Summary: An andercriss prompt that I made a summary for; After going through a rough breakup with Kurt, Blaine just wants to convince everyone that he's fine. Which turns into him convincing Sebastian to be his fake boyfriend. The problem is, the longer they date, it occurs to both of them that their feelings for one another aren't fake at all.
Note 1: slightly AU, Blaine never cheated in this scenario, but Kurt did.
Note 2: Thank you so much to Suzey for reading through this thing as I went with encouragements and assuring me it made sense. I love you.
000
This story always starts out the same way and because it's predictable, it usually ends the same way too.
Girl sees boy, girl falls in love with boy. Boy notices girl, boy lures girl into false sense of trust and they date. The girl's walls come down. The girl is happy, happier than she's ever been. Boy takes their trust and shatters it into a million pieces, they fight, they break up. There's a really cheesy love song about sadness and disappointment in the midst of their separation, lots of shots of the city skyline to highlight their distance between one another, and boy realizes he's done something really fucking stupid.
There's a long speech where both of them apologize…even though the girl really has nothing to apologize for. She gives him back her trust only for him to break it again.
And they live happily ever after.
Or something like that. Blaine might be paraphrasing.
He's watched so many romantic comedies in the last week that he knows that same story frontwards and back, it's only slightly altered every single time. But what he fails to admit to himself as he scrubs his curls and burrows himself into a mountain of blankets while shoving popcorn into his mouth, is that he knows that story so well because he's lived it.
Or well, the beginning half of it at least.
The part where it feels like the girl's heart is ripped out of her chest.
Yeah, he understands that feeling very well.
He had promised himself at the end of Junior year that his Senior year would be the best thing that has ever happened to him. And why wouldn't it be? He was grabbing solos left and right in the glee club, Cooper was going to come back from New York to visit in January, his amazing boyfriend had gotten into NYADA and they vowed to make long distance work and he had…sort of started talking to Sebastian again.
Not that Kurt knew about that one.
And really, was a few texts exchanged every so often really a bad thing after everything that had happened?
Alright, so maybe he forgave people too easily, too often gave someone another chance but…he had sort of missed his friendship with Sebastian. If he was being honest. There was something about them that just…fit, probably altogether too well. Their conversation flowed easily, their silences weren't uncomfortable, he could talk to Sebastian about anything and find that he actually listened to what he said.
He didn't tell anyone he had started talking to him again. Until November, when things had started falling apart.
Kurt had gone to New York and long distance was hard. Trying to run a cross country marathon while juggling tomatoes was probably easier than keeping in contact with Kurt. He knew that he was busy, that he had classes and new friends and solos to claim while exploring a big bright new city he had always dreamed about being a part of.
But what about him?
What about the boy he was leaving behind?
Did Kurt once think about him and how the distance was tearing him apart? Maybe if they would have talked more or kept their scheduled skype dates this whole thing wouldn't have happened.
Deep down he thinks it still might have, though.
When he sees Kurt's Facebook status go from 'it's complicated' to 'in a relationship' he knows something isn't right. He wants to know what happened to bridge that gap, for Kurt to go from one into the other…seeing as how they haven't really talked since last Friday and nothing feels resolved.
His boyfriend finally picks up the phone on the third call.
"Alright, what's going on?" He asks hastily, not wanting to waste any time. His anxiety won't let him stall with pleasantries anyways.
The other end of the phone is quiet a moment except for shuffling; all of it creates an even bigger pit in the bottom of Blaine's stomach.
"Blaine," Kurt sighs; it already sounds like an apology. "I-I met…someone."
He bites his tongue hard enough to bleed; he can't find the words to come out of his mouth even though so many are swirling between his head and voicebox. He doesn't understand how something like this can happen and how it wasn't the first thing he thought was going on. It all sort of makes sense now in a twisted way that squeezes his ribcage—the pictures with a new boy on Facebook, the way his texts go unanswered, calls dodged, skype dates missed. No apologies or explanations, just small talk and butchered conversations and a space between them that's starting to hurt.
"I'm so sorry; I just didn't know how to tell you."
He doesn't cry. He just quietly tells Kurt he understands and hangs up. The tears come later; along with regret, guilt, anger and too many movies involving Ryan Gosling.
Blaine doesn't want to be this person anymore; he wants to stop feeling like his heart has been pulled out of his chest, wants to replace the vacancy that carves a hole behind his ribcage yet somehow fills his entire body.
He wants to be okay again.
Because Kurt is. He's got new photos almost every hour of him and his new boyfriend Camden holding hands, kissing, going to class together and showing up at parties. Like he never existed in the first place, like he was never loved or missed.
