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It’s the 3rd of December and while it hasn’t snowed yet, the windows of the Berry home are all steamed up, revealing just how many people have already shown up to the Berry Hanukkah Extravaganza.
Kurt shivers; the heat in the narrow corridor unbearable after the cold wind outside. After greeting Rachel in an unusually enthusiastic hug (he reckons she has had some cinnamon punch already) he unbuttons his dark wool coat, checking out the tacky decorations and untying his scarf.
Rachel jabbers on about all the guests who are there already and who she wants to introduce him to and he ignores it, biting his tongue to avoid saying anything about her outfit. She’s wearing a red mini-skirt with a white faux fur trim, combined with a green and brown reindeer sweater and Kurt in all honesty doesn’t think anyone can listen to her when her clothes are screaming so much louder.
“I’m so glad you could come, Kurt. It wouldn’t be a good Hanukkah party without you”
She’s smiling and looking so earnest and Kurt immediately feels bad for his thoughts. So he smiles and doesn’t say anything about the way she’s dragging him into the living room by his sleeve even though, hi, this is Marc Jacobs and should not be pulled at. “I wouldn’t miss it.”
And he finds he means it, even though his eyes kind of hurt, taking in all the Hanukkah themed decorations. Because Mr and Mr Berry sit by the piano, playing and singing some Christmas song and the sight makes Kurt’s heart soar. He hopes his future will look something like this; with more tasteful décor of course.
He tunes in when Rachel tugs more intently at his sleeve. “-we’ve sung together at the Kings Island's Christmas Spectacular and he is a decent singer. Not as good as the two of us, of course, but very decent. I think you’ll like him.”
And the way her eyes gleam makes him stop in his tracks, Marc Jacobs shirt be damned.
She comes to a halt just in front of him, frowning when he doesn’t budge even when she pulls encouragingly one more time.
“Rachel Berry. Why do you want me to meet him so badly?”
And uh-oh, she looks way too innocent now; watching him with her big eyes like her girlish charms would sway him to trust her.
“I just think he is a nice boy. And you are a nice boy. And why shouldn’t you meet? It’s a party after all.”
He is not convinced and gives her an accusing glare, prying her little fingers from his shirt.
“You will not set me up, Rachel Barbra Berry. No way. I don’t even want to know where you would find another gay guy here in Lima.” A terrible thought crosses his mind. “Oh god, Rachel, do you even know if he’s gay? And singing at the Christmas Spectacular does not count as proof, even if it sounds like the gayest thing ever.”
Rachel looks affronted for a moment before she pulls out the Bambi eyes again. “If you remember, Kurt, I have two gay dads. I have awesome gaydar.”
Kurt groans because that sounds like she does not have any actual proof.
“And if you don’t believe me then just look how he’s watching my dads’. He’s mooning, Kurt. I’ve seen you look at them just like that.”
Kurt pushes her outstretched arm down with which she is, in an embarrassingly obvious way, pointing at a boy in the corner of the room. And as much as he despises to admit it, she is right. The boy hasn’t even noticed her pointing because he can’t keep his eyes away from the Berry’s and the look he has in his eyes is one of longing.
And it can’t be because of the atrocious matching sweaters the Mr Berry’s wear to the occasion.
Unfortunately, Rachel is right about another thing. Kurt absolutely wants to meet this boy. He is wearing sinfully tight red pants and a white shirt with a bowtie that seems to have some red and green pattern on it, as far as Kurt can tell from 10 feet apart. His hair is neatly gelled and he is just- overall handsome. Put together. Everything Kurt wants in a boy. Kurt kind of wishes the boy would look at him like that.
The smug look on Rachel’s face tells him that his observation wasn’t exactly subtle and he quickly settles his features into a more neutral expression.
“We can just pretend that we never had this discussion and go over there. I promise I will not hold this over your head.”
And it’s a gracious offer, coming from Rachel Berry. But Kurt still feels unprepared. He has no idea how to talk to a boy. Especially not to a handsome boy. A handsome gay boy. No. This just screams disaster and embarrassment and he can do without both. So he shakes his head and glances to the kitchen.
