April gave a little shrug. “Just thought I’d come by for a visit.” It was a lie, but there wasn’t any point in telling the truth. She had actually run out of money and was looking at some other issues on top of that. It had seemed at the time the best thing to do was to go back to Lima. How did she always end up back in Lima?
“How long do we get to have you in town for,” Blaine asked with a sincere interest though he was eyeing her a bit quizzically from his spot straddling the piano bench. Deft fingers tore off a piece of his sandwich so he could pop it in his mouth. A finger jutted pointed towards her after he swallowed a few sips of water. “You know Kurt would probably die for a chance to get some pointers from an actual Broadway performer. He’s been really stressed over his NYADA audition.” Did he just set Kurt up for an April Rhodes lesson in hopes of making her feel more welcome? He was gonna die but his intentions were good? That’s what mattered? Yeah?
And finally, he was rewarded with a tight sound releasing from her lips. A laugh? Was it mocking? Quinn couldn’t tell anymore. Everything she did now had some form of disparagement in it, and often it made it difficult to tell whether she was joking or not. CONSEQUENCES were no longer at the top of her list of concerns, not to say that they had been at the top in the first place. They came sixth after becoming prom royalty, her reputation, the cheerios, whatever was left of her family, and now the skanks. Formerly holding the fifth place title had been the New Directions.
❝ While there might not be anything here yet, if you stick around, Sheila’s going to have a HELL of a good time trying to see if hair gel makes fires light up faster,
❞ she smirked, eye-balling Blaine’s hair and the copious amount of hair product that covered his head. He had GUTS, she had to commend him for that. Even though the gang had disappeared off-campus for an hour or two ( probably all day, who were they kidding? ), Quinn couldn’t think of one person who would actively choose to come up to her when she was in this…state, and ask her to grab something to eat with them?
❝ Come on, hair gel. Let’s not loiter.
❞
“Remind me to have you point out exactly who Sheila is? So I know who to avoid. I sort of like my hair on my head. Not used as kindling,” a broad, entertained grin tugged at the edges of his lips as he watched her eyeball his hair. She was clicking away on what to judge him by and he’d let her if that’s what made her comfortable. But he wasn’t going anywhere. Or giving up. He knew that Kurt had no clue what to say to her at this point and he wasn’t alone in that department. Not many of the New Directions kids did as far as Blaine could tell. Could be that he didn’t either but giving her time away from a bunch of rebels without a clue? No harm could come of that, yeah? So? He’d try whatever he could think of by the seat of his pants and if it worked and they connected? Great. If not? She had lunch that wasn’t just cigarettes.
Jerking into motion with a quick nod–Blaine nodded and started in the direction of the student parking lot. “We can take my car there. Faster and we can be back sooner. Unless you’d rather walk? I’m fine with either one. As long as there’s coffee at the end of the road? I’m good.” First they’d get on the way and then they could talk.
Kurt shifted to gently grab his lovers hand, a subtle smile playing on his lips. “Hey.You have nothing to worry about, okay? I still love you and I still really want to be with you. So much, it’s even scary at times. It’s just.. my boss has me running around like a chicken without a head, I barely even have time to think straight.” A short pause plauged his words. He pursed his lips as his brain scrambled to find the words to fill this newly found awkward silence. “Do you want to go grab some lunch? My treat.”
Blaine glances down as Kurt laces their fingers together and he feels like his heart is about to burst at the seams. Or finish falling until it bleeds through his shoes and he’s standing on it. White teeth bite into his lip and worry against it. A small nod echoes Kurt’s reassurance and he briefly glances up so their eyes can make contact. “So–. We’re okay,” his question’s breathed with a voice that’s unsure and hesitant. Seeming to change gears at the mention of lunch together–Blaine paints a smile in place and squeezes the delicate hand in his grip. “Yeah-yeah. Lunch would be great.” Getting out of here and them having room to breathe? Even better.
