Fic: Once Upon A Future (4/?)
Title: Once Upon A Future (4/?)
Author: tomatoe18
Rating: PG-13 [this chapter]
Pairing(s)/Character(s): Dave Karofsky/Kurt Hummel, Rachel Berry, some OCs
Genre: Future fic, romance, drama, fluff. OBSCENE AMOUNT OF MUSH (this chapter).
Warnings: None.
Spoilers: all of Glee season 1 and 2, probably AU after season 2.
Disclaimer: I don't own Glee or any of its characters. I also don't own any recognizable names or brands that make an appearance in this work of fanfiction. This fanfiction is not made for profit.
Summary: Dave and Kurt find each other again after a 10-year separation.
Author's Notes: Please don't kill me for this chapter. Thanks for bearing with me and reading.
Previous parts: One | Two | Three
*
AUGUST
Dave's New York
Three months after coming home, Dave has to admit that New York has its charm. It's not a bad place to live in and he can see the appeal that attracts hordes of tourists, and even Americans, everywhere to visit the place. But as much as he's managed to adapt to his new routines this new city and living a very good life here, he still can't help but miss London rather badly.
Sometimes, when he tries to sleep at night, he feels like the walls of his new apartment in the Upper East side closes in on him. And sometimes, when he wakes up after an uneasy dream, he feels so far out of his skin that his longing for his old life in London consumes him with an intensity that makes it difficult for him to breathe. Once, he told his friends about the way he feels, about this uneasiness that he feels about living in New York, and they told him that the feeling will eventually go away. But no matter how they try to reassure him, Dave knows it won't be easy. This feeling won't disappear anytime soon.
He tries to cope, though. In following his friend's suggestion about making use of his current position to seek out Kurt more actively, Dave tries very hard to build a new life here. He goes to work, earns his money and enjoys the night life. He works the party circuits with his friends, makes some new friends (or, rather, acquaintances) and builds up the business and social network necessary to his successful career. In the last month alone, he's gone to 3 wine tasting and product launching events, a handful of parties and even a couple of movie premieres. He's shaken hands with two actors he admired growing up and got his picture taken with Emma Stone. In fact, for the first time this year, he even manages to get himself laid and that was always a particularly nice thing to be able to do.
So he can't really say that his life is bad. Some might even say his life is good. Anyone who listens to him complain even a little bit would look at him like he's out of his mind and give him an incredulous, "Really? You feel awkward living a life that's that good?" In the end, he comes to the conclusion that yes, while his life is good, it's still not very fulfilling.
He knows that his Kurt situation factors in very heavily in this conclusion. It's hard to separate himself from the idea that his life might be better with Kurt in it because it's so ingrained in him that Kurt is the key to his happiness. Granted, it's a happiness that is based on dreams of the past and a bunch of old memories of times long gone, but Dave can't help himself from feeling that way.
It doesn't help that, even though he's been socializing and cultivating connections for a month, he's still no closer to grasping the real link to Kurt. Oh, people know Kurt, all right. In every party he goes to, he meets someone who knows someone who knows Kurt. Even the guy Dave hooked up with, Dean, has a freaking sixth degree of separation with Kurt ("Kurt Hummel? The model? Oh, yeah, he's a hottie! Actually, my friend's colleague is an ex-girlfriend of Kurt's manager Carl Simpson's. I never hang out with their crowd, though, so I haven't met Kurt.") Other people say that "Kurt Hummel doesn't party much these days. I never see him in clubs!" Someone even mentioned to Dave earlier this month that "he spends half the year in Europe, modeling for designers. I hear he's bought a house in London... he loves that city so much."
In the end, that irony makes Dave wishes even more fervently that he was in London, instead of New York, and convinces him that he won't be truly happy in New York until he sees Kurt. In other words, he's well and truly fucked. He's even arrived at the point where he thinks that perhaps it might have been better if he'd never seen Kurt's face on the billboard the first day he arrives in New York City.
Nonetheless, he tries not to complain too much. He knows he's not the only one with problems or homesickness. One of his two best friends, the ones who crossed over the pond with him from England, is quite possibly suffering a lot more than Dave is. All Dave has to do whenever he feels like an alien in New York to drag Oliver Blake, the Englishman responsible for his current life and career in New York, for a drink and listen to him bring on the drama and spill out his woes over alcoholic drinks. Then that feeling of being uncomfortable in a new place will ease up a little, he'll stop longing for Kurt for a moment and be happy that he doesn't have Oliver's problems. His Brit friend's drama tends to make everything else seem small and insignificant.
"Eloise called me again last night," Blakey - a nickname that Oliver absolutely hates but is unfortunately stuck with - says morosely. "She's run into some kind of problem with her professor, Henson, that old codger. He's making her rewrite another chapter... again. What's worse is that Eloise seems to be happy with Henson's so-called instruction and even said that she might take a few months to concentrate on it to get the best result. If I didn't know any better, I'd say she's having an affair with Henson! And at this rate she'll never be done with her dissertation and she'll never move here to be with me and I'll be forever alone!"
It's an old story. Blakey is always complaining about his girlfriend Eloise's reluctance to move to the US and her use of the dissertation she's working on as an excuse to not join him in New York. He'll move on to accuse her of favoring her favorite professor in Cambridge over him. But the way Blakey says it, it always sounds like the end of the world is upon him.
Dave exchanges a knowing look with the other guy in their trio, Gunnar Larsson, otherwise known as Big Goon. The tall, blond and handsome Swede who has been Dave's Voice Of Reason in the past few months rolls his eyes in exasperation at Dave but shakes his head consolingly when he turns to Blakey. Now apparently Goon is going to attempt to be Blakey's Voice Of Reason.
Patting the Brit's arm, he says, "Blakey, it's not that I don't sympathize... but perhaps it's time you consider taking a break from this relationship, mate."
