Fic: The Time Machine (8/?)
Title: The Time Machine
Genre: Romance, Humor, Fantasy
Pairing: Klaine, Brittana, Rory/?
Rating: PG - PG 13
Spoilers: none.
Disclaimer: : I own nothing...and do not claim to.
Summary: In a moment of what could be called absolutely brilliance or stupidity, Rory Hummel-Anderson decided that the only way to get his Papa back was to go back in time and stall him, or stop him from getting into the car at all. The only problem is, his Aunt's time machine is still just a prototype and he can't even specify a time. But Rory uses it anyway and suddenly he's back in 2011 and he has to pretend to be an exchange student while he waits for Aunt Brittany to build the time machine again and get back home. In the meanwhile he gets to know his parents as teenagers and even help their relationship along when they hit a bump in the road.
Author's Note: Sorry for the lack of update for so long, but things should be getting a little better now and this fic will be a priority, anyhow enjoy the new chapter.
Chapter One
Chapter Eight
Christmas with the Hummels
The tablecloth was different, but the table wasn’t and the people around it were all his family, Sam included. Rory sat next to his dad and had his uncle across from him with Rachel who had joined them for no other reason that because even though she was Jewish she would have to get used to doing Christmas as well if she and Finn were going to last. Sam was there because he was technically living at the Hummel-Hudsons and he wasn’t getting back to his parents until the morning. Rory was there because once Kurt found out that he was going to spend Christmas alone he wouldn’t hear of not having him there. His papa was the only one absent and Rory couldn’t help but notice how easily this was a reflection of the future.
Christmas at his grandparent’s house was just as he remembered it and Rory now knew for sure that his dad wasn’t lying when he’d told Rory that things were always done the same way every year.
Their tree was decorated in the multicolored ornaments that he remembered and although some were missing and others were entirely new to Rory, it looked so familiar that for a moment upon first seeing it he had almost allowed himself to believe that he was in the future having Christmas in Ohio. That fantasy was ruined when his dad came up behind him and his age was unmistakable.
Still, it was a better Christmas than he’d been looking forward to earlier that week when he was singing Blue Christmas in the choir room, and he smiled at his dad as he was passed a bowl of mashed potatoes. He spooned a bit onto his plate and passed the bowl to Sam.
“How early are you planning on heading out tomorrow, Sam?” Carole asked.
“Probably as soon as I wake up,” Sam said, “I hope there won’t be too much traffic it being Christmas and all. I can’t thank you guys enough for letting me stay here and inviting me to dinner and everything.”
Carole shook her hand. “No worries, Sam, and no need to keep thanking us. We’re happy to have you here.” She turned her gaze to Rory, “and you too, Rory, the more the merrier. I’m still upset with the Pierces how they thought it was acceptable to just leave you on your own.”
“My mum was coming,” Rory said and tried hard to keep a straight face while saying so.
The real truth was that Rory hadn’t wanted to go with Brittany’s family wherever they had gone for the holidays. He’d planned on spending it alone, or with Sugar. Sugar had pulled a disappearing act on him and actually hadn’t showed up to school all week. Still, he was happy to have stayed back and happy to be involved in this family’s Christmas. He was even staying with the Hummel’s until Brittany’s family returned and Rory couldn’t be happier.
“Still,” Carole said.
Out of all the people seated around the table it was only one person that he was afraid to have actual interaction with and that was with his grandpa. Grandpa Burt had always been one of Rory’s favorite people. Not only did both of his dad’s worship the man, but he was brilliant in his own way and different from anything anyone expected from him when first looking at him.
He was seated as far away from Rory as Rory could have arranged it and they still hadn’t said anything to each other. But he had given him a calculative look earlier and out of everyone in the past Rory thought he’d be the one to figure out who he was more than anyone else.
“What’s Christmas like in Ireland, Rory?”
The question left him feeling blank. Why hadn’t he researched it? How hadn’t he expected it to come up? When he was filling his locker a few weeks before when Tina made a comment about his lack of pictures or decorations, with pictures of people that he could pretend were his family he should have thought about other ways to fill the background.
He looked in the direction of his dad who had posed the question. “They’re kind of like here, I imagine. We have dinner Christmas eve and all my family goes to my grandparents so it’s a bunch of my cousins and aunts and uncles and it’s just crazy. We open presents at midnight and my papa always insists on reading some sort of Christmas story which we all protest to but love anyway.”
His voice was definitely wistful and in his mind all he could picture was that same house with all the changes that the future would bring it and with these same people minus Sam and plus his papa.
Kurt frowned at him though. “I’m sorry you’re missing it,” he said and patted his arm.
“Me too.”
The rest of dinner was not as melancholy as that and Rory found himself enjoying Finn’s exuberance over presents the next morning and the constant eye rolling shared between Carole and Kurt. Rory wondered what had happened to Finn’s earlier selflessness just a couple of nights before.
