Here I Am, Honey (2/15ish) - Klaine Dirty Dancing AU
Title: Here I Am, Honey (2/15ish)
Rating: PG-13 this section, increasing to R or NC-17 in later chapters
Pairings: Klaine, background Finchel (with very little focus)
Word Count: 5,239 this chapter / 9,748 overall (so far)
Spoilers: I'll be making nods to canon throughout, so I'll say "all aired" just to be safe, but this is very AU
Warnings: As with the movie, this story does include significant allusions to abortion. Also mild angst and slow burn/buildup.
Previous Chapter: One
Summary: When Blaine Anderson visits Kellerman's Mountain Home with his family in the summer of 1963, he isn't expecting anything more than days in the sun and games of croquet, but when he and his cousin Rachel meet the staff dance instructors, his plans get thrown for a loop. Blaine's family vacation might just end up being the time of his life. A Klaine Dirty Dancing AU.
Author's Notes: Title from Solomon Burke's "Cry to Me." Many thanks to my wonderful beta shandyall!
If any of his family members noticed that Blaine was much quieter than usual at breakfast the next morning, none of them made any comment. Blaine was fairly sure that none of them did; they were all too busy commenting on the quantity and the quality of both their sleep and the food. Unfortunately, Blaine didn’t have much to add to the conversation. He’d slept fitfully, and although his pancakes and scrambled eggs were delicious, he was doing more picking than actual eating.
After Hiram, Shelby, and Rachel had eaten to repletion and Blaine had covered half of his plate with a napkin, they were interrupted by Mr. Kellerman, who approached with one of the waiters in tow. Blaine found himself sitting up curiously when he saw who it was - the same one who’d needled the tall dancing instructor the night before. “Hiram, there’s someone I’d like you and your family to meet,” Mr. Kellerman said as he drew to a stop beside their table. “Noah, this is Dr. and Mrs. Berry, and Blaine and Rachel. I wanted to make sure that you all were introduced to Noah Puckerman. He’s studying at Yeshiva University.”
Hiram looked up with interest and said something to the waiter in Yiddish, to which Noah responded, “A sheynem dank.” Hiram all but beamed in response.
Never one to pass up an opportunity to brag, Shelby spoke up next. “You’ll have to keep an eye out for both of these two when you go back to New York,” she said, motioning to Blaine and Rachel. “Blaine will be going to NYU in the fall and Rachel is starting at Juilliard.”
Noah looked straight past Blaine to smile at Rachel. “Ah,” he said, deliberately holding her eye, “beautiful and talented.”
Rachel blushed while her parents both smiled indulgently. Conversely, Blaine narrowed his eyes, focusing on Mr. Kellerman’s hand, which had moved to clap Noah’s shoulder. He looked back up at Noah’s face, trying to discern if he was being sincere or if he just thought that Rachel was one of the dogs.
“Now, Noah,” Mr. Kellerman said jovially, “the Berrys are my special guests for the next four weeks. I want you to make sure that they have everything that they need.”
“Of course,” Noah said, his eyes roaming back to Rachel. “Is there… anything you want right now?” Blaine bristled.
“Yes, is there anything that we can get you? No?” Max asked, and everyone at the table demurred. “In that case, Noah, it looks like the Schuesters need more coffee. And - hey - no, don’t put those tables together!” He called, moving off as suddenly as he’d appeared. Noah nodded and departed as well, but not before shooting one last significant glance at Rachel, who ducked her head bashfully.
“My, what an attentive staff they have here,” Shelby commented, watching Rachel. Then she turned to her husband and asked, “Hiram, have you given any thought to what you’d like to do today?”
Hiram smiled at her over his coffee cup. “I’m sure that whatever you have on the agenda will be lovely, my dear.”
As her parents discussed their plans for the day - which seemed to consist primarily of “enjoying the fresh mountain air” in the morning and trying out the golf course in the afternoon - Rachel collected herself and glanced over at Blaine. “What do you want to do today?” she asked. “I assume you don’t want to golf with Mom and Daddy.”
Blaine snorted quietly and shook his head. “No, no. I - hadn’t given it much thought, actually. Why? Is there something that you had in mind?”
Rachel sat up a little straighter. “Well, first I’d like to take a walk and look around. I know you went running last night, but I haven’t seen anything other than our cabin and a few rooms here and the gazebo. Will you come with me? Maybe we’ll find something fun along the way?”
“That sounds just… fine,” Blaine said, aiming for some level of enthusiasm, but the end of his sentence was cut off by the return of Mr. Kellerman, who was dragging yet another young man up to their table. This one was dressed in a suit, clearly not a member of the staff. He was a bit doughy, wore thick horn-rimmed glasses, and was obviously having a harder time managing his hair than Blaine.
“Good! Good! You haven’t left yet. There’s one more person I want to introduce you to.” Mr. Kellerman put an arm around the young man and presented him to the table, puffing up with pride. “This is my nephew, Jacob Ben Israel. He goes to the Cornell School of Hotel Management, and in the summer, he’s my right-hand man.”
“Hello,” Jacob said. His eyes circled the table until they, too, came to rest on Rachel. This time, she shifted uncomfortably in her seat and only managed a small, tight-lipped smile. “I hope you’re all planning on coming to the social dance in the main hall tonight. I’m in charge of planning the evening entertainment for the weekend, and it’s going to be the best yet.” His voice was thin and nasal.
“Of course. That sounds lovely,” Shelby said warmly.
“And will you save me a dance?” Jacob asked, looking at Rachel.
Her eyes darted around, catching on her parents’ expectant faces. She glanced over at Blaine, who shook his head a little and gave a tiny shrug. “Of course,” she finally said. “How nice of you to ask.”
Jacob stood up a little straighter, his face almost smug. “I look forward to it.”
“Wonderful!” Mr. Kellerman exclaimed, tightening his arm around Jacob’s shoulder. “I always like to see the young people having a good time. Now, I don’t want to tell you how to enjoy your vacation, but it’s a beautiful day! Get out in the sunshine!” He exchanged a few final pleasantries with Hiram and Shelby, then led Jacob away.
While her parents were talking to Mr. Kellerman, Rachel gave Blaine a glare. Blaine held up his hands in innocence. “What was I supposed to do?” he asked. “Just be polite and dance with him once, Rachel. It won’t be that bad.”
“Maybe I’ll pretend to have a headache and not go to the social at all,” she countered, pouting.
Blaine just looked at her with raised eyebrows. He generally had a fairly high tolerance for her emotional crises, but there were some days when he wondered if she ever realized just how silly they could be.
Rachel backed down quickly, muttering, “Oh, fine. I’ll go, and I won’t even say another word about it all day. Now come on!” She bounced to her feet, her mood already shifting rapidly. “Let’s go take a look around!”
