Chapter Text
Lima, Ohio 2001
A small boy was laying on a patch of grass next to a playground. His mother was sitting on a garden bench, reading a book.
The boy glanced at her, making sure she wasn't too far away. Her peach colored summer dress and white strawhat made her look like one of the women in her fashion magazines, the boy thought, as he pushed himself up in a sitting position, picking up his Power Rangers and placing them carefully in their assigned places. It was time for a wedding.
But before the ceremony could start, the boy was startled by loud voices by one of the large maple trees.
"Give it back!"
"Awww is the little princess gonna cry?"
"Please, just give it back!"
"Sure. Go get it."
"No!"
Then an explosion of laughter echoed around the park and the boy could see a group of older kids walking away, throwing high fives and snickering.
Curiosity got the best of him. He stood up and slowly walked over to the tree, leaving his toys laying on the ground.
On the other side of the wide trunk, a young boy was gazing upwards with a heartbroken expression on his soft face. His head was full of wild, dark brown curls that fell over his forehead and ears. The boy's lower lip was wobbling but he looked determined on keeping his tears at bay.
"Hey, are you okay?"
The boy jumped slightly, lowering his head to stare at the newcomer with wide golden eyes. He blinked a few times before shaking his head.
"What's wrong?" the other boy asked, looking up the tree aswell. There, resting on one of the large branches, upon the green leaves, he noticed a blue-grey sock monkey, atleast six feet off the ground.
"Is that yours?"
"Yeah... The mean boys threw it up there." The boy replied, dejected.
"How are we going to get it down?"
The boy looked puzzled, his triangle shaped eyebrows drawn together in question.
"'We'?"
The chestnut haired boy smiled a toothy grin. "Yes, 'we'! I have a feeling you and i will be great friends." he offered a pale hand. "My name is Kurt."
"I'm Blaine." Blaine's handshake was firm. Like an adult's.
"Kurt! Honey, where are you?" came a worried voice.
"Over here, mommy!"
A concerned looking Elizabeth Hummel came jogging around the tree, holding her strawhat on place with her hand.
"Kurt, sweetheart, remember the rules?"
"Don't wander off without telling you where i'm going..?" Kurt mumbled, feeling bad for making her mom worry.
"Exactly." The auburn haired woman looked stern for a second before her face melted into a warm smile. "Who's your friend?"
"Blaine, ma'am." the curly haired boy answered politely, offering his hand.
Mrs. Hummel laughed lightly and shook the boy's small hand. "You can just call me Elizabeth, sweetie."
"Mommy, can you help? Can you reach Blaine's toy?" Kurt pointed at the stuffed animal.
"Hmm... Give me a minute." Elizabeth hurried off before returning back with her purse and book.
"Step back, boys."
As the two kids stepped behind her with confused expressions, Elizabeth jumped and threw her book up the tree. The thick, hard-cover novel smacked against the branch, sending small sticks and leaves falling down, along with a certain sock monkey. She caught the book with her free hand and picked up the toy, handing it to Blaine's waiting arms.
"Yay mommy, you did it!"
Mrs. Hummel smiled, her cherry red lipstick contrasting against pearly white teeth.
"Thank you so much, ma- i mean Elizabeth."
"You're very welcome." She stuffed her book inside her dark purple purse and clapped her hands together. "Now, who wants some ice cream?"
Two pairs of eyes lit up with excitement as Elizabeth took their hands and together they walked over to a small, blue, ice cream truck parked on the road leading to the park. The line of children and adults alike was luckily quite short.
"What's your favourite flavour?" Kurt asked as he looked at his new friend.
Blaine lifted his eyes from the toy he was holding and grinned. "Chocolate chip, duh."
"I like the regular chocolate more." The blue eyed boy shrugged. "Mom likes the coffee flavoured one."
Blaine made a face. "I don't like coffee."
"Me neither. Hot chocolate is so much better."
"I know right!"
There was a beat of silence, filled with sounds of playing kids and chirping of birds above before Blaine spoke: "I like your shoes."
Kurt glanced down at his sparkly pastel blue sneakers and smiled. "Thanks, Blaine. Some of the other boys made fun of them. They called them 'girly'."
The golden eyed boy frowned. "I think they look great."
"Well i like your bow.. Thing." Kurt said, pointing at the red and blue striped bowtie on the collar of Blaine's white shirt.
"It's a bowtie." Blaine announced proudly. "Mother said they make me look pro.. Prose.. Something like that."
Kurt giggled.
Soon they were handed their ice creams, and all three of them went to sit by the small pond where a family of ducks were floating around, hoping for an easy meal from some eager bread waving children.
"Wait a second, boys." Mrs. Hummel looked through her bag and pulled out a small light yellow camera. "Say cheese!"
With a click and a flash, a picture of two smiling boys holding their slowly melting ice cream cones popped on the camera screen, making Elizabeth humm in approval. She took a few more pictures of the park and the ducks before placing it back into her purse. She watched with a smile as the two new friends chatted excitedly, almost forgetting to finish their treats.
Soon they made their way back to the area where Kurt's toys still lay on the lush green grass.
"Do you want to play?" Kurt offered his Blue Mighty Morphing Power Ranger. "Blue and Pink were just about to get married."
Just as Blaine opened his mouth to respond, a distressed looking older woman power walked towards them. Her greying, brown hair was tied up on a low bun and her green eyes were full of worry.
"Mr. Blaine. Mr. Blaine. We must go." She spoke with a strong accent, holding a small green backpack with stars stiched on the front.
"No need to worry, Mrs. Nowak. I just made a new friend. They helped me get Oliver down from a tree. His mom even bought me ice cream!"
Mrs. Nowak just nodded and gently took the sock monkey from Blaine's hand, muttering something indistinct in a foreign language while putting it inside the backpack.
Elizabeth walked over and offered her hand. "Hello, are you Blaine's grandmother?"
The round faced woman shook her head. "Nie nie, i am just housekeeper. Mr. and Mrs. Anderson ask me to take Mr. Blaine out of house today." She explained, pulling out her wallet as she talked.
"How much?"
"Pardon?"
"Ice cream. How much?"
"Oh no no, you don't have to-"
With more frustrated, fast spoken polish, Mrs. Nowak handed the taller woman a smooth ten dollar bill, took Blaine's hand and started kindly leading the boy towards the parking lot.
"Bye Kurt!" Blaine waved with a slightly sad smile and soon they disappeared behind the metal gates.
"Bye Blaine..." Kurt mumbled after him. Somehow he had a feeling he wouldn't be seeing his new friend again in a while.
Elizabeth laid a comforting hand on her son's shoulder. "Daddy is coming home from work soon. What would you like to have for dinner today?"
Kurt looked up at his mom and smiled. Even though he usually just watched as his mom worked around the kitchen, singing to herself like a princess in one of his Disney movies, he never missed on an opportunity to watch her mom cook." Once you're a little bit older, sweetie, then i'll teach you everything there is to know about cooking." She always said.
"How about that spaghetti you put in the oven?"
Elizabeth laughed. "Spaghetti casserole? Sounds like a plan."
Together they collected their things and left the park, singing along the car radio the whole way home. In that moment, a seven year old Kurt Hummel had no idea what faith would bring his way. And how his and a certain curly haired boy's lives were destined to intertwine from the second their eyes met.
.~.~.