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With the kids all focused on Santa, being an elf in the Village is mostly like being a moving prop. The adults generally keep the kids under control until it’s their turn, so keeping an eye on things until it’s time to usher the tiny humans forward is essentially getting paid to people watch. And watch, Kurt does.
Most of the time, he’s mentally correcting all the flaws in fashion the ladies and gentlemen of Lima possess. Occasionally, he finds himself transfixed by family drama and saddened when the family has passed through the line and taken their drama elsewhere. It’s no secret that Kurt loves reality shows and live theater; this job lands them combined on his doorstep and it is glorious.
Those two things alone help the hours tick by quickly in the land of sugarplums and gum drops, but Kurt’s favorite moments are all about eye candy.
Subtly scanning over the tops of children’s heads in search of hot older brothers and sexy dads is becoming something akin to a hobby. No one pays much mind to the elves. Moving props. Except that one guy. The hot guy who comes in all the time now. The hot guy who just winked at him.
The guy is about four families down the line. Kurt looks back every few breaths, finding a trained gaze and widening smirk. Kurt’s sure he’s blushing, but that’s a minor thing, and his audience of one doesn’t seem to mind.
They guy’s name is Sebastian and this is the sixth time he’s shown up during one of Kurt’s shifts. Different kid each time, always eyes on Kurt. Everyone in the Village has come to hear of it one way or another, thanks to Santana’s endless amusement. And her cheeky encouragement. “If he comes in again, throw the kid a bone. Maybe take a nibble on his, little hummer boy.”
The hackles raise on his neck before Santana is even a foot behind him.
“Well, well, well. Look who’s back again.” She prods her sharp nails into Kurt’s waist in the imitation of a tickle, then comes up beside him. “Where do you think he’s getting all these kids? Sweatshop? Boy Scouts? Think he has an ice cream truck?” She crosses her arms. “I’d go for ride, if he did.”
“Shut up,” Kurt hisses. Sebastian is much closer now to where Kurt is standing. If he’s trying to listen, there’s no way he’ll miss their conversation considering when Santana is trying to be heard, she will be.
Their story – as written by others, mostly Santana – has grown into legend around the Village. Whenever Kurt is working, the other elves, even Santa and the photographer Rosie, are constantly on the lookout for The Guy. The first time he was here, Sebastian sent his little sister up to take her picture with Santa, and then turned to Kurt and asked how much it would cost to get his own picture with the elves instead. Kurt’s been spending the last few weeks trying to live it down. To no avail. Because it keeps happening.
The second Kurt spies Sebastian in the crowd, it sets off the butterflies in his belly. Santana, with her feet firmly planted beside his, and the crew all around them pretending not to be invested are making this situation boatloads more ridiculous.
He’s next. Sebastian and his new child of the week are next.
“Hello,” he greets when they step up, waving to the little boy dressed in red and black before looking up to an amused gaze. Kurt raises his eyebrows, prompting Sebastian to speak.
“I promise I don’t have an ice cream truck.”
“Oh. O…kay.” Kurt screws his eyes shut. Santana snorts and burst an internal dam that had kept her laughter trapped deep within. She can’t stop, just buries her face in Kurt’s neck and makes him complicit as he presses his teeth hard into his bottom lip.
Sebastian’s little friend runs up to sit on Santa’s lap, and Kurt leans in close to keep their elvish audience from overhearing. “Are you stalking me? Because I’m flattered, but you don’t have to steal children just to talk to me.”
Sebastian’s mouth twists into a giant smile that’s mostly smirk. “They’re borrowed, not stolen. Plus, I don’t think I’d make a very good stalker since you can spot me so easily.”
“Maybe I’m just extra-observant.”
“Maybe that’s one of the things I’ll love about you when you agree to go on a date with me.”
“Maybe I’ve gotta get back to the North Pole soon… you know – since you waited so long to ask me out.”
“Maybe we –”
“Maybe just say yes, Kurt, so we can get the line moving again.” Santana claps her hands down on Kurt’s shoulders and rocks him back and forth. “Up to the plate, Lady Hummel. We don’t have all day.”
Santana bends down to chat with Sebastian’s borrowed child while he and Kurt take Santa’s place. It turns out that it hasn’t cost very much at all for the mischievous elves in Santa’s Village to turn on one of their own. Usually, Kurt wins in the tiny tussle that takes place at the throne. Today, Sebastian reached the seat first and it’s Kurt who’s left to sit on his lap.
“So.” Sebastian’s arms wrap around Kurt’s middle, his chin lands on Kurt’s shoulder. “Where’s all the mistletoe in this joint? I’ve been trying to kiss you for weeks.”
Kurt turns sideways, jaw dropping as Sebastian smirks up at him. The shutter clicks and Kurt could kill Rosie for taking that picture. Even if he’ll make sure she saves him a copy. Just like with the others.
When Sebastian nudges him up, Kurt accepts a hug goodbye and watches him take the hand of that excited little boy along with their pictures as they walk off. Santana pushes Kurt away and demands he follow Sebastian and not come back until he’s got Sebastian’s number or, preferably, until he can describe in detail what Sebastian’s breakfast tasted like.
“Hey,” he calls out, catching up to the pair.
Out here in the main part of Lima’s mall, his elf costume no longer fits in with the scenery. He feels a little ridiculous in this much red and green when all the shoppers are bundled up in dark winter coats and there are no decorated trees or oversized plastic candy canes to camouflage him, but Sebastian’s grin is infectious and reassuring so Kurt turns off the part of his brain calling attention to the strange looks cast his way.
“You’ll need my number so you can call me.”
“Does this mean my plan worked and I can return my basement full of neighbor’s kids to their proper homes?”
“You’re very odd.”
“You love it.”
“We’ll see.”
When Kurt returns to the Village with a smile threatening to split his face in half, he’s greeted with a round of applause from the other elves. Soon Christmas will pass and these moments will be gone altogether, so Kurt can suck it up and take the teasing he knows will be worse when they’re off the clock, take the stares and knowing smiles because the little thrill he gets from thinking about Sebastian and the date they have scheduled for Friday is enough to power him through.