Chapter Three
After everyone had finished lunch, Kurt and Blaine helped Carole clean up the kitchen.
Carole washed up at the sink, while Kurt and Blaine took turns drying and putting things away. Blaine immediately took anything too breakable from Kurt with a small wink each time.
"So, which one of you is going to tell me what's going on?" Carole said, smiling at Kurt and Blaine with the stare that only a mother can give. The one that makes you certain she knows you really haven't done your homework.
Kurt sidled up close to Blaine, who simply tapped his padded butt reassuringly.
"What do you mean, Carole?" Blaine asked innocently.
"You pair haven't set foot in this house in over three years, Blaine. That's what I mean," she eyeballed him sternly.
"We've been..." Blaine started.
"Busy. Yes, Blaine, we know. We've all heard it time and time again." Carole dried her hands off after pulling the plug from the sink.
"But too busy for three years?" she raised an eyebrow as she looked from Blaine to Kurt and back again.
"We saw you less than a year ago," Blaine tried to defend their lack of contact to her.
"When Burt and I had to come to New York after you didn't even come home for Christmas!" she said accusingly.
Blaine hung his head in shame. The truth of that last Christmas was quite simple, well simple to Blaine. Kurt had a panic attack at the sheer mention of his family in Ohio, acting out and refusing to do anything Blaine asked. After a week of temper tantrums, Blaine had done the one thing he tried never to do with Kurt. He gave in. He gave in to the incessant crying and screaming, grew tired of food being tossed to the ground, and he had enough of cleaning up after Kurt decided to remove his diaper at every available opportunity. He gave in to Kurt and agreed not to drag him back to Ohio.
In hindsight, it was a ridiculous situation. But Blaine had immediately set to rectify things, making sure Kurt understood that there were times he had to be big – even if he didn't want to be. That was when Blaine had actively sought out others in the 'scene'. It provided Kurt with a few play mates, and gave Blaine the support of other 'parents' of adult babies.
Carole turned to Kurt next, "And as for you young man," Kurt's eyes bulged as Carole pointed an accusing finger in his direction, "at least we get to talk to Blaine. We can't even speak to you most of the time. You're always off at an audition, in the shower, not feeling well, asleep...shall I continue?"
Blaine thought it best if she didn't, he looked as Kurt's lip started to tremble. He reached out and took Kurt's hand in his, trying to will strength and courage into Kurt.
"Carole," Blaine said gently, "could we continue this later? We've had a big trip, Kurt didn't sleep very well last night, and I think it would be best if he just lay down for a while."
"No," said Carole adamantly, "not unless I hear it from Kurt."
Kurt looked at the floor, wishing it would swallow him whole. He felt Blaine squeeze his hand, and he took a deep breath before meeting Carole's eyes.
"I'd like a nap, please," he said in a voice little above a whisper.
Carole stared into his soul and held out her arms for him. Kurt fell into them willingly.
"Oh honey," she murmured into his hair, "I didn't mean to upset you. We all love you, you know that, don't you?"
Kurt nodded into her shoulder.
"We just miss you like crazy," Carole said, "and your Dad and I are a bit...worried, that's all."
Kurt pulled away from Carole and grabbed Blaine's hand again.
"I'm fine," he tried to assure her, "just tired, I guess."
Carole grabbed his free hand, "I'm here Kurt," she said with a tear in her eye, "whenever you want to talk...about anything," she took a harsh look at Blaine, "I'll always be here for you, sweetie."
Kurt frowned in confusion, but nodded anyway.
"You want to go upstairs now Kurt?" Blaine asked, trying to ignore the glare from Carole.
"Please!" Kurt pulled Blaine by the hand out of the room.
Carole shook her head in worry as she finished cleaning the kitchen.
Kurt threw himself on his teenage bed and broke down. Blaine hauled their bags into the room and closed the door behind him. He quickly crawled over the bed to Kurt and pulled him onto his lap.
