Chapter 28
oOo
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Summary: Will the proud music teacher eventually find love with the beautiful kindergarten teacher or will he forever come second to the football coach? Rated M.
Disclaimer: None of these characters belongs to me except for any OCs found wandering. I own nothing save for this computer.
Once again, Finn was on airport pickup duty and he had to admit he loved the drive, the excitement and bustle, everything. Best of all, he loved the look on his mom's face when she would see him waiting for her, how her face lit up and he knew she loved him. Finn knew that people saw him as some big doofus but his mother – and sometimes Rachel – made him feel special.
He watched her walking towards him beside Burt and thought he had never seen her looking so well. Burt was really good for her and the excitement of living in the nation's capital was something still new to her. He laughed out loud when she almost skipped the last few steps to throw herself in his arms and he had to bend slightly as usual to catch her.
"Finn, sweetheart! Oh, it's so good to see you! Doesn't he look good, Burt?"
Burt chuckled as he waited for Finn to extricate himself from his mom's arms and then pulled him into a swift, manly hug. They grinned at each other and Burt slapped Finn on the back a couple of times. He had grown to love Finn, maybe not as much or in the same way as he loved Kurt but still, Finn was a great stepson.
"Everything okay?" Burt moved along and grabbed a couple of the bags from the carousel and Finn did the same. They got a baggage cart and loaded the rest of their things. He hadn't thought they would need so much stuff but Carole had convinced him, saying in a scandalized tone, "It's Kurt's wedding!"
Now they threaded their way through the rest of the home-for-the-holidays folks in the arrivals area and waited while Finn brought the car around. Carole's cheeks were red from happiness and the cold and Burt's face wasn't much better.
A Christmas wedding sounded so romantic, even to an old codger like Burt and he couldn't and didn't want to suppress the excitement he felt. As he and Carole settled into the car, he looked forward to getting home and seeing his son.
Carole stared out the window of the car, marveling that already it was two days before Christmas Eve. Two days until Kurt is married, she thought, sighing happily. She was just as excited as she'd been with her wedding; Finn's was a little subdued for some reason, maybe because it had been held at a Jewish temple and she'd been unfamiliar with the setting and customs.
She couldn't wait to see Kurt and for him to give his final approval on the outfit she'd chosen. Her heart sang and she turned to look at Burt who was sitting up front beside Finn, catching his eye and grinning at him.
By the time they pulled up in the driveway of their home festooned with Christmas decorations and what looked like miles of sparkling white lights, Burt and Carole were ready to sit and not move for a whole day. They got out wearily but happily, glad to be home and when the front door burst open, Burt laughed.
Kurt, bundled up in a Santa hat and thick white sweater, apparently couldn't wait for his parents to get inside. He bounded down the steps and flung his arms around Carole, burying his nose in her fragrant hair and hugging tightly.
"Sweetie, I need to breathe!" Carole's muffled, laughter-filled voice squeaked from the vicinity of Kurt's chest and he let her go, only to give his dad the same treatment.
"Hey, kiddo, we saw each other only three weeks ago!"
Kurt pulled back but kept his arms around his dad, smiling goofily while they teased him. "I'm just so glad you're here and your flight wasn't delayed or something!"
Finn rolled his eyes as he struggled past with a couple of the larger pieces of luggage in tow. "Huh," he puffed, "the weather wouldn't dare interfere with your plans!"
Kurt flung a kick at him that missed by a mile but chuckled when his parents laughed at him. "Come inside, it's too cold out here!" He tugged their hands, pulling them behind him.
Carole couldn't remember the last time she'd seen Kurt this high; if she didn't know what he was going through she'd think he'd been into the cooking sherry.
Burt chuckled as he followed them inside, remembering to take the suitcase that held the Christmas gifts. There was no wedding present from him in there; what he had in mind couldn't be packed, he grinned as he thought of the looks he was sure to get at the reveal.
Inside he stopped just within the front door to inhale deeply, a feeling of contentment washing over him. He was back, home with his family and the house smelled glorious. Kurt had definitely been on a baking kick and Burt knew he was doing his own wedding cake but Burt also recognized the distinctive smell of a roasted goose and… that other aroma was, yes, a ham!
