Happy Fourth, friends!

Kurt wasn't sure if he could pinpoint when he'd fallen in love with Blaine, exactly. There was that first heart-stopping moment on the stairs, when he had called out and Blaine had turned around, revealing those bright hazel eyes, and Kurt's breath had caught in his throat. There were the stolen moments of conversation when Blaine was helping Kurt dress or escorting him around the castle, moments that flew by all too quickly in their haste to discuss a new novel or current event before they had to seamlessly reassume their duties. There was the kiss they'd shared at Christmas under a sprig of mistletoe on Kurt's balcony, over almost before it began but perfect all the same.

There were all the kisses afterward, fleeting yet meaningful, as they finally admitted their (blessedly mutual) affections. Kurt cherished each one, happy to finally love and be loved in return.

At least, he hoped he was loved in return. Neither of them had actually spoken the words yet, and Kurt wasn't sure he wanted to be first. Too many lesser-ranked guests at galas had informed him that they were only flirting with him because they wished to be royalty, not out of any particular interest they had in Kurt himself. Kurt wasn't sure he could handle learning that Blaine was just as shallow and status-obsessed as the rest of the ton.

These uncertainties plagued him as he settled into his large, four-poster bed and attempted to find a comfortable sleeping position. Unfortunately for him, sleep didn't come easy that night, and he kept waking from terrifying yet formless nightmares every hour.

After the third bad dream left him choking back tears, he finally reached out and tugged the bellpull near the head of his bed twice, signaling for Blaine.

"Kurt?" Blaine asked, stumbling in seconds later from his nearby room and shutting the door behind him. "What's wrong?"

"Please," Kurt said, reaching out for Blaine. He felt a single tear fall down his cheek, a sign he was about to lose his battle against full-on crying.

Blaine complied instantly, crawling into Kurt's bed and wrapping him in his arms. Kurt tucked his face into Blaine's neck and inhaled, needing the comfort of Blaine's warm smell.

"Shh shh shh, it's all right," Blaine said, stroking down Kurt's back soothingly. "Everything is fine, I swear. I've got you."

Kurt took a deep, shuddering breath before pulling his tearstained face out from Blaine's neck. "I'm sorry, I'm being silly. I just had some bad dreams."

"You're not silly for being afraid," Blaine said, reaching out to wipe the tears off Kurt's cheek. "And I'm glad you called for me. I want to help you, Kurt, because I-"

Blaine cut off abruptly, looking wary in the dim moonlight.

"Because?" Kurt prompted, hopes soaring.

"Because I love you, Kurt. I know I'm not supposed to and that I'll probably get removed from service if anyone ever finds out, but I love you so much-"

Kurt leaned forward and silenced Blaine's increasingly fervent rambling with a kiss.

"I love you, too," he said softly once they broke apart. "God, I love you, too."

"You-" Blaine wheezed, stunned. "But - you're-"

"Love doesn't care about status, Blaine," Kurt said, rubbing a thumb over Blaine's cheek. "And neither do I. No prince I could ever meet would inflame my heart as much as you do."

"So what do we do now?" Blaine asked.

"We'll worry about the future tomorrow," Kurt decided. "Right now, I want my beloved to stay with me for the night."

"I can probably manage that," Blaine said, smiling contentedly. "Um...how do you-"

"Lay on your back," Kurt said authoritatively. When Blaine complied, he curled onto Blaine's chest, snuggling up happily. "Comfortable?"

"I've never felt more at home in my life," Blaine said, wrapping his arm around Kurt's back.

"Good night, my love," Kurt said, yawning lightly as he finished his sentence.

"Good night, sweetest," Blaine replied, echoing Kurt's yawn.

Kurt spent the rest of the night untroubled and deeply asleep.

The subsequent two weeks were the best Kurt had ever known. He and Blaine still had to sneak around the palace to spend time with each other, of course, but they didn't have to worry about unreciprocated affections any longer, leading to deeper kisses and more hushed conversations about their dreams for an ideal future where they could be together and lead the country to prosperity.

"You have to know I would give all of this up to be with you," Kurt said one day, in between frantic kisses. "Simply say the word."

"I can't," Blaine said, sad but firm. "You are going to be an amazing ruler when you ascend the throne. I cannot deprive the country of your reign, much as I would like to."

"Putting the needs of the people before yourself," Kurt teased. "I'm not the only man here who would be a good leader, Blaine Anderson."

"The nobility would never accept me," Blaine said, not for the first time. "Even if you believe I would do well."

"I know what I know," Kurt said, refusing to back down. "But enough of this. I have only a few minutes more before I have to meet with my father."

