His Perfect Partner (34/?)
Title: His Perfect Partner (34/?)
Rating: NC-17 overall (PG-13 this chapter)
Pairings: Kurt/Blaine, with appearances by Burt/Carole, Tina/Mike, Mercedes/Sam, Brittany/Santana, Rachel/Finn
Spoilers: None, but assume that anything through Season Three is fair game for inspiration.
Word Count: 2215
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: The final three couples are about to be announced, and emotions are running high for all the competitors.
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. For the summer, I'm posting once a week so that I can keep up with real life things! I have a master glee pos here, or follo my bff's tumblr or updates and fun multi-media extras that will go along with some chapters. Thanks t
samzgurl
wintercreek, an
gypsyangel25 or the beta as well as for general cheer-leading and fun times.
“Well don’t you look relaxed,” Kim said to Kurt the next afternoon, smirking up at him from where she was stretching on the studio floor.
“And so what if I am?” Kurt replied, not bothering to hide his grin. “You’ll definitely benefit if I’m in a good mood.”
“Valid point.” Kim smiled. “Remind me to thank your adorable boy toy later.”
“Really, you should be thanking me. I’m the one who said it first.”
“The big L word? You didn’t!” Kim scrambled to her feet and threw her arms around Kurt’s neck. When she started jumping up and down and squealing, Kurt shot her his best ‘I’m judging you’ look. “What? It’s exciting! My baby boys are in looooooove…”
“You’re a lunatic,” Kurt said, smiling in spite of himself. “But yeah, it is exciting.”
“Do I get all the details?”
“Some,” Kurt said. When Kim looked entirely too enthusiastic, he added, “Not the dirty kind.”
“Party pooper.” Kim pouted.
“Every party needs one,” Kurt shot back, laughing at her. And then, because he was nice and he liked her, he spent the next half hour telling her way more about his night than he should have. He might live to regret that lapse in judgment, but he felt so great that he couldn’t bring himself to care.
They ran briefly through the two dances they’d performed the night before, just in case they were called on to perform again. Kurt suspected that Blaine and Bitsy’s foxtrot would get that honor, which he really didn’t mind in the least. Another opportunity to watch his dashing boyfriend - his boyfriend who loved him - shine on the ballroom floor could never be a bad thing.
It wasn’t until they got to the stage for dress rehearsal that Kurt’s nerves made a full reappearance. As he stood on stage under the lights, Kim’s hand held loosely in his, he began to replay the previous night’s performances in his mind. He didn’t like what he saw. Blaine and Santana were both powerful, gifted performers who’d had an incredible night. He would be shocked if either of them even landed in the bottom two, much less were sent home. So that left him and Kim against Puck and Lacey. Technically, Kurt knew that he and Kim were better dancers, but on a show like this, that didn’t always matter all that much. Viewers could be fickle, and one rough night could bring an otherwise excellent season to an early end.
“You’re stressing. I can tell.” Blaine walked over and ran a hand down Kurt’s arm as rehearsal wrapped up.
“I know. Not much I can do about it, though,” Kurt replied, giving him a wan smile.
“Other than remember that you’re amazing and I love you,” Blaine said sweetly. He held onto Kurt’s hand as they began walking back toward the trailers.
“Stop that,” Kurt said, smiling helplessly at him. “You’re going to ruin my stressed out perfectionist rep.”
“I do what I can,” Blaine replied, tugging Kurt out of the main hallway so he could lean in for a soft kiss. His hands moved up Kurt’s arms and settled on his shoulders, holding him in place.
“This competition matters so much to me this year - maybe too much. Me stressing is inevitable,” Kurt said, settling closer to Blaine. “But you help a lot. I really do love you.”
“Best feeling ever,” Blaine said, grinning.
“Being loved?”
“Being in love. Together.” Blaine kissed Kurt again, quick and sweet. “I know the show is intense right now, but no matter what happens, I’m always going to be grateful for it. I got you out of the whole thing. That’s a pretty wonderful deal.”
