HOLY CRAP. GUYS, YOU ARE AMAZING!
Seriously. The number of follows/favorites/reviews/hits I got on the first chapter of this story in one night is totally overwhelming!
So as a St. Patrick's Day gift to all my lucky readers (see what I did there?) here's chapter two!
(Just a warning though - I probably won't update this quickly for the rest of the story. There'll be at least two days in between each chapter, but I don't know how long it'll be...)
(Also, who's seen AVPSY? I was lucky enough to watch it live at LeakyCon, but have been waiting to flail about it with all my friends for over six moths. It's totally awesome, right?)
As regionals approached, the New Directions buckled down and began writing songs. Kurt started tutoring Blaine when it became apparent that his month off of school had put him behind in all of his classes, so neither boy had much input in the song writing process. However, Blaine saw this as a positive. He didn't care as much about writing music as he did about growing closer to Kurt.
And Kurt and Blaine were certainly growing closer. They did homework alternatively at Kurt's house and Blaine's apartment. Most of the hours were spent talking, listening to music, and practicing for glee instead of catching up on school work.
Cooper came home many nights to find Kurt and Blaine snuggled together on the couch, watching some TV show or movie. Once Kurt left, he would tease Blaine about it for hours. Blaine tried to brush it off and convince Coop that he and Kurt were just friends, but his deep blush always gave away his crush.
"He likes you too, Squirt. I can tell. Just ask him out already!" became Cooper's nightly mantra.
Blaine didn't build up the courage to talk to Kurt until right before regionals. They were at Blaine's after school and watching Kurt's copy of Moulin Rouge while singing along (Kurt took Satine's parts and Blaine sung Christian's).
"Hey, Kurt?" Blaine said timidly as the end credits flashed over the screen.
Kurt, who had been sobbing, turned his tear-stained face to Blaine. "Yeah?"
"Do you maybe want to do something sometime? I mean, I know we do stuff all the time, but maybe we could do something different?"
"Do you mean like a date?" Kurt asked. He looked slightly amused.
"Only if you want it to be a date," Blaine said hurriedly.
"I'd love that," Kurt said.
Blaine's head shot up. "Really?"
Kurt giggled. "Of course, Blaine."
They made plans to go to Breadstix after regionals – hopefully to celebrate both a victory at regionals and their budding romance.
Regionals morning dawned and Blaine was a basket of nerves. Cooper made an artful and gourmet breakfast which Blaine could barely stomach a mouthful of. Blaine looked apologetically at his brother as all the leftovers were loaded into their fridge before they left for the competition.
The New Directions were competing against the Hipsters and the Dalton Academy Warblers. To Blaine's shock, one of Dalton's newest members was none other than Joey Wrightson, his date to the dance. He proudly clapped for his friend, who he had barely kept in contact with since the dance except to exchange words that both were transferring schools.
When the New Directions were announced as winners, Blaine managed to sneak across the stage and found Joey with a group of disappointed Warblers.
"Blaine!" Joey cried, launching himself into Blaine's arms.
Blaine laughed and squeezed his friend tightly.
"You were amazing," both boys gushed at the same time.
Joey introduced Blaine to the curious crowd of Warblers, who all seemed to know exactly who Blaine was. Blaine felt a little guilty for never having told his friends about Joey, but then again, Joey was in a much safer school and therefore didn't have to worry about keeping secrets secret.
"Keep in touch!" Joey called to Blaine when their director whisked them away.
Blaine stared stupidly after them for a few moments before realizing that he had no idea where the rest of his glee club was. He dashed backstage and found them gathered around Mr. Schuester in the green room. Blaine slipped in next to Kurt, earning him a curious glance. No one else seemed to have noticed his absence.
"What was that all about?" Kurt asked Blaine when Mr. Schuester finally let the club pack up and leave the theatre.
"That was Joey. He was my friend at my old school," Blaine explained.
"Your date to the dance?" Kurt asked.
Blaine nodded. "We haven't seen each other since the hospital. He transferred to Dalton and I obviously came here. Cooper tried getting me into Dalton because of their no bullying policy, but even with scholarships and financial aid, it was too much for him to afford."
Kurt nodded but his smile looked a little strained.
"There's Cooper," Blaine said, completely oblivious to Kurt's discomfort. "I'll see you in a couple of hours, Kurt. I'm really looking forward to our date!"
The date was absolutely perfect. Sure, the waiters and busboys and chefs seemed to check up on Blaine and Kurt a bit more than necessary (Blaine had to remember to only have dates at Breadstix on nights when Cooper wasn't working from now on). As Kurt walked Blaine up the stairs to his apartment, Blaine could feel his breath catch in his throat.
