Archive of Our Own ^beta

Burt Hummel was in the middle of reading a file on the proposed Federal budget when his secretary, Shirley, buzzed him on the intercom.

"I have a Mister Hiram Berry on the line for you, Congressman. He is on your 'interruptions' list."

"Yes, he is. All right, put him through." He glanced at the clock on his wall. "And, Shirley, it's after six. Go home."

"Thank you, sir. Mister Berry is on line two."

Burt picked it up. "What can I do for you, Hiram?"

"Leroy just got a call from an old friend. An apartment has come open in his building. It's two bedrooms, midtown, right on the edge of Chelsea."

"And can the kids afford it?"

"It's about three hundred a month more than we'd originally agreed upon. If you like the place and are willing to cover the security deposit and furnishings, Leroy and I will pay the extra three-hundred for the first year of the lease. By then, they'll be splitting four ways. And, Burt, this place is rent controlled. There's a limit on how much the rent can go up after a lease is signed."

"I gotta say, if I like the place, it sounds better to me than putting them in any of the places we looked at last weekend. The one in Brooklyn wasn't too bad, but Kurt's got his heart set on Manhattan."

"So does Rachel."

They both sighed into the phone.

"Since I know Kurt will ask, how close is the subway?"

"C and E lines are about a block away. There are several bus lines within a one-block walk, and it's a small building -- only forty-four units. The building is older, but that means higher ceilings and better walls."

Burt laughed. "And noisier plumbing. But you know what? I don't think Kurt will care if it's a real Manhattan apartment."

"The offer's still good. Leroy and I can bring Rachel up and help with the set-up."

"I appreciate that, Hiram, but this may be my last chance for some bonding with the boys. Still, once they're off in New York, Carole wants to have you over for what she's calling an 'empty nest' dinner."

"We look forward to it."

Burt hung up and went back to his reading. He had two hours before catching his train to New York. He couldn't wait to see Kurt and Finn.

***
The apartment was perfect, except for the little detail of the rent, and since Hiram and Leroy were covering that problem Kurt and Finn signed on the dotted line with Rachel and Blaine listed as co-tenants. Even if Blaine wouldn't be joining them this year, everyone thought it was better to have him on the lease from the beginning.

In the meantime, Burt had taken them both to meet a guy in Brooklyn, right on the C line he'd noted with relief, who owned a union garage whose main business was servicing taxis and limos around the clock seven days a week. The owner, Joey, had snapped up Kurt for twenty-two hours a week at his full union rate, and agreed to take Finn for thirty-five hours to complete his UAW apprenticeship with an agreement to work around his classes at City University.

***
Kurt was thrilled with the apartment. It was a fourth floor walk-up and their windows were in the middle which meant they didn't have the fantastic view of the Empire State Building that some of the other apartments had -- but the rent would have been higher in those. It also meant the apartment would be cooler in the summer time and colder in the winter which made it half a blessing. Because the building was older, it had a fireplace, but Kurt wasn't sure whether city ordinances would actually let them have a fire in it.

At this moment, none of that mattered. Finn, Blaine, and Puck were helping him unload the essentials they'd brought from Lima, and his dad would be joining them tomorrow to help get the place painted and furnished before Rachel and her dads drove up over Labor Day weekend.

Blaine came in with the last two sleeping bags. "Where should I put these?"

"Rachel and I negotiated. We get the smaller bedroom with more sunlight. They get the big one that's closer to the bathroom."

Blaine stood there for a moment.

Kurt said, "Left. No, my left not yours. Sorry. I forgot you hadn't been here before."

"It's great. I like the crown molding."

"Doesn't this place have air conditioning?" Puck asked.

"Not yet. Window units are on my shopping list. The super gave me the correct dimensions."

Puck turned to Finn. "Dude, you can't live in a place this hot without air conditioning."

"Yeah, well, it won't be this hot in the winter."

***
Kurt didn’t know what Puck and Finn had been expecting to do on the first day in New York, but he was pretty sure it wasn’t thoroughly cleaning the apartment. He’d set the other three to washing the walls, so they could be painted, and had taken apart the kitchen himself.

They’d gone out to a local sandwich shop for lunch and stopped at a paint shop nearby to decide on colors.

He found the shade of yellow that Rachel had requested for hers and Finn’s bedroom.

"Finn, do you think you could live with this in the other rooms and hallway? It might make the apartment seem warmer in the winter."

Finn looked up from the colors he was inspecting and said, "I don’t know. It seems a little bright? I know it’s going to be in my bedroom, but not everywhere." He kept staring at one of the color strips.

Kurt came over to him and said, "Do you like one of these colors better?"

Finn pointed to a dark red on the bottom. "I thought red would make it seem warm?"

"That’s right." Kurt tried not to show his shock. "That’s a very dark red for a whole apartment or even a room. But it might be good on the wall behind the fireplace. Where did you get it?" Kurt went where Finn indicated and pulled the strips from either side. He asked the guy behind the counter for the smallest tester pots they had in the six shades at the bottom of the cards.

"Why’d you get six?"

Kurt shrugged. "They can look different on the wall, so it’s better to bracket. We’ll try them, see how they change in the sunlight, and make a decision tomorrow. Of course, we’ll need a different shade for the rest of it."

He went over to the display and looked at darker creams and beiges. He picked a selection and talked to the guy behind the counter about painter's tape, drop cloths, and tester pots.

They bought the primer they were going to need and headed back.

When Burt arrived that night, all the walls had been primed, and there were six patches of red paint on the fireplace wall and a couple of shades of cream on the opposite wall.

"Looks like there's plenty for me to help with," Burt said, looking around the apartment.

Kurt hugged him. "Yeah, we're going to paint the first coat of color in the morning and spend the day shopping for rugs and the essential furniture to be delivered after the paint is dry."

"I'll tell you Mister Hummel, Kurt's a slave driver."

Kurt rolled his eyes at Puck. "I was about to suggest we grab some dinner. I haven't had a chance to do any food shopping, but …"

"No 'but.' I saw a place called Patsy's Pizzeria around the corner. Let me treat you guys."

Finn grinned. "Sounds great. We remembered your sleeping bag."

