The Awakening
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The Awakening: Chapter 18


E - Words: 5,941 - Last Updated: Dec 26, 2014
Story: Complete - Chapters: 21/? - Created: Jul 25, 2014 - Updated: Jul 25, 2014
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Author's Notes:

I loved writing this chapter, so I hope you liked reading it. Please review!

Have a wonderful week and I'll be seeing you all again very soon.

Thanks for reading!

 

L.-

Kurt drummed his fingers on the steering wheel anxiously, before changing lanes. He had the windows rolled all the way up and the air conditioning high to shelter him from the suffocating California summer. It was almost September and Los Angeles was buzzing with the last few tourists of the season, though Kurt wondered if tourists ever stopped coming to LA…

It had been two months since Blaine had visited in New York, and they hadn't been able to see each other again. Completely fed up with the distance, Kurt announced he was taking two weeks off from work, and then packed his things and got ready to move to the other side of the country for a few days. As soon as Blaine heard about Kurt's plans, he smiled so brightly that Kurt forgot about how much of a mess the office would be once he came back. He didn't care if he had to sleep at the Vogue headquarters for a month after this just to get everything done – he just wanted to see Blaine, to be with him, without a computer screen between them.

He was biting his lip impatiently by the time he turned the rental car into Cooper's street. He had to stop himself from pressing down the gas pedal to get there sooner. It would be quite inconvenient to get in a car accident when he was just minutes away from holding Blaine in his arms again.

As soon as he pulled on the driveway, behind Cooper's blue car and Madison's red one, the front door was thrown open, and Blaine stepped outside, as if he had been waiting by the door for him. Kurt smiled brightly as he watched him, how his hands were shaking slightly with badly contained excitement and how his lips couldn't stretch another inch, he was smiling so widely. If his father had been there, he would have ribbed him about his awful parking, but Kurt couldn't care now. He simply turned the engine off and got out, immediately rushing towards Blaine's open arms.

Blaine was laughing happily, as he wrapped his arms around Kurt's neck to pull him close. Kurt's arms wound around Blaine's tiny waist, and the warmth of his body and scent of his skin seemed surreal – they were together again.

Kurt, unable to help himself, started peppering quick little kisses on every inch of Blaine he could reach, which in such tight embrace, was limited to his face and neck. Blaine laughed ever louder, though, so Kurt was sure he didn't care.

“Hi,” Kurt murmured at last, as Blaine's hazel eyes swept over him eagerly.

“Hi,” Blaine replied. “Had a nice flight?”

“Perfect,” Kurt said, even though it had been the exact opposite, with crying babies and annoying passengers in the seats around his. But he didn't care – couldn't even think about that now. “Are you ready?”

“I am, but I'm afraid there's a change of plans,” Blaine sighed and rolled his eyes.

Kurt frowned. The idea was that he would pick up Blaine and they would spend the following weeks in a beautiful house at the beach that Kurt had rented, not wanting to stay in a hotel again. “What happened?”

“Nothing bad, don't worry,” Blaine quickly assured him. “It's just that Madison and Cooper were kind of hoping you would like to stay for dinner? But we can say no if you had other plans…”

“Well, my plans included getting you into bed as soon as humanly possible, but I guess I can wait,” Kurt said, feigning disdain. He squeezed Blaine's waist in reassurance nevertheless. “I would love to have dinner with your family.”

“Alright. Let's go inside before Cooper comes get us, then,” Blaine said, and immediately took Kurt's hand to guide him into the house.

Even though they Skyped and talked on the phone often, Kurt was blown away by how different Blaine seemed, and in a good way. He carried himself differently, far from the man who had been so hesitant and wounded the last time they had been together, struggling to let go of his pain. The distance hadn't been easy on either of them, but Kurt knew now that it had been exactly what they needed – if they had rushed into a relationship again without allowing Blaine's wounds to heal, things would have only ended in disaster.

The Andersons welcomed Kurt warmly. It felt strange to get a hug from Cooper when the last time they had talked, he had all but tossed Kurt out the door. But everything had changed since then. Cooper welcomed the man who had made his little brother so happy, he was floating in the clouds.

