
bliss lane

tannertan36

#extradirty
đȘŒ

pixel skylines
The Bright Sessions
đ
Fieri Frames
Show & Tell

Game Changer & Make Some Noise
hello vonnie
sheepfilms
occasionally subtle

Love Begins

romaâ
Aqua Utopiaïœæ”·ăźćșă§èšæ¶ă玥ă

oozey mess
RMH

Origami Around
noise dept.

seen from United States

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seen from India
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seen from Portugal
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@kurtbastian-land
As a fic writer, i need every reader to know that:
I donât care if your comment is coherent. I know what you mean and i love you
I donât care if you ramble. I read every word and i love you
I donât care if you leave a comment on a fic from four years ago or leave comments/kudos on like ten of my fics in one go. This isnât IG, pls stalk my AO3. I love you
I donât care if you mention the same thing in your comment that four other people have already mentioned. Itâs actually really useful to know what resonated with people and I love everyone who takes the time to tell me they liked a particular turn of phrase
I donât mind if your comment is super long or just a couple of sentences, i love them all
I love you
Reading a slow burn fic like
Reading a pwp fic like
Can we just take a moment and appreciate this website?
Every damn day â€
Tagged by @daftydraw & @jwmelmoth
4 ships
Kurtbastian, StarKurt, Kadam (Glee)
Snowbarry (Flash)
Last Movie
To All The Boys I Loved (ps. I Still Love You)
Last Song
Only The Young (Taylor Swift)
Reading
We Should All Be Feminist by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Food Iâm craving
Crepe Cake (if youâre living in Singapore, hmu if you wanna get crepe cake)
Tags - @kurtbastianlover @enchanted-unicorns
PSA - WARNING
Good evening everyone (or good morning/afternoon depending on your timezone).
Iâm making this post as a warning to all my fellow fanfic writers and readers alike (regardless of which fandom you are in).
It has been brought to my attention that there is an âunofficialâ fanfiction app that allows readers to download and read any fanfiction of their choosing, so long as it is available on AO3.
This is the app:
Archive of Our own has always been a safe haven for fans to share and enjoy work based on any show/book/band/other popular media that they wanted, for free.
Itâs made for fans, by fans and is protected for all involved.
This is why todayâs news has shocked me to my core.
Someone has decided to take it upon themselves to exploit that, and profit from it.
I am FUMING about this, words cannot describe how pissed off I actually am.
On another post circulating it advises that authors can âblockâ their work by checking the âOnly show your work to registered usersâ toggle on each story. However, this app uses your AO3 login details, so even if you do this, if a user logs in to this app - they can still read your work.
@jwmelmoth and I have tried this this evening with our works.
This app also copies over every single comment from the archive to the story.
This is all kinds of illegal and I ask all of our readers to not use this app at all. AO3 offers users to download a pdf version of the works to make it available offline and these can be read through any PDF reader on an Android Phone, the Kindle App (or just a kindle) and also iBooks. AO3 is also extremely user-friendly on a handheld device so there really is no need to use this.
JWM and I have talked about this at great lengths this evening and DO NOT give permission for our works to be accessed outside of the Archive of Our Own platform. We will be adding a disclaimer to the title page for all of our works and ask that all of our readers respect this.
And to the person/people who have created this app, if you ever see this post. I hope you are ashamed of yourselves.
In recent days, there have been a number of posts on tumblr about third party apps that host AO3 fic on them. A lot of people are worried and even more people are pissed.
There is no need to send in emails to AO3 Support or to the Policy and Abuse team. They are fully aware of the situation and are probably drowning in emails right now.Â
Hereâs what I know and what you can do about it.
Fluff app / Fanfiction Pocket Archive Library app / Archive Track Reader app:
These apps work as a sort of skin for the AO3 site itself. They donât download works and redistribute them. They provide an access point to AO3.
The developers of these apps are making money from the app itself (through tips and subscriptions - both voluntary), which wouldnât exist without the free content created by AO3 authors. Since people post their work to AO3 because it is free to access and hosted without ads, authors are understandably angered by this.
Because these apps are basically just a portal to the site, a DMCA notice will not apply in this case. All works currently hosted on AO3 will show up on these apps, because these apps are simply letting you view AO3 through their interface.
