A/N
Alright kids, here's the dealio. I was not going to write another chapter. What part of oneshot don't y'all understand? I'm kidding, it's actually very flattering that you wanted me to write more. I am a people pleaser and who am I to turn down the chance to please more of you? Several of you wanted more and at first I was on the fence about. I had planned to leave it at the first chapter with that open ending. It was an artistic statement! So I had to really think about how I wanted it to go on. I wasn't happy with some parts while writing and editing but I think what you'll read here is my best. I hope you like it. :)
"Is this okay?" Blaine asked, sitting down across from Kurt at a restaurant. Kurt looked nervous and on edge, which Blaine found a bit amusing because Kurt seemed less nervous on their very first date so many years ago.
"Yeah, this is fine" Kurt replied, giving a smile. But Blaine knew it wasn't genuine.
"Look, Kurt, if this is weird and you want to go home-"
"No, it's fine. I just...need to adjust, you know?" Kurt said, giving a more genuine smile, but it was smaller.
Blaine nodded. "To be honest, I'm surprised you said yes. I didn't think you'd agree."
Kurt shrugged and blushed a bit. "Yeah, I know, but I'm ready to give us another shot."
"Why?"
"The kids are older now and I think we have more time to reconnect. And...I've realized that it's you or no one. I've dated a few guys and so have you, and I can't speak for you, but I don't think there's anyone else out there for me" Kurt said.
Blaine wanted to jump up and cheer happily, but he controlled himself and nodded maturely.
"I want us to work out. I don't want to lose you yet again" Blaine said softly.
"Agreed, but we can't keep going back and forth. It'll be harder to hide from the kids."
"Right. So let's just take it slow" Blaine said. He picked up the menu. "So. You wanna split a pizza?"
Kurt grinned. "Half meat-lovers, half hawaiian?"
"Obviously!" Blaine met his eye and was pleased to see Kurt looking relaxed and entertained.
The phone rang, echoing in the house. Kurt hurried to get it, leaping over a bunch of Mitch's toy cars that lay on the floor.
"Hello?" he said, a bit breathless.
"I'm surprised you came to the phone. I thought you'd be too busy sucking face with Blaine to answer" the person on the other end said.
"Why, hello, Santana" Kurt rolled his eyes. "Always a pleasure to hear from you."
Santana giggled. "Hey."
"And what did you mean by that comment?" Kurt asked.
"The one about you and Blaine playing tonsil hockey? I heard a rumour that you two were back together."
"From who, may I ask?"
"Tina. But she got the news from Mercedes, who got it straight from Rachel" Santana said.
"Any why is my relationship such a big deal to you ladies?" Kurt asked with was was probably the fourth eye roll of the conversation so far.
"Oh please. We were completely shocked when you and Blaine called it quits, you know that. But we all knew it was only a matter of time before you two realized how dumb you are. Plus, we may have a pool going."
"What?"
Santana snickered. "Yeah. A pool. And I'm pleased to announce that I'm winning. I'm expecting payment in the mail any day now."
"You guys are ridiculous" Kurt said.
"Blah blah blah" Santana said. "But seriously, are you happy to be back with him?"
Kurt couldn't help but smile a bit. "Yeah, I guess."
"You guess?"
"Well, it's still a bit weird. And I feel like the effort he's putting into it is a bit too forced."
"At least there is an effort" Santana said.
"I guess."
"Have you told the kids yet?"
"No. We want to make sure that what we're doing will last."
"Isn't one week lasting enough?"
"No!" Kurt frowned.
"Do you see yourself lasting with him?" Santana asked more gently.
Kurt paused before saying quietly, "I always did."
"Even when you two called it off?"
"Yeah, even then. I didn't want us to split. I was hoping we'd work it out. But I also knew that maybe freedom would help us a bit, so I went along with it. I've always loved Blaine. Always."
"That's so sweet," Santana said, and Kurt couldn't detect any sarcasm in her voice.
Kurt sighed, wiping Mitch's face with the fancy cloth napkin.
"Mitchy, can't you eat nicely? We're at a wedding, for goodness sakes!"
"Sorry" Mitch said.
"Now can we go play with Angie?" Maddi asked, pointing to Finn and Rachel's daughter. In the corner of the reception hall, there were several little kids, playing and laughing together. Kurt recognized most of the kids as offspring from various New Directions members.
