Chapter Text
August
Everything but their rooms is already packed up when they return to Lima, because Burt wants to finalize the move before the school year starts. Kurt has only been living in the Hummel house for about six and a half months, but it still feels weird cleaning out his room and putting his new possessions into boxes. Come next week, it won't just be him, Burt and Blaine anymore. Carole and Finn will be there as well everyday, becoming a family. He just hopes he'll still have a place in all that. Because as often as Burt tells him and as much as he wants to believe it, he isn't really part of their family and if this thing doesn't work out, it will be him who will have to go. He could never ask Burt to tell Carole and Finn to leave if he and Finn can't make it work, because he can see how much Burt cares about her.
The new house looks just as nice in reality as it had in the pictures. The kitchen is spacious enough for him and Carole to cook in it together and there are enough bathrooms so that neither him nor Blaine will have to share with Finn.
He doesn't mind that Finn doesn't have to share the upstairs bathroom and that he will have to use Blaine's ensuit as well. At least it will give him an excuse to be in Blaine's room and maybe it will give them the chance to take showers together without rousing Burt's suspicion.
Burt hasn't been too happy with the decision, but after all three of them had assured him that it would be for the best if Finn had his own bathroom, he had begrudgingly agreed.
Burt and Carole's room is downstairs with should make sneaking around a bit easier, Kurt thought before he had been shown upstairs for the first time, but Burt must have thought of that too, because Finn got the room between his and Blaine's. It's probably good Blaine's dad doesn't know how often Cooper left them alone in his apartment to spend the night elsewhere.
There are two more rooms upstairs – one for Burt to use as an office and another one used as a crafts/ music room. Finn apparently plays drums and his equipment is already taking over half of the room when Kurt first peaks into it.
There is no space left for Blaine's piano, but Burt assured him they saved some space for it in the living room. Lately, at least before coming to L.A., Blaine has been spending a lot more time playing it, usually songs Kurt is not familiar with, so he suspects Blaine is composing again. One day he is going to learn how to play as well, but for now he is happy enough sitting down next to Blaine to watch him play.
The last weekend before school starts again, and after they have finally moved all the boxes to the new house, Santana is throwing a back to school party. Kurt hasn't seen any of his glee club friends since his birthday party in May and before he can even properly say hello to everyone, Rachel takes his hand and yanks him away from the crowd.
"It's so good to see you again, Kurt," she exclaims as she gets up on her toes to hug him. "You're looking really good," she adds after she lets her eyes sweep over him.
To everyone's surprise, he has managed to get a bit of a tan during the eight weeks he spent in California. The color suits him according to Burt and Carole, though he is nowhere near as dark as Blaine is now.
"Thanks," he tells her before looking her up and down as well. For once she isn't dressed like an overgrown toddler and Kurt wonders who has been taking her shopping while he was away.
"You do too," he tells her sincerely before acquiescing her request and telling her all about L.A, leaving out the part though where he got hired for a TV show. He and Blaine have both agreed to keep it a secret for now – at least until they know for sure there will be a series. Carole knows of course because Burt apparently tells her everything, but she knows not to tell Finn about it.
"So listen. I've already comprised a list of schools we have to apply to in New York. Just think about it. This time next year, you, Blaine and I will be in New York."
He feels a bit guilty after that about not telling her that she might have to got to New York on her own next year. He has every intention of still applying to schools in New York in case L.A doesn't work out, but he also knows that he will be in California this time next year if things do work out.
They rejoin the party a few minutes later, which is already in full swing, with Puck mixing cocktails for the other gleeks. Most of the other boys are playing chicken fight in the pool and Kurt knows that there is more than one pair of eyes on him when he strips off his shirt and jumps in as well.
He doesn't know what they expect to see – scars or bruises that are long gone? A few seconds later, he knows though why people were staring. "Wanky," Santana calls out loudly before adding. "Pay up Puckerman, I told you they are screwing."
Kurt knows he is blushing furiously and when he sees the smug look on Blaine's face he wants nothing more than to dunk his stupid boyfriend. He takes quick inventory of himself and turns an even darker shade when he spots the hickey on his left hipbone he has completely forgotten about.
They don't have as much privacy now that they are back in Ohio, but with Burt busy with the move they've still managed to get away with a few stolen hours. He knows things will be different once they are fully moved in with the Hudsons come Monday, so they are taking every chance they get right now.
To avoid the stares he knows he must still be attracting he dives under to cool his heated cheeks, but it doesn't take long before Rachel, Mercedes and Tina yank him out of the pool and drag him off for some 'girl' talk.
It is still hard enough to talk to Blaine about things like that, but his refusal to answer any of their questions about his love life is apparently taken as confirmation that yes, he and Blaine do more than just kiss. They ignore that he isn't exactly comfortable with the topic and in the span of ten minutes he learns more about his friends' love lives than he ever wanted to know. It looks like Tina and Mike have taken advantage of parent free houses during the summer as well, and Rachel for some reason feels the need to give them a play by play of some of the things she did with some boy she met at theater camp.
Only Mercedes stays quiet at first before it just burst out of her. "Sam and I, we're dating now."
Kurt immediately throws his arms around one of his best friends. He hasn't been sure what to make of the looks Sam and Mercedes exchanged by the pool, but now he knows how to interpret them.
"But we haven't really told anyone else yet," she adds and Kurt furrows his brows.
"If he makes you hide your relationship, than you deserve better", he tells her, because he doesn't even want to imagine having to hide his and Blaine's relationship – now that his worst bully isn’t in school any longer and they’ve gotten used to being open about it. Especially not now that he knows how things can be.
"It's not him, it's me. Everyone one knows he dated Quinn for a while and I've seen the way the girls at school look at him. Won't they think he is crazy for dating me if they know?" she asks and Kurt hates how insecure his friend sounds. He's been there and knows how hard it is to overcome one's own insecurities.
"You are amazing, Cedes and all they are going to be is jealous," he tells her with Rachel and Tina backing him up. "And even if you don't want the whole school to know, you know you don't have to hide anything from us. Quinn's been dating Finn after she and Sam broke up so she really doesn't have a claim on him anymore."
When they walk back to the rest of the club, all in various states of drunk already, Kurt watches with a smile on his face as Mercedes walks up to Sam and shyly puts his hand into hers. No one pays them any attention, all busy with celebrating their last free weekend, but Blaine, who gives Mercedes thumbs up, having known about her crush on Sam, because Kurt kind of tells also him everything.