Kurt no doubt wanted everything set for their Christmas even though in two days he would be getting married. He was really good at organizing things, Burt pondered, knowing Kurt had got that trait from his mother. Elizabeth had been a godsend in his life and Burt would never forget how much he'd loved her.
He caught sight of Carole's strawberry blonde head and he breathed deeply again, thankful for a second chance at happiness. He carried the things upstairs to their bedroom before taking a quick detour to the bathroom. When he came back downstairs, Carole was sitting with her feet up and sipping a cup of hot cider.
"Burt, come taste this! Kurt made it," and she handed him her mug for a taste. He took a sip and his eyes widened. Really, Kurt was a wizard at this food thing, Burt thought and headed into the kitchen for a cup of his own.
Finn was already in there pestering Kurt who tried to smack his hand but Finn was nothing if not agile, even with his size.
"Finn, we're going to eat in a few minutes! Stop that!"
Burt chuckled at the familiar sounds of his boys squabbling and helped himself to the cider. "Uhm, this is good, son. Hey, where's that kid you're marrying, eh?"
Kurt whipped around, his eyes wide and Burt couldn't hold back the chuckle, Finn joining in.
"Daddy! Noah had his concert tonight. The kids have been practicing and he called to say the auditorium was packed. I think he'll swing by later," and his cheeks colored at the knowing look on the others' faces.
"Oh, so he'll swing by for dessert, huh?" Finn smirked at Kurt's red cheeks and ignored his stepfather who looked between them suspiciously.
Kurt, pretending to miss the double entendre, nodded. "Yep, I baked again today."
Yep? Burt tilted his head and took in his son's flushed face and then the penny dropped. Dessert. Oh!
He skedaddled out of the kitchen to join Carole, hearing Finn laughing uproariously behind him and Kurt trying to shush him.
"Come make yourself useful, you big lug!"
Burt could swear he heard the snap of a kitchen towel and a faint 'ow!' but he ignored them. Finn was a big boy, he could handle himself.
Dinner was scrumptious as usual, Kurt having decided on one of his hearty chicken stews, redolent with herbs and chockfull of carrots, potatoes and mushrooms. There was a large salad to go with it, freshly baked dinner rolls and a delicious white wine that Kurt had found in his favorite wine shop. Dessert was correspondingly light because dinner was so hearty; a trifle made with crumbled, day-old cake soaked in brandy, fruit and whipped cream with shaved almonds on top.
Finn looked as if he'd died and gone to heaven and even Burt, who was allowed to try the dessert, couldn't complain. Trifle had always sounded a little airy-fairy to him but wow! Kurt really knew how to throw down and Burt grinned at his son, replete and contented.
Carole, licking her spoon clean of whipped clean like a little kid, shook her head. "Mm-hm, Kurt, you have got to do something with this insane talent of yours!"
Kurt grinned at them, chewing his last mouthful and then nodded. "Yeah, one day, who knows, eh?"
Carole narrowed her eyes at him. "Kurt Hummel, stop humoring me! I really think you could make a go of this. Tell him, Burt!"
Burt looked seriously at his son who shifted in his seat as if he expected a lecture. His dad smiled at him before putting down his spoon. "Don't you think you could make a go of this, kid?"
Kurt shrugged. "I don't know… This is something I do because I love it. It's a hobby, really. I don't know that, if I did it full time, if it would still be so much fun."
Burt nodded, looked at Carole who was almost pouting and then looked back at Kurt. "Fair enough, but you could always just start small, couldn't you? Like – you could cater for friends' parties, events at the school, that kind of thing?"
Kurt bit his lip and then grinned at his dad. "You know, that's a pretty good idea, dad!"
Carole grinned and nodded, looking at Burt proudly and with a little gleam in her eyes that made Burt color up. Finn, too, was looking thoughtfully at Burt and then back at Kurt.
"You know, you're pretty good with that vegetarian stuff, too." He didn't add better than Rachel but everyone sensed it. "You could try some of that, too, when you start up."
Kurt held up his hands with a little laugh. "Hey, hey, let me get married first… after that, I'll definitely consider this. Okay?"
They settled in to finish up their dessert and then they all helped to clear up. Kurt stacked the dishwasher in record time and they all headed into the living room.
