Chapter Text
Nothing made Sophie feel as grown up as spending time with her Aunt Rachel. Rachel treated her like a little lady, insisted they dress up for their dates, took her to fancy tea rooms with fine china and tiny sandwiches. Rachel always made her feel like a friend, not like a little kid.
Rachel picked her up that morning and took her to a fancy cafe for breakfast, where they sipped tea from delicate cups and she ate as many scones with cream as she could. After eating, they walked hand in hand back to Rachel and Sam’s building where they met up with Rachel’s stylist, Cami.
Sophie sat in a tall chair while a woman who smelled like every product her papa had sitting on his vanity table, blew her curly brown hair out with a blow dryer until it was almost straight, before braiding it close to each side of her head, the two braids coming together until they formed a bun of hair at the base of her neck. Cami then pulled a few strands of hair from the front and wrapped them loosely around a curling wand so that they fell in waves to frame her face.
Papa had a rule of no makeup unless it was for a performance, but Rachel just smiled and said, “It’ll be our little secret,” as she dusted some fine powder along her forehead, jawline, and chin, then used just the tiniest amount of blush to highlight her cheekbones.
“And every girl needs to find the perfect lipstick,” Cami decided as they tried four or five different shades, and Rachel taught her how to “blot” using a tissue.
“I think that’s the one,” Rachel decided, holding a mirror out for Sophie to check her reflection.
“It’s just a shade lighter than your lips, and makes your eyes pop beautifully,” Cami explained as Sophie nodded enthusiastically.
“I’ll tuck a tube of it in my bag so we can touch up later,” Rachel winked as she climbed up in the chair for Cami to start on her hair.
Sophie sat on the couch and watched as the two women laughed and talked their way through Rachel’s hair and makeup. She stayed as still as possible as not to muss her hair. She crossed her legs like she had seen her dads do. She laughed and giggled when Rachel and Cami included her in their conversation, but mostly she just watched.
Sophie loved to watch people.
Sometimes when her dads had a date night, she would lay on their bed and watch them get ready. It was like watching a machine. Her daddy shaving in their bathroom, each stroke on his cheeks and chin a deliberate and focused movement. She would watch her papa at his vanity, taking cream and rubbing it into his face, using a tissue to blot away some of the serum that he dotted under his eyes.
If he had time, he would motion for her and she would walk over to sit on his lap while he would explain what each one did as he rubbed them into her face. She would go to bed that night with the smell of her papa still on her face.
Watching Rachel was different than watching her papa. Cami looked like she could be coloring. Using each brush and stick to transform color into Rachel’s eyes and cheeks...Sophie was entranced. She couldn't wait until she was old enough to wear makeup all the time. She knew her dads knew how to put it on, her daddy wore it when he was on stage. She couldn't wait until the day when they showed her how to do all the things she would be able to do; watching made her fingers itch for her brushes and easel, a new painting forming in her head already.
Blaine and Sam arrived just as Rachel went to get dressed and Cami packed up her equipment.
“Hey monster,” Blaine called, sweeping her into a hug. “You look beautiful, I love your hair.”
“Thank you, Daddy.”
Blaine set her back on the floor and held out a dry cleaning bag with her outfit. “Need any help?” he asked as Sam walked by and pretended to muss up her hair. She squealed and ducked, turning around to give him her best glare.
Sam laughed as he threw his hands up in surrender and backed up into his and Rachel's bedroom to change his clothes as well.
“No, I can do it,” Sophie assured her dad, walking into the bathroom and shutting the door. She had seen the dress last week when Kurt had done the final fitting to make sure the hem was right and fit her “like a glove” as he had said.
The red dress was simple, but beautiful and exactly what she and Papa had talked about when they first sat down to sketch the dress. She grinned when she pulled a pair of thick gray flannel knit tights from the bag as well, they were exactly like the pair they had found online and decided on together.
Once she was all dressed, she called Blaine in to help her zip up and stepped into her sparkly gray ballet flats.
