Glee Fic : Dreaming of You | Kurt/Blaine | PG-13 | Klaine Big Bang fic

Nov 05, 2013 18:45


<< Part 1

"You look exhausted," Carole said. She put her hand on Kurt's shoulder, frowning when he didn't move. "When was the last time you slept?"

"Before," Kurt said dully, not even bothering to look over. His gaze remained fixed on the impossible white of the bed linen and his father's limp hand. It seemed weird, how pale that hand was. Wrong for a mechanic.

"You need rest. And Limbo," Carole said firmly.

"He needs me."

"He needs you strong and rested and not falling apart."

"Carole-"

"Go. Get some rest. Limbo at least."

"Later."

"Kurt-"

"I promise, I'll do it later. That way I can..."

"See Blaine?" Carole finished.

Kurt nodded. "We have a time frame when we know the other will be there. It's been days," he realised, "Blaine'll be wondering where I am. But I can't leave Dad. I just... I can't."

"Your dad will be fine. He's tough, tougher than anyone else I know. And he'll come through this."

"You can't know that," Kurt whispered. "You said yourself, it's bad. Although show me a good heart attack," he quipped dryly. "The longer he's unconscious the worse it gets, and all anyone can do is tell me to wait or pray to some god who isn't there."

"They mean well-"

"I just can't deal with it right now," Kurt said, getting up from the chair and stretching out his limbs before starting for the door.

"Oh, by the way," Carole called after him. "There was a message on your home machine, from the Skills Bureau I think?"

"We were... Dad was going to take me, talk about this Limbo thing. It's not important. Not right now."

"If there's anything I can do..." Carole started, but Kurt walked away from her without giving any indication he'd heard her. "What are we going to do with him?" she asked Burt's unconscious form. "He is so... lost. I can feel it. I don't know what's going on with this Blaine character, or if he's really real, but Kurt needs him to be. I hope he is, I know you have your reservations about him having a guy in his head," she laughed softly.

"What if they never find each other?" she asked, her fingers gently brushing across Burt's brow. "Although knowing you, even if you have to knock on every door in the State, you'll track him down. So how about you get on with getting better, waking up, and then we can go and find him?"

~~

As soon as Blaine arrived he felt like he was being knocked over with the intensity of Kurt's emotions. He said nothing, just pulled Kurt into his arms and held on in a promise to not let go until Kurt was ready.

"Dad's sick," Kurt mumbled into Blaine's shoulder. "He's in the hospital and they don't know if..."

"What can I do? Tell me what I can do."

"I don't know. I need you."

"I'm here."

"No, I need you. I need you to find me."

"I'm guessing you can't tell me what hospital your dad is in? Or what he's in for?"

"I want to tell you, I need to tell you. I don't need protecting, not from you, and I hate that my brain won't let me. I should be able to control this."

"I wish it worked like that," Blaine said.

"I can't stay. I said I'd do Limbo... to tell you, because the doctors have said that if I get sick then they'll ban me from seeing Dad."

"They're right, you need breaks," Blaine said firmly. "Regular breaks. You know, go outside, get some fresh air?"

"What?" Kurt asked, pulling back.

One of Blaine's hands found its way to Kurt's wrist, circling a pattern on the back of it. When Kurt looked at Blaine he nodded, just once, to show his understanding. Blaine then tapped four times around the circle before repeating it.

"Go outside. Main entrance. Take a walk," Blaine said. "Who knows what you'll find."

Kurt pulled Blaine in for a kiss, hard and fast, before resting their foreheads together. "Thank you."

"I'll see you soon," Blaine whispered. "I promise. I'll find you."

~~

"You got ants in your pants or something?" Burt asked as Kurt walked back into the room.

"What?"

"That's the third time this hour you've gone for 'some air'. Not that I'm really complaining, from what I've heard you were pretty much attached to my bedside for a while there."

"No, it's... Can I tell you something?"

"Always."

"It's Blaine."

Burt would have sat up if he'd been able to. "Is he here?"

"No, but he knows you're in the hospital and it's the best lead we've had to finding each other since this thing started. I go outside every fifteen minutes and wait for him."

"Kurt, do you have any idea how many hospitals there are in Allen County?"

"Dad, please. I don't think he cares if he ends up going to all the hospitals in Ohio. We need to do this. I need to see him. Properly."

"I know you do, but if he was anywhere nearby don't you think he'd have gotten here by now?"

"Depends if he can get here. He might be caught up with school or counselling sessions or just other stuff. But I'll go out, every fifteen minutes, until he turns up."

"Kurt-"

"I know you're trying to protect me and I know that it might not work, but you have to let us try."

"I don't think he's local, kid."

"What? Why not?"

"Because Carole looked into kids admitted for ODs when Blaine had his... thing. And she didn't find anyone."