***
Burt opened the door to Kurt's room and shut it as quickly and quietly as he could. He would go alone to the bakery he saw around the corner and grab breakfast and a box of coffee for everyone.

Finn and Puck were up, showered, and dressed when he got back and Blaine was headed back to the bedroom to finish dressing. Kurt told them to get started on breakfast rather than wait for him.

When he joined them a little later, Kurt asked Blaine to go with Finn and Puck to pick up the paint and cherry wood stain they'd agreed on while he and his dad cleaned up.

Once the other three had gone, Kurt took the dishes to the kitchen. He said, "I didn't wait for my thirtieth birthday, Dad."

"I should have knocked. I wasn't thinking." Burt said, "How did you know it was me?"

"Finn would still be in the doorway babbling out apologies over Blaine's and my ashes where we'd spontaneously combusted from embarrassment, and if it were Puck, I'd have already had phone messages about the video he'd put up on the internet."

Burt smiled. "I really am sorry. You're still my little boy in some ways, that will never change, but you're a man in a relationship and I …"

Kurt put his hand over his Dad's. "Don't worry about it. Please don't let Blaine know what you saw."

Burt flashed for a moment to walking in. He'd heard low sounds and murmurs of love and realized what the up and down movement of Blaine's back meant before he'd been able to shut the door. "I won't."

"I didn't really think you would." Kurt glanced away. "I want you to know, it could as easily have been the other way around."

Burt watched his son bustle around the kitchen without meeting his eyes. He planted himself in front of Kurt and asked, "What's this about?" He looked at his very embarrassed son and hugged him.

"Kurt. Do you really think that would change how I thought of him? Look, it's none of my business either way. I didn't see or hear much, but it was clear that you two love each other. The man you love deserves my respect. Blaine deserves my respect."

Kurt hugged his father back and went back to scraping the dishes. "Thanks, Dad. By the way, I've planned out the painting, shopping, and delivery schedules. Let me know if anything looks like bad planning." He handed his father his phone with a scheduling app on it.

"You're ending every day at six?"

Kurt went back to washing the dishes. "We might work after dinner some night, but I wanted us to have an opportunity to see things. There's a Shakespeare in the Park performance tomorrow night. Blaine and I were going to ask if the rest of you wanted to join us for a picnic to see Two Gentlemen of Verona. But, for instance, today's supposed to get really hot. I thought we could go to a movie and enjoy the air conditioning after spending the day painting and shopping."

"I could go for a movie. I haven't seen that Bourne Legacy one yet."

Kurt smiled. "Neither have I, and it's playing around the corner."

The door opened and the other three walked in carrying gallons of paint and bags of supplies.

Puck said, "Fourth floor walk-up. Really?"

Burt laughed and said, "I thought football kept you in good shape."
***
The week was over too soon for Burt's taste, but not soon enough for his wallet. Carole had arrived the night before, and the two of them were in a boutique hotel across the street. The Berrys were arriving today, and once the weekend was over Carole would be driving back to Ohio in Kurt's Navigator with Blaine and Puck while Burt took the train back down to Washington.

She'd been impressed with the work they'd done. The mix of flea market furniture and IKEA-like flat packs had worked surprisingly well. Burt knew that the rugs and lighting had been the most expensive purchases, but the apartment looked inviting.

Blaine had set up a hydroponic window farm in what was supposed to be the dining room, but was going to be the work room. Kurt's sewing machine and Rachel's folding elliptical trainer were against one wall. The built in wooden cabinets held fabric, sheet music, and books, and the TV and Xbox were in there as well.

The thing that surprised Burt the most about it were how many touches weren't Kurt's. The dark red wall in the living room and the dark wood trim throughout the place had been Finn's idea. The drake blue wall in the work room was Blaine's, and the fact that Kurt's room had a rug, his vanity, a bookcase, and a futon was also Blaine's doing. When he came next year, he wanted to bring his bedroom suite. Kurt said "sure" and planned to spend the year sleeping on the floor. Admittedly, Blaine had bought the thick silk rug that went under the futon, but Burt's back ached just thinking about it.

Carole finished her walk through and joined them in the living room. "It's really lovely. I'd be shocked if Rachel doesn't like it."

Finn smiled and said, "Thanks, Mom. Kurt did a great job organizing it, but he's not a girl."

Blaine kissed Kurt's neck in the kitchen and called out, "I'm glad he isn't."

Burt called back, "I hope you're not starting dinner. I'd planned to take you guys out."

"Patsy's again? That place is great," Puck said.

Burt looked at his wife. "Feel like pizza?"

Carole smiled and said, "Sure."

***
They'd barely been living together for six weeks, and he thought it might be Finn's and Rachel's seventh fight. Kurt found a bookmark and closed his library book before storming out to the living room.

Rachel turned to him and said, "Kurt, tell Finn he's being unreasonable! We need a membership to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It will pay for itself with all that we'll use it."

Finn looked at him. "There's a budget. You're the one who told me we needed to budget, and she's already spent so much on clothes and…"

Kurt put his hand up. "Next year there are going to be two couples living here. Blaine and I have already discussed it, and, unless we both come to you for an opinion, we ask that you not weigh in on any of our arguments. In return, we won't interfere with yours." He sat down and took a breath. "Having said that, you both asked me for my opinion. So. Sit."

They huffily took seats at either end of the sofa, and Kurt adjusted his arm chair to see both of them. "Both of you are right. And you're both going to hear me out." He sighed. "Rachel, you first. I'm going to ask you to listen until I'm finished then you can say whatever you like."

Kurt thought for a moment and said, "You're a spoiled princess. I love you. You're going to be my sister some day, but you're spoiled. Hiram and Leroy give you extra money when you ask for it. If you went to them and said 'I need a museum membership,' they'd give it to you. It's admirable that you don't want to ask them."

He turned to his brother, "Finn, you asked me to handle our finances. What did I say?"

"Uh, yes. Well, for the first semester, but after that we'd do it together."

"Exactly. I wasn't clear. Together means with Rachel. Just like you, she's never really done a full family budget, and let me be clear, while we're sharing an apartment, the four of us are a family."

"But, like, we don't have money to spend on museums, right?"