“No thank you, Rachel. I’ll go get some punch, there’s got to be one Puck hasn’t spiked yet. And then I’ll go find Mercedes.” She looks so crestfallen that he can’t help but apologize. “I just don’t think it’s a good idea. Sorry, Rachel.”
He gives her a small smile and dashes out of the living room. He can’t take another look at this boy, he can’t watch Rachel’s dads’ or Rachel, who was so hopeful. Kurt is just not ready. There is no way he wouldn’t make a fool of himself in front of that boy. There is no way he would be interested in Kurt. Just because they’re both gay.. it doesn’t mean they will live happily ever after, singing Christmas songs by the piano.
The kitchen is too crowded for how trapped Kurt feels so he steps into the little garden, sitting down on the cold step and leaning his back against the door. It’s freezing but Kurt welcomes the cold. It helps him untwist his too bitter thoughts. His life is good, he has amazing friends, his family has just expanded by two kind people and even Karofsky has for some unknown reason left him alone these past few weeks. He doesn’t need a boyfriend. There’s time for that when he’s in New York.
He nearly falls flat on his back when the door opens and hears a surprised “oh” while he scrambles to stay upright.
“Sorry, sorry, I didn’t know-“
And when he looks up, of course it’s the guy with the red pants and his little red bowtie with, as Kurt notices now that he’s closer, tiny Christmas trees on it.
“Did Rachel send you?” he blurts out and regrets it immediately when he sees the confused look on the boy’s face.
“Um, no?”
Kurt scrunches his nose in embarrassment. At least it’s cold enough that his cheeks were probably red before he started to blush out of embarrassment.
The boy seems to have come out of his surprise of finding Kurt on the step and sticks out his hand. “I’m Blaine. Blaine Anderson. I know Rachel from this-“, he makes a weird hand gesture and Kurt begins to grin. “Christmas Special at Kings Island? Yeah, Rachel told me.” He shakes Blaine’s hand a little awkwardly and wishes he wouldn’t have to let go. Because Blaine’s hand is warm and his is freezing, of course.
“I’m Kurt. Hummel. I’m in Glee Club with Rachel.”
Blaine beams at him and gestures to the space next to Kurt. “Would you mind if I kept you company for a while? Rachel has been trying to get me to sing a duet with her and this big guy, who I assume is her boyfriend, kept glaring at me. I do not want to get in the middle of that. And I’m not even remotely tall enough that I would survive a fight, if it came to that.”
Kurt chuckles and pats the space next to him in an invitation.
“The big guy is my brother and you don’t need to worry, believe me. He’s all bark and no bite.”
Blaine makes an exaggerated relieved “pfew” gesture, wiping his forehead and relaxing next to Kurt. He jumps a little as soon as he sits. “Oh my god, why didn’t you warn me? These steps are cold.”
He looks so affronted that Kurt can’t help but giggle again, rolling his eyes when Blaine sits down gingerly. “It’s about zero degrees, what did you expect?”
Blaine rolls his eyes right back but doesn’t seem to be actually upset. “You looked to comfortable! And you’re only wearing your Marc Jacob’s shirt and exceptional Vivienne Westwood pants. What was I supposed to think?”
Kurt can’t help his small pleased smile that Blaine recognized his clothing and fleetingly thinks “yes, definitely gay” before he pats his legs.
“They’re actually wool pants, so. And I’ll let you in on another secret because I like your eye for fashion.”
He leans forward and Blaine automatically leans in closer too, bright eyes curious on his face. Their shoulders are touching and Kurt has no idea how he manages to breathe, never mind hold a conversation.
“I haven’t been able to feel my ass since about a minute after I first sat down.”
Blaine looks surprised for a moment before he laughs out loud, his eyes crinkling at the corners. Pleased with himself, Kurt leans back again. Blaine moves with him and bumps their shoulders together again, still chuckling. Kurt thrills at the thought that there is someone, a boy, who doesn’t flinch away from his touch.
“I think my backside might suffer the same fate.”
He wiggles again and Kurt snorts and doesn’t comment on the fact that Blaine has moved a little closer on the step, pressing their sides together. He can feel his body heat through their layers and it’s intoxicating.
“Backside? Really? What are you, a private school boy from the sixties who accidentally stepped into a time machine?”
