Here I Am, Honey (10/12 + Epilogue) - Klaine Dirty Dancing AU
Title: Here I Am, Honey (10/12 + Epilogue)
Rating: I'm going to leave this as R for the duration, unless I need to uptick to NC-17
Pairings: Klaine, background Finchel (with very little focus)
Word Count: 4,548 this chapter / 52,924 overall (so far)
Spoilers: I'll be making nods to canon throughout, so I'll say "all aired" just to be safe, but this is very AU
Warnings: As with the movie, this story does include significant allusions to abortion. Also mild angst and slow burn/buildup.
Previous Chapters: One / Two / Three / Four / Five / Six / Seven / Eight / Nine
Summary: When Blaine Anderson visits Kellerman's Mountain Home with his family in the summer of 1963, he isn't expecting anything more than days in the sun and games of croquet, but when he and his cousin Rachel meet the staff dance instructors, his plans get thrown for a loop. Blaine's family vacation might just end up being the time of his life. A Klaine Dirty Dancing AU.
Author's Notes: Title from Solomon Burke's "Cry to Me." Many thanks to my wonderful beta shandyall! If you're so inclined, feel free to come say hi on Tumblr over here.
“I think I’m going to go all the way with Noah,” Rachel announced. “Tonight.”
The words made Blaine jolt in his chair, his elbow threatening to knock over the glasses of lemonade on the small table in between them. “What?” he exclaimed, his voice too loud in the afternoon air punctuated only by distant noise from the direction of the beach.
He and Rachel were sitting in a pair of wooden chairs at one corner of the porch at the main house. It didn’t escape his notice that she hadn’t turned the page of her magazine once since they’d settled in almost half an hour before, choosing instead to stare vaguely in the direction of the lake. She was still looking at it when she added, “He doesn’t even know it yet.” Her face looked more troubled than anything else.
“Rachel…” For a moment, Blaine was at a complete loss for words. They had never talked about anything like this, and the fact she’d chosen to say something about Noah of all people made his stomach churn. What finally came out of his mouth was: “You can’t.”
That brought her head around quickly. Her face was hard as she arched an eyebrow and asked, “I can’t?” in a dangerous tone of voice.
Blaine backpedaled immediately. “I didn’t mean it like that. I would never tell you what to do,” he said, and Rachel looked somewhat mollified. “It’s just… it shouldn’t be that way. It should be with someone - someone you sort of… love.” The last word dropped out of his mouth like a stone into water, one that he hadn’t even allowed himself to think when he was all alone by himself in the darkness of his room, much less hold up to the bright light of day. He lowered his eyes to the porch railing and stared at it unseeingly.
“I know,” Rachel said, and there was something sad and wistful about her voice. She shook her head after a moment’s pause, seeming to regain some of her usual determination. “How do you know that I don’t?”
Blaine struggled to pull himself out of his own thoughts. “You don’t even know him,” he said. “How can you love him if you don’t even know him?”
“I know him better than you think,” Rachel admitted. “I’ve talked to him. We took a walk yesterday. Honestly, he’s not as bad as you’ve built him up to be in your head. You don’t know him either.”
Blaine frowned. When had they taken a walk? Probably sometime when he’d sneaked away to see Kurt, or when he’d been so lost in thoughts about Kurt that he had no idea what was going on around him. “Look, Rachel,” he started, choosing his words carefully, “I’ve heard that he’s gotten girls in trouble before. And then he denied it, and he refused to help them. Those aren’t the actions of a good guy.”
Rachel was chewing her lip, and she still wouldn’t look him in the eye. “Those are just rumors, Blaine.” He was relieved to hear that she sounded a little less strident.
“They come from a pretty reputable source,” Blaine muttered, hoping that she wouldn’t ask him to clarify further, especially if she was starting to put two and two together.
She didn’t ask. In fact, she didn’t say anything at all, choosing instead to turn her troubled face back to the lake.
Blaine let her ruminate in silence for a moment before he called her attention back. “Rach?”
When she looked back over, Blaine was surprised by the bleak look on her face. She looked like she was about to cry. “Yeah?”
“Promise me that you’ll think about it, okay? Before you make any final decisions?”
Rachel nodded. “I promise,” she said, and then she stood abruptly. “I’m going to go get ready for rehearsal.”
“Do you want me to come with you?” Blaine offered.
“No, no,” she said. “I think I’d like a little time alone. I just want to change my clothes and splash some water on my face. I’ll see you there?”
“Okay.” Blaine gave her a small smile, which she returned, but the expression didn’t quite reach her eyes.
There were only a few rehearsals left until the performance, a fact that Blaine stalwartly pushed aside every time it threatened to intrude his thoughts. His family would be leaving Kellerman’s the day after the show, and that was less than a week away.
By that afternoon’s practice, most of the large pieces of scenery were done and standing in place on the stage. However, earlier in the day, one member of the dance group had tripped over the palm tree at the edge of the stage, and it had refused to stand upright ever since. Blaine was sitting on the floor, partially out of sight, reinforcing the piece of plywood that propped it up in the back, when he heard a woman’s voice say in sultry tones, “You know, I haven’t forgotten our night together.”
It came from nearby, and Blaine peered curiously out through the space between the edge of the curtain and the tree trunk. He found Finn sitting at a table not far away, and Blaine’s eyebrows shot up when he saw Terri Schuester leaning over it in a way that put everything revealed by the low neckline of her top on obvious display. “This is our last chance for a repeat,” she purred. “I’ve got something worked out for us, just you wait and see.” She winked and, without waiting for a response, drifted back to a group of guests clustered around another table. Finn scowled at his clipboard, and then looked up at the stage, a wistful expression crossing his face.
Blaine followed his gaze back to Rachel, who was rehearsing her solo - an original song that Jacob had penned called “Hula Hana,” whose lyrics sounded a bit suggestive to Blaine’s ears. Kurt stood nearby, glowering, presumably at the ridiculous hula-inspired dance moves that he’d been forced to invent, which Rachel was awkwardly trying to pair with the lyrics. From Finn’s soft expression, though, it would have seemed more likely that she was singing a love song directly to him, or maybe performing to a standing ovation from a sold out crowd. As she finished her song, Rachel sank dramatically to the stage per Jacob’s direction, and Finn smiled.