The week coming up to the holiday had been different than any Rory had experienced before. They’d spent too much money on decorations for the choir room and Finn and Rachel had been arguing for days about Christmas presents, and Rory had heard enough Christmas carols from his parents and their friends to last him a long while.
What Rory hadn’t minded was working on that Christmas show that Mr. Shue had gotten them. It had been fun to rehearse and play around on set while Artie and the camera crew figured out shots showing Rory more than ever why Artie was going to be a great director in the years to come.
Unlike his dads, Rory hadn’t had a big part, but he’d enjoyed the atmosphere of being there more than anything and he’d loved watching Kurt and Blaine sing together. They’d been far more flirtatious during practice than on the actual show when they did it live.
The entire thing had brought all kinds of memories for Rory because Christmas had always been his favorite time of the year and just catching this glimpse of his parents dancing and laughing and making innuendos during the Christmas special had been the best thing ever.
He remembered the year they’d spent the holidays in a cabin in Vermont, snowed in and without any electricity. They’d sat by the fireplace and they had just talked and laughed until the lights came back on. His dads had sung a few Christmas songs and gotten him to join them and they’d been way too mushy for his taste - but then they always were.
“So what did you end up getting Rachel?”
Rory turned to look at his dad and Finn. He had been there earlier in the week when his aunt and uncle showed up to where he and Sam were collecting donations for the Salvation Army. It had been nice to see them finally stop arguing about Finn’s present for Rachel. There had been no getting away from it during the last week before their Christmas break.
They were talking about it everywhere.
“Well the star. She probably told you, but we returned the gifts we bought for each other and gave the money to charity.”
“That’s really nice of you, Finn.”
“I’m more surprised Rachel went along with it.”
Grandpa Burt spoke then, “Isn’t she Jewish?”
“Yeah, she is.”
Dinner went along swimmingly. It was the perfect way to spend the holiday and when it was over he, Finn, and Sam helped up with the clean up. He wound up taking things into the kitchen and putting away leftovers while the other two boys washed the dishes.
His dad was exempt from chores because he’d done a lot of the cooking with Carole.
“And now, games!” his uncle shouted.
When they entered the living room a game of monopoly had been set up and his dad was seated on the floor with his phone out. He was frowning.
“Hey, what’s wrong?” Grandpa Burt asked.
“It’s Blaine. He got into a fight with his dad.” He rolled his eyes, “he didn’t say anything about it, but I know it must have upset him if he texted me.”
There was a longing in his words that he didn’t want to voice, a need to be with Blaine and to be able to comfort him and make sure that he really was okay. Rory could real all of it right on his face and he hoped that his grandpa could as well.
“Invite him over,” Burt said, “he can even stay the night. It’s Christmas and I know you’re not going to sleep tonight until you know he’s alright.”
Rory sat down in one of the couches and he watched their interaction. He’d forgotten how amazing his grandfather was. His dad’s face lit up.
“Really?” he asked, “I - I’ll go call him.”
He walked up the stairs and Rory looked after him with a small smile. It would be the family Christmas he’d wanted, then, if Blaine did show up. They might be a little younger and not really know who he was but they would be together and Rory would get at least that out of it.
It wasn’t until he turned back that he realized for the first time that he was in a room alone with his grandfather. Grandma Carole had gone upstairs to get some sleep because she’d actually worked that morning and had gotten home only to work on their dinner. Sam and Finn were still in the kitchen.
“You look just like him,” Grandpa Burt said, “you even have some of his mannerisms. And you look at him like he’s very important to you.”
Rory didn’t know how to respond. His mouth opened and closed a few times.
“So, who are you?”
Grandpa Burt leaned forward and lifted his hands up as if to say he was waiting for a response.
- - -
Blaine leaned back and closed his eyes. It stung to know that not even the holidays could put his family’s issues behind. Logically, he knew that it had more to do with Cooper not coming home than with him, but the words still hurt and what hurt more was his mom not bothering to stand up for him.
When the phone rang he was startled, but he grabbed at once and he even gave a small smile when he realized it was Kurt.
“Hi,” he said, “you didn’t have to call. I’m fine really.”
“Well,” Kurt said, “I don’t think you’re telling me the truth. My dad also said you could come over. Dinner’s over but there’s leftovers and Sam and Rory are here so you can’t even argue that you’ll get in the way, and we were just going to start a game of monopoly.”
“I-”
Blaine couldn’t believe it. Earlier in the week Kurt had definitely invited him to Christmas dinner, but he’d declined because his family was also having a Christmas dinner and he hadn’t mentioned it to Kurt, but he had been excited for his brother coming to see them for once.
“Please say you’ll come,” Kurt said, “or I will come get you.”
Blaine rolled his eyes. He was already up from his bed and looking for his shoes. “I’ll be there soon. You’re sure it’s alright?”
“Of course,” Kurt said, “hurry. I’ll hide the dog for you.”