By the time midnight comes around, everyone around him is drunk, apart from Blaine who has stuck to two beers because he knows how Kurt feels about drunk people. He is a bit tipsy though, more affectionate in public than he usually is when they are in Ohio, but Kurt doesn't mind. He feels safe surrounded by his friends and knows they won't judge.
Most people are staying at Santana's and though he can still drive, he and Blaine agree to spend the night as well, so they can spend one last night together before they have to sleep in their respective bedrooms again.
In the morning he makes coffee and breakfast for all the hungover people in the house, before he and Blaine return to Blaine's house one last time to put the rest of their things into the car.
Later that night they have their first dinner with Carole and Finn in the new house. It feels a bit strange sitting in the new dinning room, two more people at the table, but Burt looks so happy and even Blaine is all smiles.
They say goodnight in Blaine's room after taking turns in the bathroom, before Kurt wanders off to his new bedroom, separated from Blaine by Finn's room. Finn's door is cracked open and Kurt can hear the sound of gunshots in the room. He just hopes that the walls aren't too thin, because he really needs his beauty sleep and doesn't want to hear Finn play video games all night.
The first day of school is nothing like it had been the previous year. He, Blaine and Finn arrive together and for once no jocks are waiting for him by the dumpster. He knows Azizmo has somehow managed to graduate and with Karofsky in reform school, two of McKinley's biggest bullies are finally gone. He isn't even sure if Azizmo would still be a problem because the boy had left him alone after apologizing for Karofsky's behavior.
They meet the rest of the club in the parking lot and walk in together, hoping that things might have changed after they did so well at last years Nationals, but his hopes are quickly crushed when they are met with a wall of ice as they get slushied by the hockey team the moment they set foot into the school.
"Welcome back, losers," a boy with a horrible haircut yells, before he and his jock friends walk off, leaving the glee club dripping wet in the hallway.
"Well, some things never change," Kurt deadpans, not willing to let those Neanderthals ruin his first day of school.
September
There are a lot of new people on the team after many of the players graduated in June and they are a lot nicer than the people who are gone now. Most of them are sophomores or freshmen and Blaine suspects they either remember coach Sylvester's threats or are just generally more open minded. Coach Beiste gives them a speech the first practice of the season about how she expects her players to behave in school and Blaine hopes the others are taking it to heart.
Unfortunately, the coach of the hockey team doesn't seem to share coach Beiste's concerns, because they have take over the football team's slushie 'duties'.
No one is safe from them, not even Finn and Blaine worries about Kurt now that he doesn't have his permanent bodyguards anymore. He knows they would be back in a heartbeat if they thought Kurt was being threatened, singled out again, but so far everyone in Glee has gotten the slushie treatment. He knows too, that his boyfriend is happy not to have them follow him around everywhere he goes anymore, but Blaine still hurries to catch him after classes they don't share and makes sure someone is always with him if they have different classes.
Things at home, fortunately are just fine. His dad is looking happier than he has in a long time and Finn stays out of their way most of the time, playing video games in his room. Kurt works on his homework in the library on days he and Finn have practice, and usually helps them with theirs once they are all home.
On weekends, all three of them are helping out in the shop now, though Finn has two left hands and can't be trusted with much yet.
His and Kurt's bedroom doors stay cracked open a bit per his dad's rules though they are allowed to be upstairs as long as Finn is home. Finn, unfortunately, seems to have made it his mission to make sure they are not alone together when their parents aren't home – but not because they are two guys as he tells Blaine when he confronts him, but because if he isn't getting any why should they. After three weeks of living with the Hudsons, he is ready to skip practice just to have some alone time with Kurt, but he knows Finn would probably rat them out if he did. Maybe he should just find Finn a new girlfriend so he would stop getting in their way.
By the end of September, Kurt has taken to glare at him when they are at school, but Blaine doesn't think he is doing anything wrong. He can't help it that he worries about his boyfriend when he isn't with him, because he knows Kurt doesn't fight back unless it's Blaine who is being threatened. He doesn't think Kurt gets slushied more than anyone else in Glee club, but he still wishes it wouldn't happen at all, because he knows how hard Kurt works for the clothes he wears and he hates seeing them get ruined by blue or purple slushie.
They are in Glee, brainstorming ideas for a school musical when Kurt excuses himself to go to the bathroom and all Blaine can think about is the last time Kurt was in the hallways alone after hours. He knows Karofsky is gone, but he doesn't like the way Rick 'the stick' looks at them when they are holding hands at school. He is out of his seat before he knows what he is doing, and follows Kurt into the hallway. His boyfriend stops in his tracks when he hears Blaine's footsteps behind him and turns to glare at him.
"You aren't seriously following me to the bathroom," he hisses and Blaine knows he should just leave before they get into a real argument, an argument Blaine knows seems unavoidable.
"Well, excuse me for caring," he replies and knows that was the wrong thing to say as soon as he sees Kurt's expression.
"There's caring and there's being overbearing, Blaine," Kurt shoots back, sounding annoyed and Blaine takes a step back, because Kurt makes it sound like he is doing something wrong.
"I just don't want to see you get hurt again," he tells his boyfriend, who furrows his brows.
"I'm not made out of glass, Blaine and you should know that I would ask for help if I need you."
"Would you really?" It's out of his mouth before he can stop himself and apparently he has a death wish, because his mouth just keeps going, brain to mouth filter obviously off. "Because you've done so in the past? You wouldn't hide it again, because you have this need to protect people even if they don't deserve it?" It's a low blow and he knows it, but he is angry now as well, because Kurt makes it sound like he is the one doing things wrong, like he is the enemy, like Blaine doesn't just want to keep him safe.
"You know why I couldn't tell anyone. It wasn't my secret to tell," Kurt yells back and when have they started yelling at each other? They have never yelled at each other before.
"He lost his right to privacy the moment he started hurting you. If you had just said something earlier, you wouldn't have gotten hurt like you did," Blaine retorts and Kurt flinches. Shit. He never wanted his boyfriend to flinch away from him. He should apologize right now, but something is stopping him.
"Are we still talking about Karofsky or are we talking about my parents?" Kurt asks, voice hard and Blaine frantically shakes his head.
"Karofsky, I would never, I…"
"But that's what you really think isn't it?" Blaine doesn't like the look on Kurt's face and he wants to deny it, but he can't. Can't because he doesn't really understand. Understand maybe why Kurt had been afraid to tell someone about his father when he didn't have anyone in his life who cared, but he doesn't understand why he covered for his mother, went back to her and nearly died because of it.
"Well, I'm glad to know that's what you really think," Kurt says quietly, tears in his eyes, before he turns and runs away. By the time, Blaine gets his legs to move Kurt and his car are gone. They had driven separately, because Blaine and Finn have football practice after Glee. He frantically dials Kurt's number because they need to talk about it before this argument really gets out of hand, but his call goes straight to voicemail every time he calls.
