Chapter 32

Burt and Carole were set to leave for their slightly delayed honeymoon the next day, with Kurt and Finn staying in Lima to take care of the house and fend for themselves for a week. The baggage was triple-checked and so were the plane tickets.

‘Just be good, guys, understood?,’ Burt said, trying to sound like a strict parent should. ‘You, too, Blaine.’

The boy grinned at him over Kurt’s shoulder. It was obvious Blaine was going to stay over at the Hudson-Hummels for most of their absence.

‘Sure, and I’ll keep an eye on them,’ he joked in response.

Burt chuckled, while his wife took to hugging all her sons – the birth one, the step one and the semi-foster one alike. And with the last warnings and good wishes for the journey, Burt and Carole left for the airport.

Not even five minutes managed to pass before Finn approached Kurt and Blaine with a goofy half-smile on his face. He was entirely incapable of hiding any mischief he was up to. His brother rolled his eyes at him.

‘What is it, Finn?’

‘I’m gonna go out on a limb and guess Finn wants to take advantage of you having the house all to yourselves on New Year’s Eve,’ Blaine said, smiling crookedly.

Kurt barked out a laugh, as his thoughts drifted back to the last party his brother had thrown. How much differently it could have gone had he been in love with Blaine back then. He couldn’t even imagine that. But naturally, that couldn’t repeat now, and although he’d prefer to spend the night with his best friend exclusively, having his other friends around would be nice.

‘It’s fine by me, as long as you don’t ruin the décor, I put too much work into this,’ he said, waving his hand at the room.

‘It’s just going to be the Glee club, unless they have other plans already,’ Finn explained, mentally noting to tell Puck to get booze. Whatever was his way of getting his hands on alcohol, it worked every time – at least according to Noah’s own accounts.

Kurt raised his eyebrows quizzically.

‘So you’re inviting both your cheater ex-girlfriends?,’ he asked. ‘And the guy they cheated on you with?’

Finn’s eyes bulged.

‘Oh crap, I didn’t think of it that way.’

Trying to fight back giggles, Blaine decided Finn needed a reassurance. This party was happening. Maybe Blaine’s memories from the last one weren’t the greatest, but he did have fun.

‘It’s fine in Glee, so maybe it won’t be a problem. If anything, we’ll take care of Rachel, and Sam’ll manage Quinn,’ he said.

Relief washed over Finn’s features.

‘Awesome.’ He paused as he turned towards the door. ‘Kurt, could you…’

‘Yeah, I’ll take care of the food,’ he sighed. ‘But I’m saying no to cleaning.’

***

Despite some fears Kurt had about the party, and Finn’s about his exes, the evening of the 31st of December was passing on fun and improvised karaoke. Somehow, everyone turned out not to have any other plans for the night. Puck was successful in obtaining a few bottles of vodka, which set everyone in a chipper mood. Everyone, except for Kurt, who claimed someone had to be sober, in case they needed a driver. The real reason for his staying away from booze was that he was a little afraid he’d say too much to Blaine in a drunken haze. And that wasn’t something he’d like to do.

It was still long before midnight, when Rachel cornered Kurt in the middle of the hall as he was walking back from the bathroom. He jumped up, his heart rate increasing in fright.

‘Rachel, god!,’ he said. ‘Don’t make me think this house is haunted.’

She didn’t laugh, but kept staring at him suspiciously.

‘Kurt, what’s going on?,’ she asked in a hushed voice.

‘What?’ He figured it was her crazy speaking. ‘What in hell are you talking about?’

Rachel sent a glance towards the living room, wherefrom their friends’ laughter and conversations could be heard quite clearly.

‘About you. And Blaine. There’s something going on between the two of you, don’t deny it!’

He froze for a second, before forcing a laugh out.

‘I guess, Rachel, you’ve had one too many,’ he said with a carefully faked smirk.

Her eyes turned into thin slits, as she continued to study his face. Finally, Kurt’s expression faltered, and her keen sight caught it in split seconds.

