"Oh my god, Blaine," Kurt breathes out, He hasn't let go of Blaine's arm since they got to this loud, excited, happy, impromptu engagement party, and all of Ohio is here, but - "Look. Look over there."
Blaine's brilliant smile falls on two ladies strolling in through the door of BreadstiX. One's dressed in the same crisp white pantsuit that both Blaine and Kurt remember, but she's wearing a pink blouse underneath it, and the other's got longer hair now, and dangly earrings, but they look so - so radiant. And their eyes twinkle when they see the boys standing there, hand in hand, so now everything in BreadstiX is shot through with bright, beautiful galaxies of stars whirling around on their axes, studded with hope and love and all the goodness in the world. All you really need is love, Blaine thought, wonderingly, to make the universe a better place. The ladies are so beautiful, too. Blaine can't look away, but Kurt's so heart-full of his own happiness that he almost didn't recognize them.
"Jan! Liz! Over here!" Blaine waves furiously from across the crowded, sparkling room. And all these kids part for them, oddly enough, and there they are, grins splitting their faces. Jan wraps her slender arms around Blaine's waist, while Liz envelops Kurt in a huge bearhug that almost looks like it pulled Kurt off of his feet.
"You did it, you crazy kids," Jan says warmly. "We noticed the big party while we were passing by, and we could see your coats from outside. How did it go, Blaine?"
"Without a hitch," Blaine beams. "I was so nervous, but it turned out great. I think it did because I told him everythingin my heart. It wasn't as perfect as your proposal, though, not by a mile."
"It was so beautiful," Kurt chimes in. "Our friends and family are here. Five years ago, I'd - I'd have never thought this would ever happen in our lifetimes, two boys getting engaged here - getting married!" And Blaine turns to give Kurt a tender, lingering kiss, just where his earlobe met his cheek. Kurt closes his eyes and let a faint, pinkish blush spread slowly over his skin, like a blossom opening up to the sun. Jan grins and elbows Liz in the ribs.
Blaine came up for air, looking only a little embarrassed. "It means so much to us that everyone is celebrating with us. And now you two being here makes everything better. I want everyone to know we've both - we've both found our missing puzzle pieces. Our other - our other selves."
"I think everyone knows," Kurt smiles. He radiates with an aura of utter contentment, and when Blaine looks at him it's like there's no other source of light or heat in the universe, just Kurt, and Kurt squeezes Blaine's hand so tight, but Blaine can't, or doesn't, want him to let go. Liz swiftly looks at Blaine, then at Kurt, and back again. Something sad touches her expression, a note that jars and ripples at the water there, shimmering in the golden lights, but it swiftly runs away before Kurt can think to mention it. She lets go of Jan's hand and dabs at the corners of her eyes. "As long as you're both talking, why not? Life's too short, and we're so happy for you. Congratulations, with all of our hearts."
"Please stay and have some refreshments," Blaine says embracingly, ever the perfect host.
"We will. Thank you so much, boys. We love you." They moved off towards the serving tables. People parted for them as they passed, and Kurt and Blaine looked after them. Jan touches the edge of Blaine's sleeve as she passes by.
"Did you see that?" Kurt asks quietly.
"See what?" and Blaine wraps his arms tightly about Kurt's slender waist, "How Jan and Liz are so right for each other? They really are."
"Something's bothering her. I should go talk to her - "
"Kurt," Blaine says softly, "Let's talk to them later. I promise we will. But now, let's talk and talk and talk about us. About our lives and about what we want to do with them. Together. Can you believe it? Together. Oh - Kurt, are you crying? Oh, sweetheart, don't cry."
"I'm so happy," Kurt whispers. His vintage heart brooch glimmers in the light, and Blaine traces the worn edge of it as he finishes speaking. "It wasn't until I saw you all up on stage at Regionals that I knew. You and I - we're meant to be. But there's so much work ahead of us. It's daunting, you know?"
