December 14

Blaine stands in front of Kurt and Rachel’s apartment door, hesitating.  He wears his charcoal peacoat and his scarf, all bundled on top of his button down shirt and sweater vest combo with jeans.  But no one is going to pay attention to his clothing; they’re only going to notice his hair.  The curls are very pronounced, but not spread around in the afro he’s used to without the gel.  The combination of wet hair and hairspray actually seems to be working out pretty well, in his opinion.  Taking a deep breath, he finally knocks.

Dressed in a holiday inspired outfit that was definitely not tacky in the least, Rachel opens the door to see Blaine.  She grins a bit at his hair and motions for him to come inside.

“Hey Blaine!  Kurt’s just getting ready in his room.  He’s changed his outfit about five times already.”

“Hey Rach.  That sounds like him.”

Blaine doesn’t hesitate to bombard Rachel with a massive hug for long enough to tell her that he cares about her before letting go and smiling at her.

“Should I go find him then?”

Rachel smiles at Blaine and gives him a light kiss on the cheek.

“No need, I’m here.  I love your hair, Blaine.  It looks amazing.”

Blaine turns toward the sound of Kurt’s voice and his eyes soften.

“Really?”

“Yes, really.”

Kurt walks forward and steps in front of Blaine, kissing him on the lips gently and wrapping his arm around him.

“The two of you are so adorable.”

Blaine returns Kurt’s kiss and can feel himself melt all over the floor.

“He’s the adorable one.”

“No, you.”

“I wear sweatpants.”

“And I don’t like them, but you’re still adorable.”

“What are you talking about, Kurt?  You wear sweatpants in the apartment when it’s just the two of us.”

“Rachel...”

“What?”

Blaine’s face erupts in the widest grin in the history of the planet.

“What’s this now, Kurt?  You like sweatpants?”

“N-no.  I don’t know what she’s talking about.  Let’s go.”

“What, it’s okay for you to wear them but not me?  But I look like I play sports or something when I wear them.”

“Okay, fine, I won’t rag on you about the sweatpants anymore.”

“You still can.  I liked it.”

“Oh really?”

“A little.”

“Yay!  I love ragging on sweatpants.  Even if I wear them.  They’re not fashionable in the least.”

“You can make fun of me any time.”

“Alright.”

“You guys, as much as I love you two being like this, we’re going to be late.”

“Rach, you checked what I wanted you to check, right?”
“Yes, and yes.”

“Oh-kay.. Let’s go then, shall we?”

Blaine holds his arms out for Kurt and Rachel to take.

“We-”

“-Shall.”

Kurt and Rachel take Blaine’s arms and walk out of the apartment with him.

Blaine beams and leads the two down to the street.

“Guys, I have such a good feeling about tonight.  And, Kurt, I can’t wait to hear you sing.”

“Oh, you’re going to love it.  Kurt singing solo is magical.”

“Stop it, Rach.  You’re making me blush.  I have a good feeling about tonight too!”

“I haven’t heard him sing solo in like five or six years.  I think.”

“The only time you heard me sing solo was when I auditioned for a solo.  Don’t Cry For Me Argentina.  Jeff and Nick made it to the next round.  I didn’t.”

“I heard you sing Blackbird.”

“Right, I remember that.  I miss Pavarotti.  Did the Warblers ever get another warbler?”

“They did.  The next year.  It wasn’t the same.”

“I see...”

“Anyway.  Moving on to something more awesome.  Like how you’re going be magical tonight.”

“Oh, stop it.”

“You really are, Kurt.”

“And, I can’t wait.”

Blaine leans over and plants a little kiss on Kurt’s cheek.

Kurt smiles widely.

“I am excited to perform again.  It’s going to be so much fun.”

“Rachel, are you singing?”

“Oh, yes.  O Holy Night.  My favourite Christmas song.”

“That is a beautiful Christmas song.  Kurt won’t tell me what he’s singing.”

“And you won’t know until I start singing.  Don’t you dare tell him, Rach.”

Rachel, who had been opening her mouth to speak, closes it again and grimaces at Kurt.

“I like surprises, but this suspense is killing me.”

“You’re going to love it.”

“I know I will.”

The group stops in front of the piano bar.

“We’re here!”

“I don’t sing for a bit.  Let’s find somewhere to sit.”

“Sounds good to me.  Any preferences?”