Olivia, always the shy one, stayed behind her mother's legs, but Ava greeted Kurt easily.

“I like your clothes. They are really pretty,” she complimented.

Kurt smiled down at her. “Thank you, cutie pie. I like your dress, too.”

“Uncle Blaine got it for me!” She answered proudly, and then pointed at her sister. “And he bought Olivia's too! Show him, silly.”

Olivia mumbled under her breath and hid even further behind her mother.

Madison interrupted before the twins could begin bickering and asked them to go pick up their toys and wash their hands for dinner, herding them into the living room to help them clean up. Cooper stayed behind, beaming at Kurt and Blaine broadly. Maybe too broadly.

Blaine narrowed his eyes in suspicion. “What, Cooper?”

“Oh, nothing, nothing,” he said, crossing his arms over his chest without losing his grin. “I'm just happy for my little brother, that's all.”

“Cooper, stop embarrassing the boys and set the table!” Madison said from the living room, as Cooper's Hollywood smile turned to a frown.

Kurt laughed at him, but wasn't sad to see him go into the kitchen. He just really wanted a minute to breathe Blaine in and get used to having him so close again.

Blaine seemed to have the same idea, because as soon as they were alone, he rose a bit on his toes and planted a sweet kiss on Kurt's lips. “I missed you.”

“I missed you too, sweetheart,” Kurt said. “I'm so excited about spending the next two weeks with you!”

“Me too. I managed to reschedule most of my coaching sessions, so I'll only work three or four days, and just for a couple of hours,” Blaine explained, sighing in contentment. “I'm all yours.”

“Yes, you are,” Kurt whispered with the happiest smile, as he leaned in for another kiss.

*

Dinner was lovely, especially once the girls warmed up to Kurt. Cooper and Blaine had very funny stories about work, and Madison was very pleasant to chat with, so Kurt never felt uncomfortable. Even though he had craved to be alone with Blaine since he had got on the plane back in New York, Kurt was glad they had stayed for dinner. It was nice reconnecting with Cooper after so many years, and truly getting to know Blaine's family. His family.

Olivia, surprisingly, was particularly enchanted with Kurt. As soon as he had complimented the way she organized her vegetables by color before eating them, the girl had given him the most honest, delighted smile.

Ava and Olivia were important to Blaine and had been crucial in his recovery, so Kurt was determined to spend time with the twins and get to know them. He could see how Blaine's eyes lit up every time he looked at them or talked to them, and he desperately wanted the girls to like him, too.

He leaned into Blaine's side and whispered in his ear for only him to hear. “What do you say if we take the girls somewhere while I'm here? Do you think Cooper and Madison will let us?”

“You really want that?” Blaine asked, his eyes wide and touched, and Kurt knew he had made the right decision.

“Of course. They're adorable,” Kurt said, nudging him with his shoulder.

“Uhm,” Blaine looked up and Cooper stopped talking to look at his brother. “Kurt and I were wondering if we can take the girls out sometime this week. If they want to.”

Olivia and Ava immediately squealed in excitement. “Yes! Can we, daddy? Can we, mommy? Please, please, please…”

Madison laughed. “Sure. But you have to behave for your uncles.”

Kurt startled at that, suddenly overwhelmed. He wondered if this was how Blaine had felt when he had told him he was Chester's uncle, too. He felt like he belonged, like he had passed some kind of test. He felt amazing.

Blaine squeezed his hand under the table, as the twins started talking about all the places they wanted to go to. Olivia unexpectedly climbed onto Kurt's lap with a shy look on her face, as if not sure if this was okay or not. Kurt smiled encouragingly at her, as he wrapped his free arm around her to support her.

“Will you help me pick out an outfit to wear, Uncle Kurt?” She asked, biting her lip.

“Yes, sweetie. Of course I will,” he said, dropping a kiss on her soft hair.

Blaine had never looked as in love with him as he did right then.

*

They were having coffee in the living room when the girls fell asleep on Blaine and Madison, so they took that as their cue to leave. Blaine helped Madison put the twins to bed and said he would pick his bag, so Cooper and Kurt were left alone.

