His Perfect Partner (5/?)
Title: His Perfect Partner (5/?)
Rating: R
Pairings: Kurt/Blaine, with appearances by Burt/Carole, Tina/Mike, Mercedes/Sam, Brittany/Santana, Rachel/Finn
Spoilers: None, but assume that anything through 3.14 is fair game for inspiration.
Word Count: 2479
Summary: After five disappointing seasons on the show, professional dancer Kurt Hummel finally has his chance at ballroom glory. With actress and fan favorite Kim Schrodinger as his partner, Kurt vows to channel all his focus into winning that mirrorball trophy - distractions, including men, be damned. Enter Blaine Anderson, a gorgeous, confusing pop star who may turn out to be the biggest distraction of them all.
In This Chapter: With one week left to go before the premiere, Kurt reflects on family, the pros rehearse, and Kim orchestrates a lunch date.
Author's Note: This is a Dancing with the Stars/Glee crossover AU, in which Kurt grew up dancing and became a professional on the show in his mid-twenties, and Blaine is a pop star with a very private private life. Other familiar Glee faces, some actual DWTS pros, and a couple of OCs appear to round out the cast of characters. I'll be posting twice a week, on Mondays and Thursdays. I have a master glee post here, or follow my bff's tumblr for updates and some fun multi-media extras that will go along with most chapters. Thanks to
samzgurl,
wintercreek, and
gypsyangel25 for the beta as well as for general cheer-leading and fun times.
“So, what’s the plan, boss?” Kim asked on Monday morning. Kurt had let her harass him about Blaine like the big sister she wanted to be over the weekend, but he had drawn the line at letting her distract them from rehearsal with only a week left to go.
“Two full days of rehearsal, today and tomorrow. A half day on Wednesday so I can go learn the pro dance. Final costume fittings and ridiculous amounts of press on Thursday. A day off on Friday, blocking and dress over the weekend, and then it’s showtime,” Kurt said.
“Nothing to it, hm?” Kim said, looking vaguely terrified.
“You’ll be fine.” Kurt grabbed her hands and squeezed. “I’ve done this a bunch of times, and you’re already more prepared than any of my previous partners.”
“And I’m not going to look like an idiot?”
“You’re not going to look like an idiot. You’re going to be amazing. Trust me.”
“I do,” Kim said. Her honesty warmed his heart. They’d barely begun, but he already loved this season best.
“So, I have a surprise.” Kurt said with forced cheer. Now was definitely not the time to break down into sentimentality. “We have a bit of an audience today.”
Kurt walked over to the studio doors to let in the film crew, who set up quickly. Moments later, Molly and Jake burst through the doors, followed at a more reasonable pace by Grant. They swarmed Kim, bestowing hugs and kisses freely. Then Molly made a break for it and attached herself to Kurt’s knees.
“Hi, Kurtsie!” she said as he swung her up onto one hip.
“Hi, munchkin. Ready to watch me and your mom dance?”
“Yes!” She clapped her hands and squealed in his ear. “And then can me and Jake show you what we learned at dance class? Miss Tina and Mister Mike say we’re going to be stars!”
“Sure thing, Molly.” Kurt put her down, and she skipped off to tell her dad about her plan. Kurt turned to Jake, who had stopped a few feet away. “Hi, Jakesters. How’s my favorite little guy?”
“Good,” Jake said, smiling at the floor.
“Excellent,” Kurt said, ruffling his hair. “You have a very important job today.”
“I do?” Jake’s curiosity got the better of him, and he lifted his arms to be picked up.
“You sure do. I need you to watch very carefully and tell us what you think of the dance. Thumbs up or thumbs down, ok?”
Jake nodded solemnly, and Kurt couldn’t resist smacking a kiss to his cheek before putting him back on his feet. The kid had all of Kim’s honest sweetness with none of the obnoxious sass.
They got started a few minutes later. Kim, who had been good so far, kicked into an extra gear in front of an audience. They still had some polishing to do, but Kurt thought it was reasonable to expect that today’s three thumbs up would translate into positive judges’ scores and viewer votes.
