Head in the clouds – Pt. 5
By GayforKurt
Summary: Ten years after leaving Lima, Kurt has found fame and fortune. Life should have been great, but what is success without love – or a reasonable facsimile? A Kurtofsky story set in the not too distant future. Please read and review.
A/N 1: I'm approaching the end of a story that I love and I want to thank all the folks who took the time to review and add me to their alerts. I am thankful for your kindness and hope I can live up to all expectations with this installment. Happy Thanksgiving!
Disclaimer: I don't own Glee. If I did there would be more boys kissing boys and definitely no bullying!
CHAPTER FIVE
In the weeks following Kurt's kiss at the ball, Dave was on cloud nine. Well on this particular day he was actually in a state. Having his big sister laughing at him like a loon wasn't helping either. The thing is, Dave couldn't decide on what tuxedo to choose for her wedding and Pat's suggestion that he let Kurt help him had not gone over too well.
They had met several times since that event and enjoyed their various dates, but Kurt hadn't touched him, at least not romantically. Dave knew Kurt wanted him, but Dave couldn't understand why Kurt was holding back and he himself didn't want to rush anything. He still had nightmares about forcing that kiss on Kurt back in junior year at McKinley and Dave would die before he overstepped any of Kurt's many boundaries.
He recalled how shocked and turned on he'd been the night of the charity ball when Kurt had kissed him first. Whenever he remembered the feel of the slender man in his arms, his heart rate sped up and he wanted, more than ever, to feel that again. Kurt's were the softest lips he'd ever kissed. Dave knew he was doomed; he would never want anyone's kisses but Kurt's again.
Dating Kurt but not being able to make love to him was almost torture, and many a night Dave had had to resort to cold showers or other, solitary methods of relief. He knew without a doubt that Kurt was suffering too, but they were being made to wait, Dave felt, because Kurt was still not sure where they were headed. Dave sighed and scrubbed his hands through his hair, turning to pace again across the floor.
Patricia watched her baby brother pace back and forth, lost in his own thoughts, undoubtedly thinking about her sexy wedding planner, Kurt Hummel. Pat knew that Dave had it bad; he was distracted, he blushed sometimes for no reason, it seemed to her, and whenever she mentioned Kurt's name his ears would perk up, though he would try to pretend he wasn't paying attention to whatever she was talking about.
Now it was obvious he needed help in choosing a tuxedo for her wedding but still he refused to ask Kurt for his expert help. Hmmm, Pat felt it was time for a little big sister intervention… or was it interference? She smirked to herself as a plan formulated in her devious brain.
"Uhm, Davey, tell you what; I think I can get Viv to help you with your tuxedo dilemma. Want me to give her a call? After all, she's basically doing most of the planning and she would know the best tux for you to get that would fit in with the style of the wedding," she quirked an eyebrow at him, waiting for his grateful response.
Dave turned and eyed her suspiciously. "Yeah, you think she would have time to help a poor shmuck out, when she has so much already on her plate? What exactly are you planning?"
Pat put an offended hand to her breast; well, it would have worked if it weren't for the mischievous twinkle in her eye. "Well, I never! I'm just trying to help out a brother; why are you looking at me in that tone of voice?"
Dave burst out laughing and moved over to hug his sis. She really was the best; she always had made an effort to cheer him up or get him focused on stuff and he loved her for that trait.
"Whatever you're up to, thanks anyway for the suggestion. I just might take you up on it." He kissed the top of her head and then went to sit in one of the comfortable overstuffed armchairs she had scattered around her living room.
Pat's apartment wasn't overly large but it was comfortably furnished and Dave liked staying with her when he wanted a break from whatever sterile though expensive hotel suite he was staying in at the time. The personal touches like the framed photographs of the family and little collectibles she had loved from childhood made it feel like a home away from Lima.
He spoke aloud before he even realized he would do it. "I wonder what Kurt's wearing," and then gaped at his sister in astonishment. God, way to sound like a twelve-year-old girl, Karofsky.
Pat laughed at him then ruffled his hair as she passed behind him to go get some drinks. "You're not fooling anyone, sweetie, we can all see what's happening between you and the gorgeous Mr. Hummel."
