Blaine felt peace as he rested in Kurts arms, lounging on the carpet with the best friend hed ever had, safe from judgment and scorning. He wished he never had to leave that gentle hand woven into his hair, smoothing his messy locks off his forehead. Purring, he turned his head into Kurts hand and brought his knees to his chest. He shut his eyes, but they didnt stay closed for long when he heard Kurt coo. Cracking his lids, he stared up at Kurts small face, his blue eyes glowing under the streaks of light. He touched the book that Blaine was clinging to, and the sweetest smile curved his lips, "Oh, Im so glad you like Cinderella. You know, its one of my favorite love stories. My maman said that Im just like her... that I have the kindest heart... and that Im beautiful." His eyes softened and twinkled like little stars, and Blaine nuzzled closer to him. "And youre just like the prince! Handsome and sweet."

It was getting colder outside, and snow dusted every piece of grass, but Blaine had never felt so warm as he and Kurt snuggled into each other. The two of them held each other tightly, enjoying the quiet morning together, until Kurt perked up at the sound of tires crunching on the ice that had gathered on the driveway. His head popped up from Blaines shoulder, making Blaine shift so he could be closer to him. "Oh, a visitor." Kurt said softly, looking at Blaine, then back at the frosty window. "Ive never seen that car before. I wonder if its your brother! I like him!" He bounced on his butt and clapped his hands while Blaine followed his gaze to the white car that was pulling up outside.

Blaine didnt know who was in the car, either, but he wanted whoever it was to leave him and Kurt alone. After another bad day at his own house, Blaine only wanted to be with Kurt, who he knew would never hurt him. He just couldnt take another person frowning at him because he couldnt speak, and he especially didnt want his happy place with Kurt intruded on. He thought he might cry if another person looked down at him like he was a freak because he stuttered over his own words.

Staying still when Kurt got to his feet to get a better look, Blaine followed his wide eyes to his dad, who was stepping out of the drivers side. He rubbed his hands together to warm them up, then he reached back in to get a bag. After he swung it over his shoulder, the door behind his popped open, and a tall girl who looked no older than thirty stepped out. Beside of him, Kurt gasped, his small hands flying up to his mouth. The girl wasnt remarkably pretty, but still very noticeable with those blue eyes and pink lips. She was thin and had a very boyish form, her legs and arms skinny. She was very pale from her head to her toes, but at the top of her head a pile of long, brown hair fell down to her shoulders.

When she turned back to the car to grab a few bags, just as Burt had, Blaine looked over at the passenger door, which was swinging open. A pair of blue heels slid out, followed by long legs that were covered by a dark blue skirt. A woman stepped out into the snow, and Blaines mouth fell open. He was sure that hed never seen anything so beautiful, except Kurt himself. The woman was lovely, almost identical to the other girl, but with wider hips and rounder cheeks. Her hair was much curlier than the other girls, tied back with a blue bow that bounced with every turn of her head.

"Maman!" Kurt shrieked from beside of Blaine, and the biggest grin overwhelmed his tiny face. Skittering in a circle around Blaine, who looked up at him, Kurt scurried over to the door and hopped a few times before opening it. Blaine watched him through the window, his little body pouncing through the snow that covered his ankles. The curly haired woman smiled at the bouncing boy and held her arms open. She knelt to the ground, even though her dress would get wet, and she took him into her arms. She gave him kisses on the tip of his pointy nose that was just like hers, and one on his forehead. They said something to each other, then cuddled closer.

The first girl Blaine had seen threw herself to the ground beside of them, and Kurt pressed himself into her chest. Blaine felt uncomfortable as he watched Kurt squeal over those two women, unsure of what to do with himself, if he was just interrupting something he shouldnt have been there to see in the first place. He scooted backwards on his butt, as if that one extra inch away from the door would make him invisible to them. When one of the girls stood up and batted off her clothes, Blaine quickly jerked to his feet and stumbled over to the hallway, where he hid behind one of the walls.

He felt like he couldnt breathe when the girl threw the door open and dropped her bags to the floor. He feared that she would notice him and make him talk to her, which would reveal that he really couldnt speak at all. Biting his lip, he watched Burt come in next, stepping over the girls bags. The other girl came in next with Kurt clinging to her neck, his face squished to her shoulder. As he looked at them so close together, Blaine realized that they were exactly alike, from their looks to their clothes. Kurt was just a smaller image of the pretty girl. They even wore the same bows on the backs of their dresses.