The kids were up next, demonstrating a simple box step, Molly bossing her brother for all she was worth. Kim pulled Grant up to join them, and Kurt sat back to watch the happy family goof off. This was tv gold, he knew, and the producers would use this in their first rehearsal package, but more importantly, it felt like home.
Kurt flashed back in his mind to his parents’ wedding reception, and the way that Carole - who wasn’t yet his other mother in the way she became later - had danced with each one of her boys in turn. Kurt had spun her around with fancy dips and turns until she was laughing, and Finn had managed not to step on her feet too badly. And then she had turned back to Burt, had melted into him like she had always belonged there, and Kurt had known that everything was just right.
That had been the night that Kurt had realized that he would be ok, that his family would help him get through anything the world might throw at him. He had a father to love him, a stepmother to listen to everything that was in his heart, and a brother who would always have his back. He could do anything. With their support, he was well on his way to accomplishing his dreams.
He went back to watching the happy family in front of him, making a mental note to call his parents later that night and meet his brother for lunch in the next few days. His friends kept him sane, but his family kept him grounded. He’d need all of them to survive the season. But first, more rehearsal.
He got Kim’s attention, and together they herded her family away so they could get back to work. Seven days and counting - it was going to be a wild ride.
***
For some reason, the utter chaos of the first pro dance rehearsal always took Kurt by surprise. He figured the madness was a combination of anticipation of the first show, too much energy after a summer away, and sheer nerves. This time there were no new pros, so the heckling and general insanity was at an all-time high. Mark was choreographing, which meant a lot of intricate movement and probably some hip hop or something similar. Kurt had never been more grateful for his well-rounded dance background than when he started dancing with Mark.
Rather than try to get everyone’s attention by yelling, Mark just turned their music on and cranked up the volume. As soon as Kurt recognized the song, he cracked up.
“Don’t Stop Believin’? Really?” Kurt said once Mark had turned it back down to a reasonable level. “Isn’t that a little overdone?”
“Never!” Lacey yelled from where she was jamming with Brittany. They’d both worn legwarmers, which seemed a little too appropriate.
“It’s a classic for a reason,” Mark reasoned. “It’ll get everyone pumped up and singing along, which is what we want.”
“I suppose,” Kurt said, sharing an eyeroll with Maks.
“It’ll work. I promise,” Mark said. “Now let’s get organized. D and Chels, I want you two middle left. Elizabeth, you’re with me, middle right. Lovebirds, front and center.”
Everyone began moving, Maks automatically extricating Brittany from Lacey. As the two tallest pros, Maks and Brit danced together more often than not. Kurt braced himself for impact as Lacey made a run for it, jumping on his back.
“I guess it’s just you and me, buddy,” Lacey said, sliding down so they could head for upstage right, behind Mark and Bitsy.
“Lucky me,” Kurt said, pulling her back in for a quick hug.
Kurt enjoyed dancing with Lacey, whose enthusiasm was only eclipsed by her talent. He was hoping to get another lyrical duet with her this season. The one they’d done the previous season to Without You had been amazing. Rachel had killed the vocals, and Kurt had gotten caught up with Lacey in the mood and the movement. He still remembered hitting that last pose, breathing hard and feeling like someone had just turned the lights and sound back on as he noticed their standing ovation. It had been one of those nights when he knew he was exactly where he needed to be.
Mark called out instructions, demonstrating steps for the opening sequence, which would be done in a fugue, each couple beginning a few counts after the one before them. The song was fast and high energy, requiring a lot of turns and lifts. After the opening chorus, each couple got their turn in the spotlight, moving quickly in and out of the center of the floor. The final chorus was in unison, quick, sharp, and fabulous. By the time they made it all the way through, they were all sweating and grinning.
Kurt looked up at the sound of applause and noticed that half the celebs were crowded in the doorway, watching the pros rehearse. Kim was leaning on Blaine, grinning and looking entirely too cozy for Kurt’s comfort. Kurt walked over to them, wiping the back of his neck with the towel he’d grabbed from his bag.