Kurt waited until he couldn't hear Blaine and then turned to Cooper. “I… I have to thank you, Cooper. I know I wasn't very pleasant last time I saw you, but… you have done so many good things for Blaine, and I…”

“Hey,” Cooper interrupted, leaning closer to him, with an easy smile. “You don't need to thank me. He's my brother.”

“I know. But you have been essential to him in these past few months, and I wouldn't have him back if it weren't for you,” Kurt insisted. “I know I have to gain your trust back, but I want you to know… I really love him. I always did. I don't know how not to love him. I was just… stupid, back then.”

“Kurt, come on,” Cooper replied. He gave him a pat on the back. “You two are fixing things up because you're meant to be. And I'm glad I get to be here for him, but he's done most of the healing on his own. He's amazing like that.”

“He is,” Kurt agreed with a loving smile.

“Just a heads up, though…” Cooper glanced at the stairs quickly to make sure they were still alone, and lowered his voice. “I'm happy for you two, but if you hurt him again, I'll have to cut your dick off and feed it to a pack of dogs.”

Kurt's eyes went wide as he choked on air, completely taken by surprise. “I… I…” he sputtered nervously. “Cooper, I wouldn't… I swear I…”

Cooper barked out a laugh, practically bending in half with the force of it. “Oh man, you should have seen your face!”

Kurt forced his heart to beat at normal speed again and glared at Cooper. He had forgotten how much of an asshole he could be. “I hate you.”

Blaine and Madison returned then, Blaine with a large duffel bag hanging from his shoulder and his computer tucked under one arm. With just one look at Kurt's pale face and Cooper, who was shaking with silent laughter, he knew something was up.

“What did you do, Cooper?” He asked, but didn't give his brother enough time to answer. “Whatever he said, ignore him, Kurt. He's an idiot.”

“Oh, I know,” Kurt sniffed, lifting his head, pretending to be offended.

Cooper clasped a hand on his shoulder. “I think I'll just let you two go. Take care of my brother, will you?”

“Cooper, please,” Blaine rolled his eyes. “I'll see you on Monday at the office.”

“Still,” he pulled Blaine into a quick hug, while Madison looked at them with a soft smile. “Have fun, guys.”

They said their goodbyes and got into Kurt's rental car. They were silent for a little while as Kurt drove, holding hands and enjoying being together without the need for words. Every time he stopped at a red light and glanced over at Blaine, Kurt found him looking right back at him with a soft, contented smile on his face. Kurt hadn't felt so happy and satisfied with his life in a very, very long time.

The house Kurt had rented was right on the beach. It was a low construction with huge windows, very luminous and contemporaneous. He was a little tired because of the time difference, so he didn't feel like taking a tour. He simply found his way to the master bedroom, his suitcase trailing behind him, and sighed in contentment when he found the king size bed.

Blaine looked around curiously before following him, leaning against the doorway to watch him peel his clothes off. “I can't tell if you're tired or desperate to get me naked.”

“Why does it have to be only one of the two?” Kurt teased, arching an eyebrow. “I'm an ambitious man. I want it all.”

Blaine chuckled and came into the room. He put his bag down on the floor by the dresser and then wrapped his arms around Kurt, placing a little kiss to the curve of his naked shoulder, immediately sending shivers down his spine. “Thank you for having dinner with my family tonight. I know Cooper can be…” He rolled his eyes, but Kurt understood perfectly.

“It was great. I really wanted to get to know the girls and Madison,” Kurt said as ran his hands down Blaine's back, eager to take some clothes off him and feel him even closer. “I know how important your nieces are to you…”

Our nieces,” Blaine corrected, not without sounding a bit emotional.

Kurt smiled against his temple before pressing a kiss to that very spot. “Our nieces. Our family.”

“Yeah,” Blaine nodded quietly, tightening his grip on Kurt. “Yeah, I love that.”

“I love you,” Kurt retorted, earning a bright smile from Blaine.

“I love you more.”

Kurt playfully patted his butt. “Not possible. You don't get to win at this.”

