Free Time
Media: Fic
Title: Free Time
Author: yourebrilliant
Rating: PG
Pairings: Kurt/Blaine, Finn/Rachel
Spoilers: Episode 3x18 on in the author's note, none in the fic, AU
Warnings (if any): none
Word Count: ~2,700
Summary: It’s three weeks into their first semester at NYADA and “Free Time” has become a decidedly relative term for Kurt and Rachel. A quiet moment during the first frantic weeks in New York
Author's Note: AU now, based on the premise that Kurt and Rachel would fail their first NYADA auditions and end up going the next year. They live with Blaine and Finn in a 2-bed flat. Blaine and Finn work office jobs.
It’s three weeks into their first semester at NYADA and “Free Time” has become a decidedly relative term for Kurt and Rachel. Any time not in classes is spent practicing in empty classrooms or holed up in the library studying. For Kurt and Rachel, there are no “days of the week” anymore, there are only “days they have class” and “days they don’t have class”. Kurt only knows it’s Saturday because he wakes up late. His phone is programmed to wake him up at some unreasonable hour Sunday through Friday, prompting a frantic attempt to silence it before it wakes Blaine, before he reluctantly slips out of Blaine’s embrace and tiptoes into the hall to meet up with Rachel where they’ll get ready with hushed urgency, slipping out the door before either of their partners’ alarms go off.
This morning, though, this morning is his guilty pleasure, one of the two moments of free time he allows himself. This morning he’ll have a lazy start, cuddling Blaine until the two of them are forced out of bed to make breakfast. He’ll kiss Blaine goodbye and then he and Rachel will disappear to NYADA or the library and they’ll barely see Finn and Blaine until Sunday afternoon, when Kurt and Rachel will pack up early and the four of them will have a long meal together, relaxing for a brief moment in their hectic week.
At least, he would lie here cuddling with Blaine, if it weren’t for the fact that Blaine - who is currently wound around him like an overly-amorous koala - is nuzzling his neck in a purposeful fashion. Kurt tries to steel himself to be strong; he is well acquainted with the purpose behind the nuzzling, and lies still, hoping that Blaine will lose interest. Or fall asleep. There is a pause where Kurt allows himself to hope, before the nuzzling resumes.
‘No,’ Kurt says, eyes still closed. He doesn’t dare to open them, doesn’t have to since he already knows that Blaine will be employing the puppy eyes. He’s not a pushover, he can resist the puppy eyes in most circumstances, but this morning, the puppy eyes will be accompanied by sleep-tousled curls and a slight flush of colour in Blaine’s skin from the warmth of their bed. He’ll probably have a crease in his cheek from a fold in the pillow case and, damn if that isn’t Kurt’s kryptonite.
‘Please, Kurt?’ Blaine asks, his slightly-scratchy voice as heartbreakingly pitiful as those eyes would be if Kurt were stupid enough to look at them. ‘Just this once?’ This is a blatant lie and they both know it.
Kurt shakes his head, eyes still firmly shut. Blaine sighs, his breath gusting across Kurt’s neck and falls silent. Kurt waits, knowing this is only a temporary reprieve.
‘I’d do it for you,’ Blaine says after a moment, nuzzling closer again.
‘Then you can do it for yourself,’ Kurt reasons, frantically trying to shore up his rapidly-weakening defences. It is an exercise in futility, though, and the next breathy nuzzle is the final straw. ‘Fine,’ Kurt says, sighing dramatically as he flings back the covers and climbs out of bed. Blaine squeaks and drags the covers back around him as Kurt jams his feet into the slippers beside his bed and drags on his robe. Turning in the bedroom doorway, he sweeps his arm out, gesturing commandingly at Blaine, regardless of the fact that Blaine has already snuggled back down under the covers and can’t see him anyway. ‘Just. This. Once,’ he declares portentously. As he leaves, he thinks about swirling his robe around him like a Disney villain, but decides it probably involves more co-ordination than he is currently capable of.