- / / -
True to her word, Rachel didn’t complain once about the impending evening - not while she and Blaine investigated the grounds, not during lunch with her parents, not while they watched several of their fellow vacationers play a game of softball, and not even when they frittered away the rest of the afternoon reading on the lounge chairs surrounding Kellerman’s spacious indoor pool.
Watching her now, dancing an awkward fox trot with Jacob - already their second dance of the evening - Blaine felt certain that she was saving up each and every grievance for afterward, when he was sure to hear them all. The music ended, and Rachel drew back, clapping politely for the band and already edging away. Unfortunately, she wasn’t quite quick enough to escape before the next song began, and Blaine heard Jacob exclaim, “Mambo! Yeah!” and grab for Rachel’s hand. She leaned around Jacob a little to frown at Blaine. He gave her a helpless shrug in return, and mentally vowed to cut in if she wasn’t able to get away before the next song began.
A sudden twirl of pink caught the corner of Blaine’s eye, and his attention was quickly drawn to a couple near the middle of the floor that he was fairly sure hadn’t been there before. He craned to see around the other dancers and recognized Finn and Quinn, the tall dance instructor and the one who’d led the merengue class, moving together with sharp precision. Blaine watched wide-eyed as they spun around the dance floor, catching the attention of more and more of the guests, a widening circle of empty space growing around them as the others moved aside to observe.
Blaine was so engrossed that he was startled a moment later when Rachel spoke close at his side. “Who are they?” she asked, making no attempt to hide her staring. He hadn’t noticed that the other guests had moved back so far that Rachel and Jacob had been bumped back toward the sidelines. They weren’t dancing anymore, but Jacob was still standing beside her.
“Oh, them,” he answered dismissively. “They’re the dance people. They’re here to, uh, keep the guests happy.”
Finn dipped Quinn deeply and then moved her into a twirling spin.
“They shouldn’t be showing off with each other. That’s not going to sell lessons,” Jacob muttered.
Blaine disagreed, but he didn’t bother saying so. He was fairly certain that Rachel would take his side as well - she’d gone completely motionless and didn’t appear to be breathing as she continued to watch. Quinn spun away from Finn, then lunged back towards him. While the crowd gasped, he grabbed her and flipped her into the air almost over his head, then caught her and dropped her into a dramatic hold.
It was then that Blaine noticed two things: first, the young man who had captured his attention the night before, now dressed in a neat suit and watching the routine with a critical eye from across the room, and second, Mr. Kellerman striding toward the dance floor and making a sharp “cut” motion across his throat. When they saw him, Finn and Quinn stuttered to a halt, and then they each moved quickly to invite a guest from the crowd to dance. The floor around them began to fill with couples again. Only then did Rachel relax and sigh audibly.
Hiram and Shelby swung by as the room returned to normal. “Very impressive, aren’t they?” Hiram asked. “Having fun?”
“Yes, Dr. Berry!” Jacob replied enthusiastically. “Unfortunately, though, I have to leave soon. I’m in charge of the games tonight.” Relief blossomed across Rachel’s face, which was quickly erased when Jacob turned back to her. “Saaaay… maybe you’d like to help get things started?”
“Sure, she would!” Hiram said. Rachel turned to look at him over her shoulder, her face a mask of disbelief. “Go on, honey, don’t be shy.”
“I’ll come with you,” Blaine interjected, and it was Jacob’s turn to glare. “I’d like to see the games,” he finished weakly, hoping it didn’t sound too much like a lie.
Which is how Blaine found himself sitting in the front row of the surprisingly full auditorium, watching a man wearing a turban and a cape saw Rachel in half. From her position inside the magician’s box, she had swiveled her head around until she’d somehow - despite the stage lights - located Blaine, and she was staring at him murderously.
The man paused in his sawing and leaned over Rachel. “This will only hurt for a minute! You have Blue Cross, right?” he said, giving the audience an exaggerated wink. Rachel rolled her eyes and looked tempestuously up at the ceiling for the remainder of the stunt.
As if that weren’t bad enough, just when Rachel was safely returned to the stage and her good spirits were starting to revive in the shine of the spotlight, the emcee called her over to the microphone. “Sweetheart, because you were such a good sport, we wanted to give you a little prize,” he said gallantly, indicating the large box on the table that had just been wheeled out beside him. “Here you go!” he exclaimed, and he thrust a large, white duck with a blue ribbon tied around its neck into Rachel’s hands. She held on but recoiled as the duck flapped its wings and struggled against her grip. The audience burst into applause and laughter while she rushed off the stage.
Blaine rose and slipped out of the auditorium, and Rachel stomped out to meet him several minutes later, a scowl etched into her features as she yanked her cardigan sweater back on. Crossing her arms severely, she stopped in front of him and glowered. Blaine wanted to be sympathetic - he really did - but what came out of his mouth was, “Where’s your new friend?”
Rachel’s eyes narrowed and Blaine actually shrank back a little. “That is not funny, Blaine. It… relieved itself on my arm before I could give it to someone else backstage.”
Blaine bit his lip to keep from smiling.
“It’s not funny! I just spent five minutes scrubbing that off my arm. What if it had gotten on my dress? This entire evening was a disaster!” She turned on her heel and flounced toward the door.
Blaine hurried after her. “Rachel. Rach, come on… I’m sorry, okay? I was being insensitive.”
Rachel whirled around just before reaching the door. “I’ll say!” she snapped. “For the entire rest of our time here, I’m going to be known as the girl with the goose!”
“It was a duck, actually,” Blaine corrected her. She threw her hands in the air and slammed her way out of the door. Blaine ran after her again. “Oh, come on, Rachel. I’m sorry! But honestly, no one will even remember in a day or two; there’s so much going on here.”
But Rachel didn’t break pace. “Let’s just get back,” she grumbled.
Blaine trailed along beside Rachel as she stomped back to the cabin, her arms crossed tightly across her chest. Every so often, she muttered something under her breath, usually along the lines of “never so embarrassed in my life.” After living with Rachel for four years, Blaine found that very hard to believe, but he knew better than to mention it.
“Rach?” he asked tentatively as they approached the stairs leading to the porch of their family’s cabin. “Do you really think it’s a good idea to be this upset when you go in there?”
Rachel sighed, finally dropping her shoulders, which had been up around her ears the whole way back. “No,” she admitted. “It would just make my parents upset, and they would probably talk to Max in the morning and cause a fuss.” She drew to a stop at the bottom of the steps, looking up at the glow of lamplight from the windows. “I don’t want to do anything to ruin our vacation.”
“We could keep walking,” Blaine suggested. “It might help. I know you don’t like to run, but it always helps me cool off when I’m angry. It’s kind of the same thing.”
The corner of Rachel’s mouth twitched up a little. “Okay. Thanks, Blaine.”
“Just a sec.” Blaine shrugged out of his dinner jacket and removed his tie, then crept up the stairs to stack them neatly on a chair. “Better for walking,” he explained as he returned to Rachel.
“Won’t you be cold?” she asked, tugging her sweater a little tighter around herself.
