Blaine couldn't help but smile as he prepared for the groups entrance. The lights streaming in from the stage left long shadows in the wings, they illuminated the collection of performers all with equally nervous faces. Blaine swallowed loudly and tugged at the collar of the burgundy shirt, but the smile didn't disappear. And why should it? Today was the accumulation of all the work of the past ten years of his life. Four years working his butt off at performing arts school, another four juggling a perfect GPA and various arts activities at high school, and the final two searching, and searching again for performing gigs after college whilst working the nine to five shift as a jazz pianist in the foyer of a swanky hotel.
Today Blaine Hummel-Anderson would take his first step on a Broadway stage as a performer. And not only was he performing in the company of one of the greatest musicals written, he was doing it with the most important man in his world on the other side of the stage.
Like Blaine, Kurt worked hard to get to this night. Their stories were similar in that their childhood's both consisted of after school rushes to arts centres and community halls for ballet class or youth theatre companies, but it was the latest years of his relatively short life that Kurt would come to know has his defining moments. Yes, he too spent years slaving in the studios of NYADA, but success didn't come to Kurt like it did so naturally to his husband.
Blaine's ears pricked up when a familiar chord progression floated from the orchestra pit. The two or three people standing in the wings had become the whole twelve. The tall and, admittedly, very handsome lead stood the closest to the stage, he didn't talk to anyone just stared into the air in front of him. Blaine hoped to be him some time soon, but baby steps needed to be taken first, he reminded himself.
Suddenly the lights cut. A smooth jazzy riff came from the pit. The screen blocking the back of the stage lifted and the set on the back wall glowed in the new lighting. And there he was, entering from the back corner of the opposite wing.
"Jets!"
Kurt had changed drastically since he left Ohio in 2012. A mixture of constant exercise, stress and the introduction to an actual gym had something to say about that. His face had thinned out further, his high cheek bones now more defined and his jaw strong. Gone was the slightly weedy, awkward body, now Kurt's arms resembled those of a competitive sports player, his waist as trim as the professional swimmer and his legs defined and strong. However much his body changed, the boy inside was still the Kurt he fell in love with.
Blaine continued to grin as he watched Kurt fly across the stage. The music picked up a bit and Kurt split from the larger group with a few others. The centre of the stage cleared and the four of them began a series of complex dance steps and leaps, stretching the limits of their flexibility. Blaine eyed Kurt's legs greedily as he perfectly executed a jump with one limb dead straight and practically perpendicular to his torso.
Kurt's dancing had come along the most since his high school days. Although Blaine would never tell him, Kurt's dancing during their times in glee and school musicals was limited to struts and shimmies. NYADA had pushed his husband and with four intensive years of dance training they had Kurt looking like he'd danced since he the moment he could walk. His grace and flexibility was now at the standard of those at prestigious dancing institutes. He was beautiful.
Forcing himself to divert his attention, Blaine took a few deep breaths and shared a few supportive pats on the back with the other members of the cast around him. The recognizable change in the music was picked up by his brain and Blaine did a final sweep over his person. With a final check of his shoe laces, Blaine took one final gulp of air before running on to the stage with his cue.
"Sharks!"