âď¸Klaine Secret Santa Gift Exchange 2023 Masterlist - Part 1âď¸
Early Flight âď¸Â by @quizasvivamos / quizasvivamos for @snarkyhag
Must Love Cats by @grlnxtdr30 / grlnxtdr29 for @daisyishedwig
Klaine Secret Santa Gift Exchange 2023 by @ericdooley / ericdooley for @burkleswinifred
And Blaine Brings Him Flowers Because It's A Date Even Though They Think It's Not by @backslashdelta / backslashdelta for @worththejourneying
distraction by @kurtsascot / kurtsascot for @imtryingokay01
A Season of New Developments by @caramelcoffeeaddict / CoffeeAddict80 for @jayne89
Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me by @fallevs / Falles for @forabeatofadrum
Love in the Baking by @little-escapist / little_escapist for @fallevs
Untitled Fairytale Klaine Art by @esilher for @klainedreams34
Let The Cat Out Of The Bag by @shame-is-a-wasted-emotion / ANNA_TIMBERLAKE for @ericdooley
Christmas Angel by @klainedreams34 / dreamcatcher (darcangell23) for @teilo
After working to become stars together in New York City, Blaine and Kurt finally get a feature on the cover of Vogue! by @twinkkurt for @little-escapist
The Dark Cloak by @spaceorphan18 / spaceorphan for @cerriddwenlunaÂ
Badboy!Klaine AU Art by @mynonah for @toastery
Sleep Tips for the Chronically Nocturnal by @rockitmans / RockItMan for @special-bc-ur-part-of-it
âď¸Klaine Secret Santa Gift Exchange 2023 Masterlist - Part 2âď¸
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
â Live Streamingâ Interactive Chatâ Private Showsâ HD Quality
Anya is LIVE right now
FREE
Free to watch ⢠No registration required ⢠HD streaming
Falling For You - (Klaine Secret Santa 2023 Fic) - Chp 1
I had signed up for the Klaine Secret Santa and was paired up to write something for the lovely and talented @mynonah.
Thank you for all of your beautiful artwork and everything you do for the fandom. Thank you for your patience - and I hope you like the fic. You gave me a fantastic assortment of things to choose for prompts . It was challenging at first to decide which combination of them for your story!
Many thanks to my betas and my friend, @iris7124 for her artwork for this fic.
Well . . I'm still writing - this should be no surprise to people who know me đ - so I'll be posting the chapters as soon as I get them edited. Not sure if the rating may change as I write, if it does, I'll make sure to mention it in the notes.
Link for the story under the cover art.
Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
I was hoping to be able to post the complete masterlist (which is actually two posts) of the fics/art by today, but there are still 2 gifts that have not yet been posted. So, if you are one of those people who hasnât posted yet, please try to do so asap.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
Hello, @rockitmans !!
I am finally revealing myself as your Klaine Secret Santa, and only four days late. I'm so sorry I kept you waiting, but your gift fic is finally here.
When I saw your wish list, I immediately zeroed in on New York City, adult professionals, and Broadway. And I decided that this was a great opportunity to add to my Between the Moon and New York City verse. I finished that fic in 2019, but I had several ideas for what could have happened after the events in that story. I've never written any of those ideas, till now. Thank you for giving me an opportunity to get at least one plot bunny out of my head.
I hope you had a happy holiday season, and wish you the happiest New Year. May 2024 be a better year for all of us.
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
â Live Streamingâ Interactive Chatâ Private Showsâ HD Quality
Anya is LIVE right now
FREE
Free to watch ⢠No registration required ⢠HD streaming
Thank you to @esilher for making some beautiful artwork for my @klainesecretsanta2023 story!
You can find The Dark Cloak on Ao3 as a gift for @cerriddwenluna
Summary: Kurt Hummel, an aspiring actor, spends a lot of his time on the Broadway forums when he learns about a new Broadway show in development. His friend Elliott drags him to audition with him - where he ends up getting a small role. As the show goes on, Kurt finds that when he's not chatting up the mysterious Nightbird online, he's falling for one of his fellow actors - a Blaine Anderson.
Summary: Kurt and Blaine were, as you say, âpartners in crimeâ, but like, in the opposite sense⌠They were a long standing duo at the CIA. Headquarters knew they worked best when they worked together, so they just always did.
On their most recent mission however, their professional partnership is being tested as they go undercover as a married couple.
Rating:Â T
Words:Â 3,625
Additional tags:Â Fake Dating, spies!klaine, Friends to Lovers, crack elements, I really tried to be funny, smitten!blaine, Pining, oblivious!kurt?, Or Is he?, Alternate Universe
Notes:Â This work is a secret santa gift to @spaceorphan18! Merry Christmas!
First of all, I know this is a little late and I'm so sorry! I was struggling (to say the least) to get this done on time. As you can see, this is chapter one, because I just couldn't finish the whole thing and I didn't want you to wait any longer. I was so busy with work it's litereally not funny. I was pulling days from 7am til 9pm at some point. Then, when I started writing my first idea, I came to the realisation that I was including a very significant trope that was the oposit of what you had written on your wish list, so I had to start over... my own stupid mistake. Then, to make matters even worse, I spilled soda all over my laptop and it broke down completely. So I had to continue writing on my phone and ipad with a broken keyboard (I do NOT reccomend). I know, excuses excuses. I'm just bummed I didn't get it done on time. Also I now have to buy a new computer...
All that aside! I hope you like what I've got so far! I got really excited when I saw you wanted spies!klaine! A trope I absolutely love!
Just note that I have never really written crack before, but I tried my best to make it fun add many silly elements! And I promise there are a lot more to come in the next part!!
Chapter: 1/?
Read on Ao3
They walked up to the gates of what could only be described as a palace (if America had those). The long and broad driveway behind the gates lead to a building so large and fancy looking, Blaine instinctively straightened his bowtie and readjusted his cufflinks. He knew he looked the part. Headquarters never sent out their agents in anything less than appropriate attire, but he couldnât help it. He then glanced over at Kurt, who looked like he was a regular at this place, clad in a striking powder blue suit that perfectly brought out the colour of his eyes- no, Blaine, you are on a mission and he is your friend. He had to remind himself more and more frequently of the fact that they were partners in the professional sense only. No matter how gorgeous Kurt looked and how kind he was and how many flirty remarks he made at Blaine.Â
âDid you get any information on what we are actually attending?â Kurt asked.
âNo, chief Sylvester only gave me the location and this invitation.â Blaine held up a piece of royal blue parchment with a broken red and gold wax seal. The text on it was written in golden ink and read:Â
â Dear guest,Â
Recently I received some incredible news concerning someone close to me that has enriched my life. I would like to share this news with you. Therefore, I hereby invite you to attend a celebratory party to join me in my glee on the evening of the 22nd of may at my residence. I would love to share with you a grand revelation that not even I know the outcome of. All that I will say is that it will be an evening full of surprises.Â
Sincerely,
Hunter Claringtonâ
âWhat do you think it means?â Kurt asked as he took the paper from Blaine to inspect it further.
âI donât know. But he is clearly up to something. Chief Sylvester said they got a hold of this invite right after they found suspicious signals and radiation coming from the address. They tracked all the vehicles going in and out of the vicinity. All transporting materials to build some sort of weapon⌠a powerful one.â
Kurt worried his bottom lip between his teeth and nodded, mulling over the information.
Blaine couldn't help but stare at Kurt's mouth as he licked his lips in thought. Blaine swallowed thickly and his breath hitched for a moment.
Kurt eyed him a little suspiciously. âAre you nervous?â he asked.
âWell I just donât really fit in at these kinds of eventsâŚÂ â
Blaine frowned at Kurt. âWhat makes you say that?â
âEveryone here is rich, Blaine. I donât know any of these etiquettes and inside jokes. Iâll stick out like a sore thumbâŚâ
âKurt, you are a spy for the CIA You are literally trained to fit in anywhere. Iâve seen you act. Youâre a natural! And your suit looks incredibly expensive.â Better than mine anywaysâŚ
Kurt smiled at the compliment. âThank you. I tailored it myself, actually.â
âA secret agent with secret talents. Seriously, Kurt, what canât you do?â
âItâs not âKurtâ tonight, Remember?âÂ
âRight. Yes. Sorry, Mr. Ralph Murray, what canât you do?â Blaine said to Kurt with a smile.
âSome secrets I don't dare share, not even with you, Mr. George Murray, darling. â Kurt winked at Blaine.
And there it was; the reason Blaine was nervous in the first place. Tonight Kurt and he were Ralph and George Murray, husbands of five years, millionaires, and most importantly, on the guest list. It wouldnât be a hard part to play; Kurtâs husband. Blaine had played that part often enough in his head. But Kurt didnât know that, and Blaine would rather eat his bowtie than have Kurt finding out and Blaine making a fool out of himself. He just couldn't help but blush at the pet name Kurt gave him.Â
Then, a sharp noise pierced his ear. Blaine flinched. This damn earpiece! And then a voice, âHey guys, Iâm glad to hear you are getting into character, but you better get in there. We have no clue where the signal is coming from within that building. And we need to find it fast.Â
Right. Blaine thought. The stakes were high tonight. The nation was in danger and it was their job to secure its safety. âWe best get in, then.â
âOh before you do, I have hidden some gadgets for you in that bush over there on the left side of the gate.â
âHold up. You have hidden our top secret, highly dangerous gadgets⌠in a bush?â Kurt said exasperatedly into his earpiece.Â
âI figured they would be easily accessibleâŚâ
âYeah. To literally everyone , Sam,â Kurt hissed.
âOh⌠yeahâŚâ
âLook, Sam, just tell us what you got us,â Blaine said as he crouched next to the bush, pushing the branches aside to reveal a suitcase. He opened it and Sam continued, âAlright. There is of course your trusted grenade pen, anaesthetic darts-watch and bulletproof handkerchief, but I have also added a few of my newest inventions.â
To this, Kurt shot Blaine an apprehensive look. They were a little too familiar with Sam's â inventionsâ to say they were always a raging success. They looked into the suitcase and saw, beside their usual gadgets, something that looked like a small beauty case, an umbrella and a pair of sunglasses. âWhat theâŚâ Kurt whispered under his breath.
