Fic: Together, We are the Oceans (Part 10/14)
Media: Fic
Title: Together, We are the Oceans (Part 10/14)
Author: Aelora
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Kurt and Blaine slowly move toward being more comfortable with one another while the Warblers continue to be boys.
Disclaimer: I have no claim to Kurt and Blaine, which is sad. And also rhymes. All similarities to persons or events are purely coincidental (okay, so maybe art is imitating life here, but names have been changed to protect the semi-innocent). This is homage to Celebrity Cruise Lines. Seriously.
A/N: As always, special thanks to my beta, dolimir_k. Warning ahead: Do not read if you haven't been to the dentist lately. Seriously, I've been vomiting rainbows and unicorns while writing it. The worst part? The following chapter may be worse. I do not lie! But, shaky ground is ahead, and for this I am thankful. (Don't worry, no drama between the boys, just drama.) Also, what happens in the beach bar really happened on my vacation. Not the stuff when the Warblers take over but the stuff leading up to it. Really happened. It was hilarious, and the a cappella group from the ship happened to be there to, and while they didn't step up, they found it just as funny as the rest of us. And look! I have a banner!! *flailz*
Banner by the lovely voldything.
Part One
Part Two
Part Three
Part Four
Part Five
Part Six
Part Seven
Part Eight
Part Nine A
Part Nine B
“Don't stop me now I'm having such a good time
I'm having a ball don't stop me now
If you wanna have a good time
Just give me a call
Don't stop me now ('Cause I'm having a good time)
Don't stop me now (Yes I'm having a good time)
I don't wanna stop at all
La la la la laaaa
La la la la
La la laa laa laa laaa
La la laa la la la la la laaa”
“Better,” Wes says, nodding and smiling in Flint’s direction. He glances over his shoulder at Jared. “Could do to hear a little more out of you. Kendrick, your steps were totally off. Try to keep up with the rest of us next time.”
When Wes turns away, Kendrick starts making faces at the back of his head. David points a warning finger at him.
This is the way rehearsal has been going all morning. The boys seem restless and impatient. The singing is fine but there’s always something a little off, and when the council members call them on it, tempers sometimes flare. Kurt is waiting for the inevitable time out to be called with the way some of them are behaving. He, of course, made it through Rio perfectly, and well, there’s no point in mentioning Blaine. He’s as bright-eyed and bushy-tailed as always, giving 110% and all of that. He’s like a sports cliché in a tailored suit-someone who has a great future as a motivational speaker selling self-help books and telling people “You can do it!” It’s a tip toward the ironic side of inevitable that this is the boy Kurt would fall in love with. The male version of Mary Poppins, but without the umbrella.
Kurt stifles a yawn, having stayed up too late telling Finn all about his evening with Blaine-dinner, dancing first with Blaine and then being joined by the others, even about the argument they’d had over Blaine not telling him about dating Kendrick. Finn had only fallen asleep a few times during Kurt’s recitation, and Kurt had thrown pillows at him each time to wake him back up. This is why he needs Mercedes. She’d appreciate hearing about his adventures in having a boyfriend.
“Jeff!” Wes calls out. “You’re up!”
Jeff’s out front with Here Comes the Sun which is one of Kurt’s favorite arrangements. It’s a lot of fun to sing. Jeff is adorably happy and bouncy through the whole thing. It’s such an upbeat tune that he can’t help but smile through it, especially when they all start clapping with “sun, sun, sun here it comes”. Okay, so there could possibly be other factors going on, like he totally thinks the song is a commentary on his life at the moment. Blaine’s beside him, singing and smiling right along with him and occasionally glancing at Kurt with those looks he likes to give that send Kurt’s heart into palpitations. So yeah, for all Kurt knows this arrangement could totally suck, but in his opinion, it’s pretty fantastic.
“Little darling, I feel that ice is slowly melting
Little darling, it seems like years since it's been clear
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun,
and I say it's all right
It's all right”
Okay, so maybe he and Blaine just sang the last verse to one another. Kurt doubts anyone actually noticed-
“Blaine, Kurt. Would you mind singing to the audience and not each other a little more often, please? I really don’t want to have to mention it again.”
“Sorry.”
“Sorry.” Kurt flushes with his apology.
It’s still something he‘s struggling with-the fact that he and Blaine dating is more of a non-issue with the group than it is with him. Wes scolds and Thad and David gently reprimand with regards to their loss of focus on occasion, but that’s pretty much it.
The initial teasing, which Kurt hasn’t seen as anything other than friends teasing friends for getting together, has subsided. Kurt feels like jumping up and down on the stage, waving his arms wildly and screaming But don’t you get it? Blaine’s my boyfriend! And yet everyone else is like, yeah, so? Were this New Directions, they’d still be facing at least a gay joke a day from Santana, and Kurt shudders to think what would come out of Puck’s mouth. He doesn’t even bother thinking about the reaction from those outside of New Directions…
Once they make it through the entire set once, Mr. Price comes up to talk with Wes, Thad and David for a moment. There’s some shuffling done to the song order and a few changes in their dance steps-for Don’t Stop Me Now and Rio, they suggest more freestyle dancing like they do during Teenage Dream. They decide to switch up the parts for You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling, so that Blaine, Nick, Jeremiah and David each take turns with the lead vocals. Kurt’s a little annoyed at not being given a part-he likes Nick, Jeremiah and David a lot, but his voice is far superior to each of them.
Part of the team, part of the team, he mentally chants to himself. He tells himself to remember that he’s the newest Warbler, and he can’t just expect to be handed solos left and right. He got Rio, and for now that should be enough. After all, it’s more than he ever got with New Directions, and however promised the solo may have been for Sectionals, Kurt wouldn’t have held out any hope that he’d actually end up being able to sing it. He likes Mr. Schue, he misses Mr. Schue, but sometimes he thinks his old glee teacher has the narrowest focus of any person he’s ever met.
When practice ends, the guys decide to get breakfast while the council members and Mr. Price remain in the theater. Wes, David and Thad are arguing about something-Kurt can’t quite make it out-but their teacher is apparently trying to keep the peace amongst them.
“So, do I get to see Kurt Hummel in swim trunks again?” Blaine asks as they walk with the others through the ship and up the stairs toward the Ocean Café. They’re holding hands, arms swinging slightly between them.
“If you’re good.” Kurt smiles and moves in close, and Blaine meets him for a quick kiss.
“Kurt and Blaine, sittin’ in a tree, K-I-S-S-“
“If you finish that song, Kendrick,” Blaine threatens. “I’m going to throw you overboard.”
Kurt glances back at the Warbler who winks at him with a smile.
Blaine follows Kurt’s gaze. “I swear you never made it past Kindergarten.”
“Yeah, well.” Kendrick slips past them, taking the steps two at a time, which is kind of impressive for his height. “At least it’s better than the old folk’s home, Anderson. How’s that going for you, by the way?”
“Want me to throw him over the railing, Blaine?” Jared asks, standing behind Kendrick.
Kendrick gives a fake shudder of fear.
“It wouldn’t be worth the murder charge,” Blaine tells him.
“I think it would…” There’s enough of a threat in his tone that Kendrick’s eyebrows raise and he darts past Jared, sprinting up the steps.
Kurt glances over at Blaine but notices that his boyfriend looks vaguely amused. “I don’t agree, you know.”
Blaine looks over at him. “Hmm. What?”
“I don’t agree with Kendrick. I don’t think you’re too uptight or anything like that. I don’t even know why he’d say such a thing.”
“Probably because I rarely find any of his antics funny.” Blaine shrugs. “Our personalities clash. I don’t let him get to me. It’s not like we aren’t friends. He’s just as important to me as anyone else in the Warblers.” He looks at Kurt and smiles. “Present company excepted, of course. You go beyond important.”
Kurt returns his smile and leans in to him. Releasing his hand, Blaine slides his arm around Kurt’s waist, pulling him closer. They enter the restaurant like that, heads bent together, Blaine telling him about Kendrick’s boyfriend Michael, and how his easy-going manner is apparently the only reason he hasn’t killed Kendrick yet. Kurt sees a couple of people look their way, but he doesn’t care. Blaine’s full attention is on him and his arm is warm and comforting around his waist, and when Kurt laughs at a story Blaine tells him about Michael once duct-taping Kendrick’s mouth shut during a movie night, Blaine rewards him with a quick kiss.
As they make their way through the buffet, sometimes grabbing one another’s hand, sometimes nudging shoulders or leaning in to whisper in one another’s ear, Kurt finds himself realizing that when Blaine is there, the rest of the world doesn’t matter. When they’re together, when Blaine is looking at him and smiling, a curtain seems to fall, closing them off from the rest of the world. Kurt only cares about the boy beside him, about what he does and what he says and what he thinks. He cares that Blaine looks at him like he’s perfect and clever and amazing and talented, and the voices around them turn into white noise, meaningless and unimportant.
He wonders if all love is like this as he watches Blaine catch a roll that Flint tosses to him from a few feet away. And then he thinks of Eddy and Carl, and how long they’ve been together, and what they’ve had to face to be together, and he thinks it probably is.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Magazine Beach in Grenada is one of those long stretches of sandy white beaches with too-perfect waves washing ashore and swaying palm trees. It’s not overly crowded, and the Warblers have a large section of the beach mostly to themselves.
Everyone chose to come today, including Mr. Price who is asleep in a lounge beneath a shady palm, an empty margarita glass beside him. If there is one thing Kurt has learned about their faculty adviser, it‘s that the man has no trouble with relaxing. But then, he’d also spent the majority of the morning trying to mediate the argument between the council members over whether or not they could forego the uniforms for the Thursday night performance for something more casual and fun. David was vehemently for it, Wes was vehemently against it, and Thad was abstaining, which Flint commented to Kurt was due to the fact that Thad was neither Democrat nor Republican but rather a staunch Independent. So Kurt doesn’t really begrudge Mr. Price the drink or the nap.
His dad and Carole had waded in the water together for a short time but now they were seated on the outside deck of the Aquarium restaurant, not too far from where Kurt was seated with Blaine, Kendrick, Nick and Jeff at the beach bar. The bartender doesn’t seem to mind that they’re just sipping on sodas and splitting a plate of nachos. There isn’t much conversation happening because the five boys are focused on the bar’s entertainment-a local guy dressed in a ridiculous suit and fedora, considering the heat, singing a medley of soft-rock tunes straight out of insert your neighborhood physician’s office here. They’re actually all watching with a tinge of horror and disbelief, because they’re apparently the only people in the bar who get what’s actually going on.
