TITLE: Let Me Fill This Empty Space
AUTHOR: littlestclouds
RATING: PG
DISTRIBUTION: here
DISCLAIMER: This all belongs to Ryan Murphy and FOX. I'm not making money off this and it's just for fun! Did you know that dolphins are just gay sharks?
SUMMARY: Dave should've figured he'd run into Kurt Hummel's old preppy boyfriend - Blaine, Dave thought, as he worked on his drink at the bar - at the only gay club in Lima, Ohio.
PAIRING/CHARACTERS: slight Dave/Blaine, implied past one-sided Dave/Kurt, past Blaine/Kurt
WORDCOUNT: 1090
NOTES: Written for a comment fic meme at my journal. Title from "Empty Spaces," by SR-71. Set post-college and kind of dumb, sorry.
Let Me Fill This Empty SpaceDave should've figured he'd run into Kurt Hummel's old preppy boyfriend - Blaine, Dave thought, as he worked on his drink at the bar - at the only gay club in Lima, Ohio. It was just his luck, of course. In his defense, he figured Kurt and Blaine would've been gay married by now and living in New York City or Paris, or some other glamorous place.
He'd gotten away, despite the odds, despite everything stacked against him, and played college ball a few years at Miami - the one in Ohio, not Florida. He might've gotten away but not that away. He carved out a niche for himself on the team and even drawn some attention from pro scouts, but nothing major. He returned to Lima with student loans - because he hadn't been good enough or smart enough to snag a full ride - and a new path to forge.
Pro NFL stud was crossed out on his list. Problem was he hadn't replaced it with anything yet.
Blaine, though, Blaine looked perfect. He looked like life had treated him way too well. Dave glanced at Blaine's hands - they were soft, free of calluses, cuts, bruises, hardships. Everything about him was perfect, unblemished, and Dave's old, childish resentment of Blaine reared its ugly head. He was wearing a simple t-shirt and jeans, and Dave had to admit to himself he was surprised; he would've expected Blaine to be wearing a navy blazer and red-and-navy striped tie even all these years later.
He pulled himself off his barstool and pushed through the crowd, toward Blaine.
"Blaine. Blaine Anderson," he called out, and Blaine raised his head, eyes darting in Dave's direction.
"Karofsky?" Blaine's eyebrows shot up in surprise and a few seconds later, an awkward, not entirely welcoming smile twitched onto his face. "How've you been?"
Dave searched Blaine's hands briefly, but saw no wedding band. "All right, I guess," he said, shoving his hands in his pockets. "How 'bout yourself?"
"Here on break," Blaine said, his smile turning a bit more genuine. "I'm studying music at Sarah Lawrence. Actually, I'm double majoring - music and philosophy." Blaine reached up and tucked a flyaway chunk of hair in place.
Dave could practically feel himself shrinking in front of Blaine, his sports administration major suddenly feeling small and unimportant in the face of Blaine's accomplishments. "Oh. Cool."
"What about you? You still in school?"
Dave heard, Did you go to college? "Graduated last summer," he muttered. "Played college ball, got some looks from scouts but it never went anywhere."
"So what're you up to then? Looking for a job?" Blaine asked.
"Aren't we all?" Dave snorted.
Blaine smiled. "Have you spoken to Kurt recently?"
Dave shrugged, trying to come off nonchalant. "Not really. Just a little here and there."
"Me either," Blaine admitted, and now it was Dave's turn to look surprised.
"Really? I thought you guys were still -" Dave waved a hand unhelpfully at Blaine.
"We broke up a little while ago," Blaine admitted, glancing away. "We learned the hard way that long distance relationships are tough to maintain."
"Oh," Dave said. He wished he had something better to offer but he didn't. He still kind of had a thing for Kurt, so fucking excuse him if he wasn't willing to let Blaine sob on his shoulder just yet. He reached out and patted him a couple times on the shoulder.
"Yeah," Blaine said, looking at him again. "You meet anybody after you went off to college?"
Dave shrugged again. "I'm between boyfriends."
"You and Santana still close," Blaine asked.
"We hang out sometimes, when she's in town," Dave said. "She lives out in L.A. now."
"Ah." Blaine laughed quietly and Dave glanced sidelong at him. He was turning an empty, filmy glass in his hands, and it caught the flashing, multi-colored strobe lights.
"What's so funny?" Dave asked.
"None of us ended up where we thought we'd be after graduation," he said. "I thought Kurt and I would be married, or at least still, you know, together. I figured you'd end up a pro football player or a politician or something."
"Politician?" Dave furrowed his brow, an old memory sparking at the back of his mind.
Blaine waved a hand dismissively. "Just thought you kind of looked like one. It's nothing. But, anyway," he said, dropping his hand, "it's kind of funny, isn't it?"
"I guess."
Blaine sidled closer, until their shoulders bumped, and he inclined his head toward Dave. "Life is just what happens to you while -"
"You're busy making other plans," Dave finished, rolling his eyes. "Thought you'd be able to sneak that one up on me?"
"Didn't peg you for a John Lennon fan," Blaine said.
"I'm not. It's kind of a famous line, though." Dave glanced at Blaine's hand and the empty glass. "You thirsty? I could use a drink. You look like you could use a drink."
"Is this your way of flirting?"
Dave froze; he could feel the expression freezing on his face too. "Wait, what?"
"I think you just offered to buy me a drink," Blaine said.
"We're -" Not friends, Dave thought, clenching one of his hands into a first briefly at being cornered by his own stupidity. "Acquaintances. Acquaintances buy each other drinks."
"Acquaintances with the history we have?" Blaine raised one triangular eyebrow.
"We got past it," Dave said, feeling dumb.
"I guess we did." Blaine regarded Dave, sucking his lips in until they disappeared. "Buy me that drink."
"Uh, okay," Dave said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out his wallet. "And then what?"
Blaine shrugged. "I guess we'll just have to see what happens." He leaned in and nudged his nose against Dave's jawline, near his ear; he felt Blaine's breath warm against his cheek and his lips were soft.
"What are you -" Dave began, but Blaine cut him off.
"Nothing. Go get me that drink. I think you know what I like and if you don't, be creative."
Blaine stepped back and pushed Dave toward the bar - well, more like Dave allowed Blaine to push him toward the bar, but he was fairly certain neither of them cared. Blaine Anderson kissed him on the cheek in a public place and a.) Dave didn't freak out and b.) Dave liked it. Dave was buying him drinks. Did this make Blaine his new boyfriend or something? Dave had never been good at relationships, but no matter.
He'd give Santana a call later.