THIS FIC IS NOT KLAINE-FRIENDLY.
Kurt feels a little giddy when he logs onto Skype. It's kind of outrageous, what he's done, and he can't wait to show Blaine. It feels grown-up and risqué and very New York. He squeaks happily when there's a green dot by Blaine's name, and he clicks video call.
"Kurt, hey, can I call you back? I'm kinda in the middle of something," Blaine says, his eyes darting over the screen and his hands typing. Kurt swallows his disappointment and smiles without teeth.
"Of course, of course." He sighs and gets up to make a herbal ice-tea. Louis said it was best not to drink any coffee for a few days (as well as abstain from alcohol, tobacco and oral sex, but he doesn't smoke and he's not gonna be drinking so soon after his hangover anyway, and there's not much sex in his foreseeable future either, much to his regret). After rummaging in the shelves for a bit, Kurt finds a packet of tea left there by Adam (he put all of Adam's things from the apartment in a box for him to pick up when he wasn't there but somehow he has missed a lot because he keeps finding things of his, like a presence that simply refuses to leave).
About half an hour and two cups of cold drinks later, Blaine calls him back. Kurt smiles and lets him talk about this week's Glee assignment for a while while playing with the ice on his tongue, waiting for his turn to speak.
"Twerking? Oh my god," he finally lets out, "that's so horrible!"
Blaine frowns. "It's actually kind of cool, Kurt. Sam was into it, anyway. And could you move closer to the microphone, I can hardly understand you."
Kurt's time has come. "Ah yes, that's because-" he starts, but Blaine interrupts.
"Ugh, Skype sucks again. Hold on, I'll reconnect." His green light goes off. Kurt slumps and waits for him to reappear. He takes the call and says hi. Before Blaine can break the connection again, he sticks out his tongue. Blaine freezes.
"It's not a bad connection," Kurt lisps. "I got a tongue piercing." He wiggles his tongue at the camera. "I got a tattoo too!" He quickly slips off his shirt and turns his shoulder to the laptop, glancing over his shoulder to see if he's on screen correctly. "Rachel and I got drunk the other day and-"
Blaine looks horrified. "You did what?" he asks, sounding crisp and stern. It makes Kurt cover himself up. He sits back down in front of the camera.
"Well, you know, since Finn died we both just felt kind of numb and we wanted to go out and do something new…" he tries, taking care to articulate around the stud in his tongue.
"So you get a tattoo? And a piercing? Without talking to me about it? What the hell, Kurt, I would never do that without asking you first."
Kurt shrugs awkwardly. "I thought I might surprise you," he says, though he already wonders why he didn't listen to himself when they stepped into the tattoo parlour. He puts on a wicked smile to mask his insecurity. "You know what they say about tongue piercings…" The thought of french-kissing Blaine - and more- with the cool metal in his mouth makes Kurt blush. "I thought you'd think it was hot."
"No, I don't know what they say, Kurt," Blaine says patronisingly, frowning at the screen. "And self-mutilation is never hot."
Kurt's smile fades. Self-mutilation? Suddenly he feels like he did way back at Dalton; overshooting his goals, trying too hard. Once again, he's the boy who needs reminding that he shouldn't stand out so much. The boy who can't be sexy. Recycled embarrassment floods his system and he sucks at his tongue, his eyes watering a little because moving the stud stings. He feels silly and cheap.
Blaine seems to notice and sighs deeply. "Look, Kurt… I'm sorry, but it's just that I can't understand why you had to do it. You're gonna be reminded of this every day for the rest of your life now- the rest of our life. Because I'll be the one who'll have to look at it all the time."
Kurt nods. He hadn't thought of that. "I'm sorry," he offers meekly, and then seeks a reason to log off. Mumbles something about pain and disinfectant and says goodnight. Why did he do it?
A few days later, right in the middle of Pamela Lansbury rehearsal, Elliot breaks off his singing and rubs his eyes. Luckily it's an eyeliner-free day, otherwise he'd be panda'ed.
"What's going on?" Santana asks, sounding faintly annoyed. She was just getting into the groove.
"I'm sorry, I just can't concentrate," Elliot says. "It's Kurt's fault."
"What?" Kurt lets out, immediately defensive.
"Can I talk to you outside?" Elliot asks. Kurt rolls his eyes and comes with him. Whatever this is, it had better be good. As soon as the loft door slides closed and they are in the hallway, he crosses his arms over his chest, bracing himself for whatever is wrong with him in Elliot's eyes.
"Kurt, I don't know how to say this, but.." Elliot starts.
"But what?" Kurt bites back, low and aggressive.
"It's becoming almost impossible not to kiss you."
"Huh?"
"I wanted to since I saw you, but… God, Kurt…did you have to get a tongue piercing? It's probably the hottest thing in the world and I can't stop looking at your mouth," Elliot confesses. "I know it's wrong and you're engaged and everything…it's just..you know what they say about tongue piercings…"
Kurt swallows and takes a few seconds. There has to be a 'but' coming. Or a laugh. Or people jumping out to yell 'PUNKED!'. But it's just Elliot, and it's actually true that he's staring at Kurt's lips like they are Turkish Delight. "I got a tattoo as well," Kurt says shyly.
"Oh my god," Elliot replies. "What? Where? Can I see?" He's actually blushing a little.
Kurt smiles, Elliot's enthusiasm boosting him a little, and he starts to unbutton his shirt. Elliot stares. Kurt bites his lip and sucks in his stomach, maybe flexes his arms a little. He knows adolescence has been kind on his body but he still feels a little awkward sometimes. He quickly turns around. Rolls his shoulders for effect.
Elliot gasps, and leans closer to read. Then he chuckles. "That's so weird," he says. "But I think it kind of fits. It's unique."
Kurt turns around. "Yeah, I thought so," he replies, feeling more than a little pleased. He starts to button up again.
"You're incredibly sexy, did you know that?" Elliot says, and it sounds honest.
"I guess I do now," Kurt replies.