Tina walked into the kitchen and did her best to not laugh at her mother trying to stuff Blaine with food. The woman always said he looked too skinny for all that singing and dancing. “Hey mom, you wanna let up on my best friend?” The older woman looked over at her. “Tina, sweetheart. Your friend needs to get more meat onto those bones of his or he won’t be getting much attention.” Tina rolled her eyes as she knew her mom meant well. “He gets more than enough attention as it is. Anymore and he may spontaneous combust.” Walking over to her best friend, she wrapped her arm around his and pulled him from the room. She let go off him only to smack him on the arm. “Ever hear of knocking? I’m starting to think you don’t know how.” Tina couldn’t help copying his words. “Alright, let’s get out of here before my mom decides to throw together a full meal for us to eat.” Walking towards the front door, she made sure that she had everything before leaving.
Blaine only tucked his chin towards his collar to try and hide the chuckle that shook his shoulders as Tina’s mom decided to give advice about his eating habits jeopardizing any chance he get attention. “Wait. What did you just say, miss Cohen-Chang? Spontaneously combust? I’m almost hurt!” Feigning a horrified/pain gasp complete with fingers gripping his sweater above his heart–his gaze bounced from Tina to her mother but then he was being lead out of the kitchen by a standard Tina armlock tug. “Pleasure to see you again, Mrs. Cohen-Chang! Thanks for the sandwich!” That he dropped on the floor with the arm smack. Pouting at the floor–Blaine reached back to scratch the nape of his neck and bowed down to pick it up. “Making that out to be my fault is completely unfair and now you ruined my to-go snack. You’re lucky we have a schedule or I might just go right back in there,” his thumb jerked over his shoulder at the kitchen, “and ask her to make us lunch and while we’re eating? I’d love to see some baby pictures sometime?!” Oh, you bet he said that last bit higher right before he snickered into his palm. The loud ‘Oh?!’ from the kitchen went unanswered as he stood straight again and decided to do what was best for his welfare. That’d be? Running after then past Tina so he’d be able get her into the car first and their getaway could be made before they were stopped.
“I mean… Okay, I get that. But I just… I don’t know, man. I’m focused more on glee these days and not college and… I haven’t exactly… Applied. Anywhere.”
“Wait. Finn. What? You haven’t applied–anywhere? I know we’re busy but–. Not a single school? Sorry. I didn’t mean to sound lecture-y about spending time together. I definitely don’t want to sound that way now but–I think that needs to start sooner rather than later? Especially if you’re planning on going to New York City. Um. You’re still planning that–aren’t you?”
The sound of unpopped corn kernels swirled at the bottom of the bowl. Fate was doing him no favors and made the answer clear before he had the chance to get cute up the fact that–yeah that was an empty bowl–and soften the blow. Oopsie! Hey! It was good and a good distraction from a way too intense movie! “Are we speaking metaphorically–? As in–Did I eat all the popcorn in existence? Or,” Blaine cringed keeping his hand holding the last of the popcorn below the rum like he could magically make more appear if he hovered it there long enough. “Did I eat all of our popcorn? Two way different answers. I’m sure popcorn exists somewhere. In the kitchen might be the closest location. Because if you’re inquiring in the literal sense?” Guilty frown! Guiltier pout! “Then–yes. Yes. I did.”
Duran wasn’t sure a bright red blush, and a choke of his drink was an appropriate reaction to Blaine offering to teach him how to tie a bowtie. Blaine had a boyfriend, and they’d just barely met. There was no way Duran should already be this flustered at the thought of being in close proximity to someone so cute. He tried to regain control, pretending he was just choking briefly and that his reaction had NOTHING to do with the offer. “Yeah,” he said with a grin. “I’ll have to take you up on that sometime.”
