Okay so I have relinquished duties from my cousin so that I could try and write this one on my own. I have missed writing and although 'No Labels' was posted by my dear cousin ( yes I did tell him what to write), this one we wrote together because I have to get back into the swing of things and make the effort to write again on my own. It helps so much and I couldn't wait to feel a little better so I could post this.
I won't be updating fast for a while but this is a start.
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With love always guys. Xoxo, Enjoy
Bittersweet Symphony
Words can't bring us down
(KPOV)
My temper and anger would have normally gotten the best of me. The old Kurt from years of neglect, lost love, and sheer torment in high school would have snapped at the scene playing out in front of him. But I was not that Kurt. Or at least I was trying very hard not to be as I lead Blaine into the house carrying what I noticed were three large suitcases.
His entire childhood was in those cases I imagined, as well as his teenage years, and everything that remained of that lovely man's youth. All I could do was help him drag them over the threshold and into my parents house.
After some mild rebuttal, that I refused to listen to, I pull the tear soaked man into my family's home and shut the door behind him and on the anger that I now faced.
Blaine looked so small as I took his coat and hung it up on the wall saying nothing but just allowing me to guide him in as if he was in a trance. After hearing that Blaine was in fact homeless here now I asked no further questions but just held him on my porch before guiding him inside. He didn't have to tell me everything until he was comfortable and he obviously came to me for help, and I was going to make sure he knew he was welcome before anything else was spoken.
I told Blaine to take the one bag that he would need for the night and bring it upstairs quietly to the last door on the right and that I would be up in a minute. He nodded sadly and went without words, or signs, barely an acknowledgement, which was so unlike Blaine.
Dad/Carol,
I will explain everything in the morning but Blaine's here...with me. He's completely lost dad, and brokenhearted. I couldn't leave him outside so I brought him in out of the cold and he's staying the night. We can discuss what you would deem appropriate given the circumstances tomorrow but please know that I did this to help him, no funny business I assure you. I will see you in the morning bright and early...it is football day after all.
I love you, see you in the morning,
K xo
I knew my dad wouldn't be happy about the surprise, us Hummel men rarely liked surprises, but I knew my dad had the biggest heart and once I found out the specifics I could see my dad welcoming Blaine in, just like any other person who needed help. My dad, as I said before really was one of the best people I knew. He cared, more than any other man I knew, about the greatness of the human soul. He truly believed that if he could help the world with honesty and sheer kindness than he would. It was a trait that my mom Elizabeth loved about him, and my dad always said I got the best of her like that as well.
As I walked up the stairs I could see a soft light from my old room, so I knew that Blaine had found the table lamp that I shut off in haste right before I got the message from him. I opened the door and Blaine was sitting cross legged on my floor and just staring at his hands. It was a chilly image to see someone so visibly lost and yet so undeniably childlike at the same time. I wanted to go out in the garage and scream at the top of my lungs just so I wouldn't wake anyone up but I knew that I had to swallow that anger and just be there for Blaine; let my care-giver instinct came out that I had long since forgotten.
I sat down beside him after shutting the door and mimicked his pose but reached out and tentatively took his hands. He looked up at me through sad eyes, which were now devoid of tears, but I think that was more because he had cried so much that they could fall no more.
"I'm sorry for being a burden Kurt, you don't even know me that well and I'm at your family's place and it's the holidays.." I interrupted him with a squeeze to both palms.
"Blaine, you are welcome here, make no question okay? We'll worry about everything in the morning. You wanna tell me what happened?"
I tried to sound gentle and not push but I wanted to know and the suspense was killing me, but I above all things wanted Blaine to be comfortable.
"I-It's a long story Kurt, I don't know where to begin." I reached out with one hand and soothed his cheek, noting the stubble that was already forming there.
"How about we get you something to sleep in and a towel and you can go in the bathroom and shower if you like, if not you can just wash up and refresh yourself and then we can lay down or something and just talk. You don't have to tell me everything Blaine if you don't want to...just let me know what I can do to help. Sound okay?"
He nuzzled his face into my hand before grasping it in between his own and kissing it tightly, his eyes never opening, going by emotion and feel.
"Sounds perfect Kurt. Thank you."
The sounds of the shower turning on a few minutes later told me he had taken up my offer to cleanse himself completely to feel better. I was never more thankful for having my own bathroom at my parents than I was now. The last thing I wanted was for someone to wake up in the middle of the night to a curly hair stranger walking around in a towel in the upper hall. That would be a whole new kind of awkward and I really didn't want Blaine feeling that at all tonight. I needed to help him and I hoped the shower would relax him some.