Kurt smiled. "Maybe." He turned back to Rachel. "The average median income on this island is close to eighty thousand dollars. Finn and I between us are earning about forty-five thousand, but that's because Joey is paying us a premium to take the shifts no one else wants. Do you think Finn likes having to be at work at five in the morning? Or that I like spending midnight to noon on Saturday working? Most Friday nights, I end up hosing out vomit more than I actually work on an engine. But I do it to contribute. Dad's paying for my NYADA tuition and Finn's classes at CUNY. Thanks to our folks, we're not going to have the student loan debt most people end up with. He paid Finn's and my first month of rent so that we could have an emergency fund from our first month of paychecks -- and I hope we won't need to touch it. But, Rachel, this is how our weekly pay works. Our first week's check and half of our second week's check covers our share of the rent. Between us, we pay more than half the rent, but, thanks to your dads' generosity, you're paying more than your fair third. The rest of our second week's check goes toward bills -- including our monthly subway cards and internet. Now this one, is where I'm upset with you. I do the weekly food shopping. I buy your tempeh and almond milk. Have you ever so much as offered me a twenty to cover your share?"

Rachel looked stricken. "I didn't realize."

"I know you didn't. But we need to get these things sorted out now before they fester." He took a deep breath. "I also do all the laundry and most of the cleaning around here. Finn, you're working full-time and taking two classes a week. Rachel, you're in school full-time, but I'm in school full-time, working twenty-two hours a week, and doing all the damned housework. It has to stop."

"Dude. I'm sorry. What do you want me to do?"

Kurt shrugged. "Laundry. I'll go with you the first week or two to make certain you do it right, but then you're on your own. You can always ask a question if you need to."

Rachel said, "And me?"

"Dishes and vacuuming. I don't mind doing the cooking, but you should both learn to do some, too. And, Rachel, before you ask, baking 'I'm sorry' cookies doesn't count as cooking. I'd also appreciate some help occasionally with the weekly grocery shopping."

Finn said, "Yeah, I can totally help with that."

Kurt nodded. "I'll keep cleaning the bathroom, because, frankly, I don't trust either of you to do it thoroughly. By the time Blaine joins us permanently, we'll have shaken out some of these problems."

Rachel put her hand up.

"Yes?" Kurt said.

"What about your other two paychecks?"

"The third one is our discretionary spending -- clothes, movies, ordering in, and the fourth, well, at least half of mine goes into a joint savings account with Blaine. The other half is another emergency fund, but for little things like running out of cereal or taking a taxi when I'm late. And there's a hundred dollars in an envelope under the TV as a 'just in case.' I don't know what Finn does with his fourth check."

"Um, I only get about a hundred of it into savings. The rest is what did you call it? Discretionary? Like, taking Rachel out to brunch on Sunday."

Rachel thought hard. "If I were to work, too, what would you recommend?"

Kurt took a moment and said, "There's a vegan bakery and a vegan café about two blocks from here. See if either of them could use you. You won't get great pay, although the tips might be good, but they'll feed you. If not them, there's a paint store nearby that had a sign in the window last week. Hell, maybe you could be a sales girl at Tiffany's."

Rachel said, "You still haven't answered the question about museum membership."

"Your Chanukah gift was going to be a Supporting Membership to the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington DC."

Rachel looked confused, and Kurt continued, "I've been checking out museums across the country and their reciprocal programs. The Corcoran has reciprocity with the Met and about a dozen other New York museums -- even a few in Ohio -- and their membership is cheaper."

Finn beamed, "See, I knew we didn't have to pay five hundred dollars."

Kurt said, "No, but, Finn, we're here to explore, right? Find out more about the world and our place in it? So, things like museum memberships may not be necessities like food, but they're more important than, I don't know, video games?"

"I get it, bro. And we won't bring you into our arguments like you asked."

"Thank you. Now, it's nearly time for me to call Blaine."

Rachel smiled. "Tell him we miss him."

"I will."
***
Blaine's face grinned at him through his monitor. The first week or two after Blaine returned to Ohio, they'd barely said "hello" and "I love you" before having Skype sex. The two weeks they'd had in New York sleeping beside each other made them long for touch and each other's voice. Now, they often ended their calls jerking off to someone's fantasy or remembrance, but they valued the moments where they could lay down the burdens of their days, discuss the moments that struck them in their lives, and plan the next weekend they would be together.

"Columbus day is next week," Blaine said.

"I'll meet you at LaGuardia. I wasn't able to switch my Friday night shift, but we can go to a club for a couple of hours before I have to leave."

"Could I come, too? Hang out in the office? Make out with you in the backseat of a cab?"

Kurt blushed. "The last one is right out, but there's an office to hang out in. Or you could come home with Finn and Rachel and be here when I crawl into bed."

"I want to spend every minute I can with you, even if we can't make out."

There was a pause while they both thought about being together again in a week. Kurt changed the subject. "I talked to Finn and Rachel today about finances and chores and not putting me in the middle of their arguments."

"And not to get between us, if we argue?"

Kurt said, "Yeah."

"Good." Blaine's smile got mischievous. "You know, unless there's really something special about that club you mentioned, we could let Finn and Rachel go alone and take advantage of an empty apartment before you -- before we -- go to work."

"And exactly what advantage would you have us take?"

"I think I'd like to fuck you in the work room, on that really thick carpet."

Kurt pretended to think about it. "Wouldn't rug burn be an issue?"

Blaine explained his fantasy -- and how rug burn wouldn't be a factor -- in much more detail.
***
Blaine looked around the dark streets, surprised when Kurt turned and swore back at someone in Italian. "What did he say? What did you say?"

Kurt said, "The Italian for ‘fag’ is finocchio, fennel. Joey’s mother taught me to call them ‘cetriola’ which means cucumber head."

Blaine smiled, "It’s kind of hot that you can swear in Italian."

"Well, Brooklyn Italian. I'm still trying to figure out what they have against vegetables."

They headed into the garage, and Kurt put him into the office area while he clocked in and reviewed the current issues with the previous shift supervisor. Blaine watched as the two of them inspected the three cars that were currently being worked on. He saw Kurt shake hands with the other supervisor as the guy left, and then they were alone.

