"Blaine, dear?" Kurt, tapping lightly on their bedroom door, pressed his ear to the cool wood. The sound of silence clogged his ears like droplets of water that had dribbled into the shells of them. He sighed, sliding his hand down to the knob, "Oh, dear." Pressing the door open just enough for him to poke his nose in, he swept his eyes over their bedroom, and stopped them over the dark form that was leaning against the windowsill. "Blaine? I brought you a cup of the cider that we made." His husband didnt twitch at his soft voice, which made Kurt swallow the lump of tears that had swelled in his throat. The last thing he had wanted was for this to happen. "Blaine, darling... please dont block me out."

Blaine finally shifted his weight from one thigh to the other, and his head turned, revealing a pair of watery eyes and a puffy, cracked mouth. "Did I ever do anything wrong?" He asked thickly. The question made Kurts eyes fly open. "Dont look at me as if its a ridiculous question. Its not, and you know that." Suddenly, a violent sob ripped out of Blaine, and he lowered his head, covering it with a heavy hand. "I tried not to be a bad dad. Did I work too much? Did I not give him everything he asked for?" He shook his head, quieting his voice, "Should I have let him stay with my brother? Coopers twelve years older than me. Hes more mature than I am... I became a parent when I was a teenager-"

"Blaine... no." Kurt pleaded, setting the mug down on their nightstand so he could kneel in front of his husband, who looked at him pitifully. "You know that your brother didnt want to be a parent. If you hadnt taken Archer, someone else would have-"

"I wasnt there for Archer when he needed to be nurtured the most." Blaine made a guttural sound, hooking his arms around his knees and drawing them to his chest, "I left him with Finn so I could go out with other men and get drunk... during those months that I didnt have you." He peeled open one of his eyes, holding his hand out to Kurts face, which he brushed his rough fingers over. "I thought I had cleaned myself up enough that Archer could feel close to me again. I thought that I knew everything about my son. It turns out that I know nothing. Its just... terrifying to me... when I think about what else he might be keeping from me."

Kurt laid his damp lashes across his cheeks, "Blaine, I think that youre making this into a bad thing. Youve never liked not knowing whats going to happen. Ever since Karofsky took all of those years away from you, youve wanted to know exactly whats going to happen to you. It was wrong of Archer to keep all of this from you..." He turned his face away, "And it was wrong of me-"

"You knew?"

Kurt slowly nodded, "Yes... I knew everything. I didnt tell you because I knew that you would try to take Archer away from Hunter." His husband abruptly jolted away from him, pulling his hands off of his skin as if he had burned him. "Blaine, listen to me! Im so sorry that I did this to you... but you must understand-"

"Kurt-"

"Hunter isnt bad!" He blurted, the tears sprouting from his eyes as soon as the words were out. "Blaine... I know that you dont think that a sixteen year old can have a good sense of judgment of people... but Archer isnt a child anymore. Hes nearly an adult. Hes two years younger than we were when we fell in love. And he likes Hunter for the same reasons that I do. You can trust my judgment, cant you?"

"You fell in love with me, didnt you?" Blaine said coldly.                                                               

Kurt lowered his hands to his husbands lap, where he idly fumbled with his hands. He twisted his fingers over his hard fists. "He made mistakes. So did you when you were his age... Some of the same ones. You werent very nice to me when we first met... and you took my virginity before you even admitted that you were gay. You didnt have a plan for your future. And you didnt have healthy relationships with some of the most important people in your life... your parents and Karofsky. Hunter doesnt have to take care of his dad... I know that he feels neglected by him. But hes responsible enough to know that he should... that its the right thing for him to do. I know that if either of your parents became sick, you would do the same." Bowing his head over his husbands clenched hands, he pressed kisses to the knuckles, "I gave you a chance, my love... and look at far youve come. I can already tell that Hunter is different. He was squaring his shoulders back because his dad made him grow up too quickly... for all of the wrong reasons... Now, he is holding his head high for all of the right reasons."

"What if Hunter breaks his heart?" Blaines voice stopped wavering, but the corners of his eyes were still leaking. "How could I live with myself if I didnt stop some boy from hurting my baby?"

