Books, Roses and other rounded shiny things

It had been a bad idea. A terrible idea. He should… he should do it later. Maybe New Year. No. Not New Year. They would be people around for that too. On their anniversary. That was it; they would definitely be alone for their anniversary. Burt wouldn’t be there for that one. Burt. Oh, shit, Burt. Burt knew. He was expecting it. He had given him a knowing look and a conspirative smile when they had arrived. He couldn’t chicken out now. He would not disappoint Burt. That got him back to where he was. He was doing it that morning and all of Kurt’s family would be there. He just hoped Kurt would say yes.

Blaine was lying on Kurt’s bed, wide awake way too early on Christmas morning. He knew, deep down, that he didn’t have much of a reason to be so nervous. Kurt loved him, he knew that. He wanted to marry him; it was something they had talked about. He knew it was a bit earlier that they had planned back when they had moved together but he knew it was right. It felt right. Committing to Kurt felt right. He shouldn’t worry for having an audience. He was an actor and a performer, for God’s sake. And this was going to be his family; he should be excited about sharing such a moment with them.

Next to him, Kurt moved. He stirred and reached for Blaine, hugging his waist tighter and placing a sloppy kiss on his neck. It was going to be fine. He was going to do just fine.

“Merry Christmas, babe.” He said, moving Kurt’s hair away from his face.

Kurt looked up, probably surprised to see Blaine was already awake, “Merry Christmas, love.” He said with a shine to his eyes, going for a kiss.

They snuggled a bit more before getting up and going downstairs on their pyjamas. Burt and Carole were already in the kitchen drinking coffee. When greeting Blaine, Burt patted his shoulder and said, “Merry Christmas, son.” Blaine knew, once again, that this family was already his. It was a feeling he had gotten too, a few weeks before, when his parents had announced they were going on a cruise for the holidays and Cooper, in return, had said he was staying with his girlfriend in LA. Kurt had invited him immediately, but when Burt had called to his cell to make sure he was joining them, Blaine had been struck by a feeling of belonging that had almost overcome him.

Kurt got both of them a cup of coffee and the four sat down, entertained in light conversation for a while. At some point and mostly due to Kurt’s hand just above his knee, Blaine relaxed into the conversation. When Finn came down and announced they should give each other their gifts, it took him a couple of seconds for everything to sink in again.

Having thought about it already, when they moved to sit around the tree, Blaine sat on the floor, resting his back on Kurt’s legs. In front of him and also on the floor, Finn was the one distributing the presents.

“This one is for Kurt from Blaine.” Finn said, handing Blaine the gift to pass to Kurt. It was a rectangle about ten inches tall, which meant everyone would guess it to be a book.

Blaine kept his eyes on Kurt as he unwrapped it, kneeling so he was closer to eye level. Kurt’s eyes went wide when he saw it, it was actually a book. But Blaine could tell Kurt saw much more than that. “It’s the first edition.” Kurt breathed out in awe. In his hands was, indeed, the first ever edition of “The lion, the witch and the wardrobe”. Blaine smiled a little at Kurt’s amazement, that wasn’t even close to being the best part.

Something in Kurt’s expression or in the way Blaine was looking at him was having an effect on the rest of the family. Burt was the only one to know what was coming but the three of them were in absolute silence, surrounded by an air of expectative and focused completely on them.

Kurt opened the book slowly, carefully as if he was touching something extremely delicate. As soon as he did, he gaped. On the front free endpaper, in blue ink, the book was signed by the author. “Blaine” He touched his finger softly to the signature. He gripped Blaine’s forearm and pulled him closer, kissing him and murmuring an “I love you” and a “Thank you” to his lips.

Blaine saw him make a motion to close the book when something else caught his eye. Blaine realized he hadn’t been breathing and sucked a breath in. Kurt eyes were on a little lump on the first page. There was something in the book. He flipped through the first page and there it was. A golden ring held by a baby blue ribbon that went around the pages of the book. Blaine saw the recognition on Kurt’s eyes as he held the ring between his shaky fingers and read a slightly dissipated “Beloved” engraved on the inside. Tears were already forming in both of their eyes. “Blaine…” Kurt started but didn’t seem to be able to find words.

