Chapter 10 - Lily

Sebastian reached into the pocket of his jacket and drew out the folded piece of paper, the sound of the paper making Max suddenly interested and bringing his tail back to life. "You are making it very hard not to fall in love with you," Kurt said honestly and Max gave a bark. If Kurt could see, he would have known that Sebastian was standing in the doorway of the room watching him. At Kurt's last statement, he would have seen Sebastian shoot a funny, silly look of jealousy in Max's direction.

"Well, I do try," Sebastian quipped teasingly. He knew that Kurt was talking to the dog, unaware that he'd returned, but he couldn't resist.

Kurt hesitated for a moment still stroking Max. "Sebastian, what's going to happen to him?" Kurt asked seriously. "He's so small and he's all alone here," Kurt reasoned.

"He'll go back to his kennel until someone adopts him," Sebastian replied simply.

Kurt thought for a moment and a brilliant idea began to manifest itself. "I think I can help him," Kurt told Sebastian honestly.

"So, how do you propose to help Max, then?" Sebastian asked curiously.

"I know of a friend that is need of just such a dog," Kurt said his voice tinged with a hint of mystery. "I know this is a no-kill animal shelter, but some of these animals have been here for quite some time. I want to help Max," Kurt tried to find the right words and then grinned to himself, "blow this popsicle stand." Kurt suddenly knew how he was going to cross two more things off of his list and he vowed to come back to the animal shelter the very next week after Sebastian left for New York. The act of helping Max would take his mind off of the loss of Sebastian.

Sebastian wondered just what was going through Kurt's mind. He chuckled at Kurt's choice of words - "blow this popsicle stand". It was…cute. He didn't want to think about going to New York anymore than Kurt wanted to, but Sebastian's life wasn't here, his life was in New York and he couldn't put it off forever. He tried to push that thought from his mind, however. He wanted to be here in this moment and not off in the clouds.

Kurt ruffled Max's hair and kissed the top of his head. "Would you come over here and take Max? Have them return him to his kennel and if you want you can ask for a cat, but come and sit next to me afterwards so I can tell you what to cross off," Kurt said as he grinned mischievously and held out a squirming Max in his hands.

"Sure, I can take Max," he said, stooping down to pick up the energetic little dog. Max wiggled in his arms, but he was happily trying to lick Sebastian's face. "I'll be back, hopefully with a cat, and then we can talk..." His words trailed off, he'd caught the mischievous grin and he wondered what Kurt was up to.

Sebastian slipped out, handing Max back to the workers. He was handed a beautiful little Persian kitten. Her name was Lily and she was this tiny little ball of fluff. They found her abandoned in the rain and she didn't really meow so much as squeak. She had to be the most adorable thing Sebastian had ever laid eyes on. He returned to the room, Lily in hand.

"I have returned and I have with me, Lily - a tiny little ball of Persian fluff that was found abandoned in the rain," Sebastian said in a low whisper as he moved to sit right next to Kurt, so close that Kurt felt his body heat. He gently took Kurt's free hand and put the tiny kitten that was really not much bigger than the palm of his hand.

"Oh," Kurt felt himself exhale as his fingers ghosted over the tiny little ball. "My childhood hamster would have eaten her for lunch," he teased as he ran one finger very slowly over the kitten's body his fingers occasionally grazing Sebastian's in the process. Kurt didn't mind.

"I think she's adorable. She's got the second prettiest blue eyes I have ever seen," he felt Sebastian whisper in his ear and it sent a shiver down his spine and a blush to his cheeks. Sebastian quickly continued to describe the pale cream colored coat with the barest of coloring coming on to her points. Sebastian knew that all Persian kittens were born a solid color and the points came in later.

It didn't escape his notice how closely Sebastian was sitting, but Kurt knew how to play this game too. Granted he'd never played blind, but he hoped he still had a few aces up his sleeve. He turned his body into Sebastian's. As he stroked Lily, he leaned forward a bit. Kurt pretended to lose his balance and caught himself with his free hand by placing it right behind Sebastian near his very well-defined ass. Granted, Kurt hadn't seen Sebastian's ass in a while but he did have an imagination and it was vivid. He was leaning into Sebastian now as he feigned panic. "I'm so sorry," he lied very convincingly. "I lost my balance."

"By all means, feel free to... quote unquote lose your balance any time," Sebastian's teasing voice ghosted against his face eliciting a rosy blush.

"Are you implying, sir, that I did it on purpose?" Kurt said in faux vexation.

"And what are you going to do if I am?" Sebastian countered. He didn't mind their proximity, kind of liked it actually, but he wasn't going to say anything.

