Chapter Five

Joey raced after Kurt as he went to answer the door. Blaine chuckled as Joey tried to push past Kurt to get to the door before his daddy because he was eager to see the person that they all knew was behind the door. Kurt rolled his eyes at his sons behaviour but he wore a smile on his face. He allowed Joey to open the door, standing close to him.

"Connor!" Joey yelled as he opened the door to reveal Blaines cousin standing there with a back-pack chucked over his shoulder. Connor smoothed his hair a little nervously before his eyes lit up at Joeys welcoming. He bent done to give Joey a hug, allowing Joey to take his back-pack because he knew that the little boy liked to be useful. He hugged Kurt and then shared a hug with his cousin as Kurt closed the door.

"Hey, how you doing Connor?" Kurt asked.

"Good, yeah, good. Just nervous about this interview." And it showed.

Connor had finished high school late because he had somehow managed to fail a semester, meaning that he didnt have the credits to graduate. After he finally managed to graduate he decided that he would take a gap year so that he could raise some money to go towards his college fund. He had applied to various places but he knew that the place that he really wanted to be was New York. He had asked Kurt and Blaine if he could come and stay with them while he was having the interview and they readily agreed. Blaine had really become close to his cousin and it was obvious that Joey adored him too. It would also be a great time for him to be shown around New York which all of the boys thought would be great.

"I hope you dont mind the pull out sofa bed. It is quite comfy." Kurt said as they all sat on the sofa while Blaine made everyone something to drink.

"Hey, Conner, did ya bring me anything?" Joey asked, still holding Connors back on his lap.

"That depends on if youve been good or not." Connor said with a grin.

Joey gasped, pretending to be outraged. "Im always good! Just ask Daddy or Papa!"

"Well most of the time." Blaine said, bringing over the drinks.

Joey grinned at Blaine but didnt deny anything. "So did ya get me summing?"

"Pass me my bag?" Connor asked.

Joey passed it over to him and allowed him to look through his back-pack, waiting patiently.

"Its a build-your-own car set. Its a miniature real life version of a Ferrari that you can make yourself and display it." Connor said, knowing that the boy really liked cars.

Joey took the box from him eagerly and looked it over. "Wow, this car looks so cool. Has Granddad ever fixed one of these Daddy?"

"I dont think youd get many of those in Lima, sweetie." Kurt explained.

Joey just shrugged. "Can we build it now?"

"Why dont you build it tomorrow after school? We were going to take Connor to see some of the sights in New York today, remember." Blaine reminded Joey.

"Oh yeah! Shall I go and put this in my room then? Wait, Connor hasnt seen my room! Come and see! Come and see!" Joey jumped up from the sofa and dragged Connor with him chattering on about how he had gotten to choose his wallpaper.

Kurt nestled closer to Blaine on the loveseat that they were sharing and smiled when Blaine put an arm around him.

"Mm, I love you. Have I told you that today?" Kurt asked.

"Yeah, you told me this morning when we woke up but I never tire of hearing it." Blaine said. "Oh and I love you too."

XXXX

Blaine carried Joey back into the apartment, the boy fast asleep in his arms. They had all gone out to show Connor all the different sights in New York which he had never seen before. The day had proved very tiring for Joey and he had fallen asleep in the cab ride home.

Connor had spent the day watching the relationship between Kurt and Blaine and seeing them interact with Joey and he was always blown away by them. There was so much love there, so much care and kindness. Connor remembered back to the time when he first met Blaine and how confused he had been by Blaine being gay and in a relationship with a man and then Kurts pregnancy on top of that. He was ashamed that he been confused and probably less than welcoming. For years he had been questioning his own sexuality and there was Blaine, proud of who he was and still able to create a family in the natural way.

Honestly, Connor was still unsure of his sexuality. He had only dated girls exclusively and he had slept with a whole ton of them too. Still something didnt feel right. He thought about maybe trying to date a guy, wondered if it would be any different. He was scared to make that move. He knew how people could judge other people and while he wasnt extremely popular, he was well liked by other people. How would his friends react to the idea, would they be accepting? Obviously he knew his family would be accepting, as they were with Blaine but the worry was still there.

He was hoping that New York would be the change that he needed. He would be away from his friends that saw him as exclusively straight and hed be able to create a new identity for himself to the people that he met in New York. He already knew that New York was accepting, that was all that Blaine and Kurt had ever talked about and he hoped that, that would be the case for him.

"Ill just put him on the loveseat, hell need to have dinner soon anyway and we can wake him up then." Blaine said.

Blaine settled on the sofa with Connor while Kurt made them all some coffee.