“No. It’s nicer out than it was last night, and this time, I’m not wandering around in shorts.”
“Okay.” Rachel slipped her hand into the crook of his arm as they wandered away, and Blaine knew that he had been forgiven. He started to lead them in the direction of the main house, but Rachel tugged him past, the expression on her face slightly sour. Blaine supposed that she was none too eager to relive her enchanted evening with Jacob Ben Israel. Instead, they meandered until they found themselves on a path behind the lodge that Blaine hadn’t seen before. It was clearly marked with a sign reading Staff Only Beyond This Point, but Rachel was turned away, pointing into the woods and exclaiming about fireflies as they passed it. Blaine guiltily pretended like he hadn’t seen it either, and he definitely wasn’t thinking about a certain member of the entertainment staff when he did so.
No, he certainly wasn’t - at least not until he saw him.
At first, Blaine wasn’t sure if the man walking awkwardly under the weight of three watermelons was one and the same, but as he and Rachel drew closer, it all came together - his hair and the lines and the height of him. Blaine glanced down at Rachel, who was still distracted, and made a split-second decision.
“Excuse me,” he called. Rachel started beside him and looked up curiously. “Can we help you?”
The other man stopped and turned towards them sharply. “What are you doing here?” he asked, his voice surprised, with a palpable edge to it.
Blaine cringed inwardly at the rebuff, but he led Rachel over anyway, keeping his back straight and his head up. “We’re just out for a walk. Won’t you let us help you with those?” He struggled to keep his jaw from dropping open when he got a closer look at the man’s face, softly illuminated by a nearby light post, which highlighted the high planes of his cheeks, the pert tilt of his nose, the strong angle of his jaw. He still looked so different from anyone that Blaine had ever seen before. So much better.
“You’re not supposed to be back here,” the man said warily, shifting the watermelons up a little higher in his arms. Then he added in undertone, “Your parents would kill you. Max would kill me.”
Blaine was surprised to feel Rachel draw herself up beside him at that. “My parents don’t have anything to say about it. We are adults,” she said firmly. “We’re both out of school, and Blaine turned nineteen this spring.” Blaine suppressed a sigh. Trust Rachel to list their high school graduation as proof of adulthood when they’d received their diplomas less than two months earlier.
But the other man ignored it, choosing instead to give Blaine an appraising look. “Did he?” Something about the question made it necessary for Blaine to fight the urge to squirm.
“He did,” Rachel said, oblivious. “And we’d be more than happy to help you. I’m much stronger than I look.”
At Rachel’s indignant tone, the man turned to look down at her curiously, as though he were really seeing her for the first time. She propped her free hand on her hip and raised an eyebrow. His lips quirked. “All right,” he said after a moment, “but if you get caught, I’m telling them that one of the waiters let you back here.” He angled his arms toward Blaine, who startled forward when he caught on, disengaging from Rachel to heft up the top watermelon and drop it into her arms.
Blaine turned back again, stepping in close to retrieve another watermelon, his hands and arms brushing all along the other man’s as he reached underneath. Bare skin grazed his fingers, and a heat that he had to have been imagining soaked right through the sleeves of his shirt. Blaine could feel himself flushing as he looked up, right into the other man’s eyes, which at this proximity were suddenly, startlingly blue. He drew back quickly.
“Right this way,” the man said, his face betraying nothing as he turned to lead them a little farther along the path, over a small footbridge, and toward a wooden staircase that led back up a steep section of hill. Blaine glanced up to see a large cabin at its top, and he noted that the building looked a bit more ramshackle than the others he’d seen on the property. As they climbed towards it, the dull throb of music played at top volume began pulsing from within. Blaine placed it as Do You Love Me? by the Contours after a few seconds.
Just outside a set of large double doors, the man spun to face them. “Last chance to turn back.”
“We’ve come this far,” Rachel said. “I’m sure we can make it a few more steps.”
“Okay, then.” The man raised his eyebrows at them and popped the door open dramatically with his backside.
Blaine gaped.
The music flooded out at them, so loud that it was almost a physical presence, but that wasn’t anywhere near the most startling thing. Blaine found himself looking into a large room filled with a sea of undulating bodies. The men and women were - dancing, he supposed, but it was like nothing he’d ever seen before. They clung to their partners, touching and writhing. He saw legs thrown over hips, hands roaming, men in their undershirts, or - was that one not wearing a shirt at all?
Blaine felt Rachel shrinking into his side. “Where did they learn to do that?” she asked, her voice barely audible over the music, as though Blaine would be able to give her an answer.
Somehow, the man, who was now standing on the other side of Blaine, heard her. “Kids are doing it in their basements back home,” he said with a shrug. He turned a bemused eye on Rachel. “You wanna try?”
She shook her head and pressed herself further against Blaine.
The man chuckled. “Come on.” He made his way into the room. Blaine and Rachel followed behind, picking their way carefully through the crowd, averting their eyes and trying not to bump into anyone. They deposited the watermelons on a long table and then stood back out of the way, watching the crowd. Even though he had recovered from his initial shock, Blaine wondered if his cheeks were going to be permanently stained red after the experience, and a glance at Rachel - who had wedged herself between himself and the other man as through for protection - revealed that she might suffer the same affliction.
A sudden cheer from the group nearest the door where they’d entered drew Blaine’s attention, and he looked over to see Finn entering with Quinn in tow, their hands clasped between them. They both looked more relaxed than they had earlier in the evening - he’d shed his tuxedo jacket and tie, and her hair and expression were looser. They threw themselves into the dancing before they’d made it five steps past the door.
Rachel stood up a little straighter. “Who’s that?” she asked, clearly aiming for nonchalance, but landing somewhere near wistful.
“That’s Finn Hudson, my stepbrother, and Quinn Fabray,” the man answered. “We all teach dance.”
The music flipped over to a new song. Blaine didn’t recognize it, but it drew a roar of approval from the crowd. When the noise leveled off again, Blaine plucked up his courage. “And you are?” he asked.
“Kurt Hummel.”
“Nice to meet you. I’m Blaine Anderson, and this is Rachel…” He trailed off as Rachel dug her hand into his arm. Blaine glanced up to see Finn striding toward them with Quinn trailing behind, and neither of them looked pleased.
“Kurt, what are they doing here?” Finn asked rudely as soon as he was close enough to be heard, glaring at Blaine and Rachel in turn.
“I found them wandering around outside and put them to work,” Kurt replied airily, not seeming at all put out by his stepbrother’s attitude.
“You know we’re not supposed to have guests back here. If Max finds out -”
“What, you expect him to show up here?” Kurt cut in, sounding skeptical.
“He doesn’t have to show up. Someone could tell him,” Finn said, looking right at Blaine.
Blaine widened his eyes and held up a hand. “We’re not here to get anyone in trouble. We just -”
“I carried a watermelon,” Rachel blurted.