"How can you say that?" Blakey sounds indignantly outraged. "I love Eloise."
"I'm not saying you break up completely, but consider taking a break. Like a hiatus."
"But I can't live without her, Goon!"
"Yes, that's all good, man," Dave cuts in. "But the fact remains you're crying into your champagne bottle for god knows how many times in a row since you moved here because of Eloise Daley means that you should probably give yourself a break. At least while you're here and she's there."
"I agree. You're English. Apply that stiff upper lip philosophy and stop crying," Gunnar says. "It's pathetic, the way you're acting. Not to mention rude. Rude to Dave, who's actually paying for that bottle."
"He's right," Dave jokes. "I'm hurt that you're ruining a perfectly good bottle of champagne with your tears."
Blakey shoots them a baleful look. "You wouldn't understand. You're both happy being bachelors."
"Hey, don't lump me in with the playboy over there," Dave retorts. "I'm a bachelor and I don't mind being single, but am I happy to be one for the rest of my life? Not really."
"Awww, Davey," Gunnar chuckles. "Still waiting for Mr. Right, are we?"
Dave narrows his eyes and waits for the jibe about his obsession for Kurt but, thankfully, it never comes. Since Dave has taken his advice about Kurt, Gunnar finally stopped giving Dave grief about Kurt. He's grateful for his friend's new attitude but he knows it won't stick for long. The blond has a quirky sense of humor and likes to these the people he likes best, which unfortunately makes Dave his favorite victim.
"I'd settle for Mr. Right Now, actually," Dave replies pragmatically in the end, ignoring Goon's ensuing snickers. "But you slave drivers keep me locked up in the office all week long. How am I supposed to find Mr. Anything if you won't let me out?"
"Hey! We let you out. You've been partying hard this month. Besides, if I lock you in the office, it's only because we've a deadline to catch." Blakey shoots back. "Can you blame me for that? You're the brains of our entire operation here. You're our best software engineer--"
"He's our only software engineer," Gunnar reminds him.
"Damn right," the Brit says fervently. "You're our only software engineer and we have a Michael Bay project coming up and by God we're going to impress the buggering hell out of that silly sod and win him over to our dark side."
His eyes burn with a fiery glint and Dave is reminded of the time when Oliver first came to him with the idea to start their own visual effects company. Dave hadn't thought it possible - after all, Blakey had just started working in Double Negative, as Dave was, and they were both not exactly swimming in funds or expertise. Dave had the talent and a portion of the funds needed, but not the ambition, to set out on his own. It was Blakey who worked hard to get him, Dave and Gunnar where they are now five years later: bosses of their own visual effects company that has scored and is continuing to score loads of big projects from high-profile filmmakers in three continents. By now Dave has learned to believe that, whenever Oliver Blake has that glint in his eyes, things will happen and dreams will come true.
"Okay, calm down, tiger," Dave chuckles. "Bay's side is already dark enough, though. We can't be too enthusiastic and hope he'll be attracted to come over to our side."
"Oh, he will once he sees that softwares you developed," Blakey says, smugly smirking into his glass of champagne. Turning to Gunnar, he asks, "When's the meeting again?"
"Next Tuesday, five o'clock. He's flying in from Toronto," the Swede answers. "Dave, you have to sit in this one, I'm afraid. He'll want to know how the software works and he'll have budget concerns because, if I heard correctly, the studio is giving him a tighter budget than what he usually gets."
Dave shrugs. "No problem." But then he remembers something else. Something that makes him want to squirm real bad. "Ah, but I hope the meeting doesn't run long..."
"Shouldn't take more than two hours. But do you have to go somewhere?"
"Not really," Dave sighs. He hesitates for a moment but then decides he has nothing to lose to tell his friends what's happening on Tuesday night. "Well, actually, my parents are coming to town."
Blakey's expression turns into horror. "What? Oh no. No, no, no. Davey, please tell me you're not going to let them stay at our place. Tell me you're putting them up in a hotel or something."
"Wait," Gunnar interrupts, "what's wrong with Dave's parents coming over?"
"Coming over is fine, it's them staying over that I can't stand," Blakey says. Wincing apologetically, he turns to Dave and says, "I'm sorry, Dave. You're my best mate in the whole world... but your parents. Your mother!"
Dave chuckles. "Don't worry. I got Marnie to book them a room at the Four Seasons. You won't see them at all... unless you want to join us for dinner?"
Blakey takes a huge gulp of champagne and shakes his head fervently. Gunnar stares at him exasperatedly and then asks, "Am I missing something here? What's wrong with your mother, Dave?"
"You don't know 'cause you've never met her, mate," the Brit says, slurring his words slightly. "You were never around when they visited Dave in London, always off gallivanting somewhere in Europe with some bird over the summer holidays, while I had to put up with his mum insinuating that Dave and I should get gay married and have babies together!"
"What?" Gunnar's blue eyes widen in amusement. "She actually suggested that you and Dave get together and get married?"
"It all started when I was sick one day," Dave says, grinning. "It was in the summer and you were on leave, Goon, you went back to Stockholm for the summer. I got really sick and took some antibiotics and passed out for 48 hours. Blakey was worried I'd died or something so he came over to check up on me. When he arrived, he saw that my answering machine was filled with a bunch of messages from my mom. Out of the goodness of his heart, Blakey called her back to tell her what was wrong with me. Then the first thing my mom said to him was--"
"'Young man, are you sleeping with my son?'" Blakey finishes off dryly to Gunnar's amusement. While the Swede laughs uproariously, Blakey slams his napkin on the table. "Not funny, Goon! And that's just the beginning because, a week later, she came to Dave's place unannounced and I had the misfortune of being there and she congratulated Dave for finding a nice young man to live with!"
"Oh, god, that's precious," Gunnar says, wiping an imaginary tear off his eye. "Dave, I really have to meet your mom."
