Fic: In the Face of Infinity
Title: In the Face of Infinity
Author/Artist: mimiheart
Rating: PG
Warnings: None.
Spoilers: Through Extraordinary Merry Christmas
Word Count: ~1700
Summary: Kurt searches for the perfect gift for Blaine for Christmas, and finds it.
Notes: Thank you, judearaya, for the fast beta-read. This was a pinch-hit for dapplefur for the KB holiday exchange. Pretty much pure fluff.
Kurt could freely admit he wasn’t good at everything. He knew he would lose in a fist fight. He knew he would never be able to sing baritone. He simply did not get some of the things that guys found interesting about sports, and so was mostly useless when it came to holding a conversation about them.
Kurt did know what he was good at, though. While he wasn’t good with his fists, and had no desire to be, he knew he could best nearly anyone when it came to a verbal battle of wits. He didn’t need to sing baritone; he had an amazing range that tenors and many women were jealous of. He didn’t particularly care about sports. He was very good at planning parties around whichever sport folks around him wanted to watch. And Kurt had talents above and beyond that short list.
Kurt was also very good at finding the ideal gift for others. He had never been at a loss before. Let alone for someone he knew as well as the love of his life. He stood in the middle of the mall looking lost. He had taken an afternoon he didn’t have off from designing and sewing costumes for an alternative version of “The Nutcracker” and he had no idea what to do. Around him, people bustled, sure of themselves.
Kurt stared, wide- and wild-eyed, at them. “What is happening to me?” he wondered aloud. He sank down onto a bench, looking around at the stores.
It had been nearly ten years with Blaine. He knew Blaine, better than he knew anyone. Blaine knew him better than he knew himself, sometimes, despite Blaine’s protests whenever Kurt throws him for a loop.
Kurt leaned his head back, trying to let the comforting setting of the mall relax him. His body would know what to get Blaine, even if his mind didn’t. It had to. He took a deep breath in, stood up, and let his legs guide him without thinking.
He hummed along with the woman singing “Baby It’s Cold Outside” over the speakers and shot a glare at a man who raised his eyebrow at him with a sneer. Almost exactly ten years ago we sang that song together, he thought to himself. He looked up when the song was over. Nestled in front of him was a small jewelry shop. He didn’t think he’d seen it before. It certainly wasn’t a chain. He shrugged and walked in.
An old man stood behind the counter which held an assortment of rings and earrings and necklaces. There didn’t seem to be much order to the collection, but it held a certain sort of charm. Kurt was surprised that he was the only one in the shop. This time of year, even the small shops tended to be full-to-bursting with customers.
“Can I help you?”
“I’m just... I’m looking.”
“Well, let me know if you need anything.”
“Okay. Do you do commissions?”
“Yes. And repairs. And anything else really. I also like to do designs.”
“Great. Thanks.”
Kurt looked through the collection. Noting one or two things that would look lovely for Carole or Rachel, and a few that would be great for some friends for college. The only thing jewelry-like he had ever bought for Blaine had been watches. Something kept drawing Kurt back to the rings, though.
“Is it wrong to get an engagement ring as a Christmas gift?”
“That depends...”
“On?”
“Well, is this person the type who will go off in a huff if they don’t get a dozen presents from you?”
“Hardly. I’m pretty sure he’d be happy with a pair of socks. Or a new bow tie. Even though I told him they were only in for a little bit, and barely at that. He can still pull them off. They’re just him. I won’t let him wear capris, anymore, though.”
“Is he expecting a proposal?”
“I don’t think so? I mean, we’ve talked about getting married. We’ve been together forever. And now that we’re both out of school, and we both have fairly stable jobs, I think... I know I’ve been thinking about asking him. I don’t know if he’s been waiting for me to ask, or if I’m supposed to be waiting for him to ask. There aren’t really rules when it comes down to it.”
“True. So, hypothetically, if you were to get an engagement ring, what kind would you get?”
“Something simple. Maybe white gold. I’m out of school and have a job, now, but I can’t afford platinum, yet. Not without calling my father for help, and I don’t want to do that. I like the infinity symbol.”
“I think I can find something in the back. This isn’t the entire collection. Hold on.”
The man disappeared and reappeared with a flat box with row after row of men’s rings. Kurt’s eye was instantly drawn to a silver-toned ring with the infinity sign laser-etched into the side. He reached down and pulled it out, feeling it warm in his hand.
