he wasn’t sure how to ask. in situations like this dave’s guard goes up, waiting for the TRICK. sebastian or kurt– or both are probably hiding somewhere trying to have another GAYTERVENTION with him. “i am.” he agrees. “but if this is another anti-bullying speech for an IT GETS BETTER campaign i’m not interested anymore.”
Blaine was doing his absolute best to keep a respectful distance away from Dave’s personal bubble after surprising him the way he did. But Dave running into him was rare and seeing him at the food court at the Lima Mall might be his only chance to talk to him before he disappeared again. “Uh no,” he stressed the second word and smiled right after, “I just wanted to say hello and talk. If it’s okay with you? I mean. If not? I can go..” His thumb jutted over his shoulder. “I won’t take offense if you’d rather I not be here.”
Blaine wasn’t sure how he got into Kurt’s car. Or how long it took them to get from Rachel’s house to Kurt’s. What he was sure of?? He had a good time along the way! The radio played and he sang along with his head against the doorframe letting the cool breeze wash over his face. Parachute, Train, he even hummed to a random song in between telling Kurt how amazing he was that he offered to take him home. And thanking him repeatedly. His firm nods backed up his conviction the he thought Kurt was a good person every time (4 and counting) that said so.
Sure, tomorrow might bring a world of pain from things that happened he couldn’t remember and others that he, certainly, would. Tonight? Nothing hurt. Not a single thing. Counting to twenty while walking a straight line would probably make his head explode but!!! Life was good. “Kurt! Are we? Wow. We are,” an uneven smile and sparkling hazel eyes stared in shock from Kurt who was standing outside the car with his door open and Kurt’s house. “That was..fast!”
Their journey inside was a stumbling mess of an arm slung around Kurt’s shoulders, Blaine grasping every other step up at the staircase railing and trying to be as quiet as possible as they climbed it and Kurt escorted him down the hall. Surprisingly, he managed it. Except for tiny gasps when he thought he might lose his footing. Or a giggle the one time he did when they were in the safety of Kurt’s bedroom behind his closed door.
“Is this your room,” asked Captain Oblivious as fingertips swatted for nearest thing to grab onto for balance. They landed on Kurt’s closet
doorknob
and Blaine held it in a vice grip, shoulder on the door trying to act way more sober than he really was. Pouting in thought, he rubbed the back. “I like it. It’s very you. Kurt? Can I ask you something?” Oh boy. Here we go.
His heart quite possibly skipped a beat as Blaine stopped them in their tracks in the middle of the school grounds, the cold winter air knocked straight out of his lungs as he desperately tried to remain his posture. There hadn’t been many a moments in Kurt’s lifetime where he had found himself grow weak at the knees through means of a simple gesture. Inviting, perfectly shaped pale pink lips close enough to kiss, the other Warbler’s forever uniform clad body close enough to wrap his arms around justa little longer. A set of bright, lovestruck eyes mesmerized by the swift and sudden movement of Blaine’s free hand as the forever ongoing snowfall somehow managed to bring them even closer together.
Sometimes he wondered what would happen if he just went straight for the plunge. Just lay one on him. Get it all over with, and —by any means— out in the open. Pull his heart up from under his sleeve and confess his undying love without so much as a hint of doubt or any fear of rejection. Perhaps, somehow, this was the universe’s bizarre way of trying to send a message — lips parted as though by default as he watched the other in slight amusement, one last fatal glance into all too familiar hazel eyes before quickly averting his gaze back to their immediate surroundings.
❛ It’s definitely something, ❜ he hummed. Words that probably wouldn’t have sounded so skeptic had it not been for the current state of his toes and fingers; muscles loosely strained in the palm of his hand despite the additional warmth of fingers intertwined and coffee. ❛ Thank you. ❜ Giving in, the taller male’s expression softened. ❛ For breaking my fall today. Twice. ❜
Snowflakes continued to fall around them as they stood still. Specks of white that clung to his hair and Kurt’s. To their collars and scarves. The air cold enough that they didn’t melt right away. Not like the one he’d tried to taunt Kurt with by catching off his nose. Curious hazel eyes watched Kurt’s expressions. How he seemed to be thinking of something deeper than coffee flavors and a walk in the snow. His head tilted and the question of what was on Kurt’s mind, a question Blaine never seemed to hesitate to ask, was frozen on the tip of his tongue. Something inside him just got stuck. Like he might be treading into waters that Kurt might not want him to delve into.