Kurt looked up at Blaine with a pair of solemn eyes, "Youve broken my heart before... plenty of times. And I know that Ive broken yours. The reason were together now is because we love each other so much that well forgive anything. Archers been raised by a man with that mentality. He can have nothing but a good relationship with Hunter. And I think that Hunter would hold up on his end of the deal."

"How do you know that, sweetheart?"

He smiled softly against his husbands warm hand, "I see the way he looks at him. Its the same look that you give me." Suddenly, a giggle burbled out of him, "Both of you also scrunch up your eyebrows and suck in your lips when youre annoyed with us... sometimes for the same reasons. Archer has so much of you in him. Youre both bullheaded and complain about most of everything. But he does have me in him, too."

"Yeah... he acts like he knows more than everyone else." Blaine chuckled, stroking a strand of loose hair from his husbands eyes. "He even has the same look that you do when youre trying to prove me wrong. You have that adorable, lopsided grin... and only one of your dimples pops out. Your eyes wrinkle at the corners." Smoothing his thumb over the tiny comma at the corner of Kurts mouth, he whispered, "Im sorry I upset you, pretty thing. Where is Archer at... so I can talk to him?"

Kurt tightened his grip on his husbands hands when he went to move, "Blaine... wait. I want you to give Archer some more time. I dont think hell listen to you right now. I want you to... give Hunter one more chance. Let him tell you all that he told me. Hes a very interesting person if you let him talk. We should drive Archer over to his house... and bring him some of the food that he made, at least so it doesnt go to waste. It doesnt seem like he has a lot of money... This might be the only food available to him, anyway."

Blaine took a moment to reply, his gaze switching to the frosty window, and then flickering back to his husband. He finally dropped his chin, "Okay. Maybe I did rush my judgment of him... just because I was so panicked to find any reason to dislike him. Ill take Archer over there." Standing from the sill, he held onto his husbands hands and helped him to his feet, and then he placed a hand at his waist. "Thank you... lovely... for not being angry with me for the way that I acted out."

He shook his head, "I knew all along that you were going to be an overprotective dad." He squeezed Blaines hand, giving him a crooked smile, "I knew that since the day that Archer was born... It was after you laid him down in his crib, and then stayed up for hours, holding him and looking at him."

Kurt followed Blaine out of their bedroom, clinging to his strong arm as they headed down the stairs. When he turned around the corner, he took a few steps forward, and he raised his hand to rap on the door. "Archer?" He called, draping his fingers over the knob and tilting it slightly to the side. "Sweetest, may we come in?" He waited for what seemed like a very long minute for Archer to shout up at them that it was either okay for them to come in, or that he wanted them to go away, but the only noise he heard was his husbands labored breathing. Fidgeting with the knob, Kurt parted the door from the frame, and he tried again, "Archer, honey-" Still holding his husbands hand, he leaned inside and glanced over at the bed, expecting to see Archers rumpled form resting on top of it. When he didnt find any signs of a person being there, his eyes widened. He clutched Blaines hand with a firm grip. "Blaine!" He yelped, flinging himself into his husbands chest so he could shield his eyes from the sight of empty space, where his son should have been. Archer hadnt played a game of hide-and-seek since Hunter had been taken.

"Damn." Hunter slathered a thick layer of the cream over his distended skin, feeling clumps of it plop onto his dark pants. The edges of the marks that were permanently engraved into his chest had scabbed, and when he brushed a nail over the side of one, the rough surface tore off. Grunting, Hunter laid his sticky hand over the damp skin. He clenched his teeth, trying to hold in the low curse that had coiled around the tip of his tongue. He was starting to regret injecting himself with the cheap ink and soiled needle that his dads coworker had loaned him. He was sure that, as a blind man shakily sketching a tattoo into his skin, it not only looked terrible, but was also useless to him. He would never see it, anyway.

