FIC: For as Long as I Breathe, I Hope
Series: No Day But Today
Title: For as Long as I Breathe, I Hope
Pair: Klaine! Married! Legally! (sort of)
Rating: Closer to NC-17 but not terribly graphic
Word Count: ~7300
Summary: The survivors do their best to throw Kurt and Blaine a wonderful post-apocalypse wedding. Flowers, song, cake, sex, and a surprise guest.
Sorry for the wait on this part. I've been trying to update more regularly, but got hindered by things. Mostly myself.
Songs: (I would die if Kurt or Blaine got to sing any of these on the show.)
Because You Loved Me http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CkKuA86Mis
Stuff Like that There http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAW9TPIV1bA
Baby Love Child http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFV1JNgJA7s (Blaine likes Futurama)
Surrounded by warmth, the sun just a little too hot on his skin, Kurt curls up with Blaine, watching their daughter dance in front of them. She smiles brilliantly, a smile born of knowing what it means to be alive, a smile losing its baby teeth. Her thick, curly hair bounces around on her shoulders as she practices the steps her daddy showed her.
It was a dream, of course, but it was sucha lovely dream. Kurt didn’t want to open his eyes, or for Blaine to ever let go.
But eventually, Kurt had to wake up and get out of bed. He’d already fed Pippa once that morning, and gone back to sleep with her. He could feel her next to him, squirming around.
“Morning, love.” He stroked her cheek, then looked up at the window. Through the boards, streams of light from the rising sun warmed them. He bowed over Pippa, kissing her and smelling her hair. “Your daddies are getting married today, beautiful.”
“Huh?” Blaine half-sat up.
His grogginess was a relief. It meant that Blaine had slept hard, without further terrifying dreams. Kurt knew he would have some not so fabulous ones, if he let himself dwell on the image of what Blaine had shared. And he couldn’t let himself do that. Not today. Maybe not ever.
He had enough things to worry about in the present. He wouldn’t lose himself to fretting over what might happen.
He settled Pippa in Blaine’s arms and went to go clean up. Blaine snuggled over Pippa and started murmuring to her.
***
When Blaine woke properly, Kurt had left to start his morning routine (granted, not as elaborate routine as he’d had during their relatively carefree days in Lima). So Blaine secured Pippa on his hip and shuffled out into the house. There was clanging in the kitchen, and he approached, slowly. The room was more guy-filled than he’d expected. Nick was leaning over the stove, and Finn was holding a knife and looking between the stove and some chopped things on the counter, confused.
Rafe looked like he might be there to make fun of them.
“Um. What’s going on? Where’s Van?” Blaine asked.
“She’s not feeling so good,” Finn said. “The smell of the food was bugging her. I didn’t want her to puke in the risotto.”
“Though it would be entertaining if the entire wedding party started projectile vomiting.” Rafe’s tongue peeked out over his lower lip.
Nick turned to him and pointed with his wooden spoon. “Are you helping?”
“I’m hindering,” he replied cheerfully.
Blaine came over to the stove. “Well, why don’t Kurt and I help-”
“No.” Nick made a shooing motion. “We’re getting Mama Chang in a bit. You just go git pritty!”
“Yeah, but-”
Finn put his hands on Blaine’s shoulders and guided him out of the kitchen. “And here I thought it’d be Kurt we’d have to keep outta here.”
“Please don’t burn the house down.” Blaine heaved a sigh.
Finn smiled widely. “You nervous?”
A little.” Blaine glanced back into the kitchen where Rafe was teasing Nick. And Nick’s ears were scarlet. Huh.
“What’s to be nervous about? You love Kurt, right? You guys have a baby together. That’s about as settled as you get these days.”
“It’s not about the commitment. It’s just strange to have good things happen. Not sure if I can trust it.”
God, he couldn’t let the image of Kurt captured and violated ruin their day. He just had to treat whatever was going on in his brain as a warning and be ready for whatever came at them. His eyes closed, and he breathed in and out. Finn rubbed his back.
“Keep them from destroying everything.” Blaine looked over his shoulder. “Or mating on the cake. Kurt and Van worked hard on that.”
“Mating...” Finn frowned at the kitchen. Rafe was leaning on the counter as he continued to tease Nick. “Whoa.”
Blaine chuckled. “Okay. I... uh. Guess I’ll help go see how Kurt is doing. Thanks for the help.”
“No problem, dude.” Finn smiled. “I can take Pip, if you need your hands free.”
“Maybe you could just watch her in her pen? I need to put her down for some tummy time.”
“Awesome.” Finn couldn’t have beamed more brightly. The guy just loved looking after his niece.
After setting Pippa down, Blaine went back to the bedroom in search of Kurt. For a second, his chest grew tight, and he bolted down the hallway, ducking his head in every room.
“Honey?” Kurt peaked out of the bathroom.
“God!” Blaine put his hand to his chest.
Kurt pulled Blaine close, stroking his cheek tenderly. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m just freaking out. What if something happens to you? I can’t handle it, Kurt.”
“Yes. Yes, you can.” Kurt kissed his forehead. “You did. I got pregnant so unexpectedly; you helped me cope I got sick; you supported me and kept me going-”
“You got infected and taken away, and I crumbled into a million pieces, and probably hurt some people.”
Kurt cupped the back of Blaine’s neck and held him tightly. “Yeah, well, maybe the ‘doctors’ should’ve gotten their heads out of their asses faster. But you never stopped looking for us.”
Blaine squeezed him, closing his eyes and trying to rationalize this crazy fear that something was going to happen to Kurt. That Kurt would be hurt, damaged irreparably, and Blaine would be alone trying to protect Pippa and raise her right. Who would feed her? Who would show her how to be so, so strong?
“Is it time to go?” Kurt asked.
“No. Um. They’re making the food for everyone. We still have a few hours.” Blaine looked at Kurt. His hands, so large and graceful, smoothed over Blaine’s shirt as Kurt breathed out slowly.
“I meant, for us all to leave. Should we just make a break for it now? Is that how it goes?”
“I don’t know-”
“You know. You’ve done this before, baby. More than once.” Kurt pressed a light kiss to Blaine’s lips and trailed the back of his fingers over his cheeks. “I don’t know how you figure it out. You just kinda do the math, put it all together. How does this go? What’s our next move? What do you feel we should do?”
Blaine looked down, licked his lips, and thought more about his dream. No help there. It would help to dream of neon pointing signs. In his chest, though, the more he thought about them on the road right now... with the potential of brutal sociopaths roaming around out there ready to slake their appetites on the innocent survivors of this town...
“No,” Blaine said finally. “We can’t leave right now. It might feel like we have to, but if we leave, they’ll capture you. Not just you... I-I don’t know if that’s right, but I’d rather have you by my side, here. I think it’s better than being out there, open and vulnerable. For now, anyway.”
“And the walkers?”
“No dreams about the walkers. Not like that, anyway. Unless we get a herd of them, I think we could pick them off. For now. You’re not wrong that we need to move on.”
“Okay.” Kurt let his forehead rest against Blaine’s.
“What if... What if I’m wrong? What if it’s just a dream?”
“I don’t think it makes any difference, babe. The world is dangerous enough. We should try to take precautions no matter what.”
Their eyes met.
“Today,” Blaine said certainly, “Good things happen.”
“Yaaay,” Kurt breathed against his lips.
***
Kurt moved around Blaine, looking at his white suit with a critical eye. In his mind, he would have loved to put Blaine in a red suit with a white tie... and maybe a fedora... or maybe they could do something deconstructed, or with an ambitious color palate. Purple and red? But their options and fabric selections were limited. He’d had to make due tailoring two white suits, using different tool on each.
Blaine wore a deep blue shirt underneath his. Kurt wore bright red. And every time he looked up at Blaine, his heart fluttered. Soon.
Kurt’s movements caught Blaine’s eye, and Blaine looked down on him, grinning in an almost silly way.
“What?” Kurt looked down at Blaine’s cuff.
“You’re adorable.”
“Oh, well, of course. Stay still.”
Blaine chuckled. His hand touched Kurt’s hair lightly. He didn’t ruffle his hair, because Kurt had already fixed it, and there was no point messing it up now.
Especially when it was obvious that Blaine was itching to mess it up later.
“I have to finish this,” Kurt admonished. “Stop looking at me like that.”
“Like what?”
“Like you want to rip off my exquisitely tailored apocalypse-chic suit and make wild, passionate love to me.”
Blaine was silent for a moment. Kurt looked up to see Blaine staring kind of dumbstruck at the wall.
“Unf,” he managed, finally.
“Yeah. Unf. Later.” Kurt finished the cuff and rose, smoothing his hands over different parts of the suit and admiring his soon to be husband.
“It doesn’t have to be perfect.”
“Oh, it absolutely does.” Kurt looked at Blaine with a smirk. He reached over to the nightstand and put on his glasses. “Imagine how I’d be if I had a world of resources to work with. I’d be incorrigible. There would be no end to the planning, and details, and overblown romantic nonsense...”
Blaine breathed in and out. Then he leaned in to kiss Kurt-
“Um, hello!” Santana snapped.