“You’re unnecessarily good at romance. You know that, right?” Kurt asked Blaine. He could feel a bit of the tension from rehearsal receding, at least for the moment.
“You make it easy. You make me want to do everything right,” Blaine said earnestly.
“If I manage to win this thing, you’re going to be incredibly gracious and perfect, aren’t you?” Kurt really didn’t expect anything less. Blaine was practically the definition of a gentleman.
“Like you won’t if I win?” Blaine asked. Kurt thought about it and was surprised to realize that even his own disappointment wouldn’t make him less excited for Blaine. Blaine smiled at his expression and continued. “You’re a good man, Kurt. You’re kind and smart and dedicated and hard-working, not to mention gorgeous and talented.”
“And you’re a flatterer,” Kurt quipped, but then his expression softened. He kissed Blaine’s cheek and then his temple. “Thank you. It means a lot that you think that of me. And for the record, you’re all those things and more.”
Kurt kissed Blaine again, loving how perfectly Blaine fit in his arms. They held each other close there in the hallway, their cheeks pressed together, until Kim came by and threw herself unceremoniously into their embrace. She wormed her way between them, demanding a hug, and then she steered them toward craft services, where she forced an early dinner on them both as though they were her children.
“I’ve been successfully feeding myself for several decades now, you know,” Kurt grumbled as Kim piled more vegetables onto his salad.
“Mmhm. But that doesn’t mean you can’t use a little extra help every now and again,” Kim said. She bustled around for a few minutes more, getting drinks and napkins, before finally settling across the table from Kurt and Blaine.
“So you’re stress-mothering, and he’s just straight up stressing,” Blaine commented, indicating Kurt with a tilt of his head. He smiled sympathetically at both Kim and Kurt and took a bite of his sandwich. “God, this chicken is delicious! What does Shannon put in it?”
“No one knows, but we’re all grateful,” Kurt said. He looked at Blaine expectantly until Blaine took the hint and gave him a bite.
“And I’m grateful to see you both eating,” Kim said. “Call it what you will, but I always feel better when the people I love are well taken care of.”
“Why do I get the feeling that tonight’s going to be kind of rough?” Blaine asked, looking between Kim and Kurt again.
“Because it’s going to be awful,” Kurt said. “I haven’t been through it before, but I’ve seen how crazy it makes everyone. Maks says even the actual final is less stressful than this show. And the producers draw it all out to the last second, so we still have a few hours of torture to go.”
“Oh, sign me up,” Kim said, trying for sarcastic but only managing anxious. She propped her chin on her hand and stared down at her plate, looking more nervous and dejected that Kurt had ever seen her. She was always the positive one, managing to keep him from slipping too far into the doom and gloom scenarios in his head. But now it seemed like even her usual resilience was being tested.
“This is really getting to you, isn’t it?” Kurt asked her quietly, reaching out to touch her arm. Next to him, Blaine made a sympathetic noise and did the same.
“More than I expected, actually. I just…we’ve worked our asses off, and we deserve to be in that final. I hate that we don’t have control over whether that happens or not,” Kim said fiercely.
“Oh, do I hear you on that one,” Kurt said, settling his chin on his hand to mirror Kim. Blaine glanced worriedly between the two of them.
“Are you sure you’re going to survive this?” Blaine asked, looking like he couldn’t decide who to comfort first.
“I’m sure we’ll manage.” Kurt shrugged. His eyes met Kim’s across the table, and they shared a resigned look and a smile. “It has to be done.”
“Ok,” Blaine said, but he didn’t look convinced. “For what it’s worth, it would be a travesty if you didn’t make it. And I’m not even saying that because I’m biased. It’s just the truth.”
Kim laughed a little and thanked him, and then went back to picking at her dinner. Kurt leaned into Blaine’s side to soak up some of the comfort he offered and focused on his dinner as well, knowing that he’d be grateful for the energy later. It was going to be a long night, and probably a tough one. Kurt would take his comfort and strength where and when he could find it.