Carole relaxed beside Burt, looking around at Kurt's decorations and thought the place had never looked so homely and inviting. Was there anything Kurt couldn't do?
The mood quieted considerably and then Finn got tiredly to his feet. "Guys, I gotta go. Rachel's waiting up for me."
Carole and Burt rose to see Finn out and Kurt waved languidly from where he was reclining on the couch.
Kurt could hear the murmurs out in the front hallway for the longest while and he didn't know when he'd dozed off. When he woke up, some of the lamps had been turned off but the lights on the Christmas tree were still twinkling. He yawned and stretched, his body still feeling the effects of the delicious dinner and dessert. Extending his feet to stretch out more kinks, he squeaked as one foot bumped into something warm and solid.
Sitting at the foot of the couch and smiling back at him, Noah reached out a large hand and slid it up Kurt's leg.
"Noah, you startled me, you nut!" Kurt laughed, his eyes sparkling in the dim lighting and reminding Noah of one of the baubles on the Christmas tree. He rubbed the warm flesh beneath his hand and smiled when Kurt moaned, soft and deep.
"I got here shortly after Finn left. You looked so beat, I didn't want to wake you."
Kurt looked around for his parents and, not seeing them, he sat up and scooted over to straddle his fiancé's lap.
He leaned down, brushed his nose against Noah's and whispered against his lips, "Finn told them you'd be coming by for dessert…"
Noah hummed and pressed his lips more firmly to Kurt's before saying, "… and he was right."
Large hands gripped hips and mouths met and tasted and tempted and teased. Kurt squirmed on Noah, loving the sounds that he made when Kurt's weight would grind down onto his lap. He gripped the back of Noah's neck, making him tilt his head back so Kurt could kiss and nibble along his throat. The rumble of Noah's groans vibrated against Kurt's lips and he shuddered as Noah gripped him tighter.
He drew back, panting against Noah's ear and whispered, "I don't know whether to be sorry right now my parents are in the house!"
Noah chuckled and pulled back to look up into Kurt's lust-blown eyes. God, he was so beautiful!
"Two days, babe, it's only two days… but I want you so bad!"
Kurt moaned at the look on Noah's face and then their mouths were biting at each other's and Noah's hands slid up under the back of Kurt's sweater, reveling in the feel of hot, silky skin.
"No-ahh…" Kurt moaned, his eyes closed and his back arching into Noah's touch. Their groins were hot and hard against each other and there, in the soft glow from the Christmas tree's lights, they stared into each other's eyes.
Noah's hands slid around still under the sweater to tweak and caress Kurt's nipples, loving the sounds he let loose when he did so. He was so close to coming in his jeans but he didn't want that tonight. Somehow, he would hold off until their wedding night and because of that, he knew it would be explosive when they finally came together.
Kurt shuddered and a loud gasp left him, causing Noah to stop and look towards the stairs. They held still, wondering if Burt or Carole had heard and then Kurt let out a breath, slumping forward as Noah hugged him.
"Oh, baby, this is torture," Kurt muttered laughingly as he pulled back to smile down at his lover.
Noah let his head fall back against the back of the couch but he chuckled ruefully. "Torture is right," and then he looked at Kurt longingly. "You are so beautiful… and I'm a lucky bastard."
Kurt knew the pink in his face wasn't too visible in the dim light of the living room but he hugged Noah with his face in his neck. "I'm lucky, too, you know." He straightened again to gaze into Noah's eyes. "I never knew that you felt that way about me for so long. You make me feel beautiful."
They kissed again, slow, deep, languorous kisses and when they finally pulled apart, Noah sighed and said, "I really should be going. I would love to spend the night with you as Jude is at Sarah's."
Kurt nodded. He knew that having their parents in the house put kind of a damper on their sexual activities so he understood what Noah meant. He dropped a kiss on his forehead and then eased himself from his perch on his lap. Their erections had subsided a bit so they were fairly presentable.
As Kurt was walking Noah to the door, Burt called out from the kitchen, "'Night, Puckerman."
Kurt leapt nearly a foot in the air. "Dad! Oh, my gosh, how long were you sitting in there?!"
Noah grinned and hugged Kurt tightly as Burt called back, "Shortly after you straddled your fiancé…"
Burt chuckled like a drain at Kurt's outraged gasp. Kurt was so easy to wind up sometimes; you'd think he'd be used to Burt's humor by now.