Blaine chuckled. “Is that a challenge?”

“What if it is?” Kurt asked, pushing his hand under Blaine's shirt.

Blaine hummed, thoughtfully. “Then I'm afraid I'll have to show you…”

As Blaine pushed him down and pressed him into the mattress, kissing him breathless, Kurt realized he wasn't so tired anymore.

*

The bedroom had a large window overlooking the beach, and the morning sunlight poured onto the bed like an extra blanket. Kurt awoke, scrunching his face and turning his back to shelter his eyes from the light, but then found Blaine, wide awake and staring at him lovingly, his hazel eyes shining brighter than the sun.

“Mm, morning,” Kurt mumbled sleepily, shifting closer, pressing a hand on Blaine's naked chest and placing a little kiss on his collarbone.

Blaine buried his fingers in Kurt's hair and massaged his scalp lightly. “Good morning.”

“How long have you been awake?” Kurt asked, stopping mid-question to yawn.

“About an hour, I guess,” Blaine shrugged slightly and wrapped his arm around Kurt's waist to pull him closer, causing goose-bumps to rise on his skin as their bodies glued together, no layer between them. “You looked like you needed some sleep, though, so I didn't want to wake you.”

“So you just stared at me like a creep for an hour?” Kurt muttered, lazily tracing his fingertips down Blaine's body, pausing to press against his sharp hipbone.

Blaine let out a little chuckle. “Maybe.”

Kurt rolled his eyes and pulled away to stretch, arching his back and reaching his arms towards the headboard, not missing the way Blaine's gaze travelled over his body hungrily. One heated sex session wasn't enough to put out the fire after being apart for too long. They needed to make up for all those mornings they had woken up alone, all those nights they had slipped into bed without a warm embrace to melt into.

“Do we have any plans today?” Kurt asked as Blaine licked his lips in obvious anticipation.

“I don't know about plans, but I certainly have expectations,” he answered, as he moved to hover over Kurt.

“Oh yeah?” Kurt teased, grinning up at him. “What kind of expectations?”

“The naked kind,” Blaine said, as he curled his fingers around Kurt's half-hard cock and pumped it once, causing Kurt to gasp.

“Sounds interesting,” Kurt murmured, shifting his hips to push his cock through Blaine's grip, hoping he'd take the hint and stroke him harder, tighter, faster. “Tell me more.”

“Looks like someone suddenly appreciates dirty talking after all that Skype sex,” Blaine said with a low, sensual chuckle.

“Darling, stop mocking me and make me come,” Kurt growled, grabbing a fistful of Blaine's curls and pulling him into a deep kiss.

Blaine didn't need to be told twice. He stopped teasing and looked straight into Kurt's eyes as he stroked him just the way he wanted it, needed it. Kurt arched into his hand, every time Blaine's thumb pressed the thick vein on the underside or circled the sensitive head, spreading pre-come along the shaft with every down-stroke. Kurt moaned and reached for Blaine's cock, so hard and gorgeous against his pale skin, matching Blaine's rhythm. They whimpered into each other's mouth, smiles pulling at their slips because they were finally doing this together, touching and kissing without having to long for it, watching each other in a web cam.  

Kurt came first, with a keening sound escaping from deep within him, shaking through his orgasm as he spilled over Blaine's hand, his own chest and stomach. Blaine followed soon after, reaching his own release just by watching Kurt come apart under him, beautiful and carefree.

Gasping as he recovered, Kurt stared at Blaine as he shifted down his body, plump lips trailing down his neck and chest, gathering their mixed come on his tongue and cleaning him up. Kurt moaned and winced when his cock made a valiant attempt at getting hard again so soon, loving how passionate and how eager Blaine was, had always been.

He cupped Blaine's face in his hand and brought him back up, and they both got lost in a long, languid kiss. They had nowhere to be but in each other's arms, and the hours of the day stretched before them with nothing but promises of more kisses and more wandering hands and mouths.

They had two weeks to be together. Every single second counted.