He can't skip practice because they have their first game tomorrow, but he doesn't go back to glee, texting Finn to bring his bag to the locker room.
Hopefully, Kurt will have calmed down by the time Blaine comes home, so they can sit down and talk about it, make things right again.
"Dude, where's Kurt? The two of you never came back." Finn asks him a while later in the locker room. Blaine hopes no one can tell he's been crying.
"We had an argument, but I'm sure we'll be okay once we get home and I can talk to him," he says, because it has to be okay.
"That sucks, dude," Finn tells him with a shrug and Blaine's grateful he is trying to be understanding of their relationship.
Football practice doesn't seem to end and Blaine skips the showers, desperate to get home. He knows he and Finn both smell, but Finn doesn't argue when he tells him to grab his bag and come with him.
His breath catches in his throat when he sees that Kurt's car isn't in the driveway and all kind of horror scenarios are immediately running through his mind – Kurt in a hospital bed or worse lying in a ditch after running his car off the road.
He doesn't bother taking his bag out of the car and runs into the house. "In here," his dad calls from the living room and when Blaine walks in, closely followed by Finn who is carrying both of their gym bags, there is a box of pizza waiting for them in the living room.
"Guess it's just the three of us tonight, what with your mom visiting a friend and Kurt staying over at Rachel's," his dad tells them with a smile and Blaine freezes because Kurt isn't coming home. Kurt's avoiding him. Kurt can't even look at him right now.
His dad doesn't look like he knows, because he is sure he would already be getting a lecture if he did. He doesn't know what to do. He knows he can't force Kurt to talk to him, and if Kurt needs space he should give it to him. They are going to be all right. They have to.
He tries to call Kurt one last time after excusing himself, citing that he is tired and needs a good night's sleep before the first game. As if he will be able to sleep with Kurt's phone still turned off.
If Kurt doesn't want to talk to him he'll give him his space. He can wait. Kurt will come to him when he's ready to talk.
October
Initially, Kurt had only planned to spend one night at Rachel's but that was when he had thought Blaine would show up the next day and apologize. But as it was, Blaine didn't show. He remembered belatedly that he had a game that afternoon, but he could have come to Rachel's house before or after.
As it is, the first Hummel to show up at the Berry house is Burt. "It's Sunday and you still haven't been home. What's going on? It's not like you to disappear like that," Burt tells him, one eyebrow raised.
Kurt shrugs. "I texted," he mumbles, because this is between him and Blaine, no need to drag Burt into it. When Burt just keeps standing there, staring him down, he adds quietly. "Blaine and I got into a fight."
"So I heard. Not from my son, mind you. Had to drag it out of Finn, with Blaine sulking in his room."
Kurt shuffles his feet. Why the hell is Blaine sulking? He is the one who is in the wrong.
"Wanna talk about it?" Burt asks and Kurt wants to say no, but he could really use some advice. He steps aside and lets Burt into the house. The living room is empty and Kurt suspects Rachel has taken her dads upstairs. She doesn't know exactly what's happened, but she had found him crying outside her house Friday afternoon and had offered to let him stay as long as he wanted to.
"He called me stupid for not telling anyone about my parents sooner," he spits out as soon as Burt is seated, who raises his eyebrows. "Well, maybe not those exact words, but that's what he meant. Why won't he understand?" he asks close to tears again.
"It's only human to want to see the best in people and to give them second changes especially if it's family," Burt says after a few moments of silence. "But it can be hard to understand from an outside perspective. All he saw was you getting hurt and maybe he blames himself for not getting to help you sooner. I know I do. I kept blaming myself for missing the signs, for not understanding what was going on before it was too late. But I'm not blaming you for not saying anything. I can't even imagine how scared you must have been."
Kurt swallows hard. They've talked a lot about what had happened to him, but he had never heard how Burt had felt in all this. He knows on some level that Blaine is only so clingy because he thinks he failed him before, that it is his fault Kurt got hurt and if the situation were reversed he would probably do the same thing. It had just stung when Blaine hadn't denied his accusations.
"But I really can't speak for Blaine – that's something the two of you have to talk about. Relationships are hard work, but if you are meant to be together, it will all be worth it," Burt continues and Kurt wipes a tear from his cheek. He's planned half his future with Blaine already but they've not even been together for a year and already they are fighting like this, avoiding one another, hurting one another.
"Come on, I'll drive you home," Burt tells him, but Kurt can only shake his head. Blaine hasn't come for him so he isn't sure how welcome he is.
"I can't," he whispers as tears threaten to spill over again. "Not when he won't even talk to me." Yes, he's seen that Blaine has tried to call him – five times on Friday but nothing since – but he doesn't want to do this over the phone. He doesn't know what he is going to do at school the next day. He's managed to avoid Blaine at school before, but is that what he wants to do?
Burt sighs. "I can't force you to come with me, but I wish you did."
"We need to talk." He is door is yanked open and Blaine lifts his head from where it's buried into his pillow to look up at his dad. The last thing he wants to do right now is talk to his dad, who will surely yell at him when he finds out what he has done.
"Remember the talk we had when you and Kurt got together? You promised you'd make sure Kurt always felt at home here regardless of your relationship with him?" his dad asks, sounding rather pissed. Blaine nods, not understanding though why his dad's asking. It's Kurt who decided to stay away – he wants Kurt to come home so they can talk.
"Yeah, well. I just talked to him and he doesn't feel welcome here. So what are you going to do about that?" Blaine's eyes widen. He never wants Kurt to think he isn't welcome in their home. It's his home as well after all.
"He doesn't want to talk to me. He doesn't pick up his phone," he mumbles, avoiding to look his dad in the eye.
"I promised Kurt that this was his home, so go over there and make it right." As if it were that easy. If Kurt actually wanted to see him, he would have picked up his phone wouldn't he?
"Now, Blaine." His dad throws his jacket at him and Blaine manages to raise is arms just in time before it hits him in the face. "I don't care what time you come back, but come back with Kurt. Stay in your room and sulk until you figure this out for all I care, but I want him home. He is family."
Blaine doesn't think his dad won't let him back into the house without Kurt, but he doesn't want to test the theory.
It's shortly after six when he arrives at the Berry's house and a tall man with greying hair opens the door. "LeRoy, Rachel, let's go back upstairs," he calls over his shoulder before addressing Blaine. "He's in the living room. Just go straight through."
