moejommadontpreach

[imogenlefay]

Chapters: 20/20 Fandom: Glee Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Blaine Anderson/Sebastian Smythe Characters: Blaine Anderson, Sebastian Smythe Additional Tags: Christmas Compilation, The Great Seblaine Christmas Extravaganza, Fluff and Sweetness, Occasional hurt/comfort, probably, But mostly fluff Summary:

A collection of Christmas-themed oneshots about Seblaine.

[spaceorphan18]

5 Kurt Hummel HCs please

KURRRRRT <3

This is the best sweater btw

It is canon but often forgotten that Kurt is the BIGGEST romantic. His heart is so soft. Usually, people think of him as cynical or the biggest bitch but it takes Blaine 0.2 seconds to cut through that outer layer. It's not so much bigger gestures, but smaller ones when they get older. He'll send Kurt a single rose at work when Kurt's having a bad day or when he's just having a time of it - Blaine will softly whisper to him: I can't wait until later when I can be between your legs. And Kurt just melts. He melts every time.

He cries at weddings. All of them. Real people's weddings. Fake people's weddings. Even Blaine isn't that moved by what he feels is a more superficial level of romance. But weddings just do Kurt in every time.

Kurt's middle name is not Elizabeth. But that was his mother's name, and when he was a teen, he liked to honor her. They name their daughter Beth in her honor. (Hilariously - that's never been my headcanon for their kids names, it's always been Kate and Tracey after Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracey, but idk, I'm coming up with new things now.)

Kurt's always been told he's like his mother, but every once in a while, he'll hold himself the same way Burt does. Puts his hands on his hips the same way, or make a facial expression that totally reminds Blaine of Burt. Blaine thinks it's absolutely hilarious. Kurt hates it.

Kurt ends up being a huge fan of Nicola Coughlan. But even more than enjoying Bridgerton, he LOVES Derry Girls and watches it straight for, like, a month. To the point where Blaine is so sick of it - he wants to cancel their Netflix account. But Kurt is partial -- he is, after all, 43% Irish. :)

[klaineccfanficlibrary]

Hi I'm looking for this fic and I couldn't find it in the library but in the fic I think Blaine is older and is siblings with Rachel (anderberry) and Kurt is friends with Rachel and Kurt is obsessed with star child and there's a concert happening where Blaine lives but Mercedes and Tina can't make it so Blaine agrees to take Kurt and let's him stay over at his house for a few days with Burt's permission and Blaine has a tattoo of Kurt's name on his chest or something? And I think there's a continuation of the story where Blaine has to move in with Kurt and Rachel after a while for some reason and at that point they had already broken up and all this happened without Rachel knowing.

That's all I remember

Hello! That is -

The Underneath verse by @little-escapist

Part 1 - Soundcheck

Before a concert, there's a soundcheck to make sure that everything works as it should.

In high school, Kurt Hummel makes friends. Those friends lead him to new music, which in turn leads him to accepting himself. Somewhere along the way he meets his friend's big brother, Blaine - and that, more than anything else, changes everything.

Or, the AU where Adam Lambert is Elliott Starchild is Adam Lambert.

Part 2 - The Concert

The concert, the main event: through music, you can go through many emotions like excitement, joy, sadness, love, pleasure and even heartbreak.

Kurt is going to see Elliott Starchild live in concert with his friend Rachel's big brother Blaine. That concert begins a journey he never thought he'd find himself on. Can dreams really come true?

Part 3 - Encore

Just when you think it's all over, it's time for encore.

Kurt is living his best life with Rachel in New York. He is a student in NYADA, he got a small role in a movie, and befriended his idol, Elliott Starchild. Everything comes to halt when Rachel tells him that her brother is moving in with them. Little does she know that her brother also happens to be Kurt's ex.

~jen

[heartsmadeofbooks]

If you have any time and want to do this, it’ll be fun to hear!

Hi Jen. Sorry it took so long to reply to this, I've been busy.

This looks like fun and also incredibly challenging, because there are many lines that renosate with me when it comes to both Kurt and Blaine (can't choose one, won't choose one, they're both my favorite). But I'll give it a shot.

KURT:

“When you’re different, when you’re special, sometimes you have to get used to being alone” I think it sort of explains some of the issues Kurt had later on, being a bit closed off and not being able to let his guard down, not even around Blaine, which probably resulted in the season 6 break up. He's so used to dealing with everything by himself, of being different, misunderstood, that he sometimes forgets he has someone to lean on, someone who understands.

“Hit me, because it’s not going to change who I am. You can’t punch the gay out of me anymore than I can punch the ignoramus out of you!” This line speaks of his bravery, and how proud he is of being who he is. That's one thing that never changed after he came out and finally was comfortable in his own skin.

“You know when you stop to think about it, Kurt Hummel’s had a pretty good year.” This is a guy who in the past year went through his father having a heart attack and almost dying, being hate-kissed by his biggest bully, threatened to be killed, made to leave his school and his friends, had to watch the guy he was in love with making out with one of his best friends and crush on someone who wasn't him, elected prom queen by a bunch of homophobic assholes and made fun out of in front of the entire school, and just lost a big competition. But he says that. And I think it makes him one of the most interesting and wonderful characters on television.

