August 12 2017

Kurt sensed there was something off with Blaine. Usually he was always excited for the Central Park Summer concert and wouldn't shut up about it weeks in advance. Of course - Blaine had been on the stage the past two years and with that a lot of nerves were involved. This year they were simply spectators again, standing at the front and waiting for the concert to begin.

Blaine was shifting his weight from one leg to the other, keeping his arms around Kurt's waist. The past weeks Blaine had been going back and forth between applying for trainee-ships and was barely home during the day.

To be honest - it scared Kurt a lot.

He had landed his first ensemble and understudy role, and was working a lot himself, but like always he expected to come home to his boyfriend playing music.

And the house had been silent.

"You okay, baby?" he asked over his shoulder and Blaine nodded too frantically. "Does it feel weird? Standing here instead of there?" He felt him shrug. Truthfully - Kurt couldn't be happier to resume their thing together and alone. Because the past years he had been juggling friends, family, in-laws - every summer concert was a new challenge and on top of that he had a nervous Blaine to calm down before it began.

But now they were together again, in each other's arms and swaying from side to side. This was their thing. And Blaine was hiding something.

"You can talk to me." Kurt said hushed, almost wishing Blaine couldn't hear him.

"What?" Blaine asked almost shocked. "Yeah, yeah, I know, I know." A kiss was pressed against his neck. "It's been a long summer, that's all."

"Did - did the last talk to wrong?" Kurt didn't even know why he was asking this now. Blaine had been in talks with an orchestra for weeks now and he always was optimistic about his chances. They really wanted him.

"No, it went perfectly."

Kurt couldn't handle talking into the necks of other people in the crowd and turned himself around in Blaine's arms. Almost frightened he looked into Blaine's eyes - who were definitely hiding something big.

"You can tell me anything." he said, scaring himself.

"Kurt -"

"I know you, I know something is... off. Why aren't you playing music -"

In the middle of his sentence the announcer asked for attention and Kurt was quickly turned back around.

"Let's just enjoy the concert, okay?" Blaine whispered in his ear. "Just... wait."

Wait? Kurt thought, but the opening number started to play and soon he was captivated in the cellist's solo. Blaine had taught him a lot about music, and Kurt taught him things in return, it was their deal to understand each other fully. To never underestimate the work they did, how important every little step was -  why Blaine sometimes went to the local school to teach little children even though that was not his major and why Kurt needed to see a show more than once to capture the essence of the play.

They wanted to complete each other.

The musical pieces flowed into each other and Juilliard students showed their best to the audience. As every year it was completely mesmerizing and when another conductor stepped onto his platform, Blaine tightened his grip a little.

"Hey - that's Pierce!" Kurt said, recognizing Blaine's personal mentor. "I didn't know he was conducting tonight -" Again he was cut off by the announcer, but he didn't hear a title of the piece as it wasn't mentioned.

Soft strings filled the huge space of park. The melody felt oddly familiar and Kurt was immediately connected with the music, something that only happened with Blaine's music - oh. He gasped noiselessly when the music turned into a piece Kurt knew very well, too well even. He knew where the notes were placed on sheets, he saw them often enough, long enough for even him to remember the song by heart. It was his theme. The theme Blaine composed when they weren't together yet.

It was a sweet and hopeful melody, and the version that was being played had a romantic twist. Why were they playing Blaine's music when he wasn't even part of the concert?

The theme was combined with other works by Blaine, all inspired by Kurt. It was a gigantic Blaine Medley, played in front of hundreds of musical lovers that night in Central Park.

There was no doubt this was a work composed by Blaine, but he had never mentioned anything the past weeks and usually whenever he had a concert Kurt would know every little detail about it.

He was so deep in the piece that he didn't even notice it end. As soon as the last notes were played, every single person part of the orchestra stood on their feet - but not to bow. There were staring with hopeful glares at the audience, not demanding any kind of applause and Kurt wanted to turn to Blaine to ask what was going on, only to find Blaine no longer holding him.

Instead Blaine was next to him, kneeling on the grass and holding up a small velvet box in one hand. He was positively panting, swallowing away excess saliva and stared up with a mix of fright, guilt and hope in his eyes.

Kurt finally connected the dots and raised his hands to cover his mouth before he would say something stupid to ruin the moment.

"Kurt." Blaine started, shifting on his knee to get a better grip. He looked like he had an entire speech made up in his head and it was refusing to come out. The entire audience was dead silent, as if they knew something was going on and Kurt felt strangely put on the spot.

He already started to nod. Nodding to say yes, nodding to encourage Blaine to go on.

"You're the love of my life. My muse. My everything."

Ask me, go on, ask me. Kurt screamed internally and watched Blaine open the box. Inside there was no flashy ring, no diamond worth a grand - but a single silver band with three peach-colored diamonds. It was absolutely perfect.

"Will you marry me?" Blaine choked out.

Kurt removed his hand to free his mouth, whispering softly as he didn't trust his voice. "Yes."

Blaine's face broke into a huge smile, tears were welling up in the corners in his eyes and as he took the ring from the box, a load uproar came from the stage as the entire orchestra neglected their instruments to cheer for their friend and colleague.

"Ladies and gentlemen," the announcer echoed over the field, "a round of applause for future husbands, Blaine and Kurt!"

And as everybody loves an engagement - all the people surrounding them gave the pair an applause that died slowly when a new musical piece started.

After placing the ring on Kurt's finger, Blaine was back on his feet, crashing their lips together and Kurt could feel the pressure slip out of his fiancé's body.

For the entire following piece they kissed. Their lips slid together with the practice of years and Kurt was mentally trying to push back thoughts of calling his dad, Nancy and all remaining friends and family. He wanted it to be just Kurt and Blaine for now.

Hand in hand they walked home after the concert, as their apartment was so close to Central Park they would be able to hear the concert from their balcony. Blaine was playfully feeling the ring around his finger, turning it and then holding their hands up to see it again.

"Were you really that nervous for tonight?" Kurt chuckled. "Afraid I'd say no?"

"You're always afraid the other one says no when you're proposing." Blaine countered, but it wasn't the entire truth. "Actually I was mostly scared you'd beat me to it."

"Beat you to what?"

"Proposing." Blaine clacked his tongue. "Just like when I wanted to ask you to live together -"

Kurt rolled his eyes. Blaine had been fussing himself up to that moment to a level Kurt couldn't take it anymore and asked him instead.

"You were kind of crystal clear about that, your music tells books. I had no clue you were proposing -" Kurt froze in the middle of the sidewalk and a smile crept up his face. "Which is why... you weren't playing half of the summer."

Blaine looked away shyly, totally busted.

"I was really scared, okay? I really wanted to do this."

"And you did."

They continued to walk.

"So when can I give you my ring?" Kurt asked, biting his lip.

Blaine frowned. "Your ring?"

"Well," Kurt beamed, "you were afraid I would beat you to it and to be honest, you beat me." Again they stopped, Blaine staring at Kurt with wide eyes. "Actually, you beat me by a few hours. Although I hadn't planned an entire orchestra to serenade -"

Blaine cut him off by kissing him. "You were - ?"

"Proposing, after the concert." Kurt nodded. "The ring in is my vanity, I was going to ask you."

"Yes."

Kurt barked out a laugh. "Well, duh, just - just say yes again when I present you the ring, okay?"

"Yes." And Blaine said it again later that night, and again in the morning. Yes every day - until he said I do.