"So… why is there a squad car outside?" Blaine asked, walking into Ryan's office a couple of weeks later. "And also, why is one officer in Bob's office and another one standing outside of it?"
"Good afternoon to you too." Ryan laughed, looking up from several papers on his desk.
"Good afternoon… Seriously, though?"
"You know how that college girl was sexually assaulted and beaten up a month ago?"
"No?" Blaine tilted his head.
"Well you will soon. She's a lesbian and it was a hate crime so no lawyer wants to take it in this lovely political climate." Ryan said. "A guy raped her and beat her up for kissing her girlfriend's cheek."
"Nobody is taking it?" Blaine asked.
"Technically, nobody was. The girl is in Bob's office right now. He didn't want to with Miles being so young. He's tried to turn it down but one of the receptionists didn't know and set up a meeting… All she had to do was walk up to him and Bob said he would do it."
"Is that bad?"
"I mean, it's high profile. It's turned into this big political deal in the press about gay rights and hate crimes and freedom of speech and blah blah blah. It could go on for days, weeks, months…"
"So that's good, though? That will bring in a lot of money."
"No. He'll do it pro bono." Ryan shook his head. "Tammy Jo and I will have to agree but who is heartless enough to charge that poor girl for a high profile case? There's no way a college student has enough money to pay for that and, honestly, it's not her fault it went high profile. It's the defendant's lawyer's fault and he got exactly what he wanted…. Hope he's ready to fight Bob, though, because stuff like this pisses him off alone and now it's going to be even more political..."
"If Bob wins, do we get anything?"
"Well it will definitely let the public know we have a branch here. You'll get people wanting to be Bob's clients and if he doesn't take them, usually someone else in the office will unless they only want Bob, so it does end up bringing in extra money in the long run. Sarah's pissed, though."
Blaine bit his lip.
"He'll be ten times more stressed and grumpier than you've seen him, though, so don't take it personal if he snaps at you or something." Ryan sighed. "Hey, Tammy Jo."
"I cannot believe that receptionist set up that meeting. You know that the second he saw her he was going to take it on. He has so many kids of his own, he thinks anyone more than ten years younger than him is his kid."
"Well if he's my dad, he's not done very well with Christmas presents for the last fifteen years." Ryan joked.
Tammy Jo huffed, sitting in the seat next to Blaine. "Hi, sweetie. How are you?"
"I'm fine." Blaine smiled. "I think I know how you are, though. I say that a lot here. Nobody is ever good."
"Wait, did he call you?" Ryan asked. "When did he have time to call you?"
"No. Sarah did. She is pissed." Tammy Jo sighed. "He said he wouldn't take a high profile case until Miles is a year old but the second it turned into a civil rights thing and then political, it was sealed. That girl probably didn't even have to open her mouth and he decided. Ugh."
"Did Sarah tell you he's doing it pro bono?" Ryan asked.
"Seriously? Does he think he's made of money or something?" Tammy Jo scoffed.
"She was raped because she's gay." Ryan said, his voice very composed. Almost too composed. "I think she's had enough to deal with on top of a two million dollar lawyer bill. Nobody else would take the case. She can't defend herself."
"Brian's going to have to just transfer to this office to help."
"I don't know how Brian's girlfriend will feel about that. They've been together more than ten years, so you shouldn't just push him up here because of one trial. I mean, you didn't move up here when I was doing the Verizon stuff. Well, the worst of it." Ryan pointed out.
"You know what? He's thirty. I'm convinced he's making her up. She has never come to the Christmas parties." Tammy Jo sighed again. "What is that look for?"
"You're usually tipsy before he makes it in since he's younger, has a life, and has a later bedtime is all." Ryan shrugged.
"You did not just say that to me."
"I actually did. Jamie never comes to the Christmas party either. Am I making him up?"
"Fine." Tammy Jo sighed.
Ryan sat up straight as the two police officers and a young woman walked past his office.
"Oh my God. She's a baby." Tammy Jo gasped as Bob walked in.
"I wasn't going to turn her away." Bob said.
"No. I wouldn't have either." Tammy Jo said— they could tell she was being truthful despite what she had been saying before.
"So, I talked to Brian." Bob sighed.
"Already?"
"Yes. I need help. He's coming up here… Probably permanently. He has to talk to his girlfriend—"
"That doesn't exist." Tammy cut in.
"He has to talk to his girlfriend obviously, but regardless he's going to be here helping prepare this for trial." Bob looked at Ryan. "Jake will be here to help you when I'm not around. He's been partner in a couple of firms so he knows the ins and outs."
"That's fine. I'm fine either way." Ryan shrugged. "I'm just doing the same stuff I've always done with a title now… but I can actually sign my name and not forge your guys'."
"We need a very strict policy stating that people can't discuss this case at all—even in the office to other lawyers. This is going to be a shit show already. The last thing this case needs is an intern overhearing something and fucking something up." Bob sighed. "Plus, we've got a lot of new people we don't know all that well yet."
"Adrian always misses the good stuff." Blaine said. "Well, not good. Big. You know what I mean."
"God, I forgot you were sitting there." Tammy Jo gasped again. "You're so quiet. Wait. I've never seen your boyfriend either. Does he really exist?"
"I believe you should be saying partner, not boyfriend. Boyfriend is what a couple is in high school and undergrad." Ryan cut in before Blaine could answer.
"Why are you in such a pissy mood?" Tammy Jo asked.
Ryan gave Tammy Jo a look, not saying anything else.
"Ryan, you've spent too much time with me in the last sixteen years." Bob laughed.
"I do not like what you are insinuating."
"Yes. By the way. He does exist." Blaine said before Bob could respond. "His name is Kurt and he works for Marc Jacobs. His team is two tiers below him… so that's why he's not here much. He was never at the Cambridge office because he's lived here for more than three years now."
"Wait." Ryan held up a hand. "The Marc Jacobs? Project Runway Marc Jacobs?"
"Oh God. Here we go." Tammy Jo sighed.
"You mean your partner has a job with Marc Jacobs and he has missed almost five months of work and he is still employed at Marc Jacobs?" Ryan asked. "How good is he? He must be really good."
"Well… good enough that he'll eventually get his supervisors job? They had actually talked about it a couple of days before we found out about Kurt's dad." Blaine shrugged. "I mean, he's really good. He was Parson's equivalent of a Valedictorian and he was offered a paid sponsorship the spring semester of his first year, but he turned it down."
"In New York? Yeah, working for Marc Jacobs is a lot better than having some tuition paid. Come on. He's going to be a millionaire if he is just out of school and is two levels below Marc Jacobs. Oh my God."
"Can you not go one week without bringing up a clothing brand?" Tammy Jo asked.
"It's not just a clothing brand! He even helps abandoned and abused dogs from Puerto Rico. Who are you helping, Tammy?"
"I have three dogs."
"Probably from a puppy mill." Ryan said quietly, but loud enough where they could still hear.
Tammy Jo gave Bob a look.
"What? I didn't make him obsessed with clothes?"
"Yeah but you're the one that gave him a paid job twelve years ago." Tammy Jo responded. "And the one that let him get away with being this sarcastic. We were all doomed."
"Oh please. I've brought in millions." Ryan scoffed.
"Not since you had kids." Tammy Jo raised her arms in the air.
"I tried to quit and Bob wouldn't let me. You can get with him on that one."
"Does Jamie really make enough for you to do that?" Bob looked surprised.
"Well I've got a lot of money saved up from when I did civil rights cases… and he does make a lot. And his pay doubled here in New York, so…" Ryan trailed off and shrugged. "Yeah. He makes enough money that I could be a stay at home dad… and have like four more kids but I'm not crazy like Bob."
"How do you young people have enough money to save it? Brian's got half a million saved."
"That is because Brian is killing it right now." Ryan said.
"Blaine, do you have half a million saved up?" Tammy Jo asked.