“Papa and I bought these last weekend when we went shopping with Aunt Mel,” she told him, pointing to the shoes as he folded up the jeans and button up shirt she had put on that morning.
“I love them, sweetie,” he said, smiling as they walked out of the bathroom. Blaine helped her into her coat and wrapped her scarf around her neck so it wouldn't pull on her hair and they were ready to go.
“Just waiting on Sam,” Rachel grinned, walking from their bedroom and pulling on her gloves. Her eyes sparkled the same way her dads’ did when they were playing with each other. “He needs a few more moments of primping.”
Blaine sighed and looked at his watch. “Sam Evans, if you aren't out here in thirty seconds we are leaving without you! I will not be late for my husband's big day.”
“Alright, alright, keep your pants on...I’m ready,” Sam called, walking from their bedroom and pulling on his coat.
Rachel smiled down at Sophie and took her hand. “Miss Sophia, you look delectable! Gimmie a spin.”
Sophie giggled as she spun on the spot, holding tight to Rachel’s hand and preening.
“Good, cause so is the car,” Blaine answered Sam as his phone beeped with a text from the driver. “Let's go,” he declared, opening the door for the ladies to walk out.
******
The big white tent the foursome walked into was bursting with people. People laughing and yelling across the room. People with cameras that flashed every few seconds. People in large big coats with high heels and bright red lipstick. Sophie held tight to her daddy’s hand as he led her down to the long white stage she knew was called a “runway.”
Four seats were reserved for them in the very front row with signs that read Anderson-Hummel.
“Here we are,” Blaine announced, leading Sophie and pointing to where she should sit. He helped her with her scarf and coat, draping them behind her chair as she smoothed out her dress and sat down. Her dad sat on one side, her Aunt Rachel on the other.
The grown ups talked for a few minutes while Sophie looked around. The runway was bright white and seemed to be lit up from underneath. Nobody in the audience, that she could see, looked familiar...but when she looked up, a big black and white banner read Hummel Designs with a giant H stamped in the middle.
Sophie grinned. She had seen that logo hundreds of times. It was sewn into the back of the dress she was wearing, and several others she had at home in her closet. “Daddy, look.” Sophie pointed to the large banner that was hanging over what looked like two big open doors, facing each other. “That’s Papa’s sign.”
Blaine grinned as he kissed the top of her head. He laid his arm around the back of her chair and rubbed his fingertips on her shoulder. “It sure is, monster.”
Rachel had just set her program down and reached over to take Sam’s hand when the lights flickered, then went down. The room erupted in thunderous applause as two lights beamed on the doors, and Kurt walked out.
“Hey everybody!” he called as the clapping just got louder. Sophie heard Sam whistle and she clapped even harder.
Kurt laughed and waved until the room started to die down enough for him to be heard.
“Thank you so much for that. Wow! What a way to make a guy feel amazing, nervous, special, and terrified all at the same time!” The room erupted again. This time with laughter amongst the clapping and Sam gave another big whistle. “Thank you so much for coming out today,” Kurt beamed as he put his hand over his heart. “I’ve stood here many times and thanked so many people. My wonderful and amazing husband who I don’t know where I would be in this life without him, my exceptional and supportive friends. My steady as a rock father who taught me everything I know, except anything having absolutely anything to do with fashion in any way shape or form...” The room filled with laughter again as Kurt laughed along and continued. “But did instill in me a hard work ethic and a drive to be the best version of myself.
“But as I came back this year and this collection really started to take shape, I realized something.” Kurt paused and laughed at himself again. “I realized the one thing I never expected to happen, has happened and I have to own up to it. My sappy, goofy, love knows no bounds, dad side has creeped its way into my career. Something I never thought could happen.”
Laughter bubbled up again as someone sarcastically yelled, “Oh No!”