“I’m most impressed by how much he’s into it,” Nick remarks before leaning past Kurt to grab another nacho. “The dude has no shame whatsoever.”
“Well,” Blaine looks around the bar, “he’s got a captive audience, and they’re kind of into it without actually paying any attention.”
“Mostly because they’re inebriated.” Jeff slurps loudly through his straw. Jeff uses words like ‘inebriated’ instead of ‘drunk’. It amuses the hell out of Kurt.
“Hey, guys!” Finn greets as he appears between Blaine and Kurt’s shoulders. “Oooh! Nachos!” He reaches to grab one but Kurt slaps his hand away. “Ow!”
“Did you ask?” Kurt fixes him with a glare. “Blaine paid for these, you know.”
Finn looks hurt. He glances over at Blaine, who unfortunately looks completely sympathetic. Kurt thinks he really needs to stop that. “Can I have some nachos, Blaine?” Finn asks miserably.
“Help yourself.” Blaine smiles and pushes the plate closer to him.
“Thanks, dude.” Finn continues to stand there as he eats.
Kurt leans forward to catch Blaine’s eye. “I think we’re going to need more.” He waves a hand behind him where more of the Warblers are appearing, wet from swimming, sand clinging to them from their knees down.
Nodding, Blaine asks the bartender if they could get two more orders of nachos. Nick adds a plate of sliders to that and Kendrick requests some spicy wings. Kurt thinks, well at least celery comes with wings. He really needs to work on the Warblers eating habits.
The Warblers mostly crowd around the bar, though a few grab the small two-person tables behind them. Finn finds it highly appropriate to remain standing between Kurt and his boyfriend. The murderous looks Kurt sends his direction aren’t even beginning to make an impact. He eventually realizes he’s going to just have to have a little talk with his stepbrother.
The singer begins a rendition of Don’t Worry, Be Happy. It sounds nothing like the last song. Nick groans and Blaine shakes his head. Kurt says, “I honestly can’t believe he’s getting away with it.”
“Getting away with what?” Finn asks with a mouthful of nacho before he nods his thanks to the bartender for the Coke he’s given.
“The singer,” Blaine responds. Kurt just stares at Finn, mortified. “And his,” Blaine makes air quotes, “singing.”
Finn glances over, looking confused. He shrugs. “I don’t get it. He’s pretty good.”
Kurt throws his hands in the air and sighs loudly. Blaine’s a little more patient, which is one of the reasons Kurt loves him so much. “Look at him, Finn,” he says. “Just look and listen.”
Finn looks over at the singer, watching him for a moment or two. Finally, the comprehension seems to set in and his eyes widen. He says a little too loudly, “He’s totally lip-synching!”
“And the boy finally gets it,” Kendrick remarks before ordering a third soda.
“It’s not even his own voice pre-recorded,” Nick says. “We’ve heard at least three different singers so far.”
Jeff adds, “I think this song makes four.”
Finn lowers his voice. “Are we the only ones who’ve noticed?”
The question amuses Kurt since, you know, Blaine had to point it out to him. They all nod. Jeff uses the word ‘inebriated’ again. They’re all quiet once more as they resume watching what has become more entertaining than anything they’ve seen in a long time. Kurt’s a little bored with it because, really, it’s offensive, someone pretending they can sing and stealing from others when they really can’t.
He works on picking the cheese off a nacho before eating the plain chip. Beneath the bar, he reaches out to the side with his foot, lightly tapping Blaine in the shin. His boyfriend glances over at him with a smile then taps his response against Kurt’s shin. It’s the stupidest, silliest, most childish thing ever, and Kurt can’t repress the smile that appears. They continue to do this back and forth through the next few minutes until the performer begins a new song.
Its Celine Dion’s Because You Loved Me sung by the same guy they’d heard a few songs earlier, and Kurt kind of wants to murder both the singer and the performer for their disrespect. Kurt finds himself listening to the lyrics and he can’t not look over at Blaine and think of him, and wow, when did he get so sappy?
And then it happens. The song reaches the chorus:
“You were my strength when I was weak
You were my voice when I couldn't speak
You were my eyes when I c-c-c-ouldn't…
c-c-c-couldn’t…”
The boys look on in growing amusement as the performer panics. The bartender turns and starts rapidly speaking to him in a mixture of French and what Kurt has picked up as Creole, waving his arms around and looking as if he might at any moment burst into an apoplectic fit. The performer starts screaming back at him, and then as one they both dive for the CD player behind the bar.
The patrons, who have finally caught on to what has been happening this entire time start booing and throwing wadded up napkins. There’s not any real anger there; mostly some annoyance and general amusement. There’s a lot of laughter and Kurt almost, almost feels bad for the guy. After all, he got dressed up for this performance of his, sweating in the heat and putting his heart into the songs he wasn’t really singing. The bartender looks like he’s at a loss when his entertainment grabs his CD and pretty much bolts for the door, wadded napkins following his exit.
Blaine waves his hands at the Warblers around him, getting their attention. “Guys, I think we could probably help out here.”
Kendrick is practically bouncing in his seat as he flashes one of his blinding smiles, which is really his best feature. “Oh! We so can! Lead on, front man!”
Nodding, Blaine slips off the bar stool and wanders over to Nick, while waving Holden, Braden, Galen and Wes to join him. Kurt spins on his seat to watch as the boys converse before they all seem to nod in agreement. Blaine moves back in his direction, stopping beside him with a little smile.
“You gonna join in?”
“Only if it isn’t horribly embarrassing." Their hands brush against each other for a moment.
“Well, I’m not guaranteeing anything.” Blaine winks before he makes his way past Finn and gives a little nod toward the Warblers.
Holden begins the beat behind them, and it doesn’t take Kurt long to recognize the song-he’ll never admit this to anyone outside of Mercedes, and maybe Blaine now, but he really liked “Cocktail.”
“Aruba, Jamaica ooo I wanna take ya
To Bermuda, Bahama come on pretty mama
Key Largo, Montego baby why don't we go
Jamaica”
Blaine takes over from there.
“Off the Florida Keys
There's a place called Kokomo
That's where you wanna go to get away from it all”
He makes his way over to Burt and Carole’s table, holding out his hand to Carole who laughs as she takes it and lets him lead her out to the center of the restaurant to dance.
“Bodies in the sand
Tropical drink melting in your hand
We'll be falling in love
To the rhythm of a steel drum band
Down in Kokomo”
Kurt finds himself joining in with the rest of the Warblers. The patrons around them seem completely thrilled by the turn of events, joining Blaine and Carole on the makeshift dance floor, many of them singing along.
“Aruba, Jamaica ooo I wanna take ya
To Bermuda, Bahama come on pretty mama
Key Largo, Montego baby why don't we go
“Ooo I wanna take you down to Kokomo
We'll get there fast
And then we'll take it slow”
Burt ends up following his wife and son’s boyfriend onto the floor, tapping Blaine on the shoulder and shooing him away so that he can dance with his wife.
“That's where we wanna go
Way down to Kokomo
To Martinique, that Montserrat mystique”
Kurt laughs in the midst of singing when Blaine, David, Wes and Nick begin dancing in time to the music together. Finn is suddenly there joining in and singing along, apparently inviting himself in as an honorary Warbler.
“We'll put out to sea
And we'll perfect our chemistry
By and by we'll defy a little bit of gravity
Afternoon delight
cocktails and moonlit nights
That dreamy look in your eye
Give me a tropical contact high
Way down in Kokomo”
Ever the outrageous flirt and charmer, Blaine makes his way through the crowd as he sings, dancing here and there with various ladies until, inevitably, a boyfriend or husband comes up to chase him away. There’s one table of twenty-something single women who become absolutely giddy when Blaine dances and sings his way over to them, and one of them actually yanks him into a dance. Kurt stops singing because he’s too busy covering his laughter as his boyfriend looks completely baffled at the woman clinging to him as she leads.
“Aruba, Jamaica ooo I wanna take ya
To Bermuda, Bahama come on pretty mama
Key Largo, Montego baby why don't we go
Ooo I wanna take you down to Kokomo
We'll get there fast
And then we'll take it slow
That's where we wanna go
Way down to Kokomo
Port Au Prince I wanna catch a glimpse”
Blaine finally extricates himself from his dance partner and practically sprints his way back to the center and safety of the Warblers. Finn claps him on the shoulder and laughs at him as they continue singing.
“Ooo I want to take you down to Kokomo
We'll get there fast
And then we'll take it slow
That's where we wanna go
Way down to Kokomo
Aruba, Jamaica ooo I wanna take ya
To Bermuda, Bahama come on pretty mama
Key Largo, Montego baby why don't we go
Ooo I want to take you down to Kokomo…”
As the song comes to an end, the bar patrons break into applause. Kurt looks on with what he can only describe as pride as Carole leans in to kiss Blaine’s cheek and the bartender walks over and shakes his hand before thanking the rest of the group. Blaine looks back at him, smiling and winking, and Kurt finds himself hoping that what he’s feeling will never end.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
“I can’t believe the bartender gave us free drinks the rest of the day.” Kurt sips his Diet Coke before setting it carefully into the sand next to his towel.
“We saved him from losing most of his customers, I think.” Blaine is lying beside him, resting back on his elbows as he stares out at the surf. “Apparently, the guy who was performing was a friend of a friend. Swore up and down that his plan was fool proof. Heh.”
“Well, you were amazing, as always.” Kurt smiles as he gazes down at his boyfriend.
Blaine actually blushes a little, which makes him even more beautiful. “Everyone seemed to be having fun with it,” he says, neatly steering the conversation away from being about him. It’s a habit Kurt plans on breaking him of one day. “I was surprised to see Finn join in. Maybe we should steal him away from New Directions.”
“Rachel would come after you. And probably Mr. Schue as well. Plus, Finn would be miserable at Dalton. The uniforms, the lack of girls. He wouldn’t be able to handle it at all.” Kurt stretches across the towel, laying on his side and facing Blaine. He begins drawing lines in the sand between them as his boyfriend glances over at him.
“And you? How are you handling Dalton?”
Kurt shrugs. “I miss my friends. And New Directions… well, it’s special. But then,” he looks up and meets Blaine’s gaze, “so are the Warblers. I’ve seen sides of them this last week that, well, maybe I would have been better off not seeing.” They smile at each other and Kurt moves his hand across the breach between them, laying his fingers against Blaine’s wrist. “And there’s you, of course.”
