Title: Hudmel-Evbermanson Thanksgiving
Summary: What do you get when you add the Hudmel family, four extra teenagers, horrible parenting, burnt Turkey, and a box of Cracker Jacks? The BEST Thanksgiving ever!
Author's notes: Prompted by honeysucklepink- "Staying up all night, getting up early or standing in line to hit the Black Friday sales", over at the kb_holidays Thanksgiving One Sentence Meme on Livejournal.
Disclaimer: How I wish I owned Glee. Sadly, it's not for me. =(
What should have been the Hudmel's second Thanksgiving as a family, somehow turned into a Hudmel Thanksgiving plus refugee teenager holiday relief, when not one, but four of their friends complained that they were going to be without a Turkey that day.
The first was Puck. Unlike the rest of the holiday feast homeless, he actually had a place to go. When he found out that his Mom's holiday plans had changed, and that they were not going to his Nana's that year, but his Uncle Billy's, he lied and said that he was going to eat with Finn and his family.
He begged Finn later that week to let him stay over, instead of eating the holiday nightmare that was his Aunt Trish's bone dry bird, and crunchy mashed potatoes. Finn agreed, thinking of the endless hours of Halo playing marathons with his bro.
Sam, who was newly back in town, told some of the Glee folk that his family was going back to Texas to celebrate with some of their relatives, but that he had to stay behind to work part of Wednesday to set up for Black Friday at Target.
Kurt invited him over to their house for the festivities, in exchange for Sam "hiding" certain items that Kurt and Mercedes wanted, for him to "find" later in the mass chaos.
When Rachel's fathers were both called out of town unexpectedly to work just days before, they asked Burt if it would be alright if she celebrated with them.
Finn was practically floating on air. Massive amounts of food, two dudes to play violent video games with, and having his girlfriend staying over to celebrate with his family? Thanksgiving was starting to become his favorite holiday.
Kurt, on the other hand, had been miserable.
While he and Rachel were great friends now, he got along with Puck and Sam quite well, and he did believe in making healthy alternatives to the fat-clogged food that was traditional for Thanksgiving, he really didn't look forward to changing the menu and making extra, "vegan-friendly" foods, and being shoved into his room with the Diva, while the other boys ran rampant.
They already had to buy an extra turkey , a ham, four bags of cheetos, two extra pumpkin pies, and tons of yams after learning that two extra teenage boys were joining them. When he learned that Rachel was coming over, he sighed, and made a list involving Tofurkey, fresh cranberries, and the ingridience for garden salad.
That wasn't the only reason Kurt was miserable though. Ever since the beginning of August, Blaine's parents had been gushing over their plans of taking a trip to Tahiti over the Thanksgiving holiday. While Kurt was thankful for them giving life to the beautiful boy that he loved, and their DNA for making him look as good as he did, he kind of hated them for taking their son out of the county.
(he never voiced this though, because that sounded a bit too clingy, and he didn't know how Blaine would see that)
Also, if he had to look a one more brochure on their five star hotel...well, let's just say that their hair would be green, and their clothing would never be the same.
Kurt would have continued to have wallowed in his misery, as he helped Carole in the kitchen, if he had not gotten a call from a sheepish, yet overly-excited sounding Blaine on Tuesday night.
Apparently, all of those times that they had mentioned going to Tahiti, they never actually meant all of them.
When Blaine came home that Tuesday after school to his parents leaving for the airport without him, and finding out that his little sister was eating at her friend's house that year, he learned then that his parents had planned to go alone.
After offering to drive them to the airport, and getting back in town, he called his beloved boyfriend, and asked if he could possibly eat Thanksgiving dinner with them.
After hearing what had happened, an insistent-and-concerned-yet-motherly-loving Carole, an enraged-yet-trying-not-to-scare-the-kid-yet-wanting-to-wring-his-parent's-necks Burt, and an excited-yet-trying-not-to-be-too-excited-and-slighly-worried-that-his-boyfriend-seemed-so-very-excited-and-not-sad-at-all-but- Kurt picked Blaine up from his house, and cozily set him up on the living room couch. Burt did raise an eyebrow a couple of times at how happy Blaine seemed to be staying in Ohio, instead of some exotic beach. Carole kept smiling and shaking her head at the two cuddling boys in the backseat, excitedly making plans to stay up all night in preparation for Black Friday.
All of the wayward children had been collected and settled into their home. Puck and Sam were sharing Finn's room, sleeping on the floor in sleeping bags, Rachel was bunking with Kurt on the air mattress, and Blaine was on their couch. While it was going to be crazy and hectic, both Carole and Burt wouldn't have had it any other way. They had all been promised plenty of food and love to go around, and that was just what they were going to have.
What turned out to be a wonderful Hudmel-Evbermanson Thanksgiving Dinner, was almost a complete disaster before it even began.
