#klaine advent: orientation

[slipping-through-my-fingertips]

Tis the Damn Season

Klaine Advent 2023

Day 1: Plead

Ao3

Blaine was in serious trouble. His Intro to Tap class ran long; he really should’ve dropped that class at the beginning of the semester because it always runs long. Truly he should’ve known better than to schedule his very important meeting with his advisor for ten minutes after tap. Though had his professor not kept them over class time Blaine would’ve made it to the other side of campus by now.

When he first started school at NYADA, Blaine walked slowly. Taking in the campus greens, enjoying the shade of the trees during those warm summer afternoons. It was rare to find gorgeous greenery in New York City aside from Central Park. This campus felt a little like home. Not that Blaine missed Ohio too much but he did miss his friends.

Orientation week was supposed to help freshmen make friends but his assigned group didn’t seem to understand that. Then Blaine was hopeful he’d make some friends during his first week of classes.

Intro to Tap moved too quickly for friends. From the moment you stepped into class, you were on the move. Blaine spent that hour and then some out of breath.

Philosophy just made his brain hurt. The fact that he even had to take a math class sent chills down his spine but Blaine kept trying to make friends with his math tutor but nothing yet. His last hope had been Improvisation 101.

Improv was in his favor. He made his first friend in New York. They were assigned partners on their first project together.

“I’m Tina Cohen-Chang,” she said, “and I don’t intend on failing my first assignment here so you better be willing to pull your weight.”

“Blaine Anderson and I don’t plan to fail either.”

She had smiled then, “good.”

They had gotten the highest grade in class and from then on always saved the other a seat.

Tina was texting him now asking how Tap had gone. It was almost finals week—man had this semester flown by—and Blaine was trying his best to make dean’s list. He needed an A in Intro to Tap.

He was pleading with the universe for just one thing to go right— like his advisor not being too mad at him for being ten minutes late and not to comment on the coffee stain on his pants—which, of course, is exactly when he crashed into someone rushing in the opposite direction.

Blaine was texting Tina back while rushing to make this meeting.

Tina: did you kick ass in Tap or what?

Blaine: more like tap kicked my ass

Tina: boo, Blainey. Step up your game

Blaine: I trie

He never got to finish his text to Tina. His phone tumbled out of his hands, papers went flying, and Blaine was flat on his ass. The sidewalk was freezing.

The sun blinded him when he looked up to see if the person he had just trampled was alright. Blaine used a hand as a visor and the other student came into focus.

“Are you okay?” He was asking. “Hey…”

“Yeah, I think so,” Blaine said.

“I’m really sorry I wasn’t looking where I was going…”

“No, no, really it’s my fault. I swear in the new year I’ll stop texting and walking.”

The other student laughed. “It’s a good resolution.”

Blaine stood up and dusted himself off.

“Oh, let me help you.”

He gathered up some papers and handed them over.

“A band?”

“Yeah, I’m trying to start one.”

“I’m Blaine by the way.”

“Kurt.”

“It’s nice to meet you.”

“This yours?” Kurt asked, holding up his phone.

“Yes,” Blaine chucked.

That’s when he remembered the time. He was sure to be 15 minutes late by now.

“I’d love to stay and chat more but I’m already late to this meeting.”

“No worries, nice running into you.”

Blaine smiled, “yeah it was.”

He started to rush off again but Blaine spun around and yelled, “hey Kurt! Starting a band is a good resolution too.”

That made the other boy smile wide. Blaine vowed to make him smile like that again.

[klaineccfanficlibrary]

My Klaine Summer Bingo Card! :)

Debut Fanfic - the author completed posting after May 30 2018 and it was their first Klaine fanfic.  Kurt Hummel and the Seven Warblers by: Kirakiwi

Page-turning Fanfic that made you stay up past your bedtime. In Orbit by: hundredindecisions

Fanfic that made you reach for a box of tissues. Flowers in the Window by: heartsmadeofbooks

Fanfic where one has an unusual occupation. Not Another Ghost Story by: sunshineoptimismandangels

Wild Card - any fanfic you wish to highlight. All Aboard by: bitbybit (puttingittogether)

Fanfic set during the summer. Between the Moon and New York City by: jackabelle73

Fanfic is written for a challenge. For example, it could be the Advent Challenge, the Klaine Valentine's Challenge, or one of the many hosted by @the-lima-bean. No Take Backs by: RockItMan

Fanfic that made you laugh out loud. Pride and the City by: quizasvivamos

Fanfic that you enjoyed using a genre/trope that you don't normally read. Keeping Time by: Merry_Mint

Thank you for your bingo card, Anon Fics are in the 2023 Klaine Bingo bookmark on Ao3 ~Jen

Debut Fanfic -  Kurt Hummel and the Seven Warblers by: @Kirakiwi

Kurt Hummel has a lot going for him. He’s a talented Cheerio, a valuable member of his Glee club, and the beloved son of Representative Burt Hummel. Unfortunately, he is unaware that one Sue Sylvester is insanely jealous and willing to do away with him just to get ahead. Her meddling sends him into the path of seven down-on-their-luck Warblers, one who is instantly smitten with him

2. Page-turning In Orbit by: hundredindecisions

Blaine starts attending NYU, and he and Kurt weave in and out of each other’s lives - as friends, exes, friends with benefits, and harder-to-define labels - while they navigate college, relationships, and adulthood in New York.

3.Fanfic that made you reach for a box of tissues. Flowers in the Window by: @heartsmadeofbooks

This is the story of four men - Cooper and Blaine; Burt and Kurt. This is a story of heartbreak and loyalty, of pain and hope, of loneliness and family. This is the story of how, even when the sun stops shining, love finds a way to bloom.

4. Fanfic where one has an unusual occupation. Not Another Ghost Story by: sunshineoptimismandangels

When Kurt Hummel began an online ghost investigation show with his best friend and his step-brother he never expected to find himself alone in an abandoned and reportedly haunted hotel, but one stormy night Kurt finds more than he ever expected in the derelict and chilling Whispering Wolf Hotel. In fact, Kurt may have found exactly what he’s has been looking for. A story of romance, comedy, and sinister plots.

5. Wild Card - any fanfic you wish to highlight. All Aboard by: bitbybit (puttingittogether)

A trip from Paris to Prague on the Orient Express sets the scene for a meeting between a traveler and a mysterious passenger that catches his eye.

