Once More To Get It Right

by TintedInRose

Blaine, a hopeless vampire pining away for his lost love is ready to give up on this life when fate throws him a second chance. Kurt is just the same lonely boy from Lima, Ohio- the only difference is that he has these strange dreams of a boy with curly hair, golden eyes and... fangs?

25. Chapter 25

Disclaimer - I own nothing Glee or otherwise recognisable

Hi guys! Thanks for the amazing response to the last chapter, I love you all!

Sorry for the delay but I've had no internet at all. The line into my house is really old and the guys wont come out and replace it so i'm currently round my sister's house stealing hers while she reads over my shoulder (: I'm gonna try to reply to everyone's reviews tonight but if not then tomorrow sometime. Thanks for being patient with me (:

The chapter is monster long. It just kept going and going as I was writing but I really wanted to hash a load of things out so we can keep stuff moving along so I hope you like all the many elements. We kind of have it all in here. I just hope its not too much and it may seem a little jumpy again.

Also this chapter is dedicated to its-anderson-not-warbler for her belated birthday gift. Sorry I couldn't get it up yesterday for you but I hope you like it lovely! And ReM0 because she asked me to write a certain scene last chapter and I made her wait until now and she's pretty amazing (:

This chapter is going to be filled with errors most likely. I tried a million times to catch them all though so sorry.

Warnings- Swearing, Vampire stuffs, Smuttiness, Mild violence, Mentions of past death, Mentions of suicidal thoughts, Mentions of previous violence, Awful Italian...

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Once More To Get It Right

Chapter 25

Dalton

Blaine snarled and yanked forwards and the only thing that saved Cooper from getting his throat ripped out was his fast reflexes.

"I'll take that as a so, so," his brother chirped blithely as if nothing happened.

"What the hell are you doing here, Cooper?! Wes what the fuck are you doing letting him in?" Blaine shouted incensed, straining his arms futilely. He was shaking with anger. Drenched in it.

"He knows, Blaine," Wes snapped.

"Of course he fucking does now, you let him stroll in here!"

"No. He knew before then."

Blaine tensed and felt himself getting pulled deeper under. Felt himself getting that much closer to losing it completely like he had done with Karofsky. He'd been working so hard on his control but this really was testing him. This was all his fears realised, old wounds surfacing and he glanced nervously towards the bathroom door wanting to rush in there and gather Kurt up and never let him out of his sight ever again. "How?"

"Lost a blabby wolf somewhere squirt?" Cooper asked casually.

He growled. "Kessa."

"Is that her name? I didn't really pay that much attention, I was rather more interested in the part where she told me your long lost love was in fact, not so long lost. Imagine my surprise!" he mocked.

"Who else had she told?" Wes asked carefully and Blaine felt cold all over.

"Just yours truly. She was under the impression that Blaine and I didn't like each other," Cooper grinned down at him. "Crazy."

The bathroom door creaked back open and Kurt poked his head out only to gasp and rush towards the pair against the wall now fully clothed in a grey knit sweater and white jeans. "Let go of him!" he demanded but he only got halfway before Cloud, Cooper's Second, rushed past Wes and grabbed him around the middle. They distantly they heard a vase smash from the other room.

That was it.

Blaine roared, red blanketing his vision and broke free of Cooper sending him sprawling before doing the same with a surprised Cloud grabbing Kurt to him feeling and hearing his fae's heart racing in his chest.

"Don't you ever touch him," he spat vehemently, wrapping his body around Kurt's and backing them up trying to fight the impulse to rip and tear apart the vampire for daring lay hands on things that weren't his.

Tense silence fell and Wes walked over to Cloud and offered him a hand up. It was taken with a nod of thanks and the vampire didn't look all that put out for having been punched in the face. It was like he was expecting it. Grabbed Kurt for that express reason. And come to think of it, Cooper shouldn't have had any trouble keeping him pinned against that wall…

Realisation dawned and Blaine clenched his jaw so hard he thought it would splinter into a million pieces. The merciless baiting, taunting insults and pushing comments suddenly made a whole lot more sense. "Did we pass your little test?"

Cooper didn't bother denying it, didn't even look an ounce apologetic as he hopped up from the floor. "Oh with flying colours, didn't he, Cloud? Well done you."

"Yes. Flying," Cloud agreed testing his jaw where Blaine's fist had connected.

Cooper beamed then turned that megawatt smile on Kurt opening his arms wide like Kurt would go running into them through a field of daisies. "Brother in law! Kurtie-pie! Kurtie-kins! You're back."

Kurt eyed him suspiciously. "You're Cooper?"

He pouted dropping his arms. "You don't remember me? How can you not remember me? I'm amazing!"

"Amazingly conceited maybe," Kurt agreed snappishly with a bitch glare snuggling further into Blaine's side but the insult only garnered him a happy laugh.

"Oh it is you! In all your bitchy glory."

Blaine rumbled warningly as Kurt narrowed his eyes at the backhanded compliment and before any of them knew it Cooper was off the ground and dangling upside down with a shout of shock. Cloud made to move but Wes wrestled and grabbed him and Blaine just stared at his stupid brother, tilting his head and feeling a whole lot better all of a sudden.

"Kurt," Wes reprimanded with a grunt. "Put him down."

The fae prince glanced at his nails casually. "I'm not doing anything." But the sweat gathering at his brow bellied that statement. Kurt wasn't practised enough to hold this for long. That didn't mean that Blaine wasn't damn turned on by the display of power however. He began kissing at the back of Kurt's ear encouragingly.

"This is kind of humiliating," Cooper commented offhandedly, perfect hair fanned out like he'd been electrocuted.

Good.

"Not a nice feeling is it," Kurt snapped at him.

"Okay. Point made. I wasn't a very nice vampire."

"A sorry would be appropriate."

There was a beat of silence.

"What is this…'sorry'?"

He got dropped on his head as Kurt scoffed in disgust, sagging slightly in exhaustion making Blaine worry and begin to look him over.

"Oh no my beautiful face!" Cooper cried out dramatically cupping the area and curling up into a ball.

Wes sighed and let go of Cloud who gave him a glare but walked over to help his coven leader up. "Maybe we should move this to the other room before anyone else ends up on the floor?"

"No need. Cooper was just leaving," Blaine said pointedly, still double-checking Kurt.

"That sounds like a splendid idea, Wesley!" Cooper said setting himself to rights again completely ignoring Blaine. "Will refreshments be made available to us?"

Wes shook his head in despair, walking out the room without a word.

"I'll take that as a 'he'll see what he can scrounge up'."

Cloud said nothing only gave the elder Anderson a look before walking out after Wes, leaving the three alone.

The quiet that fell was tense and thick enough to wade through as the three stood silent and still in the middle of the room.

"He looks like you," Kurt finally said softly.

"Actually, he looks like me," Cooper corrected, preening.

"That's the only similarity though because he's a bit of an asshole," Kurt continued on dryly.

"A bit?" Blaine asked innocently.

"Oh come on, squirt. Kurtie. I didn't mean to interrupt booty time," the elder vampire pouted with a childish scowl.

"Cut the crap, Cooper!" Blaine snapped at the end of his emotional rope. He couldn't deal with an estranged brother popping up out of nowhere and acting like everything was fine and dandy when in reality Blaine felt like a thousand knives were being stabbed into his back every second that passed. This wasn't remotely entertaining or funny to him; in fact it was painful to a degree he didn't want to admit.

And all of a sudden the vampire flipped on a dime.

"Okay bro, honesty time? Wanna tell me how you raised your dead Chosen from the grave? He doesn't look very zombie-fied to me so I'm assuming it was another way."

Blaine felt Kurt tense next to him literally holding his breath, glasz eyes boring into the side of his head. They'd never discussed this in depth. Just how Kurt had come back. Amongst the chaos Kurt had never asked and Blaine had avoided it like the plague because he knew how Kurt would react. How he'd blame himself for his first mother's death even though her choice and sacrifice was just that. Hers. Blaine just didn't want him to hurt. Ever.

"We're not one hundred percent sure. Jeff has a theory," Blaine admitted, more for Kurt than for Cooper.

"Which would be?"

"None of your business actually."

"One call to dad and his merry band of council members and it becomes everyone's business Blaine so I'd spill if I were you," Cooper threatened taking his phone out and Blaine growled again before he laughed humourlessly. This was how he'd gotten in past Wes. But that wasn't even the real kicker as betrayal settled thick and acrid on his tongue. Blaine wanted to be numb to it. Thought that by now it at least wouldn't hurt as much.

"Of course you'd do that to me, I'm not even surprised." And he couldn't keep all of those emotions out of his voice, or off his face. It was all too near the surface to hide, bubbling and simmering and waiting to explode outwards instead of inwards for once.

Cooper frowned visibly at the display, eyes tracking knowingly and Blaine hated him for it. Hated knowing he could see all this weakness and that's what made the vampire lower his hand. "Squirt-"

"Stop calling me that!"

He could feel tears prickling his eyes and blinked them forcibly back.

"Blaine? Sweetie?" Kurt whispered and tried to grab his attention petting and grabbing at his stomach and he sounded so concerned for him that Blaine nearly lost it because Cooper used to sound like that too. They were his real family once upon a time. Cooper was there before he found Kurt. Both of them were there before he had a coven. And then Kurt was gone and Blaine was left completely broken. Devastated. He'd looked to his brother for help and all he got was more abandonment but this time it was voluntary.

"You were gonna kill yourself, Blaine," Cooper said suddenly quiet and the younger knew exactly what track he'd switched to. The same one that was running rampant through his own mind.

Blaine scoffed. "Oh don't act like you care when we both know different."

"I don't care? I don't care, yeah okay, Blaine. I don't care so I left my coven to come and see if you were alright. To make sure you weren't getting screwed over and your heart torn out of your chest again. I don't care so I didn't help you run after that fucking fangless Jeremiah when you weren't in the right state of mind. I don't care so I didn't let you go and get yourself killed!"

"That's bullshit!" Blaine snarled letting go of Kurt and stepping in front of him to square up to his taller brother. "I begged you for help, Cooper. Begged you on my fucking knee's!" His voice broke under the stress of his emotions.

"He would have killed you! You think he wasn't expecting you to chase after him?" Cooper gritted, face tense.

"That was my choice!"

"AND I DON'T CARE!" Cooper shouted back and Blaine even flinched at the fire in his eyes. "Yeah okay, you got something right, Blaine. Happy? I didn't fucking care that you wanted to get yourself killed because you're my brother and I love you and I wasn't helping you end your life!"

Blaine clenched his fists and shut his eyes against the words battering at his heart and mind. 'you're my brother and I love you'. How long had it been since he'd heard that? But he couldn't let it get to him. Let those words suck him under once more because in all honesty Blaine didn't think he'd be able to survive it if it happened again.

"I didn't want to die then," Blaine whispered.

Cooper shook his head pityingly. "Yes you did," he said equally as soft. "Only difference was you wanted him to die with you."

And before Blaine could stop it a betraying hot tear spilled over and slid a track down his cheek. Kurt stepped up to his back and slipped his soft hand into his. A silent comfort as he pressed his lips into his shoulder and held them there.

Cooper laughed tonelessly and ran a hand through his hair. "I wish I could say I was sorry for it, Blaine. But I'm not. It makes me fucking selfish to know you were alive in the world miserable and suffering but it was better than not having you in it at all."

Blaine swallowed past the painful lump in his throat and averted his eyes away from the stark sincerity he saw written all over his brother's face. A brother he'd tried to convince himself he hated for years and years.

"I looked for him you know."

He looked back over unable to stop himself in light of that statement and Cooper shook his head sadly at the expression on his face.

"What you thought I didn't want to tear his head from his shoulders too? Kurt's family, squirt. You're my family and all our daddy issues aside that's never changed for me so of course I looked for the cowardly asshole."

Never in all these years had he thought that. That Cooper would look regardless. That he just didn't want Blaine to chase after Jeremiah blind with rage and stupid with grief.

"Once this gets out he'll be back," Blaine croaked.

"I'll be here if you want me, Blaine. Right by your side."

It was an offer. An olive branch. A rope bridge across the yawning gap Blaine had dug for them over the years with his misdirected fury. This reconciliation had been years in the making and suddenly all of the hate and anger Blaine had held so close began to drain though he tried desperately to hold on. The truth was… Blaine wanted his brother back. The stupid self conceited idiot that he was. But was it that simple? Could he. They. Put all of those years of bad feeling behind them in an instant? The truthful answer was no. They'd probably have more arguments. A few fights. But they could work from that. They could work from here if Blaine just reached out.

He felt Kurt slip his hand out of his then give a little push to the small of his back and that's all it took before he was walking into Cooper's arms burying his face in his shoulder. Familiar but so long absent arms came up to hold him back and Blaine couldn't have helped the second tear falling if he tried.

"I still want a present for the silent treatment you've been giving me," Cooper said after a while and Blaine couldn't help but laugh and roll his eyes as he pulled back. Cooper beamed at him eyes soft before tracking over his shoulder.

"C'mon, Kurt get in on the loving! If we're gonna act like teenage human girls than I'm gonna go the whole hog!"

Blaine glanced back at his Chosen and saw him brushing tears off his cheeks before stepping forwards hesitantly only to be enfolded by many Anderson arms.

"I still expect a present for you being a massive cockblock," Blaine mumbled.

Cooper burst out laughing and Kurt gasped scandalised.

It wasn't perfect, but it was definitely a start.

---

To say Kurt was mortified by what happened that morning was a vast understatement.

When Kurt imagined meeting Blaine's family, being caught naked in bed having literally just got off wearing a crown of all things was not high on his list of ways he'd wanted the occasion to go. He'd also never imagined that someone related to Blaine could be such an asshole. He insulted Kurt with every sentence out of his drawling, too-happy-with-himself-not-to-be-insufferable mouth and he pushed Blaine to the point where he lost it. His vampire had been doing so well lately controlling his instincts and temper but within five seconds Cooper Anderson set Blaine back three weeks.

Kurt's first look at the elder vampire was interesting. Cooper was scrutinising him over Blaine's shoulder. Analysing, calculating, cold. Kurt didn't see much beyond that. The expression on his face or the look in his eyes as he tried to dissect Kurt piece by piece. And then Blaine was ushering him into the bathroom with a pile of far too many clothes and closing the door.

Kurt had never gotten ready so fast in his life, uncaring if the garments matched for once, uncaring about his hair other than to rid it of the adornment, uncaring that he needed a shower. Blaine was out there, probably hurting and Kurt wasn't going to cower away inside the bathroom no matter how intimidating Cooper Anderson might be.

There was a crash, angry voices and snarls and Kurt dug deep inside himself for a centre on his magic. It was tentative at best, slipping constantly out of his grasp because he was getting more agitated by the second but it comforted the fae that it was there at least.

He slipped open the door and peered outside only to lose all the air in his lungs as panic crept up his spine and neck creating a roaring in his ears and a thickness in his throat. Blaine was pinned against the wall by Cooper, clearly not happy about it and Kurt didn't think further than that as he rushed out demanding Blaine be released.

The other vampire was a complete surprise and not just in his exotic, wild appearance.

Kurt hadn't spotted him before, hadn't known he was even present and so the arms catching him around the waist shocked and panicked him so much that the thin hold on his magic slipped and he felt it lash out waywardly. A vase smashed and he hoped that was the only damage. Beyond that Kurt didn't have much time to struggle or think of a way out of the situation when Blaine roared so angrily that it sent shivers of remembrance down Kurt's spine to that day at McKinley and broke free of Cooper sending him sprawling across the carpet all the way to the bedside table. There was a blur of movement and then the tight hold on him vanished with a rush of air and a sickening crack right next to the fae's ear and then familiar arms were tucking him into safety once more.

That the whole incident was a test to see whether or not Blaine would react as was proper for a mated vampire to made Kurt inexplicably angry. He hated being played with. He'd spent most of his life having bullies and jocks toying with him just for the fun of it, making up rules to a game he never wanted to play and before he even registered himself he was pulling on his magic and directing it straight at Cooper.

The energy it took was immense and the draining he could feel was like going three days without sleep but it was worth it. Worth it because he could feel the little shred of satisfaction Blaine got out of it.