He laughed again. “That is the sign of a true boyfriend. See you in a bit.”
The drive over was quick, there wasn’t a lot of traffic and he didn’t hit any red lights. It had been snowing earlier in the afternoon and there was some accumulation but the streets were generally clean. When he had finished parking in front of Kurt’s house Kurt was already standing on his doorsteps, a blanket wrapped around his shoulders. He waved at him to hurry.
Blaine jogged towards him and Kurt threw an arm over his shoulders, bringing the blanket with him.
“Come on, come on, we literally just started the game - I rolled for you.”
Rory was seated on the floor, one of the plush reindeers that Carole had put around on the sofas clutched in his hands. Blaine was still not over how alike he and Kurt looked and he still couldn’t come up with any kind of reason for it. He wound up sitting between Kurt and Rory. The younger boy grinned at him.
“Merry Christmas,” he said.
Blaine repeated the sentiment.
“How are you, Blaine?” Burt asked.
“I’m okay. It was a minor disagreement, really. But I wish I had come here instead.”
“You’re always welcome here.”
Blaine nodded.
“Did you eat?” Kurt asked.
“Not really,” Blaine admitted.
Kurt was up immediately and headed to the kitchen. Blaine looked after him. The game of monopoly had just been started. No one had bought any deeds yet and it was actually his turn. He rolled the dice and then Rory moved his token, the dog.
“So where’s Sam? I thought he was here with you guys tonight.”
“Sleeping,” Finn said, “he’s leaving super early tomorrow and wanted to rest up. Way too early to even try sleeping, but I guess it makes sense.”
“I see.”
Rory went next and then Finn and then Burt. Kurt was back just when it was his turn to roll. He handed Blaine a plate heaped with food that he knew he wasn’t going to be able to finish. He watched Kurt roll the dice while beginning to eat. Even though it had been reheated it was still delicious.
“This is amazing,” he mumbled to Kurt.
The rest of the game went in the same manner. Rory was the bank and Finn kept arguing with him whenever he had to pay the bank any amount of money. Yet surprisingly enough when the game was drawing to a close it was Finn who was winning.
“I don’t know how he’s doing it,” Kurt muttered.
Rory handed money to Finn after landing on his property and the game went on until Kurt went bankrupt. His father followed closely after.
“It’s not in the genetics of us Hummel men to be good at monopoly,” Kurt said but he stayed on the floor and leaned against Blaine, trying to find a way to help him get the upper hand on the game.
“Well, boys, I’m tuckered out,” Burt announced and stifled a yawn, “don’t stay up too late.”
“We won’t,” Kurt said and untangled himself from Blaine long enough to stand and hug his father.
Burt had to walk around them to get out of the living room and Blaine saw him touch Rory’s shoulder as he passed. Rory looked up and there was a strange smile on his lips that Blaine thought was really familiar.
“And no funny business, you two,” Burt gave him and Kurt a pointed look.
“Dad!” Kurt cried.
- - -
“What’s that?”
Kurt stopped humming. “What?” He asked.
It was Christmas morning and he’d woken up before everyone else. So, after getting cleaned up, he’d gone down to the kitchen and started making pancakes. Rory had come down at some point, rubbing sleep out of his eyes and yawning.
Rory pointed in the direction of his hand. Kurt couldn’t help the blush that covered his cheeks. The words were still repeating in his head. To always love you. He looked down at the ring. It was made of gum wrappers, flimsy material that could rip and break and get destroyed in minutes. To defend you even if I know you’re wrong. But it meant the world to him. To surprise you. Blaine had made it, spent hours working on it until it was perfect. To always pick up your call no matter what I’m doing. And then there was the bowtie, a perfect representation of them. To bake you cookies at least twice a year. It stood for every promise that Blaine was making to him and everything he was promising back. To kiss you whenever and where ever you want. Even if the ring didn’t last forever, Kurt was more than sure that he and Blaine would and for now he would just keep it to look at and remember that he belonged to someone and that that someone loved him just as he was. To make sure you always remember how perfectly imperfect you are.
“Blaine made it for me for Christmas. Kind of like a promise ring, but better.”
Rory yawned. “It’s nice. Do you think you and Blaine will get married some day?”
Kurt flipped the pancake on the pan and then turned to really look at Rory. “I think so, yeah,” he said, “or, I hope so. I can’t picture my life without him.”
That brought him back to when Blaine had given him the ring and how fast he had jumped to say yes to marriage. He definitely did hope that he and Blaine could be that couple that managed to actually make it past high school and college.
Rory sighed. It wasn’t an annoyed bored sigh, but a dreamy one, wistful like he couldn’t wait until he had what Kurt had.
“You’ll find someone someday, Rory,” he told his friend, “plenty of time and plenty of girls out there. You are into girls right?”
Rory was blushing, then.
“Either is fine, you know,” Kurt continued, “and when it’s right, it’s right.”