"Marty just said that Bruno will be late because the overnight babysitter is running late, and Jimmy has the flu. If we get busy, I may ask you to put on coveralls and help."

Blaine grinned. "That would be fine."

"Not really. I don’t think you’d be covered under Joey’s insurance."

There was a shout from the front of the open garage doors. "What was that about my insurance?"

Joey and his mother walked over to them.

Kurt said, "Mama Assunta, what a surprise."

"An old lady out after midnight? You young ones might be surprised." She patted his cheek. "And this is your young man?"

"Where are my manners? Mama Assunta, this is my boyfriend, Blaine Anderson. Blaine, this is Assunta Locatelli."

"Kurt, you and Joey go decide what to do about the shift. Blaine and I, we talk."

Joey clapped him on the shoulder. "C’mon Kurt." When they’d gotten a few steps away, he said, "I warn you, if she likes him, you’ll be invited over for dinner tomorrow."

"Will she teach me to make her saffron risotto?"

"Maybe." Joey shook his head over the one engine that was going to need serious work. "Looks like I’m staying tonight. You can’t cover for Bruno and Jimmy, both."

"If you trust me to call you, Blaine’s apprenticing with my Dad, he can help with the bits that need two people. And if you want me to, I could call Finn. He’d like the overtime."

Joey said, "Can I trust your judgment about your boyfriend?"

"I wouldn’t let him break down an engine without supervision, but he can handle the belt replacements and oil changes we mostly get on this shift while I work on this one."

"In that case, I’ll pay him under the table tonight. Have him get me the information for an I-9 form, and I’ll make him legit on his next visit." He counted six bills from a roll of twenties. "That’s for him tonight. Only ten an hour since he’s not paying tax on it. Call Finn if the volume is really heavy, and call me if there’s anything bigger than this to be done."

Kurt smiled. "If it’s like last Friday, I’ll have my book finished before morning."

"And if it’s like the Friday before, Mama may need to get under some cars to help out."

She waved them over. "Kurt, you have a good boy. You come for Sunday dinner."

He glanced at Blaine who indicated yes. "We’ll be there."

***
Veteran's Day was in the middle of a week and Blaine wasn't able to come to New York, but he'd already made arrangements to be in the city for Thanksgiving.

Finn, Rachel, and Kurt had discussed it and decided to hold Thanksgiving in New York with both families coming to dinner. Rachel made reservations across the street for Hiram and Leroy at the same time Finn made the reservation for his and Kurt's folks.

For Kurt the best part of NYADA, well, other than everything, was the weekly meeting with Carmen Thibodaux. For the seniors in their final semester, it was a three hour master class with six or seven students in each. For the first semester freshmen, it was five minutes alone on a Friday afternoon, and, thanks to La Thibodaux's brutal schedule, it was often cancelled, but Kurt adored the little chats. He usually brought a couple of cookies to share, and it was rare that the conversation was about school. (Although, there was that one time where she told him that he wasn't allowed to critique the other students on their knowledge of engines, even if they were playing mechanics.)

The week before Thanksgiving, he brought in a couple of speculoos and an envelope. "I know you're probably madly busy, but just in case you aren't, there's an invitation for Thanksgiving dinner."

"Mister Hummel, it would be showing favoritism to attend, but I thank you for the thought."

"Madame Thibodaux, I've heard the critiques I'm getting. I'm no one's favorite. And Rachel's so scared of you it's funny. If you're alone on Thanksgiving, you're welcome at our table. We don't expect anything out of it. You don't even have to RSVP. There are so many different dietary restrictions among the attendees, there's bound to be something you can eat."

A tiny smile curled her lip. "I'll keep that in mind. Now, what have you been reading?"

Kurt smiled back. "Ibsen. I have a question about Peer Gynt…"

***
Rachel answered the door and froze. Carmen Thibodaux stood in front of her.

They stared at each other for a few minutes when Blaine came up beside Rachel and said, "Madame Thibodaux, so nice to meet you. Please come in. Kurt said you might be able to attend." He nudged Rachel to get out of the way, so the woman could enter the apartment. "May I take your coat?"

"You may. And you are?"

"I'm Kurt's boyfriend Blaine Anderson." He hung up the coat and showed her where she could leave her purse. The living room furniture had been moved to the work room and the extra chairs from the work room and the leaves for the dining table had been brought out. "Kurt's nearly finished in the kitchen. Let me introduce you around." He started with Burt and Carole, then Hiram and Leroy before introducing her to their other surprise guests.

The night before there had been another knock at the door. Brittany had convinced Santana that they needed to see Kurt and Rachel rather than spend time in Lima with their families. They'd spent the night on the pull-out couch, and helped with food preparation. In the morning, Santana had stayed to help Kurt cook while everyone else went to the Macy's parade.

Santana was surprisingly gracious to Madame Thibodaux, and Kurt, glancing in from the kitchen, loved the look on La Thibodaux's face when Brittany greeted her with "Snoopy looked really happy to be floating, but Woodstock didn't."

***
Over a late night piece of pie and a cup of decaf tea, Burt listened to his son talk about Christmas.

"It's not like I wouldn't want to be there, but Joey told me I could earn triple time if I worked Christmas Day and New Year's Day. I know Finn wants to go back to Lima because Rachel has plans with her Dads for a late Chanukah. If we're going to lose his paycheck, then me working just makes sense."

"It's good pie," Burt said. "I know Carole will miss seeing you, but I'll come up the weekend before, if that's all right, and catch my flight to Cincinnati from here. I can stop by for a night on my way back, too."

Kurt's face lit up. "Would you, Dad? I'd love that. And I've already talked to Finn and Joey. I'm taking Spring Break off to visit you and Carole in Lima. Finn will cover my shifts."

"You're a responsible kid -- man. Are you also wanting the place to yourself with Blaine?"

"Yeah," Kurt said. "I know it's only ten days, but it's the first time we'll have lived together, without other people shaping our time. I mean the job will -- Blaine's taking a couple of Finn's shifts to help out, too, but everything else will be us."

"Well, you just told me you're working on New Year's Day. Do you have any plans for New Year's Eve?"

"Not yet. Probably just a quiet night in."

