He had finally met the infamous Burt, Kurts father. Understandably less than impressed that Kurt has decided to fall head over heels for a lowly circus performer who plays with fire for a living, whose hair is too long and is too polite to sometimes even function. The moment he learns Kurt has been flying through the air with nothing but a few ropes of silk to support him Blaine starts counting down the seconds until the moment hes thrown out of the house. The moment Burt learns that Kurt wants to join the Un Spectacle de Joie hes speechless.

Theyd talked about it at length of course, with each other, Mr DeLione and Kurts boss in New York. Come the next year Kurt would be joining the Un Spectacle de Joie and taking the winter season off to return to New York and work in the office, whilst working remotely on the road for the rest of the year. Performances are limited in the winter months as they dont often stray very far out of state due to the traveling cost, so Blaine can join Kurt from time to time in bustling New York as his boyfriend acts the big shot editor of a fashion magazine that he is. Its perfect for them, their confidants have their doubts, they have only been together for just over a year and already theyre rearranging their lives for one another.

Coincidentally thats exactly Burts argument. It isnt until Carole drags him out of the room to watch them from afar that he warms up to the idea. He stands in the doorway and watches as the man that has Kurts heart comforts him. He watches as he pulls his frustrated son into his arms and soothes his frustration with simple words and an honest touch. He feels his heart clench at the way this man looks at his boy, like hes hung the moon and the stars, like hed do anything to see him happy and healthy. Burt walks back into the room, sinks into his favourite chair and gives them a nod, like its the first and probably not the last blessing hell ever give them.

~*~

"Oops" Blaine mutters under his breath as he catches his hand on the oven door as he does as Carole had asked him and takes the casserole out of the oven. "Oh Blaine quick put that down let me have a look at you." Carole frets but Blaine is already running his hand under cold water at the sink. "No need but thanks." He says calmly "it happens, comes with the territory you know? I remember this one time..."

"Are you telling her about the time Puck set your hair on fire because I dont think I can stomach it again?" Kurt interrupts with a grimace as he saunters into the kitchen. Carole stands looking horrified, hovering over her casserole with oven mitts dangling from her wrists. Blaine just smiles and shrugs. "No I was gonna tell her about the night we met actually." He turns off the faucet and dries his hand looking at it with a discerning eye "Its only small, Ill be fine." Kurt looks skeptical, fidgeting where he leans against the door frame. "Do you need to check, nurse Hummel?" Blaine says teasingly, grinning as he hears Carole chuckle as she busies herself with plating up dinner.

Kurt rolls his eyes, turning Blaines hands over and tracing the skin of his palm lightly with a fingertip "Youre fine." Kurt says, gently holding Blaines hand in his. "Uh huh" Blaine says "But thanks for worrying about me." Carole calls Burt to dinner and they sit down and eat. Kurt takes every opportunity he can get to gentle caress Blaines hand underneath the table.

It doesnt take long for Carole to bring it up with Kurt, not long after he had offered to help with the dishes and shooed his father and Blaine back into the lounge. "Does Blaine hurt himself a lot in his line of work?" She asks, keeping her voice carefully casual.

"No." Kurt replies, cleaning the same plate twice. "I just worry. Its not like it happens a lot and hes been doing fire performance for years now, hes skilled at his craft."

"But its still dangerous." Carole finishes for him.

"Yeah, and Blaine knows it too thats why he never brushes me off when I want to see for myself that hes okay. He knows what he does can go horribly wrong very quickly, hes always so careful but sometimes mistakes happen. A dropped staff, a fumbled poi and then thats it." Kurt finishes with a sigh and a crease forms between his forehead and Carole leans forward to smooth it away. "But Blaine is good and careful and now he has you to watch over him. Hes a very lucky man." She reassures him and Kurt smiles.

~*~

Blaine lies on the couch in the lounge that night staring up at the dark ceiling, thinking. They had decided to stay overnight at the Hummel household before driving out to Westerville the next morning. They thought theyd hit two birds with one stone, allow Blaine to meet Kurts parents and Kurt to meet his. The only difference is that Blaine hasnt seen or spoken to his parents since he graduated high school.

He thinks about how he had been so ready to make amends when he had thought he was leaving the Un Spectacle de Joie for good. Now the thought simply made his stomach turn: how did he know they wouldnt just slam the door in his face the moment they saw him? He pulls the blanket up around his neck, cursing himself for being polite and refusing Kurts offer to sleep in his old bedroom with him. Kurt is lucky, Blaine thinks. That his father would so readily move mountains for him whereas Blaines wouldnt move a pebble without weighing up the benefits first.

Hes parents were never cruel they were just... Indifferent, to many things, everything that wouldnt ultimately lead to him taking over the family run private practice. Cooper had managed to weasel out of the role due to being from his fathers previous marriage and being too egocentric to ever focus on trying to bring someone else back to full health. So it fell to Blaine, or it would have if he hadnt started visiting the Spectacle de Joie at the beginning of his junior year. He fell in love with the magic of it, and the people there became the best friends hed ever had. It was an escape he welcomed with open arms after the isolation and pain his school days had bought him.

At the end of his senior year Mr DeLione offered him a job, he said farewell to his parents and brother and hit the road. Cooper didnt find him until a year later and they tried to make amends, but visits were few and far between.

