OMG this is my absolute favorite chapter guys. Like. JFDKLJFAKLS. Favorite. I hope you like it!
Chapter 13
Blaine had dressed Rose in a pair of jeans, yellow and white polka dotted rain boots (with a matching rain jacket and umbrella), and a pink t-shirt with sparkly rain drops and flowers—her absolute favorite winter outfit. By 7:30 am, there was a knock on the door
He shrugged his black rain jacket on (so maybe it was clear right now, but that didn't mean it wouldn't rain later), took Rose's hand in one hand and her car sear in another, and headed for the door.
"Good morning." Kurt smiled at Blaine and Rose.
"Good morning!" Rose said enthusiastically.
"Are you ready for the fair?" Kurt asked.
Rose giggled happily. "Yup! I'm so excited!" she started chattering as she watched Blaine secure her car seat in Kurt's car, before climbing in and buckling herself in. Blaine and Kurt got in the front of the car, and Kurt pulled out of the neighborhood.
The drive to where the fair was being held from Blaine's house, according to google maps, was one hour and fifty-six minutes, but they were pretty sure it wouldn't take that long. They listened to Disney music and played "I Spy" for the first half hour until Rose, who was always put to sleep by car rides, fell asleep. Kurt turned the music down to allow her to sleep.
The two boys were silent for a few minutes as they drove down the highway, the end of 'A Whole New World' playing softly in the background. "This has always been my favorite Disney song, and Disney movie."
"I thought your favorite Disney Princess was Belle." Kurt commented.
"She is." Blaine said, "But just because I like Belle more than Jasmine doesn't mean I can't like Aladdin more than Beauty and the Beast." Blaine said in a jokingly serious voice.
Kurt thought about it for a minute. "I suppose that's true. My favorite princess is Ariel, but Mulan is my favorite movie."
Blaine laughed. "That's because baby Kurt thought Shang was hot."
"Not true!" Kurt laughed in return.
"Totally true." Blaine laughed as Kurt blushed. "It's okay, baby Blaine thought the same thing."
Kurt shot him a smile. "And we didn't know we were gay until we were older. Hmph."
Blaine chuckled. "Well, we didn't come out until we were older at any rate."
The two fell into a comfortable silence for the next fifteen minutes or so, listening to Disney music, until they pulled off to the exit for the fairgrounds. Blaine turned around to jostle Rose awake, how immediately continued jabbering about her excitement to be going to the fair.
Rose took her Daddy's and Mr. Kurt's hands into her tiny ones and pulled them towards the fair entrance. Ignoring Blaine's protests, Kurt bought a bunch of tickets for the three of them to use that day at the different fair games and rides.
"Alright little missy." Blaine said, turning to Rose, "Where do you want to go first?"
Rose looked around, seriously contemplating what to see. Since she was barely four, she was still a little short for many of the rides, but Kurt and Blaine knew there was enough for her to do anyway. She glanced up at them and asked, "Can we go to the bumper cars?"
So the three of them headed over to the bumper cars. She climbed into a car with Blaine while Kurt snagged one of the 'one person' cars. Rose and Blaine spent the next five or so minutes in their tiny bumper car, running away from Kurt's who was chasing them. Near the end of their time, Blaine turned and started chasing Kurt. Rose roared with laughter.
Then she wanted to walk through one of the Fun Houses. She giggled as she looked at Blaine through one of the mirrors that makes you look taller ("That's a first." Kurt winked), but was a little scared about walking through the stairs that moved—she was afraid of falling.
"I'll hold your hand the whole way." Kurt told her.
"You promise?" She asked, still unsure.
"I'll never let you fall." Kurt assured the girl. Biting her lower lip (a habit Kurt was sure she picked up from her father), Rose took his hand and gingerly started walking down the stairs. When she made it to the bottom without falling, she turned to hug Kurt's leg tightly.
Blaine smiled softly to himself when he saw the scene. He was glad that his daughter was connecting with someone besides himself and Carrie. Although, he should probably set her up on more play dates with people her age. Besides Riley, who she only saw at preschool and birthday parties, Rose didn't really have anybody her age…
Blaine's train of thought was distracted when Rose came up to him and grabbed his hand. "Daddy, Mr. Kurt said that the roller coaster over there looks fun if I want to try it."