Kurt laughed it off. “I know, right!?” he cried and more laughter filled the room. “That part of my life was never supposed to mesh with my career! That ‘Oh my GOD she just threw up on my brand new Marc Jacobs limited edition jacket...I would murder anyone else including my husband, whom I love very much. But oh lord pick him up, why is he throwing up we need to get him to the doctor! Never mind about my jacket right now!’” Kurt paused and put his hand on his hip. “And that’s love, man.” He quipped to more applause and laughter. Kurt paused again, waiting for the laughter to die down and took a step forward. “My beautiful baby girl turned six this year, and she reached this age where clothes become far more of an expression of who she is and who she wants to present to the world, than just what I set out for her to wear that day. She became someone I love to shop with, because her eye is trained for texture and color and how she can make that top she loves, work with the boots she talked me into last week. And it’s not about matching colors or complementing this statement piece, or even what patterns go together...it’s completely and totally about what she loves. What feels good to wear and not what someone told her she should like or want.”
Kurt smiled and looked to where he knew Blaine and Sophie were sitting, even though he couldn't see them. "When I sat down to start sketching out the beginnings of this collection, I had this picture in my mind of it being a homage to that six year old fashionista in us all. To that wonderful age in between dressing for your parents, and dressing to fit in with your peers. That magical time when you don't care what you look like to anyone else but yourself. That’s how this line got started...over the course of designing, it evolved and grew until I had designed for the woman I want my daughter to grow into. Pieces filled with playful and sinful whimsy. Bright colors and bold daring patterns. Textures and textiles that feel as good as they look. A little avant-garde, of course...because it just wouldn't be me without a little theatricality." The room bubbled up with laughter again as Kurt shimmied his shoulders and winked. The applause rang out as Kurt stepped forward one more time. “An expression of everything I want for my daughter and for yours. For every single woman who wears anything I created. Women who love my clothes just as much as I love designing for them. Any and every type of woman who just wants to feel beautiful and sexy and sure when they dress themselves. This collection began as something I wanted to say, and it turned into something inspired by my daughter, and by yours. And in the end, isn't that what parenting is all about?” Kurt smiled as he shrugged and took a few steps back, holding his hand over his heart once more. “Pour mon amour, Sophia.”
The room erupted in applause once more as the lights went down and the music started.
Sophie didn't really understand what her papa had said, or why her dad and Rachel passed one of her dad’s hankies back and forth and he put his arm back around her chair and kissed the top of her head. But she’d heard him refer to her a few times, and it just made her feel even more grown up. She puffed out her chest, crossed her legs and sat up straight as the lights on the runway came back up and the show started.
From that point on, Sophie was transfixed. She watched as model after model walked down the runway. Each one dressed more intricate and detailed than the one before. Sophie always knew that her papa designed clothes. He sketched after dinner while they were watching TV. He would sometimes stretch bolts of fabric on their dining room table to cut because it was a little bigger than the work table in his studio. He could make her and her brother whatever he or they wanted. She’d been to his office and watched him demand attention in a way she hoped she will one day be able to do.
But now, watching all these models walking down in clothes that her papa made, she decided he pretty much had the coolest job in the world. Sophie loved all the outfits, but her absolute favorite was the very last one. It was a bright yellow dress, that seemed to be made out of yellow flowers. She stared in wonder as she watched the model walk the beautiful dress down the runway, the dress moving in time with the model walking. Sophie thought that it would make an excellent dress for twirling with just the barest hint of a ruffle at the bottom. She wondered if he would make it in her size. She watched as the model walked down to the end of the runway, turned and started to walk back.
The room absolutely exploded in thunderous applause as each model walked out again, one right after another, with Papa at the end, his arm around the model in the yellow dress.
Oh, Sophie thought. I know her, that’s Alexa. She’s been to our apartment a bunch of times.
People started to stand up and clap, and Blaine helped Sophie to stand on her chair. At the end of the runway, Kurt stopped and took a bow. The applause and cheering reached deafening heights as Kurt laughed and took another bow. He blew a kiss to where Sophie and Blaine were standing, before turning and putting his arm back around Alexa to walk the rest of the way back up the runway.
