“I think after this, we deserve not Only coffee and cream cheese, but a Scone too— just roll over onto Your side— I’m pretty sure your Legs ain’t supposed to bend like That, so the longer you stay like That, the worse it’s goin’ to get.”
“That was a great idea–until I did it. Much like the one that said, ‘Hey! You should do Yoga today to shake some stress of!’ Sure, the stress is long gone but I don’t think my back is never going to forgive me. Oo! Scones. Definitely scones. Meet me outside in a few minutes? Gotta shower and change. Or I might scare people with the mess I’m in.”
“I never did understand the bowtie,” Duran said absently. “I barely know how to tie a regular one, let alone a bowtie.” He grinned, eyes dropping down to admire Blaine’s accessory. He didn’t like to admit that he had help every morning from someone different at Dalton before faculty caught him, but then again, Blaine didn’t seen like the type to judge anyone. “The look suits you though. Now I can’t picture you going without.” Maybe he was flirting a tiny bit; Blaine was cute enough, how could he not? He knew better than the push boundaries, since Blaine did transfer to be with someone else.
He didn’t want to keep talking about pole dancing. There was no reason to start bragging now, and Duran also didn’t want to keep talking about Dalton. He liked it here, yeah, but there had to be more to Blaine than how cool he used to be here. Even if Duran wanted to actually go on about that. (he was starting to feel like he was developing a crush on the former Warbler.)
“So,” Duran said, shifting in his seat. “What kind of movies do you like watching?” Maybe if they happened to ever meet outside of school, they could easily kick back and chill. There was no reason to keep things that polite and professional. “Maybe we could get together sometime and hang out at my place. You can meet my brother, and oh, you’re more than welcome to bring your boyfriend, too.”
“You know? I can teach you,” Blaine felt the heat of his cheeks rise a few notches but he tried to pretend it wasn’t happening. Was it because of the comment on how Duran couldn’t picture him without a bowtie? Or was he picking up on the subtle flirting? Who’re we kidding? It was Blaine and his capability to be occasionally oblivious was legend to anyone other than himself. Definitely the comment on the bowtie. Maybe. Noticing the temperature on the sides of his paper cup dropped to lukewarm–he finished off the coffee with a couple sips. Another? Plenty of time left in his day and he was enjoying himself. Why not?
Looking up from the paper hand protector he idly fiddled with–Blaine gave Duran a curious head tilt but the other boy’s quick correction had him smiling broadly before he could reply. Hearing him quickly add Kurt to the invitation was sweet enough that his eyes brightened and twinkled reflecting the laugh he forced back. “Thank you. I appreciate you inviting Kurt. You didn’t have to seeing as how you don’t even know who he is. Or what he’s like. It’d mean a lot to him and does to me, too,” his lips formed the words carefully stressing that it wasn’t necessary for Duran to feel any pressure to invite yet another stranger into his home.
They could all meet here first if that were the case? See if him and Kurt got along? Though he figured they probably would? Jumping too far ahead much? Movies! They were talking about movies. “I like almost anything, really. As long as it’s not the horror stuff,” his face resembled someone biting into a lemon coated in something even more sour, “Not a fan. I like fantasy, dramas, suspense stuff is okay? Even the occasional action movie if it’s the right kind. Science Fiction would be at the top of the list though. How about you?”
Tina really needed to start locking her door so this doesn’t happen again. Though, as she watched Blaine stumble around her room, she couldn’t help giggling as she tightened her grip on the blanket. She was about to open her mouth to warn him about the door but he hit it before she could so she could only wince in sympathy. “Go wait downstairs, it will probably be safer for you. I’ll be down as soon as I can.” Once he was gone, she walked over to her door and closed it as she let out a sigh. Yes, she was definitely going to have to remember to use her door lock. Turning her attention to her closet, she grabbed a dress and tossed it on her bed before grabbing a pair of shoes to go along with it. Tina unwrapped the blanket and folded it before putting on the end of her bed where her dress wasn’t laying. It didn’t take her long to get dressed and to do her hair and make up. Letting out another sigh, she prepare herself to go downstairs and deal with Blaine.