Burt said, "Carole and I talked. You've always wanted to see a real opera."

Kurt nodded.

Burt continued, "One thing about being a politician, you end up with connections. I can get tickets to the Metropolitan Opera Gala for you and Blaine that night, if you'd like that to be your Christmas present?"

"Oh, Dad! That's perfect." Kurt hugged his father tightly. "I'll have to figure out what kind of evening wear is most appropriate. Maybe wear my kilt again?"

"Yeah, well, I'll find Carole and head back to the hotel."

"Thank you for letting us have Thanksgiving here."

"I remember the first Thanksgiving after your Mom and I married. We were in a terrible little apartment, nothing as nice as this, and we invited our folks over. It was terrifying and wonderful, and it made the place home."

***
Kurt saw his Dad, Finn, and Rachel off at LaGuardia and grabbed a coffee as he waited for Blaine near the baggage claim.

His heart lifted as he saw a familiar bowtie and walked over to hug him. "Joey put us on the five a.m. to one p.m. shift on Christmas Day so we can join his family at three for Christmas dinner."

Blaine said, "And New Year's Day?"

"Two p.m. to ten p.m., so that we can get some sleep after the Met Gala."

"It sounds perfect, sweetheart."

Kurt smiled. "I like it when you call me that." He looked at the two bags Blaine had and said, "Let's grab a taxi. It's not much more than Supershuttle."

"I can't wait to get home," Blaine said. "Can we just order in tonight, not leave your bed?"

"Sounds perfect. I switched a shift, so we're working the midnight to noon shift tomorrow night instead of tonight."

Blaine took his hand. "You think of everything."

***
Later that night, as Kurt stroked his arm gently, Blaine said, "I've been doing a lot of thinking, Angel."

That got a filthy chuckle from Kurt. "After what we just did, I don't think anyone else would call me an angel."

Blaine kissed his shoulder. "You're my angel, and don't you forget it."

"Yes, sir. Now what have you been thinking about?"

"You know I can't come for Martin Luther King weekend, right? Even if we didn't have a Regionals boot camp that weekend, my parents said it's too close to Christmas."

"I know. I'll miss you."

"I'll be eighteen when I come for President's Day."

Kurt's hand stilled. "Bring your birth certificate with you when you come. I'll ask my Dad to send mine with Finn when he comes back."

"Can we do it in one weekend?"

"There's a twenty-four hour wait after we get the license. Bring the birth certificate, but… you're still planning to come for McKinley's Spring break, right? Even though I'll have school then."

Blaine said, "Of course."

"Then we'll get married the day you arrive. It will still be within the sixty day validity for the license."

Blaine snuggled in closer. "That's the anniversary of our first kiss."

Kurt kissed his forehead. "You worked it out that quickly?"

"Spring Break starts March fifteenth. I'll never forget the first day I kissed you."

Their bodies began to move against each other, and they kissed more urgently. "I get to make love to my fiancé," Kurt said.

***
The overnight shift was slow, and they spent most of their time talking.

Blaine asked, "So you have to write and perform a ten minute one person show as part of your final grade next semester?"

"Yeah. They told us on the last day of classes, so we have time to pick a character. We'll each have two musical comedy scenes to do, one with an opposite sex partner and one with a group, then we also have this assignment. It was specific about time frame, too -- nineteenth or twentieth century -- no characters who originated in plays. Apparently next year we get to do a longer version of this with a character from Shakespeare. And later we'll work with biographies."

Blaine thought for a minute. "Does it only have to be words from the original work?"

"No, but the phrasing has to sound authentic. No talking about the telephone if you're doing Vanity Fair."

"Does the character have to be nineteenth or twentieth century? Or could you use an historical novel?"

Kurt thought. "I don't know, but you're thinking of Sir Percy, aren't you?"

"Obviously you are, too."

"There's a real emphasis on versatility at NYADA, and I really want to play Percy in my senior showcase. I'm afraid, if I do it now, the teachers won't consider it later."

Blaine nodded. "That makes sense. Don't worry, by the time I leave, we'll have found something."

Kurt gave him a quick peck on the lips. "I know we will. Now then, back to work."

Blaine grinned, "Slave driver."
***
Christmas with the Locatellis was a boisterous affair complete with homemade panettone. Everyone loved the carrots in honey and the brussel sprouts with mustard sauce that had been Kurt's and Blaine's contribution to the meal.

Everyone also understood when they wanted to leave early after having a long shift before coming to the party.

Mama Assunta saw them out and kissed their cheeks. She whispered in Kurt's ear, "You don't fool me, young man. You won't be too tired at home."

Kurt giggled and kissed her cheek. "You're right."

***
Thursday, Kurt came home from his shift to find Blaine had cooked.

Blaine said, "Go wash your hands. Dinner's just about ready."

Kurt did as he was told and then put the salad on the table and sat down. "What are we having?"

"Poached Salmon with roasted root vegetables."

"Fancy."

Blaine rolled his eyes. "Nothing's too good for my man."

When dinner was over, Blaine said, "I have chocolate macaroons from the bakery around the corner for dessert. Do you want them now or later?"

"Later. That was really terrific." Kurt stood with his dishes and started toward the sink.

"I'll take care of that. Why don't you light a fire in the living room? I checked with the super before I got wood."

"Is the super that hot?"

Blaine slapped his shoulder, and they both laughed.

Kurt lit the fire and sat back in the chair near it. He'd move to the couch when Blaine came in. He woke up about half an hour later to see Blaine curled up on the sofa watching him.

Kurt said, "I'm sorry."

"You're tired. I've been keeping you up at night."

"True, but I'm actually working fewer hours overall since I don't have school."

Blaine shrugged. "New York's farther north. Maybe you need a light box or something."

"What made you think of that?"

"I saw one on sale at Whole Foods today." Blaine said, "Are you ready for tea and macaroons?"

"Yes." He started to get up, but Blaine motioned him back down.

"I'll be back in a minute."

Blaine brought everything out, and put it on the table near Kurt. He then left the room and Kurt heard from behind him. "I think I have the character for your one-man show."

He turned to find Blaine in a coachman's coat and a deerstalker hat.

Kurt started to giggle. "You look adorable. Where did you find that coat? It's perfect."