Kurt wanted to say more, but it was then that he felt something very tiny crawling up his left knee that now rested against Sebastian's right one. Well okay, maybe Kurt's leg was practically draped across Sebastian's but that was semantics. Wasn't it? Kurt squeaked in surprised and moved his head downwards on reflex even though he couldn't see. He lifted his head back up and mouthed to Sebastian in an exaggerated tone, "invasion!"

Lily was toddling her way along, trying to climb onto Kurt's 'lap' as it were. Sebastian laughed at the overdramatic invasion. "I think she likes you," Sebastian commented.

"Everyone likes me," was the automatic reply and Kurt didn't know what had gotten into him to feel so bold, but he always loved animals - they always relaxed him. "First Max and now Lily," he smiled. "It's nice to feel appreciated. Didn't you go looking for a pen?" Kurt asked Sebastian remembering that was why Sebastian had left in the first place. He reached down to his leg carefully and scooped Lily into the palm of his hand.

"Well, you're incredibly likeable," Sebastian chuckled. "Animals are great judges of character," he commented. "I did... and I did not forget the pen. I have it, don't you worry about that," he quipped. Lily looked up at Kurt and squeaked at him.

"Hey," Kurt exclaimed gleefully, "we speak the same language." He stroked Lily's back absently as he addressed Sebastian.

Sebastian laughed. "I don't think you squeak, Kurt," he shook his head.

"Thank you Sebastian," Kurt said honestly. "For being here and...for everything," Kurt admitted in a tight voice. To stop himself from thinking of their impending separation, Kurt replayed Michel's List over and over again in his head stroking Lily's fur in the process. The little cat meowed contentedly.

"Would you cross off #57 (ML#57: Make a difference in at least one person's life) for me on Michel's List?" Kurt asked a smile playing across his lips, "but put his name next to the date because as much as you've made a difference in my life you couldn't have been the person that you are today without him, so really he is the source and we are the river," Kurt said going into a Nietzsche moment.

Hearing Kurt's suggestion caused a swell of emotion to build up in Sebastian. Kurt Hummel was something else entirely in the way that he supported Sebastian talking about Michel in order to heal. "Thank you, Kurt," Sebastian said his voice barely above a whisper. He crossed off #57, writing in Michel's name and the date and making note of Kurt's words as well.

"I suppose we can cross off 19 too (ML#19: Volunteer at an animal shelter and try not to bring something home)," Kurt mused as he felt Lily attempting to pad out of his hand and explore her surroundings a bit. "I mean, it is why we came here in the first place," Kurt reasoned and he heard Sebastian scratching out 19 as well and putting in the date. "Don't forget to put in Max and Lily's names. They were our first shot at parenting," Kurt giggled and it was only afterwards that he realized what he said and blushed scarlet.

"Right...19. I was having so much fun I nearly forgot," Sebastian admitted as he watched Lily pad around and it was just cute. She was so tiny and it was like watching a toddler. She was not too stable on uneven surfaces and she kind of bumbled around a little. "Max and Lily. Check." He caught the words that Kurt spoke, and was glad Kurt couldn't see his reaction. He was so torn at those words, because that was one thing he and Michel had discussed. It hurt that that part of his life was at least on hold. "I know Michel's List says try to not go home with any animals, but I'm so torn right now. I just don't know how well Lily would do getting to New York," Sebastian admitted revealing a highly vulnerable side of himself especially in his tone of voice.

"You're right. It wouldn't be fair to her to take her now," Kurt reasoned. "You aren't even sure if your building will allow you pets," Kurt contemplated. "If you still want her after a while and she still hasn't found a farm where she can run free and chase mice and not turn into a snobby New York socialite, I'll bring her to you myself," Kurt said the words before he could stop himself. He couldn't help it - the tone of Sebastian's voice tugged at his heartstrings. It was only afterwards that he realized what he'd agreed to.

"She should not be on a farm. Lily deserves to be a pampered princess. She's too little now, even if I took the train it would probably be hard on her, but she's so tiny and adorable and... damn it," Sebastian muttered. He wasn't sure whether he was more upset at how much Lily had gotten under his skin or how vulnerable he sounded at the moment. It was when he heard that Kurt was willing to bring her to New York that Sebastian's spirits lifted. He looked down at the little kitten. "Would you really? So if a month from now, I decided that Lily should come home with me, you would really bring her?"

Kurt hesitated. A month was such a short time, but the sound of Sebastian's voice so hopeful, like a small child, trusting and vulnerable. "Yes," Kurt said simply and the yes sounded breathless. "One month," he said holding Lily against his heart with one hand and holding out the other for Sebastian to shake. "It's a deal."

He smiled at that. He took the hand. "One month then," he said with a grin, giving Kurt's hand a hearty shake. Lily nuzzled against Kurt's chest, squeaking at them both. He felt a connection to Lily - this little, tiny, helpless and adorable ball of fluff.

