Hi. I haven't forgotten about my other story 'How Can You Mend A Broken Heart'. Next chapter should be up next week. Meanwhile as this one is seasonal, I was on a time limit. It's in two parts and the second will be up tomorrow. Hope you enjoy. All reviews gratefully accepted.
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Walking up to the corner table in the Lima Bean carrying two gingerbread lattes, Blaine watched as Kurt sat admiring the Christmas gifts that he'd purchased, looking very pleased with himself. They'd spent the last three hours in the mall and it never ceased to amaze Blaine, both how much Kurt enjoyed shopping and how he always knew what to buy.
Kurt looked up and smiled thanks as Blaine placed the coffees on the table and sat down.
"Dad is absolutely going to love this cap. I can't wait to see him open it."
"I think you'll have a hard time separating him from his current one. I've hardly ever seen him without it. "
"You underestimate my skills of persuasion."
"I transferred school's Kurt. I'm well aware of your skills in that department."
They both grinned at each other and as Blaine took another couple of sips of his coffee, Kurt studied him curiously.
"You didn't buy much?" Kurt queried and he thought he saw Blaine shift a little in his seat. His eyes looked down.
"Well there's not really much to get. Mom and Dad don't really do presents anymore, so I just get them some small gifts. My brother is away, which just leaves you and Wes and David. Those two are easy to buy for."
Kurt was like a dog with a bone when he sensed he wasn't getting the full picture. He wasn't going to let the nagging feeling that he had go and as casually as he could manage he carried on.
"Your parents don't do presents?"
Blaine shrugged. "Well, they don't really understand what I'm into, so they usually just give me some money to choose something once Christmas is over."
Blaine could see Kurt was looking mildly horrified.
"It's okay. I mean, at least I know I can pick what I want, rather than my Dad getting me another football or a tool set."
"So what do you Anderson's do on Christmas day?"
Blaine sighed. He knew Kurt was on a mission now. There was no point avoiding the questions. He'd keep going until he got what he wanted.
"Not much. Dinner at home and then we have family around in the evening. It's all quite boring. I usually just hang out in my room. It can get a bit chaotic once everyone arrives."
"Good Gaga that sounds a bit depressing. That's not really what the holidays are meant to be about."
Blaine gave a small shrug and tried to force out a smile. "Beats my parents trying to find any aspect of my life to brag about other than Glee." Imitating his father's voice, he continued. "Because that's not what young men should do."
Squeezing Blaine's hand, Kurt tried to smile back, but he was far from happy.
"You know, you could come and spent Christmas with my family. I can't promise it won't be chaotic, but it's usually good fun."
"Thank you. I couldn't think of a more perfect way to spend Christmas but my parents would never allow it. It just wouldn't look good if I wasn't at least in the house."
Kurt was at a loss. He didn't like this one little bit, but he didn't know what to do.
"Kurt, I can see the look on your face. Honestly it's fine, it's just how we do Christmas. I'm used to it."
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Kurt had been sitting in silence on a stool in the workshop for the last 20 minutes. Burt, who had cars stacking up in a last minute Christmas rush, could tell something was wrong, but he had been hoping to put the conversation off until after closing. Finally though, he couldn't take it anymore.
"Hey Kurt. I can hear you thinking from over here. What's up?"
Judging by the sigh that came from Kurt, Burt knew this wasn't going to be quick.
"It's Blaine"
"Blaine. You two had a fight or something?"
"No..no..nothing like that. It's Christmas."
"Wanna be a little more specific."
"Apparently the Anderson family Christmas involves having no presents to unwrap and Blaine spending the day in his room, so as not to embarrass his family with his less-than-macho ways."
Burt let out a long deep breath. "Well that sounds very Dickens like. They're seriously that uncomfortable with Blaine's lifestyle?"
"Dad, they don't even know what Blaine's lifestyle is like. It's like they're scared to find out in case it confirms what they suspect. And heaven forbid the neighbours or their golf club buddies find out that Blaine isn't head of the football squad or dating a cheerleader."
"It's not right Kurt, I know, but you can't force them to change. "
"So what do I do Dad?"
"Why don't you ask him to come to us on Christmas day? We'd be happy to have him there."
"I already tried that. He said his parents would never allow it."
"Well maybe you can't do anything about the big day. But you know what? It doesn't have to be Christmas Day for it to be Christmas bud."
Burt picked up his wrench and went back to the car, leaving Kurt pondering what his Dad had said.
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Blaine pulled into the Hummel driveway on Thursday afternoon smiling. He'd got a cryptic text message from Kurt the night before, asking if he'd like to stay over for a few days. Blaine jumped at the chance to get out of the house and spend more time at the Hummel's, but he couldn't help but be curious as to why he was being invited. Sure, he'd stayed over for the occasional night, but never for a few days.
Dragging his overnight bag up the path, his hand rose to press the doorbell. Before he got the chance though, the door was flung open and Kurt stood there grinning.
Blaine tilted his head to the side and studied Kurt curiously. "Hello Mr Hummel."
"Welcome Mr Anderson and a very merry Christmas."
Kurt gestured for Blaine to follow him into the living room. As he did, Blaine's eyes darted around the room, which had been transformed into some kind of winter wonderland.