Blaine frowned. âSam, the event is inside⌠how are we supposed to casually pull out an umbrella or sunglasses?âÂ
âYou're worried about the sunglasses? How do you reckon we are gonna be able to pull off using a, what is this, a lipstick ?â Kurt said as he held up a small golden tube.Â
âI- hadnât really thought about that,â Sam confessed.
Kurt looked like a vein was about to pop in his forehead as he pinched the skin between his eyebrows and pursed his lips.
âWhat do they do, Sam?â Blaine offered.
âRight, so, the umbrella is not only completely waterproof, it is also fire resistant and creates a perfect shield once unfolded. The sunglasses have infrared night vision and the lipstick is my personal favourite. It releases a toxic fume if you press that button on the back there, but that won't affect you when you are wearing the lipstick as it neutralises the toxins as they come close to it, so when you inhale, you're totally safe,â Sam said proudly.
Blaine had to admit the inventions sounded pretty incredible had they been more practical. âAlright,â he sighed. âThank you, Sam.â
Kurt side eyed him and Blaine offered a shrug in return.Â
âWell, weâd better get going, now. Weâll tune back in when we need you, Sam,â Kurt said and tapped on his earpiece once to hang up. Blaine followed. âHonestly, I canât with him sometimes. I know you guys are friends, but he sure gets on my nerves.â
Maybe Sam didn't always have the best ideas, but he really wasn't bad at his job. Blaine thought. âHe tries his best, though. And he is actually really great once you get to know him,âÂ
Kurt shook his head. âYouâre too kind for your own good,â he said, but there wasn't any actual judgement in his voice.Â
Blaine smiled and the blush he was sporting a minute ago returned faintly to his cheeks.
They walked through the gate towards a grand wooden front door in front of which a big woman was standing behind a podium with her arms crossed. "Names?" she said as she was eyeing them up and down suspiciously.
Blaine put on his most charming smile. âGeorge and Ralph Murray,â he responded.
She looked at the register in front of her and her expression changed. âAh! Splendid!" Welcome to the Clarington residence. All guests are expected in the ballroom for the welcome speech at 8:00 pm sharp. In the meantime there will be beverages and appetisers served in the grand foyer. Please enjoy your evening Mr. and Mr. Murray.â
âThank you,â Kurt said and nodded to the woman. They walked past her as the doors opened.Â
âBallroom? Really?â Blaine whispered at Kurt as they made their way up the steps leading to the front door. âWhat is this place? Versaille?â
Kurt sniggered and gave Blaine a pointed look. âPlay the part now, Blaine,â he said as they stepped over the threshold.Â
They entered an incredible marble room with two grand staircases with golden railings on each side. Large pillars reached to the high ceiling on which, in the middle, hung an enormous crystal chandelier. Blaineâs mouth fell open and he heard Kurt release a low whistle. They quickly pulled themselves together as they were approached by a young handsome waiter. âWelcome, gentlemen. Can I offer you a drink? A glass of champagne perhaps? Cocktail?â
âIâll have an old fashioned, thank you.â Kurt said with a confident, charming smile. See? Blaine knew Kurt had nothing to worry about. He was a natural. Blaine might have come from money, but Kurt just radiated class.Â
âFor me a negroni, please. Letâs save the champagne for later after the great announcement, don't you think?â Blaine said with a wink.
The young man blushed. âCertainly, sir.âÂ
âSay, do you happen to know anything about this speech?â Blaine asked him.
The waiter's eyes grew wide for a second. âI- Iâm sorry sir, but itâs supposed to be a surprise.âÂ
âOf course. Iâm sorry,â Blaine gave the waiter an understanding smile. The young man bowed his head gratefully and dashed away to get their drinks.
Blaine leaned into Kurtâs side, âYou reckon he didn't know? Or he didnât want to say?â he asked.
âNot sure⌠Would you share your secrets with the waiting staff?â
âI donât know. I never had waiting staff.âÂ
âHm.â Kurt gave him a considering look that lingered a bit too long. It made Blaine feel a little hot in the face.
âWhat?â he asked.
âNothing.â Kurt shrugged. âIâm just trying to paint a picture of you.â When Blaine didn't respond immediately he added, âIt's a good picture, don't worry.â There was something suggestive in the way Kurt spoke. Blaine looked at him as if to try figuring him out. Kurt was just good at playing his part. Blaine told himself. Though no one was looking at them at the moment so there was no direct reason for it.
âLet's ask around some more, shall we?â Kurt suggested, breaking the tension.
"Yeah. Good plan.â
The young waiter had returned with their drinks and they started moving through the crowd. They asked multiple people if they had any idea what they were doing here, but no one seemed to know or want to tell them anything.Â
âThis is hopeless. We are wasting valuable time.â Blaine slumped against one of the pillars.Â
Kurt opened his mouth to respond but Blaine motioned for him to be quiet when he heard a woman speak; âSee, I told you he was weird. Who hosts a party for their cat?âÂ
They turned to look where the voice came from. A latina woman with long dark hair in a fitted, red, velvet dress was talking to another woman. This one with blond hair styled in a stylishly messy updo and a mint green dress.Â
âI would,â the blonde woman said solemnly. âAnd I have in the past.âÂ
âYeah, but thatâs different. Youâre cute about it.â The dark haired woman flirted and the blonde one gave her a quick kiss.Â
âExcuse me,â Blaine piped in.
The dark haired woman gave him a once over, clearly judging him.
âGeorge Murray, pleasure to meet you.â He held out his hand and the woman took it with only slight reluctance. âThis is my husband, Ralph Murray.â He gestured to Kurt who then also shook the womanâs hand. Blaine noticed that the look she gave him was a lot less disapproving. Though Blaine couldn't blame her when Kurt was wearing that suit.Â
âSantana Lopez,â the dark haired woman introduced herself. âThis is Brittany Pierce.â
The men shook Brittany's hand as well. âIâm sorry, we just couldnât help but overhear⌠Do you happen to know what this event is for?â
âIâve only heard rumours,â Santana said.
âI see. Where did you get these rumours from?â Blaine asked.
Santana crossed her arms. âWell arenât you the little detective. What's it to you, anyways?Â
âJust nosy.â Kurtâs smile turned a little more devious than polite, matching her energy.
âThey say itâs his catâs birthday, but that doesnât explain the great announcement. Maybe his cat got nominated for an award.â Brittany said
Kurt and Blaine looked at each other in disbelief, and back at the women. âYou canât be serious,â Kurt said.
Santana crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. âDeadly.âÂ
âHe can't be that passionate about a cat?â
âWanna bet?â Santana challenged. âHow do you think we know him?â
The men shrugged.
âWe know him from cat shows.â Santana rolled her eyes. âBrittanyâs cat, Lord Tubbington, often runs against his cat, Mr. Puss. So believe me when I say people are passionate about their cats. Anyways if you really wanna know, we heard it from Sebastian Smythe.â
âWho is that?âÂ
âHe is one of Hunter's closest friends .â She grinned as if to imply something.
âDo you think Hunter told him about his plans for the night?â Blaine asked, trying to hide the eagerness in his voice.
âIâm sure he did. I overheard them talking about half an hour ago. Something about âgetting it ready in the basement.â â She shrugged.
Kurt and Blaine exchanged a meaningful look. âDo you know how we can get in there?â Kurt asked.
âI'm sure Sebastian has a keycard to the elevator. But hold up, why do you want to know so bad?â
âNever mind that. What does he look like; Sebastian?â Kurt asked.
Santana smirked. âOh you canât miss him.âÂ
Brittany then took Santana's hand and whispered something in her ear. They giggled. âLook weâd love to stay and chat, but we, er, we gotta go.â Santana said before she was pulled away by Brittany. Santana managed to add a âgood luckâ as they disappeared into the crowd.Â
âWhat do we do now?â Blaine sighed. âWe have no clue where to find this Sebastian character,â
âI wouldnât be so sure about that,â Kurt said and pointed over Blaineâs shoulder.Â
Blaine turned to look, and there, in the middle of a group of people, stood a handsome man who was clearly the centre of attention. The people around him were laughing at his jokes and basically fawning over him. âYou reckon thatâs him?â Blaine asked.
â Oh my god, Sebastian! You didnât!â one of the guys closest to him laughed and flirtily touched the manâs arm.Â
Sebastian petted the guyâs hand and smirked. âYou should hear what I did with his father,â he said and winked at the woman next to him. The people around him all laughed.
Blaine snorted. âWell that answers that,â he said.
âHe looks incredibly obnoxious,â Kurt said and narrowed his eyes. âHe is flirting with literally everyone in his little group.â He grimaced.
âMaybe we can use that to our advantage?â Blaine thought out loud. However he didnât really feel like watching Kurt chat up another man. He would just have to do it himself. âI will go and talk to him!âÂ
âWait, maybe-â but before Kurt could protest, Blaine had stepped into the circle of people. Sebastian's eyes were immediately on him.Â
âWell hello handsome,â Sebastian said and extended his hand towards Blaine. âI donât think weâve met. You look like someone I wouldnât easily forget.â He grinned.
Despite his better judgement, Blaine blushed. The man was handsome, alright. And definitely charismatic, judging by the effect he had on the people around him. âWe haven't. My name is George Murray. Are you Sebastian Smythe?â Blaine asked as he shook the manâs hand.Â
âMatter of fact I am. To what do I owe this pleasure?â Â
âI was talking to some friends of mine and you sounded⌠interestingâ Blaine smiled a what he hoped was a seductive smile.Â
Sebastian raised an eyebrow and turned away from Blaine for a second to make a dismissive gesture to his followers. âCould you give us a moment please?âÂ
The small crowd looked annoyed, some even jealous, but they obeyed, leaving the two men to themselves. Sebastian turned back to Blaine âInteresting, hm?â he grinned.Â
Now that they were talking Blaine realised he didnât actually have a solid plan. He couldnât straight up ask Sebastian to give him the key. He would never just hand it over. Maybe Blaine could convince Sebastian to take him to the basement? But he needed Kurt with him. So he had to think of something else.