"That doesn't mean anything. What if they'd gone private? Or they'd just not told her when she asked for confidentiality? He's real, Dad, and he's out there-"

"Kurt, listen to me. I believe you, I really do. But we have no idea the scale of this thing. Family aside I can only pick up images when someone's in the room with me, that guy from the Bureau pulled it over the phone. Who knows how strong this thing is between you? You gotta be prepared for the fact that he might not find you purely because he's looking in the wrong place."

~~

Blaine looked thoroughly miserable when Kurt arrived, and his mood was only confirmed when Kurt realised he could feel it. It hung in the air like something tangible, something Kurt could reach out and hold, touch and feel for himself. It was so strong that it took Kurt a moment to separate it from his own feelings, to realise that it wasn't his own emotion he was feeling.

"I know you tried," Kurt said quietly as he knelt in front of Blaine, trying to catch his eye. "Dad has a theory."

"I'm not near you," Blaine said. "I went two counties out, gave Mom a minor heart attack in doing so, but nothing. I tried calling a few of the further ones, most wouldn't tell me but a couple would at least tell me that my 'Uncle Burt' wasn't there."

"Uncle Burt?" Kurt couldn't help but laugh.

"Yeah, I had a whole sob story about how my mom and him didn't speak anymore and I'd heard he was sick. I didn't know what Mom's surname was before she married so I was just asking for Uncle Burt. Few nurses took pity on me and checked, but nothing."

"So," Kurt said quietly as he processed all of this. "I guess this must be pretty strong then?"

"What?"

"You heard me, Blaine. You heard me wish I had someone else and I'm starting to think that we're not in the same state."

"How powerful is this Skill?" Blaine whispered.

"Powerful enough to find me," Kurt replied. "Powerful enough that I can feel exactly what you're feeling as though it was my own emotion."

"I've felt that too," Blaine said, "when your dad was sick."

"He's doing well, by the way. Home now, complaining about us all running around after him but I know deep down he not only enjoys it but he knows he needs it."

"I'm glad."

"Thank you."

"For what? I did nothing."

"No, you did. You were here for me in Limbo and I knew that were trying to find me."

"I'm sorry I couldn't."

"You tried."

"It's not enough."

"Yes it is," Kurt said, kneeling up so he was a little more level with Blaine. "It's everything."

The mood in the air shifted into something warmer, solid in a comforting way. It wrapped around the two of them, Kurt smiling as he felt Blaine's emotions surround them and he wished he could return the favour and make Blaine feel how he did.

All he had was a kiss.

~~

It wasn't until the final bell of the day had rung that Kurt realised Mercedes had been his personal shadow all day. Her walking him out to his car, even though hers was in the other direction, only confirmed it.

"What?" he asked.

"That was gonna be my opener," she said. "You're hiding something."

"Stay out of my head," Kurt said, a little harsher than he'd planned. "Sorry," he added when he noticed her recoil a little. "Sorry, I just... I'm worried about Dad."

"I know you are," Mercedes began, linking her arm with Kurt's, "but there's something else. I'm not invading, I promise. I'm just in tune with you, Kurt. I know there's something."

"I hate Emotions," Kurt muttered.

"Yeah, well this one loves you and just wants you to be OK. I know things have been rough so if you need someone to talk to then-- what was that?" she exclaimed, almost pushing away from Kurt.

"What?"

"When I said about needing someone there was this... wave, I don't know? Whatever it was you just felt was powerful, Kurt."

He couldn't help but smile at that, and ducked his head to try and hide it but Mercedes was already on him.

"Kurt!" she exclaimed. "Oh, please tell me this means what it feels like."

"Maybe, I don't know," Kurt admitted. "You can't tell anyone. Please. It's bad enough when I keep a low profile, but if it gets out-"

Mercedes mimed turning a key against her mouth.

"Then yes. Maybe. I don't know. It's early and complicated and we need to figure out a few things... But yes. There's someone."

"Do I at least get a name?" she asked.

"Blaine."

"Well I want to be first to meet him, you understand?"

"I don't know-"

"Nope, no excuses."

"Fine," Kurt sighed, "if I can then you will the first to meet him."

Mercedes' brow creased in confusion but she let it go. "So you got plans for the weekend?"

"Just that Spanish project Mr Schue gave me an extension on. I... dammit," Kurt said. "I've left my notes in my locker and you need to get to your car."

"Fine I'll let you off this time. But I want details and I want them soon."

"Goodbye, Mercedes!" Kurt called as he turned back towards the school.

The corridors were deserted; students having fled at the earliest opportunity for the weekend. Quickly he grabbed his work from his locker and turned to leave, his heart sinking as he saw the familiar shape looming at the end of the corridor.

~~

Blaine waited in Limbo, trying to control his nerves so they weren't filling up the room like molasses. He knew that Kurt would sense it the minute he arrived but he could spare him the worst of it, try and hide the sheer panic that was threatening to build up in him until he was just consumed.

He'd never expected this when his parents had first suggested a change of schools. Homeschooling was never intended to be anything but a stop-gap measure and they had, apparently, been considering their options.

And never once thought to involve him in the discussions.