But then again? Kurt’s eyes were so bright that maybe he was reading too much into things, feeling concerned over nothing. He couldn’t help it, though. When it came to Kurt? There was such an instinct in him to make sure that Kurt was always okay (no..better than okay.) dug deep into him. Kurt reminded him of so much of himself. In a lot of ways. Though, there was more to it than that. Kurt was important–so, so, so important. No better way to describe it than that.
Their eyes met. Kurt looked happy. Blaine’s worry faded. And he looked happy, too. A soft smile greeted that glance. His gaze even followed Kurt’s until it was impossible and he laughed. “You’re welcome. I didn’t bring you out for you to sprain an ankle. Don’t worry. I’ll always catch you no matter what. Okay?” A quiet gasp followed, like he was remembering something. “Come on,” he squeezed Kurt’s hand again and gave him a gentle tug, “There’s something you should see before we go back in. Is that okay? Or have I frozen the fun out of this adventure?”
The Lima Bean was packed since school was out for two days. The rest of the Warblers who straggled behind after dropping Trent off for the weekend already claimed two tables near the windows. Laughs and shouts of joy echoed from their table. Blaine was the only one stuck at the counter. He quietly drummed his fingers on the bleach-water faded wood for a good five minutes making sure to keep enough space for the person who had yet to claim the coffee that’d been sitting there the entire time of his wait. Then it dawned on him when he saw the name written on the side of the cup. Finn.
Kurt’s brother? How’d he miss the ceiling tall boy not two people away with his nose in his phone, mouth pressed tight in concentration as he tapped out a message? Only meeting him twice before this, it still boggled Blaine’s sober mind at how Kurt and he were family. Sure, it was through marriage, but the contrast of personalities was beyond crazy to compare. They seemed to have a great relationship though. One that Blaine wished he could have with his brother. Too far apart in age, you know? Plus it was hard for Cooper to make time to visit anymore. Blaine got that but watching the two of them made him wish they had that sort of relationship regardless if it was possible or not.
Finn still hadn’t picked up his drink by the time Blaine heard his own named called and quickly retrieved his and Finn’s. “Hey. I think this is yours,” his smile was warm and open as he approached and held the cup out. “It’s nice to see you again, Finn. Where’s everyone else?”
Eyes briefly left to hit the snow-covered school grounds, a soft chuckle quietly managed to escape Kurt’s lips despite their predicament; typically pale rosy cheeks flushed a distinct shade of reddishpink under the chilly winter sun as he quickly cast another glance back into the other male’s direction. Every inch of him had longed to just stay inside. Be comfortable. Warm, cozy; preferably with some hot chocolate or a nice blanket. Instead, he had found himself outside in the cold. Limbs freezing, holding handswith his best friend as they battled the icy paths together on their quest for coffee. A feat strangely romantic, had it not been for the fact he might have slipped a couple of times in the process — their fingers laced permanently together if not for the increasingly low temperatures. It was probably silly to think of it as something more. Something else. Something he could find himself getting used to. And yet, still his heart fluttered wildly in his chest at the prospect. Always hopeful, never unwavering. His voice out of breath as he uttered his next sentence.
❛ Does it match my skin tone? ❜
If only he wasn’t so dreamy…
What good was a fresh dusting of snow on top of what’d already fallen yesterday if he couldn’t talk his best friend into coming along for coffee so they could explore the grounds? Dalton Academy was and always would be beautifully breathtaking no matter what season. It’s impeccably kept grounds were a sanctuary that the boys here were always gratefully privy to. However. When it snowed? The academy’s own brand of magic went beyond words to properly describe it. You have to see it to believe it. And that is precisely why Blaine invited Kurt along out. Surprised laughs from each slip never once were enough to risk him letting go of Kurt’s hand. His grip too strong and now oh-so-familiar. Strange how the lead Warbler never truly seemed to connect or read too much into the reasons why Kurt’s hand was the one he always sought out. From after thirty seconds into them meeting until right this very second? Their hands always seemed to find one another. Without a thought or a moment’s hesitation. He wasn’t the type to casually hold hands with just anyone. Not really. Not like he was with the boy beside him, cheeks the same shade as his nose as he met Blaine’s eyes. Blaine smiled back, hazel bright as he darted his gaze over Kurt’s and used their hands to pull them to a stop so he could pretend to be staring with a squinted, serious to the point of an artisan’s critique of a Botticelli painting trying to catch minute details on the cherubic dusting of color across the boys on the canvas’ cheeks. Closer still and the warm puffs of gray their breath made mixed together and he playfully hummed, lips pursed into an engrossed pout.