"No." Blaine said slowly. "I don't make that much yet. If you want to give me my raise early, though…"
Bob made a face which only Blaine and Ryan could see.
He hadn't saved half a million dollars. It was given to him.
Technicalities. But he didn't lie.
"Hey, Bob, can I shadow you on this case?" Blaine asked after Tammy shrugged.
"If you want to see a shit show, feel free." Bob said, looking behind him as Jake walked up.
"It's been announced on FOX and CNN news. They're currently talking about your political affiliation on FOX news of course, so I wouldn't recommend going to the southern part of the country." Jake said.
"Oh, God. What else?"
"They were talking about your other high profile cases and the big ones that weren't high profile. CNN makes you sound amazing. FOX makes it sound like you got lucky by getting the cases and if the defendant had paid more for better lawyers you wouldn't have won."
"Let me roll my eyes." Bob looked up at the ceiling.
"On the bright side, they are both using a good picture."
"Just wait until I tell a reporter to fuck off. Then they'll find one where I'm pissed and use that." Bob sighed. "Hey, if I'm out a lot can you help Ryan out? I don't know if I will since it's a couple of hours away but still."
"No. I'm going to let your business crumble and burn." Jake's voice dripped with sarcasm.
"Hey, Bob. Have you had lunch yet?" Blaine asked cheerfully.
Tammy Jo looked at Blaine. "You just got here."
"He's a growing boy, Tammy." Bob said before Blaine could speak. "Growing boys need food."
"He's almost twenty five." Tammy Jo argued. "That is not a boy."
"You're about to have a birthday?" Bob asked, looking surprised. "I didn't know your birthday was in spring."
"Yeah. Next Saturday." Blaine shrugged and then looked at Tammy Jo with a very serious expression. "I'm at a very stressful point in my life. I'm waiting on these test results, Kurt's gone back to Lima for a couple more weeks, and Winnie ate my shoe."
"Whatever. Even if you stayed here, you'd be with Bob anyway." Tammy Jo sighed. After several seconds, she gave hm a weird look. "Winnie is an animal, right?"
"She's my dog. I can show you a picture."
"You just said that like it's a picture of your kid." Ryan let out a loud laugh. "You and Adrian are so funny."
"Oh my God, Blaine. I'm starving. If you're getting lunch with me, we need to leave now." Bob whined—literally whined— from the doorway.
"You are 45 years old, Robert." Tammy Jo looked at him like he had lost his mind.
"My wife is pissed and won't bring me lunch like she promised, I just signed up for God knows what, and I haven't eaten yet. Just let me go eat, Tammy."
"I don't know how Sarah lives with you." Tammy Jo shook her head.
"I don't know how she lives with you either. Bye." Bob walked out and then back in. "Metaphorically of course."
"Thank you, Robbie, for the confirmation."
"Don't you call me that!" Bob pointed at her and then walked down the hall.
Blaine looked at Tammy Jo.
"You're fine, Blaine. Go." She sighed, like she always did. Blaine heard her tell Ryan, "If Bob doesn't get gray hairs after this trial, I am convinced he dyes his hair. Sarah's just covering up for him."
He then heard Ryan say, "No. He's just that lucky because he's so attractive."
Apparently Blaine wasn't the only one that thought that—he never would have admitted it out loud, though.
Blaine quickly exited. Bob was at the main entrance waiting for him.
"You don't have to have Tammy Jo's permission to leave anytime she and I bicker, you know?" Bob asked, walking towards his car.
"I don't know. It feels weird not to. If Tammy needed me to do something, I'd probably wait for you to say it was okay too." Blaine shrugged. "Happy Monday, I guess."
"Happy Monday." Bob sighed.
"Am I really allowed to shadow you on this?"
"It's high profile. Other people will get involved with finding information, talking to people, blah blah. The only thing I don't want you to do is come in when I'm alone with the client."
"I wouldn't do that anyway." Blaine said and fell silent until they got to a restaurant.
They had ordered and were sitting there, not really talking, when his phone rang.
"Sarah, I know you're pissed but it's done." He answered, not even letting her speak first. "Yes… I do understand that, but I also understand the fact that nobody wants to help this girl… Yeah, well, if it were Emily you would feel differently… No, I have a meeting I have to get ready for so I have to go. I love you too."
Blaine took a sip of his drink, not speaking. He'd never seen Bob lie to Sarah before.
Bob groaned and looked at the ceiling. "I shouldn't have taken this one but I couldn't not."
"The girl needs your help, though. I'm sure you can do it."
"It's not me I'm worried about. It's Ryan. That's why I've been turning it down but she just showed up today and Dad mode kicked in or something. Ugh."
"Is that what…?" Blaine frowned.
Bob didn't respond which Blaine took as a confirmation.
"Is he going to be okay?"
"He'll be fine as long as people don't talk about it… but if people start talking about it in detail, he won't be… and then we're all fucked because he'll be the one pretty much running the office." Bob sighed again.
"Will Sarah be okay?"
"Yes. She freaks out at first but she always calms down. I mean, I get it. I've had a car blown up and I've been in the hospital seven or eight times… not to mention that means I'm home less so I can't help as much… But I only take the important ones and she knows that. She'll be fine in a few days." Bob looked thoughtful. "I shouldn't have lied to her on the phone but sometimes it's so frustrating to have to defend myself for however many days or weeks she acts pissy. It's easier to avoid her until she calms down."
Blaine made a sympathetic noise. "How long do you think until the actual trial?"
"Minimum three months is what I'm expecting based off of other high profile cases but it could be as long as a year. High profile cases don't follow the typical rules."
"Does it really take three months to prepare?"
"It definitely can. That gives both lawyers a chance to know what's going on, to make sure everything is legit and no laws were broken in the pretrial process, all of the evidence was obtained legally, and to get DNA proof that it was the guy, go back on forth on a settlement or plea deal—which I will not agree to, by the way. This is not going to be my first loss of a sexual assault case and I would consider it a loss if it ends by settlement or a plea deal."
Blaine nodded as Bob's phone started to ring.
He pulled out his phone—his personal one— and let out an annoyed groan. "Yes, Mom. The news is right… yes, I'm aware I have a three month old baby… you know, I actually forgot about the other two kids in the house so thank you for reminding me."
Blaine covered his mouth to keep from laughing.
"You know what? Between you and Sarah, I am going to need therapy. You gave birth to me so you should pay the bills… If you've got such a problem with it, come down here and help her until it's over."
Blaine had to keep from laughing again as Bob turned the phone away from his mouth and put a fry into his mouth. He then got an annoyed look on his face and moved the phone back down.
"You know what? You and Dad both encouraged me to go into law and here we are. Maybe you should talk to James who hasn't had a job for four years while his wife works and takes care of the kids by herself? Yes, I'm eating. I haven't eaten since dinner last night and my fries are going cold. Yes, you can call back at six. I love you too." He then looked at Blaine. "Have I ever told you how much I hate phones?"
"Once or twice." Blaine smiled.
"Adrian and Matthew's wedding was sweet, wasn't it?"
"Yeah, it was. Although honestly I wanted to cry when Matt got to see his partner again but I think both of them were crying enough for everyone." Blaine nodded.
"Those two have been friends since high school. For the longest time, his dad wouldn't let them ride together." Bob laughed. "They had to one day, made a really good team, and he didn't separate them after that. His friend never found out they got married earlier, right?"
"No. I think I'm the only one that Adrian told… well, apart from people at the office obviously."
"She looked happier to be there than they did at points. It was kind of cute." Bob laughed. "It's a good thing she didn't find out."
"You and Sarah looked cute too." Blaine said.
"Well…" Bob shrugged but did not disagree.
Blaine suspected he was used to hearing that by now.
"AJ wanted them to get together for months before Adrian would give him the time of day."
"I feel like they probably even each other out."
"Yeah, I think so."
"Speaking of weddings… how is Kurt?"
"Oh my God. You cannot turn into Burt. I can't take two of you, okay?" Blaine scoffed.