Noah kissed Kurt thoroughly to distract him and when he felt him almost melt in his arms, he pulled back. "Sweet dreams, beautiful, and I'll call you first thing in the morning."
Kurt nodded, still slightly dazed from that last kiss that he'd felt all the way down to his toes. "Mm-hmm, you do that… and sleep well, too, hon."
He closed and locked the door after watching Noah swagger down the drive towards his car parked at the curb. He turned towards the kitchen just in time to see his dad spooning up the last of his second dish of trifle. Kurt narrowed his eyes at the older man and took up the dish, placing it in the sink and running water on it.
Burt eyed Kurt warily, patted his stomach and then said, "Oh, well, I'll be turning in, too. Sleep well, son. Tomorrow is gonna be pretty busy, huh?"
Kurt relented and smiled at his dad, nodding as he hugged himself. "Yes," he said, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "Noah and I are going to take one last look at the venue, deliver the cake and… oh, you and Carole should definitely come with us!"
Burt paused at the door and nodded. "Yes, that's true. I can talk to Simon, too, thank him for everything. I wanted Carole to meet him, as well."
Kurt went over and slid his arms around his dad as he used to when he was much younger. "Thanks for everything, daddy."
Burt tightened his arms around his son, grown-up but still needing his love and smiled against Kurt's hair. "You're a good kid, Kurt, and I know Puckerman loves you. There's nothing we wouldn't do for you."
He heard Kurt sniffle and pulled back to look into the face that reminded him so much of Elizabeth's. "Come now, no tears. Let's get to bed – tomorrow is gonna be pretty hectic, if I know you."
Burt grinned at the tiny glare Kurt threw at him but ushered him ahead of him out of the kitchen. "Sleep well, kid."
Kurt finally smiled at him, patting him on the shoulder. "Sweet dreams, dad; tell Carole 'good-night' for me."
"Will do," Burt replied as he headed upstairs while Kurt headed down to his suite. It sure was good to be home; the house was warm and smelled wonderfully of baked goods and the pine of the Christmas tree. Burt was tired and planned to sleep late the next day; Carole was going to be up early but she knew to let him sleep a little longer.
Kurt watched a bit as his dad went upstairs to bed. The next day was going to be crazy but fun; he and Noah and the parents would head over to look at the venue and a little thrill of excitement went through him. In two days he would be married to Noah Puckerman. Noah Puckerman!
Kurt laughed to himself as he went through his nightly routine and when his eyes fell on the long garment bag with his wedding tuxedo he sighed.
He slid into his bed, settling down beneath the thick comforter and grabbed his cellphone, pressing a number and listening to it speed-dialing.
"Hey, beautiful, this my good-night call?"
Noah's voice was slightly husky from weariness and Kurt shivered; that sound always went straight to his groin and he shifted in the bed as he hardened.
"I just called to say I love you, baby," he said now, his voice almost a whisper but with a thread of amusement running through it. He laughed aloud though when Noah went, "Really? Stevie Wonder right now?"
Kurt's chuckles died down and then he sighed. "I was just lying here thinking that this is the second-to-last time I'll be going to bed on my own."
There was silence and then he heard Noah's responding sigh. "I can't wait, babe. Sometimes I wake before you do and just watch you." He chuckled at Kurt's fake outraged gasp. "Yeah, get used to it!"
Kurt laughed and then asked, "But why? I'm sleeping so… why watch me?"
On the other side of town, Noah, naked to the waist, shrugged as he stretched beneath the covers. "It's because you're so freaking cute when you're sleeping, babe."
They laughed and then he continued. "You've always looked younger than you are but when you're sleeping, I feel like a damn pedophile!"
He listened as Kurt almost laughed himself into a coughing fit. "Yeah, especially after I've just fucked you into the mattress, you're dead to the world and totally boneless. So, yeah, you look all of twelve and the first time I noticed it, I couldn't stop staring."
There was silence on the line which he took to mean Kurt was listening seriously now. "Your skin is so kissable, so lickable, I feel like I want my hands and my mouth on you all the time." His voice sank almost to a murmur as he closed his eyes, picturing Kurt in his mind.