“I think that,” his heart felt so warm so content and he felt his own face warm with the happy simplicity of the moment, “it’s pretty close. Yours is prettier though.” Such a thing to say to a friend but that pretty much sums up how Blaine Anderson seemed to be wired when it came to Kurt Hummel.
The tip of his thumb pressed to Kurt’s nose as a snowflake fell onto it’s delicate tip and Blaine pulled the touch away trying to prove his point. “See?” Though what was there was only a tiny droplet of water by the time he became still. “Ah.. Well. Worth a try. I guess you’ll just have to trust me on that.” A brow quirked up and he squeezed Kurt’s hand gently. “Regret coming out? It might be freezing but it’s worth it if only for the view alone.” Thing was? Blaine wasn’t looking at the grounds anymore. All he saw was blue and green and dozens of flecked variations of each. “Snowflakes on your nose and all,” he grinned in an attempt to charm Kurt into not cursing him for dragging him out in the cold if it was a one-sided, Anderson only love affair with their walk.
“ go ahead, get it off your chest, blaine. what ‘s the matter ?? “
“I’m sorry I’ve been distracted. I’m worried about the boy who came to try to spy on us the other day? Kurt.. I don’t know. I can’t stop thinking about him and wondering if he’s okay. I never saw someone look exactly how I felt before here. I’ve been there. It’s awful. Do you think he believes me? That he’s not alone anymore?”
❛ You really are pushing it on the Project Runway. ❜ Kurt willed his shoulders to relax while he absentmindedly twirled his straw around in his drink, briefly for a moment feigning the weighing out of the pros and cons of either option before deciding to put the Warbler out of his misery. ❛ God knows I could use the distraction. ❜ The corners of his mouth turning up into a sheepish grin, the teenage boy’s expression increasingly softened. He hadn’t been able to talk this… _openly _to someone in a long time. Maybe it was the way they had broken the ice by sharing their previous experiences of desperately trying to make it through their final years of high school. Maybe it was the fact, no matter how terrifying and _awful _a cautionary tale it had been, Blaine’s story and inevitable outcome led by example. It felt honest, vulnerable. Refreshing. For once, something positive. Something he didn’t have to go through alone. No matter the consequences.
For once, he allowed himself to smile freely. Without thought. A weight lifted off of him as he could feel the** lightness **in his mood once again shifting. ❛ Something tells me you can probably already guess some of my other hobbies, ❜ the male mused, the plain and simple mention of his all-time favorite designer and one of the country’s main fashion centered TV shows sure to be a direct indicator of his own personal interests; mouthing a breathless ‘thank you’ to the returning waitress before diving head first into their ordered appetizers.
A final tap of the edge of his thumb against Kurt’s ivory skin and Blaine retracted his hand back to his side of the table. Relieved to see that he got through, or at least Kurt’s smile hinted he had, hazel eyes finally dared to glance away and up at the waitress as she delivered their appetizers. “Thank you, ma’am,” he murmured in an echo to Kurt’s silent thanks and braced the heels of his palms against the lip of the table as he looked at the food. Seeing Kurt dig in, he pulled a few pieces of calamari onto his white, ceramic plate and squeezed a lemon over the pieces. Speaking up again, the grin could be heard in his voice as he occupied himself with nabbing a bit of cocktail sauce. “You know? I think I’ve gathered a few of your interests within a few minutes of meeting you. I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone in Ohio dress so creatively with designs that look like they belong on a New York City runway. Now, I can see where you got the inspiration. I’d still like to know more though. Someday.”