Blaine’s words died on his lips as they all swiveled slowly to look at Rachel. Quinn was the first to recover, rolling her eyes and tugging on Finn’s arm to draw him back into the crowd.
Rachel slumped. “I carried a watermelon?” she muttered. Blaine saw Kurt move quickly to cover his mouth with his hand under the guise of scratching the side of his jaw. Blaine tried to be upset at him for Rachel’s sake, but he was more preoccupied by the fact that it was the first time he’d seen anything like a smile on Kurt’s face. Besides, in all honesty, Blaine couldn’t quite blame him for wanting to laugh.
Much to Blaine’s surprise, Rachel didn’t have cause to sulk for long. Finn and Quinn hadn’t moved very far when they started dancing again, and after only a few moments, a man with bright blond hair approached and tapped her on the shoulder. Quinn’s face lit up with a smile, and Finn stepped aside for the newcomer without complaint. Left without a partner, he began to drift back toward Kurt, when his eyes lit on Rachel again and his expression grew thoughtful.
“What do you say, wanna give it a try?” he asked, holding out a hand.
“What?” Rachel laughed brightly.
“Do you want to dance?”
Blaine’s eyes widened, and he looked down to see Rachel blushing and letting Finn lead her into the crowd. She was going to dance - like that? In front of everyone? He stuttered a half step forward, on the verge of calling her back, lips already forming to her name, when he stopped. Rachel would never let him hear the end of it if he embarrassed her now. Blaine sighed and consoled himself with the thought that he could always make an excuse to leave if things appeared to be getting out of hand. He shuffled back again, using the movement to also erase a little of the gap that Rachel had left between himself and Kurt.
When he sneaked a glance out of the corner of his eye, he found Kurt watching him. “Are you comfortable with her doing that?” he asked.
Blaine rolled his eyes. “She’ll make my life miserable if I’m not.”
“Oh,” Kurt said. He paused, and then asked suddenly, now staring straight ahead, “So, when’s the happy occasion?”
Blaine blinked at him for a moment, then turned back to the room as well. “The… happy occasion?”
“Your wedding,” Kurt said, like it was something obvious. “You’re not wearing a ring, so I assume it hasn’t happened yet.”
Startled, Blaine glanced down at his own hands, as though he needed confirmation. “I’m not engaged.”
“So, your parents let you and Rachel travel together even though you’re only steadies? Her parents…? That’s very… progressive.”
“What?” Blaine gasped. “No! No, Rachel’s my cousin. Dr. and Mrs. Berry are my uncle and aunt.”
Kurt didn’t have time to say more than “oh” before they were interrupted by small, thin girl wearing tight cropped pants and a mischievous smile. “Hey, handsome,” she called playfully over the noise of the room, her eyes trained on Blaine. “I haven’t seen you here before. Want to dance?”
Blaine was aware that he was gaping again, but he couldn’t seem to make himself stop. “I… I’m not… I don’t…” he sputtered.
Thankfully, Kurt stepped in. “Judy, you’ll have to excuse my friend. He obviously doesn’t know a good dance partner when he sees one. I’d be happy to do the honor, if you’ll let me.” He stepped forward a bit, holding out a hand, and Blaine could swear that he saw amusement flickering around the edges of his expression.
“I would love to dance with you,” the girl - Judy - said, taking Kurt’s hand before sparing one last confused, dubious glance for Blaine. Kurt didn’t look back. Instead, he led Judy confidently to an open patch of floor, pulling her in tight against his hip and wrapping an arm around her waist.
Blaine looked away. He scanned the crowd restlessly until he found Rachel. Almost instantly, he wished that he hadn’t - his cousin was bopping rather awkwardly along to the music while Finn tried to teach her how to roll her hips. Blaine winced and, as though it was drawn by a magnet, his gaze went back to Kurt and Judy. They were moving sensuously together now, just like the other couples, rocking from side to side like they were caught in a current, Kurt guiding her movements with strong arms. Blaine shifted on his feet and, since no one was watching, sneaked a hand up to surreptitiously pop the button holding the collar of his shirt tight around his neck. The room was sweltering with body heat.
He’d dropped his eyes without noticing it, and they were resting uneasily now on the way Kurt’s hand curled into the girl’s back, holding her lightly but with enough force for his fingers to make indentations in the material of her shirt. Blaine took a deep breath and snapped his eyes back up, surprised to find them locking immediately onto Kurt’s.
He was watching Blaine intently, curiously. He didn’t look away when Blaine glanced up, and he didn’t stop dancing either. He just stared. Blaine stared back until he realized just how hot his face had gotten and turned away abruptly.
Well, Blaine, that was certainly normal and not in any way suspicious or unusual, he chastised himself harshly. For just a moment, he looked blankly ahead, reeling, then he pushed suddenly into the crowd, moving recklessly and ignoring the jostling it earned him in the form of surprised elbows and shoulders. He just kept pressing forward blindly until he was at Rachel’s side. She was giggling up at Finn, clutching his arm with both hands.
“We should go,” Blaine said without preamble. “Your parents will get worried soon.”
Rachel blinked up at him, looking dazed. “But… this is so much fun! Aren’t you having fun?”
“Of course I am,” Blaine said flatly. He very deliberately did not look around. “But do you really want to have to explain to Hiram and Shelby why we were out so late and where we were? The games are probably going to be over soon and they’ll be expecting us.”
That seemed to snap her out of it, at least a little. “Oh. No, you’re right. We don’t want to arouse suspicion. Finn,” Rachel said, smiling at him brightly, “it was lovely to meet you. I do hope that I’ll see you again.” If Blaine hadn’t been itching to drag her out of the room as quickly as possible, he would have been either impressed or amused by how quickly Rachel slipped back into her prim manners with Finn moments after gyrating against him, not to mention her gall at flirting so blatantly with someone who appeared to have a steady girlfriend.
“Oh, uh, sure,” Finn said. He sounded rather noncommittal to Blaine’s ears, but he was looking at Rachel with sort of a dopey smile, so it was difficult to tell if he was being sincere or not.
“Great,” Blaine said. “Nice to meet you, Finn. Rachel?”
“Okay,” she said brightly, latching onto Blaine’s arm and practically skipping out of the room beside him.
Rachel chattered during the entire walk back to the cabin, which fortunately relieved Blaine of any responsibility in terms of conversation. While he hummed politely at appropriate intervals, his brain raced, and he fervently hoped that he wasn’t destined to end each night of their vacation flustered or confused or upset. If he was, it was going to be a long twenty-seven days.
Chapter Notes:
Rating: PG-13 this section, increasing to R or NC-17 in later chapters
Pairings: Klaine, background Finchel (with very little focus)
Word Count: 5,239 this chapter / 9,748 overall (so far)
Spoilers: I'll be making nods to canon throughout, so I'll say "all aired" just to be safe, but this is very AU
Warnings: As with the movie, this story does include significant allusions to abortion. Also mild angst and slow burn/buildup.
