#klaine advent 2021

[forabeatofadrum]

On a happier River fic note, I was once again thinking about my OCs for that fic (as you do) and of course it’s the classic “side character in canon, main character in my heart” thing, so here’s some random facts about the lekker met de meiden klainen groupschat ladies.

Femke Cheng

25 years old, so slightly younger than Kurt and Blaine who are 27 in the fic

her parents moved to the south of the Netherlands (aka Limburg) in the 70s or 80s so Femke is born in the Netherlands

yes she speaks Dutch with a slight southern accent and even though her accent was never really that deep, she refuses to lose it, even though she’s lived “boven de rivieren” for almost a decade

she understands Chinese and she can speak it, but she doesn’t do it a lot. (is there a name for the Dutch version of ABC aka American-Born-Chinese? DBC? Dutch-Born-Chinese?)

I honest to god have no clue what she studied at Radboud University or what she’s currently doing in Rotterdam but she is Thriving

chaotic

Bella Kim

baby

no I mean, she’s the youngest of the bunch, she’s 18

aka baby

i am now having the shocking realisation that this means she’s born in goddam 2002 and she’s younger than my younger sister what the fuck

her parents moved from Korea just before her birth

also wants to study law because she has the aspiration to change the world

she grew up in Liverpool, lived in Lancashire for a while, but moved back to Liverpool before leaving the UK to study in Rotterdam

she probably has an older sister, idk man she just gives off “youngest sibling vibes” to me for some reason

she is also fluent in Korean

Adeola Ajayi

she’s just turned 20 before the fic

born and raised in Nigeria and she moved to Rotterdam for her studies, but I also have no clue what she’s doing

she speaks Nigerian English and Yoruba

she’s probably the most levelheaded out of the three of them

[NSYNC tune] bi bi bi

her favourite colour is purple

[klaineccfanficlibrary]

OK . . I think I did this right? For the 2023 Klaine Bingo

1.) Debut Fanfic:

Trick or Treat by bitbybit (puttingittogether)

2.)Page-turning Fanfic that made you stay up past your bedtime:

Soulsongs and Seastars by GleefulPoppet

3.)Fanfic that made you reach for a box of tissues:

The Edge of the Light by gemjam

4.)Fanfic where one has an unusual occupation.:

Bicycle Patrol Unit by CoffeeAddict80

5.)Wild Card - any fanfic you wish to highlight.:

Yule Be Mine by scatterthestars

6.) Fanfic set during the summer:

Miles To Go by hundredindecisions

7.) Fanfic is written for a challenge.

Myosotis series by  maanorchidee ( Written for Klaine Advent Challenge 2019)

8.) Fanfic that made you laugh out loud.

Skylight by DivineLady91

9.) Fanfic that you enjoyed using a genre/trope that you don't normally read.

Until My Dying Breath by EmilianaDarling

Thank you Anon - for your contribution to the 2023 Klaine bingo event! ~Jen The Bingo Collection now on Ao3!

1. Debut Fanfic

Trick or Treat by bitbybit (puttingittogether) @bitbybitwrites

Summary: It’s Halloween and Blaine’s favorite time of year. Little does he know that his husband has a bit of a trick and treat waiting for him when he gets home.

Based off of the Klaine Creative Challenge #1/ Halloween/Costume Klaine from the Klaine 40 FB group.

Prompt: where Kurt is in costume and ready to go out, and Blaine walks in and sees him like that. Inspired by Chris Colfer's 2021 Halloween video from Instagram and his outfit.

2. Page-turning Fanfic that made you stay up past your bedtime:

Soulsongs and Seastars by @GleefulPoppet

In a world where Doms and subs depend on the symbiotic relationship their pheromones provide, it can be a matter of life and death to go too long without a claim. When one of the most powerful Doms in New York comes home for some much-needed family time, he stumbles upon a scene that throws his instincts into high alert as he witnesses a sub do something he’s never seen before. Will the bravery of one man change his life forever? Kurt Hummel knows there’s only a one-in-a-million chance of finding his Soulsong, but what are the odds it could happen in a run-down mall in Lima, Ohio?

3. Fanfic that made you reach for a box of tissues:

The Edge of the Light by gemjam

After Kurt calls off their wedding, Blaine spirals into a bad place that he never manages to get out of. He accepts his life, working the streets at night and sleeping his days away, until a chance encounter two years later leads Kurt back into his life, and Blaine has to re-evaluate everything to see if he can really earn a happy ending.

4. Fic where one has an unusual occupation.:

Bicycle Patrol Unit by CoffeeAddict80 @caramelcoffeeaddict

When NYPD bicycle cop, Blaine Anderson, begins to fall for Kurt Hummel - the gorgeous man that he first notices while Kurt is jogging through the park during Blaine’s patrol there - it causes a rift between him and his patrol partner, Sebastian Smythe

5. Wild Card - any fanfic you wish to highlight.:

Yule Be Mine by @scatterthestars

Crashing weddings is nothing new for Kurt. Being caught, however, is. When a handsome stranger comes to his rescue, he has no problem going along with Blaine's plan of pretending to be his boyfriend for the night. But one thing leads to another and Kurt soon finds himself agreeing to spending a week with Blaine and his family for Christmas. What can go wrong? He'll play pretend. Hang ornaments on the tree, decorate some cookies, and have fun in the snow. He won't fall for Blaine's family. And definitely won't fall for the handsome, great guy he's pretending to date. Right?

6. Fanfic set during the summer:

Miles To Go by hundredindecisions

In the wake of Finn’s death, Kurt struggles to keep up with schoolwork at NYADA or engage with his life in general. He finally finds purpose again when he decides to spend the summer venturing west, to scatter Finn’s ashes in the Pacific Ocean. The road trip is long and lonely and challenging, but Kurt’s luck starts to turn around when he meets a handsome man named Blaine, who’s heading to California for his own reasons. After crossing paths in Colorado, they decide to travel together. As they get closer to the west coast they start to let down their walls, learning more about each other and revealing what they’re really seeking on this trip.

7. Fanfic is written for a challenge.

Myosotis series by  maanorchidee ( Written for Klaine Advent Challenge 2019)

Kurt remembers meeting Blaine very vividly. After all, they only just met. Blaine also remembers meeting Kurt very vividly, but to him, it's been years since they met. Now, the two of them have to find ways to (re)connect and see where their relationship goes.

8. Fanfic that made you laugh out loud.

Skylight by DivineLady91

When Blaine's mom calls from the airport to inform her son that she's shown up early for Christmas, he and Kurt are forced to scramble and clean before she arrives. Seeing as they were indulging in morning-long sex-capades, they'll need all the time they have. But their cleaning efforts get called on account of something inappropriate stuck in an unexpected place.

9. Fanfic that you enjoyed using a genre/trope that you don't normally read.

Until My Dying Breath by EmilianaDarling

*Sorry written 2012 - doesn't qualify for this bingo which is 2018-23!

[thnxforknowingme]

Ask game - 🎃 Do you write fics for certain holidays? Which is your favorite holiday inspired fic?

I generally don't want to write a story unless there's something in it that's personally compelling to me, and since a lot of holiday stories have been told to death, it's not a trope that I'm drawn to often. But I have written a few!

I wrote Til Undeath Do Us Part, a Halloween-related Klaine fic, because I wanted to write about acting in a haunted house. It's not spooky at all, though.

Then there's Christmas Sponsor, where I wrote about Rory spending the holidays with Sam's family, a missing scene I was always super curious about.

I wrote It's Who I'm With for Klaine Advent 2021 - this is definitely my favorite holiday-specific fic that I've written. It was fun to play with Christmas themes but also try to make the story relatively grounded instead of completely falling into Hallmark movie cliches.

And uhhh then there's Naughty and Oh, So Nice, a Christmas-y kublam fic which is maybe the smuttiest thing I've ever written? I loved the idea of harnessing that cozy feeling of being home for Christmas and seeing old friends...and also having sex with them I guess 🤷‍♀️

Thank you for the ask!!

[wowbright]

Fic: To Tell the Truth

Klaine Advent 2021: ordinary

Words: ~2700 words

Rating: Teen and Up

Summary: Blaine tells Kurt the whole truth.

Another vignette from my Mormon!Klaine universe for Klaine Advent 2021! This vignette takes place after Doubt Your Doubts. (If you haven’t read it, you should.)

My Mormon!Klaine Masterpost.