Finn is already up when Kurt shuffles into the kitchen. He is perched on one of the counters, eating an over-full bowl of children’s cereal and watching the Cartoon Network. Kurt is grateful that Finn appears to have transferred to the flat the no-food-near-the-sofa rule Kurt instituted at home, particularly since his cereal looks like the kind that colours the milk. Without acknowledging Finn, Kurt starts manipulating the expensive coffee maker that Cooper had given them as a flat-warming gift. It is amazing and Kurt regularly has to restrain the urge to build a shrine to it and list it as his deity on census forms.
Grateful that Blaine’s coffee order is relatively simple, Kurt retrieves a mug and sets it up to receive the thick, black coffee Blaine favours. The distressed gurgling of the boiling water is enough to draw Finn’s attention and he flashes Kurt a welcoming grin.
‘You’re up early,’ he comments, looking ridiculously cheerful and quite possibly wearing pyjamas with dinosaurs on them.
‘I’m not up,’ Kurt responds shortly. He leans against the counter, trying to exercise his brain as little as possible. If he’s lucky, he might be able to get back to sleep after this.
There is a pause and Kurt looks over to find Finn casting him a puzzled glance.
‘I mean,’ Kurt clarifies, ‘I’m not officially “up”. I’m just here to make coffee because Blaine won’t leave me alone until I do.’
As the coffee machine begins to fill Blaine’s mug, Kurt looks over to find Finn watching him, his expression appearing to hover between “Protective Brother” and “Disturbed Brother” pending further information.
Kurt hitches one shoulder in a sleepy shrug and avoids Finn’s eye as he murmurs. ‘He keeps…nuzzling me.’
Immediately Finn’s expression shifts into “Disturbed Brother”. ‘Woah. TMI, bro.’
Kurt shakes his head fondly; warmed by the knowledge that Finn’s discomfort is firmly planted in his fraternal perception of Kurt. As the machine hisses and starts to spurt out coffee, Kurt reaches up and retrieves the shaker of cinnamon from the cupboard overhead. ‘Any sign of Rachel?’ he asks, slumping back against the counter.
Finn shakes his head fervently. ‘She’s still sacked out. I tried to lift her eyemask and she growled at me!’
Kurt snorts inelegantly, retrieving the full mug and dusting cinnamon over the top. Abandoning the shaker on the counter, he scoops up the mug and shuffles back towards his room.
Finn frowns after him, calling ‘Want me to try to wake her up?’ as he reaches over to switch off the coffee machine.
Kurt waves ambiguously from the bedroom doorway before shuffling inside.
He sets the coffee on Blaine’s night stand, smiling fondly at him as he hangs up his robe and steps out of his slippers. Blaine has stretched out, sprawling across the entire mattress as if trying to fill the space created by Kurt’s absence. Reaching down, Kurt brushes a fluffy curl back from Blaine’s forehead.
‘Blaine,’ he murmurs quietly. Blaine makes no response. Kurt leans closer. ‘Blaine,’ he sings. Blaine huffs slightly but does not move. Kurt waves the coffee under Blaine’s nose. ‘Blaine, coffee,’ he calls enticingly. When there is still no response. Kurt sighs, sets the coffee down on the nightstand, and prods Blaine in the backside with his foot. Blaine starts awake, peering around fuzzily and Kurt permits himself a smug smile as he makes his way back to his side of the bed.
‘Whazgoinon?’ Blaine asks, blinking his big, brown eyes sleepily.
Kurt gestures to the nightstand as he climbs back into his side of the bed. ‘Coffee delivered,’ he explains.
Blaine’s gaze alights on the tall mug and his eyes light up. Scrambling upright, he carefully lifts the mug over and takes a reverent sip. His exhale when he moves the mug away is disturbingly comparable to a teenager sighing over their crush. ‘I love you,’ he comments, and Kurt has to look over to check who Blaine is referring to.
‘You love coffee,’ he counters, trying not to laugh at the smitten expression on Blaine’s face.
‘I love coffee and you,’ he retorts, as Kurt knew he would.
A mischievous impulse grabs him and he paints a solemn expression on his face as he turns to Blaine and asks ‘Enough to give me your coffee?’
Blaine glances frantically between Kurt and the mug, expression conflicted, before sighing and reluctantly holding out the mug.
Kurt is touched and amused, but gently pushes Blaine’s hand back. ‘It’s alright,’ Kurt says, pecking a kiss on Blaine’s cheek. ‘There’s enough room in this relationship for both me and your love affair with coffee.’
