Well...Consider Operation Stepdad a Success
Kurt: NOW YOU BOTH GET A KURT LECTURE. INTO THE LIVING ROOM. NOW.
Kate: *pout*
Blaine: *not moving*
Kate: I...uh...have to go meet Demitri *moves towards door*
Kurt: *eyebrows raised* Did I stutter, young man? Move your butt or I'll move it for you.
Blaine: You're not going anywhere, young lady- *blinks and looks at Kurt* I'm not young anymore, and this is my house.
Kurt: Both of you are young'ns in my eyes at this moment, so hop to it and get SITTING. ESPECIALLY you, mister. We have a LOT to talk to you about.
Kate: *is actually amused by the let's lecture Blaine hour, so why not -- she heads into the living room and flops down on a piano bench*
Blaine: *gives him a very serious, "are you kidding me" look, and doesn't move an inch, instead crossing his arms over his chest*
Kate: Daaaaad, just sit. I'll call Aunt Sierra if you don't.
Kurt: *crosses his arms right back. We've been here before, and you KNOW Kurt can out-diva you, Blaine*
Blaine: *Seriously? You're both picking on him now? That's not fair. He knows when he's outnumbered though, particularly if Sierra gets involved, and he finally reluctantly takes a heavy seat on the couch*
Kurt: *Claps his hands together, pleased* Now, who wants to be my first victim?
Blaine: *almost pulls the childish "point at the other person" thing, but resists*
Kate: *is technically a child and so does pull the point at the other person*
Kurt: *which he takes as confirmation that Kate should go first* Right then. Kaitlyn. My precious little protege.
Kate: Nooooooooooooo. Yes, Kurt?
Blaine: *smirks*
Kurt: *smiling sweetly, but it's totally EVIL* Why are there no mirrors in your house, honey?
Blaine: *that would be his fault, actually*
Kate: Wait? What? *looks at Blaine* You got rid of the mirrors? Just because I was looking in them this morning? Aunt Sierra said you used to spend like an hour and a half on your hair!
Blaine: Do you really think I don't know what you've been doing? And it wasn't just checking your hair, Kate. If there's ANYTHING reflective, you're using it for a mirror, and I NEVER see a smile on your face when you do. I'm not stupid, or blind.
Kurt: *listening patiently, because he already knew it'd come to this. Father-daughter talks are important.*
Kate: OMG...you're overreacting.
Blaine: I'm not overreacting. I've seen it enough to know what's going on. I used to hang around people like that, remember? It's part of why we left New York in the first place.
Kate: *GLARE OF DEATH - HER BELOVED CITY* Which I never wanted to leave! And which I'm gonna back to. as soon as I graduate McKinley.
Kurt: *finally butting in* He's right, you know. You're not the only girl that looks in every single reflective surface to check her appearance. It's not healthy.
Blaine: *quietly* Katie. I found the diet pills in your room this morning, when I was checking for laundry.
Kate: Okay. We're done. Conversation over. *Stands to leave*
Blaine: Sit. Down. We are not done, not by a long shot.
Kurt: *puts a hand on her shoulder and sits her back down, kneeling in front of her* This is important, sweetie. We're just worried about you. I told you not to worry about your appearance.
Kate: I'm not...it's maitenance...that's all
Blaine: There's nothing to maintain! You're completely tiny, Katie! you'll make yourself sick!
Kurt: Maintenance is going running in the morning and eating fruits and vegetables. Diet pills are how you get bulemia, and staring at mirrors all day is how you get lost in it. You don't need any of that icky stuff in you.
Kate: I'm FINE!
Blaine: Dammit, Katie, you AREN'T FINE. You're hurting yourself.
Kurt: You saw those photos. You saw my associates, my photographer. Everyone loved you just the way you are. Changing that is just going against the natural image everyone loves and appreciates. You're BEAUTIFUL, Kaitlyn.