***
The rest of the evening leading up to the live show was an exercise in patience and stress management, neither of which were Kurt’s strengths. By the time they finally made it to the ballroom, Kurt was a mass of nerves and emotions, held tightly in place by a professional smile and a death grip on Kim’s hand. Kim, for her part, was squeezing back just as hard, her smile almost manic in its intensity. For her sake, Kurt coaxed them both through a series of deep breaths while Tom opened the show, which helped a tiny bit.
The four couples remaining were under spotlights on stage, evenly spaced so that their pools of light didn’t overlap. It always felt to Kurt like each couple was an island unto themselves during results shows, each person left out to sink or swim with only their partner for company. The staging made the competition more stark, and it always served to make Kurt straighten his spine and brace for the worst.
This early in the show, no results would be announced, but the couples had to stay put while Tom recapped the previous night’s performances. Then, as Kurt had expected, Blaine and Bitsy were asked to perform their foxtrot once again, and the other three couples hurried up to the Celebraquarium to watch.
Out on the balcony, Santana paced back and forth, muttering to herself, while Maks leaned insouciantly against the back wall and watched her go. Maks had told Kurt earlier that day that, at this point in his career, he no longer felt the need to stress about whether or not he won. Kurt could only imagine what that sort of relaxed attitude must feel like.
On the other side of the balcony, Puck sat hunched forward, his elbows on his knees, while Lacey leaned against his back and talked quietly to him. Kurt hadn’t gotten to know Puck that well, but he seemed like a pretty fierce competitor with a wild side. He was a perfect match for Lacey, who could handle a strong personality with humor and charm.
Kurt leaned against the railing, Kim at his side, and silently marveled at how the scene before him was at once familiar and different. Twenty-four hours before, he’d been in the same spot, watching the same routine, feeling so much for the man on the dance floor below him. But since then, those feelings had been named and reciprocated in the most wonderful way possible. Kurt watched Blaine now as a man in love, and the secret glances Blaine threw his way reminded him that he was loved in return.
“My god, look at that dopey smile.” Santana came to a stop at Kurt’s shoulder and scowled down at the ballroom floor. “You’d almost think Pocket Gay liked all those ladyparts he’s swinging around.”
“Ah, Santana - tasteful as ever,” Kurt replied, not turning his gaze away from Blaine and Bitsy. “You seem tense.”
“You think?” Santana scoffed. “Like you’re any better. If you weren’t so head over prissy heels for Curlytop down there, you’d probably be just as bitchy as I am right now.”
Kurt inclined his head in acknowledgement but didn’t say anything. Santana took a deep breath and continued.
“And while we’re on the topic of wee tiny Blainers, does he have to be so goddamn cheerful right now? I swear every time he looks at you we all get forced into some terrible Disney movie all about love and overcoming adversity. I’m afraid he’s going to throw on a doublet and feathered cap and burst into song any minute.”
“You know,” Kurt said, amused in spite of himself, “the more you talk, the more convinced I am that you’re perfect for Brit. Your brains both work in the strangest ways.”
“I’m taking that as a compliment,” Santana said stubbornly, crossing her arms over her chest.
“You do that,” Kurt said, and turned his full attention back to Blaine.
Blaine was guiding Bitsy around the floor, grinning adorably and obviously having the time of his life. For a moment, Kurt envied him his relaxed enjoyment of the experience, but in the end he was taken in by the look of sheer happiness on Blaine’s face. Blaine was meant to perform; he was meant to be loved, both personally and professionally. Kurt felt privileged to be a big part of that.
“Kurtsie,” Kim murmured, scooting in close to lean her head on his shoulder. “You know I want to win, right?”
“Of course.” Kurt rested his cheek against her hair.
“Even though I really want this, it wouldn’t break my heart if he managed to beat us. I mean, look at him…” Kim trailed off. Kurt could feel the curve of her smile against his shoulder.