And I just realized I chose all season 2 lines, but the truth is it was a great season for Kurt. A few other lines that I think are amazing and inspiring when it comes to writing him are: "I realized that trust is a choice and I choose to trust and to love you through everything" "Why can't I walk hand in hand down the hall with a person that I like? Why can't I slow dance at my prom?" "If there's one thing I've learned from Finn dying it's that shame is a wasted emotion." "They can't touch me, they can't touch us, or what we have."

And like a million more, this got long, I'm sorry.

BLAINE:

My favorite thing about Blaine is how vulnerable he can be, and how Darren played that to perfection (probably why I love Blangst so much).

"I ran, Kurt. I didn't stand up. I let bullies chase me away, and it is something that I really, really regret." I think about this quote a lot when I write about Blaine, because it means he never learnt (or until that point, at least) to actually deal with his problems, to face them, because he found that running away was a better and easier choice for him, but you can see how much he hates that (when he says he's pissed off about what happened to him, you can truly see it and hear it in his voice, how he hates himself for it).

"Do you think my dad built a car with me because he loves cars? I think he did it because he thought getting my hands dirty might make me straight." This is one of my favorite scenes, not only because it gives us Burt/Blaine time, which is one of my favorite things in the show, but because it's one of the very few glimpses into Blaine's home life. I love me some daddy issues for Blaine. (Walter Anderson, anyone? God, that asshole. I still hate him and I created him).

"You did win. So did I. We got each other out of all this. That beats a lousy trophy, don't you think?" It's a perfect mirror to Kurt's "Kurt Hummel's had a pretty good year" line. They're both so brave and optimistic and wonderful. I love them.

And I once again chose all season 2 quotes (it was such a great season), but I also really love Blaine's proposal speech, which truly explains how important his relationship with Kurt is and yet it's too long to add here now, and when he told Finn about being bullied and starting to box (and later starting Dalton's brand of Fight Club). I also love the emotion in his voice when in 3x05 Kurt tells him he was proud to be with him and Blaine says (I hope so, I want you to be). I think these are all great lines to focus on while building Blaine's character in a fic. Or in general, really.

I'm probably forgetting a few, but there are just to many amazing Kurt/Blaine quotes.

Sigh. I love them.

[ficrecsforklaine]

hello , back then i was a HUGE klaine fan and i read ton of fanfics of them and theres this one fic that really stuck in my mind to this day but unfortunately i don't remember the title of it. it was a one word title that have a meaning.

But the story is about blaine meeting kurt coincidentally somewhere maybe (burt's workshop) and upon seeing kurt, blaine recognised him but kurt doesn't. something happened in the past between those two where later in the fic it tells reader (TW : that kurt got drunk or smth and probably assault blaine and it lead to blaine to conceive a child and later he lost it) thats what i remember .. so blaine decide to seduce kurt and make him fall in love with the other and later broke up with him for revenge.

the fanfic was very nice , it legit make me cried and i really want to read it again , do you know of the fic or maybe help me find it again ??

thank you.

I don't read mpreg, so this isn't a story I'm familiar with.

if anyone recognizes this story, please send it in. thanks :)

ETA: thanks to @ iclemyer71 for finding/suggesting this story:

Insatiable by NotAPrettyLady [FFN] (32,651words Mature)

AU. Years ago, sixteen years old Blaine Anderson was raped on his way home from his best friend's house. Ten years later, Blaine's nightmare came back to haunt him when he met Kurt Hummel, the man who had destroyed his life. The moment they met, Blaine knew he would make Kurt pay for what he did. Blaine's revenge would be sweet and Kurt would never see it coming. WARNING: MPREG

[klaine-a03-feed]

I'm Lost In the Dark Away From Home

read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/bwh89Oy by Imnotasatanist Peter Spankoffski is tired. he can't take the torture of the lords in black anymore. He can't keep on watching his friends die. So he takes a risky deal with the lords in black and now in his new life its coming back to haunt him. Kurt Hummel is living a normal life. He is practically invisible in school and he loves it. But the past doesn't always stay in the past and he will learn that the hard way. Words: 1111, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English Fandoms: Hatchetfield Series - Team StarKid, Glee (TV 2009) Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Categories: F/M, M/M Characters: Kurt Hummel, Finn Hudson, Burt Hummel, Carole Hudson-Hummel, New Directions (Glee), Rachel Berry, Peter Spankoffski, Ruth Fleming, Richie Lipschitz, Stephanie Lauter, Paul Matthews, Emma Perkins, Ted Spankoffski, Miss Holloway (Hatchetfield), Lords in Black Ensemble (Hatchetfield) Relationships: Stephanie Lauter/Peter Spankoffski, Peter Spankoffski & Ted Spankoffski, Ruth Fleming & Stephanie Lauter & Richie Lipschitz & Peter Spankoffski, Blaine Anderson/Kurt Hummel, Finn Hudson & Kurt Hummel, Kurt Hummel & New Directions Additional Tags: Crossover, Families of Choice, Psychological Horror, Religious Imagery & Symbolism, Friendship/Love, Alternate Universe, My First Fanfic, will update tags as story goes on, kurt Hummel is peter spankoffski

[sansalicents]

Also a bit of glee lol

Top 5 Pezberry interactions and boys

yesss thanks 💕

pezberry interactions:

1. every breath you take - mostly bc it's one of my top 3 glee songs and i'm obsessed with their vocal chemistry but also, while i hate the feud, they're both so dramatic and gay about it, i kinda love it.