They both turned to look at where she had burst in the door. Funny that Kurt’s instincts hadn’t alerted him to her presence. Maybe she wasn’t evil after all.
She had her hands on her hips and her lips pursed as she stared them down. “You two need to stop flirting around and get your pert little butts to the meeting hall. Everything’s ready!”
“Okay, okay!” Blaine held his hands up.
As Kurt checked himself in the mirror one last time, Blaine tucked his gun securely under his suit jacket. Then he reached for Kurt’s hand. Kurt breathed out slowly. He straightened Blaine’s paper boutonniere, biting his lip in excitement. Hand in hand, they left the house.
When they reached the hall, Kurt stopped at the doorway. The dusty old meeting hall had been transformed. (And dusted.) His eyes swept over the colorful strings of paper flowers draped over every window, along the aisles, and around the wooden stage area. The windows were open, bringing in more light, and a series of candles were lit along the table at the front. Pretty much everyone was there, save a few who had to be on lookout while they had the ceremony. Kurt would make sure someone brought them a piece of cake.
Santana held up a finger and hurried up to the group that was standing at the front of the hallway. Nick, David, Rafe, Brittany, Tina, Mike, Finn, Van, and Saffire. Most of their town had come in their best kept clothes, but not many had a “Sunday best” outfit anymore. Their friends at the front had managed to look nice, with the boys in black suits and the girls in bright blue and red dresses. With so little time to pull this off, Kurt couldn’t imagine how they made this happen... but apparently they had. Kurt touched his lips and looked to Blaine, who seemed just as taken aback by the sight.
Finn’s arms wrapped protectively around Van’s waist. She looked back at Finn, who gave her a tender kiss. The group started singing a slow, pretty choral harmony. Kurt recognized the song, and the arrangement, immediately. He would know it anywhere. It had been the wrong song, and in a weird key, but practicing that with Blaine had been everything to him at the time. It didn’t even matter that the words didn’t make sense to them.
At the time, it had just made Kurt fall in love with Blaine more, for choosing that song, and for forgetting the words almost every time they’d practiced singing it together. His posh, put together man, coming undone right in front of him in the best of ways.
Van stepped out in front of the group and took the lead, with the others harmonizing behind her: “The power-lines went out, and I am all alone. But I don’t really care at all, not answering my phone.”
“All the games we played, the promises we made,” Finn sang. “Couldn’t finish what we started only darkness still remains...”
“Lost sight,” Tina, Brittany, Santana, and Saffire pitched in, “couldn’t see, when it was you and me!”
Kurt’s eyes were misty already. He looked at Blaine again to see that his eyes were gleaming with joy, too. They had to both be remembering the same thing, how it felt to be so freshly in love, so excited, so floating and on top of the world. They had been innocent, untouched. Their fingertips met, and they slowly walked down the aisle between the seats.
***
“But I think I’ll be all-riiight.”
When the song ended, Carol approached the front, and the singers went to sit down, except for Finn and Mike, and Rafe and Tina, who moved to Blaine and Kurt’s sides respectively.
Blaine let out the breath he’d been holding and smiled at his friends and family gratefully.
“We’re gathered here today to celebrate the love of two of our own,” Carol said, letting her voice carry out over the crowd. “I met these two boys outside of an abandoned mall in Ohio-” She stopped to smile fondly. “-where Kurt pulled his crossbow on me and called me a bottle-blond ignoramus.”
The congregation laughed.
“He reminded me of my son.”
The laughter grew louder. Rafe clapped.
“When I met them, I didn’t realize that one act of kindness, that one decision that seemed too risky and weak-- which would be temporarily taking them into my group, where they could get food and help foraging for supplies-- could ultimately bring me back to my own son.” She paused, taking a breath. “It’s easy out here to become disconnected. It’s easy to let yourself grow cold. And that’s because losing your loved ones, so frequently and so brutally, is harder than anything in this world. It feels safer just not to have loved ones, and to have nothing to lose. But choosing to live in this world instead of letting it change us into monsters... There’s no other way. As long as I breathe, I have hope, and that’s something we learn from these two, every single day.”
Blaine dipped his head down, then looked over at Kurt. They’d never let their hands fall away from each other, even if they’d taken a few steps apart to face one another in the traditional pose.
“I was honored to be asked to ‘officiate’ this ceremony. Being ordained online doesn’t mean anything anymore, and we’re so far from the government who thought they could give or deny such rights. Getting married, now, is choosing love and connection over hate and alienation and death, and I’m proud to say that I haven’t heard anyone in this little town of ours complaining, even people I honestly thought were a little homophobic.” She smiled at everyone. “People can really disappoint you in a time like this. But I guess they can surprise you in a good way, too.”
Carol motioned forward. Saffire sprung up and threw some paper flowers in the air to the delight of the crowd. She took Pippa, who was wearing a ruffly little purple dress, from Burt, and carried her up to the front. Her little hands clutched the pillow she’d been given tightly, and as she spotted her daddies, she shook it with one hand and squealed.
“Cuuute!” Kurt exploded.
Pippa answered in a string of excited babbling. She shook the pillow again, and it fell to the ground.
“Oh!” Tina dropped to the floor after the pillow. “Oh, okay. Still there.”
Tina held the pillow up for them, and Blaine leaned forward to see what she was looking at. On top were two silver rings sewn onto the top with a few white threads.
“Oh!” Blaine pulled one of the rings off and held it in his palm. Who had taken the risk to get these rings for them? He looked back at his best man and groomsman. Finn looked as surprised as he was. Mike winked and pointed at them.
Blaine eyed Mike, but this wasn’t the time to scold him about risks. He nodded to Carol and stepped back into place. He sucked his lips in, and blinked twice.
“Um, we wanted to have the chance to say something to each other.” Blaine had to stop and take another breath. He was not going to cry at his own wedding! How silly...
Kurt turned, pulled the other ring off of the pillow, and then took Blaine’s hand. “Me first!”
“Okay,” Blaine mouthed.
“When I met you, my life was at a low point. And maybe I idealized you, just a little bit.” Kurt rubbed Blaine’s hand, giving him the most adoring smile. He laughed at himself softly, and shook his head. “My teenage dream.”
Blaine let out a little laugh as well.
“But as wonderful as that ideal was... the more I got to know you, every flaw I discovered, it just showed me how much more amazing you are.” Kurt blinked, letting tears fall down his cheeks as his smile stretched from ear to ear. “And it just made me want to know you more and more. You haven’t disappointed me. I know that the longer we’re together, the more I’ll discover. You’ll always be my dream, just the person I was always waiting for. You’re everything I need. You’ve been there to hold me up, and to keep me sane, and to remind me to be a person. You’re one of the most open-hearted and generous people I’ve ever known, even now that you sometimes have to be a warrior and a papa bear on top of everything else. And more than that, I want every moment of my life to include you.”
Blaine breathed shakily as Kurt slid the ring on his finger. It wasn’t the best fit in the world, but the symbol of it there, the sight of it on his hand... He couldn’t get over it.
“I love you,” he choked out, so quietly.
Kurt’s grin, big enough that his teeth, so often hidden when he smiled, peeked over his rosy lips, told Blaine that the message was received.
“Ohh,” Blaine groaned. “Okay. Okay, here goes. I planned this, but you know how much of a fail-Blaine I am. We’ll see what I can remember.”
He took Kurt’s hand and stroked it gently. “When I first saw you on those stairs... Kurt, you were the most beautiful creature I’d ever seen. Just... freakin’ gorgeous.”
Some laughter and ‘aw’s came from their friends and family.
“I felt like my entire body lit up from the inside, and I wanted to impress you so much.” He smiled and kissed Kurt’s fingers. “I once told you to be brave. But from you, I’ve learned what that really means. How to be brave. How to be strong, even when you’re weaker than you’ve ever been. I just...” He shrugged. “I don’t have the words. Even when I was trying to write this, there are just no words to describe how much of a miracle you are. Without you, I’d be less of a person. Probably literally! And maybe you’re right that I could do it without you, but I wouldn’t want to. I never want a sunrise that comes without you.”
“Oh, God, honey,” Kurt murmured.
He pulled Blaine close to him and kissed him hard. Blaine fumbled with the ring and pushed it on Kurt’s finger. Their fingers locked together, and Blaine forgot everything but the taste and feel of Kurt.
Carol laughed. “Okay, I guess I pronounce the two of you husband and husband... You are kissing the groom!”
“Whoo hoo!” Rafe yelled.
Blaine could hear the clapping behind them, and parted from Kurt just for a moment to look into his eyes. Kurt was shining, just shining.
“Oh!” Blaine laughed as Kurt dipped him back, grinning wickedly at him, and then kissed him again fiercely.
Cheers came up again behind them.
***
Kurt kissed the hell out of Blaine. His husband. Screw all the people who had looked funny at them, who had harassed or threatened them, who had implied that Blaine wasn’t “man” enough, who had called Kurt “miss”-- They were married. They were alive, they had the most wonderful and adorable baby girl, and they were married, with family and friends cheering them on.
The kiss only stopped because Kurt realized that Santana was singing behind him, and he’d given Blaine a boner.
“You were my strength when I was weak,” she sang. “You were my voice when I couldn’t speak.”