Blaine sighs with exaggerated relief and knocks back another slug of coffee. Kurt is just lying down again when the light from the hall is interrupted by a petite figure and he remembers too late that he left their bedroom door open. Before he can say anything, Rachel has padded around to his side of the bed and climbed in, disappearing entirely under the covers.
‘Um, Rachel…’ Blaine begins, glancing at Kurt for guidance.
Kurt shrugs and wriggles down under the covers until he can see Rachel’s face. ‘What-’ he pauses and pulls the covers down for a second. ‘Mints,’ he mutters to Blaine. Blaine nods and hands over a small silver case from his nightstand. Kurt wriggles back under the covers, pops a small sugar-free mint into his mouth and offers the pack to Rachel, who readily accepts. ‘What the hell are you doing in my bed, Rachel?’ he asks conversationally.
‘Hiding,’ Rachel replies simply.
‘Why?’ Kurt drawls, wracking his mind for a reason.
Rachel huffs with exasperation. ‘Your brother keeps trying to get me out of bed.’
‘Funny,’ Kurt says, tilting his head at her, ‘your brother keeps trying to do the same to me.’
‘My brother?’ Rachel asks, her brow furrowed in confusion. ‘I don’t have a-’ Her eyes widen in comprehension as Blaine snuggles under the covers behind Kurt. ‘Blaine is not my brother.’ Blaine looks at her oddly but Kurt is responding before he can speak.
‘Yes, he is, Rachel. I don’t care what science says, science is wrong because Blaine is your brother. It’s the only thing that makes sense. You must be....’ he throws his hands up as far as he can in the small space, ‘cosmically related. Or something.’ He glances over his shoulder at Blaine, who has heard this rant before and is smiling indulgently as he reaches for a mint.
‘I have always wanted a brother,’ Rachel says quietly.
Kurt grins. ‘Mazel tov,’ he declares.
‘So, why is Rachel here?’ Blaine asks, wrapping an arm around Kurt’s waist and propping his chin on Kurt’s shoulder so he can see them both.
‘She’s hiding from Finn because he wants her to get up,’ Kurt summarises.
‘Wait,’ Rachel says suddenly, looking a little ill. ‘If we’re related, what about the,’ she leans forward and whispers ‘House Party Incident?’
Kurt waves this consideration away. ‘You didn’t know at the time so it falls under the “Star Wars” clause.’
‘Oh,’ Rachel says. ‘Ohhhhh! That would make me Princess Leia, right?’
‘Right,’ Kurt says. ‘And Blaine would be Luke Skywalker.’ Blaine hides his smile in Kurt’s shoulder.
‘So you’re saying, subconsciously we recognised each other but we mistook our sibling bond for a romantic connection?’ Rachel appears to be experiencing an epiphany, which always concerns Kurt.
As Blaine agrees, a plaintive voice calls from the doorway. ‘Guys?’
Kurt peeks over the top of the duvet. ‘Spongebob finished?’
Finn scoffs at him. ‘Dude, have I taught you nothing? Spongebob is Nickelodeon, I was watching Cartoon Network.’
‘My greatest apologies,’ Kurt responds, smiling warmly. ‘I assume you’re joining us? Rachel’s on that side and we’re talking about Star Wars.’
Finn beams. ‘Awesome.’ He climbs in after Rachel, accidentally goosing her in the process which sends them all into fits of laughter. When they’ve calmed down and everyone has shifted around to make room, Finn speaks again. ‘So, Star Wars?’
‘Yes,’ Rachel says, shifting slightly so she can look at him. ‘Kurt thinks Blaine and I are cosmically related,’ Finn nods easily and Rachel continues, ‘which would be a problem with the House Party Incident, but, apparently since we didn’t know we were siblings at the time it falls under the “Star Wars” clause.’
‘Like Luke and Leia,’ Finn agrees. ‘Totally.’ He pauses and then smiles down at her. ‘You know that makes me Han Solo.’
Rachel grins up at him and bats her lashes. ‘My hero.’
‘Wait,’ Blaine says suddenly, ‘what about Kurt?’
