Note : This is a translation of the French-language story by the author (authors, because it's a pair of them on the same account) listed below. I've done my best to do it justice, but if you understand French then please check out the original! Please R&R, I'll be able to pass on reviews to the original writers.
From this point onwards, everything is translated.
Disclaimer: The characters aren't ours, and we (obviously) don't get paid; except with the reviews that you give us, and the pleasure that the two of us are getting from writing this.
Title: Courage
Author: Tic-and-Tac.
Pairing: Blaine/Kurt
Rating: K+ but might end up M at some point.
Other stuff: Thanks to Sombraline for giving us the idea for the title of this fic. Also, this first chapter is taken from episode 2x16 (Original Song)
And on that note…enjoy!
Chapter 1
This evening, the Warblers council was even more agitated than normal. After almost an hour, they hadn't even started to agree about the colour of the Regionals uniforms, and Blaine, rarely for him, could feel the anger and frustration rising within him; which is why he could have almost cried in relief when Kurt entered the meeting room, as theatrically as ever, halting the stormy…discussion…that had been taking place.
That relief turned to concern, however, as Blaine realised that Kurt was dressed completely in black, expression grave and face covered in tear stains.
"Pavarotti is dead," he whispered softly, voice trembling.
There was a stir in the room, murmurs and whispers rising as quickly as the noise had died when Kurt had first entered the room.
With a few pointed gestures, Blaine managed to bring the room back to silence, as Kurt demanded, rather than asked, for his song, passing a tape to one of the Warblers standing beside him.
The first notes of Black Bird rang out, and Kurt's voice rose, sweet and ethereal, even as tears streamed down his face. Blaine, however, never stopped looking at Kurt's eyes, shimmering with the tears that hadn't yet escaped to roll down his cheeks, as he idly and somewhat cynically wondered what it would take for he himself to do this – to sing a song on a whim. It was something that, before Kurt, he'd never have thought of doing. However, the Kurt's vulnerability caught at his heart, and a tender smile played on his lips, chasing away the incredulity that had been there.
Finally, he joined the other Warblers in accompanying Kurt; but without really concentrating on what he was doing. It was Kurt's voice that had captured all of his attention; strong and rich, and yet hauntingly melodious at the same time; and when he looked back into Kurt's eyes it was as if he was looking at him for the first time. His chest hurt, suddenly, as he tried to name the emotion washing over him in waves.
When Kurt finished his song, the 'thank you' thick with tears, Blaine smiled warmly – proudly – at him.
As he lay in bed that night, trying to fall asleep, what Kurt had told him about the unfairness of the solos played again in his head. Before he'd just passed it off as one of Kurt's diva moments – but now he realised that Kurt was right. Kurt had to have a solo if they wanted to have a chance of winning Regionals.
The next day on his way to school, he changed his mind again. A solo for Kurt wouldn't happen, not when the Warblers could turn costuming into the private school equivalent of a pub brawl.
A duet. He smiled, walking through the school gates, as his mind filled with images of singing with Kurt again and of course, it would be the perfect excuse to spend as much time with Kurt as he wanted. Perfect.
The only problem with what Blaine modestly allowed himself to deem a perfect solution was that the whole day seemed to go slower and slower as he waited impatiently for glee club practice.
Finally, after what felt like a year rather than six or seven hours, the bell rang. Blaine barely managed to restrain himself from half-running towards the rehearsal room, impatient to present his idea to his friends. And so, when he did arrive and was bombarded by questions about the solo that he had chosen for Regionals, Blaine found himself on the verge of frustrated tears.
He glanced furtively in Kurt's direction, hoping for some help. But Kurt, clearly almost as annoyed as Blaine himself was, ignored him; and somehow, that was what Blaine needed to remind him of the conviction of the morning, and to, after silencing the rest of the Warblers, present his decision (careful to specify that it was Kurt he wanted to sing with, because as much as he believed in the talents of the other guys in the group, he needed this.)
Somehow, though, it seemed as though the Warblers had caught on to he was doing; the Council silenced Kurt's incoherent protestations and accepted Blaine's request. Content, Blaine grinned at Kurt, who returned the smile, albeit with a hint of timid confusion.
That evening as Kurt returned home, he couldn't contain the churning joy and general positive feeling within him. He was going to sing at Regionals! With Blaine! He would be spending time alone with Blaine ! But dear Gaga, how was he going to hide the fact that he was head-over-heels in love with his best friend ? When he already blushed at every hint of a compliment, when he couldn't stop from smiling when Blaine was, simply because the sight of Blaine's face lit up in a smile was one of the most amazing things he'd ever seen?
By the time, the next day that Kurt was sitting in the room where he and Blaine were set to meet his nerves were threatening to eat him alive. He was almost positive that, if he'd managed to eat lunch at all, he'd be throwing it up right now.
Since he was an hour early, anyway – Blaine only finished class an hour after him today – Kurt decided that he might as well start on Pavarotti's casket.
Concentrated on his task, he didn't notice that the bell had rung, and that Blaine was watching him with a soft smile.
Even when Blaine sat beside him, Kurt didn't look up till Blaine's soft voice alerted him to the other boy's presence. Somewhat surprised, he only managed to murmur a few words of agreement to Blaine's choice of song.
After a short silence, Kurt finally asked the question that had been plaguing him since the afternoon of the day before; why Blaine had chosen him to sing with.
And then Blaine placed a hand on Kurt's own, murmured an explanation that Kurt would always remember even though, in the moment, he barely processed it because he could read everything he needed to in Blaine's eyes.
Blaine hesitated for a short half-second, before he leaned forward and kissed Kurt.
Hope you enjoyed it! The next chapter should be up soon.