Blindly shambling out the door–Blaine waved over his shoulder to acknowledge her instructions while howling out another, “Sorry, Tina! Downstairs! Got it!” Once out in the hall–Blaine deflated with a heavy sigh at the mental image of half naked Tina spinning around to stare at him in horror. Good luck getting that image out of his memory. No insult meant. Tina was a beautiful woman in every way but–there are some things he doesn’t need to see of one of his best friends. Blaine was getting a habit of seeing every single one when it came to her. A rub to his eyes later–he nervously went downstairs. That might not’ve been the best option. Tina’s mother was doing her best to shove food at him and he couldn’t look her in the eye to save a puppy’s life. As soon as he heard footsteps–he disengaged with Momma Cohen-Chang. Pumpkin cookie in one hand and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich–she had to have that done before he came downstairs–in the other, he thanked his hostess repeatedly and rushed off to meet Tina. “I’m so sorry. I know! I said it a million times but–.” Eyebrows jerked up. “Um–ever hear of locking the door,” he asked with a cheeky grin trying to make light of it or they were both going to get stuttery and weird, “Starting to think you don’t know how?”
Thank you Blaine. It’s just Will left me for someone else. I.. I just can’t be anywhere near him He is now happy with Shelby, Rachels mom and i just need to forget him but i have no idea how to do that. I am not even allowed to help him with glee club anymore”
Blaine blinked in stunned surprise. Of all the things he expected? Mister Schue doing that would have been one of the last. He sighed softly and walked across the room when she was halfway through and by the time she was finished–he knelt beside her chair so that she would only have him to focus on. Maybe that would calm her down? Reaching up–he gathered both of her hands into his and rested them on her knees. “I’m sorry–I’m shocked.” His mind was sort of blown but he didn’t want her to keep feeling this way. No one should. Imploring eyes stared up at her, their hands rested on the bends of her knees as he squeezed. “I–if I can be honest? If anyone does that to someone? They’re not worth your tears. I know it hurts now but you are so much better than that. You deserve so much more. Everyone does. That’s just not okay–and the glee club loves you. There’s no way we’d let him kick you out of helping. Not for that reason.”
“Oh good, not just me then. —I vote We get golden stars for at least Tryin’, and that we bail out and go Get coffee and bagels instead.”
“Nope, not just you–Oh God I don’t think I’m ever getting out of this position. I totally owe myself a coffee and some blueberry cream cheese after this. Mine just–shoving my feet back over my head? I’m pretty sure I can’t move. Or even if I could? I better not.”
A scoff. A roll of her eyes. It wasn’t as if Quinn had never spoken to Blaine. She had. In BURSTS. Conversations with him didn’t come very often, and now with her current circumstance, they barely came at all. Besides, it wasn’t glaring. It was CONTEMPT, in the form of a long, hard stare and a silent, growing victory. ❝ What the hell do you need from me that’s going to take forty-five minutes? Because whatever it is, I’m probably not going to be very bothered about it. I have other things to do around here.
❞
Blaine patiently stood through the scoff, the roll of eyes and her ‘not glare’. He knew what it was like to be in that headspace. It wasn’t like she was the first person to go through a rebellion broadcasted towards everyone else when–in fact–it was herself she was putting through the ringer. Every individual had their own ways of dealing with their personal hells. Some let it go easy, some cringed from the world, some ran to escape. Others dyed their hair pink, grabbed a pack of cigarettes and turned into a gutter punk. Doesn’t last forever. The issues are still there. Waiting. Depending on how you were out of the gate only determined what you’ll sift through when they catch up. “Coffee and company,” he shrugged and looked past her like he was trying to find whatever those ‘other things’ were. “I don’t see anything that can’t wait. Do you? Unless your next arson attempt can’t be rescheduled. I mean–there’s still the piano in the choir room left to torch.”
“Sandwich du jour, sounds classy when ya put it that way,” she commented, reaching into the basket and grabbing one of the sandwiches and unwrapping it. It actually looked pretty good. She glanced at the bench as he moved it, taking a seat on the other side of it when he offered. “Cheers,” she replied, setting the sandwich on her lap as she poured some of the contents of her canteen into its cup and taking a sip. She took a second look into the basket, helping herself to a few more of the items inside before beginning to eat.