2. the entirety of PUC but especially them holding hands after clearly hooking up. idc what glee says, this episode is canon.

3. rachel asking santana to put a picture of her in her locker - that scene is so sweet <3 and santana's smile!! pls they're in love. 3x17 is pezberry gold, a top tier duet and two hugs, love it.

4. "i guess that means i care about you" - my otp tag <3 i love that scene and i love post-feud pezberry and i hate how people always pretend they weren't friends after the feud when 5x17, 5x18 and 5x19 gave us so many amazing pezberry interactions, especially this one.

5. santana being the only one to get rachel out of bed for her opening night - again, post-feud pezberry my beloved <3

honorable mention to santana comforting rachel after her pregnancy scare and "i want you, i do"

boys:

1. kurt hummel - easy, has always been one of my favorites and comes right after pezberry in my ranking. easily one of the most interesting, complex and best acted glee characters.

2. blaine anderson - also one of the characters i've always loved and also in my top 5 in general. he's such a sweetheart and deserves better than this fandom <3

3. jesse st james - i see an overdramatic bisexual bitch, i have to stan.

4. jake puckerman - i love the s4 newbies and he's my second favorite. it really helps that he has such an amazing voice, is such a fantastic dancer and is so damn hot.

5. burt hummel - best tv dad <3

[andcrsonn]

open to all! verse is flexible. tw for homophobia/parent issues

    another fight with his dad. he knows he shouldn’t have brought it up, the whole boyfriend thing. he just wants to be able to talk to his dad about what’s’ going on his life, just wants to be accepted. cooper was also into singing and theatre, but he was STRAIGHT. his dad didn’t cheer blaine on quite like he did with cooper. he finds it ironic that his father advocated for him to transfer to dalton to help calm down the physical bullying, but he’d come home and be BERATED any time blaine mentioned boys, or glee club. it just doesn’t make sense.

    his mother stayed in the other room, pretended she didn’t hear every word coming out of their mouths. she only intervened to punish blaine when he raised his voice. it’s something blaine almost never does. he’s far from a pacifist but he doesn’t like yelling. he’d almost rather fight someone physically. obviously, that wasn’t an option right now.

    he slammed the door to his room, something he’s done for 16 years. he needs a physical outlet. he pulls his phone out of his pocket and squeezes it with both hands, a hot tear dripping off his nose and onto the screen.

[✉→]: I got in another fight with my dad [✉→]: Idk why I even try with him anymore. [✉→]: I feel stupid but I can’t stop crying. I just feel so fucking alone right now.

[klaineccfanficlibrary]

Hey do you guys have any fics where Klaine are spies or like criminal master minds? Or separately maybe like a mafia story but where they BOTH come from mafia families? I don't know I'm in a bad ass klaine mood. Thanks!

Here's a list of various fics. ~Jen

Here is our mafia tag.

And of course this one!

A Mafia Romance by @yadivagirl [WIP]​

Blaine is the son of a powerful crime boss. He has no intentions of joining the family business, especially since he finally has a gorgeous boyfriend named Kurt, but everyone else has other ideas. When Kurt gets caught in the middle, Blaine’s true nature is unleashed. Like father, like son. Dark!Blaine. Features sex, violence, drug references, and heavy BDSM themes.

~~~~~

An Unrefuseable Offer by Aki and Tenshi

Mafia AU. Blaine is a jaded crime lord interested in Kurt, a singer at a speakeasy. Kurt is desperate to take care of his ill father. Blaine makes Kurt an offer, trade himself for Blaine’s money and influence to get Burt the best medical care. And then there’s Sebastian, who runs a rival mob. Angst, drama, and a dark, kinda romantic story

~~~~~

A Dangerous Game by dreamcatcher (darcangell23)

The year is 1924 and Blaine Anderson, son of the most notorious mafia boss in the east, has gone to his favorite speakeasy where he sees Kurt for the first time. It’s got to be love at first sight but falling for a mafia baby so a dangerous game to play. But is Kurt exactly who Blaine thinks he is? 

~~~~~

Spy fic:

Trigger Warning by @inkystars (on tumblr)

Blaine Anderson is one of the top international spies in the world, but is very insistant upon keeping his husband, Kurt Hummel, in the dark about that matter. Which ends up being a bit of a problem when Kurt is kidnapped

~~~~~

Criminal Klaine -

An Unwritten Life by GlassParade

An adaptation of the movie “The Brothers Bloom” – Blaine and Cooper are brothers and con artists, committing crimes worldwide with explosives expert Santana in tow. But Blaine wants out of the life, while Cooper wants to pull off one last con – and for his mark, he’s selected reclusive automotive heir Kurt Hummel. With Coop’s promise to finally let him go in hand, Blaine sets the hook and reels Kurt into a madcap global adventure in lies, violence, death…and love.

~~~~~~

An Honest Man by BlurglesmurfKlaine @jinglejavey

For nearly the past decade, Kurt Hummel and his best friend Rachel Berry have made their living swindling unsuspecting bachelors. Which proves to be pretty easy on his conscience, considering he doesn’t believe in love anymore. As they always say: “You can’t con an honest man... Good thing they don’t exist.” But their mark for their last con before they go their separate ways—Blaine Anderson—may just prove otherwise, and restore Kurt’s faith in love in the process.