I went downstairs and made two cups of hot chocolate. I even upped my usually calorie intake when I opted for half and half to make it richer, thinking that this was an occasion that warranted comforting foods. When I got back upstairs the shower was done but the door was still closed, so I settled back on the bed, placing both mugs on my end table and opened up one of the old Vogue's that I had in my night stand from when I was here last. Pushing up the glasses on my nose, and settling into the magazine only to be brought out of it by the bathroom door opening.
Blaine looked just as gorgeous as ever, track pants and a wife beater and this time he was wearing thin black rimmed glasses. He hadn't been wearing them last night so I wondered if he had snuck away to put his contacts in or if he just went blurry eyed, somehow embarrassed. I couldn't see why though, he was devilishly handsome with his glasses on. My revere about this looks changed when he walked tentatively into my room looking like a lost lamb, fumbling with his damp hair.
I got up and stood in front of the dazed man.
"Kurt I..."
"Blaine...take a deep breathe with me...look at my lips sweetheart," I lifted his chin so he could read properly even though the noise level in the room was non existent except for our breathing.
"Okay...just deep breath and relax." He did as I told him and I could visibly see his shoulders ease. He looked at me with a sad smile and a nod.
"Come sit. I made cocoa, and it's awesome." I smiled brightly, using every ounce of affection I could through my eyes to keep him here in this moment, keep him remembering he was safe and cared for above all else. Through all of this I had to swallow the ever present anger I had bubbling in my gut over what happened to him tonight, and I used my years of emotion burying for a good use for once.
We both scrambled onto the bed, somehow taking up our spots on the bed like they were assigned to us already, and I handed him the warm drink which he took gratefully. His colour returned and the emotions in his eyes were now a mix between torn and content, which was a vast improvement from the shell of a man I found on my doorstep a half hour ago.
"Mmmm Kurt what's in this? Magic?" Ahh there was a hint of the Blaine I knew.
"Ha ha no, no magic Blaine. It's dark chocolate, with half and half instead of milk and there's a hint of chilli. It brings out the flavour in the chocolate. Old family secret you see, guard it with your life."
I tried to keep up the mini playful banter and it seemed to work for the most part. Blaine was smiling even a little now as I talked about some of the food that I had up my sleeve that I would make for him sometime. Blaine was quiet but I could see that he needed this distraction, so I rattled on about the dinner that we had tonight, his eyes staying intently focused on me as I talked which was a good sign, and I joked that if he heard something that sounded like a cross between a chainsaw and a shotty muffler, that it was my brother and his wife's snores from down the hall. He looked at me like I was crazy before I added lightly, "Oh yeah, they're so loud that you won't only hear them, but it may break your hearing aid babe."
He laughed but then became quite serious after thinking over that comment.
"Um Kurt...do they um, I mean does your family know about me? As in all of them? I don't want to have that awkward moment in the morning where they ask who the hell I am and wonder if I was just some random guy...I don't wanna be that guy. Oh and do they...well... know?" He didn't need to ask me further, I already knew what he meant.
"I may have gushed about you at dinner...if that's okay I mean, and yeah they know, but they're cool."
Blaine smiled, fully smiled, and it was the first one I had seen since he dropped me off early that day.
"Oh really Mr. Hummel, and what did you gush about?" He completely focused on that part and not about the information regarding his medical condition. He seemed to not care that I told them ahead of time.
"Oh well...just that you're kind of well...amazing to me."
After putting down my drink I noticed that something had changed in Blaine since I said that. I was hoping for more of the same smile but that wasn't what I got, it was more of a frown and a pained expression.
"I wish others saw me like that Kurt. I wish they could see what you somehow see in me."
"Hey stop that. You are an amazing man Blaine, and don't you forget it. I may have only known you for a short while but that doesn't negate the fact that I knew you were incredible the moment I met you."
Blaine kind of scoffed and chuckled at my little speech and we remained in a comfortable silence for a fairly decent amount of time. After a while he reached out and grabbed my left hand with his right, scooting over on the bed so that we were right beside one another, stretched out on the bed. Somehow with drinks abandoned, Blaine curled into me, he felt smaller than ever. We laid face to face, his left hand against my chest and it was trembling slightly. Taking the kind of courage that I longed for in my youth I stretched out my right arm and wrapped it around his waist pulling him a little closer so that I could feel the warmth radiating off his recently showered body. He smelled of coffee and my vanilla body wash and something that reminded me of the ocean after a rainfall...something that was very Blaine that had become my new favourite aroma.
