Chapter 5: Shopping and Organizing

The five met at the food court, and headed for the nearest store Kurt knew would have everything they were looking for.

"Okay, since I have the list of everything we need to get, this shouldn't take too long." Kurt said, opening his phone.

"Wouldn't it be better if we all just took a part of the list and split up to get everything?" Tina asked. "It would probably save us a lot of time."

"Okay, that might work." Kurt sent everyone a part of the list, with the size measurements for each item. "If we finish fast, we can meet at the check out."

The five of them agreed and split up to search for the items on their lists.


Kurt made a beeline for the shirts, and it didn't take long to find what he needed; even though he did have to ask if they had a larger size shirt that would fit Finn's freakishly large body.

'Thank Gaga, they had one.' Kurt thought, sighing in relief when the store clerk came back with the size he needed. After thanking the woman, Kurt set off with his arms full of matching shirts.

As he went to find his friends, he found an abandoned shopping cart and decided to place the shirts inside and wheel it around, so that his arms wouldn't get tired and sore from carrying the shirts.

He wheeled towards the shoes and almost ran over Artie.

"Hey! I've already had one accident that left me permanently injured, I don't need another." Artie joked, struggling with the boxes on his lap.

"Sorry, Artie. Let me take those for you." Kurt apologized and Artie started handing him the five boxes of shoes.

"I found what you were looking for, but I had to ask someone to reach some from the top shelves. Plus, they looked at me funny when I said I needed the women's shoes."

Kurt chuckled as they went looking for their friends.


They went through the store until they decided to just go to the check out.

"Took you two long enough." Said Mercedes, holding a stack of baseball caps. "We've been waiting for almost fifteen minutes."

"Sorry, we went looking to see if you guys needed any help." Kurt said, letting everyone put their items in the cart.

"Hey, Kurt?" Mike said, putting the pants he had in the cart. "Next time, can you please let one of the girls pick up the skirts? I got a funny look from one Mom as she walked by with her kid. I had to say I was getting it for my girlfriend."

"Awww, Babe! So sweet you'd use me as an excuse!" Tina said, kissing Mike on his cheek.

"Sorry, next time I'll go get it. I don't have a problem with people looking at me picking of female clothes." Kurt said.

"Why'd you have Mike get a skirt anyways?" Mercedes asked, as they went to the counter.

"You know Rachel." Kurt said, rolling his eyes. "She'll probably make a big fuss about the pants, so I'm getting her a skirt just in case."

"It was even more awkward when I had to ask for a bigger pair of pants for Finn. He must be really hard to shop for." Mike said.

"Coach Sylvester doesn't call him 'Frankenteen' for nothing." Tina said, and everyone agreed.

They started putting everything on the conveyor belt and let the cashier ring it through.

"My goodness, why do you need so many multiple clothes?" She asked.

"They're costumes. We're in a Glee Club at school, and we have a performance next week." Tina spoke.

"Oh, that makes sense." The woman smiled at the group as she bagged their items. "That will be four hundred and eight dollars and thirty-six cents."

"Kurt, you got the money, right?" Mike asked.

"Of course." Kurt counted out the money as the group started gathering the bags and boxes. He was greatful his Dad had snuck that extra money into his wallet. It, with what the kids in Glee had given him, and the extra fifty Mr. Schue insisted he take from him at lunch, they had just enough to cover the expense, with a little left over.

The kids smiled and thanked the woman before heading out of the store, three holding bags and boxes while Kurt pushed Artie and his chair.

"Can we stop at the food court?" Tina asked. "All this shopping has made me hungry."

As if to corraborate what she had said, Tina's stomach grumbled loudly, inciting laughs from everyone.

"Yeah, best to get some food." Mercedes said, as Mike put his arm around his girlfriend's shoulders. "I'm hungry too."

"Okay, let's go." Artie said, pushing his chair forward, until Kurt grabbed hold again and pushed him.


The group spent the next hour in the food court, talking about everything from school to homework, to personal issues. Finally, they decided to call it a day.

"I'm gonna drive Tina home." Mercedes said, as they left the mall for the vehicles.

"Do you have a problem driving us to Artie's, Kurt?" Mike asked, hoping he wasn't imposing on his friend. "We have a science project we need to work on."

"Yeah, no, that's not a problem for me." Kurt gave a small smile to his friends.

"How are we going to take this stuff home?" Tina wondered out loud.

"I'll take it." Kurt popped the back of his car and started loading the bags and boxes in, leaving room for Artie's chair.

"Are you sure? I don't want you to struggle with it tomorrow." Mercedes said, worrying.

"If you guys meet me tomorrow, then we can all carry it in." Kurt said, calming his friend. "I'll organize whose is whose tonight into separate bags, and we can distribute them tomorrow in the Choir room."

"Well, if you're sure..." Mercedes trailed off, still not convinced.

"I'm sure." Kurt put Artie's chair in the back of his car as Mike put Artie in the backseat, and let him buckle himself in.

"Okay then. Guess that settles that." Mike kissed his girlfriend goodbye before they climbed into the separate vehicles. Kurt and Mercedes shared a hug before they climbed in the driver seats. Mercedes and Tina pulled out first, waving as they left. Kurt pulled out a minute later.

"Okay, which way to your house?" He asked, looking at Artie in the rear view mirror.


Kurt dropped the boys at Artie's and went home, turning on his personal music instead of the radio and let the lyrics flow over him as he sang along.

He pulled into the driveway of his house, and started to carry the bags and boxes into the house. He took a couple of trips to get them down to his room, but managed without a problem. Kurt went back upstairs and entered the kitchen. He found a note on the fridge from his Dad, saying he was going to be home late that night, and to just worry about himself for dinner.

Kurt sighed as he opened the fridge for a bottle of water before going back to his room.

He worked his way through his homework, finishing it before tackling the bags and boxes.

He separated and neatly folded everything into separate piles, carefully placing them into bags, and adding the shoes to the piles for Rachel, Tina, Quinn, Brittany and Santana.

He got everything re-bagged and went into his closet where he held his chain necklaces and belt chains. He was lucky he had many of them, enough for everyone to get them and to keep if they wanted. Kurt knew he didn't really have any use for them.

'It's not like I use them or anything. I might as well let the team have them.' He thought as he put them in the bags. He rummaged around more until he came up with his sets of finger-less gloves. He put a pair on his pile and stowed the others three pairs in his bag. He'd ask who might want them when he saw the team the next day.

Satisfied everything was there for the costumes, Kurt started carrying the bags and boxes back up to his car. He took three trips, placing everything into the back of his car.

He re-locked the trunk and went to his room, turning on his television and flipping through the channels. He watched television for awhile before his stomach began grumbling for food. He went and made himself a sandwich, eating quickly before deciding to go have his nightly shower and start his nightly moisturizing ritual before heading to bed.

Kurt crawled under his covers and drifted off to sleep.