“That was excellent, Rachel, as always!” Jacob praised, hurrying onto the stage from the wings. It did nothing to smooth her aggrieved expression, and she moved hurriedly away with a curt “thank you” before he could say anything else.
“All right,” Jacob continued, projecting loudly out to the room now and clapping his hands. “The pirate number is up next! Everyone in the pirate number to the stage please!”
At the announcement, a man with slicked-down hair and chiseled-looking features approached Finn’s table to retrieve a pirate’s hat that was sitting there. “Hello,” he said cheerfully. “My wife mentioned that you’re giving last-minute dance lessons to help everyone get ready for the show. Apparently, she thinks she needs some extra help.” He pressed several crumpled bills into Finn’s hand while Mrs. Schuester watched glowingly from a few feet away. Blaine’s eyes rounded. “Why don’t you sign her up for an hour or two? Thanks!”
He turned to leave, but after staring down at the cash in his hand for a moment, Finn called after him. “Mr. Schuester, wait! I’m afraid I’m booked solid, and it wouldn’t be right for me to take your money.” He extended the bills, which Mr. Schuester accepted with a shrug. Mrs. Schuester watched the exchange and narrowed her eyes at Finn, who turned pointedly away.
Blaine was distracted from the scene as Rachel plopped down beside him dejectedly. “Why did I ever sign up for this?” she grumbled.
“Because you love performing,” Blaine reminded her, turning his attention back to the tree.
“Not that,” she complained, devolving into a full-fledged sulk.
“Well, if it’s any consolation, you make the song better by singing it,” he said gallantly, knowing well that flattery was a sure way to lift Rachel’s spirits.
He was surprised to hear only a quiet, preoccupied “thanks” in response, and turned to see Rachel staring sadly at Finn. Blaine looked from Finn to Mrs. Schuester, and then back to Rachel, his brow creasing in concern.
- / / -
Blaine replayed what he’d seen over in his mind several times as he lay in his bed. Knowing that Mrs. Schuester had essentially offered to pay Finn for sex left him shocked and queasy. He wondered if Mr. Schuester knew about the arrangement, or if he was as innocent about it as he’d seemed. He remembered Finn’s evident consideration of the money and the longing way he’d watched Rachel.
Several times since the afternoon, he’d been close to mentioning something about what he’d seen to Rachel, but what was there to say? Finn still has feelings for you, but I don’t know if you should do anything about it, because he might be up to some seedy behavior. In the end, he decided that it really didn’t matter, not when they were leaving in six days and Rachel and Finn weren’t even talking to each other anyway.
Blaine had barely managed to doze off when he heard something that sounded like a sharp knock against his window. He jerked his eyes open and squinted at it for a long, silent moment. Maybe he’d just been dreaming?
But then the sound repeated itself, echoed rapidly by a second, a staccato tap-tap. Something electric and exciting twisted in his stomach. It couldn’t possibly be what it seemed like, but still he climbed out of his bed and peeked at the yard below.
Kurt was there. He grinned and lowered his arm, which had already been cocked back for another throw. Blaine’s answering smile came unbidden, and they nodded at each other before Kurt released a handful of pebbles to the ground.
Blaine quickly pulled on appropriate outerwear and crept to the bathroom. He’d gone for an evening run and showered earlier, not bothering to restyle his hair because he hadn’t planned to leave the cabin again. There wasn’t enough time to repair all the damage, but he did what he could with a dab of Brylcreem. When he was done, he moved through the cabin on tiptoe, past the other quiet bedrooms and out onto the porch, easing the door shut behind him. He was greeted by a cool breeze like a caress and Kurt waiting at the bottom of the stairs. Blaine wanted to go to him, hug him and kiss him and take his hand, let the heat from their bodies seep together in the chilled night air, but instead, he drew as close as he dared, beaming.
“The studio?” Kurt whispered.
Blaine nodded. “Okay.” They turned and began walking, quiet because they had to be, but a thick, quiet affinity remained.
As soon as they were at the top of the stairs, Kurt turned to give him a kiss, leisurely and sweet. “Hello,” he said when he pulled away, his eyes bright in the dark.
“Hi,” Blaine replied, tangling their fingers together. “To what do I owe the honor?”
Kurt dipped his head a little, looking down and away, and if Blaine wasn’t mistaken, his smile faltered a bit. “What if I just wanted to see you?”
“That’s… acceptable,” Blaine said.
“Good.” Kurt turned back to meet his eye, but then his gaze drifted higher. “Your hair is different.”
“Yes,” Blaine said darkly.
Kurt reached up a hand to push his hand into the hair above Blaine’s ear. “I’ve been wondering what you look like without any of this.”
“Like Jacob Ben Israel on a bad day,” he muttered, leaning into Kurt’s touch.
“I’m sure it’s not that bad,” Kurt said reassuringly, as he began scratching lightly at Blaine’s scalp.
Blaine’s eyes drifted shut. It might be worth the embarrassment of looking like a circus clown if this was what he got in return. “Don’t be so sure.”
Kurt hummed and moved his hand further back into Blaine’s hair, then tugged him forward for another kiss, one that started slow and then deepened until their mouths were molded together, their tongues moving in the space in between. Kurt’s hand drifted down until the tips of his fingers were edging under the waistband of Blaine’s pants.
Blaine pulled back abruptly. “Can I ask you something?”
“Of course,” Kurt said, looking confused and a little worried.
“Do people here… do they have a lot of, you know… a lot of sex?” He could feel his whole face heating up.
“Oh,” Kurt said, his face clearly reflecting his surprise. He stepped back a little, pulling his hand out of Blaine’s hair. “I guess that would depend on what you consider ‘a lot’ to be.”
“What about for money?” Blaine blurted out. Maybe he was just taking everything too seriously. Kurt seemed taken aback, but not bothered. Maybe being physically close wasn’t the precious thing that it felt like when he was with Kurt.
Kurt, who was fidgeting now. “Why do you ask?”
