Hi everyone! Sorry it's been so long and I know I need to update Save You. I got busy with finals and have been a bit stuck on chapter three, but it's coming! I promise!
Now, this piece is special. It's a Christmas present for my darling cheerleading beta, Meghan, who I absolutely love to pieces. She gave it the title, and it's flawless just like her.
This is super fluffy daddy!Klaine. Like, it may make you puke rainbows or something. Hope you like it!
As always I have no ownership of Klaine, just the things I wish they'd do.
"Our numbers are right next to the phone."
"Got it." The babysitter flashed a smile.
"We'll be local, just fifteen minutes away, so just call us if you need anything."
"Oh, okay."
"She can watch the rest of that movie then go to bed. She'll probably beg you to read to her." Kurt shot a darting glance at the little girl clad in light pink pajamas curled up on the sofa, entranced by the characters on the television screen.
"Okay, not a problem." She nodded, sweet smile still in place.
Anxious jingling of car keys. "She should sleep through the night. If she wakes up or cries just check on her to see what's wrong, she may just want some milk."
A sigh. "Sweetie, come on, she'll be alright. Natalie's an angel, and Sarah can take care of her," Blaine said as he slid his arm around his husband's shoulders, flashing a grin at Sarah. She was one of his piano students, a sweet girl with auburn hair and warm brown eyes. He began teaching Sarah when she was twelve, and they had become good friends with her parents in the five years since. He trusted her with his baby girl.
Kurt, though, was anxious. Yes, he knew Sarah's family. But this was Natalie, their baby, their sweet angel. In her two and a half years he and Blaine had never left her with anyone other than his parents, Uncle Finn, Aunt Rachel, Tina or Mike. Kurt couldn't avoid the night's Gala – his label was one of the county's featured companies and he was immensely proud. That didn't mean he was ecstatic to leave his daughter with a new sitter; his parents were back in Ohio and the other couples would be joining them tonight at the Gala. He bit his lip and turned to Blaine, brows knitted together.
Blaine chuckled and kissed the puckered skin before lifting his husband's coat to help him into it. "She will be fine. Let's go, or we'll be late."
"Yep, I've got it under control," Sarah confirmed with a nod, clasping her hands in front of herself. Kurt slid his arms into the sleeves of his coat and buttoned it, and then grabbed their scarves from the hook inside the front hall closet.
Blaine grinned appreciatively at her and took his scarf from his husband. "Natalie," he called, "come say good night to Papa and I."
A quiet whine could be heard from the next room.
He rolled his eyes and smirked at Kurt. "Just pause the movie for a minute, sweetie." He wrapped his scarf around his neck.
They heard her huff as the movie's sound cut off. Little feet clapped on the hardwood floors as she stomped out to the foyer. She stopped in the doorway, chin lowered to her chest but bright blue eyes gazing up sadly through her dark lashes. Her dark hair fell in waves over her little shoulders, her lower lip pushed out in an adorable pout. She hadn't wanted to stop her movie – it was The Little Mermaid, her favorite in the whole world.
Kurt's lips curved up at the corners into a small smile for the beautiful little girl with his eyes and nose but Blaine's lips and hair. He knelt down to her level and tilted his head down. Within a moment her upset dissolved. She wrinkled her nose and puckered her lips before running across the room right into Kurt's outstretched arms.
He hugged her tightly, standing as he kissed her hair. "I love you, Natalie. Will you be a good girl for Sarah while Daddy and I are out?" He mock-whispered in her ear, eyes tearing. He couldn't believe he was leaving her behind tonight.
She giggled. "Yes, Papa. I love you too." She kissed his cheek wetly and squeezed her little arms around his neck. She didn't really understand why he looked so sad. He was dressed up nice and had a fancy dinner to go to with Daddy and their friends. She wouldn't have been sad; she loved wearing pretty dresses and going to parties, even if there were lots of grown ups around and no other kids to play with. But Papa explained why she couldn't go and she said it was okay because it was special for Papa. Plus she was kinda tired.
Blaine reached over and pinched her waist lightly, making her fidget and giggle again. She turned in Kurt's arms to pull Blaine towards them and hugged his neck as well. Kurt carefully moved her into Blaine's grasp.
Blaine leaned away made a kissy face at her. "Good night, sweetie. Love you."
"Love you too Daddy." She puckered her lips and kissed him.
