“Who’s bright idea was it to move into a new place in June, anyways,” I grumbled as I hauled in the last box from my Navigator. I was sweaty and sticky and bone tired.

Blaine just grinned at me from over his own box. “I do believe it was yours, Babe.”

“Hush, you,” I said as I playfully swatted him on the ass.

“Hey, now, leave the hanky panky for after we leave, Hummel.”

Puck was backing into the room carrying one end of the couch that Finn had spotted sitting on the curb in one of the wealthier neighborhoods on our way to the apartment. He and Finn had insisted it would be an awesome addition seeing as how we only had an armchair and an endtable for the living room. I had to admit that the color would mesh nicely with the rest of the décor I had planned but I insisted on giving it a sniff check before I would let them load it up. It must have only been sitting there for a few hours as it didn’t smell at all musty so I gave them the okay and we were on our way.

“Our house, our rules,” I bit back, leaning in to kiss Blaine’s smiling lips.

“Just keep it PG while I’m around, please. I don’t want to think about my brother doing that,” Finn stated as he dropped his end of the couch. He flopped onto said couch with a grunt, sweat dripping down his face.

“Yeah, you guys can screw like porn stars after we leave,” Puck said with a smirk.

Finn blanched. “Dude! That’s my brother!”

“Like you don’t already know they get their gay on,” Puck snorted. “Ain’t nothing wrong with a little bump and grind…” Puck sang suggestively.

“Alright!” I half-shouted above Puck’s singing and Blaine’s laughter. “Enough traumatizing Finn for one day. Are you two sticking around for dinner? Pizza, my treat?”

“Nah, Lauren’s parents are coming over tonight. I gotta be heading that way soon, actually.” Puck stretched and shook himself out, picking at his shirt with a sniff. “Need to get a shower before the in-laws get there.”

I nodded at him, thinking a shower sounded great right then, actually, but I had a lot of unpacking to do before I could indulge myself.

“Finn? Pizza?”

He looked almost torn, but after a quick glance at Puck he declined. “Nope, not tonight. I’m pretty worn out. I think I’m just gonna go home and see what Mom’s cooking. Maybe spend some time with my nephew before he leaves me, too.”

Jude was still at Dad and Carole’s house. They were keeping him all weekend to give Blaine and me a chance to get everything unpacked without a hyperactive five-year-old running amok. They didn’t say so, but I was pretty sure they were subtly giving us some alone time in our new place.

“Okay, but you know you’re welcome to stay,” I told him. He just smiled at me and shook his head. After a few words of thanks and assurances that as soon as we were all settled in we’d have a get together both my movers left and Blaine and I were alone. Completely alone with no responsibilities for two whole days.

Yeah, unpacking could wait for now.

Apparently, Blaine was thinking along the same lines as me, because I was suddenly attacked by a pair of lips.

We stumbled through the maze of boxes, never parting, hands roaming over one another until we made it into the bigger of the two bedrooms that would be ours when the unpacking was done. Clothes were shed along the way until we were both down to just our boxers when we fell onto the mattress that was still without sheets.

I was kissing my way down Blaine’s chest and had just reached his waistband, nipping it with my teeth, when the phone rang. I groaned in frustration.

“Just let the machine get it,” Blaine breathed, pulling me up into a kiss. I moaned an affirmative as the answering machine kicked on.

“Hi! You’ve reached Blaine, Kurt and Jude! Sorry we can’t come to the phone but if you leave your name and number we’ll be sure to get right back to you. Unless you’re a telemarketer. Then we won’t.”

“Blaine!”

“I’m just being honest!”

“Just push the damn button!”

“Okay, okay. Bye!”

BEEP

“Hey, babygays! I know you’re there. Pick up the damn phone!” Santana’s voice screeched through the speakers of the machine. “I guess you’re christening your new place so I’ll forgive you for ignoring me and in honor of the occasion I’m gonna play you a little song.”

I was only half listening as Blaine’s mouth moved against the skin of my neck, when Katy Perry suddenly sounded from the answering machine.

“…Wanna see your peacock, cock, cock, your peacock, cock…”

“Oh my god!” I exclaimed as Blaine burst into laughter. He was rolling on the bed, clutching his stomach as I jumped up and stormed from the room.

“Babe! Wait!” He tried to get up but fell back onto the mattress, tears in his eyes from laughing.

I grumbled as I stalked through the apartment. My purposeful stride would have been intimidating had I been clothed in more than just underwear, but it’s not like anyone could see me. I picked the cordless phone from the cradle and hit the talk button.

“THANK YOU, SANTANA!” I screamed into the receiver before hitting the off button, ending the call and cutting off the machine. I then proceeded to turn off the ringer and unplug the machine. If there was an emergency, Dad would get ahold of me on my cell.

I made my way back to the bedroom, head held high. Blaine had finally gotten control of himself and was lounging on the bed. My bad mood disappeared instantly at the sight.

“Now,” I said haughtily, “where were we?”

Waking up in a new place is always a bit disorienting, but the arms wrapped around me that first morning quelled any fears I might have had.

I peeked through my lashes at Blaine’s still sleeping form. His head was on my chest, arms around my waist and legs intertwined with mine. It was too hot for cuddling really, but I wasn’t going to complain.

I traced my fingers down his side, ghosting over his bare ribs. It must have tickled because he squirmed and gripped me tighter before his eyes slowly opened. A sleepy smile spread over his lips as his gaze met mine.

