"Blaine!" Mikaela came running into the kitchen long before her parents had even taken their shoes off.
"Kaela! How are you!" I scooped her up into a hug and she started to tell me about the plane journey in her very adorable way, she was three this April but she seemed so much more grown up. Sierra and Dan came in just after looking exhausted but I hadn't seen them since Christmas and none of us could be too tired not to be excited.
"Oh B I've missed you! Happy birthday!" She hugged me tightly before I could mention the fact that her brunette curls were now jaw length, "I don't care what you think, it's practicality over sexuality nowadays!" She walked over to the liquor cupboard and poured a vodka and coke, something I never really liked but she drunk like water. "Where are Mom and Dad?"
"Urm not sure, she reminded me you were coming like three hours ago but I think she left to get flowers… two hours ago," I watched as Mikaela danced around Tucker who was watching her bored eyes; he really was getting old.
"Well doesn't matter," Dan clapped making me jump, "how are you birthday boy? 17! Damn where has the time gone?"
"Oh God don't, I'm getting old…" Sierra sighed from the fridge; it was almost like she didn't have food in her house. "Hey isn't your boyfriend supposed to be here as well? What's his name?"
"Kurt, be nice OK?" I said, I wasn't joking, she had a habit of making people highly uncomfortable just for her own amusement, "it's bad enough he has to meet our parents without you torturing him." I hopped nervously since Kurt was already half an hour late, I had asked him over early so he could get used to my family before going out in public with them and-
"I'll get it!" Louisa called from the hallway, "good afternoon, come in, are you here to see Blaine?" I could hear them talking and my heart was in my throat as Sierra knocked back the rest of her drink and smile sweetly but I knew it wasn't so innocent. "Blaine your friend is here," Louisa smiled, she knew he was my boyfriend but she would never say so out loud, especially when my parents could be back at any minute.
"Oh my God Blaine you didn't tell me you lived at Downton Abbey!" His eyes were wide and his mouth was slightly open as he looked around the house, I knew it was grand but I'd seen a lot better. "Happy birthday!" He cried hugging me tightly.
"Hardly! thanks," I kissed him softly and he blushed when he realised we had company.
"Blaine who's that?" Mikaela was staring at Kurt suspiciously from behind her father's legs, Kurt smiled politely but I knew he wasn't a fan of little children and apparently they weren't a fan of him either.
"This is Kurt, he's my boyfriend, say hello Kaela-" I held out my hand and she took it slowly still staring at Kurt. It was very awkward making little kids do something, they never did what you expected them to do and Kaela was no exception, she had a tendancy to be quite blunt with people even though she wasn't even three yet. She waved at Kurt and we took that as our cue to introduce the grown ups. "Kurt this Dan my brother in law and my sister Sierra, she's already started drinking so don't mind anything she says tonight OK?"
"Shut up B, I'm sure Kurt isn't quite the china doll he looks like," she smiled widely and surveyed his outfit which was thankfully understated tonight; a black skinny tie with a white shirt, black skinnies and vans. "You look like you stepped out one of my fashion magazines, have you ever modeled?" And with that question everything became relaxed and smooth, we poured some red wine and chatted around the bar while we waited for my parents to come home.
"Blaine if they're not back in the next 15 minutes we're going to be late for our reservation and we all know that Acquarello doesn't do late comers," I rolled my eyes at her, Sierra didn't mind being late she minded that we were waiting for my parents.
"Isn't that restaurant like the most expensive in the state?" Kurt asked his voice suddenly very high pitched.
"On the east coast isn't it?" Sierra asked Dan.
"I swear it was in the country? Didn't it beat out that place in New York- Kurt you look like you're going to have an aneurism?" Dan wasn't kidding, Kurt had gone pale as paper and he was trying to speak but just couldn't.
"I'm guessing that Kurt isn't quite used to this," Sierra motioned around us and I nodded, "if I was him I would milk it for all it's worth…" The bang of the front door made all four of us tense, we had to get in the car right now and my parents hadn't even seen Kurt yet. "Oh shit, in hell…"
"Why are you all just sitting there we're going to be late!" My Mom was shouting without even looking at us, "oh please don't tell me Mikaela is coming? Daniel you look splendid-" Then she saw Kurt and stopped fussing around, her eyes flickered to me and then she caught my Dad by the wrist. "John we have a guest-"
"Yes I know," then he saw Kurt too, "oh um, Blaine?" I had never really seen my parents at a loss for words apart from New Years and I felt sort of impressed that they didn't quite know how to handle Kurt being here
"Mom, Dad this is my boyfriend, Kurt; Kurt this is my Dad, John and my Mom, Silvia," he hopped off the bar stool elegantly and stuck out his hand.