Dave perks up. "Yeah? You sure? My mom is bound to think that you're someone I'm dating..."
Gunnar shrugs. "Unlike Blakey, I don't mind a little bromance!"
"Hey! I resent that. I have plenty of bromance with Davey! I live with him here, after all. And I do his laundry because he's pants at doing laundry. I touch his boxers and briefs, Goon!"
"Then you wouldn't mind meeting his mom again, you prat," Gunnar replies. Smirking to Dave, he adds, "But if it gets too far, I'll just tell your mom that you only have eyes for blue-eyed male supermodels with a boyish face who model for Calvin Klein. And I'll tell her that you've been gazing at Kurt Hummel's billboard for the first two months you were here."
Dave groans. "No, you wouldn't! If you're planning on doing that, don't bother coming. You know what, guys? This is a mistake. I'll just deal with my parents on my own."
"Capital idea," Blakey agrees. "Gunnar, you'll let me crash your place for a few days. Yes?"
"No. Why should I let you stay at my place?"
"Because Davey likes blue-eyed male supermodels with a boyish face who model for Calvin Klein, not an engaged-to-be-married bloke from Fulham, and we want his mother to finally see the truth and not harp on either of us about getting married again. Please, Gunnar? I am begging you."
"You are a pussy, Oliver," Gunnar replies sternly. "And just for that, I'll make you wash my underwear."
"Good! I'll wash all of your underwear, with a washing machine of course, provided I could say with you for the duration of Dave's parents visitation in New York. Deal?"
Gunnar rolls his eyes again. "Fine. Whatever. Deal."
"HUZZAH!" Blakey shouts and pounces at Gunnar, nearly toppling the table over.
With a quick reflex and a quarter of a lifetime dealing with Blakey's antiques, Dave manages to save the champagne bottle. When he can finally make sure that the bottle is fine, he finds Gunnar making eye contact with him again. This time they share a mutual understanding that, yes, it's time to leave because Blakey has reached his alcohol quota for the night and is now well on his way to the pit of drunkenness.
Blakey is an energetic but clumsy drunk. The happy exuberance he displays when he's three sheets to the wind can be entertaining but seeing as they're currently sitting in a very expensive, very lux Manhattan restaurant, it's best to just go before the Brit wreaks further damage on the furniture.
Also with the practiced ease of someone who's performed the act many times before, Gunnar peels Blakey off him and tells him to stand straight. Dave calls a waiter to get the check while Gunnar sorts Blakey out even further, steering him away from anything breakable in his exuberance. A waiter comes forward with the bill and Dave settles it with his platinum card.
Tonight's dinner, a belated birthday present for Blakey, is supposed to be on him and Gunnar. But he decides to take care of it himself because the substantial amount that the restaurant charges them for dinner is worth every single moment he's spent in the last six years as Blakey's friend, drunken antics notwithstanding. And even then, it's still less than what Dave is willing to do for Kurt Hummel, if they ever meet again.
"I'll pay you for half of that," Gunnar says to Dave as they go to the maitre d' to retrieve their jackets.
Meanwhile, Blakey has dashed outside, fiddling with his phone, no doubt trying to call the love of his life in England. Gunnar takes a moment to check his appearance in the mirror but Dave shrugs into his jacket while thinking about an argument into letting the Big Goon allowing him a few extra days off instead of paying for his half of the birthday treat. Finally, when the Swede finishes checking his appearance, Dave opens his mouth to launch his next argument.
"Actually, Goon," Dave begins. "Instead of paying me back with money, perhaps you could allow me an extra day off... a few extra days off. What do you think about that, huh?"
Gunnar blinks once and then bursts out laughing again. "Oh yeah, nice try, David."
"Oh come on! I wasn't kidding earlier: you and Blakey slave drive me!"
"We don't!"
"God, you're such a dick, Goon." He pauses to push the door of the restaurant open so they can exit. "We're not done talking about this. I'm going to win this argument for once and you will let me take a break."
Gunnar laughs and pats him at the back. "Not even in your dreams, Karofsky!"
"Karofsky? David Karofsky?"
Hearing his name called, Dave instinctively stops and turns around to face his caller. Then his eyes widen in surprise as he realize who it is.
"Rachel Berry," Dave says breathlessly.
*
The world stops spinning for Dave at that moment as he takes in the sight of the tiny woman - well, woman now, but she somehow still manages to retain her youthful looks - who is standing right in front of him. Rachel is beautiful. A little thin, perhaps, but then she has always been petite. Her dark hair falls naturally around her shoulders and upper back in a pretty curls. She's wearing a short dress with a plunging neckline that reveals much cleavage but, on her, the look is sensual instead of sleazy. Dave is about to hyperventilate because god, is this really happening?
Rachel squeals and runs over to him, hugging him, kissing his cheeks... Dave is frozen in his spot as he doesn't quite know what to do with the small force of nature he's suddenly got in his arms. His brain is hardly working and he's not even sure he's awake right now. Then he shifts his gaze and it lands on another person who really knocks the stuffing out of him.
Kurt Hummel is staring at him, slack-jawed, wide-eyed and full of awe, and Dave forgets to breathe entirely.
There is no way that this is happening right now. Just... no way.
"Oh my god, David!" Rachel's incredulous voice pulls him out of his trance. "I don't believe it... it is you."
Dave forces himself to count to three, to strengthen his resolve so he can tear his gaze away from the man he's been secretly idolizing for the past few months and focus on what Rachel is saying. But he can't because how the hell do you look away from the most glorious sight you've ever seen in your life? So Dave continues to stand there while Rachel prattles on and Kurt stares back at him and his mind opens a floodgate of memories.