‘Well he would be Luke’s love interest,’ Rachel replies. ‘Who was that?’ In return for their Barbra marathon, Rachel and Kurt had been forced to sit through a day of Star Wars movies, but they had lost interest halfway through and ended up texting each other instead, so they were both a little hazy on the details.
Blaine’s face falls and Finn shifts awkwardly. ‘Luke, kinda didn’t get one,’ Finn says, at last.
‘What?’ Rachel asks, astounded. ‘Why?’
‘He was a little busy saving the universe,’ Kurt replies, reaching out and clasping Blaine’s hand.
Blaine sighs. ‘No one should be too busy for love,’ he comments.
‘But, I bet he wasn’t,’ Finn says, perking up. ‘We never saw the end of the story!’
Kurt looks at him askance, but Blaine is beaming. ‘That’s right; there was a third trilogy to go!’
‘There’s more?’ Kurt asks, bemused.
‘Kind of?’ Blaine hedges. ‘There were always supposed to be nine movies, three trilogies, but only the first six have been made.’
‘Exactly,’ Finn says, warming to his subject, ‘and I bet the last three were totally about Luke falling in love. I bet Han got a message from his mom saying she was getting re-married.’
Blaine laughs. ‘And Luke, Han, and Leia are all invited to the ceremony.’
‘Right!’ Finn says. ‘And when they get there, it turns out that Han’s new step-father has a son.’
‘A totally fabulous son,’ Rachel adds.
Kurt preens. ‘Obviously.’
‘And the son goes to spy on Han to make sure his new step-brother is a good guy,’ Blaine says, smiling fondly down at Kurt. ‘But there’s a mix-up and he meets Luke instead.’
‘And he’s so distraught that this man is going to be his brother,’ Kurt adds quietly, ‘because he’s already in love with him.’
‘Love at first sight,’ Rachel sighs. Finn smiles down at her and hugs her close.
‘But he can’t say anything because Luke thinks he’s just another guest,’ Kurt adds.
‘But then Han and Leia show up and he realises that Han is going to be his brother,’ Finn adds.
‘And he’s happy with that, because Han seems like a good guy,’ Kurt comments, exchanging smiles with Finn, ‘and besides, if Han’s his brother, he can ask Luke-’
‘Who’s completely in love with him,’ Blaine adds, pecking Kurt on the cheek.
‘To be his hero.’
‘But Luke needs a hero of his own, so they agree to have reciprocal hero status,’ Blaine responds, causing Kurt to laugh.
‘And the four of them go out into the galaxy, fighting evil,’ Finn continues.
‘Righting wrongs,’ Kurt adds.
‘And being generally awesome,’ Blaine finishes.
‘But, not until after the reception,’ Rachel comments.
‘Of course,’ Kurt agrees readily, ‘fabulous heroes are all about the wedding cake.’
Blaine smothers a laugh in Kurt’s shoulder and the four of them lie in comfortable silence for a long moment.
‘Is anyone else starving?’ Finn asks quietly.
‘You just ate the largest bowl of cereal known to man,’ Kurt comments. ‘Where do you put it all?’
‘Well, there’s a lot of me to fill,’ Finn retorts.
Rachel laughs. ‘Come on, my hero, I’ll make you some galaxy-saving toast.’ Finn grins at her and climbs out from under the covers, reaching down to help Rachel out as well. Kurt snuggles back against Blaine, rubbing a thumb over their joined hands and enjoying the peace and quiet.
‘I’m glad you found me,’ Blaine comments after a moment.
‘So am I,’ Kurt responds, turning to kiss Blaine warmly. They lie in silence for another moment.
‘Didn’t Luke save the galaxy?’ Blaine comments eventually.
‘Are you angling for some hero toast?’ Kurt asks, smiling.
‘Hero toast is very rare,’ Blaine responds solemnly.
Kurt grins and wriggles out of Blaine’s grasp. ‘Okay, let’s get you some hero toast.’
‘Hey,’ Blaine says, climbing out the other side of the bed, ‘you get toast too. You’re my hero, remember.’
Kurt smiles and reaches out and takes Blaine’s hand. ‘And you’re mine.’
‘Toast for everyone, then,’ Blaine comments quietly, pulling Kurt in for a kiss.