“Even if you weren’t at Dalton, Kurt, you and I… “ Blaine trails off as if searching for the right words. Then he says, “This wouldn’t change.”
“Oh, I know.” Kurt nods. “I wouldn’t let it. Still, it’s nice getting to see you whenever I want to, knowing you’re just down the hall or in the classroom next to mine or sitting beside me at lunch. Wow. It may be impossible to keep my hands off you when we get back.”
Blaine laughs as he twists his wrist over so they can hold hands.
“I really want to kiss you right now,” Kurt tells him honestly.
Kurt knows they could; there aren’t many locals around at the moment. The laws in Grenada aren’t much better than anywhere else in the West Indies, and while he doesn’t fear being dragged off to prison (they passed the prison on the way to the beach. It was tiny, and the driver admitted crime wasn’t very rampant on the island.), he does fear what kind of culture is created around a place where homosexuality might as well be the same as murder. Or worse.
It’s bad enough that they get treated like something other than human in a country where at least discussions are starting to take place. What would it be like when the discussion about the discussion hasn’t even occurred? He isn’t going to put his family through that on vacation. He isn’t going to put the Warblers through that and he sure as hell would rather he and Blaine not go through it right now, thank you very much.
Still, he wants to kiss his boyfriend. Very much. He even considers suggesting they make themselves scarce for a short while. Maybe into the copse of palm trees behind them.
“We’ve only got an hour to go and then we head back to the ship.” Blaine lays flat on his back and rests his other arm over his eyes. His fingers tighten around Kurt’s. “Lay down with me."
Kurt does as he’s told, but scoots a little closer to the edge of his towel. He stays on his side, resting his head on his arm as he gazes at his boyfriend. “Can you believe I actually got a little color yesterday?” He says after a moment of silence. “SPF 100 and the sun still managed to damage my skin a bit. If I get wrinkly, it’s your fault.”
Blaine laughs softly but his face is still hidden beneath his arm. “Wrinkles are totally worth it to see you, Kurt. You have an amazing body.”
It’s Kurt’s turn to blush, and though Blaine can’t see him, he turns his face, burying it into his arm for a moment until he can catch his breath. It’s wonderful and yet so very difficult to hear. He believes Blaine’s words and yet at the same time he has trouble accepting them. He can’t explain it even to himself, but hearing such things when he’d just started convincing himself he never would is hard to get past. He’s still having trouble not refuting Blaine’s words with something sarcastic and completely self-deprecating.
“Hey.” Blaine squeezes his hand briefly. “Why so quiet?”
“No reason.” Kurt turns back to face Blaine and finds he’s being watched. Blaine’s arm is crooked behind his head. “You’re getting really tan, you know.”
“Is this the part where you remind me about wrinkles?”
Kurt laughs. “No. It’s the part where I tell you how I think it makes you even more gorgeous than you already are. When your skin darkens it makes your eyes more honey-colored.”
His boyfriend’s eyes widen a bit at that and there’s the heightened color of pink in his cheeks again. “And here I thought I held the market on romantic sap.”
“Don’t be a dick.” Kurt pulls his hand away from Blaine’s to smack him in the shoulder. “Just for that, I’ve changed my mind. I don’t want to kiss you so much anymore.” He rolls onto his back and throws his arm over his eyes in the same manner Blaine had.
He hears Blaine moving beside him, but ignores him, smiling a little at how easy the banter flows between them. He isn’t certain when it happened, but Blaine has become his best friend, and while one half of his heart breaks at the idea of replacing Mercedes in that spot, the other is singing at the thought of how right and perfect and wonderful it is that they have each other.
The sun seems to go away. Curious, Kurt pulls his arm back to find Blaine leaning over him, staring down into his face with what could only be described as a wicked smile.
“Hello,” his boyfriend says, continuing to smile that smile.
Kurt’s heart is racing. Every time he thinks there’s no way this boy could make him feel more topsy-turvy, he does. It’s like some sort of built-in magic with him or something. He’s so very close, but not touching Kurt in the least. And wow, that’s all Kurt wants right now. Blaine’s hands on him. Blaine’s mouth on his. But Blaine just keeps staring down at him, smiling wickedly, and occasionally his eyes will linger on Kurt’s lips before sliding back up to Kurt’s eyes.
He finds himself squirming slightly, uncomfortable, overheated, itchy, and restless. Blaine is looking at his lips again, and then he licks his own-soft pink tongue darting out to trace along his lower lip-and oh, Kurt hasn’t had the pleasure of experiencing that yet, the feel of Blaine’s tongue in his mouth. And he really, really wants to.
“So,” Blaine begins, and his tone sounds resolute about something. “I think… I’m going to get in the water.”
And then he’s pulling away from Kurt, laughing, as he gets to his feet and runs down the beach toward the surf. Kurt actually lets loose a tiny cry of frustration as he sits up, clenching sand between his fists and throwing it outward.
“You’re a tease!” he yells. He can hear Blaine’s laughter, and oh, Blaine is so not getting any of Kurt Hummel the rest of the cruise!
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Okay, so maybe Kurt has less self-control than he thought because he lets Blaine steal a kiss in the back of the bus the moment they take their seats. And he’s kind of forgotten all about deciding he wasn’t going to let Blaine touch him again for the rest of the cruise, though he hasn’t forgotten about the teasing, and he totally plans on getting back at him somehow. Except, Kurt’s never teased anyone like that in his life, and he isn’t totally certain he knows how. He’d feel ridiculous if he thought he was teasing Blaine, only whatever he was doing wasn’t turning Blaine on at all.
He really wants to know he has the ability to affect his boyfriend.
He’s thinking about all of this far too much.
When they get back to the boat, they all linger around the elevators on Deck One, discussing what to do for dinner. It’s the only night they don’t have a performance, and the idea of putting on their uniforms to have dinner as a group in the dining hall is met with a resounding chorus of groans. Mr. Price agrees, and Wes grudgingly does as well, but reminds everyone they still have a rehearsal to get through before dinner, and he expects them to perform as well as they did in the Aquarium bar earlier that afternoon.
Once the decision is made, Burt tells Kurt and Finn that he and Carole have decided to forego the dining room as well, and tells them that they have the evening free to enjoy themselves. Kurt glances over at Blaine, who is waiting for him beside the elevators while the rest of the Warblers fight to get into the first elevator to open.
As his dad and stepmom move to get in line for an elevator as well, Finn stops Kurt from joining Blaine. He looks up, a little annoyed. “Finn?”
“I just… well, that is…” Finn looks like he wants to say something but doesn’t quite know how. He shifts from one foot to the other. “Holden and I were thinking about maybe going to that teen party they throw in the Extreme 11 lounge tonight. He says there’s lot of girls there.”
“Uh huh.” Kurt has no idea why his stepbrother is telling him this. Does he want him and Blaine to go to?
“Well, I mean, we’ll probably watch a movie first or something but the party goes until one-I mean, I know curfew is at midnight, but we’ll be out at least until then.”
Kurt crosses his arms over his chest and begins tapping his foot. “And?”
Finn looks at him like he’s the densest person on the planet. “Holden and I are going to be gone until at least midnight…”
“I heard you the first time, Finn.”
“Dude.” Finn shakes his head. “The rooms. They’ll be empty. Ours. Holden and Blaine’s. Whichever. I just… thought you might want to know.”
Kurt starts to say something, and then closes his mouth quickly. Oh.
Oh.
And it takes every ounce of his control not to throw himself at Finn and hug him until his eyes pop out because, really, this is right up there with everything Finn did for him at the wedding. This simple little thing means so much because Finn has actually thought about it, actually considered that maybe Blaine and Kurt need some alone time together, and he’s totally cool with it.
“Thank you, Finn.” Kurt beams and Finn seems to relax now that Kurt has finally caught on.
“Don’t mention it,” his stepbrother tells him, then adds, “Like, ever. Please.”
Kurt laughs, nods and spins away, hurrying over to Blaine’s side.
“You’re not going to believe this,” he says as his boyfriend presses his hand against his back and guides him into an open elevator. He leans close to Blaine and whispers, “We have either of our rooms available to us until midnight. Just us. No interruptions.”
Blaine doesn’t seem as excited as Kurt expected him to be. He glances at Kurt, not smiling and just kind of nods. Well, that’s odd, Kurt thinks, but tries not to let it bother him. Maybe like Kurt, it’s just going to take a moment or two for it to sink in for Blaine.
They make it through rehearsal and Kurt thinks that like him everyone will be very grateful when they’re back at Dalton and rehearsals return to only one hour a day for five days a week instead of two rehearsals a day, with some extending past two hours. Luckily, this one only lasts an hour and every song goes well. He and Blaine focus more on their nonexistent audience than each other, though they still exchange the occasional glance and smile, and they allow themselves to have all the fun they want on their duet. Not even Wes chides them for that.
As they leave the auditorium, Kurt finds himself suggesting, “So, I thought instead of eating at the buffet with everyone, maybe we could just order room service?”
Blaine stops and looks at him.
Kurt shifts uncomfortably. “What… what’s wrong?”
“I just…“ Blaine runs his hand through his hair and Kurt tries really hard not let it distract him. He’s still trying to get used to sans-gel Blaine. His dark curls are impossible not to want to touch. Blaine reaches out and takes Kurt’s hand, tugging him off to a corner where they can be alone and not overheard by nosey Warblers. “I just need your promise that you’re not trying to rush things, Kurt. I mean, being able to spend time alone with you this evening is great, but I want to make certain we’re on the same page here.”
“Rush thin-Oh.” Kurt flushes and drops his gaze to their hands. He worries his lower lip a moment before shaking his head. “Honestly, Blaine, I hadn’t even thought… I mean, yeah, I’ve thought about it but not for tonight.” He brings his gaze up and Blaine’s expression has softened. “I really don’t even know what I’m capable of right now. Just kissing you still kind of freaks me out and makes me feel wonderful and weird and perfect and anything past that…my head might explode.”
“Well, we can’t have that.” Blaine laughs as he leans up and kisses Kurt’s forehead. “I’m glad to hear it. I mean, not that I haven’t thought about other things too. But I think it’s more important that we get comfortable with each other and trust one other. There’s still too much potential for us to freak out.”
Kurt nods and can’t help but quip, “So tonight, we just get to know one another. Tomorrow we can have sex.” His face actually flames saying something like that out loud, joke or not.
But Blaine laughs, pulls him close and kisses him. “Yay for taking things slowly!”
