“Oh hi there, I was so hoping to see you in here again sometime soon-”

The kind elderly lady with grey wispy hair pulled back into a net wrap and a strong British accent- that Kurt had spoken with a few weeks prior- says rather happily. She shuffles out from behind the counter towards Kurt and Blaine when they first enter the shop, patting her flour smudged hands over her powder blue apron.

Kurt grins brightly, his fingers squeezing tighter around Blaine's of their own accord, tugging him forward excitingly.  

“And I hope that this is who I think it is,” She continues, regarding Blaine warmly, “And that you're both here because of why I think you both might be here.” She adds gesturing between the two of them, her face bright and open, and her arms spread out wide like she wants to pull them both into a warm hug.

Kurt giggles a bit, nodding and holding up his left hand which is clinging to Blaine's right, his engagement ring- a simple platinum band sparkling under the ceiling lights and the spotlights from the clear counter display case.

Blaine beams at Kurt and then looks to Mrs Ray of Sunshine, blushing a little (Kurt still loves how Mr Shy Guy stills comes out at times) and holds out his left hand towards the lady in greeting.

“It's lovely to meet you. And thank you for that cheesecake, it was superb.” He says, his cheeks pinking and his smile stretching to reach his almost squinting eyes.

The little old dear blushes right back, laughs and coughs behind her hand and accepts Blaine's hand, noticing his own little sparkler sitting proudly on his ring finger while they shake.

“Oh well I was hoping I can make you something better this time. Maybe a raspberry jam sponge, couple of layers, with a couple of figurines all dressed up, standing on top?” She asks, her eyes twinkling and Kurt is thankful that the shop is empty right now.

He wouldn't want to tear up and get all emotional in front of a shop full of hungry sweet tooth's, but what a wonderful, endearing and heartening woman this lady is.

“That sounds, perfect.” Kurt manages to say as steady as possible, whilst Blaine rubs his shoulder.

“Ooooh, yes.” The lady squeals, clapping her hands together. “Come on now, tell me, how did it happen?”

*

Usually an anniversary is of the date of a relationship or something that became official and then on after.

For Kurt and Blaine it was the day that they met. That same night, after hours of lovemaking, laughing and endless talking, discussing their plans for dates and trips and numerous random subjects- drifting asleep with Blaine in his arms was a feeling that Kurt would never forget. For Kurt, that is as official as it gets in his eyes.  

“Blaine, you home?” Kurt calls out, closing the front door behind him as he slowly enters the little entrance porch of their shared London townhouse.

“Yeah babe. In the dining room.” Blaine answers almost instantly, muffled from behind a door down the hallway, his voice a little unsteady like he's just ran a marathon or something, but Kurt knows he had plans to do some sparring after work today.

Kurt toes off his shoes, drapes his jacket over a stool and pops his sunglasses on top, all while still carefully holding the box in his hands and just fumbles around in the little entrance hall for a little bit, tidying the scattered paired of shoes into a neat row- some would call it procrastinating, Kurt calls it effectively waiting.

When he thinks he's spent enough time turning about in circles in the little room, and that Blaine could come out and find him at anytime and ask what the hell he is doing, Kurt makes his way into the main hallway- that delicate white box still clutched tightly in his white knuckled grasp, he loosens the grip of his fingers slightly, worried about the contents.

The hallway is small and dark with wooden furnishings and bright paintings and happy smiley photographs pinned and propped to every available surface. There are four doors in the hallway, one leading to the newly tiled downstairs guest bathroom, and the others leading to the kitchen, living room and dining room-where Blaine is still hiding behind.

Their home is an old building-newly renovated based in the plush Kensington area of London. It's a gorgeous place with a short easy access to Kensington Gardens- which Kurt takes full advantage of during his commute to and from work, on nice days such as today.

When Kurt had first moved to London all those years ago, he never would have dreamed that he would be living somewhere like this, but then again he never would have dreamed that he would have met and started such an amazing loving relationship with Blaine-his home away from home. 

The townhouse is rather spacious with large rooms downstairs to entertain in, a winding carpeted staircase situated in the far corner of the living room and too many bedrooms and bathrooms for just the two of them- and again something that neither man no matter how hard working and successful they had become thought they could ever afford. 

