Kurt loved the theatre company, after the first read through; each member began talking to each other, getting familiar with their cast mates. By Friday, though they were working hard, they were also having fun with each other. Kurt was happy to see Celia was also a principle member, cast in Assassins as Squeaky.

They spent their weekend, mostly alone together, but also invited Mike and Tina over to Kurt’s for dinner Saturday night. Kurt could hardly believe how natural it felt spending all his available free time with Blaine. In the past, sometimes it felt like a chore, as if he had to always be at his best, when he was spending time with a boyfriend. With Blaine… he could just be himself. He enjoyed how they could be goofy one minute, and the next one or the other would say something and the mood would change. Kurt thought back to Sunday morning, while he was cooking breakfast in his kitchen, teasing Blaine as he sang along to ‘I See The Light’ from Tangled. When the song ended, Blaine pulled Kurt away from the stove, wrapped him in his arms, kissed him soundly, and whispered, “I’m so glad I found you.” Instantly, Kurt melted, the song no longer seemed cheesy. Kurt returned the kiss, forgetting about the eggs. If not for Blaine’s foresight to turn off the burner, Kurt would have probably burned down the house.

It was more than just sex too, though that part was amazing, Kurt felt he could say anything to Blaine. While sometimes they didn’t agree, they still appreciated and respected the other’s view. It just seemed too good to be true. So Kurt wasn’t surprised when it happened, they were bound to fight, right?

They were sitting on the floor of Kurt’s apartment finishing a meal in front of a movie. Blaine moved closer and Kurt pulled him to lean against his chest. “Come to my sister’s wedding with me Saturday,” Blaine whispered, trying not to break the mood. Kurt tensed, which Blaine immediately sensed. “What?” He asked sitting up so he could see Kurt’s face, which clearly showed is unease.

“I don’t think that is such a good idea Blaine.” Kurt murmured, hating what he was going to have to say.

Blaine’s brow furrowed, “Why? Don’t you want to meet my family?”

“I already have, or have you forgotten.” Kurt tried to lead him to the realization of what a bad idea this was.

“No, you haven’t Kurt, come on, they will love you.” Blaine insisted.

Kurt stood, he couldn’t face Blaine, “Blaine it’s your sister’s wedding I really don’t think it is appropriate for me to be there.”

“You are my boyfriend, of course it is appropriate! I thought you were done running away from this, from me,” Blaine’s voice raised in annoyance.

“Please Blaine, I’m not… and under normal circumstances I would jump at the chance to meet your family, but…”

Blaine cut him off, “No buts, Kurt. I don’t know why you are running away from this.”

“Blaine, think about it, I took off my clothes for your sister and her friends! Even if she doesn’t remember me, one of the other girls is bound to. Do you really think that your sister wants her stripper at her wedding! They are bound to think the worst of me, of you... of both of us.” Kurt’s was yelling, but he wasn’t angry he just wanted Blaine to understand.

“I don’t care what they think, Kurt.” Blaine’s voice was low this time, if Kurt was not listening so intently he probably would have missed it. One look at his face, showed Kurt just how much this was bothering him. He knelt down in front of the place on the couch Blaine had sat looking dejected. Kurt took his face in his hands.

“Look at me Blaine.” Kurt stayed silent until their eyes connected. “I love you, and I want this thing to work with you. I’m not running away, because I want this to work. I am just trying to minimize the drama. Next week, after she gets back from her honeymoon, we can all get together for dinner, my treat or I’ll cook. I just don’t want anything to mess this up. Please, I love you, please understand where I am coming from.”

Blaine nodded for a moment. “I should really be mad at you.”

“Why?” Kurt asked, his heart racing.

“We were in the middle of our first fight and I was ready to just be mad at you… then you told me you loved me, and used logic and I just can’t be mad anymore… I love you too Kurt.” Before Kurt could realize what just happened, Blaine pulled him up into a breathtaking kiss.

When they parted, Kurt realized that he was now straddling Blaine’s lap. He chuckled, “Hi there.”

“Hey,” Blaine answered with his own laugh.

“So, our first fight?” Blaine nodded, still not breaking eye contact. “Before we do anymore… making up, are you really okay with me not going with you Saturday? I would like nothing better than to be with you and meet your family but…”

“I understand.” Blaine cut him off. “Sometimes I forget about the party. You deserve better than meeting my family when you could be reminded of that time of your life.”

