Fic: Every Word chapter 5 of 12 - Glee; Kurt/Blaine
Chapter 5
“Cast grab a chair at that end, production and crew at this one,” says Blaine waving to the rectangle of tables in the rehearsal space. “Wes has scores if you need one. The last changes were two weeks ago so you can use your own copy if it’s up to date.”
He sees Kurt out of the corner of his eye. He’s sipping something hot from a travel mug. Blaine smiles. Kurt waves a little wave, then scans the room. He sits between Vanessa and Amaryllis who are playing Michal and her servant.
“Okay.” Blaine looks around. He raises his voice a little over the chatter. “We’re all here.” There’s a lot of promise in the room but it’s an inexperienced cast, not to mention an inexperienced production team. “Over to you, Devi.”
Devi says, “Listen up. Introductions first. Then we’re doing a run through. Just with a pianist today,” She nods to Savannah, “but get your voices ready so we know what you can do and if we need to fix anything. You lot are all exceptional I’m sure. But truth is most of you don’t have a fucking idea what you’re doing. I want to get a sense of how this thing is going to fit together; I want the set crew to get a feel for the flow and the dance crew to get a feel for the cast and music and I want Blaine to hear how the music works.”
There’s fidgeting with paper and then there are many, many introductions. There are only a couple of people who know one another. Blaine ensures he knows everybody's names.
At length everyone settles into expectant silence. Savannah starts on the piano. “All righty then. You’re up first, Kurt,” says Devi.
Kurt nods.
The starting point of the show is the boy David, in the fields with his father’s sheep. In a moment, the mobile tenor of his father Jesse will be discussing war and politics with the rich-voiced prophet Samuel. Soon they’ll bring in the dancers and David’s brothers will be roughhousing and swaggering across the stage. But for now it’s just a lilting melody and a boy’s clear tones.
Everyone’s eyes are on Kurt so no one notices Blaine sigh as his music finds a voice.
The run through is relatively smooth. The set design guys scribble drawings and pass notes to Blaine. “Live sheep? Paintings? Robot sheep?” Blaine smiles and holds onto them for Devi. The choreographer, Joshua, shares sketches with one of the senior dance crew and nods vigorously at the cast.
Elisha is a pleasure to hear - blazingly confident as Jonathan. His smile is all energy and charm and he shifts his body comfortably even while seated. Kurt sounds beautiful. Their voices blend in a way that Blaine and Kurt's probably never did.
They're in the middle of the run through and Jonathan’s soldier friends are laughing through some 50 cent song. God’s favorites have a hard time, brother. One of the guys is improvising a rap that has potential. Devi hisses across to Blaine, “You took out the Katy Perry song?”
He wasn’t expecting the question. “Yes,” he says.
“Huh. I liked it,” she says. “It was all young and virginal like our boys are. Couldn’t you get the permissions?”
“No, it just seemed -um- self-indulgent.” Blaine doesn’t look away from Devi but he can feel Kurt’s eyes on him three seats over. “I pulled it a couple of weeks ago.”
“Okay,” she says. “Let’s talk about it later.”
Toward the end of the show David sings to Jonathan: You are my sweetest downfall. I loved you first.
Kurt’s voice rises skilfully. For just a moment he turns his head and looks at Blaine. Blaine stops breathing.
I loved you first.
**
“I just need the dance crew to pull this section together,” says the choreographer, Joshua, in his pleasant voice. “The rest of you don’t go anywhere. It’ll only take five.”
Kurt walks over and sits in the first row. The guys playing Jesse and Saul aren’t available for a few days so they’re starting on the club scene. It’s hip hop - sexy and ridiculous. Kurt has a lot of dance training, but there are no pirouettes in this. He’s weary of his own body.
Elisha throws himself into the seat beside Kurt. “You’re doing alright, for a white boy,” he grins cheekily and it lights his eyes.
“Hip Hop,” Kurt sighs. “Not exactly my forte. I spent years just training myself out of shimmying.”
“Huh. Well I meant it, you’re doing fine. But talk to Joshua. He’s a good choreographer and a creative guy. I’ve worked with him before on one of that neverending series of Step-Up movies. I figure you’re playing a 17 year old kid trying to seduce this super-hot princely ass. You want to bring something that stands out.”