Blaine nods and quickly wipes his shoes on the doormat. When he enters the living room, Kurt is sitting on one of the couches, his arms crossed in front of his chest, a scowl on his face.
"Why are you here?" he asks, not looking at Blaine and Blaine tentatively takes a step forward.
"I want to take you home," he says, his voice wavering.
"Why? Because your dad sent you? Clearly it's not because you want me to."
It hurts seeing Kurt look so dejected and angry at the same time. Before he can stop himself, he's crossed the room and is kneeling in front of Kurt, taking both of his hands into his own.
"Honey, of course I want you home," he says, hoping to get through to Kurt.
"Then why didn't you come for me?" his boyfriend asks and Blaine can tell he's holding back tears.
"I thought you needed space. You wouldn't take my calls and I thought you didn't want to see me," he whispers trying to catch Kurt's eyes but Kurt is still staring at his knees, though he hasn't pulled back his hands yet.
"Oh," he says. "I thought you didn't want me home." Blaine frantically shakes his head, before biting the bullet and putting one of his hands on Kurt's chin and raises it so he can see his tear filled eyes.
"I always want you home with me," he says, his own tears welling up. "And I'm sorry. I don't understand it all, but I'm not blaming you. You did the best you could in a bad situation and it's not my place to judge. I just worry and I hate to see you get hurt. I couldn't stop you getting hurt last time, but I promised myself I wouldn’t let it happen again."
"Sometimes I don't understand it myself," Kurt whispers, his eyes flitting around the room. "I just thought maybe she could love me after my dad was gone. I had no one else who did and I was hoping maybe she would. She was my mom, she was supposed to love me."
Blaine's knees are beginning to ache and he slowly raises himself before pulling his shaking boyfriend into his arms. "I love you, my dad loves you and I know that Carole adores you," he assures him between kisses on his forehead. "I just wish I had said something early so you didn't think no one loved you."
Kurt hiccups before he rolls his eyes, a tiny smile on his lips. "We've been through this, Blaine. We were both idiots, too scared to get our hearts broken."
Blaine breathes out a sigh of relief before his eyes drop to Kurt's lips. "Can I kiss you?" he asks, unsure where they stand now. His heart speeds up when Kurt nods immediately, not hesitating for one second.
Gently he presses his lips against Kurt's. He can tell that Kurt's been chewing on his lip and he soothes the bites with his tongue until Kurt opens his mouth and invites his tongue in. He's meant for the kiss to be brief and reassuring, but they are both desperate after the few days apart and they only break the kiss they keep deepening when a throat clears behind them.
Rachel's other dad is standing in the doorway, a smile on his face. "Do you want me to bring you your bag, Kurt?" he asks and Blaine's heart stops for a moment until Kurt turns to him and whispers "take me home."
They are quiet on the drive home until they reach the driveway and Kurt starts talking again. "Your dad says your are blaming yourself for what happened to me. Is that true?" Blaine wants to deny it but he knows Kurt already knows the truth.
"I keep thinking if I had paid more attention, if I had made sure you knew you could trust me…"
"It's not your fault," Kurt cuts him off, "I did my best to hide it from everyone. It's, it's not your fault."
Blaine nods but he knows it will take him a long time to fully believe it. "I have one more session with Dr. Stine," Kurt says as they get out of the car. "Would you like to come with me, talk to her about how you feel?"
Blaine considers it for a moment. He saw a child psychologist for a bit after his mother died, and talked to a counselor after he got beaten up. It might not be a bad idea to have someone to help him sort through his own thoughts.
"I'd like that," he tells his boyfriend before they walk inside hand in hand. As soon as the door closes, Carole rushes out of the kitchen and pulls Kurt into a hug. "I'm glad you're back, honey," she tells him and Blaine sees Kurt gradually relax in her arms.
His dad lets them sleep in the same room that night – as long as the door stays open – but they are much too drained to do anything anyway. They talk though, until they both can barely keep their eyes open. About Blaine's worries and fears and Kurt's need to take care of things on his own. They'll both be out in the real world next year and Blaine won't be able to be by his side all the time forever. They both have to learn to trust that the other will ask for help when needed, and to talk about their issues before it all explodes in a fight. They both know that this won't be their last fight, but they also know now that running away doesn't solve any problems, that they have to talk to one another even if they are mad at each other if they want to make it.
Fortunately, Finn and Rachel are the only knows aware of their fight and so no one is looking at them strangely in Glee that afternoon. Unfortunately, Ms. Corcoran has bad news though.
"I know many of you have been looking forward to the school musical. However, principal Figgins refuses to fund it and has informed me he's renting out the auditorium on days we don't need it for practice."
"We could try to raise the money ourselves," Rachel immediately pipes up, but Ms. Corcoran shakes her head. "Unfortunately I don't think you could come up with the kind of money we need in such a short time. We'd still have to pay for the rights to use a certain musical, and adding costumes and the sets, it's just too much.”
Blaine isn't sure what makes him raise his hand. Not even Kurt knows about his little side project.
"What if we did an original piece?" he asks. "We wouldn't need real costumes for that then."
"Do you have anything in mind?" Ms. Corcoran asks him and Blaine nods shyly. "I've been working on a parody of Twilight," he admits. "The original dialogue is ridiculous in my opinion, no offense, and I used it to write even crazier songs." Rachel huffs and crosses her arms in front of her chest, but the rest of the club looks intrigued.
"My little sister watches the crap all the time," Puck mutters. "Wouldn't mind to mock the hell out of it."
"Why don't you show me what you have so far tomorrow afternoon and I'll see if it's doable," Ms. Corcoran tells him and Blaine can barely believe this is happening.
Kurt stops him before they leave the choir room. "I need to go and take care of something real quick. I promise I'll be okay and if I run into trouble I'll let you know."
Blaine tries not to worry too much while he waits for Kurt by the car but Kurt's right. Blaine won't always be able to protect him and McKinley is safer now that many of the bullies have graduated.
When Kurt comes outside twenty minutes later, a determined expression on his face, Blaine nearly drops his keys because in Kurt's arms is a cheerleading uniform.
"What, this…?” He sputters as Kurt climbs into the passenger seat, cheerleading uniform in his lap.
"I've asked coach Sylvester if her offer still stands. I need some more performance credits for my drama school application and she has promised to let me sing during competitions."
Blaine is still trying to wrap his mind around Kurt and cheerleading uniform while his boyfriend continues explaining.
"I know you worry about my safety and I can promise you that as a cheerleader no one will dare to harm me. I probably will still get slushied because I refuse to wear this monstrosity every day, but as long as I wear it once a week to appease coach Sylvester and to remind people why I'm untouchable I should be alright."