Woodsign company apps (including MCU, Harry Potter, Sherlock, Creepypasta, and more):
These apps seem to curate some fic from the various fandoms and rehost it. They allow users to read offline, so itâs possible they are redistributing it. In this case, a DMCA takedown might be effective.
This app developer is also making money by hosting fanfic that was written and posted for free on AO3. They have put up a paywall so that you can only access the complete fic if you pay for it or rate the app in the App store.Â
If you want to post a negative review, consider saying things like:
* these fanworks are free already at archiveofourown.org * you can kudos, comment, bookmark, subscribe, and mark to read for later for free with an archiveofourown.org account * you can also download fics to read later in various file formats - both pdf and formats that are usable by ereaders * archiveofourown.org is a website with full mobile browser accessibility. Anything you can do in this app, you can do on the site - for free, and without ads * the Archive is a fully-licensed non-profit organization run by volunteers, unlike this for-profit app
There is no official AO3 app. The website is mobile friendly and if you want to have quick button access to it, you can Add to Homescreen on your phone and you can click in just like you would on an app. None of these third party apps can provide you with AO3 support. Only AO3 can do that. The best version of the site will always, always be the site itself.
If youâve read this far, please signal boost so that AO3 Support can get fewer tickets. And if you love AO3, consider donating to them. They accept donations year round, not just during their pledge drives.Â
AO3 & my fics
After writing fanfic for over 15 years and having been around livejournal strikethroughs and the death of other archives, I am deeply saddened that in 2020, we have to revert back to putting disclaimers on our art because apps are copying free works and monetising them with ads.
Even though it is not a fool-proof solution (logged-in AO3users can still access fics via third party apps - though WHY they would want to when they can access AO3 ad-free via the website is beyond me!!!), as of today, all of my works are now only accessible to registered users of AO3.
It hurts me to do this because I know I do have readers who prefer to stay signed out - and it also hurt me to spend 2 hours painstakingly edit the settings on 116 fics, dammit, seeing as I only have 1-2 hours a day to spend on fandom. That means I will get 0 writing done tonight (even if my mood wasnât completely killed, I am simply out of time) and my current WIP which I was looking forward to sharing with you ever so much will be both delayed and available to a smaller audience when it is posted.
Letâs just hope the wonderful staff of AO3 can fix this - and report these ducking apps for making money off our work!
âDo you think things will ever be the same between the two of you?â Claire gently asked, settling beside Kurt, hugging his arm as she rests her head on his shoulder.
Kurt gently gnawed his lip as he tried to collect his thoughts to put them into words. He and Claire were hanging in the living room as they waited for the hosts of the dinner to set up the table. It wasnât as though they didnât offer to help but being pushed away from all the silverware and tableware more or less told them that their help was unneeded.
âHeâll always be Sebastian,â Kurt finally settled on his answer, deciding that that was the simplest way to describe the way things are now.
âAnd youâll always be Kurt,â Claire counters.
âI canât keep doing this Kurt!â Sebastian yelled, tugging his hair with both his hands in frustration, âhow am I suppose to help when you donât tell me anything!â.
Tears welled up in his eyes as Kurt screamed back, âwhat am I suppose to tell you when I donât even know whatâs going on in my goddamn head!â
âAnd I think thatâs going to be that way for awhile,â Kurt said, leaning his head against the top of Claireâs.
Before Claire could offer some words of comfort, Sebastian came into their view, âhey, you guys can grab your seats at the dining table already. And Iâd advice you to be quick before Ethan drives himself crazy trying to rearrange everything once more.â
Kurt and Claire let out a chuckle, when a voice from the other room yelled out, âI heard that Bas! Donât make me throw out the flowers you bought me!â
âAt least talk to me Kurt!â Sebastian pleaded, âit hurts me to know that youâve been hurting and you wonât even open up to me!â
Then suddenly everything became too much for him. The pain on Sebastianâs face and the chaos in his head that just wonât shut.
âI think we should break up,â Kurt softly said and then everything became quiet.
Kurt observed as Sebastian rolled his eyes in feigned annoyance but the smile on his face told a different story. Kurtâs eyes soften at the man standing in front of him.
While things may never be the same between Sebastian and Kurt, with the love they both have for each other that they know will never go away, the chaos in Kurtâs head faded in the background for a bit. But it was long enough for Kurt to feel happy for Sebastian and acknowledge the little bit of âSebastianâ that Kurt hadnât seen in awhile while the two of them were dating.