He couldn't have held it even if Wes didn't tell him to put the idiot down and then there were more words and it was just the three of them in the bedroom. Still. Silent. And Kurt finally got a chance to really look at Cooper Anderson.

He was handsome for sure; there was no getting around that fact. He had lighter, straighter hair than Blaine's. Dark blue eyes all caught up in a face that was cut in classically Hollywood heartthrob features. They were pretty much opposite on face value until you really looked. The skin tone was the same dusky tan, the jaw-line was hard and smooth, the mouth pouty and full. Kurt could see a lot of similarities in the brothers that labelled them just that and he was speaking the thought aloud before he even processed it properly.

Of course smartass had to jump in with some more stunning rejoinders and Kurt could feel the tension rising and rising in Blaine next to him and the fae prince wanted to just explode with anger over what the elder was doing to the younger when Cooper said the one thing that could snuff the fuse.

How did Kurt come back from the grave?

It had never been something Kurt had dwelled too hard on because well, the morbidity of the subject pretty much kept his thoughts from straying to far into those pathways but… it was a valid question. From the titbits he'd heard here and there from mainly Jeff and Blaine he was reincarnated which was fine because he'd heard of that concept before at least, even if he hadn't believed it before. But why? How had this happened? The shocked reactions all around said that this was rare, or maybe even the first ever occasion this had happened so again. How? How had this happened to just him? A lot of people lose loved ones and wish them back so how had Kurt gotten so lucky? The teen was caught between just accepting it for what it was and the desire to know the ins and outs. The former was the safer option. Easier on his mental and emotional state who he was sure couldn't take too many more surprises or revelations. The latter was slowly becoming more of a need to know instead of want to know however. Kurt wanted to understand his life now, what it was, why it was and he'd never get where he wanted to be if he shied away every time a scary prospect reared its head.

There wasn't time to ask however because from that point the conversation blew up leaving both Anderson men open and bleeding as they hashed out a century old feud. Kurt felt like perhaps he was intruding but he couldn't tear himself away. Couldn't leave Blaine when he was so vulnerable- something Kurt knew he hated to be.

Cooper pushed and Blaine pushed back twice as hard, trying to keep the distance when Kurt could tell all he wanted was to erase it but he was scared. Scared of getting hurt. Of being vulnerable again in front of a male that had, in his eyes, wronged him when he was at his weakest.

The reasons made sense to Kurt even if Blaine was blind to it and fought them regardless of how sincere Cooper was. He said that Blaine had wanted to die. Kurt sickeningly knew that to be truth. He said that he cared about and loved Blaine. The look on his face spoke no lie and it was that openness and effort that finally endeared the elder brother to Kurt. Not the bravado or Hollywood smile or crude jokes. This was Cooper Anderson and Kurt liked him. Saw he had a kind heart under the facade. A loyal one.

Blaine needed that one tiny push to get him started and that's all it took before some of those old hurts were finally allowed to start healing and Kurt felt the tears fall down his face because Blaine deserved this. Deserved the happiness and love and understanding Cooper was offering. His boyfriend was a child again in his big brothers arms, desperate for affection and approval and protection for just those few minutes.

Kurt knew it wouldn't be enough.

That Blaine would pull back eventually and then internalise it all again. Smile and pretend that nothing was wrong while really he was blaming and guilt tripping himself every second. Kurt wasn't sure what to do about it though. He didn't want to push too hard, he was scared of not pushing enough, sometimes he didn't know what he was pushing for because he hadn't been here for that hardest stretch and that made him feel guilty.

As he was drawn into the circle of warm arms Kurt tried to push it away like he had done before but this time it wouldn't go. Wouldn't loosen its grip and Kurt felt tight with it. Wound in it. Unable to concentrate or breathe freely without his heart panging or the threat of tears burning his eyes.

He pulled away with a fake smile.

"I'm just gonna go speak to Wes about something real quick," he said hoping it didn't come out as shaky as he thought it did.

Blaine frowned a little and opened his mouth but Kurt was quick to cut him off.

"I'll be fine for five minutes, Blaine. Besides you've got loads to catch up on here. Lots to explain."

He glanced upwards at the elder and saw that Cooper was scrutinising him again. It was warmer this time but still just as invasive and Kurt had to look away.

"He's right, squirt, I'm gonna need to know details if I'm gonna help you figure out what you're doing in this hot mess of yours," Cooper said much to Kurt's shock but he wasn't going to question it. The vampire probably had his reasons and Kurt was just thankful they didn't clash with his intentions.

"Okay," Blaine agreed slowly. A whole lot reluctantly and Kurt swallowed heavily again fighting not to cry. Not yet, not yet. Because all this reluctance and suspicion were all stemming from the main issue here. Blaine wasn't alright. And that killed Kurt.

"We'll be in his office I imagine," Kurt chirped overly bright and then pulled away because he had to go now before he broke down. He forced himself to keep going even though Blaine called his name and caught Wes' eye as soon as he entered the living area. The leader had overheard the whole thing of course and he rose from where he was picking up pieces of shattered glass and walked immediately to the door, opening it and leading the way without a word.

Kurt managed to hold it together for the whole walk, passing Adam who gave him a concerned glance and a few Giver's Kurt hadn't been properly introduced to. It was inside the masculine, simple office that Kurt settled into the wingback, curled up and sobbed into his hands.

He felt Wes settle down in front of him, patient and calm just waiting him out but Kurt couldn't stop. He felt wretched and twisted up inside to the worst degree. How had he let Blaine carry on like this? How had he not done something sooner? How had he not fucking realised that Blaine was just as broken as he was before he got back?

There was a reason why he went to Wes instead of anyone else.

He was the only one he could trust to tell it to him straight. No sugar-coating to spare his feelings. No comfort when there wasn't any to be had. Wes was a realist and a leader. He didn't have the time to pander or coddle and no matter how much he'd like a pair of arms around him soothing him right now he also defied himself that luxury.

He could have gone to Jeff and he would have cooed to him and promised him everything was fine because he was his best friend and that's what they did. He could have stayed with Blaine and let him convince him he was fine. Let him take all of Kurt's guilt and hurt and lay it all on his shoulders instead.

He shook his head defiantly.

"Not to be an ass but I rather like the walls where they are right now, Kurt," Wes broke into his pity party and Kurt frowned raising his head enough to see through blurry eyes that the walls were indeed shaking. Rattling the nondescript pictures and the built in bookshelf.

Kurt squeezed his puffy eyes shut and tried to breathe through it. Rein it in.

Wes made an affirmative sound and Kurt sighed as the magic swirled under his skin making it itch and bubble at the restraint and no outlet. The air moved again telling Kurt that Wes had risen from his spot and he cracked his still streaming eyes open to see him perched on the edge of his desk looking sympathetically at him but still calm faced in the wake of this epic breakdown.

"I can only assume this is about, Blaine," he began and Kurt pressed his lips into a tight line to keep the awful noises inside that wanted to escape. Wes took that as a yes.

"I've been meaning to talk to you about it for a while now actually."

That caught Kurt's attention and he narrowed his eyes. "You knew?" he croaked.

Wes sighed and there was an extended weariness there that spoke of someone who had been dealing with this a long, long time. "Everyone knows, Kurt. You think any of us are stupid enough to believe that just because you're back that all those issues he had, that were eating him up were just going to vanish into thin air?" He rubbed at a temple. "He's better now that you're back don't get me wrong. He is. But it's all still there. Festering."

"I don't know what to do," Kurt admitted desperately. "He won't talk to me about it, not voluntarily. He just ignores it hoping it will go away and he's using me. Using me to cover it up somehow but I just can't," he cried brokenly. "I know he wants me to but I can't help do that to him, he needs to talk about this but I have no fucking clue as to what I'm supposed to be helping him with."

He knew the vampire felt guilt but what exactly was he supposedly guilty of? He felt blame too, but what was he to blame for? It all centred around his death he knew but he had no idea what was swirling around the vampires head. Kurt had a hundred year plus gap of knowledge, a huge gaping hole of things Blaine refused to acknowledge and Kurt was stumbling around down there in the dark.

Wes swallowed and nodded. "None of us could possibly understand it, Kurt. None of us can get into his head to see or feel what he did all those years but you don't have to feel what he felt in order to help him."

"But how am I supposed to understand what he went through? How can I help him if I don't understand it?"

"You understand loss don't you?" Wes asked seriously.

Kurt thought back to his mother, her kind, beautiful face a little blurry and seen through child's eyes but the emotions were stark and as fresh as that first day he lost her. "Yes."

"Blaine lost you, Kurt. It all starts from there and before you pull a Blaine Anderson it was not your fault. You had no power over Jeremiah's actions, or how Blaine dealt with it all afterwards. All you can do is be there for him now. Start from that point because no one else can do it."

"But what if that's not enough?" Kurt whispered. He had been there for Blaine, the vampire had to know that, so he was purposely avoiding it with Kurt.

"Then push."

Kurt glanced up at the familiar phrase. "Push."

Wes nodded looking wryly amused by the thought. "I know you have it in you, Kurt. God's above do I know."

Kurt cracked the smallest smile and wiped at his face. "He won't like it."

Wes rolled his eyes looking every inch the frustrated leader even in his black sleep tee and pants. "He didn't like it when we were forcing him to ear or sleep or even get out of bed but we did it anyway. The question is do you care?"

When this was all to help Blaine? Kurt shook his head and Wes smiled widely for the first time.

"Good."

The beginning's of a plan was forming in Kurt's mind and he was determined.

---

Kurt spent ten more minutes in Wes' office calming himself down before they both got up and headed back to Blaine's rooms. He received a shoulder squeeze and a reassuring half smile before the leader pushed the door open to reveal Blaine and Cooper sitting together with their heads bent low over the coffee table where some papers were spread out and Cloud standing stoically still at the wall behind them. The body language between the brothers was strained at best. Inches of space between them as they poured over what looked like some kind of blueprints but they were interacting at least. In the same room and talking- if only over building plans for now- and that was considerable progress.

Blaine snapped his head up as soon as Kurt stepped a foot inside the door. Golden eyes swept his frame and calculated in seconds. "What happened?"

That should have freaked him out, how in tune Blaine was to him but really – other than being annoying at a moment like this- it warmed his heart. Kurt smiled reassuringly. "I just needed to hash something out. Everything's fine."

Blaine frowned heavily at the vagueness and made to stand up, Cooper's hand on his arm the only deterrent. It gave him pause as he looked to his brother but then back to Kurt. "Hash what out?"

Kurt locked eyes with the elder Anderson and something unspoken passed between them. A thread of almost comprehension and Kurt was really noticing that Cooper was far more intelligent than any of them had fathomed.

"Let the prince be squirt, he doesn't need you up his royal ass all hours of the day no matter how good it feels," he joked crudely and Blaine turned a glare and a growl on him effectively taking the spotlight off of Kurt.

Wes shook his head incredulously like he was having much the same thoughts as Kurt was earlier. The fae took the opportunity however. "I'm gonna go take a shower then make sure everything's packed for tomorrow morning. I want to get there for breakfast."

He walked into the bedroom closing the door and headed straight for the bathroom locking the door behind him and slumping against the wood with a sigh. He hated this. Keeping secrets from Blaine but with the way the vampire was right now he couldn't tell him and have him not flip. It was sad but it was true and it only made Kurt more resolved.

He pushed off and undressed quickly jumping under the spray once it was hot enough glancing longingly at the pristine tub. He'd love to fill it with bubbles right now and just soak away all the kinks and worries that had built up but his desire to see Blaine over rid that. He just needed these few minutes to compose himself before he saw his boyfriend. Washing quickly he stepped back out and saw about moisturising the dryness the hot water caused away, drying his hair then stepping back out to redress in something more selected. Black jeans and Blaine's white knit jumper that was far too wide in the shoulders and short in the arms but it smelled like him and that's all he cared about.

Him a month ago would have put fashion above comfort every time but this was just one of the many changes happening to him. It wasn't that he now shunned the fashionista side of him. Not at all. It's just he recognised that sometimes it was alright to dress down. It wasn't all about the impact anymore. The need to be noticed. The need to be good at something. He knew he was a wizard with clothes and here he didn't have to prove it constantly to keep that in people's minds and this way he found he took far more enjoyment in it. Besides it was hard to feel underdressed when even their sweatpants were designer.

The fae prince had sorted and had everything packed since Friday so there was nothing to check really so Kurt settled on the bed and breathed deeply staring at the rumpled sheets, the discarded camera. He shook his head. How did they get from there to here? From so seemingly carefree and happy to this angst and sadness?

His phone chimed and he crawled over to the bedside table to pick it up. He was shocked when he saw the name and hesitated a few seconds before swiping over the message.

From Rachel;

In light of recent events I'm willing to overlook you're defection to the enemy and start fresh. R.B.*

Was she serious? He almost laughed out loud. He wasn't anywhere near naïve enough not to understand the reasoning behind this and he didn't have the patience to entertain Miss Berry's self involvement at the present moment.

From Kurt;

Not interested.

The reply was quick in coming.

From Rachel;

I must say I am shocked and disappointed in you're attitude especially at this time of year. R.B.*

He rolled his eyes and sent off one last text before throwing his phone back down.

From Kurt;

This has nothing to do with me and it's all about you. And I will say this once and only once. I. Am. Not. Helping. You. Get. Back. Together. With. Finn. Merry Christmas.

He was never exceedingly close with Rachel so her dismissal of him didn't hurt as badly as Mercedes for example did, but just because it wasn't as bad didn't mean it made it alright. Kurt didn't want to hold a grudge, was far too tired and far too aware that he had actual real enemies that he had to put his energy into so Kurt liked to think that if the girl- if any of them- apologised, then he wouldn't hold it against them. They would never go back to what they were. Would never be proper friends again right from the off but at least they could be civil. Wish the best for one another perhaps? He glanced at his phone and sighed.

Maybe he was naïve.

He got up from the bed and headed back into the living area heading straight for Blaine. They had hardly talked or interacted properly since Cooper's arrival and though it was only an hour at most Kurt missed him. Missed the closeness and the connection. He settled on the end and Blaine immediately drew him under his arm leaning back so Kurt could snuggle into his naked chest. His fingers went automatically to the beautiful ring that hung around the vampires neck twisting and playing with it daintily as Blaine breathed him in and placed kisses to his hair.

"You okay, beautiful?"

Kurt nodded into his flesh not taking his eyes off the woven, intricate band he held between finger and thumb.

"How about you?" he whispered back.

The response he got made him close his eyes. "I'm fine."

Of course you are.

"You're not going to get away with not telling them," Cooper announced loudly with an incredulous laugh from where he was now conversing with an exasperated Wes. Blaine tensed up under Kurt visibly.

"Try telling that to your blood, I'm sure you'll find it enlightening," Wes rejoined dryly settling back and propping an elbow up of the arm of the chair.

The elder spared a brief glance at the younger before turning back again. "Oh he's already told me his views. With a lot of growling added in which made the whole thing wonderfully dramatic but I'm talking to you because despite the past you're the leader of this coven and Blainer's now has to fall in line like a good little vampire."

Wes ran a hand over his face and caught eyes with Blaine over Kurt's head.

"You should do it," Kurt found himself saying. Three pairs of eyes snapped to him in surprise. Kurt rose to sit somewhat upright and met them all dead on as his mind worked overtime. "That way we have the advantage right?"

Cooper grinned at him. "Oh I always loved when you got all devious."

Blaine gave him a warning rumble and scooted both of them further away. "They can't know, Kurt. It's not safe."

Kurt looked him in the eye. "They're going to find out. Everyone's said it. You know it sweetie. I can't stay locked up down here forever."

Blaine's gorgeous face was pained. "That council is corrupt. As soon as they know the rogues will too and that means-"

"Jeremiah," Kurt filled in softly.

Cooper stretched his arms up over his head and folded them behind his neck casually. "He's not wrong."

"There are…issues with them yes, but that doesn't change the fact," Wes countered and Cooper tipped his head.

"Choosing when and how you tell them is the best way to do damage control. We'll need to get everything straight too. Every law, every tiny detail if we're gonna get away with this." The 'we' didn't escape any of their attention and Cooper glanced around before rolling his eyes. "What I haven't proven myself yet? Want me to walk on coals or pull a rabbit out of my ass?"

