This is the first fanfic I have ever written so would really appreicated any kind of reviews.
"-break freeeee! From your lies you're so self-satisfied I don't neeed you ohhh!"
"As much as I love watching you dance around the kitchen in just your underwear, singing Queen at the top of your voice, I really need to get to work so scoot."
Blaine jumped as he felt Tom's arms wrap themselves round his waist.
"Oh right, yeah, sorry." Turning in embrace, Blaine made sure to land a smacker on Tom before letting him get to the door. Tom merely scoffed and bopped Blaine on the nose and left for work.
After living near his brother, Cooper, in California after five years, Blaine was relieved to now be living in New York. California was too spoilt, sunny and boring, as well as too near to his big brother Cooper as far as he was concerned. After living with his egotistical and rather oblivious brother for the first year of college Blaine failed to remember how he had survived as a child, or how Cooper stills survives…
New York, on the other hand, maybe big and scary, filled with people hoping to fulfil their own unique American Dream. But as far as Blaine was concerned working as a glee club music teacher and a part-time music producer was his dream come true. Not only did he make music for a living, but he could help people at the time. He saw this in his student's eyes when they won competitions or reached a note they never thought they could or when they just got the chance for their voices to be heard.
However, Blaine was ready for a relaxing day after a stressful week, so he was glad it was Saturday. Knowing that he wouldn't be seeing Tom until the next Friday, Blaine decided to check if any of his friends wanted to meet up.
Blaine's laptop was open next to his phone. As he grabbed it he noticed he had a new email from a missrachelstarberry:
Hello my former Glee club members.
I deeply regret to inform you that on Thursday the 14th Mr Schuester, our beloved former Glee club teacher had passed away. It was the great tragedy of an aberrant drunk driver.
The funeral is this Tuesday, and I do hope that you will all be able to attend, despite the slight short notice. I have spoken to Mrs Schuester and we both agree that the best way to honour his memory is through music. That's right it will be a Glee club reunion! Unfortunately it could not be under happier circumstances, but I do hope that you will be able to attend and I look forward to seeing you.
Now I have attached a document of songs that I think would be appropriate, and would benefit from my voice. Remember I am a Tony winner now!
Lots of love and best wishes,
Rachel * Berry
XOXOXO
Kurt was currently folding his exclusive self-designed clothing ready to pack away when a loud persistent knocking caused him to drop his bundle of clothes.
"Kurt!"
"Yes, yes I'm coming," answered Kurt, before gathering up the pile and started to fold them again. Creases were hard to get rid of, and he had no room for an iron after all. The disruptive knocking continued, gradually increasing in volume, along with a high shrill voice constantly shrieking, "Kurt!"
Keeping to his task Kurt bellowed, "Give me a minute!" zipping up his now fully packed and tidy suitcase, he stubbornly halted straightening his beloved Alexander McQueen jacket, and wiping off a bit of dust from his bedside table.
Deciding he had punished Rachel's patience enough and fearing the neighbour's retaliation he threw open the door and angrily huffed out, "What Rachel? What Rachel? What Rachel?!"
Raising an eyebrow, Rachel swept past Kurt in a hurry, her lime green coat dramatically fluttering around her. "I'm going to ignore the rude tone as this is a traumatic time for us both. Now please say that you're packed and ready, our plane leaves in approximately two hours and 3 minutes," promptly glancing down at her watch.
"Oh yes, anything to make our voyage to the lovely land of Ohio go faster." Kurt drawled sarcastically.
Rachel sighed, "Kurt. I know this is hard for you being in back in Lima after your dad, but I really believe you can do it!"
"No don't. I'm sorry. I'm fine, really. I don't need the pep talk. I just…I just didn't get a lot of sleep last night, and you know what I'm like if I don't get at least eight hours and moisturising rituals done. And, you know, it's just typical the last time I was back in Lima was at my dad's funeral and now three years later it's another funeral that brings me back. And now I feel selfish because a man is dead. And Miss Pillsbury is now a widow."
"Mrs Schuester."
"What?"
"She hasn't been Miss Pillsbury in years."
"Oh right, yeah. Yeah I can't call her that I just keep picturing the first Mrs Schuester. Remember her? She gave us drugs in sophomore year."
"Yeah," snorted Rachel,
"He was my favourite teacher though, ever, no one at NYADA or anywhere else even compared. Sometimes, especially at the beginning, I may have felt like he was trying to quieten my voice in Glee club, didn't always give me the solos I wanted or always listened to my ideas. But…" Rachel's voice croaked and cracked as tears began to cloud her vision.