“Standing out isn't usually my problem,” says Kurt, trying not to feel indignant.
“No, I suppose not.” Elisha looks him up and down appreciatively. He’s a straight guy, Kurt’s pretty sure. But he’s the kind of straight guy who works in theater. He’s comfortable in his own skin and comfortable admiring that of others.
“I mean, an actual shimmy is probably out,” says Elisha.
Kurt laughs as Joshua calls them over. “I’ll try to avoid the jazz hands too, shall I?”
He approaches Joshua a little tentatively. He doesn’t want to appear too much of a diva. Not yet, anyway.
“Can I try this a little differently?” Kurt says. “I’m thinking a bit more hip movement a bit less krumping, which is not really in my skill set.” Joshua eyes him. He’s pretty laid back for a choreographer but he has no reason to trust Kurt with this.
“If it doesn’t work for you I’ll switch back,” Kurt says. “I’ll krump. I’ll chest pop or pop lock if you need me to.”
“Jerk.”
“Excuse me?”
“Jerk, pop, lock, krump, clown, twerk, tilt.” Joshua’s laughing at him. “My choice.”
“But I can try it my way first?”
“Sure. Give it a go.”
Kurt smiles his thanks and heads over join the cast. He sees Blaine seated toward the back of the rehearsal space and tries not to view his presence as additional pressure. Instead he slides into David’s mind.
Kurt knows what it’s like to long for someone you think is out of your league. It’s easy to remember being the kid on the outside, looking in. Blaine, his self-assured teenage dream of a private school boyfriend, is entirely too caught up in that thinking. But this is David’s life and Jonathan is David’s dream. Kurt steps into the scene.
The next time through there’s that perfect flicker of chemistry between David and Jonathan. Kurt circles Elisha and backs away, building David’s youthful confidence in his eyes and through his body. When David sings, I want to shut down the club, with you, he knows Jonathan can think of nothing else. When Jonathan says I might lose it, David is thrilled and wary, watching this soldier prince who can’t tear his eyes away.
When the scene is over, Elisha claps him on the back. “Hot,” he says, grinning.
“It felt good. Thanks for your advice.”
Kurt looks around the room. Blaine has disappeared sometime during the scene. Kurt hopes he didn’t miss seeing the things he’d written coming to life.
On the way home he gets a message.
From Blaine: The scene was wonderful. Can’t wait to see more.
**
It's dark and wet outside. Kurt’s just made it home after rehearsal ran long. Kurt’s phone rings.
“Raf!” he answers. He props the phone on his shoulder and sits on the edge of his bed to unlace his boots.
“Hey baby,” says Raf. “How’s San Francisco treating you?”
“Amazing. Lonely. Amazing. The show’s going well, I think.”
Raf talks about a party with some of their friends, and how much Kurt would love some underground piano bar his team mates found. When they hang up Kurt is smiling. He steps over to the basin he’s put in his room and pours out some water from the jug.
Before Kurt finishes washing his phone rings. It’s Raf again. Kurt dabs his face dry as he answers.
“Aww. Did you miss me too much?” Kurt says.
“Kurt. Baby, I need to tell you something.”
Kurt’s stomach drops. He presses a hand against the dresser to support himself. “What is it?” he says and his voice is very even.
“I- look- Kurt I’m so sorry.”
“What did you do?”
“I- slept with someone. Kurt. I am so very sorry. I was- I missed you and-“
“Stop there.”
“I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
“Just a suggestion, then, perhaps you could have kept your dick out of some guy’s ass in the week and a half that I’ve been gone.”
“It wasn’t like that-“
“I don’t care who fucked who, Raf. I don’t care if you were thinking with your dick or your tiny, tiny ego. Either way you fucked me.”
Kurt hangs up.
He moisturizes his face with care. He looks out over the light and dark of San Francisco. He closes his eyes. His phone rings again and he turns it off. “Fuck this,” he says aloud. Kurt doesn’t expect epic movie magic romance any more. But he does hope for fidelity. He sets his jaw and keeps a hold on his hurt and anger. He has another rehearsal in the morning. Maybe at the end of the week he can deal with this.