When it was presented to Blaine that evening over dinner, a fait accompli, he'd sat and stared at the glossy school brochure in disbelief. Private school. Boarding. Zero tolerance policy. Possible other gay kids there. He'd listened to them as they talked about the way they'd juggled finances and commitments and he could start there in a couple of weeks. They seemed so proud of themselves that his next comment was like a kick in the teeth.

I don't want to go away to school.

Once upon a time the idea of being somewhere else might have appealed but if he was
locked away in some school then how would he ever meet Kurt? How would he be able to find the one person that was becoming more and more important to him with every passing night?

How could he explain that to his parents?

Blaine knew that he would never be able to fully explain to them that the boy in his dreams was real and out there and he was the one who'd raised the alarm and saved his life. His mom hadn't cared about who called for help and Blaine knew that she assumed her son had made one final comment or goodbye to someone.

Which, technically, he had.

He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and focused, trying to pick Kurt out. That first night he'd heard him, so loud and clear. He'd been drawn to the voice, the presence he'd felt, and hadn't been able to leave since. There was a link between them that Blaine couldn't explain; the best he was able to offer was that his Emotion skill was linked in with Kurt and therefore when you combined it with... whatever this new Skill was he was able to sense him.

It took a while before Blaine felt the prickles of familiarity, but it felt off somehow. That in
itself was also familiar; by the time Kurt appeared in his room Blaine knew something was wrong. Seriously wrong.

"Kurt-"

"I don't want to talk about it," Kurt replied. "Not yet."

"OK. But tell me this though. Is it your dad?"

"What? No. No, he's fine. Doing really well. Which is part of the reason I don't want to talk about this. His heart-"

"OK, we won't talk about it," Blaine heard himself say, but every Emotion sense that he had was screaming at him that this was wrong, that Kurt was full of pain and anger and frustration and everything else that came with wrong. "Want a hug?"

"More than you know," Kurt breathed and Blaine tried not to laugh; he'd sensed it right along with every level of wrong he'd ever known. "Thank you," he muttered when he felt Blaine's arms around him. "Sorry I'm late."

"You say that like I know what time it is and how long I've been here," Blaine replied, "but I will always wait for you."

"Thank you."

For a while they stood there, doing nothing but holding on to each other, until Blaine felt Kurt move away from him.

"He kissed me," Kurt then said, without introduction or warning.

"Who?"

"One of the jocks who's been... y'know. I guess it explains a lot? I don't know. But I'd gone back into school for some work I'd left in my locker and he was there and-"

"OK," Blaine cut across, feeling the air around them become palpable with Kurt's rising emotions. "You don't have to."

"How bad is it?"

"What?"

"I know you can feel it. My step-mom knew something was wrong as soon as I got home."

"It's... not good."

"What does it feel like? Actually feeling someone's emotions?"

Blaine let out a deep breath and he gestured they should sit on the bed. He took a moment to collect his thoughts before starting. "You know how when you watch a sad movie you always end up crying? It starts like that. You'll be near someone and they're having a bad day and suddenly it's near the end of Beauty and the Beast and Belle's confessing her love and you just want to cry. At first, before the training, it's like you're feeling it yourself. You are, I guess, because you can't separate the emotions you're feeling from your own."

"But you can with training?" Kurt asked. "So what's it like now?"

"Like... fire. Or ice. Like something you feel on your skin rather than in your body. I don't know how to describe it but when I'm with you? I feel what you're feeling like it's something I can actually touch. The training, it's all about distancing yourself - setting up a block they call it, between what I'm feeling and what you're feeling. And over time you learn to recognise how an emotion feels."

"So some are hot, some are cold, that kind of thing?"

"They are for me. Everyone's different in their own way. For some people anger feels heavy, for others - like me - it burns. Fear is cold, love is..."

He stopped when he realised what he was about to talk about, and what that might mean.

"Anyway, you just know. And with the block you can stop yourself bursting into tears just because you walked past someone who got bad news."

"My step-mom, she says she can sense me anywhere in the house."

"Yeah, there's something about those we're closest to emotionally. The block doesn't quite work with them. The guy at the Bureau said that they're already past the block or something? One thing I realised during my lessons there was that there's so much about these Skills we don't know."

"I wouldn't know that," Kurt sighed. "This is all I have-" he gestured around the room "-and I don't know what they'd say about it. Well I do. It's 'just Limbo'," he said, miming the air quotes. "After... what happened with you, Dad and I finally got to the Bureau to talk about it."

"And?"

"And usual stuff. Limbo is private, protected, only five known Skills... Dad asked about unknown Skills and, I kid you not, the guy on the desk actually said 'I don't know about those'. I nearly cracked up there and then."

"So they were no help?"

"Not really."

"I wish I could say something to explain this."

"Does it need explaining?" Kurt asked. "You're here, I'm here, and... well... I'm happy."

"Really?"

"OK, if an Emotion has to ask-"

"No, it's just... This is Limbo. You can make it how you want it."

"This is your Limbo," Kurt pointed out.

"Yeah, but you have an effect on it."

"Do I?"