Blaine reached into his pocket and took out a pacifier. He held it in his open palm for Kurt.
Kurt began to reach for it, before stopping himself. He looked up at Blaine with his blue eyes glistening full of tears, and shook his head.
"I gotta be a big boy, Daddy," he stammered out between sobs.
Blaine eased the pacifier between Kurt's lips as he sobbed.
"You don't have to be anything," Blaine said solemnly, "not when it's just you and me. You be whatever you want to be. Okay?"
Kurt nodded and tucked himself around Blaine like a baby koala.
"Bottle Daddy?" Kurt asked as his sobs began to subside.
"Do you need a change first?" Blaine asked as he undid the top button on Kurt's pants and checked the indicator on the front. Kurt giggled from around the pacifier as Blaine tickled his belly lightly.
"Well, I think somebody's very wet," Blaine chuckled as he tickled Kurt again, "so why don't we get you changed first, then bottle, then nap?"
"Sorry Daddy," Kurt said seriously.
"Hey!" said Blaine, "what are you sorry about?"
"Kurt made Carole mad at us."
Blaine laughed as he started to pull Kurt's shoes and pants off.
"Carole wasn't mad at you, little one," Blaine said gently, "she's mad at Daddy, not you."
"Did Daddy do burps too?" Kurt said, grinning.
"No," Blaine laughed, as he got a clean pull-up and wipes from the baby bag, "she's just like everyone that's ever met you. She loves you a lot and she doesn't like Daddy having all the Kurt time."
Kurt frowned, and Blaine quickly removed the old pull-up and wiped Kurt clean. Kurt lifted his bottom off the bed to let Blaine pull the fresh pull-up on, before he purposefully pulled the pacifier out of his mouth and set it down on the nightstand.
Blaine patted his butt, and helped Kurt get situated under the covers.
"Bottle?" Kurt asked once more.
Blaine sighed, "I'll have to go downstairs, will you be alright on your own?"
Kurt nodded, and snuggled down underneath the covers.
"Quick, Daddy!" he called out, and shooed Blaine out of the room with his hand.
xx
Blaine walked into the kitchen to get Kurt's milk.
"Hey man," said Finn as he came into the kitchen, "just getting a juice for Bryce. What're you up to?"
"Warm milk," answered Blaine, knowing no one in this house would be surprised at that.
"I thought he would've given that up by now," chuckled Finn, "he used to bring me a mug every time you screwed up before you got together."
Blaine nodded, "I know... where's Rachel?" he asked pouring the milk into the mug.
"Trying to get Bryce to take a nap," Finn shook his head, "we only got him upstairs because Kurt went... He likes Kurt."
"Who doesn't?" laughed Blaine, "although I could be a little biased."
"You know Rachel has planned out Kurt's entire weekend, don't you?" Finn laughed, "so you're going to get stuck with Puck, Mike and me."
Blaine stared at Finn, and ran his hand through his hair, "oh, look... thanks for the offer...but...we'll play it by ear, if that's okay with you guys?" Blaine put the mug into the microwave to heat.
"At least come over tonight," Finn insisted, "Rachel's organised a sleepover with some of the girls, and Kurt, of course. So you, me, Bryce and Puck can have a boys night. Video games, pizza, beer – the usual. What do you think?"
Blaine snorted, "Bryce drinks beer?"
"No," laughed Finn, "but you know what I mean... and...well...you won't have to stay here with Burt. You guys can stay, you know, together – that's what he wants, right – to be with you all the time? It's like he won't let you out of his sight anymore."
Blaine stared at floor, in some ways what Finn said was so insignificant it could be passed off as a joke, but in reality, the statement meant so much more to Blaine.
"Finn, I know it probably looks strange to you, but..."
"I get it, dude," Finn patted Blaine's shoulder, "I did it too, and Rachel did the same thing as Kurt."
Blaine raised his eyebrows in surprise, just what did Finn think was going on.
