The Joys of Parenthood
Disclaimer: I'm not RIB, so I don't own Glee or any of the characters. If I did, I'd be rich and probably not writing fanfiction! This fic is an MPREG fic, so I'll be using my go-to MPREG explanation like I did in When We're Older aka the Reddin gene. The gene is based on the Reddin character from the 1994 movie Junior. You should really watch it if you like mpreg. It's a good movie, I promise (I also don't have any rights to it either!) I also don't really own anything mentioned in this except for the crazy storyline so... I OWN NOTHING.
[Prompt: Blaine and Kurt decide to adopt a pet! Oh, and they're having a baby too! Surprise!]
"Oh my god, Kurt, c'mere!"
Blaine's voice is soft in that awed way of his, in that tone that tells Kurt everything before he even has a chance to take a look at whatever has his husband's attention - or, in most cases, his heart. They're browsing around a local animal shelter, taking the day to spend some time together during one of those rare moments they both have a day off. Ever since they moved to Massachusetts a little over six months ago, they've both been busy bees, constantly running to and from work and barely seeing each other in between. Nights when they have some downtime are cherished; mornings when they have a chance to cuddle and maybe be intimate are blessings, so to have the same day off is something they just couldn't let go to waste.
Which is why they're roaming around a shelter, holding kittens and petting puppies to their heart's content.
At first, they started off the morning with a delicious brunch at one of their favorite restaurants. Then they went on a walk through the city, enjoying the sights while they noshed on street cart sweets and ducked into used book stores to flip through various novels and sip on tasty (and also complimentary) classic roast coffee. By late afternoon, Blaine was dragging him out of the book shop and down the street to a place he'd been frequenting as of late. That's how Kurt found himself inside a large building full of orphaned animals. There were rooms for big dogs, puppies, and a completely different room for cats. Upon arrival, Kurt went to the cat area, plopping down on a bench with a smile as several different kitty cats came to greet him, cautiously sniffing at his fingers while they decided to see if the stranger before them was suitable to their picky tastes. Within minutes, he's surrounded by a dozen new friends, all of them purring up a storm that leaves him buzzing in happiness... or maybe it's because of the rumbly purrs he feels as a few of them fight to sit on his lap. No matter what, he loves it.
Then he notices Blaine's not with him. It's not surprising to him that Blaine would flock to the dogs. Blaine adores all kinds of animals, but dogs are his favorite. Unlike him, Blaine grew up with many different breeds of pets: dogs, cats, rabbits, lizards, fish, turtles, and so on. Other than the time he took care of Pavarotti, Kurt's never owned an animal. He fed strays back in Lima, but he's never owned a pet, never had to be the sole caretaker of another creature.
Being in the shelter is like a second home to Blaine. He volunteers there during his time off (on the days when Kurt's busy though, never when they have the rare chance to be together) and sometimes he comes home with watery eyes, quietly telling Kurt about his adventures that day and how he wishes he could just adopt every single animal in the shelter.
Their home certainly wouldn't be able to hold all of these poor babes, but as Kurt sits in the kitty room and sees how happy they are just to have someone to pet and love them for a while... well, he starts to understand Blaine's feelings on the matter. They might be able to adopt one or two of these sweet little creatures. Maybe more once they move.
"Kurt! Kurt, you have to see this! Oh my god-"
As his husband's voice cuts through the air yet a second time, Kurt finally obliges and gently pushes the pile of cats off of his legs, brushing off their fur as best he can (which is a feat within itself) before he follows the sound of Blaine's gushing words down the hall to a room that houses various cages for the dogs. Unlike the cats, who can roam freely in one large space, the dogs are in separate cages, only let out during play time in the main room. They do have doggy doors that allow them to escape the confines of their prison homes and run outside to a giant fenced in yard, but still... it's kind of lonely.
One of those dogs currently has his husband's full attention and when Kurt finally steps into the room, he knows exactly why.