“Hey,” Kurt said. He kissed Kim’s cheek, his eyes on Blaine. Blaine smiled back at him, looking totally at ease.
“So that was awesome,” Kim said, looping her arm through Kurt’s.
“Thanks. I’m exhausted, but it’s for a good cause.”
“Well it looks amazing,” Blaine said. “I don’t know how you can stand dancing with neophytes like us when you can dance like that.”
“I competed for long enough that I don’t really miss it now. Plus, I love to teach,” Kurt said, grateful for Kim’s presence or whatever it was that was keeping this conversation from spiraling down into awkwardness. Every time he looked at Blaine, all he could think about was the way it had felt to hold him. It had been so right, and so incredibly hot. Kurt forced a smile back on his face and cursed his wayward mind.
“I brought lunch, as requested,” Kim was saying when Kurt tuned back in. “I have plenty if you and Elizabeth would like to join us, Blaine.”
“I think Elizabeth is staying to rehearse a little more with Mark, but I’d love to,” Blaine said brightly.
“OK, great. Meet me in my trailer in ten? I should have everything ready to go then,” Kim said. She smiled sweetly, and Kurt shot her a dark look. She knew exactly what she was doing, and Kurt didn’t like it one bit.
Fifteen minutes later, having taken the fastest shower of his life, Kurt walked into Kim’s trailer without knocking. She and Blaine were tucked into her tiny table, chatting over drinks and salads. Kim had thoughtfully laid Kurt’s lunch out right next to Blaine. Kim waved him into his chair and winked. She was a dead woman.
“So, Blaine,” Kim began once Kurt was seated, his knees pressed up against Blaine’s. “How did you get roped into dancing this season?”
“Well, it’s kind of a funny story. My best friend is a great dancer, and she and the guys in my band are always making fun of me for hopping around on stage instead of really dancing.” Blaine grinned at Kurt, obviously remembering what Kurt had said back in New York. “So I told them that if they could figure out a way for me to learn to dance that would fit in my schedule, I’d do it. The next thing I knew, my agent was calling me with an offer to do the show. That’s the last time I open my big mouth around any of them.”
“Oh, honey, friends are the worst, aren’t they?” Kim asked, and Kurt silently agreed. “But I bet you’re going to be amazing.”
“I hope so. I know you’ll be great. You have a wonderful teacher, after all.” Blaine looked at Kurt, who almost choked on his lunch. Blaine really needed to be less sweet, or Kurt was going to start believing him.
“He is, isn’t he?” Kim said. “I’ve wanted to do the show for a while. Now that the timing is finally right, I feel like I got extra lucky when it came to partners. Granted, I may have mentioned a little something about my preference to the producers…”
“You didn’t tell me that!” Kurt was honestly surprised. He’d never been requested outright before.
“Didn’t I? Not like it matters now, anyway.” Kim waved a dismissive hand in the air. “I have what I want, and I’m not letting you go!”
“It’s a really good thing I like you, missy.” Kurt reached across the table to squeeze her hand.
“You two obviously have a great partnership,” Blaine commented. “I guess it’s lucky that I like my partner so much, since I didn’t know enough to request anyone.”
“You mean Bitsy’s not driving you insane?”
“Kurt! You’re terrible,” Kim said, giggling.
“No, Bi…Elizabeth and I are actually a pretty good match. She has a lot of energy, like me, and she’s really patient, which I need,” Blaine said.
“Well that’s good, I suppose. Someone should get along with her, because it’s not going to be me.” Kurt crossed his arms over his chest.
“Did you guys have an issue or something?” Blaine asked. Kurt sighed.
“Not really. She just tends to rub me the wrong way. All that blonde hair and perkiness and giggling is a lot to handle. Plus she’s entirely too nice. It’s disconcerting.” Kurt shuddered delicately, and Blaine laughed.