"Yeah. It's just... the room is different when you're here. Things I have set out move or change and I know it's because you're doing it. Like the books on the shelf are not in alphabetical order in my room, my actual room, but when you're here in this version? They are. And that's you."

"Well it makes sense, because then you know where everything is," Kurt said.

"You change things around me, Kurt. You... move me sometimes."

"What?"

"You pull me into your Limbo some nights."

"I do that?"

"Whatever this is? You're better at it than I am. Stronger too."

"Great. So I'm the kid with one good Skill, assuming this is a Skill, and I'm going to be a freak."

"You are not a freak," Blaine reassured him, pulling Kurt into his arms and down onto the bed so they were lying side by side. "You are not a freak."

"Come to my school and tell me that."

"Sure. Just give me the address," Blaine laughed. He smiled when Kurt laughed too and they settled in together for the time they had until sleep.

He could tell Kurt about it later.

"You're hiding something."

Later came several nights later, when it was just another night and just another Limbo. Kurt appeared, seemed to study Blaine for a moment, then he made his declaration. And Blaine couldn't hold back anymore.

"We're moving."

"OK."

"Interstate."

"OK."

"Tomorrow."

"OK."

"Is that all you have to say?" Blaine asked.

"I'm still waiting for the news that will affect us."

"Kurt-"

"We already know we're not in the same state, I don't know why you moving-"

"Because what if there is a distance limit? What if I move too far away? What if..." He trailed off and looked at the hands clasped in his lap. "What if none of this was real?"

That seemed to throw Kurt for a moment as Blaine felt the creep of confusion against his skin. Absent-mindedly he tried to brush it away.

"This is our last night together."

"You don't know that," Kurt challenged. "We could be fine."

"No, it has to be. I have to stop this, Kurt. I can't keep... retreating into Limbo when things go wrong just to talk to someone who... who is probably just in my head."

"We've been over this. You're real, I'm real. You only told me about what you'd done and I told Dad and he-"

"Someone else might have known," Blaine said quietly. "When I told people I was going, when I said my goodbyes? One of them... he said something that made me think he might have known."

"Blaine-"

"It's a simple fact, Kurt, that Limbo is supposed to be protected. No one is supposed to be able to get in here so by that logic... You're just what I need you to be. Which included you... saving me."

"But I know I'm real," Kurt said. "Just as I know you are. I never wanted anyone to save me, I didn't ask for you-"

"You know it doesn't work like that."

"Just wait. This time next week we'll be here again and this time we'll figure out a way to find each other. There has to be something; an advert we can place or a website. I'll hire someone if I have to."

"Kurt-"

"Why are you giving up on us?" Kurt managed to choke out.

"Because I have to. Because I can't stand you just being in my head and if I can't have you for real then I can't have you at all."

"That makes no sense-" Kurt began, but he was silenced when he saw Blaine's face. "Please," he whispered.

"There are two explanations here. One, I made you up to deal with everything that was going on in my old school. I'm not there anymore, and now we're moving..."

"Why do you have to move? Why do things have to change that much?"

"The other option was private school," Blaine explained, "but I didn't want that. Talking with you, knowing what you're going through? You've never run, not once, even though no one would blame you if you did. And I don't want to be that guy. I don't want to run, Kurt. So because I refused to go to private school we're... we're moving. Somewhere new. Dad knows someone and he's got a new job and I'll have a new school where no one knows anything."

"That counts as running," Kurt replied dully.

"To begin with, I mean," Blaine replied. "It's a fresh start and it needs to be a complete fresh start."

"Which means letting me go?"

"I'm sorry."

"If you made me up then why would you hurt me like this?"

"Because it's hurting me," Blaine said. "The other explanation is that you made me up and that case the fact that I'm sitting here, telling you this means that you know I'm right."

"Or you're real and I'm real and-"

"All we have are whispers and rumours and you want me to put everything on hold for that?" Blaine asked. "I can't live my life inside my head, Kurt. I can't live in Limbo; people get stuck and they die that way. They literally die."

"I'm not asking you to stay in here with me forever," Kurt snapped.

"This is what I need to do," Blaine repeated. "This is what we need to do."

"Doesn't make it any easier to hear."

"Or do."

"Then please don't do it. Let's just see what happens."

"I can't, Kurt. I need to do this."

"Says who?" Kurt asked on instinct, and immediately he felt as if there was a wall in front of him, something real and tangible that he could feel but not see. "What is that?"

"What's what?"

"I asked you a question and this... You're hiding something," he realised. "Is this... is someone making you do this?"

"No one is making me do anything, Kurt."

"You're hiding something, though. You're..." He stopped and allowed his eyes to drift, feeling around the constructed room in his mind. "You're keeping me out," he realised. "All this time and you've not once kept me out."

"Doesn't that show you something then? That I want this? Or you do, depending on how you look at it?"

"Blaine," Kurt said forcefully and with it he felt a strong push towards Blaine. "Don't shut me out."