I held him for a few moments, feeling that if there was anything I could do for this man...I would. The position was so intimate but only our hands were in use. Being the protector, the one who gave consolling advice, anything that he needed I knew I would do, just to remind him again that no matter what, I was there for him. If you asked me 2 weeks ago if you would have found me in my bed at my parents house with another man in a contented comforting embrace this intimate, I would have told you that your head was screwed on wrong, Kurt Hummel would probably never have that. But here I was...
Blaine closed his eyes and a smile reached his lips, even if it was barely there. He opened his mouth a few times as if he was trying to say something but I stayed quiet, waiting for him to speak first. After about 15 minutes of me tracing slow circles on his lower back and humming a tune that I'm sure he wouldn't hear but maybe feel, Blaine seemed to relax enough to finally tell his story, leaning into me even more and speaking in a haunted whisper.
"Kurt...are you sure you want to hear all of this...and if I cry again, please try and ignore how weak it makes me seem." All I could do was shake my head at him.
"You aren't weak, and never will be to me. I'm here."
Blaine smiled a little brighter but his tears seemed to want to overtake him before he ever really got started. He sighed.
"Okay...well my parents had a great relationship with Coop and I growing up." I made a quizzical face and he sensed it immediately before even registering the change.
"Cooper's my older brother, by a few years. We both had a great relationship with our parents as kids, Coop always thought that I was the favourite son, which I guess looking back on it now may have been a little true. My folks put me in every musical camp, course and tutoring session that I wanted. They made sure I was well rounded too and not only making me take lessons in various instruments but let me go to football camps and soccer camps too. I was even allowed to go to a retreat for kids who's parents had big chequebooks, where I could learn about drama/theatre and singing. Coop went with me because I was only 12 at the time and he was 15, saying he wanted to look after me. That trip was what changed my life. I found out something about myself when I was hanging out with my brother and a guy named Aaron who was about 14. I found myself really attracted to him, and I couldn't understand my feelings or anything at the time, but it wasn't the first time that it happened, it was just the strongest."
I soothed his back again and kept focus on the man's eyes in front of me.
"Yeah, I know that feeling. Remind me to tell you a story later that involves my step-brother that will have you laughing at my expense." Blaine seemed to perk up a little at that and it seemed to renew his energy to continue.
"Well Coop seemed to notice, although until he sat me down one afternoon away from the other retreaters I didn't think I was obvious. Cooper had asked me if there was something about Aaron that I wanted to talk to him about. Cooper always made me feel comfortable, he's a great brother and it was there at camp that I figured out what my feelings for boys really meant. Coop was straight but he was never ignorant. He helped me that summer realize who I was and that there was nothing wrong with that. It's too bad that some people, as I'm sure you well know, see things differently.
"We came home that summer and I felt different, I felt freer but I was very concerned even at my young age, as to what my parents would think of all this. My mom had a tendency to be overly emotional with things and my dad was always quite the opposite, remaining stoic and un-phased but I knew he had his prejudices. I had remembered him saying things about one of his staff when he applied to work in my dad's New York office for the first time. His name was Jeremy and his partner and him wanted to get married and moving to the New York office would allow them that. I had never heard him say fag or homo before but that was the first time I knew that my dad had a negative response to anyone who wasn't heterosexual. I was afraid, afraid that they wouldn't accept me if I told them the truth that I had just learned about myself, and once again I sought guidance from Cooper. He gave me the best advice I could have asked for.
Remember B that prejudice is just ignorance. You can't change people no matter how hard you try. Be yourself and come out to the world when you're ready. Open your wings and fly little brother and leave them all in the dust. I'll be there for you no matter what, never stop being who you are and know that the ones that matter will be waiting with open arms to receive you.
I kept this to myself until I was 14. I wanted to got to a dance my first year in high school with a friend of mine who was also gay but still in the closet like me. I asked my dad and he said I could go with my friend but I had to get transportation from his folks. We went, we had a great time, but the jocks in our school didn't like the fact that two guys showed up together and proceeded to beat the living shit out of us."
Blaine took a big breath and continued, trying to force away the tears with a large gulp of air and I only held him tighter.
"When we got to the hospital, I was pretty banged up, I don't remember much. My friend, Josh, only needed a few stitches and he was sent home. Apparently his dad was furious and sent him to another school out of district, I never saw him again.