For some reason he felt like he needed to reassure and advice Rory. The boy wasn’t that much younger than Kurt, but ever since he’d met him he’d just felt protective and caring and way too invested in his well being. It didn’t make sense and frankly Kurt didn’t want to really think about it.
“I, um, I don’t know for sure,” Rory said finally, “I’ve never…”
Kurt tried to offer a reassuring smile. “There’s no rush,” he said and then removed the pancake from the pan. He reached for the bowl with batter to pour onto the pan.
His dad followed closely by Carole entered the kitchen, then. His dad still wore pajamas but Carole had changed into a nice holiday sweater that Kurt would have called tacky had it not been Christmas, and jeans. He himself had thrown on a festive outfit but it was only festive because he’d managed to match green and red together without having it look horrible.
“Good morning, boys,” Carole said and greeted them both with a hug and a kiss on the cheek. “Did you sleep well, Rory?”
Rory nodded. “Great,” he said.
Rory had slept on the air mattress in Kurt’s room because Finn and Sam were sharing Finn’s room and there hadn’t been any room in there for him. His dad hadn’t questioned sleeping arrangements for Blaine, so his boyfriend had slept tangled up with Kurt in his bed.
Kurt finished making the last of the pancakes while Carole busied herself toasting some bread and cutting up fruit. Kurt had already put a pot of coffee to brew, so his dad started pouring out cups.
“Can I help with anything?” Rory asked through a yawn.
“No, dear, everything’s under control.”
When Blaine and Finn finally came down - Blaine in one of Kurt’s t-shirts and the pair of pajama pants he’d brought with him the night before and Finn even more disheveled - they all sat down at the dining room table to eat. Within a few bites they were praising Kurt for his abilities in the kitchen.
- - -
Rory was glad that there was so much going on and that so many people were around - including Rachel later in the day - to keep everyone rushing in and out of every room in the house. It made trying to stay away from Grandpa Burt all the more easier.
Out of everyone in this time he was the one that had gotten closest to figuring out who he was. Back at home he had been proud of how like his dad he was and how much his grandpa saw in him that was in Kurt, but now he wished he didn’t look so much like him. And he was also hoping desperately that he wouldn’t say anything to either of his dads. Blaine was already suspicious enough and he definitely didn’t need Kurt to start asking questions as well. Rory liked the way things were going between them.
But Grandpa Burt kept looking at him and just staring like he was waiting for the puzzle to answer itself. They hadn’t gotten to talk after Kurt left the night before because Sam had interrupted, but he’d been looking for time to talk to Rory and Rory had been avoiding him as much as he could. He knew that his time was going to run out soon.
His Papa was going back home soon even though he’d been invited to stay another night, and Finn was looking forward to long days playing video games with Puck and spending as much time as he could at Rachel’s house because her dads were going on some sort of cruise.
Rory would be staying at his dad’s house until the holidays were over. He’d been happy at the prospect of spending more time with him and Blaine - he’d already told Kurt, he would be spending practically their entire break at his house - but he hadn’t expected that he might have to try and hide from his grandfather. Sooner or later, he was going to be cornered and Rory didn’t know what would happen then, but he was definitely going to try and figure out some sort of excuse before that happened. It was too bad that Rory had never once managed to get away with lying to his grandfather.
On the upside, he had a week to spend with his family and even if they didn’t know that he was their family, they were treated him as close to and it was the best thing he could have asked for, for Christmas. It even took his mind off of thinking about the Christmas in the future that he might not be getting back for and the empty feeling that filled him up every time that he thought about his papa gone from his world.
“Merry Christmas, Rory,” Blaine said. He was wrapped up in a scarf, coat, and he even had a hat pulled down over his ears. He looked a little silly, but warm.
Blaine hugged him. Rory breathed in and hugged back, trying hard to make himself actually let go.
“I’ll probably be back tomorrow,” Blaine informed him, “see you then, maybe?”
“Yeah,” Rory said, “I’ll be here.”
He watched his father walk slowly over ice and snow to his car and waved at him as he left. It was scary how similar this scene was to when his papa had gotten into that accident. Rory had stood on their doorway and waved him along then too.
A strangled sound escaped his throat. He tried to take in a breath, but he only coughed and coughed.
“Hey, are you okay? Kid, you alright?”
Everything was fuzzy. His cheeks were wet and he was gasping for breath. Grandpa Burt let him lean into him and they got to the stairs. Rory sat. He was coming down from it. He’d never had a panic attack, but he was sure this had been one. Seeing Blaine drive away had been too close to home.
After all, Rory was stuck in this time, years and years away from the moment when his papa died, and there was no telling when he’d be getting home - if he’d be getting home or if he would even be in time to save him.
“I have to…I have to save him.”
Grandpa Burt had brought him a glass of water and he grasped it in shaking hands, lifting it up to take a drink.
“Who? Rory, you have to let me know if something’s wrong.”
“I can’t let my Papa die,” Rory said, “I can’t let it happen - you have to help me.”