Kurt moved close to Blaine to cover his shame, and Blaine just laughed and rested his face into Kurt’s shoulder.
Santana looked right at Kurt, pointed at him and touched right below her right eye. “You were my eyes when I couldn’t see. You saw the best there was in me, lifted me up I couldn’t reach! You gave me faith cause you be-lieeved!”
Kurt lifted their entwined hands up and moved Blaine with him as he sang along, “You’re everything I am, because you loved me!”
As clichéd as the moment was, slow dancing to their wedding song, a song that had graced probably millions of weddings before their own, Kurt felt as though it couldn’t have fit them better. And Santana had clearly chosen it for both reasons. Tina’s voice joined hers, and Kurt sang to Blaine as they danced. He meant every word, and Blaine kept trying to stop crying, but it was only interrupted by happy laughs. Kurt wiped the tears away for him.
Kurt knew his love, his partner, his husband was scared of losing him. But he was determined. There was nothing in this world that would take him from Blaine.
“You, too. When I saw you singing...” Kurt murmured into Blaine’s ear.
“That’s why...” Blaine laughed. “Um, Nick was supposed to sing lead that day. But when I got into the senior commons, I promised him fifty bucks to let me take the lead.”
Kurt slapped his chest. “Oh! You did not!”
“You could have ended up as his boyfriend!”
“No. Never.” Kurt pulled him closer.
“Let’s give some pizzaz to this, huh?” Blaine gave Kurt a twirl, and nodded over to the singers.
Nick, David, and Rafe came forward.
“I was alone on a shelf, in a world by myself, oh where could my prince charming be?” David sang.
“Then a man came along,” Nick added. “Made my life like a song.”
“And taught me these words of ecstasy,” Rafe pitched in, leaning forward on his cane. “Ten-der-ly...”
Nick and David leaned forward and snapped his fingers. “Ah, one, two, three, four!”
“I want some huggin’ and some teasin’ and some muggin’ and some squeezin’ and some stuff like that there! I want some pettin’ and some spoonin’ and some happy honeymoonin’ and some stuff like that there!”
Kurt could barely catch his breath. His Blaine had always been a fabulous dancer, and now they were jumping and jiving all around the meeting hall. Down the aisle and around the other couples who had gotten up to dance. Twirling, and dipping, and laughing, and kissing.
“Eat your heart out, Bette Midler!” Kurt yelled suddenly.
“Whoo!” Brittany kicked a leg high up in the air, grabbed Santana and started moving her to one side and then the other as the two of them danced down the aisle.
Mike and Tina came down right after them, and Mike leapt into the air, doing a turn before he landed and twirled Tina around. Finn quickly came out to move the chairs out of the way so everyone could get up and dance.
“Work it, Kurt!” Burt called out. He’d moved to the side with Pippa in his arms.
Kurt moved a few steps away from Blaine and swiveled his hips. Blaine gave him another turn, then pulled him close and met his lips with an openmouthed kiss. Kurt melted in his arms. Oh, he could have danced forever.
After a few more songs, with their friends switching out to sing the songs a cappella, Kurt stepped back to catch his breath. Blaine took the opportunity to pick up Pippa and dance with her, eliciting a peal of giggles.
“C’mon, old man.” Kurt grabbed his father’s hand.
“You know I can’t dance,” Burt objected.
“I remember I teaching you to dance, didn’t I?” Kurt leaned forward. “I won’t wear you out. Promise.”
Finn came over and grabbed Kurt’s other hand. “Cuttin’ in, pops. Tradition.”
“Oh, fine. Just don’t make your girl jealous.” Kurt chuckled as he went out on the floor with his brother. His eyes drifted back to Van, who was sitting this one out. He blew her a kiss.
“You guys throw a hell of a party,” Finn said.
“Well, you know how we gays do.”
Finn chuckled.
“And by that, I obviously mean all of you, because Blaine and I didn’t have that much to do with this. I can’t thank you all enough.”
Finn grinned down at Kurt. “You guys deserve it.”
Kurt looked around. The rest of the floor was covered with people dancing and having a good time. Aside from being the best wedding Kurt could hope for, he was so glad that everyone had this moment of happiness, however long it lasted. Everyone here needed to store of moments of joy for times of famine.
***
“Yay!” Brittany grabbed Blaine’s hand and started leading him around the floor.
Blaine could only laugh. It was so good to see her high energy again. She and Santana had been through a lot lately, and he knew first hand how your sense of self, once shaken, was very, very hard to rebuild.
They only danced together for a few minutes before Brittany traded off to dance with Saffire, whose bright smile made everything all the better. She had been dancing with David before, and he’d moved on to Tina, and then Deirdre. And then Andre, who looked terribly uncomfortable, but snapped his fingers in the air and made sure he got to lead.
Blaine stepped back to survey the room. They were more than just a group of survivors. These people really were happy for the two of them. Getting married, sharing their lives together. Blaine hadn’t considered that he would ever feel this way again, or that any one would have this again, but he was part of a community. The thought brought him back to his history lessons of the Spartans. They weren’t just warriors, and lovers. They were both. They were fighting for their nation, their way of life, and for their love.
And because they were fighting for one another, no one could stop them. Blaine briefly felt very powerful.
***
Kurt had only managed to sit down for a second beside Van when his father held out his hand.
“One time offer only,” Burt joked.
Kurt gave Van a little wrinkle-nose smile and stood to be with his father. “Thanks.”
“So who leads here? How do you decide that?”
“Just do whatever you’re comfortable with,” Kurt advised. “How we did it last time, I guess...” He set his father’s hand on his hip and moved with him.
“I was worried I’d never see this day. Before, I mean.”
“We would have found a way. Even if it meant a destination wedding to a state where it was legal.” Kurt shrugged. “I didn’t really have my hopes up for New York this year, but it’s New York. By the time Blaine and I were ready, they’d have done the right thing. If only for the revenues.”
“Yeah, and if they didn’t get their act together, you could done DC. I always liked the area.” Burt nodded as he thought about it. “Or Massachusetts. I know all the places to go in Boston. Obviously. I could’ve gotten my uncle to hook you up with a sweet local band.”
“That’s true. I don’t think about our family up there that much. Hm. I guess down there, now.”
“I don’t know most of ‘em would come, or how many would be invited.” Burt looked around. “This turned our real nice, though. We had a lotta people workin’ on the wall yesterday and today, but some must’ve come out early and in between to get this done.”
“It was a total surprise to me. Really sweet of them.”
“These people really love you guys.” Burt smiled lopsidedly. “I’m glad to see that. People around willing to take care of you.”
Burt stopped dancing and drew in a deep breath.
Kurt tilted his head back. “Are you okay? You’re working too hard, Dad.”
“We just need to keep the walls up for a little more. Keep those walkers out until we can make some decisions. And especially not crashing your wedding. I wanted you to be happy today.”
“Dad. I am.” Kurt patted Burt’s cheek then put his arms around him, hugging tight. “I want you to be happy, too.”
“As long as all my kids are doin’ okay, I’ll be happy.”
Kurt nodded and smiled to himself. He wasn’t going to be the one to share Finn and Van’s news, but he hoped he got to see his father’s reaction. He was going to be thrilled, and they would have to just deal with the rest of the community’s reactions as they came.
***
Blaine thought he would ride this energy high forever, but he could see Kurt wearing out. They’d danced their hearts out and listened to speeches from their closest family and friends. People had gone out to the wall to relieve the watchdogs and let them come in to have fun. Kurt had absolutely refused to smear the cake, to which Finn had responded that he was going to smear cake all over Van when it was his turn.
“Bring it, Lurch,” she’d replied.
They’d just gotten through their meal when Santana and Tina came over to them and pulled them up from their seats, dragging them to the front once again.
“Stop whining!” Santana gave Blaine an extra tug.
“We didn’t say anything!” he protested.
“You were whining in your mind. I could sense it.” She turned to him and grinned insanely. “Gather ‘round, survivors!” She pronounced every syllable dramatically like she was the barker for carnival. “Who will be the next on the Survivor Town rollercoaster of marriage?”
She reached down the front of her dress, and Blaine looked at her suspiciously. She waggled her brows in return before producing two lacy garters.
“What?” Kurt narrowed his eyes.
“Blaine said he didn’t want a bouquet,” she explained.
“I made them out of baby doll clothes,” Brittany laughed.
“Don’t look at me,” Tina held up her hands. “I’m just here for the dancin’ and the cake.”
She handed them each one and then all three of them ran out into the crowd.
Blaine wanted to say something, but everyone seemed so happy and amused... He looked at Kurt, then shrugged. The two of them stretched the bands a little, and Kurt nodded.
“One,” Kurt said.
“Twoooo,” Blaine howled.
They shot the garters into the crowd.
***
Aside from having to sneak away a few times to feed and tend to Pippa, the afternoon was long, full, and deliciously frantic. Kurt leaned into Blaine, resting his head on him and letting him pet his hair.
“A pity we can’t hop into our roadster and drive off to our honeymoon with ‘Just Married’ emblazoned dangerously across our back window,” he murmured.
“Hm.” Blaine kissed Kurt’s hair. “I think the best I can do is a couple of hours alone in the house together.”
