I Drove All Night
A/N: I've been feeling the need to write something and this came to me when I heard Cyndi Lauper's "I Drove All Night" on the radio the other day. (If you aren't familiar, I highly recommend that you listen to it – not for this story, but just because it's fantastic.) Warning: this story contains a depiction of M/M smut, and is rated M for that and for one curse word. It's nothing heavy or terribly graphic, but the warning applies. Other than that, all you need to know is that this is set in Season 5 after Kurt and Blaine get back together but before Blaine graduates and moves to New York. Okay, deep breath, and…
The call had been strange.
Blaine called Kurt during his lunch break, "just to say hi," he'd said. His voice was bright and airy – a little too bright, Kurt started to think after they hung up. He hadn't said anything particularly unusual or upsetting. In fact, he'd just asked about Kurt's day and talked a little about what was going on in glee club. He casually mentioned that his parents were out of town and he'd have the house to himself for a week. A less responsible teenager would have thrown a party – Blaine said he was going to use the time to start going through his things to see what he wanted to take with him to New York after graduation. Kurt had lovingly teased him for that, but Blaine insisted it would be nice to have the house to himself and be away from the craziness of his senior year for a couple of days. Kurt didn't question it further, but he felt unsettled in his chest. Something was off. Blaine sounded…how did he sound?
After the call, Kurt was walking towards his last class of the day at NYADA. He was about ten feet from the classroom door when the answer hit him like a bolt of lightning.
Lonely. That was how Blaine sounded – lonely.
Before Kurt realized what he was doing, he turned on his heel in the hallway and strode toward the front door of the school. He pulled his phone back out of his messenger bag and typed out a quick e-mail to his professor, claiming a family emergency. His footsteps automatically led him to the subway while he shot off a couple of other messages to Rachel and his dad.
Once on the train, he lost his signal, and was stuck with his thoughts for a little while. The same words kept playing over and over in his head.
I was by myself. I needed you. I needed you around and you weren't there. I was lonely.
As much as he wanted to forget those words, forget the look on Blaine's face as he'd said them, he couldn't. Kurt had been caught up in his own hurt at the moment they'd been said, but later on, with the passage of time, he recalled that scene a little differently. He remembered the anguish on Blaine's face; the tears in his eyes that belied not only his contrition, but the anger and feeling of abandonment that had led Blaine to do something so out of keeping with his nature.
It wasn't a pleasant memory, but it was one that Kurt held onto as a reminder. He had sworn to himself (and to Blaine) that he would do better this time. He wouldn't allow the trappings of life in New York to lead him so far away that Blaine felt he was out of reach. They couldn't be physically together all the time, he knew, but he wouldn't leave Blaine emotionally alone ever again.
It wasn't that he expected Blaine to repeat his indiscretion from last year. Far from it. He knew, he trusted in his heart, that Blaine was going to be faithful. They'd talked about it at length after getting back together. He believed Blaine when he said he would never cheat on him again. That didn't mean that Kurt wouldn't do everything in his power to keep Blaine from experiencing the feelings of abandonment that had overtaken him before.
Kurt knew his fiancé was no stranger to the feeling. Blaine's parents weren't around much. His brother had left for the west coast as soon as he had graduated high school, back when Blaine was still in elementary school. Blaine had left behind his friends at Dalton to be with Kurt, and while he'd made a place for himself at McKinley, it wasn't the same. Then half of those McKinley friends had graduated and left, including Kurt… Yes, Blaine Anderson was well acquainted with loneliness.
It broke Kurt's heart to know that.
The walk from the subway station back to the loft in Bushwick was blessedly short. Kurt slid open the heavy door and made a beeline for his room, once again tapping frantically away on his phone. He wasn't finding what he needed however. Who knew that last-minute airfare was so expensive? He threw his phone down on the bed in frustration, pulled his suitcase out from underneath, and began packing.
Half an hour later (record packing time for Kurt), he checked the airlines one more time. There was no way he could afford the tickets that were available. He tried Amtrak, but the schedule was a mess, and the tickets weren't that much lower than the airfare anyway. Stopping for a moment, he took a deep breath and closed his eyes. All he could see was Blaine.