~~~~~

FBI/criminal:

Catch Me If You Can by @afterthenovels

In the end, catching Kurt Hummel is definitely not what Blaine expected.

Special Agent Blaine Anderson catches con-man and art thief extraordinaire Kurt Hummel twice, and on the second time they strike a deal. They’re supposed to just solve white collar crimes together, but they might even end up solving each other in the process.

A White Collar AU.

Note: There are 9 more stories in this verse HERE.

~~~~~

In Spite of all the Darkness by wishesonfallenstars

When the bodies of teenage girls start appearing next to dumpsters over New York City, the NYPD calls in the FBI. Because Serial Killers are always stopped easier when there’s experienced back up on speed-dial, and with bodies starting to pile up, they need to move fast. (warnings inside)

~~~~~

Hidden in the Deep by LauGS @heartsmadeofbooks

Kurt Hummel’s only concern was getting the perfect role in the perfect Broadway show. But when one night he witnesses a real nightmare, Kurt’s focus shifts from saving his career to saving something much more important: his own life.

~~~~~

Mr Congeniality by ifinallyfoundsomeone

Miss. Congeniality!AU

Bomb threats are being sent to the newly made Mr. America pageant and FBI Agent Blaine Anderson has taken up the position of being an undercover agent to save the pageant. With some extreme grooming and guidance from his pageant consultant, Blaine infiltrates the world of Men’s pageants. Making some interesting friends, and maybe he even winning the heart of his slave driver pageant consultant, the gorgeous and fascinating, Kurt Hummel.

~~~~~

[special-bc-ur-part-of-it]

bestie !!!!!! 🍎🍈

hiii thanks bestie !!

🍎 Is there anything you straight-up won’t write?

if it's gonna give me the Big Ick, I will not touch it, from a writer and a reader standpoint. this includes: rape, super gory shit, mpreg.

I'm sure there's more but I can't think of them right now

🍈 Who’s your blorbo and what are some of your favorite headcanons/ideas about them that repeatedly show up in your fics? Free pass to rant about blorbo opinions.

oooh !! ok ok ok

usually Kurt is main blorbo, so here’s a few thoughts:

Kurt Hummel is a car guy. he grew up with Burt, how can he not be a car guy? he's a car guy

less of a headcanon and more of a want for him: Kurt pursues a career in fashion. this has popped up in a couple fics so far and I think it's in the general plan for a couple wips rn too

I think Kurt probably has a lot of his mom's mannerisms. but he might not know that's where some of them come from :(

and a couple thoughts on Blaine too bc he's my other most specialist boy:

he and Cooper are definitely those siblings who get along much much better once they're both adults

Blaine Anderson probably gets too competitive over trivia games. nerd <3

(brain doesn't want to work to think of more answers rn so that's that for now <3)

it's getting fruity in the ask box

[katyobsesses]

#dave as assistant coach just makes so much sense omg#and him and beiste being besties is perfect!!!!!!!!#ahhhhhahdgkswkfh#no but like i might be stealing this#kinda#maybe#its at least going in the ifeas folder for my rewrite series even if S6 is so messed around already#it can be hinted at#i really love this omg#but yeah more dave in s6 would be nice#and all the little scenes you descirbedddd i caaaannnttt

🥰♥️♡🥰❣️♡❣️♥️♡🥰🥰♥️♡🥰❣️♡❣️♥️♡🥰 Listen I know my post is a literal drop in the bucket when it comes to everything wrong with s6 but I'm glad you liked my ideas! Feel free to steal lmao and spread them around uwu

💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛 no but the idea was inspired, genius, and i have no idea why it didn't actually happen

except maybe the fact that the blainofsky of it all wasn't exactly the original plan and they wanted Sam to be there in some capacity and had stupidly closed the glee club by that point... i'm thinking Sam working for Burt at the Tire Shop if we stuck with everything that happened in S5, so he's still there because i love him (but I agree that there should be no Samchel shoved down our throats, please and thank you) and also to show some of the bond he undoubtably struck up with Burt (and carole) when he stayed with them in S3 (and S4/5b? idk it's never really stated where he lives then, but I like to imagine him still at the hudmels)

So yeah, Rachel and Kurt come back into Lima: Blaine is coach of the warblers, Dave is assistant coach of the Titans, Sam is basically taking over Hummel's Tires and Lube.

[gleefuldarrencrissfan]

Fic Name: Piglet and Pooh

Fic Author(s): Amberlovesocean

Fic Summary: At the age of 8, Kurt is grieving for his late mother.