"So are you nervous about tomorrow?" Blaine asked his cousin.

Connor shrugged, not wanting to make a big deal out of it. "I guess, kind of. Its a pretty big deal for me but Im sort of confident."

"Im sure youll do great. I never thought Id get into college but I worked hard like youve done and hey, if I can do it, then so can you." Blaine tried to reassure his cousin.

"I actually have something that I want to ask you both." Connor said as Kurt brought them all coffee, and sat in the arm chair, tucking his feet underneath him.

They both looked a little confused, unsure of what Connor could possibly have to ask them.

"I was wondering if Id be able to move in with you guys while Im at college. At least until Ive found my feet and made some friends. I cant really afford to find my own place right now and I dont know anyone else in New York apart from you guys. Id pay some rent money of course and I promise that I wouldnt get in your way too much and I dont mind looking after Joey whenever I can." Connor rushed his words in nervousness.

"Well I think obviously wed have to discuss it," Blaine said, glancing at Kurt. "Are you sure that youd want to live with us though? Joey can be a bit of a handful at times and hed be so excited for the first while if you were to move in. And you wouldnt be able to bring any dates back here or anything." Blaine didnt want to put his cousin off but he needed him to know the reality of everything.

"Id never disrespect you guys like that anyway and honestly, Id love to spend more time with him. You dont know how much we miss him when hes gone. Plus you guys would be able to do more things as a couple without having to hire a babysitter. I know I dont have experience as a babysitter but as long as you tell me what is allowed and whats not Id never disobey the rules you put in place. But I know it is a lot to think about and I dont even know if Ill be accepted into the college yet."

"Well talk about it tonight and let you know. But for now I say we order in some pizza, Im way too tired to cook and Blaine is still burning stuff." Kurt laughed and Blaine stuck his tongue out at him.

Yes, this was the environment that Connor wanted to be in.

XXXX

Blaine crawled into bed beside Kurt, after having read Joey a bed time story. Kurt was sat with his notepad on his laps which had been snapped closed as Blaine had come into the room. Blaine knew that Kurt was drawing fashion designs in there but he respected that Kurt wasnt ready to show them to him yet.

"So, how much do you want your cousin to come and live with us?" Kurt asked, knowing it was something that his boyfriend would want.

"I think living with us would be good for him and for us. A free babysitter? Wed be able to go out, just the two of us, more often and Joey would be with someone that we both know and trust."

"That is true." Kurt acquiesced. "Wed have to clear out the music room, because he couldnt stay on the sofa for a long time. But then where would we put your instruments?" Kurt asked referring to Blaines keyboard, guitar and his recording equipment.

"I suppose the recording equipment can be packed away for now and the rest can come in this room, if we jiggle some of our furniture about. But I dont want you to think that you cant say no. Youre home a lot more than me, and lets face it you do more housework. I dont want to put you out in anyway." Blaine said, snuggling in to Kurts side with a warm arm around his shoulders, fingers trailing gently up and down his arm.

"Thank you for giving me all the credit." Kurt smirked. "But dont worry. I think well be able to handle it and I know Joey would love it. Well tell him after he is accepted into the college."

"Thank you."

"You dont need to thank me. Now lets go to bed. Im exhausted after all that walking about we did today." Kurt removed his arm from around Blaine and put his pad away in the drawer next to the bed.

They laid together in bed facing each other, Kurts eyes fluttering closed after almost a second. Blaine watched Kurts breathing even out. He didnt want to seem like a creeper but he really loved being able to see Kurt so relaxed, all of his defences down. He placed a gentle kiss on Kurts forehead before closing his eyes and waiting for sleep to come to him.

XXXX

Connor burst through the door of the apartment, grinning wildly. "I got in!"

"Woohoo!" Joey cheered from the dining table where he was building his car with Kurt.

"Way to go, Connor." Kurt congratulated.

Blaine grinned back at his cousin. "I told you that you could do it."

"I start in January. Im really excited. A few more months of work and then Ill be a college student officially. Better late than never!"

"So we have a few months to make some room for you here." Blaine said, after receiving a nod from Kurt, telling him to go ahead and tell Connor and Joey.

"Wait, what? You really mean that? I can stay here?"

"Of course." Blaine reassured. "What do you think Joey?"

"Cousin Connor is going to live with us? Thats so cool!" Joey jumped up from his chair and ran over to Connor, wrapping his arms around his waist and grinning like a mad man.

Kurt smiled at his sons behaviour, glad that he was excited about it. He knew that it would be nice for Joey to be able to see more of his family and he knew how close Blaine and Connor had become. Yes, Connor moving in was something that Kurt was going to be looking forward to.