As he screwed the cap back onto the tube of cream, he snapped his head up at the sound of the wooden door creaking. Wiping his perspiring forehead with the palm that wasnt slicked down, he pushed away from his desk and stared in the direction that the scratching was coming from. There had been noises like this before, such as when tree branches fell against the wood, or when small animals scuttled over it, but nothing like this low thumping. It was as if someone was standing on top of it. Whipping back around to his desk, he yanked open the top drawer and clawed for his gun, and then he threw himself out of his chair. He slowly crept over to the small opening, but jumped back when it swung open. The person on the other side let out a huff of air at the strength it had taken to pry it open. Hunters eyes widened to the size of saucers. Karofsky would have been able to rip the door open without breaking a sweat.

Suddenly lunging forward, he grabbed a small body around its waist, and he jerked it down the stairs. The boy who he was holding too firmly for his comfort let out a high pitched whine as he swatted at Hunters straining arms. "Hunter! Youll crush a rib-"

Hunter pressed Archer to the wall, smothering his mouth with his hand as he reached up to pull the door closed. "Shut up, you little idiot." He hissed, waiting a few seconds for there to be any more scuffing around the door before he breathed, "Did anyone see you?" He seemed to have stunned Archer because he didnt even move his head, so he gave him a hard shake. "Was there anyone else around?"

Archer finally jiggled his head from side to side, so Hunter released his face. He smacked his lips to get rid of the tingling. Turning away from the bemused boy, he tossed his gun back into the drawer and slid it shut. "Dont ever come here when Im not with you. You were being stupid... You know how dangerous my dad is-"

Sniffing, Archer replied shortly, "That wasnt in the rule book when I agreed to be your boyfriend-"

Hunter followed Archers movement with the eyes in the back of his head, and he heard him sit down on the creaky bed. "Enough, Archer." He growled, hitting the top of his dresser with his knuckles. The impact made them ache sharply, so he inhaled sharply and curled his hand into a tight fist. "Dont take your anger for your dad out on me. Thats childish. I didnt even want you around right now. Did me not answering your call make that clear? Your dads pissed enough at me... He doesnt need you running off to my place." He waited for Archer to snap back at him, but when he didnt, he rolled his eyes up to the ceiling. "Do your parents know where you are?"

"No." Archers voice quaked, as if he was speaking around a ball of tears. "And I dont want them to. Im going to stay here, Hunter. I dont want to go back to France. I dont want to be away from you! I dont want to take any more of those strict dance lessons! I dont want my daddy to protect me so much that he not only gets rid of all of the bad, but takes away the good, too! Im tired of living like that. My parents are so stern about what happens in my life that its not even mine anymore. Im not just a doll that they can fling wherever they want. My daddy wants me away from you... but thats not what I want-"

Hunter sighed, his tense shoulders lowering as he realized how desperate Archer had become. He didnt want to turn around, and have to face the wall that he had put up. "Honey... your dad just wants to keep you safe-" It was a pathetic excuse to use, as he knew that Archer had heard it a thousand times before and didnt want to hear it anymore, but he couldnt have Archer turning his back on his parents.

"From you?" Archer squeaked. "Why would he want that for me? What about you is so bad?"

"Kitten... calm down. Youll wear your voice out." As soon as the endearment slipped out of his lips, he almost saw the huge gulp of air that Archer took in. He released it in short puffs that ended with a tiny hiccup. Hunter frowned. He hated to see him like this. Finally spinning on one of his heels, he slowly shuffled over to his boyfriend, who latched himself onto his chest as soon as he was close enough to touch. "Shh... come here, Archer. Youre a mess, my love. Your hair is in knots." Sitting down on the edge of the bed, he drew him onto his lap, where he slid between the lee of his thighs. He ran his fingers through his hair, where he found sticky tips and tangles as big as his thumb. He pressed kisses along the side of his hot head, which he plunked against Hunters shoulder. "I know where your dad is coming from, little one. If I were in his shoes, I would get you as far away from me as I could. I dont think that all of me is bad, sweet... or else you wouldnt be here, but all of me isnt good, either. I think that your dad wants only the best for you, which is exactly what you deserve. But men arent perfect, dear, so this is what you get."

"Im more than happy with you." Archer tucked his tiny head under Hunters scratchy chin. "Please dont make me go back. Hell take me away from you."