“It’s perfect.”
The ballet was going well, Blaine’s classes were over, and the cabaret show he was performing in only had two more performances before Christmas. Kurt was trying to figure out the perfect moment to propose.
Dozens of scenarios ran through his head.
A horse-drawn carriage ride around Central Park. Don’t you dare! screamed Rachel in his head.
In the middle of Time Square on News Years Eve? Will Blaine even be able to hear me?
Getting up on stage after the last showing of “The Nutcracker”? Showy and tacky, not romantic, he told himself firmly.
His fingers itched to call his dad, but this was an adult decision, with adult consequences. And his dad, while amazing in so many ways, was not the best at romance. I am not proposing to Blaine in a high school!
“A penny for them?” Blaine interrupted his thought process.
“Hmm?”
“You’ve been miles away for the last ten minutes. I was wondering what you wanted to do tonight after we got done with the shows.”
“Late dinner for two?” Kurt raised his eyebrow. “We can both sleep in tomorrow.”
“That sounds absolutely wonderful. I’ll make reservations and we can meet there?”
“Yes. Just tell me where.”
“Sounds like a plan.” Blaine leaned over and gave Kurt a quick kiss. “Relax. The shows are almost over.”
Blaine turned and practically skipped from the room, leaving Kurt blinking at him.
“Yeah. Almost over.”
Christmas Eve was spent on Skype with their families back in Ohio. Blaine’s family had a giant tree set up, and they seemed horribly disappointed that Blaine wasn’t there this year.
“Next year, maybe you can come here. We’ll be more set up, I think. We just couldn’t get away. You should have seen the costumes that Kurt designed for this ballet! And even though it wasn’t Broadway, getting to do the cabaret was fun. I miss performing. It’s hard doing it with a full-time job.”
“We’re just glad you’re happy. But we do miss you. Maybe we’ll get a chance to come out to see you soon. It’s been a while since I got to see New York. You do have the guest room set up, right?”
“Yes, Mom. The guest room is set up. But really, it’s tiny. The entire apartment is about as big as your bedroom. Maybe smaller.”
“Oh, don’t be ridiculous.”
Kurt laughed in the background as he made a small dinner for himself and Blaine. They had gone to a few parties in the last few days, but had agreed that tonight would be just them. When Kurt heard that Blaine’s conversation with his parents was winding down, he came in with two glasses of wine.
He handed Blaine his glass and draped himself over Blaine’s back with a kiss to his jaw. “I hate to interrupt, but dinner’s on the table.”
“Oh, go on with Kurt, dear. Call us in the morning so we can see you open your gifts from us!”
“Okay, I love you! Merry Christmas.”
They sat and ate at the table, talking about everything and nothing. It was comfortable, it was perfect, and it was everything Kurt wanted for the rest of his life.
Kurt touched the small box in his pocket self-consciously, never hating his choice in skin-tight clothing more.
As the food disappeared from their plates, Kurt felt the beat of his heart steadily increasing. The candles on the table were slowly melting. He could smell the pine from their little tree in the other room, a few presents scattered under it from family. He smiled at the little Christmas trees on Blaine’s bowtie, the one he got years ago at McKinley and insisted on wearing every year on Christmas Eve.
Blaine cleared the plates and came back into their little dining nook, holding the tiramisu that Kurt had prepared earlier. Kurt smiled at him.
“What?”
“Nothing. Just... don’t sit down.”
“Kurt?”
Kurt stood up and placed the dessert on the table before grasping Blaine’s hands tightly in his own.
“Blaine. You are my everything. You are the first thing I see when I wake up in the morning. You are the last thing I think about when I go to bed. The last ten years have been so much better, so much more, than I ever could have dreamed of. I know we’ve had our moments. I know we’ve had our really bad, I can’t believe this is happening, moments.” He broke his death-grip to swipe at his eyes. “But, Blaine Anderson, I keep looking at the future. And every scenario, every reality, every fight, and moment, good and bad, always, always has you in it.”
He dropped to one knee, pulling the little box out of his pocket and opening it.
“What I’m trying to say is, will you marry me?”
Kurt dared to look at Blaine’s face.
Blaine smiled and pulled him up into a deep kiss.
When they finally stopped, some insecure sixteen-year-old part of Kurt spoke up, “Was that a yes?”
“That was a yes. Now let me see my ring!”
Kurt laughed and pulled him in for another kiss.