As per tradition in most American families, everyone got up bright and early to watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Correction, Carole, Burt, Kurt and Rachel got up bright and early, all but Burt working on breakfast and dinner foods in the kitchen, while Burt dragged three hibernating boys out of their man cave.
Kurt woke an adorably sleepy and grateful Blaine with a cup of coffee.
After some caffeine and food in their systems, everyone sat in the living room and enjoyed the Parade.
While Kurt and Rachel excitedly talked about the Broadway songs and costumes, the other boys pointed out the floats and balloons with childlike wonder.
Kurt in particular loved how Blaine's eyes simply lit up when he saw the Kermit the Frog and Buzz Lightyear balloons.
Blaine kept on sneaking love-struck glances ,(that nobody but Kurt missed), Kurt's way when he kept making fun of the TV Anchors outfits.
What almost ruined the whole day though, was Kurt's second Turkey.
It had been decided after finding out that both Puck and Sam would be joining in that they would most likely need a second Turkey. They also decided to also get a Ham while they were at it. If they had appetites anything like Finn's, they knew they were going to need both, even though Puck was Jewish and probably steer clear of pork.
When Rachel came into the mix, she offered to help in the kitchen, and to even take over making the Tofurkey herself, seeing as how she had made it for years with her Dads.
That left the extra Turkey and the Ham. Carole knew she could manage to handle the Ham, so Kurt volunteered to take on the extra Turkey.
He had spent hours online researching the perfect holiday recipes for his first Thanksgiving Turkey. It became even more important to him when he found out that Blaine was going to be there. Blaine, who had been banned from the Dalton Home Ec room after nearly catching a stove on fire four times, once for just boiling water, once for dancing on one, absolutely loved the fact that Kurt could cook, and could seemingly cook well.
"If it's anything like your home-made lasagna, or your grilled salmon, or even these heavenly herb butter mashed potatoes, it's going to mouth watering, Kurt!"
Kurt had smacked Blaine wandering hand with his spatula, before kissing his "injured" hand.
"Those are for dinner, Blaine Anderson. And while I must admit, flattery will get you everywhere, you'll just have to wait and see if this bird turns out as good as it looked in the Martha Stewart catalog."
Blaine had been about to make a comment about how he just knew it was going to turn out just fine...when smoke started billowing out of the stove.
The second Turkey was black beyond repair. While Puck, Sam, and Burt went to open all of the doors and windows, and Finn turned off the Smoke Detector, Carole and Rachel disposed of the burnt bird, while Blaine consoled his distraught boyfriend sitting on the floor.
"It's going to be ok Kurt. There is still plenty of food, that from what tiny bits I've snuck and tried, are marvelous. One burned Turkey doesn't mean that you can't cook. I've heard that fixing a holiday Turkey is one of the trickiest things to make."
Kurt snuffled, and looked up.
"It's not just that Turkey today, Blaine. What if I never learn to bake a proper Turkey? Between you and me, one of us has to learn to do it! Since I'm the one that can actually cook without practically burning a classroom down or dancing on the stovetop, it should be me! We can't just go on the rest of our lives going to other people's houses! What are we supposed to do? Pick up a bucket of fried chicken and pretend?"
Kurt wiped at his eyes again, looking over at the smoke stains on the wall.
"What kind of husband could I be to you if I can't do something as important as making a Turkey for Thanksgiving?"
Everyone froze.
Wide-eyed, Kurt had been afraid to look up to see Blaine's reaction. He felt gentle fingers tilting his chin up, the other hand taking his, and squeezing tightly.
Looking up, Kurt almost gasped at the love and happiness shining out of Blaine's dewy eyes.
"Turkey or no Turkey, I think you'll be the best husband, the kind I would be the luckiest man to have. Maybe...we could always order a Turkey...and take our kids to the Macy's Parade?"
Still wide-eyed, but sharing a smile with the boy he loved, Kurt answered.
"...I like that idea. Actually, it sounds perfect."
"I thought so too."
It was at that moment Finn had to break the tender moment.
"Is it just me, or did Kurt just get engaged wearing an apron covered in gravy?"
After an amazing dinner, a fidgety looking Burt took Blaine aside.
"You know, Kurt's Mom's first engagement ring was actually from a Cracker Jacks box for two years until I could save up for a better one. Just so you know."
He pat Blaine's shoulder, and went back to watch football. Blaine went in a few minutes later, deep in thought.
"Dude, I'm scared", Finn said, plastered against the wall of the department store with Puck and Sam.
They were not really sure how they got dragged into going Black Friday shopping with the excited trio of Rachel, Kurt, and Blaine, but they really began to regret it when they almost got trampled outside of Target.
Two hours later, they were frightened, hungry, and slightly in awe, hiding in a nook in the camping supplies of Neiman Marcus.
"WHOA! Did that Granny just take that man out with her purse?" Sam asked in awe.