I had 6 broken ribs and numerous other injuries, according to the cops, the guys had focused on me instead of Josh. My dad was wondering why we had been targeted and the officer had said that it was a hate crime against homosexuals. the one guy that was identified made that clear. My dad looked at me for the first time...really looked at me ya know and I could see it click in his head. It wasn't the way I wanted to come out to my family but that's how it happened.
From then on, once I recovered and Cooper convinced my dad to send me to Dalton with him, I saw little of my father, and then little of my mother. She took up drinking because when she wasn't bottled up with worry over my 'condition' as she called it, she was getting shit from my dad that she was the reason I turned out like this. Dad stopped talking to me altogether at one point once I confirmed that I was indeed gay. The only time we talked we ended up arguing, him telling me that it was unnatural to be like I was, blaming me for my mom's alcoholism, and at one point even siding with the bullies that assaulted me."
"Oh god that's horrible! How could he even say something like that? NO ONE deserves that Blaine...especially you."
The tears that I had been holding onto fell, mirroring Blaine's stained face at the emotional upheaval that retelling this story was causing. I wanted to stand up and rip my own hair out at the injustice of it all, and go and hunt down the Anderson's and give them a piece of my mind
"It took me a long time to realize that Kurt. For a while I felt like everything that happened to me was my fault. If Cooper hadn't been there then...I don't think I would have survived."
He swallowed and looked away from me, embarrassed at the memory, and I almost lost it at the thought of Blaine ever considering something like that. Little did he know how similar we were.
"Well...once I got really into the programs at Dalton, my father still paid for my lessons in piano, violin and voice although I wasn't sure why until I found out that Cooper had talked my dad into it. I really owe Coop for that because music was my salvation. I poured myself into my schooling, the Warblers and everything and completely forgot about my family. I boarded at Dalton year round and never really came home for much unless Cooper went with me."
I leaned in and kiss his forehead, not even knowing where the instincts to protect him were coming from but I needed the contact and he seemed to appreciate the gesture.
"Blaine...you don't have to tell me anything else...it can wait, I'm not going anywhere if you're too tired and want to stop."
"No...n-no I want to finish, you need to know and if I don't keep going now I may not finish." Abruptly he sat up, slowly pulling away from me to sit cross legged in front of me and I couldn't figure out why he had moved but I mimicked the position, keeping myself facing him but reaching out and offering him my had again, a way of keeping physical contact that I figured we both needed. He took it gratefully.
"Once I graduated, I moved out. Eager to get the fuck away from Ohio and everything there. I loved my friends and some of them I still keep in contact with, namely the Warblers, and of course Coop. He had moved to New York himself, but only for a few years. He now lives in Vancouver with his fiancee Steph, whom I love like a sister already. I hardly ever see him, and it's not like our family talks anymore anyway.
When I got to New York I was in awe with the city, the culture, the people and their open mindedness to everything. I felt at home for the first time in my own skin since I came out. I met Tyler at an open mic night one night on campus and I fell for him immediately. We were together for a few years until I was about to graduate. I had grown cocky that I would get the job of my dreams Kurt, the life that I always wanted because I knew that I had been given a rough start. I had the credentials, the family bank account to pay for everything, my father's a dick but my granddad had left me and Cooper his money so we could start our lives, but I hadn't had any contact with my family in years. I had no idea what happened to them, Coop didn't even know. When I developed my condition, and Tyler left me and my job prospects fell through, all I wanted was my family to help hold me together. Coop was there but I couldn't use the phone, I couldn't fly, and email only goes so far. Cooper flew to New York for a few weeks here and there when he could, to help out but I couldn't have him risking his job. Nick and Jeff were around and so was Barb but I pushed a lot of them away and fought my demons on my own. The world as it would seem wasn't done kicking the shit out of me."
"Blaine...honey...I.." I was interrupted before I could finish the thought.
"Then I met you." He squeezed my hand so tightly that I fought my instinct to pull it back.
"It was like a switch went off in my head, I could even breath again. Since I met you, I've reconnected with my friends, I've started writing my music again and I thought for once my life with my family would be getting back to normal when they asked me to come back to Westerville for the holidays. I thought...maybe I was being given another chance...but I was wrong again."