Kurt wrinkled his nose. "Distasteful."

He felt Blaine gazing at him and turned just in time to catch the kiss he placed on his nose fully. "You're cute," he said and Kurt shook his head disbelievingly.

"Sidetracked much, sweetie?"

And Kurt had a feeling that this was just another distraction in a long line so Blaine didn't have to face something. Kurt refused to be that distraction anymore no matter how hard it was.

"There's also another issue we haven't thought about," Wes spoke up, knowing eyes directed at Blaine.

Kurt glanced over and met that dark gaze.

"The Fae Royal Family."

The teen swallowed and struggled not to immediately flip out. He'd dealt with this. The possibilities. The implications. The expectations. "They'll tell them?" he asked faintly.

Wes nodded. "They have the duty too. Plus they want that Alliance back Kurt, more than anything and they'll see this as a way to do that."

"More like my father will," Blaine spat and Cooper hummed an affirmative.

Kurt glanced away at the floor.

Really what choice did he have? This issue wasn't going away. They're existence or his connection to them wasn't going to just up and disappear and really, maybe it was time to stop hiding. He'd decided earlier he was going to stop avoiding and so now this was crunch time. If he couldn't do that here then how was he supposed to do it anywhere else?

He closed his eyes and nodded. "I can do it. I'm ready to meet them."

It felt like announcing the finality of a death sentence and equally as scary.

Blaine cupped his cheek and pulled his head up and around to look him in the eye. Judge for himself. Kurt stared into turbulent amber for what seemed like a lifetime before Blaine rested their foreheads together.

"Are you sure, beautiful?"

Kurt traced fingers along his collarbone, along the line of his chain all the way down until he could hook a finger in warmed silver. It gave him strength. "Time to stop hiding."

"We can let the lovebirds have Christmas break or whatever its called when you're pretending to be a student for about the fiftieth time. I can't leave my coven for more than a few days without things exploding or people messing up the décor so I'll be in contact. It's better if it's sooner rather than later however," Cooper said to Wes letting the couple have their moment.

The door knocked and Blaine pulled back reluctantly to beckon them in. It was Tristan and Leon with a cart of breakfast fixings and drinks.

"Refreshments!" Cooper cried delighted, covering up the serious atmosphere. "Look Cloud, isn't this lovely?"

"Lovely," the quiet man intoned in the same disinterested tone he used about everything eyeing the new vampires speculatively, like he was working them out exactly. Kurt would have thought the vampire was robotic or something if it hadn't been for the deep, brooding vibe he gave off in spades. He really was an enigma.

"And Giuliani how are you Mr Italy? Tristan I haven't seen you since you'd basically just reached maturity. My how you've grown… and put things in your face," the elder Anderson greeted enthusiastically.

Leon bowed his head in deference to the highest authority in the room. Clearly a traditionalist. "Cooper Anderson."

Tristan didn't bow however, didn't actually say anything at all as he stayed just a step behind Leon scanning the room, mainly Cloud, warily.

"Hi guys," Kurt spoke up trying to cut the awkward tension. He got up and approached the cart looking back over his shoulder. "Want anything sweetie?"

"Well if you're going up there pumpkin-" Cooper began and got a hard punch to the arm. "Ow!"

Blaine humphed still glaring at his brother as he answered. "Whatever you're having is fine, beautiful."

Kurt rolled his eyes at the pair and instead turned back to the couple nearest the door. Tristan gave him a small smile. "Good morning, Kurt," was almost whispered.

He was dressed as ever in a dark tee that clung to his light, wiry frame showcasing the beautiful piece on his arm and black skinny jeans with his combat boots. The piercings in his mouth and eyebrow were still plain silver but his multicoloured hair was pushed back with a headband today. Like it had been getting in his way and the effect transformed his face. He looked bright and open, his skin flawless apart from a small streak of charcoal on his jaw line and his cheekbones seemed sharper. He really was oddly stunning in all the strangest ways.

"Buongiorno," Leon smiled charmingly.

And then you had Leon of course. Pressed and perfected in a crisp white button down that he left the top buttons undone and a pair of charcoal slacks that hugged his legs just right. He was classically handsome in all the right ways with that dash of Italian that melted girls and boys in their seats. His hair was pulled back and plaited, tied off with a white ribbon, like always.

"How are you both today?" Kurt questioned grabbing a small plate and absently placing a few things on.

"Good. This one has been up since sunrise," Leon throwing a wink at Tristan making him duck his head with a tiny smile.

"Why's that?"

"I wanted to put something in the frame Leon got me," Tristan admitted peeking up at him through his mass of lashes.

"Those lifeless things do no justice to your art but they were the best I could find," Leon tripped off in pretty, smooth tones and Kurt wanted to jump up and down and clap in excitement when Tristan blushed.

"I don't know about that…"

The Italian threw his hands up then pressed one to his chest. "So modest, tesoro. My heart cannot take it when you say such things."

Tristan's blush deepened but he was gazing at Leon like he hung the stars and the moon and for a second Kurt was reminded of the lost, torn little boy who couldn't bear to part with the older vampire. Who clutched onto his fingers and hair and looked at him like he was a haven all by himself. Kurt bit his lip because they were just so… right together? Now that he pretty much had settled it in his mind that they were together he was shipping them hard and all these tiny looks and touches between them were like torture. It was fascinating to try and catch them all. Realising that the simplest thing could be so intimate. A word here or there could mean so much.

"So how long are you staying at your father's?" Tristan asked changing the focus.

"All break, so just under two weeks."

"And Blaine is staying with you for all this time?" Leon questioned glancing over at him.

Kurt stiffened at the reminder. "Uh, no. Just for tomorrow and the day after and then he'll be back here."

While his father was generous enough to invite Blaine to their holiday plans it didn't include housing him for the whole of break. According to what limited information Burt knew Blaine had a home here of sorts at Dalton with company enough and for a boyfriend of not even a month yet he probably saw the two days as more than sufficient. Vampires, Chosen bonds, covens and evil rogues didn't even enter into his mindset.

Leon frowned. "He cannot be fond of that idea si?"

Kurt shrugged defeated as he picked at a pastry. "There's nothing we can do about it, but I'll still visit until school starts up again."

"We'll miss you," Tristan told him softly.

Kurt smiled with a blush. "I never thought I'd say it but I'll miss you guys too. Crazy and all."

Leon chuckled, a deep pleasant sound. "You seem to forget that you and Jeffery are most times the main source of the pazzo around here."

Kurt sniffed haughtily. "I have no idea what you're insinuating."

Tristan smirked with a silent laugh of his own before Wes called over to them. "Thanks for sorting this for us you two, I appreciate it."

Leon waved him off. "Our pleasure of course."

Wes smiled gratefully at them. "Well go enjoy the rest of your day."

The two said their goodbyes and left and Kurt finished loading up the plate and brought it back over to his seat.

"What's the activity been like in New York lately?" Wes asked out of nowhere once he was sure they were fully alone once more.

Cooper paused and cut eyes over to him. "The rogues have been… troubling."

"Their activity has definitely increased, even here."

Cooper frowned lightly as his mind worked things over. "I haven't seen them this active since during the war. I don't kid myself that they haven't been around, working under the radar but to be this open about it?"

"What's changed," Blaine asked the question.

Cooper pointed. "Exactly. What the hell have they got to be so confident about? It's really bugging me, I haven't had a full nights beauty rest in a while and that just not okay!"

"Have the council said anything?" Wes asked sounding exhausted, like this had been playing on him for quite a while. "Surely they know from the coven updates they've been getting."

"Oh they know," Cooper laughed studying his cufflink. "Whether they decide to pull their heads out of their asses and do something proactive instead of just talking about it however?"

"Where are they stationed right now?" Blaine asked.

"Chicago, last I heard."

Blaine hummed. "Not a big hotspot."

"The territory is good but the coven is weak. If it was a hotspot you'd never know until it was too late," Wes said rubbing a hand over his lips.

"What happened to the Pavel's?"

"Fled abroad about twenty years ago," Cooper told him with a snort. "Some might call them clever for getting out early."

"Or cowards," Blaine gritted.

"The point is, with them gone Chicago doesn't have the power behind it anymore," Wes sighed rubbing at his temple.

"The rogues get a foothold like that…" Blaine started letting the implication speak for itself and even Kurt shivered and most of this was flying right over his head.

"As long as the council is there its safe. The coven is weak on its own but with those vampires there no rogue will go near it," Cooper stated.

"But wouldn't that be the perfect opportunity to… you know?" Kurt asked uneasily.

"Kill them?" Cooper filled in bluntly and Kurt flinched.

"I mean, you said the coven protecting them is weak. Surely if they sent enough vampires in there?"

They considered it.

"I doubt they want to slaughter them. Well at first," Wes spoke slowly thinking it over.

"They'll want to make examples of them first," Blaine agreed.

"Kurt's not wrong though," Cooper said pulling out his phone. "They're not safe there."

"What are you doing?" Kurt asked.

"Texting my good for nothing father. He'll ignore it no doubt but at least that shits off my conscience then," he replied airily tapping away. "Annnnnnd smiley face."

Blaine snorted a laugh when he peered over at the text that was no doubt ridden with sarcasm and emoticons. "He's gonna hate you."

"No change there then. The world is aligned!"

"They haven't full out tried attacking a coven yet," Wes said mostly to himself. "The moment they do is the moment we have to worry."

"The council's dragging their feet but that doesn't mean you have to be young padawan," Cooper grinned.

Wes frowned heavily at him. "Besides being insulting, what are you saying?"

Cooper turned deadly serious and leant forwards tapping at the blueprints of what looked like the layout of this complex to Kurt. He wondered why Blaine had them. "Look I know you want to be a good little coven leader and follow the rules but that time is over and done with. They're not going to help you when you ask when the shit hits the fan, Wesley. If there's one thing you count on its' that."

The air turned cold around them.

"What do you suggest?"

"Clean house. Batten down the fucking hatches because when this storm hits this place is gonna be a ground zero. You've got far too many powerful lines and assets here for them to ignore and when word gets leaked that Kurtie-kins is back? The one link to getting the Fae on side again?"

"Can we get word to them first?" Kurt asked shakily. "My… family."

"You'd be a hundred percent better off if you could but last I heard the doors were shut tight," Cooper said looking interested.

"But the council have to have a way of contacting them. Surely Jeff still keeps in touch with his family?" he asked Blaine.

The vampire swallowed and that guilty look returned. "Jeff and his family are…estranged. They didn't react too well after your d-death. They were never overly pleased with Jeff's choice in mate so the excuse to condemn our race and give the ultimatum was welcomed with open arms."

"Hardly a choice," Kurt argued.

"They didn't see it that way."

"So there's no way?"

"We'll talk to him. Ask about it," Blaine promised.

Cooper sat back and laughed. "When we were driving up here from the airport I really wasn't expecting this. The shit you get yourself into, squirt."

---

Later that night…

Kurt frowned and snuffled sleepily trying to rid himself of whatever had woken him but there was a nagging feeling at the base of his neck that was tripping down his spine. Something felt wrong. Out of place. He shifted once more and realised that he was quite alone… well not alone, Blaine was a solid weight in the bed still but he was no where near Kurt when usually he was wrapped around him like an octopus.

He rolled over and blinked his eyes open blearily, shuffling over ready to curl up again and go back to sleep when something paused him. Dead still.

At first he thought that Blaine was already awake. That the subtle shifting of tensed muscles was voluntary. Then he saw the sheen of sweat covering his bare torso. The twisted covers at the bottom of the bed. The short, sharp inhales. The tears streaming down an agonised face. The hands clenching and unclenching ripped sheets. Something heavy and cloying saturated the air surrounding them making it hard to breath and Kurt realised with dread that Blaine was having a nightmare.

The vampire tossed his head again with a whimper that struck Kurt straight in his heart. The fae sat up and scooted as close as possible cupping his damp face gently and calling to him. "Blaine, wake up."

The thrashing continued. The tears continued.

"Kurt!" Blaine cried out desperately and he sounded broken. So much so that Kurt felt tears rush to his own eyes. He didn't know what to do.

"I'm right here, sweetie," he choked. "Wake up, I'm right here."

"Kurt, please!" Blaine sobbed. Begged. "Don't leave. Please!"

Kurt was left dumbstruck. Reeling at this glimpse inside Blaine's head and heart. He had a sick feeling that he knew exactly what Blaine was reliving. Why he was so desperate and it broke his heart seeing him this way. Still so affected. And he always would be he realised. He'd never get what happened out of his mind, just like Kurt couldn't forget the snippets he'd caught of himself and Jeremiah that fateful day.

"Kurt!" Blaine yelled again snapping him out of it. "KURT!"

The fae swallowed past the thickness in his throat and straddled the writhing body high up on his waist leaning down and grabbing the sides of his head, fingers slipping into sweat soaked hair resting their foreheads together. "Blaine, wake up," he ordered against his mouth. "Please."

And with one buck of Blaine's body Kurt jolted forwards and caught his lip on an exposed fang, blood beading.

Blaine's puffy eyes snapped open and he reared upwards more vampire than Kurt had ever seen him. There was no time wasted before Blaine struck at his neck and Kurt was too shaken to even enjoy the sensation, was instead concentrating on holding himself together so he could help Blaine to do the same. Blaine sobbed around mouthfuls seemingly inconsolable, red trickling down and soaking Kurt's thin sleeping tee and the bed covers and Kurt just held him through it. Holding and petting the back of his head as silent tears trickled down his own face and he repeated the same mantra over and over again while staring numbly at the wall, "I'm here, Blaine. I love you. I'm not leaving." And then the feeding wasn't enough and Blaine detached his mouth only to reattach it to Kurt's lips in a bloody, tearful mess of a kiss that was all desperation and urgency. Kurt took a moment to recollect as Blaine begged him with his body for some form of comfort and then the fae was kissing back just as frantically. Blaine held him so close, almost painful in the way he ran hands over his body, a reassurance that he was real and not a dream. He grasped at a handful of Kurt's hair and pulled and pushed him backwards, still eating at his mouth as the fae hit the mattress at the opposite end of the bed. Blaine settled over him fast, covering inches and all available space he could get a part of himself to. Hot breathes were gasped only when needed, tongues met outside of mouths, teeth scraped harder than they'd ever tried and all through it Kurt's heart still felt close to breaking. This wouldn't make any of it okay but it was what Blaine needed and what Kurt needed was to give everything to Blaine.

He wished he could hush and coo at Blaine that it was just a bad dream but they both knew better. He wished he could take the memories from him so he didn't have to relive it over again. He wished that he couldn't still feel the wetness on both his and Blaine's face. Taste the despair on his tongue.

He turned his head tearing their mouths away and Blaine followed as he always did but this time it was more relentless and as lips reattached Kurt knew what he had to do. He allowed for a few minutes more, meeting every massage and press eagerly but then he pulled away again. Blaine positively whined as he followed yet again. He wasn't in his right mind at all. Running on vampiric instinct as his mind shut down his higher functions. Kurt grabbed handfuls of curls and pulled him back firmly and fully black eyes flickered open. The vampire was trembling by now and Kurt pushed insistently until he rolled over to allow Kurt to climb on top of him again. He laid lips to Blaine's bare skin over his racing heart, feeling it beat under his ravaged mouth and heard Blaine rumble aggravated, grasping at his top. Kurt hushed into his overheated skin and moved upwards slowly showering Blaine in slow comforting caresses, trying to sooth the vampire in him. Blaine didn't like or understand the slower pace at first but Kurt was insistent in the loving way he caressed Blaine's wrung out body. By the time he'd mouthed over his jaw and back up to his mouth Kurt saw that some colour was bleeding back into his irises as his spine sunk into the mattress and the fae joined their mouths again reverently. The lightest sticking touch of lips that made the softest noise in the silence surrounding them.

"Kurt," Blaine murmured scratchily into his mouth, blissfully like he finally believed he was really here and Kurt's back sunk in relief at the calmer side of his vampire. He allowed himself to fall to the side keeping one leg hooked over Blaine's hips. The vampire followed the movement and turned to his side as well, nuzzling closer and Kurt knew this routine now. Knew that Blaine would turn into kitty-Blaine for a while before sense returned and the fae was fine with indulging him. He loved him too much not to even if he hated this side of Blaine. Which FYI was so not true, nothing on this planet was cuter. But the pause was welcome. The space to get his head on straight and reconcile what he'd just witnessed. Was it always that bad? Was it worse? The thought made him shudder and Blaine cuddled closer in response.