"Blaine?" A whisper drifts from the doorway. "Yeah?" Blaine replies popping his head over the back of the couch, knowing it was Kurt. "What are you still doing down here?" Kurt chuckles, perching on the end of the couch. "Um sleeping?" Blaine mumbles confused and Kurt has to cover his mouth to stifle his laughter at Blaines unfailing courtesy. "When you insisted on sleeping on the couch to please my father you didnt do so with the intention of just sneaking upstairs to sleep with me instead did you?" Kurt states fondly.

"No? I-"

"You were genuinely going to stay here all night. God Blaine its not like weve never slept together."

"But your dad, I dont wanna disrespect-"

"Blaine, Im pretty sure my father expected it anyway and besides-" Kurt silences him with a kiss, taking his hand and leading him to the stairs, "what my father doesnt know wont hurt him."

~*~

"I think Im gonna pass out." Blaine whispers frantically in Kurts ear as they stand waiting on the doorstep of his old home. Kurt only smiles shakily offering reassurance in a squeeze of Blaines hand. Its snowing and Blaine wouldve loved to just walk with Kurt instead, watching the snow fall and the flakes catch and glisten on his pale skin. Kiss away the rose in his cheeks and on the tip of his nose, but instead he stands, and waits, clutching Kurts hand like if he lets go he might crumble into dust.

The lock turns and Blaine flinches at the sound trying not to slam his eyes shut and pretend it isnt happening. His dad stands in front of him, as silent and stoic as ever. His hair is greyer and his face is a little more drawn, lined with age. What is overwhelming is the look of surprise and hope on his fathers face. "Hi dad" Blaine chokes, eyes welling with tears and Kurts hand held in his with a death grip. "Maria!" His father calls, "Maria, come quickly!" His mother rushes in from the lounge and Blaine barely manages to register the fact that she looks as beautiful as ever before she notices the man running in behind her. Cooper pushes past his tearful mother and engulfs him in a hug with such force that he rips his hand from Kurts and almost slips on the icy doorstep. Cooper pulls back and holds him at arms length, his grin is so wide it could split his face in two but hes crying. Blaine has never felt so guilty in his life. He had resented Cooper for getting the freedom that he himself wasnt afforded and ignored how Cooper must have really felt, seeing him now, so happy to see him, made him feel like the worst little brother in the world.

They stood in silence longer than necessary until Cooper hastily wiped at his eyes and ushered them inside whispering in Blaines ear as he passed, "So whos the hottie?" Blaine grins so wide his cheeks ache, the shackles of anxiety and fear falling from him. "Not now." Blaine says. "What do you mean not now you bought a boy home Blainey this demands explanation, and details, as many as youre willing to provide." Cooper talks quickly, glancing and smiling toothily in Kurts direction. Blaine rolls his eyes, frustrated. "Yeah I bought a boy home, and its been four years." At the mention of his absence, Cooper immediately goes silent his bright blue eyes looking sad and just as guilty as Blaine had felt moments before. Not all is forgiven, Blaine thinks, it should be and thats why he decided to return, but all is not forgiven, not yet.

They settle in the lounge and Blaine takes a hold of Kurts hand again, aching for him as his mother continues to sniffle. Kurt looks the picture of composure but the smooth back and forth of his thumb over the back of Blaines hand reminds him that he is just as worried for Blaine as he is about his familys reaction.

"Umm," Blaine starts but he cuts himself off. He doesnt know how to do this, what to say, how to right his wrongs and go about calling his parents and brother out on theirs. His father is the first to speak. "We missed you." is all he says and Blaine cries so hard he barely registers the arms of Kurt and his brother wrapping tight around him.

~*~

Kurt waits in the armchair in the hallway. Kurt had been politely asked to leave by Maria and Kurt had agreed, when a nod from Blaine assured him that it would be fine. Relief washes over him, Blaine needs this time with his family. The talking is a quiet rumble now but there had been raised voices, accusations and home truths that made Kurts chest burn with rage, his heart sink with the phantom ghost of Blaines choked and hurt voice. He had almost thrown the door open when he had heard Blaines hoarse voice, tinged with anger but he knew better than to interrupt. Kurt already knew about his absent parents, the lengths they took to try and push and mould and manipulate Blaine into the son they had always expected him to be but he never seemed to live up to their ideal. He heard tales of loneliness that made Kurts high school self; haunt the back of his mind. When the Andersons step out of the lounge all looking tired, with eyes red rimmed Kurts reservations about Blaines family evaporate. He can finally see that despite their bad judgement and mistakes they have always loved Blaine, they just werent showing it until now.

"Kurt, my dear," Maria says so fondly, as if she had known him since he were a child "Blaine tells us he would prefer to return to your fathers home for the time being, but wed be delighted if youd join us for lunch on Saturday. Blaine has told us so much about you; were just dying to get to know you better." It feels a touch like theyre trying too hard, Cooper smiles and nods his head vigorously so Kurt smiles back and accepts.

"You should come and see us perform the Saturday after. Its our last performance for the year before we head to New York." Kurts invitation is met with silence and careful smiles. "Well have to check our schedules but that sounds... interesting." David, Blaines father replies. Blaine sighs next to him, wraps an arm around his waist and smiles a smile similar to that the rest of the Andersons (except Cooper) are sporting. He looks exhausted, and Kurt readily accepts a kiss, once the front door has closed behind them, ready to get home and curl up on the couch with his boyfriend.