Chapter 6
“Cast grab a chair at that end, production and crew at this one,” says Blaine waving to the rectangle of tables in the rehearsal space. “Wes has scores if you need one. The last changes were two weeks ago so you can use your own copy if it’s up to date.”
He sees Kurt out of the corner of his eye. He’s sipping something hot from a travel mug. Blaine smiles. Kurt waves a little wave, then scans the room. He sits between Vanessa and Amaryllis who are playing Michal and her servant.
“Okay.” Blaine looks around. He raises his voice a little over the chatter. “We’re all here.” There’s a lot of promise in the room but it’s an inexperienced cast, not to mention an inexperienced production team. “Over to you, Devi.”
Devi says, “Listen up. Introductions first. Then we’re doing a run through. Just with a pianist today,” She nods to Savannah, “but get your voices ready so we know what you can do and if we need to fix anything. You lot are all exceptional I’m sure. But truth is most of you don’t have a fucking idea what you’re doing. I want to get a sense of how this thing is going to fit together; I want the set crew to get a feel for the flow and the dance crew to get a feel for the cast and music and I want Blaine to hear how the music works.”
There’s fidgeting with paper and then there are many, many introductions. There are only a couple of people who know one another. Blaine ensures he knows everybody's names.
At length everyone settles into expectant silence. Savannah starts on the piano. “All righty then. You’re up first, Kurt,” says Devi.
Kurt nods.
The starting point of the show is the boy David, in the fields with his father’s sheep. In a moment, the mobile tenor of his father Jesse will be discussing war and politics with the rich-voiced prophet Samuel. Soon they’ll bring in the dancers and David’s brothers will be roughhousing and swaggering across the stage. But for now it’s just a lilting melody and a boy’s clear tones.
Everyone’s eyes are on Kurt so no one notices Blaine sigh as his music finds a voice.
The run through is relatively smooth. The set design guys scribble drawings and pass notes to Blaine. “Live sheep? Paintings? Robot sheep?” Blaine smiles and holds onto them for Devi. The choreographer, Joshua, shares sketches with one of the senior dance crew and nods vigorously at the cast.
Elisha is a pleasure to hear - blazingly confident as Jonathan. His smile is all energy and charm and he shifts his body comfortably even while seated. Kurt sounds beautiful. Their voices blend in a way that Blaine and Kurt's probably never did.
They're in the middle of the run through and Jonathan’s soldier friends are laughing through some 50 cent song. God’s favorites have a hard time, brother. One of the guys is improvising a rap that has potential. Devi hisses across to Blaine, “You took out the Katy Perry song?”
He wasn’t expecting the question. “Yes,” he says.
“Huh. I liked it,” she says. “It was all young and virginal like our boys are. Couldn’t you get the permissions?”
“No, it just seemed -um- self-indulgent.” Blaine doesn’t look away from Devi but he can feel Kurt’s eyes on him three seats over. “I pulled it a couple of weeks ago.”
“Okay,” she says. “Let’s talk about it later.”
Toward the end of the show David sings to Jonathan: You are my sweetest downfall. I loved you first.
Kurt’s voice rises skilfully. For just a moment he turns his head and looks at Blaine. Blaine stops breathing.
I loved you first.
**
“I just need the dance crew to pull this section together,” says the choreographer, Joshua, in his pleasant voice. “The rest of you don’t go anywhere. It’ll only take five.”
Kurt walks over and sits in the first row. The guys playing Jesse and Saul aren’t available for a few days so they’re starting on the club scene. It’s hip hop - sexy and ridiculous. Kurt has a lot of dance training, but there are no pirouettes in this. He’s weary of his own body.
Elisha throws himself into the seat beside Kurt. “You’re doing alright, for a white boy,” he grins cheekily and it lights his eyes.
“Hip Hop,” Kurt sighs. “Not exactly my forte. I spent years just training myself out of shimmying.”
“Huh. Well I meant it, you’re doing fine. But talk to Joshua. He’s a good choreographer and a creative guy. I’ve worked with him before on one of that neverending series of Step-Up movies. I figure you’re playing a 17 year old kid trying to seduce this super-hot princely ass. You want to bring something that stands out.”