"I really like Kurt." Bob said. "The way he looks at you when you're not looking is so sweet. He really cares about you."
"He looks at me when I'm not looking?" Blaine tilted his head.
"Yes. You look at him when he isn't looking too." Bob nodded. "I think your wedding will be sweeter than Adrian and Matthew's."
Blaine shrugged and then smiled a bit.
Bob grinned at him and then repeated, "How is Kurt? What's going on with everything?"
"He says he's coming back in two weeks but I don't know if I believe it." Blaine admitted. "He's really close to Burt and the cancer isn't all gone yet. He thinks he's going to come home in two weeks but he won't."
"You think not?" Bob looked surprised.
"I hope he does but I'm not getting my hopes up… at least not yet."
"How are you two, though?"
"We're good. I mean, we haven't gotten to talk as much as we'd like and I miss him like crazy, but we're good." Blaine hesitated and then smiled. "I can't wait to see him again, though."
"Trust me, with what's about to hit the office the next two weeks will fly by."
"Sorry." Blaine frowned.
"It'll be worth it when that guy is in prison… because he is going to prison." Bob stood. "Ready to head back?"
"Yeah. Are you?"
"Blaine, I'm never ready to walk back into any law office I've worked in."
…
"I am nervous as hell with you being back in the city. What if he sees you?" Wes asked, coming up to Kurt in a busy coffee shop three days later.
"Hello to you too." Kurt smiled and stood up when it was evident Wes wanted to hug him.
"How are you? What's going on? Well, I know what's going on. He almost found the ring." Wes pulled back.
"What?" Kurt's eyes widened.
"It was still in the shipping box. I made up some crap about Alicia finally deciding what she wanted as her push gift and he bought it. I was so sure he wasn't going to believe me and that it would be ruined. Speaking of ruining, how is this going to work? His boss is just going to randomly ask him to go to the library? Don't you think that will seem weird?"
"Bob's been having him run so many places to pick up stuff that I don't think he would have any clue, honestly. It sounds like the office is crazy right now too which helps. Adrian and Blaine are even getting time and a half pay for staying extra hours…" Kurt smiled again.
"So, are you excited? Nervous?" Wes asked as David slipped into the seat next to Kurt.
"I've only got thirty minutes, guys. I'm sorry. Flu is going around and everyone is dying… Hopefully not literally."
"That's why we picked somewhere close to your job. I'm not back at work yet." Kurt said.
"And my job doesn't care what I do as long as I log at least 40 hours a week." Wes shrugged and then grinned. "I'm so excited."
"Okay, good, let's go. You're doing it tomorrow afternoon? Where are you staying tonight?" David asked.
Wes made a face. "Well, not with me because Blaine just walks in whenever he wants. Knowing my luck, he'd come in and find you sitting on the couch."
"I'm staying with Adrian and Matt. It's the farthest away from our jobs and apartment. Plus, Blaine and Adrian generally work the same hours or Adrian leaves a bit early, so he could always text me or Matt so I can leave or hide until he's gone." Kurt smiled.
"And you're back? For good?" David asked.
"Yeah. Dad's got two rounds left but there's been no decline in his health so I decided to come back. Carole's able to handle everything herself because Dad isn't feeling quite as sick as he was before. If anything happens I'll go back but for now I'm back in New York and I start work the day after tomorrow… and I also got a promotion which I am itching to tell Blaine but if I did, he would know I'd been here and…" Kurt trailed off and smiled brightly.
"Congrats!" Wes exclaimed.
"With it being so crazy, are you sure Bob will even have time to send Blaine to that library? What if he gets busy and forgets?" David asked. "I'm so sorry. I can't be late but I'm happy for you too."
"When Blaine's at work he's with Bob most of the time watching him or looking through stuff, so he'll have time. I don't think Bob will forget about it either because he is super excited too." Kurt reassured David.
"Holy shit, David. You're the only one left." Wes gasped.
"Hey, Blaine could still say no." David laughed and then said, "I'm kidding, Kurt. He won't."
"Yeah, he's been super nostalgic lately… and he's really missed you." Wes said.
"How much did you have to pay to let you do it there?" David asked.
"Yeah, you don't want to know. Who knew you had to pay to have someone hide with a camera and to give somebody a ring?" Kurt laughed. "It's okay, though. I think he'll like it and that is what's important."
"You know Blaine so well." Wes said. "A library. That's perfect."
Kurt smiled, looking very excited. "Yeah, I hope he likes it. Plus, I don't think he'd want it to be in front of people even if they are strangers, so I'm doing it at one of the prettier but less busy ones."
"I'm sure once you get down on a knee with that box, he wouldn't even think about anybody else being around." David promised.
"Did you tell Carole?" Wes asked.
"No. It's too risky. You guys, Adrian and Matt, my best friend Alec, and Bob are the only ones that know… Honestly, I probably wouldn't have told Adrian and Matt if I didn't need a place to stay." Kurt laughed.
"What time? Do you know?"
"Sometime after 3 is all I know. If Bob gets pulled into something, it may take him a bit to get away and send Blaine… but he said he didn't think there would be anything like that tomorrow." Kurt explained.
"So you just wait until he makes it that many blocks down?"
"Yeah. I just wait." Kurt nodded.
"Blainers is about to get married." Wes stuck out his lower lip. "He grew up so fast… I remember when he still had a head full of long curls. I still miss the poofy hair….."
"I think he will bawl." David said. "He's missed you a lot since the middle of February when he came back. It's been kind of sad, really."
"I don't know. I think he'll be too shocked and then too excited to cry. Maybe later once the shock wears off…" Wes said and then sighed a bit. "Blainers and Kurtsie."
"Oh God." Kurt laughed.
"No, really. I am so excited and you guys better come see all of us tomorrow. AJ knows since the ring came to our house but her and Adrian have been debating how it's going to happen for months. She will probably cry." Wes said very seriously. "She loves Blaine to death."
"I think it would be hard to not love Blaine, though. I think it's the smile... or the cheeks. It's probably the cheeks." David stood. "Okay, I have to go. Kurt, I am so, so, so happy for you and I can't wait to see you guys tomorrow when you're engaged. It'll be great, you'll do great, and maybe we can all four do something super soon because I really want to catch up... and I never work after 5:30! It's the best!"
"We will definitely come and see everyone." Kurt promised, standing up to hug David. "See you later."
Wes grinned at Kurt when David walked away.
"What?" Kurt laughed.
"Nothing! I'm super excited. You all have been together so long. You've been through a lot together and I'm really happy you're both here… I'm so glad he found you. You make him so happy and he makes you so happy."
Kurt smiled and stood. "I better go. I'm supposed to call the photographer in half an hour."
"Good luck, Kurt!" Wes gave him a hug. "We'll see you tomorrow night. The best night ever! Okay, bye!"
Kurt hugged him back, grabbed his (not at all hot anymore) coffee, and left the restaurant.
Long Time Coming
"Did you get married!?"
Both Bob and Blaine looked up. The could both see Mallory cornering Brian in the hallway.
"Uh… I'm here to help Bob… so…"
"That is a ring on your ring finger on your left hand. You got married!"
"Actually, it's an engagement ring. Can I do my job now?"
"She proposed to you? You literally waited so long your girlfriend proposed to you? Come on, Brian."
"Girlfriend is actually not a girl… but I really am here to work, so can I go? You aren't even my boss. Why am I asking you?" He gave her a look, stepped to the side, and then walked past him.
"You said you had a girlfriend!"
"I never said it was a girl. You all just assumed." Brian shrugged. "Straight until proven gay, right?"
"But how did he do it?" Mallory called after him. "Who is he? Oh, God. Is it Ryan?"
"What did I do?" Ryan called from his office, oblivious to what was going on.
"Ryan is married already. Sorry, I don't have time to talk about that now. Maybe at lunch."
"What is it with you men and your three sentences and then working?" She sighed.