Blaine's brother doesn't want to be stuck babysitting.

Rachael's fathers want her to make real friends.

Neither Kurt, Rachel, nor Blaine wants to spend their summer at a community theater for kids. Each in need of a friend, the children gravitate towards each other and find a friendship that will last the rest of their lives.

Fic Trope(s): Kid Fic, Alternative Universe, Mental Illness Blaine

Fic Length (Word Count): 159,303

Fic Rating: Mature

Fic Warnings or Triggers: Rape of a child, Rape/Assault. Major Angst

Fic Status: Complete

My Review: I am recommending this because it's beautifully written, but ow, ow, ow. This is not an easy read. Please heed the trigger warnings. After saying this, it is worth reading, and I'd like to explain a few of the reasons.

First and foremost, I love stories that come full circle, and this one ties everything so beautifully. I can tell that a lot of thought went into the construction and planning of this fic. The ending specifically is just perfect. I have to admit, with all of the angst, I almost didn't finish this. I'm so glad that I powered through because it really was a beautiful story.

Oh, Blaine. He goes through hell in this story to the point. I have to say though that I love the support that Kurt, Burt, and his friends. He also has an emotional support animal, and I loved reading this relationship so much. It was just so beautiful the way this dog cares for her owner. I won't say too much because I don't want to give spoilers, but Blaine makes it through all this trauma because of his support system.

I love Kurt and Blaine's relationship. As someone who had multiple traumatic experiences, I know that there are times were anxiety and depression make it hard to just do the basics, and you just need someone to listen and be there. Kurt is Blaine's person, and it's just beautiful. Don't get me wrong. Blaine does the same for Kurt. I think that real love stories are the ones that show the give and take, being there for one another when things get hard, and all the little moments in between. No matter what, Kurt and Blaine support one another through it all.

You all should know by now that I think that Burt Hummel is the greatest father ever. I don't know how it was possible, but he's even more amazing here. He's just so wonderful to Blaine (Kurt too), and I just love this version of him. Like I stated above, Blaine is able to recover from the trauma he suffers because of the support that he receives, and Burt is a large part of that. He's like Blaine's own father for the bulk of the fic, and it's just wonderful the way that he loves and accepts his boys.

As I reflect on this story, I find myself tearing up again. It really is beautifully written. I don't regret reading it in the least. Just be ready to empty a box of tissues and to yell at all the people that put Blaine through hell. I don't think I've shouted at my screen this much in a while. However, I was happy crying by the end. It's certainly worth the read.

Fic Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4294551/chapters/9730542

[tuiyla]

Glee covers that recontextualized the original song

[originally on r/glee]

So I think that the best thing a show like Glee can do to a song is use the original meaning and transform it into something different and hopefully meaningful to the context of its characters. We all know that out of the 700 or so songs covered a lot were just cash grabs, covering what's popular to chart and get that iTunes money. But there were also some that were genuinely poignant to the characters and the storylines or just in general special in their own way. Recontextualisation can mean a lot of things and most GCVs are transforming the original just by virtue of existing within the narrative of the show but I'm looking for Glee versions that really feel like they elevate the song in some way, like they make you look at it in a different way.

I'll share a few examples that have been on my mind but I'm sure there are many, many more, so please do add your own and explain it in as much detail as you'd like, I'd love to hear your faves. I've chosen three solos and, as a preamble, I'm usually not a huge fan of solos as a type of cover on Glee. They were far more common than duets or group numbers but I think a solo has to work harder, in a way, to justify its existence as a cover. At least if you cover what was originally a solo as a duet or group number, you can play with several voices and the distribution of parts and create meaning through that. This really is just imo but I think a solo needs to have at least some form of recontextualization to make me care that a new singer is now covering it.

Luckily this does happen often in Glee and without further ado, here are just three examples that are my favourites/have been on my mind recently.

I Want to Hold Your Hand

I just rewatched "Grilled Cheesus" today so I have very fresh memories of this Kurt performance. Originally, it's a pretty straightforward Beatles song with some generic lyrics and a pleasant melody - Beatles fans don't come for me, I'm not saying there's anything wrong with generic. It's a pretty tame love song and not so overtly romantic that it'd be weird for a song to sing it about a hospitalized father. In fact, it even has that soft quality that makes it pretty wholesome.

The recontextualisation, for me, comes in when we consider what holding his father's hand means to Kurt versus what it meant for the Beatles as a tame love song. It's no longer about this most innocent of physical contacts between lovers but the desperate cry of a boy who wants his father to squeeze his hand back. It's still about intimacy, in a way, but it's now about a familial bond and the need for someone to hold us and say it's gonna be okay.