Hi! I've noticed that you haven't posted anything since 2 weeks, so I just want to ask if you are okay? And let you know that you are amazing and loved! Have a wonderful day love!
Hey there, Iâm alive and breathing!
Sorry for the lack of updates on this tumblr, Iâm just stuck in my âone of those daysâ funk these past few weeks so I decided to take an offline break. Iâm not exactly back per say but Iâll still be lurking around occasionally.
My heart seriously melted that someone out there bothered to check up on me đąâ€ïž
Fanart: Chris Colfer as The Amazing Spider-Man. Â
Happy Birthday, Chris! :D that was fun
p.s. please donât steal/repost.
when youâre reading a fanfic and are constantly paranoid that someoneâs looking at every single word behind you
You are amazing.
đ„° thank you! I bet youâre amazing too!
Happy New Year everyone ! May you all leave the bad vibes from 2019 behind, and take in all the good ones in 2020!
And hereâs to another year filled with Kurtbastian â€ïž
âI didnât mean it. Any of it. Kurt pleaseâŠÂ Iâm so sorryâŠâ
âI got overwhelmed. They were putting me on the spot, I didnât know what to say.â
âHow- âŠhow is that my fault?â Kurt asked, his voice thick in his throat and muffled by his hands.
Sebastian closed his eyes and pressed his cheek against the door. âItâs not,â he admitted. âI am a fool, Kurt.â
There was a long pause.
âYeah,â Kurt finally said softly. âYou are.â
âI will go back and tell them what I should have said in the first place,â Sebastian offered.
âAnd what is that?â Kurt asked. Sebastian winced at the insecurity in his boyfriendâs voice. He leaned more heavily against the door, wishing he could phase through to take him into his arms.
âThat they need to stop trying to set me up with the sons of their friends, because I have already have a boyfriend whom I love with all my heart. And that eventhough I fucked up and lost him, I donât want anyone else. I love you, Kurt.â
Behind the door, Kurt softly shook his head and wiped the tears from his cheeks. âYou canât tell them that,â he said resolutely, and got up. He took a deep breath, composed himself, and pulled open the door. Sebastian, still leaning against the door, almost fell into his arms.
âYou havenât lost me, you idiot,â Kurt said. âBut you did hurt me. If you want this to work, you need to stand your ground. People have been like this to me all of my life and they are not going to stop. If you canât handle that, if you canât defend your choice because I am not what they want in a son-in-lawâŠâ
âI can. I can learn. Iâll do better,â Sebastian promised. âPlease, Kurt.â
Kurt pressed his lips into a thin smile. âYouâd better have a pretty good present under that tree for me is all Iâm saying,â he said, cocking his head.
âI think I do,â Sebastian whispered, thinking of the small box that held a set of keys to his apartment. He was so nervous about it that his parents had completely thrown him off guard earlier. He couldnât afford to make that mistake again. He offered Kurt his hand.
Kurt mustered him, then took it. âLetâs go, then,â he said, then stopped himself. âNo, wait.â He reached for Sebastianâs hair and ran his hands through it, messing it up. Then, he stepped back to admire his handiwork. âBetter,â he decided. At Sebastianâs baffled look, he offered him a small smile. âThey donât get the satisfaction of knowing what Iâve been doing the last fifteen minutes. Let them think something else.â
Sebastian smirked and opened the top buttons of his shirt. âFair enough,â he agreed, and took Kurtâs hand again. âLetâs go serve them the tea.â
-
Happy holidays đâșïž
(A few hours earlier)
Kurt couldnât help but grip the present in his hands slightly tighter as he stands in front of Sebastianâs house mansion, waiting for the doors to open and allowing him to enter. His boyfriend, beside him, couldnât hide his nervousness either, the telltale sign of shifting his weight between his legs while gripping tightly on to Kurtâs arm.
The boys were back for the holidays and it was officially âmeet the parentsâ season. Sebastian decided it was more appropriate to pick Kurt up from the Hudmels, since they would be making their way back to New York the day after so it made sense for Kurt to spend the night as the Smytheâs residence.
But just because it made sense doesnât make Kurt any less reluctant to actually agree with the arrangement. It was no secret that Sebastian came from old money and as much as Kurt hates judging people before actually meeting them, Kurt experiences with families of old money had never been one to rave about.
And something tells him that todayâs dinner was not going to be any different.
Finally, a soft click could be heard and the door opened wide. With a blink of an eye, Sebastianâs hold on Kurt was removed and his boyfriend was engulfed in a hug.