Blaine's never had a thing for cheerleaders because – hello, gay – but thinking about Kurt in a tight cheerleading uniform immediately turns him into a horny teenage boy. He knows his dad won't be home until six, and with Finn at Puck's and Carole working the late shift, they'll have an empty house for at least two hours. They both aren't fans of breaking his dad's house rules, but all he can think right now is, Kurt and cheerleading uniform, and all other thoughts go out of the window. They make it home in record time, and his mouth is a little dry when he asks Kurt if he could put on his new uniform. It takes Kurt a moment to understand what's going on, but when he does he rolls his eyes. "Just be glad that I love you," he mutters as Blaine follows him upstairs like a puppy a new toy.
Words aren't his strong suit at the moment, but he plans to show Kurt how glad he is that Kurt loves him.
When his dad comes home two hours later, they are both sitting at the kitchen table working on their homework together, not a hair out of place, the picture of innocence. He is pretty certain he's going to have a hard time focusing on games in the future if Kurt's going to be there in that delicious uniform.
His dad takes one look at them and sighs though and Blaine looks puzzled for a moment before Kurt turns his head and his collar shifts again. "It's supposed to be cold tomorrow. Might want to wear a scarf," his dad tells Kurt, who turns bright red, before turning to Blaine. "I take it the two of you have made up."
Blaine keeps his eyes on his math homework when he answers, because he's not good at lying when he has to look at his dad. "Yep, we talked it all out."
"I'm sure you did," his dad mumbled under his breath before he adds in a normal voice. "Well, I'm glad you're okay again."
Blaine shares a look with Kurt before he reaches across the table to take his hands. "Me too. I don't know what I would do without him."
November
After Ms. Corcoran gave her okay and approved his cast – he did write with specific people in mind after all – it looked like a done deal, and Blaine had thought they would just figure out what they needed in terms of set decoration and costumes, recruit the band and start rehearsing.
Convincing principal Figgins however was harder than Blaine had anticipated, not knowing the principal believed vampires are real and was thus terrified of them. Only when Tina dressed up in all black, put fake teeth in, and threatened the principal to send her dad, the vampire chief, to school to 'talk' to Figgins, did the principal agree – as long as they didn't use any school budget.
"I still can't believe you basically wrote a musical for me," Kurt tells him after they get home from a Halloween party for which Blaine has dressed Kurt up in a cape just to see what it would look like. His conclusion – Kurt makes a sexy creature of the night. Why anyone would find sparkling vampires attractive is beyond him. Rachel makes a great Bella though, at least now that she has forgiven him for making fun of something she is a big fan of. Having songs specifically written for her, apparently is the way to appease Rachel Berry.
"Well, you are crazy talented, but we both know there aren't many musicals with roles for people with voices like yours. So I wanted to write something for you and I don't know, after you told me about Rachel's Twilight obsession I thought it would be fun to mock it a bit and that my boyfriend has the perfect skin color to play a vampire." At Kurt's raised eyebrow he quickly adds. "His amazingly beautiful skin color."
Now that they are actually doing his musical, Kurt is helping him with the dialogue. Writing songs, he has no issues with, but he has to admit he is struggling with some of the dialogue. He just isn't naturally funny like Kurt is.
"Alright, how about that?" Kurt asks before he starts reading a revised part of the script.
Edward leads Bella into a clearing in the woods. It's time to tell her his biggest secret. He just hopes she doesn't run away screaming. He hasn't had a virgin in decades.
EDWARD: 'Bella, there's something I need to tell you.' (Bella's smile falters.)
BELLA: 'OMG, you're gay. I knew it. Why does that always happen to me?' (She wails. Edward looks puzzled and checks his outfit.)
EDWARD: 'What? NO! I'm a vampire.' (Edward blurts out. Bella wipes a tear from her cheek.)
BELLA: 'Are you sure? You are all sparkly!" (Edward makes a face and tries to wipe the glitter of his skin but to no avail.)
EDWARD: 'Please, don't remind me. There was this witch in Utah who didn't like that I seduced her daughter before our wedding night and BAM – curse. Now my whole family has to sparkle in the daylight. And you know what?' (Bella shakes her head, staring at Edward with wide eyes.)
EDWARD: 'I was fine with that whole not going out into the sun deal. I mean – have you seen my skin? The more I'm outside the more I sparkle – and to think there was a time in my life I thought freckles were a curse.'
While Edward is talking Bella has taken a step forward and is now rubbing one of his hands to see if the glitter really doesn't come off. When it doesn't she asks.
BELLA: 'So you are really not gay? You are just a vampire who sparkles when he is outside?' (Edward nods.) 'Oh, thank god. You had me worried there for a second.'
Edward smiles widely, baring his fangs. Bella swoons before she starts her solo 'Love's Bite'.
"But doesn't that make it sound like being gay is worse than being a vampire?" Blaine asks after reading Kurt's rewrite. Kurt shakes his head though. "That's why it's funny. She's been turned down by a lot of guys before, and each of them told her they were gay. So, for her, being a vampire is the lesser evil because then there is at least still a chance that they could be into her. I want people to laugh at her when she says that final line, because she is so ridiculous."
Well, if he imagines Rachel delivering in to Kurt's face, Blaine has to admit he'll probably end up laughing out loud as well. Kurt and Rachel have amazing on stage chemistry – Kurt with his great comedic timing and Rachel playing everything so seriously, and some days he actually wishes they would end up going to college together, because they could start their own theater group with Rachel and Kurt as the leads. But he knows what Kurt is capable of and if that TV show script is any good, Kurt will take Hollywood by storm next year. Which reminds him.
"Have you heard from Bryan about your schedule yet?" he asks, but Kurt shakes his head. "It doesn't matter really. Finn and Carole are spending Thanksgiving with Carole's family and Burt is coming with us to L.A. As long as it's still when we are on break I don't care what days they need me."
Blaine nods, dropping the subject for now. He knows Kurt is nervous enough about it already as it is, because unfortunately, his boyfriend is convinced he is going to get fired his first day on set. He has hoped to stage his musical before they are going to L.A, but unfortunately staging a new musical takes a lot more time than he had thought. The will do tech the week after Thanksgiving and do the show the second weekend in December. If people are interested, Ms. Corcoran has promised to ask Figgins if they can do it again after Christmas, but Blaine is not convinced the McKinley High population will be that interested in his baby.
"Tell me the truth. Did you cast Sam as constantly shirtless Jacob because of what I once said about Taylor Lautner," Kurt interrupts his musings and Blaine shrugs. He isn't going to deny that he thinks Sam has amazing abs. You'd have to be blind to miss them. And he doesn't mind Kurt staring at Taylor Lautner as long he is the one he is going home with.