There, in a cage all by herself, is the saddest looking pug he's ever seen. She's black, perhaps silver considering how much white runs through her fur, and based on her looks alone, Kurt figures she's one of the few elderly dogs living there. Her name board reads Chloe, age ten and beneath that it says, surrendered transfer. Kurt looks at her again, studying those big brown eyes and her wrinkly face and he wonders how in the world someone could just give her up like that... and that's when Blaine speaks, somehow knowing exactly what Kurt was thinking, "Mabel told me that her previous owners got a new puppy and decided that she just wasn't fun anymore. They dropped her off at some shelter in New Jersey, but that one was full to capacity. So she was transferred to another and was there for about a year until they suffered some financial woes. I guess the new owners of that shelter wanted to get rid of the older animals, so they sent them out to different shelters... and that's how Miss Chloe came here."
"So she's new?"
"Brand new. This is the first time I've ever seen her. She wasn't here the other day when I stopped by. I just- look at her, Kurt. She doesn't deserve this. None of them do. It's just- she deserves better." He sticks his fingers through the wires of the cage, cooing whenever Chloe leans forward and licks appreciatively at his knuckles. The soft, sad chuckle that escapes his lips makes Kurt's heart flutter and he smiles, throwing caution to the wind as he kneels on the floor beside his hubby to talk to the small caged dog. Chloe's beautiful in that adorable little grandmotherly way. She's got white all around her nose, mouth, and eyes like she dipped her face in a bowl of flour and her chin is slightly wet with drool. It's kinda gross, but endearing and as she laps at Kurt's fingertips, he can't help but fall in love with her.
Much like his husband already has.
"You did mention that you wanted to get a dog," Kurt whispers, shyly glancing over to find Blaine beaming at him. It's all the confirmation he needs to realize that what he said was the right thing. Sure, they'll have to discuss the pros and cons about getting an elderly dog as a pet, plus they have to take into account the financial burden a dog her age can cause on their wallets.
But when Mabel, the shelter coordinator, comes to let Chloe out and she happily bounces into Blaine's lap, Kurt knows that they're making the right choice.
::::::::::
Chloe comes home to live with them a few days later and it's like someone released a child into the house - not the dog, but Blaine. Because Blaine's so excited to have a pup around again. Even though Chloe's practically ancient in her years, she still skedaddles alongside her new owners with the energy of a puppy. At night, she nudges at their ankles until they pick her up and allow her to sit with them on the sofa. In the morning, she yips, scratching at the back door when she needs to go outside and relieve herself. She's just so well-mannered and loving and even though Kurt never expected to get a dog this soon after moving into a new home, he's glad they have her.
She's a welcome addition... that's soon to become the second newest add-on to their small family.
Because a few weeks after they bring Chloe home, Blaine finds out he's pregnant.
::::::::::
After the clinic confirms the pregnancy, the couple spends weeks debating over what to do. Suddenly everything's changed. No longer are they just Kurt and Blaine and Chloe. They're Kurt and Blaine and Chloe and a baby.
Kurt panics from the start, worried to death that perhaps they've made a mistake about getting a dog so soon. Chloe's got a mess of medical issues, from her rotten breath (due to some abscessed teeth that need to be pulled) to the medication she has to take to help her aging bones; it becomes expensive just to care for her and Kurt fears that they might've bit off more than they could chew. Because how are they going to be able to care for both a baby and an aging dog?
Unlike him, Blaine argues that they just can't give Chloe back. They've had her for weeks, have loved her for more than that, and if they ditch her now, they're no better than her first owners who cast her aside once they got a new puppy. That causes a whole new argument, one that centers on Kurt being pissed that Blaine compared their future child to a puppy, but then, after the heat settles and he realizes what all was said, he begins to understand what Blaine really meant.
"It would be like what her first owners did, wouldn't it?" He asks, settling down on the couch beside his teary-eyed husband, hating how upset he's made Blaine over the remarks he made about Chloe. Said dog is sitting beside Blaine, head resting on his lap as she sleeps while her best friend's fingers comb through her fur. She looks content laying there beside Blaine and Kurt immediately hates himself for wanting to get rid of her so easily. She's been good for them and she loves them so much; he's never seen an animal so grateful for a chance to be in a warm, loving home.
"Yeah. I just... I can't bail on her now. She doesn't deserve it." She deserves better. Blaine's words from the first day they met Miss Chloe whisper through the air, unsaid but totally remembered.