âOof,â Sebastian grunted out as a woman swayed him from side to side.
âOh mon bĂ©bĂ©!â the woman cried in French, âhow dare youâve decided to only visit after so long! Come in, come in, itâs cold!â
The woman dragged Sebastian in and Kurt quickly followed suit to prevent himself from accidentally getting locked out. After getting over his initial shock, Kurt couldnât help but smile softly at the scene being displayed in front of him. Sebastian desperately trying to explain himself while allowing the woman, who Kurt presumed to be Sebastianâs mother, to flail him around like a ragtag doll.
âMaman, youâre embarrassing me,â Sebastian said as he smiled through gritted teeth.
He nudged his head towards Kurtâs direction to which Sebastianâs mother followed. Kurt plastered his best smile and opted to give Sebastianâs mother a wave in greeting, seeing as how her arms are still wrapped around her son.
However, when the same sentiments were obviously not returned, Kurtâs smiled dimmed a little and he awkwardly placed his hand down.
âMrs Smythe, Iâm Kurt Hummel and I brought you a little gift as a thank you for inviting me for dinner and letting me stay in your beautiful home,â Kurt said as he gestured his surrounding, the walls were adorned with paintings and family portraits, flowers in vases placed on every empty surface and a clear colour scheme could be observed (at least from where Kurt could see).
âI didnât invite him here,â Mrs Smythe turned to Sebastian, raising an eyebrow quizzically, âif I knew this was our, I would have said no.â
Kurtâs jaw dropped at the bluntness of the comment. And even if Mrs Smythe thought Kurt couldnât speak French, the sheer rudeness of speaking that way to her sonâs guest was slightly appalling.
âWhen you told me your boyfriend was coming over, I expected somethingâŠâ
âMaman!â Sebastian hissed, hoping that Kurt didnât catch the comment or simply let itâŠ
âExpected something more?â Kurt smoothly replied in French, quickly plastering back his smile, âor do you mean rich?â
Sebastian closed his eyes and let out a groan. He removed himself from his motherâs embraced and quickly walked over to Kurt, putting his arm around his shoulder, soothingly rubbing his arm in hopes to placate him.
âYou may call me CĂ©lia, Kurt. Mrs Smythe sounds a little⊠dreary, donât you think?â CĂ©lia asked in a light French accent, a stiff smile placed on her face, completely brushing off Kurtâs comment, âyou may place the gift at the dining room table. My son can show you the way.â
âTonightâs dinner will start at 7pm sharp,â she told both boys, eyes lingering on Kurt longer before turning her attention to Sebastian, âthank god Iâve invited some of my friends to dinner tonight. Please wear your sharpest suit dear.â
Célia took one more look through of Kurt before turning around and heading off further into the house. Once she was out of sight, Kurt spun around to stare at Sebastian.
âShe does know that I speak French right?â Kurt asked incredulously, âand even if you hadnât told her, I would think that that exchange might have hinted something?â
Sebastian shrugged weakly, âdonât worry so much about her alright? Itâs just one night and you probably wouldnât see her much at tonightâs dinner.â
âBut-â
âShhhh,â Sebastian placed a quick peck on Kurtâs lips, âitâs easier to just go along with what she says. We donât we just go to our room and unwind while I get somebody to retrieve our luggages?â
Kurt pouted but knowing it was tasteless to complain about someoneâs mother to that someone. Instead, Kurt sucked it up and nodded reluctantly.
âThatâs my baby,â Sebastian softly said, pressing a kiss at the top of Kurtâs head, ânow, letâs go.â
Sebastian stuck out his hand which Kurt grabbed and the couple made their way to their room, with Sebastian sharing little stories here and there whenever they went past certain part of the house.
_____
Dinner was miserable. It was one thing to be stuck in a house with one prissy rich stuck up but to have an entire house filled with them was a whole other level. It was as if these people could smell poor on him and made no attempts to socialise with him, always opting to talk to his boyfriend instead.
And Kurt finally understood why was Célia so thankful she invited her friends over. Because if Célia has a gay son, what are the odd of her friends having gay sons as well?
Apparently two in every five people introduced. What on earth were these women drinking when they were conceiving? And the audacity these women seem have is astounding.
âYou know Sebastian, my son recently broke up with his boyfriend and heâs open in finding ways to get over him,â a woman with matching pearl earring and necklace hinted as she subtly pointed to another man a few distance away who was looking at them.