"Fuck it," he cursed under his breath. Grabbing the handle of his suitcase, he stomped to the door, snatching his car keys from the hook near the door on his way out.
Ten minutes and one Google Maps search later, he was on the road. The trip to Lima should take nine and a half hours, supposedly. It looked like it was a pretty straight shot once he got to I-80. He ignored the voice in his head that said driving nearly ten hours alone was a bad idea. That voice could shove it.
Ever the planner, Kurt had the foresight to stop at the convenience store on the corner for some sodas and snacks to keep him going on the drive. He plugged in his iPod to the Navigator's sound system, and pulled out into traffic. "I'm on my way, Blaine," he said aloud.
Google apparently didn't know much about New York traffic. The part of the trip that should have taken 20 minutes ended up being closer to an hour. The annoying computerized voice that fed him directions apparently also didn't know about the construction or the two detours he encountered. Kurt may have had some heated, one-sided conversations with that computerized voice.
Finally, finally, he reached I-80, about an hour later than planned. That was okay. Blaine was worth it. He could make up some time on the open highway, courtesy of a slightly heavy foot on the accelerator.
I'm on my way, Blaine, he repeated his new mantra in his head.
In spite of his eagerness to get to Ohio, certain concessions had to be made. A few rest stops, one stop at a drive-thru for dinner (his skin and hips would forgive him this transgression), and another stop just to stretch his legs and shake off the feeling that he was going to fall asleep at the wheel all added to the trip's projected length. He was impatient, but reminded himself that he wasn't going to do Blaine any good if he went off the road into a ditch or hit another car.
It was just past 2:00 a.m. when Kurt turned onto the quiet, residential street that was the home of the Anderson family. Kurt had left New York eleven and a half hours earlier. The word "exhausted" barely described his current state, though the exhaustion was tinged by the strange buzz generated by a double espresso he'd had around midnight.
Kurt parked in the street a couple of houses away. He grabbed his bag, and closed the door as quietly as possible. He didn't dare park in the driveway. The elderly woman who lived across the street was a notorious gossip and self-appointed neighborhood watchdog. The last thing he wanted was for Blaine's parents to get a call about a strange car in the driveway in the middle of the night.
He stealthily made his way up the drive and walked around to the back of the house. He hadn't exactly thought this part through – the whole "getting in the house" thing. He didn't want to knock and wake up half the neighbors and their dogs. He supposed he could call Blaine and ask him to come down. Or maybe…
He smiled at his good fortune when he realized the Andersons hadn't changed the code on the security system since the last time he'd been here. Blaine had given him a key ages ago, and for some reason, Kurt had kept it even after the breakup. He was grateful for that now.
He placed his bag down on the kitchen floor next to the door. The house was, of course, pitch dark, so he held out his cell phone and used the light from the screen to find his way. He softly ascended the stairs and made his way down the hall to Blaine's room. He smiled a little sadly when he saw the closed door – it was a force of habit, he knew, as no one else was home. Even with an empty house, Blaine felt the need to shut away the rest of the world at night.
The last thing he wanted to do was frighten Blaine. Sneaking into his room in the middle of the night like a thief might not have been the best way to avoid that, but it was too late to change the plan now.
Ever so slowly, he turned the door handle and gently pushed the door ajar. He waited for a creak, but none came. Heaven forbid a floor board or door hinge should creak in the Anderson home, he thought, rolling his eyes.
Blaine's room was softly illuminated by pale moonlight shining in through the window, allowing Kurt to return his phone to his pocket. He stilled then, as his gaze finally fell upon the sleeping form of his fiancé.
A fond smile spread slowly across his face as he took in the sight. It never ceased to amaze him how a boy who was constantly in motion during the day, jumping on furniture and excited about everything, could sleep the sleep of the dead at night. Per usual, Blaine was sprawled out on his back, one arm out to the side and his head tipped to the side facing in Kurt's direction. The covers had been pushed back at some point – the boy was like a furnace – and Kurt could see in the dim light that Blaine was clad only in a pair of cotton sleep pants. God, he was beautiful, with his hair softly curling around his head (Kurt was always grateful for the nights Blaine washed the gel out of his hair before bed) and his tanned, muscular chest rising and falling softly.