*

Kurt wrapped a fluffy white towel around himself and stepped out of the shower. The water pressure was heavenly, a hundred times better than in his apartment in New York. He had taken his time, washing his hair, lathering his body with a floral-scented shower gel and letting the strong spray work the knots in his back and neck, the ones he had been carrying with him for weeks now, stressed from work and missing Blaine. Before getting out of bed, Blaine had kissed him lazily for a moment, and then told him he would get breakfast started while Kurt took a shower. Not wanting to keep him waiting any longer, Kurt went into the bedroom, rummaged through his suitcase, and slipped into some yoga pants and a black tank top.

Since he hadn't really gotten acquainted with the house the previous night, Kurt followed the smell of food in order to find the kitchen. The house really was beautiful and comfortable, decorated simply but elegantly, and he could see the ocean from every window he walked by. The living room was the most luminous space in the entire house, with a huge French door that went out into a wooden deck overlooking the beach. And right there, sitting at a small table meant for two, was Blaine, typing distractedly on his laptop while the sea breeze messed his untamed curls.

Kurt walked towards the open door and leaned against the frame, smiling softly at the view. Blaine staring at a document he had opened, rereading the last few lines. He made a few changes and started a new sentence before noticing Kurt was standing behind him.

“Oh, hey,” he smiled brightly, as if seeing Kurt made him so happy that he could barely hold his bliss inside. “I'm keeping breakfast warm in the kitchen. Do you want to have it here or inside?”

Kurt looked around. It was late morning and the sun was high up in the sky already. It was a nice summer day, and used to spending so much time indoors and looking at boring grey buildings, he felt like soaking up some actual nature. “Let's have it here. I'll go get it.”

“I'll help you,” Blaine said. He saved the changes to his document and closed the computer, leaving it on a side table once they went back into the living room.

He had made coffee and French toast, and Kurt was glad he had asked the house's owner to leave the kitchen ready for him with a least a few essentials. They would have to go grocery shopping later today, but they had enough to survive for now. They carried everything outside and sat facing the shore. Kurt served Blaine some French toast on a plate, while Blaine poured some coffee for the both of them, and this, god, this was exactly what Kurt wanted; these perfect mornings that were exclusively for each other and the rest of the world seemed to vanish, completely unimportant.

“So,” Kurt started after taking a sip of his coffee. It wasn't the brand he usually bought, but at least it was decent enough to help him get his day started. “How's the writing going?”

Blaine hummed thoughtfully, sitting back on his chair and chewing as he looked at the ocean for a moment. “Okay, I guess. I mean, I'm no genius, but I could be decent at it…”

“You were always amazing with words. Give yourself a little credit,” Kurt nudged him with his foot under the table. “Do I get to read it?”

Blaine tilted his head to the side as he considered the question. “Not yet. Maybe when it's finished.”

“You never even told me what it is about,” Kurt pointed out, unable to stop his curiosity.

“You,” Blaine answered, surprising Kurt. “Me. Us. I just had so much bottled up inside about this past decade… and first started writing down memories because it seemed therapeutic, in a way? But then I felt like it was a story I needed to tell, even if no one else will ever read it…”

“You don't know that,” Kurt retorted with a little smile. “Maybe you'll become a famous author.”

Blaine snorted. “I don't think so. But we'll see… I'm enjoying working with Cooper, for now. I just want to make sure I have other options.”

Kurt leaned across the table and grabbed the hand Blaine didn't have wrapped around his coffee cup. “Hey. Have some confidence in yourself. You've always been talented. Maybe this is something new, but it doesn't mean you can't be amazing at it. If you want to be a writer, then be a writer. I know you can do it. And you'll always have at least one devoted reader.”

Blaine smiled warmly at him. “Did I tell you I love you today?”

Kurt grinned back at him. “Not yet.”

“I love you,” Blaine said softly.

“I love you too,” Kurt replied happily, and then pointed at Blaine with his fork, narrowing his eyes slightly. “But you'd better turn me into the most attractive and enticing character ever, or I will take that back.”

The sound of the waves hitting the sand wasn't enough to bury Blaine's beautiful laughter.