Previous Chapter: One
Summary: When Blaine Anderson visits Kellerman's Mountain Home with his family in the summer of 1963, he isn't expecting anything more than days in the sun and games of croquet, but when he and his cousin Rachel meet the staff dance instructors, his plans get thrown for a loop. Blaine's family vacation might just end up being the time of his life. A Klaine Dirty Dancing AU.
Author's Notes: Title from Solomon Burke's "Cry to Me." Many thanks to my wonderful beta shandyall!
If any of his family members noticed that Blaine was much quieter than usual at breakfast the next morning, none of them made any comment. Blaine was fairly sure that none of them did; they were all too busy commenting on the quantity and the quality of both their sleep and the food. Unfortunately, Blaine didn’t have much to add to the conversation. He’d slept fitfully, and although his pancakes and scrambled eggs were delicious, he was doing more picking than actual eating.
After Hiram, Shelby, and Rachel had eaten to repletion and Blaine had covered half of his plate with a napkin, they were interrupted by Mr. Kellerman, who approached with one of the waiters in tow. Blaine found himself sitting up curiously when he saw who it was - the same one who’d needled the tall dancing instructor the night before. “Hiram, there’s someone I’d like you and your family to meet,” Mr. Kellerman said as he drew to a stop beside their table. “Noah, this is Dr. and Mrs. Berry, and Blaine and Rachel. I wanted to make sure that you all were introduced to Noah Puckerman. He’s studying at Yeshiva University.”
Hiram looked up with interest and said something to the waiter in Yiddish, to which Noah responded, “A sheynem dank.” Hiram all but beamed in response.
Never one to pass up an opportunity to brag, Shelby spoke up next. “You’ll have to keep an eye out for both of these two when you go back to New York,” she said, motioning to Blaine and Rachel. “Blaine will be going to NYU in the fall and Rachel is starting at Juilliard.”
Noah looked straight past Blaine to smile at Rachel. “Ah,” he said, deliberately holding her eye, “beautiful and talented.”
Rachel blushed while her parents both smiled indulgently. Conversely, Blaine narrowed his eyes, focusing on Mr. Kellerman’s hand, which had moved to clap Noah’s shoulder. He looked back up at Noah’s face, trying to discern if he was being sincere or if he just thought that Rachel was one of the dogs.
“Now, Noah,” Mr. Kellerman said jovially, “the Berrys are my special guests for the next four weeks. I want you to make sure that they have everything that they need.”
“Of course,” Noah said, his eyes roaming back to Rachel. “Is there… anything you want right now?” Blaine bristled.
“Yes, is there anything that we can get you? No?” Max asked, and everyone at the table demurred. “In that case, Noah, it looks like the Schuesters need more coffee. And - hey - no, don’t put those tables together!” He called, moving off as suddenly as he’d appeared. Noah nodded and departed as well, but not before shooting one last significant glance at Rachel, who ducked her head bashfully.
“My, what an attentive staff they have here,” Shelby commented, watching Rachel. Then she turned to her husband and asked, “Hiram, have you given any thought to what you’d like to do today?”
Hiram smiled at her over his coffee cup. “I’m sure that whatever you have on the agenda will be lovely, my dear.”
As her parents discussed their plans for the day - which seemed to consist primarily of “enjoying the fresh mountain air” in the morning and trying out the golf course in the afternoon - Rachel collected herself and glanced over at Blaine. “What do you want to do today?” she asked. “I assume you don’t want to golf with Mom and Daddy.”
Blaine snorted quietly and shook his head. “No, no. I - hadn’t given it much thought, actually. Why? Is there something that you had in mind?”
Rachel sat up a little straighter. “Well, first I’d like to take a walk and look around. I know you went running last night, but I haven’t seen anything other than our cabin and a few rooms here and the gazebo. Will you come with me? Maybe we’ll find something fun along the way?”
“That sounds just… fine,” Blaine said, aiming for some level of enthusiasm, but the end of his sentence was cut off by the return of Mr. Kellerman, who was dragging yet another young man up to their table. This one was dressed in a suit, clearly not a member of the staff. He was a bit doughy, wore thick horn-rimmed glasses, and was obviously having a harder time managing his hair than Blaine.
“Good! Good! You haven’t left yet. There’s one more person I want to introduce you to.” Mr. Kellerman put an arm around the young man and presented him to the table, puffing up with pride. “This is my nephew, Jacob Ben Israel. He goes to the Cornell School of Hotel Management, and in the summer, he’s my right-hand man.”
“Hello,” Jacob said. His eyes circled the table until they, too, came to rest on Rachel. This time, she shifted uncomfortably in her seat and only managed a small, tight-lipped smile. “I hope you’re all planning on coming to the social dance in the main hall tonight. I’m in charge of planning the evening entertainment for the weekend, and it’s going to be the best yet.” His voice was thin and nasal.
“Of course. That sounds lovely,” Shelby said warmly.
“And will you save me a dance?” Jacob asked, looking at Rachel.
Her eyes darted around, catching on her parents’ expectant faces. She glanced over at Blaine, who shook his head a little and gave a tiny shrug. “Of course,” she finally said. “How nice of you to ask.”
Jacob stood up a little straighter, his face almost smug. “I look forward to it.”
“Wonderful!” Mr. Kellerman exclaimed, tightening his arm around Jacob’s shoulder. “I always like to see the young people having a good time. Now, I don’t want to tell you how to enjoy your vacation, but it’s a beautiful day! Get out in the sunshine!” He exchanged a few final pleasantries with Hiram and Shelby, then led Jacob away.
While her parents were talking to Mr. Kellerman, Rachel gave Blaine a glare. Blaine held up his hands in innocence. “What was I supposed to do?” he asked. “Just be polite and dance with him once, Rachel. It won’t be that bad.”
“Maybe I’ll pretend to have a headache and not go to the social at all,” she countered, pouting.
Blaine just looked at her with raised eyebrows. He generally had a fairly high tolerance for her emotional crises, but there were some days when he wondered if she ever realized just how silly they could be.
Rachel backed down quickly, muttering, “Oh, fine. I’ll go, and I won’t even say another word about it all day. Now come on!” She bounced to her feet, her mood already shifting rapidly. “Let’s go take a look around!”
- / / -
True to her word, Rachel didn’t complain once about the impending evening - not while she and Blaine investigated the grounds, not during lunch with her parents, not while they watched several of their fellow vacationers play a game of softball, and not even when they frittered away the rest of the afternoon reading on the lounge chairs surrounding Kellerman’s spacious indoor pool.
Watching her now, dancing an awkward fox trot with Jacob - already their second dance of the evening - Blaine felt certain that she was saving up each and every grievance for afterward, when he was sure to hear them all. The music ended, and Rachel drew back, clapping politely for the band and already edging away. Unfortunately, she wasn’t quite quick enough to escape before the next song began, and Blaine heard Jacob exclaim, “Mambo! Yeah!” and grab for Rachel’s hand. She leaned around Jacob a little to frown at Blaine. He gave her a helpless shrug in return, and mentally vowed to cut in if she wasn’t able to get away before the next song began.