"You're pushing," Blaine said, more in wonder than annoyance. "Kurt-"

"You owe me the truth, Blaine. After everything, even if it wasn't real-"

"If I keep you with me then I'll waste my whole life chasing something I can't have," Blaine choked out, and Kurt felt the wall between them soften a little. "It won't matter if you're real or not, I'll never be able to see you or hold you or kiss you properly. You'll never be able to be with me or do anything with me. I don't want that, Kurt. I don't want to... keep dreaming."

"I don't want to lose you."

Blaine took Kurt's hands in his and squeezed them gently. "You never really had me in the first place."

"But it feels like I do."

"I know."

"And you want me to say goodbye?"

"I need you to."

"Blaine-"

"Please. For me?"

Kurt wanted to push, to fight, to make Blaine stay with him. But he knew that at some point they would sleep, or wake, and that could be the end of it. So to spend this time arguing would be a waste.

"Stay," Kurt whispered.

"I-"

"Tonight. Stay with me, here, as long as you can. I'll, we'll fight off sleep and we can just... stay."

"Kurt-"

"Either I'm real and this is what I want so as my construct you should give it to me," Kurt said quickly, "or you're real and as your construct I'm just saying what you're thinking and feeling. Either way you should stay."

"One last night?"

"As long as we can have."

So they lay, side by side on the bed, and they talked and whispered and kissed and held each other. Whenever Kurt felt the warm wave of sleep pushing in he pushed back as hard as he could, feeling it roll away from them.

"Just call me Canute of Limbo," he laughed as he found each push easier to do.

"What?"

"Never mind. I-" Kurt stilled and seemed to glance over his shoulder as if someone were there.

"What is it?"

"I think someone's in my room. Probably just... stay here? Please? Don't sleep, don't go anywhere. I'll be back as quick as I can."

"I'll stay," Blaine promised, sighing gently as Kurt seemed to fade from view and touch. He waited for what could only have been a few minutes at most before Kurt returned, now standing at the foot of the bed, looking a mixture of awkward and proud.

"It's morning," Kurt said. "That was... I was being woken for school."

"It can't be," Blaine said in surprise, sitting up. "We... all night?"

"Apparently."

"Isn't that a bad thing?"

"They talk about people getting stuck in Limbo, but we're not stuck. Well, I'm not and it doesn't feel like you are."

"So..." Blaine said, getting to his feet and standing in front of Kurt. "I guess-"

"Don't say it," Kurt commanded. "I don't care what you think or why this is happening. I don't... I can't say goodbye to you."

"So what do we say?"

"Nothing," Kurt replied, and he leant forward to kiss Blaine. Just once, just simply, before he felt Limbo fade from around him and he woke.

~~

"I've called this emergency meeting of the glee club to address a serious issue," Rachel declared, looking around those who'd assembled.

"What did Finn do now?" Santana asked. "I assume by his absence that this is yet another instalment of the ever-thrilling melodrama that is your love life?"

"This isn't about Finn, it's about Kurt," she replied. "I'm worried about him. This last week he's been quiet and not at all energetic and-"

"So?"

"He also turned down the three solos I offered him," Rachel declared.

"Maybe Hummel doesn't like pity," Santana replied, "I know I wouldn't."

"I'm telling you, something is wrong. We all know about the hassle he gets from some of the football players and yet up to now we have done very little about it."

"So are we your vigilante group now?"

"What's a vigilante?" Brittany asked. "I don't think I've been one for years-"

"Not that," Tina said quickly. "Do you want one of us to talk to him?" she then asked Rachel. "Find out what's going on?"

"Finn's already tried, Kurt just shrugs it off," Rachel said.

"If you get me a name I can sort it," Puck declared. "I still got friends on the team."

"If you ask me," Rachel began, ignoring Santana's mutter of 'no one did', "I think he's lonely. I think Kurt needs someone he can... connect with."

"Isn't that what we're here for?" Sam asked.

"I'm talking about getting him a boyfriend." The smile on Rachel's face betrayed how proud she was of herself, a sentiment not shared by the others.

"Sure," Puck quipped, "I'll just go out and round up all the gay dudes walking the halls of McKinley. We'll have them all battering down Kurt's door in no time."

"Puck, heaven help us, is right," Quinn said, speaking up for the first time. "We know statistically that Kurt's not going to be the only gay boy at this school, but he is the only one who's openly out. And no offense, but I'm not putting any kind of faith in your gaydar if you think you've found someone."

"And if you expect me to out someone-" Santana began, half out of her seat before Brittany
put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "No way."

"No gaydar or outing needed, I have someone in mind," Rachel grinned.

"And you're sure he's gay?" Sam asked. "Like, a hundred percent?"

"Heard him talk about it myself," Rachel said. "And I have a plan."

She ignored the collective sighs and groans as she proceeded to outline her plan, knowing that if they weren't on her side they'd have left by now.

Kurt arrived early for practice and dropped his bag by his chair. He waited for the halls to fill with people before venturing out to his locker. Under cover of the masses he was able to get what he needed without interference. Right up until he closed his locker door.