Of learning the choreography of yet another halftime show of their football championship. Of hanging out at the Hummel-Hudson home, with Noah Puckerman, Mercedes Jones and Sam Evans. Of endless arguments over song choices at the glee club. Of the numerous duets Dave sang with either Kurt or Rachel in the second half of senior year, including the one that won them Nationals in Texas. Of asking Kurt out to prom while being witnessed by their friends. Of dancing with Kurt at prom and saying goodbye to him with a kiss.
Before he knows it, he's hugging Rachel tightly in his arms. What he really wants to do is to hug Kurt but since he can't, he doesn't mind Rachel as a substitute. He's also grinning so hard that his face is threatening to split in two. After a while, he decides that it's safe for him to talk without sounding like an idiot.
"Hi, Rachel," he greets her simply. "It's been a while."
"A while?!" Rachel shrieks and slaps his arms. "A while? We thought you were dead!"
Dave opens his arms and gestures at himself. "Nope, definitely not dead. I'm still alive."
"I can see that," Rachel retorts. She turns to Kurt and gestures for him to come forward, which he does, albeit hesitantly, and soon Dave is also within hugging proximity with the other diva of their former glee club. He doesn't hug Kurt, thought, because no way.
"Kurt, can you believe this?" she says. "David Karofsky is alive!"
"Whoa," Dave interjects, "what is this business with me being alive?"
Kurt sniffs delicately, sounding very much like the prissy bitch Dave knew in high school, but then he softens the reaction with a smile. Dave resists the urge to wax poetic about how... nice it looks.
"Don't blame people for speculating, Karofsky," Kurt says. "You disappeared from all social networking media platforms after second year of college and lost touch with all of us eight years ago. There have been two reunions - one of the glee club only and another of the whole school - since then and you never showed. What were we supposed to think, David?"
His mind can't come up with an answer. Mostly, it's because standing so close to Kurt has robbed him of most of his thinking capacity. But also it's because he doesn't know what explanation to give him. Not to mention, he's still reeling from the fact that they are actually have an imprompty reunion right here, in front the streets in Lower Manhattan, with a former high school friend and his longstanding crush. Surreal doesn't even begin to cover it.
In the end, he just shrugs sheepishly and says, "Long story."
"Well, we won't stand for it. We want to hear this 'long story'," Rachel says. She exchanges a look with Kurt and after a brief moment of pause they both nod. She continues, "We'll have to get together soon and play catch up. Right, Kurt?"
"Sounds like a lovely idea," Kurt replies, smiling again.
Whoa. "O-okay. That sounds great!"
"Give us your number," Rachel prompts. "So we can call you and set up a date!"
Automatically Dave reaches into his pocket and pulls out his cardholder. He extracts two business cards from it and hands them over to Rachel and Kurt each. It feels kind of tacky to give an old friend a business card but, oh well. Besides, he has a few contact numbers now. Since he doesn't want to risk Rachel or Kurt - especially Kurt - not being able to reach him at his cell phone, he figures it's easier to give them his business card.
"My office number, private office extensions, and my cell phone... everything is there," he says as he hands out two cards to them. "If I don't answer the cell phone, call the office. Someone ought to be smart enough to dig me out of whatever hole my business partners bury me in."
"HEY!" Gunnar and Blakey chorus from whatever sideline they're standing on. The latter adds, "We heard that, you sod."
It's only now that Dave remembers that his friends are still there, standing by and witnessing the whole thing. His earlier elation begins to fade as dread starts to creep in its place; he reckons he will have plenty of explaining to do. He can even already hear Gunnar's brain turning from here.
"Friends of yours?" Rachel inquires as she glances curiously at the duo.
Dave nods. "That's Oliver Blake and Gunnar Larsson, my friends, business partners and all-around slave drivers. We just finished dinner."
"Well, we were about to go inside and have dinner," Kurt says, tilting his chin up a notch like he's seen him do so many times in the past. "It's a pity that you finished already. We would've loved to have you join us."
He makes it sound like an invitation and for one brief moment Dave is tempted to accept. But then the full force of what is happening right now hits him like a ton of bricks. Up until five minutes ago, he'd been completely cut off from his past with the exception of his well-meaning but annoying parents. Two hours ago, he was happily eating dinner with his two best friends that have nothing to do with that past of his. And right this minute... this is happening. His past and present are colliding.
Dave suddenly realizes that he's not quite ready for any reunions just yet. And definitely not with the manically exuberant Rachel Berry and certainly not with Kurt Hummel. He needs time to think about this. He needs to be alone.
Luckily, Rachel then says, "Let's not cheat Dave out of a proper, Kurt. Tonight's dinner is a business dinner. I'm quite sure Dave has no inclinations to sit through three hours of conversation about Broadway musicals." She pauses to wink at Dave. "We'll call you and plan a party. To welcome him back and celebrate the fact that you're still alive."
That, Dave can actually deal with. Laughing in relief, he hugs Rachel once again.
"All right. Enjoy your dinner, guys. Talk to you soon?"
"Good evening, David," Kurt says, offering his hand for a shake. "It's been nice running into you."
Later, he wishes he could say that he takes Kurt's hand in his civilly and pumps it firmly, like normal people in polite society does. He also wants to say that he didn't show any outward reaction when he does so. But the truth is, he goes through a few embarrassing moments there where he just stares at long fingers and the pale skin of that hand like a creeper before he finally remembers his place and finally shakes it tentatively. His only saving grace is that Kurt appears to be equally tentative in the gesture and lets go quickly afterwards.
If his skin feels like it's burning after a mere handshake, Dave doesn't know what would happen if he dares to hug Kurt earlier.
"Nice meeting you again, too, Kurt," he says finally.
And then Kurt and Rachel are gone, leaving a dazed and confused Dave in their wake. The next thing he knows, he's at the crossroads, waiting for the green with Gunnar and Blakey to cross the street. Blakey is back on the phone with Eloise but Gunnar is staring at him speculatively.
After a few moments, Dave braces himself and finally turns to face him. "What?"