"Yeah I know me too." Kurt's eye watered as his smile stretched across his face.
"Right," Rachel cleared her throat and shook her head, "Ready to go?"
Kurt just nodded and went to grab his vintage Marc Jacobs suitcase,
"Oh by the way," Rachel hesitated, "did I mention? Blaine will be there. Okay let's go." Rachel hurried out of the door and the stairs of the block of luxury deluxe apartments.
"Oh okay…wait…What?! RACHEL!"
The church was surprisingly small, despite being at the centre of Lima's community. It was modern, with a high imposing triangular sloping roof with a separate building attached to the side. It's almost beige brickwork glowed in the mid-afternoon sun. The mass of graves however betrayed its maturity. The graves by the entrance and along the path were old and crumbling; some had fallen due to bad weather conditions and forgotten relatives. There were no trees, no plants to speak of but grass and weeds.
Emma Schuester hated it. She hated that it was so close to the city. She hated that the sun dared to shine. She hated that the graves were not maintained or cared for. But mostly she hated that this was the day she was to say goodbye to her husband.
Pulling her black lace shawl tighter around her frail body, Emma began to slowly walk towards the church. She ignored the sympathetic and pitying looks on the faces of colleagues, family and friends.
"Right come on! Move it, everyone inside!" Jumping around Emma spied Sue Sylvester, principle of McKinely and renowned cheerleading coach, shooing well-wishers and mourners away from her and into the church.
Whereas Shannon Bieste, another colleague and friend, came to stand next to Emma.
"You okay there ginger?" Bieste smiled kindly down at Emma dressed in a long black sleeved dress, which Emma could not help wondering if this was the first time she had ever seen the burly football coach in such a feminine fashion. Emma abstained from her desire to wipe away the short curly hair she could see Bieste's shoulder.
"Don't worry about a thing okay? I know that will hard for you to do but me and Sue are looking after you today."
"Jean go and wait inside, make sure you reserve the whole of the front row for Emma and Will's parents." Sue asked her daughter in an unusually kind voice.
"Okay mom."
Turning to face Emma Sue's characteristically stern face was set, even if her eyes seemed softer than usual.
Sue cleared her throat "Shall we? There are generations of that damned glee club of your husband's waiting to preform inside. Anytime you've had enough just wink and I'll blast them all with my stun gun. That'll shut them up."
Despite herself Emma couldn't help a nostalgic chuckle and with a rue smile answered, "I don't think that will be a problem. But thanks for the offer Sue."
"Of course it won't be. They were taught by the best right." Bieste smiled through the tears tracking down her face. Swinging her arm around Emma, with Sue standing militarily by Emma's other side dressed in her custom funeral outfit, a black tracksuit and the pearls that once belonged to her sister, they walked down the aisle of the church.
Ahead already assembled were seven years' worth of glee club members, from the very first one Emma noted, seeing Rachel and Finn standing on opposite sides, to the one that Will was teaching a mere half-hour before his death.
As the starting notes of 'Candle in the Wind' initiated, Emma sat down next to her father-in-law who instantly grasped her hand tightly between hers, although it was for his benefit rather than hers. Emma was unable to pull her gaze from the over-sized photo showing her happy husband, it just so happened to have been taken after his very first national Glee club win.
The service was long, which was not surprising considering between each saying or reading there was a musical number, but what else could you expect at a funeral like this Blaine thought.
Shaking his head a little, he listened to Emma explain why she chose 'Candle in the Wind' as the featured song, something to do with Princess Diana's death and as a means of coping with grief. Gazing over at Kurt Blaine wondered if he could empathize with her.
Apart from a brief glance and smile as they arranged themselves in the choir at the beginning of the service, there had been no interaction between Kurt and Blaine as of yet. Although however hard Blaine tried he could not help to frequently look over where Kurt was sitting two rows ahead of him with Rachel on his right and Finn and his wife, Mel as introduced prior to the service, on his left.
Scrutinizing the rest of the grievers, Blaine searched through the crowd for familiar faces, although his eyes were kept being drawn back to Kurt. Mike and Tina had instantly came over to sit next to him after their number finished. They were really the only glee club members he kept in constant touch with after high school. He already seen and met Santana and her girlfriend Jacqui, but to his shock at the right hand of the church by the back was a very heavily pregnant Brittany, as far as he was aware she didn't seem to have anybody with her. Puck and Quinn were at side by side, and Blaine couldn't help but wonder. To his disappointment though he didn't seem to be able to see anyone else recognizable, but that's life Blaine supposed, people move on, change their email addresses, and for all he knew one of his former classmates may be dead as well.
