Carry This Picture

Chapter 2 - Like clouds.

From: Kurt

Pajamas, toiletries and iPod. Carole is making sure we’ve got everything else (like pillows and such). What is your favorite ice-cream flavor?

From: Blaine

Check, check and check. Great! Am I sleeping on the couch? -hmm- I’d say “Cinnamon Buns”.

From: Kurt

I doubt dad will let you sleep in my bed. You would pick that flavor. ;)

From: Blaine

*sad face* Okay… What do you mean? What’s your favorite then, Mr. Hummel?

From: Kurt

Nothing. ;) My favorite is “Cake Batter”.

From: Blaine

You would pick that flavor. ;)

From: Kurt

See you soon. <3

A couple of hours before dinner Blaine rings the Hummel-Hudson household’s doorbell. Blaine has to wait for about three seconds before the door flies open.

“Hi Blaine!” Kurt exclaims, a huge smile on his face.

“Someone is excited.” Blaine states with a smile and looks at Kurt’s outfit.

Kurt is wearing white low-cut socks, a pair of hot pink jeans that look like they were painted on and a black knitted v-neck sweater with purposely made holes in it. He has also managed to give his hair even more volume than usual. Blaine is stunned to silence.

“I assume you approve of my outfit?” Kurt asks with a smirk.

“Uh-huh.” Blaine nods.

“Well, I approve of yours too.”

Blaine has chosen to wear a pair of stonewashed jeans and a white long-sleeved t-shirt, with buttons at the bottom of the v-shaped neck.

“Simple yet stylish.” Kurt says and puts his index fingers through the belt loops of Blaine jeans and pulls him closer.

Blaine sets his messenger bag down and winds his arms around Kurt’s neck.

“You are so handsome.” Blaine says quietly and looks Kurt in the eyes.

“Thank you. You are too.”

“Blaine, honey. Welcome!” Carole appears behind Kurt.

“Hi Carole. Nice to see you.” Blaine says and tries to move away from Kurt, but Kurt just pulls him closer.

“Well, boys. I am leaving for work. See you in the morning.” Carole walks past them and gets into the car.

“Are we going to be alone tonight?” Blaine asks with an expression that is surprised and hopeful.

Kurt chuckles. “Keep dreaming. Dad will be home all night. But Carole is working and Finn is sleeping at Noah’s house.”

“Boys! Will you come help me out in the kitchen?” Burt calls from inside the house.

Kurt kisses Blaine and then lets him go. When Blaine reaches for his bag, Kurt has already grabbed it.

They walk into the kitchen and are met by Burt wearing an apron.

“So, kids. I am making dinner tonight since Carole and Finn aren’t home. What do you wanna eat?” he asks and turns around to face them.

“I’d like some quinoa with turkey breast.” Kurt says and crosses his arms over his chest, looking skeptically at his father.

“Erm… I don’t know how to make that, buddy. What do you say about some Chinese takeout instead?” Burt starts to remove his apron.

“That sounds great.” Blaine says.

“I’ll call them.” Kurt states and reaches for the phone.

The three men eat their dinner in front of the TV.

“Dad?” Kurt says as he puts his chopsticks and food carton on the table.

“Yes, kiddo?”

“Blaine and I were planning on watching a movie later. Do you want to watch it with us?”

“Oh, no. No, no. I was planning on reading a book actually, in the master bedroom.”

“A what?” Kurt asks and raises an eyebrow at his father. “A book, really?”

“Yes. About cars. So you two can get some time alone.”

“Seriously?” Blaine says, eyes wide.

“Yes. But first I want to give you the rules for tonight.” Burt says and looks at them with a serious expression.

Kurt and Blaine stare back at him without a word.

“First rule: your bedroom door stays open all night.” Burt sees the boys nod. “Second rule: Pajamas on all night.” The boys nod again.

“Third rule?” Kurt asks.

“No third rule. That is it. I will read for a while and then go to bed. You kids watch TV or play with dolls. Whatever you have planned. I trust you, Kurt.”

“So… Does that mean Blaine doesn’t have to sleep on the couch?” Kurt asks cautiously.

“No couch for Blaine.” Burt says.

“Thank you, Mr. Hummel! I do prefer soft beds over sofas.” Blaine says and smiles.

“I’ve told you, call me Burt. And I can imagine. Now…” He rises from the couch. “I’m going to go read. Have a nice night. Goodnight boys.”

“Night dad.” Kurt says and smiles as Burt kisses his forehead before walking up the stairs.

“Goodnight, Mr. … Burt.” Blaine says.

Kurt and Blaine look at each other and share a quick kiss.

