Chapter 32: Thankful

Ever since Kurt picked him up from the hospital floor, Blaine was quiet. He didn’t say a word to anyone, but his expression was unusually calm and it was most definitely his own. It didn’t stop his boyfriend from worrying, though, and Kurt could hold his tongue no longer than until they shut the doors of Finn’s battered truck that Burt was forced to borrow.

‘Honey, are you alright?,’ Kurt asked, rubbing his hand over Blaine’s forearm.

Blaine lifted his gaze at him with a soft smile.

‘I am.’ The corners of his lips pulled up a little more. ‘I feel- alone. But in a good way.’

‘There is a good way?’ Kurt frowned.

‘I’m me, right? I can’t feel the alters.’

With a triumphant cry, Kurt threw his arms around Blaine, almost making them hit the door in the constricted space.

‘That’s wonderful!’

‘Just don’t strangle me,’ Blaine said with a chuckle.

Kurt let go of him gentle, still beaming.

‘Sorry. I’m just- I’m happy it turned out so well after all.’

‘They will come back at some point,’ Blaine warned him.

‘And if they do, we’ll handle it,’ Kurt told him, taking his hand.

Burt had been watching them silently in the rear view mirror. If he ever knew he’d done a good job being a parent, it hadn’t really struck him until that moment. He’d raised a kind, compassionate and loving man, and he could never be prouder of anything more than he was of being Kurt’s father.

‘Guys, buckle up,’ he told them, glancing over his shoulder from the front seat. ‘Carole’s gonna need our help cooking for tomorrow.’

Kurt let out a laugh.

‘Dad, please, you’re not going anywhere near the kitchen.

‘So you better get us home in one piece, ‘cause I really can’t wait to get a taste of Kurt’s cranberry sauce,’ Blaine added.

Maybe he should’ve been nervous about the drive back. Maybe he should’ve contained his optimism. But he couldn’t recall ever feeling this light, and this hopeful. Even though that visit deprived him of a father as if he already died, it didn’t make him feel anything close to grief. He felt liberated, as if a leash he’s been kept on finally got severed.

And no matter how long the feeling was going to last, he was grateful to whatever higher power caused the events of the last few days for making it happen.

***

Kurt woke up early on Thursday morning, when the whole house was quiet and motionless. He opened his eyes to find Blaine snuggled up to his side, peacefully asleep. The view was beautiful and heart-warming. The few previous nights, Blaine had a hard time falling and staying asleep, but the visit to the hospital seemed to have ended the issue.

For the hundredth time, Kurt decided he loved watching Blaine sleep. It was the time when he looked the calmest and happiest, and the time when Kurt could gaze at his face and study his lips, his eyelashes and every little detail without Blaine thinking him creepy. He couldn’t stop marvelling at Blaine’s beauty ever since the first night he’d slept in his arms.

Finally, Blaine stirred awake, lifting his eyes at his boyfriend and smiling at him as soon as he saw Kurt wasn’t asleep.

‘Hi, handsome,’ he muttered, before leaning to get a good morning kiss.

‘Hi.’

Kurt smiled back, running his fingers along Blaine’s stubbly jaw line.

‘I guess this is what this whole week was supposed to be like,’ Blaine said. ‘Waking up together and kissing good morning.’

‘It was,’ Kurt agreed. ‘But it’s not like we don’t have a whole life ahead of us for that.’

Blaine raised his eyebrows quizzically.

‘What was that supposed to mean?’

Kurt bit his lip, pulling his boyfriend closer and wrapping his leg over Blaine’s, tangling their bodies together.

‘That I’d gladly spend the rest of my life waking up to see your face.’

‘But you know I’m not really cured, I’m just a little better for now, right?’

‘I know.’ Kurt nodded. ‘I told you, we’ll deal with the others if- when they show up. And if I have to wake up next to Kathryn every once in a while, it’s fine by me, ‘cause I know that she’s a part of you.’

He was just about to shrug nonchalantly to belittle his words, they were so obvious, it was so natural to speak them, when Blaine’s lips crashed into his and Kurt forgot what he was saying. It wasn’t easy to remember with Blaine hovering over him and placing kisses all over his face and neck.

‘You have no idea how much I love you,’ Blaine said, stopping to look in Kurt’s eyes.

‘And you have no idea how much I love you.’

***

The Hummels never really practiced praying before meals, which was especially appreciated by Kurt. He had never bothered to hide how he felt about religion, and since Burt wasn’t deeply religious, that was never a problem. There was, however, one day every year when neither of them could imagine not saying a few words of gratitude to God or to whoever else would listen.

This year was no different, only instead of four little speeches, five were given at the dinner table.

‘Blaine? Do you wanna say what you’re thankful for this year?,’ Burt asked him when they sat down.

‘I-,’ Blaine stammered. ‘We never did that at home. Anyway, I think the master of the house should start. You have seniority.’

Burt looked around, checking for the others’ approval, and nodded when no one protested.

‘Okay.’ He cleared his throat. ‘I am thankful for getting another year with all of you. For my cancer not returning – knock wood. For Carole still not being sick of me.’ His wife laughed kind-heartedly and blushed. ‘For Finn, ‘cause he’s one hell of a help at work, and he grew into such a wonderful person. And most importantly, I’m thankful for the honour of having the best son in the world. Kurt, I’ve never been prouder of you. And Blaine, I’m thankful to you for making my boy happy.’

‘He’s making me even happier,’ Blaine said, touched.

Kurt and Carole dabbed at their eyes.

‘Carole, your turn,’ Kurt prodded.

She gave them a bright, though teary smile.

‘I don’t even know what to say. Burt’s said it all. I’m just glad and grateful that we’re all here together. And I’m grateful I got another son.’

It was Blaine’s turn to wipe a stray tear away.

‘Finn? Do you wanna say something?,’ Burt asked.

His step-son tore his gaze away from the roasted potatoes he’d been drooling over for the last five minutes.

‘I’m just grateful for the food,’ he said with a shrug, eliciting a burst of laughter from the others. ‘And family. That too.’

Kurt sent him a warm smile. His brother would never really grow up, but that was definitely part of his charm.

‘Your turn, Kurt,’ Carole encouraged him and he straightened in his chair, putting his hands together in front of him.

‘A couple of years ago I remember saying I was thankful I got to meet Anne Hathaway at a photoshoot. Or I was grateful for Dad’s cancer being in remission. In high school it was for competitions that the glee club won and other stuff like that. This year, I’m thankful for everything that I got in the last couple of months. I’m grateful to myself for my stupid idea to visit a gay club, and fir the even more idiotic one to call the guy that- hit on me. And I’m grateful that it was Blaine and not Liam who picked up the phone. I’ve got so much thanks to this. Blaine, who I’m pretty sure is the love of my life, but also an amazing friend and partner.’ He reached a hand to take Blaine’s.

Kurt’s speech choked Blaine up a little, making it impossible for him to find his voice for a moment.

‘You’re the love of my life, too,’ he said finally, before placing a soft kiss on his boyfriend’s cheek. ‘And I’m grateful for that. I thought I’d never get love, let alone something- someone as amazing as Kurt. I could never ask for more. I’m also thankful that- You know, I didn’t remember what it was like to have a family. Like, a group of people you could always count on. I haven’t had that for a very long time. You can’t imagine how grateful I am that you embraced me like that. Most parents, most families would tell their loved one to run as far away from the psycho as possible. But you, despite all your well-grounded worries, you never told Kurt to dump me. So I’m thankful to have such incredible people in my life.’