Notes: Merry Christmas, beaches! The moment you’ve been waiting for is here. (Well, one or two of the moments, at least.) I know you're looking at the beginning of the chapter and thinking, “What? I wasn't looking for more angst.” Well, honey, you’ve got to get through the angst to get to the goods. So get going! P.S. Quad=Scriptures (Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price bound into one book)

--------

Blaine had messed up again. It seemed like a constant theme with him. He messed up when he was spontaneous and did things without thinking, and he messed up when he was deliberate and careful and trying so hard to unfold everything at a pace so slow it pained him.

He could hear Kurt crying in the bedroom, even though Kurt was obviously trying not to be heard. His sobs were stifled and choked. They were sharp knives to Blaine’s heart, stabbing him over and over again.

And it was all Blaine’s fault. The morning had been going fine. Kurt had been cheerful and happy. Blaine was the one who had made it all go to pot.

Blaine had done this to Kurt.

Blaine wiped his eyes. He gazed back down at his quad. Stupid Jonathan and David. Why had Blaine thought theirs was an inspiring story? It didn't matter how much they loved each other. The world tore them apart in the end. Jonathan died and David went whoring himself from woman to woman, never finding real love again.

“I'm sorry, God.” Blaine sunk down against the table, his forehead resting against his scriptures. “You love him so much and I love him so much and I just can't do anything right.”

Tell him the truth, a voice said. It was inaudible, but clear as crystal. Blaine felt it vibrate through his body, like when Moses stood next to the burning bush and felt the Lord’s voice through his bare feet.

“I did. I tried.” Blaine shifted miserably in his seat. He ran his fingers over his perfectly coiffed hair, searching for an errant curl he could tug on, but finding none.

Have you, really?

“Of course I have. I’m more open with Kurt than anyone I've been with in my life. I—”

Another sob broke from the bedroom like an accusation.

Blaine froze. Had he told Kurt the truth? Or had he been obscuring it, using sleight of hand to keep Kurt from seeing it because Blaine was too afraid of the repercussions?

Tell him.

“I can't. He doesn't want to hear it. Don't you understand what a betrayal it is? He doesn't want what I want. He wants to follow you.”

Me or the church?

Ugh. If this was God, he was certainly being difficult. “The church is the only way he knows how to get to you,” Blaine sniffled.

He was probably ruining his quad by crying into it. Blaine lifted his head and wiped his eyes. The cool metal of his CTR ring was a shock against his hot skin. And just as if Blaine had pressed play on Kurt’s MP3 player, the old hymn unfolded in his head.

Do what is right; let the consequence follow.

“Fine, Heavenly Father. Fine.”

Blaine closed his quad and fell to his knees. He prayed for strength courage and that Heavenly Father would grant him the small miracle of not letting him say anything stupid this time. Just the truth, plain and unadorned. He prayed for the Spirit to stay with him and give him words when he couldn't think of the right ones.

Warmth spread in Blaine’s chest. It was the burning of the bosom that confirmed he was asking for the right things, and God would give them to him.

“In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.”

Blaine stood up. He splashed his face in the kitchen sink and refilled Kurt’s glass with water. He patted his front pocket to make sure a clean handkerchief was there.

He knocked on the bedroom door.

“Go away,” Kurt said. “I can't stand talking to you.”

“I know,” Blaine said. “I made a mistake. I'm sorry.”

Kurt didn't answer. He just resumed his crying.

Blaine cracked open the door. “You don't have to go through this alone, Kurt. I know you think you do, but you don't.”

Kurt was sitting on the floor, his back against the frame of his bed, his open scriptures on one side of him and a box of Kleenex on the other. He looked up at Blaine through swollen eyes. “You really believe that, don't you?”

Blaine nodded. “Here,” he said, holding out the glass of water through the crack in the door. “I don't want you to get dehydrated.”

Kurt made no move to stand up and get it. “If you insist.”

“So … can I come in?”

Kurt looked at the floor and gave a single nod.

Blaine stepped into the bedroom and sank down next to his companion, handing him the glass of water. Kurt took a tepid sip, and then another, and then tipped the glass back and gulped the whole thing down.

“Thank you,” Kurt said, handing the glass back to Blaine.

“Should I get you more?”  Blaine asked.

“Not yet.”

“Should I leave?”

“I don't know.”

They were quiet for a long time. Kurt stared across the room at a spot on the wall. Blaine looked at Kurt and the spot and the empty glass. He wouldn't push it. He would wait for his prompting.

“Do you understand how hard it is to have you as my best friend?” Kurt said after several minutes. He said it quietly, and to the wall.

The words should have smarted, but all Blaine felt was compassion. “I know it's not easy.”

“You're so … loving, Blaine. It hurts.”

“I don't want it to.”

“I know. But … No one has ever loved me the way you do. It's like ... You see me. You see all my flaws and all my weaknesses and you just don't care. And …” Kurt let out a shuddering sob. Blaine handed him his handkerchief. “I'm supposed to get that from the church. I'm supposed to get that from our leaders. I'm supposed to feel it in the celestial room of the temple. And I don't. There have been moments when I felt it in prayer, when I understood that God knows me inside and out and loves me just the way I am. But you, Blaine, you make me feel it all the time. And it hurts. Because I want to give myself over to it and it's not an option.”

“Why isn't it an option?”

“Blaine. You’re smart enough to figure it out.”

“But …” I want to hear you say it, Blaine thought. Though as soon as he did, he understood he wasn't listening to the Spirit. He was listening to his own fear. He hadn’t come into this room so that Kurt could do the work for him. He had come here to tell the truth.

Oh, God, no. Please don’t make me. Please let's rewind all this and I can choose a different companion study topic and I can stop dropping hints and—“Kurt,” Blaine said, before he could become anymore obstinate. “I didn't come up with that companion study lesson for your sake. I did it for me.”

Kurt’s breathing shifted. The jagged edges on his stuttering exhalations started to smooth out. He turned toward Blaine. His eyes were the softest blue. “I don't understand.”

“I’m …” Blaine looked at the floor. No. He had to look at Kurt. He had to be brave. “I'm gay, Kurt.”

Kurt’s mouth fell open, but no sound came out. His face was already pink, but now it became pinker, so dark in some places it seemed almost purple. He turned his head to one side, and then the other, so slowly that it took a moment for Blaine to realize he was shaking it. No, Kurt mouthed, and then, in a hoarse croak, “No. That’s impossible.”

“I'm so sorry I lied to you, Kurt. I mean, I was lying to myself first, or I don't know, is it even a lie if you're so overwhelmed by what other people want that you wouldn't recognize the truth if it slapped you in the face?”

“You’re confused, Blaine. You're just … you're too sympathetic. You're trying to put yourself in my shoes, and it's all getting blurry in your mind, and … you're straight, Blaine. You have to be. You’ve told me so from the beginning. That kind of thing doesn’t change overnight.” The words poured out of Kurt’s mouth fast but not quite furious. There was a sort of clinging desperation about them, like Kurt had spent his life hanging on the edge of a cliff, and Blaine had just kicked one of his hands loose from the edge.

Blaine wanted so badly to pull Kurt back up. To tell Kurt he was right, Blaine was confused, and everything could go back to its normal, lonely state.

But he couldn't. He couldn't offer Kurt that safety and comfort. If there was any other way that he could, he would. But he couldn't pretend. Not anymore.

Listen to the Holy Ghost and the words will come.

“Kurt, I’ve been gay my whole life. The evidence was all around me, but I never let myself see it because I didn't want to disappoint other people. And I know it must sound crazy to you, because you've known about yourself for as long as you can remember. But Kurt, I'm not like you. I’ve never known myself. Not really. I've spent my life letting other people tell me who I’m supposed to be, and I didn't even notice I was doing it. All I knew was that I had to be a good Mormon boy. Someone who's reverent and quiet and controls his emotions and doesn't step outside the bounds of what's expected of him. The obedient, straight son of a general authority. A boy destined for an ordinary Mormon life—baptism at eight, priesthood milestones at the expected ages, a mission, temple marriage to an obedient wife and more kids than either of us can handle, a comfortable six-figure job in finance or business or law to support all of them, and callings with so much responsibility that I barely get to spend any time with them. I listened to other people telling me who I was and what I wanted, and I let myself believe that it was true. Because it had to be true. Because if it wasn't true, if I wasn't created in that image … do you understand what that would have done to my family, Kurt? To my dad? The only thing he cares about is serving in the church, and what leader was going to call him to a position of authority if he couldn’t keep order in his own house?”