They had seen many acts of violence that night...morning...whatever time it was. What surprised them the most, though, was Kurt going practically Warrior-Braveheart-THISISSPARTA on them.
Puck furrowed his brow. "Hey Finn, where's your Jewish Princess, Step-Elf and Hobbit-in-Law?"
"Kurt's over there with Mercedes and Tina...and Rachel's over by the scary headless statue with the huge boobs with Tina."
"Where's Blaine? Don't think Granny got to him, do you?"
Sam poked Puck in the arm.
"I see him over that way near the register. He seems to be...waving?"
Across the store and over the loud jumble of voices in the crowded store, they barely heard Blaine call out, "KURT! I'M OPEN!"
Looking back over towards where Kurt had been, they saw the horrific sight of what appeared to be a three way tug-o-war between Kurt, Tina, and this angry looking middle aged woman.
"EAT IT LADY, I SAW IT FIRST! BLAINE! GO LONG!"
Kurt ripped the item, (which later they would find out to be a Panini sandwich maker), and started dancing.
Puck furrowed his brow.
"What the hell is he doing?"
Sam started edging toward the tents, eyeing the cast-iron mess-kits.
"…is that a supposed to be s victory dance? Maybe we should go help him out, because that lady looks pissed!"
Finn just tilted his head to the side.
"You know, if I didn't know any better, I'd say that that's the Single Lady'-"
Their eyes flew wide when Kurt proceeded to drop-kick the sandwich maker.
As if their eyes were glued to the boxed machine, they watched as it sailed high in the air, arching over the heinous crowd…
…and perfectly into Blaine's awaiting hands.
Their jaws dropped. Blaine had caught a flying sandwich maker with ease, from almost all the way across the store, before smugly placing it in his basket.
After a long pause, the three turned to each other.
"Do you think we could try talking them into trying out for football?"
Hours later, after stocking up on marked down items, getting an early morning coffee with Tina and Mercedes at the Lima Bean, and proudly showing off their purchases to Burt and Carole, (unless it was for them, like the fishing pole Finn found while hiding in the camping suppies section), four teenagers fell sound asleep on the floor of the Hudmel's living room. Giving the two lone awake teens their privacy, Carole and Burt went out to Denny's, leaving Blaine and Kurt sleepily cuddling on the couch.
"What's that?" , Kurt asked when he noticed Blaine fiddling with something in the plastic shopping bag sitting nest to him.
Blaine blushed, and pulled out a small box, smiling his dapper, yet sheepish smile.
Kurt rolled his eyes, smiled fondly, and took the box from his hand.
"Cracker Jacks, Blaine? Really? If you're hungry, I can easily heat up some leftovers, instead of letting you fill up your body up with empty calories."
Blaine playfully took the box back, and popped a piece into his mouth.
"But I want something sweet, and a little salty to snack on."
Kurt raised a sleepy eyebrow.
"If you scoot a little closer, I may be able to help you with that."
"Gladly, ."
After a few soft, slow kissed, both sighed happily.
Picking up the box again, Kurt eyes softened, and took on a reminiscent look.
"You know, there's a interesting story about my parents and Cracker Jacks my Mom told me when I was little."
Casually, Blaine picked up another piece, closely examining it.
"Actually, I believe your Dad might have mentioned it yesterday after dinner."
Kurt head snapped up, all traces of sleep forgotten.
"My DAD told you... about how he...to Mom...?"
Picking up the paper covered prize from the box and opening it, Blaine held a cheap blue plastic decoder ring in the palm of his hand.
"I think he could tell that I'm a stickler for tradition...and maybe crazy in love with his son."
Blaine took Kurt's hand, and drop the ring in his palm.
"So, what do you think? You, Me, New York, crazy parades with kids, and never ever having to make a holiday Turkey ever again?"
Kurt sat frozen, staring at the piece of plastic in his hand.
Blaine began to get aprehensive.
"Kurt..?"
"Holy crap, you're really gonna put a ring on it."
"What?"
Kurt curled his fingers over the plastic.
"Yes"
Blaine's heart seemed to threaten to beat out of his chest. He beamed at Kurt, and grabbed at his curled fist.
"Yes?"
Kurt happily threw his arms around his laughing, ecstatic boyfri...no, kind of fiance, and tackled him into lying down.
"YES to it all! I love that idea! It sounds perfect!"
"I thought so too!"
A groan came from the floor, as Puck looked up and glared at them.
"Would you knock it off? Go up and celebrate in Kurt's room! Some of us are trying to sleep around here!"
It really was the best Thanksgiving ever!
One hour later, curled up on Kurt's bed
"Blaine, while this is extremely romantic, you do realize that you'll eventually have to get me a real ring, right?"
"Totally. In two years, I'll let you pick out any one you want."
"Good answer."
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Happy Thanksgiving! =D