Hunter shut his eyes, completely blacking out the world, "Hush... youre making your dad sound like a bad guy. I dont think he is. I think hes being a responsible parent. But your plan isnt going to work, lovely, even if I let you go through with it. Word would eventually get back to Dillon... He would take your parents out here. He doesnt know where this is, no... but if they came here, they would have to face my dad. I dont think that you want that for them."

Archers head suddenly popped up, "They would be in danger if I stayed?"

He shrugged his shoulders, "Theres a possibility. I know that they would come for you... and they would be led here. Theres only so much I can do to fend Karofsky off... He has about forty pounds of muscle on me. Im not invincible, pretty boy." Archer retreated into his mind, mulling something over, while Hunter breathed, "Archer, I know that you want a life with me. But that just cant happen right now. Youre clueless about what I really have for you. Its everything in this room... me, and a couple of pieces of broken furniture. I dont want that life for you-"

"Youre enough." Archers soft hands patted his thin cheeks, so Hunter turned his head and pressed kisses to his pudgy palms. "I never wanted to marry a man only because he could provide for me. I want to marry for love. I wont ever be happy with anyone else. I understand the risk of being with you. Youre an unconventional boyfriend. I didnt want to love you, Hunter... or think about a future with you. But I do... and I have. You need to think about whats going to happen to me. I know what I want... Do you still want me?"

"Of course I do. Where is your head today?" He shifted him so that more of his weight was placed on one thigh, which forced him to drape his torso across Hunters chest. "I cant make these decisions right now. Youre still in the care of your parents. But... no matter what they want for you, I need you to understand that... if you ever come back to me, and I feel that Im ready to provide for you, Ill elope with you. As long as I can make you happy, I will." Feeling a warm tear shed off of Archers cheek, he gently rocked him back and forth, "Dont forget that your dad was the one who wiped your mouth when you were little... kissed your bruises... brushed away your tears."

"Ill just miss you if youre gone." Archer whispered, burying his face in Hunters naked chest. He laid his warm hand over his chest, making Hunter shudder as he traced the outline of his tattoo. Delicious chills rippled up to his neck. "You have a tattoo now. When did you do this?"

"The night after we slept together." He rolled one of his shoulders, "Do you like it?"

"Uh huh." Archer pressed down on one of the raw parts, "Its your handwriting. It says... hidden. I dont want you to be hidden from me, Hunter."

"Neither do I." Hunter tapped on Archers bottom, sliding him off of his taut legs. "I need to take you back to your parents now. Theyre probably worried sick." When Archer stood up on wobbly legs, Hunter stuck his hand into his pocket and dug past his lighter and wallet for his phone. He handed it over to Archer, who took it so slowly that it seemed he didnt know what it was. "Call your parents, honey. Let them know that youre with me... that youre safe. That might not be the place that they exactly want you right now... but there are worse places you could have gone. Tell them Im taking you home now." Placing his hand at Archers waist, he guided him to the other side of the room, but stopped with his arm raised to the door because he hadnt made out any of the beeps of Archers quivering fingers hitting the buttons. He looked down at where he knew his tiny head should have been. "Arch... I promise you, little love, youll hate yourself if you never go back to your parents. You love them with all of your heart. You might love me, but I cant fill the piece of you that would be missing if you were separated from your parents."

Archers voice lifted two octaves as the tears that were stuck in his throat became slime that coated the walls, "They couldnt give me what they took away... if they brought me back to France. I would never be whole without you, Hunter. I never wanted this to be a choice! I never wanted to have to consider eloping with a man! I wanted to walk down the aisle on my daddys arm, and have him give me away to you... but he would never-!"

"Baby..." Hunter murmured calmly, reaching down and grasping Archers shaking shoulders. Archer let out a low sound, collapsing into Hunters chest, which he rubbed his teary face against. "Archer... listen to me. Come here." Wiping a shiny spot off of Archers pink skin, he rubbed his thumb over the tip of his nose and his swollen lips, where tears had gathered. "You need to call them right now. I want you to tell them the truth... all of it. Youve spent so long trying to be what you think is their perfect son, but youre not that. Youre you... the most perfect version of yourself. Youre going crazy trying to keep it all in."