When it was time for their Glee club to preform, the last musical number, Blaine got up with the other eight, subconsciously going straight to stand next to Kurt.
"Hey," Kurt whispered.
Blaine nodded and smiled, "Hey."
Just as the acoustic version of 'Don't Stop Believing' began to play, Kurt leant over to Blaine and whispered once again, "Can we talk? You know afterwards?"
Blaine just smiled and intertwined their hands.
"What happened, eh?" Kurt smiled sitting on the bench within the graveyard, "We made all of those plans to keep touch. Remember?"
The service was over, and most people had left for the reception being held at Emma's house, although Emma herself, Sue, and Will's parents were still standing at the grave.
"Yeah. Yeah I do. I'm sorry," whispered Blaine.
"There's no need to be. Not really. We're both at fault."
"No, no you don't understand. I…I kind of did it on purpose."
"What do you mean?" Kurt narrowed his eyes at the increasing guilty expression on Blaine's face.
"Erm…well…when my brother asked me about changing my college plans and erm, for me to go to LA and stay with him to study music, instead I had originally told him that I was not interested. And that I still wanted to go to New York, even though we had broken up and everything. I was a bit insulted actually. He just assumed that I had planned my entire life just around you." Blaine scoffed, and shook his head demurely.
Turning to face Kurt, Blaine gave a sad smile, "As it kind of turned out, I had. I went on Facebook one day. You know just to look at my news feed. I remember being proud that I had never really ventured into a stalkery ex-boyfriend type, that would always check your wall and establish who you were speaking to and that. But then, erm, you had been tagged in this guy's status, Andy somebody, it said something like 'Can't wait for my date with Kurt Hummel tonight.'"
"Blaine-"
"And that just really, really knocked me back a bit. You know? Anyway I kind of freaked out a bit. Realized that you had moved on and I just thought that it was, at least then anyway, so soon and it hurt me a little. Or maybe a lot. Yeah, yeah it was a lot because I felt like I hadn't even started to get over you."
Blaine scoffed, waving his hand when Kurt tried to protest.
"It's okay Kurt, really. It was what I needed. It gave me the push that none of my friends could give me, my parents, Cooper, your dad. It still took a while. But after that I could at least try to move on, but I couldn't stay in touch. I'm sorry. I couldn't watch Facebook for photos of you and your new boyfriend, or any future boyfriends. I couldn't call you up and listen to you talk about this amazing guy that you met, or was in your class. I…I just couldn't."
Staring at Blaine's custom puppy – heart eyes looking for broken and regretful, Kurt spilled out his heart in a harried and shaky voice.
"Blaine! Oh, Blaine…I had forbidden Rachel from even mentioning your name. I avoided Tina in case she would talk about you and told me that you were dating someone else. I drove myself mad thinking that you had ran into Sebastian's arms and that I had let go of the one person who I would ever love. I, I trashed everything that so much reminded me of you, then spent about two weeks in a great depression of regret until Rachel found out and printed off some pictures she had on her phone and just, oh, so much stuff. I never forgot about you. I think I did move on, I did go on dates and I refrained from thinking about you, and comparing guys to you. But meeting you again after all time and I…" Kurt broke off. He knew whatever he had to say Blaine already knew.
"Kurt I really missed you." Blaine's voice shook and broke as the last of his façade shattered.
"Blaine…"
Kurt wavered before boldly grabbing Blaine into hug. Both boys were bent into an uncomfortable embrace leaning across the wisp of air that separated them. Blaine instantly took advantage and brunched up Kurt's jacket in his hands, refusing to let go. Happy to touch him again after seven years. Whilst Kurt pressed his face into the junction of Blaine's neck and deeply breathed in his scent.
"Well lookee here, Porcelain and bowtie bam bam."
Blaine pulled away from Kurt in surprise and self-consciously fumbled with his simple black bowtie. Not all habits were easy to break.
"Miss Sylvester! How lovely to see you," Kurt responded charmingly.
"Sarcasm becomes you boy. So what did you two do with your life? Please tell me you out-grew the whole façade of singing about your feelings, and treating everything in life as if it's all rainbows and unicorns. I'm certain though that you've two had your big grand gay wedding and adopted those Chinese babies Porcelain's non-existent ovaries were just itching for."
"Actually, we broke up about seven years ago," Kurt retorted.
"What? Now whatever dumbass reason did you two do that for?"
"It's a long story, right Blaine?" Kurt shrugged looking to Blaine for help.