There's one line in particular why this got stuck in my head and even made me write this post now, despite having been thinking about the other two examples for months and months. It's this part:

Oh, please, say to me

You'll let me be your man

As I was crying my eyes out watching flashbacks of the Hummels, this part struck me as particularly emotional in the context of their relationship. We get the feeling that before the series' start the relationship between father and son is somewhat distant. Don't get me wrong, Burt has always looked after Kurt and tried his best but prior to Kurt officially coming out and the two actively working on this relationship it was an uneasy dynamic. They've been getting better and trying more and it's wonderful to witness, but they both occasionally struggle with navigating their father-son bond in a homophobic world where Kurt is constantly being put down and Burt tried to unlearn harmful ideas he grew up with. As we see in season 1, there's tension between the two when it comes to this concept of The Son who learns from The Father, and I'm being dramatic with the capitalization but that's because these are larger themes they're working with. Conflict arises when Kurt feels like Burt is getting the father-son bonding they never did with Finn and, even though Burt doesn't want him to feel this way, there's a sense that Kurt isn't manly enough to be his boy. It's not their individual fault but it's a shitty thing regardless that Kurt doesn't always feel like he's the son whom his father wanted, like he can't grow into the man he wanted.

So when Kurt sings, "let me be your man", it's such a small thing in this already emotionally charged performance but it alone is enough to make me reconsider the whole song. Because Kurt wants nothing more than to be able to hold his dad's hand again and maybe even be the one who says it's all gonna be okay this time. He wants Burt to live long enough to see him become a man.

If I Were a Boy

That Kurt section was longer than intended so let's see how much I've got to say about Unique, lol. Alex Newell's voice is such that a Unique solo was bound to end up as one of my favourites in the entire show but I'm really glad the character was allowed not only stunning vocals but narratively important songs. There are many interpretations to every song, but the way I see it Beyoncé's original version is about femininity and the double standards women face. It's about trying to challenge people, specifically men to change perspective. It's essentially a thought experiment about gender-swapping and it tells the story of misfortune on a small and personal scale.

Now think about it in the context of Unique's character. Particularly in the episode "The End of Twerk" but really throughout her run on the show, Unique struggles with misgendering and flat-out transphobia. She's not always recognized for the woman she is, challenged about her gender identity, challenged about her right to exist, really. So it's in that context that we're giving "If I Were a Boy", a song about hypothetical gender-swapping, to Unique, a trans woman. When Unique sings about the double standards between genders, it hits different because she knows what it feels like to be perceived as a man and it wasn't true to who she was. Instead of challenging an unfaithful partner, Unique is challenging anyone listening to see that yes, it is different for men and women and it makes all the difference for her when people recognize and respect her as not just a boy but a woman. A woman who didn't choose to be one and didn't choose to have transphobia and gendered double standards be imposed on her.

I think that Unique's version still has that underlying plea of asking men to consider how it feels but it just has so many more layers now because of her identity and journey. She's speaking as someone who has been seen as a boy before but also as someone who is a woman and knows how tough it can be. We see some great acting through song from Alex Newell as they tear up during the performance without taking it too far and making it melodramatic. Instead, the heartbreak of this cover lies in its simplicity. As the song ends, it's ultimately that last line that keeps haunting me:

But you're just a boy...

Because that's what Unique's been told over and over again, and that's a kind of meaning that never would have been there in the original version.

Mine

This really shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone who's heard me go on about, well, any aspect of this whole scene. I'll try to keep it brief and we'll see how it goes. So with this one, Taylor Swift has spoken on several occasions about the idea behind the original song and I'm sure any Swiftie could do a much better job of explaining that context than I could here. For the purposes of this post, let's consider Taylor's version as a song about a could-be, a potential future that plays out with all the ups and downs and the hope of making it work despite everything that could stand in its way. Honestly there's way more to be said about the original song but for now really just leave it at "ultimately hopeful love story about a future together."

So what does Santana Lopez do, she uses it as a breakup song. It's a serenade to Brittany reminiscent of "Songbird", except that was before a proper relationship between the two even formed and now here they are, at a painful end. It's a slower and more melancholic version of the song and that alone means it's different but there are so many layers to what makes "Mine" such a transformative cover and a very, very strong contender for my favourite Glee cover of all time. One, it's how Santana seems to use it to lament about their past and the future she imagined they would have but they might never get to experience. As Brittany says, she turns it into a sad song while the original was really more hopeful than anything. Two, Naya Rivera's acting once again shines as she conveys all the emotions she needs to while doing nothing more than sitting there and facing the girl she loves, in the room where they fell in love. Even without watching the performance, even if you just listen to the studio version you can hear the pain behind her words and how difficult this decision to end things is for her.

Those two aspects would already be enough and I could talk much more about both the context of the song and Naya's vocals and acting, but I also want to focus on a third aspect. Much like with the first two songs, there's a particular bit in the song that cements it as a recontextualised one in my mind. Said bit in "Mine" is when the song switches perspective and the lyric changes to quoting this lover Taylor imagined a future with. Some of it is cut in the episode version but my favourite part made it in:

You said, "I remember how we felt, sitting by the water

(And every time I look at you, it's like the first time

I fell in love with a careless man's careful daughter)

She is the best thing that's ever been mine"

Words cannot express how much I love this but I'll try anyway. So once again there are several layers, and the one that strikes me the most is the pronoun. "Mine" is a not very gendered song save for a few words here and there and the most we get is that the singer is a woman because of this quote part that's from the lover's perspective. When Taylor sings "she" and when Santana sings "she", we understand that they're talking about themselves through the lovers' lens. But I love it so much when Glee does the pronoun change thing and though that's not quite what happens here, I think it's important to highlight this one line and one word nonetheless. Because of the way Naya sings it, putting some slight emphasis on "she is the best thing" and the way the whole scene is structured, Glee doesn't have to touch the lyrics for us to still understand that this is transformed and it's Santana talking about Brittany. She is the best thing that's ever been hers and she'll always love her the most. And do you believe it now? Even though they're breaking up, they'll make it somehow.