They choose Kurt’s room because Blaine says Holden is a slob and he’s not picking up after him. After perusing the menu, Blaine orders a burger and fries, and Kurt orders a chicken salad. They sit on the bed and browse through the channels on the TV for something to watch. Blaine has the remote and stops on Rachael Ray. Kurt can’t stand Rachael Ray and tells him to change it. His boyfriend refuses, saying she’s funny and quirky and totally ridiculous, and how can you not like her? Kurt says she’s a travesty to the cooking world and gets up to change the channel manually.
Blaine changes it back from the bed.
Kurt looks over his shoulder at him in warning before pressing the button once more.
His boyfriend is an ass.
Thirty seconds later and they’re wrestling for the remote, Kurt attempting to use his advantage of standing over Blaine to get the upper hand. He pushes him back onto the bed, trapping his hand with the remote and attempts to pry it from his fingers. Blaine uses that moment to tip Kurt off balance, making him fall onto the bed, then rolling him over and pinning him, while waving the remote triumphantly above his head. Kurt wedges a leg between Blaine’s legs, curls it around a thigh, and jerks it hard, using the muscles Coach Sylvester and her hours of Cheerios training gave him to throw Blaine off balance, tossing him off the bed. Unfortunately, his own leg is trapped and he goes falling with Blaine, landing with simultaneous “Oof!”’s and laughter on the floor.
“I’ve still got the remote,” Blaine points out as their laughter begins to subside. “And Rachael is still on the TV.”
“Mmmm.”
Kurt rests his hands on Blaine’s chest and leans his chin on them, staring down at his boyfriend. He doesn’t say anything more in response, just watches him, and Blaine begins to look nervous. Just when it seems Blaine might try to roll out from under him, Kurt leans in and kisses him, pressing Blaine’s head back into the carpet as he deepens the kiss just a bit, hesitantly sliding his tongue along Blaine’s lower lip. Blaine moans against his mouth, shifting slightly beneath him, arms moving to wrap around Kurt.
Kurt reaches out to grab the remote Blaine dropped. He pulls back, and sits up, sliding off of Blaine and wriggling the remote in front of him with a smile. “Paybacks, Blaine. Paybacks.”
Blaine is muttering unflattering words behind him as Kurt turns and changes the channel. There’s a repeat of “Real Housewives of Atlanta”, which is far more acceptable than Rachael Ray. He leaves it there, half expecting his boyfriend to tackle him in response when there’s a knock at the door.
Saved by room service.
They sit side by side on the bed with their backs against the headboard, legs crossed in front of them and their plates balanced on their laps. Blaine briefly gives him hell about choosing “Housewives” over Rachael, and Kurt tells Blaine that his poor taste in TV is only matched by his poor taste in fashion. Blaine responds by sticking a French Fry in his ear. Kurt almost loses his balance as he freaks out at the grease in his ear-not to mention ewwww-which would have sent both him and his dinner to the floor.
It takes Blaine three apologies and a promise to never eat fries in Kurt’s presence again before he deigns to speak to him once more.
When the show ends, Kurt goes back to flipping channels, finally settling on “Pretty Woman,” which is playing on Oxygen. It doesn’t take long before the two of them are reciting the dialogue word-for-word and Kurt can’t help but love the fact that Blaine knows the movie as well as he does. Kurt teases Blaine for being his “Edward” and Blaine responds that if anyone ever turns Kurt away from a clothing store he is to let Blaine know immediately so he can set fire to the place. Kurt sniffs a little at the idea of not being able to shop, which sends Blaine into a fit of laughter.
It’s not long before their empty plates end up on the floor, and they’re stretched out on the bed, facing one another, the movie forgotten. Kurt thinks he owes Finn big time for this as he reaches across the small space between them to slide his fingertips lightly across Blaine’s lips, pausing and smiling as they’re kissed in return.
“How many boyfriends have you had?” Kurt finds himself asking.
Blaine frowns slightly.
“I’m not going to get upset,” Kurt hurriedly reassures him. “I’m just… curious, I guess. I just want to know more about you.”
Sighing, Blaine takes Kurt’s hand in his own, holding it between them. “Two,” he says finally. “One at my old school and one at Dalton. And no, I’m not counting the brief, aborted attempt to date Kendrick.”
Kurt thinks about this for a moment. “Who at Dalton?”
“You don’t know him. He graduated last year.”
He can’t help but raise a teasing eyebrow. “Oh? Into older men, are we?”
“Shut up!” Blaine kicks him gently, laughing, and their legs somehow end up entwined. “It was just something that happened. It only lasted a few months. He was great guy, right for me at the time, I guess. He made me feel… special.”
Kurt tries very hard not to be jealous. He succeeds, for the most part. “What about your first boyfriend? At your old school.”
Blaine’s gaze turns inward and it’s a little frightening how easily Kurt can see him begin to close himself off. He can’t take back the question, but he does say, “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to pry. If you don’t want to talk about it…”
“I don’t.” Blaine slowly looks less guarded and he squeezes Kurt’s hand. “Not now. Not tonight. Later, I promise. Right now, I just want to be with you, okay? Telling you about him would only ruin tonight.”
“I’m sorry,” Kurt says again, and means it as he closes the distance between them and kisses Blaine softly.
It is meant to be a quick, apologetic kiss, but Blaine’s hand curls around Kurt’s neck, pulling him closer, holding him there, and everything about Blaine seems suddenly needy and desperate. Kurt responds in kind, moving closer, until the space between them is gone, and Kurt is leaning over Blaine, hand tentatively pressing against his chest, t-shirt tucked between his fingers. He experiments again, slipping his tongue out to touch Blaine’s lips, but this time it’s met with Blaine’s own and its weird the wetness and how the tongue against his own feels slightly cool, and he can taste the burger Blaine ate. It makes him giggle.
This unfortunately, kind of ends the kissing when Blaine pulls back slightly, brow furrowed. “Wanna let me in on the joke?” he asks voice a little breathless.
“Sorry.” Kurt smiles. “Once when I was making out with Brittany, I asked her what boys tasted like and-“
“Wait. Wait. Go back to the part where you were making out with a girl?”
Kurt sighs at being interrupted. “It was to get my dad’s attention, okay? I’ll tell you all about it sometime. But anyway, I asked her what boys tasted like and she said burgers and dip. And right now, all I can think about is how glad I am you don’t taste like dip. But you do taste like burgers, which is funny.”
Blaine’s looking at him like he’s completely lost his mind. “Could we maybe go back to the kissing thing?”
Kurt laughs. “Yeah, that sounds good.”
Their lips press together again, and this time when Blaine’s tongue slides against his own it’s expected and Kurt’s no longer thinking about inappropriate past kisses as he slowly gets past the burger to taste Blaine. It’s something he’d never be able to explain and really he wouldn’t want to because right now it’s his and it’s personal. He deepens the kiss as he tries to learn more. He explores Blaine’s mouth and runs his tongue along his teeth, which feels nothing like touching his own. He loves the hitch in Blaine’s breathing as he does this and how Blaine’s hands are tangling in the back of his shirt, tugging him closer as Kurt traps his lower lip between his teeth and just sucks on it.
“God, Kurt…” Blaine gasps softly and suddenly let’s go of his hold on Kurt’s shirt, pushing instead against his belly. “Stop… Kurt, slow down.”
Kurt blinks and pulls back just a little, still leaning over him. “Did I do something wrong?”
“No-God, no.” Blaine laughs, his arms moving back around Kurt’s waist reassuringly. “Are you sure you aren’t experienced at this?”
Kurt flushes and tucks his face into the space between Blaine’s neck and shoulder. “No.” His voice is muffled. “I just… really like kissing you.” He feels Blaine’s fingers moving through his hair, rubbing at the back of his head. The touch gives him the courage to say, “I like the sounds you make.”
He can feel Blaine smile and then his lips are pressing against Kurt’s ear, and his breath blows against it. Kurt’s entire body shudders at the sensation. He makes his own noise in the back of his throat as Blaine continues, teeth grazing over the lobe, tongue sliding along the shell. Kurt whimpers at the sensations Blaine is causing, the blood rushing through him, pounding in his ears and he tries to think of things like his dad walking in on them or Mr. Schuester giving Rachel yet another solo that Kurt should have had, or slushie facials.
And then, because the boy he happens to be dating is an ass, Blaine whispers, “Paybacks,” and pulls his mouth away from Kurt’s ear. Kurt slides away, burying his face in his pillow and screams.
Blaine is laughing at him because, once more in case someone wasn’t listening, Blaine is an ass. Kurt tries to shrug him off as his boyfriend leans over him, sliding his hand along Kurt’s back and kissing his neck just below the hairline.
“Sorry,” he whispers against Kurt’s neck, causing tiny goose bumps to break out along his skin. “Couldn’t resist.”
Kurt turns his head to the side. “Try next time.”
Still chuckling, Blaine moves to lay his head on the pillow beside Kurt, their bodies still tucked together. He traces his finger along Kurt’s temple, brushes the bangs off his forehead, leans in and presses a gentle kiss against his lips.
“Want to know something?” he asks against Kurt’s mouth.
Kurt closes his eyes and kisses him back, soft, slow, warm and perfect. “What?” he asks after a moment.
“We have all the time in the world.” Blaine isn’t kissing him now, just speaking quietly, their lips sometimes touching with a word. “I want to know everything about you. So if it seems sometimes that I stop when you want to keep going, it’s because I’m afraid I might miss out on something, that we might skip something, that I might not have the chance to memorize everything little thing about you and the moments we spend together.”
Kurt opens his eyes. Blaine is so close that Kurt can see each individual long eyelash, the flecks of golds and browns, greens and grays in his eyes; their lips are still just not quite touching. He reaches up with his hand and runs his fingertips over Blaine’s cheek, along his jaw, enjoying the scratch of the barely-there stubble.
“How come you always know the right thing to say?” Kurt whispers.
Blaine smiles at him. “Because I have the right person listening.”
Kurt returns the smile and tugs Blaine closer until there is no space left between them.
They fall asleep like that until Finn is gently shaking them awake. He looks nervous and like he feels a little bad for intruding, busying himself with getting ready for bed while they say goodnight. Kurt clings to Blaine a little longer than he should at the door because he’d been warm and oh so comfortable, and waking up like that with Blaine next to him had been the most wonderful thing ever. He is loathing letting it go.
Blaine seems just as reluctant, but always the responsible one, he gently pries Kurt’s hands from his shirt and kisses him briefly. “See you in the morning, okay?”
Kurt nods silently and presses his cheek hard into the door jamb as he watches Blaine disappear down the corridor to his room. He’s still afraid that one day he might just wake up from this dream.