"Tonight when I got to the house it was empty with only minimal lighting on. The house look pretty much the same but I didn't venture beyond the main foyer and went straight to my room when I didn't get any answers when I called out for my parents. My room was untouched from the last time I was in there. It had been cleaned obviously but every scrap paper I left pinned,. to my bulletin board remained there, the dark green room was untouched just as I left it It was like a relic museum in the life of Blaine Anderson. I was used to the "Anderson estate" being empty, my family had always been away on business, so I had waited in my room texting you for over an hour until I had enough and went searching for my parents.
The house was dead, no one was there, and most of the usual furniture had been replaced by overly modern and cold looking designer pieces. It didn't look like my childhood home, especially without the family there. I couldn't figured out what was going on until I opened the fridge to grab a drink while I waited, when I saw it empty. I flew and opened the pantry and it too was empty. The entire kitchen had no pots, pans, nothing! I didn't understand. I sat that the breakfast bar and for some reason I started crying, until I heard the front door open and someone called out for me and my brother. I saw a man I knew but not well walking into my old family kitchen. It was the family lawyer Collin...the family lawyer Kurt! He apparently was sent to settle the estate with the Anderson brothers and since both Charles and Amelie Anderson (my parents), were unavailable to be there, he was sent in their stead to finalize the paperwork for the sales of our shares in the company and to offer us access to our full trust funds in exchange for never making contact with them again. I wasn't asked there by my family, but as a business transaction.
My parents basically offered me my trust fund as a bribe to basically emancipate myself from them...and Coop as well. What I thought was going to be a step in the right direction with my folks was the biggest step back. I filled out the paperwork in a haze. I was angry but I don't regret it now. I have no parents, I have full access to the money that is rightfully mine. I'm free...but I'm heartbroken Kurt. Cooper wasn't even there...and I-I needed him to be. I texted him but I've still got nothing back.
I packed up everything I could find. The lawyer telling me I had until the end of the weekend to clear out any personal belongings before any of my property was removed from the premises when the new owners of the home would arrive. I have to meet up with him before the weekend's out and return my key. It's over Kurt...I don't even know where they are anymore and they could give two shits about me or my brother...it's just NOT FAIR!"
That was when Blaine crumbled. He hunched over and cried harder than I had ever seen another person cry. It was like I was watching Blaine revert to that 12 year old kid that he described, shedding tear after tear of all the hurt he'd experienced since and all I could do was hold him.
I don't know how long he cried, or when we both collapsed on the bed, his head buried into my chest and me whispering against his hair that it was all going to be alright, but I knew that I had to protect this man. Whether or not his past struck some of my own chords, I knew that despite the hurt that I had endured I knew I could always come back to my family. Blaine no longer had one of those, and I wondered if aside from Cooper and his grandparents if he ever really did. I cried with him until I felt like I couldn't anymore. It was into the wee hours of the morning now and I knew that Blaine had finally cried himself to sleep when his body sagged against me, but I stayed awake thinking about the way my life had changed, and the way that despite the world changing its views on the happiness of the gay community, I could see that some things hadn't changed at all.
No one should ever question the love of a parent, and Blaine lived that nightmare.
XXXX
I got up the next morning, probably only a few hours after I had finally fallen asleep tangled with Blaine, to the smell of baking and the quiet chatter of my family. Moving myself from under the collapsed form of my boyfriend, I made my way downstairs in my pyjamas towards the happy clutter in the kitchen. Carol and Rachel were at the counter mixing something in a large bowl, Finn was trying to stick his finger into said bowl only to get simultaneously slapped for the movement, and my dad was leaning on the kitchen island watching his family smirking to himself, sipping his coffee. It was the picture of a group of people who came together to form a family from 3 different places and it looked like it was supposed to be like that.
"Morning everyone." I said as I remained leaning on the door frame of the kitchen.
My dad looked up and a look of worry crossed his face as he took in my appearance. I must have looked awful, having cried so much last night I could tell that I had probably really obvious red circles around my eyes and I was no where near as awake as I should have been.
"Morning Kurt!" Rachel and Finn chimed. Those two really needed to stop answering things in unison.
Carol came over and handed me a cup of coffee which I took thankfully.
"Ugh thank you." Carol just gave me a knowing mother's grin, and looked at Burt before resuming her spot beside Rachel as she laughed when Finn tried to mix the next ingredients and ended up covered in flour.
After taking a long sip I walked over to stand beside my dad who still hadn't said anything but watched me like a hawk.
"I see you got my note dad."
"That I did kid, what's going on? You know I have no problem with you helping out your boyfriend but people coming over in the middle of the night, having my son leaving me vague notes that make me worry isn't what I would call easy to digest. What gives buddy?"