âThey said you were close friends with the host,â Blaine said, trying to imply exactly whatever Santana was implying before. âI can see why he would like you,â he flirted. Apparently this was the right move, as Sebastian looked him up and down let his gaze rest on Blaineâs mouth.Â
Sebastian leaned in closer. âYouâre cute, George Murray. How come Iâve never seen you before?âÂ
âI- Iâm usually very busy with eh- work. Donât-â Blaine swallowed. âDonât often have time for parties.â Out of the corner of his eye Blaine noticed movement. He glanced over Sebastian's shoulder and saw that Kurt was miming something. âBack pocket!â He mouthed. What about his back pocket? Wait. Sebastianâs back pocket! The keycard was in sebastians back pocket!
Sebastian, who luckily didnât seem to have noticed anything, spoke again, âAh, so you're Mr. Professional, hm? Do you always obey the rules or are you capable of letting loose every once in a while?â
âEr, yeah sure,â Blaine said semi on auto pilot. How the hell was he supposed to get the key-card from Sebastianâs pocket? âWhat about you?â he asked. âAre you a rule breaker?â
âYou could say that,â Sebastian quipped.Â
Blaine laughed. He needed to get very close and personal with this man but whilst he was doing so, he might as well find out some more information.
âI was wondering,â Blaine said and trailed his finger over Sebastianâs chest. âAs youâre such a bad boy, would you mind telling me what tonight is all about?â Blaine looked up through his eyelashes.Â
Sebastian inhaled through his teeth. âOh babe, I canât tell you that. Itâs supposed to be a surprise.âÂ
âI thought you didn't play by the rules.âÂ
âWhy donât you come upstairs with me where we can have a little more privacy and I can tell you all you want to know.â Sebastian said and slipped an arm around Blaineâs back.Â
This was his chance. He could take it now and Sebastian wouldn't notice. He just didnât know how to get out of the situation once he made his move. Blaine looked over his shoulder in search of Kurt and found him looking at them. Blaine gave him a quick pleading look, hoping Kurt would understand. Here goes nothing. He put his hand on Sebastian's back and slid it down to rest over his butt. âSounds amazing...â Blaine felt the card in Sebastian's pocket. â...but I forgot to mentionâŚâ He slid his fingers into the pocket over the card, trying to pull it off as a caress, and as he retreated his hand he pulled the card out. Got it. â...that I'm married.âÂ
As if on cue, Kurt stepped in front of them. âDarling! There you are! I was looking for you.â He smiled a bit too sweetly at Blaine. âWhoâs our new friend?â he asked and shot a murdering look at Sebastian.Â
âWoah, what the hell?â Sebastian took a step back, letting go of Blaine.Â
Blaine quickly slipped the key-card into his own pocket and stepped closer to Kurt. âRalph, honey, this is Sebastian. He is a close friend of Hunterâs. Sebastian, this is my husband, Ralph Murray.â
âHusband? Wow,â Sebastian said. âWas not expecting that.âÂ
Kurt held out his hand. âPleasure,â he said through gritted teeth.
Sebastian took Kurtâs hand and shook it once.Â
Kurt turned to Blaine again. âWell itâs almost 8 oâclock. We should get going, darling.âÂ
âRight.â Blaine nodded. âMaybe we can talk later?â he offered innocently to Sebastian as if nothing had happened. âIt was very nice meeting you.âÂ
âSure was,â Sebastian said and winked at Blaine, clearly recovered from the initial shock. âI am looking forward to seeing you again, George.â
Kurt then pulled Blaine away by his hand through the crowd, leaving Sebastian behind.Â
âThank you for saving me,â Blaine said once they had found a quiet corner.
âYou didn't really seem like you needed saving,â Kurt said coldly. Â
âWhat do you mean? If you hadnât shown up, I wouldnât have been able to get away!âÂ
âI mean, â Kurt said. âIt didn't seem like you had such a terrible time with him. I know you needed to get the card, but how are we supposed to come across as a happily married couple when you are feeling up all the other guests.â He crossed his arms defensively.
Blaine stared at Kurt for a second. Then it dawned on him. âWait, Kurt, are you jealous?â Â
âNo,â Kurt snapped.Â
âOh my god, you are totally jealous.â
Kurtâs cheeks turned red. âShut up, I'm trying to take this mission seriously. Did you at least get the key?â
Blaine couldn't help but grin as he presented it. âGot it right here.â
âGreat. Let's go try it out before he finds out itâs missing. We need to get to the basement before itâs 8 oâclock.âÂ
This is the first few chapters of my fill for Klaine Secret Santa 2023! The last part will be up by the 27th. Sorry for the lateness, it got away from me a little bit. Hope you enjoy I had such a fantastic time writing it! đđ đ
<a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/52517005"><strong>Like Snow On The Beach</strong></a> (6687 words) by <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThankYouForTheMusicKlaine"><strong>ThankYouForTheMusicKlaine</strong></a><br />Chapters: 3/?<br />Fandom: <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/tags/Glee">Glee</a><br />Rating: Teen And Up Audiences<br />Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply<br />Relationships: Blaine Anderson/Kurt Hummel, Carole Hudson-Hummel/Burt Hummel, Rachel Berry/Finn Hudson<br />Additional Tags: Canon charecter death, Klaine Secret Santa Gift Exchange 2023<br />Summary: <p>Klaine Secret Santa Gift for MadAs_AHatter!</p><p>Yet another Soulmates!Klaine fic, this time featuring single dad!Kurt, popstar!Blaine and Taylor Swift's song Snow On The Beach. Trigger warning for signifcant discussion of Finn's death.</p>
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
My fic for the Klaine Secret Santa Gift Exchange 2023.
For Anna @shame-is-a-wasted-emotion
I hope you like this. I might do an epilogue for New Years since I am already one of the latest posters.
Chapter 1
The pain was white hot, shooting outward from his back along his spine. Blaine felt like he was being split in two. He arched back, then fell forward onto his hands and knees, panting and grunting as it tore through him. And then, as suddenly as it had come, the pain was gone.
Blaine looked around. He was inside a room. It was early morning. The sun cut its way in through the vertical blinds but the room was cool. Air conditioning? He wondered. Or perhaps it was the cold November he had just left.
He stood up and brushed himself off, looking around for more clues. An analog clock ticked away on the wall. The file cabinets looked to be late 20th century, maybe the 1980s. There was a desk in the corner and some chairs. The waiting room for some kind of office. Nondescript photographs of highways hung on the walls.
Blaine looked around for more clues. A small calendar was open on the desk. July 18, 1985. Okay, he could work with that. His clothes werenât too far off and he still had cash in his pocket.. Luckily for him, there was a jacket hanging on the rack by the door. If it really was 1985, that would help him fit in.
âSorry to whoever this belongs to,â he said to himself as he put it on. Blaine goes out the office door and into the hall, then follows the stairs down to the street.
Itâs a downtown area. Still early, he sees shops starting to open as he looks up and down the street. The cars are a mix of old and new, nothing too flashy. The license plates say Ohio. It is a relief. Maybe this is somewhere he has been or even knows someone, he hopes. But the streets are not giving many clues.
Blaine walks towards what he hopes will be more clues, a plaque or a sign. After a few blocks he sees a building larger than most others, boring and municipal. He has struck gold â the city hall and the library for a town called Lima. The library would have somewhere to sit and hopefully some answers.
There is a girl working at the front desk. Her hair is braided and she has a pencil tucked behind her ear, looking seriously at some papers in front of her. Blaine is a few strides away when a tall guy about her age approaches the desk.
âSo, have you read any good books lately?,â he says, friendly, a little nervous chuckle escapes him.
âAre you looking for a recommendation?â she replies.
âYeah, I think you might have good taste. You had English just before me last year, advanced class. We passed in the hall. Iâm Burtâ, he says, extending a hand.
âElizabeth,â she replies. âAre you looking for literature or reading for fun?â
âI want the good stuffâ, he says.
âSo then, action and adventure? Spies perhaps? Or a love story?â She leans in a bit towards him.
âAll of it, please.â He leans in as well.
Blaine takes a movement to give them some space. Blossoming young love. It is sweet but embarrassing to watch. He finds his way to the newspapers to figure out something about why he is here.
***
He did not want to go but Kurt could feel the pain starting again. The small ache in his chest like each time before. He catches his reflection in the glass of the office door, he looks neutral enough to blend in back at home except for the colorful windbreaker. He takes off the jacket and leaves it on the rack. The pain is starting to build now. His breathing picks up as his body aches. He closes his eyes as his vision blurs. No use in looking out, he cannot tell where he is going anyway.
When he opens his eyes he is relieved to find himself at home. The clock still reads 2:00 pm and itâs November 9th, the day he started traveling. The time has been passing for him, but none of his friends were the wiser since he always landed right back in the same spot. He wonders if it had been a strange dream. He had just gone to lie down from a headache when this all started. They are still talking in the kitchen like when he left.
He lays back in his bed and stares at the ceiling, trying to remember everything about what he had seen in Lima. Who he had seen. Tears prick at the side of his eyes. He closes them and tries to cement the image of them into his memory.
âKurt, we are going to grab a bite. Do you want to come or are you still pretending to have that headache?â Santana shouts from the living room.
âShh, he is not pretending,â Mercedes corrects her.Â
âYeah, he looks tired. He probably needs his beauty sleep. Kurt! Kurt, do you want to borrow my eye pillow? Are you drinking enough water? You really ought to stay hydrated in the winter, even more than in the summer,â Rachelâs rambles on.
Kurt decides to get up. He is hungry after all.
