Kurt was sure there was no sweeter sight in life than his dad and his boyfriend sitting in front of the TV, sipping water, and yelling periodically at the screen about some play or call that they didn't agree with.  He hadn't known Blaine liked sports, but as soon as Burt asked what teams he followed, Blaine hadn't hesitated to inform Burt that back in his school days he never missed a Buckeyes game with his friends from school.

That was how they ended up postured at the end of their seats on the couch while Kurt worked on making them all lunch, peeking out periodically to save the sight to memory.  For all the worries Blaine had about meeting his father, it was clearly forgotten in favour of telling people that couldn't hear them that they were idiots for the way they had moved or hadn't moved.

When he brought out the plate of sandwiches and set them in front of the men in his life, it was a break, or intermission, or… something.  Admittedly, despite his dad's interest in the sport, he had never been able to pay more than a minute's attention to it to know what was going on.  They were discussing Blaine's admittance into Kent.

“I thought it was hard to get into a college on a Dent diploma?”  His dad asked.

Blaine nodded, “Kent has an inclusion policy where up to 5% of their admitted students have Dent diplomas though… and having Kurt's name on my application as a reference I think was the cincher.  He's the top one in his program you know.”

Burt smiled proudly and nodded, “I do know.  Well.. good for you kid.  You play any instruments?”

A shrug, “I used to.  My parents had me in all kinds of lessons and I was in the band and choir at my school… it's been years though.  I just remember how happy and free I always felt playing.”

It was news to Kurt, and he felt guilty for not asking more about it, deciding to change that right now.  “What did you play?”

“Ah… piano… violin… bit of guitar…” Blaine smiled at Kurt, reaching to take an offered sandwich, Burt following suite.

“We'll have to get you your own instruments.”  Kurt insisted despite Blaine's quick shaking head.

“Could probably find some used ones for a good price.”  Burt noted.  “Prime garage sale season after all.”

“I don't… I don't have any money…”  Blaine stammered, looking between them.  “Once I get back to Kent I'm going to find a job to help pay my tuition and apply for some scholarships and bursaries…”

“Y'ever play drums?” Burt asked then, seemingly out of the blue.

“Uh… a bit yeah.  I liked them but my parents didn't think they were appropriate instruments for the elite…”

Burt nodded and then looked over to Kurt.  “Been meaning to tell you.  Been seeing a woman.  Her name is Carole.  Was hoping you'd stick around so you could meet her.”

Kurt beamed.  He had been encouraging his dad to date now for years.  Apparently all it took was him finally leaving the nest.  “Of course!  I'd love to dad!”

Burt looked back to Blaine then, “She lost her son about a year ago… he played drums.  We've been talking about maybe moving in together but we'd need to downsize a bit to fit both of our things together… and she's had a hard time getting rid of the drums.  Wants them to stay in the family even though no one else in her family plays.  Maybe she'd pass them onto you.”

Kurt frowned a little.  It was sad to think of a woman losing her son… almost as much as it was to think about a son losing his mother.  He still missed his mother…

“I… that would be too kind sir…”

“You'd just need to move into one of those music student dorms.  Hear they have soundproofing in the walls.”

Kurt chuckled and nodded, pushing the sadness out of his thoughts.  “They do.  I already put in an application.”

“You did?”  Blaine snapped his head over in question.

“Yeah.  We can't keep sharing my room after all.  I barely have enough room for my clothes.”

“Oh….”  Blaine's face was a mix of glee, worry, and surprise.

“That okay?”

Blaine nodded, “Yeah… just kind of wish I thought of it.”

“Guess I should be glad that you can't get him pregnant…”  Burt huffed between bites of sandwich.  “... seeing as how you're essentially already moving in together.”

Blaine choked on the sip of water he was drinking and Kurt flushed up red.  “Oh my gosh dad…”

Burt just laughed at their uncomfortableness, sitting back in his seat as the game reappeared on the TV.  “Quiet now.  Basketball.”

Blaine and Kurt shared a moment, speaking through their eyes before Kurt went back to the kitchen to clean up and leave Blaine to watch the game with his dad and resume arguing with referees that couldn't hear them.  It was a good way to spend a Saturday.

They spent the next couple days just in leisure.  His dad still had to work, but Kurt took Blaine around to all of his and Santana's old haunts and then would spend the evenings just relaxing with his dad, who admitted in private to Kurt that Blaine was okay in his books.

It was as much approval as he needed.

Carole was delightful.  She was sweet, thoughtful, was on par with his dad for bad jokes, and motherly.  It was only when she spoke to Blaine that the sadness in her heart was revealed.