*

The next day, they received a call from Cooper just as they were going back inside after spending some time out at the beach, swimming and tanning. Kurt went into the kitchen to grab some water while Blaine accepted the call.

“For the love of God,” Cooper said, forgoing any kind of greeting. “If you are not here tomorrow to pick up the girls and take them somewhere, I will kill you with my own bare hands.”

Blaine blinked in surprise, not sure what was going on. “Why? What happened?”

“Ever since you two decided to casually mention you would take them out somewhere, they had been asking non-stop when you and Kurt would be here to pick them up. Please stop having sex and come get my daughters,” Cooper pleaded desperately.

Blaine laughed and Kurt, who was walking back into the living room with a bottle of water in each hand, arched an eyebrow in question. “Hold on a sec, Coop,” he asked, before turning his attention back to Kurt. “The girls want to know when we will pick them up, and I'm pretty sure Cooper is going to kill us if we don't do it soon.”

Kurt chuckled and rolled his eyes. “We can do it tomorrow, if he and Madison are okay with it. Maybe we can pick them up in the morning? Around nine?”

Cooper, who had evidently heard Kurt, sighed in relief. “Thank you! We'll have them ready for you.”

Blaine spoke to his brother for just a few more minutes and then ended the call. Then he turned to Kurt, who was leaning against the back of the couch, watching him. “Where do you want to take them?”

Kurt smiled brightly. “I have the perfect idea.”

*

Kurt and Blaine arrived at Cooper's house five minutes after nine, and the twins immediately clung to their legs as soon as they walked into the door.

“Where are we going? Tell us, tell us!” They chanted excitedly as Kurt and Blaine laughed.

“You'll know soon enough,” Blaine replied, winking at Kurt. “Are you guys ready?”

Cooper and Madison got down to the girls' level and pulled them away from their uncles' legs. “Ava, Olivia… remember you two promised to be nice and behave. Stay with your uncles and don't give them any trouble. Alright?”

“We'll be good, I promise,” Ava said, nodding enthusiastically and already trying to disentangle herself from her parents so they could leave.

After getting a few recommendations from Madison about what the girls were allowed to eat and what to avoid, and Kurt reassuring Olivia that the ribbon in her head matched perfectly with her dress, they were out the door. Cooper and Blaine had moved the booster seats to Kurt's rental car and they helped the twins adjust their safety belts. Then they were on the road, listening to the enthusiastic chatter coming from the back seat and fighting the traffic in Los Angeles to get to their secret destination.

As soon as the girls realized that Kurt's brilliant idea had been to take them to Disneyland, there was no way to stop their high-pitched squeals. When they got them out of the car and in line to buy the tickets, Blaine had to stay back with them and try to calm them, because they were about ready to sprint towards the entrance and disappear into the park. Kurt bought the tickets and then grabbed Olivia's hand while Blaine grabbed Ava's, and entered, amongst the other families with impatient children, couples, and teenagers.

Olivia was dying to meet some of the princesses, but Ava wanted to get on some rides. Blaine kneeled in front of them to talk to them, and promised they would go everywhere they wanted to go.

“But you have to be patient, okay?” He said quietly, looking at both of them intently. “The park is very big, and it'll take a while to do everything you want to do. One thing at a time, alright?”

The twins nodded eagerly and then the four of them went into the first ride in Fantasyland about Alice in Wonderland, getting into a Caterpillar car to go into the White Rabbit's hole.

For the first few attractions, Kurt was nervous, and kept his eyes on the girls. What if he looked away for just a second and they disappeared? What if they fell and skinned their knees? What if they got scared during a ride? He wasn't used to being around kids their age – Chester was easier, since he was still a baby.

They were waiting for their turn at Dumbo the Flying Elephant when Kurt felt Blaine wrapping an arm around his waist and pulling him closer.

“Hey,” Blaine whispered in his ear. “Are you okay?”

“Yes, yes, of course,” Kurt answered, but his eyes were fixed on the girls, who were a few feet away, standing closer to the ride to watch. “Girls! Why don't you come here and wait with me and Uncle Blaine? It's almost our turn anyway…”

“You're worried,” Blaine insisted, squeezing him a little and kissing his cheek. “Nothing's gonna happen, Kurt. They're just looking.”