Kurt frowned at the spot where Blaine had once been, and he tapped his bottom lip, something he did when he was confused. He was distracted from searching for Blaine-which Blaine was relieved about-when the thinner girl returned from the kitchen with a pop can at her lips. She pulled it away and burped so noisily that it almost scared Blaine, and the girl who was holding Kurt frowned at her, "Oh, Laurice, please. Youll teach Kurt bad manners." Kurt wrinkled his nose at the grinning girl, and the girl who was holding him had the same reaction. "Some things have never changed about you."

The girl who was called Laurice tossed herself onto the couch, putting her feet up on the arm of it. "All I ever wanted was a nephew who knew a good burping contest when it hit him in the face."

The other girl made a face and pinched her nose, "Well, it certainly did hit us in our faces." Tightening her arms around Kurt, she patted his bottom and said, "My darling, Im going to leave the room for a few minutes. I want to get settled in my bedroom. Would you sit with your aunt for a few minutes? I know she talks of crazy things, but she does adore you."

She walked over to the girl lounging on the couch, and she passed him over to her. The girl whose name Blaine thought was Laurice snatched him up and shook him, "Come here, Kurt. Ill try not to eat you, but you look as cute as a cupcake!"

Kurt seemed pleased by the compliment, but he didnt keep his eyes on her for long because he was still looking for Blaine. He didnt find him, but Blaine suddenly regretted his hiding spot because the girl who had set him down was coming his way. She even walked like Kurt, her hips swishing and hands clasped in front of her. Blaine tried to smash himself against the wall to make himself as small as possible, but he knew his efforts were for nothing. He felt pathetic for pulling away from her when she paused by him, but he just couldnt be noticed. He couldnt take another persons rejection.

"Oh." Her voice was like a soft bell, so musical that Blaine almost looked up at her to see how she was making such a noise. "Oh, dear. Whos this? Well, arent you sweet." She lowered to the floor and held her hands out for him, but he drew away so quickly that he stumbled over his own feet. She reached out to catch him, and he whined at her soft touch. "You dont have to be afraid of me. I wouldnt hurt you. What do you have?" Touching the top of his book that he was still holding onto, she blinked at him, "May I see? Ill give it back to you."

Blaine loosened his grip on the book, and she slid the book away from his chest. She squinted at the title as if she couldnt read it, and then she blinked again, "Cinderella." She said it more like a question, but he didnt tell her that she got it right. "This is a lovely story, you know. She was such a brave girl, wasnt she?" Giving him a smile, she laid his book back in his hands and covered one of them with her own. "Will you follow me? Youll be okay." Slowly getting to her feet, she tugged him along beside of her, careful not to walk too fast. The living room was only a few steps away, so they didnt have far to go. "Burt, dear? I found this sweetheart in the hallway. He looked frightened. Do you have a clue who he is?"

Patting his fingertips together, Kurt wriggled from the other girls arms, not giving his dad a chance to speak up. "Thats my Blaine!" He cooed, holding his arms open. He scampered across the floor, picking up his skirt so he didnt stumble, and he rubbed against Blaine. "Why did you run away, Blaine? I was so sad. I thought you left me!"

Burt slowly lifted his head from his newspaper, then he buried his nose back in the pile of papers, "Oh, yeah, hes a good friend of Kurts. He comes over a lot."

Returning her attention to Blaine, she sat on the floor again, her blue eyes passing over Blaines face, "Im very glad youre here, Blaine. Weve been waiting a very long time for Kurt to find his perfect friend." She stroked her sons cheek, and Kurt beamed at her touch. "I always bring Kurt a present when I visit him... if only I had something for you. Perhaps a hug is just the thing you need." Leaning closer to him, she carefully wrapped him in her arms, her touch so soft to his skin.

He jumped because it was the first time hed ever been hugged by a motherly figure, and even though some part of him wanted to stay in her warm grasp forever, he pulled away and kept his distance from her. Her lips dropped, but it wasnt a disappointed frown at all. She tilted her head at him, her ponytail swinging to the side, "Would you like to read your story to us? Its one of my very favorites."

When Blaine shook his head again, he just knew that her eyes would narrow at him. She would scowl, and then she would stand up and walk away from him, but she stayed by his side. She kept grinning at him, and Blaine felt so confused about why she didnt dislike him. "Its okay if you dont want to talk to me, but Id like to hear your voice." She scrunched her nose at him, "Do you have a favorite part of Cinderella?" He dropped his chin a few times, and her grin widened. "Can you show me?"

Blaine opened to the middle of his book, and he pointed at the paragraph where Cinderella loses her shoe on her way out of the castle. Bringing the book closer to herself, she flipped toward the end and said, "I like when he puts the shoe back on her foot. Do you know why? Because her life is so much happier after that." Hugging Kurt very tightly, she kissed his cheek with a popping sound, making him giggle. "And this little kittens favorite part has always been their dance in the ballroom."