“That sounds romantic.” Kurt rubbed Blaine’s thigh. “Hm. Very.”
“For some reason, Finn’s given us all his condoms. That’s a hell of a wedding present.”
Kurt covered his mouth and shook in laughter. “Oh. My. God.”
“I don’t even care why. I just wanna pick you up and carry you over the mantle.”
“Why, because I’m the bride?”
“Because you’re so skinny,” Blaine joked. “And also because you got to dip me at the ‘altar.’ It’s my turn to be manly!”
Kurt trailed his tongue over his upper lip, then turned to whisper in Blaine’s ear: “I promise. Tonight I’ll make you feel manly.”
Blaine felt a shudder creeping up his spine. A good one. One that emboldened him to be cheeky, and lift Kurt up from where he was sitting. Heads turned, and Blaine gave them a broad wink.
“Oh!” Kurt laughed and held on tight. “Take me over to our baby, first!”
“Yes, my queen.”
Kurt waved a hand dismissively and reached over to Van, who was holding their little girl.
“We’ll take good care of her,” Van promised.
“I know...” Kurt took Pippa’s little hand. “Sweet girl. Thank you for helping us! I hope you had fun dancing with everyone!”
Pippa scrunched up her nose and shook her head, then stared up at the paper flowers and fell back against Van’s chest.
“She’s sleee-epy,” Kurt diagnosed. “Try to get her to nap? She might fight it. There’s so much going on. She wants to be in the middle of everything.”
Blaine smiled and shifted his grip on Kurt.
“Do you want to put me down?” Kurt asked.
“Nope. I’m good.”
“You guys go ahead. Don’t hurt yourself before you get to the fun part!” Van petted Pippa’s head. She let out a grumpy noise, but her eyes drooped. Her head dipped to the side, then she jerked up and reached forward.
“Unn!”
“Oh!” Kurt squeezed her little hand pouted in sympathy.
Blaine sighed and let Kurt down. The two of them crouched in front of Pippa. When Kurt held back, Blaine met his eye as he picked up Pippa and rocked her gently. These little moments were precious, and Blaine knew Kurt wanted him to have as much time to bond with their little girl as he did.
Kurt touched her back gently.
“When I see you alone, I see what’s in your mind. You love me, yes you do. You don't need to tell me,” Blaine sang.
Kurt let out a little laugh at his choice of lullaby and sang with him. “I know you love me most. No one else take my place. You need me, yes you do. Forever, and ever.”
A few people gathered around them as they sang to their girl. Surrounded by her fathers, Pippa grew heavier in Blaine’s arms as she gave up the fight.
***
Kurt twisted their hands together as they strolled back to their house. His chest was so full of feelings he couldn’t sort through a one of them. He just looked over at Blaine with the dopiest expression. Thankfully, no one had a camera.
“Look at you,” Blaine murmured.
“Shut up.” Kurt laughed and bowed his head forward.
“You.” Blaine shook his head and pulled Kurt close to him.
Kurt leaned over and kissed the corner of Blaine’s jaw. And they were giddy, and giggling. Everything fell away from them.
When they reached the house, Blaine made good on his promise and lifted Kurt up once again, carrying him inside, and kicked the door closed behind them. Kurt draped his arms around Blaine and kissed him as they entered the house. Blaine got so distracted that he stumbled over the sofa and almost dropped Kurt.
“Oh! Oops.”
Kurt responded with another kiss, his hand moving down Blaine’s face slowly, then down his neck and his chest. Blaine shuddered. Their eyes met, and Kurt rubbed their noses together. Both of them released a sigh at the same time.
“Lay me back,” Kurt ordered in a whisper.
“Whe- Here?”
Kurt’s heart surged as he nodded. Blaine laid him down on the sofa, and Kurt stretched one arm back over his head. As Blaine’s eyes widened, Kurt began loosening his tie with one hand.
Blaine kissed him fiercely, then climbed over Kurt, pulling away his tie and unbuttoning his shirt. After that, they both attacked the other’s clothes with an eagerness. Hands were grasping flesh as though it was their first time.
By the time Blaine rubbed against Kurt, hard and naked, Kurt was close to begging. Then...
“Oh, God,” Blaine said suddenly.
“What?” Kurt pushed himself up on his elbows and looked around.
“I need a condom. Hold on!” Blaine hopped up and ran into the bedroom.
Kurt put a hand over his face. As Blaine returned, Kurt uncovered his eyes and enjoyed the vision of Blaine bounding back to him in the buff.
“I’m waiting.” Kurt blinked slowly twice, smiling coyly up at him.
Blaine blew through his lips, tossed the lube at Kurt, and tore open a condom. “Enjoy ‘em while they last.”
“Stock up on these before we head out into the wild,” Kurt murmured, grabbing Blaine’s hand and tugging.
He climbed on top of Kurt again, and Kurt looked up at him, feeling so glad for the vision in front of him. So glad, and so lucky, to have Blaine in one piece. Kurt took off his glasses and set them on the table next to the sofa.
Blaine cupped Kurt’s face in both hands, then took the lube.
Soon Kurt was panting and whimpering a little, while Blaine watched him, licking his lips as Kurt pushed against his hand.
“Come on!” Kurt cried.
“Patient. It’s our wedding night.”
“It’s our wedding late afternoon,” Kurt corrected. His eyes rolled back and his body arched against his will.
“Still...” Blaine leaned his face close to Kurt’s. His erection brushed against Kurt’s stomach. “While we have the time... I want to worship you.”
“Worship me...” Kurt closed his eyes. Blaine had a way of sounding so amazing, despite saying some of the cheesiest things that could come out of anyone’s mouth. He pushed his fingers through Blaine’s hair and curled them over, slightly. “Then... then, w-worship me.”
Their mouths came together in sloppy open-mouthed kisses while Kurt squirmed against Blaine’s fingers. He vowed to get Blaine back for this when they switched, but the thoughts were pushed out of his mind by the sensation of Blaine moving against him, and all the other warm, fuzzy, funny, sappy thoughts running though his mind.
“I need...” Kurt panted against Blaine’s lips, then gripped his hair intensely and looked into his eyes. “I need my husband in me already.”
“You’re so bossy,” Blaine teased.
“For the rest of your life.” Kurt let out a loud moan as Blaine complied with his demands.
Blaine petted his hand over Kurt’s forehead and back over his hair, then kissed him again. “For the rest of our lives.”
He started thrusting.
***
Blaine opened his eyes to a beautiful sight. Kurt dozing peacefully next to him in their bed. He propped his head up on his elbow and watched him. The long, graceful slope of his jaw. His long, long lashes. Rosy lips, swollen just a bit from marathon kissing.
Love filled Blaine’s heart to almost bursting.
“Sweet husband,” he murmured. He wanted to touch Kurt’s face and possess those lips again, but he couldn’t bring himself to wake him.
He moved his fingertips just a hair’s breadth above Kurt’s skin. It wasn’t baby soft like it used to be with all of Kurt’s ointments and moisturizers with retinol and vitamin C. But it still felt lovely against his fingers, and it made Kurt feel more real.
Kurt’s lashes fluttered, and his leg stretched forward and curled around Blaine’s legs.
“Mmm...”
Blaine shuddered as Kurt rubbed his chest flush against Blaine’s.
“Oh...” Blaine’s hand moved down Kurt’s back. He sighed, heavily.
Kurt moved against him again, brushing their groins together.
“Okay...” Blaine breathed out through encircled lips. “You’re awake.”
Kurt grinned, then opened his eyes. “Maybe a little, sweet husband.”
“You tease!” Blaine grabbed Kurt and pinned him to his chest.
Kurt laughed and attacked Blaine’s neck with kisses. “Mm! What can I do- mm! For you, my darling husband! Mm!”
“Hm, let me think...”
Blaine rolled on his back and brought Kurt on top of him. Kurt’s laugh was like a miracle balm, soothing away every anxiety.
“Okay, one more.” Kurt grazed his teeth along Blaine’s jaw. “But then we need to go get Pippa, okay? It’s getting dark, and that means it’s almost feeding time.”
“I can be quick. Can you?”
“Is this a competition?” Kurt frowned, then rolled his eyes upward, looking innocent as an angel... while he reached down between them to cheat.
“Ah! Ah!” Blaine gasped.
The rap on the door nearly shocked Blaine out of his skin. Kurt sprung off of him and grabbed the knife by the bed. Blaine likewise leaned over and grabbed his gun.
“Guys?” Van’s voice came through the door. “I really hate to do this, but we need you back in the meeting hall.”
Blaine breathed out slowly and set his gun down. “Give us a second to get our clothes on.”
“Yeah, but hurry, okay?”
Kurt looked to Blaine for a second, then leapt out of bed to pull on a pair of jeans and a sweater. He grabbed his shoes and socks and slipped out the door. Half-suspecting some sort of joke, Blaine grabbed his own clothing and dressed quickly, then headed out with his gun tucked into the back of his pants, with the safety on.
“Can we know what’s going on?” Blaine asked as he came out to see Van and Kurt standing together in the living room.
Van looked at him. She sucked in her lower lip. Her eyes were wide, full of determination, as well as fear.
“Forest is back.”