“Just something I heard,” Blaine said, painting the truth with the broadest brush possible.
“Those are mostly just rumors,” Kurt said.
“Mostly?”
Kurt sighed. “Let’s not beat around the bush. Is this about Finn?” he asked.
Blaine’s eyes widened, and he nodded. Kurt’s quick understanding all but confirmed his suspicions, didn’t it?
“I think - I think it must be hard for you to imagine what it’s been like for us,” Kurt said, speaking slowly like he was picking his words with care. “There have been times that we haven’t had enough money to buy anything other than candy, so that’s what we ate to stay alive. Last summer, there was a woman here - her name was Santana, and she was young, our age, the trophy wife of some rich businessman. She took a liking to Finn, and she was practically stuffing diamonds in his pockets. I think he - saw it as an easy way to alleviate some of our problems.”
“So he used her?” Blaine asked. His emotions clashed, sour and sad all at the same time.
“I tend to think of it the other way around,” Kurt clarified. “I think something might have happened with one of the guests at the beginning of this summer, too, but he won’t talk to me about that.”
Blaine nodded. He could feel that his brow was furrowed and his mouth was twisted.
“It’s just something that happened, Blaine. Finn’s not - he’s not a bad person, or at least he tries really hard not to be. You shouldn’t worry, and you can tell Rachel not to either.”
“This isn’t about Rachel,” Blaine said quickly.
“Isn’t it?”
“Well,” Blaine hedged, “kind of, but not exactly. She doesn’t know."
“Oh.” Kurt cleared his throat. “Let’s not talk about Finn anymore. I have something I wanted to ask you too.”
That - along with Kurt’s tone, which had gone high-pitched and nervous all of a sudden - brought Blaine’s attention back. He looked up to find Kurt watching him with a guarded expression. “It’s all right if you say no.”
Blaine’s heart lurched a little in his chest. “What is it?”
“I was wondering if we could try something? If I could try something?” Blaine felt a brief flare of disappointment that he wasn’t sure that he entirely understood, but then his pulse was racing as he took in the shifting expression on Kurt’s face. “It’s just something I’ve been thinking about,” he added in a tone of voice very much indicated that he was expecting Blaine to say no, which, frankly, Blaine thought very unlikely.
“What is it?” Blaine repeated, his voice much breathier this time.
“Would you let me - maybe - um, use my mouth? On you?”
Which was how Blaine found himself lying flat on his back on a stretching mat wearing nothing but his underwear, trying to not to be swept away entirely as he learned the way that Kurt’s lips felt all over the skin of his chest, the warm swipe of his tongue and the suction, and now, the slight nip of his teeth against the softness around Blaine’s navel. The unexpected sharpness made Blaine jump and shudder as he dug his fingers into Kurt’s shoulders. Kurt responded by sucking the bit of skin he was worrying into his mouth a bit more forcefully before pushing himself up and away, straddling Blaine’s legs. He still had his pants on, but not his shirt, and even in the dim light, Blaine could see that his flush was dripping all the way down below his collarbone.
“Okay,” he said, his voice little more than air. “Okay. So, I’m going to…”
“Okay,” Blaine choked, and then Kurt was swooping down, his movements a little jerky and nervous, to press a kiss there, right through the fabric. Blaine gasped and jolted, making Kurt lurch back. “Sorry!” Blaine exclaimed, scooting away and pulling himself up on his elbows. “I’m sorry! I couldn’t… I couldn’t help it. Maybe it would be better if you just - skipped that part.” Blaine felt like he was a second away from shuddering into dust right there on the studio floor, and he was fairly sure that there would be no next part if Kurt insisted on continuing that.
Kurt was wide-eyed as he shifted off to the side and hooked his fingers under the waistband of Blaine’s underwear. “All right?”
Blaine nodded and lifted his hips, and then he was naked, completely naked in front of another person for the first time since he was a child. Kurt stared, and it made Blaine feel awkward, which he expected, and also shot him through with a strange sense of excitement and power, which he did not. Kurt crawled in between Blaine’s legs, forcing them to part. Blaine felt the rasp of denim against the insides of his knees, and then everything just made him feel vulnerable. Kurt leaned over again.
This time, Kurt’s mouth descended at the bottom of his breastplate. The press of his lips was gentle at first, and his hair fell forward and tickled Blaine’s skin. It made Blaine feel shivery all over, at least until Kurt started downward again and the heat and heaviness started to build anew. Blaine balled his hands into fists, not sure what else to do with them.
“Oh my god,” he rushed out when Kurt reached his destination, lips pressing directly on skin this time. He couldn’t help the way his body bucked again, but Kurt had one strong hand on his hip, keeping him from moving too far. His mouth grew sure quickly as he continued to explore the length of Blaine’s erection with his lips and tongue, and then he angled and started to take Blaine inside.
“Oh my god,” Blaine repeated, and his head thunked back hard against the mat. He’d had no idea that anything could feel like this - hot and wet, shocking, so good, beyond good. His mind, when it was able to find words, only came up with disjointed gasps of warm and close and private. He felt now that although he’d heard the word intimate before, he’d never really known what it meant.
With a sudden jolt of clarity, Blaine realized that it wouldn’t be long at all before he came flying apart entirely, and he still had just enough brainpower to think that he shouldn’t… do that with Kurt’s mouth there. He managed to bat feebily at Kurt’s shoulder and pant out his name.
Kurt made an inquisitive humming noise, and that was it. Blaine was vaguely aware of Kurt’s hand tightening forcefully on his hip when his body jerked, and Kurt’s mouth stayed there the whole time, until he leaned away, swiping the back of his hand over his chin. Blaine lay weakly on his back, fixing his eyes on the ceiling for a moment, and then closing them as he tried to catch his breath.
He yanked them open again when he heard the harsh sound of Kurt’s zipper opening. Lifting his head felt like a struggle, and when he did, he saw the muscles in Kurt’s arm and shoulder flexing as he moved his hand rapidly over himself. “Kurt, no,” Blaine said feebly. “I wanted to…”
“Too close,” Kurt grunted. His face scrunched as his movements became momentarily frantic, then he gasped and his features slackened, his mouth open and his eyes closed. Blane watched, his jaw hanging ajar, until Kurt released his grip and slumped forward. He fumbled into the pocket of his pants, bringing out a handkerchief that he used to wipe himself up. When he started to work his pants back up, however, Blaine reached out to touch his arm.