“Somewhere near the front if we can find something!”

“I got it.  Follow me guys.”

Blaine weaves through the crowd and toward the front of the performance area, finding a table the second row back but open to the view of the stage.

Kurt and Rachel follow, Rachel grinning widely at Kurt  Someone on the stage is singing Last Christmas, and Kurt hums along.

“This table is perfect!”

“Well, I’m glad you like it.  It is kind of perfect, isn’t it?  You can see the stage just right.”

Blaine pulls a chair out for Kurt and one for Rachel, and finally his own.

“Oh, what a gentleman.  Not that it wasn’t obvious already, but keeper, Kurt.”

Blushing, Blaine looks down at his hands as he sits down.

“It’s nothing.”

“It was sweet.”

“Oh, stop.”

“Nope.  I have the sweetest, most gentlemanly boyfriend in the world.”

“Would you still claim me if I were wearing sweatpants?”

“Thankfully, you’re charming enough that I probably would, although I’d be a bit annoyed at first at the sweatpants.”

“What if I got some that said like, ‘New York’ on the butt?”

“You’re making it really hard for me to accept the sweatpants.”

“How about ‘bootylicious’?”

“Oh dear god, no.”

“Don’t worry, I don’t think I could ever do that, phrase on the butt thing.”

“Good.  Because I’d never look at you the same ever again.”

“Not to change the topic from my butt, but I hate this song.  It’s my least favorite Christmas song.  Who gave Mariah Carey permission to do Christmas?”

“I completely agree.  It’s just not... good.  Just wait until Kurt and I get up there!”

“I’m not going to lie, I can’t wait.  I’m literally on the edge of my seat.”

“Well, I’m after this, and Kurt’s a bit later.  Closer to midnight.”

“What she said.”

“I’m anxious for yours Rachel.  Kurt, why do you have the Cinderella song tonight?  I’m going to be crazy by midnight.”

“Patience, Blaine.”

“You know I don’t have much of that.”

“And yet you’re the one who made me sit through Project Snowflake.”

Blaine offers a mock-hurt face.

“I thought you liked that...”

“Yes.  I loved it.  But you made me be patient through that.  So I’m making you be patient now.”

“Maybe. But only because Rachel is going up now.”

“Alright.  Do well, Rachie!”

Rachel walks up to the stage.

“So, this is my favourite Christmas song.  Oh Holy Night...”

Kurt sits, mesmerized as Rachel sings through the song.  When she finishes, he turns to Blaine.

“I can never get over how talented she is...”

Blaine is still staring at the stage when Rachel finishes singing, his mouth slightly open.

“There aren’t words...”

Rachel practically floats down from the stage amid the applause and cheers and sits back at their table.

“Well?  What did you think?”

“Oh my God, Rachel, goosebumps.  Like, I’m sitting here... thinking... I know her.”

“Amazing.  As always.  You are going to be a Broadway legend, Rach.”

“You two are too kind.”

“Totally a Broadway legend.  We’re only speaking the truth.”

“You two... thank you!”

“Anything for you, Rach.”

As the evening goes on, Kurt, Blaine and Rachel have a fantastic time, talking and laughing and listening to the performances.  As it gets closer to midnight, Kurt starts to grin.

“It’s almost time for me to go up.”

Blaine has lost track of time, so when Kurt mentions that it’s almost time for him to go up to the stage, he straightens in his chair, an enormous smile stretching across his face.

“Oooh, Kurt!  What are you singing?”

“Not telling.”

“I can wait a few more minutes.”

“Good.  I believe I’m after this person.”

“I’ll Be Home For Christmas.  Good fit for her voice.”

Blaine slides to the edge of his chair, leaning far forward at the table.

“Uh huh, Christmas song.  Rachel, Kurt’s up next.”

“He is.  And I’m not allowed to tell you what he’s singing.”

“I know, I know, I know.”

“Not too much longer.”

“I’m going to explode soon.”

The girl singing I’ll Be Home For Christmas finishes and goes back to her spot.  Kurt grins.

“I’m up now.”

He gets up and begins to walk to the stage.

Blaine bounces in his seat and watches Kurt walk up to the stage.

“Hi.  So, this is one of my favourite new Christmas songs this year.  I’d like to dedicate this song to my boyfriend, who’s sitting right there beside my best friend.  You heard her sing earlier tonight.”