The microwave announced that Kurt's milk was ready.
"Look Finn," Blaine said, as he took the mug out, "Kurt and I will come over tonight, okay. But I've got to get back up to Kurt right now."
Finn moved aside to let Blaine pass, "No problem man," he said, "but I'd think of a good cover story if I were you. Burt will flip when he finds out you've cheated on Kurt."
"What!" shrieked Blaine, almost dropping the mug of milk from his hands, "I'd never cheat..."
Finn nodded knowingly, "Yeah, I said that too...but I did. Why do you think we left New York?"
Blaine's mouth dropped open, "you both said you didn't want to raise Bryce in the city."
Finn scratched the back of his neck, "Well we couldn't exactly say that I'd screwed around and Rachel was paranoid I'd do it again. Could we?"
Blaine shrugged, "suppose not."
"Everyone's got secrets, dude," Finn said, "but I'm his brother and although I get how things like that happen, it doesn't make it okay with me. So you going to go along with him, stick by his side like glue, and eventually he'll trust you again. You're not leaving my brother, Blaine. It'd kill him. Then I'd have to kill you." Finn rested his hand on Blaine's shoulder as an act of comfort.
Blaine shrugged it off, "Look Finn, I haven't cheated on Kurt. Never have, never will. And I would never leave him, ever. He was my first, and he'll be my last...he's my everything," Finn blinked at the remark, "Now if you'd excuse me, your brother is waiting for me." Blaine got out of there as quickly as possible and returned upstairs.
"Hi Daddy," sang Kurt happily when Blaine entered the room.
"Hey little one," said Blaine, as he poured the warm milk into Kurt's bottle. He attached the teat and sat down on the bed beside Kurt. Kurt wasted no time in clambering over him and taking his bottle. Blaine hugged him close as Kurt sucked quickly.
"Hey, slow down there," Blaine cooed softly, "you'll give yourself a belly ache drinking it that fast."
Kurt slowed down the rate of sucking and kept his eyes on Blaine, looking up at him unblinkingly, until Blaine finally leant down and kissed Kurt's forehead chastely. Kurt at last relaxed completely, closed his eyes and allowed Blaine's fingers trailing through his hair and the rhythmic sucking action to lull him back into his own private, peaceful world.
Blaine took the half finished bottle gently out of Kurt's hands once he was sure he was asleep. He moved Kurt off him, and tucked him into the bed soundly. After cleaning up the bottle and putting it back in the baby bag, he quietly left the room and closed the door behind him.
"Everything okay?" Burt asked, as Blaine plonked down on the sofa.
"Sure," answered Blaine, "why wouldn't it be?"
"Just a question, Blaine," Burt said, raising an eyebrow, "no need to get defensive."
"Sorry," mumbled Blaine, once again feeling like the seventeen year old he was when he first met Burt.
Burt leant forward in his chair, resting his elbows on his knees.
"How bad is he?" Burt asked quietly. Blaine screwed his face up in confusion.
"Kurt," Burt clarified, "he's on something, isn't he?"
"What?" said Blaine, even more confused than before.
"He's always been prone to getting depressed," explained Burt, "well, until you came on the scene. I used to worry about him getting into something like this a lot back then."
"Something like what?" asked Blaine, not understanding at all where Burt was coming from.
"Drugs," said Burt, hanging his head in his hands, "I'll help Blaine, you can both stay here...get him away from the dealers in New York."
Blaine felt like bursting out laughing. Kurt? On drugs? It was the most ridiculous thing Blaine had ever heard.
He controlled himself to a small chuckle, "he's not on drugs, Burt," he tried to reassure the man opposite him, "yes, he gets down sometimes...and yes, he's lost some confidence. But please believe me when I tell you that he IS happy most of the time. He's under a lot of stress at the moment...we both are...but drugs? No way. Not Kurt."
"You need money?" asked Burt suddenly.