Kurt raised a hand to trace over his ear and twine in his wet curls. He frowned at the feel, stared at that beloved tearstained and bloodstained face that was laid bare before him, practically ripped open against his will. Kurt didn't know what to think or feel in those moments so instead decided to concentrate everything on Blaine as an idea began to form. There was no way they were going back to sleep after that. "How about we go get in the bath huh?" he questioned gently, voice hoarse.

"Kurt," Blaine replied tightening an arm around his waist.

"Yeah I'll be there too sweetie," he promised knowing they had a bit of time before Blaine would want to feed again and Kurt would rather clean up the mess from the first aborted attempt as well as get Blaine more relaxed and comfortable before they went for round two.

He rose up and Blaine mirrored looking distressed. Kurt tugged him with him into the bathroom, knowing that any attempt to leave without him was pretty much non negotiable at this point. Blaine stayed plastered to his back in much the same manner as he had done that first time mouthing and licking at his neck only much more happily this time seeing as there was a mess of spilled blood still drying there. Kurt tried to feel grossed out by the action like any sane human would but the reality was he wasn't human so Kurt tilted his head as helpfully as he could while he figured the ins and outs of the huge tub. Pretty soon it was filling and Kurt was searching around for some bubble bath.

Task done he turned to Blaine and set about removing their clothes. Apparently dozy Blaine was all for this development and even started to help pawing at every inch of revealed skin. "Of course you'd be helpful in the getting naked part," Kurt huffed to himself pushing Blaine's sleep pants and boxers down until they were nothing but skin. Blaine pressed his face into the side of Kurt's with a sigh of contentment as their bodies lined up and the fae prince vaguely noticed that he had the slight height advantage again. It wouldn't have been strange. Teens grew like weeds sometimes but this overnight? Not even a full night at that? But then again, stranger things had happened to him today so he didn't dwell too hard and instead concentrated on getting them into the swirling, foamy water.

He climbed in first shivering at the feel of silky hot water on his limbs, chasing warmth into his bones and settled down the water line just above his pierced navel. Blaine all but jumped in to follow and Kurt coaxed him into sitting between his legs- easily able to stretch the length of the huge bath- and settle back against his chest as the bathwater continued to rise around them.

The atmosphere was lighter now as Kurt turned off the faucet at about chest level. Calmer as Kurt set about slowly washing the after affects of the nightmare away, Blaine purring under the attention especially when he began soaping shampoo into his hair.

"I wish you'd talk to me, sweetie," he admitted on a murmur, face crumpling a little before he reigned himself back in.

"Kurt?" Blaine asked innocently turning his head to peer up at him through thick, matted lashes. The evidence of the horrors he'd just witnessed were still drying on his face even if in this state he couldn't comprehend it properly. Kurt rinsed his hand free of suds and smoothed it across Blaine's cheek, washing away the blood and glancing at his eyes seeing they were still mostly black. This wasn't a conversation to be having right now.

"It's flattering that I'm the only word you know when you're like this," Kurt changed tracks Eskimo kissing him before getting back to washing the lather out of Blaine's midnight curls. Eventually though, hunger took over and Blaine began to fidget in the water restlessly, constantly arching his neck back and trying to turn. Kurt let him his third time trying and bared his already freshly marked neck that only stung a little when fangs sunk deep again. Blaine was quicker to come around this time and slowly the sucks began to ebb and Blaine was just resting his mouth there as the tension in his back grew and grew.

Kurt ran slippery hands all over the expanse trying to sooth him but it wasn't working this time. Everything was coming back to him. Every horrible image and thought and feeling. Blaine knew he knew. Knew he'd seen and this was yet another way of him not facing it.

"Sweetie," Kurt sighed.

Blaine shook his head in denial.

"Blaine c'mon, we have to talk about this."

His boyfriend pulled back and there was fire and the deepest misery in his eyes. He looked ashamed and Kurt wanted to hold him again so he knew he there was nothing to be shamed about.

"We don't. We don't have to."

"But we are," Kurt said as sternly as he dared.

Blaine left him altogether then and sat at the end of the tub. The distance hurt. "There's nothing to say."

Kurt slammed a frustrated hand down into the water, the backsplash sending droplets onto his face that he blinked away. "There is so much to say Blaine that I seriously don't know where to begin."

Blaine looked away at the blank wall tiles, mouth a thin line and brows furrowed.

"Please," Kurt begged crawling closer.

"I can't!" Blaine snapped, voice echoing around the tiles and Kurt halted and flinched backwards as if hit.

The fae swallowed down the hurt as far as it would let him and simply nodded his head rising from the water.

"Can't or won't?" were his parting words before he grabbed a towel and headed back into the bedroom. He dried quickly and slipped into some boxer-briefs before crawling back under the covers facing away from the doorway. Away from Blaine. It was then that he let the frustrated tears fall.

---

Blaine felt like kicking his own ass. Repeatedly.

He was well aware that this wasn't him. He never used to be like this and maybe that was why he couldn't accept the fact that he was now. Accept that those hundred years had changed him, perhaps for good. He didn't want to talk about it. He didn't want to taint anybody else in this darkness he felt littered and unbearably heavy with sometimes. He didn't want to admit to himself that he just couldn't handle this on his own.

Blaine had spent a human lifetime in darkness. That desolate wasteland of despair where every move was robotic and apathetic. He'd slowly been numbing off parts of himself, not that it felt like there was much left of his soul after Kurt- all the best parts were him- was ripped out of him forcibly. He had been ready to die for a hundred years. A day in, day out struggle not to just take the Rite and be at peace finally in the After and then Kurt had come back and it felt like a lightning strike. Reawakening. Everything that made him up jerked and shifted into hauntingly familiar shapes. Jagged edges smoothed and pieces slotted in where they were missing and Blaine was naive enough to hope all that negativity would fade. But the longer he spent repressing his thoughts and feelings, stuffing them in that locked chest in the deepest darkest corner of himself to live happily in denial, the worse they got. He always knew they were there. They'd rattle and seep inch by inch through the cracks just enough to fester slowly and Blaine didn't want Kurt. Beautiful, light, vibrant Kurt anywhere near the abyss that was his mind sometimes.

How else was he supposed to deal with this though?

He was scared of what would surface once if he flipped the latch on that chest. Kurt's death, the nightmares, the pain, the loneliness, the suicidal thoughts, the hopelessness, the guilt and blame. He'd go crazy he knew it. As it was Kurt was the only thing holding the torn, battered remnants of his soul together and he couldn't risk losing that. Losing him for a second time if he showed him just how messed up he really was. He was ashamed of all the weakness and fear he harboured. He had to be strong. He had to be the male Kurt had once known but better.

He doesn't need you to be. He just needs you, anyway you are. You know he'll love you anyway, a faint disused voice assured. Tried to cajole and Blaine knew that on some level. He did. But it felt like there was a wall preventing him from getting to where he needed to be. Caging him into the dark hole he'd fallen into.

The nightmare had been the same as they always were. A cruel repeat of that night detail for detail because nothing else was scarier. Nothing else affected him like that did. The only thing that changed from time to time was just how desperately he called out for Kurt in the end.

He'd awoken to a body on top of him. Familiar and scented in summer and vanilla, something he was sure he'd lost forever a few minutes earlier. The details were hazy as they always were when Blaine lost his head to the vampire in him from that point onwards. He remembered trying and failing to feed the first time. He remembered frantic kisses and then there were soft loving touches calming him. Water surrounding him, hands in his hair, a mouthful of the sweetest blood and then he'd come back to himself and now he was sitting in a cold bath alone having just pushed away the best thing that had ever happened to him.

He felt sick.

Rushing out of the water he didn't bother to dry off as he re-entered the dark bedroom and heard the quiet sounds of sniffling. His heart lurched. Approaching carefully he slid onto the bed under the covers and hesitantly wrapped an arm around Kurt's waist. The fae didn't push him away, though he didn't sink into it as he usually did either.

"I'm sorry," Blaine whispered across the darkness. "Please don't cry." Please don't leave me. Please.

He shifted until his chest was to Kurt's back and tucked his legs under the fae's too as he pressed his face into soft hair. I love you. I love you. I love you.

"You were dreaming about that day weren't you?" Kurt asked quietly.

Blaine shuddered and tucked in closer trying to push away the image of Kurt's broken body and concentrate on the perfect, fine, alive one in his arms. He's fine, he's fine. "Yes."

They were silent for a moment and then Blaine felt the lightest touch on his hand, fingers slipping between his. Blaine could have cried in relief.

"I love you, Blaine," Kurt said and a tear did escape this time.

"I love you too. So much," Blaine choked and more tears spilled hot down his cheeks as he began to tremble in the real aftermath of his nightmare.

Kurt squeezed his hand and pressed back more securely against him. The perfect fit. "You know I'm here for you right? Always?" It was tentative and unsure. "I know I always seem to be the one having problems and drama's but… it's okay for you to as well. I'll still be here."

Blaine swallowed and nodded frantically against the back of his head. "I know. I do know, beautiful. I just…"

"Can't," Kurt finished softly.

"I'm sorry-"

Kurt finally turned around and smiled tremulously at him, everything eyes shining through the dark as he thumbed at the wetness on his cheeks. "You don't have to apologise for that."

Blaine dove in for a kiss that was so many things. Everything Blaine couldn't say. The little he could. Love and fear and sadness. A deep desperation and plea.

"I don't want to feel like this anymore," Blaine said hoarsely when they broke apart. The admission felt like acid coming up but the relief from admitting it was like a wash of fresh water running through his clogged system.

Kurt gasped at the honest admission and ran soothing fingers through his hair. "You don't have to sweetie. I promise you don't but we won't start until you're ready okay?"

Would he ever be?

"I just. I need you to promise me you'll try," Kurt continued thickly sounding physically pained, eyes shining sadly in the light from the bathroom and Blaine felt horrible because he did that. "Please promise me you'll try to talk about this. It doesn't even have to be with me if you don't want."

And as scary as the prospect was of telling Kurt, the idea of telling anyone else was worse. He didn't want to share it with anyone other than his Chosen.

"I… I promise," and it felt like a sick sense of de ja vu. Kurt making him promise something for his own good but that would hurt and burn and twist him up until he probably didn't recognise himself anymore.

Kurt leant in and laid lips to his once more. Blaine clung on desperately trying not to think about the similarities that rose in hid mind. Kurt was kissing him back. He wasn't cold and unresponsive.

He wasn't, he wasn't, he wasn't.

---

Blaine's nightmare was around four in the morning. The rest of the time after Blaine's feeding's and their bath was spent cuddling closely in the massive bed, neither wanting to part for even a second. But unlike most of their snuggle sessions this felt more like holding each other close in a storm. Tense and charged as they waited for the next rumble of thunder. Kurt felt awful but on some level he was relieved Blaine had cracked even just a little and though that glimpse under the surface terrified him, he couldn't let Blaine live in that alone. He just couldn't and it doubled his determination to heights unknown to help him.

The alarm had shrilled at half past six and Kurt slipped out of bed wearily to get ready for the day. He had half a mind about cancelling his plans with one look at the deep shadows under Blaine's hollow eyes or the pale complexion of his usually tanned skin. He looked haunted and Kurt felt useless to change that, but he knew for sure the vampire would throw him over his shoulder and walk him to his dad's so not going wasn't an option. Tucking the blankets around his boyfriend he kissed his eyes shut and smoothed out his hair gently deciding that he'd do everything that needed doing.

After a trip to the bathroom to clean his teeth, let the cold water out of the bath, moisturise sparingly and throw on some deodorant, he threw on his pre planned outfit. A white fitted shirt, green cardigan and black jeans with ankle boots. It was smart and understatedly festive enough without being gaudy and comfortable enough for around the house. He laid out Blaine's black and white fitted jumper, his red skinny jeans with the turned up cuffs and a pair of black oxfords with the white threads on the bed as well as a pair of black boxer briefs then grabbed their coats and laid them there too. He glanced up to see Blaine watching him intently like he was scared to take his eyes off him from his curled up mound of covers and pillows leaving only the top half of his face to view and Kurt blew him a gentle kiss. The corners of his eyes turned up slightly signalling he was smiling if only a little and Kurt took that as a victory for now.

He styled his hair at the vanity darting glances back at his boyfriend and set it. Although he knew Blaine wouldn't like it he grabbed some concealer and applied it liberally to his neck until he could heal it. Grabbing their cases and bags he began moving them to the door after packing his toiletry bag and then he crawled up the bed again to sit against the headboard. Blaine rolled over and buried his face in Kurt's stomach immediately, winding an arm around his hips and Kurt stroked through his hair in soothing passes of fingers. He glanced at the clock and saw they had ten minutes to get going if they wanted to make it for breakfast.

He had to say it. "We don't have to go, Blaine."

The vampire shook his head and sat up stiffly. "No, I'm fine. I'll get ready."

Kurt grabbed his wrist as he tried to shuffle off. "Sweetie, please it's not that big of a deal if we-"

Blaine shot him a stern look that morphed his wrung out appearance into something more recognisable. "We're going, beautiful. No discussion."

Kurt sighed as he watched Blaine disappear into the bathroom with his clothes and re-enter a few minutes later cleaner and dressed. He looked amazing of course, the jumper hugging his muscles like a second skin as well as those jeans on his perfect ass. Blaine had a quirky style that just worked for him. He'd applied a little product to his hair but his curls were freer than usual which stuck out like a giant neon sign to Kurt. Blaine did that when he wanted them played with, to please Kurt or because it brought him comfort when he wasn't feeling great. Kurt knew it was the third option and vowed not to keep his fingers free of the lovely mop for long.

"Ready?" Blaine asked walking over to pack his own toiletry bag, voice still rough from all the crying. Face still pale and tense.

Kurt slid off the bed and stepped up wrapping his arms around his boyfriend's waist as he straightened up. He laid a kiss behind his ear before he whispered, "Are you sure you want to do this? I won't be mad and my dad will understand I promise. I just want you to be okay. That's more important to me."

Blaine laid his arms atop Kurt's and laced their fingers as he laid his head back. "I was looking forward to it and so were you. I won't let that night stand in the way of now, Kurt. I refuse."

Such a resolute, bitter tone.

Kurt nodded knowing that he wouldn't get anything other than that and then they were separating to carry their bags towards Kurt's car above ground after saying goodbye to everyone. The car ride was stilted at first and Kurt turned on the radio to help lighten the mood. Soon enough Blaine was singing along quietly and Kurt began to harmonise softly. Blaine grasped his thigh still looking out of the window and it got a little easier.

When they were about five minutes out Blaine spoke up. "I really want to enjoy this without thinking about last night."

Kurt felt dread curl in his veins. He glanced across at him. "Blaine we're not pretending it didn't happen."

Blaine swallowed and met his eyes. "I'm not asking you too. I just want this Christmas with you to be special. Perfect and that last night was pretty much my literal worst nightmare."

Kurt mulled it over and saw that the reasons were genuine. Why shouldn't Blaine have a real break to forget his worries? He wasn't avoiding it all together after all. He'd promised. Kurt warred but recognised that even though he had to push there was a line and a time to do it before he nodded his agreement.

"But after-"

"I promise," Blaine agreed solemnly. Reluctant but genuine.

They pulled up and grabbed out the bags and presents making their way to the door which was already opening.

"Kurt! Blaine!" Carole beamed ushering them inside quickly. She was bright and cheerful with novelty reindeer earrings and a casual green dress that flattered. "How are you dears?"

"Great thank you, yourself?" Blaine answered politely following Kurt in.

"Oh, fine, fine," Carole smiled seeing nothing amiss in Blaine. "Busy but that's all part and parcel right? Why don't you set your things down in Kurt's room and then join the boys in the family room while I finish up breakfast? Finn's been grumbling about it since he woke up half an hour ago."

"You don't want any help?" Kurt offered.

She waved him off. "You'll have more than enough to do tomorrow."

"So will you."

She laughed then turned to Blaine thumbing at the fae. "Stubborn one he is."