Blaine only realized he was trembling when Kurt touched him, resting his fingers on the back of Blaine’s hand. Whether it was nerves or the Spirit or the sheer overwhelming experience of speaking things you didn't even know were true until you said them, Blaine wasn’t sure. But Kurt’s touch was reassuring. It always was. Blaine prayed he wouldn't lose it.

“I'm so sorry, Blaine,” Kurt said gently.

“I guess I thought, if I could just be the perfect Mormon boy, if I just tried hard enough, then I would get all the blessings they promised us in Sunday school—a perfect family, a happy life, a future that was certain.” Blaine paused. “And that's how I came to you, Kurt. I came to you broken and scared and not knowing who I was. I mean, my patriarchal blessing says I’m supposed to get married in the temple and my bishop back home said …” Oh, Lord, there’s too much to explain.

“I'm listening,” said Kurt.

Blaine took a deep breath. “Somewhere inside, I always knew. But I guess I was waiting for a crystal-clear sign. And I wasn't getting one, and kissing girls didn't gross me out, and I suspected I spent more time looking at boys than other guys did, but I told myself it was because I was vain or confused or … I went to my bishop about it. He told me I was straight. And I was so confused and torn up, and he seemed so confident. And I thought, why would a bishop lie? He’s got a more direct connection to God than I do. So I put my faith in him. I put my faith in him and the church and in everyone who said I was going to make a worthy sister in Zion so happy one day. And then ….” Blaine swallowed heavily. He turned his hand over in Kurt’s, palm to palm. He looked into Kurt’s eyes. “And then I met you. And I couldn’t pretend anymore. Because … you’re the world to me, Kurt. I love you. I’m in love with you.”

Kurt’s eyes went wide. He inhaled sharply. He squeezed Blaine’s hand. He didn't look pleased and he didn't look upset. He just looked … stunned.

“And I’ve been so scared to tell you, because I don't know if you feel the same way, and even if you do … there's nothing I can ask of you. I love you, Kurt. And you love the church. And I want things that—”

“You can ask anything of me, Blaine.” Kurt’s voice was breathless and raspy, like he'd just run a marathon and could barely summon the air to speak. He turned his body toward Blaine’s and reached across for his other hand. “You must know I wouldn’t refuse you.”

Blaine’s heart felt like it was about to beat out of his chest. Was this happening? Was this really happening? Or had he fallen asleep on top of his quad in the kitchen and created this elaborate dream where he was brave and Kurt was braver and they could have anything they wanted?

“Blaine, I love the church. But I love God more. And I love you more. And—” His eyes flickered down Blaine’s face and back up again. Kurt sucked his bottom lip in. “I'm scared, too. But I want everything with you. I want you to love me.”

Blaine could not stop staring at Kurt’s mouth, all pink and lush and indescribably beautiful. “Can I—”

Kurt nodded.

Blaine had kissed lots of people before. He knew the texture of lips against lips, the soft and satisfying slide of flesh against flesh.

But when he kissed Kurt, it was as if he was kissing someone for the first time. Because he didn't only feel it on his mouth—though, wow, he certainly felt it there. He felt the kiss spread through his body, into his fingertips and toes. It tingled across his scalp and made his heart do a somersault and his hands move of their own accord. He curled his fingers under Kurt’s ear, pulling him closer—their faces were mashed together but it wasn’t enough, Blaine needed more of Kurt, wanted to crawl inside him, wanted Kurt inside of him, and oh boy, Blaine felt a little dizzy with that thought but it was a glorious kind of dizziness, the kind people seek out on roller coasters and merry-go-rounds, and Blaine wanted more of it.

Kurt dropped his mouth open and pushed his tongue tentatively against Blaine’s lips.

Blaine's brain melted. He heard himself make a desperate moaning sound that would have been embarrassing in any other context, but not here. He felt Kurt smile against his mouth, and yes yes yes, Kurt was smiling, Kurt liked this, Kurt liked kissing Blaine and listening to his stupid sounds and Kurt loved him and—oh. So that’s what French kissing was supposed to feel like.

And now Kurt was making sounds: gasps and sighs and half-laughs that could never be completed because they couldn't keep their lips unattached long enough for the sound to get out. He was stroking little circles on the back of Blaine’s neck with his fingertips, and a delicious current was flowing down Blaine’s spine, and Blaine was hard—and that was a first, to get hard while kissing someone, and wow it felt glorious. He wondered if Kurt was hard, too, and then he wondered how Kurt liked to be touched, and if someday Kurt would want Blaine to touch it like that, and—okay, buddy, getting a little ahead of yourself there.

Blaine pulled back for air.

“Wow,” Kurt said.

“Wow,” Blaine echoed.

They dove back in for more.

[klaineadvent]

Coming Soon…

Klaine Advent 2021

🎄

[caramelcoffeeaddict]

Christmas Fashion Show - 2021 Klaine Advent Fic

Relationships: Blaine Anderson/Kurt Hummel

Characters: Blaine Anderson, Kurt Hummel, appearances by other canon characters

Summary: When Kurt's photographer quits 2 days before his big Holiday Fashion Show, he hires Blaine to take his place.

Rating: Teen&Up

Words: 12,212

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe, Designer!Kurt, Photographer!Blaine

Original Post Date: December 2021

A/N: This fic was written for the 2021 Klaine Advent

Kurt Hummel paced back-and-forth in his bedroom while talking on the phone to the photographer he’d hired to take photos at his fashion show. “Excuse me?” he said, with barely controlled anger. “What do you mean you ‘have to cancel’?”

There was an extended beat of silence coming from the other side of the phone. For a moment, Kurt thought the man had hung up on him. “I got a better offer. Unless you are willing to give me a 25% raise, then I am no longer available to work the show on the 18th.”

“You know I can’t afford to give you any kind of raise, let alone a 25% raise. Besides, you signed a legally-binding contract! You have to work the show…for the agreed upon salary. It’s in two days. I don’t have enough time to hire someone else.”

(READ THE REST ON AO3)

[gleekto]

Full Fic: Crush Into Me

Summary:  Third year NYADA student, Kurt, returns to Lima for an internship coaching the Glee club. The leather jacket and eyebrow ring-clad senior, Blaine, thinks he’s cute.

slightly older teacher-ish!Kurt/ badboy!Blaine

Words: 14,320

Full fic now on AO3!

One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten, Eleven, Twelve, Thirteen, Fourteen, Fifteen, Sixteen, Seventeen, Eighteen, Nineteen, Twenty, Twenty-One

Epilogue (Blaine) (Words: Company and Qualification)

The automatic glass doors slide open and Blaine steps outside and squints at the sun reflecting off the buildings. The first thing he notices is the noise. Honking and honking and the occasional wheels screeching or taxi driver yelling. The second thing he notices is the sea of yellow taxis lined up to take all the travellers to their destinations - the hotel overlooking central park, a friend’s house in Brooklyn, museums on the lower East side. It’s a warm sunny day at the end of August and no surprises that JFK airport is a noisy, chaotic buzz.

He takes his acceptance letter from NYU with the name and address of his dorm out of his pocket. His new home will be in the heart of downtown Manhattan in the company of the rebels turned successful nerds that his new college is made of. Or maybe they will just be talented nerds. Either way, he has the qualifications. He grabs his bags and shoves the big ones into the trunk of the taxi.

He looks out the window of the car as the city glides by. Building after building high as the sky, shadowing the bustling streets. So many eateries - gyros and bagels and cronuts and boba and deli. Kurt said nothing beats the bagels and lox on the lower east side, and that he should try dim sum in Chinatown. He already loves this place.

When the cab stops in front of the creatively named Traditional Hall, and he says his thank yous and grabs his bags, the first thing he notices is the smell. Yup. Pee. But not too overwhelming. The dorm is an unassuming brown brick building and over to his left, someone leans casually at the entrance. With a bouquet of red and yellow roses. He was supposed to go over to Kurt’s loft later once he settled in.

“Hi,” Kurt breathes happily.

“Hi yourself.” Blaine walks up to him and takes his hand. Neither can stop smiling. He kisses Kurt softly on the lips.

He’s here.

[honeysucklepink]

Anyway, Here's Wonderwall (24/24 COMPLETE)

Day 24: Rise (also on AO3)

Six Months After Snow Strands Pub-goers, A Chance to Reunite and Reminisce

Sally Gallagher, The Independent

A little over six months after Winter Storm Sue placed the Blithe Spirit Inn in the headlines, patrons from that fateful weekend held a reunion at the Fawley Bottom establishment.