"Sam doesn't mind," he mumbles, wishing to change the subject.
"Did you finish your essay for NYU already?" he asks his boyfriend after they've read through a few more revised scenes. Kurt sighs and Blaine assumes he isn't doing much better with the task.
"It should be easy for me if I just write something about my past, but I don't want them to give me an audition because they pity me," Kurt says and Blaine understands that, he really does, because he is tempted to write about his own bad experiences to gain some sympathy.
"At least I finished the one for UCLA, the rest are just formalities," he tells Kurt but instantly knows that was the wrong thing to say.
"I wish you wouldn't do that," Kurt sighs. "Act like L.A is definitely going to happen next year."
Blaine knows when not to push and so he drops it and offers Kurt help with his New York applications as well. They are applying for the same New York based schools: Tisch/ NYU, Julliard, AMDA and the Manhattan School of Music, Kurt for voice or musical theater, Blaine for music and composition. Rachel is the only other person out of their group of friends applying to schools in New York and Blaine hopes she won't be too mad when she finds out she will be there on her own. There's Quinn who has applied to Yale to everyone's surprise, but she and Rachel aren't the bestest of friends, though they get along better now that neither of them is interested in Finn anymore.
Finn, unfortunately, is still being a giant cockblock and Blaine can't wait for the next weekend to come when he and Kurt will spend the weekend in Chicago for the Lady Gaga concert and Wicked. They both are in need of a break and some alone time because since the Hummels and the Hudsons moved in together, it's been hard finding time for some uninterrupted hours.
Unfortunately, his dad hasn't miraculously forgotten either that they are going to Chicago unsupervised and so they find themselves, yet again, in the living room opposite his dad a day before they are set to leave for Chicago.
Blaine has been before, once, when his mom had still been alive, but he can't remember much of it unfortunately. He can't wait though to explore the city with Kurt, because from what he heard, it's much more liberal than the rest of the mid west, and after spending time in L.A and getting to be open about his relationship with Kurt wherever they went, being back in Lima has been hard for both of them.
"I expect a call from either of you at least once a day so I now you are safe," his dad tells them once they are all comfortable in the living room and both he and Kurt nod. He knows his dad worries about them when they are in a big city on their own, especially because this time they won't know anyone there.
"If it's late, I rather you take a cab, watch your stuff and please don't get arrested for trying to sneak into bars. I know it can be tempting to do things you aren't able to do here in Lima, but use your heads." Blaine and Kurt nod again, because they don't have plans for anything like that anyway. Blaine's going to be eighteen in a few weeks and then they will be able to go to 18 and over bars legally anyway, not that they are desperate to get into one in the first place.
"And I know I've said this before, but just because you get to spend time unsupervised doesn't mean you have to do things you might not be ready for."
From the corner of his eye he can see Kurt turn bright red while avoiding to look at his dad and Blaine is keeping his eyes on his knees as well because he is sure he looks guilty and his dad would be able to tell the moment he looks up. No one says anything for a moment before his dad clears his throat.
"But it seems like I'm a little late with that speech anyway." Blaine can't stop his head from jerking up and he stares at his dad wide eyed. Next to him, Kurt isn't doing much better, though he is ghostly pale now instead of the bright red from moments ago.
"I'm sorry, sir," Kurt mumbles and Blaine turns in his seat and gapes at Kurt, because he can't remember a single time when Kurt has called his dad sir. "If you don't want me to live here anymore, I understand."
Fuck, Blaine has always thought Kurt wasn't a fan of breaking the house rules because he was afraid of getting caught or disappointing his dad, but he had never known that Kurt was genuinely afraid of getting kicked out of the house if his dad found out they are sleeping together.
His dad looks sad before he asks. "Did you pressure or force my son to do something he didn't want to do?" Kurt's eyes widen and he shakes his head frantically. "Then you haven't done anything wrong. Do I wish you guys had waited a bit longer, maybe till you had finished high school? Yeah, but that's because I'm a parent and no parent wants to think about stuff like that when it comes to his kids. But as long as whatever you are doing is consensual and you are being careful here's what we are going to do. I don't know what deal you have with Finn, but as long as I don't see it or hear about it, I'm going to forget we had this conversation. I'm just going to say this once. I'd rather you are here where you are safe than in your car or some shady motel, but I don't want to walk in on you or overhear something you wouldn't want to hear from me and Carole either." Both Blaine and Kurt shudder because if parents want to ignore their kids have a sex life, they same goes for their kids. "Do whatever you do when Carole and I aren't home, but when we are the rules stay the same – door stays open and you sleep in your own bedrooms. Are we clear?"
Blaine shares a quick look with Kurt, who already looks a lot more relaxed and has regained some color before they both nod. "Okay. Now come here and give me a hug."
Kurt's the first who falls into his dad's arms and a small smile graces his face after his dad whispers something into his ear. Once Kurt is released, Blaine lets his dad give him a bone crushing hug as well, already planning to get his dad another 'best dad in the world' mug. He hasn't actually thought his dad would be angry with them if he found out – maybe about the sneaking around and breaking the house rules – but not about the fact that he and Kurt have discovered new ways to show one another how much they love each other.
"What did my dad say to you?" he asks his boyfriend when they are finally back upstairs in Blaine's room – door open – where Kurt is helping him pack. Kurt smiles so wide, Blaine can see all his teeth. "That he loves me no matter what."
Kurt knows Blaine isn't as into Lady Gaga as Kurt is – and he will be forever grateful that Blaine introduced him to her music – so he is happy his boyfriend is enjoying the concert as much as he is. He's never been to such a huge concert before and at first he doesn't even know what to look at first. As soon as the music starts however he can only look at one person and if he couldn't stop himself and sang most of the songs with her, so sue him.
They are exhausted after the concert and take a cab back to their hotel – per Burt's orders – where they crash as soon as they have finished the cheesecake they have ordered from room service. They spend some time in bed together the next morning however, taking advantage of the fact that they are in a hotel room and don't have to worry about nosy quasi step-siblings or Burt and Carole coming home early. He and Blaine had talked some more after their talk with Burt, because Blaine had been disappointed that Kurt hadn't told him how he really felt about sneaking around behind Burt's back. Kurt knows why he didn't say anything. He had known that it was an irrational fear, that Burt wouldn't really kick him out if he found out about him and Blaine, but he had also been afraid to test the theory.