Kurt patiently waited for Sebastian to politely decline, stating that he was in a serious, long-term, monogamous relationship with him but if Kurt were to hold his breath for it, he wouldnât be able to last through the other men that was introduced to Sebastian.
âI appreciate the push Katherine but Iâm going to be in New York soon, so I donât think anythingâs possible,â Sebastian apologised to which Katherine waved off the apology with a smile and gave Sebastian a quick kiss on the cheek. The two exchanged a few more pleasantries before Katherine went away to say hello to someone else.
Kurt stares at his boyfriend in shock, feeling slightly hurt at what Sebastian said. It wasnât as if Sebastian accepted the offer but then again, he didnât really decline it either. Maybe it was a one off thing. Or maybe itâs just rich people culture and thatâs how rich people decline each other.
______________
âIâm sorry Marie but my heart isnât in the right place now for a relationship.â Sebastian explained to one.
âMaybe when the timing is better, SophĂa,â Sebastian promised to another.
âMaybe some other time, Ella,â Sebastian promised.
______________
But it was between the third woman and the sixth woman when Kurt realized that he and Sebastian have had an audience the entire time and it wasnât rich people culture to decline date offers, it was simply Sebastianâs way and he had a vague idea on the reason why.
Once woman number eight was done introducing her son and Sebastian not accepting but also not declining the offer, Kurt tugged Sebastian towards a quieter place where he was sure a certain Smythe wonât be eavesdropping.
âYou knew what your mother was doing,â Kurt accused, not beating around the bush.
Kurt looked around making sure he didnât catch the attention of other guests, being mindful of keeping his volume low, âyour mother has been sending her friends to introduce their sons to you and youâre just giving them false hopes and completely sidelining me!â
âOf course I know that Kurt,â Sebastian tiredly said, not in the mood into getting a fight with Kurt, âIâve already told you, itâs just easier to go along with my mother than try and start a ruckus.â
âI know my mother. I know all of her tricks and itâs pointless in trying to fight it or convince her otherwise.â
Kurt immediately closed his mouth shut, staring at Sebastian, eyes wounded at the implication of Sebastianâs words.
âSo itâs pointless trying to convince your mother that youâre in a committed relationship with me and have no interest in her set ups,â Kurt interrupted, nodding to himself as though he was finally getting the entire picture.
âKurt, thatâs not what I meanâŠâ Sebastian said as he reach out to grabbed Kurtâs arm to which he swiftly pulled away.
âWell then, I donât see why my presence is any necessary here,â Kurt stated, voice wobbly as quickly wiping away a few stray tears down his cheeks.
âIâll be in our room if you need me,â Kurt paused, âdonât need me.â
And it took all of Kurtâs willpower to not run towards and hold off his breakdown till he was safe in his room.
âSebastian, where in earth have you-â
CĂ©liaâs voice faltered as she took in the sight of her disshevelled looking son and his defiant boyfriend, whose piercing blue eyes dared her to clutch her pearls and show her true colours.
Sebastian felt the pressure of Kurtâs hand around his, knowing it was both nerves and reassurance, and he offered his mother a smile. âSorry mom, I was busy. Surely you remember how it is when youâre young and in loveâŠâ He subtly glanced at her empty ring finger and smirked. She and his father had separated a long time ago.
âCan you please make yourself presentable again?â CĂ©lia urged, switching to French. âYouâre embarassing me in front of my friends.â
âI donât care,â Sebastian replied in English, loud enough for them to hear. âYou embarassed me with this whole set-up, and much worse, you embarassed Kurt. I am not in the market for a new partner. I love him, and I want him in my life, whether you approve or not. So you can stop looking around for a replacement you think is more suitable.â
âWait, you said he was single,â Marie said, sounding offended. âWere you trying to set my son up as a back-up plan or what?â
âNo, of course not,â CĂ©lia said quickly. âI didnât know! I mean, I knew-â she backpaddled, âbut not that heâd be here and-â She heard sounds of exasperation and saw her other friends staring at her incredulously, a small crowd starting to gather around them to listen to her stammer. âI didnât know if they were serious! I mean, Kurtâs a singer-â
âHeâs on Broadway, maman,â Sebastian corrected her. âWhich you would know if you had bothered to come when we invited you to the premiere.â
âAnd they donât even live together-â his mother continued, now desperate to prove her point to her friends.