I sighed but took another long sip before I answered.
"Blaine, well he went home to find out that his parents, whom he hasn't seen in forever, didn't want him over for Thanksgiving per se."
"Oh?"
"Yeah well he never got along with his folks, they weren't accepting of who he was...well sexually above all else and he thought that since they wanted him over that it was time to bury the hatchet."
I tried to not get angry over this as I told my father but it was getting harder to do with each word, my dad was even showing his poker hand that he was getting upset, his colour changing to light pink.
"Well he got there and once it sank in that no one was else was around at the estate.."
"Estate?" Leave it to my dad to find something else to focus on mid thought sometimes.
"Focus dad. Well no one was home and when his family lawyer showed up asking Blaine to fill out paperwork he figured it out. His parents signed over his trust fund in loo of him never making contact with them again. He was asked to clear his belongings last night, hence the suitcases in the living room, he has no home now here. Blaine lost his family last night dad. He's so upset, I couldn't leave him without somewhere to go."
My dad clapped me on the back softly and breathed angrily out of his nose, waiting as if choosing his words wisely.
"Kurt, you are so much like your mother sometimes. Giving from the heart. Of course he can stay here. As long as he likes. No one should have to go through that kind of stuff, and don't get me started on his parents right now. I don't even have the full story and I'm pissed off."
"You and me both dad."
"But...I don't know what I can do for him kid, just make sure he knows that we have no problem with another mouth to feed this weekend, and if there's anything I can do, just let me know."
A wave of reassurance rushed over me. It wasn't like I thought my father would say anything less, I knew I had the best dad ever, but it was still a weight off my shoulders to know that Blaine would be accepted here even if he and I had only known each other for a short time.
It was then that I realized that the entire family had been listening in on the conversation between me and my dad.
Finn spoke up first, " That's horrible dude, how's he doing this morning?"
"He's still asleep Finn but it was a rough night for him, I figured I'd let him rest."
"I think that's a good idea sweetie, want to help me make some pancakes for him when he wakes up?" Carol, ever the mom.
"Yeah Kurt we're making strawberry pancakes and berry coulee, Finn actually made the sauce all by himself, so I worry if we should have an antidote prepared in case we get poisoned."
The banter picked up from there as I went to make my way over to the counter to help, giving my dad a half hug in thanks for his understanding.
"Don't worry bud, we won't mention anything to Blaine when he wakes up. We don't want to make him uncomfortable."
I looked around at my family who all nodded in agreement and went back to what they were doing.
"Finn don't put the burner on high or we're going to be having Cajun pancakes!" Oh Rachel...beating me to the punchlines.
"Well Rach, he can fix cars but a stove top and the art of breakfast is very technical you see." I quipped back feeling instantly better falling back into a playful banter with my best friend and sister-in-law. We always did love to make fun of Finn's cluelessness. Finn merely tried to put me in a head lock and it was like we were 16 again.
Yup I had a great family, and they all wanted Blaine happy, which awoken something in my heart that I hadn't felt in along time...hope.
XXXX
It was about 10:30 now. Breakfast had been finished for a while but I had opted out of eating until Blaine was awake so he wouldn't feel bad about eating alone. Everyone else was in the living room chatting about what they wanted to do for the day until dinner tonight which was all prepped and ready to go, while I decided it was time to wake Blaine up. I ascended the stairs quickly but ever so slowly opened my bedroom door to find Blaine was still asleep. He had grabbed my pillow and was hugging it tightly, his mouth half open, drooling slightly but he looked peaceful. I was almost in my right mind to leave him there and let him sleep some more but I figured him waking up to my voice would be easier than waking up in a veritably strange house alone.
I sat down on the edge of the bed and gently reached out brushing some curls out of his eyes, just enjoying the way his forehead crinkled a little but his body seemed to lean into my touch. I traced down his temple to his neck and then to his strong shoulders, rubbing them a little, not speaking but ever so slightly shaking him awake.
Just as I leaned down to give him a kiss his eyes opened and he smiled before allowing me to kiss him softly on the lips. Blaine hummed against the kiss and kissed me back sooner than I thought.
Pulling away I saw him smile.
"Morning Blaine." I smiled wider just at the sight of his tired smile.
"Mmm morning. I like waking up like this."
"Hmm like what?"
"Like this." He raised his hand to the back of my head and pulled me down for another kiss, this one a little more heated but no less sweet.