Next Part: Losing Ground
This entry was originally posted at Dreamwidth.
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Title: For as Long as I Breathe, I Hope
Pair: Klaine! Married! Legally! (sort of)
Rating: Closer to NC-17 but not terribly graphic
Word Count: ~7300
Summary: The survivors do their best to throw Kurt and Blaine a wonderful post-apocalypse wedding. Flowers, song, cake, sex, and a surprise guest.
Sorry for the wait on this part. I've been trying to update more regularly, but got hindered by things. Mostly myself.
Songs: (I would die if Kurt or Blaine got to sing any of these on the show.)
Because You Loved Me http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CkKuA86Mis
Stuff Like that There http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAW9TPIV1bA
Baby Love Child http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFV1JNgJA7s (Blaine likes Futurama)
Surrounded by warmth, the sun just a little too hot on his skin, Kurt curls up with Blaine, watching their daughter dance in front of them. She smiles brilliantly, a smile born of knowing what it means to be alive, a smile losing its baby teeth. Her thick, curly hair bounces around on her shoulders as she practices the steps her daddy showed her.
It was a dream, of course, but it was sucha lovely dream. Kurt didn’t want to open his eyes, or for Blaine to ever let go.
But eventually, Kurt had to wake up and get out of bed. He’d already fed Pippa once that morning, and gone back to sleep with her. He could feel her next to him, squirming around.
“Morning, love.” He stroked her cheek, then looked up at the window. Through the boards, streams of light from the rising sun warmed them. He bowed over Pippa, kissing her and smelling her hair. “Your daddies are getting married today, beautiful.”
“Huh?” Blaine half-sat up.
His grogginess was a relief. It meant that Blaine had slept hard, without further terrifying dreams. Kurt knew he would have some not so fabulous ones, if he let himself dwell on the image of what Blaine had shared. And he couldn’t let himself do that. Not today. Maybe not ever.
He had enough things to worry about in the present. He wouldn’t lose himself to fretting over what might happen.
He settled Pippa in Blaine’s arms and went to go clean up. Blaine snuggled over Pippa and started murmuring to her.
***
When Blaine woke properly, Kurt had left to start his morning routine (granted, not as elaborate routine as he’d had during their relatively carefree days in Lima). So Blaine secured Pippa on his hip and shuffled out into the house. There was clanging in the kitchen, and he approached, slowly. The room was more guy-filled than he’d expected. Nick was leaning over the stove, and Finn was holding a knife and looking between the stove and some chopped things on the counter, confused.
Rafe looked like he might be there to make fun of them.
“Um. What’s going on? Where’s Van?” Blaine asked.
“She’s not feeling so good,” Finn said. “The smell of the food was bugging her. I didn’t want her to puke in the risotto.”
“Though it would be entertaining if the entire wedding party started projectile vomiting.” Rafe’s tongue peeked out over his lower lip.
Nick turned to him and pointed with his wooden spoon. “Are you helping?”
“I’m hindering,” he replied cheerfully.
Blaine came over to the stove. “Well, why don’t Kurt and I help-”
“No.” Nick made a shooing motion. “We’re getting Mama Chang in a bit. You just go git pritty!”
“Yeah, but-”
Finn put his hands on Blaine’s shoulders and guided him out of the kitchen. “And here I thought it’d be Kurt we’d have to keep outta here.”
“Please don’t burn the house down.” Blaine heaved a sigh.
Finn smiled widely. “You nervous?”
A little.” Blaine glanced back into the kitchen where Rafe was teasing Nick. And Nick’s ears were scarlet. Huh.
“What’s to be nervous about? You love Kurt, right? You guys have a baby together. That’s about as settled as you get these days.”
“It’s not about the commitment. It’s just strange to have good things happen. Not sure if I can trust it.”
God, he couldn’t let the image of Kurt captured and violated ruin their day. He just had to treat whatever was going on in his brain as a warning and be ready for whatever came at them. His eyes closed, and he breathed in and out. Finn rubbed his back.
“Keep them from destroying everything.” Blaine looked over his shoulder. “Or mating on the cake. Kurt and Van worked hard on that.”
“Mating...” Finn frowned at the kitchen. Rafe was leaning on the counter as he continued to tease Nick. “Whoa.”
Blaine chuckled. “Okay. I... uh. Guess I’ll help go see how Kurt is doing. Thanks for the help.”
“No problem, dude.” Finn smiled. “I can take Pip, if you need your hands free.”
“Maybe you could just watch her in her pen? I need to put her down for some tummy time.”
“Awesome.” Finn couldn’t have beamed more brightly. The guy just loved looking after his niece.
After setting Pippa down, Blaine went back to the bedroom in search of Kurt. For a second, his chest grew tight, and he bolted down the hallway, ducking his head in every room.
“Honey?” Kurt peaked out of the bathroom.
“God!” Blaine put his hand to his chest.
Kurt pulled Blaine close, stroking his cheek tenderly. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m just freaking out. What if something happens to you? I can’t handle it, Kurt.”
“Yes. Yes, you can.” Kurt kissed his forehead. “You did. I got pregnant so unexpectedly; you helped me cope I got sick; you supported me and kept me going-”
“You got infected and taken away, and I crumbled into a million pieces, and probably hurt some people.”
Kurt cupped the back of Blaine’s neck and held him tightly. “Yeah, well, maybe the ‘doctors’ should’ve gotten their heads out of their asses faster. But you never stopped looking for us.”
Blaine squeezed him, closing his eyes and trying to rationalize this crazy fear that something was going to happen to Kurt. That Kurt would be hurt, damaged irreparably, and Blaine would be alone trying to protect Pippa and raise her right. Who would feed her? Who would show her how to be so, so strong?
“Is it time to go?” Kurt asked.
“No. Um. They’re making the food for everyone. We still have a few hours.” Blaine looked at Kurt. His hands, so large and graceful, smoothed over Blaine’s shirt as Kurt breathed out slowly.
“I meant, for us all to leave. Should we just make a break for it now? Is that how it goes?”
“I don’t know-”
“You know. You’ve done this before, baby. More than once.” Kurt pressed a light kiss to Blaine’s lips and trailed the back of his fingers over his cheeks. “I don’t know how you figure it out. You just kinda do the math, put it all together. How does this go? What’s our next move? What do you feel we should do?”
Blaine looked down, licked his lips, and thought more about his dream. No help there. It would help to dream of neon pointing signs. In his chest, though, the more he thought about them on the road right now... with the potential of brutal sociopaths roaming around out there ready to slake their appetites on the innocent survivors of this town...
“No,” Blaine said finally. “We can’t leave right now. It might feel like we have to, but if we leave, they’ll capture you. Not just you... I-I don’t know if that’s right, but I’d rather have you by my side, here. I think it’s better than being out there, open and vulnerable. For now, anyway.”
“And the walkers?”
“No dreams about the walkers. Not like that, anyway. Unless we get a herd of them, I think we could pick them off. For now. You’re not wrong that we need to move on.”
“Okay.” Kurt let his forehead rest against Blaine’s.
“What if... What if I’m wrong? What if it’s just a dream?”
“I don’t think it makes any difference, babe. The world is dangerous enough. We should try to take precautions no matter what.”
Their eyes met.
“Today,” Blaine said certainly, “Good things happen.”
“Yaaay,” Kurt breathed against his lips.
***
Kurt moved around Blaine, looking at his white suit with a critical eye. In his mind, he would have loved to put Blaine in a red suit with a white tie... and maybe a fedora... or maybe they could do something deconstructed, or with an ambitious color palate. Purple and red? But their options and fabric selections were limited. He’d had to make due tailoring two white suits, using different tool on each.
Blaine wore a deep blue shirt underneath his. Kurt wore bright red. And every time he looked up at Blaine, his heart fluttered. Soon.
Kurt’s movements caught Blaine’s eye, and Blaine looked down on him, grinning in an almost silly way.
“What?” Kurt looked down at Blaine’s cuff.
“You’re adorable.”
“Oh, well, of course. Stay still.”
Blaine chuckled. His hand touched Kurt’s hair lightly. He didn’t ruffle his hair, because Kurt had already fixed it, and there was no point messing it up now.
Especially when it was obvious that Blaine was itching to mess it up later.
“I have to finish this,” Kurt admonished. “Stop looking at me like that.”
“Like what?”
“Like you want to rip off my exquisitely tailored apocalypse-chic suit and make wild, passionate love to me.”
Blaine was silent for a moment. Kurt looked up to see Blaine staring kind of dumbstruck at the wall.
“Unf,” he managed, finally.
“Yeah. Unf. Later.” Kurt finished the cuff and rose, smoothing his hands over different parts of the suit and admiring his soon to be husband.
“It doesn’t have to be perfect.”
“Oh, it absolutely does.” Kurt looked at Blaine with a smirk. He reached over to the nightstand and put on his glasses. “Imagine how I’d be if I had a world of resources to work with. I’d be incorrigible. There would be no end to the planning, and details, and overblown romantic nonsense...”
Blaine breathed in and out. Then he leaned in to kiss Kurt-
“Um, hello!” Santana snapped.
They both turned to look at where she had burst in the door. Funny that Kurt’s instincts hadn’t alerted him to her presence. Maybe she wasn’t evil after all.