"Yeah, yeah, fine" Kurt said, helped Mitch off his chair. "Don't move from that corner though. And don't get into trouble."
"We won't!" Maddi said, taking Mitch's hand and pulling him across the dance floor to the corner.
"Shoulda left them at home, right?" Blaine joked, returning to the table.
Kurt frowned at Blaine. "Thanks for helping with them. I couldn't have done it without you." That was sarcasm and Kurt didn't even care if they were at a wedding.
Blaine gave an innocent smile and sat down in Mitch's empty seat. "Sorry. I was talking to Tina. It's not every day my old hag gets married."
Kurt smiled a bit at this. "Her dress is lovely."
Across the table, Sam and Mercedes stood up together. "To the dance floor we go" Mercedes said, winking at Kurt.
"You be careful, there" Kurt replied with a nod at Mercedes' very pregnant belly. She grinned and hurried off to the beat of an upbeat dance song that was just starting.
Blaine sat in silence once they left. Kurt started awkwardly straightening the cutlery. When it was all straight, he stared around at all the people and their nice outfits.
Blaine couldn't take it anymore.
"Kurt?"
"Mhmm?"
"Do...do you wanna dance?"
Kurt looked over and caught the hopeful look in Blaine's eyes. "Sure."
They stood up and joined the large group of people already boogying on the dance floor.
It was fun. They danced like they were young and drunk, twisting and shaking their hips, and waving their arms all over the place. Blaine was an awesome dancer when it came to choreographed routines, but he was a hot mess in terms of party dancing. But Kurt didn't mind. It was cute. It made them feel young again.
Unfortunately, it was only a matter of time before the fun, easy spirit was gone. The beats died down and a slow, piano ballad came on. All the couples moved together and all the single people either found a dance partner or moved off the floor, probably for another drink.
Kurt didn't know what to do. He looked to Blaine, who, at that moment, was awkwardly staring down at his shoes. It was obvious that they were both uncomfortable.
Suddenly Blaine looked up. "Dance with me?" he asked.
Kurt hesitated, almost wanting to make an excuse. But instead, he nodded. "Sure."
Blaine stepped forward, closing the gap between them, and wrapped his arms around Kurt. In the last few weeks, he's hugged Kurt several times, but this was different. Kurt put his hands on Blaine's shoulders as they softly swayed. The position they were in, both physically and mentally, reminded Kurt of how they danced at Mr. Schuester's runaway wedding party so many years back.
As much as the dance was awkward and stiff, Kurt still loved it. He loved being close to Blaine. And Blaine loved feeling Kurt's heartbeat.
Needless to say, they slow danced several more times that night, with each dance becoming sweeter and easier and closer.
"Do you like this dress?" Kurt asked Maddi, holding out a pink and blue plaid dress.
"No" Maddi shook her head. Kurt sighed and put it back on the rack.
"What about this one?" Kurt asked, showing her a light green floral one."
"That looks like snot" Maddi said.
Kurt rolled his eyes and stifled a laugh. "Which dress do you like then?"
Maddi looked at the racks, flipping through some dresses.
"This one!" Maddi took a red dress with a tastefully sequinned bodice off the rack. Even Kurt had to admit that it was nice.
"Awesome. Let's buy it" Kurt said, taking the dress from her. He looked at his watch. "And right on time to meet Daddy and Mitchy."
Kurt and Maddi walked through the shoe section to the perfume section. They stood there for a few minutes and to occupy himself, Kurt tested a few perfumes. Finally, Blaine came casually strolling up. He had a shopping bag on his wrist and his hands were in his pockets.
"Hi, are you guys ready to go?" Blaine asked.
"Yeah, we just need to buy this dress" Kurt said. He looked down. "Where's Mitch?"
"I don't know, where's Mitch?" Blaine replied as if it was a simple knock-knock joke.
"Blaine, he went with you!" Kurt said, his voice getting higher and louder.
Blaine shook his head. "No he didn't. Kurt, I swear he didn't follow me."
"Well he wasn't with us" Kurt said. He was starting to panic. He felt tears in his eyes. "Oh my gosh. We lost Mitch!"
Blaine went pale, and looked around, hoping to see the little boy.
"Maddi, did you see where Mitch went?" Blaine asked the girl.
"No."