“Can you… take them off instead?” he asked.
Kurt looked at him curiously. “Yes?”
“I just want to see you,” Blaine said quietly. It seemed ridiculous suddenly that after all of this, he’d never seen Kurt’s calves. He’d never even seen his knees.
His embarrassment mounted, but then Kurt smiled a little. “Okay,” he said, pulling the pants down and off instead, revealing the strong muscles in his legs when he stretched out next to Blaine on the mat, nudging him until they were both lying on their sides, facing each other. It wasn’t comfortable - Blaine could feel the bones in his shoulder and hip digging into the floor, and the arms that they didn’t move to wrap around each other were a tangle in the middle - but, just for a moment, as he reached out one foot to tuck it between Kurt’s ankles, it was perfect. They shared a single, slow kiss, keeping their faces close when they separated.
“I wanted to do that for you too,” Blaine mumbled, because he really did. The very idea shot a bolt of excitement through him, made him breathe a little faster, and he wanted to make Kurt feel every bit as good as Kurt had made him feel.
“You will,” Kurt said softly. “I just - couldn’t wait.”
Blaine nodded, the skin over his cheekbone scraping against the rough surface of the mat. “Is that… how men… do it? Have sex, I mean?”
“It’s one way,” Kurt replied. He moved his fingers in little patterns on the small of Blaine’s back, but he didn’t elaborate, and Blaine couldn’t seem to open his mouth to ask what else? There had already been so much more than he had ever known was possible, and there were only six days left.
“I’m glad…” he started, feeling an unexpected tightness in his throat brought on by the weight of less than one week. “I’m glad that this happened.”
Kurt tugged them closer together, pressing their foreheads in tight and closing his eyes. “Me too.”
- / / -
At breakfast the next morning, Blaine noticed that Rachel was uncharacteristically quiet. She was abstracted, picking at her food with a little smile on her face, and he was, given their discussion on the porch, terrified by what it meant. His only comfort was that she didn’t seem to be following Puck with her eyes, as she’d done for the past several days, but she might have been avoiding doing so on purpose.
They’d been sitting with another couple, who left shortly after they were done eating. Blaine’s family lingered a bit longer while Hiram finished his coffee, and after a minute or two, Mr. Kellerman dropped heavily into one of the chairs with a sigh, Jacob trailing closely behind to take the other.
“What’s wrong, Max?” Hiram asked mildly.
Mr. Kellerman fixed him with a solemn gaze. “You know how you feel when you see a patient, and you think he’s all right, but then you take a look at the x-rays, and it’s nothing like you thought?”
“I suppose so, yes.” Hiram took a sip of his coffee. “What happened?”
“Well, that’s exactly how you feel when you find out that one of your staff’s a thief.”
“Will Schuester’s wallet was stolen when he was playing pinochle last night,” Jacob jumped in, sounding entirely too eager. “It was in his jacket hanging on the back of his chair. He had it at 1:30, but when he checked again at quarter of four… it was missing.” He widened his eyes dramatically at Rachel, who ignored him. Shelby made a sympathetic noise.
“Terri thinks she remembers this dance kid Finn walking by,” Mr. Kellerman said. Rachel’s head jerked up. “So we asked him if he has an alibi for last night. He says he was alone in his room reading.”
Jacob smirked. “Finn Hudson never read a book in his life.”
“There has to be a mistake,” Rachel blurted out. “I know that Finn didn’t do it.”
Mr. Kellerman shook his head, an exaggerated look of sadness painted all over his face. “There have been similar thefts at the Sheldrake, and it’s even happened here before.”
“Three other wallets,” Jacob confirmed.
“Doesn’t Finn stay with his brother?” Rachel shot a frenzied look at Blaine. “Couldn’t you ask him if Finn was in his room last night?” Blaine sucked in a nervous breath and bit his lip as his heart started to pound.
“Several other members of the staff saw Finn’s stepbrother leaving Quinn Fabray’s room this morning,” Mr. Kellerman said, before adding in undertone, “which comes as quite the surprise.” Jacob snorted, nodding his agreement, and Blaine felt a flood of relief warring with infuriation over Mr. Kellerman and Jacob’s dismissive attitude toward Kurt. There was genuine confusion too - had Kurt really gone to Quinn’s cabin after they’d parted ways the night before? Why would he go there instead of to his own room?
“Well, maybe - maybe you just need to figure out who else did it,” Rachel said, her voice growing faster and more frantic with each word. “You know who it could have been? That little old couple - the Schumachers. We saw her with a couple of wallets, didn’t we, Blaine?” She looked at him again for corroboration, and Blaine shook his head, more out of disbelief than disagreement.
“Sylvia and Sidney?” Mr. Kellerman asked. He and Jacob both stared at Rachel, aghast.
“Rachel,” Hiram said sternly. “You don’t just go around accusing innocent people!”
“But I even saw them at the Sheldrake!” Rachel protested, and Blaine cringed. That wasn’t a kettle of fish that he particularly wanted to open again. “Didn’t you say that something was taken from the Sheldrake?” She turned to look accusingly at Mr. Kellerman.
“I have an eyewitness and the kid has no alibi,” Mr. Kellerman said firmly. “Come on, Jacob, you’ll find out what it’s like to fire an employee.” A gleeful look flitted across Jacob’s face, and the two men moved to stand.
“Wait!” Rachel exclaimed. She took a deep breath and held out her hands, entreating them. “Please wait. I know that Finn didn’t take the wallet. He was in his room all night. And the reason I know is because -” there was a brief pause, and she shot pained, terrified looks at Blaine and her father “- is because I was with him.”