"It's very good to meet you both," my Dad shook his hand firmly out of respect but you could see he would rather not be touching Kurt if he could help it. "I have to say it's very kind of you to let me into such a personal occasion-"
"Yes well, Blaine never mentioned it," I sighed and shook my head trying to count the billion times I had called and told them to book for six; thank God Louisa had been in charge. "I mean it's his birthday," then my Dad disappeared into his study for a quick drink as we all got our shoes on and my Mom kept shooting me dirty looks but I didn't care; not tonight.
The meal went well, apart from Kurt practically having a heart attack over the prices and my parents trying to make awkward conversation without mentioning that Kurt and I were gay and together.
"So Kurt what do you want to do when you're older?" My Dad asked from across the table.
"My dream is to be on broad way, you know my name in lights." I loved the way he lit up when he talked about the future.
"That's," don't say gay, don't say gay, "ambitious of you… You know Sierra lives in New York." Thank you, my Dad actually smiled at me once the conversation switch over to Kurt and Sierra; it was his way of saying he approved of Kurt.
"You guys should come out sometime, I'd love to show you around Kurt! Actually," she smiled, "how about you come for winter break? Valentine's day in New York is amazing." She took Dan's hand and I remembered her disappearing for Valentine's Day when she was eighteen and my parents nearly dying looking for her… Shit that was ten years ago…
"Wow I hadn't even thought of Valentine's Day," Kurt lied, "it would be magical though wouldn't it?"
"As long as your Dad is cool with it I think it could be perfect," we looked at each other and I should have kissed him but I didn't; I may have been the poster child for being who you wanted to be when I was away from home but in front of my parents it couldn't be like that. Thankfully the cake was brought out soon after that and the tension was broken by the singing; Kurt's beautiful voice sounding in my ear and my family around me smiling I didn't know what to wish for.
I wish to never forget this feeling.
"Good morning Mr. Hummel," I said brightly as he opened the door to me, it was seven am and Kurt and I were heading to New York today for the week. Burt nodded at me but didn't speak; I still wasn't sure of what he thought of me since every time he saw me he looked disapproving but he never said a bad word towards me since Kurt and I had been dating.
"Look I know what teenage boys get up to," he said suddenly as I sat down in the lounge with him, "don't try and tell me you're different because I'm not buying it OK?"
"With respect Mr. Hummel I am different and I know that's impossible for you to believe because pretty much every guy says that but really, trust me when I say nothing like that will happen-"
"What won't happen?" Kurt asked sweetly from the doorway, I blushed furiously and looked at the floor, I'm sure Burt thought there was something wrong with me.
"Blaine was just telling me how this trip will be PG rated," he said skeptically.
"Dad we're 17," was he really implying what I thought he was? "But don't worry it's not like that, we're… waiting," he took my hand and pulled me up and I'm sure I saw Burt wince when he realised what Kurt was saying. "Come on! Carole we're going!" Kurt bid his family goodbye, all except Finn who had said his goodbyes yesterday knowing he wouldn't be up this early in the holidays.
"Nervous?" I asked as Kurt bounced in his seat and looked around the plane like a little kid, "it's only an hour-"
"I'm not scared, I'm excited! This is all so exciting…" He wandered around the plane for the rest of the flight and even got talking to the girl across the aisle who cried with laughter when she found out it was his first flight. I imagined flying across the world with Kurt, Spain to see Gus, Paris, London and Milan for fashion week, Thailand for the food…
"WE'RE IN NEW YORK BLAINE! NEW YORK!" I couldn't contain Kurt and as Dan helped me with the luggage he rushed outside to take everything in, I started to think about how his dream city just happened to be the place my sister lived; it was like destiny threw us together.
New York was like my home away from home; I was hoping to go to Columbia to study History and I'm sure Kurt had his eye on Juilliard especially now he had been here and was falling in love with every block he saw. We went out for lunch together today, then explored the city, tomorrow was Valentine's and the rest of the week was a mash of shows, underground performances that Dan had found, shopping and just being here.
"Hey baby," I kissed Kurt awake as I placed the tray of food on the bed, "Dan said it isn't Valentine's day if you don't have Champagne and chocolate strawberries for breakfast so," I motioned towards the food and blushed slightly, why was I so goddamn awkward?
"Oh Blaine! You didn't have to! I can't believe you woke up before me," he pulled me into bed next to him and kissed that spot on my collarbone he had discovered a couple weeks ago.
"Kurt it's barely eleven in the morning, if you carry on like this," he didn't seem to be listening though as he continued to taste my skin, "I'm not gonna last a whole day around you."