Kurt nods, scooting closer to his family. "You're right. I'm- I'm so sorry I was being an ass about it. I've just-"
"Been worried about the baby. I understand. I'm worried too. But I'm not about to throw Chloe out just because we aren't sure about what the future holds. It's not fair to her and we promised to be her caretakers for the rest of her life. She's so old now; she doesn't need to be back in the shelter." There are tears brimming in Blaine's eyes once more, so Kurt leans forward and kisses him, cupping his hands against Blaine's cheeks while he wills those tears to fade.
Together, they cuddle on the sofa once Blaine's calmed down a little, Chloe beside them as they both run their fingers along the strands of silvery gray fur that covers her body. Even though it might be hard to take care of both her and the baby, they'll do it because that's what they promised each other and her.
And they just can't break a promise.
::::::::::
"Blaine? Hey, do you mind giving me a hand? These bags are heavy!"
Silence answers him, leaves him with a shiver of worry as he drags himself into the kitchen and carelessly drops the groceries on the island counter. He ignores the handful of other bags still sitting on the front porch, ignores the fact that the front door is wide open and letting in cold air because all he can think about is why his husband hasn't answered him yet. Usually Blaine is buzzing around the house, tapping on things and scribbling stuff down - it's the musician in him that likes to take over. Now, however, their home is strangely silent... and it's odd.
Panicked, Kurt rushes down the hall and practically trips his way into the living room, skidding to a stop in the doorway as he takes in a sight that makes his heart melt. There, laying in the recliner chair, is his pregnant husband. Blaine's stretched out, legs crossed with one arm cast behind his head while the other rests on his swollen belly. Chloe is laying beside him, wide awake and staring at Kurt through the orange light, her dark wrinkled face lit up by the stream of the sunset's golden rays beaming through the open blinds. She's not just laying next to Blaine; instead her small head is resting on his belly, bouncing upward ever so slightly as the baby kicks.
Its fluttering doesn't even phase her. She just lays there, head bobbing to and fro with the baby's movements, her dark eyes still focused on Kurt.
The sight brings a knot to his throat. Because after those first few tumultuous weeks of fighting in regards to her and the baby, it's obvious that she belongs here with them. She adores them, especially Blaine, and considering her obsession with his growing stomach, she seems to adore the baby as well and it's not even born yet.
"She's kicking you a lot, isn't she, Chlo-Chlo?" He smiles, pulling his phone out of his coat pocket to snap a few pics (and maybe a video) to show Blaine later. As he does so, Chloe continues to stare at him, her chocolate eyes growing more hazy by the minute. She blinks tiredly at him and then falls asleep, no longer twitching from the overzealous unborn babe that rests within Blaine's tummy. All three of them are asleep in the rocker: Blaine, the dog, and the baby (which is obvious since Chloe's no longer bouncing around from the kicks.) As Kurt takes the sight in, he finds himself falling more and more in love with this adorable little version of his family.
Little old grandma dog included.
::::::::::
One bitterly cold afternoon, Kurt trudges into the house after work and overhears his husband talking to the dog, smiling when he listens a little closer.
"I bet you felt like this a lot, didn't you?"
Chloe barks, her voice scratchy with age, and Kurt grins some more, loving how cute his husband and dog are around each other. They're always holding conversations, whether it be about what food Chloe's gonna eat that day or what shirt Blaine should wear during their morning walk. Careful not to intrude, he slips past them and then hides in the shadows, watching as Blaine bustles around the kitchen, busy stirring bubbling pots and pans while Chloe watches on from her spot on the floor. The kitchen is warm and smelling yummy with the aromas of various spices, but what really gets him is how cute his pregnant husband looks as he cooks. Blaine's a little over eight months now, his stomach sticking out as far as ever. The sight of him so round is ridiculously precious and something that Kurt can't get enough of. What really gets him though is knowing how close they are to having a baby to spend the rest of their lives loving and caring for.
Soon their daughter will be born and things will change. They'll go from a family of three (counting Chloe, obviously) to a family of four and while worry still picks at his heart sometimes at the thought, he knows they'll be just fine. If things get rough, they have two completely supportive families that will have their backs (especially the three very excited grandparents still living back in Ohio.)
Blaine's laughter pulls him back in, shaking him from his thoughts to stare back at his husband and pet. Chloe is skittering around Blaine's socked feet, her long claws - boy, does she need a trim soon - click on the tile as she runs. Blaine snorts at her and ducks down, patting the top of her head. "Let's hope I have as much energy as you do after having this baby. You're quite the character, Chlo-Chlo!"