"Yeah...I like this." He spoke against my lips, it was breathy and if I could forget the real reason why Blaine was in my bed right now I would have just jumped him then and there for being so goddam adorable, but he was in emotional pain, despite momentarily forgetting so it would seem. It was if lightning struck and Blaine's eyes widened.
"Umm, Kurt does your family know that I'm here or..."
Blaine sat up jostling me in the sitting position I was in beside him.
"Blaine hey..." I grabbed the side of his face and made him look at me, so he could see my words and not freak out.
"They know you're here, they know you had a rough night and are more than happy to have you here. Don't worry, they will love you." I went to pull him up with my other hand before dropping the one from his face.
"Kurt?"
"Yeah?"
"I'm so glad I met you. Just...thnaks."
"Me too, and don't worry about it besides...we made a killer breakfast and it's waiting downstairs, use the bathroom and I'll meet you down there okay?"
"Okay but Kurt...you said they know I can't hear really right? They don't mind...that is...they're okay being patient with me?"
I smiled and leaned into kiss him once more. "Oh Blaine, we've put up with Finn being a simpleton for years...I think my family will have no problem with a little hearing impairment. Come on...I'm starving, get you cute behind in there and then meet me downstairs." I pecked him on the lips and turned to walk out the door.
"Wait...you think I have a cute butt Hummel?"
"Oh god...shoot me..." I closed the door and walked out to the melodious sound of Blaine's chuckle. If only I didn't embarrass myself when making him laugh all would be well.
Once I came back downstairs I told my family that Blaine was up and that we were going into the kitchen to have breakfast. Blaine came down the stairs looking more awake now but somewhat afraid of the group of people huddled in the living area. I grabbed his hand securely and pulled him up behind everyone. Rach and Finn we huddled on the floor over a puzzle, which Rach was doing on her own while I think my brother was looking at her clevage (ugh straight guys and boobs), Carol and my dad had their backs to us on the couch and when I cleared my throat again they all looked up with smiles on their faces.
"Guys...this is Blaine..Blaine...this is Rachel and her husband my brother Finn, my dad Burt and his wife Carol."
Everyone waved and said hi at almost the same time. Looking over at Blaine I could see a small blush forming on his cheeks.
"Hi guys, it's nice to meet you all, Kurt doesn't stop talking about you, and I'm sorry for barging in on you this weekend but..."
Carol had gotten up from the couch and waved at him to shut up with the apologies.
"Shush, you're most welcome, come here." Carol hugged a very shocked looking Blaine who returned the hug after the initial shock wore off.
'Umm thanks Mrs. Hummel."
"Nonsense, call me Carol." She spoke a little slower and I was thankful that she didn't overdo it but just enough to make Blaine feel at ease. Rachel was the next to hug Blaine and began talking a mile a minute.
"Oh my god Blaine, I'm Rachel, it's so nice to see someone that makes Kurt so happy and if you ask me, it's about time he found someone. He's been so moody lately and I was wondering if he only found someone to.."
"Enough! Thanks, that's enough from the sister-in-law category." I cut her off with a hand over her mouth. "She talks a lot"
"I'm...uh flattered Rach...I think, I only caught half of what you were saying but...thanks?" I pushed Rach back over towards where she was sitting even though I could tell she was laughing at my obvious embarrassment.
"Who else wants to embarrass me in front of my boyfriend?"
"Well I don't know about embarrass but I think a hello is a starter. Hi Blaine, I'm Burt. Happy Thanksgiving kid."
"Happy Thanksgiving sir. And thanks for letting me stay here, I know it's not how you were expecting to meet Kurt's boyfriend but...I'm glad you opened up your home to me so thank you."
"You're welcome son, and it's nice to meet you. Go get some food, before Kurt gets anymore embarrassed."
"You know how to sign?" Blaine's face probably looked like mine, complete and utter shock.
"Yeah long story I'll tell you about one day...now go, get, and come back here in a bit and we can watch some football okay? You like football right?"
"That I do sir."
"Son, call me Burt, none of this sir crap. See you guys in a bit. And son, loosen the grip on Blaine's hand...he might need to eat with it."
My dad knew signed language...he was fluent in it. How did I never know about this?
I pulled a smiling and relaxed Blaine into the kitchen and started reheating the pancakes while Blaine took a seat at the kitchen table. The sounds of the TV from the other room broke the silence as I stared at the sink. My family accepted him, 100 percent and it made no difference that he was deaf, or gay, or currently staying in their house after only just meeting them. I was overwhelmed suddenly and I felt the strong arms of my boyfriend behind me, wrapping themselves around my torso. I chastised myself inwardly for crying, even happy tears like these ones, because I was supposed to the strong one here, the one that would take care of Blaine, not the other way around.
