I don't have much to say today, except enjoy.
"So how many presents have you got left to buy?" Mercedes asks Kurt, and yanks him by his hand towards JC Penney's Christmas sale.
"Only two," he replies smugly, because he's a planner and not someone who has to spend December 23rd stressing from mall to mall to get every single present bought in time. "And one of them is a skirt I'm making for Carole, which is more or less done. What are we doing here?" he objects, when his best friend pulls him into the store.
"I thought it was a good spot to find a little of everything for anyone in as little time as possible," she sighs, and pulls out her phone to scroll through the list of gifts she needs to get.
"You sure know how to make someone feel special, all that heart and consideration you put in each purchase," he teases, bumping his hip against her.
"Your gift being the exception, of course," she winks. "You're way too fabulous to get anything from here."
"And so are you," he agrees, and thinks about the matching ring and bracelet he's gotten for her. It's fierce, just like her, and he got lucky on a Black Friday-sale in a jewellery store. Even if he'd say she's priceless to him, his wallet disagrees. There is a price and a limit. This year he's not only buying gifts for his closest family, who is so much bigger now with Carole and Finn. He's also buying gifts for his friends, not something he's been used to. But thanks to Glee, he now has friends to appreciate like that. Rachel and he are doing a marathon baking day this weekend, to make gift bags of note-shaped gingerbread cookies for everyone in Glee. But he wants to give something special to Mercedes and Rachel.
"I'm considering a tie for Dad. Maybe something funny to use in his dentist office, to make it less scary for his patients," she muses, and wanders in the direction of the clothes' section.
Kurt frowns at the idea, but will give her a chance to think about it before judging her loudly. He's working on the whole "be nice"-concept. It can't hurt this close to Christmas, and he knows he can have quite the poisonous tongue. He doesn't want to shove his newfound friendships away so quickly, he's not ready to relax entirely yet. It's taken him so long to find someone who accepts him, absolutely all of him, and he's not entirely sure he's actually managed to find it now either.
While Mercedes studies the ties, Kurt moves towards the Christmas section, where a selected range of wool clothes is on display. Maybe he could find a warm hat for his dad, instead of those godawful baseball caps he insists on wearing 24/7/365. The heart scare is still vibrant in Kurt's spine, with the gut reaction to protect and pillow his dad.
"Excuse me, do you have a moment?"
Kurt discreetly glances around to see if someone else might have been addressed, but no one else is standing particularly close, so Kurt looks up from the wool hat with padded earmuffs. His eyes land on a handsome boy around his age, wearing what looks like a school uniform, with hair so gelled it makes Kurt wonder what he's hiding, and eyes that sucks his soul out in all the best ways. He doesn't blink until he hears something land on the floor, and spots the dark blue hat and his empty hands.
Yeah, Kurt thinks, this feels like a moment.
He nods dumbly at the boy, who's looking both expectant, shy and increasingly dejected.
"Oh good," he exhales. "I need to ask you a favour, and I know this might sound weird, but I swear I'm a good guy."
"Okay?" Kurt quirks an eyebrow, intrigued. From the corner of his eye, he makes sure Mercedes is still around, if this self-declared good guy turns out to be a lunatic. She's talking in the phone, but waves at him when she looks in his direction.
"I'm doing some late Christmas shopping. I've actually been done with most of my gifts for quite some time," he says, scoring points in Kurt's imaginary book for this handsome fella. "But my brother and I have this silly tradition, trying to outdo each other with the most idiotic gift. So I need your help," he concludes.
"Because I look like an expert on idiotic gifts?" Kurt says snarkily.
"Oh gosh, no, you look very stylish, I love your boots," the boy gushes, looking flustered, and damn him for endearing himself to yet another point in Kurt's mental book. "It's just that you and my brother are built similarly, so I was hoping you'd model a few sweaters for me to help me pick the most insane."
"You compliment me on my fashion sense, and then offer me to wear fugly sweaters?" Kurt crosses his arms across his chest, cocking one hip to the side to underline his faux disbelief.
"Umm, yes, that seems to be the case. I would be really grateful if you'd help me, though," he smiles bashfully, ducking his head as he scratches the back of his neck.
"Sure," Kurt shrugs. It's not as if he has anything better to do, as long as Mercedes is on the phone. From the look on her face, he expects Sam is on the other end.
"Sweet," the boy beams. "I'm Blaine, by the way, Blaine Anderson," he introduces, and offers his hand to shake. Kurt accepts it with a racing heart, and gives him his name.
"So Kurt," Blaine says, and wow, his name sounds amazing coming from this boy's mouth. "I've spotted a few hideous Christmas sweaters. Would you model them and help me judge? The worse they are, the better."
"Okay, let's get going," Kurt agrees. They each take a handful of candidates, and walk to the dressing stalls.
"So what did your brother get you last year?" he asks behind the curtain, and starts unbuttoning his coat. When he doesn't get an answer, he peeks out behind the curtain to make sure Blaine is still there.
"It's really embarrassing," Blaine sighs when he notices Kurt looking.
"I thought that was the point."
"Umm, a female sex doll," Blaine mumbles, and looks away. "It was awful, my aunt got the biggest eyes, and I struggled even more than usual to explain to my grandma that I don't have a girlfriend because I'm gay…"
"Aah…" Kurt says compassionately, and ducks behind the curtain again to pull the first sweater over his head. "I can see that must have been awkward. It makes this sweater look quite friendly in comparison," Kurt decides, and steps out to model it for Blaine, as promised. He walks down the aisle, turns dramatically, and struts back to Blaine, stopping a few feet from him and strikes a pose.
