OK – I'm not ashamed to admit that Blaine teaching has been a big old bummer. Do you realize that tweets from K&B have gone down 75% since school started and we've only gotten a few measly photos? This isn't fair. This job was supposed to mean endless couple sightings as Kurt walked home with him, humorous tweets about apples being left on desks and student crushes and more importantly-PHOTOS. Has that school banned phones or something? Has Kurt been hibernating? Do they just roll him out of a storage container somewhere to go on stage at night? #SAD PANDA IS SAD

I liked him better as secret bodyguard/boy toy

We did get a photo on Halloween. =) #finally!

But…that damn mustache covered half of Blaine's face and I'm still not convinced that it was Kurt under that sheet. I mean, it just doesn't seem like something he'd wear. I'm almost positive that it wasn't him and was just some random teacher.

'Cause you know him so well that you know what kind of costume he'd wear? You must tell us of your various personal interactions that have led you to this deep understanding of his preferences #since we've never seen him in ANY Halloween costume before

Wank wank wank. I'm going to go re-read some bodyguard fic

Is it wrong of me to be thinking about sending my kid to Carlisle next year since she'll be starting kindergarten? _

=^..^=

November

Kurt closed the door behind him with his foot, shaking away the rain drops that had gathered in his hair during his dash from the car to the front door of his building, not having bothered to wait for the driver to get out and hold up an umbrella.

He usually had Sundays off, but a new Mr. Potato Head was joining the cast and they were having full cast rehearsals to get him up-to-speed as quickly as possible. He normally didn't mind putting in the extra time, but with Blaine working days now, Sundays were the one full day that they got to be together all week and the loss of even part of one seemed like cruel and unusual punishment. They'd been practically attached at the hip for most of the time they'd known each other and the contrast was jarring.

The horrible hours were the only thing he didn't love about working on Broadway. Doing eight shows a week was hard under any circumstances, but having a relationship with someone who had a "normal" schedule just made it all the more difficult, which was probably one reason why most actors tended to date other actors. Tuesday through Friday he typically only saw Blaine for a few hours or so in the late afternoon and then when he crawled into bed each night after returning from the theater. School started unnaturally early, so Blaine was usually gone before he got up in the mornings and Blaine, being the good-hearted sap that he was, had volunteered to be the advisor for some after school clubs, so he often didn't get home until 4 o'clock. Kurt left for the theater at 6 o'clock, so they barely had time to catch each other up and grab a bite to eat before he was out the door.

Others made it work and so would they; it was just taking some getting used to.

On top of all of that, his agent had called during one of his breaks earlier in the day and told him that he'd been offered two roles, one in a movie and one in an upcoming TV series. The movie—a crime thriller based on a bestselling novel—was already in pre-production and the actor they'd originally cast in the lead role had dropped out, so they were looking for a replacement. Filming would be done primarily in Los Angeles with a few weeks in the Caribbean.

The TV show was about a group of friends who were looking to break into the entertainment industry and they wanted Kurt as the aspiring Broadway singer. It was set to film in New York and several people he knew from town were already cast in it.

As thrilling as it was to be offered roles without having to audition, the news didn't really come at the best time. He'd been serious about eschewing Hollywood for Broadway and loved being back on the stage, but being a relationship definitely made it harder than he remembered. Could he give it all up so soon? Did he even want to?

The movie would start filming in January, but the producers were willing to rearrange the schedule so that he wouldn't be needed until March, allowing him to finish out his contract with Toy Story. It would mean leaving Blaine for three months, but it was a challenging role in a film that was expected to be a huge hit.

He wouldn't have to choose between the role and Broadway if he went with the TV show. He'd be just one of an ensemble, so he'd be able to film it while staying on the stage, if that was what he wanted. The role wasn't exactly one he was dying to play, though, and he didn't know if he even really wanted to do TV.

He could, of course, turn them both down and just stay dedicated to the stage, maybe find another role to originate, but it wouldn't be too long before Hollywood forgot about him, Academy Award winner or not, and the offers stopped coming. Besides, he'd spent so many years fighting to be seen and be respected for the talents that he had to offer, that the thought of turning down any great opportunity went against every fiber of his being.