A sudden twirl of pink caught the corner of Blaine’s eye, and his attention was quickly drawn to a couple near the middle of the floor that he was fairly sure hadn’t been there before. He craned to see around the other dancers and recognized Finn and Quinn, the tall dance instructor and the one who’d led the merengue class, moving together with sharp precision. Blaine watched wide-eyed as they spun around the dance floor, catching the attention of more and more of the guests, a widening circle of empty space growing around them as the others moved aside to observe.
Blaine was so engrossed that he was startled a moment later when Rachel spoke close at his side. “Who are they?” she asked, making no attempt to hide her staring. He hadn’t noticed that the other guests had moved back so far that Rachel and Jacob had been bumped back toward the sidelines. They weren’t dancing anymore, but Jacob was still standing beside her.
“Oh, them,” he answered dismissively. “They’re the dance people. They’re here to, uh, keep the guests happy.”
Finn dipped Quinn deeply and then moved her into a twirling spin.
“They shouldn’t be showing off with each other. That’s not going to sell lessons,” Jacob muttered.
Blaine disagreed, but he didn’t bother saying so. He was fairly certain that Rachel would take his side as well - she’d gone completely motionless and didn’t appear to be breathing as she continued to watch. Quinn spun away from Finn, then lunged back towards him. While the crowd gasped, he grabbed her and flipped her into the air almost over his head, then caught her and dropped her into a dramatic hold.
It was then that Blaine noticed two things: first, the young man who had captured his attention the night before, now dressed in a neat suit and watching the routine with a critical eye from across the room, and second, Mr. Kellerman striding toward the dance floor and making a sharp “cut” motion across his throat. When they saw him, Finn and Quinn stuttered to a halt, and then they each moved quickly to invite a guest from the crowd to dance. The floor around them began to fill with couples again. Only then did Rachel relax and sigh audibly.
Hiram and Shelby swung by as the room returned to normal. “Very impressive, aren’t they?” Hiram asked. “Having fun?”
“Yes, Dr. Berry!” Jacob replied enthusiastically. “Unfortunately, though, I have to leave soon. I’m in charge of the games tonight.” Relief blossomed across Rachel’s face, which was quickly erased when Jacob turned back to her. “Saaaay… maybe you’d like to help get things started?”
“Sure, she would!” Hiram said. Rachel turned to look at him over her shoulder, her face a mask of disbelief. “Go on, honey, don’t be shy.”
“I’ll come with you,” Blaine interjected, and it was Jacob’s turn to glare. “I’d like to see the games,” he finished weakly, hoping it didn’t sound too much like a lie.
Which is how Blaine found himself sitting in the front row of the surprisingly full auditorium, watching a man wearing a turban and a cape saw Rachel in half. From her position inside the magician’s box, she had swiveled her head around until she’d somehow - despite the stage lights - located Blaine, and she was staring at him murderously.
The man paused in his sawing and leaned over Rachel. “This will only hurt for a minute! You have Blue Cross, right?” he said, giving the audience an exaggerated wink. Rachel rolled her eyes and looked tempestuously up at the ceiling for the remainder of the stunt.
As if that weren’t bad enough, just when Rachel was safely returned to the stage and her good spirits were starting to revive in the shine of the spotlight, the emcee called her over to the microphone. “Sweetheart, because you were such a good sport, we wanted to give you a little prize,” he said gallantly, indicating the large box on the table that had just been wheeled out beside him. “Here you go!” he exclaimed, and he thrust a large, white duck with a blue ribbon tied around its neck into Rachel’s hands. She held on but recoiled as the duck flapped its wings and struggled against her grip. The audience burst into applause and laughter while she rushed off the stage.
Blaine rose and slipped out of the auditorium, and Rachel stomped out to meet him several minutes later, a scowl etched into her features as she yanked her cardigan sweater back on. Crossing her arms severely, she stopped in front of him and glowered. Blaine wanted to be sympathetic - he really did - but what came out of his mouth was, “Where’s your new friend?”
Rachel’s eyes narrowed and Blaine actually shrank back a little. “That is not funny, Blaine. It… relieved itself on my arm before I could give it to someone else backstage.”
Blaine bit his lip to keep from smiling.
“It’s not funny! I just spent five minutes scrubbing that off my arm. What if it had gotten on my dress? This entire evening was a disaster!” She turned on her heel and flounced toward the door.
Blaine hurried after her. “Rachel. Rach, come on… I’m sorry, okay? I was being insensitive.”
Rachel whirled around just before reaching the door. “I’ll say!” she snapped. “For the entire rest of our time here, I’m going to be known as the girl with the goose!”
“It was a duck, actually,” Blaine corrected her. She threw her hands in the air and slammed her way out of the door. Blaine ran after her again. “Oh, come on, Rachel. I’m sorry! But honestly, no one will even remember in a day or two; there’s so much going on here.”
But Rachel didn’t break pace. “Let’s just get back,” she grumbled.
Blaine trailed along beside Rachel as she stomped back to the cabin, her arms crossed tightly across her chest. Every so often, she muttered something under her breath, usually along the lines of “never so embarrassed in my life.” After living with Rachel for four years, Blaine found that very hard to believe, but he knew better than to mention it.
“Rach?” he asked tentatively as they approached the stairs leading to the porch of their family’s cabin. “Do you really think it’s a good idea to be this upset when you go in there?”
Rachel sighed, finally dropping her shoulders, which had been up around her ears the whole way back. “No,” she admitted. “It would just make my parents upset, and they would probably talk to Max in the morning and cause a fuss.” She drew to a stop at the bottom of the steps, looking up at the glow of lamplight from the windows. “I don’t want to do anything to ruin our vacation.”
“We could keep walking,” Blaine suggested. “It might help. I know you don’t like to run, but it always helps me cool off when I’m angry. It’s kind of the same thing.”
The corner of Rachel’s mouth twitched up a little. “Okay. Thanks, Blaine.”
“Just a sec.” Blaine shrugged out of his dinner jacket and removed his tie, then crept up the stairs to stack them neatly on a chair. “Better for walking,” he explained as he returned to Rachel.
“Won’t you be cold?” she asked, tugging her sweater a little tighter around herself.
“No. It’s nicer out than it was last night, and this time, I’m not wandering around in shorts.”
“Okay.” Rachel slipped her hand into the crook of his arm as they wandered away, and Blaine knew that he had been forgiven. He started to lead them in the direction of the main house, but Rachel tugged him past, the expression on her face slightly sour. Blaine supposed that she was none too eager to relive her enchanted evening with Jacob Ben Israel. Instead, they meandered until they found themselves on a path behind the lodge that Blaine hadn’t seen before. It was clearly marked with a sign reading Staff Only Beyond This Point, but Rachel was turned away, pointing into the woods and exclaiming about fireflies as they passed it. Blaine guiltily pretended like he hadn’t seen it either, and he definitely wasn’t thinking about a certain member of the entertainment staff when he did so.