"You're wonderful!" Blaine blurts out, laughing into his hands. Kurt is wearing a bright red sweater, with bold letters spelling out Jingle my bells, and two metallic bells sewn to the hem of the sweater. He's never felt less wonderful, and still Blaine's words make him blush. "The sweater is terrible, but it won't make Coop feel embarrassed. He likes being a lady-magnet, and doesn't mind if the message comes out crystal clear. Do you mind trying the next?"
Kurt spins, and hides behind the curtain again, to try the next sweater.
"Tell me about your brother. What's he like?"
"I don't know," Blaine shrugs. "He lives in LA, so we aren't really close anymore. He moved years ago."
"So he's older than you?" Kurt's voice asks, muffled by the second sweater he's pulling over his face.
"Yes, eight years older. We used to have a lot of fun, but he left before he had graduated from high school," Blaine says, and he sounds sad.
"What kind of fun?" Kurt nudges, hoping happy memories will replace the sadness that is so out of place on such a gorgeous boy.
Blaine laughs, and Kurt can bet he's shy again, shaking his head in disbelief of what they used to do.
"We would perform together, sing duets and dance to choreography Coop planned, or just copying the music videos. Our guests had to sit through many a performance after Sunday soirees, and I'm still not sure if our parents were proud or embarrassed when we both insisted on putting on a show," he chuckles.
"Sounds like fun," Kurt giggles. "Are you ready?" He gives Blaine a moment to brace himself, before he steps out. He extends his hands dramatically, sings a "ta-daa", and tilts his head playfully at Blaine.
The sweater has a picture – a real picture, and not just a drawing or embroidery, of two reindeers "going at it", or "doing the nasty," as Puck would have said. Under is the text Merry XXX-Mas.
"I don't know who comes up with these," Blaine laughs. "How can this even be legal? Any other time of year, and these would have been banned."
"I know!" Kurt exclaims. "I adore the nature palette for interior we see coming, and the cabin in the wilderness-feel with the right accessories is trés chic. But this is just… Too much call of nature for my taste."
Blaine smiles widely at him.
"It's too realistic to be funny, and too obvious to be embarrassing, right?"
"Agreed," Kurt nods, and returns to try the next sweater. "So what did you get your brother last year?"
"Acting classes," he hears in a snort from the other side of the curtain. "He's an actor," Blaine adds, a lovely punchline to his gag gift.
"Nice. Are you ready for the last?" He doesn't wait for Blaine's answer, but strides out to reveal in all its glory a mid-thigh sweater with a snowman upside down, and his 3D carrot nose sticking out in an unfortunate place. He poses ridiculously, fiercer than he'd ever dare to be in front of the other in Glee, but Blaine is a stranger, so it doesn't matter.
"You look like you have experience with the catwalk," Blaine nods appreciatively, but smiling honestly.
"I may have picked up a hint or two from watching too much Top Model."
"Do you want to be a model?" Blaine asks, nothing but sincerity in his voice.
"No. If people are going to look at me, it's because I amaze with my voice and acting skills. But I wouldn't mind being the one who dresses the models," Kurt admits.
"So you want to be a fancy nurse?" Blaine giggles, and Kurt joins him.
"Exactly. I'm glad you understand me so well."
Blaine shrugs, and blushes.
"Yeah, well, that sweater isn't working either. I thought this was what I was looking for, but I need something grander."
"A man of grand gestures?"
"Go big or go home?"
"Can I get back to my own clothes? I think my dignity reached its limit after the second sweater."
"Of course, of course," Blaine gesticulates, and holds the curtain to the side for him. Yet a point in Kurt's non-existing book.
When Kurt gets out, Blaine is sitting cross-legged in a chair, and Mercedes is hovering too close to be coincidental.
"Kurt, hi!" she greets cheerfully. "You made a friend, I see."
"What do you want?"
"Nothing!" she objects innocently. "It's just that…"
"Was that Sam on the phone?" Kurt asks to nudge her on. Blaine gets up from the chair, and with a polite murmur, he takes the folded sweaters out of Kurt's hands to place them on their right shelves.
"It turns out that his parents and siblings are out of the house for the day…"
"Go," Kurt shakes his head. Even if it's insane to not finish the gift shopping this close to Christmas, he guesses he can understand the appeal of spending some time with your boyfriend to make out. He'd like the opportunity to find out if it's as exciting as everyone claims it to be. Making out with Brittany had just been weird.
"I'm sorry you got stood up," Blaine says softly, coming back just as Mercedes hurries out with a wave and a giggle.
"The alluring sirene called boyfriend, and I am just a boy and a friend," Kurt shrugs.
"Well, considering you happen to find yourself with some unexpected spare time, would you accept my offer for a coffee as a thank you for modelling the planet's ugliest sweaters?"
Kurt just looks at him, and wonders what this is. When did gorgeous, funny and polite boys start offering to buy him coffee?
"Or did you already have other plans?" Blaine adds, looking nervous, and is that disappointment?
"No," Kurt rushes out, to answer the last question. "I'd love some coffee," he adds to avoid any potential misunderstandings.
"Great!" Blaine smiles from ear to ear. "Is the coffee shop downstairs okay?"
"Of course." The canteen at McKinley would be just lovely, if it meant he got to sit down with Blaine for a span of time. "Maybe we can brainstorm better crappy Christmas gifts for your brother."
Blaine doesn't only buy Kurt the coffee, but even adds seasonal cookies for them. They hardly discuss present-possibilities for Cooper, getting lost in conversation when they discover their mutual love for Sondheim, bowties and New York.
It isn't until Carole calls to ask Kurt if he can bring back carrots and whipped cream for dinner that he realizes he should go home. So he does.
But he has a cute boy's phone number in his pocket, and tentative plans to meet when the biggest family-events are behind them. After all, Kurt needs to know how Cooper reacted to the big foam pointing finger.