Title: Free Time
Author: yourebrilliant
Rating: PG
Pairings: Kurt/Blaine, Finn/Rachel
Spoilers: Episode 3x18 on in the author's note, none in the fic, AU
Warnings (if any): none
Word Count: ~2,700
Summary: It’s three weeks into their first semester at NYADA and “Free Time” has become a decidedly relative term for Kurt and Rachel. A quiet moment during the first frantic weeks in New York
Author's Note: AU now, based on the premise that Kurt and Rachel would fail their first NYADA auditions and end up going the next year. They live with Blaine and Finn in a 2-bed flat. Blaine and Finn work office jobs.
It’s three weeks into their first semester at NYADA and “Free Time” has become a decidedly relative term for Kurt and Rachel. Any time not in classes is spent practicing in empty classrooms or holed up in the library studying. For Kurt and Rachel, there are no “days of the week” anymore, there are only “days they have class” and “days they don’t have class”. Kurt only knows it’s Saturday because he wakes up late. His phone is programmed to wake him up at some unreasonable hour Sunday through Friday, prompting a frantic attempt to silence it before it wakes Blaine, before he reluctantly slips out of Blaine’s embrace and tiptoes into the hall to meet up with Rachel where they’ll get ready with hushed urgency, slipping out the door before either of their partners’ alarms go off.
This morning, though, this morning is his guilty pleasure, one of the two moments of free time he allows himself. This morning he’ll have a lazy start, cuddling Blaine until the two of them are forced out of bed to make breakfast. He’ll kiss Blaine goodbye and then he and Rachel will disappear to NYADA or the library and they’ll barely see Finn and Blaine until Sunday afternoon, when Kurt and Rachel will pack up early and the four of them will have a long meal together, relaxing for a brief moment in their hectic week.
At least, he would lie here cuddling with Blaine, if it weren’t for the fact that Blaine - who is currently wound around him like an overly-amorous koala - is nuzzling his neck in a purposeful fashion. Kurt tries to steel himself to be strong; he is well acquainted with the purpose behind the nuzzling, and lies still, hoping that Blaine will lose interest. Or fall asleep. There is a pause where Kurt allows himself to hope, before the nuzzling resumes.
‘No,’ Kurt says, eyes still closed. He doesn’t dare to open them, doesn’t have to since he already knows that Blaine will be employing the puppy eyes. He’s not a pushover, he can resist the puppy eyes in most circumstances, but this morning, the puppy eyes will be accompanied by sleep-tousled curls and a slight flush of colour in Blaine’s skin from the warmth of their bed. He’ll probably have a crease in his cheek from a fold in the pillow case and, damn if that isn’t Kurt’s kryptonite.
‘Please, Kurt?’ Blaine asks, his slightly-scratchy voice as heartbreakingly pitiful as those eyes would be if Kurt were stupid enough to look at them. ‘Just this once?’ This is a blatant lie and they both know it.
Kurt shakes his head, eyes still firmly shut. Blaine sighs, his breath gusting across Kurt’s neck and falls silent. Kurt waits, knowing this is only a temporary reprieve.
‘I’d do it for you,’ Blaine says after a moment, nuzzling closer again.
‘Then you can do it for yourself,’ Kurt reasons, frantically trying to shore up his rapidly-weakening defences. It is an exercise in futility, though, and the next breathy nuzzle is the final straw. ‘Fine,’ Kurt says, sighing dramatically as he flings back the covers and climbs out of bed. Blaine squeaks and drags the covers back around him as Kurt jams his feet into the slippers beside his bed and drags on his robe. Turning in the bedroom doorway, he sweeps his arm out, gesturing commandingly at Blaine, regardless of the fact that Blaine has already snuggled back down under the covers and can’t see him anyway. ‘Just. This. Once,’ he declares portentously. As he leaves, he thinks about swirling his robe around him like a Disney villain, but decides it probably involves more co-ordination than he is currently capable of.