"Goodwill. But what do you think? Sherlock Holmes?"

Kurt said, "I'm afraid everyone will think I have a crush on Robert Downey Junior."

"I know better."

"Benedict Cumberbatch is on my list."

Blaine said, "Mine too."

Kurt looked at him and took a sip of tea. "Honey, the coat's marvelous, but the hat just isn't your style."

Blaine plucked it off his head and set in on Kurt's. "It does look better on you."

"Maybe Lestrade? Outside looking in at Holmes, maybe a little jealousy of Watson because he wanted to be in the great man's circle rather than the butt of his sniping?"

Blaine plopped down on the sofa and picked up his tea cup. "Yeah, that would work."

"Blaine?"

"Holmes is extraordinary. In the stories, people are either repulsed by him or drawn to him. He's elegant. The relationship with Mycroft shows he's both an upper class or at least very upper-middle class person, but he's choosing to live and fulfill himself through very risky and down-market work. And you're extraordinary. It's in other ways, but you're really… extraordinary -- there's not a better word -- but you're talking about playing someone who isn't. This is your show. Why not pick a character who would make you shine?"

Kurt ate a little of his macaroon and took a sip of tea. "Earlier this semester, four boys in my class wanted to do the same monologue. The other three got to read for it, but I didn't because I was too … gay, I guess for the role. It was a mechanic. The guy who did the monologue wasn't bad, but he wasn't great. The piece had several references to car parts, and, I swear to you, Blaine, he picked up the wrong thing every single time. And we were critiquing each other so I mentioned it, that he didn't know engines at all. The argument got heated. He couldn't believe I knew what I was talking about. I had to pull out my union card." He took a deep breath before continuing, "If I'm too extraordinary, I'll be limited. Our wallets and our future can't afford my limitations."

Blaine knelt in front of Kurt. "I think you're wrong. I think if you embrace every single way you're extraordinary, the world will stop and watch."

"I see all the things about you. How special you are, and I believe it. I love you so much." Kurt leaned down and kissed him.

"Make love with me?"

"You only have to ask," Kurt said.

***
The next week was a blur. They worked different but overlapping shifts most days, but Joey had given them the same days off. They went to free concerts and museums, skating at Rockefeller Center, and Blaine's folks had gotten them tickets to the last night of the Christmas show at Radio City Music Hall as their holiday gift.

It amazed Kurt how well they just flowed into a life. He knew it would be different when they were sharing the apartment with Finn and Rachel -- and it wasn't like he hadn't had a couple of minor disagreements with Blaine -- but overall the feeling of the holiday was contented. And horny, that was definitely in there, too.

Tonight, there was a fire going in the grate, and they were sitting on opposite ends of the couch. Blaine was reading, and Kurt had a notebook, his laptop, and a couple of library books around him.

"Working on your one-man show?"

Kurt nodded and marked his place. "Yes. I thought about what you said. I think I'm going to end it with Hound of the Baskervilles, and concentrate on how he got to be the expert he is."

Blaine pressed their calves together. "Does that mean you won't get to wear the deerstalker? Because it looked hot."

Kurt laughed. "It looked dorky, but I love that you think I'm hot even wearing something silly."

They sat there in silence with their legs pressing against each other.

Blaine said, "I know it's barely nine o'clock, but I think it's time for bed?"

Kurt shut down his laptop. "I think you're right."

***
Kurt had to leave school early in order to meet Blaine when he came for President's Day weekend. Fortunately, Madame Thibodaux was out of town, so he wouldn't miss his weekly five minutes. Even more fortunately, his scene partners were able to meet in the early afternoon instead of their regularly scheduled time.

They barely made it to City Hall before the doors shut at a quarter to four; they still had Blaine's bag with them. Filling in the license was simple until they got to the line about "surname after marriage."

Blaine said, "We want kids some day, right?"

Kurt nodded.

"So their name should be easy. Hyphenation gives us a five syllable last name."

Kurt read over the rules. "It looks like we can create a portmanteau surname, or use one of our mothers' maiden names."

Blaine took the paper from his hand. "Unless you think your dad would kill me, I want to take your name. It's nice to have a distinctive name. One less syllable. And my father still looks at me like I'm such a disappointment for being gay. Burt Hummel never has. I mean, if you think he wouldn't mind…"

Kurt kissed him. "Dad would be proud. I'm proud. Are you absolutely certain?"

Blaine kissed his hand. "Positive."

Kurt blushed as he said, "Then we'd better get in the line."

The wait wasn't as long as they'd feared. The clerk checked their ID thoroughly and said to Blaine, "You turned eighteen last week?"

"Yes, ma'am."

She looked at Kurt. "And you're eighteen as well?"

"Yes, ma'am."

She stamped the paperwork and issued the license, handing it to Kurt. "Since you're the New Yorker," she said. "There's a twenty-four hour waiting period, and the license is good for sixty days. Good luck to you both."

Blaine grinned at her. "Thank you, ma'am."

***
Since Finn and Rachel would be home soon, the first thing they did when they got back to the apartment was put away the license, and the second thing was to dig out all of Kurt's notes for his one man show.

They went over the script line by line, and Kurt showed Blaine the earlier iterations. Rachel came home about twenty minutes later bearing a dozen cupcakes from the vegan bakery where she worked. "These weren't picked up yesterday. They told me I could bring them home." She put them down and ran over to give Blaine a hug. "I missed you."

"I missed you, too, Rachel. I'm sure we'll talk over the weekend."

Kurt said, "Hmmm. What kind of cupcakes?"

"Carrot cake, but the customer had requested lemon frosting instead of cream cheese."

"Sounds good," said Kurt.

Rachel continued, "Finn's bringing home vegan pizza dough from Whole Foods, and a selection of vegetables and even smoked salmon, in honor of our guest, for the carnivores."

"You reminded him that carrots don't work on pizza?"

"Yeah, she did," Finn said as he came in the door. "I might have remembered on my own, you know."

Blaine shook his head. "Face it, Finn, you're never going to live that one down."

They all headed to the kitchen area where Rachel rolled out the dough as Kurt got the other essentials from the cupboards. Blaine joined Finn in unpacking the bags, and then helped slice mozzarella.