"Now go back to your movie and go to bed when it's done, okay?"
She nodded. He smiled at her as he set her on her feet, and she scampered back into the living room. The movie continued, picking up mid-song.
Blaine took a deep breath. He totally understood why Kurt was upset to leave her, but she was two and a half. She would be fine, safe under Sarah's watch. Right?
"You three are the cutest thing on the planet," Sarah whispered with a sniffle. She had nearly started crying at the adorable scene.
Kurt turned to her with a sigh and a watery smile. He licked his lips and whispered a "thank you."
Blaine chuckled and patted her forearm with a nod. "We'll be back in a few hours." He pulled Kurt towards the door before he could protest – or decide that they wouldn't go at all.
Sarah opened the door for them with a grin. "Go on you two, have fun." The couple thanked her as they exited the house. She locked the door behind them before joining Natalie on the sofa.
As they drove away, Kurt's gaze lingered on the soft light showing through the living room curtains. Blaine noticed his anxiousness and took his husband's hand over the center console.
She'll be fine, won't she? Kurt nodded once at Blaine and smiled, squeezing his hand. Tonight was for them, for Kurt and all his hard work. His company was being honored as one of the most successful small businesses in the county, and he as the youngest budding designer in the area at just twenty-eight. His designs had been recognized by the fashion world and he had begun working with some minor celebrities. He had made it. And Blaine had been there beside him the entire way, through the sleepless nights and hectic days and meltdowns and milestones.
Now, they had a daughter to share it all with. They both wished they could have taken her. Kurt would have made her a pretty blue dress to match her eyes with a bow around her tiny waist. She would wear her favorite shiny black shoes and Blaine would have brushed her hair into soft waves with a sparkly clip holding some of it back.
They had to leave her home though. The Gala wasn't a place for children, and it was already past her usual bedtime.
Kurt decided he wouldn't worry…or at least he'd try.
The movie ended, and Natalie automatically shut the television off – on her own, without being told. She scrambled off the sofa and started walking to the stairs. Sarah stared after her in shock, impressed by such a young kid not needing to be told to go to bed.
Natalie noticed she wasn't being followed. She stopped, turned, and put her tiny hands on her hips with an expectant look she must have inherited from Kurt. Chuckling, Sarah stood and walked over to her to be led up the stairs and down the hall to the girl's bedroom.
The room showed a clear mix of both her dads' influence. A plush off-white carpet covered the back half of the room, exposing dark hardwood to the door in an open space presumably for Natalie to play. She had a twin bed with a cushioned headboard diagonally placed in the corner; a matching multicolored quilt was already turned down, ready for her to be tucked in. Along one wall was a collage of drawings, some by Natalie and some by her dads and relatives. They gave way to a sleek black frame containing a blown-up copy of an illustration done on sheet music.
Sarah recognized the opening chords to Somewhere Only We Know immediately – Blaine taught it to her two years ago after she'd gotten it stuck in her head from hearing him hum it regularly – and understood what the piece meant. It was the core representation of Kurt and Blaine, not just as artists but as soul mates. She further studied the artwork, noticing that the illustration depicted a couple pressed close together, dancing amidst sweeps of rich color. The couple was so obviously Kurt and Blaine simply by their hair, yet Kurt had managed to capture their style in the clothing as well. He was quite the artist, and she was proud to be able to call him her friend as he finally got the spotlight he deserved.
Turning to find Natalie climbing into bed, Sarah took in the rest of the room. The opposite side of the room housed a small table with chairs surrounded by shelves and bins filled with various toys, coloring books, dolls, games, and even a couple racecars. Her closet door sat ajar; Sarah feared this little girl may have more clothing than her, but one of her fathers was Kurt Hummel-Anderson so it wasn't a surprise. A bookshelf that matched the floor sat along the outside wall of the closet, stuffed with kids books ranging from the classics like Dr. Seuss to newer ones Sarah wasn't familiar with. A low bureau extended to the corner with three drawers and topped with a small fish tank housing a couple goldfish. Beside the door sat a small play vanity with some bright makeup and fancy lip gloss amidst the plastic replicas.
"Hmph."
Starting at the small sound, Sarah spun to the source: little Natalie sitting up on her bed, legs under the quilt and arms crossed over her little chest. Her lower lip jutted out in that adorable pout of hers with brows drawn together over round puppy eyes. Sarah melted at the sight and crossed the room.