Chapter Notes:
Rating: I'm going to leave this as R for the duration, unless I need to uptick to NC-17
Pairings: Klaine, background Finchel (with very little focus)
Word Count: 4,548 this chapter / 52,924 overall (so far)
Spoilers: I'll be making nods to canon throughout, so I'll say "all aired" just to be safe, but this is very AU
Warnings: As with the movie, this story does include significant allusions to abortion. Also mild angst and slow burn/buildup.
Previous Chapters: One / Two / Three / Four / Five / Six / Seven / Eight / Nine
Summary: When Blaine Anderson visits Kellerman's Mountain Home with his family in the summer of 1963, he isn't expecting anything more than days in the sun and games of croquet, but when he and his cousin Rachel meet the staff dance instructors, his plans get thrown for a loop. Blaine's family vacation might just end up being the time of his life. A Klaine Dirty Dancing AU.
Author's Notes: Title from Solomon Burke's "Cry to Me." Many thanks to my wonderful beta shandyall! If you're so inclined, feel free to come say hi on Tumblr over here.
“I think I’m going to go all the way with Noah,” Rachel announced. “Tonight.”
The words made Blaine jolt in his chair, his elbow threatening to knock over the glasses of lemonade on the small table in between them. “What?” he exclaimed, his voice too loud in the afternoon air punctuated only by distant noise from the direction of the beach.
He and Rachel were sitting in a pair of wooden chairs at one corner of the porch at the main house. It didn’t escape his notice that she hadn’t turned the page of her magazine once since they’d settled in almost half an hour before, choosing instead to stare vaguely in the direction of the lake. She was still looking at it when she added, “He doesn’t even know it yet.” Her face looked more troubled than anything else.
“Rachel…” For a moment, Blaine was at a complete loss for words. They had never talked about anything like this, and the fact she’d chosen to say something about Noah of all people made his stomach churn. What finally came out of his mouth was: “You can’t.”
That brought her head around quickly. Her face was hard as she arched an eyebrow and asked, “I can’t?” in a dangerous tone of voice.
Blaine backpedaled immediately. “I didn’t mean it like that. I would never tell you what to do,” he said, and Rachel looked somewhat mollified. “It’s just… it shouldn’t be that way. It should be with someone - someone you sort of… love.” The last word dropped out of his mouth like a stone into water, one that he hadn’t even allowed himself to think when he was all alone by himself in the darkness of his room, much less hold up to the bright light of day. He lowered his eyes to the porch railing and stared at it unseeingly.
“I know,” Rachel said, and there was something sad and wistful about her voice. She shook her head after a moment’s pause, seeming to regain some of her usual determination. “How do you know that I don’t?”
Blaine struggled to pull himself out of his own thoughts. “You don’t even know him,” he said. “How can you love him if you don’t even know him?”
“I know him better than you think,” Rachel admitted. “I’ve talked to him. We took a walk yesterday. Honestly, he’s not as bad as you’ve built him up to be in your head. You don’t know him either.”
Blaine frowned. When had they taken a walk? Probably sometime when he’d sneaked away to see Kurt, or when he’d been so lost in thoughts about Kurt that he had no idea what was going on around him. “Look, Rachel,” he started, choosing his words carefully, “I’ve heard that he’s gotten girls in trouble before. And then he denied it, and he refused to help them. Those aren’t the actions of a good guy.”
Rachel was chewing her lip, and she still wouldn’t look him in the eye. “Those are just rumors, Blaine.” He was relieved to hear that she sounded a little less strident.
“They come from a pretty reputable source,” Blaine muttered, hoping that she wouldn’t ask him to clarify further, especially if she was starting to put two and two together.
She didn’t ask. In fact, she didn’t say anything at all, choosing instead to turn her troubled face back to the lake.
Blaine let her ruminate in silence for a moment before he called her attention back. “Rach?”
When she looked back over, Blaine was surprised by the bleak look on her face. She looked like she was about to cry. “Yeah?”
“Promise me that you’ll think about it, okay? Before you make any final decisions?”
Rachel nodded. “I promise,” she said, and then she stood abruptly. “I’m going to go get ready for rehearsal.”
“Do you want me to come with you?” Blaine offered.
“No, no,” she said. “I think I’d like a little time alone. I just want to change my clothes and splash some water on my face. I’ll see you there?”
“Okay.” Blaine gave her a small smile, which she returned, but the expression didn’t quite reach her eyes.
There were only a few rehearsals left until the performance, a fact that Blaine stalwartly pushed aside every time it threatened to intrude his thoughts. His family would be leaving Kellerman’s the day after the show, and that was less than a week away.
By that afternoon’s practice, most of the large pieces of scenery were done and standing in place on the stage. However, earlier in the day, one member of the dance group had tripped over the palm tree at the edge of the stage, and it had refused to stand upright ever since. Blaine was sitting on the floor, partially out of sight, reinforcing the piece of plywood that propped it up in the back, when he heard a woman’s voice say in sultry tones, “You know, I haven’t forgotten our night together.”
It came from nearby, and Blaine peered curiously out through the space between the edge of the curtain and the tree trunk. He found Finn sitting at a table not far away, and Blaine’s eyebrows shot up when he saw Terri Schuester leaning over it in a way that put everything revealed by the low neckline of her top on obvious display. “This is our last chance for a repeat,” she purred. “I’ve got something worked out for us, just you wait and see.” She winked and, without waiting for a response, drifted back to a group of guests clustered around another table. Finn scowled at his clipboard, and then looked up at the stage, a wistful expression crossing his face.
Blaine followed his gaze back to Rachel, who was rehearsing her solo - an original song that Jacob had penned called “Hula Hana,” whose lyrics sounded a bit suggestive to Blaine’s ears. Kurt stood nearby, glowering, presumably at the ridiculous hula-inspired dance moves that he’d been forced to invent, which Rachel was awkwardly trying to pair with the lyrics. From Finn’s soft expression, though, it would have seemed more likely that she was singing a love song directly to him, or maybe performing to a standing ovation from a sold out crowd. As she finished her song, Rachel sank dramatically to the stage per Jacob’s direction, and Finn smiled.
“That was excellent, Rachel, as always!” Jacob praised, hurrying onto the stage from the wings. It did nothing to smooth her aggrieved expression, and she moved hurriedly away with a curt “thank you” before he could say anything else.