Could romance bloom between them?

Or will the night hold much more for them than they both expected?

6. Fanfic set during the summer. Between the Moon and New York City by: jackabelle73

Sorry - this was written in 2015 - the Klaine bingo is for fics between 2018-23

7. Fanfic is written for a challenge. No Take Backs by: RockItMan

A year after this father’s death, Kurt is still reeling from the loss. In an attempt to keep holiday traditions going, despite his father’s absence, Kurt meets a guy at a local Christmas Tree Lot who helps him through.

8. Fanfic that made you laugh out loud. Pride and the City by: quizasvivamos

Sex and the City AU: Kurt Hummel writes for an online New York City based queer publication, maintaining a lifestyle blog that covers everything from fashion to sex and relationships. In his attempt to establish and make a name for himself, Kurt has been unlucky in love. In a city of over eight million, how is it that all the men he finds are duds? In the process of researching the tragic state of romance in the city, he might just fall into an unexpected romance of his own.

9. Fanfic that you enjoyed using a genre/trope that you don't normally read. Keeping Time by: Merry_Mint

Devon Anderson is just an angry teenager trying to get through high school without a permanent record. One night, he ends up sitting down at the antique piano in the old Anderson estate and wakes up back in 1773, masquerading as his famous ancestor - revolutionary war hero B. D. Anderson. What Devon doesn’t know, is that B. D. Anderson just woke up in his place.

[darriness]

Klaine Advent 2021 - Day 5 - Orientation

Author: darriness

Word Count: 412

Summary: Christmas Eve #5

Author's Note: I played a LITTLE bit with the timeline of canon events in this one. But I've always described this verse as canon adjacent so I figure I'm allowed :)

AO3 Link

It started as...well Blaine’s not ENTIRELY sure how it started exactly. He knows when it started, and knows how and why it keeps happening, but the exact specifics around the why at the beginning are a bit of a mystery to him - even if he has his suspicions.

All he really knows is that the orientation of the presents under the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve has to be just so.

It’s the same every year and has been since the first Christmas he and Kurt lived together.

That first year, they’d actually had a fight about it. Blaine had carefully placed all his wrapped presents under the tree while Kurt and Burt had been out for the evening. When the pair got back to the loft, Kurt had exploded that the presents were all in the wrong spots. Blaine, dumbfounded, had reacted defensively, looking to a somber Burt for help. Neither Hummel had been particularly forthcoming about what was going on.

It wasn’t until later in bed, while he held a crying Kurt, that he’d heard about the news Burt had shared. He still didn’t know what that had to do with present placement, but at the time he was more focussed on soothing Kurt.

It became a little clearer to him as time went on though, that ordering and placement were ways Kurt dealt with his anxieties. Arranging sugar packets, rearranging his closet, lining up fridge magnets, and more - Blaine learned to better understand this behaviour and recognize it for what it was.

Since that first year though, no matter how he’s feeling, Kurt has always insisted the presents under the tree on Christmas Eve are placed in the same way. They laugh about it now and Blaine will sometimes purposefully arrange them just a little differently in order to get Kurt to give him that adorable fake look of disapproval and eye roll as he fixes them with a laugh.

Blaine sometimes wonders if Kurt insists on this present arrangement in order to double down on that first year. To somehow prove that his reaction to the presents that Christmas Eve was indeed about the presents and not about his anxieties. But Blaine’s never brought it up. He doesn’t feel the need to. He knows now how to best help Kurt when he notices the obsessive need to order and rearrange reemerging, and the present orientation? Just another thing that makes their relationship theirs. And he loves that.

[klaineadvent]

[starpunchsoup]

Klaine Advent 2021: Orientation

Blaine was pacing around the apartment in circles, waiting for Kurt to get home from Vogue. He had just gotten a letter from NYADA in the mail, and to say that he was freaking out was a severe understatement.

After about two hours of pacing, sitting, twitching and fidgeting, Kurt finally, finally comes home.

“Hey you! How has your - oh no. That’s your worry face. What’s wrong?” Kurt asks jountily at first, and immediately his voice fills with concern when his eyes land on his fiancé. Blaine’s hair is still gelled, but is starting to loosen up around his hairline from just how many times he’s ran his hands over the top of his head. His knees are bouncing like crazy, and he’s holding his own hands so tightly that there’s hardly any color to them.

“It’s um...ah...well I’m fine, it’s just…” Blaine tries a weak smile, but he gestures to the letter that’s sitting on the living room table in front of him.

Kurt approaches carefully, and asks if he can take the letter. Blaine nods, and Kurt bends down to grab the papers on the table. Quickly reading, Blaine sees Kurt’s face light up brighter and brighter with each word. Which makes his own stomach sink. “Blaine! This is so exciting! Carmen Tibideaux doesn’t send personalized letters about freshman orientation to just anyone, you know. You’re going to kill this semester, I just know it.”

Blaine stares at the floor, a small, self deprecating laugh escapes. “I’m glad you do.”

Kurt sits next to him on the couch, and rests a hand on his shoulder. “Hey, what’s that supposed to mean? Your orientation is Thursday! We start classes together in two weeks! This is supposed to be exciting, and yet you look like you just ate something Rachel cooked.”

“I know, I know. It’s just...this is all feeling so real, you know? It feels a little silly but...I’m really scared, Kurt.” Blaine admits quietly, still wringing his hands together and trying not to make eye contact with Kurt. “It’s like...I know I’ve been to a bunch of schools before. That part doesn’t scare me, and if anything it’ll be nice to make some New York friends and all but...this city is just so big, and I feel so small.”

“You’re sad, so I won’t make a silly height joke because I love you. You are just as big as this city, love. You’re gonna be able to do so much, you’re gonna have so much room to succeed and to grow, and I’m so excited to be able to see it. I know you had similar thoughts right before your audition, but you killed that! College is going to be a breeze. Especially because,” Kurt playfully bumps his shoulder into Blaine’s, “we’re doing this together.”

Blaine is still freaking the hell out about starting school soon, but Kurt’s words from a few months earlier ring in his head. ‘I can’t stop you from failing, but I promise to make it safe if you do.’

“You really are my knight in shining armor, huh?” Blaine says, feeling the sting of tears behind his eyes. “How did I get so lucky?”

