, and it's easily straight back to the domestic ways of their past, tailored to their future.

xK&Bx

Valentine's Day is spent gloriously together, finally in person, perfectly perfect with a few movies and another trip to the grocery store.  They choose only the best ingredients for the best meal and the night is spent in love and lust of two people who are committed to each other until the end of time.  With the time they've given themselves, they quickly relearn bodies by caressing every inch and then touching again just to make sure. 

Now, they are cuddled in bed again, bellies full and bodies completely sated from multiple orgasms.  Blaine is aimlessly brushing his knuckles against Kurt's collarbone and Kurt is breathing evenly, safest as he's ever been in Blaine's arms.

Kurt feels the need to say something, if only just to make sure his words are working.  “Today was seriously perfect.”

“It was.  I love you doesn't even seem like enough right now.”

“Know what you mean.”

“But I do.  Love you.  And something more that I have yet to figure out.”

“I something more you, B.”

Blaine grins, like Kurt personally hung the sun in his world.  “You still give me that feeling, you know.  Like everything is new with you.  I think you'll give me butterflies until the day I die.”

“I'm really old, though.  Nothing can be new…”

“Yeah, but-” Blaine's laugh explodes out of him as Kurt whips a pillow out from under him and smothers him in the face with it. 

Kurt stops and catches Blaine's mouth with his as they make out shamelessly for a few minutes.  “Go to sleep, babe.”

“Goodnight, Kurt.  I love you, old man.”

“Love you too, Tiny.”

xK&Bx

Good Will Hunting is on the television and Burt is clearly hanging onto every word in the dialogue.  Blaine's not so much watching the movie as he's watching Burt's reactions to the movie, mainly because it's a film all about someone who just needs to be saved by someone who could appreciate his talents.  Blaine feels like he's Matt Damon and Burt is Robin Williams, and somehow they get to the end of the story where all is about to be right in the world.  The characters in the movie are just about to figure out that Matt Damon is God's gift when Blaine realizes that the thing he needs to ask Burt is way more important than a rerun of a movie in syndication on basic cable.  He interrupts. 

“Burt.”

Blaine turns his head behind him and glances into the kitchen.  Kurt and Carole are hunched over the stove, working on something that looks far too complicated for Blaine and Burt to even attempt to be involved in.  Everyone's distracted.  This is a good thing.  He takes the little black box out of his pocket.  “Don't freak out.  Keep your voice low and just… listen to me.”  He keeps his eyes on Burt and slides the box across the coffee table. 

This catches Burt's attention and he takes it, opening it and shooting up out of his recliner.  “Blaine!”

“Shhhhhhh!  God, shut up!”  Blaine keeps his voice in a whisper; his eyes dart to the kitchen to see if Kurt or Carole has noticed Burt's outburst.

Kurt catches his eye looking directly at him and walks toward them.  “Everything okay in there?”

“Yeah, yeah.  I flicked my water bottle at your father because he was dozing off.”

Kurt laughs.  “He's gonna get you back so bad one day.”

“Yeah, I am.”  Burt sits back down.  “Like getting Kurt out of my hair for good.”  He mumbles.

Blaine huffs and rolls his eyes fondly.  “You don't have any hair.”

Kurt shakes his head and goes back to the kitchen, jumping right back into vigorously mixing until Carole tells him to stop.

“What?”  Burt pats the top of his head in a mockery of shock.

Blaine arches an eyebrow and waits patiently until Burt's done laughing at his own joke.

Kurt's dad eventually sits down, staring at the ring for a full minute before saying anything.  Blaine shifts on the couch, nervous from the silence.

“This is what I think it is?”

“What do you think it is?”

“You two are gonna get married?”

“If he wants to, I guess we are.  I bought this ring about six months before we broke up in New York.  I thought that I'd be able to propose and then transfer to San Francisco and he would just be fine with it.  The more I thought it over, the less fair that seemed so I… held onto it in hopes that we'd be in this position again.”

“Uh huh…  And are you in that position again?  It's only been a few weeks.”