“I know,” Kurt replied. He really, really did.
Rating: NC-17 overall (PG-13 this chapter)
Pairings: Kurt/Blaine, with appearances by Burt/Carole, Tina/Mike, Mercedes/Sam, Brittany/Santana, Rachel/Finn
Spoilers: None, but assume that anything through Season Three is fair game for inspiration.
Word Count: 2215
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: The final three couples are about to be announced, and emotions are running high for all the competitors.
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. For the summer, I'm posting once a week so that I can keep up with real life things! I have a master glee pos here, or follo my bff's tumblr or updates and fun multi-media extras that will go along with some chapters. Thanks t
samzgurl
wintercreek, an
gypsyangel25 or the beta as well as for general cheer-leading and fun times.
“Well don’t you look relaxed,” Kim said to Kurt the next afternoon, smirking up at him from where she was stretching on the studio floor.
“And so what if I am?” Kurt replied, not bothering to hide his grin. “You’ll definitely benefit if I’m in a good mood.”
“Valid point.” Kim smiled. “Remind me to thank your adorable boy toy later.”
“Really, you should be thanking me. I’m the one who said it first.”
“The big L word? You didn’t!” Kim scrambled to her feet and threw her arms around Kurt’s neck. When she started jumping up and down and squealing, Kurt shot her his best ‘I’m judging you’ look. “What? It’s exciting! My baby boys are in looooooove…”
“You’re a lunatic,” Kurt said, smiling in spite of himself. “But yeah, it is exciting.”
“Do I get all the details?”
“Some,” Kurt said. When Kim looked entirely too enthusiastic, he added, “Not the dirty kind.”
“Party pooper.” Kim pouted.
“Every party needs one,” Kurt shot back, laughing at her. And then, because he was nice and he liked her, he spent the next half hour telling her way more about his night than he should have. He might live to regret that lapse in judgment, but he felt so great that he couldn’t bring himself to care.
They ran briefly through the two dances they’d performed the night before, just in case they were called on to perform again. Kurt suspected that Blaine and Bitsy’s foxtrot would get that honor, which he really didn’t mind in the least. Another opportunity to watch his dashing boyfriend - his boyfriend who loved him - shine on the ballroom floor could never be a bad thing.
It wasn’t until they got to the stage for dress rehearsal that Kurt’s nerves made a full reappearance. As he stood on stage under the lights, Kim’s hand held loosely in his, he began to replay the previous night’s performances in his mind. He didn’t like what he saw. Blaine and Santana were both powerful, gifted performers who’d had an incredible night. He would be shocked if either of them even landed in the bottom two, much less were sent home. So that left him and Kim against Puck and Lacey. Technically, Kurt knew that he and Kim were better dancers, but on a show like this, that didn’t always matter all that much. Viewers could be fickle, and one rough night could bring an otherwise excellent season to an early end.
“You’re stressing. I can tell.” Blaine walked over and ran a hand down Kurt’s arm as rehearsal wrapped up.
“I know. Not much I can do about it, though,” Kurt replied, giving him a wan smile.
“Other than remember that you’re amazing and I love you,” Blaine said sweetly. He held onto Kurt’s hand as they began walking back toward the trailers.
“Stop that,” Kurt said, smiling helplessly at him. “You’re going to ruin my stressed out perfectionist rep.”
“I do what I can,” Blaine replied, tugging Kurt out of the main hallway so he could lean in for a soft kiss. His hands moved up Kurt’s arms and settled on his shoulders, holding him in place.
“This competition matters so much to me this year - maybe too much. Me stressing is inevitable,” Kurt said, settling closer to Blaine. “But you help a lot. I really do love you.”
“Best feeling ever,” Blaine said, grinning.
“Being loved?”
“Being in love. Together.” Blaine kissed Kurt again, quick and sweet. “I know the show is intense right now, but no matter what happens, I’m always going to be grateful for it. I got you out of the whole thing. That’s a pretty wonderful deal.”