"What is it with you girls always looking at a man's hand for a ring? Especially married women?" Brian called back behind him. He then walked into the conference room Bob had been using for his high profile case. "Well she knows now so both offices will know within an hour."
Bob slapped the table grinning. "You! When did he do it? Where did he do it?"
"In the moving truck. I'm trying to move this stupid couch to the back by myself to make room so we could get the chair because he wants to keep even though it's uncomfortable and it to take up too much space and he won't listen to logic. I turn around, and he's on his knee with a ring. I mean points for creativity I guess, but we were literally in the middle of something so I was kind of annoyed..." Brian shrugged. "Actually, really annoyed."
"Oh my God. What did you say?"
"I asked him if he couldn't have waited five minutes until the couch was out of the truck…. Then I realized what he'd said, we kissed, and then kept moving stuff... I actually can't remember if I said yes to tell you the truth… Anyway, I moved here to work so let's work. Hi, Blaine."
"Hey. Congratulations!" Blaine waved.
"That's it?" Bob looked disappointed, not even giving Brian a chance to respond to Blaine.
"We're happy, our parents are happy, and we still have a moving truck full of stuff to move into the house? We've talked about getting married for seven years but I guess we were both just waiting for the other to do it and he caved in first." Brian laughed.
"Sp are you going to have kids?" Bob asked.
"Oh God no."
"Oh come on." Bob looked disappointed. "Not even one?"
"I mean maybe we'll get a puppy? Now you're starting to sound like his mom."
"What does your fiancé do?" Blaine asked.
"Oh, he's a lawyer too. It's how we met… only he was prosecuting and I was defending in that case. Occasionally we've had to argue against each other which is always interesting when we're back at home after a trial." Brian shrugged. "It's okay, though, because I usually win… even though he's four years older and supposedly more experienced."
"I've told him at least ten times that I will bring him on here." Bob said, no longer looking disappointed. Apparently, Brian's answer had been long enough… for then, at least. "Has he already got a job?"
"Yeah, he does…" Brian said slowly.
"Okay. Where?" Bob asked. "That's great."
"I don't want to say."
"He went to that Taggart place didn't he? That is so rude." Bob sighed.
"We decided a long time ago that we won't ever work together at the same place. You want him or me?" Brian gave him a look.
"You obviously… even if your partner is a traitor."
"You'll be alright. He gets moody under stress anyway. I'm much easier to deal with and I don't talk back... as much." Brian patted his shoulder, walked behind the table, and began looking at the small stacks of paper. "So… is there going to be an official prosecuting team?"
"Honestly I don't know. Two of the people from your fiancé's officeare coming today, though. The dad and oldest brother, I'm assuming. One of them has prosecuted this guy before but it wasn't something like this. When did he do it?"
"Three days ago."
"And you still have stuff in the moving truck?" Bob looked amused. "I had four children and a pregnant wife and had both of our trucks unloaded that day."
"It's not that we didn't have time… it's that we can't decide where stuff should go."
"So you're just leaving it out there in a U-haul until someone caves?" Bob laughed as Blaine came over to the table with them.
"That's usually how it goes. Putting something off or arguing about it until someone caves. Our arguments last forever because we're both too good at arguing." Brian shrugged.
"Do you have a meeting? You keep looking at your watch." Blaine asked Blaine, grabbing a manila folder with a name paperclipped to it. "Ooh, what's this?"
"Blaine, don't open— that."
Bob sighed.
"Oh God. I think I'm going to be sick." Blaine dropped the folder and sat down in one of the seats at the table.
"That part never get easier." Brian said without even looking up. He then asked Bob a question, as if Blaine hadn't just been scarred for life, "So, it doesn't look like the DA's office did much… This has been on the news for a month and this is all they have?"
"There's more coming later today but the guy said they didn't have a whole lot… but what they do have is solid. I mean the guy is literally caught on camera putting her into his car."
"That's not proof enough." Brian said. "Although you'd be pretty dumb to say it wasn't you if it's your car and your face in the video."
"They were roleplaying. Fucking asshole." Bob sighed. "You okay, Blaine?"
"Was that…"
"Yes. Here, can you go through these folders and pull out the credible stuff?" Bob picked up five folders from the table.
"How will I know if it's actually credible? I've never done that for something that wasn't stupid."
"I'll check behind you. Don't worry." Brian looked up from his papers. "Who in the hell is the defense lawyer on this?"
"Some egotistical retired hog from Alabama who has been caught saying racist things on camera five times." Bob sighed. "He's also an avid Trump supporter. This is going to be great fun... if I don't shoot myself."
"Oh, it's your favorite type to argue with though."
Blaine looked at the first few pages in the folder but wasn't really seeing them.
Between seeing a picture of somebody like that and hearing Bob and Brian talking about the case, he honestly wanted to go home, throw up, curl up in bed, and call Kurt. The girl in the picture didn't look near as bad as Kurt had, but now Blaine couldn't get that moment out of his head—the one that always stuck out. Kurt hooked up to everything, knocked out, and his chest jumping as he struggled to breathe with a collapsed lung.
"Okay. Come on."
Blaine looked up from the folder, seeing Bob next to him. "No. I'm fine."
"Do you need to go home? Do you need a break?"
"It just… reminded me of Kurt." Blaine blinked rapidly.
"Let's go talk." Bob said, the same sad look on his face that he'd had trying to get Ryan to talk to him after the huge fight.
"No. I'm okay."
"We're going to go talk."
"No. I'm fine. I can sort them."
"Blaine…"
"No." Blaine opened one of his folders.
"Excuse me for a minute." Bob sighed before leaving the room.
"It doesn't really get easier." Brian said. "Stuff like this… you just kind of make a folder in your brain with the bad stuff and you compartmentalize it."
"How?"
"It took me a year to get to the point where I didn't want to vomit every time I looked at stuff like that. The thing is you're seeing these pictures to help them. To get back at the person who did that… and it makes it a little better." Brian sat down in one of the seats next to him and sighed.
"My partner… well, he was attacked. I mean he was worse off than this girl but it just made me remember what he looked like." Blaine said lamely.
"So you invest yourself in stuff like this. You do what you can to help the people you take on. And honestly, you don't have to shadow on this case and you don't have to ever take a case like this… but once you do, the rest of them don't seem as important. Arguing over a dent on a car or a stolen bike is just stupid."
"Yeah."
Brian took the folder they were in and put it in a filing cabinet, out of sight.
"Have you had cases that are too… personal?" Blaine asked. "Or hard?"
"Oh yeah. A few." Brian nodded. "I block it out. Ryan 'used reason' when he dealt with anything like this whatever in the hell that means. Bob gets pissed and determined which is why he wins so many cases. I think a lot of them end up personal for him because he wants to make 'real change.' Tammy Jo usually just leaves for an hour and comes back like nothing happened… You'll find something that works for you. It may take a few tries to find it."
When Bob came in, he had two men with him—one in his sixties probably, the other in his thirties.
"Blaine, I need you to go help Jake with something." Bob said, taking a disc out of a case.
"I'm fine." Blaine said.
"This has nothing to do with you. Go help with Jake." Bob said—the tone of his voice was different. He sounded like a boss.
Blaine nodded and left, although he wasn't sure he believed Bob. Otherwise why would he have kicked Blaine out?
He went to Jake's office and sat down in front of the desk.
Either Ryan was right and he was going to be snippier than usual or Blaine had pissed him off. Blaine really hoped it was the first.
"You saw something you didn't expect, didn't you?" Jake asked once Blaine made it into his office, looking concerned.
"Yeah. That's probably why Bob made me come in here because you're the closest personality to his and he's busy playing with the big boys." Blaine sighed as the younger visitor walked past the door.
"That is the rudest thing anybody has ever said to me Blaine." Jake laughed. "Come on now."
"I think that would be a compliment." Blaine said sincerely. "So… is something illegal going on in there? They brought a disc."