Blaine's lease for his old place -just a few streets away from Kurt's old flat- was up and ready for renewal last year around the same time that he had been offered a new, bigger and better contract with a different London based Theatre Company. It was for another Musical fresh from Broadway that needed produced and nursed to thrive and boom on the West End. Blaine had been offered and had then accepted the chance straight away.

Also around the same time, Kurt had just been head hunted and promoted to senior freelance reporter for the arts and fashion section, of London Now Magazine. Pretty much his dream writing role, he didn't think he'd achieve anything like this even if he was still in New York.

 It was pretty clear that neither man was ready to leave London anytime soon, and after over two years together it had became quite apparent that neither would ever leave –anywhere- without the other.

It's no secret that they are extremely lucky to be able to call themselves the proud homeowners of this home, but with history of damp and faulty plumbing issues among other minor details blacklisting the property's name- the deposit amount had actually come at a steal. And the location for them was perfect.

Some would say that signing a joint mortgage after only a two year relationship was a little premature, and they may be right. But why wait? Why spend money on somebody else's property when they could be using the money to put towards a future together? Why waste time in wondering and worrying about the what if's when they can be using the time to plan where their joint desks would get the best natural light?

Truth be told, the two had been pretty much living with each other -moving from one man's place to the other, weekend after weekend- since the start of their blossoming romance anyway. They've spent enough time pretty much living in each other's pockets to be able to decide if they're going to bite each others hands and heads off once they sign their names beside each other.

Let's face it, if you are prepared to sleep on a stranger's couch who you've just met that day, then you're probably pretty set to spend a lifetime together sharing personal space and morning breath and underwear.

Kurt's flat of course had fond memories for the two, unbelievable, unforgettable, memories which still make Kurt's heart flutter right up through his throat. And he will always hold those memories dear, but with fresh starts and new places to stamp their arrival all over- comes with making new memories, and Kurt is just as excited about that.

As it happens, having Holly Holiday as a former boss and old time pal and a fairly renowned musical producer for a boyfriend- means that finding workmen eager and happy to help with their little issues and at a good cost, had turned out pretty easy work.

Kurt secretly, actually loved those first few weeks of moving into the house with Blaine. Waking up too cold with Blaine plastered to his back, breathing out a steam of cold air because their heating had turned itself off over night. Or that time during his morning shower when the hot water had shut off and Kurt screeched and hopped around under the freezing spray, until Blaine had came to his rescue, shutting off the water and bundling Kurt out of the tub with arms full of fluffy towels, kissing him hot again.

Painting the house, designing and decorating, placing furniture into the rooms and slowly making an old run-down house into a familiar welcoming home- all with Blaine at his side had been a lovely experience that Kurt would happily do over again and again.

Buying a house, settling down with Blaine, in London of all places, somewhere so far from his family back in Lima, Ohio USA- should be sort of unsettling and daunting. It's pretty final, a significant confirmation of two lives making a declaration and a promise to each other.

Though Kurt- normally somebody who would over analyze and make mountains out of molehills, cannot find it in himself to worry or look too deep or too far. When you just know, you know, and when you have that moment that makes you think ‘Oh'- you get the point.

Kurt balances the cheesecake box between the crook of his elbow and his inner wrist as he twists the knob of the living room door handle open and steps inside. The smell of food, such as grilled meats, hot cheese and tomato sauces, sweetly filled scents, all flare up Kurt's nose as he steps inside, shaking his head slightly but can't keep the smirk from his face.

Blaine had obviously ignored that morning's orders that it was Kurt's turn to take care of their anniversary dinner and celebrations this year- but hey, if Blaine wants to cook for them then Kurt is not going to argue.

Kurt sets the box down on the coffee table, placed between a set of two tanned distressed leather loveseats, and it's only then as he's straightens back up that he realizes that he doesn't have a plan for tonight. Not just dinner –even though it smells like it's been taken care of- or the cheesecake, but tonight, as in tonight- the night that Kurt wants to hopefully bump their already solid relationship up that extra notch and conceal it with a ceremony in front of their nearest and dearest, and matching tuxedos and champagne and dancing.

Kurt's heart pounds in his chest, blood draining from his head it's starts to loll on his shoulders, he quickly slumps himself down in the corner of one of the loveseat before he falls down.