Rachel wiped her eyes and wrapped her arm around Sophie’s middle where she was standing on her chair. Next to her Sam was clapping and yelling, whistling every few seconds as loud as he could. The room was still booming with applause and cheers, even after Kurt walked off the stage...but after a few minutes he came out again, laughing with his hand over his heart as he took one final bow before backing off the stage for good.
The room finally started to quiet down as the lights came back up. Blaine took a deep breath and wiped his eyes once more, before turning to Sophie and grinning.
“Come on monster, let's go backstage and congratulate Papa.” He offered her his hand so she could hop down from the chair, and grabbed their coats.
Rachel and Sam followed close behind as they walked back into a big room filled to the brim with people and half dressed models. Sophie shrank just a touch. She was not afraid, there was just a lot of people there. She squeezed tight to her Dad's hand, just to make sure they didn’t get separated. Blaine squeezed back just as tight as he scanned the room, his face breaking into a big grin.
“There he is,” Blaine said, leaning down to pick her up and settle on his hip.
She was really too big to be held like this. She was six years old and not a baby anymore. But her dads never denied her the feeling of being warm and safe in their arms and, she had to admit, she felt better with her daddy’s arms around her. Plus, now she could see papa as well.
“I see him,” Sophie cried, nodding.
Blaine turned around to Sam and Rachel. “We’re gonna go find Kurt, you guys okay?”
Rachel nodded. “Sure. Here, hand me your coats. I think that’s a coat check over there, and we’ll get some drinks and meet up with you guys in a bit.”
Blaine smiled and thanked her as he carried Sophie over to where Kurt was being interviewed by a young woman and a camera man.
“...it’s funny, when you’re young, you take risks because you have to. To get your foot in the door, to make a name for yourself,” he explained, crossing his arms with a smile as the interviewer nodded along. “When you’re an old guy like me, you take risks because you can.” The interviewer and Kurt both started laughing as Kurt kept going. “I can’t tell you how many times I agonized over pieces, how they would be perceived, if they could be turned into marketable and wearable additions to my collection, to my brand. How many times I left pieces out that I loved or put something in that I was only mediocre about...this time I totally went with my gut. Made the decision to go big or go home. I am 1,000% in love with every single thing I put on that runway today. Even if everyone hates everything, I did this line for me, and I love it.”
The interviewer shook her head and brought the recording device back to her mouth as she went on. “I can’t imagine anyone hating it,” she said and Kurt beamed. “There were some absolutely stunning pieces. I really don’t think I could pick a favorite.”
“Thank you, very much, it means a lot, really,” Kurt replied. “And after taking a step back last year to focus on my family, I really wanted to come back this year with a bang.”
“Not with a whimper, but with a bang, huh?” she asked, grinning.
“Exactly, exactly,” Kurt agreed, his eyes lighting up when he spotted Blaine and Sophie walking up. The young woman followed Kurt’s eyes and beamed as Kurt motioned for them to come over. “Hey baby!” Kurt cried as Blaine set her on the ground and she hurried into his arms. He lifted her up and settled her on his hip as well, kissing the side of her head over and over.
"Oh it's the Tony Award winner, Blaine Anderson!" Blaine blushed and nodded as he walked up beside them and the interviewer dropped her mic when she saw Sophie. "I don't think I've been able to congratulate you in person since last year. Congratulations, I loved the show."
"Thank you. It's still doing very well so, I'm happy."
"Taking the night off to celebrate your husband?"
Blaine beamed and nodded, wrapping his arm around Kurt's waist and pulling both he and Sophie close to him. Sophie zoned out for a few minutes while she looked around the room.
She didn't usually see things from this perspective and watched in wonder as the people hurried around her, still feeling safe in her papa's arms.
“And the famous, Miss Sophia! Can I get a picture of the three of you? Would that be okay?”
Kurt looked over at his daughter and nuzzled his nose into her cheek for a quick moment. “Totally up to you, honey. You can say no if you don’t want to.”
Sophie looked around again but nodded her head and said okay. Blaine moved his face in next to hers and the photographer took a few pictures of the three of them, before thanking Kurt and moving on.