Kurt bit his lower lip to stop the tears he felt threatening behind his eyes. The combination of fatigue, caffeine, and over twelve hours of worrying about Blaine was getting to him. He couldn't wait any longer.
Crossing the room carefully, he moved next to the bed and perched gingerly on the edge. He reached out a hand and gently stroked the back of his fingers down the side of Blaine's cheek, then stroked back up and turned his hand to card his fingers softly through his hair.
"Blaine," he whispered. "Blaine Warbler," he added, calling up a pet name that had been unused for too long.
Blaine stirred a bit, and let out a tiny hum, but didn't awaken. Kurt hated to disturb his sleep, but he didn't think it was a good idea to just crawl into bed without letting Blaine know he was there. He continued his ministrations of gentle touches and whispers. After a few more seconds, he heard Blaine inhale sharply through his nose as he turned onto his side to face Kurt. The arm that had been flopped across the bed came around and his hand landed on Kurt's thigh. Blaine hummed once more, sliding his hand up and then back down subconsciously. He shifted once more.
"That's it, honey. Wake up for me," Kurt cooed.
"Mmm, Kurrr," Blaine mumbled into his pillow. Kurt smiled indulgently. Sleepy Blaine was adorable.
Kurt bent forward and placed a kiss on Blaine's forehead. "I'm here, Blaine," he murmured.
Blaine breathed in again, but this time, his eyes snapped open and his head popped up. He blinked in sleep-induced confusion, and pulled back in fear when he realized that someone was next to him.
"It's me, it's me," Kurt said hurriedly. "It's okay, it's just me."
Blaine reached back for the lamp on the nightstand on the far side of the bed. He squinted against the sudden brightness and turned back towards the intruder. "Kurt?" he exclaimed.
"Hey," Kurt answered quietly, his eyes a little narrowed from the change of lighting and the fact that the double espresso was beginning to wear off.
"Hey?" Blaine repeated, scooting up on the bed into a sitting position and running his fingers through his hair in an attempt to calm his pounding heart. "Kurt, what are you doing here at," he paused and looked at his alarm clock, "Two-fifteen in the morning?" he asked, his voice sleep rough.
The question shouldn't have caught Kurt off-guard, but it did. Suddenly, he worried that maybe he'd overreacted. What if Blaine took this as a sign of mistrust? If he thought Kurt had come all this way just to check up on him, that could ruin everything they'd been building. If…
"I came to see you," he blurted out, shutting down the thoughts spiraling in his head.
Blaine blinked a couple more times, shaking the last vestiges of sleep from his brain and grasping the fact that his fiancé, who lived in New York, was sitting on his bed in Ohio. "To see me?" he said disbelievingly.
Kurt's filter was long gone. He'd left it on the interstate somewhere, perhaps. "When we talked today, well, technically, yesterday now, I guess, I could tell something wasn't right. You sounded…sad. Lonely. I promised I wouldn't leave you lonely like that again. I couldn't stand it. So I got in my car, and…"
"You drove here?" Blaine interrupted.
Kurt reached out and cupped Blaine's warm cheek in his hand. "I drove all night to get to you. Is that all right?" he asked, his voice growing timid with the question.
Blaine didn't answer. He reached out and pulled Kurt near, sliding a hand around the back of his neck and crashing their lips together. Kurt wrapped his arms around Blaine, pressing his hands against his bare back and pulling him closer still as the kiss deepened.
Kurt swept his tongue across the seam of Blaine's lips, thrilling at the sound that escaped the back of Blaine's throat when he parted his lips to grant Kurt access. Kurt had missed this. No one kissed like Blaine. No one made his heart race and his breath catch in his throat the way it did when Blaine's lips were on his. He felt the muscles in Blaine's back shift as he sank into Kurt's embrace.
"Kurt," Blaine sighed as they broke away momentarily to catch their breath. His mouth found Kurt's cheek, skimming across to the corner of his jaw and his earlobe. "Kurt, you knew. You knew I needed you and you came," he said, his voice an awestruck whisper as he worked his way back to Kurt's lips.
"I love you, Blaine," Kurt replied, guiding Blaine backwards to lie on the soft mattress. "I'll always be here for you," he said, trailing his lips down the side of Blaine's neck and suckling at the sweet spot where it met his shoulder.