“So too nice is weird. Duly noted,” Blaine said. “I’ll be sure to say something mean in your presence at least once a week so you won’t think I’m creepy.”
“I appreciate that,” Kurt said, trying not to laugh. “I know it’s a little ridiculous, but not everyone is destined to be the best of friends. I’m ok with that.”
“True.” Kim nodded sagely. “I mean, I plan to use you as a means to an end and then kick you to the curb once I get my hands on that mirrorball trophy.”
“You’re a brat,” Kurt said.
“You love me,” Kim shot back.
“You’re both ridiculous,” Blaine said. “I think that’s why I like you so much.”
Kurt grinned at Blaine, knowing his expression was bordering on soppy and not caring. Kim laughed delightedly and stood up to begin gathering their plates.
“I should get back. I know Elizabeth wants to start rehearsal soon. But this was fun. We should do it again,” Blaine said.
“Absolutely,” Kurt found himself saying. He knew Blaine meant all three of them, but he couldn’t help the little thrill he felt knowing Blaine wanted to share a meal with him again.
“Great.” Blaine got up, squeezing Kurt’s shoulder on his way to the door. “Thanks for lunch, Kim!”
“You’re welcome,” Kim said, like a perfect hostess. The moment Blaine had closed the door, she turned to Kurt and squealed.
“Don’t start,” Kurt warned. “You are evil. Evil evil evil.”
“I’m also right. Right right right. Did he or did he not just request another lunch date with you?”
“With both of us, you jerk. Don’t you dare get my hopes up.” Kurt pointed a finger at her. “I will never forgive you when it all blows up spectacularly in my face.”
“Have a little faith, Kurt darling. And have a little fun. What can it hurt?” Kim asked.
Unfortunately, Kurt knew from experience just how much it could hurt. It wasn’t a situation he cared to find himself in again anytime soon. He smiled wanly at Kim and resolved to keep his dating fantasies in check. He’d play along with Kim to a degree, but he wasn’t putting his heart on the line again unless he knew for sure that it wouldn’t get broken into pieces.
Rating: R
Pairings: Kurt/Blaine, with appearances by Burt/Carole, Tina/Mike, Mercedes/Sam, Brittany/Santana, Rachel/Finn
Spoilers: None, but assume that anything through 3.14 is fair game for inspiration.
Word Count: 2479
Summary: After five disappointing seasons on the show, professional dancer Kurt Hummel finally has his chance at ballroom glory. With actress and fan favorite Kim Schrodinger as his partner, Kurt vows to channel all his focus into winning that mirrorball trophy - distractions, including men, be damned. Enter Blaine Anderson, a gorgeous, confusing pop star who may turn out to be the biggest distraction of them all.
In This Chapter: With one week left to go before the premiere, Kurt reflects on family, the pros rehearse, and Kim orchestrates a lunch date.
Author's Note: This is a Dancing with the Stars/Glee crossover AU, in which Kurt grew up dancing and became a professional on the show in his mid-twenties, and Blaine is a pop star with a very private private life. Other familiar Glee faces, some actual DWTS pros, and a couple of OCs appear to round out the cast of characters. I'll be posting twice a week, on Mondays and Thursdays. I have a master glee post here, or follow my bff's tumblr for updates and some fun multi-media extras that will go along with most chapters. Thanks to
samzgurl,
wintercreek, and
gypsyangel25 for the beta as well as for general cheer-leading and fun times.
“So, what’s the plan, boss?” Kim asked on Monday morning. Kurt had let her harass him about Blaine like the big sister she wanted to be over the weekend, but he had drawn the line at letting her distract them from rehearsal with only a week left to go.
“Two full days of rehearsal, today and tomorrow. A half day on Wednesday so I can go learn the pro dance. Final costume fittings and ridiculous amounts of press on Thursday. A day off on Friday, blocking and dress over the weekend, and then it’s showtime,” Kurt said.
“Nothing to it, hm?” Kim said, looking vaguely terrified.