Blaine grinned and winked at Kurt. "I like it. It suits him."

The fae rolled his eyes with a blush before leading the way upstairs a little bemused. He was glad to see Blaine was feeling better but there was still an air of distress about him that worried Kurt. He opened his door lost in his head and was jolted back, shocked to see an air mattress already blown up and ready on his floor.

"Uhh…"

Blaine peered over his shoulder. "Am I dragging that downstairs or-"

"Or sleeping on it in here just for tonight, staying on the floor with your hands to yourself and the door open? Yeah that's about right," Burt cut in having walked up the stairs behind them.

Kurt felt a massive smile cutting across his face and he jumped at his dad. "Thank you, thank you!"

"Yeah, yeah," he played off patting him on the back fondly. He was as he ever was in his undershirt and plaid and jeans with his cap. The only difference was that the cap was novelty with a Christmas tree on it. "Just don't take advantage of my generous mood."

"Wouldn't dream of it," Blaine replied and Burt gave him a measured look that said 'yeah I don't believe that for a second buddy.'

"We have flowers in the car that need bringing in," Kurt interrupted the macho stare-down.

It got Burt's attention. "The red ones?"

"The Poinsettia's, yes," Kurt corrected. Elizabeth had always bought those around Christmas time but the leaves only stayed attached for so long while they were that lovely deep red that it was always a case of waiting a few days before Christmas before she could get them. Burt and Kurt had kept up the tradition every year since she passed.

"I'll get them," he offered and Kurt handed over his keys.

He waited until his dad was definitely gone and not creeping at the bottom of the staircase before he set his stuff down letting Blaine do the same before he wrapped his arms around his neck.

"Okay?"

Blaine draped a loose, comfortable grip around his hips and nodded. "Getting there."

Kurt appreciated the honestly like it was the finest wine. He played at the baby curls at his nape. "Just let me know when you need a break. It's fine if you do okay?"

Blaine smiled, golden eyes lighting into something warmer. "You really care about me huh?"

Kurt laughed at the absurdity. "Is that even a question?"

"Maybe I just like hearing it?"

Kurt indulged him and leant into his mouth to breathe, "I care about you more than is probably healthy."

Blaine tipped his chin up to connect their lips slowly. "Good."

Kurt giggled and pulled back slightly to look him in the eye. "You're an idiot."

Blaine grinned. That real, brilliant megawatt smile that was all Kurt's. "You love me this way."

"Unfortunately. I must have really bad taste."

"Well you did like Finn."

Kurt smacked him on the arm and Blaine chuckled linking their fingers. His colour was back now and his eyes were filled with more than ghosts. "C'mon then. I can smell pancakes and waffles."

Kurt let Blaine's vampire nose lead them all the way to the kitchen where Finn was already waiting knife and fork in hand.

"Hi, Finn," Kurt greeted.

"Hey guys!" the tall teen beamed. "Took you long enough!"

Kurt rolled his eyes and settled Blaine down leaning over his shoulder. "Want a drink, sweetie?"

"Yes please, beautiful."

Kurt laid a kiss to his curls and set about getting the cups and filling them with some of the freshly made coffee in the pot.

"Nice jumper, Finn," he heard Blaine tease.

"Aw dude, it's my mum, she always does this to me," Finn grumbled under his breath, Kurt glanced over his shoulder to see the bright red monstrosity with the Santa face on the front. He smirked and side glanced Carole who was laughing quietly to herself at the stove.

"Mean," Kurt muttered to her. "And also a crime against fashion."

She gave him a sparkly eyed look as she plated up the food. "Oh hush, its fun!"

"You gave my dad that cap as well didn't you," he realised fiddling with the creamers and sugars.

She shrugged. "Maybe."

Kurt laughed outright as his inner fae mischief maker was tickled. "You do know that if you got anything for me there's going to be problems."

She rolled her eyes. "Of course. I wouldn't dare think about buying you and Blaine matching elf hats."

Kurt shook his head at her and she laughed back before shooing him back to the table just as Burt walked in toting one of the pretty flower pots.

"Middle of the table dad," Kurt instructed as he set Blaine's cup in front of him.

Burt did as he was told and Kurt fussed over the leaves a little before he was satisfied. Everyone watched him in amusement. And then Carole was bringing plates and plates of food over and they were digging in, the mood light and happy. Kurt was glad to see Blaine was practically soaking the good vibes up and smiling more and more, initiating conversations, teasing and even interacting with his dad. It's like they had this understanding now that Kurt still hadn't been privy too. It was annoying not to know but Kurt was glad of it regardless.

Soon they moved back into the family room after Finn and Burt handled the dishes. Kurt noticed the bare tree in the corner immediately as Finn disappeared upstairs.

"Put it up just before you two got here this morning but the family wasn't all together so we couldn't decorate it yet," Burt said matter-of-factly.

Kurt beamed bouncing on his toes as Finn finished toting the Christmas decorations down. They were a mixture of Hummel and Hudson and they hadn't yet tried to incorporate them together on the same tree but Kurt was determined to make it work. After all, the Hudson-Hummel's worked just fine when it looked like they shouldn't.

He looked to his right and saw Blaine eyeing all the boxes with interest. It's not like he had never had a Christmas before or celebrated it. Despite being vampires they adopted many human traditions but actually being a part of one with humans. Seeing it from this perspective? It was new and Kurt suddenly wished that Blaine could put something on the tree when he saw the familiar box that held the special ornaments. Blaine was family too so why couldn't he be represented?

"I'll run upstairs and grab my camera," Blaine said just as Kurt's mind began working a mile a minute and before he really registered he was slipping outside and all the way to the end of the naked garden and into the shed. He made quick work of grabbing an empty pot, opening a bag of soil and filling it. A seed and a little bit of water later and Kurt was holding his palm above the dirt, hoping like hell no one followed him. It was reckless but Kurt was only thinking of one thing.

Blaine.

The end result was exactly what he wanted and he carefully cut the stem and twirled the fluffy flower in his fingers with a satisfied grin. He haphazardly put everything away before stepping out again into the cold air, rushing across the frostbitten grass towards the house where Blaine was propped against the doorway camera in hand.

"What were you doing?" he asked curiously, eyes discerning.

Kurt kept the flower behind his back and smiled innocently. "Getting something for the tree. A must have."

"I know that look, imp. You're up to something," Blaine stated trying to peer around him.

Kurt stepped up and pecked his lips. "Patience."

Blaine snorted in amusement. "Coming from you?"

Kurt raised his nose in the air and sidestepped around the vampire keeping his back facing away. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

He managed to get back into the living area and grab a thin length of blue sparkly ribbon tying it neatly around the stem in a bow the ends long so he could attach it to the tree. He hid it in with the sentimental hangings including the star for the top and then turned and clapped his hands together at the rest of them. They hadn't started yet, were simply glancing over all the colourful decorations.

"Okay, so Finn untangle the lights. Carole, colour coordinate the baubles. Blaine you grab the ornamental baubles and Dad you're on tinsel patrol."

Pretty soon limbs were everywhere overlapping and stretching to reach parts of the tree, Kurt standing back and directing- also guarding the last box- and pretty soon it was coming together amazingly. It wasn't overloaded or tacky, it was just the right amount of everything. Eventually though everything had been hung except the last box and Kurt relinquished it anxiously. Finn dug around eagerly for his special hanging and so did the others. Well everyone but Blaine but Kurt smiled secretly.

"What's that one?" Finn asked after Kurt finished hanging his 'Baby's first Christmas' bauble. It was a painted and carved baby in a basket with blue blankets and red ribbons that his parents had gotten him that first year. He'd hung it every year since without fail.

He looked over his shoulder and saw they were peering into the box.

"Oh my," Carole exclaimed curiously. "I've never seen anything like it."

"It's Blaine's," Kurt announced catching the still vampire's eye from where he was standing next to the box. "I made it for him. We all have a special ornament on the tree and I just wanted him to have one here too."

"Wow, that's pretty awesome dude, even if it is some fluff-ball thingie," Finn praised in a way that was all his. No one suspected at all that it was a real flower.

Burt clapped his son on the shoulder proudly when they saw the look on the vampire's face. This meant a lot too him. Probably more than Blaine even realised himself. "Blaine should hang it up."

The vampire swallowed visibly heavily. "Are you sure, I mean-"

"Family remember?" Burt cut him off kindly.

The curly haired vampire approached slowly Carole grabbing the camera from him and took the flower delicately in his hand gazing at it softly in a way that triggered a feeling of familiarity in Kurt before walking to the tree and tying it right next to Kurt's baby in a basket. Kurt stepped up behind him and wrapped arms around his waist resting his chin on his shoulder, happy Blaine was but also curious as to why this flower meant so much to Blaine. He felt like he was missing a part of them by not knowing.

"Do you like it?" he whispered directly in Blaine's ear.

"You gave me one the first day we met," Blaine whispered back, stuck in his own head and Kurt willed him to go on. "The other day when you made one with Jeff you didn't even realise but that's our flower my love."

Kurt's heart stuttered in his chest as he gazed at the pretty, wispy thing, a hint of gold glimmer on the inside. "It reminds me of you."

Blaine turned his head and they caught eyes. Intense and weighted with their feelings. Kurt leaned in first and joined their lips chastely. They heard the faint click of the camera.

"Okay star time," Carole announced and Kurt broke away blushing, forgetting where they were. "Who wants to do it?"

"Oh can I?" Finn begged looking like an overeager puppy.

Kurt looked over at him and smiled. "Sure."

Finn hardly had to stretch to reach and once it was placed- a little lopsided but Kurt would rectify that later- they all stepped back and admired clicking a few more pictures.

Burt took his cap off and nodded at the job well done. "So who's up for games?"

---

Board games that only got used in the holiday season were dragged out while Christmas songs played on in the background. Burt was a competitive monster at everything from snakes and ladders to Monopoly and everyone indulged him… apart from Kurt who went head to head with him every year. They usually ended up calling it even to avoid disputes and this year was no different as they argued over the rules of Cluedo.

There was only one problem the whole day. Burt seemed to have developed a habit of staring at Kurt in a very studying manner, like he was trying to work him out and after a while Kurt got uneasy enough to say something.

"What dad? You've been staring at me for the better part of an hour," Kurt finally broke shifting uncomfortably and toying with his cards. They were all seated around the coffee table playing poker with cocktail sticks, snacks and drinks scattered around the room.

"You grown, kid?"

A little panic rose because yes he had but that his dad had noticed too? Was it really that obvious? He decided to play a little dumb and see where that took him.

"Uhh, no? I don't know, have I?" he looked to Blaine who coughed sheepishly and glanced back down at his hand. Thanks sweetie. Big help that was.

"And him too. What they feeding you kids at that place?"

"Actual food," Kurt deadpanned falling back on his wit and Burt snorted with a trace of amusement before the frown was back. He studied him again.

"You look different."

"He is a growing boy," Carole offered then tilted her head. "But he is right that you've both shot up from the last time we saw you." She paused as she calculated. "Quite remarkably actually."

Blaine shrugged trying for nonchalant and joking. "Thought I was catching him up for a while there. Should have known better."

"How?" Burt jumped on.

Blaine frowned uneasily at him. "How what?"

"How would you have known how tall he's gonna end up?"

Kurt began to panic for real, heart hammering when Carole unknowingly saved them rearranging her cards. "Well you're not exactly short honey."

Burt grunted in agreement but he didn't look wholly satisfied and Kurt had to fight not to let the dread form on his face at the thought of what was running through his father's mind right now. He felt hot and uncomfortable at the idea that maybe Burt knew. But how could he?

Kurt managed to somehow excuse him and Blaine to the garden without another inquisition by folding and as soon as they were out there, the chilly air providing no relief, he began to pace the length of the small porch from creaky bench swing to railing and back again. It was the middle of the day but it was already darkening up a little, clouds forming over the bare garden. Kurt missed his flowers but it was a stray thought in the turmoil that was his brain.

"He knows something's going on, Blaine," Kurt whispered frantically hand covering his mouth.

"He can't know, beautiful," Blaine tried to reassure watching him.

"But he's noticing all these things I'm not even noticing myself until the last minute! How could I not notice things like that?" he exclaimed incredulously. He was meticulous about his body and appearance.

Blaine stepped in front of him to halt the back and forth. "They're only little things, my love. A few extra inches, brighter skin, pointier ears-"

"Ears?! What the hell is going on with my ears?" he felt them and gasped at the more exaggerated tip of them. "Why is this happening now?"

Blaine brought his hands back down and held them between them. "I think it's the magic you're using. The more you use it…"

"The more I'll change," he filled in almost blankly.

"Not anymore than these little things," he reassured once more. "It's just a few definitions."

Blue met gold. "But my dad's picking up on it, Blaine."

"He can't know," Blaine reiterated. "He just can't."

"But he knows it's something," Kurt stressed. "And that's more than enough for him to start digging around. Trying to catch us out." He looked back inside the backdoor paranoid.

He felt warm lips press against his cheek then whisper against his ear. "You're going to tell him eventually anyway right?" Kurt nodded. "Then let him pick up on a few things. It'll lessen the shock for him when you do."

Kurt's eyes widened suddenly and he faced Blaine in horror. "What if he has another heart attack! What if I tell him and he's so freaked out that he works himself up and ends up back in hospital or worse-"

"Shhh," Blaine hushed soothingly, rubbing up and down his arms and drawing him in closer. "It'll be fine."

"But what if its not?" Kurt asked in a small voice. He felt even worse when he realised that he was making this all about himself again. After the night they'd had and the state that Blaine was in he was still creating drama and expecting Blaine to take the excess.

"Then you'll heal him."

Kurt frowned as he jolted back. The thought never once occurred. "Heal him?"

"Practise with Jeff and when you're better at it we'll tell him and then you'll have nothing to worry about. Other than convincing him of course."

"And you think that will work. That I could-"

Blaine rubbed his thumb over the back of his hand. "Why not? You healed me. You healed yourself."

"It's scary," he admitted. Blurted out.

Having that sort of gift was far beyond anything he could have imagined and the responsibility that he felt weighted to with it. What if the one time he really needed to it didn't work? What if someone was counting on him and he couldn't do it?

Blaine's face softened and he leaned in to kiss him. "I wish I could tell you it won't be. I wish like hell I could but all I can say is that I believe in you. You're amazing, my love and no matter what the situation you'll always try your absolute best. You'll put your heart into it and that's all anyone could ever ask of you."

Kurt slipped his arms around Blaine's shoulders and nuzzled into his neck as he let the words sink in and quell some of his fears. Take the edge off the terror for now. "Thank you," he whispered.

Arms overlapped his lithe waist. "Love you."

"I'm sorry I keep doing this, Blaine. Freaking out and leaning so heavily on you all the time."

Blaine shook his head. "Don't you dare apologise for that. I'm here for you, Kurt. Always. Just like you're there for me."

"I feel selfish."

Blaine squeezed him tighter. "You're not. You're anything but, Kurt. You're so generous and compassionate. I… I know it may seem like I'm not leaning on you back beautiful but I am. Probably more than you are me, more than you really know. You're the only thing holding me together sometimes, Kurt."

The fae swallowed grabbing at the vampire's hair and repeated, "I want you to be okay, Blaine."

Blaine nodded. "I'm getting there."

They stayed out there until their joint body heat wasn't enough anymore and once they were back inside Carole called them for dinner. They settled down to eat, the previous tense vibe lessened but still somewhat noticeable in the looks Burt kept throwing the couple and the uneasy shifts of Kurt on his chair every time he caught them.

"So, have you heard from your family, Blaine?" Carole asked casually but there was a thread of motherly concern she couldn't hide underneath.

For the first time Blaine actually smiled a little when they were brought up. "Actually my brother dropped by the school yesterday unexpectedly."

Carole grinned. "Oh that's lovely!"

Burt nodded dragging his gaze away from Kurt and tipping his glass. "Good for ya, kid."

"Yeah."

"But why is he around here then?" Finn asked and Kurt gave him a warning glare. "Oh. Not that you're not welcome or anything dude!" Finn hastily corrected.

Blaine smiled and shook his head. "It's fine. You'd already extended me the kind invitation to join you and I wanted to be with Kurt on Christmas so… we didn't have plans or anything-"

"Well invite him around for the day tomorrow too," Carole declared. "There's more than enough to go around and we'd be glad to meet him."