“Too soon for movie and ice-cream?” Kurt asks.

“I’m full. Let’s wait for an hour or so.” Blaine answers.

Blaine moves from the armchair to the couch, where Burt was sitting next to Kurt a moment ago. Kurt reaches his arms out toward Blaine, who cuddles into Kurt’s side. Kurt runs his fingers through Blaine’s un-gelled curls. Blaine sighs happily. Burt smiles at the sight, from his place on top of the staircase.

The boys finish watching the talk show and then watch another one. Kurt twists one of Blaine’s curls around his finger once in a while.

When the second talk show ends Blaine sits up. “Now would be a perfect time for ice-cream and a movie, don’t you think?”

“Indeed.” Kurt says and they get up and walk into the kitchen. “You get the spoons and I’ll get the ice-cream.”

Blaine grabs a couple of spoons from the top drawer and starts to open a cabinet to get them each a bowl.

“No bowls needed.” Kurt says right behind Blaine, startling him into almost dropping the spoons.

“Oh. Okay... What movie are we going to watch?” Blaine closes the cabinet again and they walk back into the living room.

“I was thinking “The Green Mile” actually.” Kurt says as they settle next to each other on the couch, thighs touching.

“I LOVE that movie. Good choice.”

“Me too. We’ll have a cozy little cry-fest.”

“Indeed.”

Kurt presses play on the DVD and they start to watch the movie while eating their ice-cream.

A few minutes in Blaine pauses the movie. “Do you want to taste my ice-cream?” He holds out his spoon with some ice-cream on it toward Kurt.

Kurt eats it and licks his lips. “It’s okay, I guess. Not something I would buy though. Here, taste mine!”

Blaine takes Kurt’s spoon in his mouth and licks his lips when he lets go. His facial expression is one of true awe. “That is delicious! I will buy that next time!”

“We could share.”

Blaine nods. He leans toward Kurt and they share a cold-lipped kiss before Blaine resumes the movie.

The ice-cream is all gone less than an hour into the movie. They put the empty cartons and spoons on the table and Kurt leans against the arm of the couch. Blaine lies down between his legs, with his back to Kurt’s chest. They lace their fingers together on one side of their bodies. Kurt uses his free hand to once again move his fingers through Blaine’s curls and Blaine uses his free hand to draw hearts on Kurt’s leg.

Kurt starts to silently cry when they bring John Coffey to cure a dying woman. Blaine squeezes Kurt’s fingers and rubs at his leg with his whole hand. Blaine starts to cry at the execution. They pause the movie and Blaine turns around so they are face to face. They sob for a few minutes, while both trying to comfort the other at the same time. Blaine twines his fingers in Kurt’s hair and kisses him. Kurt cups the back of Blaine’s neck, right above his shirt. They sniffle while kissing and then break apart with small huffs of laughter.

“Everything alright down here?” Burt is standing behind the couch, looking down at them.

Blaine looks terrified.

“Yes, dad. It is just a really sad movie. We needed to cry for a moment.” Kurt says, looking up at his father, as to show him his teary eyes.

Kurt looks back at Blaine and wipes at his tears with the pads of his thumbs.

“Oh, okay… Well, enjoy your sad movie, then.” Burt says and walks into the kitchen.

The boys on the couch hear Burt open the refrigerator and then call out. “Can I get you boys anything?”

“You want anything?” Kurt asks Blaine softly.

“Nah, still full from all that ice-cream.” Blaine says and takes his turn to use his thumbs to wipe the tears from Kurt’s eyes.

Kurt chuckles. “Not from the kitchen! But could you maybe bring us some tissues?”

“Sure!” Burt responds and after making some noise in the kitchen he walks back into the living room to hand Kurt a pack of tissues. “Maybe you two should watch something funny instead?”

“We’ll be fine, dad.”

“Yeah, sometimes it is nice to cry, Mr. … Burt.”

“Well, then. Goodnight.” Burt is holding a small plate with a sandwich in one hand and uses his other one to pat Blaine on the shoulder.

“Goodnight.” both Kurt and Blaine say.

Blaine sits back up and Kurt hands him a tissue that he uses to wipe his cheeks and jaw. Kurt does the same and then stands up.

“Where are you going?” Blaine asks.

“To get a blanket.”

“Oh. Cozy.” Blaine says and busies himself with putting their ice-cream cartons into the recycling and their spoons in the dishwasher. 

When he walks back into the living room Kurt is already sitting there under a big, green, knitted blanket. When Kurt sees Blaine he lifts one side of it, so Blaine sits down next to Kurt and they wrap the blanket around themselves. Kurt resumes the movie and they snuggle together in their warm cocoon on the couch.