The historic pub, which at one time shared ownership with its sister pub the Crown and Anchor in Richmond (now owned by an investor group led by current AFC Richmond defender Sam Obisanya), was the host to a “Battle of the Bands” music contest just before Christmas. The weather took a turn, however, trapping customers, staff, and musicians alike. With vehicles buried, roads closed, plows out of commission, and a power line down, guests made the best of their situation as they spent two days and nights at the inn.

“I had never been to England before, or to a traditional pub. I had no idea we would get snowed in,” said Dani, a singer with the now-defunct group One Three Hill, one of the two bands performing that week. “But we made the best of it, and everyone was super friendly.”

The few rooms available were booked up, and most patrons stayed in the main room; blankets and pillows were distributed by the owner and staff. Meanwhile, members of the bands involved, all Americans, pitched in by cooking meals, washing dishes, and entertaining the stranded travelers. With musicians in their midst, singalongs were par for the course; as many were missing flights home for Christmas, holiday carols were popular as well as tunes from the Beatles and Oasis. Thanks to word getting out through social media, the storm survivors found their story reaching this paper as well as the Guardian, The Daily Mail, the New York Times, and as far away as the Lima (OH) Tattler.

Why have the reunion in the summer, and not on the one-year anniversary?

“I didn’t want to tempt fate again,“ said Adam Crawford, proprietor and innkeeper of the Blithe Spirit. “The patrons were the ones to suggest a summer date. I’ve personally found the weather more agreeable, myself.“

Through social media as well as more traditional means of communication, the bartenders, staff, musicians, and customers forged a bond on that Saturnalia weekend. Several of them organized the reunion through direct messages and texts; Liam Chaney, a producer with World of Wonder, took the lead.

“We just thought it would be lovely to have a get-together and catch up, without freezing our asses off,” according to Chaney.

The weekend did not go without incident; a member of another band from the contest, Wes Montgomery of The Warblers, had to be transported by the Mountain Rescue Service, for acute appendicitis.

“We were very fortunate,” said Montgomery, who spent his Christmas recovering in hospital. “There was a gentleman with a snowmobile that had visited earlier who knew exactly how to get to us. I’m extremely lucky.”