~finis~
Author/Artist: mimiheart
Rating: PG
Warnings: None.
Spoilers: Through Extraordinary Merry Christmas
Word Count: ~1700
Summary: Kurt searches for the perfect gift for Blaine for Christmas, and finds it.
Notes: Thank you, judearaya, for the fast beta-read. This was a pinch-hit for dapplefur for the KB holiday exchange. Pretty much pure fluff.
Kurt could freely admit he wasn’t good at everything. He knew he would lose in a fist fight. He knew he would never be able to sing baritone. He simply did not get some of the things that guys found interesting about sports, and so was mostly useless when it came to holding a conversation about them.
Kurt did know what he was good at, though. While he wasn’t good with his fists, and had no desire to be, he knew he could best nearly anyone when it came to a verbal battle of wits. He didn’t need to sing baritone; he had an amazing range that tenors and many women were jealous of. He didn’t particularly care about sports. He was very good at planning parties around whichever sport folks around him wanted to watch. And Kurt had talents above and beyond that short list.
Kurt was also very good at finding the ideal gift for others. He had never been at a loss before. Let alone for someone he knew as well as the love of his life. He stood in the middle of the mall looking lost. He had taken an afternoon he didn’t have off from designing and sewing costumes for an alternative version of “The Nutcracker” and he had no idea what to do. Around him, people bustled, sure of themselves.
Kurt stared, wide- and wild-eyed, at them. “What is happening to me?” he wondered aloud. He sank down onto a bench, looking around at the stores.
It had been nearly ten years with Blaine. He knew Blaine, better than he knew anyone. Blaine knew him better than he knew himself, sometimes, despite Blaine’s protests whenever Kurt throws him for a loop.
Kurt leaned his head back, trying to let the comforting setting of the mall relax him. His body would know what to get Blaine, even if his mind didn’t. It had to. He took a deep breath in, stood up, and let his legs guide him without thinking.
He hummed along with the woman singing “Baby It’s Cold Outside” over the speakers and shot a glare at a man who raised his eyebrow at him with a sneer. Almost exactly ten years ago we sang that song together, he thought to himself. He looked up when the song was over. Nestled in front of him was a small jewelry shop. He didn’t think he’d seen it before. It certainly wasn’t a chain. He shrugged and walked in.
An old man stood behind the counter which held an assortment of rings and earrings and necklaces. There didn’t seem to be much order to the collection, but it held a certain sort of charm. Kurt was surprised that he was the only one in the shop. This time of year, even the small shops tended to be full-to-bursting with customers.
“Can I help you?”
“I’m just... I’m looking.”
“Well, let me know if you need anything.”
“Okay. Do you do commissions?”
“Yes. And repairs. And anything else really. I also like to do designs.”
“Great. Thanks.”
Kurt looked through the collection. Noting one or two things that would look lovely for Carole or Rachel, and a few that would be great for some friends for college. The only thing jewelry-like he had ever bought for Blaine had been watches. Something kept drawing Kurt back to the rings, though.
“Is it wrong to get an engagement ring as a Christmas gift?”
“That depends...”
“On?”
“Well, is this person the type who will go off in a huff if they don’t get a dozen presents from you?”
“Hardly. I’m pretty sure he’d be happy with a pair of socks. Or a new bow tie. Even though I told him they were only in for a little bit, and barely at that. He can still pull them off. They’re just him. I won’t let him wear capris, anymore, though.”
“Is he expecting a proposal?”
“I don’t think so? I mean, we’ve talked about getting married. We’ve been together forever. And now that we’re both out of school, and we both have fairly stable jobs, I think... I know I’ve been thinking about asking him. I don’t know if he’s been waiting for me to ask, or if I’m supposed to be waiting for him to ask. There aren’t really rules when it comes down to it.”
“True. So, hypothetically, if you were to get an engagement ring, what kind would you get?”
“Something simple. Maybe white gold. I’m out of school and have a job, now, but I can’t afford platinum, yet. Not without calling my father for help, and I don’t want to do that. I like the infinity symbol.”
“I think I can find something in the back. This isn’t the entire collection. Hold on.”
The man disappeared and reappeared with a flat box with row after row of men’s rings. Kurt’s eye was instantly drawn to a silver-toned ring with the infinity sign laser-etched into the side. He reached down and pulled it out, feeling it warm in his hand.
“It’s perfect.”