She had her hands on her hips and her lips pursed as she stared them down. “You two need to stop flirting around and get your pert little butts to the meeting hall. Everything’s ready!”
“Okay, okay!” Blaine held his hands up.
As Kurt checked himself in the mirror one last time, Blaine tucked his gun securely under his suit jacket. Then he reached for Kurt’s hand. Kurt breathed out slowly. He straightened Blaine’s paper boutonniere, biting his lip in excitement. Hand in hand, they left the house.
When they reached the hall, Kurt stopped at the doorway. The dusty old meeting hall had been transformed. (And dusted.) His eyes swept over the colorful strings of paper flowers draped over every window, along the aisles, and around the wooden stage area. The windows were open, bringing in more light, and a series of candles were lit along the table at the front. Pretty much everyone was there, save a few who had to be on lookout while they had the ceremony. Kurt would make sure someone brought them a piece of cake.
Santana held up a finger and hurried up to the group that was standing at the front of the hallway. Nick, David, Rafe, Brittany, Tina, Mike, Finn, Van, and Saffire. Most of their town had come in their best kept clothes, but not many had a “Sunday best” outfit anymore. Their friends at the front had managed to look nice, with the boys in black suits and the girls in bright blue and red dresses. With so little time to pull this off, Kurt couldn’t imagine how they made this happen... but apparently they had. Kurt touched his lips and looked to Blaine, who seemed just as taken aback by the sight.
Finn’s arms wrapped protectively around Van’s waist. She looked back at Finn, who gave her a tender kiss. The group started singing a slow, pretty choral harmony. Kurt recognized the song, and the arrangement, immediately. He would know it anywhere. It had been the wrong song, and in a weird key, but practicing that with Blaine had been everything to him at the time. It didn’t even matter that the words didn’t make sense to them.
At the time, it had just made Kurt fall in love with Blaine more, for choosing that song, and for forgetting the words almost every time they’d practiced singing it together. His posh, put together man, coming undone right in front of him in the best of ways.
Van stepped out in front of the group and took the lead, with the others harmonizing behind her: “The power-lines went out, and I am all alone. But I don’t really care at all, not answering my phone.”
“All the games we played, the promises we made,” Finn sang. “Couldn’t finish what we started only darkness still remains...”
“Lost sight,” Tina, Brittany, Santana, and Saffire pitched in, “couldn’t see, when it was you and me!”
Kurt’s eyes were misty already. He looked at Blaine again to see that his eyes were gleaming with joy, too. They had to both be remembering the same thing, how it felt to be so freshly in love, so excited, so floating and on top of the world. They had been innocent, untouched. Their fingertips met, and they slowly walked down the aisle between the seats.
***
“But I think I’ll be all-riiight.”
When the song ended, Carol approached the front, and the singers went to sit down, except for Finn and Mike, and Rafe and Tina, who moved to Blaine and Kurt’s sides respectively.
Blaine let out the breath he’d been holding and smiled at his friends and family gratefully.
“We’re gathered here today to celebrate the love of two of our own,” Carol said, letting her voice carry out over the crowd. “I met these two boys outside of an abandoned mall in Ohio-” She stopped to smile fondly. “-where Kurt pulled his crossbow on me and called me a bottle-blond ignoramus.”
The congregation laughed.
“He reminded me of my son.”
The laughter grew louder. Rafe clapped.
“When I met them, I didn’t realize that one act of kindness, that one decision that seemed too risky and weak-- which would be temporarily taking them into my group, where they could get food and help foraging for supplies-- could ultimately bring me back to my own son.” She paused, taking a breath. “It’s easy out here to become disconnected. It’s easy to let yourself grow cold. And that’s because losing your loved ones, so frequently and so brutally, is harder than anything in this world. It feels safer just not to have loved ones, and to have nothing to lose. But choosing to live in this world instead of letting it change us into monsters... There’s no other way. As long as I breathe, I have hope, and that’s something we learn from these two, every single day.”
Blaine dipped his head down, then looked over at Kurt. They’d never let their hands fall away from each other, even if they’d taken a few steps apart to face one another in the traditional pose.
“I was honored to be asked to ‘officiate’ this ceremony. Being ordained online doesn’t mean anything anymore, and we’re so far from the government who thought they could give or deny such rights. Getting married, now, is choosing love and connection over hate and alienation and death, and I’m proud to say that I haven’t heard anyone in this little town of ours complaining, even people I honestly thought were a little homophobic.” She smiled at everyone. “People can really disappoint you in a time like this. But I guess they can surprise you in a good way, too.”
Carol motioned forward. Saffire sprung up and threw some paper flowers in the air to the delight of the crowd. She took Pippa, who was wearing a ruffly little purple dress, from Burt, and carried her up to the front. Her little hands clutched the pillow she’d been given tightly, and as she spotted her daddies, she shook it with one hand and squealed.
“Cuuute!” Kurt exploded.
Pippa answered in a string of excited babbling. She shook the pillow again, and it fell to the ground.
“Oh!” Tina dropped to the floor after the pillow. “Oh, okay. Still there.”
Tina held the pillow up for them, and Blaine leaned forward to see what she was looking at. On top were two silver rings sewn onto the top with a few white threads.
“Oh!” Blaine pulled one of the rings off and held it in his palm. Who had taken the risk to get these rings for them? He looked back at his best man and groomsman. Finn looked as surprised as he was. Mike winked and pointed at them.
Blaine eyed Mike, but this wasn’t the time to scold him about risks. He nodded to Carol and stepped back into place. He sucked his lips in, and blinked twice.
“Um, we wanted to have the chance to say something to each other.” Blaine had to stop and take another breath. He was not going to cry at his own wedding! How silly...
Kurt turned, pulled the other ring off of the pillow, and then took Blaine’s hand. “Me first!”
“Okay,” Blaine mouthed.
“When I met you, my life was at a low point. And maybe I idealized you, just a little bit.” Kurt rubbed Blaine’s hand, giving him the most adoring smile. He laughed at himself softly, and shook his head. “My teenage dream.”
Blaine let out a little laugh as well.
“But as wonderful as that ideal was... the more I got to know you, every flaw I discovered, it just showed me how much more amazing you are.” Kurt blinked, letting tears fall down his cheeks as his smile stretched from ear to ear. “And it just made me want to know you more and more. You haven’t disappointed me. I know that the longer we’re together, the more I’ll discover. You’ll always be my dream, just the person I was always waiting for. You’re everything I need. You’ve been there to hold me up, and to keep me sane, and to remind me to be a person. You’re one of the most open-hearted and generous people I’ve ever known, even now that you sometimes have to be a warrior and a papa bear on top of everything else. And more than that, I want every moment of my life to include you.”
Blaine breathed shakily as Kurt slid the ring on his finger. It wasn’t the best fit in the world, but the symbol of it there, the sight of it on his hand... He couldn’t get over it.
“I love you,” he choked out, so quietly.
Kurt’s grin, big enough that his teeth, so often hidden when he smiled, peeked over his rosy lips, told Blaine that the message was received.
“Ohh,” Blaine groaned. “Okay. Okay, here goes. I planned this, but you know how much of a fail-Blaine I am. We’ll see what I can remember.”
He took Kurt’s hand and stroked it gently. “When I first saw you on those stairs... Kurt, you were the most beautiful creature I’d ever seen. Just... freakin’ gorgeous.”
Some laughter and ‘aw’s came from their friends and family.
“I felt like my entire body lit up from the inside, and I wanted to impress you so much.” He smiled and kissed Kurt’s fingers. “I once told you to be brave. But from you, I’ve learned what that really means. How to be brave. How to be strong, even when you’re weaker than you’ve ever been. I just...” He shrugged. “I don’t have the words. Even when I was trying to write this, there are just no words to describe how much of a miracle you are. Without you, I’d be less of a person. Probably literally! And maybe you’re right that I could do it without you, but I wouldn’t want to. I never want a sunrise that comes without you.”
“Oh, God, honey,” Kurt murmured.
He pulled Blaine close to him and kissed him hard. Blaine fumbled with the ring and pushed it on Kurt’s finger. Their fingers locked together, and Blaine forgot everything but the taste and feel of Kurt.
Carol laughed. “Okay, I guess I pronounce the two of you husband and husband... You are kissing the groom!”
“Whoo hoo!” Rafe yelled.
Blaine could hear the clapping behind them, and parted from Kurt just for a moment to look into his eyes. Kurt was shining, just shining.
“Oh!” Blaine laughed as Kurt dipped him back, grinning wickedly at him, and then kissed him again fiercely.
Cheers came up again behind them.
***
Kurt kissed the hell out of Blaine. His husband. Screw all the people who had looked funny at them, who had harassed or threatened them, who had implied that Blaine wasn’t “man” enough, who had called Kurt “miss”-- They were married. They were alive, they had the most wonderful and adorable baby girl, and they were married, with family and friends cheering them on.
The kiss only stopped because Kurt realized that Santana was singing behind him, and he’d given Blaine a boner.
“You were my strength when I was weak,” she sang. “You were my voice when I couldn’t speak.”