Kate: *sigh -- she can't fight both of you...Blaine she could slam the door on...but now Kurt too...* All right. Maybe I've been a little preoccupied. I'll tone it down. *yeah...that's comforting*
Blaine: *shakes his head* That won't help the problem.
Kate: What do you want from me?
Kurt: We want you to stop. Stop looking at yourself like you aren't good enough. Because you are so much more than that. You are perfect, and there is not a single thing you should want to change about yourself.
Blaine: Exactly. And you can't say that Kurt's biased, because unlike me, he's not your dad. So you don't have an argument there. *serious as things are, he's trying to lighten the mood just a little*
Kate: All right. I'll stop. *or try to; she will at least work on stopping...she promises*
Kurt: I wish it was a simple as just "stopping," but you're trying to be a model. Your words isn't exactly good enough. *brushing her hair back a little* We're looking out for you. And I'm gonna make sure you're taking good care of yourself.
Blaine: *is quiet for now, watching the two of them together. If there's an overly fond look in his eyes for a brief moment, well, he won't be admitting to that*
Kate: *nods and then gives Kurt a look* OH god...is this going to involve muffins.... *yes, Sierra has told her about the muffins*
Kurt: *laughs a little bit* If it comes down to it? Yes.
Blaine: *chuckles, shaking his head. He feels the situation has been handled, and starts to get up*
Kurt: *pointing a finger at him* I don't think so, buster. We haven't even started on you, yet.
Blaine: *blinks, brows rising slightly, but he does return to his seat* What do you mean by that?
Kate: *grins -- yay her dad's turn!*
Kurt: You have been avoiding me again. And as much as everyone is fond of Blaine's musical hermit act, this shit is getting old. (Yes, he swore. But desperate times = desperate measures. :|)
Kate: *DAMN...kind of wants to go call her aunt and put her on speaker for this...cause DAMN*
Blaine: *is quiet, startled by he cursing* I haven't been avoiding you. *Yeah, not entirely a lie? He's just been avoiding everyone. Including his sister*
Kurt: No, maybe not. You've just been avoiding everything. When's the last time you even left the house for something other than picking up the mail? Or talked to someone that wasn't a client or your own daughter?
Blaine: *swallows slowly, unable to answer that. Everyone probably knows the answer to that - Saturday, when Kate ambushed them both*
Kate: *Yeah....she's gonna go get that phone now...excuse her...she'll brb*
Kurt: *He doesn't even try to stop her. He's on a roll now.* And what's this I hear about you drinking now? You didn't even like drinking after a show, let alone in your own household. And Lord knows you are NOT the best with alcohol, Blaine.
Kate: *returns -- setting the chordless on the piano? Why? No reason...at least until Blaine says something dumb, then you'll figure it out*
Blaine: *isn't saying a word. Actually, he's not even looking at anyone, just keeping his eyes averted. He's getting restless, shifting in his seat before he gets up to leave. He's not doing this. He's just not*
Kate: Dad....
Sierra: (on speaker) Oh for Fuck's sake, Blaine, don't make me drive two hours....just sit down and behave....
Kurt: *getting up after him* Stop, dammit! *a little softer now* Stop running away from me. For the first time in twenty years, Blaine Anderson, turn around and face me.
Blaine: *it's only that last statement that actually gets him to stop, but if you look closely, his hands are trembling just slightly* I can't.
Kurt: Can't? Or won't? *He puts a hand gently on Blaine's arm* Who was the one that told me to stand strong against adversity? To not run away when the going gets tough? Who told me to have courage, when everything seemed hopeless?
Blaine: *very quietly, his voice strained* Someone who died a very long time ago.
Kate: *watches, biting her bottom lip*
Kurt: He didn't die. He just got lost. Somewhere along the way... *And he's quiet for a second* But that doesn't mean he's gone. We just have to find him again.
Blaine: *very very quietly, barely a whisper - it's not even intended to be heard* He died when you walked out.