âIâll come with. Just give me a minute,â he calls back to them. He looks around for his coat as the pain in his head starts to grow. Oh man, here we go again.
***
There isnât anything helpful in the Lima News. Blaine checks his watch. It has been nearly an hour. He is standing up and walking out of the library when the shift hits.
Suddenly he is on the street in New York, walking with friends just like he was when he left. He stumbles a bit as he is thrust into the present day.
âWoah, take it easy there, buddy. How hard did you go last night?â Trent asks.
âNot at all, just not sleeping well. Midterms were killer. My mom wants me to come home for Thanksgiving,â Blaine says, trying to play off how off kilter he feels.
âUh huh,â Trent says, suspicious. âWhat about all the time you spent messaging someone on your phone last night? Whoâs the hot body?â
âThere is no hot body. No body. Just a guy.â
âA guy with a body,â he teases.
âNot one Iâm interested in. We just got to talking. Heâs from Westerville, too, and going to Cornell. Itâs nothing.â Blaine means it. This guy was forward and not his type, but Blaine was too nice to cut it off before the guy started sending pics. Itâs only polite to respond once you've seen someoneâs dick.
âYeah, yeah. Fighting them off as usual,â Trent jokes. âYou;d be so much more fun if you lowered your standards a bit. New York is crawling with hot guys, they donât have to be the whole package. I just need a package.â
âAnd they say romance is dead,â Blaine replies. He feels back on his footing since the last jump. When it started, they were walking to a diner. He only hopes he gets to stay in the present long enough to get something to eat.
Chapter 2
Kurt has one hand on his bedroomâs curtain divider when he starts to feel it. Suddenly he is in a hospital room, there is a nurse busy making some kind of preparations and Kurt feels a shiver down his spine. Oh no, not Dad, no no no. He spins around looking for clues.
The bathroom door opens and there is Rachel, a very pregnant Rachel, slowly making her way back to the hospital bed. She is breathing in an exaggerated rhythm when they lock eyes.
âCâmon, we have to be on the same rhythm,â she says to Kurt. âOne, one, two, one, remember? Hee, hoo, hee-hee, hoo.â
Kurt does his best to mimic her breathing as he helps her back to the bed. He takes a good look at Rachel. Her hair is different and she looks a bit older. He is in some kind of future.
There isnât anyone else in the room. It is just him and her and, for a moment, a panic sets over him that they are a couple. What kind of alternate timeline is this?!?Â
His thoughts are broken as Rachel screams, clinging to his arms and digging in her nails.
âI cannot believe you convinced me to do this,â she grunts out. âIf I damage my vocal chords I am suing you both.â
Kurt canât seem to catch up to whatever the hell this is. Rachel is clearly having a baby but where or who is the father? He holds her hand, grounding himself as much as her as she squeezes tightly.
A phone on the side table starts to ding with alerts. Ding! Ding, ding!Â
âKurt, answer your phone.â Rachel releases his hands and closes her eyes to rest, a momentary break from the contractions.
The phone unlocks when he looks at the screen. It is a text, well many texts. Some of them from just before he blipped in. All from someone named Dreamboat.
Oh my god, itâs happening! I just ran out of rehearsal and am hailing a cab. Iâm on my way!Â
Taxis really ought to have sirens for emergencies. This traffic is terrible.
Getting closer! I gave the driver $100 extra and we definitely broke some laws but I donât want to miss this. I love you so much, baby!!!!!
Fuck me, it is absolutely jammed. Iâm getting out and running the next couple blocks. Tell Rach to hang on. Iâll be there soon.
âWell,â Rachel asks, âWhere is he? Is he close? I think another one is coming soon. Oh, yep, here we go. Hold my hand. Your daughter is almost here.â
She reaches out and Kurt takes her tiny hand in both of his. His mind reels. This is his baby. Rachel is having his baby, a little baby girl. And there is someone coming he is having this baby with. It is all too much. Kurt starts to cry. His eyes water and his head stings and⌠oh no, he knows that feeling.
âThank you, Rachel. Thank you for this,â he says as his vision goes white.
***
The shoots of pain are getting weaker. Blaine looks down at his cinched hands. He has on a hospital gown and shoe covers. Am I a doctor? He thinks to himself.
âOkay, sir, come with me. She is ready now,â a nurse leads him from the hallway and into an operating room. He is clearly a guest, not a doctor, which is a relief.
His new adventures in time travel have taught him that In situations like this it is best to go with the flow, so he follows her and just tries to get his bearings. There is someone on the operating table, a small curtain between their body and head. As he gets nearer is a woman who smiles at him warmly. She must know him.
âI see you won the coin toss,â she says. âCome up here and stand near me. I want you to hold my hand because I am faking this bravery - and also you are not authorized to see anything beneath that curtain.â She is teasing and light, admirably calm for someone about to go through a surgery.
The room fills with more hospital staff. They tell him where to stand and proceed to explain to her what is about to happen.
âIâve delivered hundreds of babies this way, maâam, so you are in good hands with this team. We are going to make this as easy on you as possible,â the doctor says quickly and then gets to work.
Blaine ticks off what he needs to be doing. Stand out of the way, hold her hand, do not look below the curtain. He wonders if he should be making conversation. He must know this woman pretty well. She just keeps looking at him, almost like she is trying to calm him down though she is the one on the table.
âHow are you doing?,â he asks. Maybe she will give up some more information.
âA bit scared. I was hoping to have this baby in an easier way.â
âIs there anything I can do?â
âJust be with me,â she smiles at him again.
Heâs not really getting much out of her. Though in her defense she is pretty busy. He canât expect her to tell him her lifeâs story on this table.
The team is working away and Blaine can hear the squelches and squeaks of her being cut open. He grips her hand tightly as the doctor makes contented noise. They pull something up and take it over to another table, rubbing at it, measuring, and then wrapping in a blanket. It is making gurgling noises. A nurse picks up the bundle and gives it some small taps. A cry rings out in the room as she walks over.
âHere you go, Ms. Jones, a healthy baby girl. Eight pounds, four ounces. Ten fingers, ten toes.â She holds the bundle out to the woman who takes it and holds it close.
Blaine is moved. Everything about the moment is emotional as mother and child share a beautiful bond.
âOkay, Papa, your turn.â
Um, what? She canât really move in this position so Blaine takes the baby and tries to play it cool. She is a sweet little thing. Tiny little ears and eyebrows thankfully less pronounced than his own. His heart breaks wide open.
âSheâs pretty cute. I think she has his ears but donât tell him I said that,â the woman says.
âYeah,â Blaine agrees, swept up in the awe of the moment. She is probably right anyway.Â
âShe needs to try and latch now,â the nurse says. âWe will take Mercedes into a recovery room and you and your partner can join her there.â
âHusband,â Mercedes corrects her. She turns back to Blaine. âOkay, letâs get this show on the road and Iâll see you in a bit.â
Blaine is overcome. He walks back into the hallway ready to meet whoever is waiting for him. As he crosses the room, hand almost on the door, the feeling comes. He speeds up, trying to get to the other side but he is not fast enough.
***
Kurt stumbles out of the curtain as he lands back at home.
âDaydrink much,â Santana says.
âIâm fine, thanks for asking,â he replies. âI caught my foot on the edge of the bed.â He hopes the stumble hides the flush in his face. âOh, shoot, I forgot my wallet. Just a second.â He goes back into the privacy of his room to catch his breath.
That last jump was a lot. Now he is going into the future? Having a baby? He isnât even dating anyone.Â
They are getting more serious, too. The first one landed him in an open park with no one around, just one solitary tree whose leaves had fallen. He walked the dirt path for a bit and didnât even see anyone else. That one was just odd, like a puzzle he could not solve. But the next two had been punches in the gut. He was still recovering from seeing his mother in her teen years when suddenly he was becoming a father. It was a lot to take in.
He took a few deep breaths. His stomach grumbled. Well, maybe he could at least get lunch before his next existential crisis.
***
Chapter 3
Blaine lands, catching himself on the arm of a leather sofa. He has jumped again but straight into another time. He looks around and recognizes the Dalton reading room. There is a fire in the fireplace and snow falling outside the window. The room is decorated with poinsettias and greenery. It must be Christmas time.
In the room he spots a boombox on a side table. It looks just like one he got for his fifteenth birthday, one of the few personal effects that came with him when he transferred. Perhaps he is in that time? What a year that was. A new school with accolades and friends but still lonely.
He peeks his head out in the hall. It is pretty quiet. No sign of anyone about.
Honestly, he is pretty tired. These trips have taken a lot out of him. He could rest on the sofa. If anyone came in he would have to explain why he was out of uniform. He only hopes he doesnât look too much older. Or worse, run into the teen version of himself. God, that guy was a mess.
***
His ass is freezing. Kurt sits on a bench at an outside mall. By the looks of the window dressings it is near Valentines Day.
He takes a few moments to people watch, trying to figure out if this is something he should remember - or maybe some future he hasnât been yet. But the clothes in the windows look old, maybe 3-4 years ago. It doesnât make a lot of sense.
The passersby seem normal enough, boring even. Just people going about their day. If this is something important, he clearly does not get it. It isnât about his parents or his future. He canât even tell if this is the town with that barren park.
Watching people shop at a random mall loses interest before too long. He was amused to see what gifts people were getting for their valentines but after a bit it just reminded him how lonely he was. He sits on the bench and waits to leave.
***
Blaine yawns and stretches as he wakes. The warmth of the Dalton fireplace has kept the room cozy, almost too warm. A bit moist really. He opens his eyes and finds himself in a bathroom. A shower is running and the room is foggy.
This is not his bathroom. Not a bathroom he recognizes earlier. The curtain squeaks as something behind it moves and Blaine realizes he is not the only one in this room. Someone is humming from inside the shower.
He turns around to see a bit of brown hair peeking out above the shower curtain. When the light hits just right he can make out an outline of a man.
He considers leaving but has no idea what is on the other side of the door. The man is shampooing his hair and Blaine girds himself for the very real possibility of meeting this man face to face. Maybe he should close his eyes? Or turn around? There really isnât a good way out of this.