He's never felt so pushed aside before, so…meaningless in a way he can't describe but can only feel instead. He hopes it's something that will just go away with time, he knows it's been a month or so but…no one can put an expiration date on grieving. It's just something he has to work through.
And he will. As soon as he watches another rom com.
Blaine is just about to get up out of bed to switch the disc in the player or to shift and burrow into his blankets for a nap, he's not sure which is going to come first, but before anything is decided his mother rushes into the room and yanks his curtains back.
He nearly has a heartattack with the amount of sunlight assaulting his eyes; his arm flails to hide his face and successfully topples over a bowl of popcorn.
"Mom!"
"Don't mom me, Blaine Anderson. This has gone on long enough. This is officially an intervention." She states and he doesn't have to be looking at her to know her hands are on her hips.
He sighs and manages to pull his hand away from his face, squinting at her before blinking. "I'm fine." He mutters.
"You think this intervention is mostly for you?" She asks, quirking an eyebrow before gesturing an arm to the space around her. "All of the coffee cups have disappeared from our kitchen."
Blaine glances around his room, rubbing the back of his neck. Huh. He doesn't remember when one cup became…like, twenty littered around the various surfaces of his bedroom.
"I'm sorry; I'll buy us another set." He sits up straight, leans against the headboard before turning his TV off with his remote before his mother sighs and sits down next to him.
"It's not about the mugs, though…those are important. Have you seen your father leave for work without coffee? Downright terrifying."
He feels a smile tug at the ends of his mouth without his permission, shaking his head as his mother bumps her shoulder into his own.
"We're worried about you. I know that Kurt was your first love—"
He's heard this story so many times in a million different ways. From his parents, to Cooper, even his friends. They keep telling him that they understand that Kurt was his first boyfriend, his first love, his first everything. But do they really get it? Do they really understand what he's going through? Do they know what it feels like to be cheated on and be so wrapped up in one thing, in how he wants them to be and not how they are that it slips right past him? Until it smacks him in the face one day?
Do they understand how betrayed he feels, still, a month later? That he feels like a fool?
No, he doesn't think they do.
And as much as he loves his mother, and anyone who's tried to make him feel better, all they do is succeed in making him feel worse.
Blaine just wants the conversations to stop; he doesn't think he can hear that he's better off without Kurt one more time before his head pops open. He knows he is, somewhere deep down, the problem is proving it to himself and to other people.
Why can't he just deal with this in his own way? It's Christmas break—he has plenty of time to mope, make a burrito out of blankets and properly heal himself. Tape himself back together.
"Cooper suggested maybe you should head to New York with him for a while…" His mother goes on and Blaine shakes his head because no, no, the last place he wants to be is in New York.
Because for some reason as big as the city is people have a tendency to bump into one another.
"No," He croaks out, rather quickly. "No, mom, I'll be okay. I promise. By the weekend I'll be brand new." He smiles, tugs the blankets aside like he might get up and start collecting the mugs.
He actually decides to do so when he can feel her eyes on him, following him around the room. He scrunches his nose at some of the coffee residue, sugar crystallized and caked to the bottom of cups…maybe he should actually consider buying a new set for his family.
"Are you sure?" She smoothes over some of his sheets, standing a moment to grab a basket to start collecting a pile of t-shirts that have accumulated in a corner. "If not New York, I've been talking to a few of my girls at book club—"
Blaine pauses. Oh no, no no.
"Mom—"
"What?" She asks innocently, making a face at him. "I was just going to say Mrs. Victor has a wonderful son named Rick who just moved here from California. He's quite handsome; maybe you could go see a movie with him."
The very last thing he wants is for his mother to try and set him up on a date. He's not in social Siberia; he's just trying to move from point A to point B without losing himself in the process. He's trying to get that piece back into place, to fill that hole where Kurt had taken something with him when he moved to New York. That had always belonged to him in the first place.
He can't rush into a date; he appreciates what his mother is trying to do but he just can't. All he's going to end up doing is making a fool out of himself. But this is just the beginning; until he's picture perfect again his mother isn't going to let this go.
Blaine needs to convince her he's okay, but he's not sure how. He's not okay yet. He doesn't know when he will be.
He turns to tell her 'no' to the date as his eye catches his phone, lit up with a message from…Sebastian.
Sebastian.
His hazel eyes spark with an idea, a bubbling in his stomach making him feel almost giddy. It's not a complete worked out plan when he opens his mouth to speak, his mother knows that he's been talking to Sebastian for a while now, that they've rekindled their friendship.