Shrugging, Gunnar says, "He's beautiful."
To be continued
Author: tomatoe18
Rating: PG-13 [this chapter]
Pairing(s)/Character(s): Dave Karofsky/Kurt Hummel, Rachel Berry, some OCs
Genre: Future fic, romance, drama, fluff. OBSCENE AMOUNT OF MUSH (this chapter).
Warnings: None.
Spoilers: all of Glee season 1 and 2, probably AU after season 2.
Disclaimer: I don't own Glee or any of its characters. I also don't own any recognizable names or brands that make an appearance in this work of fanfiction. This fanfiction is not made for profit.
Summary: Dave and Kurt find each other again after a 10-year separation.
Author's Notes: Please don't kill me for this chapter. Thanks for bearing with me and reading.
Previous parts: One | Two | Three
*
AUGUST
Dave's New York
Three months after coming home, Dave has to admit that New York has its charm. It's not a bad place to live in and he can see the appeal that attracts hordes of tourists, and even Americans, everywhere to visit the place. But as much as he's managed to adapt to his new routines this new city and living a very good life here, he still can't help but miss London rather badly.
Sometimes, when he tries to sleep at night, he feels like the walls of his new apartment in the Upper East side closes in on him. And sometimes, when he wakes up after an uneasy dream, he feels so far out of his skin that his longing for his old life in London consumes him with an intensity that makes it difficult for him to breathe. Once, he told his friends about the way he feels, about this uneasiness that he feels about living in New York, and they told him that the feeling will eventually go away. But no matter how they try to reassure him, Dave knows it won't be easy. This feeling won't disappear anytime soon.
He tries to cope, though. In following his friend's suggestion about making use of his current position to seek out Kurt more actively, Dave tries very hard to build a new life here. He goes to work, earns his money and enjoys the night life. He works the party circuits with his friends, makes some new friends (or, rather, acquaintances) and builds up the business and social network necessary to his successful career. In the last month alone, he's gone to 3 wine tasting and product launching events, a handful of parties and even a couple of movie premieres. He's shaken hands with two actors he admired growing up and got his picture taken with Emma Stone. In fact, for the first time this year, he even manages to get himself laid and that was always a particularly nice thing to be able to do.
So he can't really say that his life is bad. Some might even say his life is good. Anyone who listens to him complain even a little bit would look at him like he's out of his mind and give him an incredulous, "Really? You feel awkward living a life that's that good?" In the end, he comes to the conclusion that yes, while his life is good, it's still not very fulfilling.
He knows that his Kurt situation factors in very heavily in this conclusion. It's hard to separate himself from the idea that his life might be better with Kurt in it because it's so ingrained in him that Kurt is the key to his happiness. Granted, it's a happiness that is based on dreams of the past and a bunch of old memories of times long gone, but Dave can't help himself from feeling that way.
It doesn't help that, even though he's been socializing and cultivating connections for a month, he's still no closer to grasping the real link to Kurt. Oh, people know Kurt, all right. In every party he goes to, he meets someone who knows someone who knows Kurt. Even the guy Dave hooked up with, Dean, has a freaking sixth degree of separation with Kurt ("Kurt Hummel? The model? Oh, yeah, he's a hottie! Actually, my friend's colleague is an ex-girlfriend of Kurt's manager Carl Simpson's. I never hang out with their crowd, though, so I haven't met Kurt.") Other people say that "Kurt Hummel doesn't party much these days. I never see him in clubs!" Someone even mentioned to Dave earlier this month that "he spends half the year in Europe, modeling for designers. I hear he's bought a house in London... he loves that city so much."
In the end, that irony makes Dave wishes even more fervently that he was in London, instead of New York, and convinces him that he won't be truly happy in New York until he sees Kurt. In other words, he's well and truly fucked. He's even arrived at the point where he thinks that perhaps it might have been better if he'd never seen Kurt's face on the billboard the first day he arrives in New York City.
Nonetheless, he tries not to complain too much. He knows he's not the only one with problems or homesickness. One of his two best friends, the ones who crossed over the pond with him from England, is quite possibly suffering a lot more than Dave is. All Dave has to do whenever he feels like an alien in New York to drag Oliver Blake, the Englishman responsible for his current life and career in New York, for a drink and listen to him bring on the drama and spill out his woes over alcoholic drinks. Then that feeling of being uncomfortable in a new place will ease up a little, he'll stop longing for Kurt for a moment and be happy that he doesn't have Oliver's problems. His Brit friend's drama tends to make everything else seem small and insignificant.
"Eloise called me again last night," Blakey - a nickname that Oliver absolutely hates but is unfortunately stuck with - says morosely. "She's run into some kind of problem with her professor, Henson, that old codger. He's making her rewrite another chapter... again. What's worse is that Eloise seems to be happy with Henson's so-called instruction and even said that she might take a few months to concentrate on it to get the best result. If I didn't know any better, I'd say she's having an affair with Henson! And at this rate she'll never be done with her dissertation and she'll never move here to be with me and I'll be forever alone!"
It's an old story. Blakey is always complaining about his girlfriend Eloise's reluctance to move to the US and her use of the dissertation she's working on as an excuse to not join him in New York. He'll move on to accuse her of favoring her favorite professor in Cambridge over him. But the way Blakey says it, it always sounds like the end of the world is upon him.
Dave exchanges a knowing look with the other guy in their trio, Gunnar Larsson, otherwise known as Big Goon. The tall, blond and handsome Swede who has been Dave's Voice Of Reason in the past few months rolls his eyes in exasperation at Dave but shakes his head consolingly when he turns to Blakey. Now apparently Goon is going to attempt to be Blakey's Voice Of Reason.
Patting the Brit's arm, he says, "Blakey, it's not that I don't sympathize... but perhaps it's time you consider taking a break from this relationship, mate."
"How can you say that?" Blakey sounds indignantly outraged. "I love Eloise."