‘Ha! Spill, Hummel!’ Her whole face lit up.

Kurt gulped, desperate to distract Rachel, as thoughts rushed through his head. He came up empty handed. No matter how many times he would deny it, she wouldn’t buy it. He rolled his eyes at her, struggling to belittle the situation.

‘It really is nothing, Rachel, seriously,’ he replied quietly, but keeping his voice firm. ‘I’m just having the tiniest bit of a crush on Blaine, but I’m sure that’s just temporary.’

She listened to him patiently, nodding infinitesimally at his words.

‘You’re sure it’s gonna pass?,’ she asked doubtfully when he finished.

‘Y-yes.’ Kurt wanted to punch himself for the hesitation that made one of Rachel’s eyebrows to rise quizzically.

‘It’s just a crush?’

He took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

‘Yes, just a crush.’

A smile tugged at the corners of Rachel’s lips, as if she was trying to fight it back, then she bit her lip.

‘You know, once I had that kind of a crush on someone.’

Kurt frowned, puzzled. How was it that with Rachel everything always ended up being about her?

‘Yeah, on whom?,’ he asked with a sigh.

‘Finn.’

With a swish of hair and barely holding back excited squealing, she left him open-mouthed in the hallway.

***

Midnight was minutes away, and Puck was just finishing pouring out a bottle of cheap sparkling wine he produced seemingly out of thin air. Kurt and Blaine were standing arm in arm, leaning on the piano, and waiting for the lazy hands of the clock to reach twelve. Everyone else was tipsy and loud, and the two of them felt a little like they were outsiders for this one night. Blaine refused to get more than a drink, slightly discouraged from drinking by his previous adventures under the influence. Apart from that, he’d rather stay at a similar level of sobriety as his best friend.

They stayed comfortably silent, watching the others giggle and trying to refrain from drinking before the toast at midnight. Then they all started the countdown, their eyes glued to the clock on one of the living room walls. Kurt and Blaine joined in, smiling at each other.

‘Happy new year,’ they said in unison, clinking their glasses together.

Blaine held Kurt’s gaze for a few seconds more, searching for something to say that would make sense and express what he wanted to say. Somehow, he was at a loss, and dropped his eyes to the floor.

‘Um- So- May this year,’ he began, suddenly feeling awkward. ‘May this new year bring you everything that you wish for. All the friendship, and… love that you deserve.’

He looked back at Kurt, who was beaming at him with a cryptic expression on his face.

‘To all the friendship and love,’ Kurt said, putting the brim of his glass to Blaine’s one more time. ‘I hope you get those, too. A lot of those.’ And I hope I’ll be the one to give you all the love that you deserve, he added in his mind.

Blaine smiled back, remembering another New Year’s Eve tradition.

‘And I hope you’ll get someone to kiss on the next New Year’s Eve,’ he said.

‘I already have someone to kiss,’ Kurt replied, before he could bite his tongue.

Blaine’s eyebrows went all the way up to the middle of his forehead. If there was someone Kurt liked, he would’ve told him, right? Right?

Kurt could feel a rush of heat coming up to his cheeks; there was nothing left for him to do but hope the semi-darkness will hide his blush, and improvise.

He forced his facial muscles to spread his lips in a wide smile, simultaneously trying to hold on to all the control he had over himself. He began to lean over to Blaine’s face, and it wouldn’t take more than a bad aim for him to end up an inch to the left. Just a second’s distraction would be enough. And he was perfectly aware of how good it would feel to have Blaine’s lips against his own.

But he couldn’t do that.

Finally, after what felt like a century, his mouth brushed Blaine’s cheek, and – fighting a battle against his heart and his whole body, telling him to just stay there, kiss him, and hold him – he took a step back.

Blaine smiled at him. Sweet, sweet Kurt.

‘I didn’t mean like that,’ he said jokingly.

‘I know.’ Kurt turned his eyes back to the rest of his friends in the other end of the room. ‘But for now, I’m fine with just this.’