Sebastian slipped his hand from Kurtâs and gave his mother a cold look. âIf that is what is bothering you, hold on,â he announced, walked up to the lavish christmas tree by the piano, and picked up the small parcel he had put under it earlier. âMerry Christmas, Kurt,â he said, and handed him the present.
Kurt looked down on the small box and then glanced back at him from under his eyelashes. He took a moment to compose himself, then slipped the bow off and opened the box. He smiled. He knew the small indents and grooves of the blade, even if its grip was brand new. He nodded softly, first to himself, then looking up at Sebastian to show him that, yes, he wanted to move in. Even if this was the worst kind of occasion to make such a decision and he had just been crying in frustration and anger, he still wanted to.
âKurt just agreed to move in with me,â Sebastian announced to the small crowd, âso unless you are holding out for a proposal too, Iâd say the party is over. Iâm sure my mother wonât mind if you stay for a drink anyway, knowing her we have a few fantastic vintages reserved for tonight.â He walked up to Kurt and took his hand again. âAs for us, we will have to excuse ourselves, because we have a private celebration planned that is clothing optional. Have a nice evening!â
Honestly, I don't really worry about writing comments on other people's fics but I never know how to answer them on my own. I've taken to just saying thank you but that feels inadequate. I used to not answer at all because of this. Do you have any advice?
I tend to look at comments as conversations. This is probably because I started off on LiveJournal where a lot of my interactions were with my real world friends or with people I was friends with from other online spaces like IRC chat rooms etc. It was normal for comments to get replies and for people to reply to those replies and a whole conversation to start.
I continued in that vein when I started posting on FFN and then carried it over onto AO3. While I can understand why people are worried or anxious over commenting and replying, I havenât actually experienced that myself because of how I started off interacting with people on the internet.
When it comes to replying, sometimes all I need to say is thanks. Sometimes I agree with what the commenter is saying. Sometimes I answer a question or ask one. A lot of the time, I reference something that happened in canon or fanon so the commenter and I have a shared in-joke.Â
Basically, if someone sent you a message here on tumblr with exactly what they said on your fic, what would you say back?
How do the rest of you approach replying to comments? And readers, what do you hope to get back from an author?
I think it depends on what the comment says. If itâs just something like âomg this was so goodâ (or any variation) and doesnât have a question or something, âthank youâ is sufficient. If it has a question or comment directly relating to the fic/chapter, reply to that question/comment. That seems to work for me.
âI didnât mean it. Any of it. Kurt pleaseâŠÂ Iâm so sorryâŠâ
âI got overwhelmed. They were putting me on the spot, I didnât know what to say.â
âHow- âŠhow is that my fault?â Kurt asked, his voice thick in his throat and muffled by his hands.
Sebastian closed his eyes and pressed his cheek against the door. âItâs not,â he admitted. âI am a fool, Kurt.â
There was a long pause.
âYeah,â Kurt finally said softly. âYou are.â
âI will go back and tell them what I should have said in the first place,â Sebastian offered.
âAnd what is that?â Kurt asked. Sebastian winced at the insecurity in his boyfriendâs voice. He leaned more heavily against the door, wishing he could phase through to take him into his arms.
âThat they need to stop trying to set me up with the sons of their friends, because I have already have a boyfriend whom I love with all my heart. And that eventhough I fucked up and lost him, I donât want anyone else. I love you, Kurt.â
Behind the door, Kurt softly shook his head and wiped the tears from his cheeks. âYou canât tell them that,â he said resolutely, and got up. He took a deep breath, composed himself, and pulled open the door. Sebastian, still leaning against the door, almost fell into his arms.
âYou havenât lost me, you idiot,â Kurt said. âBut you did hurt me. If you want this to work, you need to stand your ground. People have been like this to me all of my life and they are not going to stop. If you canât handle that, if you canât defend your choice because I am not what they want in a son-in-lawâŠâ
âI can. I can learn. Iâll do better,â Sebastian promised. âPlease, Kurt.â
Kurt pressed his lips into a thin smile. âYouâd better have a pretty good present under that tree for me is all Iâm saying,â he said, cocking his head.
âI think I do,â Sebastian whispered, thinking of the small box that held a set of keys to his apartment. He was so nervous about it that his parents had completely thrown him off guard earlier. He couldnât afford to make that mistake again. He offered Kurt his hand.