No, he certainly wasn’t - at least not until he saw him.
At first, Blaine wasn’t sure if the man walking awkwardly under the weight of three watermelons was one and the same, but as he and Rachel drew closer, it all came together - his hair and the lines and the height of him. Blaine glanced down at Rachel, who was still distracted, and made a split-second decision.
“Excuse me,” he called. Rachel started beside him and looked up curiously. “Can we help you?”
The other man stopped and turned towards them sharply. “What are you doing here?” he asked, his voice surprised, with a palpable edge to it.
Blaine cringed inwardly at the rebuff, but he led Rachel over anyway, keeping his back straight and his head up. “We’re just out for a walk. Won’t you let us help you with those?” He struggled to keep his jaw from dropping open when he got a closer look at the man’s face, softly illuminated by a nearby light post, which highlighted the high planes of his cheeks, the pert tilt of his nose, the strong angle of his jaw. He still looked so different from anyone that Blaine had ever seen before. So much better.
“You’re not supposed to be back here,” the man said warily, shifting the watermelons up a little higher in his arms. Then he added in undertone, “Your parents would kill you. Max would kill me.”
Blaine was surprised to feel Rachel draw herself up beside him at that. “My parents don’t have anything to say about it. We are adults,” she said firmly. “We’re both out of school, and Blaine turned nineteen this spring.” Blaine suppressed a sigh. Trust Rachel to list their high school graduation as proof of adulthood when they’d received their diplomas less than two months earlier.
But the other man ignored it, choosing instead to give Blaine an appraising look. “Did he?” Something about the question made it necessary for Blaine to fight the urge to squirm.
“He did,” Rachel said, oblivious. “And we’d be more than happy to help you. I’m much stronger than I look.”
At Rachel’s indignant tone, the man turned to look down at her curiously, as though he were really seeing her for the first time. She propped her free hand on her hip and raised an eyebrow. His lips quirked. “All right,” he said after a moment, “but if you get caught, I’m telling them that one of the waiters let you back here.” He angled his arms toward Blaine, who startled forward when he caught on, disengaging from Rachel to heft up the top watermelon and drop it into her arms.
Blaine turned back again, stepping in close to retrieve another watermelon, his hands and arms brushing all along the other man’s as he reached underneath. Bare skin grazed his fingers, and a heat that he had to have been imagining soaked right through the sleeves of his shirt. Blaine could feel himself flushing as he looked up, right into the other man’s eyes, which at this proximity were suddenly, startlingly blue. He drew back quickly.
“Right this way,” the man said, his face betraying nothing as he turned to lead them a little farther along the path, over a small footbridge, and toward a wooden staircase that led back up a steep section of hill. Blaine glanced up to see a large cabin at its top, and he noted that the building looked a bit more ramshackle than the others he’d seen on the property. As they climbed towards it, the dull throb of music played at top volume began pulsing from within. Blaine placed it as Do You Love Me? by the Contours after a few seconds.
Just outside a set of large double doors, the man spun to face them. “Last chance to turn back.”
“We’ve come this far,” Rachel said. “I’m sure we can make it a few more steps.”
“Okay, then.” The man raised his eyebrows at them and popped the door open dramatically with his backside.
Blaine gaped.
The music flooded out at them, so loud that it was almost a physical presence, but that wasn’t anywhere near the most startling thing. Blaine found himself looking into a large room filled with a sea of undulating bodies. The men and women were - dancing, he supposed, but it was like nothing he’d ever seen before. They clung to their partners, touching and writhing. He saw legs thrown over hips, hands roaming, men in their undershirts, or - was that one not wearing a shirt at all?
Blaine felt Rachel shrinking into his side. “Where did they learn to do that?” she asked, her voice barely audible over the music, as though Blaine would be able to give her an answer.
Somehow, the man, who was now standing on the other side of Blaine, heard her. “Kids are doing it in their basements back home,” he said with a shrug. He turned a bemused eye on Rachel. “You wanna try?”
She shook her head and pressed herself further against Blaine.
The man chuckled. “Come on.” He made his way into the room. Blaine and Rachel followed behind, picking their way carefully through the crowd, averting their eyes and trying not to bump into anyone. They deposited the watermelons on a long table and then stood back out of the way, watching the crowd. Even though he had recovered from his initial shock, Blaine wondered if his cheeks were going to be permanently stained red after the experience, and a glance at Rachel - who had wedged herself between himself and the other man as through for protection - revealed that she might suffer the same affliction.
A sudden cheer from the group nearest the door where they’d entered drew Blaine’s attention, and he looked over to see Finn entering with Quinn in tow, their hands clasped between them. They both looked more relaxed than they had earlier in the evening - he’d shed his tuxedo jacket and tie, and her hair and expression were looser. They threw themselves into the dancing before they’d made it five steps past the door.
Rachel stood up a little straighter. “Who’s that?” she asked, clearly aiming for nonchalance, but landing somewhere near wistful.
“That’s Finn Hudson, my stepbrother, and Quinn Fabray,” the man answered. “We all teach dance.”
The music flipped over to a new song. Blaine didn’t recognize it, but it drew a roar of approval from the crowd. When the noise leveled off again, Blaine plucked up his courage. “And you are?” he asked.
“Kurt Hummel.”
“Nice to meet you. I’m Blaine Anderson, and this is Rachel…” He trailed off as Rachel dug her hand into his arm. Blaine glanced up to see Finn striding toward them with Quinn trailing behind, and neither of them looked pleased.
“Kurt, what are they doing here?” Finn asked rudely as soon as he was close enough to be heard, glaring at Blaine and Rachel in turn.
“I found them wandering around outside and put them to work,” Kurt replied airily, not seeming at all put out by his stepbrother’s attitude.
“You know we’re not supposed to have guests back here. If Max finds out -”
“What, you expect him to show up here?” Kurt cut in, sounding skeptical.
“He doesn’t have to show up. Someone could tell him,” Finn said, looking right at Blaine.
Blaine widened his eyes and held up a hand. “We’re not here to get anyone in trouble. We just -”
“I carried a watermelon,” Rachel blurted.
Blaine’s words died on his lips as they all swiveled slowly to look at Rachel. Quinn was the first to recover, rolling her eyes and tugging on Finn’s arm to draw him back into the crowd.
Rachel slumped. “I carried a watermelon?” she muttered. Blaine saw Kurt move quickly to cover his mouth with his hand under the guise of scratching the side of his jaw. Blaine tried to be upset at him for Rachel’s sake, but he was more preoccupied by the fact that it was the first time he’d seen anything like a smile on Kurt’s face. Besides, in all honesty, Blaine couldn’t quite blame him for wanting to laugh.