Blaine looked surprised then straight to Burt for final approval. The man considered for all of two seconds before shrugging. "Sure. Invite him along kid. More the merrier and all that."

Kurt and Blaine shared a look.

Cooper there for Christmas?

Warning bells were ringing but there was a spark in Blaine's eyes. A trace of hope that Kurt definitely didn't want to go away and so he smiled and squeezed his thigh under the table. "He's a handful from what little time we spent with him but yeah, you should invite him sweetie."

Blaine's brows drew together and he bit his lip. "You think?"

Kurt smiled encouragingly. "He's your brother and he's only in town for a few days and its Christmas. Of course I think yes."

Blaine hummed to himself mind working it over before he smiled a little and looked back to Burt. "I'll call him after dinner."

---

"No Coop he can't come," Blaine hissed down the phone as Kurt lounged on his bed on his front, chin propped on his folded arms, magazine open but unread in front of him as he gazed at a pacing Blaine instead. The vampire tried not to get distracted by his beautiful mate but it was hard when he was being so effortlessly beguiling without even knowing it. Those jeans hugging his curves, his socked feet kicking up and twining.

"Why the hell not? Cloud's a very nice vampire I'll have you know!"

"Because I can't explain a six foot, Indian vampire in their living room when I told them my brother's coming for Christmas dinner?" Blaine answered dryly.

Kurt snorted and Blaine stuck his tongue out at him.

"Tell them he's your Xmas present then because I'm such an awesome big brother."

"I'm not telling them he's my present."

"Fine I can be the generous guest-"

"Or theirs-" Blaine cut in with gritted teeth.

"Fine he'll be mi-"

"Or your slave. Jesus, Coop, we don't live in the eighteenth century anymore!"

"You're taking the fun out of Christmas grumpy pants," Cooper grouched.

"And you're making me suicidal."

"Wouldn't be the first time," was quipped back.

Blaine sighed and flopped on his back on the bed next to Kurt feeling the fae shift and rest his head on his stomach, a warm and pleasant weight. "Coop. Please don't make this difficult."

"It's not me! I'm nothing but easy going and accommodating! It's not my fault I happen to be a high profile individual that has to have a bodyguard at all times."

"So you're not coming then?" and he tried to mask the disappointment and hurt in that one sentence. He shouldn't care so much but he did. Kurt slipped a hand under his shirt and pet at his side drawing little hearts and stars into his skin comfortingly.

Cooper must have heard it too. "Look, I'll sort it. I am nothing but amazing and resourceful… and also handsome. Very, very handsome. And-"

Blaine found himself chuckling. "Bye, Cooper!"

He hung up.

Kurt propped his head up on an elbow resting on his lower abdominals. It probably would have been uncomfortable if he was human but he wasn't and Kurt weighed nothing at all. "So?"

"He'll be here."

Kurt grinned slowly. "Yeah?"

"Ummhmm," Blaine confirmed fighting the smile that was tugging at his own lips. He felt like an idiot. Who gets this happy about their previously estranged vampire brother coming to join his Chosen's second family for Christmas day? Well, probably no one had come across that situation before but still.

"Kurt!" Burt shouted up the stairs.

"The doors open dad, God!" he shouted back exasperated.

"You're friends are at the door."

"Oh." Kurt blushed and Blaine laughed. The fae smacked him on the chest. "Shut up."

---

He slid off and Blaine was fast to follow despite the fact he was still chuckling to himself. Downstairs they found a smirking Santana and a brightly smiling Brittany waiting for them in the hallway. They were wearing jeans and boots, Brittany in her Cheerio's jacket and Santana in a fur lined black coat and they were bearing gifts.

"Daddy Hummel cramping your sexy, Porcelain?"

Kurt met those dark eyes. "No!"

"Boarding is a wonderful thing," Blaine slipped in casually and Kurt smacked him again while Santana grinned.

"I like him. Even though he's short and wears well too much product that I'm afraid that if he fell over he'd just keep on sliding, his head lathing the way."

"That sounds amazing. Can we try?" Brittany enthused peering at Blaine's head her blue eyes bursting with possibilities. "Oh I know, we can go bowling and you can be my ball! We'd get like a strike every time."

"I'll get back to you on that," Blaine told her glaring at Santana who was snickering to herself.

"Cool," Brittany grinned fist pumping and rocking on her heels happily.

"So Blaine, has Kurt gave you his present yet?" Santana asked casually, studying her nails.

The vampire looked to Kurt who was equally as confused. "Uh, no. We're waiting until tomorrow."

The Latina nodded sagely. "Morning blowjobs can be fun."

Kurt flushed bright pink. "Santana!" he hissed looking over his shoulder towards the door to the family room where his dad was sitting.

"What?" she asked innocently though it was all kinds of devious.

"That is a part of your present though," Brittany said in an aside to his boyfriend.

"Really now?" Blaine asked far too intrigued and voice pitched far too low not to be dangerous for Kurt's health.

"No, it's not," Kurt protested.

"Yeah it is." Brittany countered, frowning. "You went and got part of his present and then we all sat down and told you how to do it properly so you could surprise him for Christmas."

Oh. My. God.

Blaine leant into his ear and purred, "Research huh?" sending all kinds of shivers down his spine and Kurt caught Santana staring at them with all kinds of knowing. Like she had a sex detector or something that told her that he had already bit the bullet so to speak.

"I'm going to go and get the presents!" he squeaked out half hysterically and all but ran upstairs. He took his time pulling the pristine gift bags from his case and then a further few minutes simply pacing the redness of his face off before he descended once more, head held high.

He refused to admit that the dark look in Blaine's eyes made his knees weak or the superior eyebrow raise that Santana gave him made him falter even a little.

Brittany broke the tension when she squealed happily and grabbed for the bright red and green bags. "Thanks, Kurt!" she exclaimed handing them theirs in return. Kurt had picked out high end clothes for the girls as well as some top range skin and hair care products that he knew they'd love.

It was clear whose was from who because Brittany had cats in Santa hat's wrapping paper with bows and ribbons of clashing colours stuck over every available inch and Santana had gone for plain, shiny red with no extra adornments.

"Thank you girls, you shouldn't have," Blaine smiled as Kurt passed his off to him.

"Well I figured you were sticking around so I didn't want you to like cry when you didn't get anything so…" Santana played off before looking down at her present and examining. "If there's not nudes of you two doing the dirty in here then I'm gonna be very disappointed in Santa come Xmas morning," she purred shaking the bag.

"Santa didn't bring you that one silly," Brittany laughed and the other three exchanged looks that weren't the least bit surprised that she expected a big red and white man to come down her chimney. Santana leant over and grabbed her pinky in hers. Kurt gave her a pointed look which she ignored.

"Anyways we've got places to go, better people to see so we'll see you around Porcelain. Curly Sue." She opened the door behind her and it was already dark out and starting to snow lightly.

"Bye Dolphins," Brittany waved. "Go to sleep early so Santa can get around to you. He's busy you know."

"Promise, Britt. Bye San," Kurt called as they walked.

"Bye girls," his boyfriend called as well and then they were pulling away. Finn walked out as they were closing the door.

"Was that Brittany and Santana?"

"Yeah, they called by to exchange gifts," Kurt replied grabbing Blaine's hand and leading them to the tree to put the presents under. Burt and Carole were curled up on the couch together watching a film with only the lamps low lighting the room getting some quality time in.

"Hey, did you wanna maybe go up to my room and talk or whatever," Finn suggested rubbing the back of his neck. "I tried watching that film but it's like all old and stuff. It doesn't even have colours!"

Kurt smirked and glanced to Blaine who smiled in agreement. "Sure."

The three grabbed some snacks and headed up, Kurt ignoring the mess that was Finn's room for the sake of his own peace of mind.

"So how are things?" Blaine asked settling on the floor between Kurt's legs where he was perched on the edge of the bed.

Finn collapsed into his desk chair and pulled a stray football into his lap. "Okay. Well this thing with Rachel is still kind of tough," he admitted embarrassed.

It reminded Kurt. "About that… Rachel texted me yesterday."

Finn sat forwards. "Saying what?"

"Nothing much, I didn't let her get that far but it was kinda obvious she was doing it to try and get me to help her with you. I shut her down but I just thought you should know in case she does something cra-"

"She kissed me."

Never mind.

"Wow," Blaine whistled.

"When?" Kurt asked frowning.

"Last week, we were out looking for a tree for Glee club at the lot and she just planted one on me!" Finn exclaimed agitated.

"What did you do?" Blaine asked hooking an arm around Kurt's leg and petting at the knee he rested his head on.

"Pushed her off. I mean, we're not together and making out isn't going to change that she cheated on me with Puck right?"

"Hopefully you didn't mean that as a question."

Finn frowned and scratched at the pigskin on his lap. "Well, no…"

Kurt traced the curve of Blaine's ear lightly and without really thinking about it. "I think you did the right thing if that means anything," Kurt offered.

He really didn't want to jump down Finn's throat with this. He knew he could be overzealous about things sometimes but this wasn't a just high school girlfriend that Finn had broken up with. The way he thought about Quinn for example was completely different to how he had invested in Rachel. There were no doubts in the fae's mind that he still had the ability to be downright awful. He could suggest a number of ways to tell Rachel to do one but somehow he just didn't want to anymore. Most of his snark and bitchiness stemmed from the bullying he had suffered and the fact that his wit was downright sharp. But now the torment was gone and now he was inheriting more of his fae traits the idea of being mean didn't hold any appeal.

"Yeah it does," Finn smiled then sighed and leaned his head back to stare at the ceiling morosely. "I just need some space to sort my head out you know and she's all over me still no matter how many times I ask her to back off."

"Look Finn, she's a self involved diva- I speak from personal knowledge- so she'll channel it eventually. You'll have to put up with heart eyes and solo's dedicated in your honour for weeks or even months to come but she'll understand eventually."

Finn mulled it over and looked down to Blaine. "You ever have to deal with something like this dude?"

"Ah no. Kurt's kinda my one and only," Blaine stated firmly making Kurt's stomach explode into butterflies.

"You know that for sure? I mean, not that I'm saying you won't stay together or anything but… you sound like you know. Like really know."

"He's my soulmate," Kurt blurted out unthinkingly like word vomit and his eyes widened as Blaine straightened up and glanced around at him incredulously.

But the tall teen only sighed and rested his cheek in his palm, elbow on the desk next to him as he stared off at the wall that had a picture of some woman with next to no clothes that Kurt was pretending didn't exist. "Rachel used to say that about us."

Kurt exhaled heavily and tried to concentrate. Where the hell had that come from?! He was lucky that soulmate wasn't an unheard of term for humans.

"I'm sure if it's meant to be then it will work out," Kurt said shakily scared of just what was going to fall out of his mouth next.

Finn hummed and scratched at his forearm throwing the football down. "So you wanna play some games?"

Kurt titled his head in confusion. "Games? As in…"

Finn laughed as he ambled over to his Playstation 3. "Uhh, games dude. You know shooting stuff and blowing people up and driving cars and junk. It's awesome."

Kurt hummed. "I'm gonna need a magazine."

Blaine laughed and kissed his knee before moving to let him up.

The hours passed and to Kurt's surprise it was great. Blaine and Finn went head to head a lot, Finn winning most of the time from the sheer amount of practise he had on it in favour of doing his homework. But the main thing was that they were bonding, after the debacle of the whole Finn thing from the start it was nice to know Blaine had let it go completely.

Kurt tried each game a few times too. Call of Duty, Borderlands, Resident Evil. At least he recognised that one somewhat from those awful films. It wasn't that he was opposed to gaming really and he could admit that it was enjoyable on some mindless level but it didn't hold the fascination for him to keep him playing for hours on end. They caught the fae peering at pictures in his magazine, instead of looking at the screen just occasionally tapping random buttons, many times before they confiscated the controller from a nonchalant Kurt. The banter and trash talk flowed, Kurt excelling at that more than his less than stellar efforts in the digital world and pretty soon they were falling around laughing. It was nice. More than nice actually and the time passed by so quickly that the three didn't even realise how late it had gotten before Burt and Carole poked their heads in.

"Bed time, kids."

Kurt looked up from his spot on the bed where he was occasionally tickling Blaine in the sides to get him to mess up much to the brother's amusement and the vampire's poutiness.

"I've put clean linens and pillows on the bed for, Blaine so you're all set," Carole smiled.

"Thank you," Blaine smiled back at her.

"My pleasure honey, we'll see you kids in the morning."

"Night mom, Burt," Finn yawned, stretching his long limbs out.

"At a reasonable time. You're teenagers now, not five," Burt instructed firmly.

Kurt glanced at him innocently. "'Course," he grinned.

"Don't give me that face, bud. I've had seventeen years of that face," Burt grouched grumpily knowing an early start was ahead of him.

Kurt giggled and Blaine tweaked his foot playfully before they rose up calling a goodnight to Finn.

"Door open and stay in your designated areas," Burt reminded them sternly in the hallway.

Kurt rushed inside pulling Blaine along before it could turn into something worse. "Got it. Night!"

"Clothes stay on!" was called and Kurt blushed profusely palming his forehead.

"Dad!"

All that sounded were heavy footsteps then a door opening and closing. He turned to his boyfriend who was sucking his lips in, bright eyes dancing. Kurt poked him in the chest sternly. "Don't you dare."

Blaine shook his head solemnly but it was clear he was hanging on by a thread. Kurt huffed and spun around to dig out his toiletries bag and Christmas pyjama's which consisted of cute little candy cane sleep pants in white and red that Keith got him and another one of Blaine old tee's in white. He laid out his dressing gown and slippers for the morning and by that time Blaine seemed to have gotten a hold of himself. The vampire sprawled onto his bed stomach down as Kurt threw off his cardigan and unbuttoned his shirt until he was in nothing but his jeans.

"Well hello there," Blaine said lowly propping up on his elbows, running eyes all over him.

Kurt smiled fighting the tug in his navel and the stirring in his pants as he picked up his stuff. "I'm gonna jump in the shower first, wanna pick a film or something?"

"Or something," Blaine agreed in the same tone that set Kurt's heart racing and images flitting around his brain.

"I'm afraid that's not in the designated area you've been accorded," Kurt laughed.

Blaine gave him another hot once over. "Well he also said clothes on."

"Complaining?"

"Fuck no!"

Kurt bit his lip and approached the bed slowly. Blaine sat up properly, eagerness a live thing in him as his eyes dilated and fangs dropped a little lower. Kurt kneeled forward and lowered to kissing distance, eyes on Blaine's parted mouth. "Back in five sweetie."

And then he was pulling away and sauntering out the door.

"Tease!" Blaine threw out after him and Kurt glimpsed him collapsing back down and burying his face in the covers. Kurt grinned all the way to the bathroom.

---

Hummel Household

Christmas Day…

"Blaine?"

The vampire grumbled and burrowed under the covers. He'd been sleeping half an hour on and off all night too scared to fall asleep but his body needing it because it hadn't got a full night in so long and he was pretty exhausted. He heard material shuffle and then the air mattress dipped.

"Sweetie?"

Blaine debated with himself for a few minutes. He rolled over and grabbed Kurt, whipping the covers over both their heads before snuggling up playing big spoon. He sighed contently burying his face into his mates as Kurt squeaked in surprise.

"Merry Christmas!" Kurt chirped once he got over the initial shock.

Blaine hummed back keeping his eyes closed just enjoying the smell and warmth of his Chosen.

"Aren't you excited...Blaine? Blaiiine…BLAINE!"

"It's very early," Blaine grumbled wincing at the tone.

"No such thing on Christmas," Kurt sang back.

The vampire gave another noncommittal sound and heard Kurt huff. It was cute undeniably and Blaine felt his lips twitch upwards. Things were quiet for a few more seconds before Kurt started to shift with the energy he was filled with and then there were lips and Blaine was suddenly more awake.

They started out brushing over his chin and jaw before moving upwards and locking onto his with just enough pressure and just enough laziness that Blaine felt drugged. Stuck in that happy place between awake and asleep where your limbs are heavy and your mind is too slow to think of annoying things but it can concentrate on sensation. Pure, sparking sensation that lit him up from the inside until he felt like he was glowing. Blaine moved his lips along slowly, tongue swiping occasionally and pleasured sounds escaping both of their throats. Blaine snaked a hand down the back of Kurt's pants to palm his ass above his boxers and felt the moan vibrate against his swollen mouth.