Genre: Romance, Humor, Fantasy
Pairing: Klaine, Brittana, Rory/?
Rating: PG - PG 13
Spoilers: none.
Disclaimer: : I own nothing...and do not claim to.
Summary: In a moment of what could be called absolutely brilliance or stupidity, Rory Hummel-Anderson decided that the only way to get his Papa back was to go back in time and stall him, or stop him from getting into the car at all. The only problem is, his Aunt's time machine is still just a prototype and he can't even specify a time. But Rory uses it anyway and suddenly he's back in 2011 and he has to pretend to be an exchange student while he waits for Aunt Brittany to build the time machine again and get back home. In the meanwhile he gets to know his parents as teenagers and even help their relationship along when they hit a bump in the road.
Author's Note: Sorry for the lack of update for so long, but things should be getting a little better now and this fic will be a priority, anyhow enjoy the new chapter.
Chapter One
Chapter Eight
Christmas with the Hummels
The tablecloth was different, but the table wasn’t and the people around it were all his family, Sam included. Rory sat next to his dad and had his uncle across from him with Rachel who had joined them for no other reason that because even though she was Jewish she would have to get used to doing Christmas as well if she and Finn were going to last. Sam was there because he was technically living at the Hummel-Hudsons and he wasn’t getting back to his parents until the morning. Rory was there because once Kurt found out that he was going to spend Christmas alone he wouldn’t hear of not having him there. His papa was the only one absent and Rory couldn’t help but notice how easily this was a reflection of the future.
Christmas at his grandparent’s house was just as he remembered it and Rory now knew for sure that his dad wasn’t lying when he’d told Rory that things were always done the same way every year.
Their tree was decorated in the multicolored ornaments that he remembered and although some were missing and others were entirely new to Rory, it looked so familiar that for a moment upon first seeing it he had almost allowed himself to believe that he was in the future having Christmas in Ohio. That fantasy was ruined when his dad came up behind him and his age was unmistakable.
Still, it was a better Christmas than he’d been looking forward to earlier that week when he was singing Blue Christmas in the choir room, and he smiled at his dad as he was passed a bowl of mashed potatoes. He spooned a bit onto his plate and passed the bowl to Sam.
“How early are you planning on heading out tomorrow, Sam?” Carole asked.
“Probably as soon as I wake up,” Sam said, “I hope there won’t be too much traffic it being Christmas and all. I can’t thank you guys enough for letting me stay here and inviting me to dinner and everything.”
Carole shook her hand. “No worries, Sam, and no need to keep thanking us. We’re happy to have you here.” She turned her gaze to Rory, “and you too, Rory, the more the merrier. I’m still upset with the Pierces how they thought it was acceptable to just leave you on your own.”
“My mum was coming,” Rory said and tried hard to keep a straight face while saying so.
The real truth was that Rory hadn’t wanted to go with Brittany’s family wherever they had gone for the holidays. He’d planned on spending it alone, or with Sugar. Sugar had pulled a disappearing act on him and actually hadn’t showed up to school all week. Still, he was happy to have stayed back and happy to be involved in this family’s Christmas. He was even staying with the Hummel’s until Brittany’s family returned and Rory couldn’t be happier.
“Still,” Carole said.
Out of all the people seated around the table it was only one person that he was afraid to have actual interaction with and that was with his grandpa. Grandpa Burt had always been one of Rory’s favorite people. Not only did both of his dad’s worship the man, but he was brilliant in his own way and different from anything anyone expected from him when first looking at him.
He was seated as far away from Rory as Rory could have arranged it and they still hadn’t said anything to each other. But he had given him a calculative look earlier and out of everyone in the past Rory thought he’d be the one to figure out who he was more than anyone else.
“What’s Christmas like in Ireland, Rory?”
The question left him feeling blank. Why hadn’t he researched it? How hadn’t he expected it to come up? When he was filling his locker a few weeks before when Tina made a comment about his lack of pictures or decorations, with pictures of people that he could pretend were his family he should have thought about other ways to fill the background.
He looked in the direction of his dad who had posed the question. “They’re kind of like here, I imagine. We have dinner Christmas eve and all my family goes to my grandparents so it’s a bunch of my cousins and aunts and uncles and it’s just crazy. We open presents at midnight and my papa always insists on reading some sort of Christmas story which we all protest to but love anyway.”
His voice was definitely wistful and in his mind all he could picture was that same house with all the changes that the future would bring it and with these same people minus Sam and plus his papa.
Kurt frowned at him though. “I’m sorry you’re missing it,” he said and patted his arm.
“Me too.”
The rest of dinner was not as melancholy as that and Rory found himself enjoying Finn’s exuberance over presents the next morning and the constant eye rolling shared between Carole and Kurt. Rory wondered what had happened to Finn’s earlier selflessness just a couple of nights before.