While the original plan was to have repeat performances by One Three Hill and The Warblers, the bands have since broken up, with members of both reconfiguring into a new music group, Winter Bird. Just like most of the patrons, they forged new friendships, and in one particular case, something more…

~~~~~~~~

“So, Kurt, how do you like the pub when we are not snowed in?“ Blaine and Kurt were curled up on the same bed they had shared several months before, in their own little world.

“Well, I don’t have the excuse of a swirling snow storm outside to be cuddled up in bed with you,“ Kurt said, brushing his toes against Blaine’s ankle. “So our friends are going to start looking for us.”

“Let them look,“ Blaine replied, before flipping Kurt onto his back and nuzzling his nose against his neck.

After they left England, Blaine and Kurt were practically inseparable, making up for lost time. When Burt picked them both up at the airport, he noted their clasped hands, raised an eyebrow, and said “just another orphan, huh?” Christmas couldn’t have gone better; Blaine was incredibly helpful in the kitchen, assisting Carole and Kurt with baking cookies, as well as guarding them from Finn until they were finished, and helping Burt get the rest of the lights out of the attic. It also didn’t hurt that Blaine was an expert at video games; between the two of them, they kicked Finn’s butt playing Red Dead Redemption.

When they returned to New York, they immediately fell into the rhythms of a couple that had been together for years rather than days. They helped each other with preparing for auditions, cooked dinners, went to the park, met friends for brunch and bar-hopping, and of course a lot of sex. They realized they had both brought baggage with them from old Ohio wounds, causing them to get off on the wrong foot all those years ago. Heck, Kurt thought, maybe if he had met Blaine before Rachel did…

Things changed not only for them, but for both of their bands. With Wes still recovering from his appendix removal, he decided to focus more on school. Elliott, meanwhile, had scored a gig working full-time on the “Werq the World” drag tour. So Kurt, Blaine, Dani and David reformed into a super group. When Elliott and Liam called and asked if they were interested in coming back to the Blithe Spirit Inn that June, Kurt and Blaine dove at the chance.

They had barely made it into the pub before running up to their room, the same one from before. They were a little jet lagged after the flight and road weary from the drive between Heathrow and the inn, and wanted to catch a nap.

That was the plan, anyway. If “napping” led to “making out,” so sue them.

Kurt leaned his head back, and sighed in contented pleasure, as Blaine delivered loving little nips to his throat. He didn’t even consciously think about it before he said what came next: “Mmmm, I love you.“

Blaine stopped nuzzling, raised his head, and looked at Kurt amusingly.

Kurt began to panic. “Wait, why did you stop? Oh God, is it too soon to say it? It’s too soon…“

Blaine shushed him and nudged him back down. “No, no no no, Kurt, it’s okay. Besides,” Blaine brushed Kurt’s hair back tenderly, “I love you too. I was just taken aback because I figured I’d be the one to say it first.”

Kurt laughed and rolled his eyes. ”Well, I had to beat you at something eventually, didn’t I?”

“If you’re trying to get a rise out of me, Hummel, it doesn’t work anymore. We're no longer rivals, remember?”

Blaine yelped in shock as Kurt flipped them over, pinning his hands above his head and grinding their pelvises together.

He squeezed his eyes and groaned, “Oh, okay, that kind of rise...”

[darriness]

Klaine Advent 2021 - Day 18 - Mine

Author: darriness

Word Count: 356

Summary: Christmas Eve #18

AO3 Link

“So,” Santana slurs, slightly, from her spot on the chair with Brittany perched on her lap, “what does everyone want Santa to bring them tonight?”

The group, scattered in various places around the loft’s living room, groans at the question.

“Hey!” Santana yells, “It’s an important question.”

Blaine chuckles at her indignation. He’s always enjoyed drunk Santana. They’re actually all a little tipsy at the moment. Blaine’s eyes scan the room of their friends from his spot on the floor in front of the couch - Rachel, Finn, Santana, Brittany, Artie, Sam, and Mercedes. They’re having a bit of an ‘orphans’ Christmas Eve party before most of them will journey home to family for Christmas Day.

It’s Blaine’s first Christmas Eve away from his family in all his nineteen years, but with Kurt behind him on the couch and all his friends around him, he finds that fact doesn’t bother him in the slightest.

“I want a Ferrari.” Sam answers and everyone laughs.

“I want a hit record.” Mercedes says and Sam reaches over to squeeze her hand.

“I wouldn’t mind those robot legs again.” Artie comments.

“It’s crazy that they broke the very next day.” Rachel says.

“What about you, Blaine?” Santana asks, “What gift do you want Santa to bring you?”

Blaine smiles softly and shrugs his shoulders, “I already got mine.” He says, reaching to grab the hand Kurt has resting on his shoulder and kissing it.

The room ‘aw’s around him, even though Santana pretends to gag, and Blaine can hear Kurt chuckle behind him before he cards a hand through the back of Blaine’s hair and leans over to kiss his temple.

“That’s impossible. Santa can’t have already brought you your gift. We haven’t gone to sleep yet.”

The entire room pauses to look at Brittany, who has a confused expression on her face as she looks at Blaine. They are all quiet for a moment and Santana pulls Brittany closer and kisses her shoulder.

“I want a new PlayStation.” Finn says, breaking the silence.

The room fills with chatter again and Blaine sighs, contentedly. He wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.

[lobstercardigan]

Klaine Advent 2021 !

Day one

In honor of the first Klaine advent word being silence, I thought I’d give a little ramble about the parallels between Klaine in Glease and The Story Of Us , inspired by the line: ‘I’ve never heard silence quite this loud.” Sorry in advance for kicking this off with angst y’all

“I used to think one day I’d tell the story of us, how we met and the sparks flew instantly. People would say ‘they’re the lucky ones.’”

- Kurt decides he needs to go see Blaine. He can’t stop thinking about how hard it is to believe that you can go from supposed soulmates to nothing so quickly. He’s questioning if he made the right decision when he broke it off. The battle between his head and his heart is getting out of hand.

- “I used to know my place was a spot next to you; now I’m searching the room for an empty seat, cause lately I don’t even know what page you’re on.”

- Neither of them how to act when they run into each other backstage. They’re hyper-aware of the fact that they used to be each other’s safe places and now they’re the source of each other’s discomfort. They’re each playing a dangerous guessing game of what the other is thinking… and they’re both losing horribly.

- “Miscommunications lead to fallout”

- Blaine wants to explain what happened but isn’t able to find the words. He wants to- he needs to tell Kurt how it meant nothing. How he was upset about Kurt ignoring him and he acted out of hurt and anger and it wasn’t right. How he was completely lost and frazzled the night he came clean about it and said all the wrong things. How he knows he’s horrible at communicating and he’s trying to learn how to be better. But he thinks Kurt doesn’t want to hear it, so he locks it all away.

- “So many things that I wish you knew, so many walls up I can’t break through.”

- Kurt has so many things he wishes he could say. How he misses him, how he loves him. How he thinks about him constantly. How hurt he’s been. Wanting to ask why Blaine did what he did. Wishes he’d asked more questions, wishes they had talked about it. He misses his best friend. But he sees him and suddenly all he can think about is that night and he just wants to run.

- “Now I’m standing alone in a crowded room and we’re not speaking… and I’m dying to know- is it killing you like it’s killing me?”

- Kurt is wondering if it’s eating Blaine up inside too. Wanting to believe that it meant nothing but not trusting him fully anymore. Bouncing back and forth between thinking ‘of course Blaine feels this way too’ and ‘clearly he doesn’t care.’ Knowing that things have changed because he always used to be able to tell what Blaine was thinking and now he doesn’t have a clue.

- “I don’t know what to say since a twist of fate when it all broke down… and the story of us looks a lot like a tragedy now.”

- Kurt is starting to feel angry again. Thinking that maybe he’s glad Blaine did it. Maybe they were never meant to be in the first place and having a reason to end it was a blessing. Maybe all they were ever destined to be was a sad story.

- “I’m starting to think one day I’ll tell the story of us- how I was losing my mind when I saw you here, but you held your pride like you should’ve held me.”

- Blaine wishes Kurt would just talk to him. He’s so incredibly angry at himself for getting them here in the first place. He’s starting to wonder if Kurt even has hope of them ever fixing it. Wondering if it’s just Kurt’s pride and pain that are holding him back or if he really just doesn’t want to talk to him anymore. He’s never known Kurt to be one for dancing around the subject. He must’ve really done a number on him this time.

- “I’m scared to see the ending, why are we pretending this is nothing?”

- Blaine wonders how Kurt can so (seemingly) easily walk away from everything they had. How he can keep pushing his feelings down and acting like they don’t need to be addressed. He would rather Kurt scream and yell at him than say nothing at all. At least if he was angry it would mean he still cared.

- “I’d tell you I miss you, but I don’t know how; I’ve never heard silence quite this loud.”

- Kurt wants so badly to just let Blaine hold him. To forget about everything, if only for a day, and just be with him. He longs for his ever-present support and comfort. He misses the days when he’d call Blaine in a tizzy during lunch and ramble about how stressed he was about a test or a performance and Blaine could take away all that panic with just a few words. Just a simple ‘I love you, I know you can do this.’ They’re standing here looking at each other- both holding so many thoughts and words that will be left unsaid because it’s all too much. Experiencing deafening silence with each other for the first time.

- “This is looking like a contest of who can act like they care less… but I liked it better when you were on my side.”

- Blaine is trying to keep his cool while he’s performing. It’s taking everything in him not to break down in tears and run off the stage. Kurt is feeling the same as he realizes that Blaine is playing the same game he is. They’re both putting up the walls that they’d broken down for each other those years ago when they met - when they learned that they could be themselves around each other. Now, here they sit- those same scared boys they were on that Dalton staircase. The same pain in their eyes. Only this time, the pain has been caused by each other. And it’s so much worse.

- “The battle’s in your hands now, but I would lay my armor down if you said you’d rather love than fight.”

- Blaine knows that the ball is in Kurt’s court. He’s the one who messed up. Kurt has all the power here. He’s putting up a front because Kurt is too, but he’d drop it in a heartbeat if Kurt would let him in again.