"Well...er…yeah. I mean we weren't even living in the same state until a while ago. I'm guessing you're still in New York?"
"But of course," Kurt sweetly smirked.
"So, you two both live in New York then? The same country, the same state, the same town? Neither of you are married, or in a committed relationship, or have herpes? I hate clichés, of course I do. I have hated Glee club for years haven't didn't I? Still do. But isn't a particular cliché of funerals is learning that life is too short. Whatever you two have to say, or even do, do it now, will you still have the chance. Otherwise you'll be wondering why you didn't when it's too late, and hating yourselves."
Kurt couldn't help but ponder if Sue spoke these words from personal experience, judging by her haunted eyes and her gruff tone, Kurt may have been right.
Sue left them after they had been rendered silent and distracted by Will's parents heading to their car, leaving Emma behind to give her final farewell in peace.
"Are you?" Kurt abruptly asked Blaine, and upon seeing the look of confusion, "In a relationship? I'm not, by the way. My last boyfriend I actually dated for about a year, and then we broke up about seven months ago because he didn't want a commitment. And now he's suddenly engaged."
Blaine gasped, "Seriously? What a jerk!"
"Hmmm I know. Since then just a few random dates nothing special. You?"
"Oh, well, I have been sort of seeing this guy. But only for two months! We knew each other before and we just decided to give it a try." Seeing the slight crestfallen look on Kurt's face, Blaine began to hurriedly ramble, "I mean we are having fun. But that's all it is. There no like feelings involved and we only see each other maybe once, sometimes twice a week. I don't know if you could call us boyfriends, he definitely doesn't and I-"
"Blaine. Blaine breathe." Kurt laughed out reaching to clutch Blaine's hand. "Let's just head off to the reception yeah?"
Relieved Blaine nodded out a yes.
Still holding hands they left the graveyard without once looking back at the white marble grave reading
William Schuester
Beloved Husband and dear Son
06-03-1979
08-09-2018
Never Stop Believing
"I have a bun in my oven. Or at least that what Marcus and Maria told me when they tried to explain it…" Brittany dreamily said rubbing the swell of her stomach, "It'll be the cutest cupcake ever!"
"Well we're pregnant with our fourth kid…Yes, yes you heard right fourth." Tina glared accusingly at Mike. He gave an uncomfortable laugh and guided her away to sit down. "I'm only three months along Mike I am not an invalid! And for your sake it better be out by nine months because if it hangs on in there like the other ones did, you are dead!"
"I'm in the middle of a divorce and I was actually already in town when I heard about Mr Shue, I've been staying with my mother, she knows what it's like and what to do, so." Quinn casually shook her shoulders but Kurt and Blaine could still recognise the same troubled look on her face as she had in high school. Luckily for Quinn so did Rachel, wrapping her in a hug. Rachel led her to the drinks table where they would talk and drink the afternoon away.
Blaine and Kurt were soon once again left on their own; Brittany had then gone over to meet Santana's girlfriend and sing her praises; Puck was talking to Beiste about sports; Finn and his wife were discussing children with Mike and Tina. Emma was still nowhere to be seen, and nor was Sue.
"So I guess only Mike and Tina made it then? You know as a high school couple?" Kurt suddenly said startling Blaine.
"Yeah, yeah I know. I was at their wedding and I'm baby number three's godfather."
"Really? Aw, that's great!"
"Hey dudes, want a beer?"
Puck was holding two bottles of beer in his hand with Finn holding a glass of wine for Kurt.
"Cheers Finn. We were just saying about how Mike and Tina are the only original glee club couple."
"Although Puck I did see you and Quinn sitting next to each other comfortably enough before."
Puck snorted in response to Blaine's teasing, "You're kidding right? Naw too much history. Besides I've got a girl. She's champion. Literally. Remember Zizes, she's now a professional wrestler. Yeah that's right, I'm banging an athlete. Anyway what about you two? I've been expecting a wedding invitation covered in bowties and designer hats for freaking ages now."
"Dude!" Finn interrupted nudging Puck hard in the side, "They broke up you know that."
"Yeah. I do. But so what? If you're right for each other than you're right, right? Me and Lauren broke up, years later we're back together and couldn't be happier. I haven't cheated on her once. And not just because I'm scared of what would happen to my balls if I did"
"Erm, yeah. I'm going to see if Miss Pills-er-Schuester is back yet." Kurt said starting to look warily around the reception room.
"Oh she got back a few minutes ago, she's still outside I think, Beiste went to go and see her."
