Love in the Air
AN: Once again, a huge THANK YOU for the alerts, reviews and favorites! I wrote this chapter while watching March Madness basketball games, so I can relate to Santana at the beginning. : )
Disclaimer: I do not own Glee, American Airlines, or anything else that looks familiar.
Chapter 10:
December 24th 2018:
Carole walked into the living room where her three boys along with Jeff, Blaine and Santana were watching a basketball game. Kurt and Blaine were snuggled together on the edge of the couch; Jeff was on the other end and Santana sat in between Kurt and Jeff. Burt was sitting in his recliner while Finn sat on the floor with Justin in his lap. Rachel was upstairs with Melody.
"Oh come on! Really ref, get your head out of your ass and make the damn call!" Santana shouted at the TV, throwing in a few Spanish curse words as well for added affect.
Kurt, used to Santana's comments that accompanied televised sports events, laughed and ducked his head into Blaine's chest.
Jeff looked in shock, staring at Santana in awe, though there was also some fear in his eyes. It was clear that she was not someone to cross. He looked behind her to Kurt who merely shrugged as though this was normal Santana behavior, which it was.
"Santana watch your language, there are children in this house!" Rachel shouted from the top of the stairs.
"Oh come on, it's not like you never curse Momma-goody-two-shoes. I know for a fact that Melody knows a few swear words and she didn't hear them from me!" she shouted back up the stairs, not even bothering to turn around.
Rachel huffed in a pure diva fashion before disappearing back into Finn's room.
Carole decided this would be a good time to make her presence known. "Blaine sweetie, would you mind helping me in the kitchen?"
Blaine shifted slightly on the couch so he could look at Carole, "Sure Carole. I'd be happy to."
Kurt tried to protest but Blaine patted his thigh, "Don't worry about it, I know you want to spend some time with your dad. Besides it's the least I can do." He leaned over and gave Kurt a peck before getting off the couch and following Carole into the kitchen.
"Here you go Blaine, I'm assuming I can trust you to peel potatoes?" Carole said with a small chuckle, handing Blaine a peeler and motioning towards the counter where a bag of potatoes and an empty bowl sat.
"I'm sure I can handle it." Blaine said back. He shuffled past her over to the counter and began to peel the potatoes. A comfortable silence fell between the two of them, though they could still hear Santana's opinionated remarks about the game in the other room.
"Do you like to cook Blaine?" Carole asked as she moved around the kitchen setting out the ingredients and food for their Christmas Eve dinner.
Blaine placed a peeled potato into the bowl before grabbing another one. "Yeah I do, but I don't get much time to with my job. I'm only home for a few days a week so I don't get to cook as much as I'd like."
"Did you know that Kurt likes to cook?" Carole asked off handily.
"Yes, he told me it's like stress relief for him and that he once baked three dozen cupcakes…when the bullying was really bad." Blaine said evenly. He figured it was okay to tell Carole that, after all she was Kurt's step-mother and it was obvious that she and Kurt were very close.
Carole nodded and leaned against the counter so she was facing Blaine's side as the pilot continued to peel the potatoes. "What else has he told you about?"
Blaine paused with the peeler in midair at her question; he sensed a shift in their conversation with that one question. He slowly placed the peeled potato into the bowl before turning towards Carole, "He's told me about New York and why he became a flight attendant, about his dream to be involved with musical theatre, what happened at McKinley, Glee Club, his hobbies." Blaine trailed off not sure if he should continue.
"Has he told you about his past relationships?" Carole asked softly.
There it was, Blaine realized this was what Carole had been waiting to ask him and why she wanted his help.
"Yes, he told me about Josh." Blaine was slightly taken back at the smile and happiness that showed on Carole's face at his response. He raised an eyebrow in confusion.
"It's a good thing Blaine, it means he trusts you." Carole explained, reaching out to place a hand on his arm.
Blaine gave Carole a small smile of thanks before they both returned to their tasks.
As soon as the game ended and Santana had finished a string of curses towards the TV at the outcome of the game, Kurt decided to go join Blaine in the kitchen.
Just as Kurt was almost to the kitchen, he was intercepted by Justin. The little boy had jumped out of Finn's lap and ran towards his uncle, a hug smile on his face.
"Hey Justin!" Kurt swooped down to pick up his nephew; Justin giggled as Kurt held him close. "What's up buddy?"
"Help with clothes?" Justin said quietly, his big brown eyes wide with excitement.
"You want me to help you pick out a handsome outfit for you to wear for Christmas Eve dinner tonight?" Kurt asked as Justin nodded his head quickly, a little smile on his face.
Kurt reached up to brush Justin's hair out of his face, "Alright, well I was just going to find Blaine, can he help too?"
Justin nodded again and Kurt entered the kitchen just as Blaine was placing the last peeled potato into the bowl with the others.
Kurt walked over to his side and leaned against the counter, with Justin in his arms. The little boy was playing with Kurt's shirt collar.
"Hey you" Blaine said, wiping his hands on a towel before leaning next to Kurt. "I see Justin has found you."
"He wants me to help him pick out an outfit, and we we're wondering if you wanted to join us, that is if Carole will let you." All three boys turned to look at Carole.
"You can take him" Carole laughed, "but can you tell Rachel and Finn to come here, I need to ask them about our plans for tomorrow." Carole grabbed the bowl of peeled potatoes and gave Kurt and Blaine a smile.
Kurt and Blaine walked into Finn's room and told Rachel that Carole wanted to see her and Finn. Once Rachel and Melody had left the room, Kurt set Justin down and moved to sit down on the bed.