When they finally manage to get out of bed, breakfast is long over, so he and Blaine bundle up – it's quite cold in Chicago – and head outside in search of early lunch or brunch. Blaine coaxes him up John Hancock tower after lunch with the promise to let Kurt go shopping on the street below afterward, and though Kurt is scared as hell at first, he does enjoy the view in the end, with Blaine's arms wrapped around him securely.
Once they are back on the street they walk down Michigan Avenue until the reach Millennium Park, stopping occasionally at stores Kurt wants to check out. Fortunately there are low budget stores as well, so it doesn't take long until Blaine has his hands full with Kurt's bags.
By the time the L drops them off at Clark and Lake, five minutes walking distance from their hotel, they are both exhausted. After Millennium Park they had gone on a stroll through Grant Park before checking out the exhibitions at the Art Institute of Chicago, just so they were doing something Blaine was interested in as well.
They shower together to save time, both trying to keep their hands to themselves because they need to leave on time if they want to have dinner before the musical. Kurt's wearing his new blue shirt, black skinny jeans, a grey vest and black tie, forgoing a suit because he doesn't want to look overdressed. Blaine cleans up nice as well, though his pants are less tight than Kurt's and he is wearing a bowtie.
He has tears in his eyes by the time they leave their seats for intermission, and Kurt pulls Blaine behind a pillar for a moment to press their lips together. "Thank you so much," he whispers into Blaine's ear. "I still can't believe I'm getting to see Wicked."
"You know I'd do anything to make you happy," Blaine pants into his ear after they share another passionate kiss, hopefully hidden from view by the pillar.
And Kurt knows Blaine means it. If Kurt suddenly announced his plans to join a Siberian Circus next fall, all Blaine would probably do would be asking if Kurt needed help carrying his suitcases. Sometimes it worries him that Blaine would drop everything for him without any consideration for himself, but he also won't deny that it makes him feel safe, knowing Blaine isn't going to abandon him.
Blaine's given him everything, but Kurt is still holding things back, is still withholding things from Blaine, not because he doesn't trust his boyfriend – never that – but because, because-. He doesn't know. Or better he doesn't have the words to explain it.
It's not really fear anymore, it's more like a reflex now to pull back when Blaine touches him a certain way – on purpose or not. It's time to change that though, he thinks as he and Blaine are waiting in front of the stage door after the show is over and Kurt has wiped away the rest of his tears.
It's not the original Broadway cast, the one that is singing on his Wicked CD, but the performers have done an amazing job in Kurt's opinion and he feels the need to tell them that. If he ever gets to be on stage and to do stage door, he hopes there will be people as well he inspired, moved or just entertained for one night.
In the cab back to their hotel, he feels oddly calm, not like he is about to let Blaine break down his last remaining walls, not like he’s about to offer Blaine all of him. They haven't talked about it again since L.A, coming to the agreement that Kurt would let Blaine know if something changed, if Kurt wanted something different.
So he knows that whatever is going to happen tonight has to be on him; he has to take the lead instead of just following Blaine's, at least until Blaine understands what he wants. It's not even a physical craving that is propelling him to make the leap, it's the need to be fully Blaine's like Blaine is fully his. No more walls between them, no more hiding their feelings – total honesty and trust.
Back at the hotel, he takes his time taking his and Blaine's clothes off, folding them carefully and putting them on a chair in the corner of their room. Their kisses, once they are lying next to each other, are passionate but not rushed, their tongues caressing each other lazily, lips never straying far from the other's lips at first.
Once Kurt hooks his arms around Blaine's waist and pulls him on top of him, relishing the feeling of skin on skin, their movements become more frantic as Blaine presses him into the mattress. Instead of being uncomfortable, Blaine's weight on top of him is grounding him, keeps him from floating away especially when Blaine's lips travel down his chest, worshipping him with kisses until Kurt is loose-limbed and pliable underneath him. Blaine must sense that something is different because for once he doesn't behave like a typical teenage boy, he takes his time kissing Kurt all over, telling him how beautiful he thinks Kurt is.
Kurt shoves the voice who needs to analyze, to dissect Blaine's compliments to the back of his mind, and let's Blaine's words heal the wounds that haven't healed yet, the wounds that are prone to reopen sometimes for the stupidest of reasons.
When Blaine has finished mapping out every inch of Kurt's skin, Kurt pulls him up again so they are face to face. The kiss he is pressing against Blaine's lips is probably one of the chastest they have ever exchanged, but he doesn't need more to express how he feels. "I love you so much," he whispers against Blaine's lips and he can feel Blaine's heartbeat speed up where their chests are pressed together.
"What do you want?" Blaine asks him and Kurt knows there's still time to bow out, to climb on top of Blaine and love one another like they've done for months now, but Kurt doesn't want that now, knows that in the end it was always just a question of time and he feels that time is right.
So he wiggles out from underneath Blaine, reaches across the bed to the nightstand and removes a bottle of lube before passing it to Blaine. There are no more explanations required afterward, no questioning if he is really sure. When Blaine looks at him, searching his face all Kurt has to do is nod.
Kurt doesn't think he has ever felt this vulnerable before, but it doesn't scare him anymore, not once, as Blaine breaks him down and rebuilds him again, a constant stream of 'I love yous' and reassurances falling from his lips while Kurt can barely think of anything besides BlaineBlaineBlaine.
He is still shaking, long after his heartbeat has returned to its normal rhythm and Blaine has cleaned him up lovingly, his head pressed against Blaine's chest and his arm around his waist. He feels like laughing and crying at the same time, feels so much he can't stop his body from shaking.
He can't see his boyfriend's face but he knows his eyes are on him, his hand gently stroking through his hair, and Kurt is certain, if he were a cat he would surely be purring right now. It doesn't matter what tomorrow might bring, he is so happy right now and nothing is going to take that away from him.
Edward is sitting with his family after Bella's safe at home and no one has actually eaten her.
EDWARD: 'I know you think it's crazy that I want to be with her, but god, you did smell her, right? She smells exquisite and if I can just butter her up a bit more, she just might let me have a taste.' (Alice snorts.)
ALICE: 'The way I see it, you have to marry her first before she'll let you have a taste. You'd better find yourself a chick who doesn't think baring her neck before marriage is a sin.'
EDWARD: 'You don't understand. She is the first one who didn't take one look at me and started laughing. We've been the laughing stock of the vampire community since that bitch put that curse on us, so excuse me for not giving up on her.'
Edward leads the family into 'Times are hard'
Blaine puts down Kurt's latest rewrite – a scene Ms. Pillsbury felt they couldn't leave in it's original because it made fun of abstinence – and smiles at his boyfriend. "So do you think it will actually get past the censors this time?" he asked, referring to Ms. Pillsbury and principal Figgins, who though he was still afraid of Tina's dad was insisting he read the script before they were allowed to stage it.