Dave groaned and rubbed his face with both palms. "Please, tell me you and Jeremy aren't discussing my love life, or lack of one…" he groaned. Seriously, he was so gone over Kurt he even embarrassed himself, and to think that other people were talking about it was just the last straw.
"Dude, relax, we just think you guys would be great together. Certainly there was more than enough sparkage to light up the whole of downtown Manhattan," and she continued to chuckle at her brother's pathetic groans.
"Sparkage, really, how old are you again?" Dave's left eyebrow quirked dangerously as he rose stealthily from the armchair.
"Kurt and Davey sitting in a tree; k-i-s-s…" before she could finish, Dave let out a mock roar and lunged for her, causing her to dash around the end of a sofa to avoid his tickling fingers.
They dodged and chased for a couple of minutes and when Dave proved victorious they ended up collapsed together on the couch. He snuggled her to him and muffled his face in her sweet-smelling hair.
"I've really gone and done it this time, y'know?"
She nodded, lifting a hand to stroke soothingly along his forearm. "I know, sweetie, but it was bound to happen sooner or later. I'm just glad it's Kurt; I think he's fantastic."
"Yeah, I think so too."
GLEE
Vivian sat on the spindly-legged chairs that this high-end boutique thought equaled comfort. She tried to settle herself as she waited for Dave to come out and model the first of the tuxedos she had chosen. The big guy had been endearingly nervous when he had spoken with her the day before, begging for her expertise to help him choose a great suit.
Pat had already spoken to her and given her an idea of what she wanted for Dave, plus a little extra something, and Vivian had agreed wholeheartedly. She was to make Dave irresistible and she looked forward to the task. It was really no chore to spend so much time with a handsome, rich football player, even if he batted for the other team, she grinned to herself. She looked up as Dave stepped out, tugging nervously at the cuff of his shirt.
Pat's breath caught as he looked up at her and waited for her assessment. 'Damn,' she thought, and not for the first time: 'why are all the hot ones gay?'
Whoever had designed this particular tuxedo should get to see Dave in it because the man looked GOOD, damn good. She rose and went over to stop him tugging at the sleeve of the jacket. He stilled and waited for her to stop walking around him. Every so often he would feel a pull here or a tug there and he smiled; memories of getting his prom tuxedo came back to him.
"Well, David, I don't know why exactly you were nervous about shopping for a tux, but thank you for giving me this opportunity."
"Huh," Dave asked stupidly, looking over his shoulder at Vivian who was standing with arms folded, staring at the view in back.
"Um, I just meant that it's not often that I get to hang out with a hunk and have him model expensive designer outfits for me," she looked up at him, a devilish little twinkle in her eye. "So, thank you."
Dave flushed lightly and shook his head. "Jeeze, you're just as bad as Pat; birds of a feather, huh," he chuckled then asked, "so, is this one good?"
"Yes, but let me see you in the Armani first and then I'll decide."
He nodded and went reluctantly to un-armor himself and put on the other tux, that didn't look all that different to him, but he guessed she would know; she was the expert and, best of all, she would know what Kurt would like.
Pat was prepared for Dave to look good in the Armani tux but she was still stunned when he strode out confidently in the charcoal grey suit with silver grey paisley print vest, a satin tie in a deeper grey and bright white shirt. He smiled at her reaction and turned around once so she could look at the fit properly.
"Oh, my; yes, this is the one. I am so proud of myself!" She clapped her hands together in self-congratulation and Dave looked at her with his eyes wide.
"Hey, what am I – chopped liver?" He waited for her to come back to herself and laughed softly. It did feel good to have a good-looking woman look at him as he'd just stepped off the pages of her favorite fashion magazine, but he liked teasing her too.
"Oh, you! You know you look good in everything. You don't need a bigger head than you have already." She smacked his arm as she walked around him again. She could just picture Kurt's face when he saw Dave in this tuxedo. She just prayed she would be there to see it and have a camera on hand to capture the moment.
"Oh, by the way, I'll be giving you were boutonnière on the day and, when you're changed here, Pat said I should take you to the jeweler's to pick out matching cufflinks and tie pin, okay?"