Blaine bites his lip and Kurt groans. “Oh my god, you are a private school boy, aren’t you? The bow tie should have tipped me off.”
Blaine grips his bowtie defensively and pouts in a way that let’s Kurt know that’s he not offended.
“I like the bow tie. It’s adorable.” And while Kurt wonders whether he’s too forward or where exactly his confidence comes from, the door behind them opens again, letting out some warmth and a lot of noise.
“There you are! I thought you had ditched the party already.”
They both look up at Rachel who doesn’t look bothered at all. If anything, she looks delighted. Dread fills Kurt’s stomach before she even opens her mouth again.
“What do you guys think of the mistletoe my dads’ put on the door? I thought it was stupid to hang it on the door as no one would ever stand under it. But look at that, you two are actually sitting under it.”
She clasps her hands together in glee and Kurt makes a list of all the things he will do to get back at her. Starting with burning her reindeer sweater. “We’re actually not, Rachel, since you opened the door and all. But thanks for your concern. We’ll come in in a second.”
Blaine chuckles next to him at his biting tone and Rachel lowers her hands begrudgingly. “Well, alright then. We’ll sing a song when you come in, Kurt. And Blaine, we should totally sing Baby It’s Cold Outside again, since it was such a hit at the Christmas Special.”
With that she closes the door and Kurt sighs heavily. Blaine bumps their shoulders together again and Kurt manages a smile.
“Sometimes I don’t really know why we’re friends.”
Blaine grins like he doesn’t believe him for a second. “I think it’s sweet. She just wants you to be happy. And actually-“, he ducks his head, suddenly shy, before looking up to the mistletoe. “There is a mistletoe and we are kind of sitting under it, so..”
Kurt holds his breath and can’t look away while Blaine’s face comes closer until it is right in front of him. He closes his eyes just in time to feel warm and slightly wet lips on his icy cheek. When he opens them again, unsure whether he should be disappointed or hyperventilate because Blaine just kissed him on the cheek, Blaine is still right in front of him, watching him carefully with anxious bright eyes.
So he smiles and lets out his breath and Blaine grins and leans back, obviously pleased with himself. They sit quietly for a moment, the noise of people laughing and talking and singing drifting even through the closed door.
“So, I think I should probably be honest with you now.”
Well, that can’t lead up to anything good. Kurt quirks a brow and Blaine shrugs his shoulders a little bashfully.
“Rachel has been pretty much talking you up to me since we met for our first rehearsal”, he rushes out and Kurt groans and lets his head fall into his frozen hands. He feels a hand peel his from his face, Blaine’s quiet laughter a sound he would like to record and put as his ringtone despite his embarrassment.
“Come on, it’s not so bad!”
Kurt lets him take his hand and moves his other into his pant pocket, shaking his head and feeling the heat of his blush warm his face. He still smiles when Blaine doesn’t let go of his hand.
“It actually is really, really bad. Rachel is a meddling little dwarf who has no idea how to be subtle and needs to be stopped.”
Blaine is still laughing and Kurt shoots him and unamused look.
“She probably only invited you to set us up. Oh my god.”
Blaine finally stops laughing but is still grinning broadly. “First of all, she invited me because I’m charming and delightful and don’t mind singing a hundred Christmas duets with her. And second of all, so what? She was right about everything she told me. You are funny and smart and lovely and while I haven’t heard you sing yet, I’m sure she was right about your singing too.”
He wraps Kurt’s hand in both of his, rubbing it to get some warmth back into the icicles that were once his fingers. It’s no use, really, since Blaine’s hands are icy cold as well. It still feels nice though.
“Well, I think it’s time we tested that last one, don’t you think? Especially since we’re both turning blue in this cold.”
He tugs on Blaine’s hands to stand up with him. Blaine still doesn’t let go of his hand when Kurt opens the door.
“I think we should sing Baby It’s Cold Outside. Mostly to get back at Rachel. But also because it really, really is.”
Blaine chuckles and sweeps his thumb over Kurt’s hand, crooning “This evening has been so very nice” into his ear. And if Kurt is swooning, imagining the two of them singing next to the piano twenty years from now, well, nobody has to know.