The week coming up to the holiday had been different than any Rory had experienced before. They’d spent too much money on decorations for the choir room and Finn and Rachel had been arguing for days about Christmas presents, and Rory had heard enough Christmas carols from his parents and their friends to last him a long while.
What Rory hadn’t minded was working on that Christmas show that Mr. Shue had gotten them. It had been fun to rehearse and play around on set while Artie and the camera crew figured out shots showing Rory more than ever why Artie was going to be a great director in the years to come.
Unlike his dads, Rory hadn’t had a big part, but he’d enjoyed the atmosphere of being there more than anything and he’d loved watching Kurt and Blaine sing together. They’d been far more flirtatious during practice than on the actual show when they did it live.
The entire thing had brought all kinds of memories for Rory because Christmas had always been his favorite time of the year and just catching this glimpse of his parents dancing and laughing and making innuendos during the Christmas special had been the best thing ever.
He remembered the year they’d spent the holidays in a cabin in Vermont, snowed in and without any electricity. They’d sat by the fireplace and they had just talked and laughed until the lights came back on. His dads had sung a few Christmas songs and gotten him to join them and they’d been way too mushy for his taste - but then they always were.
“So what did you end up getting Rachel?”
Rory turned to look at his dad and Finn. He had been there earlier in the week when his aunt and uncle showed up to where he and Sam were collecting donations for the Salvation Army. It had been nice to see them finally stop arguing about Finn’s present for Rachel. There had been no getting away from it during the last week before their Christmas break.
They were talking about it everywhere.
“Well the star. She probably told you, but we returned the gifts we bought for each other and gave the money to charity.”
“That’s really nice of you, Finn.”
“I’m more surprised Rachel went along with it.”
Grandpa Burt spoke then, “Isn’t she Jewish?”
“Yeah, she is.”
Dinner went along swimmingly. It was the perfect way to spend the holiday and when it was over he, Finn, and Sam helped up with the clean up. He wound up taking things into the kitchen and putting away leftovers while the other two boys washed the dishes.
His dad was exempt from chores because he’d done a lot of the cooking with Carole.
“And now, games!” his uncle shouted.
When they entered the living room a game of monopoly had been set up and his dad was seated on the floor with his phone out. He was frowning.
“Hey, what’s wrong?” Grandpa Burt asked.
“It’s Blaine. He got into a fight with his dad.” He rolled his eyes, “he didn’t say anything about it, but I know it must have upset him if he texted me.”
There was a longing in his words that he didn’t want to voice, a need to be with Blaine and to be able to comfort him and make sure that he really was okay. Rory could real all of it right on his face and he hoped that his grandpa could as well.
“Invite him over,” Burt said, “he can even stay the night. It’s Christmas and I know you’re not going to sleep tonight until you know he’s alright.”
Rory sat down in one of the couches and he watched their interaction. He’d forgotten how amazing his grandfather was. His dad’s face lit up.
“Really?” he asked, “I - I’ll go call him.”
He walked up the stairs and Rory looked after him with a small smile. It would be the family Christmas he’d wanted, then, if Blaine did show up. They might be a little younger and not really know who he was but they would be together and Rory would get at least that out of it.
It wasn’t until he turned back that he realized for the first time that he was in a room alone with his grandfather. Grandma Carole had gone upstairs to get some sleep because she’d actually worked that morning and had gotten home only to work on their dinner. Sam and Finn were still in the kitchen.
“You look just like him,” Grandpa Burt said, “you even have some of his mannerisms. And you look at him like he’s very important to you.”
Rory didn’t know how to respond. His mouth opened and closed a few times.
“So, who are you?”
Grandpa Burt leaned forward and lifted his hands up as if to say he was waiting for a response.
- - -
Blaine leaned back and closed his eyes. It stung to know that not even the holidays could put his family’s issues behind. Logically, he knew that it had more to do with Cooper not coming home than with him, but the words still hurt and what hurt more was his mom not bothering to stand up for him.
When the phone rang he was startled, but he grabbed at once and he even gave a small smile when he realized it was Kurt.
“Hi,” he said, “you didn’t have to call. I’m fine really.”
“Well,” Kurt said, “I don’t think you’re telling me the truth. My dad also said you could come over. Dinner’s over but there’s leftovers and Sam and Rory are here so you can’t even argue that you’ll get in the way, and we were just going to start a game of monopoly.”
“I-”
Blaine couldn’t believe it. Earlier in the week Kurt had definitely invited him to Christmas dinner, but he’d declined because his family was also having a Christmas dinner and he hadn’t mentioned it to Kurt, but he had been excited for his brother coming to see them for once.
“Please say you’ll come,” Kurt said, “or I will come get you.”
Blaine rolled his eyes. He was already up from his bed and looking for his shoes. “I’ll be there soon. You’re sure it’s alright?”
“Of course,” Kurt said, “hurry. I’ll hide the dog for you.”
He laughed again. “That is the sign of a true boyfriend. See you in a bit.”
