Disclaimer: Glee and it's characters don't belong to me, only the ideas in this story.
AN: So, I wanted to post this yesterday but I ended up sleeping instead. Though this is set during season 3 year, it's definitely a different take then what we saw on the show, so I guess you would say this is AU. Still, I hope you enjoy it. Sorry no Karofsky in this story. The story is written in Blaine's POV.
My mind was preoccupied as I walked into McKinley High School and it all had to do with Valentine's Day. Not only had the subject sparked an argument with my father over the breakfast table over the fact that the holiday was about love and two guys couldn't truly love each other, but it was also a week away from Valentine's Day and I had no idea what to get Kurt. I had already made reservations at a French restaurant not far from my house for Tuesday evening, something I had been doing odd jobs for our neighbors to pay for, but I wanted to think of a gift to give him too. The trouble was I couldn't think of anything relatively inexpensive, most of what I had earned in the last month or so was going toward the dinner, that was special enough to give him.
Candy wasn't special enough. Clothing was out as I was too worried I might get Kurt something that he would consider unfashionable. I had seen several singing Valentine's themed toys which I thought were cute but I knew from our conversation at the Lima Bean last year that Kurt thought were tacky.
"Hey, Blaine."
Artie's call from behind me brought me out of my thoughts. Turning I saw Artie and Mercedes looking at me were amused looks on their faces.
"Hey, morning guys," I greeted them.
"Were you planning on wearing your jacket around all day?" Mercedes asked.
"No. Why?" I asked.
"Isn't your locker back there?" Artie asked, pointing his thumb back over his shoulder.
I could feel my face grow warm. In my preoccupied state I had managed to walk right past my locker. Mumbling an embarrassed thank-you, I retraced my steps toward my locker. Mercedes and Artie followed me.
"Are you okay?" Artie asked.
"Yeah. I'm just preoccupied this morning." I told them as I reached my locker. Grasping the lock, I started to put in the combination. "I've been trying to come up with the perfect Valentine's Day gift for Kurt, and it's proving impossible."
"Sorry. Can't help you with that. I had a hard enough time trying to come up with a Christmas Gift for him for the gift exchange we did," Artie replied.
"I thought you were taking him out to dinner for Valentine's Day? Which I think is so sweet by the way," Mercedes said before I could comment on what Artie had said.
"I am but I wanted a gift for him too. I want our first Valentine's Day together to be special, especially after the fiasco of last year," I told her, thinking of the Gap fiasco and Kurt's confession at the Lima Bean following it. I couldn't believe how oblivious I had been on both accounts.
Mercedes smiled at me knowingly. Somehow I knew Kurt had confided in her about what had happened last year. "Believe me, Blaine, that boy is so smitten with you that as long as you don't forget about Valentine's Day, whatever you do is going to make him happy. He's actually been driving me crazy trying to guess where you're taking him out to dinner."
I smiled at that, glad to know that Kurt was looking forward to our first Valentine's dinner out. Still, I wanted this year to be special. I just needed a gift to give him. Something from the heart.
"If you really want to give Kurt a gift though, why don't you just sing him a song. I'm sure he'd love that," Mercedes said. "I just wouldn't recommend the Gap for a venue."
"Very funny," I told her, blushing once again. I had a feeling I was never going to live the 'Warbler Gap Attack' down. Mercedes words did get me thinking though. I thought of the way Kurt had said 'not at all' when I had asked him if he thought singing to someone on Valentine's Day was too much. Remembered his admission later that he had thought it was him that I had been talking about. "You may be onto something there," I told her as I took my jacket off and stuffed it into the locker, the wheels starting to turn in my head. "Thanks, Mercedes!"
"Glad I could help," she replied. "Maybe now you won't go walking by any of your classes today."
I laughed, as I switched out my books, making sure all the books for my morning classes were in my back pack.
"But just in case perhaps we should all walk to home room together," Artie suggested. "Although I don't think Miss Rivers knows our names anyway given the number of times I've ended up on the absentee list this year when I was actually here."
"I know. The day she did that to me I had ten calls from my mother by the end of first period and an equal number of angry voice mails demanding to know where I was."
"Glad she hasn't done that to me yet," I commented, thinking about the fit my Dad would have if he thought I was skipping school.
"You're probably safe. I think she likes your bow ties," Mercedes commented, reaching over to straighten the black one I was wearing today.
A week later all my plans were in place. Everything was set for the dinner tonight. I had arranged for a Gorilla Gram to be sent to Kurt during the day and talked to Mr. Schuster to arrange for my other surprise for Kurt. Today was going to be special. I could just feel it. Walking into McKinley High School, I felt like I was walking on air that morning.