He felt Blaine's fingers gently threading through his hair, drawing him back up to kiss his mouth once more. Blaine's hand slid down Kurt's back and began tugging at the hem of his shirt, his meaning clear. Kurt broke away and pulled himself up just long enough to slip the shirt over his head before settling his weight partially atop Blaine. He could feel Blaine's hardness against his thigh, and was sure Blaine could feel his own arousal, as well. If not, he made sure of it by grinding his hips in a slow circle a few times, moaning at the sensation.
He arched his head back as Blaine placed a line of kisses along his throat, sucking softly on his Adam's apple before licking his way into the hollow at the base of his neck. Without any warning, Kurt did the most ridiculous thing ever.
He yawned.
Blaine let his head fall back onto the pillow behind him and looked up at Kurt. His hands rubbed slow, deliberate circles on his back. "Kurt, love, you have to be exhausted. Why don't we just get some sleep now, huh?"
Kurt nuzzled into the crook of Blaine's neck again, running his hands up and down his strong biceps. "God, I want you so bad right now, but I don't think I have the energy. I'm sorry," he whined.
"Shh, no, no," Blaine soothed, hooking his leg around Kurt's and swiftly but softly rolling them over so that he was now on top of Kurt. "You're here. That's what matters." He leaned down and kissed Kurt again, almost reverently. "We've got time." It was a funny statement from Blaine, as he didn't really know how long Kurt would be there, but it felt like maybe he wasn't talking just about that night or the weekend. Maybe he meant a little bit longer than that.
The thought and the kiss rallied Kurt a bit, enough to arch his hips up into Blaine's again. The dim light allowed him to see the wanton look in Blaine's eyes just before he dove back down to kiss him, Blaine's tongue effortlessly gliding into Kurt's mouth and claiming it as his own. Blaine groaned as Kurt's hands slid down his flanks and started to push at the waistband of his pajama pants, "Okay, just…just let me, baby," Blaine panted.
Blaine worked swiftly to kick off his pants and then divest Kurt of his own. He lowered himself onto Kurt's body so that their hard lengths were snug against each other. He set up a slow rhythm, sliding and rocking into the delicious friction. Neither of them had the energy to do anything more than this, but the closeness was exactly what they needed – bodies touching everywhere and breaths intermingling in the darkness. With the amount of time they'd been apart, longing for one another, it wasn't long before their movements sped up. Soft moans and low, needy whimpers were interspersed with murmurs of adoration and affection. Then words stopped and everything was touch and motion, with Blaine grinding relentlessly against Kurt while Kurt gripped his shoulders and rose up to meet him. Their releases overcame them almost simultaneously. Slow, languid kisses followed as their breathing calmed and their pulses stopped racing. Blaine reached over to the nightstand for some tissues to clean them both, then switched off the bedside lamp. Settling down next to Kurt, he curled close to his side, resting his head on Kurt's chest and wrapping one leg around Kurt's while Kurt's arms encircled him.
"Thank you," Blaine said, his voice hushed.
Kurt huffed out a laugh, sounding almost drunk from tiredness. "Are you thanking me for sex, now?" he teased.
Blaine playfully slapped him on the chest. "No, silly," he answered, sounding scandalized. He returned his arm to wrap around Kurt's waist, though, and his voice was quiet and serious as he went on, "I am thanking you for being here. You knew I needed you – I didn't even know I needed you, but you knew."
Kurt squeezed Blaine a little tighter and pressed a kiss to the top of his head. The two settled into one another, and sleep overtook them. They could talk more in the morning. They could spend time and recharge in one another's company, storing up the feeling of being together to get them through the next stretch of being apart. But for now, all Kurt needed was Blaine safe in his arms, and all Blaine needed was the knowledge that he was not alone.
I drove all night to get to you
Is that all right?
I drove all night, crept in your room
Woke you from your sleep
To make love to you
Is that all right? I drove all night
A/N: The end lyrics are the chorus to "I Drove All Night." Let me know what you thought. I know there are much more explicit fics out there, but for me, posting this is still a bit mortifying, so I'm just going to go hide under a blanket for a little while. Until next time, be kind to yourself, and to one another.