Dinner that evening consisted of good food and pleasant conversation. Blaine & Kurt sat opposite Carole & Burt as the foursome chatted about their plans during the visit.
"I've still got some shopping to do before the big day." Blaine confessed, "things have been really hectic with school and all and Mr Nosy here can't let a delivery go I inspected!" He nudged Kurt's shoulder playfully as they all laughed.
"Kurt never could resist a brown box! Whenever parts arrived at the garage he's always insist on being the one to open the boxes and check the order! All year Christmas he called it!" Burt recalled.
"I love shopping and I love deliveries! It's like a little present to yourself!" Kurt tried to defend himself but knew the rubbing was all in good fun. "Hey, why don't you and Carole go shopping together tomorrow? I was hoping to spend time at the garage with Dad and I heard Carole say she needed to grab a few things."
"That's a wonderful idea Kurt! What do you say Blaine? I can't promise to be as fashion forward as Kurt is but I do know how to get extra toppings at the frozen yoghurt stand!" Carole winked as Blaine laughed and nodded.
"That would be great Carole. We could stop at the grocery store and prepare dinner for our hard-working men folk!" Blaine grinned, the mental image of a sweaty Kurt in coveralls proving a little too obscene for the dinner table.
Later that night when everyone had taken themselves to bed, Blaine lay on his side cuddled in close to his fiancé. He kissed the skin closest to him which turned out to be just above Kurt's nipple.
"Hey you."
"Hey, I hope you didn't feel cornered when I suggested you go shopping with Carole?" Kurt asked, his hand running softly up and down Blaine's back.
"Not at all, I didn't realise Carole was going there too otherwise I'd have suggested the joint trip myself. I love Carole - she always makes me feel so welcome."
"You are always welcome, I hope you know that. No matter what."
"I do…well, I do now and I'll try to remember it just in case." Blaine grinned and tilted his head up to meet the older man's eye. "I can't believe I'm here with you again. I never thought I'd be lucky enough to see you, never mind be with you or be engaged to you again. I just……I'm just so incredibly grateful you answered my call."
"I'll always answer your calls B." As their lips met in a deep but tender kiss, they both sighed happily before snuggling closer together and drifting off into a comfortable slumber.
… … … … … … … … … … … … … … …
Kurt was first to wake the following morning and after a gentle kiss to Blaine's forehead he crept quietly downstairs and started to make coffee and pancakes for everyone, knowing the smells would waken them. He didn't have long to wait until his dad arrived in the kitchen.
"Morning kiddo, how'd you sleep?"
"Morning dad, great - I always forget just how amazing my mattress here is! Do you have much booked in today?" Kurt poured them both a mug of coffee and slid one cup towards Burt.
"Nothing too major - couple of oil changes, new tyres, one engine "rattle" but I'm pretty sure it's just Constance Driddle's imagination! I said I'd take a look anyway though."
Kurt sat beside his dad and placed his and Blaine's pill caddies on the table. He was aware of his dad watching him as he took his own pills.
"So, uh, how are you both getting in with the, uh, the pills." Burt gestured vaguely towards the caddies.
"Good so far. Mine are pre-exposure meds. Our doctor doesn't think it's likely I'll be exposed to it but because we live together and everything we all agreed it would be better for me to be as protected as possible just in case. You know how accident prone Blaine can be!" Kurt giggled.
"Oh don't remind me! That boy should have been raised in a bubble! Have there been many instances of…y'know…potential exposure?"
"Not really, we share the cooking but he tends to avoid sharp objects if he can! Although he has smashed a few glasses! As for the sex, well I won't go into detail but there's not been much but we've been as safe as we can be. The risk is minimal the way we are handling things right now but we both try to be as vigilant as we can without letting it take over."
"That's good," Burt said gruffly, his cheeks reddening at the mention of sex. "I'm glad you're both being sensible. Did he tell you how it, uh, how he came to be….."
"He did but it's not my story to share dad. Please know that it wasn't his fault, he was maybe a little misguided at the time but he didn't intend to be involved in any risky behaviour."
"Of course, I'm not trying to be nosy I just…..I'm trying to learn Kurt I really am. Honestly, this was always one of the worries I had for you but I know you both and I know Blaine would never have risked his health deliberately and that he'd never risk yours. He still looks at you as if you hung the moon." Burt smiled, "However it happened, I'm glad you two found each other again."
"Me too." Kurt smiled as a yawning Blaine entered the kitchen, his sleep mussed curls resembling a matted mess rather than anything dapper. "Speak of the devil, good morning handsome fiancé."
"Good morning beautiful fiancé" Blaine smiled and pecked Kurt's lips softly, their usual morning routine not taking a break. "Is that coffee I smell?"
"Sure is! Pancakes too. Take a seat and I'll get everything ready and plated." Kurt squeezed Blaine's shoulder before rising and heading to the cooker to begin the pancakes.
As he waited on the first pancakes to brown, he poured Blaine a coffee as well as some orange juice for his morning meds.
"Eurgh, I hate this part." Blaine grumbled as he opened up the appropriate day on his pill caddy and started taking the pills.
"So what do all those pills do?" Burt asked.
"Um, I honestly don't know." Blaine admitted. "I kinda spaced out during the whole description discussion to be honest. There's leaflets in the boxes but I've never read them. Kurt has but I just can't bring myself to do it. All I know is that if I take them all when I'm supposed to they'll stop the virus from replicating in my blood which means there's a minimal risk of me passing it on to anyone else and a very small chance that it'll make me sick." Blaine swallowed a couple more tablets with a gulp of juice.
"That's the undetectable thing Kurt mentioned right? That's the aim?"
