"I've got it!" Kurt explained as he rushed through the front door, beads of excitement and sweat racing down his forehead. "You're what's simmering so hot on the stove for supper." He crossed through the kitchen and wrapped his hands around his husband's stomach, face pressing against the cottony fabric and sharp contours of Blaine's back.
"Kurt! You're home early!" Blaine exclaimed; he left the macaroni boiling on the stove and spoon in mid-stir as he turned into his husband's embrace.
"Yes I am, mister. Don't be telling me you've got another person in this house and you're flustered by my early arrival." Kurt's eyes began to dig holes into Blaine's, a look of mock horror rearranging his features from blissful to one he liked to call, 'The Terminator.'
"Of course, it's not what it looks like!" Blain began, hands flying up protectively in front of him.
"Good, because if I find out you've been seeing someone else, Blaine Hummel-Anderson…"
"No one but me, Daddy K!"
"No one but you?" Kurt asked, letting out a comically large sigh of relief, causing his son to erupt into ginormous giggles. "Well, as long as it's you, I guess there's just nothing I can do about it, now is there/"
Kurt grinned and bent down to smooth his son's hair before taking him into a tight hug. "How was school today, buddy?"
"Good," AJ replied, eyes shifting around to face his Daddy B.
This did not go unnoticed by Kurt. "Are you sure? Did anything happen that I should know about?"
Once again, AJ's eyes were glued to his curly-haired, tanner dad. Blaine nodded, urging and encouraging his son to be independent and self-reliant.
"Well, um…" Another urging nod. "Well, Daddy K, do you remember my friend Daniel?"
Kurt smiled softly. "Of course! You play soccer together, right? He's been to our house a few times if I'm not mistaken…"
"Yeah, that's him." AJ nodded, staring up at his father. "Well… he's moving, Daddy! He's moving to stupid California!"
"Why?" Kurt asked sympathizing with his son's upside down smile and dripping eyes.
"His mommy and daddy don't love each other anymore, and he has to move with his daddy. It's not fair, Daddy K!"
Kurt stole a quick glance at Blaine, hi himself needing a reassuring nod.
"Well, August James, I am terribly sorry to hear that! It's a shame he has to move so far away. But, do you want to know something really cool? You can still keep in touch with Daniel! And, I bet between your Daddy B and me, we could figure out some pretty cool ways to keep in touch. Maybe—and this isn't a for-sure thing—we could even go visit him sometime! Now, that would be pretty cool, would it not?"
Kurt was only too relieved to see a small, hopeful simile blossoming onto AJ's face. "Yeah! That would be AWESOME!" AJ squealed, running into his father's lean frame and wrapping his arms around it.
"Oh, boy, you don't want to be hugging me! I've just gotten out of rehearsal and probably smell the equivalent of a few gassy elephants. Or your Daddy B."
AJ's stomach bounced with laughter, his head tilting back so that his glossy curls rolled like wavers into a distant shore.
After AJ was partially recovered, he replied, "I think you smell like it just rained and—" He screwed up his eyes, his brows forming 45 degree angles as he contemplated. "—because of that rain flowers and plants will be able to grow and… and flourish."
Kurt was not convinced, and he cocked a tawny brow in the air to provide a clear visual aid.
"Fresh rain, eh? Say, did your Daddy B teach you that?"
The plan abandoned, AJ giggled through a highly convincing smile before running off to his room. Kurt rounded on Blaine, his green and black "Wicked, A New Musical´ pants transformed into sails, filling up with air and expanding at the quickness of his turn.
"Like rain, eh?" Kurt grinned, leaning his elbows on their granite countertop; Blaine had returned to the task of dinner.
"He comes up with the funniest sayings, huh?" Blaine replied; his face was either red from amusement or the billowing steam issuing from the boiling, gurgling water. I'm quite happy that you're home earlier than normal, babe, by I must ask: Why? Everything OK at work?"
"OK? Things are great, Blaine! In fact, I came home early because I received the greatest news on my lunch break."
Blaine stopped, his hand caught in the worst of the steam, his muscles tensed, his eyes locked on Kurt's. "What is it?
"Blaine, I—I've been offered the opportunity of a lifetime. It's just—"
"Do it. Kurt Hummel-Anderson, don't not do it if you're concerned about AJ and I. We'll be fine. If this is truly such a fantastic opportunity, don't let us stand in your way. Besides, once in a lifetime opportunities only happen once. And you only have one lifetime."
Kurt's face was grass, raindrops falling gratefully onto it. "Oh, Blaine…!" He leaned over the counter and pecked the sweetest man in the world on the lips.
"So tell me more about this epic offer! It must be pretty grand if you are coming home early from rehearsal to tell us about it!"
"Oh, Blaine, it is! I've… I've been selected in an elite group of actors to go on a national Broadway tour. It's a year long, were you're guaranteed four shows. You'll be casted in four different shows, and each show runs for three months. We're going, of course, to all the major venues, including London, England, Tokyo, Japan, Los Angeles, California—all expenses paid." The words came out in a rush, like the first day of school when freshmen anxiously arrive at their first class fifteen minutes before to ensure they're in the correct place in a foreign world; in many ways, this was a foreign world to both Blaine and Kurt.