Kurt peered out of the window and saw Emma's head buried in Beiste's neck, Sue still standing loyally at her side, with what appears to be an eight year old girl with Downs Syndrome.
Blaine soon got a phone call and left the room to go outside. Standing a respectable distance from the grieving widow he cringed as he saw the screen name TOM flashing at him.
"Hey."
"Hi, Blaine? I was just wondering how you were. I haven't called at a bad time have I?"
"No, no. It's fine. I'm at the reception now."
"So did your ex end up going?" Blaine had recently told Tom everything about Kurt and his uneasiness about seeing him again after so long. If Blaine was honest he was mostly worried about how he would feel about Kurt after all of these years. He was the love of his life, he meant it when he first said it, he meant it when they broke up, and he still meant it to this very day. Blaine had been in several relationships since they broke up, but no one came close to making him feel the same as Kurt did.
"Yeah…he did. I've seen him, spoken. It went good, way better than I could have imagined."
"Really? So you two went running to each other in slow motion, arms spread out whispering murmurs of love."
Blaine bristled in shock at the mocking tone,"Wh-?"
"Oh Blainey, I saw the look in your eyes, the tone of your voice, the things you said about him. You know if wanted to give it a second chance, well we'll still be friends right? Don't worry about hurting my dear delicate feelings, I'm not in love with you hun, however fun and adorable you are."
"Tom…I don't know. We're saying this and I don't even know what he wants. Yes he's single and…I'm not going to end things with you on a whim. What if it doesn't work out again? I've had a few people asking us why we broke up and why aren't we going to give it another go. But they are all forgetting the fact that we DID, we did break up, we haven't spoken in six years, and that was just an email, and this is the first time that I've actually seen him in seven! What if it doesn't work out, again? I think that would kill me."
"But what if it does work out?"
"Bu-"
"What if it does?"
"I've seen the way you've been looking at him!"
"Rachel please!" Kurt sighed, "This is really none of your business nor is it the time. Besides you're one to talk you haven't stopped staring at Finn and glaring at Mel all day!"
Rachel gasped, "That is not true! I haven't even spoken or gone anywhere near Finn Hudson. Quinn back me up!"
"It's true," Quinn drawled looking bored. Kurt simply rolled his eyes in response, starting when he saw Blaine coming back into the room.
"Besides we are not talking about Finn we are talking about Blaine and you -"
Ignoring Rachel, Kurt paved his way over to Blaine who was now talking with Emma.
"Last time I saw him was in New York both of our Glee clubs were at Nationals, I didn't really get a chance to speak with him though it was chaotic. But I remember being ridiculously pleased that he remembered me even though his new Glee club had the most amazing performers in it!" Blaine chortled.
"Oh Mrs Schuester am so sorry for your loss." Kurt said once Emma noticed him standing nearby.
"Thank you Kurt, yes, everybody's sorry." Kurt tried not to start at the slight hardness of Emma's voice, noticing Beiste tense beside her. "No, I, really thank you for coming. It would have meant a lot to him. Especially knowing that you both came and that you two are still together after so long…and…happy. Thank you." Emma nodded feeling her voice beginning to shake. She then noticed a dirty glass by the window. "Oh excuse me please; I have something I need to do." Although she said it as a whisper her voice was instantly strong and stable sounding.
"Oh course!" Kurt agreed stepping smartly to one side and closer to Blaine as Emma walked past, Sue still following her. Neither of the boys noticed Emma grabbing the glass and heading to the kitchen being followed by an exchange of worried glances between Sue and Beiste.
"Well, hello again!"
"Kurt, I know this is really bad timing and inappropriate, but when we go back to New York, erm, can we…" Blaine confidence floundered, but Kurt feeling hope swirling inside of his chest decided to give a lending voice.
"Blaine, could I have your number and we could, maybe, meet up in New York sometime. Just to catch up, I know you're seeing someone, but we could try being friends."
"No!" Blaine blurted out, "I mean I'm sort of not seeing someone anymore. I know I said I was, and I was, but that was him on the phone and, well I'm a bit confused right now, but I think he just broke up with me. Or at least gave me permission to ask you out…on a date. And I do mean date, not like me and him date, but date like how we used to date. So that's what I'm doing, we could go for a coffee when we get back to New York and maybe just see then if it's a date or…not."
"I would love to! But how about instead, after this we go to Lima Bean and we have our date/catch up there?" Kurt looked coyly up at Blaine through his eyelashes, an impressive feat considering being the tallest.
Blaine beamed, "Sounds perfect."
THE END