Kurt gestures towards where Blaine and Rachel are sitting and forms a heart with his hands.

Blaine smiles through a blush and a bitten lip, and looks down at the table, then back up to Kurt, ignoring the people around him muttering subdued ‘aww’ sounds, and then makes the same heart shape with his own hands toward Kurt.

“Frost grows outside the window

First kiss under the mistletoe

Oh oh, oh oh.”

“Do you know the song?”

Rachel leans across the table to whisper to Blaine.

Blaine’s hands settle in front of his nose and mouth and he watches Kurt perform.

“Isn’t that...”

“The new single from the Backstreet Boys.  Yup.  Kurt’s a stickler for them.  It’s his guilty pleasure.”

“I can totally see that, even if we’ve never talked about it.  Too bad he wasn’t here when I sang Quit Playin’ Games With My Heart.”

“He would have flipped.  It was incredible.”

“La ta, la ta la da ta

La ta, la ta la da

It’s Christmas time again”

Blaine stops talking to Rachel and focuses entirely on Kurt, his eyes following his boyfriend’s every move.

Kurt has fun with the song, dancing as he sings, and shooting flirty smiles at Blaine throughout.  When he finishes the song, he gives an elaborate bow.

When Kurt finishes his song, Blaine practically jumps out of his chair, knocking it over in the process, and clapping in the air and cheering, but never letting his eyes leave Kurt.

Rachel cheers loudly from her seat, giggling at Blaine.  Meanwhile, Kurt comes down from the stage, stopping in front of Blaine.

“Did you like it?”

“Kurt, ohmigod, you were fantastic!  I’m going to make you sing for me all the time now.”

Blaine reaches out for Kurt, trying to take his hand.

A wide grin stretches across Kurt’s face as he throws his arms around Blaine.

“I’m so glad you liked it.  It was all for you.”

Rachel stays sitting, respectfully

“I’m going to need to thank you for that later.”

“Oh, I can’t wait!”

“We should go.  I mean, it’s late.”

“I’m going to stick around for a bit.  I just saw a couple of friends from NYADA.  You two have fun!”

“Alright, let’s go, Blaine.”

“Yes, let’s.”

Blaine takes Kurt by the hand and drags him toward the door.

Kurt waves over his shoulder at Rachel and follows Blaine.

“So you really liked it?”

“Kurt, you were fantastic.  I mean, I can’t even find a better word than that.  Your voice really is magical.”

“You’re making me blush on purpose.”

“That’s my main goal in life.  You make my heart explode and I make you blush.”

“We really need to start figuring out better life goals for ourselves.”

“I like my life goal.  Making you blush is my favorite thing.”

“You’re cute.”

“You’re magical.”

“You’re my favourite.”

“...Kurt, I’m serious when I say I love you, by the way.  I just... needed to say that.  I have literally never felt this way with anyone else before.”

“I know, Blaine.  Because I feel the exact same way about you.”

“It’s like, we’re just perfect for each other.  We fit together like two puzzle pieces.”

“My missing puzzle piece.”

Blaine glances at Kurt, a soft smile on his face.

“I let my walls come down.”

“Before you met me, I was alright but things were kinda heavy, you brought me to life.”

Kurt is enjoying this a bit too much.

“Now every February, you’ll be my Valentine, Valentine.  Let’s go all the way tonight, no regrets, just love.”

“We can dance until we die, you and I, we’ll be young forever.  This is our song.  And Everything.”

“I think you’re right.  It’s so perfect.”

“Kurt?  Is that you?”

“Ethan?  I haven’t seen you in a while!  How are you?  Blaine, this is a friend of mine, Ethan.  Ethan, this is my boyfriend, Blaine.”

“I’m great!  It’s so weird running into you.  Nice to meet you Blaine.  Nice work, Kurt.  He’s a keeper.”

“Nice to meet you too, Ethan.”

“So what are you two up to this evening?”

Kurt shoots Ethan an appreciative look for not mentioning Sebastian.

“We just got back from Callbacks.  We were just about to head up to Blaine’s apartment, actually.  Right there.”

“Ah, I see.  How was Callbacks?  Tonight was their Holiday Spectacular thing, right?”

Blaine remains quiet, though not particularly feeling threatened by this new guy.  He is, however, anxious to get upstairs.