Blaine stood awkwardly in the doorway, not sure where to go, catching Kurt's gaze he began to walk towards the bed when Kurt patted the space next to him.
"What do we do?" Blaine asked sitting next to Kurt so their sides were touching.
"We wait" Kurt said and the two men watched as Justin sat down in front of his little batman suitcase and began to pick out shirts and pants.
A few minutes later Justin had laid out two shirts, three sweater vests and two pairs of pants on the floor in front of where Blaine and Kurt were sitting. Justin looked up at Kurt with his big brown eyes as he waited for Kurt to look over his choices.
"I like this shirt" Kurt picked up a light blue shirt that had little white stripes on it, along with a navy sweater vest. "and these pants would be the best."
Blaine watched his boyfriend pick out the prefect outfit with Justin and it was obvious that this interaction between the two had happened many times before.
Kurt laid the outfit he had picked out, the shirt along with the sweater vest and khaki pants, in front of Blaine. "I feel like it needs something else."
"A bowtie?" Blaine suggested.
Justin looked between Blaine and the outfit on the floor before running back to his suitcase; he returned a minute later with a yellow and navy striped bowtie in his little hands.
Justin ran over to Blaine and held up the bowtie, waiting for Blaine's approval. "Good choice" Blaine said with a smile, "What do you think Kurt?"
"I think we have ourselves an outfit!" Justin jumped up in down, looking between Kurt and Blaine with a hug smile on his face.
"Kurt! Are you and Blaine going to come with us to my dads' tomorrow?" Rachel asked. The adults were all seated around the dining room table enjoying the Christmas Eve dinner that Carole and Kurt had prepared. Justin and Melody sat at the kids table of the other side, Justin looking very grown up in his outfit.
"Would you want to go?" Kurt whispered into Blaine's ear as everyone stared at the two of them.
Blaine swallowed nervously, "Sure?"
"Don't worry, we can always leave early" Kurt replied before turning back to Rachel, "Sure, we'll come along, although we might leave a little early."
Rachel smiled before turning to Santana, "Are you going to come with us?"
Santana laughed, Rachel always asked the same question every year but her answer was always the same, "As much as I'd love to spend hours in the presence of you and your fathers, I think I'm going to pass."
"Jeff?"
The blonde turned to look at Rachel, a spoonful of potatoes held in front of his mouth, "What? Sorry, I was distracted."
"Ms-Barbara-Wanna-Be over here wants to know if you want to go with this motley crew to the Mr. Berry's tomorrow." Santana rattled off before Rachel could speak.
Jeff lowered his spoon back towards the plate, "Oh, thanks for the offer, but I think I'll just stay here. I told Nick I'd call him tomorrow anyways."
Carole and Rachel each gave Jeff a sympathetic nod before everyone turned back to their meals.
After a few moments of awkward silence, Santana made a comment about the food and the lively conversation between everyone resumed.
After dinner, Blaine and Kurt were snuggled on the couch when Justin ran into the living room with a book in his hands. The little boy hoisted himself onto the couch and crawled across Kurt so he was sitting in Blaine's lap.
Blaine looked over to Kurt for a translation on his nephew's actions.
"He wants you to read him a book." Kurt explained, taking the book from Justin's hands and placing it in Blaine's. "Justin, do you want us to read to you upstairs so you can go to sleep?"
Kurt ruffled Justin's hair as the little boy nodded while yawning. "Alright then" Kurt stood up and picked Justin up, the little boy rested his head on Kurt's shoulder as Kurt began to walk towards the stairs; Blaine followed behind.
Kurt helped Justin change out of his grown up clothes and into his Superman pajamas before helping him into his sleeping bag. Blaine walked over and sat next to Kurt.
They took turns reading the book to Justin as the little boy's breathing slowly evened out and he fell asleep. Kurt leaned down to press a kiss to his nephew's forehead and Blaine patted Justin's head before they both stood and went back down stairs.
Santana and Jeff were standing in the doorway of the kitchen as they watched Kurt and Blaine take Justin upstairs.
"Look at them being all domestic and adorable." Santana pressed her hand over her heart and pretended to sniffle, "Those little lovebirds."
Jeff smiled at her comment, "Does Kurt have any romantic dreams that Blaine could make true?"
Santana turned to look at Jeff, "What are you talking about Goldilocks?"
"Blaine wants to give Kurt a Christmas present, but he isn't sure what to get Kurt so I said that I'd ask you."
Santana took a second to think, trying to find the perfect thing that Blaine could give Kurt. Then she remembered the late nights back in New York when she and Kurt would watch cheesy romantic comedies. Whenever a certain cliché scene played Kurt would always remark that someday he wanted someone who would do that for him. Well, Santana thought, it appeared as though this was an amazing opportunity for Kurt's dream to come true and his perky-pilot boyfriend to give him a gift he would never forget.
"I have the perfect idea, but you will need to work with Blaine and I'll take care of Kurt so this will work," Santana then preceded to tell Jeff of her plan, the blonde nodding along.
All Jeff knew was that when he and Santana helped Blaine and Kurt with their Christmas presents for each other, those two were going to owe them big time.
"Let's do it."
Next chapter has the Mr. Berry's and Christmas presents.
There is a picture of Justin's Christmas Eve dinner outfit on my tumblr.
Thoughts? Do you like Justin? Carole and Blaine's conversation? What is the weather situation like right now? What are Jeff and Santana up to now? Guesses for Klaine's presents? : )
Tumblr: reidbetweentheelines