It wasn't perfect, but it was theirs.

Kurt had decorated it with what they had, choosing to use mostly black, white, and gray to open up the space as much as he could. He had spent hours covering an old couch with a beautiful, light grey fabric. He had sewn the black and white curtains himself; settling on a feathery, peacock look for them. The windows had been washed and the trim repainted. Every room got a fresh coat of paint and large rugs grabbed from every friend who had a spare. The dining room table was second hand as well, the chairs given to him by Burt.

Blaine's job had come later. The kitchen cabinets had been stripped and painted, the handles replaced, the counters scrubbed down. He had sanded down an old coffee table until he could stain it a dark cherry, making it look brand new. Next came the plumbing, which Burt had helped him fix, and replacing the tile in the bathroom, which Finn had given a hand. Every inch of this house screamed Kurt and Blaine. It was theirs and theirs alone, that's what made it so special. A rental would have been less expensive, yes, and probably more efficient, but no. Blaine had wanted them to buy this apartment, together. So that it was their home.

One of the bedrooms was used for Kurt's office, where he worked away at designs, hoping to one day make his way to Vogue. He was currently an assistant for a smaller magazine in the same building and Blaine knew it wouldn't be long until his love would make his way to the top. He knew Kurt would work himself to the bone, pushing others out of the way until he was on that floor. Blaine's office was a small antique desk, tucked into one of the corners of their bedroom. Blaine preferred to do most of his grading for his English class in front of the television. But on weekends, he would set himself up at his desk and get as many essays as he could done. The faster he did it, the sooner he could spend the day with Kurt.

This was their future, this apartment. It was where they would spend their first few years as a family of two. Three, if you count the kitten Kurt had received on the day they moved in. He had been a surprise, waiting in a basket in their bedroom as Blaine walked Kurt in, covering his eyes. The taller man had nearly thrown a fit in his excitement, crying about how they were a real family now. The real beginning of something wonderful. And it was. It would forever be remembered as their first home, no matter where life took them.

Sitting down on the couch, Blaine stared at the small, velvet box in his hands. They had been through a lot, on the road to here and now. Arguments, insecurities, broken promises, and break ups. There had been moments when they were sure it was over. When they were sure they'd never make it. But they always came back together, needing each other and loving each other unconditionally. And now, Blaine was sure. He had never been surer about anything in his entire life. Kurt was his life, his future, his forever.

"Blaine?" Kurt's voice sounded from the front door, and Blaine couldn't help the smile that always spread over his face when Kurt said his name. Standing, he made his way to his boyfriend, taking his coat from him and pulling him into a gentle, welcoming kiss. Kurt returned it, only to deepen it and pull back a little breathlessly. "Hi. Have I mentioned how nice it is to come home to you every day?"

Blaine nodded, pulling Kurt into his arms then and hugging him close. "Only most days." He murmured teasingly in his ear, smoothing a hand down his back. "I missed you though." He pulled away then, moving to hang up Kurt's coat before making his way back into the living room. "I didn't make dinner because I thought maybe you'd like to go out. We haven't in awhile."

Kurt followed Blaine into the living room and as his boyfriend took a seat on the couch, he plopped himself right into his lap, wrapping his arms around his neck. "I would very much like that." He leaned then, pressing his lips to Blaine's and kissing him deeper then he had been able to in the hallway, one of his hands coming up to grasp his cheek. "And I missed you too." He breathed against his lips, a smile spreading across his face.

Blaine wrapped his arms tightly around Kurt, smiling as the taller man gently lay his head on his chest. "There's this new Italian place down the street and I know your new found obsession for ravioli has had you dying to try it." He pulled Kurt's legs up on the couch then, leaning back against the cushions. "But first, I need to talk to you."

Kurt slowly lifted up his head, concerned eyes meeting Blaine's. "Something serious?" He asked, his voice smaller now.

"Something happy, I hope. But yes, something serious." He reached up then, to smooth a piece of Kurt's hair out of his face. "Something I've been meaning to talk to you about for awhile now."

Sitting against the arm rest of the couch now, still in Blaine's lap, Kurt was quiet, watching him carefully.

"Do you remember that day?" Blaine's voice was soft as he picked up one of Kurt's hands in between his, turning it over and over again, as if inspecting it. "The day I first kissed you? When we were still at Dalton, right before you transferred back to McKinley?"

A slow smile spread across Kurt's face. "Of course. Of course, I remember." He lay his head against the back of the couch then, watching Blaine curiously. "Pavarotti had just died, and I was decorating his casket. I remember it perfectly."

"Right." Blaine whispered, smoothing his palm over Kurt's fingers. "And do you remember what I said?"

Kurt's smile widened. "That there had been a moment for you when you realized you cared for me. That you had been looking for me forever."

"I had been…" Blaine smiled then, leaning down to kiss Kurt's hand softly. "When I found you, I couldn't have felt luckier. Like I had won the lottery. Like whoever created this world, whether it be God or whoever…had given me a blessing. A miracle in you. It sounds silly now…"

Kurt interrupted, shaking his head. "Not silly."

"But you were the missing piece that I needed to find myself. To be who I wanted to be. You are every reason for who I am, Kurt." He grinned then, his other hand reaching beside him, digging into his pocket. "You are the reason for every bit of happiness in my life. Every lesson I've learned has been learned with you. Every step we took, we took together. You are my world, Kurt, you are my reason."

He pulled out the small box and Kurt's eyes widened, his back straightening on the couch. He looked from Blaine to the box, his mouth opening just slightly in a look of complete and utter surprise.

"I wanted to wait until we were settled. Until we were sure in our careers, until we were established in a home. Until we were ready. Until it was legal." Blaine could feel his throat thickening with emotion. "But I'm sick of waiting for our lives to begin. I'm sick of waiting for the world to understand how much I love you. Maybe we can't do it here, maybe we never will be able to, but we will find somewhere. If you'll have me, we'll find somewhere that will let us make our promise. Because that's all it is, in the end. A promise to love each other for the rest of our lives, and I knew I would from the moment I met you. I just didn't know I knew it then."

Kurt's jaw shook at Blaine's words, tears dripping from his eyelashes and down his face. "Blaine…" he breathed out, a finger touching the ring box gently. Blaine opened the box and Kurt gasped audibly, a hand flying to cover his mouth. His free hand reached out, running a finger along the circle cut diamond pressed into the white gold band. It wasn't too flashy, or feminine. But it was elegant, classic, and Kurt knew instantly that he would be proud to wear it.

Blaine smoothed his fingers over the hand he still held, taking the ring out of it's box with his free one. "Kurt Elizabeth Hummel, I will love you with every single breath I take, frustrated or happy or sad, or otherwise. For the rest of my life I will do my best to prove to you how beautiful you are to me. Will you let me? Will you marry me?" Tears escaped Blaine's eyes then and he didn't try to stop them.

A long, shaking breath escaped Kurt as he nodded quickly, a blinding smile quickly spreading over his face. "As if I could say anything to that but yes." He whispered, letting out a breathless laugh as Blaine pushed the ring onto his finger. He jumped forward then, throwing his arms around his fianc� and kissing him soundly. "Not a romantic, I swear."

"You'll never let me live that down." Blaine whispered, kissing Kurt back before hugging him tightly to him there, on their couch. "I've never been happier to hear you agree with me about anything." He laughed again then, kissing the side of Kurt's head. "I love you."

"I love you too." Kurt replied, laying his head against Blaine's shoulder, his eyes focused down on his ring.

No, Blaine hadn't gotten down on bended knee. There had been no candles, no rose petals, no serenades.

It wasn't perfect, but it was theirs.