Though, she doesn't quite know why they ever stopped and Blaine's never filled in the gaps. But this half-formed idea is better than the former, it's better than everyone worrying about him or trying to give him rousing pep talks that never really help. It's better than him staring at his Facebook feed and making himself sick with every photo and status Kurt posts.
It's time for him to prove to them and himself that he can be okay.
"I can't go out with Rick because I have a date tomorrow night." He says, surprised at his amount of confidence.
She turns to look at him, a sparkle of interest and amusement in her eyes. "Oh really, with who?"
"Sebastian."
"Sebastian." She says slowly, like she's testing his name in her mouth. "And you're just now telling me this? When did this happen?"
"I…I was at the Lima Bean not too long ago, you know. I see him there sometimes." He lies; well sort of. He has seen Sebastian at the Lima Bean recently but the taller boy had been busy flirting with the barista at the time.
"And we talk on the phone," That part is true. Just like their friendship before the slushie…incident, it's very easy to talk to Sebastian on the phone or through text messages. It's all very effortless. Simple. "He asked me out."
She smiles slowly and for a moment he thinks she can see right through him. "Even though you've been bedridden these last few days?" She teases, ruffling his curls.
Blaine gently pushes her hand away before crossing his arms over his chest. "I'll have you know a lot of people think I'm a catch."
She laughs, picking up the bushel of laundry with her one arm before placing a kiss on his forehead. "Might want to run a comb through your hair first, stud." She winks and heads out of his bedroom.
He lets out a sigh of relief before he glances at his phone again. Okay, so. Crisis averted.
'Cept there's still one small, minuscule problem.
He hasn't exactly told Sebastian about this plan yet.
0000
It takes Blaine a while to build up the nerve to text Sebastian.
Granted, he's actually sort of proud of himself in terms of the progress he's made. He's gotten out of bed, took his collection of mugs to the kitchen and drowned them all with water and dish soap, he's showered and shaved and actually looks like a presentable human being again.
He's categorized his romantic comedies by the order of pain they inflict to his heart and finally jumps onto bed to grab his phone and sends a text.
BLAINE: I need your help.
A few moments pass before he gets another one back.
SEBASTIAN: Are you still in bed?
He purses his lips. It's shameful how well Sebastian knows him without even trying.
BLAINE: ...no, I'm actually in my living room eating dinner.
Blaine can see the smirk on Sebastian's lips without even trying as he gets a text back. Actually, a few in rapid succession.
SEBASTIAN: I don't believe you.
SEBASTIAN: But hey, if you want to play the modest card that's fine with me. I'd be more than willing to help you out /in bed/ anyways ;)
He shakes his head but can't stop the smile as it twitches its way onto his lips.
BLAINE: Why are we friends again.
SEBASTIAN: Because I'm dashingly handsome and you can't resist.
Blaine rolls his eyes and has half a mind to just forget the whole thing. He glances at his bedroom door, can hear his mother walking around in the hallway—probably hovering as she tries to decide to press the issue of him moping or to leave him be.
He sighs, watches the cursor blink in and out as he tries to think of a reply. A few fake dates with Sebastian won't be as bad as trying to trip his way through a few real ones with a stranger.
BLAINE: Can you come over or not?
He rolls over onto his back and sets his phone on his chest, humming gently at the soft buzz that vibrates through his sternum as Sebastian texts back.
SEBASTIAN: First it's help me and now it's come over, you're creating a lot of imagery for me here, Anderson.
He's about to text 'never mind' and just figure something else out when he gets:
SEBASTIAN: See you in ten ;)
He talks himself out of this plan four times before his phone loads his Facebook feed and another picture of Kurt and Camden pop up, this time they're kissing, forty-three likes.
Blaine closes his laptop and draws his knees to his chest.
No. He has to do this, whether it ends up being a good idea or not.
000
Blaine looks up as his bedroom door opens, Sebastian striding into the room with long legs and an amused look on his face. He motions behind him as the door closes before choosing a position next to him on his bed.
"Your mother was unusually happy to see me."
He clears his throat, cheeks tinting pink. He's surprised she managed to control herself without saying anything about their date. He wonders what Sebastian's reaction would have been if she had. Would he have had his back?
"Oh, she's uh," He sits up a little, crosses his legs and faces Sebastian as the taller lies down on his back. "She's just in a good mood. Good things are happening on Days of Our Lives apparently."
Sebastian hums, sets his hands on his stomach as he looks up at Blaine's ceiling. The silence between them, as usual, settles warmly in his bones. He likes that he doesn't have to fill the space, that he can just be with Sebastian. His eyes travel without his permission down the long lines of the other's body, appreciates how his long sleeved sweater settles on his chest, fabric clinging to him in a handsome sort of way.