“I love you… can we make up properly now?” Kurt said before initiating the act himself.

Saturday night, Kurt sat on his couch wrapped in an old blanket, reading his script, trying to memorize his lines. Part of him enjoyed the quiet being alone afforded him, but mostly he just missed having Blaine’s presence. He sipped his glass of wine, trying to lose himself in the words, but he just couldn’t seem to concentrate. Instead, his mind wondered to what Blaine could be doing at that moment. He was probably on the dance floor, swaying to the music; Kurt wanted to be there with him. Kurt regretted not inviting Brit over; Santana was dancing tonight, or Tina and Mike. Honestly, he was lonely. He was never one to hate being alone, usually he enjoyed the solitude, but without Blaine things seemed dull. Not boring, dull, as if the color and vibrancy had faded out of the apartment.

Kurt gave up on work for the night, headed into the kitchen to refill his wine glass ready to soak in a nice hot tub before heading to bed. Alone. The tub was filling, soft music was playing, so Kurt barely heard the knock at the door. He grabbed his robe from the back of the door, wrapping his naked frame. Opening the door he expected to see Brittany, missing Santana, what he didn’t expect to see was Blaine standing in his door.

“Blaine, what are you doing…” Kurt began but was cut off by Blaine’s lips on his.

Blaine pulled away after a moment. “I missed you,” he said simply.

“I just saw you this morning,” Kurt teased which Blaine returned with a pout.

“I know that, but they were talking about love and finding that special person at the wedding. And at the reception they kept playing all these love songs, and in the toast they kept talking about how you could just tell how much Elise and Robert love each other… and all I could think about was you.” Blaine leaned in for another kiss, but Kurt backed away.

“As much as I would love to soliloquize on how much I love you in the hall of my building… I have a bath running and I don’t think my downstairs neighbors would appreciate me making it rain in their apartment.” Kurt told him leading him into the apartment. “Grab a glass of wine and join me?” Kurt asked.

As Blaine went to the kitchen to get his wine, Kurt hurried to the bathroom. He found some candles under the sink and lit them around the tiny room. He changed his playlist to play soft romantic music. “Were you expecting me?” Blaine asked as he entered.

“No, I was just going to have a relaxing bath, but I think this is much better don’t you?”

Once the two were comfortably in the tub, Kurt leaning comfortably against Blaine chest, Blaine told him in detail about the wedding. Kurt listened wishing he could have been there; it seemed like such an elaborate affair. As Blaine described everything, Kurt couldn’t picture Elise and this unknown Robert, he found himself picturing himself and Blaine, standing in front of the crowd. He pictured himself staring lovingly into Blaine’s beautiful hazel eyes reciting his vows. He saw it so clearly, and it just seemed… right. Shaking his head, he cleared the image away, trying to enjoy having this wet naked man in the bath beside him. He turned until he could press a slow sensuous kiss to Blaine’s lips, but whispered a quick ‘I love you’ before connecting them.

~~
Kurt was a nervous wreck; it was Monday a week after the wedding and in less than an hour Blaine’s family would be here. He was dashing around his small kitchen trying to prepare a nice meal for the evening. Asparagus and potatoes were roasting in the oven, chicken breasts were marinating and he was cutting vegetables up for a salad. Kurt whirled around when he heard the front door open, signaling Blaine’s return from his own apartment, where he went to pick up more chairs. Kurt only had four, along with a large folding table his father had built for him the first year they came to New York for Thanksgiving.

“Blaine can you move the couch back against the back wall, set up the table, the linens are here. I will plate the food in the kitchen so you only have to worry about setting out the silverware, napkins, water and wine glasses. Are you sure that your family will like the wine I picked out? Oh I also do you think the flowers or the candles are a more appropriate center piece? And..”

Blaine cut Kurt off with a kiss. “Calm down, I told you they will love you. Don’t stress out so much.”

Kurt took a deep breath, “Okay, calm I can do this. It’s not like… okay it is the first time I have ever done this. But I can do this.”

“You’ve never met a boyfriend’s parents before?” Blaine asked his arms still around Kurt waist.