“You’ll be fine.” Kurt grabbed her hands and squeezed. “I’ve done this a bunch of times, and you’re already more prepared than any of my previous partners.”
“And I’m not going to look like an idiot?”
“You’re not going to look like an idiot. You’re going to be amazing. Trust me.”
“I do,” Kim said. Her honesty warmed his heart. They’d barely begun, but he already loved this season best.
“So, I have a surprise.” Kurt said with forced cheer. Now was definitely not the time to break down into sentimentality. “We have a bit of an audience today.”
Kurt walked over to the studio doors to let in the film crew, who set up quickly. Moments later, Molly and Jake burst through the doors, followed at a more reasonable pace by Grant. They swarmed Kim, bestowing hugs and kisses freely. Then Molly made a break for it and attached herself to Kurt’s knees.
“Hi, Kurtsie!” she said as he swung her up onto one hip.
“Hi, munchkin. Ready to watch me and your mom dance?”
“Yes!” She clapped her hands and squealed in his ear. “And then can me and Jake show you what we learned at dance class? Miss Tina and Mister Mike say we’re going to be stars!”
“Sure thing, Molly.” Kurt put her down, and she skipped off to tell her dad about her plan. Kurt turned to Jake, who had stopped a few feet away. “Hi, Jakesters. How’s my favorite little guy?”
“Good,” Jake said, smiling at the floor.
“Excellent,” Kurt said, ruffling his hair. “You have a very important job today.”
“I do?” Jake’s curiosity got the better of him, and he lifted his arms to be picked up.
“You sure do. I need you to watch very carefully and tell us what you think of the dance. Thumbs up or thumbs down, ok?”
Jake nodded solemnly, and Kurt couldn’t resist smacking a kiss to his cheek before putting him back on his feet. The kid had all of Kim’s honest sweetness with none of the obnoxious sass.
They got started a few minutes later. Kim, who had been good so far, kicked into an extra gear in front of an audience. They still had some polishing to do, but Kurt thought it was reasonable to expect that today’s three thumbs up would translate into positive judges’ scores and viewer votes.
The kids were up next, demonstrating a simple box step, Molly bossing her brother for all she was worth. Kim pulled Grant up to join them, and Kurt sat back to watch the happy family goof off. This was tv gold, he knew, and the producers would use this in their first rehearsal package, but more importantly, it felt like home.
Kurt flashed back in his mind to his parents’ wedding reception, and the way that Carole - who wasn’t yet his other mother in the way she became later - had danced with each one of her boys in turn. Kurt had spun her around with fancy dips and turns until she was laughing, and Finn had managed not to step on her feet too badly. And then she had turned back to Burt, had melted into him like she had always belonged there, and Kurt had known that everything was just right.
That had been the night that Kurt had realized that he would be ok, that his family would help him get through anything the world might throw at him. He had a father to love him, a stepmother to listen to everything that was in his heart, and a brother who would always have his back. He could do anything. With their support, he was well on his way to accomplishing his dreams.
He went back to watching the happy family in front of him, making a mental note to call his parents later that night and meet his brother for lunch in the next few days. His friends kept him sane, but his family kept him grounded. He’d need all of them to survive the season. But first, more rehearsal.
He got Kim’s attention, and together they herded her family away so they could get back to work. Seven days and counting - it was going to be a wild ride.
***
For some reason, the utter chaos of the first pro dance rehearsal always took Kurt by surprise. He figured the madness was a combination of anticipation of the first show, too much energy after a summer away, and sheer nerves. This time there were no new pros, so the heckling and general insanity was at an all-time high. Mark was choreographing, which meant a lot of intricate movement and probably some hip hop or something similar. Kurt had never been more grateful for his well-rounded dance background than when he started dancing with Mark.
Rather than try to get everyone’s attention by yelling, Mark just turned their music on and cranked up the volume. As soon as Kurt recognized the song, he cracked up.
“Don’t Stop Believin’? Really?” Kurt said once Mark had turned it back down to a reasonable level. “Isn’t that a little overdone?”