"When you're in bed, your hair is all messy and sexy and I'm so freaking glad that I'm the only one who gets to see you like that." Noah smiled as he heard Kurt's voice hitch on the end of the line.
"Sometimes I move the covers just a bit because they're blocking my view. I shift them and sometimes you stir and mutter something and then you settle back down. You're like a statue of a sleeping god but your skin isn't cold like marble. When I barely hold my hand above you, you're warm – and then your scent comes to me. You smell so delicious, Kurt, even after we've been at it for a while."
Kurt's ragged sigh came over the line and Noah smiled as he settled deeper into the pillows. He wasn't attempting phone sex, he just wanted Kurt to know what he thought about when he watched him sleep.
"Your body makes my mouth water, Kurt; your lips, your neck, your sweet little pink nipples – I just want to lick and suck and nibble - everything. Sometimes I don't know where to start."
He paused and took a deep breath, feeling his half-aroused body stir further. "You have a really toned body and I'm glad you're not bulky like me. You fit me just perfect, Kurt, and I love how you feel against me. Your hip bones drive me crazy," and he laughed, pulling a little chuckle from Kurt as well. "They are perfectly shaped and I think of different ways of gripping them, holding you in place while I fuck you."
He heard Kurt's soft groan and knew his lover was turned on, which was so not the point of this exercise but it was all good. "Your thighs are way more muscular than anyone would guess and when you have your legs wrapped around my waist, I can feel the power in you. You're a lot stronger than people guess, aren't you?"
He didn't wait for Kurt to reply, although he could hear him breathing a little more loudly now. "Oh, and don't get me started on your ass! Kurt, you have no idea what the sight, the feel of it does to me, do you?"
Finally, Kurt spoke, clearing his throat first. "Noah, please, the way you look at me sometimes is scandalous. Even though my back is turned, babe, I can still feel you staring!"
They laughed together before Noah defended himself. "Hey, that's a world-class ass you've got there, Hummel! I had no idea I was an ass man until you started shimmying and doing all that 'Single Ladies' crap back in high school, dude!"
Kurt cracked up at that. He laughed, the arousal dissipating somewhat but his love for Noah Puckerman surging through him more. When he finally calmed a bit, he choked out, "Oh, god, I would love to have seen your face when Coach Tanaka announced what I wanted to do!"
Noah smirked, thoroughly enjoying his lover's laughter, even if it were at his expense. "Yeah, well, I suspect I wasn't the only one popping inappropriate boners, believe me!"
Kurt, across town, sat up more in his bed. "Oh, yeah, like who?" The way he had been bullied in high school for being gay, he wouldn't ever have thought people had thought anything he did was attractive, never mind arousing.
Noah sighed but answered, "Well, you definitely know Karofsky was into you, probably from back then, right?"
Kurt thought about it and then agreed. "Yeah, I see that now but at the time, it sure didn't feel like anyone thought I could be arousing."
Noah hurried to disabuse him of any notion that might cause Kurt uneasiness. "Well, it was more like just horny guys having someone like you shaking his hips and slapping his ass and being unable to do anything else but get hard, babe."
Kurt was quiet for a while. Then, "Do you think there were other closeted gays besides David at McKinley?" It was something he'd thought about sometimes.
Noah smiled to himself in the dark of his bedroom. "Oh, statistically there had to be others. I always thought Sam was kinda on the fence, myself."
Kurt burst out laughing, remembering how he had almost convinced himself that Sam's faux-blond hair meant he was gay. "Yeah, I used to feel that way, too. Okay, so who else?"
Noah, though, didn't want to talk about other people, not when he had Kurt's sexy voice in his ear right before he fell asleep. "Naw-uh, we're not doing this right now. Right now, I think you need to get some sleep because tomorrow's going to be crazy."
Kurt giggled, settling himself down further into his pillows and then sighed. "You are right, sweetie. I love you so much; you have no idea how much I'm looking forward to Friday."
Noah felt a warmth in his chest and contentment steal over him. He sighed, closed his eyes and said, "Me, too, babe; me, too."
"Good-night, my love. I'll pick you up tomorrow around 9; that okay?" Kurt's eyes were already closing, taking longer to reopen and he smiled softly at the sound of Noah's noticeably sleepy voice.