"You hear that," Kurt said bending his head slightly until he felt Lily's head nuzzle his jaw. "Papa's gonna send for you in a month, but you have to be really good until then," thinking about something Kurt brought up another realization. "I didn't negotiate the conditions of this drop," he said acting very serious. "Conditions are the epitome of any deal. Aren't they?"

Sebastian watched Kurt interact with Lily and they're just adorable. He laughed at the way Kurt worded things, but maybe he could make arrangements here with the shelter since she did still have some healing and growing to do before she could safely make a trip to New York. "Well then by all means, name your conditions, but realize there might be some negotiating to be done."

"I just want visitation rights. That's all," Kurt said. "I think it's adorable that you've fallen for Lily and I believe you're satisfying Michel's List for now by not taking her home, but if I'm going to bring her all the way to New York, I at least want to be able to see her from time to time. Would that be alright?"

He smiled, watching Kurt carefully, and he had a point, he wasn't taking Lily today, on the day that he volunteered, so that had to count for something - right? "Hmm I think that Lily wouldn't mind having two dads," Sebastian said casually watching Kurt to see his reaction to that phrase.

"Two dads? Oh...well...yes," Kurt stuttered as he stroked the back of his neck with his free hand. "I mean...that is..." he couldn't seem to get the words out and with every word he blushed harder. Finally, he huffed in exasperation and addressed Lily, "he did it on purpose Squeaks," Kurt whined. "He doesn't like me at all. See how he tortures me."

Sebastian couldn't help it...At the nervous reaction, which he really shouldn't have considering the comment Kurt himself had made earlier...Then the talking with Lily...Sebastian started laughing. It took him a few moments to regain his composure. "Of course not," Sebastian said seriously. "I've been spending time with you, delaying my return to New York as long as possible, just to torture you. I couldn't possibly like you," he quipped and the effect was lost because he was still snickering.

Kurt heard Sebastian's honest laugh and warmth curled in his stomach. This was his family. Right here - Sebastian and Lily - or at least it could be someday. "Bas," he said Sebastian's name so breathlessly that it almost felt like it was part of the breath, part of what he needed to sustain him. "Could we...that is...could we," Kurt was flustered that he couldn't ask and more importantly he was not sure he had a right to.

His attention was caught by the breathy way Kurt said his name, and then, there was this flustered stammering that had Sebastian arching a brow Kurt couldn't see. "Could we...what? You're going to have to ask, Kurt...I'm not a mind reader," Sebastian teased him.

"I...I mean...Kiss me," Kurt just blurted it out and he was so shocked that he asked in that way, but the moment was perfect. All he could think about was Sebastian and Lily and their home in New York, and Sebastian had called them dads. It was just so overwhelming for Kurt. Sebastian was insanely attractive. Kurt had made him laugh. He supposed that satisfied #45 on his list (KL#45: Get kissed by a gorgeous guy just because I made him laugh). More than anything, it would help Kurt be able to breathe again, so he desperately needed Sebastian to kiss him.

Sebastian said nothing. Instead, he carefully took into consideration where Lily was and got closer to Kurt in a way that wouldn't harm the kitten. His hand moved to cup Kurt's cheek, his thumb lightly moving against the soft skin. He leaned in, and pressed his lips to Kurt's. The kiss was soft and sweet. Just towards the end of it, before it broke, there was a hint of heat, just a taste of it, before Sebastian was pulling away. He remained silent, watching, waiting for Kurt's reaction.

"Oh God," Kurt's trembling fingertips flew to his lips and he found himself speechless. He felt like he couldn't breathe and all there was in this world was his heartbeat roaring in his ears. "That was our first kiss," he stated the obvious, but he didn't know what else to say. He was just amazed. He didn't realize that the word first implied there would be others. Sebastian Smythe had just kissed him and it was quite possibly a life altering kiss.

He was amused by Kurt's reaction. "Yes... it was. A good one - I hope," he commented but he didn't sound doubtful or worried, more teasing than anything. He took Lily from Kurt's lap. He brought her close and she nuzzled his neck. She squeaked at him. "Yes, I know Lily, he looks a little awestruck," Sebastian employed Kurt's tactics by telling Lily what he really wanted to tell Kurt. He pulled his cell phone out and took a quick picture, capturing the moment in a manner of speaking. He slipped his phone back into his pocket.

"It was breathtaking," Kurt admitted to Sebastian and he meant it. How he was going to survive in Lima without him, he didn't know, but Kurt Hummel was sure he was forever changed by Sebastian Smythe. Who would have thought it?

Items Crossed from Lists:

ML#57: Make a difference in at least one person's life.

ML#19: Volunteer at an animal shelter and try not to bring something home.

KL#45: Get kissed by a gorgeous guy just because I made him laugh.