As if offended, Archer drew away from Hunter, shoving the phone into his chest. "I cant! You know why I cant! While Im at it, why dont you tell your dad that you think hes a dumb drunk?"

"Dont bring my dad into this, Archer-!"

"Why not?" Archer screamed, a bubble of saliva popping onto his lips. He flung himself back against the wall, bursting into violent tears that hit the floor like bullets. Sinking onto his butt, he sobbed into his hand, "Yours has beaten you down physically... Mine does it emotionally." Suddenly, his voice softened, and the rush of tears slowed to a trickle, "He doesnt mean to... but he has. My parents are perfect, Hunter... My père followed in the footsteps of his mère. For a long time, they were wanted on every Broadway stage in France. My daddy is the head of a powerful record producing company. Do you know how hard it is to be their son? I never feel good enough. I never feel like myself... because its like Im only their shadow. I dont even know what I want to do with my life. I thought I wanted Broadway... Part of me still does. But all I really want is to dance so I can honor a boy whos dead. Thats the only thing that Ive ever really been passionate about."

Shaking his head, Hunter carefully lowered to his knees in front of Archer, and he tenderly took his hands. "Sweetheart... I think thats a good thing to be passionate about. Other people might not understand...but I do. I know a love that goes on so deeply. You know what I think? I think youre scared. I think you dont want to go off to college... dont want to improve the skills that you already have... dont want to settle on a career... because that means that youre growing up. Youre putting time between who you are now and the little boy you were when you were in love for the first time. You dont want to have the things that he never will. But I think that its okay for you to want for yourself. If I were that little boy, I wouldnt want you to stay a child forever, mourning over me and what I cant have. I would want to give you worlds... entire galaxies. I would want you to be happy that I even had a life to live... especially one that was with you. And I would want you to experience the world for both of us... feel the wonder that can come just from being in the time that youve been given. This little boy might be gone, Archer... but youre not."

Hunter felt Archers warm breath blow over his face. "I wish you could see me right now..." he peeped, his voice as soft as a mouses squeak. "You would know that I want you to kiss me." Weepily smiling, Hunter leaned in and pressed his salty mouth to Archers, which fell open with a low moan. "The only part of getting older that I gave in to was falling in love with you. I dont know why you did this to me. I had resisted every other man. But you... you stole what little was left of my heart. I couldnt take it back if I tried."

Hunter chuckled lowly, bundling Archer in his lean arms and pulling him to his chest. He snuggled into his bare skin like a bunny seeking warmth and protection. "I love you, Archer... so much." Pulling on Archers arms, he muttered, "Come on, sweetest. I want to get you home before its dark out." He passed his phone back over to Archers cool hand, "Call your parents, okay?"

Archer finally nodded, dialing in a phone number while Hunter walked away so he could dig through his drawers for a tank top and a jacket. As he fumbled with stretching the shirt a few inches away from his chest so it didnt wipe off the layer of drying cream, he turned around at the sound of Archers quiet voice, "Père?" When he didnt say anything else for another moment, Hunter frowned, wondering what could be happening on the other end. Suddenly, Archer blurted, "N-No... Im fine. Im with Hunter. Hes taking me home." After another pause, Archers voice became unsteady, "I shouldnt have left without telling you where I was going... Im sorry I scared you. But, Père, I just cant go to France! You know how Hunter really is. I love it here... I love being with him. Please dont make me go back." While Archer listened to what his père was saying, Hunter grabbed his waist and pulled him over to the door. He shoved it open, then helped Archer climb up. Once he was out, he spoke again, "Daddy said that we could? Oh... is he there with you?" There was one last pause, and then Archer ended the call by saying, "Père, I have to thank him. Call him home now. Ill be home in a few minutes."

Hunter closed his fingers around the phone when he felt Archer try to pass it back to him, and he raised a single brow at him. "Well?"

"My père said that well stay in Ohio!" Archer cried, making a huge grin break out on Hunters face as he wound an arm around his boyfriends waist. "He said that my daddy is trying to understand us... why we did what we did. He admitted that he was wrong to make such a quick judgment about you just because he wanted to dislike you." He slowed down his words, which were jumbling up because he was spitting them out so quickly, "He still wants to get to know you... He said that he doesnt mind if you stay at my house over the week of Christmas. Would you?"

