Shift
Klaine advent day 19. This is a new look back, to my military!Klaine short AU (Just like any other day.)
"Kurt…it's your turn." Blaine's voice echoes down the hallway from the kitchen into the front room where Kurt is lounging on the sofa watching the international news channel.
There's an ongoing segment about US troops being deployed over seas; and Kurt's eyes have been glued to the screen every time the out-of-field reporter pops up with the live news feed.
Kurt remains quiet, gives it another minute and tries to bunk up the TV's volume a couple notches with the remote. It's not long before he hears another dull thud coming from upstairs above him; and his husband's voice sounds again from down the hall, this time louder and more persistent.
"Kurt. You're on night shift while I prepare our dessert and drinks. Get your cute butt upstairs."
Kurt rolls his eyes but smiles anyway while he shuffles off of the couch, through the doorway and up the stairs to his eight year old daughter's bedroom.
They've been out all day watching a parade in town and had dinner at Daisy's favourite pizzeria afterwards. By the time they had returned home it was late and Daisy was half asleep on Blaine's shoulder with her ice cream cone almost dripping down his back.
"Dais? Come on its bed time, why are you awake and what are you doing making so much noise up here, huh?" Kurt barely has a foot through the door when his eyes land on his little girl parading around her bedroom with her long, dark hair springing back in forth in tiny, tight ringlets.
She's dressed up in her military play uniform she'd gotten for her birthday, with a bundle of plastic toy medals strung around her neck and her black wellington boots pulled up to her knees.
Kurt can't help but smile as he exhales a tired sigh and leans back against the wall, watching Daisy march back and forth with her arms flat, pinned down by her sides.
"Daisy, bedtime is not play or dress-up time. You know that—"
"I know, daddy but I'm practising."
Kurt feels his heart squeeze in his chest. It's a feeling of half pride and half a sinking feeling that he can't help but feel.
It's been almost three years since Kurt and his husband Blaine retired from active duty and took up part-time jobs with a local station where they support and give guidance to both physically and mentally wounded soldiers.
He's proud that their daughter, Daisy has taken such an active interest in their careers and what had made up a large portion of their life; it's even how they met and became husbands. Daisy wouldn't even be here if they hadn't found each other in the forces, struggling with the 'Don't ask, Don't tell' policy that was still in place all those years ago.
He loves when Daisy refers to them as heroes and takes their service medals into school for show and tell. He loves how she asked for a uniform like theirs for her birthday and how she chooses to speak with commandments and walks around the house yelling "left, right left!"
Though, as any parent would be, he can't help but worry or fear what career path she may choose. But he won't discourage her choice of future. That's up to her to decide when she's old enough to do so, and he'll be there behind her every step of the way.
"Ok, baby." Is all he says softly, eventually. "You can continue tomorrow when you wake up."
Ten minutes later, with his daughter back in her PJ's and tucked up, sound asleep in bed; Kurt pads softly down the stairs and after ducking into the kitchen to find it empty, he re-enters the front room and smiles at the sight that greets him.
Blaine is sitting on the couch; the coffee table in front of his knees covered with little china bowls of fruit, melted chocolate, a bowl of clotted cream and a plate of wafer biscuits. He has a glass of white wine in each hand and a salacious smile on his face, his eyes twinkling when he looks up at Kurt.
The TV has been switched to a music channel with the volume turned down low and Kurt is thankful for it when he sinks down on to the couch next to his husband and accepts his glass of wine.
"Was she marching again?" Blaine asks, watching and smiling as Kurt leans forward to pick up a grape and dip it into the bowl of chocolate. He rubs a hand up and down Kurt's spine until he sits back again, chewing happily and washing it down with a drink of sweet wine.
"Yeah. She was wearing the full ensemble." They both chuckle at that and have a few moments in silence, listening to the background music and mulling over what bowl to pick from.
"You're on husband shift now, soldier." Kurt says as he leans back against the back of the couch and cradles his wine glass in his hands.
Blaine only sends a wink his way and touches his foot to Kurt's. "Yes, sir."