- “So many things that you wish I knew, but the story of us might be ending soon.”

- Blaine is finally beginning to realize that it’s really over. That Kurt had really walked away this time. He doesn’t trust him anymore. He’s taken away the thing that meant the most to them. He’s praying that Kurt still feels something for him deep down. He knows there were a lot more things that Kurt didn’t say. Knows that he didn’t feel safe enough to say them. He’s trying desperately to grab onto any thought that will distract him from the one saying ‘This is how it ends. You’re just another person on his list of people who broke his heart.’ Maybe someday Kurt will forgive him, but he’ll never forgive himself.

[forabeatofadrum]

Also not to talk about River fic again, but it slowly started to bother me that Adeola was the only one without a last name. Like, Femke’s last name never got mentioned in the fic either, but I still knew it. I still came up with something for her (Cheng, by the way).

So Adeola is now Adeola Ajayi. It’s a name from Yoruban origin and yes, I admit, when I saw it on the list of possible names it immediately make me think of Mr. Ajayi from Heartstopper.

[klaineccfanficlibrary]

Anyway, Here's Wonderwall

Author:  @honeysucklepink

Rating:  M

Status:  Completed in January 2022

Word Count:  17,051

Summary:  Inspired by the story of the Oasis cover band and pub goers who got stranded at a pub in a snow storm. Adam Crawford is the proprietor of a tavern and music venue in the English countryside. Just before Christmas, he hosts a Battle of the Bands, unaware of a forecasted winter storm. A blizzard traps the patrons, the final bands standing, One Three Hill and The Warblers, and their bickering leaders, Kurt and Blaine. The two have been rivals since their NYADA days, but their friends and bandmates can smell the unresolved sexual tension a mile away. If circumstances had been different, so too would their relationship. So their friends decide to give fate a little nudge...

Tropes/Genre:  Klaine Advent 2021, musician!Blaine, musician!Kurt, enemies to lovers, snow storm

Lynne’s review:  Ha ha ha I really enjoyed this one. Silly boys and meddling friends. Perfect.

Read at:  AO3

[thnxforknowingme]

It's Who I'm With (24/24)

Summary: In an attempt to make industry connections (and pay rent), Kurt gets a job as a nanny for the daughter of a Broadway producer. When bringing her to a piano lesson one day in December, he meets Blaine Anderson, personal assistant to a famed pianist. (For Klaine Advent 2021)

Rating: T

Notes: In my time zone, at least, it's still Christmas Eve...meaning I managed to write a whole fic in 24 days! I'm so grateful to @klaineadvent and @todaydreambelieversfic for managing this. It's wild to me that I'm participating in this challenge over six years after Glee ended, so a HUGE thank you to all the writers and readers out there who are still creating this community and encouraging each other to express ourselves and share our creations like this. I'm so appreciative to everyone who has read/liked/commented, and I truly hope that my story brought a little bit of joy or brightness to this dark, cold month for you. Merry Christmas!

Previous Parts | Read on AO3

Twenty-Four: Rise

March 17

6:54pm

Blaine: Are you on your way?

Kurt: Yep, be there in a few.

Blaine: It’s a madhouse. We got a table way in the back. Santana nearly fought a guy for it.

Kurt: I told you she could be useful for these things.

Something hit Blaine in the face and he looked down, startled, to see a handful of sparkling green beads on the polished surface of the table.

“What are these?” he asked Rachel, who was in the process of putting a matching string of beads around her neck.

“The bartenders are handing them out,” she said, nearly shouting over the noise of the crowded pub.

Blaine slipped on his own beads, although they were unnecessary - his green bowtie ensured that he was properly dressed for the occasion.

He took a long sip of his Guinness, and when he looked up he saw a familiar figure pushing through the close-pressed bodies. Blaine lifted his hand to wave, and Kurt’s eyes met his.

“Christ, you weren’t kidding,” Kurt said as he arrived at the table and stood right against Blaine to get out of the aisle. “I thought we’d avoid the crowds by starting so early.” He leaned down to kiss Blaine.

“Hello,” Blaine said, their lips still brushing.

“Hey,” Kurt replied. “Your breath smells like beer. How much catching up do I have to do?”

“This is only my second,” Blaine said, sliding his pint glass in front of Kurt. Kurt picked it up and took a drink. “How’s Francie?” Blaine asked.

“She found out today that she got a part in her class play,” Kurt said with a smile. “It’s adorable. She’s only playing a duckling, but she��s so excited and her dad is so proud.”

Santana reappeared at the table holding four shot glasses of amber liquid and set them roughly at the table. “Kurt, you’re here!” she said. “You can have my second shot.”

Kurt rolled his eyes, but picked up the glass obediently. Rachel and Blaine reached for theirs, and they all clinked them together.

“Happy Saint Patrick’s Day!” Rachel exclaimed.

“God bless the Irish,” Santana added.

“Sláinte!” Kurt yelled, and they all downed the whiskey.

Blaine wrapped an arm around Kurt and asked, “any word about callbacks?”

Kurt shook his head, using his finger to wipe a drop of Jameson from his lips. “No, it’s not gonna happen. I’ve made peace with it.”

“You never know, Kurt,” Rachel shouted from across the table. “Even if this audition didn’t fit, the producers might remember you for something else.”

“I know,” Kurt agreed. “Even the fact that Mr. Lowe set the audition up for me is a great sign. It’s progress.”

“Just the start of your rise to fame,” Blaine added.

Santana leaned to the side, glancing under the table. “Kurt, are you even wearing green?”

Kurt rolled his eyes. “Maybe,” he said, then curled his hand around the back of Blaine’s neck. “Only Blaine gets to find out.”

Santana pantomimed gagging, and Rachel lunged across the table to pinch Kurt’s arm, but he pulled back.

“In the meantime,” Blaine said through his laughter. “I don’t want my boyfriend getting pinched.” He took off the beads that Rachel had given him and put them around Kurt’s neck.

“Ha,” Kurt said, glaring at Rachel.

“Not fair,” she argued.

“I know,” Kurt replied, glancing down at Blaine. “I’m very, very lucky.”

The girls rolled their eyes as the boys gazed at each other lovingly, but neither Kurt nor Blaine could find any motivation to care as they leaned in for a whiskey-tinged kiss. Blaine felt grateful for every holiday, every kiss, every moment with Kurt - and he knew there were many, many more to come.

[wowbright]

Fic: Invisible

Klaine Advent 2021: invisible

Words: ~3850 words

Rating: Teen and Up

Summary: Blaine makes a mess of things.

I’m back with more vignettes from my Mormon!Klaine universe for Klaine Advent 2021! This vignette takes place after Firefly.

My Mormon!Klaine Masterpost.

Notes: Yes, Blaine still miraculously thinks he's not gay. I mean, what the fuck, right? Also, a “priesthood holder” is a man who can perform the duties of a priest in the LDS (Mormon) church, which is most men in the LDS church, and certainly all male missionaries. BYU is the church’s university. If you have any questions or typo corrections, feel free to use my ask box!

--------

Blaine didn't know why he had done it. It hadn't even felt like a choice. In the moment, it had felt like the only thing he could do. It had felt natural and instinctive, the way being a character on stage felt when Blaine was in the zone—all the lines and steps and emotions feeling as if they were his own.

He’d just been so happy. Elder Hummel kept laughing and smiling after the concert was over. He'd insisted on buying Blaine an ice cream at intermission—and of course it wasn't as good as gelato, they only sold wrapped novelties at the concert hall—but it was still delightful, all cold vanilla goodness in a sugary cone and that thin shell of chocolate on the outside that Blaine had to be so careful with, lest it break off and stain his white shirt.

Elder Hummel had one too, and if Blaine hadn't known any better, he would have thought from the expression on his companion’s face that it was the absolute best thing he had ever eaten. He ate it so enthusiastically, showing none of the restraint that ruled the rest of his life. He indulged from the very first bite, when he scraped every single one of the chopped peanuts off the top with his upper teeth and brought some of the chocolate into his mouth with them. “Mmmmmm,” Elder Hummel had moaned, eyes rolling up into his head. “Like Reese’s, but better.” There were still a few peanut bits on his tongue when he said it, which should have been gross, but it was just lovely—lovely to see Elder Hummel give himself over to pleasure for once in his life.

They had biked home. Maybe that was the mistake. It always took Blaine longer to wind down when they biked at night, and this biking was later than usual thanks to the concert ending after their curfew. Not that they had done anything wrong by breaking their curfew; Elder Hummel had secured explicit permission from the mission president to stay out past it. President Steele heartily believed that missionaries should take advantage of cultural opportunities in order to develop a better understanding of their host country—not too often, of course, but once a month or so was reasonable, and Elder Hummel hadn't taking advantage of the policy since the previous Christmas.

So staying out late hadn't been the problem. It had been approved by the mission president, and the mission president had the gift of discernment, which meant that he would have known if going to a concert and staying out late was going to lead to Blaine doing something irrevocably stupid.

But they should have taken the bus.

Because Blaine had so much energy when they got back to the apartment. And Elder Hummel was beaming, more comfortable in his skin than Blaine had ever remembered seeing him. He came out of the bedroom in his clean pajamas and started singing “Hey There” from The Pajama Game because, well, pajamas, apparently, and God, it sounded so good. (And it was okay that Blaine thought God and not gosh, because he really meant it—he felt gratitude right through his bones that Heavenly Parents had made Elder Hummel with that voice, that way of carrying himself, that way of not just singing a song, but becoming the song he sang.)

Elder Hummel crooned into his toothbrush and, even after he stuck it in his mouth, he kept humming and smiling, and Blaine picked up the words for him, serenading him with his hairbrush as a microphone, and Elder Hummel rolled his eyes at Blaine, but was obviously charmed.

Charm. That was the problem, wasn't it? Blaine wanted to charm people. He wanted their admiration. He wanted them under his thrall.

And so he became what people wanted him to be, and forgot who he truly was.

Cooper had warned him about himself, Blaine’s senior year when Cooper came home for Christmas with his new wife and taken Blaine out to Denny's for a one-to-one brotherly chat the morning after the big celebration.

“Blaine, I'm worried about you,” Cooper had said. It had hit Blaine like a truck, partly because he hated to be trouble to anyone, but mostly because Cooper didn't talk like that. “I'm not sure you even know who you are. Like, this stuff going on with Tina—how long have you been dating her?”