“Burt tells me you need some instruments.  I have a set of drums that are yours if you promise to take good care of them.”  She said to him after supper had been eaten.

Blaine swallowed and nodded, “I absolutely would… I mean… Burt told us…”

She shushed him.  “It's okay.  He would have wanted them to be used.  They're just gathering dust as it is.”

That was all there was to it.  Blaine and Burt went to pick up the drum kit later, trying to play real life tetris as they figured out how to pack it away until Burt could get it to the campus on his next trip out.  

“You make my dad happy.  Thank you.”  Kurt admitted to Carole when they were left alone to clean up the dishes while Blaine and Burt went to figure out the drums.

“He makes me happy too kid.”  Carole said quietly and smiled over.  “I didn't think I'd be able to be happy again.”

He nodded.  He didn't want to bring up her lost son and ruin what was otherwise a wonderful evening.  “Do you know about dad and I… and Blaine… in…”

“Service?  Yeah.”  Carole nodded.  “I was too, years and years ago.  When my first husband died he left behind debt I didn't know existed.  Drugs problems.”  She sighed and shook her head.  “Was only a few years and my boy was too young for service so he was just taken care of by my mom during that… but.. I get it.  The things we do for the people we love…”

“I just wanted to make sure you knew.  So many of us… hide.”

Again Carole nodded, “But we shouldn't.  Especially you kids that get dragged into it.  None of it was ever your fault.  As for me and your dad… we did it out of love.  More him than me I guess, but still… no one should ever fault us for it.”

They washed in silence for a minute until Kurt decided that was enough solemnness for the day and promptly noted, “You should let me take you shopping.”

Carole laughed loudly at that, a boisterous noise that Kurt could definitely get used to.  “Am I that in need of a style makeover?”

He looked her up from toe to head and nodded once, “God yes.”

It was decided then, and the next day Kurt and Blaine took Carole out and made her into their doll, creating a whole new look for her complete with a trip to the stylist.  When Burt came home that evening to a room of shopping bags and a freshly primped up girlfriend he was at a loss for words for a minute until,

“Kurt got to you.”

They all laughed and it was another night of random conversation, giggles, and joy.  All the years of being alone and fending for himself was made up for as Kurt lost himself in what he decided was his family.  

When Blaine cuddled up to him in his old single bed that night, Kurt was still wide eyed and awake, not tired in the least as thoughts darted through his head.

“You should marry me.”

Blaine, who was already halfway to sleep, jumped in place and looked at Kurt, “Wait… what?”

“You should marry me.”  Kurt reasserted, looking back.

“Well… ah.. that… sort of came out of nowhere.”

“We'd be able to get a married couple's dorm room, reduce our tax expenses - especially since we're both students…”

“So… it would be an economical thing?”  Blaine asked, the tension in him lessening noticeably.

Kurt smirked, “Plus… that way I would be able to make sure you weren't able to just jump out of my life again.”

“Ah…”  Blaine came close again, gently stroking his fingers down Kurt's jaw line.  “You know that would mean any debt either one of us incurs would make the other just as liable for though right?”

“I don't think either one of us is going to risk that.  Not after everything…”  Kurt hummed, almost purring at the touch.

“I wouldn't… and I've definitely seen what kind of spendthrift you are.”

“Are you calling me a penny pincher?”

“I'm calling you cheap.”  Blaine chuckled and kissed the tip of Kurt's nose.  “But honestly… Kurt… we're so young…”

“We're going to be together anyhow.”  Kurt asserted, resting his head on the pillow and looking into Blaine's eyes across from his own.  “May as well do it and get the breaks that come with it.”

“You know you're taking all the romance out of this right?  I was going to do a grand proposal and pull out all the bells and whistles when I had the money…”

“You were?”

Blaine smiled, “I was going to take you to that old park we used to play at… have it all decorated with candles and streamers… I had a plan to put about ten percents of my earnings to save up for a ring…”

“I think they bulldozed that park…”  Kurt sighed softly, thinking about the potential proposal scene he had missed out on.

“Well… crap… there goes that idea.” Blaine chuckled.

“How about we just tell my dad and Carole tomorrow and we buy a set of simple rings.  Nothing fancy, just functional.”

“Remember how I said you were cheap?”  Blaine said, a teasing grin on his face, “Well that doesn't even begin to describe it.”

Blaine received a poke to the side and then they laughed and held one another tight until they fell asleep, bound up in one another in dreams as they were in life.