"I had a really great time tonight, Kurt," Blaine breathed.
"Me too."
"Do you think – maybe – we could do this again?" Blaine asked haltingly.
Kurt laughed at Blaine's bashfulness. "Yes, Blaine. I definitely think this will become a regular thing."
Blaine looked up at Kurt with such hope and joy in his eyes that Kurt had to physically restrain himself from jumping on the younger boy and attacking him with his lips.
Blaine, however, had no such reservations. He leaned forward slowly and inched up on his toes until he was gently pressing his lips to Kurt's. It was soft and gently and over quickly, but it was perfect.
"Goodnight, Kurt," Blaine said before going inside.
Kurt was waiting at Blaine's locker with coffee Monday morning. At lunch, the two boys held hands under the table. And they put arms around each other at glee practice. Blaine couldn't deny how good it felt to be so open about physically touching another man.
They were doing homework at Blaine's again. That happened more and more often now, seeing as how Cooper was usually working or else he left them alone, while Finn hovered when they were at the Hummel-Hudson house.
Before even pretending to begin their homework, Kurt looked at Blaine.
"I have a couple of things to ask you," he said.
"This sounds serious," Blaine noted.
"It is. But hopefully it's good-serious."
"Okay, I'm listening. Shoot."
"I know you and Joey went to a dance together. Were you two ..." Kurt trailed off, unable to even finish his sentence.
Blaine apparently caught the gist of what Kurt was trying to say. "Oh, no! Definitely not. No way," Blaine said, looking amused and disgusted at the concept of him and Joey even being more than friends.
"Good. I just had to check," Kurt said. "Otherwise, my next question might have been extremely embarrassing for me. Blaine Anderson, will you be my boyfriend?"
Blaine was shocked. He didn't know how to respond. When he was silent for a few moments, he could see fear crossing Kurt's eyes. Realizing he had to do something, Blaine leaned forward and captured Kurt's lips in another kiss, this one slightly more desperate than the last.
When the two boys broke apart a minute later, a small smile danced across Kurt's lips.
"I'll take that as a yes?" Kurt said.
When prom rolled around, Kurt and all the New Directions rallied around Blaine to make sure he felt safe at the dance. He and Kurt only danced a few songs together, but the fact that they were there together was enough for both boys.
The boys all formed a ring around Blaine and Kurt as they were walked to Kurt's navigator. Blaine was slightly embarrassed, but was even more humbled by how much his new friends loved him. He hadn't admitted to any of them – not even Kurt – how terrified he was, but they all did everything they could to make sure that he didn't feel scared for one moment of the dance.
Nationals came and went. They placed 12th, but Blaine couldn't bring himself to care. He got to go to New York for the first time – with his boyfriend. He got to walk down the streets holding Kurt's hand and he got to kiss his boyfriend in the middle of Times Square, and no one batted an eye. It was magical.
With the start of summer, Blaine began to pick up a few more shifts helping out at Breadstix. He was determined to be able to take Kurt out at least once a week, and he needed money to do that. Kurt was also busy – both from working on Pip Pip Hooray! and working at his father's garage with Finn. Despite that, they had plenty of time to spend with their friends and each other.
In the middle of August, everything changed.
Cooper came home from Breadstix early one Thursday night. He barely acknowledged Blaine as he walked in the door, going straight for a bottle of vodka that he rarely drank from. Blaine's eyes widened as he watched his brother gulp down a generous portion of the clear alcohol before rubbing his eyes and sighing deeply.
"Coop?" Blaine asked tentatively. "What's wrong?"
"They fired me."
"What?"
"They fucking fired me, B. The manager just walked back into the kitchen and pulled me to the side and said that they were going a different way with them menu and they didn't need me anymore."
"But, Coop – they can't fire you!"
"They can and they did," Cooper said, utterly defeated.
"What are you going to do?"
"I guess I'll have to get another job," Cooper said sadly. "Although nowhere in this damn town seems to be hiring."
"I can get a job, too, and help out with the rent and stuff," Blaine offered.
"No, B, you need to focus on school. Junior year is really important. You need amazing grades so you can get scholarships for college."
"But, Coop -" Blaine protested.
"No, Blaine. I promised mom that I would take care of you. I fully intend to keep that promise."
Blaine nodded, a sob fighting to bubble up from deep within his chest. The two brothers embraced, exchanging comfort through the close contact.