Kurt moved close to Blaine to cover his shame, and Blaine just laughed and rested his face into Kurt’s shoulder.
Santana looked right at Kurt, pointed at him and touched right below her right eye. “You were my eyes when I couldn’t see. You saw the best there was in me, lifted me up I couldn’t reach! You gave me faith cause you be-lieeved!”
Kurt lifted their entwined hands up and moved Blaine with him as he sang along, “You’re everything I am, because you loved me!”
As clichéd as the moment was, slow dancing to their wedding song, a song that had graced probably millions of weddings before their own, Kurt felt as though it couldn’t have fit them better. And Santana had clearly chosen it for both reasons. Tina’s voice joined hers, and Kurt sang to Blaine as they danced. He meant every word, and Blaine kept trying to stop crying, but it was only interrupted by happy laughs. Kurt wiped the tears away for him.
Kurt knew his love, his partner, his husband was scared of losing him. But he was determined. There was nothing in this world that would take him from Blaine.
“You, too. When I saw you singing...” Kurt murmured into Blaine’s ear.
“That’s why...” Blaine laughed. “Um, Nick was supposed to sing lead that day. But when I got into the senior commons, I promised him fifty bucks to let me take the lead.”
Kurt slapped his chest. “Oh! You did not!”
“You could have ended up as his boyfriend!”
“No. Never.” Kurt pulled him closer.
“Let’s give some pizzaz to this, huh?” Blaine gave Kurt a twirl, and nodded over to the singers.
Nick, David, and Rafe came forward.
“I was alone on a shelf, in a world by myself, oh where could my prince charming be?” David sang.
“Then a man came along,” Nick added. “Made my life like a song.”
“And taught me these words of ecstasy,” Rafe pitched in, leaning forward on his cane. “Ten-der-ly...”
Nick and David leaned forward and snapped his fingers. “Ah, one, two, three, four!”
“I want some huggin’ and some teasin’ and some muggin’ and some squeezin’ and some stuff like that there! I want some pettin’ and some spoonin’ and some happy honeymoonin’ and some stuff like that there!”
Kurt could barely catch his breath. His Blaine had always been a fabulous dancer, and now they were jumping and jiving all around the meeting hall. Down the aisle and around the other couples who had gotten up to dance. Twirling, and dipping, and laughing, and kissing.
“Eat your heart out, Bette Midler!” Kurt yelled suddenly.
“Whoo!” Brittany kicked a leg high up in the air, grabbed Santana and started moving her to one side and then the other as the two of them danced down the aisle.
Mike and Tina came down right after them, and Mike leapt into the air, doing a turn before he landed and twirled Tina around. Finn quickly came out to move the chairs out of the way so everyone could get up and dance.
“Work it, Kurt!” Burt called out. He’d moved to the side with Pippa in his arms.
Kurt moved a few steps away from Blaine and swiveled his hips. Blaine gave him another turn, then pulled him close and met his lips with an openmouthed kiss. Kurt melted in his arms. Oh, he could have danced forever.
After a few more songs, with their friends switching out to sing the songs a cappella, Kurt stepped back to catch his breath. Blaine took the opportunity to pick up Pippa and dance with her, eliciting a peal of giggles.
“C’mon, old man.” Kurt grabbed his father’s hand.
“You know I can’t dance,” Burt objected.
“I remember I teaching you to dance, didn’t I?” Kurt leaned forward. “I won’t wear you out. Promise.”
Finn came over and grabbed Kurt’s other hand. “Cuttin’ in, pops. Tradition.”
“Oh, fine. Just don’t make your girl jealous.” Kurt chuckled as he went out on the floor with his brother. His eyes drifted back to Van, who was sitting this one out. He blew her a kiss.
“You guys throw a hell of a party,” Finn said.
“Well, you know how we gays do.”
Finn chuckled.
“And by that, I obviously mean all of you, because Blaine and I didn’t have that much to do with this. I can’t thank you all enough.”
Finn grinned down at Kurt. “You guys deserve it.”
Kurt looked around. The rest of the floor was covered with people dancing and having a good time. Aside from being the best wedding Kurt could hope for, he was so glad that everyone had this moment of happiness, however long it lasted. Everyone here needed to store of moments of joy for times of famine.
***
“Yay!” Brittany grabbed Blaine’s hand and started leading him around the floor.
Blaine could only laugh. It was so good to see her high energy again. She and Santana had been through a lot lately, and he knew first hand how your sense of self, once shaken, was very, very hard to rebuild.
They only danced together for a few minutes before Brittany traded off to dance with Saffire, whose bright smile made everything all the better. She had been dancing with David before, and he’d moved on to Tina, and then Deirdre. And then Andre, who looked terribly uncomfortable, but snapped his fingers in the air and made sure he got to lead.
Blaine stepped back to survey the room. They were more than just a group of survivors. These people really were happy for the two of them. Getting married, sharing their lives together. Blaine hadn’t considered that he would ever feel this way again, or that any one would have this again, but he was part of a community. The thought brought him back to his history lessons of the Spartans. They weren’t just warriors, and lovers. They were both. They were fighting for their nation, their way of life, and for their love.
And because they were fighting for one another, no one could stop them. Blaine briefly felt very powerful.
***
Kurt had only managed to sit down for a second beside Van when his father held out his hand.
“One time offer only,” Burt joked.
Kurt gave Van a little wrinkle-nose smile and stood to be with his father. “Thanks.”
“So who leads here? How do you decide that?”
“Just do whatever you’re comfortable with,” Kurt advised. “How we did it last time, I guess...” He set his father’s hand on his hip and moved with him.
“I was worried I’d never see this day. Before, I mean.”
“We would have found a way. Even if it meant a destination wedding to a state where it was legal.” Kurt shrugged. “I didn’t really have my hopes up for New York this year, but it’s New York. By the time Blaine and I were ready, they’d have done the right thing. If only for the revenues.”
“Yeah, and if they didn’t get their act together, you could done DC. I always liked the area.” Burt nodded as he thought about it. “Or Massachusetts. I know all the places to go in Boston. Obviously. I could’ve gotten my uncle to hook you up with a sweet local band.”
“That’s true. I don’t think about our family up there that much. Hm. I guess down there, now.”
“I don’t know most of ‘em would come, or how many would be invited.” Burt looked around. “This turned our real nice, though. We had a lotta people workin’ on the wall yesterday and today, but some must’ve come out early and in between to get this done.”
“It was a total surprise to me. Really sweet of them.”
“These people really love you guys.” Burt smiled lopsidedly. “I’m glad to see that. People around willing to take care of you.”
Burt stopped dancing and drew in a deep breath.
Kurt tilted his head back. “Are you okay? You’re working too hard, Dad.”
“We just need to keep the walls up for a little more. Keep those walkers out until we can make some decisions. And especially not crashing your wedding. I wanted you to be happy today.”
“Dad. I am.” Kurt patted Burt’s cheek then put his arms around him, hugging tight. “I want you to be happy, too.”
“As long as all my kids are doin’ okay, I’ll be happy.”
Kurt nodded and smiled to himself. He wasn’t going to be the one to share Finn and Van’s news, but he hoped he got to see his father’s reaction. He was going to be thrilled, and they would have to just deal with the rest of the community’s reactions as they came.
***
Blaine thought he would ride this energy high forever, but he could see Kurt wearing out. They’d danced their hearts out and listened to speeches from their closest family and friends. People had gone out to the wall to relieve the watchdogs and let them come in to have fun. Kurt had absolutely refused to smear the cake, to which Finn had responded that he was going to smear cake all over Van when it was his turn.
“Bring it, Lurch,” she’d replied.
They’d just gotten through their meal when Santana and Tina came over to them and pulled them up from their seats, dragging them to the front once again.
“Stop whining!” Santana gave Blaine an extra tug.
“We didn’t say anything!” he protested.
“You were whining in your mind. I could sense it.” She turned to him and grinned insanely. “Gather ‘round, survivors!” She pronounced every syllable dramatically like she was the barker for carnival. “Who will be the next on the Survivor Town rollercoaster of marriage?”
She reached down the front of her dress, and Blaine looked at her suspiciously. She waggled her brows in return before producing two lacy garters.
“What?” Kurt narrowed his eyes.
“Blaine said he didn’t want a bouquet,” she explained.
“I made them out of baby doll clothes,” Brittany laughed.
“Don’t look at me,” Tina held up her hands. “I’m just here for the dancin’ and the cake.”
She handed them each one and then all three of them ran out into the crowd.
Blaine wanted to say something, but everyone seemed so happy and amused... He looked at Kurt, then shrugged. The two of them stretched the bands a little, and Kurt nodded.
“One,” Kurt said.
“Twoooo,” Blaine howled.
They shot the garters into the crowd.
***
Aside from having to sneak away a few times to feed and tend to Pippa, the afternoon was long, full, and deliciously frantic. Kurt leaned into Blaine, resting his head on him and letting him pet his hair.
“A pity we can’t hop into our roadster and drive off to our honeymoon with ‘Just Married’ emblazoned dangerously across our back window,” he murmured.
“Hm.” Blaine kissed Kurt’s hair. “I think the best I can do is a couple of hours alone in the house together.”