The drive over was quick, there wasn’t a lot of traffic and he didn’t hit any red lights. It had been snowing earlier in the afternoon and there was some accumulation but the streets were generally clean. When he had finished parking in front of Kurt’s house Kurt was already standing on his doorsteps, a blanket wrapped around his shoulders. He waved at him to hurry.
Blaine jogged towards him and Kurt threw an arm over his shoulders, bringing the blanket with him.
“Come on, come on, we literally just started the game - I rolled for you.”
Rory was seated on the floor, one of the plush reindeers that Carole had put around on the sofas clutched in his hands. Blaine was still not over how alike he and Kurt looked and he still couldn’t come up with any kind of reason for it. He wound up sitting between Kurt and Rory. The younger boy grinned at him.
“Merry Christmas,” he said.
Blaine repeated the sentiment.
“How are you, Blaine?” Burt asked.
“I’m okay. It was a minor disagreement, really. But I wish I had come here instead.”
“You’re always welcome here.”
Blaine nodded.
“Did you eat?” Kurt asked.
“Not really,” Blaine admitted.
Kurt was up immediately and headed to the kitchen. Blaine looked after him. The game of monopoly had just been started. No one had bought any deeds yet and it was actually his turn. He rolled the dice and then Rory moved his token, the dog.
“So where’s Sam? I thought he was here with you guys tonight.”
“Sleeping,” Finn said, “he’s leaving super early tomorrow and wanted to rest up. Way too early to even try sleeping, but I guess it makes sense.”
“I see.”
Rory went next and then Finn and then Burt. Kurt was back just when it was his turn to roll. He handed Blaine a plate heaped with food that he knew he wasn’t going to be able to finish. He watched Kurt roll the dice while beginning to eat. Even though it had been reheated it was still delicious.
“This is amazing,” he mumbled to Kurt.
The rest of the game went in the same manner. Rory was the bank and Finn kept arguing with him whenever he had to pay the bank any amount of money. Yet surprisingly enough when the game was drawing to a close it was Finn who was winning.
“I don’t know how he’s doing it,” Kurt muttered.
Rory handed money to Finn after landing on his property and the game went on until Kurt went bankrupt. His father followed closely after.
“It’s not in the genetics of us Hummel men to be good at monopoly,” Kurt said but he stayed on the floor and leaned against Blaine, trying to find a way to help him get the upper hand on the game.
“Well, boys, I’m tuckered out,” Burt announced and stifled a yawn, “don’t stay up too late.”
“We won’t,” Kurt said and untangled himself from Blaine long enough to stand and hug his father.
Burt had to walk around them to get out of the living room and Blaine saw him touch Rory’s shoulder as he passed. Rory looked up and there was a strange smile on his lips that Blaine thought was really familiar.
“And no funny business, you two,” Burt gave him and Kurt a pointed look.
“Dad!” Kurt cried.
- - -
“What’s that?”
Kurt stopped humming. “What?” He asked.
It was Christmas morning and he’d woken up before everyone else. So, after getting cleaned up, he’d gone down to the kitchen and started making pancakes. Rory had come down at some point, rubbing sleep out of his eyes and yawning.
Rory pointed in the direction of his hand. Kurt couldn’t help the blush that covered his cheeks. The words were still repeating in his head. To always love you. He looked down at the ring. It was made of gum wrappers, flimsy material that could rip and break and get destroyed in minutes. To defend you even if I know you’re wrong. But it meant the world to him. To surprise you. Blaine had made it, spent hours working on it until it was perfect. To always pick up your call no matter what I’m doing. And then there was the bowtie, a perfect representation of them. To bake you cookies at least twice a year. It stood for every promise that Blaine was making to him and everything he was promising back. To kiss you whenever and where ever you want. Even if the ring didn’t last forever, Kurt was more than sure that he and Blaine would and for now he would just keep it to look at and remember that he belonged to someone and that that someone loved him just as he was. To make sure you always remember how perfectly imperfect you are.
“Blaine made it for me for Christmas. Kind of like a promise ring, but better.”
Rory yawned. “It’s nice. Do you think you and Blaine will get married some day?”
Kurt flipped the pancake on the pan and then turned to really look at Rory. “I think so, yeah,” he said, “or, I hope so. I can’t picture my life without him.”
That brought him back to when Blaine had given him the ring and how fast he had jumped to say yes to marriage. He definitely did hope that he and Blaine could be that couple that managed to actually make it past high school and college.
Rory sighed. It wasn’t an annoyed bored sigh, but a dreamy one, wistful like he couldn’t wait until he had what Kurt had.
“You’ll find someone someday, Rory,” he told his friend, “plenty of time and plenty of girls out there. You are into girls right?”
Rory was blushing, then.
“Either is fine, you know,” Kurt continued, “and when it’s right, it’s right.”