"Dude's? You up?" Finn's distinctive voice questioned from a little way off before they heard heavy footsteps and Kurt managed to whip the cover off and sit up by the time Finn rounded the doorway in shorts and a tee his hair a mess.

"Merry Christmas guys!" he grinned like a child and Kurt beamed back flicking from excitable to horny back to excitable frustratingly easily. Blaine rolled onto his front and pulled a pillow over his head with a groan of discontent trying to ignore the throbbing in his cock and mouth.

"Merry Christmas, Finn. Go get them up and I'll work on sleepy here," Kurt chirped.

"Cool. I want pancakes for breakfast."

"It's like five in the morning," Blaine complained.

Kurt clucked his tongue. "Close to six actually. C'mon I thought for sure you'd be like a puppy today, up at the crack of dawn!"

Normally Blaine was. A hundred years ago he was the one jumping around waking people up and annoying them within an inch of their lives but he was truly exhausted. Kurt removed the pillow and draped himself over his back laying their heads close facing him.

Blaine peeked an eye open and saw his lovely sleep tousled Chosen and couldn't resist leaning forwards and pecking him on his pretty upturned nose. Kurt scrunched it up and giggled. "Cute."

"M'not cute, you are."

Kurt sprang a curl on his finger before diving his whole hand in. Blaine positively groaned in ecstasy leaning up into the pull and tug, shivering at the pleasant scratch at his scalp and massage of those wonderful fingers. "Not cute huh? You're practically purring," Kurt told him amused.

Blaine was too comfortable to even care at this point. They heard distant voices down the hall that said Carole and Burt were up but probably weren't pleased about it.

Join the club.

"Can you please, please, please come downstairs with me?" Kurt cajoled pressing a little harder and even working his thumb into the nape of his neck. Blaine melted and may have whimpered just a little. The fae leant down and tugged gently at his ear with his teeth which sent a hot flash right down to his groin. "Please?"

"You don't play fair at all."

Kurt pouted against the skin of his neck placing little kisses all over the area. "Please don't make me beg, Blaine."

Blaine's hips drove downwards into the mattress to try and relieve the pressure that was building. "Fuck. Okay, we can bargain," he agreed lowly.

Kurt licked daintily at his pulse point and grabbed a handful of hair. "What do you want?"

You. Naked. Right now? And then a thought struck.

"How about the second half of my present Brittany was talking about?"

Kurt's breath hitched and Blaine twisted to peer up to see that his eyes were just as lust blown as Blaine's and wanting at the idea. It fucking blew Blaine's mind.

"Shit, you really want to don't you?" he asked breathless and dark and his cock twitched mightily at the suggestion that Kurt liked sucking it. Liked having it in his mouth. Jesus Christ.

Kurt bit his lips and blushed innocently. "I liked it."

Blaine buried his face into the pillow and felt like screaming. "You're going to kill me. Oh God's I'm going to die."

Kurt leant down and his breath was hot on his ear again as he said in a not so innocent tone this time, "Stars, you tasted amazing."

That was so it.

Blaine span and cupped his neck crashing their mouths together, tongue driving forwards and it was messy. Messy and wet and hot and Blaine was going crazy with need. He could feel his Chosen smiling into each kiss pulling back teasingly more and more so Blaine would have to stretch up his neck and chase. It was torturous but such a turn on that Blaine felt like he was going to come untouched from just this.

Kurt licked and sucked on his bottom lip before pulling at it with his teeth and Blaine whined, toes curling. Forget about being tired, all Blaine wanted to do was this all day. Kiss and kiss and kiss those wonderful lips until he was drunk on it. The ever soft texture, the faint vanilla taste from the lip balm he used, the way they fit alongside his perfectly. Honestly Blaine would be happy just kissing Kurt for the rest of their long lives. Even when his body was screaming for some sort of relief or release his heart was happy and content at the gorging. The love they exchanged back and forth so freely and the way their connection charged between them magnificently.

Kurt pulled away with a soft pop, breathing heavy and eyes hooded. "The doors still open."

Blaine could barely think straight past the pleasant buzz in his head, the full content feeling in his chest and the pulsing of his erection that was tenting his pyjamas. "I really don't care right now."

Kurt looked him over and flushed at what he found. He glanced towards the door then back at Blaine through his lashes. "Can you be quiet?"

He cupped Blaine's cock through the material and he hissed, "Ah!" throwing his head back on the pillow and driving his hips into Kurt's palm.

"I'll take that as a no," Kurt laughed.

"Close the door," he panted almost delirious as sweat beaded at his hairline.

"Bla-"

"Gods, please, please close the door, beautiful," he begged about to seriously lose his shit. There was no way he could be quiet. There just wasn't and Finn was about to walk back anytime now and- his though process derailed as Kurt rubbed up and down once.

"Ungh," he groaned eyes rolling. He was so worked up that the smallest touch felt like fire on his nerve endings.

Kurt retracted his hand and rose quickly, crossing to close the door as quietly as he could before turning back eyes running over him. Blaine kicked the covers all the way off and palmed himself, unable to help it. He heard Kurt gasp before soft footsteps lead back and Kurt was settling back down at the foot of the mattress. Blaine spread his legs eagerly and Kurt crawled up all sensuous liquid movements until he could settle on his stomach arms settling either side of the vampire's hips. Blaine mouth went dry and he swallowed heavily, heart pounding furiously in his chest.

Kurt looked up at him, blue in his eyes almost midnight as he pushed Blaine's shirt upwards. Never breaking the stare he leant down and laid lips to Blaine's toned stomach just over his waistband and Blaine's muscles contracted as he moaned. Kurt broke their stare and started to push his clothes down. They managed to get them just past Blaine's ass, cock now impossibly hard against his stomach and steadily leaking crying out for a little attention. Kurt wasted no more time and grabbed it at the base. Blaine grit his teeth as his stomach swept low, digging his heels into the makeshift bed.

"Quiet yeah?" Kurt whispered before he bent low and wrapped his mouth around the head just like that. It was confident even though this was only the second time, but who wouldn't be after they'd turned their lover into a dazed mess after only the first? Blaine didn't have time to contemplate because he was gasping for breathe and whimpering already as his hard flesh disappeared between pink lips into a wet heat.

Oh dear God's.

Kurt pulled back and swiped his tongue at the slit making Blaine whimper before sinking down again, further than he'd ever dared before, humming. Fucking humming. Blaine grunted sticking his fist in his mouth to keep from crying out at just how good he felt. Sweat was pouring off him by now; wrecked with the feeling like he could come any second and Kurt would swallow him down. He bucked up lightly and grasped a handful of Kurt's soft hair feeling the obscene bob of his head in his hand and on his cock. Kurt moaned at the attention and the vibration brought him closer still as white hot need coursed his veins. He removed his fist and clutched at his own hair as well as the urgency to come grew and grew.

"Shit, Kurt, I…" he couldn't finish as Kurt pressed his tongue to the underside of his cock and dragged upwards. Blaine choked on air seeing stars. What was really getting to him though was how much Kurt liked doing this. It was in the enthusiastic way he sucked hard hollowing his pretty cheeks, the way he used his tongue to find all the best spots to make Blaine come undone, the way he hummed in appreciation and sucked and tongued at his head to get more of his taste and essence and fuck.

"I, I'm gonna come, ah, oh fuck Kurt, I'm…" he tried to warn and eyelashes fluttered upwards to reveal dark blue as Kurt tightened his lips even further and sucked. Blaine didn't stand a chance and he was falling over the edge beautifully, coming hard.

His arched back collapsed back down and Kurt pulled off of him after swallowing everything Blaine had to give, licking at his swollen lips eyes bright.

"You're going to make me hard again," Blaine told him matter-of-factly as his body shook with the aftershocks.

Kurt blushed and it was so endearing that he could be embarrassed after he just had Blaine's cock in his mouth but it was a fascinating part of Kurt that made him what he was. Innocence and seduction mixed into a heady cocktail that Blaine was addicted to.

"You liked it?"

Blaine looked down at his spit slicked spent cock. "Understatement, beautiful."

Kurt crawled up him and settled at his side and Blaine could feel his erection pressing into his hip. Blaine rolled them over and palmed him. Kurt made a delicious sound at the back of his throat and rolled his hips into the touch.

There were hurried footsteps then a frantic knocking on the door. "Kurt, quick open the door. Burt's coming!" was hissed through the wood before Finn hurried off and Kurt's eyes widened as he rushed to his feet and towards the door. Blaine tucked himself back into his underwear and sat up properly trying to school his face into a less I've-just-had-you-son's-lips-around-my-cock-and-it -was-fucking-amazing expression. Kurt opened it up nearly all the way before running back over and diving onto his own bed grabbing for his dressing gown and slippers.

Blaine got up and moved to his case to find his slippers just as the door pushed all the way open. Burt was in plaid blue striped pj's and a fluffy dark blue dressing gown. He was hatless for once and his tired face was eyeing their bedding like he could figure out if any funny business or breaking of the rules had gone on just by looking. The rumbled beds seemed to satisfy him and he grunted.

"Let's get the mayhem over with so I can go back to bed."

He shuffled out of the door and Kurt called a cheerful, "Merry Christmas dad!" to him. Blaine glanced over to Kurt and the fae bit his lip to keep from smiling at getting away with giving his boyfriend a blowjob on Christmas morning. Blaine laughed himself, feeling filled with happy feelings and sunshine and rainbows as he put away the air mattress. His phone blew up and Blaine grabbed it.

From Santana;

I taught him everything he knows. You're welcome. S x

Downstairs Finn had already claimed an area for himself and he was staring at the presents like he could develop x-ray vision. Carole was on the couch with a cup of coffee in hand, a soft sight in pastel pink and Blaine and Kurt claimed a couch to themselves, Blaine resting his head in Kurt's lap content to let him play in his wild curls as Kurt texted their friends back. Burt had took up position by the tree and began sorting through the presents before handing out a few to each of the teenagers. Blaine sat up and knew he looked surprised to receive his and Burt just shook his head at the expression of shock.

Family. Right.

He felt warm and smiled to himself.

"These are from me and Carole," he announced before moving to sit with his wife.

Finn tore into his eagerly, wrapping paper shredding under his fingers and Kurt attacked his with only a little more grace on his other side. Finn ended up with a few more of the latest games with controllers and headsets and other such things for his console, clothes and even a tool kit and overalls with his name on from Burt. 'Welcome to the family business bud. We'll set you right and have you changing the oil in no time.'

Kurt got clothes of course with all manner of accessories that he preened and inspected over happily. A receipt that said he had new alloys for his car which he beamed over and a ticket to see Rent in a local playhouse. Blaine frowned at the singularity before he opened his up and saw the matching ticket and then he was smiling ear to ear already imagining the evening. He could take Kurt to dinner and then after the play they could go for a walk in a local park because Kurt liked being outside even if it was winter. Blaine also got a few new bowties that he laughed at and had Carole written all over them because one was covered in little sprigs of mistletoe. Blaine held it above his head demanding the exact number of kisses the bowtie was covered in and Kurt giggled into the first few he gave him because he was being a goof again.

Carole had commandeered Blaine's camera by this point and was happily snapping pictures of everything and any little thing.

Finn handed his out and Blaine and Kurt were amused to see they got sheet music, but the more they looked at the titles the more they saw Finn had actually put thought into the selections. There were some matching that were duets and some solo's that were pitched for their differing voices. They thanked the awkward teen brightly and he smiled back pleased with himself after he saw it was a good choice in the end. For his mom and Burt he got DVD's. Rom com's for his mom and westerns for his dad which were happily looked over both declaring they weren't watching the other with them if their life depended on it. Blaine had a feeling that wasn't going to happen.

Kurt and Blaine gave out theirs. A couple of Buckeyes tickets for Burt and Finn which they hollered over and a complete set of high end skin care products for Carole which she smiled widely at and took away to use immediately, complimenting it the whole time.

The presents from Brittany and Santana couldn't have been more different ends of the scale. Brittany had gotten them a toy dolphin and unicorn each which had their names on the tags and a scrawled message on the bottom that said, 'Just so you don't forget how magical and special you are. Xx'. Blaine smiled stupidly at the cute things while Kurt cooed over them, fiddling with them already. Brittany really was the sweetest girl he'd ever known in all his long years.

Santana however had gone creative with her gifts. Kurt opened his up and it looked like a harmless red diary at first until Kurt flipped the cover and inside was scrawled. 'Aunty Tana's school for the sexy, Gay Edition.' Kurt gaped and slammed it shut avoiding all questions about it from his dad and Carole. Blaine was afraid to open his now so cautiously peeled the paper back and saw it was a wicker basket full of lubes and play gel and Blaine- while interested in the many uses he could get out of it- found and stray gift bag and shoved it inside with some of his other presents on top so no one could find or see it.

That girl was something else entirely.

When it got time to give Kurt his present he gulped nervously but Kurt was the first to hand his over throwing off his dressing gown and biting his thumb anxiously. It was a small black box with a perfect silver bow wrapped around it. Blaine untied it carefully.

"If you don't like it we can take it back," Kurt babbled and Blaine threw him a smile.

"I'll love it."

Kurt rolled his eyes. "You don't know what it is!"

Blaine shrugged. "Doesn't make it any less true."

Kurt huffed as he popped the lid and then halted.

Inside, nestled in black velvet was a thick banded ring that bore stunning similarities to the one he had worn around his neck for so long. It was platinum and onyx wound around the silver base like ivy and Blaine had to remember to breathe.

"I, um, I had it engraved," Kurt told him softly and Blaine moved shaky fingers to extricate it to see for himself. On the inside in sweeping script was the message, 'Yours in every lifetime and ever after. Love always, Kurt'. Blaine felt tears surface as the words imprinted on his heart.

"Blaine, please say something," Kurt begged shakily and the vampire raised his gaze to his frowning Chosen. He swept forwards and laid a swift heavy kiss to his lips.

"I love it, beautiful. Thank you so much," he murmured into his mouth and the fae didn't know just what he'd given him. He sat back and debated before sliding it onto his right hand. It fit perfectly and looked even better. Kurt grabbed his hand for himself and peered at it from all angles then grinned slowly. Stunningly.

It was then that they realised they weren't alone. Burt cleared his throat and they blushed.

"Looks good on you kid," Burt told him sincerely but there was a trace of nervousness in his tone at the sight of the ring.

Carole came back and peered over the back of the couch. "Oh would you look at that. It's lovely."

Kurt grinned wider with every passing compliment and Blaine smiled stupidly at how happy he was. He was vibrating positive energy and Blaine was soaking it up greedily. Feeling emboldened he picked up his gift and handed it to Kurt.

Kurt squeaked happily making grabby hands at the small box and moving it this way and that to try and work it out. He tore off the wrapping Blaine had put on last night when Kurt was sleeping and inside was a varnished little wooden box with flowers etched into the casing. Kurt traced eyes over it in obvious awe over the craftsmanship and Blaine watched in suspense as he eventually lifted up the lid and stopped.

"Blaine," he let out shakily, confused eyes lifting to his.

"It's a promise ring," Blaine told him in simplified terms.

It had been difficult to part with it. His neck felt bare without the weight the chain and ring provided but on the other hand he felt right again. The ring was back where it belonged and Blaine really wanted it on Kurt's finger. Wanted that desperately in fact, to show for certain that Kurt was his.

Carole cooed. "How sweet, you got each other matching rings?"

Burt spluttered in panic while Finn peeked over interestedly.

Kurt rose to his feet and grabbed for Blaine's hand. "Will you excuse us quickly?" he asked and Burt looked ready to protest before he sighed and waved them off.

---

"No Blaine, I can't take this it's yours!" Kurt gasped as soon as they entered his bedroom and the door was closed. His dad could handle five minutes on Christmas even if his papa bear-senses were tingling.

Blaine shook his head with a smile tinged in a little sadness. "It's yours. Always has been."