"Rachel, are you trying to give me a heart attack?"

"I have some amazing news," she grinned, almost bouncing on the balls of her feet. "We have someone new joining glee club. And he's pretty cute."

"Oh good, more competition," Kurt droned.

"It's not like that."

"It must be if you're excited."

"Come on, he's in the choir room."

"What gives?" Kurt asked, not moving.

"I don't know what you mean-"

"He's good, yeah? So you're thinking lead for Sectionals, I can see it. Which means you won't be singing with Finn and-have you two broken up again?"

"Will you just come to the choir room?" she asked, linking her arm with his.

Kurt was about to object until he saw an unwelcome group of letterman jackets at the end of the hallway. Noting that the crowd had thinned out he allowed himself to be dragged back to the choir room, tuning out Rachel's excited babble about this new find.

They stopped just short of the door as the glee club filed out, chatting amongst themselves.

"What--?" Rachel started.

"Auditorium's free," Mercedes said. "Mr Schue said it would be a better audition space."

"What's wrong with the intimacy of the choir room?" Rachel asked in panic. "I really think-"

"Let it go, Rachel," Mercedes called out as they walked away from them.

"Come on, Kurt," Rachel said, pulling on his arm.

"I need my bag," he said, pulling free and walking into the choir room before she could stop him.

"And this is Kurt Hummel, our rare and talented countertenor," Mr Schue introduced. "Kurt, this is Blaine Anderson, he's just started at McKinley and will be joining us in glee."

Kurt didn't hear a word.

Neither did Blaine.

"My... bag," Kurt managed to say, gesturing to the seats where he'd left it.

"Well, I'd best get after the others. Blaine?" Mr Schue began, missing the fact that Kurt and Blaine were staring at each other and had barely moved.

"I-I'll take him. Show him, I mean. The way," Kurt stammered.

"Thanks, see you there," Mr Schue said with his trademark over-the-top enthusiasm before leaving.

They continued to stare at each other, saying nothing for another minute.

"You're here," Kurt finally said. "And real."

"So are you."

"Always was," he quipped. "Sorry, this is not... I pictured this slightly differently."

"You and me both," Blaine said, inching forward. He stopped only when he saw Kurt inch backwards. "Yes, right, sorry. You told me-"

"Later," Kurt confirmed. "We could grab coffee?"

"Yeah. Yes. Good. Great."

Kurt laughed and quickly grabbed his bag. After shouldering it he held onto the strap just to give his hands something to do. "There's a place not far from here, does a decent Medium Drip."

"And a good non-fat mocha I assume?"

"You know my coffee order?"

"You know mine."

"Yeah. And a lot more," Kurt said. "Come on, we don't want to keep Rachel waiting."

"Brunette, petite, far too excited to see me?" Blaine asked as he followed Kurt out into the corridor.

"Yeah, that's her. She was... oh no," he groaned.

"What?"

"She was excited to tell me about our new member, you, for some reason... Does she know you're gay?"

Blaine gave a bark of a laugh and, glancing down, shook his head. "I wondered why she
was so... interested in my love life history. I thought she was hitting on me, I hinted she wasn't my type and she just smiled. I thought it was weird but she knew, didn't she? What I meant?"

"I think we were being set up."

"Would she--?"

"Yes," Kurt said quickly.

"So, what would she say if she knew?"

"I don't know and you can't say anything. Please. Not yet, not-"

"OK," Blaine said, reaching out with a hand to touch Kurt's wrist.

It was the first physical, real contact between them and it seemed to send electric shocks up both of their arms, causing them to both take a half step backwards. Standing almost two metres apart, in the hall just outside the auditorium, they stared at each other.

"I promised you a kiss," Blaine whispered.

"Then let's get this audition over with and we can go. For coffee."

"Coffee."

Saying nothing more and trying to not only hide their grins but also fighting the urge to grasp hands, they walked into the auditorium to find everyone waiting for them. Blaine joined Mr Schue on stage while Rachel pulled Kurt into a reserved seat, one which co-incidentally had the best view of the stage.

"So... what do you think of him?" she asked.

"What?" Kurt asked, feigning ignorance.

"Blaine!" she hissed. "I checked. He's gay."

"Oh, you checked did you?"

"Look, all I'm saying is that he's cute, he's new, you should... take him out for coffee or something."

"Should I now?"

"Kurt!"

"I don't need setting up, I don't need anyone interfering in my love life or my life in general for that matter."

"I'm only doing it because I care."

"I know," Kurt said. "And I love you for it, I do."

"So... take him out for coffee?"

"Hush, he's about to perform," Kurt said, noticing Blaine sitting in front of the piano. He watched in honest surprise as Blaine's fingers moved expertly across the keys and he sang, seemingly without effort and yet full of emotion, a song Kurt knew was just for him.

Whenever I want you
All I have to do
Is dream

By the end of the song everyone was on their feet, some wiping away tears they were pretending not to cry, but Kurt could think was that this was what it was like to be an Emotion; to feel so much love just being poured in his direction.