Title: Together, We are the Oceans (Part 10/14)
Author: Aelora
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Kurt and Blaine slowly move toward being more comfortable with one another while the Warblers continue to be boys.
Disclaimer: I have no claim to Kurt and Blaine, which is sad. And also rhymes. All similarities to persons or events are purely coincidental (okay, so maybe art is imitating life here, but names have been changed to protect the semi-innocent). This is homage to Celebrity Cruise Lines. Seriously.
A/N: As always, special thanks to my beta, dolimir_k. Warning ahead: Do not read if you haven't been to the dentist lately. Seriously, I've been vomiting rainbows and unicorns while writing it. The worst part? The following chapter may be worse. I do not lie! But, shaky ground is ahead, and for this I am thankful. (Don't worry, no drama between the boys, just drama.) Also, what happens in the beach bar really happened on my vacation. Not the stuff when the Warblers take over but the stuff leading up to it. Really happened. It was hilarious, and the a cappella group from the ship happened to be there to, and while they didn't step up, they found it just as funny as the rest of us. And look! I have a banner!! *flailz*
Banner by the lovely voldything.
Part One
Part Two
Part Three
Part Four
Part Five
Part Six
Part Seven
Part Eight
Part Nine A
Part Nine B
“Don't stop me now I'm having such a good time
I'm having a ball don't stop me now
If you wanna have a good time
Just give me a call
Don't stop me now ('Cause I'm having a good time)
Don't stop me now (Yes I'm having a good time)
I don't wanna stop at all
La la la la laaaa
La la la la
La la laa laa laa laaa
La la laa la la la la la laaa”
“Better,” Wes says, nodding and smiling in Flint’s direction. He glances over his shoulder at Jared. “Could do to hear a little more out of you. Kendrick, your steps were totally off. Try to keep up with the rest of us next time.”
When Wes turns away, Kendrick starts making faces at the back of his head. David points a warning finger at him.
This is the way rehearsal has been going all morning. The boys seem restless and impatient. The singing is fine but there’s always something a little off, and when the council members call them on it, tempers sometimes flare. Kurt is waiting for the inevitable time out to be called with the way some of them are behaving. He, of course, made it through Rio perfectly, and well, there’s no point in mentioning Blaine. He’s as bright-eyed and bushy-tailed as always, giving 110% and all of that. He’s like a sports cliché in a tailored suit-someone who has a great future as a motivational speaker selling self-help books and telling people “You can do it!” It’s a tip toward the ironic side of inevitable that this is the boy Kurt would fall in love with. The male version of Mary Poppins, but without the umbrella.
Kurt stifles a yawn, having stayed up too late telling Finn all about his evening with Blaine-dinner, dancing first with Blaine and then being joined by the others, even about the argument they’d had over Blaine not telling him about dating Kendrick. Finn had only fallen asleep a few times during Kurt’s recitation, and Kurt had thrown pillows at him each time to wake him back up. This is why he needs Mercedes. She’d appreciate hearing about his adventures in having a boyfriend.
“Jeff!” Wes calls out. “You’re up!”
Jeff’s out front with Here Comes the Sun which is one of Kurt’s favorite arrangements. It’s a lot of fun to sing. Jeff is adorably happy and bouncy through the whole thing. It’s such an upbeat tune that he can’t help but smile through it, especially when they all start clapping with “sun, sun, sun here it comes”. Okay, so there could possibly be other factors going on, like he totally thinks the song is a commentary on his life at the moment. Blaine’s beside him, singing and smiling right along with him and occasionally glancing at Kurt with those looks he likes to give that send Kurt’s heart into palpitations. So yeah, for all Kurt knows this arrangement could totally suck, but in his opinion, it’s pretty fantastic.
“Little darling, I feel that ice is slowly melting
Little darling, it seems like years since it's been clear
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun,
and I say it's all right
It's all right”
Okay, so maybe he and Blaine just sang the last verse to one another. Kurt doubts anyone actually noticed-
“Blaine, Kurt. Would you mind singing to the audience and not each other a little more often, please? I really don’t want to have to mention it again.”
“Sorry.”
“Sorry.” Kurt flushes with his apology.
It’s still something he‘s struggling with-the fact that he and Blaine dating is more of a non-issue with the group than it is with him. Wes scolds and Thad and David gently reprimand with regards to their loss of focus on occasion, but that’s pretty much it.
The initial teasing, which Kurt hasn’t seen as anything other than friends teasing friends for getting together, has subsided. Kurt feels like jumping up and down on the stage, waving his arms wildly and screaming But don’t you get it? Blaine’s my boyfriend! And yet everyone else is like, yeah, so? Were this New Directions, they’d still be facing at least a gay joke a day from Santana, and Kurt shudders to think what would come out of Puck’s mouth. He doesn’t even bother thinking about the reaction from those outside of New Directions…
Once they make it through the entire set once, Mr. Price comes up to talk with Wes, Thad and David for a moment. There’s some shuffling done to the song order and a few changes in their dance steps-for Don’t Stop Me Now and Rio, they suggest more freestyle dancing like they do during Teenage Dream. They decide to switch up the parts for You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling, so that Blaine, Nick, Jeremiah and David each take turns with the lead vocals. Kurt’s a little annoyed at not being given a part-he likes Nick, Jeremiah and David a lot, but his voice is far superior to each of them.
Part of the team, part of the team, he mentally chants to himself. He tells himself to remember that he’s the newest Warbler, and he can’t just expect to be handed solos left and right. He got Rio, and for now that should be enough. After all, it’s more than he ever got with New Directions, and however promised the solo may have been for Sectionals, Kurt wouldn’t have held out any hope that he’d actually end up being able to sing it. He likes Mr. Schue, he misses Mr. Schue, but sometimes he thinks his old glee teacher has the narrowest focus of any person he’s ever met.
When practice ends, the guys decide to get breakfast while the council members and Mr. Price remain in the theater. Wes, David and Thad are arguing about something-Kurt can’t quite make it out-but their teacher is apparently trying to keep the peace amongst them.
“So, do I get to see Kurt Hummel in swim trunks again?” Blaine asks as they walk with the others through the ship and up the stairs toward the Ocean Café. They’re holding hands, arms swinging slightly between them.
“If you’re good.” Kurt smiles and moves in close, and Blaine meets him for a quick kiss.
“Kurt and Blaine, sittin’ in a tree, K-I-S-S-“
“If you finish that song, Kendrick,” Blaine threatens. “I’m going to throw you overboard.”
Kurt glances back at the Warbler who winks at him with a smile.
Blaine follows Kurt’s gaze. “I swear you never made it past Kindergarten.”
“Yeah, well.” Kendrick slips past them, taking the steps two at a time, which is kind of impressive for his height. “At least it’s better than the old folk’s home, Anderson. How’s that going for you, by the way?”
“Want me to throw him over the railing, Blaine?” Jared asks, standing behind Kendrick.
Kendrick gives a fake shudder of fear.
“It wouldn’t be worth the murder charge,” Blaine tells him.
“I think it would…” There’s enough of a threat in his tone that Kendrick’s eyebrows raise and he darts past Jared, sprinting up the steps.
Kurt glances over at Blaine but notices that his boyfriend looks vaguely amused. “I don’t agree, you know.”
Blaine looks over at him. “Hmm. What?”
“I don’t agree with Kendrick. I don’t think you’re too uptight or anything like that. I don’t even know why he’d say such a thing.”
“Probably because I rarely find any of his antics funny.” Blaine shrugs. “Our personalities clash. I don’t let him get to me. It’s not like we aren’t friends. He’s just as important to me as anyone else in the Warblers.” He looks at Kurt and smiles. “Present company excepted, of course. You go beyond important.”
Kurt returns his smile and leans in to him. Releasing his hand, Blaine slides his arm around Kurt’s waist, pulling him closer. They enter the restaurant like that, heads bent together, Blaine telling him about Kendrick’s boyfriend Michael, and how his easy-going manner is apparently the only reason he hasn’t killed Kendrick yet. Kurt sees a couple of people look their way, but he doesn’t care. Blaine’s full attention is on him and his arm is warm and comforting around his waist, and when Kurt laughs at a story Blaine tells him about Michael once duct-taping Kendrick’s mouth shut during a movie night, Blaine rewards him with a quick kiss.
As they make their way through the buffet, sometimes grabbing one another’s hand, sometimes nudging shoulders or leaning in to whisper in one another’s ear, Kurt finds himself realizing that when Blaine is there, the rest of the world doesn’t matter. When they’re together, when Blaine is looking at him and smiling, a curtain seems to fall, closing them off from the rest of the world. Kurt only cares about the boy beside him, about what he does and what he says and what he thinks. He cares that Blaine looks at him like he’s perfect and clever and amazing and talented, and the voices around them turn into white noise, meaningless and unimportant.
He wonders if all love is like this as he watches Blaine catch a roll that Flint tosses to him from a few feet away. And then he thinks of Eddy and Carl, and how long they’ve been together, and what they’ve had to face to be together, and he thinks it probably is.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Magazine Beach in Grenada is one of those long stretches of sandy white beaches with too-perfect waves washing ashore and swaying palm trees. It’s not overly crowded, and the Warblers have a large section of the beach mostly to themselves.
Everyone chose to come today, including Mr. Price who is asleep in a lounge beneath a shady palm, an empty margarita glass beside him. If there is one thing Kurt has learned about their faculty adviser, it‘s that the man has no trouble with relaxing. But then, he’d also spent the majority of the morning trying to mediate the argument between the council members over whether or not they could forego the uniforms for the Thursday night performance for something more casual and fun. David was vehemently for it, Wes was vehemently against it, and Thad was abstaining, which Flint commented to Kurt was due to the fact that Thad was neither Democrat nor Republican but rather a staunch Independent. So Kurt doesn’t really begrudge Mr. Price the drink or the nap.
His dad and Carole had waded in the water together for a short time but now they were seated on the outside deck of the Aquarium restaurant, not too far from where Kurt was seated with Blaine, Kendrick, Nick and Jeff at the beach bar. The bartender doesn’t seem to mind that they’re just sipping on sodas and splitting a plate of nachos. There isn’t much conversation happening because the five boys are focused on the bar’s entertainment-a local guy dressed in a ridiculous suit and fedora, considering the heat, singing a medley of soft-rock tunes straight out of insert your neighborhood physician’s office here. They’re actually all watching with a tinge of horror and disbelief, because they’re apparently the only people in the bar who get what’s actually going on.