He decides to turn around and just listen. The humming stops when it sounds like he is rinsing off his head, then the sound of a squeeze bottle. Blaine peeks over his shoulder to see a mass of wet hair in a mohawk on top of his head. He chuckles to himself. More rinsing and then the sound of the water turning off.
Bang, bang, bang. A knock at the door.
âKurt, get out of there or I am coming in. I have to pee,â a womanâs voice shouts out.
âDonât you dare,â the manâs voice answers. Itâs high, a bit shrill from irritation.
Blaine has never been so relieved to feel the tell tale pain of the upcoming jump. He needs to get out of there, fast.
***
Kurt jolts into consciousness, standing in his living room.
âYou okay, you zoned out for a second,â Mercedes asks.
âYeah,â he lies. âIâm fine. Ready for lunch?â
âSo starving, letâs go.â Santana leads them out of the apartment and down the stairs.
Kurt hopes that last jump might be his last. Everything he has seen has either been traumatizing or boring, like a story missing an important piece. He does not need any more excitement. He just needs lunch.
***Â
Trent is still talking when Blaine returns to the present. So Blaine nods along and tries to make his entrance seamless. He is telling Blaine about his latest hook-up.
âAnd, I mean, if you are going to want shower head the least you can do is rinse off all the soap. I donât need that.â
âYeah, totally,â Blaine says. âIt is only polite.â
âPoliteness is not what I am looking for when I am on my knees in someoneâs clawfoot tub. But, yes, basic hygiene is key. Clean it off, rinse it, then we can see what happens.â
âCan we talk about something else? Maybe save this for somewhere inside and a bit private?â
âSure thing, Blainers. I forget how old fashioned you are. I still need to tell you the gossip from next door.â
Trent is happy to tell all and Blaine is happy to just let him talk. The walk to the diner isnât much further now.Â
***
âAll Iâm saying is that if Gunter wants to get my best he should hire more waiters for when I need to perform. He canât expect me to put down the coffee pot and get to the stage that fast. I need a carefully planned route that shows off my best side,â Rachel is talking as they walk down the street.
âFor once, I agree with Berry. I think those of us better vocalists should have a lighter amount of tables,â Santana adds.
âWe are literally singing waiters. They want us to do both,â Kurt says.
âBesides, you never know when you might get discovered,â Mercedes adds. âOr by who.â
She gives Kurt a wink. He knows she is talking about a boyfriend. She thinks someone is going to walk in and fall in love with him. But the last few years have worn down his romantic dreams. Heâs not sure if love at first sight, or love at all, is in the cards for him. The handful of promising guys he has met in the city have all fizzled out after a time.
The feeling starts to come, softer this time though. He has more time to prepare. He thinks about holding onto Mercedes for support. But as they round the corner the jump never comes. It just hovers in him as they get closer to the diner.
***
Blaine can see the door to the diner. He can feel the pain coming on and hope he can maybe get inside and sit down before he jumps. The feeling is growing in him, but different this time. Like an ache he cannot explain.
A few steps ahead he sees a group of people going inside. One of them looks familiar.
âMercedes, itâs you,â he says without thinking.
âHave we met?â Mercedes says.
Suddenly Kurt and Blaine are both on the sidewalk. Each of them knocked down with the sensations inside of them. They fall into each other in a tangled, undignified heap.
âWhat the hell?â Trent says.
âAre you okay?â Rachel asks.
âHummel, get up, oh my god,â Santana says.
They get up and brush themselves off. Each of them apologizing to the other as they disentangle and right themselves. Then they lock eyes.
âOh, hello there,â Kurt says. Heâs never seen a man so gorgeous.
âHi, my name's Blaine.â He extends his hand and Kurt shakes it. An electric feeling runs through them both. Their eyes meet again, smiling. âI think Iâve been looking for you.â
âWeird flex,â Trent says.
Santana opens her mouth to speak but Kurt holds up a hand.
âCould you all give us a minute?â Kurt asks. The rest of them go inside, talking amongst themselves about what just happened. âI think, well I donât know what I think. Do we know each other?â
âNot yet but,â Blaine chuckles. âI think we will.â
âYeah,â Kurt agrees. âI think we will.â
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
â Live Streamingâ Interactive Chatâ Private Showsâ HD Quality
Anya is LIVE right now
FREE
Free to watch ⢠No registration required ⢠HD streaming
@grlnxtdr30 your @klainesecretsanta2023 is finally here!! so sorry it took me so long :( i hope you enjoy it though!
Summary: It is not the most wonderful time of the year when you're tasked with planning the office holiday party alongside a coworker you can't stand. But what if you actually don't hate them after all...
Blaine Anderson has him pressed against a wall at the office holiday party, kissing him like he needs to physically get under his skin. He shouldnât like this as much as he does. He shouldnât like Blaine this way.
Hello! This is my @klainesecretsanta2023 gift for @jackabelle73. Thank you for being so patient, kind, and understanding. Hope you enjoy Journalist!Kurt, and Influencer/Single Dad!Blaine.
Wishing you a very Merry Klainemas and a Wonderful New Year! <3
Summary: Kurt Hummel, a journalist for one of the biggest magazines in Los Angeles (and a modern-day Grinch) is assigned to interview social media influencer Blaine Anderson for their upcoming article, TikTok Dads of the Year. Being the cynic that he is, and having no choice in the matter, he reluctantly hops on a plane to New York not expecting to stay more than a few days to get what he needs.
But in the few days that he's there getting to know the ins and outs of Blaine's life, and witnessing the courage and strength it takes for him to raise his children alone, Kurt finds himself royally screwed when he realizes he's falling for the dapper influencer and his three young kids.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
Itâs hard to believe that weâre coming up on the final days (hours?) of our posting period. Weâve already been gifted so many amazing fics and art from talented writers and artists in our fandom, but thereâs still more to come! If you havenât posted yet, this is your reminder that posting ends after tomorrow, December 24th!:
Summary: Kurt goes home to Lima for the holidays. There, he meets his parents' new neighbours, the Andersons. Kurt specifically is drawn to their youngest son, Blaine.
Notes: Hello everyone! This is my Klaine Secret Santa gift for @twinkkurt! I was a bit nervous when I got your username, because I love your art so much and I, uh, wanted to impress you. I hope you like it. I really liked writing it.
An additional thanks to Beth @quizasvivamos, who helped with brainstorming the title.
Happy reading!
AO3 | S&C
--
Kurtâs staring out of the window of his parentsâ house with a wistful smile on his face.
He loves New York with his whole heart, but he has to admit that Lima has its charm. Back when he was a teen, he never thought heâd think this way.
Maybe now that he no longer lives here, heâs able to look at it in a different way. Itâs nice to be here, with the knowledge that heâll eventually go back home. Besides, New York is too loud and eccentric and a part of Kurt thrives because of it, but another part of him has learnt to appreciate this quieter atmosphere of Lima.
Oh, and it helps that Kurt never has to run into anyone from high school ever again. All his closest Glee club friends have left Lima as well, so he has no reason to seek out anyone who might recognise him from school. No longer being a high schooler is definitely the biggest perk of living in New York. High school was the main reason he couldnât ever appreciate the quiet life here, because his life was never quiet. He could never appreciate the small tight-knit community feel, because he didnât feel like he was welcomed into it.
But now heâs an adult who only comes back to Lima every now and then to see family and friends who are also visiting.
Kurt sighs as he watches a neighbour walk his dog. The neighbour sees him staring and smiles and waves. This truly is different from the rapid pace of the big city. His neighbour in New York barely gives him the time of day and sheâs moving out within a few days. Kurt will not miss her. This man, on the other hand, has already shown Kurt more kindness in these few seconds than the other neighbour has in years.
Also, Kurtâs never seen this man in his life. He certainly doesnât remember him.
âThatâs Mr. Anderson,â Kurt hears.
He looks over his shoulder. His dad is sat on the sofa with a book open on his lap, but he also noticed Mr. Anderson walking past the house.
âIs he new in the neighbourhood?â Kurt asks.
His dad nods.
âYes, he and his wife moved here a couple of weeks ago from Westerville. Apparently they had been planning on moving to a smaller house ever since their youngest son moved out.â
âAnd they moved to a random suburb in Lima, of all places?â Kurt asks, bemused.
His dad barks out a laugh.
âI know itâs hard to believe for a big city lover, but people still willingly move to the Midwest,â his dad says with a jokey tone.
Kurt moves away from the window and forgets about Mr. Anderson. Instead, he cosies up against his dad and he watches a rerun of Drag Race. His dad keeps reading, since heâs not bothered by the noise. Carole later comes into the living room and when she sees Drag Race is on, she eagerly joins Kurt.
This is what Kurt loves about Lima.
This is what he misses the most when heâs in New York.
This is also one of the moments he misses his brother, but he doesnât want to bring it up when Carole is trash-talking the judging section. Besides, Kurtâs pretty certain she misses him too at this moment. It goes unsaid.
He and Carole watch three episodes in a row when the doorbell rings. Itâs the delivery of groceries. Kurtâs dad gives the delivery person a huge tip to celebrate the holidays and the three of them put them away while chatting about the holiday plans. Tomorrow, some extended family members are coming over for Christmas and Kurt and Carole are going to cook a grand meal for everyone, while Kurtâs dad is going to set up a makeshift bar.
Everyone is going to be perfect.
Hopefully.
But when Kurt and his family are finished putting away the groceries, Kurt realises that theyâre missing an ingredient.
âRosemary! Carole, we are missing the rosemary!â Kurt exclaims. He checks the receipt again, but it really isnât on it. Which is good, because then they also didnât pay for it, but they need the rosemary.
Carole realises she forgot to order it, which can happen, but now Kurtâs fucked.
âCalm down, Kurt,â his dad says, âI will drive to the store tomorrow morning before the guests arrive.â
âI appreciate it, dad,â Kurt pouts, âBut Carole and I need to start now, because it needs to be in the fridge overnight!â
âAh. Thatâs⌠a problem,â his dad admits.