Blaine stared at the kind girl as she playfully tickled a squealing Kurt, something his own mom had never done with him. She didnt really bother with him unless he was doing something wrong, and he had quickly learned that he was going to get in trouble if she considered him. But Kurts mom wasnt yelling at him or slapping him, and the tiniest smile broke out on his lips.

Blaine stared down at his husbands pale face that was tilted toward Archer, who had fallen asleep after hed finished sipping his juice. He was curled up in Kurts lap and snoozing as Kurt gently rubbed circles on his back. Kurt quietly hummed to their baby, a sweet smile on his lips. Blaine looked up at the sound of paper rustling, and his eyes caught on Hunter, who was laying on his stomach and doodling on a piece of paper. He seemed very involved in what he was doing, his tongue sticking out of the corner of his mouth and his eyes squinted. For his relaxing day off from work, Blaine was more than happy with how his family wanted to spend their time.

Leaning back, Blaine sank into the couch and closed his eyes, wanting to get in a nap or two. He wasnt very tired because hed been sleeping much better since they moved out to California, but he loved the feeling of drowsiness, something he hadnt gone through for a long time. He remembered the nights when hed toss and turn in bed, terrified to close his eyes. But the quietness around him and the soft humming coming from his husband was enough to lull Blaine.

Another paper rustled just as footsteps clunked on the stairs, a rhythmic noise that made Blaine peel his lids apart. Keegan appeared at the bottom of the stairs, his hand twisted in his curly hair. He cleared his throat to break the silence, then he flicked his eyes around the room, briefly pausing on Archer, whose mouth was hanging open as he drooled and slobbered. His turquoise gaze stayed on Hunter for what felt like a long time, though, and he cleared his throat again. Hunter glanced up from his scattered papers and crayons, and he shifted when Keegan walked over to him. Keegan dropped to the ground beside of Hunter, and he smiled at what he was doing. "What you drawing?" He pointed at the piece of paper that Hunter was working on.

Slowly sitting forward, Blaine tried to get a good look at Hunter, who seemed excited to talk about his art work. "My family. See... its Daddy and Père. Theyre holding me and Archer. And theres you... and Pavarotti and Everett." He blinked at Keegan, his head cocking to the side, "Uncle Keegan, why dont you have anybody to hold your hand when I draw pictures of you?"

Keegan gave Hunter a sorrowful smile, "I did... had someone. He was artist... like you. He is taken from me." Reaching in his back pocket, he pulled out a wrinkled piece of paper that he unfolded as best he could. The corners of it had yellowed, and there were tiny rips in it, but in the middle of the page was a beautiful rose, as dark red as blood. It was closing up, the petals folding in. "He drew flowers. It is beautiful. This is... first painting he gave to me. He say he thought of me when he was painting it." He held it out to Hunter, "Will you keep safe for me? I want you to have."

Hunter took the picture from Keegan, and he looked it over. A small smile tugged at his lips. Giving the picture a kiss, he squeezed it to his chest, making it clear to Keegan that he would keep it for him. "You... act like him. Stubborn and strong. I want... to show you this thing."

Hunter scrambled to his feet and tottered on his uncles heels, reaching out for his much bigger hand. Keegan realized what he wanted and he bent down to scoop Hunter up, tucking him under his chin as he carried him up the stairs. Smiling after the two of them, Kurt cooed, "Keegan loves the children so much."

Curious as to what they were up to, Blaine got to his feet and crept after them, hearing their footsteps somewhere above him. He walked down the hallway and over to Keegans room, where Keegan was standing with Hunter still hanging onto him. He was pointing to the paintings on the walls, all of them lovely flowers that were almost closed. "He loved... painting." Keegan said lowly, holding Hunter closer to the paintings so he could touch the rough paper. "Just like you do."

Hunter ran his fingers over the strokes of the paintbrush, following the lines and patterns, "Why doesnt he paint anymore, Uncle Keegan?"

Keegan bounced Hunter against his chest, and he bent his neck so he could press a kiss to the top of his head, "Somebody hurt him... badly, Hunter." Swallowing thickly, he buried his face in Hunters dark hair, "There are... things you dont know about yourself, baby. But I love you no matter what." He touched the painting in Hunters small fists, and he nodded his head, "I promise."

You faggot! You faggot! You faggot!

Blaine blinked to get Karofskys hateful face out of his mind, but he never could. Even though he hadnt been there, he still felt like hed watched Everett fall limp under Karofskys violent, thrashing hands. "My baby." He whispered to himself, keeping his eyes on Hunter, who was trying to figure out what he didnt know about himself.