Finn is already up when Kurt shuffles into the kitchen. He is perched on one of the counters, eating an over-full bowl of children’s cereal and watching the Cartoon Network. Kurt is grateful that Finn appears to have transferred to the flat the no-food-near-the-sofa rule Kurt instituted at home, particularly since his cereal looks like the kind that colours the milk. Without acknowledging Finn, Kurt starts manipulating the expensive coffee maker that Cooper had given them as a flat-warming gift. It is amazing and Kurt regularly has to restrain the urge to build a shrine to it and list it as his deity on census forms.
Grateful that Blaine’s coffee order is relatively simple, Kurt retrieves a mug and sets it up to receive the thick, black coffee Blaine favours. The distressed gurgling of the boiling water is enough to draw Finn’s attention and he flashes Kurt a welcoming grin.
‘You’re up early,’ he comments, looking ridiculously cheerful and quite possibly wearing pyjamas with dinosaurs on them.
‘I’m not up,’ Kurt responds shortly. He leans against the counter, trying to exercise his brain as little as possible. If he’s lucky, he might be able to get back to sleep after this.
There is a pause and Kurt looks over to find Finn casting him a puzzled glance.
‘I mean,’ Kurt clarifies, ‘I’m not officially “up”. I’m just here to make coffee because Blaine won’t leave me alone until I do.’
As the coffee machine begins to fill Blaine’s mug, Kurt looks over to find Finn watching him, his expression appearing to hover between “Protective Brother” and “Disturbed Brother” pending further information.
Kurt hitches one shoulder in a sleepy shrug and avoids Finn’s eye as he murmurs. ‘He keeps…nuzzling me.’
Immediately Finn’s expression shifts into “Disturbed Brother”. ‘Woah. TMI, bro.’
Kurt shakes his head fondly; warmed by the knowledge that Finn’s discomfort is firmly planted in his fraternal perception of Kurt. As the machine hisses and starts to spurt out coffee, Kurt reaches up and retrieves the shaker of cinnamon from the cupboard overhead. ‘Any sign of Rachel?’ he asks, slumping back against the counter.
Finn shakes his head fervently. ‘She’s still sacked out. I tried to lift her eyemask and she growled at me!’
Kurt snorts inelegantly, retrieving the full mug and dusting cinnamon over the top. Abandoning the shaker on the counter, he scoops up the mug and shuffles back towards his room.
Finn frowns after him, calling ‘Want me to try to wake her up?’ as he reaches over to switch off the coffee machine.
Kurt waves ambiguously from the bedroom doorway before shuffling inside.
He sets the coffee on Blaine’s night stand, smiling fondly at him as he hangs up his robe and steps out of his slippers. Blaine has stretched out, sprawling across the entire mattress as if trying to fill the space created by Kurt’s absence. Reaching down, Kurt brushes a fluffy curl back from Blaine’s forehead.
‘Blaine,’ he murmurs quietly. Blaine makes no response. Kurt leans closer. ‘Blaine,’ he sings. Blaine huffs slightly but does not move. Kurt waves the coffee under Blaine’s nose. ‘Blaine, coffee,’ he calls enticingly. When there is still no response. Kurt sighs, sets the coffee down on the nightstand, and prods Blaine in the backside with his foot. Blaine starts awake, peering around fuzzily and Kurt permits himself a smug smile as he makes his way back to his side of the bed.
‘Whazgoinon?’ Blaine asks, blinking his big, brown eyes sleepily.
Kurt gestures to the nightstand as he climbs back into his side of the bed. ‘Coffee delivered,’ he explains.
Blaine’s gaze alights on the tall mug and his eyes light up. Scrambling upright, he carefully lifts the mug over and takes a reverent sip. His exhale when he moves the mug away is disturbingly comparable to a teenager sighing over their crush. ‘I love you,’ he comments, and Kurt has to look over to check who Blaine is referring to.
‘You love coffee,’ he counters, trying not to laugh at the smitten expression on Blaine’s face.
‘I love coffee and you,’ he retorts, as Kurt knew he would.
A mischievous impulse grabs him and he paints a solemn expression on his face as he turns to Blaine and asks ‘Enough to give me your coffee?’
Blaine glances frantically between Kurt and the mug, expression conflicted, before sighing and reluctantly holding out the mug.
Kurt is touched and amused, but gently pushes Blaine’s hand back. ‘It’s alright,’ Kurt says, pecking a kiss on Blaine’s cheek. ‘There’s enough room in this relationship for both me and your love affair with coffee.’