“You’re good with directions, that’s how, you silly goose. Imagine if I had to find the practice room at Dalton all by myself, I probably would’ve missed my favorite Katy Perry cover.” Kurt teases, resting his head on Blaine’s shoulder. “In all seriousness though, are you alright? I can probably take you on a campus tour myself if you’d like, Mr. Fliss will probably let me pick out my locker for dance class a little early if I show up and ask.”

“Maybe? We’ll see after initial orientation. I don’t want to be the smarmy guy who knows more than all the other freshman, you know? I don’t want to seem...pompous.” Blaine says, thinking about just how low his chances of making friends would be if he wasn’t paying attention during the tours.

“You? Pompous? Oh please, you’re no Sebastian Smythe. You’re like a human ray of sunshine, my dear. There’s no way they won’t love you.”

Blaine, for the first time all day, cracks a smile. “I sure hope so.”

“Would a pizza and a ‘Say Yes To The Dress’ marathon make you feel better?” Kurt offers, giving Blaine’s hand a light squeeze.

“It’s like you’ve read my mind.”

[notarelationship]

In A Minute - Klaine Advent Edition: Day 5 orientation

For Klaine Advent this year I’m going to try to finish up a story I started writing in 2019, but never finished because of *waves hands around* everything.

It’s a fake-dating story called In A Minute, and you can read the existing 4 chapters on AO3 here, or on tumblr here.  I originally expected the story to be another 2-3 chapters (or maybe 2 with an epilogue), so it should work out in the end, provided everyone behaves themselves.

Each Klaine Advent entry this year will continue the story, chronologically, i.e., I won’t be jumping around (unless the story calls for it). The word counts for each are likely to be all over the place; some could be 100 words, and some are sure to be more. I probably won’t post every day, but I’m not planning on doubling up any words of the day, so expect one entry per word. I’ll probably update AO3 when I have what feels like a chapter’s worth of story.

Thanks to everyone for reading!

-

Klaine Advent 2021 Word: orientation (ish) Word Count: 651 Warnings: none

Previous: silence, ceiling, obligation, ancestor --

“Michelle, wait,” Blaine pleaded. “It’s such short notice, we’d have to pick a song, and rehearse, and what if the band doesn’t want us to do it? And we don’t even know if Sebastian’s and my voices even sound good together! What if we sound like screeching cats, or… or Sylvester Stallone and Dolly Parton?” Blaine could feel himself starting to panic. He did not want to sing a romantic duet in front of 200 guests - including many members of his family, with Sebastian Smythe. 

“Ooh, nice Rhinestone callout,” Kurt murmured to no one in particular.

“Don’t be silly Blaine,” his mother interjected. “I’ve heard you both sing, and there’s no way it won’t sound good. And as for the band - well they’re a wedding band for goodness sake, so I’m sure things like this happen all the time. And it would be such a nice thing to do for your cousin.”

Blaine looked at his mother and tried not to glare, he couldn’t help but believe that she had somehow maneuvered to make this happen. It would be just her style. Over her shoulder he could see Sebastian smirk.

 “Why don’t we pull together a short list of songs that Michelle and David like, and that we think we can handle, and we can email it to the band,” Sebastian suggested. “That is, if Kurt can spare him for a few minutes?”

It didn’t look like Blaine was going to be able to get out of this, at least not without making a scene, and he was determined not to do that. It didn’t seem right to do that to MIchelle. Blaine sighed and reached down to slip his hand into Kurt’s. “Kurt could join us. He’s in musical theater, and he used to be in the glee club in high school, and he has a pretty good sense of my range.” 

Sebastian’s eyes darkened for just a second, but he plastered on a smile and said, “Of course.”

Kurt squeezed Blaine’s hand tightly. Blaine knew Kurt had never heard him sing, and probably didn't have a great sense of Blaine’s anything. But he needed some support and Kurt was the only person at this wedding in his corner. Except maybe his dad, and he still hadn’t told Kurt about that conversation. What a long day.

Half an hour later they had a short list of songs that Michelle sent to the band, who responded right away to say they’d get back to her in the morning. They also confirmed that they had time to rehearse a song or two with her guest singers. 

“I’m not sure about a couple of those songs,” Kurt said, after they’d excused themselves from the group. Blaine could tell Kurt was dragging him toward the bar, and he wasn’t going to protest. “Your cousin and her fiancé don’t really strike me as the Troy and Gabriella type.” 

Blaine smiled. “Ah, but High School Musical is timeless Kurt.” 

“I think you mean ‘dated’ Blaine.” When they got to the bar Kurt ordered a glass of red wine and a gin and tonic for Blaine. 

“Am I hitting the hard stuff?”

“I thought you could use some reorientation after all that.” 

Blaine nodded. Kurt wasn’t wrong about that. “I’m sorry this has been weird.” Kurt looked at him confused, and handed over his drink. 

“What do you mean?”

Blaine shrugged. “Oh I don’t know, my mom, Sebastian, the nap thing.” Blaine was at a loss. It had been such a long day. “Everything?”

Kurt smiled. “Oh come on, a wedding isn’t really a wedding until there’s some unexpected drama; the groom hasn’t slept with any bridesmaids, or the best man -” Kurt winked, “That I'm aware of anyway. Michelle is barely even a bridezilla, and you warned me about Sebastian in advance. In fact, he’s the reason I'm here. It's hardly been weird at all.”

[gleefulpoppet]

Day 5: Orientation

★DAY 5★

Wah. Wahhh. Waaah. Wah. Wah.

Blaine knows that he shouldn’t be hearing the orientation director sound like the teachers do in Charlie Brown cartoons, but for heaven’s sake, could they stop talking now? They’ve gone over by ten minutes, and it was already excruciatingly dry and painful when it started over an hour ago.

To be fair, though, his mind was very much elsewhere from the beginning. Just about an hour and eleven minutes ago, he had left Kurt a gloriously naked, sweaty mess in their hotel room upstairs, barely recovering his breath. Blaine had towel-dried his curls—after the world’s fastest shower—and only had his bow tie half on as he was running out the door, arriving at the ballroom where the lecture was 30 seconds before it started.

And seeing Kurt like that takes time to process.