“I’m most impressed by how much he’s into it,” Nick remarks before leaning past Kurt to grab another nacho. “The dude has no shame whatsoever.”
“Well,” Blaine looks around the bar, “he’s got a captive audience, and they’re kind of into it without actually paying any attention.”
“Mostly because they’re inebriated.” Jeff slurps loudly through his straw. Jeff uses words like ‘inebriated’ instead of ‘drunk’. It amuses the hell out of Kurt.
“Hey, guys!” Finn greets as he appears between Blaine and Kurt’s shoulders. “Oooh! Nachos!” He reaches to grab one but Kurt slaps his hand away. “Ow!”
“Did you ask?” Kurt fixes him with a glare. “Blaine paid for these, you know.”
Finn looks hurt. He glances over at Blaine, who unfortunately looks completely sympathetic. Kurt thinks he really needs to stop that. “Can I have some nachos, Blaine?” Finn asks miserably.
“Help yourself.” Blaine smiles and pushes the plate closer to him.
“Thanks, dude.” Finn continues to stand there as he eats.
Kurt leans forward to catch Blaine’s eye. “I think we’re going to need more.” He waves a hand behind him where more of the Warblers are appearing, wet from swimming, sand clinging to them from their knees down.
Nodding, Blaine asks the bartender if they could get two more orders of nachos. Nick adds a plate of sliders to that and Kendrick requests some spicy wings. Kurt thinks, well at least celery comes with wings. He really needs to work on the Warblers eating habits.
The Warblers mostly crowd around the bar, though a few grab the small two-person tables behind them. Finn finds it highly appropriate to remain standing between Kurt and his boyfriend. The murderous looks Kurt sends his direction aren’t even beginning to make an impact. He eventually realizes he’s going to just have to have a little talk with his stepbrother.
The singer begins a rendition of Don’t Worry, Be Happy. It sounds nothing like the last song. Nick groans and Blaine shakes his head. Kurt says, “I honestly can’t believe he’s getting away with it.”
“Getting away with what?” Finn asks with a mouthful of nacho before he nods his thanks to the bartender for the Coke he’s given.
“The singer,” Blaine responds. Kurt just stares at Finn, mortified. “And his,” Blaine makes air quotes, “singing.”
Finn glances over, looking confused. He shrugs. “I don’t get it. He’s pretty good.”
Kurt throws his hands in the air and sighs loudly. Blaine’s a little more patient, which is one of the reasons Kurt loves him so much. “Look at him, Finn,” he says. “Just look and listen.”
Finn looks over at the singer, watching him for a moment or two. Finally, the comprehension seems to set in and his eyes widen. He says a little too loudly, “He’s totally lip-synching!”
“And the boy finally gets it,” Kendrick remarks before ordering a third soda.
“It’s not even his own voice pre-recorded,” Nick says. “We’ve heard at least three different singers so far.”
Jeff adds, “I think this song makes four.”
Finn lowers his voice. “Are we the only ones who’ve noticed?”
The question amuses Kurt since, you know, Blaine had to point it out to him. They all nod. Jeff uses the word ‘inebriated’ again. They’re all quiet once more as they resume watching what has become more entertaining than anything they’ve seen in a long time. Kurt’s a little bored with it because, really, it’s offensive, someone pretending they can sing and stealing from others when they really can’t.
He works on picking the cheese off a nacho before eating the plain chip. Beneath the bar, he reaches out to the side with his foot, lightly tapping Blaine in the shin. His boyfriend glances over at him with a smile then taps his response against Kurt’s shin. It’s the stupidest, silliest, most childish thing ever, and Kurt can’t repress the smile that appears. They continue to do this back and forth through the next few minutes until the performer begins a new song.
Its Celine Dion’s Because You Loved Me sung by the same guy they’d heard a few songs earlier, and Kurt kind of wants to murder both the singer and the performer for their disrespect. Kurt finds himself listening to the lyrics and he can’t not look over at Blaine and think of him, and wow, when did he get so sappy?
And then it happens. The song reaches the chorus:
“You were my strength when I was weak
You were my voice when I couldn't speak
You were my eyes when I c-c-c-ouldn't…
c-c-c-couldn’t…”
The boys look on in growing amusement as the performer panics. The bartender turns and starts rapidly speaking to him in a mixture of French and what Kurt has picked up as Creole, waving his arms around and looking as if he might at any moment burst into an apoplectic fit. The performer starts screaming back at him, and then as one they both dive for the CD player behind the bar.
The patrons, who have finally caught on to what has been happening this entire time start booing and throwing wadded up napkins. There’s not any real anger there; mostly some annoyance and general amusement. There’s a lot of laughter and Kurt almost, almost feels bad for the guy. After all, he got dressed up for this performance of his, sweating in the heat and putting his heart into the songs he wasn’t really singing. The bartender looks like he’s at a loss when his entertainment grabs his CD and pretty much bolts for the door, wadded napkins following his exit.
Blaine waves his hands at the Warblers around him, getting their attention. “Guys, I think we could probably help out here.”
Kendrick is practically bouncing in his seat as he flashes one of his blinding smiles, which is really his best feature. “Oh! We so can! Lead on, front man!”
Nodding, Blaine slips off the bar stool and wanders over to Nick, while waving Holden, Braden, Galen and Wes to join him. Kurt spins on his seat to watch as the boys converse before they all seem to nod in agreement. Blaine moves back in his direction, stopping beside him with a little smile.
“You gonna join in?”
“Only if it isn’t horribly embarrassing." Their hands brush against each other for a moment.
“Well, I’m not guaranteeing anything.” Blaine winks before he makes his way past Finn and gives a little nod toward the Warblers.
Holden begins the beat behind them, and it doesn’t take Kurt long to recognize the song-he’ll never admit this to anyone outside of Mercedes, and maybe Blaine now, but he really liked “Cocktail.”
“Aruba, Jamaica ooo I wanna take ya
To Bermuda, Bahama come on pretty mama
Key Largo, Montego baby why don't we go
Jamaica”
Blaine takes over from there.
“Off the Florida Keys
There's a place called Kokomo
That's where you wanna go to get away from it all”
He makes his way over to Burt and Carole’s table, holding out his hand to Carole who laughs as she takes it and lets him lead her out to the center of the restaurant to dance.
“Bodies in the sand
Tropical drink melting in your hand
We'll be falling in love
To the rhythm of a steel drum band
Down in Kokomo”
Kurt finds himself joining in with the rest of the Warblers. The patrons around them seem completely thrilled by the turn of events, joining Blaine and Carole on the makeshift dance floor, many of them singing along.
“Aruba, Jamaica ooo I wanna take ya
To Bermuda, Bahama come on pretty mama
Key Largo, Montego baby why don't we go
“Ooo I wanna take you down to Kokomo
We'll get there fast
And then we'll take it slow”
Burt ends up following his wife and son’s boyfriend onto the floor, tapping Blaine on the shoulder and shooing him away so that he can dance with his wife.
“That's where we wanna go
Way down to Kokomo
To Martinique, that Montserrat mystique”
Kurt laughs in the midst of singing when Blaine, David, Wes and Nick begin dancing in time to the music together. Finn is suddenly there joining in and singing along, apparently inviting himself in as an honorary Warbler.
“We'll put out to sea
And we'll perfect our chemistry
By and by we'll defy a little bit of gravity
Afternoon delight
cocktails and moonlit nights
That dreamy look in your eye
Give me a tropical contact high
Way down in Kokomo”
Ever the outrageous flirt and charmer, Blaine makes his way through the crowd as he sings, dancing here and there with various ladies until, inevitably, a boyfriend or husband comes up to chase him away. There’s one table of twenty-something single women who become absolutely giddy when Blaine dances and sings his way over to them, and one of them actually yanks him into a dance. Kurt stops singing because he’s too busy covering his laughter as his boyfriend looks completely baffled at the woman clinging to him as she leads.
“Aruba, Jamaica ooo I wanna take ya
To Bermuda, Bahama come on pretty mama
Key Largo, Montego baby why don't we go
Ooo I wanna take you down to Kokomo
We'll get there fast
And then we'll take it slow
That's where we wanna go
Way down to Kokomo
Port Au Prince I wanna catch a glimpse”
Blaine finally extricates himself from his dance partner and practically sprints his way back to the center and safety of the Warblers. Finn claps him on the shoulder and laughs at him as they continue singing.
“Ooo I want to take you down to Kokomo
We'll get there fast
And then we'll take it slow
That's where we wanna go
Way down to Kokomo
Aruba, Jamaica ooo I wanna take ya
To Bermuda, Bahama come on pretty mama
Key Largo, Montego baby why don't we go
Ooo I want to take you down to Kokomo…”
As the song comes to an end, the bar patrons break into applause. Kurt looks on with what he can only describe as pride as Carole leans in to kiss Blaine’s cheek and the bartender walks over and shakes his hand before thanking the rest of the group. Blaine looks back at him, smiling and winking, and Kurt finds himself hoping that what he’s feeling will never end.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
“I can’t believe the bartender gave us free drinks the rest of the day.” Kurt sips his Diet Coke before setting it carefully into the sand next to his towel.
“We saved him from losing most of his customers, I think.” Blaine is lying beside him, resting back on his elbows as he stares out at the surf. “Apparently, the guy who was performing was a friend of a friend. Swore up and down that his plan was fool proof. Heh.”
“Well, you were amazing, as always.” Kurt smiles as he gazes down at his boyfriend.
Blaine actually blushes a little, which makes him even more beautiful. “Everyone seemed to be having fun with it,” he says, neatly steering the conversation away from being about him. It’s a habit Kurt plans on breaking him of one day. “I was surprised to see Finn join in. Maybe we should steal him away from New Directions.”
“Rachel would come after you. And probably Mr. Schue as well. Plus, Finn would be miserable at Dalton. The uniforms, the lack of girls. He wouldn’t be able to handle it at all.” Kurt stretches across the towel, laying on his side and facing Blaine. He begins drawing lines in the sand between them as his boyfriend glances over at him.
“And you? How are you handling Dalton?”
Kurt shrugs. “I miss my friends. And New Directions… well, it’s special. But then,” he looks up and meets Blaine’s gaze, “so are the Warblers. I’ve seen sides of them this last week that, well, maybe I would have been better off not seeing.” They smile at each other and Kurt moves his hand across the breach between them, laying his fingers against Blaine’s wrist. “And there’s you, of course.”
“Even if you weren’t at Dalton, Kurt, you and I… “ Blaine trails off as if searching for the right words. Then he says, “This wouldn’t change.”