Coffee couldn't come soon enough.

Kurt must have checked his rear view mirror every three seconds, just to make sure that Blaine was still following him, still there, still real. His mind was racing almost as much as his heart, trying to process everything that had happened. He felt that at any given moment a film crew and Ashton Kutcher was going to put in an appearance. Or he had fallen asleep in Spanish and he was in Limbo or dreaming.

But by the time he pulled into his driveway, and seen no sign that this was anything but real, he felt like he was going to be sick.

"You... want to come in?" Kurt asked as Blaine climbed out of his car. "I mean... if you want?"

"Yeah, that'd be... Yeah," Blaine said. "Yeah."

It felt surreal, inviting Blaine into his house. For a long time even before he met Blaine he imagined what it would be like to invite a boy home, a boyfriend home. He wondered what his dad would say, what Carole would be like. He wondered how long it would be before he felt like he could bring anyone back...

"Nice place," Blaine said, bringing Kurt from his thoughts.

"Yeah, we moved here before the wedding. Bigger place for the four of us."

"Is anyone...?"

"Dad's probably still at the shop, I think Carole's got the day off, and we left Finn behind so-"

"Finn?"

"Yeah, we're step-brothers. Brothers. My dad, his mom. I never got to tell you that bit... before, did I?"

Blaine shook his head. They'd divided up the information they had about each other into "before" and "after". They said it stood for before and after they found out the other was real, making as little mention as possible about the events that prompted that realisation.

"Does he--?" Blaine asked.

"Know about you?" Kurt finished. "I... I don't know. I mean, I talked about you with Dad and Carole, I don't know what he picked up."

"I wonder what they're going to say... about me?"

"I have no idea," Kurt admitted. "What about your parents?"

Blaine shook his head. "They'd never have believed me."

"I can't imagine keeping anything from them. Not that I could; try living with a Picture and an Emotion. Nothing gets past them."

"My parents are Adepts, so... Cooper's an Adept-Projector. My brother," he added by way of explanation. "When I started my Emotion training it was... I'm the family freak."

"You're not a freak," Kurt said quickly, moving into Blaine's personal space. You know as well as I do it's not genetic. You had no control over what Skill you have, same as you can't help being-"

"Gay?"

"I was going to say wonderful," Kurt laughed, "but yeah. That too."

"That reminds me," Blaine whispered, "wasn't there a promise of a kiss?"

Kurt's heart stuttered in his chest as he realised how close they were standing. He caught Blaine's eye and held it, searching for any doubt, any hesitation, any idea that this was madness, total insanity, and there was no way they should be doing this having only met (properly) less than two hours ago.

Finding no such sign Kurt summoned every ounce of courage and he surged forward.

Blaine was caught a little off-guard and stumbled back, but he soon regained himself and as Kurt's arms wound around his neck he held onto Kurt's waist. It was unlike every kiss they'd had in Limbo; this was real in so many ways. He tried to process every sense of Kurt, everything he was.

After seconds, minutes, eternities, they pulled apart. Breathless in a way that Limbo never afforded them they grinned in a way they always did in Limbo.

"We're supposed to be going for coffee," Kurt whispered.

"Will... this, Lima Bean be open tomorrow?"

"Seven days a week, three hundred and sixty three days of the year."

"Then we can go another time," Blaine said, moving in for another kiss.

They moved to Kurt's room, talking and kissing and touching in a way that was honest and real and so different to how they'd both perceived it in Limbo. They put on a movie, curled up together with a comfort that was practiced. The only clue Kurt had that they'd slipped into Limbo was the sense of Blaine's feelings wrapping around him.

"I wanted to say it first, for real, not here," Kurt complained.

"You know you don't have to say it?"

"Dad complains about that all the time. Says any time he wants to make some grand gesture for Carole she's already ahead of the game. Works both ways, she can pick out all the surprises as soon as he's thought about them."

"Is that what you and I have to look forward to?" Blaine asked. "Dreaming of each other, with each other, for the rest of our lives?"

"Hopefully," Kurt grinned, kissing him gently. "Hey, can I ask you something?"

"Always."

"Why did you... That last night? Why the sudden change?"

Blaine sighed and Kurt felt the shift in his mood.

"What happened?" he asked.

"I-" Blaine started, then he froze and the room went cold. "There's someone in your room."

"What?"

"There's... someone here," Blaine said.

Kurt tried not to think about how this was the start to many horror movies, and he forced himself to wake up, turning over to see Carole standing in the doorway, arms folded.

"Downstairs when you have a minute?" she asked. Any hint that she was mad was betrayed by the grin on her face. She gave a small laugh before turning and walking away.

"Step-mom?"

"Yeah. We've been summoned," Kurt said. "Oh god, she saw us like this and Dad's going to see it as soon as she goes down and he's going to freak out."

"Is he--?"

"No, he's just... I don't think he wanted to have this conversation with me just yet," Kurt sighed. "Come on."