But then Carole lets out a small gasp.
âWait a second! Burt, doesnât Pam have a little herb garden?â
Kurtâs dad thinks it over.
âYes, she does,â he answers, âBut itâs winter, Carole.â
âBut she might have some that sheâs harvested earlier in the year,â Carole points out, âAnd Pam is a more experienced gardener. If thereâs a way to keep rosemary alive in winter, then sheâd know it!â
âOh, you have a point there. Can we ask if she has some to spare?â
âI think we can just ask her. She wouldnât mind,â Carole continues, âKurt can go, because he knows how much we need. He found the recipe on the internet!â
âBrilliant,â his dad says, âGreat plan, Carole.â
âThatâs why youâre married to me,â Carole jokes.
Kurt waves his arms to get his parentsâ attention.
âHi, hello,â he says, âI love this idea. Whoâs Pam?â
âPam Anderson, the new neighbour,â Carole answers.
âMr. Andersonâs wife,â his dad adds for clarification.
âOn it,â Kurt says.
Carole tells Kurt that the Andersons moved into the house left of theirs, which delights Kurt, since he never really liked Ms. Johnson and her weird grandson anyway. He grabs his coat, since itâs very cold outside, and tells his dad and Carole that heâd be back soon.
The Andersons have a festive wreath on their front door and it makes Kurt smiles. He rings the bell and waits for Mr. Anderson or his wife to open the door. He can already hear the dog bark and his smile widens.
The door opens and Kurtâs ready to introduce himself and ask if Pam is around, but when he sees the man whoâs opened the door, heâs rendered speechless. Itâs not Mr. Anderson, but itâs another man. He must be around Kurtâs age and heâs dressed in a cozy sweater with a cute checkered bowtie to top it all off.
Kurtâs dad mentioned that the Andersons have a son and this must be him. Kurt assumes heâs also visiting family for the holidays.
âUh, hello?â the son asks after a short silence. He looks a bit confused and Kurt realises heâs standing on this porch in complete silence, staring at him.
Right. Not a great first impression.
Kurt quickly composes himself.
âHi, uh, my name is Kurt,â he says and he mentally high-fives himself for being able to sound coherent, âMy parents live next door. The Hummel-Hudsons.â
A look of understanding crosses the manâs face. Now Kurt is no longer a random person that came out of nowhere. Thatâs progress.
âAnyway, my stepmother said that your, uh, mother might have some spare rosemary? We donât have any and we really need it for the recipe that weâre trying out.â
The man steps aside so that Kurt can come inside.
âCome on in, itâs too cold to wait outside.â
âThanks.â
Kurt follows the man to the living room where heâs greeted by an enthusiastic dog. There are three other adults. Kurt recognises Mr. Anderson, but thereâs also a woman, presumably Pam, and another man who looks slightly older than the son. The son and Kurt explain the situation and, as Carole predicted, Pam is eager to help out.
âOh, I need to go outside to harvest some,â Pam says.
âIf itâs too much of a hassle-â
âNonsense,â Pam cuts him off, âIâll be back in a jiffy. Blaine, can you find my easy shoes?â
âTheyâre probably still at the back door where you left them, inĂĄ,â the son, whoâs apparently named Blaine, says.
âSmartass,â Pam jokes.
Kurt tells Pam how much he and Carole need and Pam goes outside. Kurtâs standing awkwardly in this familyâs living room, but luckily, the dog takes an interest in him, so Kurt has something to do.
âYou like pets?â he says while petting the huge Bernese mountain dog.
âOh, she adores them,â Blaine says.
âWhoâs a good girl?â Kurt coos.
âWell, she wasnât a good girl earlier today when she made me walk five extra blocks,â the still unnamed man says, âSheâs strong and doesnât listen when she doesnât want to.â
âShe got that from you then, Cooper,â Mr. Anderson teases.
âDad!â
Kurt smiles. He likes this family. He can see they all treat each other kindly and that they are close, the same way his family works. Pam comes back with a handful of rosemary for Kurt and he thanks her profusely.
âNo biggie,â she says, âHappy holidays.â
Blaine walks Kurt towards the door and they donât say much, which is fine by Kurt, because then he has less opportunity to embarrass himself. He hopes he isnât red in the face and if he is, then hopefully Blaine will think itâs because of the cold.
âThanks again,â Kurt says and leaves.
Once heâs back in his own kitchen, he hands the herbs to Carole, whoâs delighted. Sheâd already started meal prepping.
âDid you know that Mr. and Mrs. Andersonâs sons are visiting?â Kurt asks.
âOh, no I wasnât aware.â
âMe neither.â
âHave you met him- them before?â
âOnly Cooper, the eldest,â his dad answers, âHe helped his parents move in. The youngest couldnât make it because of his studies. Cooper is⌠interesting.â
He and Carole share a private smile and Kurt needs to remind himself to ask about that later, but now he has a more pressing matter.
âAnd the youngest?â
Carole shrugs.
âPam says he barely has time to visit, which everyone dislikes, but we get it.â
Kurt also gets it. He wishes he could be here with family more often.
âI did hear that he lives in New York as well!â Kurtâs dad says. Now, that is interesting. âCooper lives in LA, and Blaine lives in New York. I mean, heâs called Blaine, right?â
He directs that last question to Carole, but Kurt answers it.
âYeah, heâs named Blaine. I just met him.â
âOh lovely,â Carole says, âWhat are the odds? Maybe you two can meet up in New York.â
â⌠I barely know him, Carole,â Kurt says quietly.
âSo?â Carole says back, âNowadays, people your age meet each other online. I donât think that barely knowing anyone is a barrier these days.â
âShe has a point,â Kurtâs dad adds.
âAlright. Alright,â Kurt says.
The truth is that it sounds nice to get to know Blaine a bit more. Kurtâs not stupid. He understands that he finds Blaine cute. Itâs been a while since he met a guy who immediately renders him speechless, but Kurt also knows from experiences that looks arenât everything. Heâs here in Lima to see him family, not to jump on the neighboursâ son.
He and Carole continue their meal prepping and the conversation moves away from Blaine.
--
The next day is filled with joy. Kurt barely has time to see his dad and Carole, so he definitely doesnât have time to see his extended family.
Everyone likes what he and Carole prepared and Carole points out that everyone should thank Pam as well.
After dinner, Kurtâs aunts prepare the desert and Kurtâs younger cousins beg him to go outside with them.
âCome on, itâs snowing!â
Kurt has to admit that snow also is more enjoyable here than in New York, because in New York, snow feels more like a nuisance blocking Kurtâs way. Heâs constantly busy, getting from one place to the other. Here, Kurt has no reason to leave the neighbourhood today. They all go outside to make snow angels and what not.
Suddenly, Kurt hears a somewhat familiar voice.
âSee, Squirt, people in this neighbourhood know where itâs at!â
Kurt follows the sound of the voice. Cooper is standing in the doorway of his parentsâ house, decked out in winter clothes. Kurt can see Blaine behind Cooper and heâs shivering. Heâs talking to Cooper, but heâs too far away for Kurt to understand.
âCoop, close the door,â Kurt can make out at one point.
Cooper says something back before going outside and closing the door behind him. Then he waves at Kurt.
âHi, merry Christmas, forgive my stupid brother,â Cooper says loudly, probably so that Blaine can also hear it, âHeâs a New Yorker, so he doesnât appreciate snow enough. But I barely see this white goodness in my life, so I am out and about!â
âTell your brother that I am also a New Yorker so he has no reason to stay inside,â Kurt jokes and Cooperâs eyes widen.
âGreat idea!â he says and immediately goes back to the house.
Kurt and his cousins watch how Cooperâs locked out and how heâs demanding Blaine to let him in.
âWho is he?â one of Kurtâs cousins ask.
âSon of the new neighbours,â Kurt answers.
âIs he also coming out to play?â
âI think so.â
âCool.â
Cooper manages to get in and five minutes later, he and Blaine come outside. Cooper immediately bonds with Kurtâs younger cousins. Blaine stands aside and Kurt takes a deep breath. He can be sociable. Heâs a kind neighbour!
âHey,â he says casually.
âHi.â
âNot the biggest fan of snow, I hear?â
Blaine shrugs.
âI am, actually, but I just donât feel like hanging out with my brother in the snow.â
âWhy is that?â Kurt looks at Cooper, whoâs started building a snow hut with Kurtâs cousins.
âHeâs cool, pun intended, with other people, but ever since we were little heâd be kind of an ass. Heâd try to put snow down my back, for example,â Blaine explains.
Kurt winces. That is kind of a dick move.
But at least he still has a brother. And even though Blaine sounds genuinely irritated, Kurt understands that Blaine doesnât actually hate Cooper for the snow thing. After all, Blaine still couldâve stayed inside.
âYou did come out here,â Kurt points out.
âI kind of have you to blame for that,â Blaine teases.
âOh?â
âCooper said youâre from New York. I had been using my New York status against him.â
Kurt laughs.
âOh, donât get me started on snow in New York.â
âPffff, yeah,â Blaine says, âGood thing the subway is underground, but getting there, trudging through a thick layer of snow? Hell.â
âHah, yes!â Kurt says and they fall into a comfortable silence. They watch everyone else have fun, and Kurt has an idea. He bends down to make a little snowball and shows it to Blaine.
Blaine raises an eyebrow.
âNow that your brother is occupied with keeping my cousins busy⌠are you in for a snowball fight?â
Blaine has an amused look on his face.
âYou know what. Why not?â
--
Kurtâs aunts asked everyone to come inside, since dinner is ready. Kurt and his cousins are huddled together around the table, getting warm again. Everyone had a lot of fun and time flew by. Kurt didnât even realise that his aunts were asking him to come in, since he was running around like a madman, trying to hit Blaine with his massive snowball.