For some reason he felt like he needed to reassure and advice Rory. The boy wasn’t that much younger than Kurt, but ever since he’d met him he’d just felt protective and caring and way too invested in his well being. It didn’t make sense and frankly Kurt didn’t want to really think about it.
“I, um, I don’t know for sure,” Rory said finally, “I’ve never…”
Kurt tried to offer a reassuring smile. “There’s no rush,” he said and then removed the pancake from the pan. He reached for the bowl with batter to pour onto the pan.
His dad followed closely by Carole entered the kitchen, then. His dad still wore pajamas but Carole had changed into a nice holiday sweater that Kurt would have called tacky had it not been Christmas, and jeans. He himself had thrown on a festive outfit but it was only festive because he’d managed to match green and red together without having it look horrible.
“Good morning, boys,” Carole said and greeted them both with a hug and a kiss on the cheek. “Did you sleep well, Rory?”
Rory nodded. “Great,” he said.
Rory had slept on the air mattress in Kurt’s room because Finn and Sam were sharing Finn’s room and there hadn’t been any room in there for him. His dad hadn’t questioned sleeping arrangements for Blaine, so his boyfriend had slept tangled up with Kurt in his bed.
Kurt finished making the last of the pancakes while Carole busied herself toasting some bread and cutting up fruit. Kurt had already put a pot of coffee to brew, so his dad started pouring out cups.
“Can I help with anything?” Rory asked through a yawn.
“No, dear, everything’s under control.”
When Blaine and Finn finally came down - Blaine in one of Kurt’s t-shirts and the pair of pajama pants he’d brought with him the night before and Finn even more disheveled - they all sat down at the dining room table to eat. Within a few bites they were praising Kurt for his abilities in the kitchen.
- - -
Rory was glad that there was so much going on and that so many people were around - including Rachel later in the day - to keep everyone rushing in and out of every room in the house. It made trying to stay away from Grandpa Burt all the more easier.
Out of everyone in this time he was the one that had gotten closest to figuring out who he was. Back at home he had been proud of how like his dad he was and how much his grandpa saw in him that was in Kurt, but now he wished he didn’t look so much like him. And he was also hoping desperately that he wouldn’t say anything to either of his dads. Blaine was already suspicious enough and he definitely didn’t need Kurt to start asking questions as well. Rory liked the way things were going between them.
But Grandpa Burt kept looking at him and just staring like he was waiting for the puzzle to answer itself. They hadn’t gotten to talk after Kurt left the night before because Sam had interrupted, but he’d been looking for time to talk to Rory and Rory had been avoiding him as much as he could. He knew that his time was going to run out soon.
His Papa was going back home soon even though he’d been invited to stay another night, and Finn was looking forward to long days playing video games with Puck and spending as much time as he could at Rachel’s house because her dads were going on some sort of cruise.
Rory would be staying at his dad’s house until the holidays were over. He’d been happy at the prospect of spending more time with him and Blaine - he’d already told Kurt, he would be spending practically their entire break at his house - but he hadn’t expected that he might have to try and hide from his grandfather. Sooner or later, he was going to be cornered and Rory didn’t know what would happen then, but he was definitely going to try and figure out some sort of excuse before that happened. It was too bad that Rory had never once managed to get away with lying to his grandfather.
On the upside, he had a week to spend with his family and even if they didn’t know that he was their family, they were treated him as close to and it was the best thing he could have asked for, for Christmas. It even took his mind off of thinking about the Christmas in the future that he might not be getting back for and the empty feeling that filled him up every time that he thought about his papa gone from his world.
“Merry Christmas, Rory,” Blaine said. He was wrapped up in a scarf, coat, and he even had a hat pulled down over his ears. He looked a little silly, but warm.
Blaine hugged him. Rory breathed in and hugged back, trying hard to make himself actually let go.
“I’ll probably be back tomorrow,” Blaine informed him, “see you then, maybe?”
“Yeah,” Rory said, “I’ll be here.”
He watched his father walk slowly over ice and snow to his car and waved at him as he left. It was scary how similar this scene was to when his papa had gotten into that accident. Rory had stood on their doorway and waved him along then too.
A strangled sound escaped his throat. He tried to take in a breath, but he only coughed and coughed.
“Hey, are you okay? Kid, you alright?”
Everything was fuzzy. His cheeks were wet and he was gasping for breath. Grandpa Burt let him lean into him and they got to the stairs. Rory sat. He was coming down from it. He’d never had a panic attack, but he was sure this had been one. Seeing Blaine drive away had been too close to home.
After all, Rory was stuck in this time, years and years away from the moment when his papa died, and there was no telling when he’d be getting home - if he’d be getting home or if he would even be in time to save him.
“I have to…I have to save him.”
Grandpa Burt had brought him a glass of water and he grasped it in shaking hands, lifting it up to take a drink.
“Who? Rory, you have to let me know if something’s wrong.”
“I can’t let my Papa die,” Rory said, “I can’t let it happen - you have to help me.”