"I know," Blaine says. It's the plainest, most unvarnished truth there is, and somehow, Kurt admitting it makes the mountains they've got to climb seem less frightening. It's reassuring that Kurt acknowledges it, and it cuts through the unabashedly romantic atmosphere of the day, but Blaine finds himself pushing aside the twinge of fear inside him to look forward, just as Kurt is resolutely turning his face towards what's to come. Kurt, for his part, sees the fear, too. But they both square their shoulders to welcome the work that's ahead, and they find it to be a friend, maybe their best friend. They both say it, together. "I know."
"Have you thought about our vows?" Kurt ventured. "I have."
"I know you have," Blaine grinned. "You've been planning weddings since you were little. And Come What May."
"Well, I'm not going to tell you anything about our wedding vows just yet. But" – and Kurt took a deep, shuddering breath, vulnerable now – "I promise I'll be your friend, just like I know you'll be mine. My best friend. I'll go see all your Broadway shows and visit you at work and bring you coffee on gloomy mornings. I want you to go after your dreams for you and I'll cheer you on every single step of the way. And I promise to listen to you, and brag about all the amazing things you'll accomplish in New York, for the rest of my life, even when we're in that nursing home talking to random orderlies about the love of our lives." Kurt let the seed of that idea plant itself in his heart and sprout, a tiny shoot breaking through the fertile earth. "My heart says it's time. I love you."
Blaine smiles. "But you'll mess up. I'll mess up. As long as we stay together, it's okay. I love you, Kurt. I love you. Always."
He feels the warmth spread up and out over his chest, expanding it with confidence – with certainty. Blaine tilts Kurt's chin upward, daring to look him right in the eyes. The earth trembles a little, or maybe it's both of their nervousness about the future - and Kurt could feel his lower lip shake just as he saw the uncertainty and - that's it – the love, seep in, around and through the golden brown haloes about Blaine's pupils.
Blaine takes in a shuddering breath, too. He suddenly looks so shy and young, with that aching vulnerability peering out again in his soft smile, through and around him. It turns out Blaine didn't reveal everything at Dalton, after all. "I promise I'll always be your friend, just like I know you'll be mine. My best friend. I'll come to all your Broadway shows and read all your pieces and talk my New York friends' ears off about the amazing, multi-talented dynamo that is Kurt Hummel and about all the dreams that he's fulfilling. I promise to listen to you and hug you when you succeed and bring you cheesecake when you're sad. Or cookies. At least twice a year – isn't that what I said before? We'll celebrate everything, too. All of our successes."
A tear spills down Blaine's cheek, so he draws out a white handkerchief of his pocket and holds it up to his eyes. Kurt cradles Blaine's hand there, taking just a second to brush his temple and his cheekbone with his fingertips in tender, meandering circles, but something embroidered on the silky material catches his eye. "Wait, did you have this monogrammed Kurt and Blaine?"
"I was sure," Blaine chuckles, "but, uh, you never know? You could have said no, but I thought, if I could get this made, maybe you and I could be more sure."
"You romantic silly," Kurt rasps. "I love you. Did I say that yet?"
"You did, but I don't mind you're saying it again. I love you, too." And a cheer roused up in BreadstiX as they kissed each other, over and over, merging and mingling and losing each other in each other's arms, again and again, like neither of them was ever going to get enough.
—-
From a snug corner of the restaurant, Jan and Liz raise up glasses of sparkling cider. Their cherry-studded cake plates lay on the table, untouched.
Liz says, worriedly, "Do you think they know what's ahead?"
Jan's voice was quiet and thoughtful. "I think they do, and then they don't. But we'll support them, every step of the way, like all their family and friends will." She puts down her glass and reaches across the dingy formica table for what she knows, surely, is there, is real, is everything, Liz's hand: flexible, strong, durable, always.
"Here's to Kurt and Blaine," Liz beams, proudly and maternally, "Our boys."
"To them and to us, too, don't forget. I love you, so much."
"And I love you, too."
"Just as much as they love each other?" Jan teases.
"At least that much." And Liz raises Jan's hand to brush her lips across the knuckles and the gorgeous ring that matches Liz's own. "And forever."