"So Blaine, we're going to a club tonight, want to come?"

"Thanks, Finn, but I thought I'd…" Blaine caught Kurt shaking his head.

Kurt said, "Why don't we get our pizzas together?"

They each put together a small pizza, and got them in the oven. Kurt pulled Blaine aside.

"Don't you want me to come with you tonight?"

Kurt kissed him. "I'd love it. But, even though we've been apart for six weeks, they haven't seen you since Thanksgiving. We'll all be living here together soon, and you need to have your own relationships with them. I know you and Finn are friends, but…"

Blaine held him close. "I get it."

"It's still your choice, and I'm serious that I'd love to spend tonight with you, even if it can't be in bed."

Blaine kissed his neck. "I'll go out with Finn and Rachel, but you have to promise me a date."

"Sunday at the museum of your choice and tea at Alice's Tea Cup?"

"Can we go skating again, too?"

"You drive a hard bargain, my love." Kurt smiled. "Besides, you can help me with a fantasy this way."

Blaine seemed interested.

Kurt continued, "Sometimes I fantasize about coming home and crawling into bed beside you. When I'm really tired, we just sleep. Other times, you're waiting and ready. I think the fantasy is just that you're there, really. Or the other way, you crawl in beside me."

"You get home around noon, right?"

Kurt sighed. "Closer to one. Not the ideal time to lie down beside you."

"What time do you want to wake up?"

"Around four, five thirty at the latest. More than a few hours and I can't get to sleep that night, but if I don't have anything, I can't stay awake."

Blaine pressed close and whispered in his ear, "Then why don't you trust me to wake you tomorrow afternoon in the best possible way."

"I always trust you."

Finn called out, "Hey, didn't you hear the bell? The pizzas are ready."

They kissed quickly and went back to the kitchen.

Blaine said, "So, am I dressed all right for this club?" and was happy to see both Kurt and Rachel beam.

***
On March 15, David met him at LaGuardia. "So, you've been coming to the city for seven months, and the only time you call me is when you need a lift from the airport." The grin on his face and the bone crushing hug belied his words.

"You're the one who cancelled out on a fellow Warbler when I came on Columbus Day," Blaine said. "Thank you, by the way."

"What's a best man for?" David grinned, then said, "You're sure?"

Blaine said, "We're sure."

"Then I'm happy for you. Just so you know, after the wedding, I'm treating you and Kurt to dinner afterward."

"You don't have to."

"I want to. Is Carnegie Deli all right?"

Blaine burst out laughing.

***
They met on a bridge in Central Park. Kurt had found a justice of the peace who agreed to marry them quietly with only David as their witness.

Blaine looked at Kurt in a pearl grey three-piece suit and a blue tie, and his mouth went dry. It went even drier when he realized Burt Hummel was standing behind Kurt.

David and the justice of the peace walked away for a moment to let them talk.

"Dad showed up last night for a visit."

Burt said, "Imagine my surprise when I sign for a delivery from a jewelry shop for Kurt. I went to put it in his room and saw the license."

"Are you mad?" Blaine asked.

Father and son side-eyed each other before Kurt said, "Dad and I had a long discussion last night. He's here as my best man, if that's all right."

Blaine said, "Of course it is." He turned to Burt and said, "I promise never to hurt him deliberately."

Kurt smiled and took Blaine's hand. "And I promise the same."

"Yeah, well, if you're going to do all that promising, you might as well do it in front of the judge." Burt motioned to David, and they came back over. The ceremony itself was short and solemn. All five of them signed the license.

Blaine paid the judge's fee, and she left them to go back to her office promising to file the license on her way back.

Kurt said, "Well, Mister Hummel…"

Blaine looked at Burt and all four of them laughed.

"What can I say, kid, it's an honor that you wanted to share the name."

David said, "Dinner. I'm taking you all out to dinner. Kurt, Blaine tells me you like 'real New York' experiences?"

Kurt looked at him warily. "Yes?"

"Then let's grab a cab to Grand Central Station. We're eating at the Oyster Bar."

Burt said, "It sounds great, but it's on me."

David stood his ground. "I know at some point you'll have a reception for these two. I didn't give Blaine a bachelor party, so as the only bachelor here, I insist."

Burt looked like he might protest, then smiled. "As long as I can get a beer to go with my oysters, that sounds great."

***
When Burt headed back to DC at the end of the weekend, he left two Amtrak tickets to DC and a gift card in Kurt's room for two nights at the Willard the following weekend, and a note saying:

Joey Locatelli said to tell you that you have next weekend off.
Congratulations -- even if I'm too young to have a married son.
Love, Dad
***
"Is Holmes a genius?" Kurt asked.

Blaine peered at him through the laptop screen. "I think so, but I think the key you're looking for is that he's a trained genius."

"Aren't most geniuses? I mean, if Mozart hadn't been trained, he could never have been Mozart."

Blaine thought for a moment. "Holmes is self-trained. I think that's the difference. You've been doing all that research into nineteenth century chemistry experiments. But he's also trained himself to retain things that might be essential later and forget that the earth revolves around the sun."

"So what does Watson give him? It's not just an admiring audience. Really, in some ways Lestrade is better for that. The movies with Robert Downey play up some kind of homoeroticism, and maybe it's there, but I don't think it's primary."

Blaine shrugged. "The TV series seems to say he needs a partner."

"But is it a partnership?"

"I think so -- complementary strengths. Watson's not stupid. However, he is someone who thinks deliberately."

Kurt said, "So is Holmes."

"Holmes is deliberate when he's thinking of the problem -- the whole three pipe thing. Watson is deliberate in the middle of the crisis. That can be useful -- especially when compared with the flightiness Holmes can occasionally exhibit."

"So Watson gives Holmes a safe launch pad?"

Blaine said, "I think it's more important that he gives Holmes a safe landing pad."

He saw the light dawn in Kurt's eyes. "I think I'm going to end it sooner, with his meeting Watson. I can use the hemoglobin experiment from A Study in Scarlet as a way to bring it home -- a real sense of home."

"It works." Blaine grinned. "I can't wait to see you next week."

"I'll do the show for you, and we can make any final tweaks."