[klaineaddictsfanficrecs]

Fic Name: The Christmas Guest

Fic Author(s): Lilyvandersteen

Fic Summary: Kurt goes home for the holidays and finds out a fellow passenger will have no-one to celebrate with, so he invites him to spend Christmas with the Hummel-Hudsons. Somehow, Kurt's family thinks the guy he brought home is his boyfriend. As the days go by, and his Christmas guest proves enchanting in every way, Kurt finds himself wishing they truly were dating. Could his wish come true?

Fic Trope(s): Bed sharing, Fake Relationship, Christmas Fic

Fic Length (Word Count): 22360

Fic Rating: Teen

Fic Warnings or Triggers: None

Fic Status: complete

My Review: I love this. I was supposed to start reviewing badboy fics today, but I realized that I hadn't recommended this one yet, and that just seemed wrong to me. I love when authors combine tropes, and this was done to perfection. The whole concept of them not knowing each other when they were mistaken as boyfriends (by Burt, who I love in this fic, and in canon too of course) is clever and fun.

I also need to point out that I love when an author shares multiple points of views. I know from experience that it isn't easy to do, although Lilyvandersteen is a master at it, giving a little more insight into what just happened and how both Kurt and Blaine perceived what just occurred. I have to admit I love the chapter that is from Burt's point of view because it's totally something that Burt would do (Remember in canon when he flew Blaine out to New York so that they could be together for Christmas?)

I'm not going to say anything more because I'm not sure that I can without giving spoilers. Therefore, you are going to find out the rest for yourself by reading this well constructed fic for yourself.

Fic Link:https://archiveofourown.org/works/28454013/chapters/69724800

@lilyvandersteen

[klaineccfanficlibrary]

Hello, I'm trying to get in the Halloween spirit! Do you know of any good Halloween fics?? Thanks bunches!

I found 89 on my AO3 search , there are more shared in our Halloween tag, and here are plenty of great stories for your reading pleasure. Enjoy! 🎃 ~Lynne

High Spirits by Twitchy Squirrel  [PDF]  [EPUB]

Halloween is fast approaching, and it’s time for some ghoulish fun.

Twelve years ago, Blaine cheated on his boyfriend, Kurt.  Despite everything he tried, nothing he could do would make Kurt trust him again.  Fortunately, a meddling ghost has a plan to fix what should never have been broken.  

~~~~~

Trick or Treat by @grlnxtdr30

Kurt Hummel HATES Halloween, for good reason. But he allows Brittany to talk him into going to a Halloween Party with New Directions and The Cheerios. After the jocks play a cruel trick on him, he drives off in tears, and nearly runs over a mysterious boy in the road. Is this another Trick?

~~~~~

Night Work by @honeysucklepink

This was written for the KBL Reversebang Hiatus Challenge. I got a photo of a dog with a pumpkin and three items/things to include in my story: “Pharmacy,” “Sweats (clothing),” and “Stars.” And then on top of that I got awesome art from Jen (homemadedarkmark)! Thanks Jen! Also thanks to kurtswish for the beta. This is a simple “meet-cute,” hope you enjoy (in spite of it being Halloween-themed while way past Halloween)!

~~~~~

Burt Hummel to the Rescue by @lady-divine-writes

Blaine and Tracy come home, excited to get started carving pumpkins for Halloween … until they see the pumpkins Kurt bought.

Note: part of a series of one-shots of Daddies Klaine

~~~~~

Spellbound by ItsNotEasyBeingQueen

The new music professor in town may just be the one to bring a magical spark back to the lonely bookshop owner.

Note: Part 1 of Spellbound Verse

~~~~~

A Story That Writes Itself by plumeswritesthings [PDF]  [EPUB]

Blaine Anderson is a writer who loves his daughter more than anything in the world, but when she asks him about her Halloween costume, he finds himself in a slightly problematic situation. In comes Kurt Hummel, the owner of a small fabric store who kindly offers to help him out.

~~~~~

The Great Costume Debate by @caramelcoffeeaddict

Kurt and Blaine try to agree upon a couples costume to wear to an upcoming Halloween party.

[darriness]

Fic A Day - July 2021 Edition - Day 8 - Quixotic/Quick

Author: darriness

Word Count: 1050

Summary: A backyard dream

Author's Note: For the Tan Hands and Tan Lines Track A Event. Two chapters in two days. Go me? lol I like this one, but I'm also nervous about it? Hope you enjoy!

AO3 Link

Blaine declares, one day when Lizzy and Matty are six and two, that he’s going to build them a play set and treehouse in the backyard.