Kurt shook his head, “No, Jay was the only really serious boyfriend I had, and we broke up before I met them. I always found a way out of it… until now. But I can do this, I want to do this.”

“Of course you can. I will be here, I love you so they will love you.”

Kurt was in the kitchen just putting the chicken in the pan, when the knock on the door announced the arrival of their first guest. “Blaine, honey can you get that I have chicken hands.” He called to Blaine who was getting dressed back in the bedroom. He heard Blaine moving through the living room to the front door.

“Elise, Robert, come on in, Kurt is just in the kitchen finishing up dinner.” He heard Blaine telling his sister and brother-in-law.

“We brought some wine, I’ll just take it to him then,” floated in from the other room, and before Kurt could prepare himself Elise was walking into his tiny kitchen. “Hello Kurt, it’s lovely to finally meet you, my brother can’t stop talking about you,” she said from right behind him.

Kurt turned and saw the familiar beautiful woman standing in the doorway holding a bottle of wine. A look of confusion crossed her face, and Kurt couldn’t help but hope that she wouldn’t realize where she knew him from. “Elise, it is an honor to meet you. Here let me take that from you.” Kurt’s voice came out higher than usual in his anxiety. He took the bottle of wine from her, setting it on the counter before turning back to chicken.

“Do I know you? You look very familiar.” Elise spoke to Kurt’s back. He just wanted Blaine to come in and help but he heard him in the room talking to Elise’s husband.

“I don’t think we ever formally met, no. Just…”Kurt mumbled before trailing off.

He felt a small hand on his shoulder and looked her in the face for the first time. “You were the man at my bachelorette party weren’t you, the dancer. But I thought that Blaine said you were an actor.” Her face was soft, but her voice had a sharpness to it.

Kurt turned back to the chicken, testing it to see if it was ready to flip before answering. “I am.” He said simply in answer to both her questions.

“Blaine… a little help in here.” Elise called out of the room.

“What is it sis?” Kurt turned to see Blaine a smile still planted on his face enter the crowded kitchen. Elise’s arms were crossed and she looked between the two men waiting for an explanation. Kurt expected to see Blaine’s smile fade, but instead he looked over at Kurt with an even bigger smile. “You need to flip the chicken before it burns Kurt.”

“Oh god,” Kurt exclaimed before turning back to see the chicken just now ready to cook.

“Blaine, please explain to me what is going on here. How did you end up dating my stripper.” She whispered the last sentence.

“Elise come on, he isn’t

“Oh god,” Kurt exclaimed before turning back to see the chicken just now ready to cook.

“Blaine, please explain to me what is going on here. How did you end up dating my stripper.” She whispered the last sentence.

“Elise come on, he isn’t your stripper. And while Kurt is not dancing anymore, he was never just a stripper.” Blaine told her a stern edge to her voice. Kurt continued to work on the chicken hoping that he could get through this ordeal without tears.

“You know what I mean Blaine.” Elise’s tone was just as harsh as before.

Blaine sighed before answering, “We met in the elevator after your party. I wanted to apologize because I heard him tell Candace he doesn’t dance at co-ed parties. We started talking and I asked him out.” Elise made to speak but Blaine talked over whatever she might have said. “He initially refused, but I finally convinced him to give me a chance. We went on our first date not long after and have been pretty much inseparable since. Everything I told you about him is true, I just didn’t tell you about the dancing. We were both kind of hoping you would forget. Not because I am ashamed about what Kurt used to do, but so that you wouldn’t judge him unfairly on that.”

Kurt couldn’t pretend to be fascinated with the cooking chicken any longer and so turned to watch the two siblings interact. Elise’s face had softened again. “Blaine did you really think I would be unreasonable about this.”

“Well I was hoping you wouldn’t be, but… Elise, I love him, I didn’t want to jeopardize this and you would be surprised how many people automatically assume the worst of Kurt because of this.” Blaine had tears in his eyes.

Elise turned to Kurt the unspoken question clear on her face. “I asked him not to tell you. I didn’t want this meeting to be any more awkward than it already could be. If it makes you feel any better, I hated dancing for those parties and I am 100% gay.”

Elise laughed making Kurt relax, “Oddly I think it does, although a few of my friends will be disappointed to hear that.”