He can hear Blaine pottering about through the closed conjoined sliding door leading from the living room straight through to dining room, and Kurt breathes deeply for a few moments, willing himself to calm.

Why did he think he could just turn up with a freaking cheesecake and propose, just like that?

“Kurt, sweetheart? Are you in the living room? Just wait there, I'll be out in a sec.” Blaine's voice sounds out from the other side of the partition, still a little shaky and thick like, his tongue is too heavy and big for his mouth.

Kurt doesn't have time to wonder what Blaine is up to, only concentrating on the fact that he has extra time to flail, time to choose his words carefully and try and formulate some kind of nice sentiment.

He'd never thought it would be such big deal. There was a time when he thought he was going to be alone for ever and then after meeting Blaine everything changed, and from the moment Kurt had started thinking about popping question some months ago he'd had to pinned to be this really easy task.

In a way it is, marrying Blaine will be the easiest thing that Kurt will ever have to do, and he would do it over and over, if given the chance. Life with Blaine has been exciting and fun, pleasurable, comfortable, sometimes a little twisting and tiring especially on the nights after terribly busy and unproductive days, but always full of love and no regrets. Always Easy.

 But now sitting in his living room, with Blaine tucked away on the other side of the house and those four little words sitting waiting on his tongue-it all suddenly seems just that little bit harder.

There's a little bit of commotion coming from the far side of the sliding dining room door, the sounds of shuffling and light clangs ring out and Kurt is suddenly hit with the thought that none of this has to be hard or daunting or at all.

It's his third year anniversary with the man that he loves, who swept him off of his feet after Kurt had done the same onto him-quite literally- and when Blaine comes out, Kurt is not going to panic or hurry into it.

Kurt will greet him fondly by kissing him senseless, they will eat the dinner that Blaine has prepared and then work on the cheesecake Kurt had bought. Afterwards they will most likely have sex on the dining room table and after when their bodies are cooling down and they're catching their breath, Kurt will ask Blaine the question that's been plaguing his thoughts for a very long time.

Hopefully Blaine will then say yes, they will have sex again and then start looking for rings online. Easy.

“Kurt? Will you come in here? Please.” Blaine's voice pulls Kurt out from his haze of thoughts, and if on autocue, Kurt stands.

Kurt slowly starts to walk over, wiping his palms on the sides of his pants, wondering what actually Blaine is doing through there, and why the wait, and why does he still sound so small and shaky and  unsure?

Kurt pulls the door back and his breath whooshes out of him all at once, from the sight that is waiting for him.

Blaine is kneeling before him, wearing an unstrapped cycle helmet on his head and safety pads secured around his knees and elbows, over the top of his navy dress pants and fitted sky blue shirt.

His bowtie has tiny little bicycles printed on it and behind him on the table is a spread full of finger picking foods, bowls of dips and cute little pizza pies.

They're all the very same items that the two had ate on the day they met, when Kurt had invited him into his home, and unknowingly into his heart.

There is even a cheesecake, slap bang in the center of the table with what looks to be tyre tracks imprinted in the icing with syrup. Kurt is sensing a pattern here, and he loves it so much that he's stunned to silence.

They have two cheesecakes now. Two.

Kurt blinks back tears from the corner of his eyes, smiling into a slight sob, when Blaine opens up the small little black box carefully cradled in his hands, revealing a beautiful shining piece of jewellery. Very specific finger jewellery.

Wordlessly, Kurt wipes the tears leaking from his eyes and drops to his knees right in front of Blaine, grinning wildly, already nodding his acceptance as he collapses into Blaine's open arms, the ring box coming round to dig deliciously into his shoulder blade.

Blaine hooks his chin over Kurt's shoulder, staring back into the living room as they cling on to each other, half sobbing and half laughing blissfully, uncontrollably.

“Yes.” Kurt whispers into Blaine's ear, squeezing his eyes closed at the feel of the box pressing to his back. “You don't have to say anything. God, it's like you read my mind- Yes, yes please.”

Blaine's whole body shudders against his, little sniffles and kisses pressed to the side of his head, and then Blaine with a tone of amusement and pure joy and delight murmurs, “Kurt, do-do we have two cheesecakes now?”