His smooth, perfect skin. The way the yellow flecks in his eyes pop because the blue in them is even more saturated in his afterglow. The contentment that rests in the corners of his mouth in that smile, his long limbs stretched out on display, and oh, god, that perfect trail of hair leading down to...

Read more of Chapter 5 on [AO3]. Or start from the beginning [here].

[forabeatofadrum]

I’d cry a river just for you (5/24)

Notes: It’s almost as if the mods knew that yesterday’s word was a struggle, because this word fits like a glove! Hoorah! Also, I actually visited Rotterdam’s city centre for the first time today and it was very insightful. I’ve already tweaked my first chapter, since I was wrong about the metro.

Ah, Rotterdam. What an ugly city.

AO3

–

ORIENTATION - Bandstand

2020

It’s too fucking cold, since it’s December, but when Kurt asked Blaine to wait outside, Blaine happily obliged. Because he’s weak. Because he’s dumb. Because the feelings that Blaine’s tried to repress for ages are coming back.

Luckily, the alcohol in his body keeps him warm. Blaine leans against the wall and he listens to his playlist as he waits. He only discovered Bandstand recently, because he rented the proshot from Playbill, but it has some great music. He’s listening to Who I Was and he closes his eyes.

Well, it feels like it does

I feel guilty because

There are days when I just want to be who I was

Blaine mouths the words and he feels a sting of bitterness at the last line. Unlike Julia, Blaine wasn’t lucky to win a once in a lifetime love. He never was. All the people he’s dated dumped him.

I'm not saying I'd trade the life that I had with him for a minute

That was once in a lifetime love and I know I was lucky to win it

Even though he has music on, he can hear the thud of a door. He opens his eyes and Kurt’s closing his coat before shuddering in the cold. Blaine takes out his earbuds.

Kurt’s eyes are on Blaine.

“You’re… here,” he breathes out.

“So are you.”

Kurt shakes his head, as if he can’t believe this is real. The feeling is mutual.

“This is insane. How do you know Yannick?”

“My friend Bella knows him. She asked me to be here,” Blaine replies. And it’s awkward. It reminds Blaine of their last two years of their friendship, where everything became one big awkward mess.

Back then, they could barely look at each other without getting angry, even though they were supposedly best friends. At least this time no one seems angry. Uncomfortable? Sure! But no anger.

“How do you know Yannick?”

They’re both dancing around the real question: how did they both end up in Rotterdam of all places?

“We’re… trying something,” Kurt says and he starts to blush.

Blaine sucks in a breath and he looks down to his feet. He knows that Yannick is bi, but he didn’t know that Yannick’s dating again. He and Yannick aren’t friends and to be honest, Blaine doesn’t really like him.

“That’s nice,” Blaine says, still not looking up. He tries to ignore the stab in his chest. This is ridiculous. They haven’t spoken in seven years!

He tries to tell himself it’s because of Yannick. Kurt deserves better than him. That’s it. Totally.

But the voice in the back of his head tells him otherwise and he knows that he’s lying to himself. He couldn’t give a rat’s ass about Yannick’s dating life.

“And you and Bella?” Kurt asks.

Blaine lets out a shaky laugh. Is Kurt asking him if they’re together? He sounds like Blaine’s dad. Blaine drags a hand over his face and the realisation that Kurt doesn’t know about his sexual orientation hits him like a ton of bricks. There was a time where they knew everything about each other, but now, years later, Kurt’s never learned one of Blaine’s biggest reveals.

“No, no,” Blaine says, “She’s gay.”

“Oh.”

“So am I.”

Kurt’s jaw drops. Blaine tries to not squirm underneath his gaze.

“You’re gay?”

“Flaming.”

“I didn’t know that!”

“Jeez. I wonder why,” Blaine mutters and Kurt’s face hardens.

“That’s not fair. You blocked me.”

“Right.” Blaine looks away in shame. Kurt has a fair point and Blaine knows he’s not mad at him, but at himself. Blaine is the one who pushed Kurt away. Blaine is the one who stopped trying. Blaine is the one who cut Kurt off without giving him a chance.

And then Kurt delivered the final blow. But Blaine’s not going to hold that against him. It was deserving.

“Christ, I don’t know…” he can hear Kurt say under his breath. When Blaine hears Kurt sniffing, he dares to look at him again. A tear rolls down Kurt’s face.

“Kurt-”

“I don’t even know why I thought this would go well. You made it very clear that you don’t want me to be around.”

“That’s-”

“I’m still blocked, you know. I’ve foolishly checked several times over the past years. I’ve sent you messages, but they never arrived. I know I said- fuck, forget this.”

“Kurt…” Blaine tries to reach out.

“No. Stop,” Kurt backs away, “I told myself all those years ago that I am finished. I need to uphold that promise to myself.”

That’s indeed what Kurt said. When Blaine blocked him, he forgot that Kurt had other means to contact him. Mercedes sent Kurt’s voice message a week after the whole ordeal. In that message, Kurt told Blaine that he’s done trying to retain a one-sided friendship and that’s when the realisation of Blaine’s actions sunk in.

Kurt gave up on him. Blaine gave him reasons to do so. And a few months after that, Mercedes stopped talking to him as well.

“You know what’s the worst part of this?” Kurt says silently.

Blaine shakes his head.

“That I am still so happy to see you.”

“Kurt…”

“No. Stop,” Kurt says again before turning around. He goes back inside and he slams the door. Blaine’s left all alone.

[lady-divine-writes]

Klaine Advent Challenge 2021 - Flightless (Rated G)

Summary: Blaine is tickled when their daughter's school comes up with a fun and unique fundraiser for the holidays, but at the last minute, Kurt sees disaster brewing. (1309 words)

Notes: Written for a bunch of Klaine Advent 2021 prompts: silence, obligation, rhythm, orientation, fan, transparent, demonstrate, invisible, arrow, offend, chance, global, and mine. They are all underlined. Also, this is based on a true event that still makes me shoot tea out my nose when I think about it XD

Read on AO3.

"I th-thought the school board d-decided not to hold a-a fundraiser this year, c-considering the global issue," Kurt says, shivering behind his Gucci mask. Blaine shakes his head at the product placement, but Kurt had argued that they were attending a charity function. One that would attract media attention, ergo he might get photographed. As an employee of Vogue, he needs to represent, which, in this case, included the latest in Prada and Chanel, hot off the runway.