“Never!” Lacey yelled from where she was jamming with Brittany. They’d both worn legwarmers, which seemed a little too appropriate.
“It’s a classic for a reason,” Mark reasoned. “It’ll get everyone pumped up and singing along, which is what we want.”
“I suppose,” Kurt said, sharing an eyeroll with Maks.
“It’ll work. I promise,” Mark said. “Now let’s get organized. D and Chels, I want you two middle left. Elizabeth, you’re with me, middle right. Lovebirds, front and center.”
Everyone began moving, Maks automatically extricating Brittany from Lacey. As the two tallest pros, Maks and Brit danced together more often than not. Kurt braced himself for impact as Lacey made a run for it, jumping on his back.
“I guess it’s just you and me, buddy,” Lacey said, sliding down so they could head for upstage right, behind Mark and Bitsy.
“Lucky me,” Kurt said, pulling her back in for a quick hug.
Kurt enjoyed dancing with Lacey, whose enthusiasm was only eclipsed by her talent. He was hoping to get another lyrical duet with her this season. The one they’d done the previous season to Without You had been amazing. Rachel had killed the vocals, and Kurt had gotten caught up with Lacey in the mood and the movement. He still remembered hitting that last pose, breathing hard and feeling like someone had just turned the lights and sound back on as he noticed their standing ovation. It had been one of those nights when he knew he was exactly where he needed to be.
Mark called out instructions, demonstrating steps for the opening sequence, which would be done in a fugue, each couple beginning a few counts after the one before them. The song was fast and high energy, requiring a lot of turns and lifts. After the opening chorus, each couple got their turn in the spotlight, moving quickly in and out of the center of the floor. The final chorus was in unison, quick, sharp, and fabulous. By the time they made it all the way through, they were all sweating and grinning.
Kurt looked up at the sound of applause and noticed that half the celebs were crowded in the doorway, watching the pros rehearse. Kim was leaning on Blaine, grinning and looking entirely too cozy for Kurt’s comfort. Kurt walked over to them, wiping the back of his neck with the towel he’d grabbed from his bag.
“Hey,” Kurt said. He kissed Kim’s cheek, his eyes on Blaine. Blaine smiled back at him, looking totally at ease.
“So that was awesome,” Kim said, looping her arm through Kurt’s.
“Thanks. I’m exhausted, but it’s for a good cause.”
“Well it looks amazing,” Blaine said. “I don’t know how you can stand dancing with neophytes like us when you can dance like that.”
“I competed for long enough that I don’t really miss it now. Plus, I love to teach,” Kurt said, grateful for Kim’s presence or whatever it was that was keeping this conversation from spiraling down into awkwardness. Every time he looked at Blaine, all he could think about was the way it had felt to hold him. It had been so right, and so incredibly hot. Kurt forced a smile back on his face and cursed his wayward mind.
“I brought lunch, as requested,” Kim was saying when Kurt tuned back in. “I have plenty if you and Elizabeth would like to join us, Blaine.”
“I think Elizabeth is staying to rehearse a little more with Mark, but I’d love to,” Blaine said brightly.
“OK, great. Meet me in my trailer in ten? I should have everything ready to go then,” Kim said. She smiled sweetly, and Kurt shot her a dark look. She knew exactly what she was doing, and Kurt didn’t like it one bit.
Fifteen minutes later, having taken the fastest shower of his life, Kurt walked into Kim’s trailer without knocking. She and Blaine were tucked into her tiny table, chatting over drinks and salads. Kim had thoughtfully laid Kurt’s lunch out right next to Blaine. Kim waved him into his chair and winked. She was a dead woman.
“So, Blaine,” Kim began once Kurt was seated, his knees pressed up against Blaine’s. “How did you get roped into dancing this season?”