"A store came forward with better camera footage and it has audio… probably proof they weren't roleplaying. The manager took it to the wrong firm, though, but they didn't trust that the guy would take the subway to get here… I don't think it's something they would want a lot of people to see." Jake looked up when the other guy came in. "Hey, how are your kids?"
"Growing faster than I can clothe them." The guy laughed. "How are yours?"
"They're both good. Aiden is seven and Aubrey is almost ten." Jake smiled.
"I have no idea how he has enough sanity to work here having five kids." The guy gestured towards Bob's office.
"I think the fact that they're spread out helps." Jake laughed. "His second started at NYU last fall."
The guy looked at Blaine and held out his hand. "Hi, I'm James. I work at that big firm everyone in the state hates."
"I'm Blaine." Blaine forced a smile.
"He just saw his first photos." Jake said.
"First one is always the worst." The guy, James, looked sympathetic.
"How is Kyle?"
"Trying to put all of us to shame. He'll be slowing down soon, though. He's about to have a baby so the rest of us might be able to pad our careers from him."
"Gay Kyle? Your brother Kyle?" Jake looked confused.
"You know… we aren't asking but honestly he was probably really wasted. He's 27 and likes to go out at night. He'll figure it out." James shrugged.
"I remember when I worked there and your mom would bring him to visit twenty years ago. He was always like 'This is sooo boring' and now he's killing it."
"You know how there are sometimes family blessings? Mom says law is our family curse is law. I can't believe he beat Bob, though."
"Yeah, Bob can't either." Jake laughed
"Bob can't what?" Bob walked in.
"Believe Kyle beating you in court."
"Did your dad read you guys torts instead of nursery rhymes? I think I was 35 by the time I got to his level."
"Probably." James shrugged. "So, you've got two copies now?"
"Yeah. Our IT guy walked your dad and I through it. Thanks for bringing this here before turning one over to the DA." Bob held out a CD.
"No problem. Let us know if you need help and we'll send the law prodigy brother over."
"My God, though." Blaine made a face.
"At least he isn't your baby brother. It's ten times worse for me." James waved and then left.
"Okay. Blaine and I are going to take a lunch and when we're back, I need you to look at something."
Jake gave him a thumbs up.
"I'm fine. Really." Blaine said when Bob wrapped an arm around his shoulders
"We're still getting lunch." Bob said. "Sorry if I sounded like an asshole when they brought that CD in."
"You didn't but I don't like that tone of voice."
"My sons don't either so I guess it's official now. I wasn't too fond of you telling me 'no' and ignoring me either."
"Sorry." Blaine shrugged a bit.
Bob laughed. "It's fine. You'll do it again and it'll be fine then too… and I'll probably use the tone again too, so sorry."
"Are we walking or driving?"
"Walking. I want out of that office as long as I can be."
"Yeah. Me too actually."
…
"You know it's been an hour and a half, right?" Blaine asked, looking across the table at Bob.
"Yes. I just really don't want to go back yet." Bob, who had slouched a bit, sat up straight. "So, is Kurt still coming home next week?"
"Supposedly but I don't know if I believe it yet." Blaine laughed a bit.
"Is the apartment clean?"
"Clean enough but I've got two loads of dirty laundry to do." Blaine shrugged. "I'll do them tonight when I get home."
"Do you feel better, though?" Bob asked, looking concerned. "About what you saw?"
"Yeah. I guess I shouldn't look in unlabeled folders anymore." Blaine forced a laugh. "I was caught off guard but I'm fine. I feel better about it. Brian and Jake both talked to me."
"It's a definite negative for criminal law… Are you sure you still want to do that?"
"Yes." Blaine said firmly.
"Good." Bob smiled at him. "Because you're going to kick ass when you get used to it."
"Do you really think that?"
"Oh, yeah." Bob nodded. "I keep saying it and you obviously don't believe me, but I know you will… and I love to say 'I told you so.' Just ask Sarah."
Blaine laughed.
"That was a real laugh. This is progress." Bob smiled again.
"I really am fine." Blaine took a deep breath in and let it out. "I just miss Kurt. He's not answered my texts all day. I hope everything is okay."
"Oh, I'm sure it is." Bob said after looking down at his phone. He then typed out a text.
"Hey, didn't you say to remind you when it's 3:00?"
"Shit, I did. I lost track of time. Can you do something for me?" Bob asked. "It's not exactly walking distance, though."
"I will have you know I am only confused half of the time when figuring out the subway system. If I don't show back up by seven, I'm probably crying in one of the seats." Blaine grinned.
"Okay. I need you to go and get this book. You've got a library card, right? Please tell me you do because I don't."
"Of course I do. Have you met me?" Blaine stood and took a slip of paper Bob was holding out.
"It's on the second floor near all she windows."
"What do you mean, all of the windows?" Blaine tilted his head.
"You'll know when you get there. Text me and let me know when you're on the way back, alright?"
…
He's on his way to you.
Thank you SO much.
Sorry he may not be in the best mood, though. He saw some rough pictures and didn't know what he was about to look at.
It's okay. I think his mind will be taken off it.
Thank you again, though.
Really.
I barely did anything. Just make sure you tell him I don't really need that book because I'll feel bad if he brings it to me… Mostly because I'll have to make him return it tomorrow.
I have a feeling he's going to come and see you regardless.
Good luck, Kurt!
Thanks!
Kurt took a deep breath, thinking about all of the things he wanted to say—how he knew Blaine was it the first time he saw him on that staircase and he'd grabbed Kurt's hand. How Blaine giving him advice had changed his life. How he was positive he was going to have a heart attack the first time Blane said 'I love you.' And how life was just better with Blaine. There was no life without Blaine, really— at least not a good, fulfilled one. Because they had been KurtandBaine for so long that they would never be Kurt and Blaine again.
His heart felt like it would stop when he saw Blaine coming up the stairs.
This. Was. It.
Kurt stood up.
Here goes nothing… or everything?
Blaine pulled a paper out of his pocket, looked at it, and then looked around. His eyes locked with Kurt's.
"What… are you doing here?" Blaine asked, walking up to him.
"I need to talk to you." Kurt said, feeling somewhere between freaking-the-fuck-out as Wes would say and completely calm. But it wasn't neutral either. Anxious and calm. Terrified and excited.
"Did something happen? What?" Blaine looked at him, worried.
"Do you remember the first time we met? On the staircase at Dalton?"
"Oh my God. Are you—oh my God. Right now?" Blaine's eyes widened and he looked around. Nobody else was there. It was just them.
"Do you remember?" Kurt repeated.
"Oh my God. Of course I remember, Kurt." Blaine looked at Kurt, his hands shaking. His eyes teared up. "Are you… Are you…?"
"I knew it was you the second I looked in your eyes. I think I loved you before I even spoke to you and then I heard your voice and saw your smile and it felt like my heart was going to explode." Kurt took a deep breath. By that point Blaine was nearly properly crying because it was 100% clear Kurt was proposing. "Do you remember the talk at Dalton with me, you, David and Wes? And how you gave me the advice about McKinley and standing up for myself?"
"Yes. Kurt—"
"Do you remember that summer, in my bedroom when it was still technically the basement, and we were sitting on the bed and you told me you loved me? And how you drove from Lexington to see me as many weekends as you could once you were in school?"
"I can't breathe. Oh my God." Blaine took a deep breath. Because what?!
"It's always been you, Blaine. I have fallen in love with you again every day, everywhere, for everything. Not just when you took care of me senior year, or when you take care of me when I'm sick now, when you held me when I cried about Dad both times, when you bring me something to eat for lunch because you know I won't eat otherwise. I fall in love with you, every you, every day that I am alive. Even the you who waits until you have no clean clothes left to do your laundry."
"Kurt." Blaine whimpered.
"I want this, us, forever. I want us to get married and have children. I want us to be daddies. I want us to have big fights and bigger make ups. I want to do life with you. There is nothing I want more than to spend the rest of my life with you."
Kurt got down on one knee.