Blaine raised an eyebrow at Kurt. Kurt smiled and started walking towards it. Blaine and Rose, the little girl laughing, followed him. As they walked over, a couple families glanced uncomfortably Kurt and Blaine's way, until they heard Rose's happy, "Come on Daddy, hurry up Mr. Kurt!"
Of course, the ride was nothing much—just a metal dragon on a track riding in an uneven oval, but Rose's little four year old mind loved it. Blaine looked around and noticed a couple other families with little kids on the same ride.
When they got off, a few single moms glanced his and Kurt's way, one even winking at Blaine, but he quickly took Rose's hand who took Kurt's hand and walked away. They ended up at the petting zoo, where Kurt paid for Rose to feed the cute farm animals.
"You really don't have to do that." Blaine said, leaning on the white fence caging the animals. Kurt was leaning on it too, and they were both staring at Rose.
"Do what?" Kurt asked.
"Pay for everything. I could've paid for Rose's and my tickets to the fair, and to the petting zoo." Blaine said.
"I know." Kurt shrugged, "But I really like Rose, and I wanted to do something with and for her. I mean, I'm not asking you to let me into her life or anything, because I get it. You two are best friends, just the two of you, but… I don't know, Blaine. I feel like I need to do this."
"You don't owe her anything." Blaine said, looking at the ground in front of Kurt's feet, "You don't owe me anything either. And you're not going to pay me back for what you did by being nice to my daughter."
Kurt sighed. "I know. And that's not really why I'm doing this, although I wish there was something I could do, I know there isn't." He paused. "Is it really so bad that I just really like Rose and want to spend time with her? And her father?"
Blaine shrugged and half smiled. "I guess it isn't."
Just then, Rose ran over. "Daddy! Daddy! Mr. Kurt! I just touched a llama! I fed it! And then I touched it!"
Kurt and Blaine laughed at Rose's enthusiasm. "That's awesome, sweetie! Was it soft?"
"Yup!" Rose said as she walked out of the gated area. "And it ate straight out of my hand!
she paused and looked straight at Kurt. "Thank you so much for letting me do this, Mr. Kurt."
Kurt smiled back at the little girl. "Of course. I'm glad you're having fun."
She looked at the ground before looking back at the two men in front of her. "Daddy?" she asked, "I heard some people talking about singing contest for two people. And since I really liked you and Mr. Kurt singing together at New Years, I thought you should do it again! I bet you could win!" Rose looked up, a hopeful glint in her eyes.
"We can check it out. If Kurt wants to." Blaine said.
"Of course!" Kurt grinned. He wouldn't admit it to anyone (not even Rachel) but he hadn't realized how much he missed singing with Blaine until New Years when he actually sang with him again. "Let's go see what's going on."
"Yay!" Rose cheered, taking both of their hands and letting them take her to the stage area. There they signed up and were asked to look through a book of songs. There were so many recent songs that neither of them really knew, until the stumbled onto the pages of songs that had come out when they were in high school and college.
"What would be an appropriate song for two mid twenties ex boyfriends to sing at a fair in Westerville, Ohio?" Kurt asked, laughing at some of the songs he'd remembered his Glee club doing in high school.
Blaine laughed in return. "There probably aren't any." They continued flipping through pages until Kurt grabbed Blaine's arm. "I don't know. None of them seem to fit." Kurt whispered.
Sighing in frustration, Blaine took out his phone, snapped pictures of a few pages, and sent the pictures to Carrie. Oh wise one, I have suddenly found myself in a duet competition with one Kurt Hummel and we can't choose a song. Help? –B
Carrie texted him back within a few minutes. You're lucky I'm awake. I have the night shift tonight. Uhmmm… Give me a few minutes to read your blurry pictures. ;P
Blaine told Kurt that he'd texted one of his friends for help. A couple minutes later, Blaine's phone buzzed. He and Kurt leaned over Blaine's phone to read the message.
Blaine looked at it and smiled. "Perfect."