Dave nodded as he was already heading back into the changing room to divest himself of his fancy duds. "M-hm, Pat told me this morning; says she had a particular design in mind?"
"Yes, a particular setting, apparently, that she'd seen and fallen in love with. She said Jeremy had more than enough jewelry and that she had something else in mind for his wedding gift," Vivian chatted as she waited for Dave to come out with the selected suit.
When they had taken care of business, Vivian paying with the company card, they headed the couple of blocks away to one of the most famous jewelry houses in Manhattan, no, in the world, really. As they stepped into the cool, expensive-smelling interior, their eyes adjusted to see the manager waiting for them.
Dave had never really been into jewelry before but sitting here now with the manager fawning all over them, he could see the attraction it held. A thought came to his mind: does Kurt like jewelry? 'Hmmm, I'll need to find that out because I'll definitely want to give him something nice for Christmas.'
He rose to wander about the store while Viv and the manager looked at tray after tray of ridiculously expensive cuff links in various settings. Dave was drawn to the rings and spent several minutes perusing and admiring the different designs on display. He particularly liked the platinum and white gold settings, also noting the plethora of colored diamonds twinkling seductively up at him from under the subtle spotlights.
'God, no wonder people make such a big deal about diamonds and engagement rings.' They were really beautiful and, rising unbidden to his mind, he saw himself fondling one particular band with three little channel-set blush pink diamonds. Before he could actually reach towards it, though, he caught himself, looking around guiltily to see if anyone had noticed.
The band was really beautiful, and could work as a wedding ring, too. The setting was extremely simple, the brush finish of the platinum band complementing the graduated diamonds. He tore himself away from the display case and went over to Vivian and the manager.
"What do you think of these, David? They are close to what Pat had in mind," Viv placed the cufflinks in his hands and waited for him to decide.
"I definitely like the stone in this – and the sort of square setting. What's this stone called?" He looked at the manager enquiringly. The little man was eager to explain and entered lecture mode without much prompting.
"This is morganite and because it has trace amounts of manganese, it comes in colors ranging from pink to salmon to subtle lavenders. It can even occur in hot fuchsias and pastel pink apricot blends." He finished triumphantly and smiled up at the handsome young man.
Dave nodded and murmured his thanks for the information. He had only wanted to know why the stone was pink because he had just been drooling over the pink diamonds. Still, all knowledge was good and he could at least explain to anyone who asked about the cuff links' unusual color.
Vivian also thanked the old gentleman and indicated she would have the tie pin as well. When he moved off to record the purchase, she smiled up at Dave who was gazing off towards the ring cases.
"Did you see anything over there you liked?" She herself had been in this boutique more than once and knew the store had a magnificent inventory. She sighed to herself and thought of the day, hopefully in the near future, when she and her fiancé would be shopping here.
"Yeah, some things caught my eye but it's not like I have plans to buy anything," he blushed a little and then muttered, "at least not right now." He was already planning to come back here but he would never let her know.
Vivian only nodded and smiled. She felt she had an idea where Dave's head was but she didn't want to tease him anymore. Seriously, it was so sweet how he and Kurt just reacted to each other, like those kitschy little birds with the magnified beaks… She shook herself before she went any further. Come on, girl, back to the business at hand!
Dave looked at her puzzled, as they headed back uptown. "By the way, Viv, why does Pat want the stones to be that color?"
Viv smirked at him chidingly, "It has to fit in with the color scheme of the wedding, sweetie, and yes, she's wearing white, sort of, but she was very definite about what she wanted for you, okay?"
As they separated a little later to take care of various chores, Dave marveled to himself about women and weddings. He really admired Kurt's talent and expertise but he didn't envy him dealing with hormonal, hysterical brides and interfering friends and family. It was a huge job and the very thought scared him; he wasn't ashamed to admit it. Kurt was the better man for taking it on. He smiled to himself as, once more, thoughts of Kurt, his beautiful lips and his hot body took up residence in his mind.