It was his way to try and get Kurt to let him in piece by piece. He knew he was already well on his way to having a friendship with the other boy who’d been through so much. Someone who could understand what that felt like. But Kurt seemed to have so many layers. Blaine could only imagine he’d barely scratched the surface of things that make Kurt Hummel tick. And provide that distraction he so, obviously, needed. “What are some things you’d love to try but haven’t had the chance to yet? And if dragging you out to have fun and making your DVR do some dirty work? I’d say I’m sorry, but I’m not.” Popping a piece in his mouth, the Warbler’s nose scrunched with the playful jab that made his eyes light up and he shrugged his ‘sorry, not sorry’.
⟨ text : blaine ⟩ see, if you were someone who texted back quickly, frank wouldn’t be in a predicament. ⟨ text : blaine ⟩say he has done exactly what you said not to. should he go back and get it? ⟨ text : blaine ⟩also, remind me to put that acclamation on my online profile later! although you’ll have to make a name for yourself so i can actually use it as a direct quote. ⟨ text : blaine ⟩ maybe just get all your high school friends to hit the like button on my fan page status when it gets uploaded? a couple hundred teenagers thinking i’m definitely famous and well loved is guaranteed to get me a roll in the hunger games revival. keeps me young and relevant! ⟨ text : blaine ⟩ you didn’t hear that spoiler from me though!
( mssg » cooper | sent ) I was in class! What kind of a predicament? Should I even ask? ( mssg » cooper | sent ) Oh my god! Yes! Yes! He should go back and get it. Unless he left a number to contact him written on the back! Mom will freak out if she has to send him bail money! ( mssg » cooper | sent ) I can’t believe we’re talking about your fandom and online profile right now! ( mssg » cooper | sent ) Focus, Coop! There is a much bigger problem if the owner of the car already left wherever it is Frank was when this happened. ( mssg » cooper | sent ) ….. Is that real? Or did Frank hit his head when he committed a huge traffic violation/possible felony?
Rachel quietly moved through her room, looking for something to wear, feeling a little more energised than she had been when she’d left school earlier that day. “Really? You Warblers always seem to have perfectly cool composures whenever I’ve seen you all,” she told him with a grin, picking out her favourite carousel horse sweater and laying flat on her bed, rolling her eyes at her next comment. “Very funny, Blaine Warbler,” she added with a roll of her eyes, happy to take it all in jest, after all, it was a lot better than the humiliation that she’d faced at school that day. Walking around the hallways covered in another person’s vomit tended to give a girl the wrong sort of attention.
Placing her phone on the bed, she flicked it onto loudspeaker as she quickly got herself changed into something a little more suitable for a coffee date at the Lima Bean. “Oh god yes, I mean, I didn’t even want to throw a party in the first place, talk about peer pressure,” she laughed as she tugged her shirt over her head, swapping it for her sweater, “What rep you though? You were hitting things pretty hard that night too,”
“We do? Why thank you, Rachel. But, trust me. We have our moments of the exact opposite. I guess that’s what happens when you have a group of people who are passionate about something important to them.” Coffee in hand, Blaine ducked around a group of chattering students he didn’t recognize and made his way over to the condiment bar. He grinned as a few of the Warblers rather particularly over-the-top outbursts came to mind but kept the details to himself. You know? For the sake of keeping their perfectly cool composure reputation.
Crinkling his brows together at the question, Blaine laughed and finished topping off his coffee to blissful medium drip perfection and spotted an empty table near the windows to claim before they lost it to the increasing crowd filling up the popular coffee shop. “Peer pressure, huh? I don’t know. I think you were enjoying yourself. It might’ve even stayed that way if you stopped closer to the ‘It tastes like pink!!!!!’ level of drunk.” Guess he wasn’t out of his playful banter just yet! Oops! “I was woken up by Kurt’s dad standing in the doorway to his bedroom and I don’t remember how I got there..and my head felt like it was splitting in half. No kidding. That bad. But. I did have a good time. A really good time.”
text — blaine ; Me, tooo. text — blaine ; I’m glad we’re in agreement. 😊 text — blaine ; Even though you’re definitely going to have to catch up before I see you. 😒 text — blaine ; Ask away.
( mssg » kurt | sent ) We are, definitely, in agreement. ( mssg » kurt | sent ) I know I’m probably crossing every line that exists.. ( mssg » kurt | sent ) Or maybe I’m just a glutton for punishment but.. ( mssg » kurt | sent ) When you say ‘friends with benefits’? Do you mean, you know..?
pianokeysandbowties back up 