“Oh, I know.” Kurt nods. “I wouldn’t let it. Still, it’s nice getting to see you whenever I want to, knowing you’re just down the hall or in the classroom next to mine or sitting beside me at lunch. Wow. It may be impossible to keep my hands off you when we get back.”
Blaine laughs as he twists his wrist over so they can hold hands.
“I really want to kiss you right now,” Kurt tells him honestly.
Kurt knows they could; there aren’t many locals around at the moment. The laws in Grenada aren’t much better than anywhere else in the West Indies, and while he doesn’t fear being dragged off to prison (they passed the prison on the way to the beach. It was tiny, and the driver admitted crime wasn’t very rampant on the island.), he does fear what kind of culture is created around a place where homosexuality might as well be the same as murder. Or worse.
It’s bad enough that they get treated like something other than human in a country where at least discussions are starting to take place. What would it be like when the discussion about the discussion hasn’t even occurred? He isn’t going to put his family through that on vacation. He isn’t going to put the Warblers through that and he sure as hell would rather he and Blaine not go through it right now, thank you very much.
Still, he wants to kiss his boyfriend. Very much. He even considers suggesting they make themselves scarce for a short while. Maybe into the copse of palm trees behind them.
“We’ve only got an hour to go and then we head back to the ship.” Blaine lays flat on his back and rests his other arm over his eyes. His fingers tighten around Kurt’s. “Lay down with me."
Kurt does as he’s told, but scoots a little closer to the edge of his towel. He stays on his side, resting his head on his arm as he gazes at his boyfriend. “Can you believe I actually got a little color yesterday?” He says after a moment of silence. “SPF 100 and the sun still managed to damage my skin a bit. If I get wrinkly, it’s your fault.”
Blaine laughs softly but his face is still hidden beneath his arm. “Wrinkles are totally worth it to see you, Kurt. You have an amazing body.”
It’s Kurt’s turn to blush, and though Blaine can’t see him, he turns his face, burying it into his arm for a moment until he can catch his breath. It’s wonderful and yet so very difficult to hear. He believes Blaine’s words and yet at the same time he has trouble accepting them. He can’t explain it even to himself, but hearing such things when he’d just started convincing himself he never would is hard to get past. He’s still having trouble not refuting Blaine’s words with something sarcastic and completely self-deprecating.
“Hey.” Blaine squeezes his hand briefly. “Why so quiet?”
“No reason.” Kurt turns back to face Blaine and finds he’s being watched. Blaine’s arm is crooked behind his head. “You’re getting really tan, you know.”
“Is this the part where you remind me about wrinkles?”
Kurt laughs. “No. It’s the part where I tell you how I think it makes you even more gorgeous than you already are. When your skin darkens it makes your eyes more honey-colored.”
His boyfriend’s eyes widen a bit at that and there’s the heightened color of pink in his cheeks again. “And here I thought I held the market on romantic sap.”
“Don’t be a dick.” Kurt pulls his hand away from Blaine’s to smack him in the shoulder. “Just for that, I’ve changed my mind. I don’t want to kiss you so much anymore.” He rolls onto his back and throws his arm over his eyes in the same manner Blaine had.
He hears Blaine moving beside him, but ignores him, smiling a little at how easy the banter flows between them. He isn’t certain when it happened, but Blaine has become his best friend, and while one half of his heart breaks at the idea of replacing Mercedes in that spot, the other is singing at the thought of how right and perfect and wonderful it is that they have each other.
The sun seems to go away. Curious, Kurt pulls his arm back to find Blaine leaning over him, staring down into his face with what could only be described as a wicked smile.
“Hello,” his boyfriend says, continuing to smile that smile.
Kurt’s heart is racing. Every time he thinks there’s no way this boy could make him feel more topsy-turvy, he does. It’s like some sort of built-in magic with him or something. He’s so very close, but not touching Kurt in the least. And wow, that’s all Kurt wants right now. Blaine’s hands on him. Blaine’s mouth on his. But Blaine just keeps staring down at him, smiling wickedly, and occasionally his eyes will linger on Kurt’s lips before sliding back up to Kurt’s eyes.
He finds himself squirming slightly, uncomfortable, overheated, itchy, and restless. Blaine is looking at his lips again, and then he licks his own-soft pink tongue darting out to trace along his lower lip-and oh, Kurt hasn’t had the pleasure of experiencing that yet, the feel of Blaine’s tongue in his mouth. And he really, really wants to.
“So,” Blaine begins, and his tone sounds resolute about something. “I think… I’m going to get in the water.”
And then he’s pulling away from Kurt, laughing, as he gets to his feet and runs down the beach toward the surf. Kurt actually lets loose a tiny cry of frustration as he sits up, clenching sand between his fists and throwing it outward.
“You’re a tease!” he yells. He can hear Blaine’s laughter, and oh, Blaine is so not getting any of Kurt Hummel the rest of the cruise!
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Okay, so maybe Kurt has less self-control than he thought because he lets Blaine steal a kiss in the back of the bus the moment they take their seats. And he’s kind of forgotten all about deciding he wasn’t going to let Blaine touch him again for the rest of the cruise, though he hasn’t forgotten about the teasing, and he totally plans on getting back at him somehow. Except, Kurt’s never teased anyone like that in his life, and he isn’t totally certain he knows how. He’d feel ridiculous if he thought he was teasing Blaine, only whatever he was doing wasn’t turning Blaine on at all.
He really wants to know he has the ability to affect his boyfriend.
He’s thinking about all of this far too much.
When they get back to the boat, they all linger around the elevators on Deck One, discussing what to do for dinner. It’s the only night they don’t have a performance, and the idea of putting on their uniforms to have dinner as a group in the dining hall is met with a resounding chorus of groans. Mr. Price agrees, and Wes grudgingly does as well, but reminds everyone they still have a rehearsal to get through before dinner, and he expects them to perform as well as they did in the Aquarium bar earlier that afternoon.
Once the decision is made, Burt tells Kurt and Finn that he and Carole have decided to forego the dining room as well, and tells them that they have the evening free to enjoy themselves. Kurt glances over at Blaine, who is waiting for him beside the elevators while the rest of the Warblers fight to get into the first elevator to open.
As his dad and stepmom move to get in line for an elevator as well, Finn stops Kurt from joining Blaine. He looks up, a little annoyed. “Finn?”
“I just… well, that is…” Finn looks like he wants to say something but doesn’t quite know how. He shifts from one foot to the other. “Holden and I were thinking about maybe going to that teen party they throw in the Extreme 11 lounge tonight. He says there’s lot of girls there.”
“Uh huh.” Kurt has no idea why his stepbrother is telling him this. Does he want him and Blaine to go to?
“Well, I mean, we’ll probably watch a movie first or something but the party goes until one-I mean, I know curfew is at midnight, but we’ll be out at least until then.”
Kurt crosses his arms over his chest and begins tapping his foot. “And?”
Finn looks at him like he’s the densest person on the planet. “Holden and I are going to be gone until at least midnight…”
“I heard you the first time, Finn.”
“Dude.” Finn shakes his head. “The rooms. They’ll be empty. Ours. Holden and Blaine’s. Whichever. I just… thought you might want to know.”
Kurt starts to say something, and then closes his mouth quickly. Oh.
Oh.
And it takes every ounce of his control not to throw himself at Finn and hug him until his eyes pop out because, really, this is right up there with everything Finn did for him at the wedding. This simple little thing means so much because Finn has actually thought about it, actually considered that maybe Blaine and Kurt need some alone time together, and he’s totally cool with it.
“Thank you, Finn.” Kurt beams and Finn seems to relax now that Kurt has finally caught on.
“Don’t mention it,” his stepbrother tells him, then adds, “Like, ever. Please.”
Kurt laughs, nods and spins away, hurrying over to Blaine’s side.
“You’re not going to believe this,” he says as his boyfriend presses his hand against his back and guides him into an open elevator. He leans close to Blaine and whispers, “We have either of our rooms available to us until midnight. Just us. No interruptions.”
Blaine doesn’t seem as excited as Kurt expected him to be. He glances at Kurt, not smiling and just kind of nods. Well, that’s odd, Kurt thinks, but tries not to let it bother him. Maybe like Kurt, it’s just going to take a moment or two for it to sink in for Blaine.
They make it through rehearsal and Kurt thinks that like him everyone will be very grateful when they’re back at Dalton and rehearsals return to only one hour a day for five days a week instead of two rehearsals a day, with some extending past two hours. Luckily, this one only lasts an hour and every song goes well. He and Blaine focus more on their nonexistent audience than each other, though they still exchange the occasional glance and smile, and they allow themselves to have all the fun they want on their duet. Not even Wes chides them for that.
As they leave the auditorium, Kurt finds himself suggesting, “So, I thought instead of eating at the buffet with everyone, maybe we could just order room service?”
Blaine stops and looks at him.
Kurt shifts uncomfortably. “What… what’s wrong?”
“I just…“ Blaine runs his hand through his hair and Kurt tries really hard not let it distract him. He’s still trying to get used to sans-gel Blaine. His dark curls are impossible not to want to touch. Blaine reaches out and takes Kurt’s hand, tugging him off to a corner where they can be alone and not overheard by nosey Warblers. “I just need your promise that you’re not trying to rush things, Kurt. I mean, being able to spend time alone with you this evening is great, but I want to make certain we’re on the same page here.”
“Rush thin-Oh.” Kurt flushes and drops his gaze to their hands. He worries his lower lip a moment before shaking his head. “Honestly, Blaine, I hadn’t even thought… I mean, yeah, I’ve thought about it but not for tonight.” He brings his gaze up and Blaine’s expression has softened. “I really don’t even know what I’m capable of right now. Just kissing you still kind of freaks me out and makes me feel wonderful and weird and perfect and anything past that…my head might explode.”
“Well, we can’t have that.” Blaine laughs as he leans up and kisses Kurt’s forehead. “I’m glad to hear it. I mean, not that I haven’t thought about other things too. But I think it’s more important that we get comfortable with each other and trust one other. There’s still too much potential for us to freak out.”
Kurt nods and can’t help but quip, “So tonight, we just get to know one another. Tomorrow we can have sex.” His face actually flames saying something like that out loud, joke or not.
But Blaine laughs, pulls him close and kisses him. “Yay for taking things slowly!”