"Yeah, they can't cure it, not yet at least. But this is the next best thing. Once the copies get to a certain level it's considered undetectable which is the goal. Once I reach that milestone it's just a matter of making sure I go for my check ups and keep taking whatever meds at whatever dosage to keep me that way. I just need to be careful during cold & flu season as my doctor thinks it could hit me harder than usual."
"Cos it's an immune system thing?"
"Yeah. It sucks but I just need to find a way to not let it beat me." Blaine shrugged and smiled a little, glancing over at Kurt who was watching him proudly.
"We're all behind you Blaine, anything we can do don't hesitate to ask." Burt nodded, "sorry about the questions, I don't trust the google."
"That's okay. Thank you for still being so kind and welcoming to me. I know it's not an easy thing for anyone to deal with let alone for a parent to discover their son might be at risk but we're both doing everything we can to minimise that."
"I know kid, I know. And you're always welcome here - even if you two go your separate ways again, you'll always have a place here."
Three hours later and Blaine and Carole were happily making their way around the mall. Blaine had managed to get a couple of books Kurt had mentioned as well as a new scarf and hat set whilst Carole had bought a new set of face creams for her step-son and a new pair of boots for her husband. They were resting their feet in a coffee shop when Blaine looked suddenly nervous.
"Everything okay over there?" Carole asked, sipping her latte.
"Yeah, well sort of. I um, there was a store I really wanted to go to today but I don't know if I should go there separately and meet up with you afterwards." Blaine folded his paper napkin before starting to tear it at the edges.
"Oh, is it um, a personal type shop? For couples?"
"Sort of, maybe your opinion would be good to have though? You've had a couple of husbands after all!"
"Well yes but I'm not sure things are exactly the same between a man and a woman and two men though Blaine."
"Oh I know people have different tastes and everything but there's bound to be something in stock we can agree on?"
"Well, okay but Blaine I need to be honest here. I don't know very much about gay sex at all, apart from the very basics. Are you sure I'd be the best person to buy those products with?"
"Sex? Carole it's a jewellery store - I don't think we need to pass an exam or anything to buy a ring!"
"A jewel-ohmygosh Blaine I'm so embarrassed!" Carole covered her face with her hands. "I thought you were talking about a sex shop! When you said you might be best going alone for a personal couples thing…I'm so sorry Blaine!"
"A what! Oh god no! I mean yeah we use stuff but Kurt usually finds them online. I couldn't go into an actual shop and-"
"Blaine, stop talking!" Carole giggled a little at Blaine's rambling. "You still say too much when you're nervous then huh?" She chuckled.
"Yeah, uh, sorry Carole. I'll try again - Carole, I'd like to surprise Kurt with a new engagement ring and I'd love to get your opinion." Blaine smiled, imaging Kurt & Burt being doubled on the floor laughing if they'd been here.
"I'd be honoured!" Carole squeezed his hand and Blaine was reminded again how it felt to have a mother figure who cared. His heart clenched a little at the thought but then he reminded himself just how lucky he was to have found a boyfriend with such an amazing family.
… … … … … … … … … … … … … … …
"What do you think? I like the little pattern on this one but maybe he'd prefer something plain?"
"I think he'd appreciate the artistry on the patterned one. You know he's a sucker for the details."
"He really is! Can I see this one please?" Blaine addressed the store clerk and pointed to a white gold band with a Celtic knot engraving around the band.
"Beautiful choice, this actually only arrived in yesterday." The blonde woman smoothed out a black velvet square before placing the ring in the centre. "This is a 6mm wide white gold band with Celtic love knot engraving. It's part of our new Endless Love range."
Blaine carefully picked up the band and held it between his two forefingers and thumbs. As the lights reflected off the metal Blaine felt a warmth spread inside his chest as his mind provided him with snapshots of his possible future.
"This is it. This is the one." Blaine's smile widened as he looked between Carole and the store clerk. "I'll need another identical one, do you have two?"
"We have a range of sizes in stock, I'll just need to make sure we have the ones you need." Blaine gave her the sizes he'd need and waited while she checked the store's back room.
"Blaine, Kurt is already wearing an engagement ring. Can I ask why you're buying him another?"
"The one he's wearing now is the one I gave him when I proposed on the Dalton stairs. After everything that happened between us…I dunno….it feels kinda tainted. We've both agreed that we're not the same people we were back then. After I proposed he admitted he still had the ring and started wearing it again and don't get me wrong I love seeing it on his finger but…we're starting over…..a new start deserves a new ring."
"That's beautiful!" Carole hugged Blaine tightly rubbing his back before she pulled away to dab at her eyes.
"Here we are," the clerk arrived back with two black velvet boxes and opened them to reveal the identical rings.
"They're perfect. I'll take them."
"Excellent! So that'll be 2,750 altogether. Will that be cash or credit?" Blaine noticed Carole's eyes widen as he handed over his new credit card. After signing a copy of the receipt he made eager grabby hands at the small paper bag which now contained his purchases.
"That was a lot of money Blaine!" Carole whispered as they headed towards another clothing store.
"I know, but he's worth every cent." Blaine slipped the small bag inside a larger one for safekeeping. "What makes it even more special is knowing that I'll have paid for this all by myself. Last time I used the monthly allowance my parents were giving me. This time it'll be my own earnings."
Carole had to admire the look of pride that flashed across Blaine's face. He'd always been the maturer one in Kurt's circle of friends but the last couple of years really seem to have turned him into a man of his own. As she linked her arm through his, Carole sighed happily as Blaine explained his plan for Christmas morning.
A/N - Apologies for the lateness of this chapter - I discovered a crochet pattern for amigurumi people and got so occupied making my own little army that I forgot to finish and post the chapter!!!! But the army is super cute!!!
