Surprise! I'm still here!
A combination of unexpected events in real life and a writer's block caused this delay, but I hope you haven't forgotten me, and will still be reading. I won't promise anything, but I sure hope I can write more frequently from now on.
Since last update, I've reached an even 100 favourites for this story - I feel as if that should be celebrated somehow! You are amazing people for sticking with me!
I published a reaction fic called New New Beginnings the other day, something I wrote in hope of getting my mojo back - feel free to check it out. It's a response to the episode New New York.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything! Hardly even any writing skills these days...
When Kurt and Blaine are back in school on Monday after Thanksgiving, classes finish in a snail pace. Kurt simply can't wait for Warblers' rehearsal, and is anticipating a phone call any minute from his dad, telling him he's changed his mind, before he can hand in the entry form to the Council. He still can't quite believe he's going to Europe! But his phone is pleasantly silent – at least if you ignore the bombardment of texts from his friends in New Directions, who obviously have spoken with Finn and been informed about Kurt's upcoming adventure. They're all happy for him, in their own selfish ways. Puck wonders if it's too late to transfer, so he can tag along and check out Italian women. Rachel wants to join and meet Andrew Lloyd Webber. Mercedes begs for a corner of his suitcase, so that she can shop with him. And where Mercedes goes, Sam follows blindly. Brittany says she wants to take Santana to Lesbos, and Kurt has to google that one before he understands she's actually making sense. Tina wants to hunt down vampires in Eastern Europe with Mike, and use them to blackmail Principal Figgins. And Unique wants to go for no other reason than Europe being fabulous, and so is she.
After all the papers have been given to Wes, Kurt can finally relax his anxiety, and crank up his excitement. Blaine and he spend the rest of the evening discussing how they want to spend the ten days, and making lists of what they need to see, want to see and hope to see.
Kurt had thought time would go slowly, and torture him. But December ends up being quite a busy month. There are big tests and extensive papers to prepare. The theatre troupe is working on their performance of Fame. The Warblers are giving Christmas concerts to a couple of local nursing homes. They also make an impromptu performance in school, and Wes is being all reckless and crazy, telling them to wear red Santa hats with the uniform.
And then it's time for the Christmas Ball.
The other boys have rented a limo again, to take their dates to the venue in style. But Kurt wants something more private, and suggests going in his car. Then they're also free to leave whenever they want. Blaine looks stunning in a well-fitting tuxedo, and with a bowtie Kurt has given him. Blaine dressed up like that will probably always do something to Kurt. He decided to add a top hat to his own ensemble, because when is it not right to wear a top hat? When Blaine sees him wearing it for the first time, he kisses him deeply, and dips him until the hat falls off. With a loud guffaw, he picks the hat up and puts it on his own head. So they take turn wearing it for the rest of the night.
The food table is as spectacular as last time. The Warblers perform a few songs, the Passerines perform a few songs, and a clever DJ eggs them all out on the dance floor. Kurt is having a great time. He may not be as wide eyed as he was one year ago – he's gotten more used to the opulence, classic style and stylish class by now. But he still feels like a poor kid in a Cinderella-fairytale. Although, he's rarely felt out of his element with Blaine. He knows Blaine has more money, but he's not a snob. He doesn't care that Kurt's top hat was bought on a whim on eBay, sans label. He doesn't care that the pants are from a Rue-la-la sale. He doesn't care that the shoes are a year old. And he's simply impressed by the fact that Kurt can tailor his own jacket.
They dance for literally hours – it's something they both enjoy, and with Blaine being a schooled ballroom-dancer, it's always a great experience dancing with him. Kurt remembers last year, when every touch could mean so many different things, and were overwhelming him. He remembers all the discreet glances, he remembers falling so hard, and wondering if he was alone in this freefall. He remembers aching for more of anything, he remembers feeling starved. And now he has Blaine and now he is Blaine's. No more worrying, wondering, dreaming, hoping, longing. They are boyfriends, have been so for eight months, and it feels really weird thinking about a time when they were not together. But dating doesn't equal being used to everything. Dancing with his boyfriend during a school dance will never be something he takes for granted, both because of his own and because of Blaine's past. He keeps an attentive eye on Blaine to make sure he's doing okay – he remembers the minor panic attack the boy had last year. But Blaine is smiling and laughing, and when he kisses Kurt's cheek, he lets go of any doubt that Blaine may be only pretending to be fine.