Realizing he really needed to talk then, Blaine placed a hand on Kurt’s knee to get his attention. “When I think back to the moment I met you I remember my first thought was ‘Oh, there you are, I’ve been looking for you forever.’ I’ve known for so long that you were it for me, Kurt. You gave me the courage to be the person I am today. You made me a better person. And I want to expend the rest of my life trying to be that better man for you because you deserve nothing less.” He raised the ring that he had untangled from the book. It had belonged to Kurt’s mother. Blaine had gotten her wedding band from Burt, he had gotten it cleaned and slightly resized. “Your dad told me that you wanted to wear this on your neck when you were little but he wouldn’t let you. I would be honored if you would wear it on your finger now, because I have a question for you.” He kept his eyes locked on Kurt, as if there was nothing else in the world. “Kurt, would you marry me?”

Kurt kissed him once, twice. “Yes. Of course I would marry you. Nothing could make me happier than that.”

They kissed again until Burt cleared his throat. When they turned, the look in his eyes was of pure pride.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The following morning, Blaine woke up feeling fulfilled and content. A cold feeling ran through his body when he reached for Kurt and found no one on his side. He opened his eyes; Kurt’s side of the bed was empty. Before he got time to feel disappointed he saw a small bouquet of purple roses on Kurt’s pillow.

There were three purple roses, a small card attached to them read, in Kurt’s neat and flourished handwriting:

Three roses mean I love you.

Go downstairs.

Blaine smiled to himself, put on the first pair of jeans and t-shirt he saw and went downstairs. The living room was empty, so was the kitchen. However, on the kitchen’s table was another little bouquet. This one had five roses.

Five roses mean I love you very much.

Go to The Lima Bean.

Blaine ran to get his coat, grinning from ear to ear. He had been mostly the one to go for cheesy romantic gestures at the beginning of their relationship, but with time and after Blaine’s coming out had ended their need to hide, his fiancé had showed he loved making those for Blaine too. Fiancé, how much Blaine loved to say that; even if it was just in his head.

As he got in the car and placed the eight roses he had received in the back seat, he couldn’t help the thought: Kurt had definitely been investigating the meaning of roses. He wondered if he had looked up the meaning of the color purple, as he had been the one giving Kurt those since their first Valentine’s Day together. They meant enchantment and beauty as he had once told Kurt. What he had been scared to say back then was that they also could mean love at first sight. They had meant that for him. And now that was the man he was going to marry, he was still amazed by that.

During the drive, Blaine remembered the first time he and Kurt had been together at The Lima Bean, exactly on this exact same day, for their first date. He remembered his fear of Kurt rejecting him for being bisexual and Kurt’s reluctance to talk about the issue. They had come so far since then. What Blaine had loved about Kurt from the beginning was that even if he didn’t understand he would try to and he always would accept him for what he was.

When he made it to the coffee shop there was a sign on the door announcing it was closed during the morning of the 26th. However, under the sign and in Kurt’s handwriting it read: Not for you. He smiled to himself and got inside, clutching his purple roses to his chest.

The place was empty except for the counter, a table with two chairs on a corner (the corner he and Kurt always sat at) and a gigantic basket. The basket was full of purple roses. A little sign on it said:

One hundred roses mean I'm totally devoted to you. They signify a happy union of two loving souls until death.

Blaine heard a step and looked up. Kurt was walking to him looking magnificent in a gray suit and with an air of confidence that only he could master. Something in his expression made it look as if he was glowing. He stopped a few steps away from Blaine and asked, gesturing to the eight roses in Blaine’s hands, “Do you know what one hundred and eight roses mean?”

All Blaine could do was shake his head. Kurt smiled a little. Then he bent and, before Blaine could realize what was going on, Kurt was down in one knee, a small box in his hands. “It means… Will you marry me?” He asked as he opened the box.

Blaine kneeled in front of him, shocked. A chuckle escaped him. “Yes. I will marry you.” He answered, amazed as if they hadn’t settled that the day before.

Kurt smiled impossibly wide and placed the ring on Blaine’s finger. It was a beautiful band ring with two fine lines in rose gold and platinum in between. Blaine took Kurt’s face in his hands and kissed him passionately.

He was almost lying on Kurt’s lap when a thought crossed his mind, “How did you manage to do all of this in just one day?” He asked in awe.

Kurt smiled. “What makes you think it took just a day?” He asked, there was something playful in his eyes.

“You… you mean, you had already planned to propose today?”

“I guess we’re really meant to be if we think so alike.” Kurt said in a happy tone.

Blaine’s answer was to pull him into another kiss. Yes, they really were.