"I'm not saying you break up completely, but consider taking a break. Like a hiatus."
"But I can't live without her, Goon!"
"Yes, that's all good, man," Dave cuts in. "But the fact remains you're crying into your champagne bottle for god knows how many times in a row since you moved here because of Eloise Daley means that you should probably give yourself a break. At least while you're here and she's there."
"I agree. You're English. Apply that stiff upper lip philosophy and stop crying," Gunnar says. "It's pathetic, the way you're acting. Not to mention rude. Rude to Dave, who's actually paying for that bottle."
"He's right," Dave jokes. "I'm hurt that you're ruining a perfectly good bottle of champagne with your tears."
Blakey shoots them a baleful look. "You wouldn't understand. You're both happy being bachelors."
"Hey, don't lump me in with the playboy over there," Dave retorts. "I'm a bachelor and I don't mind being single, but am I happy to be one for the rest of my life? Not really."
"Awww, Davey," Gunnar chuckles. "Still waiting for Mr. Right, are we?"
Dave narrows his eyes and waits for the jibe about his obsession for Kurt but, thankfully, it never comes. Since Dave has taken his advice about Kurt, Gunnar finally stopped giving Dave grief about Kurt. He's grateful for his friend's new attitude but he knows it won't stick for long. The blond has a quirky sense of humor and likes to these the people he likes best, which unfortunately makes Dave his favorite victim.
"I'd settle for Mr. Right Now, actually," Dave replies pragmatically in the end, ignoring Goon's ensuing snickers. "But you slave drivers keep me locked up in the office all week long. How am I supposed to find Mr. Anything if you won't let me out?"
"Hey! We let you out. You've been partying hard this month. Besides, if I lock you in the office, it's only because we've a deadline to catch." Blakey shoots back. "Can you blame me for that? You're the brains of our entire operation here. You're our best software engineer--"
"He's our only software engineer," Gunnar reminds him.
"Damn right," the Brit says fervently. "You're our only software engineer and we have a Michael Bay project coming up and by God we're going to impress the buggering hell out of that silly sod and win him over to our dark side."
His eyes burn with a fiery glint and Dave is reminded of the time when Oliver first came to him with the idea to start their own visual effects company. Dave hadn't thought it possible - after all, Blakey had just started working in Double Negative, as Dave was, and they were both not exactly swimming in funds or expertise. Dave had the talent and a portion of the funds needed, but not the ambition, to set out on his own. It was Blakey who worked hard to get him, Dave and Gunnar where they are now five years later: bosses of their own visual effects company that has scored and is continuing to score loads of big projects from high-profile filmmakers in three continents. By now Dave has learned to believe that, whenever Oliver Blake has that glint in his eyes, things will happen and dreams will come true.
"Okay, calm down, tiger," Dave chuckles. "Bay's side is already dark enough, though. We can't be too enthusiastic and hope he'll be attracted to come over to our side."
"Oh, he will once he sees that softwares you developed," Blakey says, smugly smirking into his glass of champagne. Turning to Gunnar, he asks, "When's the meeting again?"
"Next Tuesday, five o'clock. He's flying in from Toronto," the Swede answers. "Dave, you have to sit in this one, I'm afraid. He'll want to know how the software works and he'll have budget concerns because, if I heard correctly, the studio is giving him a tighter budget than what he usually gets."
Dave shrugs. "No problem." But then he remembers something else. Something that makes him want to squirm real bad. "Ah, but I hope the meeting doesn't run long..."
"Shouldn't take more than two hours. But do you have to go somewhere?"
"Not really," Dave sighs. He hesitates for a moment but then decides he has nothing to lose to tell his friends what's happening on Tuesday night. "Well, actually, my parents are coming to town."
Blakey's expression turns into horror. "What? Oh no. No, no, no. Davey, please tell me you're not going to let them stay at our place. Tell me you're putting them up in a hotel or something."
"Wait," Gunnar interrupts, "what's wrong with Dave's parents coming over?"
"Coming over is fine, it's them staying over that I can't stand," Blakey says. Wincing apologetically, he turns to Dave and says, "I'm sorry, Dave. You're my best mate in the whole world... but your parents. Your mother!"
Dave chuckles. "Don't worry. I got Marnie to book them a room at the Four Seasons. You won't see them at all... unless you want to join us for dinner?"
Blakey takes a huge gulp of champagne and shakes his head fervently. Gunnar stares at him exasperatedly and then asks, "Am I missing something here? What's wrong with your mother, Dave?"
"You don't know 'cause you've never met her, mate," the Brit says, slurring his words slightly. "You were never around when they visited Dave in London, always off gallivanting somewhere in Europe with some bird over the summer holidays, while I had to put up with his mum insinuating that Dave and I should get gay married and have babies together!"
"What?" Gunnar's blue eyes widen in amusement. "She actually suggested that you and Dave get together and get married?"
"It all started when I was sick one day," Dave says, grinning. "It was in the summer and you were on leave, Goon, you went back to Stockholm for the summer. I got really sick and took some antibiotics and passed out for 48 hours. Blakey was worried I'd died or something so he came over to check up on me. When he arrived, he saw that my answering machine was filled with a bunch of messages from my mom. Out of the goodness of his heart, Blakey called her back to tell her what was wrong with me. Then the first thing my mom said to him was--"
"'Young man, are you sleeping with my son?'" Blakey finishes off dryly to Gunnar's amusement. While the Swede laughs uproariously, Blakey slams his napkin on the table. "Not funny, Goon! And that's just the beginning because, a week later, she came to Dave's place unannounced and I had the misfortune of being there and she congratulated Dave for finding a nice young man to live with!"
"Oh, god, that's precious," Gunnar says, wiping an imaginary tear off his eye. "Dave, I really have to meet your mom."
Dave perks up. "Yeah? You sure? My mom is bound to think that you're someone I'm dating..."