Blaine pulled Kurt into a kiss, murmuring how proud he was of him while Sophie looked away, rolling her eyes. Her dads were always kissing. Kurt grinned at his husband once more as Sam and Rachel walked over with bottles of water in each of their hands.
Kurt set Sophie down and held her head against his side as Rachel threw her arms around him. “Wearing a Kurt Hummel original, I see,” Kurt laughed, squeezing Rachel extra hard before letting go and sinking into Sam’s welcoming hug as well.
“Of course!” Rachel assured him with a flip of her long brown hair. “Always.”
Blaine and Sam passed around the chilled bottles of water and Kurt leaned down to help Sophie with hers.
“Uh oh,” Sam started. “I see the hounds comin' for you three,” he said, motioning at the reporters and cameras eyeing all of them carefully.
Blaine pulled Sophie a little closer to him, but Rachel looped her arm in Kurt’s. “I’ll go, I can brag about my friend for hours if I need to,” she declared. “I have the show to promote anyway.”
Kurt nodded and blew Sophie a kiss. “I’ll be back, monster,” he promised.
"Just make sure not to let go with any other secrets..." Sam trailed off. Rachel winked and tossed her hair at him, nudging Kurt at his questioning look.
Blaine and Sam led Sophie away from the crowd of people descending on the two of them, and over to where Malerie, Kurt’s assistant and right hand lady, was barking into her headpiece about the proper way to undress and pack all the pieces.
Over an hour later and Sophie was fading fast. Sam was off talking to a colleague about a shoot they had next week, and Rachel was happily talking the ear off anyone who would listen. She was a trooper and would always bring the conversation back to her friend, but always willing to get a nod and nudge into the interview about her latest project was a skill she was very proud of.
The room had thinned out considerably, but people were still milling around. Everyone trying to get those last minute words and pictures for the reviews that would come out later in the week with the rest of the reviews for Fashion Week. Malerie had brought Sophie a glass of juice and plate of crackers and cheese from the backstage craft service about thirty minutes ago, but now she was just tired and ready to go.
“You ready to go home, baby?” Blaine asked.
He'd been talking to a friend of theirs for the last twenty minutes while Sophie stood at his side, holding tight to his hand and watching as Kurt laughed with yet another reporter, Isabelle on his right with her arm around his waist and laughing along with them.
She looked up at him and nodded. Blaine laughed and kissed her hand in his. “Okay, let’s go say bye to Papa and we’ll head out.”
Kurt looked over at where Blaine and Sophie were standing and swiftly put an end to the interview with a graceful yet pointed look. Isabelle walked over with him and said a quick hello to Blaine and Sophie, before telling Kurt she would meet up with him later and kissed his cheek, whispering in his ear something that made him smile and hug her again.
Sophie waved as Isabelle gave her a smile and walked off. Kurt tucked a stray hair behind Sophie’s ear as he and Blaine started talking.
“I’m gonna take Soph home,” Blaine said. “I told Grace I would try to be home before six, and she’s been so great this week, I wanna give her the night off.”
Kurt nodded as he looked at his watch and rubbed his eyes. “Give me like, twenty minutes to check in with Malarie and grab my bag from the back and I’ll go with you. I’m sure most of my models have left, I just wanna make sure everything is packed away and ready to go back to the studio.”
Blaine shook his head. “No, honey. Stay here, I’m sure there’s an after party or something. You should stay.”
“No, I wanna go home,” Kurt assured him. “I’ve barely seen Liam all week, and I have to be back on Tuesday for Rage anyway. I need an evening off with my family.”
Blaine leaned over and gave his husband a quick peck on the lips before nodding his head. “Okay, Soph and I will grab our coats and try to round up Sam and Rachel. We’ll meet you in the car.”
Kurt kissed the top of Sophie’s head and nodded his head. “Twenty minutes, tops,” he promised, hurrying away.
It was a little closer to thirty minutes later when Kurt finally opened the back door and climbed into the town car. He dropped his bag and apologized to his husband.