The ballet was going well, Blaine’s classes were over, and the cabaret show he was performing in only had two more performances before Christmas. Kurt was trying to figure out the perfect moment to propose.
Dozens of scenarios ran through his head.
A horse-drawn carriage ride around Central Park. Don’t you dare! screamed Rachel in his head.
In the middle of Time Square on News Years Eve? Will Blaine even be able to hear me?
Getting up on stage after the last showing of “The Nutcracker”? Showy and tacky, not romantic, he told himself firmly.
His fingers itched to call his dad, but this was an adult decision, with adult consequences. And his dad, while amazing in so many ways, was not the best at romance. I am not proposing to Blaine in a high school!
“A penny for them?” Blaine interrupted his thought process.
“Hmm?”
“You’ve been miles away for the last ten minutes. I was wondering what you wanted to do tonight after we got done with the shows.”
“Late dinner for two?” Kurt raised his eyebrow. “We can both sleep in tomorrow.”
“That sounds absolutely wonderful. I’ll make reservations and we can meet there?”
“Yes. Just tell me where.”
“Sounds like a plan.” Blaine leaned over and gave Kurt a quick kiss. “Relax. The shows are almost over.”
Blaine turned and practically skipped from the room, leaving Kurt blinking at him.
“Yeah. Almost over.”
Christmas Eve was spent on Skype with their families back in Ohio. Blaine’s family had a giant tree set up, and they seemed horribly disappointed that Blaine wasn’t there this year.
“Next year, maybe you can come here. We’ll be more set up, I think. We just couldn’t get away. You should have seen the costumes that Kurt designed for this ballet! And even though it wasn’t Broadway, getting to do the cabaret was fun. I miss performing. It’s hard doing it with a full-time job.”
“We’re just glad you’re happy. But we do miss you. Maybe we’ll get a chance to come out to see you soon. It’s been a while since I got to see New York. You do have the guest room set up, right?”
“Yes, Mom. The guest room is set up. But really, it’s tiny. The entire apartment is about as big as your bedroom. Maybe smaller.”
“Oh, don’t be ridiculous.”
Kurt laughed in the background as he made a small dinner for himself and Blaine. They had gone to a few parties in the last few days, but had agreed that tonight would be just them. When Kurt heard that Blaine’s conversation with his parents was winding down, he came in with two glasses of wine.
He handed Blaine his glass and draped himself over Blaine’s back with a kiss to his jaw. “I hate to interrupt, but dinner’s on the table.”
“Oh, go on with Kurt, dear. Call us in the morning so we can see you open your gifts from us!”
“Okay, I love you! Merry Christmas.”
They sat and ate at the table, talking about everything and nothing. It was comfortable, it was perfect, and it was everything Kurt wanted for the rest of his life.
Kurt touched the small box in his pocket self-consciously, never hating his choice in skin-tight clothing more.
As the food disappeared from their plates, Kurt felt the beat of his heart steadily increasing. The candles on the table were slowly melting. He could smell the pine from their little tree in the other room, a few presents scattered under it from family. He smiled at the little Christmas trees on Blaine’s bowtie, the one he got years ago at McKinley and insisted on wearing every year on Christmas Eve.
Blaine cleared the plates and came back into their little dining nook, holding the tiramisu that Kurt had prepared earlier. Kurt smiled at him.
“What?”
“Nothing. Just... don’t sit down.”
“Kurt?”
Kurt stood up and placed the dessert on the table before grasping Blaine’s hands tightly in his own.
“Blaine. You are my everything. You are the first thing I see when I wake up in the morning. You are the last thing I think about when I go to bed. The last ten years have been so much better, so much more, than I ever could have dreamed of. I know we’ve had our moments. I know we’ve had our really bad, I can’t believe this is happening, moments.” He broke his death-grip to swipe at his eyes. “But, Blaine Anderson, I keep looking at the future. And every scenario, every reality, every fight, and moment, good and bad, always, always has you in it.”
He dropped to one knee, pulling the little box out of his pocket and opening it.
“What I’m trying to say is, will you marry me?”
Kurt dared to look at Blaine’s face.
Blaine smiled and pulled him up into a deep kiss.
When they finally stopped, some insecure sixteen-year-old part of Kurt spoke up, “Was that a yes?”
“That was a yes. Now let me see my ring!”
Kurt laughed and pulled him in for another kiss.
~finis~