Oh look - I'm back! Ok, idk where this came from, but whatever. The first bit is set after the first chapter, but the italics bit is set before - flashback or what have you... :)
"Oh! Kurt, I-"
"Oh! Blaine, I- oh, you go first."
Kurt's hand is still in the air where it was poised to knock, Blaine's still on the door handle.
"Uh, come in?" Blaine says, wincing at how eager he sounds, but unable to regret it.
"Wow, i-"
"So how co-" They both pause, blush, almost marveling at the abundance of an awkwardness that never used to exist between them.
"You go first."
"Oh, I was just going to ask how come you were going to knock? I mean, you have a key ..."
"I didn't want to intrude." Kurt's studying the threads of the worn carpet, even though he nows them like the back of his hand - better, even - like the back of Blaine's.
"This is still your home, Kurt. It always will be." The intensity of his tone makes Kurt's head drop even further. "I mean, if you want it to be."
"I do," Kurt says too-quickly, wincing at how eager he sounds.
"Really?" And Blaine's honey-gold eyes are shining with love and fear and hope.
A small nod is all it takes , and it feels like they're taking their vows all over again.
"Are you sure?" says Blaine, because what if-
"Yes." His voice is soft, but firm. "I mean, I know you- and then I ... and then we both ... but anything is better then the nothing you leave behind."
And Blaine's crying now, clenching his hands at his sides, not sure if he's allowed to hug him or not.
Kurt watches him cry and clenches his hands at his sides, not sure if he's allowed to hug him or not, but then he thinks 'screw it' and hugs him anyway.
They still fit together like they used to.
Blaine pulls away too soon.
"I didn't want to ruin your shirt," he offers by way of explanation. Kurt lets out a watery chuckle.
They still know each other like they used to.
"I was going to say 'wow it's a mess in here'."
"What?"
"Before, when we kept speaking at the same time - that's what I was going to say."
"Oh."
Blaine blushes the same the same tomato red as always, and Kurt finds it as endearing as ever.
"It's okay - I'll help you clear it up."
*o*o*
"Come on, Kurt - we're going to be late!" Blaine thinks he looks beautiful. Angry, but beautiful. "Hey, come on, now - it's only for tonight! It's Chad's birthday - you like Chad! And there'll be karaoke ..." Blaine sees it - the exact moment Kurt snaps - and he thinks he looks beautiful. Angry, but beautiful. Then Kurt slaps him, the back of his hand connecting solidly with Blaine's cheek, the smack echoing loudly through the silent apartment, and he can't think of anything except denial. He didn't, he tells himself. Or, at least, he didn't "Hit me back." His soft voice is deafening after the screaming and the silence. Blaine simply stares. "Fucking hit me back, you Kurt's eyes go from blazing to "I'm leaving," is all he says, but Blaine can hear all the ice of a New York winter in his voice.
Blaine's standing by the door, just putting the finishing touches on his hair in the hall mirror, straightening his bow-tie.
"Late for what?! Hanging out with your stupid friends?!" Kurt's stomping across the flat in yoga pants, hair still a mess.
"In case you
"Kurt-"
"Don't you Kurt me! I hate your stupid friends and that stupid bar and stupid karaoke! And it's not just tonight - we do it all the time! And-"
"Hey - I don't care much for your friends either, but I don't complain. I let them treat me like a dumb animal because it makes you happy."
"Well why don't you complain? Why don't we tell each other these things? Oh yeah - because this is a fucking dysfunctional relationship where we both fucking pretend that we're still 16 and in love. Because you act like a child-"
"Only because your pretentious fashion friends treat me like one! Their heads are so far up their own asses they can't even see what's right in front of them - maybe that's why their designs are such shit! And you?! You're just one of them."
"Well, you know what?" Blaine's voice is quiet, but the anger makes it tremble - makes his whole body tremble. "Maybe I will. Hey, Chad's a pretty good looking guy ..."
"Well
As soon as Kurt passes the doorman he lets the tears pour out.
Blaine doesn't even wait for the door to shut before he's trying to flood the flat with his tears. That way, maybe he could drown his sorrows, or himself - one or the other - he's not fussed.
Kurt's flicking through old photo albums, wandering why he's doing this to himself. He glances at the phone, looks away.
Blaine's gone straight to the bottle, like the answer's written at the bottom of it. He glances at the phone, sighs, takes another swig.
Wow it feels good to write after 2 freaking months! I hope you enjoyed that :D