GLEE
A week later, Kurt was drying his hair, all while humming a favorite show tune under his breath. As he stalked into his fabulous walk-in closet, he happily contemplated the afternoon that had gone from drearily mundane to heart-stoppingly romantic before his very eyes.
As he and Vivian worked on the seating plans and juggled lists of caterers and vendors for upcoming events, Kurt's receptionist had called through to say there was a delivery for him from a well-known food emporium. When Vivian had shaken her head at his enquiring look, Kurt got up to head out to the front office, his curiosity piqued.
Standing there and trying to ignore the looks of several staff who had been drawn to the commotion were three young men dressed as waiters and carrying several wicker baskets. When Kurt noticed the logo of the high-end company he realized it wasn't a prank and waved at them to go ahead and set up. Probably a gift from a grateful client, he thought.
One hamper was stuffed with delightful little hors d'oeuvres, savory pastries, a variety of cheeses and cured meats. Another held plump little baked items stuffed with fruits and whipped cream, and yet another held the appropriate wines to complement the lavish meal.
As the tantalizing smells wafted throughout the office, the staff murmured and tittered as they tried to figure out who their benefactor was. One of the fellows handed an envelope to Kurt and he opened it quickly.
Viv, who had come up beside him, glanced quickly at the card and then turned Kurt as if there was something she needed to show him back in his office. When he moved into his sanctum, he leaned against the closed door and fanned his heated face. She smiled as she watched him read the words Dave had written.
"I know how hard you and your staff work and just wanted you to have a break. Enjoy the gift and please, call me later. Love, Dave"
The words weren't particularly romantic but Kurt felt his heart melt at the thoughtfulness behind the lovely gesture. He floated over to his sofa and didn't even notice when Vivian left. He only came out of his little daze when a plate filled with delicious little pastries was placed on the coffee table in front of him. Vivian was also holding a wine glass and looked at him, silently asking if he wanted any.
He nodded in thanks and picked up the plate to start nibbling on the wonderful, light-as-air pastry, licking his finger as some of the cream oozed out on it. Viv had included both savory and sweet pastries on his plate, but he had always had a tendency to want to have his dessert first, a habit that used to drive his dad crazy.
Viv came back with the wine and her own food and joined him on the sofa. "So, when are you going to call him?"
Kurt looked at her over the rim of his wine glass and smirked. "Don't you think I should call him right now, thank him for the lovely repast?"
Viv grinned back at him. "Like my momma always says, sugar, strike while the iron is hot!" She burst out laughing, genuinely happy that Kurt had finally found someone who was well on the way to melting that icy heart. "Put the poor boy out of his misery and call him now."
Kurt wiped his fingers on the tiny cocktail napkin and got up to go over to his desk. He looked at Vivian pointedly for a few seconds before she got the message that he wanted to make the call in private.
She sauntered over to his office door and as it was closing behind her, she winked at Kurt and whispered, "Do it now!" Kurt laughed and shooed her out.
When his cellphone indicated that Kurt was calling him, Dave took a deep breath to steady his voice before answering. "Hey, everything okay?"
Kurt smiled and lowered his voice to a register most people seemed to find alluring. "Why wouldn't everything be okay? I was just calling to find out if you wanted to meet up with me, say, seven-ish? At my place?" He deliberately left out the fact that Dave's gift Dave had arrived.
"Later, your place? Uh- ahh, yes, d-definitely," Dave stuttered, a little thrown off track as he had thought Kurt had been calling to thank him. "D-did you get a special delivery at your office just a short while ago?"
Kurt smirked to himself; he loved teasing Dave, a state of affairs he would never have thought he would be entertaining. "Delivery?" His pause was Tony-worthy. "Oh! You mean the food that just got here, that has everyone shirking their work and guzzling wine as if it's a holiday? That special delivery!"
Dave huffed an audible sigh of relief and then chuckled, the sound warming Kurt and setting up a little resonance in him. "Kurt, Kurt, what am I going to do with you?"
The question had been rhetorical but Kurt jumped on it. "I know several things you can do, if you are brave enough…" He knew he was teasing Dave mercilessly but he was enjoying himself and it wasn't as if he wouldn't be making it up to him later.