Kurt, who is a supportive husband (but also quite aware of Blaine’s lack of handyman expertise), gives him a smile over his phone, “Sounds good.” He says, stopping just short of adding ‘Are you going to build it, or am I going to end up building it?’

Blaine dives into planning the intricate and frankly quixotic project over the next week. Kurt sees drawing after drawing with more fantastical elements each time. He’s not even sure by the following weekend if even HE could build what Blaine has planned.

He tries to never let on to Blaine, though, how skeptical he is about the whole thing. Blaine is very excited about his idea and has subsequently gotten the kids excited about the idea (though Kurt’s fairly certain Matty’s not too sure what he’s excited for).

The following weekend Blaine announces he’s going to the hardware store for supplies. Kurt offers to come, but Blaine waves him off.

“I want this to be a surprise and I want to do it myself.” He says, before kissing Kurt quickly and heading out the door.

Blaine wants it to be a surprise so badly that he effectively banishes Kurt and the kids from the house when he returns.

“Go spend the day with Rachel, Jesse, and Nash.” He says.

Matty, for one, needs no more prompting. The mention of Nash’s name has him trying to put his shoes on.

Kurt sighs and reluctantly gets the kids ready to go. He wants to stay, he’s actually nervous Blaine is going to hurt himself, but he also doesn’t want his husband to think Kurt thinks he’s not capable. So with another kiss (and a lightly said but very serious ‘Be safe!’), Kurt and the kids are out the door and on their way to Rachel and Jesse’s.

Kurt is distracted the entire time. He can’t enjoy any of the shenanigans he usually finds amusing and keeps glancing at his watch to see how long it’s been since they’ve been away and thinking whether or not he should call Blaine to see how things are going.

In the end, he makes it two hours before he tells Rachel he’s going to go and check on the progress. He leaves Lizzy and Matty with the Berry-St. James’s and drives quickly back home.

When he pulls up in the driveway, his eyebrows furrow when he notices his dad’s car parked on the street. Why would his dad be at the house?

He makes his way around the side of the house to the side gate and is about to open it when he hears voices.

“Can you hand me that screwdriver?” Burt Hummel says.

“Oh sure.” Blaine answers. All is quiet for a moment before Blaine speaks again, “Burt, I just want to say thanks again for helping me out. I...didn’t want to admit to Kurt that I couldn’t do this by myself. He really believed I could and I didn’t...want to let him down.”

Kurt’s heart clenches in his chest.

Burt sighs, “Kid, you know I’m always here to help if you need me. But do you really think Kurt would think less of you for needing help?”

It’s Blaine’s turn to sigh, “I guess not. I just...maybe I wanted to prove to him I could do it. I made such a big deal out of it.”

“Well, you are still doing it.” Burt points out.

Blaine laughs, “Yeah, I guess I am…”

Kurt makes a quick getaway when he notices Blaine’s voice is closer than it was before. He suddenly doesn’t want Blaine to know he’s here, doesn’t want him to know he came back to check on him.

He gets back in his car and drives back to Rachel’s to be with his kids. His heart both warmed and saddened by what he heard. Warmed because Blaine felt he could call Burt to help him with something and saddened because Blaine didn’t want Kurt to think he wasn’t capable.

As Kurt drives he thinks about what he’ll do when he and the kids get home later.

-- -- --

Six hours later, Kurt carries a sleeping Matty into the house with Lizzy skipping ahead of them. It’s almost bedtime but Lizzy is riding high on the promise of new swings and a treehouse. She hasn’t stopped talking about it.

“Do you think Daddy’s done?” She asks.

Kurt smiles, “Why don’t you go see?” He whispers, “I’m just going to take Matty upstairs.”

Kurt’s not sure if Blaine and Burt are done with their construction but he’s got one foot on the stairs when he hears a scream from Lizzy from the backyard.

Curiosity peaked, he redirects and carries Matty through the house and out the backdoor. His mouth falls open at the spectacular sight in front of him.

It’s a kid’s backyard dream...and it’s THEIR backyard. The play set and treehouse are just like the plans Blaine’s been working with all week and everything seems to sparkle with the floodlights lighting the darkness.

Lizzy is already halfway up the treehouse ladder and Kurt’s wide eyes land on Blaine who is walking toward him. His hands are in his pockets and he’s got a sheepish look on his face.

“So…” He says.

Kurt’s mouth opens and closes a few times before he can speak, “I’m...blown away.” He says.

Blaine’s eyes light up, “You really like it?”

Kurt’s eyes take another sweep of the construction before he pulls Blaine to him with the arm not cradling Matty and wraps it around Blaine’s waist, “It’s phenomenal. I’m so proud of you.”

Blaine nuzzles into his side and if Kurt’s not mistaken he buries a pleased smile in Kurt’s chest.

“We worked really hard on it.” Blaine says after a moment.

Kurt could mention that Blaine said ‘we’ instead of ‘I’, or point out that even if Blaine was a master handyman he couldn’t have finished this project by himself in eight hours but…

“It’s perfect.” He whispers and the pair watch as Lizzy tries out every aspect of their new backyard, regardless of the fact that her bedtime comes and goes.