Blaine covered his face with his hands, shoulders shaking.
"I can't do this unless you look at me." Kurt said, waiting patiently.
"Just—just give me a minute to catch up." Blaine said, letting out a deep breath. He then took in another one and let it out. "Oh my God. Kurt."
"Are you ready?" Kurt smiled brightly.
"Yeah." Blaine nodded, wiping his eyes.
"Blaine, will you marry me?"
Blaine nodded, not even seeing the ring box Kurt was holding. All he saw was Kurt.
Kurt stood and wrapped him in a tight hug.
Blaine pulled back, wiping his face with the back of one hand. "Bob didn't even need a book, did he?"
"No." Kurt laughed and showed him the box.
"Oh my God. There's a ring." Blaine said.
"So, can I go ahead and put it on you?" Kurt smiled playfully.
"Yes." Blaine nodded, wiping his eyes again with his right hand since Kurt was sliding a ring onto the left ring finger.
"Are you going back to Lima now?" Blaine asked.
"No. I'm home." Kurt kissed him and then led back to the big chair he had been sitting in.
"Home home?"
"Home home." Kurt nodded, smiling.
Blaine gratefully sat down, looking at Kurt with wide hazel eyes. "I love you so much, Kurt."
"I love you too." Kurt bent and then handed Blaine a bottle of water.
Because, let's be real. He knew Blaine and he knew Blaine was going to need some water after all of the crying he would inevitably do.
"I now love you even more and I didn't know that was possible" Blaine said before gulping down half of it, not even noticing the photographer sneaking down the stairs. "Kurt."
"What?" Kurt smiled, wiping under one of Blaine's eyes with his thumb since the tears had not fully stopped yet
"It's not May." Blaine laughed.
"Blaine, you followed me to Lima for three months to help take care of my dad. And if my dad can randomly get that sick, what if something were to happen to one of us? We don't need test results to determine when we start the rest of our lives. I want it to start now. It's always been you and it's always going to be you… every day of my life."
"Just so you know what I was going to say to you would have never been close to how you just… I love you so much."
Kurt wrapped his arms around Blaine when his own eyes teared up.
He had done it.
It was done.
They were engaged.
More than three years past when he wanted to get engaged but that didn't matter. They were here now. And, honestly, the timing was perfect.
Kurt kissed the top of his head and then whispered, "I'm sure it would have been perfect."
"You are everything to me, Kurt."
"I know." Kurt smiled. "And you are everything to me."
Blaine leaned against Kurt. His heart beat feeling like it was finally settling down and his eyes were readjusting from all of the tears. "Did you have to pay to do this here?"
"Yeah… mostly so I could make sure they'd let the photographer in."
"Oh God. Well I hope you didn't spend much on the photographer because those pictures are going to be a hot mess… Where are they?"
"She snuck out a couple of minutes ago." Kurt kissed the top of his head.
"Who all knew?"
"Well the ring was sent to Wes and AJ's. I heard you almost ruined that for yourself." Kurt laughed a bit. "And I stayed at Matt and Adrian's last night so you wouldn't know I was in town. I wanted it to be a complete surprise."
"It was."
"And Bob's actually been sending you to pick up stuff for the last week because he didn't want you to be suspicious when he asked you to go to the library clear across town."
"He kept checking his watch today too. I knew something was up but didn't think it had anything to do with me."
"He knew I was going to get here around three. Getting Bob to help was the best way I could think of to get you here without you knowing I was in the city. He is so excited. We pretty much have to see him tonight."
"He snapped at me today for the first time ever… It was rude." Blaine jokingly sighed.
"I heard you had a kind of rough afternoon." Kurt frowned.
"It's a lot better now." Blaine smiled and then said, "I understand why Ryan doesn't do civil rights anymore, though."
"He was the one at the restaurant in Cambridge, right? The younger one?"
"Yeah, that's him. He had something really bad happen to him in undergrad and he got a case that hit too close to home, so he quit doing the cases all together. I get it."
"Why do you get it?"
"The big case where the girl was raped and beaten? Well, they did it because she's a lesbian. I'm shadowing the case and I opened a folder that had pictures and I just… felt like I was back in that hospital chair, watching you trying to breathe." Blaine frowned.
"That's the big case Bob took?"
"Yes. Uhm… that's what happened to Ryan and Bob is super protective of him. I think that's probably why he took it." Blaine sighed. "I don't want to talk about that, though, if it's okay. I just want to try to forget it. If I'd known what was in the folder I would have been more mentally prepared but apparently seeing that stuff is hard on everyone the first time."
"Let's not talk about it."
"I'm good. Bob and I went out to get lunch. A store turned over video footage and this lawyer from a big competitor brought it over. They both watched it. I think he needed to get away too." Blaine looked thoughtful and then said, "I'm an idiot. At lunch he was even asking if you were still coming home next week."
"Well, he's a lawyer. You guys have to have a good poker face." Kurt laughed.
"Do I still look like a hot mess?"
"No." Kurt smiled and kissed him. "Do you want to go and see Bob?"
"Yeah! Can we not tell David and Wes we went there first, though?"
"Of course." Kurt's smile grew. "We'll wait and call Dad and Carole until after we're done because who knows how long they'll keep us on the phone."
"Oh my God, I'm starving. Please tell me we can meet everyone somewhere where there is food." Blaine gasped.
"Yes we're going to get food with everyone." Kurt laughed.
…
"Knock knock." Blaine said, poking his head into Bob's doorway.
Bob grinned when he saw Blaine standing there and Kurt behind him. "Did you bring me my book?"
"You really suck for making me run all of those errands for nothing."
"Are you kidding? Half of it was stuff Sarah's been trying to get me to do for three weeks. You probably saved my marriage."
Kurt laughed loudly
"Get in here, you." Bob stood, going to hug Blaine and then Kurt. "You had no idea. I had so much fun this week, though."
"It all makes sense now." Blaine smiled.
"It's terrifying isn't it, Kurt?"
"I was nervous waiting but as soon as I saw him… I was super calm."
"Probably because I was freaking out enough for the both of us."
"Did you tell your parents yet?" Bob asked Kurt.
"No, but we're going to call them tonight when we make it home." Kurt smiled.
"We would have before coming here but we're kind of afraid he won't let us off of the phone." Blaine added, laughing and then sniffling a bit. "I wanted to make sure I got here before you left."
"I am sincerely so happy for you two… even if it is before the bar results." Bob looked between the two of them.
"Don't make fun of me. I've had an emotional day." Blaine whined a bit, but he was clearly joking. "He did it in a library. It was so sweet."
"Sometimes I have good ideas." Kurt smiled again.
"Bob, seriously, you have got to start hiring people that aren't annoy—ing." Ryan, who had walked in, looked between Bob, Blaine, and Kurt. "Blaine, were you crying?"
"Blaine just got proposed to." Bob said excitedly.
"Oh my God. That's so sweet. Oh my God. Are you the one who works with Marc Jacobs?" Ryan asked.
"Yeah." Kurt nodded.
"Is that crazy? Intense? Stressful?" Ryan asked.
"All of the above." Kurt laughed. "It's really good, though. Everyone is nice and helpful."
"Although Kurt basically just got his supervisors job so he doesn't seem to need that much help…" Blaine said sweetly.
"I already feel bad enough." Kurt sighed a bit.
"This is so funny because Brian just got engaged too… and Adrian got married… Apparently March is Gay Love Month or something. Maybe Jamie will buy me a cat or something."
"I am seriously outnumbered here." Bob looked between all of them.
"Anyway, Bob. The redhead is so annoying and I'm pretty sure he doesn't wash his hands. No. I'm very sure because we used the bathroom at the same time and he didn't wash his hands." Ryan said.
"Of my massive list of stuff I have to do before I leave today, that doesn't rate very high. Actually, it will never rate very high. It won't even make it on a list, Ryan. Tammy Jo will be in tomorrow. Tell her. No. Wait. You're a partner now. Do it yourself." Bob gave him a look.