The walked down the stairs in silence, Blaine following Kurt into the kitchen. But was already seated, Carole placing a mug of something that Kurt hoped was soothing, calming and herbal in front of him.

"Nothing happened," Kurt opened with, "we just... fell asleep."

"Never said anything otherwise," Carole said.

"And I know it seems weird or fast or-"

"It's nice to meet you, Blaine," Burt interrupted. "I'm assuming you are Blaine? Otherwise you look a hell of a lot like the boy in his head."

"No, sir," Blaine said. "I'm Blaine. Blaine Anderson."

"I'm Burt, this is Carole, and that's your seat," Burt continued, gesturing to the one across from him. "Think there's some stuff we need to talk about."

"Dad-"

"All of us," Burt clarified. "Because even I know what happened with you two up here," he said, tapping his temple, "shouldn't happen. So before we call the Bureau I think we should work out what the hell is going on."

So they talked. At some point Carole got up, made dinner around them, then placed plates in front of them and made them eat. In between questions Kurt and Blaine talked about how they met, what they did (well, they skirted around some parts, and by the look on Burt's face when they did he was trying very hard not to see the image in his son's mind. Carole, however, just laughed), and how neither of them knew it was real, not at first.

They talked about how they were able to shape each other's Limbo, and how Kurt pushed so hard that last night that they never actually slept.

That got Carole's attention, and she immediately started quoting medical facts to them about people who have been trapped in Limbo and the damage it could do. Burt retorted that both boys seemed fine and that clearly this was something new.

"Old," Blaine corrected before he could stop himself. "I mean... When we realised I did some research. Dreamers, that's what they called... well, us, we were around centuries ago. But we..."

When he trailed off Kurt took his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "People got scared, the way that people have always been scared," he explained. "And maybe rightly so. The idea that we could wander into anyone's Limbo-"

"Anyone's?" Burt asked. "Who else have you...?"

"No one," Kurt said, "but I just assumed... You think it's just us? That we're connected somehow?"

"I have no idea," Burt said. "Hopefully someone at the Bureau will. We'll go tomorrow morning."

"School-"

"Can wait," he continued. "Kids go there all the time for specialist training and advice, I'll call and say you have an appointment. We can make out like you're worried about not gettin' your Skill yet, if that's what's worrying you."

"No, it's just... It's fine."

"What about you?"

"I'll be there," Blaine said.

"And your parents?"

"They... they don't know about this," Blaine admitted. "My parents are Adepts, they didn't pick up on this like you did with Kurt, and I don't know how to tell them without them... freaking out. But I'll still come, tomorrow, if that's OK? I've not had my career interview with the Bureau yet, I'll just say it's that."

"You need to talk to your parents, Blaine," Carole said gently, putting a hand over Blaine's. She smiled when she felt the shock and grateful surprise roll off him. "They should know."

"I'll tell them, I promise. After we've been and we know what's going on."

"If you want us to be there-" Burt started, stopping when Blaine nodded. "OK then. We'll go tomorrow morning, see what's what. Then maybe you can invite your parents over for dinner, Blaine?"

"Meet the boyfriend's family?" Blaine said before he could stop himself. "I mean... that is..."

Burt's laugh stopped him short and Blaine looked over at Kurt in confusion.

"I don't poke around in Kurt's head as a rule," Burt explained, "but I can't ignore the fact that you're all he thinks about most of the time. So no surprise there. Just... work on your walls, OK? Because us Picture parents don't want all the details."

"Agreed," Kurt said quickly, looking over to Blaine and nodding quickly; once in agreement and then once in the direction of the door.

"And Blaine?" Burt continued as the two got to their feet. "It's really nice to finally meet you."

"You too," Blaine said. "Thank you."

Burt opened his mouth to say something, but his wife's hand on his knee stopped him. Once the two boys had left he turned to her, easily picking the image from her mind.

He wasn't thanking you for tonight. He was thanking you for that night.

Once out in the hallway Kurt had intended to return to his room, but the buzzing noise of a cell phone stopped him.

"Mom," Blaine explained as he tapped out his reply. "Wants to know when I'll be home."

"Right."

"First day, think she wants to know how it went."

"Do you--?"

"I should," Blaine said. "Sorry."

"No, don't be. I mean... today? This afternoon? It was..."

"Yeah," Blaine whispered. "It was." He pressed his forehead against Kurt's and breathed in deeply. "I... I love you."

Kurt's grin came a second before his breathed reply of, "I love you too", and then they were kissing again. "So... I'll see you tonight?"

Blaine laughed softly and kissed Kurt, just once. "Try and stop me."

"Hey, you never said why you... before?"

"Oh. Yeah, um... can I tell you tonight? Just there's a lot to it and I really should get going."

"Yeah, of course."

"See you later," Blaine said, kissing Kurt goodbye before opening the front door.

"Sweet dreams," Kurt called after him in jest.

Part 3 >>

pairing : kurt / blaine, character : kurt hummel, show : glee, character : blaine anderson, kbb2013, au

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