"What is it, sweetie?" She cooed, voice soft and a hand softly stroking her hair.
"You'we a'possed to wead me a stowy," she replied with as much conviction as a toddler can have, drawing out the last word. She tilted her head up to flutter her lashes.
Gosh, this girl knows how to work it. And I know where she learned it all, the sitter thought with a quiet chuckle.
"Alright, Natalie. What story should I read you?" She returned to the bookshelf to study her options.
"Messes of Dwesses! On th' bot'om!" She squealed as she bounced a bit and grabbed a baby blue stuffed puppy from beside her.
Sarah located the book and noticed its spine was a bit worn out. She returned to the bed and sat at the edge where the toddler had left her some space, smiling. "Is this your favorite book?"
"Uh-huh!" She nodded vigorously. "It's like Papa's work, with all the pwetty dwesses!"
"Yes, yes it is," Sarah replied quietly, grin widening.
Natalie returned the smile before lying down and snuggling into her pillow. Sarah opened the book and began to read.
Throughout the night Kurt was congratulated by his friends, colleagues, and employees in attendance. He enjoyed a couple glasses of wine with the delicious meal of a garden salad proceeding tilapia with green beans. He was given two awards and offered a short speech thanking everyone – especially Blaine. Always Blaine.
But throughout the night he couldn't stop thinking about Natalie at home. Was she upset they had left her with a stranger? Had she cried? Did she go to bed on time? Did she somehow get sick? Did she have a nightmare and throw one of her uncharacteristic tantrums, which nothing but one of her dads' soft humming could remedy?
Almost worse, did she not miss them?
Kurt tried to push that to the back of his mind; Blaine kept telling him she would be fine in every soft brush of his thumb against the back of Kurt's hand, in every glance, in every smile.
Yes, Blaine was worried too. It was natural, really, for a parent to worry about their child. But Blaine was more concerned with Kurt celebrating his hard work. So he tried to keep Kurt calm.
Of course, this was Kurt Hummel. Even the best tactics only worked for so long.
Kurt checked his phone every ten minutes, just a quick peek at the screen to see if he'd missed any calls or texts from the sitter. Blaine did the same, albeit a bit more discreetly. But nothing would go wrong, right?
Right.
So they both focused on the speeches, awards, gifts, and their friends' company.
Or at least they tried.
A soft whimper, barely audible.
Sarah straightened up from her station on the living room sofa, pausing mid-sentence of an essay due the following weekend. She didn't hear anything more, so she assured herself she had imagined it and resumed typing.
Another whine, closer this time. The pitter-patter of tiny feet hustling across carpet and slapping on hardwood.
A tiny, shuddering breath.
Sarah looked up again, confused. She found little Natalie scrubbing her eyes with one tiny fist, her blue dog dangling from the other. In an instant Sarah was up and across the room, kneeling to meet the toddler's gaze.
"Natalie, sweetie, what is it? Why are you crying?" She spoke softly, brushing a tear from the girl's warm cheek with the pad of her thumb.
"I…I miss my Daddies," she sighed, voice shaky.
"Oh, honey, don't cry. They'll be home later, I promise. You'll see them in the morning," she cooed, lifting the small girl into her arms and cradling her on the way towards the stairs.
She sniffled. "But I wan' them now. I want my Daddy's silly story voice and Papa singin'. I wan' my Papa –" her breath hitched as she began to cry in earnest.
Sarah reached the bedroom at a slow pace, rocking the toddler as she went. She paced across the room in the dim light filtering through the doorway, trying to calm her down.
It didn't take long for her sobs to dissolve into stuttered breaths against Sarah's neck and the occasional hiccup. Sarah carried her to the bed and set her under the covers, tucking her and her dog in snugly. She yawned, mouth forming a near-perfect ring as her eyelids drooped.
"There, sweetie," she sighed, gently brushing back Natalie's dark curls. "Everything's okay. Papa and Daddy will be home soon. They'll be here when you wake up, okay?"
She received a weak nod and hiccup in reply.
"Good night, Natalie. I'll be just down –"
"No!" Her eyes widened suddenly, sparkling in the dimness. She gripped her quilt tightly before whispering, "st-stay with me? Pwease?"
How could anyone deny that soft plea from a teary toddler?
"Okay, I'll stay for a little." She brought a padded ottoman to the edge of Natalie's bed and sat, hand returning to stroke her hair. The girl relaxed her grip, hugging her dog tightly.