When the movie ends Kurt turns his head to look at Blaine - which he has done several times during the movie, only to find Blaine looking back at him - and finds that his eyes are closed, his head is resting on the back of the couch and his lips are slightly parted. Kurt moves to sit in his lap, without any reaction. He starts to trail kisses from below Blaine’s ear, across his jaw and stops at the corner of his lips. Blaine’s lips move, but he makes no sound.

“Blaine?” Kurt whispers. “Blaine, wake up. The movie is over.”

“Immawake...” Blaine mumbles and tilts his head to the side, keeping his eyes closed.

Kurt sighs but kisses Blaine’s neck and he feels Blaine’s arms wrap around his hips tightly.

“Immawanna snuggle…” Blaine mumbles and he moves to lie down, pinning Kurt under his warm body.

“Blaine, no! Get off me. We should go sleep in my soft bed, not here on the sofa!” Kurt huffs under the dead weight of a sleepy Blaine.

“But, Kurt. Snuggles…” Blaine murmurs in Kurt’s ear.

“We can snuggle upstairs.” Kurt whispers, gracing his teeth over Blaine’s earlobe. “In pajamas instead of tight pants.”

At that Blaine draws back and sits beside Kurt’s legs. He rubs his eyes sleepily with his fists. “Okay…”

Kurt stands up and reaches out his hand and Blaine grabs it. Kurt has to use pretty much all his might to pull Blaine off the couch. “Come on, babe. You could at least TRY to help.”

“I’m sleepy Kurt!” Blaine whines as they walk up the stairs.

“Which is why we are going to bed.”

They walk past Burt’s room. Kurt peeks in to see his father asleep on his bed, a book open across his chest. He leaves Blaine standing - pretty much like a zombie - in the hallway while he tiptoes into his father’s bedroom to close his book and put it on the bedside table, and then Kurt turns off the lights. He returns to the hallway to find Blaine leaning both his body and his head against the wall. Kurt chuckles and tugs gently on Blaine’s sleeve. Blaine opens his eyes and gives Kurt a sleepy smile. He is so adorable that Kurt has to kiss him right there.

“I’m SO tired.” Blaine exclaims and flops onto Kurt’s bed, spreading his arms.

“Let’s get you into your pajamas then, before you turn into a zombie again.” Kurt chuckles.

“Oh, crap! I forgot my bad downstairs!”

“Well, then go get it and I’ll be changed when you come back.”

“Double crap.” Blaine mutters as he walks into the hallway.

“What was that?” Kurt calls.

“Nothing, dear.” Blaine answers and takes the first step on the stairs.

Kurt had heard what Blaine said, and blushed. He walks over to his wardrobe and gets his pajamas out. Not his regular, nice pajamas but his super-comfy ones that he usually saves for special occasions.

Blaine finds his bag in the dark downstairs and then starts to walk back up the stairs. He remembers that Burt is sleeping so he tries to be as quiet as possible. When he walks back into Kurt’s bedroom – leaving the door open just barely behind him – he finds Kurt by his mirror, just finishing his skincare routine (his superfast emergency one, but Blaine doesn’t know that). Kurt stands up and looks at Blaine who has stopped dead in his tracks, his bag dangling limply at his side.

“You like my pajamas?” Kurt asks innocently.

Blaine just nods and looks Kurt up and down. Kurt has removed his socks and his hair is not as perfectly styled as it was a few minutes ago. A pair of loose, gray pants (with the red McKinley-logo on them) are hanging low on his hips, revealing his hipbones below the edge of his red tank top (that has the McKinley-logo on it too, but in gray).

“It’s… Really nice.” Blaine stammers.

“Thank you. The fabric is unbelievably soft!” Kurt says and strokes the fabric of his pant leg.

“I’ll change into my pajamas.” Blaine walks into Kurt’s bathroom and closes the door behind him.

Blaine wonders if his is going to survive this night. Blaine has some trouble removing his jeans but eventually walks out of Kurt’s bathroom, wearing his pajamas. Now it is Kurt’s turn to stare. Blaine has also removed his socks and apparently his contacts too, since he is wearing a pair of glasses. “Hipster-glasses” as his fellow Glee-clubbers calls them. He is wearing a Dalton blue, v-necked t-shirt that seems to be a size too small, because it is really tight across Blaine’s chest. Below it Kurt can see a trail of hair below Blaine’s bellybutton, leading to the waistband of his also Dalton blue sweatpants.

“You like my pajamas?” Blaine asks just as innocently as Kurt did before.

“It’s very Dalton.” Kurt says and Blaine laughs.