He and Kurt had changed a lot of blatantly obvious jokes and double entendre over the last few weeks because of Figgins, but in the end they are happy with the result because they are a lot subtler now and, how Blaine likes to call it, more subversive than in the first draft of the script.
Song rehearsals are going well fortunately, Blaine loving seeing everything come together. Even the other students seem to be interested in what they are doing, after Puck coerced Jacob Ben Israel to write a piece about their show.
Before he knows it, however, he, Kurt and his dad are at the Columbus airport where he and Kurt board a plane to L.A two hours after school lets out the Friday before Thanksgiving. His dad is going to join them on Thursday so they don't have to celebrate Thanksgiving on their own.
It had been difficult to explain to Rachel why they 'abandoned ship' two weeks before opening night, but after Kurt told her for the fifth time that they had bought the tickets to visit his brother months ago she finally gave it a rest and announced she would hold rehearsals while Blaine and Kurt are out of town.
At LAX it isn't Cooper who picks them up but a driver sent by the studio that is producing the pilot of 'SING'. They are set up in a hotel in West Hollywood for the week, but before they have time to look around the hotel, Kurt gets a call informing him that a driver is coming to pick him up for a meeting.
He doesn't see his boyfriend much during the week because Kurt always leaves early and comes back to the hotel late, but he is always smiling when he does, telling Blaine about the scenes they filmed, the song he recorded and the dance rehearsal he was struggling with.
Kurt's not the youngest in the cast but the only one still in high school. What they have in common is that they are all relatively new in the business – most, like Kurt, aren't even on IMDb yet, Blaine found out – and Blaine thinks that it makes it easier for Kurt to relax on set, knowing he isn't the only inexperienced one.
Cooper, fortunately isn't busy that week and so Blaine mostly hangs out with him while he waits for Kurt to be done for the day. On Wednesday, Cooper takes him to the UCLA campus after Blaine tells him that he applied to the school. He likes the people milling around outside, likes the atmosphere, likes that he can sit outside on the quad wearing just a t-shirt in November. He can see himself as a student here, more than he could in New York and now that he is actually here, touring the school, he really hopes it's going to work out. He has sent in his script and the music he has written for the musical, hoping it is good enough to be allowed to become a composition major.
The next day he helps Cooper push the couch against the wall and together they carry the table into the center of the living room so they'll have enough space for Thanksgiving dinner. While Cooper drives to the airport to pick up his dad, Blaine takes a bus to the farmer's market where he picks up their pre-ordered turkey and a bunch of other stuff Kurt has written down on the shopping list.
Arms full with shopping bags he tries to get a cab, vowing that he will bring his car with him next year because public transportation really sucks if you are in a hurry or have a lot of things to carry. Fortunately, Kurt is at Cooper's apartment by the time Blaine gets back with the food and after a quick kiss hello, Blaine is banned from the kitchen until further notice.
Kurt tells him about the meeting he has had in the morning, while Blaine tells him about braving the farmer's market and fighting for cabs.
"When are you going to be done with filming? Did they tell you today?" he asks while they are waiting for Cooper and Burt to return from the airport and Kurt is stuffing the turkey.
"Well, I only talked to Bryan's assistant Rocky today but she assured me that we will finish filming the big group number on Saturday so I can catch my flight back home Sunday morning," Kurt replies, some flour on his cheek as he peeks his head out of the kitchen.
The turkey's barely been in the oven for five minutes and they are just getting comfortable on the couch when his dad and Cooper return and he and Kurt jump apart. His dad just raises an eyebrow and mumbles something under his breath that sounds suspiciously like horny teenagers and hotel room for the week that has him and Kurt blushing while Cooper just stands there and sniggers.
Kurt flees back into the kitchen as soon as he has hugged Blaine's dad hello and Blaine glares at his dad because he knows Kurt still isn't all that comfortable with his dad knowing about them. His gaze softens though when his dad pulls him into a hug as well and tells him that he is going to miss being able to tease them once they'll move out next summer. It's just been the two of them for so long and he knows it's going to be hard on his dad when he leaves for college even though he has Carole now.
Kurt lets them help cutting up pumpkins for the pie while Cooper is carving them to use as decorations, because he apparently didn't get enough of them during Halloween.
Four hours later, when Kurt finally deems dinner ready and the table is set, they all sit down together and watch as Kurt carves the turkey while his dad is filling their glasses with a bottle of white wine he has picked up on the way from the airport.
Even Kurt takes a few sips while they chat about their week, stuffing themselves with turkey when they aren't talking. Before Blaine and his dad can carry the empty plates back into the kitchen Kurt stops them though.
"We've never really done Thanksgiving at my house, but I know some people say what they are thankful for," Kurt says fiddling with the hem of his shirt. "And I just wanted to let you know that I'm so thankful that you came back into my life last year, that you didn't give up on me and that you saved me," he tells Blaine and his dad, and Blaine has to fight back the tears that are welling up in his eyes.
"And Cooper, we haven't know each other long, but I'm happy that you are part of my life as well."
The dirty plates end up staying on the table as they come together for a group hug, their strange little patchwork family clinging to one another. When the kitchen is finally clean again, they take the pies Kurt has baked downstairs where a group of Cooper's neighbors is already sitting outside in the backyard, ending up sharing with the others and eating way too much pie – in Blaine's case.
Only when it's getting really late, Blaine hands his dad the key to Kurt's hotel room, opting to just crash with Kurt on Cooper's couch again.
Kurt's already gone by the time his dad drops by the next morning, joining him and Cooper for breakfast.
"What are you doing for Christmas Cooper?" his dad asks Kurt's brother after accepting a cup of decaf coffee. Copper shrugs.
"Probably going to see my mom. My grandparents are going on some weird oldie cruise and I don't want her to be on her own."
"Well, you and her are welcome to come to our place for Christmas. My girlfriend's family is coming as well and I'm sure Kurt would be happy to have you with us for Christmas."
"He's going to go crazy in the kitchen that's for sure," Blaine can't stop himself from saying, because he knows that once Kurt hears about the amount of people coming to their house he'll want to go all out.
"That's nice of you, but I haven't told her about Kurt yet. I didn't want to bring up bad memories, but I'll talk her, see if she wants to come with me."
They don't tell Kurt about the conversation, because they don't want him to be disappointed if Cooper can't make it and so the brothers say goodbye to one another at the airport Sunday morning, promising each other to visit again as soon as possible.