Blaine sighs with exaggerated relief and knocks back another slug of coffee. Kurt is just lying down again when the light from the hall is interrupted by a petite figure and he remembers too late that he left their bedroom door open. Before he can say anything, Rachel has padded around to his side of the bed and climbed in, disappearing entirely under the covers.
‘Um, Rachel…’ Blaine begins, glancing at Kurt for guidance.
Kurt shrugs and wriggles down under the covers until he can see Rachel’s face. ‘What-’ he pauses and pulls the covers down for a second. ‘Mints,’ he mutters to Blaine. Blaine nods and hands over a small silver case from his nightstand. Kurt wriggles back under the covers, pops a small sugar-free mint into his mouth and offers the pack to Rachel, who readily accepts. ‘What the hell are you doing in my bed, Rachel?’ he asks conversationally.
‘Hiding,’ Rachel replies simply.
‘Why?’ Kurt drawls, wracking his mind for a reason.
Rachel huffs with exasperation. ‘Your brother keeps trying to get me out of bed.’
‘Funny,’ Kurt says, tilting his head at her, ‘your brother keeps trying to do the same to me.’
‘My brother?’ Rachel asks, her brow furrowed in confusion. ‘I don’t have a-’ Her eyes widen in comprehension as Blaine snuggles under the covers behind Kurt. ‘Blaine is not my brother.’ Blaine looks at her oddly but Kurt is responding before he can speak.
‘Yes, he is, Rachel. I don’t care what science says, science is wrong because Blaine is your brother. It’s the only thing that makes sense. You must be....’ he throws his hands up as far as he can in the small space, ‘cosmically related. Or something.’ He glances over his shoulder at Blaine, who has heard this rant before and is smiling indulgently as he reaches for a mint.
‘I have always wanted a brother,’ Rachel says quietly.
Kurt grins. ‘Mazel tov,’ he declares.
‘So, why is Rachel here?’ Blaine asks, wrapping an arm around Kurt’s waist and propping his chin on Kurt’s shoulder so he can see them both.
‘She’s hiding from Finn because he wants her to get up,’ Kurt summarises.
‘Wait,’ Rachel says suddenly, looking a little ill. ‘If we’re related, what about the,’ she leans forward and whispers ‘House Party Incident?’
Kurt waves this consideration away. ‘You didn’t know at the time so it falls under the “Star Wars” clause.’
‘Oh,’ Rachel says. ‘Ohhhhh! That would make me Princess Leia, right?’
‘Right,’ Kurt says. ‘And Blaine would be Luke Skywalker.’ Blaine hides his smile in Kurt’s shoulder.
‘So you’re saying, subconsciously we recognised each other but we mistook our sibling bond for a romantic connection?’ Rachel appears to be experiencing an epiphany, which always concerns Kurt.
As Blaine agrees, a plaintive voice calls from the doorway. ‘Guys?’
Kurt peeks over the top of the duvet. ‘Spongebob finished?’
Finn scoffs at him. ‘Dude, have I taught you nothing? Spongebob is Nickelodeon, I was watching Cartoon Network.’
‘My greatest apologies,’ Kurt responds, smiling warmly. ‘I assume you’re joining us? Rachel’s on that side and we’re talking about Star Wars.’
Finn beams. ‘Awesome.’ He climbs in after Rachel, accidentally goosing her in the process which sends them all into fits of laughter. When they’ve calmed down and everyone has shifted around to make room, Finn speaks again. ‘So, Star Wars?’
‘Yes,’ Rachel says, shifting slightly so she can look at him. ‘Kurt thinks Blaine and I are cosmically related,’ Finn nods easily and Rachel continues, ‘which would be a problem with the House Party Incident, but, apparently since we didn’t know we were siblings at the time it falls under the “Star Wars” clause.’
‘Like Luke and Leia,’ Finn agrees. ‘Totally.’ He pauses and then smiles down at her. ‘You know that makes me Han Solo.’
Rachel grins up at him and bats her lashes. ‘My hero.’
‘Wait,’ Blaine says suddenly, ‘what about Kurt?’