"Did he come with me or stay with you guys?"
"I dunno."
Kurt was crying now.
Blaine looked at Kurt and took his hand. "Kurt, it's okay. We'll find him. It's fine."
Kurt glared at him with his red-rimmed watery eyes. "No, it's not fine! We lost our son in a department store, Blaine! Who knows what could have happened to him! Oh my..."
Blaine sighed and patter Kurt's shoulder. "Calm down. You go back to where you and Maddi were and I'll go walk around where I was. Meet back here in five minutes."
Kurt wiped his eyes and nodded. "Maddi, go with Daddy, okay?" Blaine took Maddi's hand. "Don't you dare lose her as well" Kurt said to Blaine under his breath.
They parted ways, going to their designated area to look, but didn't come back with good news. Kurt was a mess. He started to sob again as soon as he was Blaine and Maddi walk towards him without Mitch.
Blaine hugged Kurt. "Shhh, it's okay. I went and asked at a desk and they said they'd keep an eye out."
"What if someone took him?" Kurt whispered. His hands covered his face.
"No, no one took him. It's fine, I promise. We'll find him" Blaine said.
Suddenly Kurt's phone vibrated in his pocket. He pulled it out, reading the text that was from Rachel.
"It's Rachel, wondering where I am" Kurt said, sniffing.
"Are you meeting her or something?" Blaine asked.
"No..." Kurt shook his head and quickly replied with a 'Mall, why?'
The response came right away. 'I figured as much. We have to go and I'd like to return your child.'
Kurt almost screamed and his fingers flew across the phone as he replied, 'YOU HAVE MITCH?'
"They're here?" Blaine asked, surprise. "I didn't see them."
"Neither did I" Kurt said. He sent another text. 'We're in the perfume at Macy's.'
Only a few minutes later, Rachel, Finn and Angie came down the isle. Finn was carrying Mitch, who looked perfectly content in his uncle's arms.
Kurt started sobbing yet again at this sight. Finn handed Mitch to Kurt, who hugged the boy so tightly. Blaine explained the story to Finn and Rachel.
"He just walked over" Rachel said. "We thought you knew so we didn't bring him sooner, sorry."
"Don't you ever leave again, okay?" Kurt told Mitch. "Never, ever. We were so worried, Mitchy."
"I'm sorry" Mitch said, patting Kurt's cheek apologetically.
Kurt set Mitch down and Blaine leaned over. Blaine's forehead touched Kurt's temple and Kurt found that calming,
"I told you it'd be alright."
Maddi was on the floor crying. It was a normal little girl tantrum about something ridiculous. Kurt leaned to ignore it and she'd eventually stop. Mitch, on the other hand, had a fever and was on the couch, coughing madly.
To be honest, Kurt was stressed and needed help. Dinner was also in the process of cooking. All Kurt wanted was for Blaine to come home and help. He had gone out grocery shopping.
"Maddi, for pete's sake, can you just grow up and stop crying?" Kurt said, frustrated and annoyed.
"It's not fair!" Maddi cried.
"Life's not fair" Kurt replied, leaving the room to check on Mitch.
Mitch's coughing wasn't any better. He looked like a zombie too.
"How are you feeling, Mitchy?" Kurt asked, rubbing his back.
"Like garbage" Mitch said, punctuating his reply with a cough.
"Awww, my poor baby" Kurt cooed and brushed Mitch's hair off his forehead. "Hold on, I'll get you some medicine."
Kurt went to the bathroom and opened up the medicine cabinet. As he searched for the bottle, he heard the front door open.
Kurt stuck his head out to see Blaine, his cheeks red from the cold, and shopping bags in his hands.
"Oh, good, you're here" Kurt said.
"It's loud in here" Blaine said, meaning Maddi's crying.
"Just ignore her. Did you get the onions I needed?"
"Yeah. Man, it's cold out there. And it's cold in here too. I need a sweater."
Kurt focused back to the cough medicine. He couldn't find any so he went to the hall closet, where they kept a supply of things, toothbrushes and soap and such. Spotting the bottle he needed, he grabbed it, trying to pull it out quickly like a game of Jenga. But a whole mess of bottles and boxes toppled down on the floor. One bottle even broke and spilled thick shampoo everywhere. Kurt swore, not caring who heard and tried to pick things up. At that moment, a beeping went off in the kitchen.