“All right,” Jacob continued, projecting loudly out to the room now and clapping his hands. “The pirate number is up next! Everyone in the pirate number to the stage please!”
At the announcement, a man with slicked-down hair and chiseled-looking features approached Finn’s table to retrieve a pirate’s hat that was sitting there. “Hello,” he said cheerfully. “My wife mentioned that you’re giving last-minute dance lessons to help everyone get ready for the show. Apparently, she thinks she needs some extra help.” He pressed several crumpled bills into Finn’s hand while Mrs. Schuester watched glowingly from a few feet away. Blaine’s eyes rounded. “Why don’t you sign her up for an hour or two? Thanks!”
He turned to leave, but after staring down at the cash in his hand for a moment, Finn called after him. “Mr. Schuester, wait! I’m afraid I’m booked solid, and it wouldn’t be right for me to take your money.” He extended the bills, which Mr. Schuester accepted with a shrug. Mrs. Schuester watched the exchange and narrowed her eyes at Finn, who turned pointedly away.
Blaine was distracted from the scene as Rachel plopped down beside him dejectedly. “Why did I ever sign up for this?” she grumbled.
“Because you love performing,” Blaine reminded her, turning his attention back to the tree.
“Not that,” she complained, devolving into a full-fledged sulk.
“Well, if it’s any consolation, you make the song better by singing it,” he said gallantly, knowing well that flattery was a sure way to lift Rachel’s spirits.
He was surprised to hear only a quiet, preoccupied “thanks” in response, and turned to see Rachel staring sadly at Finn. Blaine looked from Finn to Mrs. Schuester, and then back to Rachel, his brow creasing in concern.
- / / -
Blaine replayed what he’d seen over in his mind several times as he lay in his bed. Knowing that Mrs. Schuester had essentially offered to pay Finn for sex left him shocked and queasy. He wondered if Mr. Schuester knew about the arrangement, or if he was as innocent about it as he’d seemed. He remembered Finn’s evident consideration of the money and the longing way he’d watched Rachel.
Several times since the afternoon, he’d been close to mentioning something about what he’d seen to Rachel, but what was there to say? Finn still has feelings for you, but I don’t know if you should do anything about it, because he might be up to some seedy behavior. In the end, he decided that it really didn’t matter, not when they were leaving in six days and Rachel and Finn weren’t even talking to each other anyway.
Blaine had barely managed to doze off when he heard something that sounded like a sharp knock against his window. He jerked his eyes open and squinted at it for a long, silent moment. Maybe he’d just been dreaming?
But then the sound repeated itself, echoed rapidly by a second, a staccato tap-tap. Something electric and exciting twisted in his stomach. It couldn’t possibly be what it seemed like, but still he climbed out of his bed and peeked at the yard below.
Kurt was there. He grinned and lowered his arm, which had already been cocked back for another throw. Blaine’s answering smile came unbidden, and they nodded at each other before Kurt released a handful of pebbles to the ground.
Blaine quickly pulled on appropriate outerwear and crept to the bathroom. He’d gone for an evening run and showered earlier, not bothering to restyle his hair because he hadn’t planned to leave the cabin again. There wasn’t enough time to repair all the damage, but he did what he could with a dab of Brylcreem. When he was done, he moved through the cabin on tiptoe, past the other quiet bedrooms and out onto the porch, easing the door shut behind him. He was greeted by a cool breeze like a caress and Kurt waiting at the bottom of the stairs. Blaine wanted to go to him, hug him and kiss him and take his hand, let the heat from their bodies seep together in the chilled night air, but instead, he drew as close as he dared, beaming.
“The studio?” Kurt whispered.
Blaine nodded. “Okay.” They turned and began walking, quiet because they had to be, but a thick, quiet affinity remained.
As soon as they were at the top of the stairs, Kurt turned to give him a kiss, leisurely and sweet. “Hello,” he said when he pulled away, his eyes bright in the dark.
“Hi,” Blaine replied, tangling their fingers together. “To what do I owe the honor?”
Kurt dipped his head a little, looking down and away, and if Blaine wasn’t mistaken, his smile faltered a bit. “What if I just wanted to see you?”
“That’s… acceptable,” Blaine said.
“Good.” Kurt turned back to meet his eye, but then his gaze drifted higher. “Your hair is different.”
“Yes,” Blaine said darkly.
Kurt reached up a hand to push his hand into the hair above Blaine’s ear. “I’ve been wondering what you look like without any of this.”
“Like Jacob Ben Israel on a bad day,” he muttered, leaning into Kurt’s touch.
“I’m sure it’s not that bad,” Kurt said reassuringly, as he began scratching lightly at Blaine’s scalp.
Blaine’s eyes drifted shut. It might be worth the embarrassment of looking like a circus clown if this was what he got in return. “Don’t be so sure.”
Kurt hummed and moved his hand further back into Blaine’s hair, then tugged him forward for another kiss, one that started slow and then deepened until their mouths were molded together, their tongues moving in the space in between. Kurt’s hand drifted down until the tips of his fingers were edging under the waistband of Blaine’s pants.
Blaine pulled back abruptly. “Can I ask you something?”
“Of course,” Kurt said, looking confused and a little worried.
“Do people here… do they have a lot of, you know… a lot of sex?” He could feel his whole face heating up.
“Oh,” Kurt said, his face clearly reflecting his surprise. He stepped back a little, pulling his hand out of Blaine’s hair. “I guess that would depend on what you consider ‘a lot’ to be.”
“What about for money?” Blaine blurted out. Maybe he was just taking everything too seriously. Kurt seemed taken aback, but not bothered. Maybe being physically close wasn’t the precious thing that it felt like when he was with Kurt.
Kurt, who was fidgeting now. “Why do you ask?”
“Just something I heard,” Blaine said, painting the truth with the broadest brush possible.
“Those are mostly just rumors,” Kurt said.
“Mostly?”
Kurt sighed. “Let’s not beat around the bush. Is this about Finn?” he asked.