Blaine's eyes were wide and tinted with excitement; his mouth hung slightly open, an odd noise, something between a scoff and a deep gasp, escaped him.
Whatever it was, it was terrific.
"Oh my God, babe, that is a once in a lifetime opportunity!" Blaine, for the second time that evening, completely forgot about the stovetop and rain around to Kurt, gripping him in a rib-crushing embrace. I can't believe it!-Well, I mean, of course I can, you're simply amazing!—Oh my God!" Returning reluctantly to dinner, Blaine asked, "When do you leave?"
"Well, I know we start of in the Big Apple, so I'll be able to stay at home. I'm going to—assuming I can go—have some crazy rehearsal schedules and late nights. We perform every day, practically—actors from around the country are being flown in, Blaine!"
"Are spouses allowed to come?"
"Well…" Kurt hesitated and met Blaine's polite, questioning gaze. "Wes, but—"
"AJ needs to remain here, close to family, and in school. I understand hon."
"Blaine, we can talk about—"
Kurt couldn't seem to erase the disappointment in Blaine's tone from his ears.
"Kurt, honey, relax. I was simply asking; I already assumed your answer and, after having the pleasure of being your husband for eight years, I'd like to think I can predict your answers."
"A little too well, thank you." Kurt replied, pretending that his personal bubble had just been popped. "Need some help with dinner?"
Blaine smirked, lifting his husband's sweatband from his forehead and letting go, allowing it to pop back onto his temple. "No, I have it under control. You smell. Go shower and make yourself presentable for supper, young man."
Placing a kiss on Blaine's nose, Kurt stalked off, muttering, "I'll be sure to wear only my best 'fresh rain' cologne..."
"So Daddy K's going to be gone for a whole year?" AJ asked between bites and mouthfuls of mac n' cheese.
A pathetic, sad smile formed on Kurt's lips; Blaine placed a strong hand on top of his.
"Yes, he will. He's going to be performing with a bunch of other actors all around the world."
"Wow, that's AWESOME Daddy K! …But, wait…" AJ thought aloud. "What about Christmas? And all of my soccer games? And my fall concert?"
"If you'll excuse me for just a second," Kurt murmured, excusing himself from the table. As soon as he had escaped the kitchen, he released breath he had not known he had been holding and allowed a few tears to spill out of his eyes.
What was he doing?
Was he really going to allow his son to be away from one of his dads for a whole year?
Would he, Kurt Hummel-Anderson, be able to get through this?
How would Blaine handle his absence?
He couldn't do this. Not to his family. Not to AJ.
Not to Blaine.
He had to do what was right—Kurt hadn't a clue on which decision, however, was the right one.
"You have to."
"And what, Blaine? Have AJ be without me for an entire year? You heard him! I knew this was a terrible thing..."
"I did hear him. We talked about it when you excused yourself and left your dinner out to get cold."
Kurt leaned on his pillow, talking quietly in the serene evening about something that would be anything but. "And what did you two talk about?"
"We talked about how you'd be gone but how it would be for your work, and how we'd keep in touch every day and write letters and draw pictures and maybe even visit you on our breaks and over holidays."
"Yes, but—"
"AJ wasn't thrilled about the idea of you being gone for a year, and I'm going to be honest with you, neither am I. But I understand. And—"Blaine placed a finger on Kurt's lips to temporarily silence him. "Baby, this is what love is. Making sacrifices for each other. Love is never having to say you're sorry."
"I'm impressed by your vast knowledge of movie quotes, dear," Kurt mumbled, looking through his long lashes at Blaine. Before his husband could get too lost in those eyes, he continued on, clearly having to say something important.
"This is a great opportunity—a once in a lifetime opportunity. And I'm not going to let you give it up."
"Oh-ho, that sounds like a challenge personally extended to be, Blaine Hummel-Anderson." Kurt replied, smiling for the first time in the hours that had progressed from the start of their conversation; many points had risen from both parties, though one thing was clear—the two were going to miss each other immensely.
Whoo- hoo! ;D My first chapter (and first attempt at Klaine fanfiction) is complete! I hope you thoroughly enjoyed the first chapter and will continue to read and grow with the characters. Feedback is great, as I'm always looking to better my work; I think it's time now to watch some Glee and truly get into the voice of Kurt Hummel-Anderson. Also, as a side note, I thought I might mention that Kurt is a professional actor on Broadway, and that this is going to be his last big HOORAH before sticking strictly to NYC shows; he doesn't want to be away from his family for any more than he has to be; I hope I made this much clear! (: Blaine, on the other hand, is an aspiring author and has written a few low-key novels. AJ is in the second grade and is seven years old when Kurt departs for the trip of a lifetime; these traits from the characters were mostly taken from the lovely GirlFromTheWest and her brilliant story, Daddies. I totally recommend it as it has helped me and inspired me to write my own fanfiction.
Victoria