And now Kurtâs enjoying his desert, but heâs still thinking about Blaine. It was really fun, so maybe Carole is right. Maybe he can ask if Blaine wants to meet up in New York.
Whatâs the worst that can happen? Blaine can say no.
Okay, that thought is terrifying.
But he can also say yes.
--
Kurt doesnât actually talk to Blaine the day after. He only sees him in the morning, when Blaine passes the window. Itâs his turn to walk the dog. Kurt and Blaine wave at each other, but thatâs it.
In the afternoon, Cooper walks the dog and in the evening, Mr. and Mrs. Anderson take him out. Kurtâs almost sad when he doesnât get the chance to wave at Blaine.
Mr. and Mrs. Anderson are out of sight and Kurt lets out a pathetic, sad sigh.
âDear lord, just ring the bell already!â his dad says.
âWhat do you mean?â Kurt feigns ignorance, but heâs not surprised that his dad sees right through it. His dad has always known him the best.
âDonât think I missed the smitten look on your face, kiddo,â his dad laughs, âYour thoughts were elsewhere. And your cousins mentioned that you and Blaine seemed to hit it off.â
âHe is really nice,â Kurt admits.
His dad hums.
âAnd handsome.â
His dad hums again.
âAnd he lives in New York.â
âHe does!â
Kurt looks outside again, because for a split second he stupidly believes he is in some Hallmark movie where Blaine appears outside his window to express his adoration.
Thereâs no one, obviously. He and Blaine have only known each other for a short time.
But as his dad and Carole point out, this doesnât have to be the end of it. Kurt goes home to New York just before New Yearâs and then he might meet up with Blaine and get to know him better.
Then Kurt thinks: Fuck it, he deserves a cute holiday romance.
âYou know what, dad? I will go see him tomorrow.â
âWonderful!â his dad says, and heâs so genuinely happy for Kurt, it makes Kurtâs heart swell.
--
âBurt says youâre going to ask Blaine from next door out on a date,â Carole says during breakfast and Kurt almost spits out his food.
âDad!â
âWhat?â his dad asks, not bothered at all.
âI didnât say that,â Kurt quickly says, âI said I am going to ask if he wants to meet up once weâre back in New York.â
âWith the intention of dating him.â
âWith the intention of getting to know him,â Kurt corrects, although he mentally adds âand potentially date him laterâ, but his dad doesnât have to know that yet, although as usual, his dad knows better.
âYou can get to know him on a date,â Carole says, feigning innocence.
âOh my god,â Kurt hides his head in his hands.
âDonât mind us, Kurt,â his dad sounds amused, âOr, donât mind Carole. I donât want to invade your privacy. You do what you want to do.â
âHey!â Carole says back.
âOh my God,â Kurt repeats, with his head still in his hands, but he can feel the smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
He acts embarrassed, and maybe he is a little bit, but heâs also glad to have such a supportive family.
They really want him to be happy. Kurt knows so many people who donât have it as good as him, so heâs not taking this for granted.
If Finn were still around, heâd volunteer to be Kurtâs personal wingman instantly.
âAlright, alright, Iâll keep you guys up to date,â Kurt relents, âI plan on seeing him later today.â
Kurt smells the opportunity for a little fashion moment, so he needs to make use of that. Most of his wardrobe is still in New York, but he likes to dress for the occasion, and asking his neighboursâ son to hang out is definitely a big one.
The conversation shifts to other topics, like his dadâs garage or Caroleâs latest interest in diamond painting, and they finish their breakfast. Kurt helps out with the cleaning up and then itâs time to go up to his room to rummage through his limited wardrobe.
Heâs going through his closet when the doorbell rings. Kurt doesnât pay attention to it, because he can hear his dad moving around to open it, but his interested is piqued when his dad says itâs for him.
Kurt hastily puts on some clothes, since he was a bit undressed because he was trying on outfits, and he goes downstairs.
He stops halfway on the staircase when he sees Blaine in the hallway.
âHey,â Blaine says.
âHey?â Kurt says, unable to hide his confusion.
Oh, he also looks terrible. He picked the worst combination of clothes in his rush to get down.
Of course this happens to him when Blaineâs at the door. And donât even mention his hair. Itâs a monstrosity! Of course Blaine looks prim and proper.
âIâll leave you two at it,â Kurtâs dad says and promptly turns around to leave, although once his back it towards Blaine, he winks towards Kurt.
The mix of embarrassment and happiness about his dad and Caroleâs interest in Kurtâs love life returns.
âHey,â Blaine says again.
âOh. Hello,â Kurt finally comes down.
âI kinda wanted to talk to you before I leave.â
âLeave?â
Blaine nods.
âIâm flying back to New York later today,â Blaine clarifies.
âOh.â
âI need to move apartments, so I couldnât stay for longer,â Blaine continues.
âRight.â
âWhich sucks, because I like seeing my parents.â
âYeah.â
âCooper not so much,â Blaine says, but again, Kurt can hear the jokey undertone.
Kurt smiles.
âYeah.â
âBut, uhm, I kinda wanted to ask if I could see you again? In New York, I mean? To, uh, chill?â
âTo chill, huh?â Kurt says, amused, and Blaine turns a bit red.
âWeird choice of words,â Blaine agrees, âBut what do you think?â
âYes, sure,â Kurt tries to act casual and cool, but his mind is reeling. Blaine wants to see him too! Man, the moment Blaineâs out of the door, Kurt will probably jump up and down with excitement.
âNeat,â Blaine sounds relieved, âCan I have your number then?â
âYeah!â Kurt answers and they exchange numbers.
âAlright. Cool. I mean, yeah, cool!â Blaine stumbles a bit over his words, which Kurt finds endearing.
âCool,â Kurt echoes.
âThen see you soon!â
âSee you soon,â Kurt says back.
Blaine leaves after that and as predicted, Kurt leans against the front door with a huge, disbelieved grin on his face. He might look like utter shit and his hair is a mess, but who cares, cause Blaine wants to hang out with him!
âAnd?â
Kurt looks up to see Caroleâs head peeking around the corner.
Kurtâs smile widens.
--
Kurt isnât in a rush to get back to New York, since he wants to savour every moment with his family and he meets up with friends, but knowing that Blaine is waiting for him in New York does make him more eager to leave.
Okay, Blaine isnât actively waiting for Kurt, but Kurt can dream, right?
Theyâve texted a little bit over the past few days, but now that Kurtâs actually leaving, he sends more messages.
âKurt, get off your phone! We need to say goodbye!â Carole scorns, but itâs nor serious. Besides, she has a point. His dad and Carole and about to drive home from the airport, and Kurtâs on his phone to text Blaine.
âSorry,â Kurt pockets his phone.
âYouâll see him enough,â his dad says.
âIdeally, yes,â Kurt says with a smile. Heâs shooting his shot.
Not immediately, though. He doesnât want to come off as overeager. Heâs going home now, then heâll celebrate New Yearâs tomorrow with some friends, and then heâll see if he can meet up with Blaine.
He and his parents say goodbye. As usual, the hug between him and his dad lasts a long time, but itâs time for Kurt to go. This really is the worst part of going back home. He knows his dad and Carole will miss him too.
--
New York is messy, loud, and gorgeous.
He takes the elevator to his floor. Then, he stops in front of his door and casts a look to his neighbourâs door. Thereâs a new rainbow doormat in front of it, which Kurt sees as a confirmation that his shitty neighbour is truly gone.
Once heâs inside, he lets out a sigh of relief. Heâs so ready to just unpack and relax. Heâll need to do some groceries later, but now he wants to âchillâ, as Blaine said.
So thatâs what he does. He unpacks, makes some coffee, and browses social media on his phone in peace. He texts Blaine, telling him heâs arrived home, and he also checks in with some other friends about tomorrowâs New Yearâs plans.
Yet, life continues. Groceries are part of adult, independent life. Thereâs no grocery delivery here for Kurt, so Kurt sighs and decides to just do it instead of procrastinate, which is something heâs proud of. He put on appropriate winter attire and grabs a shopper.
When heâs outside and turns around to lock his door, the neighbourâs door opens. Kurt doesnât really pay attention, since he needs to lock his door. Heâs forgotten once before, so he always pays attention here.
Once everythingâs locked up, he turns to his side to introduce himself, since unlike his previous neighbour, Kurt does have manners, but his words die in his throat.
Blaine is standing on the rainbow doormat with a surprised look on his face.
âHello neighbour,â heâs the first to break the shocked silence.
âHello.â
âLong time no see-â
âWhat a surprise-â
It falls silent again, but itâs not an awkward silence. In fact, Kurtâs amused by this whole situation, because what are the odds? Blaineâs shocked expression has also been replaced by a more amused one.
âYouâre my new neighbour,â Kurt sounds disbelieved.
âIâm⌠going to go,â Kurt holds up his shopper.
âOh,â Blaine opens the pocket of his jacket and takes out a folded up shopper, âGroceries?â
âYes!â Kurt says. This is so weird. âI just got home from Ohio, so I have absolutely nothing.â
âI get it. Anyway, great to see you. Iâm new here. Where do you get your groceries?â
âYou havenât done any grocery shopping since you moved here?â Kurt asks.
Blaine turns a bit red.
âUh. No. I have.â
âOkay?â Kurt says with a frown.
âSorry,â Blaine says and then lets out an awkward laugh, âThis- I- Okay. I didnât know how else to ask if you wanted to hang out now.â
Kurtâs eyes widen in surprise. Neither of them had made actual plans to âchillâ yet. Kurt didnât want to seem to eager, and Blaine hadnât made any concrete suggestions yet.
Kurtâs down to hang out, even though he didnât expect their first meet-up in New York to be for grocery shopping, but then he also didnât expect Blaine to be his new neighbour.
âSure,â Kurt says with a smile.
--
And thatâs how they end at a coffee shop called Think Coffee instead of the grocery store. Kurtâs reasoning was that itâs easier to get coffee beforehand and before Kurt could apologise for randomly suggesting a coffee date (is it a date?), Blaine agreed to it.