“I know that, and I'm not going to ask him right away.  But I wasn't sure if I was going to see you again before I would want to, and it's really important that I have your blessing for this.  I know you know I love him, I'd do absolutely anything for him, and I know we'll be together forever now that we've both, umm… matured a little bit.  I love him and I want to wake up to him every single day of the rest of my life, Burt.  Give me the green light to do that.”

“When have you ever waited for the green light to sleep in his bed, Blaine?  You've been doing that, without permission, since you were seventeen.”

“Yep.  Since he was thirty-one.”  Blaine raises an eyebrow as a challenge.

Burt laughs it off.  “You're a lot younger than him, buddy.  Are you ready for the commitment?”

“Ready or not, it's here.  Even without proposing, we're entirely committed to each other.  I feel like the engagement is just an inevitability.”

“And the marriage?”

“I'm sure it'll be a struggle sometimes.  I know you've heard about some of our arguments or whatever, but I'm prepared to go through the ups and downs with him… for him.  I think we both finally understand what it should feel like versus what we want it to be like.  We've grown up a lot during that time we spent apart.  I think that breakup is what's going to make us last.”

Blaine looks up at Burt who has tears in his eyes.  He smiles and looks down at his hands, entwined with each other and sweating nervously. 

Burt hands the ring back to Blaine, who secures it in his pocket.  Burt watches him and says, “My answer is yes.  It was always yes, but to hear you say all that to me, I can only imagine what's gonna go through his head when you're doing it for real.  Carole and I will always support our boys in anything you decide.  Got that, kid?”

Blaine nods.  “Thank you.  Thank you so much for everything, seriously.”

Burt stands up.  “Come here.”  He pulls Blaine up and into his arms.  They latch onto each other and step away in an acceptable amount of time.  “I would say welcome to the family, but that conversation was six years ago.  So congratulations on the continuation.” 

Blaine laughs and shakes his head.  “Thanks.”

His eyes find Kurt, who's been watching them with a quizzical look on his face.

“I have to go manage damage control, thanks to your outburst.”

Burt laughs and pats him on the back.  “Good luck with that.”

Blaine grins and enters the kitchen.  “Hey.  Can I help?”

“What was that all about?  Have you really reduced my father to tears?”

Blaine shrugs.  “He said he's proud of me for graduation.  I don't know.  Graduation isn't for a few months, I think he's crazy.”

“We all are, honey.”  Carole chimes in and turns her head to smile at him.  She promptly goes back to stirring.

Blaine laughs.  “Proud or crazy?”

“Touché.”  Kurt rolls his eyes fondly and checks the pot on the stove. 

“What are you guys making, anyway?  It smells really good.”  Blaine props his head on his hands and stares at Kurt's backside as he reaches up and over Carole for some spices on the other end of the counter.  He's rather shameless about looking.

“Stop objectifying my son, Anderson.”  Burt strolls into the kitchen and sucks at a water bottle before nestling his body next to Carole's as she stirs and stirs.

“Oh my God.  Kurt, I wasn't…” Blaine throws his hands up in defense, blushing from being caught.

Kurt only turns his shoulders to look at him and smirk.  “Shrimp, mussel, and clams in fra diavolo over linguine and antipasti salad.”

“Whoa, ambitious.”  Blaine stands up and twirls Kurt as though they're going to start slow dancing.  “Do you have experience in the workings of a fra diavolo sauce, though?  I'm not so sure you're qualified for the job.”

“Of all of us, I am the most qualified.  So shut up and let me go before I burn it.”

“I do love you, you know.”

“I do know that your conversation with Big Burt over here was not about graduation… you know.”

“Damn, you're good.”  Blaine kisses him quick and lets him go for the sake of the cooking.  He could never lie to Kurt, not really.  He's sure that Kurt knows something is up and he probably won't stop until he figures it out.  Blaine needs a quick fix.

The banter continues through dinner, whipping itself in between each member of the family comfortably.  They all enjoy their time together, especially since it's a rarity with Blaine clear across the country most of the time.

When the meal has been cleared and Burt's retreated to the couch again, Carole follows and Blaine sticks around to help Kurt with the dishes.  Kurt washes and Blaine dries in complete, comfortable silence for the entire time it takes the sink to empty.  Blaine puts the last of the dishes in their appropriate spot and smiles at Kurt.