Unfortunately, those are the only things hot on him at the moment.

His teeth may be chattering, his eyebrows frosted over, and his feet numb, but he intends on remaining stylish af.

"Well, we're outside," Blaine says, unwinding his scarf and putting it around his husband's neck. Kurt only allows it because it happens to be Versace. "And everyone here is six feet away from one another, so we should be fine."

Standing outside a portable barrier coated in a thin layer of ice, Kurt glances around the empty schoolyard. The snow had been cleared, and a grid constructed over the asphalt using twine. The squares created have numbers chalked in the center like they're preparing to embark on a super game of Hopscotch. 

"Okay, fair enough." Kurt pries one frozen finger from his balled fist and points up, in the direction of a helicopter that's been hovering overhead for the past half hour. “And that would be… ?”

"A helicopter."

"And why is it here?"

"I can't tell you." Blaine giggles in an unsettling way. "It's a surprise."

"Great." Kurt loathes surprises, but he doesn't want to ruin his husband's fun. Not after the stress of the last two years. Blaine can find the silver lining in every situation, but his optimism had begun to run thin. It's nice to see him this excited about something again. "By the way, how were you able to throw this together so quickly?"

"Some d.j. Sam knows owed him a favor."

"Hmm. That explains the mob of adoring fans, I guess." Kurt sighs, still not clear on what the heck is going on. The only thing he does know is there are turkeys involved, and the crowd gathered are playing whatever for the chance to win one. But the birds must be invisible. Kurt hasn't seen head or feather of them yet. "So, is this like Cow Pie Bingo but with birds? Are you guys going to let a turkey loose, and whatever square they take a dump in, that's the winner?"

Blaine’s lips part in surprise at his husband's suggestion. "No. But that's a good idea. Maybe we should do that next year!"

"Wonderful! Glad I could help! But what's the plan for this year?" Kurt asks through teeth clenched against the cold but frustration grinding his molars.

Blaine shakes his head, refusing to outright tell him. He giggles again, pointing up.

Kurt huffs and looks. He doesn't like riddles either, and Blaine is acting like a Sphinx. A goofy Sphinx. Normally, he's more transparent. But this time, he has Kurt stumped. Kurt tries his best to put two and two together, but since the cold in his toes has migrated to his brain, it's not that simple. He should turn this into charades, ask Blaine to demonstrate, but considering his thing for birds, he might enjoy that too much. 

And there are children present. 

There's a helicopter. Kurt knows that. Helicopters are sometimes called birds? Could that be it? No, Blaine specifically said turkeys. Kurt doesn't imagine anyone would call their helicopter a turkey. It seems like an aviation insult.

Then there's the grid on the ground that looks like a Bingo card. He thought the orientation of the numbers might be a clue, but it’s not. They’re just numbers.

Back to the mysterious turkeys.

They have to be somewhere. But where? Kurt scans the crowd, the street beyond, the storefronts, the helicopter...

Kurt's eyes fly open wide.

"Tell me you're not tossing turkeys out of the helicopter!"

"A-ha," Blaine nods with delight. "And whatever square they land in, the person who bought that square wins a turkey!"

"Are they live turkeys? Because turkeys can't fly, Blaine! Not from that height!"

Blaine tuts, offended. "How stupid do you think I am?"

"Keep talking, and we'll find out," Kurt mutters. "Fresh then?" He recoils at the thought of a fresh turkey landing on the concrete: the impact, the squelching, the splatter, the dismemberment. "There are a lot of kids here. I don't think the school can afford to pay for that much therapy."

"Relax. The turkeys are frozen."

Kurt’s left eyebrow breaks free from its paralysis and arcs. "Frozen?"

"Yup. They're big suckers, too! I have no idea where the school got them, but they're humongous!" Blaine fishes his phone out of his pocket, opens up his gallery, and shows Kurt a picture of a radio personality he only vaguely recognizes, struggling under the weight of a frozen bird three times the size of his head. Kurt looks from the phone to his husband, and Blaine grins, his eyes highlighting the gesture since his mouth is hidden. "They named this one Shrek."

"I can see why. Whose bright idea was this? Tell me it wasn't yours."

"Nope. Not mine," Blaine admits, returning his phone to his pocket.

“Thank God for small favors.” Kurt returns his gaze to the helicopter, the side door open and a face peeking out. He does some quick math in his head (good thing he took two years of Calculus in high school, even though it was useless considering his major), and the rhythm of his heart skyrockets.

"Blaine? You have to stop this. Now. Right now."

"Why? It's going to be fun! A school upstate did this same fundraiser with pumpkins over Halloween. It was a hoot!"

"Those were gourds! Not frozen birds! Heavy frozen birds! Birds the size of boulders!"

"Come on, Kurt. What's the worse thing that could possibly happen?"

The sound of the crowd counting down from ten, prompted by a voice through a bullhorn that Kurt isn't paying attention to, puts Kurt into a panic. He's grateful their daughter was too under the weather to come with them. 

Because if Kurt is right, this is going to be a disaster.

"Look, don't ask me how I know this... " Kurt grabs the lapels of his husband's coat and begins pulling him away from the barrier "... but frozen turkeys dropped from a great height... "

The first turkey - Shrek, Kurt assumes - hits the asphalt with a resounding crack that brings the onlookers to silence. But while most people hold their breath, waiting to find out whether or not they've won, a few realize their mistake and start running. 

The turkey's momentum does not stop when it lands.

The frozen bird ricochets a remarkable distance, then arcs toward Kurt and Blaine. It misses them by inches, barreling like a bullet train into the window of a car parked by the curb.

"... bounce," Kurt finishes, eyes drawn skyward when the remaining mob screams. A host of frozen fowl exit the helicopter and fall like rain. No. Like hail. Kurt swallows hard. "Run!"

Over a dozen turkeys get tossed before anyone can get a hold of the pilot and tell the crew to stop. Kurt and Blaine, stuck between wanting to bolt and needing to navigate the slippery street carefully lest they fall and break their necks, manage to dodge two that bound their way. 

"Someday you're going to have to tell me how you knew this would happen!" Blaine snorts as they half-run/half-skate to the safety of the deli down the street, outpacing a third turkey that whizzes past, heading for them straight as an arrow.

"I'm not obligated to tell you anything if you’re going to put our lives in danger!"