“We’re not dating. You know For the Strength of Youth counsels against going steady.”

“Okay. So she’d not your girlfriend. She’s just the girl you hang out with constantly and who clearly has a thing for you.”

“We’ve been friends since we were kids. It's not like we make out or anything.”

“Does she think you guys are just friends? With all the hand holding and the, ‘Awww, Tina, you’re the best,’ and—Blaine. You really need to stop complimenting her on her clothes. Women eat that up.”

Blaine knew Tina ate it up. That's why he did it. “There’s nothing wrong with saying nice things to people. I like people to feel good about themselves.”

“Yeah. But how about you? How do you feel?” Cooper said, pointing a fry at Blaine.

“It doesn't matter how I feel. We're not supposed to worry about that. We're supposed to live in service of others. If we do that, we'll be happy.”

Cooper popped the fry in his mouth and picked up his coffee. He had started drinking coffee by then. As far as Blaine new, Cooper was still going to church at least occasionally and hadn’t lost his temple recommend. But Blaine hadn't pressed for details. Their parents didn't know, and the less Blaine knew, the better.

“Like, I don't get on your case about drinking coffee or tell our parents because that would make you unhappy,” Blaine said.

“Which I appreciate. But if it's really bothering you, you can say whatever you want. I'll have to deal with our parents eventually.” Cooper stared down into his cup, then looked up at Blaine with an intensity that concerned him. “Just like you will.”

“What’s that supposed to mean? I'm not hiding anything from them.”

Cooper let out a wry laugh. “Except yourself. You can't live your life to please them.”

“I don't. Dad doesn't approve half the songs we sing in show choir.”

“That’s not what I mean.”

“Well, what do you mean?”

“I mean your life, Blaine. The whole of it. The things you think when you get up in the morning and the little decisions you make throughout the day and the way you feel about yourself when you go to bed at night. And the big picture, too. Where are you planning to go to college, Blaine?”

“BYU.”

“Exactly.” Cooper pointed another fry at him.

“Stop pointing your food at me.”

“Pointing is the only reliable only way to let people know you’re paying attention to them,” Cooper said, now shaking his fry as he pointed it, like it was paring knife he was stabbing into the core of a tomato. “And, of course, you’re going on a mission.”

“I prayed about that. I got confirmation from the Holy Spirit. It was my own choice.”

“Was it really, though? Or was it that that was your only possible decision since you’re the son of a general authority?”

"I don't know why you're acting like it's a bad thing for me to go on a mission. You went on one. You said it was the best two years of your life.”

“Well, at that point, it was the only two years of my life I hadn’t spent living under the same roof as our father.”

“Don’t say that, Cooper. I know things can be hard with him, but once we're in heaven, things will be better. He'll have more time. We’ll be a real family.” If you don’t lose your temple recommend, Blaine thought, but he knew better than to say it. This conversation was already tense enough.

“Right. Because it’s perfectly normal for people to wait until they’re dead to spend quality father-son time.” Cooper huffed and stared at his plate. He had emptied it, and there were no more fries to point at Blaine. “Speaking of top-tier heaven, what about when you get back from your mission? Because as soon as you do, they'll start pressuring you to find a girl and get pressured to marry in the temple like they pressured me for years. And I worry … do you even want a temple marriage, Blaine?”

“What kind of question is that? Everybody wants a temple marriage. That's the only way you get to spend eternity together.” Blaine only realized the implications of what he had said after he said it. He’d just sent Cooper and his new sister-in-law to the terrestrial kingdom, at tops. “I mean … but … of course there can be sealings in heaven, too. I just … I’d rather have a temple marriage while I’m alive, if I can.”

“Marriage isn't just about the wedding. It's about the life that comes after it. Are you prepared for that?”

“Of course I’m not prepared for that. I’m in high school."

“Touché.” Out of fries, Cooper picked up his coffee spoon and waived it at Blaine. “Just promise me you’re not going marry some girl who's not going to make you happy because she makes our parents happy, and you think you can make her happy, too.”

“I promise,” Blaine said, though he wasn’t sure he had it in him to follow through.

“Because you can’t live your life to please our parents or the apostle or Elder Packer. Like, definitely not Elder Packer. Just … never listen to him, okay?”

“Don’t speak ill of the Lord’s anointed,” Blaine said. It was a knee jerk response. “What do you have against Elder Packer, anyway?” Blaine usually fell asleep during the apostle’s talks at general conference, so he didn't really have an opinion about him other than the usual reverence reserved for all church leaders.

“I …” Cooper, strangely, seemed at a loss for words. “Sometimes, I just think these apostles confuse their personal opinions with the promptings of the Spirit. I know you'll probably think that’s offensive, but we all do it. It is totally within the realm of doctrine that they are human like the rest of us.”

“Yeah, but they don't only rely on the spirit. They talk to Jesus in person.”

Cooper stopped the waitress and asked her for another carafe of coffee. Blaine worried he was already addicted.

“What I am trying to say,” Cooper continued as he poured out another cup, “is when you make decisions, like picking your college or going on a mission or getting married or having kids or choosing your career, you can't just think about what other people want for you. You have to do things because that's what you want for yourself.”

Why couldn't they just have a nice Christmas without any lecturing? Why couldn't they just have a breakfast at Denny's where they talked about football and acting. No. Cooper had to ruin everything by bringing in his stupid, secular advice and trying to “enlighten” Blaine with it.

Blaine had had enough. “You're telling me to be selfish? Like you were selfish when you moved to LA and stopped accepting callings and married a non-member?”

Cooper looked visibly wounded. “Don't bring her into this.”

“I'm sorry,” Blaine said, kicking himself under the table. Laura was a delightful woman, smart and pretty and not particularly interested in putting up with people’s drama. Which made it a little odd that she had chosen Cooper to marry, but probably also good. Cooper needed someone like that in his life. “I didn't mean that. I’m just … I don't get why you're being so hard on me.”

“That’s not what I'm trying to do at all, Blaine. I'm trying to protect you.”

“Protect me from what? I'm in the church. I’m safe. What more protection could I want?”

Cooper sighed. He took a long sip and stared out the window. Blaine followed his gaze, but all he could see was the regular boring Mesa scenery of cars driving by.

“Let me put this in language you'll understand,” Cooper said, setting down his cup. “It's like they taught us in Sunday school. All of us, every single one of us, is an eternal spirit. It's totally the opposite of what my yoga teacher believes, where, when all of this is over, we lose our individuality and become part of some single, blissful oneness in Nirvana. No. We existed as individuals even before Heavenly Father claimed us. Before he gave us spirit bodies and then physical bodies. And when he decided to give us those bodies, he didn't mush us together. He gave us each our own body, because he wanted us to remain individuals. He wanted us to come down to earth and live our own lives and learn our lessons the hard way. And he wanted us to be ourselves. Because every one of us is unique. We all have something different to contribute–now and in the next life. And if we forget that, if we bury ourselves under what other people want us to be, we're not embracing the gift God gave us. And that's why I worry about you, Blaine. I think you focus so much on what other people want and trying to please them, that you don't even know who you are.”

Blaine felt... Weird. Like his heart was being squeezed. And maybe a little dizzy too. He wondered if he was one of those rare cases of teenagers who just dropped dead of a heart attack for no reason in the prime of their youth.

No. He couldn't do that. It would ruin everyone's Christmas.

He took a slow gulp of water. “It’s nice that you're concerned. But I know that I'm a child of God. And if you think I'm hiding my light under a bushel or something … then maybe you should come out for the spring musical in a few months. You will see that I am not. I mean, yeah, I do what I have to do to get along with Dad, and I guess with Mom, too. But I'm graduating soon, and then I'll go on my mission, and I'll be away from both of them for two whole years, just like you were.”

Cooper leaned back in the booth, playing with the handle of his coffee cup. “Maybe you're right. Maybe it takes time for everyone to figure themselves out. Maybe I'm being impatient. I just don't want to see you hurt, Blaine. That's what I'm worried about.”

Blaine felt like he was going to cry, but he didn't. He waited for Cooper to pay the bill and then gave him an enormous hug in the parking lot.

“Just remember, when you do figure it all out, I love you forever,” Cooper said. “I know I’m bad at it, but—”

“No, you’re not.” Blaine sniffled just a little.

Cooper gave Blaine a don’t-shit-me look—not that Blaine would usually have described a look that way, but those were exactly the words Cooper would have said if he had opened his mouth. Blaine had heard him say it enough times.

“Just, Squirt, if you can—try not to do stuff just because you think it will please other people. In the long run, it doesn't make anyone happy.”

Blaine was touched, but he took it with a grain of salt. Cooper would say to think of yourself first, because that's how Cooper lived his life. It was why Cooper was starting to go astray.

But every once in awhile, the conversation would come back to Blaine and haunt him. Maybe Cooper had a point. Maybe Blaine really couldn't tell where his desires began and others’ ended.

Especially with Elder Hummel. It was so hard for Blaine to separate his own emotions from his companion’s.

Blaine felt as light as a feather when they finished brushing their teeth, his mouth and face clean and his heart singing a tune. All his cares had dissipated. He remembered being worried about something earlier in the day, but could not for the life of him recall what it was. It seemed to Blaine that he was viscerally experiencing what he should experience every week when he took sacrament—a sense of the Savior taking the weight of the world off his shoulders and carrying it for him.

In the bedroom, they prayed. They kneeled on the little throw rug and crossed their arms, and Blaine thanked Heavenly Father for the Savior’s love, and for that evening at the symphony, and for the lightness he felt in his heart. He gave thanks for the joy they had both experienced through music and the gift of Elder Hummel as his companion.

And when they were done, Elder Hummel smiled at him like he thought Blaine was a gift too.