“You’re unnecessarily good at romance. You know that, right?” Kurt asked Blaine. He could feel a bit of the tension from rehearsal receding, at least for the moment.
“You make it easy. You make me want to do everything right,” Blaine said earnestly.
“If I manage to win this thing, you’re going to be incredibly gracious and perfect, aren’t you?” Kurt really didn’t expect anything less. Blaine was practically the definition of a gentleman.
“Like you won’t if I win?” Blaine asked. Kurt thought about it and was surprised to realize that even his own disappointment wouldn’t make him less excited for Blaine. Blaine smiled at his expression and continued. “You’re a good man, Kurt. You’re kind and smart and dedicated and hard-working, not to mention gorgeous and talented.”
“And you’re a flatterer,” Kurt quipped, but then his expression softened. He kissed Blaine’s cheek and then his temple. “Thank you. It means a lot that you think that of me. And for the record, you’re all those things and more.”
Kurt kissed Blaine again, loving how perfectly Blaine fit in his arms. They held each other close there in the hallway, their cheeks pressed together, until Kim came by and threw herself unceremoniously into their embrace. She wormed her way between them, demanding a hug, and then she steered them toward craft services, where she forced an early dinner on them both as though they were her children.
“I’ve been successfully feeding myself for several decades now, you know,” Kurt grumbled as Kim piled more vegetables onto his salad.
“Mmhm. But that doesn’t mean you can’t use a little extra help every now and again,” Kim said. She bustled around for a few minutes more, getting drinks and napkins, before finally settling across the table from Kurt and Blaine.
“So you’re stress-mothering, and he’s just straight up stressing,” Blaine commented, indicating Kurt with a tilt of his head. He smiled sympathetically at both Kim and Kurt and took a bite of his sandwich. “God, this chicken is delicious! What does Shannon put in it?”
“No one knows, but we’re all grateful,” Kurt said. He looked at Blaine expectantly until Blaine took the hint and gave him a bite.
“And I’m grateful to see you both eating,” Kim said. “Call it what you will, but I always feel better when the people I love are well taken care of.”
“Why do I get the feeling that tonight’s going to be kind of rough?” Blaine asked, looking between Kim and Kurt again.
“Because it’s going to be awful,” Kurt said. “I haven’t been through it before, but I’ve seen how crazy it makes everyone. Maks says even the actual final is less stressful than this show. And the producers draw it all out to the last second, so we still have a few hours of torture to go.”
“Oh, sign me up,” Kim said, trying for sarcastic but only managing anxious. She propped her chin on her hand and stared down at her plate, looking more nervous and dejected that Kurt had ever seen her. She was always the positive one, managing to keep him from slipping too far into the doom and gloom scenarios in his head. But now it seemed like even her usual resilience was being tested.
“This is really getting to you, isn’t it?” Kurt asked her quietly, reaching out to touch her arm. Next to him, Blaine made a sympathetic noise and did the same.
“More than I expected, actually. I just…we’ve worked our asses off, and we deserve to be in that final. I hate that we don’t have control over whether that happens or not,” Kim said fiercely.
“Oh, do I hear you on that one,” Kurt said, settling his chin on his hand to mirror Kim. Blaine glanced worriedly between the two of them.
“Are you sure you’re going to survive this?” Blaine asked, looking like he couldn’t decide who to comfort first.
“I’m sure we’ll manage.” Kurt shrugged. His eyes met Kim’s across the table, and they shared a resigned look and a smile. “It has to be done.”
“Ok,” Blaine said, but he didn’t look convinced. “For what it’s worth, it would be a travesty if you didn’t make it. And I’m not even saying that because I’m biased. It’s just the truth.”
Kim laughed a little and thanked him, and then went back to picking at her dinner. Kurt leaned into Blaine’s side to soak up some of the comfort he offered and focused on his dinner as well, knowing that he’d be grateful for the energy later. It was going to be a long night, and probably a tough one. Kurt would take his comfort and strength where and when he could find it.