Blaine’s eyes widened, and he nodded. Kurt’s quick understanding all but confirmed his suspicions, didn’t it?
“I think - I think it must be hard for you to imagine what it’s been like for us,” Kurt said, speaking slowly like he was picking his words with care. “There have been times that we haven’t had enough money to buy anything other than candy, so that’s what we ate to stay alive. Last summer, there was a woman here - her name was Santana, and she was young, our age, the trophy wife of some rich businessman. She took a liking to Finn, and she was practically stuffing diamonds in his pockets. I think he - saw it as an easy way to alleviate some of our problems.”
“So he used her?” Blaine asked. His emotions clashed, sour and sad all at the same time.
“I tend to think of it the other way around,” Kurt clarified. “I think something might have happened with one of the guests at the beginning of this summer, too, but he won’t talk to me about that.”
Blaine nodded. He could feel that his brow was furrowed and his mouth was twisted.
“It’s just something that happened, Blaine. Finn’s not - he’s not a bad person, or at least he tries really hard not to be. You shouldn’t worry, and you can tell Rachel not to either.”
“This isn’t about Rachel,” Blaine said quickly.
“Isn’t it?”
“Well,” Blaine hedged, “kind of, but not exactly. She doesn’t know."
“Oh.” Kurt cleared his throat. “Let’s not talk about Finn anymore. I have something I wanted to ask you too.”
That - along with Kurt’s tone, which had gone high-pitched and nervous all of a sudden - brought Blaine’s attention back. He looked up to find Kurt watching him with a guarded expression. “It’s all right if you say no.”
Blaine’s heart lurched a little in his chest. “What is it?”
“I was wondering if we could try something? If I could try something?” Blaine felt a brief flare of disappointment that he wasn’t sure that he entirely understood, but then his pulse was racing as he took in the shifting expression on Kurt’s face. “It’s just something I’ve been thinking about,” he added in a tone of voice very much indicated that he was expecting Blaine to say no, which, frankly, Blaine thought very unlikely.
“What is it?” Blaine repeated, his voice much breathier this time.
“Would you let me - maybe - um, use my mouth? On you?”
Which was how Blaine found himself lying flat on his back on a stretching mat wearing nothing but his underwear, trying to not to be swept away entirely as he learned the way that Kurt’s lips felt all over the skin of his chest, the warm swipe of his tongue and the suction, and now, the slight nip of his teeth against the softness around Blaine’s navel. The unexpected sharpness made Blaine jump and shudder as he dug his fingers into Kurt’s shoulders. Kurt responded by sucking the bit of skin he was worrying into his mouth a bit more forcefully before pushing himself up and away, straddling Blaine’s legs. He still had his pants on, but not his shirt, and even in the dim light, Blaine could see that his flush was dripping all the way down below his collarbone.
“Okay,” he said, his voice little more than air. “Okay. So, I’m going to…”
“Okay,” Blaine choked, and then Kurt was swooping down, his movements a little jerky and nervous, to press a kiss there, right through the fabric. Blaine gasped and jolted, making Kurt lurch back. “Sorry!” Blaine exclaimed, scooting away and pulling himself up on his elbows. “I’m sorry! I couldn’t… I couldn’t help it. Maybe it would be better if you just - skipped that part.” Blaine felt like he was a second away from shuddering into dust right there on the studio floor, and he was fairly sure that there would be no next part if Kurt insisted on continuing that.
Kurt was wide-eyed as he shifted off to the side and hooked his fingers under the waistband of Blaine’s underwear. “All right?”
Blaine nodded and lifted his hips, and then he was naked, completely naked in front of another person for the first time since he was a child. Kurt stared, and it made Blaine feel awkward, which he expected, and also shot him through with a strange sense of excitement and power, which he did not. Kurt crawled in between Blaine’s legs, forcing them to part. Blaine felt the rasp of denim against the insides of his knees, and then everything just made him feel vulnerable. Kurt leaned over again.
This time, Kurt’s mouth descended at the bottom of his breastplate. The press of his lips was gentle at first, and his hair fell forward and tickled Blaine’s skin. It made Blaine feel shivery all over, at least until Kurt started downward again and the heat and heaviness started to build anew. Blaine balled his hands into fists, not sure what else to do with them.
“Oh my god,” he rushed out when Kurt reached his destination, lips pressing directly on skin this time. He couldn’t help the way his body bucked again, but Kurt had one strong hand on his hip, keeping him from moving too far. His mouth grew sure quickly as he continued to explore the length of Blaine’s erection with his lips and tongue, and then he angled and started to take Blaine inside.
“Oh my god,” Blaine repeated, and his head thunked back hard against the mat. He’d had no idea that anything could feel like this - hot and wet, shocking, so good, beyond good. His mind, when it was able to find words, only came up with disjointed gasps of warm and close and private. He felt now that although he’d heard the word intimate before, he’d never really known what it meant.
With a sudden jolt of clarity, Blaine realized that it wouldn’t be long at all before he came flying apart entirely, and he still had just enough brainpower to think that he shouldn’t… do that with Kurt’s mouth there. He managed to bat feebily at Kurt’s shoulder and pant out his name.
Kurt made an inquisitive humming noise, and that was it. Blaine was vaguely aware of Kurt’s hand tightening forcefully on his hip when his body jerked, and Kurt’s mouth stayed there the whole time, until he leaned away, swiping the back of his hand over his chin. Blaine lay weakly on his back, fixing his eyes on the ceiling for a moment, and then closing them as he tried to catch his breath.
He yanked them open again when he heard the harsh sound of Kurt’s zipper opening. Lifting his head felt like a struggle, and when he did, he saw the muscles in Kurt’s arm and shoulder flexing as he moved his hand rapidly over himself. “Kurt, no,” Blaine said feebly. “I wanted to…”
“Too close,” Kurt grunted. His face scrunched as his movements became momentarily frantic, then he gasped and his features slackened, his mouth open and his eyes closed. Blane watched, his jaw hanging ajar, until Kurt released his grip and slumped forward. He fumbled into the pocket of his pants, bringing out a handkerchief that he used to wipe himself up. When he started to work his pants back up, however, Blaine reached out to touch his arm.