"Maybe you could give me a show now?"

Kurt pushed back from the vanity and began to unbutton his shirt. "Maybe I could."

***
On the flight back to New York, all Kurt could think was that the week had passed too quickly. Kurt might be creating the life he wanted in New York, but in so many ways, Ohio was home, and Kurt was glad to have the chance to visit.

The hardest part of the trip had been telling Blaine's parents they were married. Blaine's father kept staring at Kurt, and his mother had burst into tears. They agreed to let Blaine stay at home until graduation, but he would be on his own after that. Kurt just hoped they'd let him have his bedroom set.

They spent most of the week in Kurt's room at the Hummel's. Carole hugged them both tightly, and Burt had managed to fly out from DC to spend part of the break with his son.

The best news had been Blaine's acceptance letter to Columbia. It fulfilled the requirement of a trust fund his grandparents had set up, so his school was paid for without his parents. He'd pay his share of the rent by working at Locatelli's garage.

Kurt performed his one man show for Blaine almost as soon as he'd gotten to Cincinnati airport . Over the ten days of his break, he'd listened to suggestions -- from his Dad, Carole, and Artie as well as Blaine -- and made some revisions and tweaks based on their notes.

He'd also been through every single one of his old thrift stores to find the elements of his costume. Blaine's coachman's coat was too small through the shoulders (and Blaine had made his appreciation of Kurt's broader shoulders and narrower waist from his dance classes and weight training extremely clear), so Kurt had found another coat in New York and scoured the garment district for fabric to create a capelet for a similar one. He didn't plan on wearing it through the entire ten minutes. It would be hot under the lights and it restricted his movement too much. Slowly, he'd used the notes and the costume to bring the show into its final shape.

He looked out the airplane's window and saw the Empire State building in the distance. He smiled to himself and thought, "I'm ready."

***
Finn came home from his philosophy class with a ton of homework to hear Rachel yelling at Kurt. He debated going to one of the local cafés to work, but decided that if he and Rachel were going to get married over the summer, he needed to be able to weather her storms.

She ran into his arms as soon as he walked in the door and said, "Kurt got the best grade in the class for his one man show."

Finn brightened. He smiled at Kurt and said, "That's great, dude."

Kurt shook his head and pointed at Rachel.

Rachel said, "We finally ended the whole set of shows yesterday. The top three are performing at the fundraising gala next month."

Finn finally understood Kurt's signal. He hugged her close. "You weren't in the top three? But you worked so hard."

"I know. I think it shows blatant favoritism."

Kurt said, "How?"

Rachel was stumped. "All right, maybe not favoritism, but something. I really don't see why my piece wasn't in the top three."

"Well, for one thing, you ran over the time limit."

Rachel said, "I had a lot to cover."

Kurt nodded. "And that was the other thing. You could have gone into great depth in one scene from a book, like Greta did with Natasha from War and Peace. You shouldn't have tried to do the whole book."

Finn finally got to put down his books, and he sat on the sofa. "How long a book was it?"

Rachel said, "Not that long," at the same time as Kurt said, "Six hundred pages."

Kurt finished, "And it covered thirty years."

Rachel sat down and leaned against Finn. "I really wanted to do the coronation scene."

Finn stroked her hair.

Kurt said, "I know. But I think that if you'd stuck to the early bits, where Desirée met Napoleon, you'd have been in the showcase."

Finn asked, "Is it a big deal?"

Rachel sighed. "It's the only chance a freshman has of being seen by a real audience. Kurt's one-man show is the focus of the evening."

"You have the only freshman solo. It may only be a few lines in a big chorus piece, but everyone will hear you sing. It's not like you're not going to be in the show at all."

There was another deep sigh from Rachel. "I miss being the star."

Finn and Kurt looked at each other over her head and smiled, wryly.

Kurt said, "You'll take Broadway by storm, Rachel Berry. And tonight we're going to go to the Vegetarian Dim Sum House, my treat. We'll even take a taxi to remind us of who we're going to be."

She smiled at him. "I really am happy for you. If it couldn't be me at the top of the list, I'm glad it was you."

Kurt stood and offered her his arm. "Next time, let me help."

"Next time, I won't need it."

***
Blaine came to stay over Memorial Day weekend and on Saturday night he watched the tape of the gala with Kurt, Finn, and Rachel.

Finn and Blaine cheered mightily at Rachel's three solo lines, and again at the end of Kurt's ten minutes of Holmes. They both stood up and took their bows.

When it was over, Kurt took Blaine's hand and Blaine said, "Finn, Rachel, we have something to tell you."

They looked at him expectantly and he went blank.

Kurt said, "What Blaine's trying to say is, we got married last March. We were waiting to tell you because we wanted our parents to know first and then we wanted to tell you together."

Finn jumped up and hugged Kurt tightly. "That's great, bro. Though I think our mailbox is going to collapse with another name on it."

Blaine was still being hugged by Rachel and said, "Nope. I'm a Hummel now." He oofed when Rachel squeezed him tighter.

"Let go of him before he bruises," Kurt said.

Finn said, "So when do you move in?"

"Oh, and we can have a joint reception after our wedding." Rachel jumped up and down, clapping her hands.

"No," Blaine said staring at Kurt.

Kurt nodded. "For one thing, it's your day. But the other reason … you're getting married in Ohio, and our marriage isn't legal there."

"It would just feel wrong."

Rachel looked devastated, but Finn said, "I get it. You'll let us treat you to brunch tomorrow though, right?" He turned to Kurt. "You're still my best man?"

"Yes, Finn. I'm already working on the speech."

"Then tonight, it's tofutti with chocolate sauce to toast the first married couple in our home," Rachel said.

They went to the kitchen and Blaine pulled Kurt close. "Are you disappointed we didn't have a big ceremony."

Kurt shook his head and kissed Blaine's nose. "As much as I love all the details, no. I… the wedding seemed like the big thing when I was a kid. But it's the marriage that's really important. I think I'd have been disappointed without Dad being there."

"I know what you mean. Having Burt there made it feel real."

Kurt relaxed in his arms, and Blaine held him tighter.

"I love you, Holmes"

Kurt cracked up. "You're elementary, my dear Watson."