“Well, it’s kind of a funny story. My best friend is a great dancer, and she and the guys in my band are always making fun of me for hopping around on stage instead of really dancing.” Blaine grinned at Kurt, obviously remembering what Kurt had said back in New York. “So I told them that if they could figure out a way for me to learn to dance that would fit in my schedule, I’d do it. The next thing I knew, my agent was calling me with an offer to do the show. That’s the last time I open my big mouth around any of them.”
“Oh, honey, friends are the worst, aren’t they?” Kim asked, and Kurt silently agreed. “But I bet you’re going to be amazing.”
“I hope so. I know you’ll be great. You have a wonderful teacher, after all.” Blaine looked at Kurt, who almost choked on his lunch. Blaine really needed to be less sweet, or Kurt was going to start believing him.
“He is, isn’t he?” Kim said. “I’ve wanted to do the show for a while. Now that the timing is finally right, I feel like I got extra lucky when it came to partners. Granted, I may have mentioned a little something about my preference to the producers…”
“You didn’t tell me that!” Kurt was honestly surprised. He’d never been requested outright before.
“Didn’t I? Not like it matters now, anyway.” Kim waved a dismissive hand in the air. “I have what I want, and I’m not letting you go!”
“It’s a really good thing I like you, missy.” Kurt reached across the table to squeeze her hand.
“You two obviously have a great partnership,” Blaine commented. “I guess it’s lucky that I like my partner so much, since I didn’t know enough to request anyone.”
“You mean Bitsy’s not driving you insane?”
“Kurt! You’re terrible,” Kim said, giggling.
“No, Bi…Elizabeth and I are actually a pretty good match. She has a lot of energy, like me, and she’s really patient, which I need,” Blaine said.
“Well that’s good, I suppose. Someone should get along with her, because it’s not going to be me.” Kurt crossed his arms over his chest.
“Did you guys have an issue or something?” Blaine asked. Kurt sighed.
“Not really. She just tends to rub me the wrong way. All that blonde hair and perkiness and giggling is a lot to handle. Plus she’s entirely too nice. It’s disconcerting.” Kurt shuddered delicately, and Blaine laughed.
“So too nice is weird. Duly noted,” Blaine said. “I’ll be sure to say something mean in your presence at least once a week so you won’t think I’m creepy.”
“I appreciate that,” Kurt said, trying not to laugh. “I know it’s a little ridiculous, but not everyone is destined to be the best of friends. I’m ok with that.”
“True.” Kim nodded sagely. “I mean, I plan to use you as a means to an end and then kick you to the curb once I get my hands on that mirrorball trophy.”
“You’re a brat,” Kurt said.
“You love me,” Kim shot back.
“You’re both ridiculous,” Blaine said. “I think that’s why I like you so much.”
Kurt grinned at Blaine, knowing his expression was bordering on soppy and not caring. Kim laughed delightedly and stood up to begin gathering their plates.
“I should get back. I know Elizabeth wants to start rehearsal soon. But this was fun. We should do it again,” Blaine said.
“Absolutely,” Kurt found himself saying. He knew Blaine meant all three of them, but he couldn’t help the little thrill he felt knowing Blaine wanted to share a meal with him again.
“Great.” Blaine got up, squeezing Kurt’s shoulder on his way to the door. “Thanks for lunch, Kim!”
“You’re welcome,” Kim said, like a perfect hostess. The moment Blaine had closed the door, she turned to Kurt and squealed.
“Don’t start,” Kurt warned. “You are evil. Evil evil evil.”
“I’m also right. Right right right. Did he or did he not just request another lunch date with you?”
“With both of us, you jerk. Don’t you dare get my hopes up.” Kurt pointed a finger at her. “I will never forgive you when it all blows up spectacularly in my face.”
“Have a little faith, Kurt darling. And have a little fun. What can it hurt?” Kim asked.
Unfortunately, Kurt knew from experience just how much it could hurt. It wasn’t a situation he cared to find himself in again anytime soon. He smiled wanly at Kim and resolved to keep his dating fantasies in check. He’d play along with Kim to a degree, but he wasn’t putting his heart on the line again unless he knew for sure that it wouldn’t get broken into pieces.