"I don't like to be the mean one. The previous arrangement was actually working very well but I'm not going to complain about a free promotion and pay raise." Ryan sighed.
"Brian will literally say anything to anyone." Bob said. "Ask him."
"Fine. He's my favorite high profile lawyer in here anyway." Ryan joked and turned to Kurt. "It was nice to meet you! Congrats on the engagement."
"Thanks." Kurt smiled.
"See you in the morning, Blaine." Ryan left saying, "Brian, I need your assistance and by that I mean I need you to do something for me."
They heard an exasperated 'What now?' from down the hall.
"You know… they get older… but they don't change." Bob shrugged and then went to Blaine, squeezing and then shaking his shoulder. "You two go and celebrate with your friends and then call your parents and have fun and be in love…"
Kurt smiled.
"You still have to be here by nine though, Blaine." Bob gave him a look.
"I'm sorry." Blaine winced.
"All I'm saying is you'll end up late all of the time like Brian if you make it a habit… and that means I have to socialize with other people. Please don't make me do that." Bob sighed
"Thank you." Blaine hugged him as Kurt laughed.
"Psht. All I did was point you to the subway." Bob waved his hand in the air.
"How late are you staying?" Kurt asked. "It's almost five."
"When you do high profile cases, the nine to five ends up 5 AM to 5 AM." Bob shrugged.
"Are you going to be alone?" Blaine asked.
"No. Brian's going to stay… Ryan may for a while too. Other than that, though, I don't know the other people well enough to have them help." Bob admitted. "But you are leaving and going to have fun and be happy."
"If you stop at McDonald's in the morning again can you get me a hash brown and a Coke?" Blaine asked sweetly.
"Oh God. Go home." Bob laughed as another guy came in—he was older than Blaine but younger than Ryan.
"Me?"
"No. Blaine."
"Yeah. Go away, Blaine. You were off at five."
"Oh, he left at 3:00. He was stopping by." Bob said, waving to Blaine and Kurt as they left.
They heard the guy said, "When I was your intern you never let me leave at 3."
"So… that guy was super attractive too…" Kurt whispered.
"Yeah, that's Brian. He's the 'new, young Bob.' The admins and receptionists go crazy over him." Blaine slid his fingers between Kurt's and leaned against him. "Where to?"
"Home. Everyone's going to come over—being Wes, AJ, David, Adrian, and probably Matt... I don't think he was feeling too great this morning, though. Alec too for sure and Eric if he gets home in time. Obviously Rachel and Finnn but that's a given since he's my brother."
"So… are you sure Finn didn't tell anyone?" Blaine asked.
"He has no idea why he's coming over. He's worse than Melody with secrets." Kurt leaned against Blaine a bit as they walked towards their apartment.
…
"You call."
"No, you should call."
"No, you should."
"God, Blaine." Kurt, who was sitting on the couch an hour (and maybe some sex) later, grabbed his cell phone and called his father.
"Hello?"
Kurt pushed the phone into Blaine's hand after putting it on speaker phone. "I dialed. You tell."
"Uh, hi, Burt. How are you?"
"I'm good, kid! How are you?" Burt asked.
"I'm great and I think I'm about to make your day a lot better." Blaine said.
"What happened—WHAT?!"
"Yep." Kurt said from next to Blaine, loud enough that his father could hear.
"You passed the Bar? That's great!"
"No, Dad, The scores won't come out until late April or May." Kurt laughed. "Guess again."
"What did you two do…?" Burt sounded suspicious.
"Well it's actually something that I did." Kurt said.
"Kurt, what did you do?"
"Can you just guess a few more times?" Blaine asked. "Warm up conversation is good."
"What… ohmygod." Burt gasped. "Did you— and you—"
"Did we what, Dad?" Kurt asked.
"CAROLE, THEY'RE ENGAGED!" Burt shouted away from the phone.
They then heard Carole go "WHAT?!"
"Well who asked and who said yes? You two can't leave me hanging here." Burt said. "Kurt, quit laughing!"
"I'm sorry." Kurt laughed. "Who do you think asked, Dad?"
"Blaine. That's why he left early. To plan. How'd you do it, kid?"
"You're wrong. Kurt asked." Blaine chirped.
"CAROLE, KURT ASKED!"" Burt called and then he said, "Wait, what? Kurt asked?"
"Wait, wait, wait." They heard Carole say and then the phone rustling. "Are you two messing with Burt?"
"No! I proposed to him! I'm the one that came home early. He wasn't expecting me for another week or two."
"Oh my God." Carole said. "This is so sweet."
"Hey, why didn't you do this here, Kurt?" Burt huffed.
"Because I've had it planned for months and I wasn't changing it." Kurt responded.
"It was perfect. In a library." Blaine sighed.
"A library? Really, Kurt?" Burt scoffed.
"Blaine is a huge reader and the libraries there are gorgeous." Carole said. "I think that does sound perfect."
"You didn't even feed him first, though? The way to his heart is through his stomach." Burt chuckled.
"Hey, that's rude. I've lost my Harvard weight, thank you very much." Blaine said, smiling when Kurt snuggled right up to him. "It is kind of true, though…"
"You two are serious, right? You're not joking? You literally are engaged to be married? Kurt, how did you have enough money to buy a ring?"
"From my job where I get paid." Kurt responded, looking down at Blaine's hand and seeing the ring there.
It was an unreal feeling—he had picked the ring for Blaine, proposed to Blaine with it, and put it on Blaine's finger. One little (and expensive) ring met so much.
"How long did you have it?" Carole asked.
"The beginning of December."
"What?" Blaine asked.
"Yeah." Kurt nodded. "But I bought it in August… I had to do a couple of payments and then they had to make it."
"And you didn't tell me?" Burt asked.
"Oh, come on. Both of you would have been too excited and would have given it away. I wanted it to be a complete surprise."
"You made a payment on it last August? Kurt." Blaine's eyes teared up.
Kurt squeezed his thigh.
"You had to go 590 miles away to do it? You literally could have done it here."
"Burt, stop. You really would have given it away." Carole sighed. "You probably would have announced it to him in excitement. Kurt, that is so sweet that you've had it so long."
"Well, ordered it so long ago." Kurt said sheepishly.
"Now we have to go up to New York City when Melody's on her four day weekend." Burt said.
"Uhm, you should see how you're doing." Kurt cut in.
"I agree." Carole said. "You two! I'm so happy for you all. Everything will change and nothing will change at the same time. Being engaged is a really special time so you two should really enjoy it before you get into wedding madness."
"Yeah, I don't think either of us have time to plan anything right now." Blaine laughed.
"Well you better find time. No. Paige will get to see them before I do! Damn it. You both should have stayed here until my treatment was done!" Burt sighed heavily.
"I was never going to do it in Ohio, Dad. We aren't in high school anymore and, honestly, I think we've done most of our growing these past two and a half years." Kurt said. "Plus, I hate Lima."
"You don't hate Lima." Burt said.
"Oh, he does." Blaine nodded although Burt and Carole couldn't see it. "All of Ohio really."
"The zoo is okay…Hey, where's Mellie?"
"She's at her friend's house." Burt said, a tinge of annoyance in his voice.
"Is that bad?"
"The friend is a 'he.'" Carole laughed. "Your father is feeling a certain way about it."
"When I was her age, I had tons of friends that were girls." Blaine said.
"Blaine, I don't know if that helps." Burt chuckled. He then added, "I can't wait to have you officially in the family. You've been here since you were seventeen but this is different."
Kurt squeezes Blaine's thigh and then kissed the back of his hand.
"I'm excited too." Blaine smiled at Kurt.
"Okay, I am sure you two want to celebrate or something so I won't keep you two on here. But, honestly, this makes me so happy. All I ever wanted was Kurt to find someone like you, Blaine… and you've been more than just Kurt's boyfriend for a long time... and you are more than I ever could have even imagined for him. Kurt, I'm so glad you've found your people and, more importantly, your person. I love the way you love each other and I love you both very much."