Kurt mustered him, then took it. âLetâs go, then,â he said, then stopped himself. âNo, wait.â He reached for Sebastianâs hair and ran his hands through it, messing it up. Then, he stepped back to admire his handiwork. âBetter,â he decided. At Sebastianâs baffled look, he offered him a small smile. âThey donât get the satisfaction of knowing what Iâve been doing the last fifteen minutes. Let them think something else.â
Sebastian smirked and opened the top buttons of his shirt. âFair enough,â he agreed, and took Kurtâs hand again. âLetâs go serve them the tea.â
-
Happy holidays đâșïž
(A few hours earlier)
Kurt couldnât help but grip the present in his hands slightly tighter as he stands in front of Sebastianâs house mansion, waiting for the doors to open and allowing him to enter. His boyfriend, beside him, couldnât hide his nervousness either, the telltale sign of shifting his weight between his legs while gripping tightly on to Kurtâs arm.
The boys were back for the holidays and it was officially âmeet the parentsâ season. Sebastian decided it was more appropriate to pick Kurt up from the Hudmels, since they would be making their way back to New York the day after so it made sense for Kurt to spend the night as the Smytheâs residence.
But just because it made sense doesnât make Kurt any less reluctant to actually agree with the arrangement. It was no secret that Sebastian came from old money and as much as Kurt hates judging people before actually meeting them, Kurt experiences with families of old money had never been one to rave about.
And something tells him that todayâs dinner was not going to be any different.
Finally, a soft click could be heard and the door opened wide. With a blink of an eye, Sebastianâs hold on Kurt was removed and his boyfriend was engulfed in a hug.
âOof,â Sebastian grunted out as a woman swayed him from side to side.
âOh mon bĂ©bĂ©!â the woman cried in French, âhow dare youâve decided to only visit after so long! Come in, come in, itâs cold!â
The woman dragged Sebastian in and Kurt quickly followed suit to prevent himself from accidentally getting locked out. After getting over his initial shock, Kurt couldnât help but smile softly at the scene being displayed in front of him. Sebastian desperately trying to explain himself while allowing the woman, who Kurt presumed to be Sebastianâs mother, to flail him around like a ragtag doll.
âMaman, youâre embarrassing me,â Sebastian said as he smiled through gritted teeth.
He nudged his head towards Kurtâs direction to which Sebastianâs mother followed. Kurt plastered his best smile and opted to give Sebastianâs mother a wave in greeting, seeing as how her arms are still wrapped around her son.
However, when the same sentiments were obviously not returned, Kurtâs smiled dimmed a little and he awkwardly placed his hand down.
âMrs Smythe, Iâm Kurt Hummel and I brought you a little gift as a thank you for inviting me for dinner and letting me stay in your beautiful home,â Kurt said as he gestured his surrounding, the walls were adorned with paintings and family portraits, flowers in vases placed on every empty surface and a clear colour scheme could be observed (at least from where Kurt could see).
âI didnât invite him here,â Mrs Smythe turned to Sebastian, raising an eyebrow quizzically, âif I knew this was our guest, I would have said no.â
Kurtâs jaw dropped at the bluntness of the comment. And even if Mrs Smythe thought Kurt couldnât speak French, the sheer rudeness of speaking that way to her sonâs guest was slightly appalling.
âWhen you told me your boyfriend was coming over, I expected something...â
âMaman!â Sebastian hissed, hoping that Kurt didnât catch the comment or simply let it...
âExpected something more?â Kurt smoothly replied in French, quickly plastering back his smile, âor do you mean rich?â
Sebastian closed his eyes and let out a groan. He removed himself from his motherâs embraced and quickly walked over to Kurt, putting his arm around his shoulder, soothingly rubbing his arm in hopes to placate him.
âYou may call me CĂ©lia, Kurt. Mrs Smythe sounds a little... dreary, donât you think?â CĂ©lia asked in a light French accent, a stiff smile placed on her face, completely brushing off Kurtâs comment, âyou may place the gift at the dining room table. My son can show you the way.â
âTonightâs dinner will start at 7pm sharp,â she told both boys, eyes lingering on Kurt longer before turning her attention to Sebastian, âthank god Iâve invited some of my friends to dinner tonight. Please wear your sharpest suit dear.â
Célia took one more look through of Kurt before turning around and heading off further into the house. Once she was out of sight, Kurt spun around to stare at Sebastian.