“It took me a few minutes to find Malarie, and I kept getting pulled into conversations,” he explained as Blaine told the driver to go. “Where are Sam and Rach?”
“They decided to go for a bite, said they would grab a cab and this one was fading fast.” Blaine explained, motioning to a fast asleep Sophie. Kurt nodded, picking up Sophie’s hand.
"What's going on with them, do you know?"
Blaine shook his head with a laugh. "Your guess is as good as mine, Sam hasn't told me anything."
Kurt chuckled as Blaine leaned in to press their lips together. Blaine smiled as he pulled away. “You were spectacular, Kurt.”
Kurt leaned his head against the headrest and grinned. “Thank you. I was nervous, but I think everything came together in the end.”
Blaine leaned over and cupped Kurt’s face before brushing their lips together once more, Sophie snoozing between them.
******
Kurt carried Sophie into their empty apartment and set her on her feet as soon as they were in the door. “Go upstairs, honey,” he told her softly. “Take off your dress and tights and lay them on your bed. I’ll take everything to the cleaners on Monday.”
Sophie nodded as she groaned and trudged up the stairs.
Blaine set his phone down on the counter and opened the drawer with all their takeout menus. “Grace said she and Liam will be here in a few minutes. Pizza, Chinese, or Thai?”
“As much Chinese as one person can carry,” Kurt answered, tugging his tie loose and pointing up the stairs. “I’m gonna go change as well, I’ll be back down with Soph in a few.”
Blaine nodded as he punched the number into the phone and stared at the menu in his hand. He had just finished ordering more food than the four of them could ever eat in one sitting when Grace and Liam walked through the door.
“Hey Jellybelly!” Blaine cried as Liam jumped into his arms.
“HI DADDY!” Liam yelled, squirming around when Blaine tried to kiss him and pull the sunglasses off his face.
Grace chuckled as she walked in behind him and set the bag she had been carrying on the counter.
“Did you have fun today?” Blaine asked, finally setting the squirming monkey down.
“Yep,” Liam answered, nodding.
“Did you tell Daddy that you picked out your outfit all on your own, and refused to wear a coat?” she asked, holding out the coat she had obviously been fighting with him all day to wear.
Blaine suppressed a laugh as he looked at his son. “Liam Devon, you know you are supposed to listen to what Gracie says. Why wouldn't you wear your coat?”
“I was hoooot,” Liam whined. “‘Sides, I had my ‘carf!” he insisted before pointing to his feet. “N’ my boots!”
Blaine shook his head as he looked over at Grace.
“I made sure his cardigan was buttoned and his scarf was tight, and he ran around enough that he probably wasn't too cold. But man, he fought me on it at every single turn,” she confessed.
Blaine nodded that he understood just as Kurt came back downstairs.
“BAAAA!” Liam cried, tripping over his rain boots as he tried to run into Kurt’s arms. Kurt laughed as he helped him stand up and leaned down to pull him to his hip.
“Hi baby, how was your day?” he asked, kissing the side of Liam’s head and hugging him tight.
“We made my cupcakes! Then went for a walk cause I had too much ‘nergy to stay inside!” Liam grinned as Kurt laughed and set him back down on his feet to go annoy his sister who had plopped down on the couch and flipped on the TV.
Grace finished the bottle of water she had pulled from the fridge and laughed. She showed Kurt the cupcakes she and Liam had baked that morning for his class party the next night, before grabbing her coat and bag and heading out the door.
Blaine opened his laptop at the table to reply to some e-mails and check up on a few things, while Kurt helped Liam take his boots off before pulling him up into his lap to talk more about his day.
After they'd eaten dinner and Kurt had finished getting the kids down for the night, he walked back downstairs to find Blaine opening the mail that had been sitting on the piano since Friday morning.
"You'll never guess what I just opened," Blaine told him with a sigh as he walked into the kitchen.
"What?"
Blaine held out a letter stamped with the seal of their building. "Building's going co-op. We gotta figure out what to do in the next six months."
Kurt groaned as he dropped his head to the counter with a heavy thunk. "You have got to be kidding me."