“Standing out isn't usually my problem,” says Kurt, trying not to feel indignant.
“No, I suppose not.” Elisha looks him up and down appreciatively. He’s a straight guy, Kurt’s pretty sure. But he’s the kind of straight guy who works in theater. He’s comfortable in his own skin and comfortable admiring that of others.
“I mean, an actual shimmy is probably out,” says Elisha.
Kurt laughs as Joshua calls them over. “I’ll try to avoid the jazz hands too, shall I?”
He approaches Joshua a little tentatively. He doesn’t want to appear too much of a diva. Not yet, anyway.
“Can I try this a little differently?” Kurt says. “I’m thinking a bit more hip movement a bit less krumping, which is not really in my skill set.” Joshua eyes him. He’s pretty laid back for a choreographer but he has no reason to trust Kurt with this.
“If it doesn’t work for you I’ll switch back,” Kurt says. “I’ll krump. I’ll chest pop or pop lock if you need me to.”
“Jerk.”
“Excuse me?”
“Jerk, pop, lock, krump, clown, twerk, tilt.” Joshua’s laughing at him. “My choice.”
“But I can try it my way first?”
“Sure. Give it a go.”
Kurt smiles his thanks and heads over join the cast. He sees Blaine seated toward the back of the rehearsal space and tries not to view his presence as additional pressure. Instead he slides into David’s mind.
Kurt knows what it’s like to long for someone you think is out of your league. It’s easy to remember being the kid on the outside, looking in. Blaine, his self-assured teenage dream of a private school boyfriend, is entirely too caught up in that thinking. But this is David’s life and Jonathan is David’s dream. Kurt steps into the scene.
The next time through there’s that perfect flicker of chemistry between David and Jonathan. Kurt circles Elisha and backs away, building David’s youthful confidence in his eyes and through his body. When David sings, I want to shut down the club, with you, he knows Jonathan can think of nothing else. When Jonathan says I might lose it, David is thrilled and wary, watching this soldier prince who can’t tear his eyes away.
When the scene is over, Elisha claps him on the back. “Hot,” he says, grinning.
“It felt good. Thanks for your advice.”
Kurt looks around the room. Blaine has disappeared sometime during the scene. Kurt hopes he didn’t miss seeing the things he’d written coming to life.
On the way home he gets a message.
From Blaine: The scene was wonderful. Can’t wait to see more.
**
It's dark and wet outside. Kurt’s just made it home after rehearsal ran long. Kurt’s phone rings.
“Raf!” he answers. He props the phone on his shoulder and sits on the edge of his bed to unlace his boots.
“Hey baby,” says Raf. “How’s San Francisco treating you?”
“Amazing. Lonely. Amazing. The show’s going well, I think.”
Raf talks about a party with some of their friends, and how much Kurt would love some underground piano bar his team mates found. When they hang up Kurt is smiling. He steps over to the basin he’s put in his room and pours out some water from the jug.
Before Kurt finishes washing his phone rings. It’s Raf again. Kurt dabs his face dry as he answers.
“Aww. Did you miss me too much?” Kurt says.
“Kurt. Baby, I need to tell you something.”
Kurt’s stomach drops. He presses a hand against the dresser to support himself. “What is it?” he says and his voice is very even.
“I- look- Kurt I’m so sorry.”
“What did you do?”
“I- slept with someone. Kurt. I am so very sorry. I was- I missed you and-“
“Stop there.”
“I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
“Just a suggestion, then, perhaps you could have kept your dick out of some guy’s ass in the week and a half that I’ve been gone.”
“It wasn’t like that-“
“I don’t care who fucked who, Raf. I don’t care if you were thinking with your dick or your tiny, tiny ego. Either way you fucked me.”
Kurt hangs up.
He moisturizes his face with care. He looks out over the light and dark of San Francisco. He closes his eyes. His phone rings again and he turns it off. “Fuck this,” he says aloud. Kurt doesn’t expect epic movie magic romance any more. But he does hope for fidelity. He sets his jaw and keeps a hold on his hurt and anger. He has another rehearsal in the morning. Maybe at the end of the week he can deal with this.
Chapter 6