Much to Blaine’s surprise, Rachel didn’t have cause to sulk for long. Finn and Quinn hadn’t moved very far when they started dancing again, and after only a few moments, a man with bright blond hair approached and tapped her on the shoulder. Quinn’s face lit up with a smile, and Finn stepped aside for the newcomer without complaint. Left without a partner, he began to drift back toward Kurt, when his eyes lit on Rachel again and his expression grew thoughtful.
“What do you say, wanna give it a try?” he asked, holding out a hand.
“What?” Rachel laughed brightly.
“Do you want to dance?”
Blaine’s eyes widened, and he looked down to see Rachel blushing and letting Finn lead her into the crowd. She was going to dance - like that? In front of everyone? He stuttered a half step forward, on the verge of calling her back, lips already forming to her name, when he stopped. Rachel would never let him hear the end of it if he embarrassed her now. Blaine sighed and consoled himself with the thought that he could always make an excuse to leave if things appeared to be getting out of hand. He shuffled back again, using the movement to also erase a little of the gap that Rachel had left between himself and Kurt.
When he sneaked a glance out of the corner of his eye, he found Kurt watching him. “Are you comfortable with her doing that?” he asked.
Blaine rolled his eyes. “She’ll make my life miserable if I’m not.”
“Oh,” Kurt said. He paused, and then asked suddenly, now staring straight ahead, “So, when’s the happy occasion?”
Blaine blinked at him for a moment, then turned back to the room as well. “The… happy occasion?”
“Your wedding,” Kurt said, like it was something obvious. “You’re not wearing a ring, so I assume it hasn’t happened yet.”
Startled, Blaine glanced down at his own hands, as though he needed confirmation. “I’m not engaged.”
“So, your parents let you and Rachel travel together even though you’re only steadies? Her parents…? That’s very… progressive.”
“What?” Blaine gasped. “No! No, Rachel’s my cousin. Dr. and Mrs. Berry are my uncle and aunt.”
Kurt didn’t have time to say more than “oh” before they were interrupted by small, thin girl wearing tight cropped pants and a mischievous smile. “Hey, handsome,” she called playfully over the noise of the room, her eyes trained on Blaine. “I haven’t seen you here before. Want to dance?”
Blaine was aware that he was gaping again, but he couldn’t seem to make himself stop. “I… I’m not… I don’t…” he sputtered.
Thankfully, Kurt stepped in. “Judy, you’ll have to excuse my friend. He obviously doesn’t know a good dance partner when he sees one. I’d be happy to do the honor, if you’ll let me.” He stepped forward a bit, holding out a hand, and Blaine could swear that he saw amusement flickering around the edges of his expression.
“I would love to dance with you,” the girl - Judy - said, taking Kurt’s hand before sparing one last confused, dubious glance for Blaine. Kurt didn’t look back. Instead, he led Judy confidently to an open patch of floor, pulling her in tight against his hip and wrapping an arm around her waist.
Blaine looked away. He scanned the crowd restlessly until he found Rachel. Almost instantly, he wished that he hadn’t - his cousin was bopping rather awkwardly along to the music while Finn tried to teach her how to roll her hips. Blaine winced and, as though it was drawn by a magnet, his gaze went back to Kurt and Judy. They were moving sensuously together now, just like the other couples, rocking from side to side like they were caught in a current, Kurt guiding her movements with strong arms. Blaine shifted on his feet and, since no one was watching, sneaked a hand up to surreptitiously pop the button holding the collar of his shirt tight around his neck. The room was sweltering with body heat.
He’d dropped his eyes without noticing it, and they were resting uneasily now on the way Kurt’s hand curled into the girl’s back, holding her lightly but with enough force for his fingers to make indentations in the material of her shirt. Blaine took a deep breath and snapped his eyes back up, surprised to find them locking immediately onto Kurt’s.
He was watching Blaine intently, curiously. He didn’t look away when Blaine glanced up, and he didn’t stop dancing either. He just stared. Blaine stared back until he realized just how hot his face had gotten and turned away abruptly.
Well, Blaine, that was certainly normal and not in any way suspicious or unusual, he chastised himself harshly. For just a moment, he looked blankly ahead, reeling, then he pushed suddenly into the crowd, moving recklessly and ignoring the jostling it earned him in the form of surprised elbows and shoulders. He just kept pressing forward blindly until he was at Rachel’s side. She was giggling up at Finn, clutching his arm with both hands.
“We should go,” Blaine said without preamble. “Your parents will get worried soon.”
Rachel blinked up at him, looking dazed. “But… this is so much fun! Aren’t you having fun?”
“Of course I am,” Blaine said flatly. He very deliberately did not look around. “But do you really want to have to explain to Hiram and Shelby why we were out so late and where we were? The games are probably going to be over soon and they’ll be expecting us.”
That seemed to snap her out of it, at least a little. “Oh. No, you’re right. We don’t want to arouse suspicion. Finn,” Rachel said, smiling at him brightly, “it was lovely to meet you. I do hope that I’ll see you again.” If Blaine hadn’t been itching to drag her out of the room as quickly as possible, he would have been either impressed or amused by how quickly Rachel slipped back into her prim manners with Finn moments after gyrating against him, not to mention her gall at flirting so blatantly with someone who appeared to have a steady girlfriend.
“Oh, uh, sure,” Finn said. He sounded rather noncommittal to Blaine’s ears, but he was looking at Rachel with sort of a dopey smile, so it was difficult to tell if he was being sincere or not.
“Great,” Blaine said. “Nice to meet you, Finn. Rachel?”
“Okay,” she said brightly, latching onto Blaine’s arm and practically skipping out of the room beside him.
Rachel chattered during the entire walk back to the cabin, which fortunately relieved Blaine of any responsibility in terms of conversation. While he hummed politely at appropriate intervals, his brain raced, and he fervently hoped that he wasn’t destined to end each night of their vacation flustered or confused or upset. If he was, it was going to be a long twenty-seven days.
Chapter Notes:
- Yeshiva University, according to its website, "has been dedicated to melding the ancient tradition of Jewish law and life with the heritage of Western civilization" since its inception over a century ago: http://www.yu.edu. Puck was only admitted due to a close family connection, and he figured it was as good an option as any.
- A sheynem dank means "thank you very much" in Yiddish.
- Kellerman's indoor pool is a creation of mine that is modeled after the first image on this webpage: http://www.terrastories.com/bearings/abandoned-catskills-hotels (although less abandoned, of course!).
- The song that Blaine hears but doesn't recognize right before he asks Kurt's name is Love Man by Otis Redding (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3ZdheRKzMk). It's the same song that plays at that point during the movie, but its use was actually an anachronism. Redding didn't record the song until 1967 (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092890/trivia?tab=gf). So, in trying to be true to both the movie and the time period, I kept it in, but of course Blaine's never heard it before!