God this was nerve wracking. Kurt hadn't sang in front of anyone who wasn't family since his second year of college. And he laughed at himself when he brain thought, 'Has anyone actually died on stage?' And while he really wanted to say that to Blaine, to see if he remembered, he knew he couldn't do that to him.
"Ready?" Blaine asked, smiling at Kurt. "Nervous?"
"I don't know about you, but I'm terribly out of this performing thing. I don't know, I just lost it sometime in college." Kurt blushed, twirling the microphone in his hand like he did when he was nervous.
"I think it's adorable." Blaine whispered. "I think you're adorable."
He and Kurt stared at each other for a moment, as if trying to decide if they should laugh or let the awkward silence continue. Luckily, they didn't have decide to because the person called, "Kurt Hummel from New York City and Blaine Anderson from Lima." to come out next.
Blaine and Kurt walked out anxiously. They heard the music start and Blaine brought the microphone towards his lips.
"I finally asked you to dance on the last slow song
Beneath that moon that was really a disco ball
I can still feel my head on your shoulder
And hoping that song would never be over"
Kurt brought his own microphone to his lips to sing harmony with Blaine.
"I haven't seen you in ages
Sometimes I find myself wondering where you are
For me you'll always be eighteen and beautiful
And dancing away with my heart"
Blaine backed off and let Kurt sing the second verse.
"I brushed your curls back so I could see your eyes
And the way you moved me was like you were reading my mind
I can still feel you lean in to kiss me
I can't help but wonder if you ever miss me"
Blaine came back in for the next chorus.
"I haven't seen you in ages
Sometimes I find myself wondering where you are
For me you'll always be eighteen and beautiful
And dancing away with my heart"
Then Kurt let Blaine sing,
"You headed off to college at the end of that summer
And we lost touch"
And then Kurt and Blaine sang the last of the song together.
"I guess I didn't realize even at the moment we lost so much
I haven't seen you in ages
Sometimes I find myself wondering where you are
For me you'll always be eighteen and beautiful
And dancing away with my heart."
Blaine couldn't believe the response they got. Everyone was standing and cheering, but all he or Kurt could see was the little four year old in the front row, grinning from ear to ear, eyes sparkling with tears at seeing her Daddy so happy. The two rushed off the stage and Blaine gathered Rose up in a bear hug.
The three of them sat down to watch the remainder of the acts.
"Second place, not too shabby—even for a former NYADA student and a current Glee club director." Kurt laughed. "And even I couldn't give the award to us after those two little kids came up and sang together. It was just too cute!"
Blaine laughed. "Trust me, I know. One of those kids was in my kindergarten last year. She's just a doll."
"Speaking of dolls," Kurt said, turning to Rose, "What does this one want to do next?"
"Can we play some of the games?" Rose asked.
Kurt laughed, nodded, and led the way to a series of fair game booths. While Kurt and Rose played a few games, Blaine pulled out his phone. He had a text from Carrie. How'd it go?
Amazing. He texted back, We got second place to two kindergarteners. Everybody loved it. Rose loved it. Kurt sounded amazing. Our voices fit together just as well as they did in high school. –B
Carrie's reply came quickly. I'm sure your voices aren't the only things that would fit together as well as they did in high school
Shut up.
Blaine put his phone away and turned to the game Kurt was playing, just as he won a three foot tall teddy bear. Blaine watched as Rose jumped up and down ecstatically when Kurt handed her the stuffed animal (which was seriously as big as if not bigger than her). "Want me to carry that for you, sweetheart?" Blaine asked.
Rose nodded. They went on a few more rides when, in the corner of his eye, Blaine saw Rose yawn. It was dark and it was getting late. And she hadn't had a nap today. "Are you ready to go home, baby?"
"Yeah. But I wanna ride the Ferris wheel first!" she exclaimed. Blaine laughed as he, Kurt, Rose, and Rose's giant teddy bear climbed on the Ferris wheel. Rose sat on one side and pulled her stuffed animal beside her, forcing Kurt and Blaine to sit next to each other. Rose was so preoccupied by staring at the city and fair lights around her.
"You know, Ohio is actually pretty charming up here." Kurt commented.
"Oh yeah?" Blaine asked, smiling softly at Kurt.
