The In-laws

A/N- Again, this piece is for many prompts I was given, so thank you for those. This is set before Kurt's opening night.

"You-you're- I'm sorry, what?"

"You heard me just fine, dad."

"Kurt, son, don't you have to be dating somebody before you get married?"

Kurt bites his lip to stop from sighing at a much too exaggerated pitch. He may now be an adult and not living at home anymore, but he can still be scolded for having a less than swell attitude with his father.

Besides, it's not Burt's fault. Kurt has kept his relationship with Blaine hidden from him—every single little aspect of it—of course he's going to be shocked and ask all of the obvious, irritating questions a hundred times over.

Kurt's fingers clench around the phone so tight that his hand starts to fade white. "Dad, please just listen and try to understand—"

"Hey, I know you're a big star now with your show starting soon but it doesn't mean you have to go all crazy and throw yourself into something serious. You matter, Kurt." Kurt squeezes his eyes closed and just stops short from banging his head against the wall behind the head rest on his bed.

This was never going to go any other way. Still, his heart clenches at his father's words. At how much he cares.

Kurt counts to 3 in his head, takes a short steadying breath then begins his story right from the start. He leaves enough gaps for questions and time for answers and almost an hour later the color is thankfully starting to bleed back into his hands and his chest doesn't feel quite as tight anymore.

"You could have told me, Kurt" Burt murmurs quietly through the phone and Kurt knows he hurt his father by not telling him. It kills him, but he knows he did the right thing by keeping him and Blaine hidden for so long. In the long run it's for the best. Burt leaves a long, awkward pause before sighing heavily and saying "but at the same time I understand why you didn't tell me. And I'm actually pretty damn proud of you for dealing with this all by yourself for so long…even though you didn't have to." Burt finishes and Kurt exhales a long, deep breath that he felt he had held onto for years.

Another half hour later and Kurt's head ache is subsiding and he's giggling while telling his dad some funny Blaine stories and trying to describe some movies where he might recognise Blaine from— his dad has never really understood the power of Google search or IMDB.

It's still all very daunting but his dad's booming laugh when Kurt tells him some Blaine anecdotes and how happy he is with him gives him hope.

Towards the end of the conversation, Kurt mumbles his ways through asking his dad to give him away at the small ceremony they're planning in just a few short months time— and Burt's gruff throat clearing and collection of elongated sniffles in return is all the answer Kurt needs.

Kurt laughs, trying to inject some light hearted humor back into the conversation "I guess jumping into marriage so soon wouldn't have been my first choice, but you know me I don't do things by half, and when you meet Blaine you'll definitely understand—"

"—hey when you know, you know, kid. I get it. Was like that with me and your mom." Burt says softly through the phone and Kurt's eyes prickle with a new, wet kind of happiness. "Besides, it sounds like you've given yourself enough distance from him in the beginning, and enough time to not let your heart interfere with your head. I have no doubt that you'll keep him in his place. You're a smart kid, always have been. And if can I give you any piece of advice it's that life is too short, and you gotta run with what you've got before it's gone."

Kurt's busy sniffling into a tissue when Blaine enters the bedroom quietly, and immediately comes to him, a look of panic on his face.

When Kurt looks up at him his eyes are wet but they're bright and his smile is wide and obvious. Blaine smiles softly at him and leans down to kiss his cheek before he settles himself down on the bed beside him and nestles in close to his side while Kurt finishes off his phone conversation with his dad.

Kurt still has his apartment but he's been spending more and more time at Blaine's ever since getting back from Lake Tahoe in October. It's easier this way, there's still a chance of not getting found out if Kurt still has his own home to fall back on. Though, Blaine's condo is slowly starting to fill up with little whatnots that Kurt brings with him and doesn't take back again.

"Hey, dad? You remember what I said, right? About keeping it all a secret. You'll tell Carole and Finn? It's so important, at least until after the wedding—"

"Kurt, when have we ever let you down before, son?" Burt says and Kurt's whole body sags with relief.

"Ok, yeah. I know. Thanks, dad. I'll see you all soon. Love you." And with a beep Kurt ends the call and drops the phone down on the bed beside him.

Blaine looks up at him, all big eyes and long lashes. There's a question in his eyes and a hidden smile on his lips.

"He's booking a flight for a few weeks as we speak" Kurt says and then lowers his voice, "be prepared" he warns and Blaine pokes him in the side playfully. "Carole and Finn are coming too; I've secured them all tickets for previews week. I don't have a show on Sunday's so we'll have dinner."

Blaine nods and smiles easily, not phased in the slightest that's he's going to meet his future father in-law—the man who he should have asked permission before proposing to his son.

"Cant wait" Blaine grins, exuding every inch of that famous Anderson charm he posseses. Blaine reaches a hand up to cup Kurt's cheek and meets him halfway in a slow, soft kiss. "Are you happy?" Blaine asks when he pulls back.

Kurt sighs blissfully, eyelashes slowly fluttering back open. His cheeks are flushed his heartbeat is calm again. "Yeah, I really am" he nods and shuffles in closer to Blaine's side. "You?"

"With you? Always."

Blaine's condo is fuller than it's ever been before. He can barely see his dining table for the amount of food that's spread all over it in fancy platters and delicious looking arrangements.

Blaine doesn't think that his own family has even spent this amount of time comfortably loitering around his home before.

It makes Blaine feel more fulfilled than any award nomination or win has or can ever do.

For his family's arrival, Kurt had called in a discreet catering company to provide dinner, as going out to a restaurant in public is still an issue. Kurt thinks that even if they could go out freely in public that he probably would still prefer the private intimacy of Blaine's (and rapidly becoming their) home. Kurt could have cooked, of course, but he felt like he needed both of his hands and his mind clear and focused on his family. It's fairly understandable.

Meeting Kurt's family had been a breeze for Blaine. Kurt had seemed far more nervous and had hovered insanely close as Carole had gushed and swept Blaine up into a hug on arrival and Finn immediately started fan-boy-ing and producing posters for him to sign.

Kurt's father hung back a while, making it obvious that he was here for his son before giving Blaine any attention. But when they finally clasped hands and shook, solid and firm—while staring confidently into each other's eyes— it was clear that a silent understanding was passed between them.

Blaine didn't even wait to get Burt alone before he gave his spiel. "Mr Hummel, I never planned on proposing to your son the way I did. Not without your formal permission—I mean I did plan on proposing someday, eventually, but not where or when I actually did it. I didn't even have a ring to give Kurt. But-I- something just came over me and it just felt right. And-and I knew that I just had to ask your son to be mine for the rest of our lives. I will love him and care for him for as long as he'll let me."

Kurt's mouth had dropped open and Carole had gasped and grabbed his hand from beside him.

To be fair, for a few quiet moments, Burt did seem impressed. His face was still stony but his eyes were alight—suggesting something other than the grim line of his mouth. "You're not at the Oscars now, kid. No need to give me any of that. Your promise and your word is enough and I know you'll stick by it." Burt had told him with a strong clap on the back.

"Hard part's over now, sweetie." Carole had whispered into Kurt's ear.

If only she was right.

The hard part is successfully getting both of their families and close friends across the ocean, completely unseen with out any hearsay of the upcoming nuptials being leaked.

No, the hardest part is yet to come.