âShe does know that I speak French right?â Kurt asked incredulously, âand even if you hadnât told her, I would think that that exchange might have hinted something?â
Sebastian shrugged weakly, âdonât worry so much about her alright? Itâs just one night and you probably wouldnât see her much at tonightâs dinner.â
âBut-â
âShhhh,â Sebastian placed a quick peck on Kurtâs lips, âitâs easier to just go along with what she says. We donât we just go to our room and unwind while I get somebody to retrieve our luggages?â
Kurt pouted but knowing it was tasteless to complain about someoneâs mother to that someone. Instead, Kurt sucked it up and nodded reluctantly.
âThatâs my baby,â Sebastian softly said, pressing a kiss at the top of Kurtâs head, ânow, letâs go.â
Sebastian stuck out his hand which Kurt grabbed and the couple made their way to their room, with Sebastian sharing little stories here and there whenever they went past certain part of the house.
_____
Dinner was miserable. It was one thing to be stuck in a house with one prissy rich stuck up but to have an entire house filled with them was a whole other level. It was as if these people could smell poor on him and made no attempts to socialise with him, always opting to talk to his boyfriend instead.
And Kurt finally understood why was Célia so thankful she invited her friends over. Because if Célia has a gay son, what are the odd of her friends having gay sons as well?
Apparently two in every five people introduced. What on earth were these women drinking when they were conceiving? And the audacity these women seem have is astounding.
âYou know Sebastian, my son recently broke up with his boyfriend and heâs open in finding ways to get over him,â a woman with matching pearl earring and necklace hinted as she subtly pointed to another man a few distance away who was looking at them.
Kurt patiently waited for Sebastian to politely decline, stating that he was in a serious, long-term, monogamous relationship with him but if Kurt were to hold his breath for it, he wouldnât be able to last through the other men that was introduced to Sebastian.
âI appreciate the push Katherine but Iâm going to be in New York soon, so I donât think anythingâs possible,â Sebastian apologised to which Katherine waved off the apology with a smile and gave Sebastian a quick kiss on the cheek. The two exchanged a few more pleasantries before Katherine went away to say hello to someone else.
Kurt stares at his boyfriend in shock, feeling slightly hurt at what Sebastian said. It wasnât as if Sebastian accepted the offer but then again, he didnât really decline it either. Maybe it was a one off thing. Or maybe itâs just rich people culture and thatâs how rich people decline each other.
______________
âIâm sorry Marie but my heart isnât in the right place now for a relationship.â Sebastian explained to one.
âMaybe when the timing is better, SophĂa,â Sebastian promised to another.
âMaybe some other time, Ella,â Sebastian promised.
______________
But it was between the third woman and the sixth woman when Kurt realized that he and Sebastian have had an audience the entire time and it wasnât rich people culture to decline date offers, it was simply Sebastianâs way and he had a vague idea on the reason why.
Once woman number eight was done introducing her son and Sebastian not accepting but also not declining the offer, Kurt tugged Sebastian towards a quieter place where he was sure a certain Smythe wonât be eavesdropping.
âYou knew what your mother was doing,â Kurt accused, not beating around the bush.
Kurt looked around making sure he didnât catch the attention of other guests, being mindful of keeping his volume low, âyour mother has been sending her friends to introduce their sons to you and youâre just giving them false hopes and completely sidelining me!â
âOf course I know that Kurt,â Sebastian tiredly said, not in the mood into getting a fight with Kurt, âIâve already told you, itâs just easier to go along with my mother than try and start a ruckus.â
âI know my mother. I know all of her tricks and itâs pointless in trying to fight it or convince her otherwise.â
Kurt immediately closed his mouth shut, staring at Sebastian, eyes wounded at the implication of Sebastianâs words.
âSo itâs pointless trying to convince your mother that youâre in a committed relationship with me and have no interest in her set ups,â Kurt interrupted, nodding to himself as though he was finally getting the entire picture.
âKurt, thatâs not what I mean...â Sebastian said as he reach out to grabbed Kurtâs arm to which he swiftly pulled away.
âWell then, I donât see why my presence is any necessary here,â Kurt stated, voice wobbly as quickly wiping away a few stray tears down his cheeks.
âIâll be in our room if you need me,â Kurt paused, âdonât need me.â
And it took all of Kurtâs willpower to not run towards and hold off his breakdown till he was safe in his room.