‘Well he would be Luke’s love interest,’ Rachel replies. ‘Who was that?’ In return for their Barbra marathon, Rachel and Kurt had been forced to sit through a day of Star Wars movies, but they had lost interest halfway through and ended up texting each other instead, so they were both a little hazy on the details.
Blaine’s face falls and Finn shifts awkwardly. ‘Luke, kinda didn’t get one,’ Finn says, at last.
‘What?’ Rachel asks, astounded. ‘Why?’
‘He was a little busy saving the universe,’ Kurt replies, reaching out and clasping Blaine’s hand.
Blaine sighs. ‘No one should be too busy for love,’ he comments.
‘But, I bet he wasn’t,’ Finn says, perking up. ‘We never saw the end of the story!’
Kurt looks at him askance, but Blaine is beaming. ‘That’s right; there was a third trilogy to go!’
‘There’s more?’ Kurt asks, bemused.
‘Kind of?’ Blaine hedges. ‘There were always supposed to be nine movies, three trilogies, but only the first six have been made.’
‘Exactly,’ Finn says, warming to his subject, ‘and I bet the last three were totally about Luke falling in love. I bet Han got a message from his mom saying she was getting re-married.’
Blaine laughs. ‘And Luke, Han, and Leia are all invited to the ceremony.’
‘Right!’ Finn says. ‘And when they get there, it turns out that Han’s new step-father has a son.’
‘A totally fabulous son,’ Rachel adds.
Kurt preens. ‘Obviously.’
‘And the son goes to spy on Han to make sure his new step-brother is a good guy,’ Blaine says, smiling fondly down at Kurt. ‘But there’s a mix-up and he meets Luke instead.’
‘And he’s so distraught that this man is going to be his brother,’ Kurt adds quietly, ‘because he’s already in love with him.’
‘Love at first sight,’ Rachel sighs. Finn smiles down at her and hugs her close.
‘But he can’t say anything because Luke thinks he’s just another guest,’ Kurt adds.
‘But then Han and Leia show up and he realises that Han is going to be his brother,’ Finn adds.
‘And he’s happy with that, because Han seems like a good guy,’ Kurt comments, exchanging smiles with Finn, ‘and besides, if Han’s his brother, he can ask Luke-’
‘Who’s completely in love with him,’ Blaine adds, pecking Kurt on the cheek.
‘To be his hero.’
‘But Luke needs a hero of his own, so they agree to have reciprocal hero status,’ Blaine responds, causing Kurt to laugh.
‘And the four of them go out into the galaxy, fighting evil,’ Finn continues.
‘Righting wrongs,’ Kurt adds.
‘And being generally awesome,’ Blaine finishes.
‘But, not until after the reception,’ Rachel comments.
‘Of course,’ Kurt agrees readily, ‘fabulous heroes are all about the wedding cake.’
Blaine smothers a laugh in Kurt’s shoulder and the four of them lie in comfortable silence for a long moment.
‘Is anyone else starving?’ Finn asks quietly.
‘You just ate the largest bowl of cereal known to man,’ Kurt comments. ‘Where do you put it all?’
‘Well, there’s a lot of me to fill,’ Finn retorts.
Rachel laughs. ‘Come on, my hero, I’ll make you some galaxy-saving toast.’ Finn grins at her and climbs out from under the covers, reaching down to help Rachel out as well. Kurt snuggles back against Blaine, rubbing a thumb over their joined hands and enjoying the peace and quiet.
‘I’m glad you found me,’ Blaine comments after a moment.
‘So am I,’ Kurt responds, turning to kiss Blaine warmly. They lie in silence for another moment.
‘Didn’t Luke save the galaxy?’ Blaine comments eventually.
‘Are you angling for some hero toast?’ Kurt asks, smiling.
‘Hero toast is very rare,’ Blaine responds solemnly.
Kurt grins and wriggles out of Blaine’s grasp. ‘Okay, let’s get you some hero toast.’
‘Hey,’ Blaine says, climbing out the other side of the bed, ‘you get toast too. You’re my hero, remember.’
Kurt smiles and reaches out and takes Blaine’s hand. ‘And you’re mine.’
‘Toast for everyone, then,’ Blaine comments quietly, pulling Kurt in for a kiss.