“That sounds romantic.” Kurt rubbed Blaine’s thigh. “Hm. Very.”
“For some reason, Finn’s given us all his condoms. That’s a hell of a wedding present.”
Kurt covered his mouth and shook in laughter. “Oh. My. God.”
“I don’t even care why. I just wanna pick you up and carry you over the mantle.”
“Why, because I’m the bride?”
“Because you’re so skinny,” Blaine joked. “And also because you got to dip me at the ‘altar.’ It’s my turn to be manly!”
Kurt trailed his tongue over his upper lip, then turned to whisper in Blaine’s ear: “I promise. Tonight I’ll make you feel manly.”
Blaine felt a shudder creeping up his spine. A good one. One that emboldened him to be cheeky, and lift Kurt up from where he was sitting. Heads turned, and Blaine gave them a broad wink.
“Oh!” Kurt laughed and held on tight. “Take me over to our baby, first!”
“Yes, my queen.”
Kurt waved a hand dismissively and reached over to Van, who was holding their little girl.
“We’ll take good care of her,” Van promised.
“I know...” Kurt took Pippa’s little hand. “Sweet girl. Thank you for helping us! I hope you had fun dancing with everyone!”
Pippa scrunched up her nose and shook her head, then stared up at the paper flowers and fell back against Van’s chest.
“She’s sleee-epy,” Kurt diagnosed. “Try to get her to nap? She might fight it. There’s so much going on. She wants to be in the middle of everything.”
Blaine smiled and shifted his grip on Kurt.
“Do you want to put me down?” Kurt asked.
“Nope. I’m good.”
“You guys go ahead. Don’t hurt yourself before you get to the fun part!” Van petted Pippa’s head. She let out a grumpy noise, but her eyes drooped. Her head dipped to the side, then she jerked up and reached forward.
“Unn!”
“Oh!” Kurt squeezed her little hand pouted in sympathy.
Blaine sighed and let Kurt down. The two of them crouched in front of Pippa. When Kurt held back, Blaine met his eye as he picked up Pippa and rocked her gently. These little moments were precious, and Blaine knew Kurt wanted him to have as much time to bond with their little girl as he did.
Kurt touched her back gently.
“When I see you alone, I see what’s in your mind. You love me, yes you do. You don't need to tell me,” Blaine sang.
Kurt let out a little laugh at his choice of lullaby and sang with him. “I know you love me most. No one else take my place. You need me, yes you do. Forever, and ever.”
A few people gathered around them as they sang to their girl. Surrounded by her fathers, Pippa grew heavier in Blaine’s arms as she gave up the fight.
***
Kurt twisted their hands together as they strolled back to their house. His chest was so full of feelings he couldn’t sort through a one of them. He just looked over at Blaine with the dopiest expression. Thankfully, no one had a camera.
“Look at you,” Blaine murmured.
“Shut up.” Kurt laughed and bowed his head forward.
“You.” Blaine shook his head and pulled Kurt close to him.
Kurt leaned over and kissed the corner of Blaine’s jaw. And they were giddy, and giggling. Everything fell away from them.
When they reached the house, Blaine made good on his promise and lifted Kurt up once again, carrying him inside, and kicked the door closed behind them. Kurt draped his arms around Blaine and kissed him as they entered the house. Blaine got so distracted that he stumbled over the sofa and almost dropped Kurt.
“Oh! Oops.”
Kurt responded with another kiss, his hand moving down Blaine’s face slowly, then down his neck and his chest. Blaine shuddered. Their eyes met, and Kurt rubbed their noses together. Both of them released a sigh at the same time.
“Lay me back,” Kurt ordered in a whisper.
“Whe- Here?”
Kurt’s heart surged as he nodded. Blaine laid him down on the sofa, and Kurt stretched one arm back over his head. As Blaine’s eyes widened, Kurt began loosening his tie with one hand.
Blaine kissed him fiercely, then climbed over Kurt, pulling away his tie and unbuttoning his shirt. After that, they both attacked the other’s clothes with an eagerness. Hands were grasping flesh as though it was their first time.
By the time Blaine rubbed against Kurt, hard and naked, Kurt was close to begging. Then...
“Oh, God,” Blaine said suddenly.
“What?” Kurt pushed himself up on his elbows and looked around.
“I need a condom. Hold on!” Blaine hopped up and ran into the bedroom.
Kurt put a hand over his face. As Blaine returned, Kurt uncovered his eyes and enjoyed the vision of Blaine bounding back to him in the buff.
“I’m waiting.” Kurt blinked slowly twice, smiling coyly up at him.
Blaine blew through his lips, tossed the lube at Kurt, and tore open a condom. “Enjoy ‘em while they last.”
“Stock up on these before we head out into the wild,” Kurt murmured, grabbing Blaine’s hand and tugging.
He climbed on top of Kurt again, and Kurt looked up at him, feeling so glad for the vision in front of him. So glad, and so lucky, to have Blaine in one piece. Kurt took off his glasses and set them on the table next to the sofa.
Blaine cupped Kurt’s face in both hands, then took the lube.
Soon Kurt was panting and whimpering a little, while Blaine watched him, licking his lips as Kurt pushed against his hand.
“Come on!” Kurt cried.
“Patient. It’s our wedding night.”
“It’s our wedding late afternoon,” Kurt corrected. His eyes rolled back and his body arched against his will.
“Still...” Blaine leaned his face close to Kurt’s. His erection brushed against Kurt’s stomach. “While we have the time... I want to worship you.”
“Worship me...” Kurt closed his eyes. Blaine had a way of sounding so amazing, despite saying some of the cheesiest things that could come out of anyone’s mouth. He pushed his fingers through Blaine’s hair and curled them over, slightly. “Then... then, w-worship me.”
Their mouths came together in sloppy open-mouthed kisses while Kurt squirmed against Blaine’s fingers. He vowed to get Blaine back for this when they switched, but the thoughts were pushed out of his mind by the sensation of Blaine moving against him, and all the other warm, fuzzy, funny, sappy thoughts running though his mind.
“I need...” Kurt panted against Blaine’s lips, then gripped his hair intensely and looked into his eyes. “I need my husband in me already.”
“You’re so bossy,” Blaine teased.
“For the rest of your life.” Kurt let out a loud moan as Blaine complied with his demands.
Blaine petted his hand over Kurt’s forehead and back over his hair, then kissed him again. “For the rest of our lives.”
He started thrusting.
***
Blaine opened his eyes to a beautiful sight. Kurt dozing peacefully next to him in their bed. He propped his head up on his elbow and watched him. The long, graceful slope of his jaw. His long, long lashes. Rosy lips, swollen just a bit from marathon kissing.
Love filled Blaine’s heart to almost bursting.
“Sweet husband,” he murmured. He wanted to touch Kurt’s face and possess those lips again, but he couldn’t bring himself to wake him.
He moved his fingertips just a hair’s breadth above Kurt’s skin. It wasn’t baby soft like it used to be with all of Kurt’s ointments and moisturizers with retinol and vitamin C. But it still felt lovely against his fingers, and it made Kurt feel more real.
Kurt’s lashes fluttered, and his leg stretched forward and curled around Blaine’s legs.
“Mmm...”
Blaine shuddered as Kurt rubbed his chest flush against Blaine’s.
“Oh...” Blaine’s hand moved down Kurt’s back. He sighed, heavily.
Kurt moved against him again, brushing their groins together.
“Okay...” Blaine breathed out through encircled lips. “You’re awake.”
Kurt grinned, then opened his eyes. “Maybe a little, sweet husband.”
“You tease!” Blaine grabbed Kurt and pinned him to his chest.
Kurt laughed and attacked Blaine’s neck with kisses. “Mm! What can I do- mm! For you, my darling husband! Mm!”
“Hm, let me think...”
Blaine rolled on his back and brought Kurt on top of him. Kurt’s laugh was like a miracle balm, soothing away every anxiety.
“Okay, one more.” Kurt grazed his teeth along Blaine’s jaw. “But then we need to go get Pippa, okay? It’s getting dark, and that means it’s almost feeding time.”
“I can be quick. Can you?”
“Is this a competition?” Kurt frowned, then rolled his eyes upward, looking innocent as an angel... while he reached down between them to cheat.
“Ah! Ah!” Blaine gasped.
The rap on the door nearly shocked Blaine out of his skin. Kurt sprung off of him and grabbed the knife by the bed. Blaine likewise leaned over and grabbed his gun.
“Guys?” Van’s voice came through the door. “I really hate to do this, but we need you back in the meeting hall.”
Blaine breathed out slowly and set his gun down. “Give us a second to get our clothes on.”
“Yeah, but hurry, okay?”
Kurt looked to Blaine for a second, then leapt out of bed to pull on a pair of jeans and a sweater. He grabbed his shoes and socks and slipped out the door. Half-suspecting some sort of joke, Blaine grabbed his own clothing and dressed quickly, then headed out with his gun tucked into the back of his pants, with the safety on.
“Can we know what’s going on?” Blaine asked as he came out to see Van and Kurt standing together in the living room.
Van looked at him. She sucked in her lower lip. Her eyes were wide, full of determination, as well as fear.
“Forest is back.”
Next Part: Losing Ground
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