A knock interrupted the conversation and Blaine excused himself, since it was easier for him to exit the kitchen. Blaine loudly welcome his parents, inviting them in to sit down. Kurt started plating the chicken as Elise spoke again. “I’m sorry Kurt about earlier, it was just a shock. It is truly nice to meet you.” She turned around to went to greet the Andersons.

Kurt was adding the asparagus and potatoes to the plates, when he felt strong arms around his waist. “Almost ready?” Blaine whispered in his ear. Kurt nodded, as he continued to add the food to each plate. “Nervous?”

“A little, but I’ll be okay. Why don’t you open the wine and I will be out in just a minute.” Kurt replied grabbing the salad to finish off the plates.

Blaine could be heard pouring the wine, talking and laughing as the last knock sounded. A chorus of hellos echoed through the room as Micah and his girlfriend came in the door. Kurt emerged from the kitchen and Blaine immediately strode over to Kurt. “Everyone this is Kurt.” All eyes turned to the couple, “Kurt that is Micah and Josie, my parents Greg and Abby, you met my sister Elise in the kitchen, and that is her husband Robert.”

Kurt surveyed the room, all the Anderson children seemed to have inherited Abby’s black hair but only Micah’s was straight like their father. “Pleased to meet you all, dinner’s ready, Blaine could you help me bring it out?”

It took two trips for everyone’s food to be set on the table, and it was cramped having only been built to hold six people, but everyone had smiles on their faces. They were all complementary of the food and though the conversation was stilted at first, soon enough they were all talking and laughing together. When everyone was finished, Kurt and Blaine cleared the table with such ease working together it was almost like choreography.

Kurt reentered the living room and said, “I have coffee and dessert, if you would just give me a moment, I can clear the table away and we can sit on the couches.” Kurt handed Blaine the centerpiece and table cloth, and began working to take the table apart.

“What an ingenious idea, I wondered how you had such a large table in this space.” Mr. Anderson told him.

Kurt continued to dismantle the table as he answered, “I know this place is pretty small. My dad made the table so we wouldn’t have to eat Thanksgiving dinner around my coffee table. Unfortunately, I haven’t had much of a chance to use it, since then.” He folded the table up until it was small enough to fit into the hall closet. Once he placed it inside, Kurt arranged the helped Blaine move the couch and coffee table back where they belong and motioned for everyone to sit.

Blaine followed Kurt back into the kitchen to load up the coffee and cheesecake onto a serving tray. “I told you they would love you.” Blaine said pulling Kurt into a hug.

Kurt swatted him before moving back to finish dishing out the food. “They are great, I should have known, I mean look at you.”

Kurt leaned over kissing Blaine soundly, when he pulled away with a little hum, he noticed Mrs. Anderson standing in the doorway of the kitchen.

“I was just coming to see if you need a little help, but I see you have everything under control.” She said, obviously trying to stifle a grin.

“Yes, we were just bringing it out.” Kurt told her, blushing like crazy. Once she turned around Kurt shoved Blaine out the door, before following him with the tray.

They all sat around the coffee table. Mr. and Mrs. Anderson on one couch, Robert and Elise on another, Micah and Josie next to each other in two of the dining chairs and Kurt and Blaine on the floor. Kurt told them all about the show he was working on, answering all their questions and promising them tickets to come see it. Blaine talked about his Glee club and their upcoming sectionals competition. Kurt discovered that Robert was a doctor, and surgeon and Josie was a speech pathologist. Soon it was getting late, and Blaine’s family began to depart, since everyone had work in the morning.

As Kurt helped Mrs. Anderson into her coat, she turned to him. “The dinner was really lovely. I must admit that I am hard to please when it comes to home cooking, what with my line of work; but you exceeded expectations. It was lovely to meet you. Please join us for Thanksgiving if you don’t have plans already.”

“I would really like that, thank you. And it was a pleasure meeting you.” Kurt told her, he was then surprised when she brought him into a hug.

As they left, Kurt noticed Blaine’s parents giving him and odd look before they departed. “What was that about?” Kurt asked after they shut the door.

“I think they noticed I wasn’t planning on leaving anytime soon. But they like you, otherwise they would have insisted I walk them out.”

Later as Kurt lay spent, entwined with Blaine, he looked back on the evening and could remember what he was so worried about in the first place. With a smile, he drifted off to sleep.