Kurt knows it is a cliché, but sometimes living a cliché means for once being like everybody else. He didn't have the money to book a sleazy motel room – but honestly, why would they need that, when they have Blaine's perfect single dorm? Before the dance is over, Kurt whispers in Blaine's ear that he wants to go back to Blaine's room. Blaine blinks stunned, and swallows loudly, but nods eagerly, unable to get a proper sentence out. They walk hand in hand to Kurt's car, and if their steps are slightly longer and slightly quicker, it is probably because it's so cold outside.
In Blaine's room, they undress each other while kissing, but heads under the covers as soon as the last item of clothing is on the floor. For once, the fear of wrinkled clothes isn't the prominent thought on Kurt's mind. Neither feels comfortable roaming naked in front of the other. But in the safety of the bed, they smile, laugh, kiss, touch, taste and try new things. There are still things to explore with each other's bodies, but Kurt treasures each new item on his very secret Bucket List of Erotica they experience and check off together.
By the time Sebastian returns, they're both asleep, limbs tangled in a bed that really isn't wide enough for two teenage boys.
Christmas is a taste of what will come next year – Burt comes home late from the Capitol, after preparing his new life as Congressman. Kurt isn't able to take part in all of the usual seasonal preparations either, with the busy pace at Dalton until break. They left out of McKinley a few days before Dalton, so Sam is already back with his family. Finn is giving hours in the garage to earn money for a very special Christmas gift. Next year both he and Kurt will be in college, and Christmas will mean visiting, almost like some of them do now.
But no matter how much Kurt detests Lima, it will nevertheless always be home. When he opens the door, the scent of Christmas cookies overwhelms him in all the best ways, and Carole is singing from the kitchen, weaving a greeting to him in between "I'll be home for Christmas – welcome-home-Kurt – You can count on me…".
He gives her a hug from behind, seeing how her hands are busy making pie.
"Please have snow and mistletoe, and presents by the tree," Kurt sings with the radio, grinning with joy and childlike anticipation.
"We'll find a Christmas tree when your father comes home from Washington tomorrow," Carole turns and smiles at him. "But there's plenty of decorations to put up yet. I hid some of it from Finn, so the two of you could put it up together."
"He does understand Christmas won't come any quicker, even if you decorate everything early?" Kurt grins ruefully.
"I think so," Carole nods slowly. "Yes, he ought to know by now," she winks.
Kurt hurries to his room to unpack before his clothes are even more wrinkled, and then returns to help Carole prepare dinner. He's ready for two weeks of family, friends, indulgences – and as much boyfriend as possible.
Christmas last year was strange, the first they celebrated together as a new family. Even if it is only their second Christmas, they are now more attuned and harmonized as a unit, which makes this holiday all the more fluent and laidback.
Kurt is close to tears when he opens the gift from Burt and Carole.
"We thought you might need it on that trip of yours to Europe," Burt explains as Kurt opens the square cardboard box.
"It's tiny, but it's really good quality, and won't take up space in your limited luggage," Carole adds, and Kurt flips through the booklet about pixels, zoom, megabytes, charging battery and memory card. There's a huge grin on his face.
"You're crazy," he murmurs, looking at the shiny black compact camera.
"You're gonna make a lot of memories, Kid. This will take better pictures than your phone does. And it's free to use, even internationally."
"Zizes and the AV-club helped with suggestions," Finn grins at Kurt's expression.
Kurt finally manages to put down his shiny new, unbelievable gift, and hugs his family tightly, each of them.
Mercedes had been on the door earlier in the morning with his Christmas gift, and it looks really weird. Well, it looks like a plant has been wrapped in paper, but why would she give him a plant?
Figuring it's the easiest way to get an answer, he peels off the florist-stamped paper, and unsurprisingly finds a plant – a Jade plant. There's a card, so he reads it before inspecting the plant further, and it turns out it is a gift from all of his girls. They never made it a habit to exchange gifts between the boys, but the girls and he would give something to each other. Thanks to his knack for finding bargains online, some of the girls this year get a new handbag (Mercedes), sunglasses (Santana), pink ballet shoes (Brittany), and Julie Andrew's autographed portrait (Rachel).
When Kurt looks at the plant, he notices something has been tied to the stems, and at closer inspection he see it is money – fives and tens notes of Euro! His girls got him shopping money for Europe! He takes a picture of it and sends to Blaine, before composing a mass text to thank his creative and original friends – he'll have to do better when he sees them face to face, though.
"It was Rachel's idea," Finn tells him. "She's always so practical and smart." Kurt nods and smiles at that. For all of her highflying dreams and ambitious plans, she can be surprisingly pragmatic and levelheaded when it comes to it.