[honeysucklepink]

Anyway, Here's Wonderwall (5/?)

Day 5: Orientation (also on AO3)

Damn it, Kurt muttered. He’d been caught staring at Blaine. So sue him, Blaine may try to steal all of Kurt’s opportunities out from under him but he’s still hot. But he can’t think about that right now.

Kurt was supposed to fly out of Heathrow tomorrow, and be back in Ohio in time to spend the holidays with his parents. While he was never going to fully feel at home in Lima, not after spending enough years in New York, he missed Burt and Carole and it had been too long since he had seen them last. Not to mention all the great gifts he’d gotten them shopping at Oxford Street. And this year he was bringing Dani back with him; when they learned she was on the outs with her family after coming out and spending another Christmas alone, they “adopted” her for the holidays. Now he was stuck here, Burt and Carole might end up spending the holiday without him, and Dani would have another orphan Christmas.

He found himself looking at Blaine again. Huh, come to think of it, he’d never seen Blaine’s parents at any of his performances at school. Maybe he was in the same boat - holiday with friends instead of family…

“Do you think if you keep staring at him, he’ll explode?” Elliott asked. “Cause lemme tell you, that will be one heck of a mess to clean up and Adam is too nice to put that task on. I’ve seen Scanners.”

“I wasn’t staring! I was, um, looking at the pictures over the bar.”

“No, you were staring all right,” Dani said. “But I think you want a whole different kind of explosion from that guy.”

“I do not.” Kurt bristled at Dani’s suggestion. “That’s the last thing I want from Blaine Anderson.”

“Methinks you doth protest too much,” Dani said.

“You do realize just because we’re in England, doesn’t mean you have to recite Shakespeare.”

“If the sonnet fits…”

“Dani, stop teasing him,” Elliott said. “But Kurt, come on. Let’s be serious for a moment. You and Blaine have this whole rivalry thing right now, but you seem to have forgotten the first time you mentioned Blaine to me, and it was not with disdain.”

“I’m sure I have no idea what you are talking about.”

“So you don’t recall telling me about the hottest new guy at NYADA orientation, with ‘dreamy hazel eyes and an ass like a ripe peach’?”

Kurt rolled his eyes. “I never said a peach. Maybe a nectarine.”

“I’m just saying, you are both good-looking and talented people, that are letting what is probably a lot of misunderstanding and miscommunication get in your way. Besides, I had to put up with all this rivalry stuff with Rachel and Santana, and I’m not doing it again.”

“Listen up, everyone,” Adam said, loud enough for the bar patrons to hear without shouting. “Here’s the situation. We’re likely here for the night, maybe more.” Groans came from several in the crowd, including Kurt. “Now fortunately we weren’t fully booked, we have three more rooms available. In addition, I’m going to give up my office; it’s got a spare bed, and it’s only fair. That being said, we don’t have room for everyone. Some of you are going to have to sleep on pallets down here. Now, if you need a room, please come see me.”

Kurt began to stand, but Elliott stopped him. “I got this, Kurt. You sit tight with Dani.”

Kurt sat back down, somewhat relieved he had one less thing he had to stress over. What he didn’t notice was Elliott talking to Adam… and Blaine’s bandmate Wes.

[slipping-through-my-fingertips]

Klaine Advent 2021

Day 5: Orientation 

AO3

Blaine walks into the half-filled lecture hall. He’s already nervous to meet his classmates but finding a seat among them is just as bad. Delaying doing just that, Blaine goes down to the front of the room where refreshments have been set up. As much as he’d love a cup of coffee, he has a feeling it’s not good coffee so he goes for tea instead. 

The theatre department thought they should host their own orientation for its new freshman. Professors and students alike were coming to talk a little about the department and provide some comfort to any anxious students. 

“Tea is definitely the right choice.” 

Blaine looked up seeing two blue eyes watching him. 

“They usually have free coffee in the teacher’s lounge but you’re better off getting it from the campus cafe or better yet make it yourself.” 

The man extended a hand, “I’m Kurt by the way. Junior and TA.” 

“Hi, Blaine. Freshman.” 

Kurt smiled. “Welcome to the department.” 

Suddenly, Blaine wasn’t quite so nervous anymore.

[thnxforknowingme]

It's Who I'm With (5/24)

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

Rating: T

Five: Orientation

The following week, Kurt was informed that Mr. Lowe had indeed arranged for Mr. Krenkovich’s assistant to give Francie lessons twice a week. The Lowes had an upright piano in their living room - not Krenkovich’s gorgeous grand, but perfectly serviceable for amateur piano lessons.

Francie was just finishing an afterschool snack in the kitchen when there was a brisk knock on the front door. Kurt opened it to reveal Blaine, who still had a few snowflakes clinging to his dark hair.

“Hi,” he said, “I’m Blaine, I’m here for Francie’s lesson.”

“Come on in,” Kurt told him, stepping back to make space for him. “I’m -”

“Kurt,” Blaine interrupted with a smile. “I remember.”

“Right,” Kurt said slowly. “Well, let me take your coat.”

Five minutes later, Kurt looked on as Blaine and Francie sat on the piano bench, Francie showing off the exercises she’d been practicing throughout the week. Blaine praised her, gently adjusted the orientation of her fingers, and began guiding her through some three-note chords.

Kurt busied himself during the lesson - making sure Francie had a clean uniform for school tomorrow, tidying some things in the kitchen. The bounds of his job description were sometimes nebulous, and he appreciated that he never felt like Mr. Lowe was overstepping, but he also liked to keep busy, and figured that going above and beyond couldn’t be a bad thing. Finally he made himself coffee and returned to the living room. He sat on the sofa and watched the final fifteen minutes of the lesson. As promised, Blaine was showing her how to play the chorus of Let It Go, and singing softly along as his hands draped over hers on the keys.

When they wrapped up, he wrote a new list of homework. “I’ll be back on Thursday,” he told her. “I know the song is really fun, but practice the exercises too - they’ll make it easier to learn other songs.”

Francie nodded, looking intently at the notes he wrote down. When Blaine stood from the bench, Kurt got up as well. Blaine met his eyes and smiled. Kurt, not knowing exactly what possessed him, held up his now-empty mug. “Need a coffee fix before you go?”

Blaine blinked, and then his face softened. “I wish, but I’ve got to head out. I need to get back to Mr. Krenkovich.”