It made sense. It wasn't big enough for Blaine. He kept it on a chain instead of wearing it on his finger…

"Mine," Kurt stated dumbly looking down at the beautiful thing in his hand. The twisted ivy pattern of onyx and platinum just like Blaine's only smaller and speckled with a blue substance Kurt could never work out but made it even prettier and unique. He'd wanted this ring. Had from the first moment he saw it. He's always found it was strange that he felt such a draw to it, that he couldn't leave it alone but now it made sense. This was his.

Blaine shuffled nervously then moved forwards pushing Kurt backwards gently until he could seat him on the edge of the bed. He knelt down in front of him and the fae's eyes went wide as his heart began to hammer.

This couldn't be what he thought it was right?

"B-Blaine?" he stuttered eyes bouncing between his trying to get a read on him.

"I got this for you for our bonding ceremony," Blaine said quietly taking the box and carefully pulling the ring from its silky cushion.

"Bondi-" he cut himself off as it clicked. "Like getting married?!"

His vampire turned a little apprehensive. "I did tell you before."

Kurt blinked. He had. That first night Kurt had spent in his bed. "Husbands."

"In affect. Bonded partners, mated, Chosen One, soul-connected. It all equates to the same thing."

"Husbands," Kurt repeated again.

Blaine grabbed his left hand and to Kurt's not-so-surprise the whole thing was shaking like a leaf. The human teenager in him was freaking the hell out. What the hell, I'm seventeen, this isn't something you should be doing! What about your plans? What about your future?

He took one look at Blaine's hopeful amber eyes and the voice melted away into nothingness.

He wasn't a seventeen year old human teenager. His plans had definitely changed and he was still figuring that out but that was fine because they had time. And his future would always be Blaine anyway.

"I know I said downstairs that this was a promise ring," Blaine said bringing the ring up to pause at the tip of his ring finger. "And it is. A promise of my eternal love and devotion. A promise to take care of you no matter what. A promise that I'll always want you. I'll always be thinking of you. A promise that this time around…we'll get it right. That I won't waste a single moment."

Kurt let the tear fall.

"Kurt…beautiful, will you do me the honour of wearing my ring again?"

The fae was stunned speechless for all of two seconds. Two seconds that passed like a lifetime as thoughts and feelings crashed through his body. He wasn't asking him to marry him, was the first one but then he realised that it was something much more serious. This ring was a sign of commitment for hundreds of years already past and for hopefully many to come. There was no get out clause. And really when he thought about it, simplified it down to what really mattered, this ring wasn't tying him to anything more complicated than saying that he loved Blaine, wanted to be with him always and wanted people to know it too. There were no strings attached to this. No surprises lurking around the corner to scare him. This was just Blaine and Kurt and their love.

"Yes," he said breathlessly. No regrets. No hesitation. No doubts. He smiled crazily as another tear fell and it started to sink in. "Yes, yes, yes!"

Blaine bit his lip against the wide smile that threatened, eyes showing disbelief. Relief. But most of all love. "Yes?"

"Put it on right now, Blaine Anderson," he ordered in his best princely tone, jiggling his hand impatiently.

Blaine chuckled; the sun captured inside him, lighting him up with no darkness for these few moments. "Your wish is my command, my love."

It slipped on smoothly, made for Kurt and as soon as it was settled Kurt launched himself at Blaine kissing at his face, arms around his neck, seated in his lap from where the vampire fell to his ass on the floor from the momentum. Lips finally caught and held and love passed like a live current between them too much for one body to hold on its own. They were washed in it. Drowned in it. And nothing had ever felt so wonderful.

Blaine broke away to whisper, "I love you. Forever."

More tears spilled and Kurt felt silly but when Blaine thumbed them away tenderly without an ounce of condescension Kurt forgot all about it and just let himself feel. Even if it meant tears or screams or even jumping on the ceiling. "I love you too."

The words didn't seem like enough even though they meant everything.

They stayed wrapped together for a few blissful content moments. Just breathing in sync and trading languid presses of lips every once in a while. Kurt rested his temple against Blaine's and admired his ring over his shoulder for a while. Spinning it with his thumb, tilting it to catch the light. That's until a thought struck Kurt. He pulled back and Blaine blinked his eyes back open.

"If this is my bonded ring, then where's yours?"

Suddenly his gift seemed much less than Blaine's.

Blaine was silent for a few moments. "With you."

Kurt frowned. "How can it b-" he cut himself off and swallowed as the implications set in.

"I wanted you to have something of me with you. I didn't want you to be alone. I didn't want to leave you," Blaine haltingly explained with watery eyes.

"Oh Blaine," Kurt breathed heart breaking in his chest as the vampires face pressed into his neck. He swallowed trying to think of ways to make it better. Nothing would ever make it right but it could be better.

He reached down and grabbed Blaine's right hand, taking the ring he'd bought and slipping it off. Blaine immediately protested the action but Kurt held firm and clasped the silver tightly in his palm using the other hand to hook his boyfriends chin upwards. "I bought this ring for you because I love you beyond anything I could have imagined, more than anyone in the world. It seems even against my own sanity sometimes and because you saved me, Blaine. Saved me from loneliness and pain and from a life that didn't have you in it except for a figment in my head and I," he halted himself and recollected. He didn't have a clue of what he was doing, if he was doing it right but he was following his instincts and hoping like hell it worked. "I want to be everything for you that you are to me. Every promise you gave me I give back to you and I would be equally as honoured if you wore this ring in place of the one you sacrificed because it has just as much of my heart and love."

Blaine's amber eyes filled up before he cupped the back of Kurt's neck and smashed their lips together and Kurt could taste the saltiness of tears shed but didn't shy away. He gave back, he gave all until they had to part for air. "Is that a yes," Kurt panted, foreheads resting.

"Gods I love you," Blaine said in response. Tone awed. Reverent.

Kurt smiled. "You have to say the word, sweetie."

"Yes. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes-"

"Okay!" the fae laughed as Blaine held up his hand like an eager puppy, vibrating energy.

It slipped on just as easily as Kurt's and their connection flared anew humming happily like they'd closed the circuit and everything was in balance. Blaine joined their left hands, fingers interlinking, silver clicking against silver and Kurt had never seen anything so amazingly correct.

Blaine leant in to kiss the joined space over and over, eyes closed and bliss spread across his face. Smoothing out the tension making his glow with how beautiful he was in that moment.

The knock on the door shattered the atmosphere.

"Uh guys?" Finn began awkwardly.

Kurt sighed not wanting to leave this little piece of heaven but knowing they had to. "Yeah we're just coming down now."

They got up off the floor and walked hand in hand to the door to see an apologetic looking Finn.

"He gave you like ten minutes and I tried to distract him but then he started getting all twitchy you know?"

Kurt rolled his eyes and hummed. "Thanks though, Finn."

He beamed. "No problem. What brothers are for right?"

Kurt found himself smiling back despite himself. "Yeah."

"My mum's in the kitchen and I know you wanted to help so I thought me and Blaine could try out some of my new games for a while until it's ready. "

Kurt nodded and looked to Blaine who leant in to kiss him on the cheek softly.

"I'm totally gonna kick your ass this time," the vampire said to his brother once he'd pulled back from Kurt.

Finn smirked. "Bring it on short stuff!"

Despite their joint growth spurts Finn would always dwarf the world with his freakish height.

Shaking his head he followed the two into Finn's room to grab his PS3 console to bring downstairs and hook up to the wider flat screen. Kurt carried a controller because he was very helpful and with a kiss to Blaine and a ruffle through his curls once it was all downstairs he wandered into the kitchen. Carole was already hard at work peeling various vegetables, checking the oven, putting pans of water on the stove to heat.

Kurt washed his hands at the sink. "Right where are we at?"

Carole jumped a little then looked over her shoulder to smile at him. "Oh Kurt honey. Just the man I wanted to see."

He stepped up to the counter and glanced around at the cluttered surface. "You peel, I chop and season?"

Carole beamed gratefully as she blew away some flyaway hair. "What did I ever do to deserve you?"

Kurt shrugged nonchalantly and plucked a knife out of the holder. "Some people are just lucky I guess."

Carole laughed and looked down to what she was doing again until something caught her eye. "Oh honey, you might wanna take that off before you start."

Kurt looked down at his left hand at the ring sitting so snug and pretty against his pale skin. He didn't want to take it off. Ever. Not now he just got it back.

Sensing his reluctance Carole spoke again. "You can put it in my little pot with my wedding ring just up there on the windowsill. You wouldn't want to ruin it the first day you got it right?"

It made sense. Soon enough Kurt would be up to her wrists in stuffing and gravy. He swallowed, then carefully slid it off feeling the loss immediately. Carole held out the pot- one that looked like Finn had made and decorated in kindergarten because Burt had a similar one sitting on his desk at work from Kurt- for him where her simple yet pretty band sat against uneven clay. He placed it in gently and Carole put the pot back where it belonged in front of them.

"Okay then," she grinned and got back to work. Kurt did the same and had to keep reminding himself to keep an eye on what he was doing lest he chop his fingers off instead of staring at the misshapen, horribly decorated but endearing clay.

---

Time passed quickly from there, Kurt only taking a break here and there to shower and change into a pair of green jeans and throw on a soft loose white jumper that had silver thread that showed off his collarbones perfectly and spend a little time with Blaine. His boyfriend had changed into black turned up jeans, a red tight shirt with short sleeves and a black bow tie that looked adorable and black oxfords, his hair sparingly gelled once more. The vampire soon enough migrated into the kitchen and helped here and there but mostly just took up space on a counter to watch Kurt work adoringly. He didn't like that Kurt had taken off his ring but he understood when he saw Kurt's pastry covered fingers and plucked the jewellery out and held it in his fingers ready to put back on Kurt's finger at the soonest opportunity.

Usually Kurt didn't like people taking up room in his kitchen but Carole knew what she was doing of course and Blaine was Blaine. He made goofy jokes and smiled at him sunnily and pulled him between his legs to cuddle at every available moment and Kurt loved it. They turned the CD player on and sang along to Christmas songs, Carole requesting they sing duets for her and clapping like mad cooing over them. Finn joined in for some of the songs when he came looking for snacks making Carole beam at him proudly but quickly disappeared when Burt announced the game was starting.

It was about an hour later when most of the pans were boiling and the oven was roasting that there was a knock on the door. Blaine's ears perked up and Kurt pulled him off the counter and towards the door only stopping on the way to slide Kurt's ring back on. Most of the messy stuff was done so it should be fine and it was worth it to see how content it made his boyfriend. Blaine kissed the area happily and Kurt nearly melted into the floor before the door knocked again.

They opened it and were almost blinded by the white tooth smile they were treated to. Cooper was more casual than Kurt had ever seen him in a pair of stonewash jeans, a tight white tee under a leather jacket, his wavy hair tousled artfully. He carried some bright flowers and a bottle of wine.

"Squirt! Kurt! Merry Christmas!" he enthused.

Blaine peered around him searching for the elusive Cloud and seemed satisfied when he pulled back and beamed at his brother.

"Hey Coop, Merry Christmas." Kurt was as surprised as Cooper by the greeting but just as happy for them.

"Now I didn't manage to get you anything seeing as you weren't talking to me and I thought you were dead up until yesterday but its not all about the giving right?" he rattled off pushing his way inside.

Kurt snorted at him and Blaine rolled his eyes. "Come in why don't you?"

"So this is what human houses look like inside nowadays?" Cooper said to himself inspecting curiously and Kurt panicked.

"Cooper, you can't just say things like that around here," he hissed under his breathe.

He held his hands up. "Fine. Fine. Now aren't you going to introduce your awesome older brother, brother?"

Blaine gave him a measured look that was leaps away from the happy greeting he'd received. "Don't be a twat."

Cooper laughed loudly. "Wouldn't dream of it."

Carole poked her head around the corner hearing voices and startled. "Oh. You must be Blaine's brother," she beamed wiping her hands on a hand towel before walking out to greet him.

"Cooper Anderson. And you must be the lovely, Carole," Cooper charmed, flashing a megawatt smile that the older women flushed at. "Thank you so much for inviting me and my brother over to your lovely home."

"Oh it was no trouble at all."

"Well these are for you," he offered up the arrangement and bottle with a flourish and Carole beamed. "To say thank you anyway."

"You shouldn't have!" she exclaimed eyes widening. Kurt was incredulous and Blaine looked bored. Like he'd seen this many a time.

"It was least I could do. I would have brought more but I didn't even know I was going to be in town. I live in New York you see and my job keeps me busy," he continued on and followed the woman into the kitchen talking all the while voice trailing off.

Kurt watched them go in silence.

"My dad's going to hate him."

Blaine laughed out loud. "Probably."

Kurt gave him a look. "No really. You thought he was bad with you? Just you wait, Benjamin."

Blaine pouted at the reminder of his nickname.

It turned out that the prediction was right however. Burt Hummel didn't much care for Cooper Anderson or his stories of grandeur and charming smiles.

Finn and Carole were eating it up however. The teen fascinated by the dramatized stories he spun and Carole loving the compliments and smooth talking as harmless as it was. Burt just scowled at him and grunted at him if he was required to answer something. It wasn't actually hate and the man put up with the younger man in good enough humour but it was clear Cooper wasn't high up on his list.

Blaine watched it all in high amusement but his good mood was more to do with the fact that Cooper was there at all Kurt knew. There was no hiding that happy spark as the brothers fell into teasing and banter as naturally as breathing, the good spirits around them alleviating the tension that was left between them for the time being. Kurt found their dynamic entertaining and interesting to witness, joining in easily and laughing freely as he finished off dinner with Carole. The spread ended up being impressive and vast, taking up most of the table and Finn, Blaine and Kurt were allowed a glass of wine each as they filled their stomachs.

The only hiccup in dinner came when Blaine nearly choked on a potato. Kurt patted him on the back concerned but Blaine's eyes were fixed on the window. Kurt glanced over and spotted Cloud looking in and it was his turn to choke on air.

Blaine glared at Cooper who gave them a 'who me?' face and just smile widely popping vegetables into his mouth.

Dalton

Later that night…

Leon was jogging the perimeter of Dalton while Gerran, who he was paired with tonight, spoke inane things into his earpiece. Not everyone within the coven could speak telepathically, mainly only the older bloodlines and vampires, so they had these on hand- fiddly and annoying as they were. It wasn't that he didn't want to know about the life of this Kardashian woman but he was trying to concentrate.

Merda.

He unhooked it and let it fall over his shoulder as his eyes scanned the darkness. He was on the edge of the forest and this was the hardest place to check out because of the wildlife and obstacles obscured the visibility. He entered anyway, eyes swift and discerning on his surroundings as his boots cracked over the frostbitten ground, snapping frozen twigs. The cold wind was biting at his cheeks and nose by now making him wish he was back in bed with his Tristan. The vampire would be up waiting for him of course. He always did without fail. He didn't like it when Leon was gone out of his sight and the Italian knew the reasons though he hated them. Hated the people who put them there with a passion that scared him sometimes.

The tiny voice on his shoulder grew louder and Leon tried to shut it out as he kept moving at a steady pace, making sure not to miss something like he'd been trained to. No matter how people complained about patrolling or details they all knew it was absolutely necessary. None of them were stupid. They recognised that just because they hadn't heard from the rogues in a little over a hundred years didn't mean they had just up and disappeared. They didn't live in any kind of fairytale.

Leon halted as soon a heard the first rustle. He snapped his head left and searched the darkness but all he could see was bare trees and bushes. It could be anything from a rabbit to a person and Leon sniffed the air to try and scent it. Unfortunately the wind was blowing the wrong direction and so Leon began to approach on stealthy feet, making sure to glance up at the tree line as well. The longer he went without finding anything the more his heart began to pound with adrenaline. Something was raising the hairs on his neck. He quickly grabbed the earpiece and shoved it back in.

"-swer me, they're in the woods with yo-"

The line went dead when he felt the knife at his neck cut the wire from behind.

---

Don't hate me... (:

Okay so most people like the side pairings so I apologise there wasn't a lot or really any of them in this one but I really couldn't fit them in logically without it being weird. BUT they are in the next chapter as we find out the aftermath to this little cliffhanger...

I'm going on holiday for a week so the next update will be the week after this one hopefully (if I don't manage to update beforehand.) I'm taking my laptop to keep writing anyway (:

Please review and let me know what you think (: (: (:

Xx