“What?”  Kurt looks at him, seemingly weary of what Blaine is thinking.

“Nothing, I prefer when we can spend time together in person.  I hate not being able to see you when I tell you about my day.”

Kurt scrunches his nose and brushes his fingertips along Blaine's arm so soft that he shivers.  “I hate that you can only be here for a long weekend.”

“We have two weeks for Spring Break.”  And it doesn't make it better that the right now is so compacted and short.  Really, Blaine is only off from school for one week but there's no reason why Kurt couldn't stay while Blaine has classes, so they booked the flight for an extended stay.

“That's still a month away, though.”

“One day at a time, pretty.  We're almost halfway out of the six month thing already.”  Blaine smiles and brings his lips to meet Kurt's in a light kiss that barely touches but means everything.

“Okay!”  Kurt claps once and smiles.  “Let's talk about something else.  What do you want to do for the rest of your time here?”

“Really, Kurt?  That's your subject change?  You damn well know exactly what I want to do for the rest of my time here with you.”

“Besides that!  Want to crack open a bottle and stay here tonight or do you want to go back to the Bean?”

“Can we drink but at the apartment?”

“Being drunk slows down your sperm count, B.”

“Good thing we're not trying to get pregnant.  Come on, baby.  I think I'll be able to keep it up.  Can you?”  There's a glint in his eye, a teasing quality that he only has when he's being himself around Kurt.

“Honestly?”  Kurt laughs and playfully backhands Blaine's chest.  “I'm really not sure.  But I can have a glass of something?”

“Okay.  I just wanna say bye to the parentals.”  He starts to walk toward the living room and into the hallway.

“I wasn't going to just leave, Blaine.”  Kurt laughs and shakes his head as he follows him through into the area where his parents are sitting and most certainly not eavesdropping.

When Blaine turns to face Carole, she has tears in her eyes and she's bright red from clearly holding in her emotions.  Burt must have told her.  “Carole.”  He says, by way of warning as Kurt creeps up behind him.

“Carole?  Oh my God, are you okay?  What's wrong?”

Carole snaps out of it and stares at Kurt.  “Nothing, honey.  I'm just overcome by my motherly emotions.  That's all.”

“Okay… what does that mean?”  Kurt squints his eyes at her and then looks at Blaine for help.  Blaine shrugs his shoulders and most definitely does not meet Kurt's eye.  He'll totally be able to tell.   

“I'm just so happy two of my boys are back and you're together and in love and it melts my heart.  I'm very proud of you both.”

“What's going on?  First Burt cries and grabs you in a very tight and uncomfortable hug and then Carole's sitting here sobbing with a Golden Girls repeat.  Blaine?”

“Huh?”

“Blaine.  I loathe surprises, as you know, so if you have something to ask me on this Valentine's weekend, then just ask me.”

“Stop being crazy.  Are we going or not?”

Kurt's eyes remain on Blaine to the point where he does actually get uneasy from it.  “Kurt.  Stop!  You're freaking me out.”

“I hate surprises.  I have this irrational fear that I won't show enough emotion or too much and I'll be judged for not appreciating it enough or whatever, whatever the surprise may be.  Whatever gift you have for me that's turning my parents into wet seals… oh my god.  Wait.”

Carole gasps and jumps up as if it's happening now.  Blaine just looks around to each of them.  “What?”

“What?”

Blaine rolls his eyes.  “Can we go now, pretty?”

The stress leaves Kurt's shoulders as he nods his affirmation.  “Yeah.  Bye, Dad.  Bye, Carole.  Love you guys.” 

Blaine watches as Kurt gives them tight hugs and then he steps into the place where Kurt's not and whispers in Carole's ear.  “Not yet.”  He moves to Burt and whispers.  “Don't ruin this.”  He steps back and smiles at them both.  “I'll see you before I leave.”

“Bye, boys.”  Carole grins at them and Blaine rolls his eyes.  He reaches out for Kurt's hand and they leave without another word.

Keeping a grand proposal from Kurt is going to be a lot harder than Blaine had ever expected.