"Shoot, the chicken!" Kurt gasped. It was about to burn. "Blaine! Blaine! Can you get that?"
"Okay, hold on" Blaine said from another room.
Kurt went back to cleaning up the mess infront of him, but only three minutes later, the smoke detector went off. Only then did Blaine deal with the burning food. There was a mess of sounds now: Maddi's crying, Mitch's coughing, the stove timer and the smoke detector. By the time Kurt cleaned up the mess and gave Mitch his medicine, the chicken was too burnt to save.
Maddi had went to her room to sulk, and Mitch had stopped coughing for a minute and it was the first quiet moment in almost an hour.
Kurt glared at Blaine in the kitchen.
"I told you to get that" Kurt said.
"I did. Just too late."
"No, you got it when the smoke detector went off. Had you gotten it when I called you, we'd still have dinner tonight" Kurt spat.
"Sorry, I was busy" Blaine argued, his voice a lot calmer than Kurt's.
"Doing what? I was busy too, Blaine."
"I was trying to find this sweater. It was buried under a bunch of other cardigans" Blaine said. Kurt thought he was just joking, but he was actually serious.
"A sweater? You were looking for a sweater?" Kurt asked harshly. "Do you want to know what I was doing? I was cleaning up the mess in the hall closet while looking for cough medicine for our son who is really sick."
"That's not my fault. Don't make it sound like it is."
"I'm not saying it is! I'm saying that I asked you for one thing. One thing, Blaine. I'm here going crazy because Maddi won't shut up and Mitch is sick and I'm trying to do twenty things at once. But no, your stupid sweater comes first. Jeeze, Blaine. How do you expect this to work if I'm doing everything and you're playing dress up? We're trying to work on our relationship here, we're trying to make an effort. But we're back to the same thing we were doing before. This right here is why we split and this is also why I think we should reconsider what we're doing."
Blaine was in shock. He didn't say anything.
"I'm going to check on Mitch. Just...leave me alone tonight, okay?" Kurt muttered before stalking out of the room.
"Are you busy?" Blaine asked, approaching Kurt. Kurt was sitting on a chair, reading a magazine in the dark save a single lamp behind him. He looked up at Blaine.
"Not really, why?"
"I...well, come with me" Blaine held out his hand for Kurt to take. He had an impish smile that made Kurt both amused and concerned.
Blaine pulled Kurt outside to the porch, only shutting the screen door so they could still hear the kids if they called. It was a warm night. On the porch was Blaine's little keyboard, a dinky one that he joked around with once in a while.
"Sit down" Blaine offered. Kurt sat down on the porch swing, swinging gently.
"What's happening?" Kurt asked.
Blaine smiled shyly. "I wanna play you something."
He sat on the little keyboard stool and put his hands on the keys. Then he began to play and started singing.
Kurt watched the performance intently. It had been a while since he heard Blaine sing. Like, really sing. Singing stupid songs with the kids in the car or in a funny voice to the radio didn't count.
Kurt was hardly listening to the song. He tried to, but he was too caught up in his thoughts of Blaine. His singing, his honest, deep, singing awoke something in Kurt that was sleeping since the split and it was beautiful. Blaine was the only one for him. He knew that already, of course, but now it was just so clear. It almost brought tears to Kurt's eyes.
When Blaine finished the song, he looked up at Kurt with his cute wide eyes.
As Kurt was figuring out the best thing to say, Blaine slid over to sit on the porch swing too.
"That was really goo-" Kurt began.
Blaine smiled, but shook his head. "Kurt, I want you to listen to me."
"Oh, uh, okay" Kurt said nodding.
Blaine took a breath and tilted his head. "Kurt, our relationship is...very, very complicated. And I know that it's been hard on both of us. You've handled it way better because on top of dealing with how much of a screw up we are, you're also an awesome father. I don't think anyone tells you that enough. You pull the whole family together in ways that I can't even try to copy. This may sound like a junky excuse but I think that's why there's so much tension between us; because I keep trying to compete with...perfection, and I can't. You do it all and I'm just there and I'm just really sorry for not being...equal, you know? Kurt, you mean a lot to me. More than anyone. I've lost you a few times and I just can't do that anymore. I love you and I want us to be a real family, and I swear from now on, this will be equal and honest and normshh-"
Kurt grabbed Blaine's face and pulled him to a rough searing kiss, cutting off his speech.