***
The rest of the evening leading up to the live show was an exercise in patience and stress management, neither of which were Kurt’s strengths. By the time they finally made it to the ballroom, Kurt was a mass of nerves and emotions, held tightly in place by a professional smile and a death grip on Kim’s hand. Kim, for her part, was squeezing back just as hard, her smile almost manic in its intensity. For her sake, Kurt coaxed them both through a series of deep breaths while Tom opened the show, which helped a tiny bit.
The four couples remaining were under spotlights on stage, evenly spaced so that their pools of light didn’t overlap. It always felt to Kurt like each couple was an island unto themselves during results shows, each person left out to sink or swim with only their partner for company. The staging made the competition more stark, and it always served to make Kurt straighten his spine and brace for the worst.
This early in the show, no results would be announced, but the couples had to stay put while Tom recapped the previous night’s performances. Then, as Kurt had expected, Blaine and Bitsy were asked to perform their foxtrot once again, and the other three couples hurried up to the Celebraquarium to watch.
Out on the balcony, Santana paced back and forth, muttering to herself, while Maks leaned insouciantly against the back wall and watched her go. Maks had told Kurt earlier that day that, at this point in his career, he no longer felt the need to stress about whether or not he won. Kurt could only imagine what that sort of relaxed attitude must feel like.
On the other side of the balcony, Puck sat hunched forward, his elbows on his knees, while Lacey leaned against his back and talked quietly to him. Kurt hadn’t gotten to know Puck that well, but he seemed like a pretty fierce competitor with a wild side. He was a perfect match for Lacey, who could handle a strong personality with humor and charm.
Kurt leaned against the railing, Kim at his side, and silently marveled at how the scene before him was at once familiar and different. Twenty-four hours before, he’d been in the same spot, watching the same routine, feeling so much for the man on the dance floor below him. But since then, those feelings had been named and reciprocated in the most wonderful way possible. Kurt watched Blaine now as a man in love, and the secret glances Blaine threw his way reminded him that he was loved in return.
“My god, look at that dopey smile.” Santana came to a stop at Kurt’s shoulder and scowled down at the ballroom floor. “You’d almost think Pocket Gay liked all those ladyparts he’s swinging around.”
“Ah, Santana - tasteful as ever,” Kurt replied, not turning his gaze away from Blaine and Bitsy. “You seem tense.”
“You think?” Santana scoffed. “Like you’re any better. If you weren’t so head over prissy heels for Curlytop down there, you’d probably be just as bitchy as I am right now.”
Kurt inclined his head in acknowledgement but didn’t say anything. Santana took a deep breath and continued.
“And while we’re on the topic of wee tiny Blainers, does he have to be so goddamn cheerful right now? I swear every time he looks at you we all get forced into some terrible Disney movie all about love and overcoming adversity. I’m afraid he’s going to throw on a doublet and feathered cap and burst into song any minute.”
“You know,” Kurt said, amused in spite of himself, “the more you talk, the more convinced I am that you’re perfect for Brit. Your brains both work in the strangest ways.”
“I’m taking that as a compliment,” Santana said stubbornly, crossing her arms over her chest.
“You do that,” Kurt said, and turned his full attention back to Blaine.
Blaine was guiding Bitsy around the floor, grinning adorably and obviously having the time of his life. For a moment, Kurt envied him his relaxed enjoyment of the experience, but in the end he was taken in by the look of sheer happiness on Blaine’s face. Blaine was meant to perform; he was meant to be loved, both personally and professionally. Kurt felt privileged to be a big part of that.
“Kurtsie,” Kim murmured, scooting in close to lean her head on his shoulder. “You know I want to win, right?”
“Of course.” Kurt rested his cheek against her hair.
“Even though I really want this, it wouldn’t break my heart if he managed to beat us. I mean, look at him…” Kim trailed off. Kurt could feel the curve of her smile against his shoulder.
“I know,” Kurt replied. He really, really did.