Kate: *kind of can't believe he just said that...*
(welcome to Blaine at his most vulnerable. this is why he's kept Kurt at such a distance for so long. Because he never wanted to feel this helpless again. He didn't think he could handle it)
Kurt: *But he heard it, and it's kind of like a blow to the face. He's not about to back down though. Courage.* Well, I'm here now. And if you'd only look me in the eyes...you'd see that I still love you. Every bit as much as I did that day I snuck onto Dalton's campus, and the Valentine's Day not long after. And every single day since then, for the past twenty years. I'm here, Blaine. And I'm asking you to look at me.
Kurt: *tacked on at the end, quietly* Please.
Kate: *is trying so hard to be so still...lest she get sent away for any good parts...but she really really wants to tell her dad to look at him...cause THIS. THIS is what she and Demitri wanted. All they wanted.*
Blaine: *swallows heavily. He hates this; he hates feeling like this, like he's completely out of control of things. Those words are on the verge of completely breaking him, and it's with a very reluctant movement that he finally, FINALLY does turn . . . and there it is. It's right there in his eyes, so vulnerable, as if a single word might break him right now.* . . . Kurt.
Kurt: *His hand falls from his arm when he turns, and when he can finally look into those eyes - those fragile, thread-worn eyes - he instead puts his hand gently on Blaine's cheek.* Do you remember what you told me? In front of Pavarotti's grave? *He doesn't wait for him to answer, simply continues.* You said that even though we'd lost regionals, we won, because we had each other. And nothing else mattered. *A beat, and he smiles.* Forget everything else, Blaine. I'm here now. And I love you. Nothing else matters.
Blaine: *How could he possibly forget? Everything between preparing for Regionals and after has been burned into his memory for years, always there like a scar on the back of his heart, particularly after Kurt left. The touch to his cheek is almost too much, and when he finally speaks, his voice is just completely broken* I love you. I always have.
Kate: *please ignore the excited chirp that just come from this direction...*
Kurt: *He hears that little chirp, mmkay? And it has him smiling brightly. Blaine's words are confirmation enough - he doesn't need much more. He's just going to reach right up and kiss him - Kaitlyn and Sierra in the audience and all.*
Sierra: *IS SO NOT HIGH-FIVING HER HUSBAND WHO WAS ALSO LISTENING IN. NOPE. NOT AT ALL*
Kate: OMG I'M TEXTING D!
Blaine: *is a little too distracted to even hear his daughter, so, she's safe from being sent away. The minute his mouth melds to Kurt's, it's practically like coming home again, as cliched as it sounds, and he wraps his arms close around the man he's never managed to give up and kisses him back for all he's worth*
Kurt: *Once again, he heard Kaitlyn's outburst, and this time he's grinning against Blaine's lips. Just like when they were teenagers, that distantly familiar blush returns to Kurt's cheeks and he isn't letting go. He's been waiting for this for far too long, and if he could stay like this forever, wrapped in Blaine's arms with his lips pressed against his own, well, that would be more than okay with him.*
Blaine: *it's the fact that Kurt's grinning that really does break him out of the passion of the moment, but he's full of something else right now anyway - elation. He smiles back, giving a soft, genuine laugh against Kurt's mouth before kissing him again, holding him as close as he can. He's not letting go again*
Kate: Sooo...not to remind you that I'm here and all...but...which one of us has to move? *AND SHE IS GRINNING LIKE AN IDIOT*
Kurt: *Oh, that laugh. The effect that laugh has always had on Kurt is an all too pleasant one. Kaitlyn's comment makes him laugh lightly and lower his head just a little, calling back to her without looking in her direction.* Go to your room, young lady. *It's not even close to being forceful, and the smile is clearly audible in his voice. He looks back up at Blaine, eyes full of the same wonder they had the first time they kissed outside the Warbler's practice room. This might actually be Heaven.* The adults are talking.
Blaine: *isn't taking his eyes off Kurt, and he's smiling with just about the same amount of wonder in his own expression* And take the phone, and your aunt, with you.
Kate: Yes, Sirs. *grabs the phone, taking it off speaker and beginning to clue her aunt in on her way up the stairs*