“Hey.”

“Hey.”

He rolled off of me, stretching and groaning. After a moment he turned back to me, his smile blinding.

“Morning, roomie!”

I laughed at that. To be honest, I loved the sound of that, even if we were really so much more, and Blaine’s child-like enthusiasm was refreshing.

“Morning, live-in boyfriend,” I smirked. “You ready to get unpacking?”

He groaned but got up out of bed, bumbling towards the three-quarter bathroom that was attached to our room. There were many factors involved when I chose this apartment, but the private bath was definitely a plus, even if it only had a stall shower.

Since this was the first time Jude would have his own room, and pretty much, his own bathroom, I may have gone a little overboard in terms of decorations. A new bedding set for his new bed—he was almost too tall for the toddler bed anyways—and posters for his walls. A bath mat and accessory set with waste basket, tumbler and toothbrush holder and two new towels just for him. Of course, they were all TMNT or at least green. I even bought fabric so I could make him curtains for the two windows in his bedroom. Dad had chided me when I’d gotten all the cartoon paraphernalia, reminding me that kids go through phases and in another six months Jude may not even like them anymore, but I didn’t care. I wanted Jude to love our new place and was willing to do anything to make the transition easier.

The day was spent in getting everything just right. I hated living out of boxes, so I wanted to get this done as quickly as possible and between the two of us we were done by midnight. We both collapsed onto the couch—which I would have to thank Finn for noticing because it was really comfortable—and snuggled into each other. We were hot and sweaty but neither of us cared at that moment. I could’ve fallen asleep right there.

“Mmmm, we need to shower,” Blaine mumbled into my neck. I sighed and twisted my head to the side to allow him better access to the skin below my jaw. His stubble was scratchy against my sensitive skin and that was surprising arousing. We’d spent the whole day so near one another, exchanging flirty glances and the occasional lingering kiss, but we hadn’t let ourselves get distracted from the task at hand.

“You want first shower?” I asked him. He whined when I extracted myself from his embrace but allowed me to pull him from the couch.

“Well,” he said huskily, “we could always shower together. Conserve water. Live greener.”

I smirked at his thinly veiled attempt at seduction. “Well, you know, I am all about saving the earth…” And with that I ran to the bedroom with Blaine hot on my heels.

The look of awe on Jude’s face when he walked into his Turtle-tastic bedroom was totally worth every penny spent and the trips to three different department stores. He ran around the room from one end to another before launching himself into my arms and practically choking me with the force of his hug. Blaine laughed at my bug-eyed expression.

“I’m glad you like your room, buddy,” he managed between chuckles. Jude nodded at that and threw himself at Blaine then. “Oof! You really like it! Did you see your bathroom yet?”

And like that, the boy was gone, the bathroom door slamming open. Blaine and I followed to find Jude bouncing on his toes as he looked the room over. He turned to us as we approached, signing ‘thank you’ over and over.

“I’m really happy you’re happy, Jude,” I said as he finally began to calm down. He was still grinning like mad, but he was no longer imitating a hummingbird in flight. “Are you hungry? I haven’t gone grocery shopping yet, but we can order delivery from Breadstix.”

He nodded and requested his usual cheese raviolis with marinara sauce and I called in our order. Twenty minutes later we were seated around the secondhand dining table (almost all of our furniture, apart from Jude’s bed, because, just, no, had been picked up used from various thrift shops and yard sales over the last few months) laughing and talking and eating way too many carbs. It was our first dinner together as a family in our new home and it was perfect.

Jude was drooping over his plate, smears of marinara sauce on his face, when I decided it was time for bed. His eyes were half-lidded as he washed his face and brushed his teeth. I had to help him into his pajamas and he was almost asleep before I had him tucked in. I kissed his forehead and started to stand when his little hand shot out and grabbed my wrist.

‘Sing to me?’

I smiled at him and nodded. I opened my mouth to sing the opening lines of “Hey Jude” but he shook his head frantically.

“What, baby?”

‘Blaine, too.’

I beckoned to Blaine who was leaning in the doorway watching us. He came over to us and knelt next to the bed.

“What’s up, buddy?”

‘Sing with Daddy, please.’

I could see the shine in Blaine’s eyes even in the dim light from the nightlight.

“Sure thing, sweetheart.” He turned to me and I nodded and we did the old Beatles tune as a duet, our voices blending as we sang softly until Jude’s breathing evened out and we were sure he was asleep.

We crept quietly out of the room, leaving the door open halfway and moved to the kitchen to clean up the mess from dinner. As the last of the dishes were set in the rack, Blaine wrapped me in a fierce hug.

“Thank you,” he whispered fervently. I gripped him back just as tightly, unsure of what had brought this on, but enjoying the affection nonetheless.

“For what?” I asked.

“For loving me. For letting me love you and Jude. For letting me be a part of this family.” His voice was raw with emotion and I felt my own eyes tearing up.

“Of course, Blaine. I love you, too,” I said hoarsely. I swallowed down the lump in my throat and tried to lighten the mood. “You’re stuck with us, you know. We’re never letting you go now.”

“Good,” he replied, burrowing his face into my neck.

I don’t know how long we stood there in that too small kitchen before finally separating just long enough to make our way to our bed. We lay awake for a long while, just holding each other and kissing occasionally, not speaking, not needing to.

We both knew what the other wanted to express with just a touch. We were a part of each other.

We were a family.