They get into Kurt’s bed and Kurt turns off his bedside lamp.

“Wow, Kurt! Your bed feels like clouds.” Blaine exclaims and wiggles a little.

“You’ve slept in my bed before, remember?” Kurt grins.
“I don’t remember much of that night. Certainly not that it was this comfy!”

Kurt laughs and Blaine snuggles up to him under the covers. Kurt is lying on his back and Blaine on his side, head on Kurt’s shoulder. Kurt has his arm around Blaine and is tracing his finger up and down his back.

“I love you.” Kurt whispers ad kisses Blaine’s curls.

“I love you too.” Blaine whispers in Kurt ear and kisses his neck.

They fall asleep within minutes.

Blaine wakes up at eight, when the sunlight hits his face through the window. He looks over at Kurt who is lying on his stomach, with one arm under his pillow and one leg pulled up toward his stomach. Blaine kisses Kurt’s forehead and gets out of bed to turn the blinds so the sun won’t wake Kurt up. When he walks silently back toward the bed Kurt turns around, laying on his side and tilts his head upward. Blaine sees his opportunity and lies down behind him. He wraps his arms around Kurt and presses his chest to Kurt’s back. Blaine puts his head on Kurt’s shoulder and sniffs at his hair. Kurt moves in his sleep, lacing his fingers through Blaine’s and lets out a content sigh. Blaine chuckles quietly, whispers “I love you” and kisses Kurt’s neck before laying his head back on the pillow.

Kurt wakes up around nine, when he feels someone’s breath on his neck. His eyes shoot open in panic, but he sees Blaine smiling at him and quickly realizes that they had a sleepover last night. Kurt is lying on his back and Blaine is cuddled up to his side, arms around his waist.

“Morning.” Blaine whispers in a husky voice and kisses Kurt.

“No!” Kurt says and turns his head away. “I probably have morning breath!”

“You taste awesome.” Blaine smiles.

There is a knock on the door. “Boys? You awake?”

“Yes, dad. Come in.”

Burt walks in with an apron on and a cookbook in his hand.

“Well, this feels familiar.” he says.

Kurt and Blaine both laugh.

“Except last time I didn’t know you would be two in here. You want some waffles?” Burt continues.

“Can you really make those?” Kurt asks suspiciously.

“I made the batter or whatever. Thought you could come downstairs and actually cook them.” Burt scratches the back of his neck.

“Sure, dad. We’ll be right down.” Kurt says and smiles at his dad.

“Alright, then.” Burt walks out of the room and they hear his footsteps on the stairs.

“I love waffles!” Blaine says and brushes a lock of hair from Kurt’s forehead.

Kurt chuckles and kisses him. “Let’s get up. I’m hungry.”

They get out of bed and walk downstairs into the kitchen, still in their pajamas.

“Morning, boys.” Carole is sitting by the kitchen table, reading the paper.

“Morning.” they both answer.

“I was going to make the waffles, but Burt insisted that you make them.” Carole says and finishes her paper, folding it and putting it on the table.

“Well, his waffles are unlike anything I’ve ever eaten.” Burt defends.

“Better than your middle-aged wife’s?” Carole jokes.

Kurt chuckles. “I don’t wanna start a fight so I’ll just make the waffles, alright?”

Kurt strides over to the kitchen counter and tastes the batter. He hisses and rinses the bowl out.
“What did I do wrong this time?” Burt asks.

“I believe you miss-measured the salt.” Kurt answers and puts on a blue plaid apron from a hook on the wall.

Kurt makes new waffle-batter while Burt and Carole talk at the table. Blaine stands in the doorway, just looking at Kurt while he makes the waffles. He is completely concentrated and Blaine smiles to himself. Kurt serves a few waffles to Burt and Carole who eat them and give Kurt lots of praise. When Kurt removes the last waffle from the waffle maker, Blaine walks over to him and grabs their plates that each has about half a dozen waffles on them and kisses Kurt’s cheek. He sets them down on the table and sits down, patting the chair next to him. Kurt sits down and they start eating their waffles. Kurt has some syrup on his and Blaine puts whipped cream (that turns liquid again from the warmth) and sugar on his. They small talk with Kurt’s parents until both boys are done eating.

“I have to go home now. My parents are taking me to visit my aunt, so…” Blaine says.

“I’ll see you in a couple of days though.” Kurt says as they walk outside to Blaine’s car.

“I’ll miss you.” Blaine wraps his arms around Kurt.

“I’ll miss you too. And I love you. And you can text me anytime.” Kurt kisses Blaine’s hair.

They kiss on the lips once, a long kiss and then Blaine has to leave. They wave to each other as Blaine drives away.