He continues talking to her, murmuring things to her about her past that makes Kurt's heart thump harder in his chest. Chloe, unbeknownst to them when they first met her, was actually used as a breeder dog. Before her former owners shipped her away, they'd used her to have litter after litter of puppies. Within her short life, she'd had a handful of litters that were sold off to make profit. Then after her final litter (the one that made her barren after complications), her family got a new puppy to use for that very purpose, thus getting rid of their useless old breeder. Mabel, the shelter owner, tearfully told them the whole story as they signed the adoption papers and got a folder of paperwork history about their new pet. Blaine had cried that day, feeling heartbroken over the thought that the tiny pug had been through so much, and when she cuddled up next to him on the sofa that first night, he promised her that he'd treat her better than her old owners ever did.
And he had been.
Now as Blaine breaks a piece of chicken off from the platter he's plating for their dinner, Kurt can see how much he loves their little dog. He's certainly spoiling her and as Chloe happily yips and chews on her chicken, Kurt's glad that they have each other.
::::::::::
It's barely morning when Kurt wakes up to claws digging into his bare feet. The pain is sharp and aching, causing him to kick out, nudging something warm and furry away with his toes. Whatever he bumps yelps and he shoots up, eyes widening as his sleep bleary eyes take in a black blob at the end of the bed. Chloe is glaring at him, shaking her head as she steadies herself after being pushed to Blaine's side of the bed. "Oh my god, Chloe! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to kick you! Oh honey!" He apologizes profusely, crawling across the bed to gather the pup into his arms, kissing the top of her smooth head. "I'm so sorry. You startled me."
The dog squirms, yipping and growling as he continues to kiss on her, and it's not until he realizes that Blaine's missing that he begins to put everything together in his mind.
"Where's Blaine?"
Chloe barks, kicking her short legs out and launching herself off of Kurt's chest like she just leapt off a trampoline. She skids down her doggy steps, running towards the slightly ajar bedroom door and once she sees Kurt's following her, she runs down the hall, her claws clacking on the wood finish. Kurt jogs behind her, worry bubbling in his heart and fear racing all over his skin. He's got goosebumps and he's sure he's as white as a ghost, but something has to be wrong if Chloe had to wake him up like that.
"Blaine?" Calling his husband's name, he follows Chloe into the kitchen, a gasp freezing in his throat as he takes in the love of his life sitting on the floor, two broken eggs leaking out onto the tile beside him. There's a frying pan a few feet away, upside down, and Blaine's leaning against the dishwasher, clutching at his belly with tears in his eyes.
"I- I think I'm in labor."
"Oh my god, really?" Kurt starts to panic after Blaine nods and before he knows it, he's running through the house, calling everyone he can and preparing their stuff to head to the hospital. It's not long before he's packed Blaine and their overnight bags in the car, casting a look back to the empty carseat that's already set up in the back (and when he does that, it truly hits him that when they come back home, that seat will be filled!)
"Did you make sure Chloe's fed and watered? I don't want to leave her by herself," Blaine groans out during a contraction. He's red in the face and sweating, definitely in tremendous pain, but nothing else seems to matter to him at that very moment than Chloe's well-being.
God, he really loves that dog.
"I'll go double check. Don't leave!"
Blaine's pained laughter follows him after he shuts the door and runs back into their house. Chloe is waiting by the door, laying on her stomach with her head on her paws. She gazes up at him through hooded, curious brown eyes and it hits Kurt at that very moment that he owes her so much... and that he loves her just as much, if not more so, than Blaine. "Oh Chloe. Thank you for waking me up. I love you so much." He ducks down to brush his fingers through her fur, scratching under her chin just the way she likes before he rises and goes to feed and water her. Going through the motions, he makes sure she has everything she needs before they go: he fills her bowls with food and drink, lays out her favorite toys, puts up the things she absolutely, positively cannot chew on, places down a pee pad for any bathroom emergencies, and then he flicks on the living room television because the noise soothes her whenever they're out.
Once he's sure she'll be alright, he takes her out for one final potty break before he brings her in, gives her a treat, and kisses her goodbye, locking up and running to the car where he finds Blaine in the midst of a nasty contraction. "You okay, honey?"