"Mmmm," Noah stifled a yawn before replying: "Uh, yeah, nine is good. Dream of me, babe; because you know what I'll be dreaming about."
Kurt giggled at the faintly lascivious tone to his fiancé's voice. "I will, sweetheart, I will."
The last thing Kurt registered clearly was the hum of an empty line as Noah hung up. He stretched over to drop his cell phone onto his bedside table and then snuggled down into the bedding. In two nights he would be doing this with Noah and he couldn't see beyond that moment.
Sleep claimed him still with a faint smile on his face. Tomorrow would be great, tomorrow was going to go without a hitch. Everything would be in place… and all these mantras circled his mind like water down a drain as he slipped into sleep.
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oOo
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"Burt Hummel… as I live and breathe!"
Everyone laughed as Simon Burkowski shook Burt's hand vigorously. "Simon, it's been a while; but thank you for doing this for my boy. Kurt, get over here!"
Kurt felt like he was a teenager again, being introduced to his dad's old friends. Burt had had a way back then of being extra hearty as if some would rub off on Kurt but Kurt had forgiven him all of that. Now he smiled at Simon and shook his hand, too.
"Thanks again, Simon; Kelly and I have been working closely and the photos look fantastic!" Kurt's cheeks were flushed as Simon grinned at him. Now that he was standing beside Burt, Kurt could see the surface things they had in common. The confidence of a life spent well and doing what one loved was evident on both men. Success sat well on them and Kurt grinned happily and then turned back to the others.
Burt pulled Carole closer to him and introduced her to Simon. She blushed and smiled, fluttering her hands and exclaiming over how beautiful the whole hotel was.
"You have a gorgeous place here, Simon! It really deserves the five diamonds, really!"
Simon grinned, justifiably pleased and then waved them through to one of the foyer-level restaurants. The place wasn't crowded so early in the day but there were a few patrons enjoying a late breakfast or brunch. Simon helped Carole with her seat, an action to which she blushed again and smiled, pleased, at this very dapper gentleman's manners.
Burt rolled his eyes but grinned and turned to admire the restaurant's décor. Simon made a little gesture and a waiter appeared like a genie beside him. Kurt grinned as Simon spoke to the eager girl who almost bobbed a curtsey before she dashed away.
Simon turned to them, saying, "I've asked Kelly to join us since she'll be going over things in depth with you all later."
Kurt nodded, smiling. "That's great; I do want to see what the chef has for us. After we've eaten though, I would like to see the ballroom. Walk off some of the no-doubt calorie-laden food we're about to have," and he narrowed his eyes at his dad.
Burt did a "who, me?" impression and everyone laughed but Carole nodded at Kurt. "Good idea, Kurt. You have no idea how hard it is to get a certain someone to stick to his diet."
Simon laughed as Burt protested, "Come now, this is no time to gang-up on the old guy!"
Kurt quirked his lips and leaned forward saying to Simon, "Dad gave us a scare with his heart some years back and I've been on his case ever since. Doesn't he look good, though?"
Simon had to admit that his old friend looked well. Love, good eating habits and exercise could work wonders on anybody. "Carole, you and Kurt have been doing really well because old Burt here looks as if he could outrun any of us at this table!"
While they were laughing it up, Burt grinning and shaking his head, Kelly joined them and then their server was back to take orders. The food that came was every bit as good as the website and reviews said it would be. Even the healthy options looked and tasted wonderful; Kurt opted for a vegetable-laden omelet, it looked so good. Carole and Noah went for the stuffed French toasts and Burt, the egg-white omelet with Gruyere. Both Kelly and Simon had waffles with cut-up fruit to garnish and the coffee flowed (decaf for Burt, of course).
When Kelly indicated she was ready when they were, Simon excused himself back to his job of running a world-class hotel and the others headed to the ballroom.
Kurt barely held back a gasp when he saw the space. What had been a pleasant room with lovely proportions had been transformed into a landscape that was nothing if not romantic.
The tall ribbon-wrapped urns filled to overflowing with white flowers of all variety were spaced along the sides of the room almost to the front where a raised dais faced them. The long head table was draped in sumptuous patterned silk over snowy white linen. On one side of the huge room, the other tables were rounds that could seat eight comfortably, ten at a squeeze. They too were covered with brightly patterned fabric over white table cloths and the chair backs had matching fabric that was tied to the legs of the chair with gauzy ribbons.