Blaine held his gaze to let him know he really meant it, every word. And in that moment, he saw something in Elder Hummel’s eyes he hadn't seen before. Something that looked like desire. Not the desire that Blaine had once seen in Sebastian’s eyes, like he was being undressed for dinner. But the desire that this moment could last, that they could be companions forever, that maybe Blaine or some other worthy priesthood holder could return the kind of love that Elder Hummel was capable of giving.

Elder Hummel reached out to hug Blaine goodnight, and Blaine’s heart stirred. He loved Elder Hummel so much, wanted to give him the happiness he deserved. And though he couldn't give Elder Hummel everything, he could give him something.

He kissed Elder Hummel on the cheek. It felt warm and right—not quite like kissing Tina or his mother, but with the same innocent, selfless quality those other kisses held. And yet, it was more intense, though that shouldn't have been a surprise, with all the undercurrents it carried. It was more than a kiss between friends: it was Blaine saying I see you; it was Blaine saying you can have this someday; it was Blaine saying I will love you as well as I can, even if that can't be enough.

Elder Hummel went stiff as a corpse.

He pushed Blaine away.

“Blaine,” Elder Hummel said. He said Blaine’s name, and that should have been a good thing, an intimate thing, a thing to draw them closer. But it felt like a door slamming in his face. “What are you doing?”

“Hugging you goodnight?” Blaine said, because that's all it had been, an extension of what they usually did, a different expression of the same feelings that had always been there.

“I think we need to have a talk about boundaries.” Elder Hummel was far away not, sitting down on the edge of his bed. He signaled Blaine to do the same, and they sat facing each other, the space between their beds like an ocean.

“I don't know why you think it was okay to do that,” Elder Hummel said. “I know you're more … physical... than me, and it’s probably killing you that you can’t touch people like you did back home, especially girls. And I know it doesn’t mean anything to you, that it’s like kissing your brother. But I’m not your brother, Blaine. And even if I was … well, that’s not how it was like in my family. And …” Elder Hummel looked down at his hands, which had lifted up the edge of the blanket and were twisting it. He set it down and started fiddling with his ring instead. “I’m gay, Blaine. I’m gay. And I thought you’d gotten the memo, but apparently you don’t quite understand what that means.”

Elder Hummel proceeded to lecture Blaine on how stupid he was. (Elder Hummel didn't say that, but Blaine felt stupid, so he would have just rather his companion called him that instead of being this weird new combination of angry and pedantic with him.)

Elder Hummel explained that being gay was exactly like being straight, except you're attracted to boys instead of girls. And just like straight missionaries were supposed to lock their hearts for two years and not kiss or be kissed by girls, the same went for gay missionaries. It didn't matter if the person who kissed you wasn't into you. The commitment to purity was for the missionary’s sake, so they wouldn't be distracted by temptations and wishes and dreams and planning for the future and could focus on God's work.

Did Elder Hummel really view Blaine as a temptation? It would be flattering if true, but it was hard to imagine. If being gay was the same as being straight, where was the temptation? Blaine loved girls, but he could turn his interest in them on or off like a light switch. That was the gift of being a missionary. God gave you the ability to lock your heart so you could focus on the work. And Elder Hummel must certainly be experiencing that, because he was a far better missionary than Blaine, and Blaine hadn't been tempted once to hold a girl's hand or kiss her since he’d started his mission. Blaine didn’t struggle with unwanted arousal when he saw a pretty girl or one of those ad kiosks with a photo of a naked women lathering herself up in body wash. His arousals were random and unrelated to women, a simple function of biology rather than lust. Blaine’s mission was an oasis from the cares of the world, just like it was supposed to be.

“I don't get what the problem is. You don’t struggle with temptation. You’re Elder Hummel.”

“Rules are rules, Elder Anderson.”

And that's how Elder Hummel had ended it. He'd stood up and gone into the kitchen to warmed up some milk with cinnamon, and after drinking it, he brushed his teeth a second time and returned to the bedroom, where he shoved is it earphones into his into his ears and pulled the blankets so high they almost covered his face.

The player was blasting so loud, Blaine could make out the hymns from his side of the room.

Gird up your loins, fresh courage take.

Our God will never us forsake—

And that might be true when it came to God, but Elder Hummel seemed ready to forsake him. When Blaine got out of bed the next morning and went into the kitchen, it was so quiet, all, “please pass the milk” and “remember we have our first discussion at ten o'clock today” and no laughter or joking or smiles. It was raining and Blaine pretended to be excited like he usually would be and said he hoped it was still raining when they went out later because he loved biking in the rain, the sound of the water on the pavement and the cold wet sting on his face—it made him feel alive.

Elder Hummel didn't even roll his eyes.

It was as if Blaine had become invisible.

[klaineadvent]

IT'S TIME FOR...Klaine Advent 2021!!

And this year marks 10 Years of Klaine Advents!

The Klaine Advent 2021 officially starts tomorrow! If you have done this before, you know how it works. If you haven’t participated in an Advent event before, please read on for more detailed information!

The Dates. December 1 - December 24

The Words. Every day at 5am US Eastern time a fresh new word will post. We're starting a little earlier in the day this year for the benefit of all European participants! And also, this year the words are NOT alphabetical.

How to participate. Anyone can contribute, no need to sign up! There will be a single word prompt post each day for 24 days (December 1-24) and you can write a drabble (or a sentence or a novel, if you like), create an art piece, make fresh gifs based on the prompt - whatever inspires you!

Tagging! We are asking this year that you please add the following TWO tags to your post!

klaine advent 2021

klaine advent: [daily word] (without the brackets)

If you want to add additional tags go right ahead, but please add them after the advent tags so your posts are easier to find. (Keep in mind though that sometimes it takse a few hours/days for things to show up in tags - depending on tumblr's mood that day.) If you think we’ve missed reblogging your fic (or you’re just excited!) please drop us a link in the submit box and we’ll make sure your fic gets reblogged to the @todaydreambelieversfic blog!

Contribute however works best for you. You can do something every day, every 4th day, once a week, altogether at the end; whatever works for you and your schedule. Use all the prompts or pick and choose what speaks to you. Set your own challenges. The only requirements for the Klaine Advent are that it be Klaine centered, and that it references or uses the word prompt in some way.

Partnership. This year again we’ll be partnering with @todaydreambelieversfic. Authors and other creators for Klaine Advent who would like an additional place to promote their works are welcome to join as members. Just send them a private message to @todaydreambelieversfic with your email address and they’ll add you on.

In addition, our crack team of volunteers will be reblogging all of the advent fics to the @todaydreambelieversfic blog, so make sure you follow them to see all the Klaine Advent 2021 works!

If you prefer linkable access to the fics, they will be accessible from the 2021 tab on the Klaine Advent blog main page, which will be updated every couple of days (depending on my schedule and how quickly I can update!).

Archive Of Our Own: This year we have created a collection on AO3 for the Klaine Advent works, and you can post directly to the collection here. Alternatively, when posting a fic, in the section labeled “Associations” enter KlaineAdvent2021 (with no spaces) where it says “Post to Collections/Challenges” and your fic will be added to the collection. As with anything else, if you have any questions drop us an ask! Please let us know if you are ONLY posting to AO3, so we can make sure to reblog them here to tumblr.

Want to Volunteer? We will need people to help with the daily reblogs, so if you have some time please signup here!! You can send a message to the blog if you have any questions. It’s pretty simple and you can do it throughout your assigned day and if you see any stragglers. We need people to do this!!

“But what if I don’t write or make art and don’t have time to volunteer?” You are the most important person!! Read the fics, look at the art, let the authors and artists know how much you appreciate their work by reblogging and commenting and liking and all those things creators like. Nothing helps a writer or artist losing steam to pick up their story again more than a nice comment from someone.

While this is a fandom whose online presence has been shrinking a bit every year, the annual Klaine Advent still gets people excited, and I know I always look forward to seeing new works! It’s a great place to test out some ideas, or challenge yourself, or even to bust out of writer’s block or an inspirational fog.

There will be one more informational post at the kickoff on December 1, so if you have any questions before then (or after!) check out our Blog FAQ or send us a message. :)

I will be posting information and update posts throughout the event, so if you have any questions please feel free to drop a question into the ask box.

Happy Klaine Advent 2021!

Your 2021 host,

@slayediest

[gleefulpoppet]

Chapter 10 of 10: Transparent

★Chapter 10★ 2600+/Mature

The mirror is steamy from the shower, and the aroma of citrus and fir tree fills the air from their body wash. In the distance, there is instrumental Christmas music playing from the master bedroom.

Blaine suds up Kurt’s loofah and starts washing his body for him. “Tell me how it went today?”

“It was fine. We had one gal have a complete meltdown; she could not handle the pain. And then later, some guy passed out. We rarely get two of them in one day. Not sure if it was holiday stress on top of them getting work done or what. Everything else was wonderful. Elliot did an extraordinary piece today of a wolf filled with constellation patterns. I loved it. I took a picture.”

“Can’t wait to see it,” Blaine says, rinsing the loofah out and pulling the showerhead down to rinse Kurt off. Then they switch places without a word, a ritual they’ve been doing for years, and Kurt turns and washes Blaine with his loofah. “How were your therapy sessions today?”

“Okay. It’s been harder than I imagined, seeing families at the shelters at Christmastime.” Blaine shrugs. He’s not sure he even knows how he feels.

Kurt’s voice grows concerned. “Rainshine, talk to me. What is happening up in that beautiful mind of yours?”

Blaine laughs once and shakes his head. “Am I that transparent?”

“I wouldn’t say that. I know you, though, babe, and something is going on. Talk to me,” Kurt says as he massages suds into Blaine’s hair.

Read more of Chapter 10 on [AO3]. Or start from the beginning [here].