"Y-Yeah. Is Chloe okay?"
"She's fine. She'll be okay." As he backs out of their driveway and heads out into the early morning light, he thinks about the day they got Chloe and how excited Blaine was to finally bring her home. Now they're in the same boat once more, but with their child this time and the excitement is just as, if not more than amazing. "Let's go have this baby!"
::::::::::
Hours later, following a rough labor and an equally draining birth, Kurt curls up beside his husband in the hospital bed and smiles down at Blaine as he holds their sleepy newborn daughter in his arms. She's so small and perfect, an equal mix of the two of them, and as he gazes down at her, something in his heart fills up with even more love than he thought was possible. He imagines taking her home and introducing her to Chloe, imagines her growing up with Chloe as her best friend... then he remembers how old Chloe is and his heart actually aches at the thought.
What are they going to do once Chloe's gone?
He loves her so much, owes her quite a lot for bringing such light and happiness in his life. She's been quite the companion for him and Blaine (especially Blaine - god, those two are best friends.) They made a wonderful choice in bringing her home and now everything's hitting him all at once: becoming a dad, watching his daughter grow, watching his very first pet get older and eventually losing her. It's hard.
"Hey. You okay?" Blaine asks, nuzzling his cheek against Kurt's shoulder. "I can practically see the gears turning in your head. You're thinking too much."
"I'm just thinking about Chloe. I know it's weird because we just became fathers but-"
"I get it. I've also been thinking about her a lot these last few weeks."
"You have?"
"Yeah. Like how old she is and everything. She's almost eleven. Pugs usually live to age thirteen. She's really old... but I'm glad we've had the time we've had with her and I'll be glad for whatever time we have with her in the future. I don't want to lose her. She's family, but it's a part of life." Trailing off, Blaine turns his attention back to the sleeping infant in his arms, a fond look taking over his once sullen expression. "I'll cherish every day we have with her. It'll be hard trying to give her all the attention she needs and deserves now that we have a newborn, but I'm prepared to shower all my love on both of them whenever they need it... and then some." He smiles, kissing the crown of the baby's head. "I think this is the happiest I've ever been."
"Me too," Kurt agrees, scooting down to snuggle in beside Blaine and their daughter. He stares at the baby's small hand, her itsy-bitsy fingers curled around Blaine's thumb. It was only a year and a half ago that they made the move to Massachusetts, only about a year ago that they brought Chloe into their lives, and a little over nine months ago that Blaine came into the living room yelling, waving a set of positive pregnancy tests. Within the last year alone, their lives have changed so much, but Kurt doesn't mind.
He used to be terrified of change; now he welcomes it with open arms. Because change is good. Change makes him happy... and he's never been this happy.
Never.
::::::::::
Days go by. Kurt's parents and Blaine's mom are staying at their house while they're in the hospital. On the day Blaine's released, Kurt drives them home, slowly - probably way too slow considering the line of traffic behind him, but who cares what those people think, he has a brand new baby in the car and he's not speeding for anyone. It takes them twice as long to get home, but they make it back in one piece and then they're heading up the walkway, Kurt carrying the carseat while Blaine hobbles beside him, one hand curled around Kurt's bicep for leverage.
Carole opens the door to greet them and suddenly Chloe's barking up a storm, rushing down the walk to greet them. She's jumping around, way too energetic for an older dog (or so Burt says), but both Kurt and Blaine know she's excited to see them. They both greet her, Blaine ignoring the searing pain in his body to lean down and pick her up. Together, the family of four enters the home, Kurt with the baby and Blaine with Chloe, all smiles as they step into the threshold as a newly increased unit.
Once they're inside, Blaine puts Chloe down and takes a seat on the sofa. Kurt gets the baby out of the seat and holds her, sitting down beside his husband while they both watch Chloe cautiously walk across the couch and towards the new human resting in Kurt's arms. She climbs onto Blaine's lap and takes a precautionary sniff at the newborn, snorting a little at the clean scent of the babe's skin and then her long tongue flicks out, lapping a bit at the baby's head. Blaine coos, Kurt laughs, and the grandparents (who are hovering nearby) watch fondly as the young family bonds over this very pivotal moment.