A romantic dinner at one of the city's most exclusive restaurants was the plan for the evening, though, and he didn't want to spend the whole night talking the subject to death, so he resolved to wait until later to mention the offers to Blaine. They'd talk through all the options, the pros and the cons, and figure out what worked best for both of them. Because it wasn't just about him and his career any longer. He was part of an "us" now and that had to come first.

Kurt stumbled with a startled yelp as he turned to hang his jacket up and he looked down to see a small pile of shopping bags strewn around his feet. Blaine popped his head out of the kitchen at the noise and waved, pointing to the phone he held to his ear as he smiled and blew a kiss. From his exasperated tone, Kurt would bet his monthly clothing budget that he was talking with Cooper.

Hopping on one foot to pull the twisted rope handle of one bag off the heel of his boot, Kurt managed to get himself free, making a mental note to talk to Blaine about how leaving obstacles that might break the ankle of someone who made their living on the stage was probably not the best idea.

He joined Blaine in the kitchen and kissed his cheek before grabbing an apple from the bowl on the counter. He was about to take a bite when Blaine snatched it from his hand, pointing to the calendar on the wall, which had their dinner reservation circled in red with three exclamation points after it, as he mouthed "You'll spoil your appetite."

Kurt stuck his tongue out in response, but Blaine just smiled, then rolled his eyes as he made a "blah-blah-blah" motion with his hand to indicate that Cooper was still droning on, probably about the recurring role he was up for on one of the TV season's new police procedurals or the reality show that had approached him with a proposal.

With a regretful glance at his forbidden apple, Kurt drifted back out into the living room and picked up the abandoned shopping bags, carrying them to the bedroom where they wouldn't be a risk to life and limb. He hadn't meant to snoop (really, he hadn't), but one of the bags fell over and spilled its contents out onto the bed and what was he supposed to do, not tidy up?

The shirt he lifted up to fold seemed normal at first—a nice blue that would really look good on Blaine with some kind of brown design on it—but as he looked closer he realized the design was actually a repeated pattern of little embroidered teddy bears. Wearing hats. Yellow hats.

Suddenly he had something of much more importance to talk to Blaine about that career options.

"Hey Kurt," Blaine call out, his voice getting closer with every word, "did you see some bags in the hallway? They—"

Kurt turned around to face Blaine as he came in the room, with the shirt held up in front of his body and his head tilted to one side quizzically.

"Oh, you found them!" Blaine said as he reached out to paw through one of the other bags. "What do you think?" He held up another shirt, this one a polo with a small zebra and giraffe making an appearance on the chest.

"Making a fashion change you haven't told me about?"

"The kids really liked my lobster sweater last week, so I thought I'd get some more whimsical stuff to wear to school." Kurt felt Blaine tug on the shirt he was still holding, pulling him closer until they were just inches apart. "They're just for school. I won't wear them anywhere else. No need to look so traumatized."

"Sorry, I'm having high school flashbacks. It took me years to get Rachel to stop wearing animal sweaters. I don't know if I can go back there, Blaine. I don't know if I'm strong enough." Kurt's tone was comical, but he was only half kidding.

Blaine's eyes twinkled as he wrestled the shirt from Kurt's hand, tossing it down on the bed before winding an arm around his waist. "It's for the children, Kurt. Think of the children."

Kurt tried to be strong, but the touch of Blaine's lips on his neck drained his protests away. "Fine, but if I see a single reindeer or—heaven forbid—Christmas tree sweater we are going to have a major problem, Anderson."

"Deal. No Christmas sweaters." Kurt felt Blaine hesitate, the trail of wet kisses stopping at the hinge of his jaw. "Does your aversion to animals and festive designs include other articles of clothing?"

"Such as?" Kurt asked suspiciously, pulling back so he could see Blaine's face.

Blaine blinked innocently. "Bow ties? I found this website with the most adorable ties. Little cartoon turkeys for Thanksgiving, trees and candy canes for Christmas, hearts, shamrocks, kittens—you wouldn't believe them all. The kids would go wild."

"You already ordered some, didn't you?"

"Maybe."

Kurt wanted to string Blaine along a little longer, but the image of him wearing a bow tie covered with little smiling turkeys proved to be too much and a grin broke out onto his face. "Fine, but we're going to look at that site together and you're going to let me choose the next batch. They may be for entertainment value, but you can still try and make a statement."

"Of course. I put myself in your hands." Blaine lips returned to their previous journey towards Kurt's mouth, then paused again. "Did I mention they have socks, too?"