"You have a plan for today?" He sounded so surprised.
"Of course, I mean during the day it's flexible but tonight you have to promise not to laugh at my attempts at being romantic OK?" He nodded and reached over into the bedside drawer, he pulled out a small box with a pearlescent ribbon, "Kurt you didn't have to-"
"Yes, you took me to New York for Valentine's Day, I know this can't compete with that but at least it's something right?" I smiled and pulled the ribbon off carefully, inside the box was a small silver bracelet, it was solid and had words engraved around it I finally found you, my missing puzzle piece, I'm complete. "I hope you like it…" He trailed off when I couldn't even speak, all I could do was climb off the bed and rummage through my hand luggage before finding an identical black box and handing it over. He eyed me suspiciously and picked open the box before gasping, the silver bracelet inside glinted with the words you brought me back to life, now every February you'll be my valentine. We sat wordlessly staring the matching bracelets in front of us, barely daring to believe that we had both picked that song, that design and today to give them over.
That day seemed perfect, even when it rained and we got soaked, we rushed into a small shop that we would have otherwise past and ended up having the best white, hot chocolate and buying some classic books from the selection in the back. We had lunch in the park when it brightened up and watched someone propose to his girlfriend and I finally started talking about our future, something Kurt had been begging me to do.
"Do you imagine your wedding?" I asked coolly as we walked through the early spring park.
"Since I was a little girl," he sighed, "no really I loved planning my wedding with my Barbies but not recently no…"
"Oh how come? You know whoever marries you will be the luckiest guy in the world," I felt a pang of jealousy, although I liked the idea I tried not to think about marrying Kurt, he would never want to spend his life with me.
"I just gave up on that kind of thing, I could barely find a friend let alone a boyfriend! How about you Mr. Anderson?"
"Oh yeah, I mean when I went to Sierra's I couldn't imagine that happening to me but I liked to pretend it could; you know white tuxes, an eight tier wedding cake, Lili would be my best man and we'd get married under a Japanese maple in the autumn…" I didn't know why I was telling Kurt all these details, maybe I was hoping that he would love the ideas too and think about his wedding being our wedding.
"Wow, you surprise me every day Blaine," he said casually as he looked around at the people.
"Is that good?" I asked trying not to sound nervous but I was.
"Very good, especially in a long-term partner, you know I don't do bored," he kissed me but I was too shocked to reply; long-term partner, it was such a strange phrase and yet it would never leave my mind. We went back home to change for tonight, I was taking him to dinner and a late play in one of the theatres Dan had told me about; apparently the show was immensely romantic and the music was stunning – definitely Kurt's type of thing. As we walked down to the restaurant I was suddenly so grateful for this city, Kurt was dressed up surprisingly flamboyantly in a top hat with a red bow, red waistcoat on a black pinstripe shirt and matching trousers. Thing is in Ohio he would have been stared at but in New York if you weren't making a fashion statement people would view your curiously.
We ate comfortably talking about anything that came to mind, he kept asking about the play and although I knew nothing I played it out pretending I just didn't want to tell him. Kurt begging me was one of the sexiest things in the world, the way he pouted and leaned forward and his voice whined my name; memories of that night at Lili's came racing back but I put them away for tonight when, most likely, we would be left frustrated again.
"Blaine that was amazing!" Kurt exclaimed as we left the theatre after the show had ended, "I mean it was just so intense and the music was just perfect." I let him babble on about the casting, lighting, storyline and anything else he could think of; I just wanted to listen to him since the play had been intense. It was about these two kids who fall in love and run away together but they soon learn what love really means and they end up going home separate. It was short but sweet and it reminded me off Kurt and I, if we ran away to New York would we soon return broken hearted?
"Kurt?" He turned to face me from the few metres ahead he had skipped and suddenly in the streetlight, how his bangs fell across his face, how his smile was so pure and his eyes were so bright I couldn't stop myself from saying it. "I'm in love with you."
Haha now we have the night to come! It's 12:30am and I'm getting on a plane at 11, I'm so excited I can't sleeeeeep :)
I'll probably write when I'm out there because my madre said I could bring my laptop and I really want to get on with this because I have such big plans (and such bad thoughts - YMAS fans anyone?) for these two but they have to happen in a few months.
Anyone watching the Glee project? We're so behind in the UK :( Oh and yes I am aware I keep putting Kurt in red but I love that colour on him although he looks rather dashing in yellow as well... ANYWAYS am I doing his fashion sense justice? I'm trying to take inspiration from his actual Glee outfits but it's hard to find good pictures.