Smiling, Hunter squeezed Archer to his side, "I wouldnt miss the opportunity for anything." He lifted his hand to Archers nape so he could feel his bushy hair swinging against his knuckles, a ticklish feeling that made him chortle to himself.

Except for their panting breath, they were silent for the rest of the walk. Hunter felt surprisingly normal, walking down the street with Archer trotting by his side. It was as if he wasnt a blind man who lived down in a cellar. Drawn out of his head, which wasnt full of bothersome thoughts or paralyzing worries, by the feeling of Archer tearing from his arms, Hunter stopped walking and traced the sound of Archers voice as he exclaimed, "Père!" He grinned when Archers père puffed heavily as his son slammed into his body. "Im sorry I ran away! Ill never do it again!"

"I know, pretty." His père soothed, stroking the wrinkles from Archers sweatshirt.

He started to form the first word of whatever he was going to say next, but the slam of a car door interrupted him. Twisting around, Hunter shoved himself backward when a couple of sets of footsteps clunked by him. "Archer?" His dad yelped, and then he made a muffled sound as Archer hurried over to him and crushed himself against his chest.

Now that he knew that Archer was safely returned to his parents, Hunter backed away, sticking his hands into his pockets. He didnt want to put any more strain on his dad, so he figured that a discreet withdrawal was probably for the best. As he turned around, a curt voice hit the back of his head, "Wait... You brought our baby back to us, even though you thought we would take him away from you. Why did you do it?"

Hunter didnt shuffle around so he could speak to his hard face, "Youre good parents. I didnt want to take him away from what you can give him." Finally glancing over his shoulder, Hunter stared at the shadowy form that was almost completely melted into the black background. He hadnt realized that it was getting to be so late. "Your son wants to fall in love... and I want the same. But I dont think that giving him my love is taking him away from whats good and healthy for him."

Nothing was said for a few minutes, and then Archers dad mumbled lowly, "Are you hungry? You didnt get to eat earlier. We could probably salvage the food. And... I dont want you walking around this late. You should stay in our home tonight." Hunter didnt get a second to express his gratitude before his dad uttered, "On the couch. Youll sleep on the couch."

Hearing Archers père giggling, Hunter smirked from ear to ear. "Under your roof... I wouldnt have it any other way, Mr. Hummel-Anderson."

"Under any roof, wise guy." Hunter recoiled from the large hand that pressed down on his shoulder, and then he straightened up when he realized that Archers dad was leading him inside. He smiled to himself. "And, Hunter... i-its Blaine. My name is Blaine. That had better be the first thing out of your mouth if I ever catch you alone with my son." Hunter chuckled, while Archer, clearly humiliated, gasped and swatted his dads chest. His dad, who Hunter could still tell was being stiff with him by how firmly he was gripping his shoulder, patted his back twice. "Thank you for bringing him back to us, Hunter. You dont know how much he means to us."

"He was telling me how much you love him." Hunter grinned in the general direction that he knew his boyfriend was in, and somehow he knew he smiled back at him. "I dont have a close relationship to my dad, so I really admire how you two seem to be his best friends."

"Could you tell us more about your dad?" His père asked from a few feet in front of him. "Lima is a small town. Perhaps we know him. You and Archer are about the same age. Did he go to McKinley High?"

Hunter nodded, "He did. I think that he was supposed to graduate about sixteen or seventeen years ago. He told me that I was born around that time. Hes not sure exactly when. His alcoholism has messed up some of his memories." He helplessly shrugged, "He never finished high school, though. One of the many reasons he works a dead-end job at a rundown bar, and spends his nights passed out on the couch. He blames most of his problems on my great uncle... and this lover he used to have. But I think theres more wrong with him than that."

Hunter almost felt the shudder that moved through Blaines body, and his sharp gaze passed over the side of his head. Looking back at him, he stared into a pair of inquisitive eyes. He didnt even have to be able to see to know the strange expression that he was giving him. "What?" He muttered, wrinkles pressing into his forehead as his eyebrows crawled upward. "Too much?"