“Oh, it was great.  Yeah, it was the Christmas thing.  Rachel sang O Holy Night.  You remember Rachel, of course.  It was incredible.  And I sang that new Backstreet Boys song, It’s Christmas Time Again.  Are you okay, Blaine?”

Blaine clears his throat, glancing at the door to the building.

“Oh, yeah I’m alright.  Sorry, just, spaced out there for a minute.”

“Rachel’s got an incredible voice.  I’ve seen her at Callbacks before.  I’d have loved to see the Backstreet Boys song.”

“Okay, Blaine.  Oh, it was incredible.  I love singing their music, it’s just so much fun.  The old crowd should get together one night and I can sing it for everyone.  If I can tear myself away from my amazing boyfriend, of course.”

“I have such a thing for boy bands.  It would be so great to get the whole group together again!”

Blaine clears his throat again, glancing from Kurt to the door and back.

“Hey, Kurt, I’m gonna go inside a while.  Don’t be too long, okay?”

He nods slightly and raises his eyebrows at Kurt, only very slightly suggestively.

“Oh, listen, Kurt let me just get your number, I won’t keep you.”

“Um, okay, Blaine.  I’ll be up right away.”

Kurt swallows hard and grins at Blaine before turning back to Ethan.

“No, it’s okay.  You’re not keeping me.  I haven’t seen you in a bit.  But we should hang out sometime.  Catch up.  You know?”

“Good to meet you, Ethan.”

Blaine turns and heads into the building, disappearing up the steps.

“It has been a while, hasn’t it.  Since, what... Chandler’s New Year’s party?  Or were you at the 4th of July party?  We do need to catch up.  It’s been way too long.”

“I was at the 4th of July party.  I stole everyone’s hat, remember?”

“Oh, right!  How could I forget?  Even Chandler’s gross Yankee’s baseball hat that was under the couch cushion.  That was hysterical.”

“It was a lot of fun.  That was back when things were simple.  Before they got crazy in November.”

“I heard about all of that.  If you want my honest opinion, that Blaine guy is way hotter than Sebastian, anyway.”

“Ethan, Seb’s dating someone else, now.”

“I heard about that too.”

“I guess you also heard that Seb’s been cheating on me since we started dating?  Or have you always known?”

“I heard that.  But the cheating thing was sort of a surprise to all of us.”

“I’m glad to hear that, because honestly, I felt like a total idiot when I found out.”

“I can imagine.  I’m sorry that that had to happen to you.  I know you and Seb were close.  What, was if five years?”

“It’s okay.  Yeah.  Five years.  But we’re both happy now.  Speaking of that, I really should catch up with Blaine.  You still at the same number?”

“Oh!  Yeah, sure.  I do have the same number.  You text me, okay?  We’ll make plans and get together and catch up on things.  It was good to see you, Kurt.”

“Great, I will.  Great to see you too, Ethan.  Talk to you later!”

Kurt heads into the building, up to Blaine’s apartment.

Wes, the eagle has landed.

Excellent work, Ethan.

Kurt bolts up to Blaine’s apartment.  When he reaches the door, he frowns in confusion because the door is ajar.  Peeking in, he goes numb as he sees Blaine in the arms of someone else.  Someone Kurt doesn’t recognize.  He barely notices how limp Blaine’s arms are, and he stays out of the apartment, watching and listening.

Blaine snaps out of his shock, bringing his arms up and trying to wave Eli away.  He stumbles backward, bringing his hand to his mouth to try and get rid of the kiss that felt like it was still being planted on his lips.

“What was that?!”

“It was a kiss, Blaine.  We spent five years doing that, remember?”

“I didn’t ask you to do that.”

“No, but I just need you to know that I still love you.  I know how heartbroken you were when I broke it off, but I only did that because you were so far away, and I thought you’d be happier single.  But, Blaine, I was wrong.  I want to be with you.  I’m sorry.”

“Are you serious?”

Kurt stares in absolute shock.  Feeling sick to his stomach, he turns around and walks quickly back downstairs and out of the building, heading through the park and towards Starbucks.

“Well, yeah, I’m serious.  I just want to be with you.  I’ve spent the last month and a half dying inside.”

“Eli, I don’t want you here.  I’m done with your crap.  I’ve moved on.  I’m with someone else now, and I’m happy.  So happy.  Happier than I was with you.  I want you to take your stuff and leave.  Just go.  Get out.  Before Kurt gets here.”