"Yeah. It's really, really pretty. With the light of the city under us, the light of the stars above us… Don't get me wrong, I love New York and can't wait to go back, but I'll miss the stars."
Blaine was quiet for a moment. "I guess they had to make way for you and Rachel when you two moved there."
Kurt snorted. "That's so cheesy it's almost endearing."
"Almost?" Blaine asked. "Aw, come on. I thought it was a little bit cute." Kurt continued to laugh. "Clever, maybe? Oh come one Kurt, stop laughing." But by then he was laughing too. When the ride stopped at the bottom, Kurt grabbed the teddy bear while Blaine took the half asleep Rose in his arms and they walked to the car.
They climbed into the car and Rose, teddy bear in hand and completely exhausted, fell asleep in her car seat. After a few minutes of silence, Blaine spoke up. "So you somehow know that I've had a nonexistent dating life since you, and even though I still want to know how you know that, what about you?"
Kurt nervously glanced at the steering wheel before looking back at the road. "Um. Isn't this an awkward thing to bring up?"
Blaine laughed. "First of all, awkward is my middle name. And second of all, I'm seriously just curious. You don't have to answer it."
Kurt shrugged. "Well, um… Who was the guy I was dating when—"
"Zack." Blaine said.
"Yeah, Zack. That's right." Kurt said. "He and I broke up about two weeks later. And then I went on a couple dates with some other guys, dated this guy named Bryan on and off for a year, and then. Um." Kurt's voice trailed off.
"What's wrong?" Blaine asked.
"It's nothing." Kurt smiled at Blaine, although Blaine could tell it wasn't sincere. "Just. I was engaged to this guy I knew for a couple months, but we broke it off. It's nothing."
Blaine bit his lower lip. Here he had been spending the past few years angry at Kurt for leaving him and having a perfect life and feeling bad for himself, but the truth was that maybe Kurt hadn't had a perfect life. "Do you want to talk about it?"
"Not really." Kurt said, glaring at the dark road ahead of them.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes." Kurt said, before sighing. "No. Maybe. I just. It's not that big of a deal. We dated for nine months, were engaged for two, and then broke up. Whatever. He's in the past."
Blaine didn't know what to say. He didn't understand. He couldn't understand. He'd been shoving people away so much for the past decade that he wasn't sure how to act understanding and friendly. "I'm sorry." He said at last.
"For what? You didn't do anything." Kurt said, trying to conceal a sniffle to not let Blaine know he was crying.
"Well, if you ever want to talk about it." Blaine said, leaving his offer at that.
Kurt sent Blaine a half smile. "I know your number."
The rest of the ride was silent. Kurt helped carry the teddy bear and car seat inside and waited as Blaine tucked his daughter into bed. He was busy looking at different pictured of Rose growing up that he didn't hear Blaine come up behind him.
"Rose had a great time today. Thank you so much." Blaine said.
Kurt turned. "I'm glad. I really hoped she would."
"She did." Blaine assured. He stared at his hands and remembered what Rachel had said.
"Maybe you should stop letting fear push you away and into moping about how you can't get what you want, and reach in there and take what you need."
Kurt, taking Blaine's dazed look as a dismissal, headed towards the door. "Good night, Blaine. I'll talk to you later."
The door closing is what brought Blaine back to the present. He sprinted down his drive way to where Kurt was getting into his car. He grabbed Kurt's arm, spun him around, and kissed him. Startled at the spontaneous nature of his act, Blaine backed up for a moment. He saw an equally confused look in Kurt's eyes.
"Um." Kurt said. "That."
Blaine let out a short laugh. "Yeah. That." They both stood in silence for a moment. "Look, Kurt. I'm sorry. That was out of line and… I'm just really sorry."
Kurt grinned, put his arms on Blaine's shoulders, and leaned in until their foreheads were touching. "Don't be."
So I'm in Arkansas (well. Missouri yesterday. Arkansas today) seeing my sister for the first time since before Christmas my freshman year! So that's exciting, but we have to leave, back to Tennessee, tomorrow morning :( But it's been fun! And luckily I've had internet while here! :D And I'll be home by next Saturday! :D
Anyway. Thanks for reading, hope you liked my favorite chapter, and have an awesome week!