"G'night, Sarah," she yawned.
"Sleep tight, Natalie. Don't let the bed bugs bite," she murmured, a smile playing at her lips. She studied the drawings adorning the wall facing her.
Soon enough the girl's breathing evened out, the hiccups stopped.
Sarah stroked her hair once more before exiting, returning to her laptop downstairs.
All in all, Kurt and Blaine had a wonderful time at the Gala. Kurt especially loved commenting on the ensembles of those around them, appraising some and snickering at others. He spoke with Tina about the upcoming spring fashions they would see. Rachel gushed about her latest Broadway role to Blaine. Finn and Mike talked about the latest football game (more so griped about how their home team had lost) and the winter show put on by Mike's dance studio. The conversations overlapped and intertwined, everyone in good spirits.
Of course they all talked about their kids. Rachel was ecstatic that Barbara showed some inherited singing talent at just five years old, and would be enrolling her in a performing arts school for the following year. Mike and Tina were expecting their second, and Jason would soon be a big brother. Of course Kurt and Blaine couldn't help but gush about Natalie, how perfect she was.
They had really missed these times with their friends. The night came to a close, and they set a date for their families to come together for dinner before parting the banquet hall.
Kurt and Blaine were both anxious to return to their daughter. It was past midnight, so she would surely be fast asleep. They had missed her at dinner. They weren't used to leaving her like this.
They held hands over the center console again as Blaine drove home.
"Your sister still gloats about performing," Kurt sighed as they turned onto their street.
"Did you expect that to diminish with her rising fame?" Blaine shot back with a smile, raising his eyebrows.
Kurt just laughed as they pulled into the driveway.
Blaine led his husband to the door and unlocked it. Sarah was just packing up her laptop.
"Hi! How was it?" She smiled, sitting to slide into her boots.
Kurt unwound his scarf and replaced it on its hook inside the front hall closet before removing his coat. "It was splendid, thank you. I'm still in shock at having been honored," he smiled shyly as he hung his coat.
"We had fun. And shush, you know you deserve it." Blaine shot a look at Kurt as he untied his scarf, who just rolled his eyes and hung it beside his own. "Thank you, Sarah, I hope Nat-nat wasn't any trouble." He placed the bag with Kurt's awards beside the closet and handed her a few folded bills.
She debated letting them know about the little tearfest, but one look at Kurt's anxious expression as he reached the foot of the staircase had her reconsidering. Plus it wasn't that big a deal; she'd handled worse.
"Thanks," she smiled as she tucked her pay into the back pocket of her jeans and slid into her down jacket. "Nope, not a problem at all."
Kurt sighed in relief. "Great. Well, thanks again, Sarah. Say hi to your parents for us." He waved and disappeared up the stairs.
"Will do! See you later," she replied and walked towards the door, fishing out her car keys.
"And our lesson's still on for Wednesday?"
"Of course it is, Blaine."
He held the door open with one hand, the other moving to his hip as he shrugged with a grin. "Just checking. Drive safe, Sarah."
"Always do. See you."
Blaine waited until she was safely in her car before he shut the door. He turned the lock, hung his coat and followed his husband upstairs.
As expected, he found Kurt seated on their daughters bed, humming and stroking her hair. He gazed adoringly at his little family and leaned against the doorway.
Kurt's voice trailed off at the end of the lullaby. He looked up as Blaine crossed the room and began to sing softly.
"I walked across an empty land, I knew the pathway like the back of my hand. I felt the earth beneath my feet, sat by the river and it made me complete."
Kurt grinned; their daughter's favorite lullaby. It held so much meaning, from their past, present, and future. It was their song – one of them at least. His gaze darted to the frame on the wall as he joined in on the next verse.
"Oh simple thing, where have you gone? I'm getting old and I need something to rely on..."
Natalie hummed happily in her sleep as her fathers sang, sharing the verses and background melody. She turned towards Kurt and cuddled her blue dog.
Blaine came to stand behind Kurt, placing a hand on his shoulder. Kurt looked up at him before both turned their gaze to their angel, finishing the song.
"…tell me why don't we go, somewhere only we know. Somewhere only we know."
AN: Aaaaaand voila! I had so much fun writing this. I may have to do continue this little idea, because oh gosh I love those boys as daddies.
Please let me know what you think! 3
Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Happy New Year!