Later that evening, after everyone's gone to bed and it's only Kurt and Blaine awake with their daughter, they spend some alone time together, cuddled up on the sofa while Chloe sleeps curled up by the bassinet, her body tucked protectively close to the crib while she guards her newest ward. It's adorable and Kurt makes sure to capture a few photos to post on Facebook before he climbs back to sit next to his husband.
"Did you ever imagine our family like this? The two of us with our old dog and a brand new baby."
"I imagined having a dog and kids, but later on," Blaine says as he yawns, tucking his head into Kurt's shoulder. He's still exhausted from the delivery, so Kurt leans back against the arm of the couch and maneuvers Blaine to lay against his chest. "I love it though," the tired man whispers, verging on the edge of sleep. "I love our family."
"I do too."
Kurt strokes his hand through Blaine's ebony curls, musing to himself how unfair it is that three of the four members of their home have black hair while he's got brown. Chloe, with her white and silver streaked fur, snores loudly, twitching in her sleep as she scoots her back legs up a little closer, tucking up into a tighter ball. She's been by the baby's side the whole day, following whoever has the little one like a very cautious mother. It warmed Kurt's heart to watch her trail behind his dad earlier whenever Burt went to feed the baby and now, as he watches her sleep beside the baby's bassinet, he reflects on the way Chloe's life had been in the beginning. Like he and Blaine, she dealt with quite a lot of crap during her younger years, but she's never let it overwhelm her or take her down.
Overall, she's a wonderful fit to their family.
Smiling, he watches her eyes pop open when the baby starts to whimper, getting ready to burst into a loud, shrill cry. Chloe is quick to jump up, running around in circles in front of the bassinet before she turns to look at him like: The baby is hungry! Come feed her! Quick! She's crying and helpless! Come on!
He gently slides Blaine off of him, making sure his husband is comfortable before he makes his way towards the bassinet. His daughter is squirming, body scrunching up as she gets ready to start screaming in that way he's slowly starting to understand. Carefully, he picks her up and carries her out of the room, taking her into the kitchen to prepare a bottle. Chloe is right on his heels, bumping into him as she struggles to keep up. "We're gonna make the baby a bottle! Aren't we, Chlo-Chlo?" He sing-songs, doing things one handed while his dog watches on. While he waits for the bottle warmer to do its magic, he hums and rocks the baby, keeping an eye on Chloe as she sits watching him from the kitchen doorway.
Yeah, she's old, and yeah, she has quite the list of problems that has cost them a serious chunk of change. But as he hold the baby and takes in how attentive Chloe is in regards to him caring for her newest friend, he thinks to himself how different their lives would be without her in it.
It wouldn't be the same. They wouldn't be the same. It was sheer luck that they stumbled on her that day at the animal shelter. Because ever since they brought her into their lives, things have been better. Things have been more loving and amazing and wonderful. She might look like just a simple dog to some, but she's their family, their best friend.
"Such a good girl, Miss Chloe. Yeah, you're a good girl." He watches her spiraled tail wag in the small circular motions it moves in whenever she's happy. She rushes over, licking his bare ankle, and he kneels down carefully, petting her before he stands up and moves to get the baby's bottle. "Wanna help me feed the baby? You keep watch and I'll feed her, okay?" Together, they make a good team: Kurt, the baby feeder, and Chloe, the baby protector.
It's certainly not what Kurt imagined that day he blindly followed his husband into the local humane society and it's certainly not what he imagined his life to be like when he thought about having kids and possibly getting a pet, but he definitely wouldn't change a single thing. A lot of magical things happened that day they brought home a neglected old dog and as Kurt watches Chloe sit before him, hunched over in age with her flour-dusted wrinkled face and silky short flopped ears, he's glad she choose them to be her family.
Because their family wouldn't be the same without her and he loves her oh so much.
A/N: I wrote this and posted it on tumblr about a month ago. I forgot to post it on here. Oops. Anyway, one of my tumblr friends (and fellow mpreg writer anderson-hastings) loves pugs and one day, she reblogged a cute pug picture that reminded me of a dog that someone I knew owned (the very same dog who inspired the pug in this fic) and I just had to write this. I hope you all liked it and if you did, a review would be lovely! Also I do take requests/prompts via reviews AND on my tumblr (warblerslushie) so you can always hit me up there. Thanks!