Gunnar shrugs. "Unlike Blakey, I don't mind a little bromance!"
"Hey! I resent that. I have plenty of bromance with Davey! I live with him here, after all. And I do his laundry because he's pants at doing laundry. I touch his boxers and briefs, Goon!"
"Then you wouldn't mind meeting his mom again, you prat," Gunnar replies. Smirking to Dave, he adds, "But if it gets too far, I'll just tell your mom that you only have eyes for blue-eyed male supermodels with a boyish face who model for Calvin Klein. And I'll tell her that you've been gazing at Kurt Hummel's billboard for the first two months you were here."
Dave groans. "No, you wouldn't! If you're planning on doing that, don't bother coming. You know what, guys? This is a mistake. I'll just deal with my parents on my own."
"Capital idea," Blakey agrees. "Gunnar, you'll let me crash your place for a few days. Yes?"
"No. Why should I let you stay at my place?"
"Because Davey likes blue-eyed male supermodels with a boyish face who model for Calvin Klein, not an engaged-to-be-married bloke from Fulham, and we want his mother to finally see the truth and not harp on either of us about getting married again. Please, Gunnar? I am begging you."
"You are a pussy, Oliver," Gunnar replies sternly. "And just for that, I'll make you wash my underwear."
"Good! I'll wash all of your underwear, with a washing machine of course, provided I could say with you for the duration of Dave's parents visitation in New York. Deal?"
Gunnar rolls his eyes again. "Fine. Whatever. Deal."
"HUZZAH!" Blakey shouts and pounces at Gunnar, nearly toppling the table over.
With a quick reflex and a quarter of a lifetime dealing with Blakey's antiques, Dave manages to save the champagne bottle. When he can finally make sure that the bottle is fine, he finds Gunnar making eye contact with him again. This time they share a mutual understanding that, yes, it's time to leave because Blakey has reached his alcohol quota for the night and is now well on his way to the pit of drunkenness.
Blakey is an energetic but clumsy drunk. The happy exuberance he displays when he's three sheets to the wind can be entertaining but seeing as they're currently sitting in a very expensive, very lux Manhattan restaurant, it's best to just go before the Brit wreaks further damage on the furniture.
Also with the practiced ease of someone who's performed the act many times before, Gunnar peels Blakey off him and tells him to stand straight. Dave calls a waiter to get the check while Gunnar sorts Blakey out even further, steering him away from anything breakable in his exuberance. A waiter comes forward with the bill and Dave settles it with his platinum card.
Tonight's dinner, a belated birthday present for Blakey, is supposed to be on him and Gunnar. But he decides to take care of it himself because the substantial amount that the restaurant charges them for dinner is worth every single moment he's spent in the last six years as Blakey's friend, drunken antics notwithstanding. And even then, it's still less than what Dave is willing to do for Kurt Hummel, if they ever meet again.
"I'll pay you for half of that," Gunnar says to Dave as they go to the maitre d' to retrieve their jackets.
Meanwhile, Blakey has dashed outside, fiddling with his phone, no doubt trying to call the love of his life in England. Gunnar takes a moment to check his appearance in the mirror but Dave shrugs into his jacket while thinking about an argument into letting the Big Goon allowing him a few extra days off instead of paying for his half of the birthday treat. Finally, when the Swede finishes checking his appearance, Dave opens his mouth to launch his next argument.
"Actually, Goon," Dave begins. "Instead of paying me back with money, perhaps you could allow me an extra day off... a few extra days off. What do you think about that, huh?"
Gunnar blinks once and then bursts out laughing again. "Oh yeah, nice try, David."
"Oh come on! I wasn't kidding earlier: you and Blakey slave drive me!"
"We don't!"
"God, you're such a dick, Goon." He pauses to push the door of the restaurant open so they can exit. "We're not done talking about this. I'm going to win this argument for once and you will let me take a break."
Gunnar laughs and pats him at the back. "Not even in your dreams, Karofsky!"
"Karofsky? David Karofsky?"
Hearing his name called, Dave instinctively stops and turns around to face his caller. Then his eyes widen in surprise as he realize who it is.
"Rachel Berry," Dave says breathlessly.
*
The world stops spinning for Dave at that moment as he takes in the sight of the tiny woman - well, woman now, but she somehow still manages to retain her youthful looks - who is standing right in front of him. Rachel is beautiful. A little thin, perhaps, but then she has always been petite. Her dark hair falls naturally around her shoulders and upper back in a pretty curls. She's wearing a short dress with a plunging neckline that reveals much cleavage but, on her, the look is sensual instead of sleazy. Dave is about to hyperventilate because god, is this really happening?
Rachel squeals and runs over to him, hugging him, kissing his cheeks... Dave is frozen in his spot as he doesn't quite know what to do with the small force of nature he's suddenly got in his arms. His brain is hardly working and he's not even sure he's awake right now. Then he shifts his gaze and it lands on another person who really knocks the stuffing out of him.
Kurt Hummel is staring at him, slack-jawed, wide-eyed and full of awe, and Dave forgets to breathe entirely.
There is no way that this is happening right now. Just... no way.
"Oh my god, David!" Rachel's incredulous voice pulls him out of his trance. "I don't believe it... it is you."
Dave forces himself to count to three, to strengthen his resolve so he can tear his gaze away from the man he's been secretly idolizing for the past few months and focus on what Rachel is saying. But he can't because how the hell do you look away from the most glorious sight you've ever seen in your life? So Dave continues to stand there while Rachel prattles on and Kurt stares back at him and his mind opens a floodgate of memories.
Of learning the choreography of yet another halftime show of their football championship. Of hanging out at the Hummel-Hudson home, with Noah Puckerman, Mercedes Jones and Sam Evans. Of endless arguments over song choices at the glee club. Of the numerous duets Dave sang with either Kurt or Rachel in the second half of senior year, including the one that won them Nationals in Texas. Of asking Kurt out to prom while being witnessed by their friends. Of dancing with Kurt at prom and saying goodbye to him with a kiss.