Kurt grinned as he grabbed Noah's hand to pull him through the room. They pointed out different aspects of the décor that caught their eye and laughter filled the space as Carole joined in, exclaiming excitedly over everything.
Burt rolled his eyes but couldn't repress a grin as he shoved his hands in his pockets, sauntering casually throughout the space. The place looked fantastic. He particularly liked the unusual combination of wedding décor and Christmas decorations, the pots of poinsettia adding a Yuletide touch to everything.
He looked at Kelly who was watching the others with a smile. "You folks did a great job; you did a great job, Kelly."
Kelly smiled at him, ducking her head as she accepted the praise. "I loved doing this; it was wonderful. The only sad part is knowing that it will be over in a couple of days."
Burt raised an eyebrow at her in inquiry. "What, the wedding?"
Kelly's eyes widened at the misunderstanding. "Oh, no, not the wedding – that's just the start of something brilliant. No, I meant Christmas; all the decorations, the gift-buying and wrapping, getting everything just so." She shrugged, "… and then, it's over."
Burt nodded in understanding and then thought of something. "Will you have a videographer as well as a photographer?"
Kelly eyed him curiously but nodded. "Yes, we'll have both. Why?"
Burt shrugged and smiled. "Well, I've found it helps if you can pin something to a holiday, you know. Make it extra special; when you look back at it you can say, 'oh, that's the time when…' Understand?"
Kelly nodded slowly as she thought about it and then she beamed at Burt. "You know, I never thought of it like that before. That is great! If you guys wouldn't mind, I would love a copy of the event. Who knows, it just might inspire me to have a Christmas wedding, too!"
Burt patted her on the shoulder and laughed. "Attagirl, that's the spirit! Now, what are those two up to?" They both looked over where Kurt and Noah were slow-dancing without any music on the smooth dance floor that had already been laid down.
Kelly and Burt chuckled as they heard Kurt humming, 'It's the most wonderful time of the year' while Noah moved him around smoothly and in time.
Carole was standing quietly, simply watching them with a soft smile on her face and then she looked up as Burt came to stand beside them. "Oh, Burt," she breathed, "it's just like a fairytale, isn't it."
Burt looked down at her and back at the slowly waltzing couple whose heads were so close together you couldn't see a space between them. He smiled. "Yeah, it sure is – thanks to Kelly, here."
Carole looked at the younger woman and nodded. "This is amazing, my dear, absolutely beautiful. Thank you so much."
Kelly blushed bright red and to her horror felt her nose burn. She laughed it off, though, and told Carole it was her complete pleasure. "It's occasions like this that make us love our jobs, you know. We should be thanking you guys!"
They all grinned at that and turned to watch as Noah brought the impromptu waltz to a halt. Kurt moved off the floor, still with his hand in Noah's and announced, "Oh, my goodness, in a little over 24 hours, we'll be married!"
The little silence stretched as they all looked at each other, the soft lighting of the ballroom seeming to make their faces glow. Then, "Yay!" and everyone looked at Carole before bursting out laughing.
Noah looked at his future mother-in-law (or was that stepmom-in-law) and shook his head, still grinning. "What the_? For a second there I thought Judith was in the room!"
Their laughter rolled through the room as they made their way to the doors, Kurt turning to take one last lingering look at the place.
Yes, in less than 24 hours he was going to take the biggest step in his life. Nothing else so far had been this momentous and he wasn't scared at all. His love for Noah filled him up, even the empty spaces he hadn't even known he'd had.
Friday couldn't come soon enough, Kurt thought, and as they headed to meet up with the hotel's famous chef, he wanted to hug himself. As that thought zipped into his mind, he realized that he didn't need to do that anymore. As he looked over at Noah, the other man glanced at him and, as if reading his mind, pulled him into a one-arm hug.
Kurt slid his arm around Noah's waist and smiled happily up at him, not needing to watch where he was going because Noah was guiding him. He laughed at his soppiness but forgave himself. After all, he grinned to himself, if one couldn't be soppy about one's fiancé, this was a sad world, indeed.
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TBC