Later in the holiday, Burt and Carole invite Devon and sons for dinner. After working as Burt's campaign manager, they've become close, and Mr. Anderson is considered a friend of the family, and not only a business associate and partner in (fighting) crime. Seeing he is also sort-of the in-law, strengthens the need and wish to bond further. The night before the dinner, Finn is caught kissing Rachel by the porch. With a dopey grin, he reveals what they already knew – Rachel and Finn are dating now. So the next morning, Carole promptly invites the Berry's over for dinner, figuring the more the merrier, and it is a merry Christmas, after all.
Cooper can't help but pull attention, and his chicken breast is cold by the time he admits defeat in convincing Rachel that the future is in Hollywood, not Broadway. Blaine and Kurt manage somehow to fly under the radar, and spend most of the meal playing footsie under the table and sharing secret glances.
Blaine spends the night, and next morning Burt and Finn head for the garage. Kurt plans to do his share of hours to earn money for Europe, but not today, not when he can cuddle with his boyfriend on the couch instead. Blaine has an extended family dinner coming up, so Kurt will spend time in the garage then.
"You sure you guys are fine being home alone?" Burt asks them hesitantly. Carole had been called to the hospital earlier in the morning, replacing a shift for someone who had gotten food poisoning.
"It's okay, Dad. I've planned a slow-cooked pot roast for dinner, so we'll be around to keep an eye on it."
Burt looks worriedly at them, mumbles something to himself, before he leaves, Finn already waiting in the car.
With the house empty, Kurt takes charge in the kitchen. Blaine seamlessly aids him, doing what Kurt asks of him without standing in the way or delaying him. They work like a smooth experienced team, and fairly soon a huge pot is simmering with the beef, vegetables and spices.
"Do you want to go to my room?" Kurt asks nervously, chewing on his bottom lip and rolling on the balls of his feet.
"Sure," Blaine agrees easily, but he looks questioningly at him.
Kurt is no Romeo or Casanova, but he wants to take advantage of the time they have alone. Whenever they've had any… under-the-belt-action, it's been in Blaine's dorm in Westerville. And Kurt has this unexplainable need to deflower his old bed. He wants to make a man of his boy-bed.
He shakes his head in disappointment of his own awful metaphors, and focuses on Blaine's hand in his. He just wants to be as close as possible to his boyfriend, while dinner is cooking in the kitchen, and for a fleeting moment think of themselves as something more mature than teenagers in a dormitory. Acting rebellious with his domestic fantasy, he leaves the door open. He pulls Blaine flush against his chest, and kisses him until he takes the hint.
Later, he lets Blaine decide what to watch on TV. Kurt has no preferences today. Lounging on the couch with his boyfriend in his arms is all he could ever want, even when said boyfriend squealed from joy at finding reruns of old Tom & Jerry-cartoons. Kurt is drowsy, only half aware, a hand running absentmindedly up and down Blaine's torso, as he hums, some old Warbler song playing peekaboo with his memory.
"So I went and let you blow my mind…"
"Huh. I got the distinct impression I was blowing something entirely else," Blaine says, looking pointedly at him.
"Blaine!" Kurt shrieks scandalized, and whacks his boyfriend in the head with a pillow. They are throw pillows, after all.
"Just saying," Blaine smirks.
"You can't just say things like that," Kurt scolds him.
"Said it, did it," Blaine winks, and flips over to lie down between Kurt's legs, resting on his elbows.
"You're such a dork," Kurt rolls his eyes, but leans up to peck his dork.
"I find it adorable that you're still shy talking about sex," Blaine smiles fondly at him, and kisses the tip of his nose.
"Yeah, yeah, just give me time, and I bet I'll be the reincarnated Marquis de Sade," Kurt snorts.
"Oh, I'm feeling confident about your future bed skills. After all, you've just proven your current talents, Mr. Hummel," Blaine grins.
Kurt gasps, and pushes Blaine off of him.
"What have I said about calling me that in bed?"
"It makes you think about your father…"
"It makes me think about my father."
"When will they be home, anyway?" Blaine asks, and shuffles around to sit more comfortably. When he finally settles, Kurt worms a hand into Blaine's pocket, and extricates his pocket watch to check the time.
"Carole should be here within twenty minutes, and Dad said Finn and he would finish up around the same time."
"We should set the table," Blaine suggests, already halfway up.
"Yeah. Yes, we should," Kurt agrees, soaking up the final grains of domesticity before the bubble is popped by family.
Lyrics from:
Traditional – I'll Be Home For Christmas
Train – Hey, Soul Sister