"I love you too" Kurt whispered, their faces still very close. "I don't care about the past or how it's worked before. I think it's been pretty clear that the past wasn't really working for us too well. But Blaine, it's always been you. Always."
Blaine just smiled and kissed Kurt.
"Maddi, come sit down" Kurt called. "We need to talk to you both."
A fourteen year old girl, rather short for her age, with her curly hair in a tight ponytail, came slowly into the room. She had headphones in and sat down on the couch with an uncomfortable looking slouch.
"Headphones out" Kurt demanded and the girl yanked them out with an eye roll.
"So, Maddi, Mitch" Blaine began, gazing fondly at his kids.
Mitch was now almost thirteen and was a cheery kid. Loud, too. Kurt was sure he'd be taking drama the coming year in high school.
"Your Dad and I have something we need to tell you" Blaine said. "We feel that you're at the right age."
"Is this an adoption talk?" Maddi joked.
"You were both born via surrogate, moving on" Kurt snapped with an eye roll. Maddi was a quick and sassy teenager and Kurt had to stay on his game to keep up with her.
"Are you secretly secret agents?" Mitch asked.
"No" Blaine said.
"Can you two just listen? This is kind of important" Kurt said.
When the kids stayed silent, Blaine started speaking, "Um, when you were little, like ten years ago or so, you father and I were, um, split up."
Maddi gasped. "What?"
Blaine continued, "We were having communication issues and were arguing a lot and we had decided that enough was enough. But um, we didn't want our stupid mistakes to affect you two. We were still friends and we still cared for each other; that'll never change. So we still lived together and pretended for your sakes, and during a two year period, we dated other people. But then we sort of made up and realized that we both had the right person all along."
"Are you serious? Like this isn't a joke, is it?" Maddi demanded.
"No" Kurt said slowly. "This happened and we wanted to tell you two."
"Maddi, you look...upset" Blaine said, looking at the eldest child. She was frowning and staring down in her lap.
"I am" Maddi replied. "I can't believe you two would do that. And not tell us for ten freaking years!"
Kurt sighed. "Maddi, it's not-"
"No, hear me out" Maddi said, standing up. "My whole life I grew up thinking that you guys were the epitome of love, especially since you guys overcame the whole gay marriage thing. And now I find out that not only is it false, but you guys couldn't even work it out. You had to lie to our faces and then date other people."
"Maddi, that's not fair" Blaine said. "We're adults and we were going through a difficult time. Never mind being gay, that has nothing to do with it. We chose to work around our issues and still try to stay a family. That was for your sakes. We did it completely maturely."
"And don't focus on the past" Kurt added. "We didn't tell you this so you could obsess on the fact that we had problems. We told you this so you could be aware realize that true love does have bumps on the road. The point of this is that we love each other and love you and we always did."
"Mitch, you've been quiet" Blaine said, looking over. "What do you have to say?"
"Makes no difference to me now" Mitch said with a casual shrug. "But I have to ask, are you sharing this as a warning?"
"No" Kurt said. "No, no, not at all."
"We're fine now and are sure we will be" Blaine said with an endearing smile at his husband.
Kurt nodded.
"Mads, we never meant to hurt you" Blaine said, turning back to Maddi.
She looked up. "I know."
"Don't be mad, Maddi" Kurt said in a sing-song voice. That was something he used to say to her when she was little to make her smile when she was sad. He hadn't said it in ages because she outgrew it.
Maddi smiled. "I'm not mad."
"Then come hug us, girl!" Blaine said, opening his arms.
Maddi giggled, stood up and hugged her dads.
Even Mitch jumped in the group hug.
"See? One big, happy, well-dressed family" Kurt said, hugging them all together.
He caught Blaine's eye and Blaine beamed.
A/N
So there we go. It's really ended for real. I set it up so I literally can't progress any further. I'm sorry, but I couldn't go on any more. Thank you for reading and to the five of you who review the first chapter asking for more, you're why it happened. Actually, funny story: I had gotten five reviews and four of them said they wanted more. I was really debating whether to do it or not so I told myself that if one more person reviewed and said they wanted more, I'd do it. And then, after a few weeks, that one more review came tricking in. ;) So that's why you read what you read.
Anyways, thanks for reading! Love ya!