"Hey...no more tears babe. We've shed enough to last us a lifetime in the last 24 hours. What's wrong?"
I turned around in the embrace and looked at the floor. He tilted my head up so that I looked at him.
"I can't read your forehead gorgeous, only your lips, what's wrong?"
"I'm just happy Blaine. Seeing Carol hug you, Rach talk to you like she's your hag too..." Blaine laughed at that but nodded.
"My dad signing to you, welcoming you after everything you've been through and I just...I'm happy I found you, and it's just hard for me to accept happiness sometimes. I'm not used to it. Seeing you happy makes me so...I don't know, ecstatic? And I can't understand how or why this had all happened to us. How did I get so lucky despite all the shit we've both been through?"
It was a non rhetorical question. I really wanted to know how I got so lucky, how this beautiful haunted man holding me in my family kitchen wanted me. How could he still keep fighting after all he had been through, and in what universe did I ever think I was in when I wanted nothing to do with my life? When I wanted to end my life? People had it worse...Blaine had it worse and yet he fought, and he wanted me? Everything changed when I met Blaine and he said last night that it was the same for him. When did the universe finally decide to align for us?
"I think we're both lucky...shit happens to us but fate gave me you...that's reason alone to smile."
I leaned in and captured his lips in a desperate kiss that was so full of emotion I felt weightless. We wrapped each other up so tightly, thankful to the stars for each others presence as we delved into each others mouths wanting nothing more than the closeness we gained from one another. His tongue traced my upper lip wanting access and I was far from ever denying this beautiful man anything, especially when I wanted to taste him deeper, despite my family being in the next room.
We kissed until we were breathless, gasping into each other mouth as we pulled our locked lips apart only to remain holding tightly to each other. My hands linked in his hair at the back of his neck and his tightly wound around my back. It was like the act of being closer wasn't enough.
"Thank you Kurt. You make me feel whole again, thank you for last night."
"You're welcome...but don't thank me for that. I'll always be here for you, as long as you'll have me." He closed our lips together again, this time much less desperate but soft and barely there.
"Kurt I really have been looking for you forever, and I'm falling so hard for you...please don't hurt me."
I gasped a little at the information, but only for a second and not because of the way he felt. He for a split second thought I would ever hurt him...he was sorely mistaken.
"I promise to take care of your heart...you've already seemed to help me repair mine. Don't re-break me either Blaine."
The tender moment was broken for probably not the first time this weekend. Finn had poked his head into the kitchen, just enough so only his head was popped around the corner.
"Kurt! Blaine! Dad say stop sucking face in the kitchen and actually eat something! Game one is gonna start soon."
I dropped my hands and sighed while giving my brother the biggest death glare I could manage.
"Thanks Finn! Now go away!"
"Alright, alright...but next time dad's coming in...oh and dude, you're right... he is pretty hot!" I grabbed a tea towel and threw it at Finn's face, trying to hide a smile as I could feel Blaine shaking into my chest where he had buried himself.
"Blaine, honey what's wrong? Sorry about him but..."
Blaine looked up and he was laughing, what the...?
"Oh god, we get caught making out in the kitchen by your brother, your dad says to stop sucking face? Who says that, I love it! And then Finn says he agrees with you that I'm hot or something...oh my god and your face, you are too adorable you know that? God I love your family!"
He was almost doubled over laughing at the look of irritated embarrassment I was sporting.
"Yeah yeah laugh it up Anderson, see if I kiss you again."
Blaine went from laughing to pouting in a mere second.
"But I'm hot remember?"
"Oh god what have I gotten myself into." He leaned over and pecked my cheek as we finished plating our breakfasts finally.
What is this feeling? I feel warmer than I have in years. Blaine's just so...full of life despite his tragedies, despite it all he makes me feel again. What is this feeling, it can't be love could it? I've known him like 2 weeks of course it can't be...can it?
Well fuck me...it actually might be.
Okay that was a long one. Leave me and Drew a review because he helped me type that one for the most part. Poor Blainers right? As always leave me any thoughts or questions and I will be responding to reviews on this chapter as thoroughly as possible. You guys make me smile as always and I hope that the hiatus from me updating hasn't scared you all away. Love always. xoxo