A Home for the Holidays

Hi, all! Wrapping up the challenge a couple of days late.Apologies, but I was not home the past few days to write.This story is in the same 'verse as Dare, Clearing the Air, First Kiss, and Old is the New New, but is told from Burt's POV.I am combining the prompts Video, Winter, and Young.

When Burt Hummel learned two days before Christmas that his son's boyfriend was being left alone for the holidays, he couldn't believe his ears. Here was a kid, the same age as his own son, nonchalantly stating that his parents were taking a cruise and since Blaine was "old enough" and the cruise wouldn't return until after winter break ended, they were going without him. Burt waited a beat to tamp down his anger, then came to a quick decision.

"Pack a bag, kid. You're staying with us for the holidays," he said to Blaine, who was sitting next to Kurt at the Hudson-Hummel kitchen table looking stunned. Kurt looked just as shocked, if not more so.

"W-what? Sir, Mr. Hum – I mean, Burt," he stammered and corrected himself when Burt raised a brow at the formal address. "I couldn't. I mean, I'd love to, but I can't impose on you like that. I'll be fine, really, I just…"

Burt cut him off with a firm but gentle hand on his shoulder. "Blaine, there is no way I'm leaving you by yourself on Christmas. And you won't be imposing. We'll be happy to have you. Now go home, pack enough stuff to last until your folks get home, and be back here by dinnertime."

He patted Blaine on the shoulder and walked away, choosing to ignore the tears he saw forming in the boy's eyes. Blaine had his issues – hearing this latest bombshell, Burt could understand even better why – and he didn't want to embarrass him by making a big deal out of this.

One might not have thought that Burt Hummel would be okay with his son befriending, let alone dating, a someone like Blaine, with his leather jacket, heavy boots, torn jeans, gelled-back hair and at least one tattoo that Burt knew of. But if Burt had learned nothing else from his own son's often nonconformist sense of style, it was to not judge a person on appearances.

Burt had taken the time over the past few months to pay attention to how Blaine treated his son, and more importantly, how his son's life had changed for the better since he had known Blaine. To him, it was easy to see that despite the outward appearance, this boy was the best thing to ever happen to Kurt, and Kurt was quite possibly the best thing to ever happen to Blaine. If he could do anything to help the kid out, he was going to do it.

Now, on the morning after Christmas, Burt stood at the back door of his home leaning against the doorframe. Kurt and Blaine were chasing each other around the yard having what Blaine declared to be an "epic snowball battle." Blaine was dressed in one of Kurt's winter coats (his own leather coat being rather unsuitable for playing in the snow). He was also wearing a green and white beanie and matching scarf that Carole had given him the day before. Burt smiled as he noticed that a little of the shadow seemed to have fallen from Blaine's face. He looked young, innocent, and carefree – things he hadn't been in far too long for one his age.

"Carole?" he called quietly over his shoulder. "Bring me Kurt's phone, would you?"

Carole complied, grabbing the smartphone from the kitchen counter and handing it over with a quizzical look in her eye. "Doing some snooping?" she asked warily, ready to lecture him on the importance of privacy and trust.

"No," he answered mimicking one of Kurt's eye rolls. "I just wanted to get a little of this on video for Kurt. You know how these kids video everything these days," he laughed, tapping the screen a few times before finally hitting the right buttons to record just as Kurt tackled Blaine into a snowbank. "Besides," he continued, knowing that what he was saying would be picked up by the phone as it recorded, "if Blaine is going to be a part of this family, we're gonna want some home movies of his first Christmas as a Hummel."

A/N: That does it for this year's challenge, kids. Thanks so much for reading and special thanks to those of you who took the time to send me such lovely reviews and notes. Hugs to all!