Reaching my locker, I didn't walk past it this time, I saw Mercedes exclaiming over a bouquet of roses from Shane. The look on her face was pure joy, and I only hoped Kurt's face would echo that emotion later this afternoon. Turning from the sight, I quickly went through the combination to my locker and popped open the door. The sight that greeted me made me smile even more, and I hadn't thought that was possible.
Apparently Kurt had already paid a visit to my locker this morning. On top of the books I had left there last night sat two red gorillas on a heart-shaped pillow. Propped in front of them was a red envelope. Picking up the envelope, I removed the card inside, read the words on the front and opened it. Though the printed message was sweet, my eyes eagerly sought out the written words that Kurt had added.
I still think most of the Valentine's Day decorations are tacky, these gorillas included, but as I know you like them I broke down and bought them for you. At least the sentiment of the song fits. Love Kurt.
I smiled as I looked from the card to the gorillas again. Reaching out, I pressed the male gorilla's paw which still had the 'try me' sticker on it. Immediately the female gorilla's eyes started fluttering as "I Got You Babe" started to play. I chuckled. They were perfect!
"Does the laughter mean you like them?" I heard Kurt ask softly, his warm breath dancing across my ear. I hadn't even heard his approach.
"They're adorable," I told him, turning to face him. "Just like you," I added, relishing the slight coloring of Kurt's cheeks at my words.
"Where did you get them?" I asked as the song came to an end and I turned and pressed the button again.
"At the mall. I was helping Rachel and Mercedes with their holiday shopping and those tacky things just screamed 'buy me' through a storefront window and I thought of you."
"There's a compliment in there somewhere, I'm sure," I replied.
"Of course."
"Happy Valentine's Day, Kurt," I said, leaning forward and pressing a kiss against his cheek, the other students passing by keeping me from kissing him on the lips. Sometimes it just wasn't worth borrowing trouble.
"Happy Valentine's Day," he replied.
I retrieved the books I needed for my morning classes from underneath the gorillas and then shut the locker. The two of us then started down the hallway to my home room, which was closer, Kurt trying to pry details of the planned dinner out of me once again.
Later that afternoon, Kurt and I walked into the choir room singing along with the gorillas that I was carrying. As we finished the song, the shortened version that the toy sung, Mr. Schuster and the few Glee Club members that were already there burst into applause. Kurt and I took quick bows before heading to claim seats. As Kurt headed for two empty chairs closest to the door we had entered I grabbed his arm.
"Let's sit over here," I said, nodding to the other side of the room. I wanted Kurt sitting where I could easily see him while playing the piano.
"Does it really matter?" Kurt asked, a confused look on his face.
"Well, if that is how you feel then we can sit over here," I insisted, giving his arm a gentle tug.
Still wearing a confused look, Kurt followed me. As we sat next to each other waiting for the other club members to file into the room, the butterflies started to set in. I started having flashbacks to the year before and the fiasco at the Gap. I still couldn't believe that I had gotten Jeremiah fired. It definitely hadn't been romantic or well received.
~This year will be different, ~ I told myself, wiping my sweaty hand nervously on my pants leg. ~Kurt will be much more receptive to the gesture than Jeremiah was. We're with our friends and not in a public venue and we're already crazy about one another. It's going to be fine.~
"Are you okay?"
"What?" I asked, jolted out of my thoughts by Kurt's voice.
"You're not acting like yourself. Are you not feeling well, because we can always skip dinner tonight . . ."
"I'm fine," I assured him, cutting him off.
Further discussion was stopped by Mr. Schuster calling us to order. After a short greeting he said, "Okay before we continue with our regular class assignments, we have a special Valentine's presentation. Blaine."
"Thank-you," I replied, as I stood up and walked toward the piano as Mr. Schuster joined the rest of the class. Taking up a position next to the piano bench, I looked out at my fellow Glee Club members. Feeling as nervous as I did last year, but with a much friendlier looking audience this time around, I began the little speech I had prepared. "Valentine's Day is all about finding the perfect way to tell someone that you love them, and I was having a hard time figuring out how to do that this year, until Mercedes made the suggestion of singing a song. So I've spent the last week searching for that perfect song that summed up my feelings, and I finally settled on one," I said, my gaze panning across the class and finally settling on Kurt, who looked surprised and pleased. "This is for you, Kurt," I added sitting down at the piano.
Taking a deep breath, I started to play the first strains of Martina McBride's song "My Valentine." I kept my gaze on Kurt, gauging his reaction and was pleased to find him receptive of the gesture. The smile on his face bolstered my courage and I began to feel less nervous. As I started into the second verse, Kurt had left his chair and settled on the piano bench beside me.
No, this definitely wasn't another fiasco like the 'Warbler Gap Attack' had been. Gazing into Kurt's eyes I knew I had come up with the perfect gift and knew that tonight was going to be special and hopefully the first of many Valentine's dinner for the two of us.