He leaned back and took a couple of deep breaths until his breathing returned to normal. It was enough to let him respond to Blaine. “Yeah, I mean, yeah. I don’t know him, but it might be fun. Plus I don’t want to seem like I’m doing something wrong.” He didn’t want to outright admit he was afraid that this Kurt would be jealous and insecure. He figured if he offered a preemptive olive branch, things would go a lot more smoothly between all parties.
“I’m not a fan of science fiction,” Duran admitted. He felt a sense of guilt admitting that, even if he couldn’t explain why. It had just never appealed to him much before, and his brother has tried several times. “I love action and suspense though.” Even if they couldn’t agree on the genre, there were still several movies they could pick from. “I’ll even take a good action comedy. That’s probably my favorite.” He grinned.
Killing a guy by offering to show him how to tie a bowtie was not on Blaine’s list of things to do today. By the looks of it? He almost did. Duran’s reaction had a similiar one in Blaine though his was more internal than broadcasted for Duran to see. His throat tightened, fingers gripped onto his coffee cup til the color in their tips bled out and he almost asked him if he was okay. Yet–he didn’t. Judging by the sheer suddenness of the display–Blaine had a good idea that Duran had no inkling that it was coming and he wasn’t going to embarrass them both by pointing it out.
“I was–I mean if you want to learn? The offer’s there. Any time,” was all he’d say to it before moving onto greener–and more comfortable–pastures. Patiently waiting until Duran could talk easier, he ignored that he felt his own cheeks growing warmer in the meantime and nodded. “Yeah. I think it would be fun. A lot of fun. I’ll ask Kurt if–hm? Something wrong,” he took the conversation back a sentence or two. “No. You haven’t done anything wrong by inviting me. Why would–.” Oh! Oh? The 40 watt shine from the lightbulb in his head amped up to 100 watts and so did the coloring dusting Blaine’s cheeks. “Right. Right. No. No. Nothing to balk at or side-eye. Promise.”
Jumping back onto the topic of movies–Blaine laughed off Duran’s dislike of his favorite genre shrugging it off. “It’s okay. I’m finding out since Dalton? I think I know one or two people as into it as me. Action comedies are great. Kurt’s more the Breakfast At Tiffany’s and Moulin Rouge type but I’m sure we can all find something to agree on.” Or at least the two of them could while Kurt begrudgingly sat through Hot Fuzz or 21 Jump Street? Oh boy. There’d be a cheesecake owed after a night spent doing that.
“Okay, but between getting ready for Nationals and Graduation, why does Mr. Schue think some of us have time for more duets?”
“I know it’s crazy busy for a lot of you right now and this might be the last thing you want to think about but–. I thought we should be focusing on Nationals weeks ago but then I really thought about it. I don’t know, Finn? Maybe he just wants to make sure we squeeze as many of these moments in before Nationals takes the spotlight and Graduation gets here?”
“shoes that i honestly wouldn’t feel comfortable having anyone else fill such outstanding shoes. though, i think you’d look a little ridiculous in my heels,” a soft laugh falls past her lips before her head falls just slightly, folding her arms under her chest, “you guys will get on just fine without all of us. and i mean – you still have finn.”
“You have to admit–I could totally pull off those pumps if I wore the right pants,” Blaine’s grin wobbled as he watched her start out with a quiet laugh but end by folding in on herself. A puzzled, measuring look causes him to squint and tugs a corner of his lips up. Did he make her do that? Or was there something heavy on her mind? An inch or two of distance was taken away by a a step closer. His right hand cupped her left elbow–thumb rubbing over the bend. “Yeah. We’ll be okay,” his voice lowered, “Are you? Okay–I mean?”
‘so, mister anderson, what’s it like being the new me?’
“Rachel! Hey! Um–I’d say that it feels daunting because you have some mighty big shoes to fill but that’s sort of an insult inside a compliment. So–I’ll just leave it at strange and go with that? I’d trade it all in to have you guys back. McKinley doesn’t feel the same without all of you.”
pianokeysandbowties back up 