Of course, they discuss how funny it is that their parents live next to each other, and now they also live next to each other.
âMy dad mentioned that your family is originally from Westerville, I think?â
Blaine nods.
âYes. Cooper and I went to a boarding school there, but we were day students. Do you know Dalton Academy?â
The name does ring a bell.
âFrom the Warblers?â
Blaine looks amazed.
âYes!â he utters in disbelief, âThatâs my former glee club!â
âReally?â Kurt asks, âIâm from the New Directions.â
Blaine shoots him a quizzed look.
âMcKinley High, in Lima,â Kurt clarifies.
â⌠That sounds familiar.â
âThis is insane,â Kurt says before taking a sip of his coffee. He needs to let this sink in. The day has certainly turned out to be different than expected.
âYeah. Iâm a Dalton boy.â
âAnd then your parents moved to Lima of all places, when you graduated.â
Blaine snorts.
âI know right?â he says, but then he smiles, âAlthough, it led to me meeting you, so I cannot hold it against them anymore.â
âI agree.â
âAnd you? Did you grow up in that house?â
Kurt shakes his head.
âNo, but I did grow up in Lima. My dad got married to Carole a few years back, and then they bought that house for the four of us to live in.â
âFour?â
âMe, my dad, my stepmother and my stepbrother,â Kurt answers.
âI didnât know you had a brother!â Blaine sounds surprised, âGod, I hope heâs not as bad as Cooper.â
âOh⌠Well⌠No,â Kurt says slowly.
âDid I miss him during my visit? I mean, my parents never mentioned him, so does he live out of the state?â
Kurt sighs. This part is always hard, painful, and eventually awkward. He didnât plan on bringing up the dead brother story, but on the other hand, he does want to get to know Blaine and he hopes Blaine wants to get to know him as well. Well, it must be. Otherwise Blaine wouldnât have joined him on this supposed grocery trip.
âHe died, actually,â Kurt says quietly.
As expected, the silence stretches out and it becomes more awkward and awkward.
âOh. Kurt. Iâm⌠sorry,â Blaine eventually says, although he seems a bit lost for words.
âItâs okay.â Itâs not, but itâs okay that Blaine doesnât know what to say. Kurt canât blame him. How do you properly react to hearing a young person died?
âOh, shit!â Blaine suddenly exclaims, âAnd here I am, complaining constantly about Cooper! Thatâs such a dick move!â
âItâs okay,â Kurt says again, âYou didnât know. And besides, it was fun to see you two interact.â
âYeah?â Blaine asks.
Kurt hums.
âYes. Itâs clear that your complaining and his teasing comes from a place of love. Me and Finn would do the same. God, you have no idea how many times I complained about his habits, or how many times heâd playfully tease me for my brooch collection.â
Kurt would give anything to hear Finn playfully mock his hippo brooch again.
âCan you tell me about him?â Blaine asks.
So Kurt does. He tells Blaine that he and Finn didnât really like each other at the beginning, but then they both joined glee club, although it turned out that Finn got blackmailed by their glee club director who had planted a stash of weed in Finnâs locker. (âWhat?â âItâs not important, Blaine.â) Thatâs how they slowly became friends, and Kurt eventually developed a crush on Finn and decided to pair up his dad and Finnâs mom in an attempt to get closer to Finn. (âExcuse me?â âItâs in the past, Blaine.â) But eventually their parents got married and Kurtâs crush died out and they became stepbrothers. It was a bit rocky at the beginning, but they grew to love each other as family and dropped the âstepâ part quickly.
âSo yeah, we didnât always see everything eye to eye, but thatâs just how family is. I miss him, especially now, during the holidays.â
âI can imagine.â
âThe entire family always shows up, and itâs glaringly obvious that someone is missing,â Kurt laments, âI donât like to dwell on it, neither do my dad and Carole, but itâs on our minds, especially when I see my cousins together, or when you and Cooper banter. But it also makes me think of good memories with him, like the time he and his friend Puck dressed up in Star Wars outfits for Christmas.â
âOh. Amazing.â
âOr when Carole told Finn he needed to help out for Christmas dinner, and he burned it all down, so we ended up eating soup out of a can that year.â
Kurt chuckles and Blaine also lets out a laugh.
âHe sounds lovely,â Blaine says.
âHe was. Most of the time.â
They laugh again.
Kurt lifts his cup to get another sip, only to find it empty. Blaine also wiggles his cup around.
âTime flies,â he says.
Kurt hums in agreement. He gets out of his seat.
âGrocery time?â he asks.
âOh. Yeah. Groceries,â Blaine sounds bewildered. Itâs that Kurt definitely needs to eat, otherwise he also wouldâve forgotten.
Kurt leads them to the grocery store he always goes to, which is one that Blaine hadnât seen before, so thatâs a nice extra. Kurt needs to buy a lot, since he just got home after a trip to Lima, but Blaine only needs some things. Still, he sticks around to talk to Kurt and so that they can walk home together.
--
âHello neighbour.â
Blaine looks a bit surprised. He probably didnât expect Kurt to just knock, but Kurtâs feeling daring. Yesterdayâs coffee and grocery trip-slash-date was a lot of fun and Kurt decided to just go for it.
âHello,â Blaine says back.
âDo you have plans for this New Yearâs?â
âYes?â Blaine says, which is fair. Kurt shouldâve expected that. âBut why are you asking?â
Kurtâs asking because he woefully fantasised about kissing Blaine, if he wants, when the clock hits midnight.
âOh. Well, I am meeting up with some friends and I wanted to see if you wanted to join, but it makes sense you already have plans.â
Kurtâs about to awkwardly say goodbye and admit defeat, but Blaine stops him.
âIâm meeting my friends at eleven in the evening. I still have time. When will you meet your friends?â
âAlso later today,â Kurt answers. Around ten, or something. It wasnât very clear. Itâs more one of those âdrop by whenever you wantâ parties. He just wanted to check if Blaine were interested in joining.
âSooo,â Blaine draws out the word, âI donât think I can make it to your friendâs party, but what are your plans now?â
Now? Well, Kurt planned on binge watching trashy TV, order food and wait till itâs time to go see his friends.
âNothing. I am free,â Kurt answers.
Blaine opens his front door further and steps aside.
âFeel free to come in, then,â Blaine says with a smile and how can Kurt refuse. He didnât plan on this, but he isnât mad about it.
âThank you.â
Blaine gives Kurt a small tour of his still bare apartment. Itâs clear that heâs only just moved in. Blaine tells Kurt that beforehand he lived in a shitty dorm room, so he was ecstatic when he found this relatively cheap apartment.
Kurt can relate. He used to live in Bushwick in a place that didnât have proper walls. This building is still not the most luxurious, but it is an upgrade!
âMy dad mentioned you moved here for your studies,â Kurt recalls.
Blaine nods.
âYeah. Iâm go to NYADA. Maybe youâve heard of it.â
Oh, Kurtâs heard of NYADA. He got accepted into NYADA as well, but he turned it down to pursue an education in fashion instead. But he knows how hard it is to get into NYADA.
The conversation quickly turns into a long and winded discussion about the current Broadway season and how other shows got robbed at previous Tony Awards ceremonies.
Blaine also shows off his new coffee machine (âGot it as a Christmas present!â), so Blaine makes Kurt a fancy cappuccino. Itâs so comfortable to be around Blaine and Kurtâs glad that Blaine likes him too.
An hour later, theyâre on Blaineâs couch, huddled underneath a shared fleece blanket, and theyâre eating snacks that Kurt brought over from his place while watching a Broadway bootleg. Kurt adores this show, but heâs having a hard time paying attention to it.
How can he, when Blaineâs so close?
He keeps staring at Blaine, so of course Blaine notices at one point.
âSomething on my face?â he asks with a jokey tone.
Kurt doesnât answer. He knows what he wants. He puts his hands on Blaineâs cheeks and pulls him in for a kiss.
Blaine kisses back and he wraps his arms around Kurt to pull him even more closer.
Kurt had wanted to kiss him at midnight, but he couldnât wait any longer. There are no actual fireworks now in the background, but that doesnât matter. Kissing Blaine already feels like fireworks are going off.
They keep kissing until they remember that they need to breathe.
âWoah,â Blaine sounds out of breath.
âWoah indeed,â Kurt echoes him.
The two of them stare at each other before Blaine throws himself on Kurt and kisses him again.
--
Later that evening, theyâre finally finishing the bootleg. They got a bit preoccupied, so they werenât able to watch all of it.
Both Kurt and Blaine cancelled their plans. They want to spend this New Yearâs with each other. Outside, the city of New York is alive and bustling, filled with people who are ready to go wild and party. But Kurt and Blaine are fine, cuddling together in Blaineâs new apartment in their neighbourhood.
Itâs a perfect way to start the new year and Kurt wouldnât have had it any other way.
--
End notes: Here ya go, Arden! Your wishlist was an absolute delight and I actually had a hard time narrowing it down, because I wanted to include as much as possible. This fic uses the "genre: alternative universe", "genre: fluff", "genre: romance", "location: Ohio", "location: New York", "age: young adult/college", "designer!Kurt", "actor!Blaine", "preferred theme: holiday-themed" and of course "other favourite tropes/story elements: neighbours".
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
â Live Streamingâ Interactive Chatâ Private Showsâ HD Quality
Anya is LIVE right now
FREE
Free to watch ⢠No registration required ⢠HD streaming
First time doing something like this, but I'm very excited to be sharing my contribution to this year's Klaine Secret Santa!
For: @godsoquickly21-blog
I had so much fun coming up with this concept using your wishlist, and I'm hoping to come back to this oneshot at some point in the future to really flesh it out and develop it more when the pressures of life aren't so against me.
Hopefully you enjoy!
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
Just wanted to say how much I've been enjoying all the fic and art. We're so lucky to still have so many amazing people making things for klaine. Thank you so much klaine secret santas - you've made this last week a joy! I don't know if you are all finished yet but this applies too to those not yet posted đ