“M-moved on?  You’ve just moved on...”

“Eli, get out.  Get out of my apartment.  Give me my key back and go.  Now!”

Eli picks up his bag and his coat, and pauses at the door.

“Please, Blaine?  I don’t want to live without you.”

Blaine’s mouth twitches a tiny bit and he hesitates.

“Just... go, Eli.  I’m in love with Kurt.  Go.  Please.”

Eli looks at Blaine for a moment and then exits the apartment, leaving Blaine to stare after him until he’s gone.

Blaine heads to the window and looks down at the street, to the main entrance of the building for Kurt.  Neither Kurt nor Ethan is visible, so Blaine heads back to the door, thinking he’s just cleared the time frame.  He steps into the hallway, looking for Kurt.

“Kurt?  Are you out here?”

It dawns on him that that Kurt had to have shown up at the wrong time.  Frantically, he pulls out his phone.

Kurt?

Kurt, where are you?

Kurt??

[silence]

Kurt, where did you go?

Did you see that?

It wasn’t what you thought it was.

Kurt, where are you?

[silence]

Kurt, I swear that isn’t what you think it is.

I had no idea he was going to be there

Please, you have to believe me.

I told him to leave.

I told him that I’m in love with you.

[silence]

Please, Kurt, I swear.

I love you.

Only you.

I want to spend Christmas with you.

I want to make you snowflakes, and buy you grande nonfat mochas, and kiss you under the twinkle lights.  And sing carols with you.

Kurt, please.

Understand.

He’s gone.  I swear I didn’t know he was going to be there.

Come back.  

Answer me.

[silence]

Please don’t go.  Just let me explain.

I forgave you.

I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that.

I just am so worried about you.

Please come back.

No. (unsent)

[silence]

You were right

I’m sorry?

Blaine’s ex before you showed up.  They kissed or something

I sort of feel like I’m dying inside

Oh, God, Kurt.  I’m so sorry.

You shouldn’t be alone right now.

Where are you?

I’m at Starbucks.  I’m looking up plane tickets to go home for Christmas

Do you want to talk?

Or at least vent to someone?

I think I just want to sit alone in here

I need to figure out how I’m going to tell Rachel I’m not staying

Okay, as long as you’re alright.

If you need me, just let me know.

I will.  Thanks Wes

Any time, Kurt.

Kurt, please text me back.

Where are you?

Let me explain

[silence]

I need to talk to you

What’s wrong?  Aren’t you at Blaine’s?

No.  That’s what I need to talk to you about

Meet you at home?

Starbucks

Okay.

Did something happen tonight?

Rachel, do you know where Kurt is?

He isn’t answering me.

I’m worried.

Yeah, he wanted me to come talk to him

What happened?

We showed up at my apartment building and some Ethan guy was there, and we were talking, and then I went up first, and Eli was there, and I don’t know why he was there, but he was, and he kissed me, and I pushed him away, but I think Kurt saw, and I can’t find him anywhere.

Um, wow.  I’m going to talk to Kurt, try and help him calm down.

Don’t do anything stupid

Okay, I won’t.

*Incoming Call*

~”Hi, you’ve reached Kurt Hummel, Stylist for Vogue.com.  I can’t answer my phone right now, so leave a message and I’ll get back to you.  No, Rachel, you can’t cook me dinner.  Thanks.  Bye.”~

~”...Kurt...  It’s me.  I swear I didn’t know that Eli was going to be there.  I had no idea!  I haven’t even talked to him since before you and I even met in person.  You have to believe me.  I’d never do that to you.  I just... I don’t know where you are, and I’m worried, and I’m so sorry that I just let him kiss me.  It wasn’t right, I don’t know what was going through my head... just come back.  Please.  You can’t say goodbye, you promised.  I want to be with you.  Not him.  I don’t care about that old dream of moving to LA and having a house with a garden and a back porch and sending our kids to Harvard and whatever in the rocking chairs with Eli.  I care about you and me and our snowflakes and the twinkle lights and duets and that best dressed little girl with the dark curly hair and Kurt I want to be with you.  Nobody else.  Please... just... don’t go.... I love you.  More than anything on this planet.  In this galaxy.  No, in the universe.  I love y-”~

The machine cuts Blaine off before he can finish his thought.  He hangs up the phone and rests the back of his head on the door, already sitting on the floor, right in the entrance of his apartment.