“That’s the plan. Dressing up egg salad is kinda hard so–why not just add some French and make it sound,” his lips formed a perfect circle, eyebrows joining in with an enthusiastic wiggle, “Oooo–fancy?” Blaine waited for her to grab out what she wanted from the basket bringing both legs up to bend them at the knees and turn them into a pretzel shape on the bench. Once she picked whatever suited her fancy–Blaine scooped out a sandwich, unwrapped it carefully, hoisted it up like it was a cup and toasted her with it. “Cheers,” he chuckled giving her a thoughtful side eye. A thought ran a crease between his brows. “Miss Rhodes? Can I ask you something? What are you doing here? I thought you were done with this place years ago? If you don’t mind me asking–why aren’t you still in New York City? Isn’t that where you really want to be?”
Blaine knew he might be imagining things but it definitely stopped feeling that way three or so days ago when the pattern became too glaringly obvious to ignore. Tina was avoiding him. Or if they were together–she had a heck of a hard time meeting his eyes. Whatever he did to upset her? He couldn’t figure out and there were countless times he tried. Nothing came to mind. One minute they were fine–no–great. She was his rock to lean on through the entire mess he made of things with Kurt. The next? Rushed excuses before he watched her walking off, barely answered text messages that went beyond weird for him to figure out and a general feeling she didn’t want to be bothered with him.
He wasn’t going to go through this again. Not with her. Tina meant too much to lose and he’d already lost the most important person in his life. Losing Tina? To something he didn’t know he did or didn’t do? No, not going to happen. “I need you to tell me what I did,” he blurted coming into view upon her locker being swung shut. “Or if I am making this entire avoiding me situation up because I really miss you and I’m tired of not knowing and having no way to fix things.” Wide eyes stared into hers and he wasn’t going to let her walk off or look down at her shoes this time. Even if his hands were shaking and he felt a crisp shiver of anxiety over the confrontation. Some things were worth fighting for and he wouldn’t make the same mistake of not speaking up ever again. It was too costly in the end and it was a price he wasn’t going to keep on paying.
Blaine and Sam wearing each other’s clothes. @samevvns
Oh no way was he going back to that party looking like this! This was a stupid dare anyway! Switch clothes with Sam? Come on! He was swimming in fabric from head to toe. No matter how many times or how hard he pulled the cuffs of Sam’s pants to tighten them around his ankles–he ended up with inches of curled fabric bulging above them. The sleeves of Sam’s shirt were pushed up to his forearms and he swore he looked like a modern day pirates costume without the ruffles. And now his hair was a loose mess that he was busy taming down when he really needed a sink to get some style back. Sure–he was a little drunk but that didn’t do much to give him the stupidity or the nerve to walk out into a room full of people looking like a fool either! “I’m not going out there,” and if they didn’t they’d be facing a world of crap from their friends too.
Sighing like the weight of the world was on his shoulders–Blaine took a few steps back from the mirror he was dumb enough to stand in front of and called out to Sam who was getting ready–no pun intended cause why would there be–in the closet. What? No pun intended!“Okay! To save us the grief.. I’ll do it if you do it but you are so wearing the bowtie, too. Both of us need to look as goofy as each other! Or I’m backing out!”
April took the mints he handed her. He had a point, she shrugged. She popped the mints into her mouth before turning her attention back to Blaine. Free food was free food, however it was offered. “Depends on what ya got in there,” she said, leaning against the piano and glancing at the basket.
“There’s some sandwiches. Egg salad,” he coyly grinned, “Which–I don’t mean to brag but it’s one of my best sandwiches du jour–if I do say so myself. Grapes, a couple oranges, pita chips and brownies. Orange juice.” His voice dropped to a mutter pertaining to him doubting she needed anything to drink since she had that covered. Spoken towards the basket and coughed away like it never happened, of course. Blaine moved a foot back and snagged the leg of the piano bench with the tip of his shoe sliding it close enough to sit down taking the basket along so he could put it in the middle. Leaning over, he patted the empty side to offer her a seat. “Seeing as how my boyfriend seems to be held up–no doubt dealing with a drama I’ll be filled in complete with grandiose hand gestures and half a dozen eye rolls? Have a seat. Let’s eat.”
pianokeysandbowties back up 