"I love you both very much too." Carole added.
"We love you too." Kurt and Blaine said together.
"Now, can I call your grandparents and aunts?" Burt asked.
"Can you wait until tomorrow? Our friends are coming over soon and I'd like to spend some time with Blaine before they get here."
"How about I tell them and ask them to not call you until tomorrow?" Burt asked.
"Fine. But if they call, I may tell them you have chemo brain to get off the phone sooner." Kurt laughed.
"Too soon, Kurt." Burt sighed before hanging up.
"He was joking." Kurt reassured Blaine, who looked horrified.
"Are you sure?"
"Positive." Kurt grinned and climbed onto Blaine's lap. "Nobody will be here for another hour and that is plenty of time to have sex and take a shower… and maybe have sex again in the shower. Don't judge me. It's been a couple of weeks!"
"I think you just did this early as an excuse have a lot of proposal sex."
"That is not true but it is a very good perk." Kurt leaned forward and kissed him as there was a knock on the door. "Who comes early on the day we get engaged?!"
"Better answer that." Blaine patted his butt. "Trust me. I'm nowhere near tired and everyone has jobs except Matt, so they won't be here super long. We've got a while after they leave before we pass out from exhaustion."
"I'm kind of wishing everyone didn't want to come over now." Kurt admitted, pouting a bit.
"Too late for that, dear... but we'll make up for it when they leave." Blaine winked.
…
"I feel like we get better and better at taking each other's clothes off when we're kissing." Blaine said breathily as Kurt kissed down his neck two and a half hours later.
"Don't get too worked up. I don't want it to be like when we first got home and we barely lasted two minutes." Kurt laid down on the mattress and pulled Blaine over him.
"We haven't had sex much lately. Sorry." Blaine whimpered pitifully, watching Kurt with big hazel eyes—they were brighter, happier, than Kurt had seen them in a long time. Maybe ever. "I can't help it."
"Well, we have all night." Kurt said breathily. "Thank God everyone has full time jobs and doesn't want to stay out all night."
"I have to be at work at nine." Blaine reached up, pushing at Kurt's underwear although he wasn't having much luck since Kurt was laying on the mattress.
"I have to be at work at seven." Kurt gave him a playful smirk.
"Yeah but Bob and Adrian will know why I'm so tired." Blaine arched when Kurt ran his hand up Blaine's thigh, barely touching him but still driving him crazy. "Kurt."
"Yes?" Kurt pulled back.
"I want to bottom this time."
"Okay." Kurt nodded, eyes bright.
Usually Kurt bottomed and that was fine—great, really.
There was just something about being inside Blaine, though. The noises were different, the energy was different, they were different.
It was just… hot.
Blaine moaned when Kurt turned them over so Blaine was on the bottom.
Kurt grabbed the bottle of lube, which was still under Blaine's pillow from their sex right before they called Kurt's dad. After that, all their friends arrived with food, smiles, and stories.
Blaine let out the tiniest whimper when Kurt opened the bottle. "I love you."
"I love you too." Kurt bent down, kissing him.
Blaine raised his hands, leaving one on Kurt's bare back and the other in his hair.
"Are you good?"
Blaine nodded, panting and looking up at Kurt. He tilted his head back when Kurt slid a finger into him. He let out an almost pitiful moan when pulled Kurt his finger out and then slid it back in. "You're killing me."
"Yeah but you love it. You say it every time." Kurt bent down and kissed him, turned on by the fact that Blaine was clenching around his finger.
"I do." Blaine moaned into the kiss.
"Tell me when you're ready for another one." Kurt pulled back from the kiss.
"R-Ready." Blaine took a deep breath, trying to get more air, because suddenly that felt very hard to do.
Kurt slid a second finger in, praising whoever had discovered lube. Made lube. Whatever. Because hearing Blaine whimper and gasp like that was honestly one of his favorite things to hear. Usually Blaine was 'the man' in people's eyes, maybe because they thought he looked more masculine, but when Kurt topped, he literally got to watch Blaine come undone.
And it was hot.
"Kurt." Blaine breathed, back arching.
Kurt leaned down, somewhat awkwardly, and kissed him.
"Please." Blaine gasped out, pulling back. "I need you."
Kurt grabbed the bottle again, moaning when Blaine took some lube and helped him, for the lack better terms, get ready.
"Are you sure you're good? Sometimes you get too excited and—"
"Shut up."
"How—"
Blaine scooted back a bit and blinked up at him. "Like this. I want to see you."
"Okay." Kurt nodded, lifting Blaine's legs up enough so he could get where he needed to be. "Still good?"
"Kurt, shut up and fuck me." Blaine groaned.
Kurt did as told, slowly sliding himself in so he didn't hurt Blaine.
Blaine's head tilted back and his eyes closed. "Ohmygod."
"I've got you." Kurt leaned down, kissing Blaine and by proxy going further into him.
Blaine moaned into the kiss, gasping when Kurt pushed in farther. "K… Kurt."
"Let me know if it's too much." Kurt said, pulling himself out a bit and pushing back in.
Blaine dug his nails into Kurt's back, whimpering and gasping as Kurt continued, getting so close to the spot but not quite there.
"Are—"
"I'm fine." Blaine gasped out, head tilting back again and practically purring. "Please, Kurt. Please. Please."
"I love you so much." Kurt moved in, going quicker and harder.
"Lov—ohfuck."
Kurt had definitely found Blaine's prostate.
Blaine whimpered almost pitifully, his hand resting on Kurt's ass. Finally, he gasped out an "I love you s-so much too."
Kurt thrust in and out several more times until Blaine let out a strangled moan. At the same time, Kurt came as well.
Which barely ever happened.
Kurt pulled out, collapsing next to Blaine and touching his face.
They stared at each other, both panting and trying to come out of head space.
Kurt looked alarmed when tears filled his eyes. "Did… Are you…"
"I just love you so much." Blaine said, his lip trembling. "And we almost didn't have this and I don't know what I would do without you."
"No." Kurt shook his head, stroking Blaine's cheek. "There was no way we would have stayed apart. We will always come back together. Okay? Not that we'll ever… you know… again. But we will always come back to one another. Arguments, frustrations, whatever happens… We will always come back together. Every time. Because we don't go to bed angry and I don't go to bed without you."
Blaine nodded, wiping his eyes. "And I don't go to bed without you."
"I've got you. We're family now too, Blaine. We're going to be a family." Kurt moved his hand down, letting it rest on Blaine's chest.
"I love you. Thank you for getting coffee with me at the Lima Bean the first time when we didn't know each other very well."
"Thank you for driving all of the way to Lima for coffee." Kurt laughed, although his eyes were teary now too.
How had he forgotten about that?
It had meant so much.
Then again, a lot of their moments meant so much.
"I'll always drive to you." Blaine touched his face.
"We're family now." Kurt repeated, sniffling.
Blaine pulled Kurt down on top of him, arms going around his thin waist and hugging him so tightly that Kurt was almost worried he would break a rib—Exaggerations, but hey. They were emotional.
"I'm going to give you everything I can." Blaine murmured in his ear.
"Everything is you, Blaine." Kurt whispered back.
Blaine tightened his grip around Kurt's waist. "I know I don't say it much anymore, but you are still my love."
Kurt raised up again, smiling. "It is kind of cheesy… but it still makes my heart jump when you say it."
Blaine smiled back at him. "Shower?"
"Yes please." Kurt crawled out of bed and held out a hand for Blaine to grab. "And then we've got to get to bed or we'll never get up on time. Bob said you had to be there at nine."
"You know how you said we can't talk about Burt right after sex? The same goes for Bob, okay?" Blaine took Kurt's hand, wincing only slightly when he stood up.
"Okay. That is a deal." Kurt laughed and led him to the bathroom.
"I can't wait to marry you."