He pulled Blaine in for another kiss, wishing to make the most of his time with his love before duty called him away. The minutes passed all too quickly, and soon enough, Kurt was forced to pull away and meet his father in his chambers.

"You wanted to see me?" Kurt asked, inclining his head as he entered the room.

"It has been three years since you reached your majority, Kurt," Burt replied, ignoring all pleasantries. "As the heir to the throne, you would typically have at least one potential spouse in mind at this point."

"I've told you, Father, the other lords are exhausting, and I have no interest in ladies," Kurt said, exasperated. "I will find another way to produce an heir."

"Are you sure you're entirely uninterested in anyone?" Burt pressed. "You don't need to be wed to rule, of course, but I would so like to see it happen in my lifetime."

"I'm-" Kurt began, cutting himself off when he could think of nothing to say. He didn't want to deny his involvement with Blaine, as that felt too callous to even consider, but he also could not think of an answer that would both appease his father and remain truthful about his situation.

"Some of our staff are quite handsome," Burt said, making Kurt choke. "But a mere dalliance with any of them-"

"I'm not having a dalliance," Kurt interrupted, incensed at the minimization of his still-secret relationship. "I love Blaine and he loves me."

"I knew it!" Burt said gleefully, pounding a fist on his desk and startling Kurt.

"What?" Kurt said, flabbergasted.

"You're not as sly as you believe you are, son," Burt said, smirking. "Particularly when your collars aren't quite high enough to hide the marks on your neck."

Kurt flushed tomato red, lifting a hand to cover the fresh bruise on the right side of his throat instinctively.

"I - it's not - if it's Blaine or the throne, I pick Blaine," Kurt stuttered. "It's not very dutiful of me, but I don't know if I can lead well without him. He reminds me that the nobility aren't the only citizens I must think of, and he has firsthand experience of what it's like to do without. He keeps me practical."

"Which is exactly why I believe you chose well with him," Burt said easily. "And I would never make you choose, Kurt. I can always train another ruler, but I get only one chance at making my son happy."

Kurt gaped, dumbstruck.

"If he's the one, Kurt, you have my blessing," Burt continued. "The rest of the gentry will simply have to accept your choice."

"You-" Kurt squeaked.

"Go to him," Burt said. "Why spend any more time living in uncertainty?"

Before leaving, Kurt ran and hugged his father tightly, not bothering to say a word - speaking would have been extraneous. Once their embrace was over, Kurt hurtled out of the room, needing to find Blaine as soon as possible.

He quite literally ran into Blaine outside of his chambers, upsetting the stack of clean laundry Blaine was holding.

"Kurt! What - oh no," Blaine said, squatting to collect the strewn shirts.

"No, don't," Kurt said, crouching down and grabbing Blaine's hands in his own. "I need to ask you something."

Blaine simply cocked his head curiously.

"Blaine Devon Anderson. I have been hopelessly infatuated with you since the moment we met, and there is no one better suited to helping me rule the kingdom than you. Will you do me the exceptional honor of accepting my hand in marriage?" Kurt asked, staring Blaine straight in the eye.

"What - Kurt, you know I can't-"

"You can, Blaine," Kurt said, squeezing Blaine's hands. "That's what my father and I just discussed - he knew, he knew all about us, and he approves, even if others don't. He told me to come here, I swear to you. So unless you don't want to marry me-"

"Of course I do!" Blaine said passionately.

"Then please say yes," Kurt finished. "Please."

"Yes," Blaine said. He laughed almost hysterically before repeating, "Yes. Yes, Kurt, I'll marry you."

Kurt surged forward for an ecstatic kiss, hard stone floors be damned. Blaine's arms wrapped around his waist as he sunk his hands into Blaine's hair, pulling them ever closer, so close that Kurt swore he could feel both Blaine's heart and his own beating against his chest.

"Oh God, we have so much to do now," Kurt said when they finally broke apart, both panting heavily. "We have to announce our engagement formally and introduce you to the public and get you some suitable clothing-"

"Kurt," Blaine interrupted, smiling merrily. "There's no need to rush, not any longer. Now we have all the time in the world."

"We do, don't we?" Kurt said, marveling at the thought. "Then I suppose we should go take a little more time to celebrate before properly planning everything with my father. If we spend much more time on this floor, we'll need matching wheelchairs to carry us down the aisle."

"I have never heard a better plan in my life," Blaine said. He pushed himself off the ground before offering a hand to Kurt, laundry still scattered around them. "Shall we?"

"I would like nothing more."

As they ran down the hall, Kurt reveled at Blaine's hand in his, overjoyed that that hand would be his to hold forevermore.