“Can you… take them off instead?” he asked.
Kurt looked at him curiously. “Yes?”
“I just want to see you,” Blaine said quietly. It seemed ridiculous suddenly that after all of this, he’d never seen Kurt’s calves. He’d never even seen his knees.
His embarrassment mounted, but then Kurt smiled a little. “Okay,” he said, pulling the pants down and off instead, revealing the strong muscles in his legs when he stretched out next to Blaine on the mat, nudging him until they were both lying on their sides, facing each other. It wasn’t comfortable - Blaine could feel the bones in his shoulder and hip digging into the floor, and the arms that they didn’t move to wrap around each other were a tangle in the middle - but, just for a moment, as he reached out one foot to tuck it between Kurt’s ankles, it was perfect. They shared a single, slow kiss, keeping their faces close when they separated.
“I wanted to do that for you too,” Blaine mumbled, because he really did. The very idea shot a bolt of excitement through him, made him breathe a little faster, and he wanted to make Kurt feel every bit as good as Kurt had made him feel.
“You will,” Kurt said softly. “I just - couldn’t wait.”
Blaine nodded, the skin over his cheekbone scraping against the rough surface of the mat. “Is that… how men… do it? Have sex, I mean?”
“It’s one way,” Kurt replied. He moved his fingers in little patterns on the small of Blaine’s back, but he didn’t elaborate, and Blaine couldn’t seem to open his mouth to ask what else? There had already been so much more than he had ever known was possible, and there were only six days left.
“I’m glad…” he started, feeling an unexpected tightness in his throat brought on by the weight of less than one week. “I’m glad that this happened.”
Kurt tugged them closer together, pressing their foreheads in tight and closing his eyes. “Me too.”
- / / -
At breakfast the next morning, Blaine noticed that Rachel was uncharacteristically quiet. She was abstracted, picking at her food with a little smile on her face, and he was, given their discussion on the porch, terrified by what it meant. His only comfort was that she didn’t seem to be following Puck with her eyes, as she’d done for the past several days, but she might have been avoiding doing so on purpose.
They’d been sitting with another couple, who left shortly after they were done eating. Blaine’s family lingered a bit longer while Hiram finished his coffee, and after a minute or two, Mr. Kellerman dropped heavily into one of the chairs with a sigh, Jacob trailing closely behind to take the other.
“What’s wrong, Max?” Hiram asked mildly.
Mr. Kellerman fixed him with a solemn gaze. “You know how you feel when you see a patient, and you think he’s all right, but then you take a look at the x-rays, and it’s nothing like you thought?”
“I suppose so, yes.” Hiram took a sip of his coffee. “What happened?”
“Well, that’s exactly how you feel when you find out that one of your staff’s a thief.”
“Will Schuester’s wallet was stolen when he was playing pinochle last night,” Jacob jumped in, sounding entirely too eager. “It was in his jacket hanging on the back of his chair. He had it at 1:30, but when he checked again at quarter of four… it was missing.” He widened his eyes dramatically at Rachel, who ignored him. Shelby made a sympathetic noise.
“Terri thinks she remembers this dance kid Finn walking by,” Mr. Kellerman said. Rachel’s head jerked up. “So we asked him if he has an alibi for last night. He says he was alone in his room reading.”
Jacob smirked. “Finn Hudson never read a book in his life.”
“There has to be a mistake,” Rachel blurted out. “I know that Finn didn’t do it.”
Mr. Kellerman shook his head, an exaggerated look of sadness painted all over his face. “There have been similar thefts at the Sheldrake, and it’s even happened here before.”
“Three other wallets,” Jacob confirmed.
“Doesn’t Finn stay with his brother?” Rachel shot a frenzied look at Blaine. “Couldn’t you ask him if Finn was in his room last night?” Blaine sucked in a nervous breath and bit his lip as his heart started to pound.
“Several other members of the staff saw Finn’s stepbrother leaving Quinn Fabray’s room this morning,” Mr. Kellerman said, before adding in undertone, “which comes as quite the surprise.” Jacob snorted, nodding his agreement, and Blaine felt a flood of relief warring with infuriation over Mr. Kellerman and Jacob’s dismissive attitude toward Kurt. There was genuine confusion too - had Kurt really gone to Quinn’s cabin after they’d parted ways the night before? Why would he go there instead of to his own room?
“Well, maybe - maybe you just need to figure out who else did it,” Rachel said, her voice growing faster and more frantic with each word. “You know who it could have been? That little old couple - the Schumachers. We saw her with a couple of wallets, didn’t we, Blaine?” She looked at him again for corroboration, and Blaine shook his head, more out of disbelief than disagreement.
“Sylvia and Sidney?” Mr. Kellerman asked. He and Jacob both stared at Rachel, aghast.
“Rachel,” Hiram said sternly. “You don’t just go around accusing innocent people!”
“But I even saw them at the Sheldrake!” Rachel protested, and Blaine cringed. That wasn’t a kettle of fish that he particularly wanted to open again. “Didn’t you say that something was taken from the Sheldrake?” She turned to look accusingly at Mr. Kellerman.
“I have an eyewitness and the kid has no alibi,” Mr. Kellerman said firmly. “Come on, Jacob, you’ll find out what it’s like to fire an employee.” A gleeful look flitted across Jacob’s face, and the two men moved to stand.
“Wait!” Rachel exclaimed. She took a deep breath and held out her hands, entreating them. “Please wait. I know that Finn didn’t take the wallet. He was in his room all night. And the reason I know is because -” there was a brief pause, and she shot pained, terrified looks at Blaine and her father “- is because I was with him.”
Chapter Notes:
- Brylcreem was a popular men's styling aid in the 1950s and early 1960s. You can read a history of the product here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/fashion/fashion-blog/2012/apr/02/brief-history-of-brylcreem
- For those of you who are reading that have never seen the movie, you can experience the magnificence of "Hula Hana" here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlT35Ote09c. And if you have seen the movie, don't you want to relive the magic? Rachel sings it better, of course, but you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. (I've had this song stuck in my head for days, by the way. Envy me.)