“I just don't want them to get hurt. Madison and Cooper would skin us alive…”

“There's no point in doing this if you're not going to enjoy it,” Blaine pointed out softly. “Just relax. They're good girls and won't get in trouble.”

Kurt paused and turned to look at Blaine, letting a little smile slip onto his lips. Blaine seemed puzzled by Kurt's sudden change.

“What?”

“Nothing, just… a few months ago, you would have been the one freaking out, sure that the girls wouldn't be safe with you,” Kurt said, cupping Blaine's cheek and resting their foreheads together for a moment. “And now you're so… comfortable, I guess. Calm.”

“I've lived with them for months and I spend time with them every day,” Blaine explained, but he was glowing, like he was happy that Kurt could see the changes in him and approved of them. “I had plenty of chances to learn how to be with them again, how to be their uncle, how to take care of them.”

“I'm so proud of you…” Kurt muttered, leaning in for a kiss, overwhelmed by how much he loved this man, and how grateful he was that Blaine was still able to love him back after everything they had been through.

Their lips had barely had the chance to touch when they heard a disgruntled protest. “Ugh! Uncle Blaine! Uncle Kurt! Stop kissing!”

Kurt smirked and kneeled to kiss Ava instead, delighted when she started kicking her feet and squealing in pretended protest, while Olivia giggled and threw her arms around Blaine's leg.

They went on every ride the girls wanted to – at least the ones that were appropriate for their age – and took pictures of the twins with as many princesses and other characters as they could. They went to the Interactive Zoo and spent a while petting goats and baby pigs. They called Madison while they were having lunch just to let her know they were doing alright, and afterwards went on even more rides. It was a perfect day and the girls were thrilled with every second.

The sun was coming down in the horizon by the time they finished walking around the park. They had visited the park's souvenir store and now the girls were clutching new dolls to their chests. Exhausted after so much walking and the day's excitement, they had asked to be carried, so now Olivia was sound asleep against Kurt's shoulder, and Blaine was holding Ava like a baby, and the little girl had buried her face in his chest. The sky had turned that golden-orange shade that announced the last few rays of sunlight, and they were slowly walking towards the parking lot, silent, but enveloped by the happy chatter of all the other people going in the same or opposite direction.

Kurt dropped a quick kiss on Olivia's temple and glanced at Blaine, feeling his heart beat faster as he did so. His mind was suddenly filling with images of the two of them doing this again, but taking their own kids. It was a desire that hit Kurt suddenly – for many years, he had convinced himself he didn't want to be a father. He told himself there was no point, that his life would be a lot more fulfilling if he didn't have to worry about caring for a kid. He told himself that he had no time or patience for school meetings, doctor appointments and ballet classes, or baseball practices. But now he realized he had only talked himself out of it, because he thought he would spend his life with another man, with Alex. But with Blaine…

There were so many dreams they had pushed away when they lost each other.

Blaine looked down at Ava and tucked her closer against him, smiling at his niece. The look of utter love in his face every time he was around the girls was more than enough to know how amazing Blaine would be as a father.

But then Kurt realized… how were they going to have a family if they didn't even live in the same city? They lived on opposite sides of the country, different time zones. He had no idea how they would ever be able to make it work. Blaine was fine in Los Angeles – he had his nieces near him, and that was good for him now, while he finished recovering of his old wounds. But Kurt's whole life was in New York – his friends, his apartment, the job he had dedicated his life to…

Even after such a happy day, even after knowing they had a few more days together (not enough, never enough), Kurt couldn't push the doubts and the fears away. Because what if they couldn't make it work? What if, after all the effort and all the pain, they realized their paths didn't meet anymore? What if they had to give this up?

As they drove back to Cooper's to get the girls back home, Blaine held Kurt's hand over the center console. Maybe Kurt squeezed Blaine's hand harder than necessary, but if Blaine noticed, he didn't say a word.

Kurt held on tightly and hoped Blaine wouldn't slip through his fingers.

 

*


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