"Oh my God, it's really happening!" Kurt exclaimed and swatted Sam repeatedly in his excitement as they watched the New York senate vote on gay marriage.
Sam smiled anxiously and scooted himself up into a seated position from where he was lying on Kurt's bed, rapt with attention. He and Kurt were practically holding their breath. Sam reached over to Kurt, who was sitting on the edge of the bed, and grabbed his shoulders with a squeeze. "Kurt!"
"I know!" he squealed. "Shh!"
They awaited the verdict with bated breath. As the final tally was taken and the count given as thirty-two to twenty-nine, Kurt screamed and flew off the mattress, jumping up and down and hopping around the room.
Sam had to laugh at the sight of his boyfriend so ecstatic. He was happy, too. God, was he happy. He covered his face and slid back down until he was lying on his back. "This is so amazing! I can't believe it actually passed!"
He felt a hand on his shoulder. He uncovered his face to see Kurt leaning over him and beaming. "I can. I had faith in New York." Kurt crawled up onto his bed, and Sam moved over to give him more room. Sam reached around to the remote on the bedside table and clicked off the TV. Settling himself right at Sam's side, Kurt reached down, grabbed his hand, and brought it to his lips to kiss. He looked over at Sam. "Do you know what this means?"
Sam smiled back at him. "Of course I do. It means so much to so many people."
"Best. Pride. Month. Ever." Sam just laughed happily as Kurt gushed.
Sam thought with apprehension of what he had planned to do, of what was burning a hole in his pocket and in his brain. He sat up and looked at Kurt, clearing his throat nervously. "Hey, Kurt…"
Kurt gave him a suddenly concerned look and pushed himself up into a sitting position too. "What's up?"
"You know all those plans we've talked about? All the things we want to do together? All the things you want to do? I want us to do those things. I don't want us to be held back." Sam looked Kurt straight in the eye as he spoke, and Kurt was struck by his intensity.
"I know. Sam—,"
"You've always wanted to move to New York, too. You asked me if I know what this means. Well, I know exactly what this means. It means two men or two women can now get married together legally in our future home. And that means so much to me, and it means so much for the life I want to have." Sam took Kurt's hand with one of his own, and Kurt's breath caught in his chest as Sam pulled out a small box with his other hand that he had kept on his person all night.
"Sam! Oh my God!"
"Kurt, I love you. I had more banking on this vote tonight than I know you probably thought. New York is where you want to live, and I want to spend my life with you, so what happened tonight means that can be a reality." Sam flipped the box open to reveal a ring, and Kurt covered his mouth with his free hand as he gave a soft gasp. "Ohio might be unaccepting of our love, but New York isn't. Kurt, I mean it. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you take this ring? Will you marry me?"
Kurt looked at the ring, and then stared into Sam's eyes, full of nervousness and love. That was it. Love. Sam Evans loved him. He saw it every day. And Kurt loved him back. He shuddered with a wave of emotion halfway between a laugh and a sob and threw himself into Sam's arms. Pressing their faces together, wet with tears of joy, Kurt said between kisses, "Yes! Yes, a million times over, yes!"
They both started to giggle and cry all at the same time, and Sam pushed Kurt gently back after the twentieth excited kiss to slip the band on his finger. Kurt stared at it a moment and then flung his arms around Sam's neck and shoulders, letting the tears flow freely as he nuzzled his face against Sam's and ran a hand through his hair. Through his fiancé's hair. He planted another kiss on Sam's cheek and then spoke quietly as they held each other.
"I love you so much."