His brown hair is wisped to the side, though he's not sure if it's on purpose or because it's windy outside. Those eyes are green like summer leaves, sunlight hitting them perfectly, a speckle of freckles dusting his cheekbones. His gaze lingers longer on his lips then they should, as his tongue peeks out and dips into the corner.
Yeah. He could be attracted to Sebastian enough to date him. A deep part of him knows he's always been drawn towards him like this, physically, that he knows just enough about him to capture parts of him emotionally as well.
Kurt even knew that too without saying anything.
Sebastian turns his head to look at him, his eyes dancing over Blaine's form a bit shamelessly. "So, what did you need my help with?"
Blaine swallows at the…inferring sounding invitation and tries not to squeak as he opens his mouth to say, "SoItoldmymomthatweeredating." He rushes out, the words jumbled and attached to one another.
Sebastian stares at him for a long moment, and he's not sure it's whether he doesn't understand what he's just said or worse because he does.
"You what?"
He sighs, running a hand through his curls, which are mismatched because of the lack of gel. "I'm sorry, I panicked. I just really didn't want to go out with this guy named Rick that my mom was trying to set me up with—"
"Wait, is he hot?" Sebastian sits up, suddenly interested.
"Sebastian."
It must be the desperate whine in his voice that grabs the others attention because Sebastian shakes his head and sets his hands on his shoulders, squeezing gently before his fingers glide down his arms to settle on his forearms.
"Calm down, I'm just kidding. Jesus, you're wound tighter than…" Blaine glares at him, warning him not to even think about making a sexual innuendo right now. His eyebrows quirk before he licks his lips. "Never mind."
"Will you do it?" He asks, his voice soft.
Sebastian sighs, his hands falling from his forearms. Blaine misses the kiss of heat from his skin against his own.
"Blaine, I don't know the first thing about dating. Or being someone's boyfriend for that matter."
"It won't be as bad as it sounds. It's just a few dates, long enough for me to convince everyone that I'm okay. So that they'll stop asking. And then I'll break up with you."
"You break up with me?" Sebastian scrunches his nose. "Who's going to believe that?"
Blaine lets out a short laugh, seems surprised by it, which makes Sebastian smile. "Shut up." He gently pushes his chest, his hand falling to his leg. His eyes watch the movement, feels Sebastian's back straighten as his hand stays there.
"Just a few dates. Come on, please."
The taller is watching his hand too, but he's still not convinced. "No, I use people, they don't use me."
He shakes his head, pulling his hand back, getting off the bed to pace because he's starting to feel anxious. "This is different, we're friends."
"Oh, we're friends hmm?" Sebastian's voice drips with something he doesn't recognize and he hesitates to look at him. It's buried hurt, maybe, something cold. Forgotten. Only dug up by his previous statement.
"Funny how you can say that now, since Kurt isn't in the picture."
Blaine closes his eyes, lets out a slow breath. He raises his hand to pinch the bridge of his nose. It's a low blow, but he sort of understands where Sebastian is coming from. Their friendship had always been complicated in terms of where he stood with Kurt. Then again, their friendship wasn't exactly what it seemed either.
"I'll buy you coffee for a week." He says, pulling his hand away from his eyes.
Sebastian gives him a look, though now he's slightly more amused than he was a moment before. That smirk comes out to grace his lips as he crosses his arms over his chest, urging Blaine to continue.
"Alright, a month." He reasons.
"And?" Sebastian encourages.
Blaine huffs. "And what?"
"My drinks at Scandals for a month. And don't even get me started on how often I'm allowed to grab at your ass, boyfriend."
He doesn't even register the last thing Sebastian says. "You're going to run me dry with how often you end up at the Lima Bean and Scandals in one month."
Sebastian grins. "The price of love my friend."
Blaine's jaw clenches but he gives in before Sebastian can add on anything else. "Fine."
The taller gets up from the bed, straightening his sweater, slides back into the easy conversation that he's the one doing Blaine a favor. "Alright, but only because this romantic movie marathon is getting out of control." He flicks at a few DVD cases near his TV and Blaine trips over his rug to catch them before they fall to the floor. "Next thing you know you'll be in danger of bed sores while watchingThe Notebook."
He keeps to himself that he's already watched The Notebook. Three times. But his blush probably gives him away because Sebastian is shaking his head as he heads to the bedroom door.
"Date tomorrow night," Blaine calls out. "Pick me up at eight. Okay?"
Sebastian hums, waving at him without looking back. He's out the door for a few moments before he pops his head back in.
"Oh and Anderson, just so you know, I would have done this for free." He grins, winking at him before disappearing down the hall.