Before he knows it, he's hugging Rachel tightly in his arms. What he really wants to do is to hug Kurt but since he can't, he doesn't mind Rachel as a substitute. He's also grinning so hard that his face is threatening to split in two. After a while, he decides that it's safe for him to talk without sounding like an idiot.
"Hi, Rachel," he greets her simply. "It's been a while."
"A while?!" Rachel shrieks and slaps his arms. "A while? We thought you were dead!"
Dave opens his arms and gestures at himself. "Nope, definitely not dead. I'm still alive."
"I can see that," Rachel retorts. She turns to Kurt and gestures for him to come forward, which he does, albeit hesitantly, and soon Dave is also within hugging proximity with the other diva of their former glee club. He doesn't hug Kurt, thought, because no way.
"Kurt, can you believe this?" she says. "David Karofsky is alive!"
"Whoa," Dave interjects, "what is this business with me being alive?"
Kurt sniffs delicately, sounding very much like the prissy bitch Dave knew in high school, but then he softens the reaction with a smile. Dave resists the urge to wax poetic about how... nice it looks.
"Don't blame people for speculating, Karofsky," Kurt says. "You disappeared from all social networking media platforms after second year of college and lost touch with all of us eight years ago. There have been two reunions - one of the glee club only and another of the whole school - since then and you never showed. What were we supposed to think, David?"
His mind can't come up with an answer. Mostly, it's because standing so close to Kurt has robbed him of most of his thinking capacity. But also it's because he doesn't know what explanation to give him. Not to mention, he's still reeling from the fact that they are actually have an imprompty reunion right here, in front the streets in Lower Manhattan, with a former high school friend and his longstanding crush. Surreal doesn't even begin to cover it.
In the end, he just shrugs sheepishly and says, "Long story."
"Well, we won't stand for it. We want to hear this 'long story'," Rachel says. She exchanges a look with Kurt and after a brief moment of pause they both nod. She continues, "We'll have to get together soon and play catch up. Right, Kurt?"
"Sounds like a lovely idea," Kurt replies, smiling again.
Whoa. "O-okay. That sounds great!"
"Give us your number," Rachel prompts. "So we can call you and set up a date!"
Automatically Dave reaches into his pocket and pulls out his cardholder. He extracts two business cards from it and hands them over to Rachel and Kurt each. It feels kind of tacky to give an old friend a business card but, oh well. Besides, he has a few contact numbers now. Since he doesn't want to risk Rachel or Kurt - especially Kurt - not being able to reach him at his cell phone, he figures it's easier to give them his business card.
"My office number, private office extensions, and my cell phone... everything is there," he says as he hands out two cards to them. "If I don't answer the cell phone, call the office. Someone ought to be smart enough to dig me out of whatever hole my business partners bury me in."
"HEY!" Gunnar and Blakey chorus from whatever sideline they're standing on. The latter adds, "We heard that, you sod."
It's only now that Dave remembers that his friends are still there, standing by and witnessing the whole thing. His earlier elation begins to fade as dread starts to creep in its place; he reckons he will have plenty of explaining to do. He can even already hear Gunnar's brain turning from here.
"Friends of yours?" Rachel inquires as she glances curiously at the duo.
Dave nods. "That's Oliver Blake and Gunnar Larsson, my friends, business partners and all-around slave drivers. We just finished dinner."
"Well, we were about to go inside and have dinner," Kurt says, tilting his chin up a notch like he's seen him do so many times in the past. "It's a pity that you finished already. We would've loved to have you join us."
He makes it sound like an invitation and for one brief moment Dave is tempted to accept. But then the full force of what is happening right now hits him like a ton of bricks. Up until five minutes ago, he'd been completely cut off from his past with the exception of his well-meaning but annoying parents. Two hours ago, he was happily eating dinner with his two best friends that have nothing to do with that past of his. And right this minute... this is happening. His past and present are colliding.
Dave suddenly realizes that he's not quite ready for any reunions just yet. And definitely not with the manically exuberant Rachel Berry and certainly not with Kurt Hummel. He needs time to think about this. He needs to be alone.
Luckily, Rachel then says, "Let's not cheat Dave out of a proper, Kurt. Tonight's dinner is a business dinner. I'm quite sure Dave has no inclinations to sit through three hours of conversation about Broadway musicals." She pauses to wink at Dave. "We'll call you and plan a party. To welcome him back and celebrate the fact that you're still alive."
That, Dave can actually deal with. Laughing in relief, he hugs Rachel once again.
"All right. Enjoy your dinner, guys. Talk to you soon?"
"Good evening, David," Kurt says, offering his hand for a shake. "It's been nice running into you."
Later, he wishes he could say that he takes Kurt's hand in his civilly and pumps it firmly, like normal people in polite society does. He also wants to say that he didn't show any outward reaction when he does so. But the truth is, he goes through a few embarrassing moments there where he just stares at long fingers and the pale skin of that hand like a creeper before he finally remembers his place and finally shakes it tentatively. His only saving grace is that Kurt appears to be equally tentative in the gesture and lets go quickly afterwards.
If his skin feels like it's burning after a mere handshake, Dave doesn't know what would happen if he dares to hug Kurt earlier.
"Nice meeting you again, too, Kurt," he says finally.
And then Kurt and Rachel are gone, leaving a dazed and confused Dave in their wake. The next thing he knows, he's at the crossroads, waiting for the green with Gunnar and Blakey to cross the street. Blakey is back on the phone with Eloise but Gunnar is staring at him speculatively.
After a few moments, Dave braces himself and finally turns to face him. "What?"
Shrugging, Gunnar says, "He's beautiful."
To be continued