He watched the silhouetted form shake his head slowly. The next words that came out were hoarse and nearly inaudible. Hunter wondered if something he had said had struck a nerve in his dad. "And your mom... o-or dad?"

Hunter cocked his head to the side, another sardonic smile creeping onto his face. Blaine suddenly let him go, and his muscular body was replaced by Archers lighter one, which cuddled into his side as they walked up to the house. "No other dad... even though my dad is gay. Im the product of one of my dads drunken outbursts. Its even more insulting that my dad faintly remembers it to be the usual cliché... homecoming night... or prom night. One or the other. He said that this guy had left him for someone else, so... he picked my mom out in the crowd. It was the back of a car." He rolled his shoulders again, "My mom died soon after I was born. My dad says that she was sick." He shook his head, scrubbing his face with one of his hands, "I-Im sorry... I shouldnt have said that much."

"Its okay."

Hunter glimpsed up at Blaine when his words didnt come out clearly. He wasnt sure if he was forgiving how much he had revealed to him, or reassuring him that his life wasnt nearly as shitty as it sounded. Because he couldnt see his expression, he couldnt get a good read on him. Either way, it was like a weight had been lifted off of his shoulders. "I paint." He admitted unexpectedly, and he could tell that the easy smile returned to Blaines face. "And I write. Do you like happy endings, Blaine... like your husband does?"

"Yes... I do."

"Why?"

Blaine extended his hand to his husband, who was skipping ahead of them, and he pinched the bow on the back of his dress. He yanked him back, pressing kisses along the curve of his ear. Kurt squealed giddily. "Because nothing is better than a happy ending. Isnt that right, beautiful, little thing?" Kurt agreed wholeheartedly, and after he released him and he bounced away, Blaine looked back up at him. It was the first time that he had directed that gentle voice at Hunters ears, and the sound made Hunter think back to his childhood, to that soft, slightly musical voice that he imagined used to lull him to sleep. "Realistic happy endings arent like fairytales. No one tells you that its the end, and then you get to decide if its happy or not. Kurt and I never rode off to a castle in the sky. We had children... We had screaming mouths to feed, dirty faces to wipe, crying eyes to kiss dry. Time doesnt stop when youre young and careless. Im a thirty five year old man... but as Ive grown, so has my love for my husband. Cinderella might have fallen in love with a graceful, polite prince in a couple of hours. But Ive had years and years to figure out that my little princess can be a clumsy, loud, needy, high maintenance pest." It was obvious that Kurt shot his husband a look because he quickly finished with a chuckle, "And I love him with all of my heart."

"You snore!" Kurt yelled, as if he was trying to let the entire neighborhood know. "And sometimes you burp... and its really gross!"

Blaine laughed, "Its a compliment, sweetheart. It means you cooked a really good meal." To Hunters alarm, he lunged forward and snatched his husband around his waist. Hunter smirked when Kurt screeched and flailed to get away from Blaine when he let out a loud belch in his ear.

"Blaine!" Kurt whined, slapping his husbands chest. "Get away from me! Ill make you sleep in the living room with Hunter!" When Blaine let him go, he ran ahead a few feet, "The only reason the past fifteen years havent been wasted is because you buy me jewelry!"

He could almost see Blaine roll his eyes, which made him snort, "Ive been smellier in front of you."

It took a second for Archer to understand what his dad was implying before he suddenly wheeled around and hit his arm. "Daddy!"

"You said that you were ready to grow up. This is how we do it the Hummel-Anderson way."

"Weve never gone into anything head first. You didnt take my training wheels off until I was eight years old." Blaine sprinted ahead to catch up to his husband, who gladly took his hand. Archer smiled and shook his head. He fell back into Hunter, automatically intertwining their fingers. "I dont know what changed his mind... but I hope it stays this way. He seems to be warming up to you. Welcome to the family, Hunter. How much do you like crazy?"

Hunter pecked the top of his head with a light kiss, "I love crazy." He wouldnt have had this family be any other way, not when they were so perfect the way they were.