"How about a seasonal cinnamon hot chocolate?"
"Sure"
Kurt returned five minutes later to find Blaine still staring around the room in awe at the decorations.
"We go a little crazy, I guess. We all just love the holidays. I have to filter out some of Finn's more hideous choices."
"It's beautiful. Aren't you missing a tree though?"
"Well, funny should mention that, because that is our plan for this afternoon. I need your assistance to both select and decorate the Hummel family Christmas tree."
"Well I don't know how much help I'll be with that but I wouldn't want to disappoint the Hummel's."
Blaine was smiling, but he paused. "Kurt, what's going on? I would always jump at the chance to spend more time with you, but I get the feeling something else is going on."
Kurt shrugged.
"I figure that if December 25th can't be the day that it is supposed to be, then we move it."
"What?"
"We're moving Christmas. Today is now officially the 23rd, tomorrow is Christmas Eve and on Saturday we shall be celebrating Christmas Day. You get the full Christmas extravaganza, just one day early."
"Seriously?"
"Yep. It's our first Christmas together, I want to make it special. So come on. Drink up. We have a tree to buy."
As Kurt drove to the tree lot, singing along to Christmas tunes on the stereo, Blaine kept glancing over at him. He never dreamed that anyone would do anything this special for him. He didn't hate Christmas. He loved the merriment of it, but it was quite a lonely time as well. The idea of spending Christmas as part of a real family - even if it was a day early - was quite exciting.
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When Kurt and Blaine dragged the tree into the house a couple of hours later, the boxes of tree decorations had been left out on the living room floor and they could hear dishes clinking in the kitchen.
As they moved it to the corner and removed all of their winter layers, Carole emerged, wiping her hands on a cloth.
"Hey you two."
"Hi Carole"
"Hi Mrs Hummel"
"I keep saying sweetie, call me Carole."
"Thanks"
"That's a beautiful tree boys. Burt left the decorations out for you. He's just popped out; he'll be back in a bit for the big switch on. Dinner will be at about 7."
"Thanks Mrs... erm Carole."
Clapping his hands Kurt turned to Blaine. "Right, let's get started. We're going to have the best looking Christmas tree in Ohio."
Carole stood watching the two boys. She always loved having Blaine around the house. He was polite and charming and watching Kurt and Blaine together was delightful. This was something else though. When Kurt had explained his plans for 'the Christmas that wasn't Christmas', Burt and Carole had been determined to help make it as special as possible. Carole couldn't understand how Blaine's parents couldn't accept and appreciate their own child. Hell, if his parents were not going all out to make Christmas special for him, then they would.
Smiling again at the boys, she left them to the decorating.
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When Burt entered the house followed by Finn a couple of hours later, there were ornaments strewn across the living room and Blaine was up a ladder adding the star to the top of the tree. Kurt was just standing there judging his work.
"Wow. Dudes, that looks awesome. It must have taken you ages."
"All in a day's work Finn. Just wait until the lights are on."
"I'm impressed kiddo. Good work. Let's light it up." Burt rubbed his hands together in anticipation.
Carole came rushing in from the kitchen as Blaine stepped down the ladder. "Wait for me."
They all stood around the tree as Kurt grabbed the chord for the lights. Finn looked like an excited child, Carole put her arm around the shoulders of a nervous looking Blaine and Burt was getting a little impatient.
"Ready! Three, two, one... go."
It was beautiful. The lights twinkled against the ornaments and everyone started clapping, along with a few whoops from Finn.
The celebration was interrupted by Burt.
"I now officially declare it Christmas." Slapping Blaine on the shoulder he continued. "Right, if I smell correctly dinner is ready and I can imagine you two have worked up an appetite."
Kurt could see Blaine starting to relax and the smile on his face at Burt's gesture warmed his heart. He could make this Christmas special for Blaine, he knew he could.
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Several hours later, when they (or mainly Finn) had polished off one of Carole's famous stews, Kurt and Blaine were relaxing in Kurt's room.
"So how exactly how did you manage to persuade your Dad to let me stay in your room for a couple of nights? I've always had the couch before."
"Let's just say we had a conversation about the stage we were at in our relationship, which involved both of us taking it in turns to cover our ears. The outcome being that as much as he'd like to lock me in my room for ever more, he knows it's not practical."
Blaine laughed. "Well I'm glad he changed his mind."
"Want to watch a DVD? What's your favourite Christmas movie?"
Blaine blushed.
"Come on, out with it. What is it? It's a Wonderful Life? Home Alone? What?"
"Erm... Muppet's Christmas Carol."
"Ha. Light the lamp, not the rat!"
"That's the one."
"Well it just so happens that I have a copy. So sit back and relax and if you have any room left I have some of Carole's gingerbread cookies stashed away."
"Now that's tempting."
By the end of the film, the cookies had been polished off, they'd sung their way through the film and both boys were asleep in each other's arms.
When Burt passed Kurt's room later that night, he took in the sight of the two of them, before throwing a blanket over them and turning the TV and the light off. It looked like stage one of Kurt's plan was working perfectly and Burt couldn't be happier.
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tbc – One more chapter to go.