“Ah, too bad,” Kurt said, glad at least that Blaine didn’t seem off-put by the suggestion. He accompanied Blaine back to the front door, where he picked up his coat and scarf to prepare for the frigid air outside.

“So,” Blaine said as he slid his arm into his coat sleeve. “You’re not from New York, either?”

Kurt tilted his head. “No. I grew up in Ohio.”

Blaine paused for a moment, a slow smile filling his face. “Where in Ohio?”

“A town called Lima.”

Blaine pointed at his chest. “Westerville.”

Kurt laughed, surprised. “Small world. What a coincidence.”

Blaine shrugged as he fastened the last button on his coat. “Or maybe fate.”

Kurt quirked an eyebrow. “I don’t know if I believe in fate.”

“I think the thing about fate,” Blaine said, “is that it happens whether or not you believe in it.”

Kurt held his gaze, noting the curve of his lips, the tilt of his jaw. “If you say so.”

Blaine rested his hand on the doorknob and said, “see you on Thursday?”

Kurt nodded slowly. “I’ll be here.”

With a last smile and nod of his head, Blaine left the apartment.

[darriness]

Klaine Advent 2020 - Day 3

Title: Careless

Author: darriness

Word Count: 874

Summary: A Christmas accident

Author’s Note: I kinda selfishly love this one. Enjoy!

AO3 Link

Blaine is not embarrassed to say he skipped (literally skipped) a few times on his way back to the loft after going for a coffee run. He’s in New York, with his boyfriend, for a whole week, including New Year’s Eve, and there is no parental supervision in sight! Blaine still can’t quite believe his parents agreed to this but he wasn’t about to probe them any further after they said yes.

He’s just outside the heavy metal door leading into the loft, three coffees held in a carrier in one hand and his other hand on the door handle, when he hears shouting that makes him pause.

“Finn Hudson!” Kurt’s voice yells, “How can you be such a careless oaf? I can’t believe you did this!”

Blaine hears Finn’s voice rumble a reply but his volume is lower and Blaine can’t make out the actual words. Blaine sighs and pulls the door open, gearing up to help.

He finds Kurt and Finn in the kitchen. The taller man looks frightened as he holds his hands up as if to ward Kurt off. Kurt, for his part, is standing at the kitchen table with a box in front of him and a murderous look in his eyes.

“What’s...going on?” Blaine asks.

Kurt huffs, “Giant baby giraffe over here,” He says gesturing to Finn who pouts his lips slightly, “decided that ‘put the box of ornaments on top of the cupboards’ meant ‘rest them precariously on the edge so they’d fall off and shatter’.”

“It was an accident!” Finn defends himself.

Blaine sighs again and puts his hands up in an attempt at a calming gesture. Dismantling the Christmas decorations. That had been the three men’s task for the day before Blaine had gone out to grab coffee for a ‘coffee break’. Clearly, leaving the step-brothers ‘unsupervised’ had been a bad idea.

“Finn, why don’t you run across the street and pick up some donuts?” Blaine suggests.

Finn nods, seemingly all too happy to be given an excuse to leave, and quickly makes his way out of the door Blaine had yet to close. Kurt watches him leave with a scowl on his face.

Blaine makes his way over to the older man and grabs his hands, shaking them lightly to get Kurt’s attention. Kurt huffs slightly again, but turns away from the now closed door and looks at his boyfriend.

Blaine gives a little smile, “I’m sure it was just an accident.” He says softly.

Kurt looks betrayed and tries to pull his hands out of Blaine’s grasp. Blaine doesn’t quite let him though and Kurt stops trying after a half hearted attempt, “If you’re just going to side with him, then don’t bother.” Kurt says.

Blaine sighs and shuffles in closer to Kurt. He wraps an arm around Kurt’s waist and lays one on Kurt’s cheek. He looks him in the eye and says earnestly, “It’s okay to not be okay right now.”

Kurt’s eyes widen slightly and Blaine can see a million thoughts scroll through Kurt’s mind before his face crumbles as tears begin to pour from his eyes. He wraps his arms around Blaine’s shoulders and buries his face in Blaine’s neck as he cries.

Blaine hums, soothingly, and strokes Kurt’s back. He doesn’t try to get him to stop crying, he just lets him know he’s there.

Blaine may be on cloud nine to be with Kurt this week following Christmas, but he also knows that Kurt has been trying his hardest to be okay after his father told him about having cancer just days earlier.

Kurt pulls back after a moment and takes a deep breath, swiping at his red rimmed eyes with a small laugh, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to blubber all over your shirt.” He says.

“Hey,” Blaine says softly, stroking Kurt’s cheek, “You have nothing to apologize for. You can blubber all over my shirt or any other part of me whenever you need to. I’m here to be whatever you need me to be.”

Kurt gives a small, watery smile and leans in to kiss Blaine softly. When he pulls back, Kurt sighs and looks toward the door, “I was an ass to Finn.” He says.

Blaine chuckles softly with a shrug, “Finn’s clumsy, less detailed oriented side chose a very bad to rear its ugly head.” Kurt snorts at the correct statement, “But,” Blaine continues, “I think maybe...he’s trying to process this just as much as you are.”

Kurt takes a deep breath in and lets it out with a nod, “You’re right.” He concedes.

“Just apologize when he comes back. He’ll accept it. He’s your brother.” Blaine says.

“Step.” Kurt amends before sighing again, “Though it feels less and less like the ‘step’ is needed.”

Blaine smiles, having seen how much like real brothers Kurt and Finn have become, before pushing up on his tiptoes to kiss Kurt’s forehead, “Let’s finish putting this stuff away and then we’ll do whatever you want to do for the rest of the night.”

Kurt sniffs slightly and wipes his eyes one more time before raising an eyebrow, “Whatever I want?”

Blaine laughs at the insinuation as he leans forward to kiss Kurt again.

[notarelationship]

In A Minute - Klaine Advent Edition: Day 6 dairy

For Klaine Advent this year I’m going to try to finish up a story I started writing in 2019, but never finished because of *waves hands around* everything.

It’s a fake-dating story called In A Minute, and you can read the existing 4 chapters on AO3 here, or on tumblr here.  I originally expected the story to be another 2-3 chapters (or maybe 2 with an epilogue), so it should work out in the end, provided everyone behaves themselves.