They choose Kurt’s room because Blaine says Holden is a slob and he’s not picking up after him. After perusing the menu, Blaine orders a burger and fries, and Kurt orders a chicken salad. They sit on the bed and browse through the channels on the TV for something to watch. Blaine has the remote and stops on Rachael Ray. Kurt can’t stand Rachael Ray and tells him to change it. His boyfriend refuses, saying she’s funny and quirky and totally ridiculous, and how can you not like her? Kurt says she’s a travesty to the cooking world and gets up to change the channel manually.
Blaine changes it back from the bed.
Kurt looks over his shoulder at him in warning before pressing the button once more.
His boyfriend is an ass.
Thirty seconds later and they’re wrestling for the remote, Kurt attempting to use his advantage of standing over Blaine to get the upper hand. He pushes him back onto the bed, trapping his hand with the remote and attempts to pry it from his fingers. Blaine uses that moment to tip Kurt off balance, making him fall onto the bed, then rolling him over and pinning him, while waving the remote triumphantly above his head. Kurt wedges a leg between Blaine’s legs, curls it around a thigh, and jerks it hard, using the muscles Coach Sylvester and her hours of Cheerios training gave him to throw Blaine off balance, tossing him off the bed. Unfortunately, his own leg is trapped and he goes falling with Blaine, landing with simultaneous “Oof!”’s and laughter on the floor.
“I’ve still got the remote,” Blaine points out as their laughter begins to subside. “And Rachael is still on the TV.”
“Mmmm.”
Kurt rests his hands on Blaine’s chest and leans his chin on them, staring down at his boyfriend. He doesn’t say anything more in response, just watches him, and Blaine begins to look nervous. Just when it seems Blaine might try to roll out from under him, Kurt leans in and kisses him, pressing Blaine’s head back into the carpet as he deepens the kiss just a bit, hesitantly sliding his tongue along Blaine’s lower lip. Blaine moans against his mouth, shifting slightly beneath him, arms moving to wrap around Kurt.
Kurt reaches out to grab the remote Blaine dropped. He pulls back, and sits up, sliding off of Blaine and wriggling the remote in front of him with a smile. “Paybacks, Blaine. Paybacks.”
Blaine is muttering unflattering words behind him as Kurt turns and changes the channel. There’s a repeat of “Real Housewives of Atlanta”, which is far more acceptable than Rachael Ray. He leaves it there, half expecting his boyfriend to tackle him in response when there’s a knock at the door.
Saved by room service.
They sit side by side on the bed with their backs against the headboard, legs crossed in front of them and their plates balanced on their laps. Blaine briefly gives him hell about choosing “Housewives” over Rachael, and Kurt tells Blaine that his poor taste in TV is only matched by his poor taste in fashion. Blaine responds by sticking a French Fry in his ear. Kurt almost loses his balance as he freaks out at the grease in his ear-not to mention ewwww-which would have sent both him and his dinner to the floor.
It takes Blaine three apologies and a promise to never eat fries in Kurt’s presence again before he deigns to speak to him once more.
When the show ends, Kurt goes back to flipping channels, finally settling on “Pretty Woman,” which is playing on Oxygen. It doesn’t take long before the two of them are reciting the dialogue word-for-word and Kurt can’t help but love the fact that Blaine knows the movie as well as he does. Kurt teases Blaine for being his “Edward” and Blaine responds that if anyone ever turns Kurt away from a clothing store he is to let Blaine know immediately so he can set fire to the place. Kurt sniffs a little at the idea of not being able to shop, which sends Blaine into a fit of laughter.
It’s not long before their empty plates end up on the floor, and they’re stretched out on the bed, facing one another, the movie forgotten. Kurt thinks he owes Finn big time for this as he reaches across the small space between them to slide his fingertips lightly across Blaine’s lips, pausing and smiling as they’re kissed in return.
“How many boyfriends have you had?” Kurt finds himself asking.
Blaine frowns slightly.
“I’m not going to get upset,” Kurt hurriedly reassures him. “I’m just… curious, I guess. I just want to know more about you.”
Sighing, Blaine takes Kurt’s hand in his own, holding it between them. “Two,” he says finally. “One at my old school and one at Dalton. And no, I’m not counting the brief, aborted attempt to date Kendrick.”
Kurt thinks about this for a moment. “Who at Dalton?”
“You don’t know him. He graduated last year.”
He can’t help but raise a teasing eyebrow. “Oh? Into older men, are we?”
“Shut up!” Blaine kicks him gently, laughing, and their legs somehow end up entwined. “It was just something that happened. It only lasted a few months. He was great guy, right for me at the time, I guess. He made me feel… special.”
Kurt tries very hard not to be jealous. He succeeds, for the most part. “What about your first boyfriend? At your old school.”
Blaine’s gaze turns inward and it’s a little frightening how easily Kurt can see him begin to close himself off. He can’t take back the question, but he does say, “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to pry. If you don’t want to talk about it…”
“I don’t.” Blaine slowly looks less guarded and he squeezes Kurt’s hand. “Not now. Not tonight. Later, I promise. Right now, I just want to be with you, okay? Telling you about him would only ruin tonight.”
“I’m sorry,” Kurt says again, and means it as he closes the distance between them and kisses Blaine softly.
It is meant to be a quick, apologetic kiss, but Blaine’s hand curls around Kurt’s neck, pulling him closer, holding him there, and everything about Blaine seems suddenly needy and desperate. Kurt responds in kind, moving closer, until the space between them is gone, and Kurt is leaning over Blaine, hand tentatively pressing against his chest, t-shirt tucked between his fingers. He experiments again, slipping his tongue out to touch Blaine’s lips, but this time it’s met with Blaine’s own and its weird the wetness and how the tongue against his own feels slightly cool, and he can taste the burger Blaine ate. It makes him giggle.
This unfortunately, kind of ends the kissing when Blaine pulls back slightly, brow furrowed. “Wanna let me in on the joke?” he asks voice a little breathless.
“Sorry.” Kurt smiles. “Once when I was making out with Brittany, I asked her what boys tasted like and-“
“Wait. Wait. Go back to the part where you were making out with a girl?”
Kurt sighs at being interrupted. “It was to get my dad’s attention, okay? I’ll tell you all about it sometime. But anyway, I asked her what boys tasted like and she said burgers and dip. And right now, all I can think about is how glad I am you don’t taste like dip. But you do taste like burgers, which is funny.”
Blaine’s looking at him like he’s completely lost his mind. “Could we maybe go back to the kissing thing?”
Kurt laughs. “Yeah, that sounds good.”
Their lips press together again, and this time when Blaine’s tongue slides against his own it’s expected and Kurt’s no longer thinking about inappropriate past kisses as he slowly gets past the burger to taste Blaine. It’s something he’d never be able to explain and really he wouldn’t want to because right now it’s his and it’s personal. He deepens the kiss as he tries to learn more. He explores Blaine’s mouth and runs his tongue along his teeth, which feels nothing like touching his own. He loves the hitch in Blaine’s breathing as he does this and how Blaine’s hands are tangling in the back of his shirt, tugging him closer as Kurt traps his lower lip between his teeth and just sucks on it.
“God, Kurt…” Blaine gasps softly and suddenly let’s go of his hold on Kurt’s shirt, pushing instead against his belly. “Stop… Kurt, slow down.”
Kurt blinks and pulls back just a little, still leaning over him. “Did I do something wrong?”
“No-God, no.” Blaine laughs, his arms moving back around Kurt’s waist reassuringly. “Are you sure you aren’t experienced at this?”
Kurt flushes and tucks his face into the space between Blaine’s neck and shoulder. “No.” His voice is muffled. “I just… really like kissing you.” He feels Blaine’s fingers moving through his hair, rubbing at the back of his head. The touch gives him the courage to say, “I like the sounds you make.”
He can feel Blaine smile and then his lips are pressing against Kurt’s ear, and his breath blows against it. Kurt’s entire body shudders at the sensation. He makes his own noise in the back of his throat as Blaine continues, teeth grazing over the lobe, tongue sliding along the shell. Kurt whimpers at the sensations Blaine is causing, the blood rushing through him, pounding in his ears and he tries to think of things like his dad walking in on them or Mr. Schuester giving Rachel yet another solo that Kurt should have had, or slushie facials.
And then, because the boy he happens to be dating is an ass, Blaine whispers, “Paybacks,” and pulls his mouth away from Kurt’s ear. Kurt slides away, burying his face in his pillow and screams.
Blaine is laughing at him because, once more in case someone wasn’t listening, Blaine is an ass. Kurt tries to shrug him off as his boyfriend leans over him, sliding his hand along Kurt’s back and kissing his neck just below the hairline.
“Sorry,” he whispers against Kurt’s neck, causing tiny goose bumps to break out along his skin. “Couldn’t resist.”
Kurt turns his head to the side. “Try next time.”
Still chuckling, Blaine moves to lay his head on the pillow beside Kurt, their bodies still tucked together. He traces his finger along Kurt’s temple, brushes the bangs off his forehead, leans in and presses a gentle kiss against his lips.
“Want to know something?” he asks against Kurt’s mouth.
Kurt closes his eyes and kisses him back, soft, slow, warm and perfect. “What?” he asks after a moment.
“We have all the time in the world.” Blaine isn’t kissing him now, just speaking quietly, their lips sometimes touching with a word. “I want to know everything about you. So if it seems sometimes that I stop when you want to keep going, it’s because I’m afraid I might miss out on something, that we might skip something, that I might not have the chance to memorize everything little thing about you and the moments we spend together.”
Kurt opens his eyes. Blaine is so close that Kurt can see each individual long eyelash, the flecks of golds and browns, greens and grays in his eyes; their lips are still just not quite touching. He reaches up with his hand and runs his fingertips over Blaine’s cheek, along his jaw, enjoying the scratch of the barely-there stubble.
“How come you always know the right thing to say?” Kurt whispers.
Blaine smiles at him. “Because I have the right person listening.”
Kurt returns the smile and tugs Blaine closer until there is no space left between them.
They fall asleep like that until Finn is gently shaking them awake. He looks nervous and like he feels a little bad for intruding, busying himself with getting ready for bed while they say goodnight. Kurt clings to Blaine a little longer than he should at the door because he’d been warm and oh so comfortable, and waking up like that with Blaine next to him had been the most wonderful thing ever. He is loathing letting it go.
Blaine seems just as reluctant, but always the responsible one, he gently pries Kurt’s hands from his shirt and kisses him briefly. “See you in the morning, okay?”
Kurt nods silently and presses his cheek hard into the door jamb as he watches Blaine disappear down the corridor to his room. He’s still afraid that one day he might just wake up from this dream.