Each Klaine Advent entry this year will continue the story, chronologically, i.e., I won’t be jumping around (unless the story calls for it). The word counts for each are likely to be all over the place; some could be 100 words, and some are sure to be more. I probably won’t post every day, but I’m not planning on doubling up any words of the day, so expect one entry per word. I’ll probably update AO3 when I have what feels like a chapter’s worth of story.

Thanks to everyone for reading!

-

Klaine Advent 2021 Word: dairy Word Count: 696 Warnings: none

Previous: silence, ceiling, obligation, ancestor, orientation,

-

“What are you getting?” Kurt leaned into Blaine as they surveyed their options, making sure their shoulders touched in case anyone was watching them.  They had made it through the night without any unexpected cuddling, and Blaine woke up in a better mood than he had been in the night before. He’d even suggested that they head down to the breakfast buffet that was being set out for the wedding guests, and Kurt was happy to join him. “There are a lot of things you don’t know about me, Blaine,” Kurt said as he shut the door to their hotel room. “ANd one of those things is that I love breakfast.” 

“Duly noted,” Blaine replied, smiling.

The dining room wasn’t too crowded when they arrived, so they hit the buffet together before sitting. The selection was more or less the same as any other hotel breakfast buffet, only every dish was the extreme gourmet version of it. Blaine opted for freshly made scrambled eggs, apple sausage from a local farm, and a thick slice of fresh bread, toasted and slathered in what looked to Kurt like an obscene amount of butter. Not that he was in a position to say anything, since he’d opted for a crispy dinner plate sized Belgian waffle, topped with a tower of whipped cream and a generous helping of fat blueberries. “Calories don’t count when you’re at a wedding,” he whispered to Baine as they settled at a table, sitting next to each other rather than one of them walking all the way around so they could sit across.

“We’ll just have to make sure we dance it all off later.”

Kurt couldn’t resist. He ran his index finger through the mountain of whipped cream and brought it to his mouth. He hadn’t intended to be suggestive at all, but as he pulled his finger out of his mouth with a light *pop,* Blaine’s eyebrows threatened to eject themselves from his forehead. 

“Sorry,” Kurt half apologized, but he wasn’t sorry at all. Kurt was so not sorry, in fact, that he swiped his finger through the whipped cream a second time, and offered it to Blaine with a teasing smirk. “I’ve been told it’s polite to share.” Blaine’s mouth dropped open just a little, whether in shock or horror or desire Kurt wasn’t going to find out - at least not until later. 

“Isn’t this cute,” Sebastian drawled as he sat across from them. Kurt turned to scowl, but as he looked toward Sebastian, Blaine’s mouth sunk over Kurt’s cream covered finger, sucking the entire dollop clean off. It took all the restraint Kurt had not to jump up from the table. He supposed he deserved it. 

“He is, isn’t he?” Kurt taunted. “Would you like some?” Kurt offered Sebastian his own finger of whipped cream, and for a second Kurt wasn't sure he hadn’t miscalculated and was going to have to let the jerk lick his finger. 

“No thanks,” Sebastian answered. “I don't eat dairy.”

Kurt rolled his eyes. “Of course you don’t.”

Blaine had been quiet since sucking Kurt’s finger into his mouth, but Kurt didn’t think he was upset by what was going on. He seemed amused. “What’s up Sebastian?” He finally said. 

“Check your phone. The band is going to be here in about an hour, but Michelle decided on a couple of songs and wants us to run through the first to see what sounds best.” 

“Okay,” Blaine shifted in his seat, making a noise that Kurt would definitely equate with impatient exasperation. “I’ll meet you when we finish our breakfast,” he told Sebastian. 

“Do you want me to come hang out with you?” Kurt asked, after Sebastian left. “I had planned to spend the morning in the sauna and then see what other perks I could indulge in, but if you want…”

“No, no, you enjoy your morning. I’ll meet you back in the room around five? That should give us time to get ready.”

“Okay,” Kurt said. Then he looked around at the room, fuller now than when they’d arrived, and kissed Blaine on the top of his head. “In case anyone’s watching,” he whispered.

[forabeatofadrum]

I’d cry a river just for you MASTERPOST

Masterpost for my Klaine Advent 2021 story

Summary: Seven years ago, Kurt and Blaine had a huge fight that ended a ten year long friendship. Now they unexpectedly run into each other in another part of the world. Can they let go of the past?

Rating: T

Words: ~30K

AO3 | S&C | Tumblr tag

Chapters on Tumblr:

Silence - Falsettos

Ceiling - Wicked

Obligation - Legally Blonde

Ancestor - RENT

Orientation - Bandstand

Dairy - 25th Annual Puntam County Spelling Bee

Rhythm - Heathers

Cup - Spring Awakening

Fan - In the Heights

Transparant - Hedwig and the Angry Inch

Demonstrate - Everybody’s Talking About Jamie

Invisible - Hairspray

Arrow - 35MM: A Musical Exhibition

Offend - Company

Appendix - Fun Home

Chance - Once On This Island

Global - Six

Mine - Next to Normal

Core - Hamilton

Qualification - tick, tick... BOOM!

Work - Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812

Ordinary - The Last Five Years

Company - The Band’s Visit

Rise - Hadestown

Extra’s:

The playlist!

Notes on the playlist

Blaine’s apartment

Bella’s room

The lekker met de meiden klainen groupchat member trivia

111 plekken in Rotterdam die je gezien moet hebben highlights

The Dutch glossary

[slipping-through-my-fingertips]

Klaine Advent 2021—Complete List

❄️ All my Klaine Advent 2021 fics can be found on AO3 here or on tumblr in the list below. Colors correspond to fics that are in the same AU or are a continuation ❄️

Day 1: Silence

Day 2: Ceiling

Day 3: Obligation

Day 4: Ancestor

Day 5: Orientation

Day 6: Dairy

Day 7: Rhythm

Day 8: Cup

Day 9: Fan

Day 10: Transparent

Day 11: Demonstrate

Day 12: Invisible

Day 13: Arrow

Day 14: Offend

Day 15: Appendix

Day 16: Chance

Day 17: Global

Day 18: Mine

Day 19: Core

Day 20: Qualification

Day 21: Work

Day 22: Ordinary

Day 23: Company

Day 24: Rise