Dave's voice lowered as he relaxed, the sound of Kurt's voice turning him on unexpectedly. "You did mention something about meeting up at seven? Did you have something special in mind for us to do?"
Kurt laughed lightly, loving this light-hearted banter they had going. "No, nothing special. I just need someone on whom to practice my woefully out-of-date culinary skills. Do you trust me?"
"Trust you not to poison me, you mean?" He listened to Kurt's breathy little laugh. "I trust you, Kurt."
"…"
"Kurt, are you there?" Dave wondered if somehow he'd gone too far and crossing his fingers, he hoped that his skittish soon-to-be lover wasn't upset. "Are you okay?"
"I'm just fine, David, I was just thinking. Well, I will see you around seven, okay?" Kurt's voice sounded a little softer but Dave didn't think he sounded upset at all.
"Okay, sweetheart, see you then." It wasn't until he had closed his cell that he realized he'd let slip the endearment he always used in his mind when he thought of Kurt. "Oh, crap, I did not just do that!"
Kurt on his part was staring at his phone, one of those fancy desk jobs that looked as if it belonged in an airport control tower. He didn't see it, though; his mind's eye was picturing the handsome football player and wondering when he had become so precious to Kurt. His eyes misted over but then he shook himself, remembering where he was and headed to the outer office.
He called Viv over and had her make arrangements for fresh flowers and certain items to be delivered to his condo. The doormen knew his assistants and would often let them in to deliver or retrieve things that Kurt needed. If he was going to cook a knockout meal for his man, he needed to get a move on!
Now as he stood perusing the various casual but fabulous outfits in his bulging closets, he finally decided on white jeans and a deep coral bouclé top. The rich shade of the top gave his milky skin tone a warm glow without him having to resort to makeup. His eyes were bright and the gleam of anticipation was echoed in the curve of his lips. He definitely looked like a man in love.
Having finally dressed and dabbed on the barest trace of his expensive designer cologne, Kurt headed into his high-tech kitchen to start the salad. He wouldn't do the steaks until Dave got there and he opened one of his favorite reds to allow it to breathe. He checked the time, saw it was nearly seven and grabbed himself a bottle of water to sip while he awaited Dave.
About five minutes after the hour, his doorman called up to say that his visitor was on his way up. Kurt didn't get up, though, until Dave rang the doorbell. Hey, he didn't want to appear too eager!
As he greeted Dave and relieved him of his coat, Kurt realized that the other man was dressed almost exactly as he was, though he had paired his white jeans with a thin black turtle neck sweater. Dave turned to catch Kurt admiring the movement of his muscles beneath the shirt and smiled easily.
Stepping into Kurt's personal space, Dave leaned down and sniffed Kurt's neck. As Kurt jerked in surprise, Dave's hands gripped his hips, keeping him in place. "Shhh, just let me enjoy this for a little."
Kurt's eyelids slowly closed as Dave drew him closer, slipping his hands up Dave's shoulders and caressing them as Dave held him. They both eased back at the same time and looked in the other's eyes. As if there were some hidden cue, both men's lips met, pressing softly at first and then more deeply.
Kurt parted his lips almost immediately to invite Dave to explore and they kissed languidly for several minutes before they had to part. Their breaths came in soft pants and as Kurt rested his head against Dave's shoulder, he knew there was nowhere else on earth he would rather be, not even if he was being paid.
"You know this is real, don't you?" Dave's voice was so quiet Kurt probably wouldn't have heard if he hadn't been pressed so close to the other man. His breath caught as the words registered, however, and as he leaned back to look up at Dave wonderingly, he realized there were tears in the lovely green eyes.
"Oh, David…" he couldn't continue as his voice choked up so he did the next best thing and kissed the stuffing out of the big lug. Pulling back again he looked up into the beloved face and stroked it with both hands. "I love you, David, never doubt that."
Dave grabbed Kurt again and hugged him, burying his face in the beautiful swan-like neck. There were no words to describe how his heart was swelling and the tears leaked out of his tightly-squeezed eyes. He never thought it would be this easy but it felt as if it could not have gone any other way.
Finally, Kurt led Dave over to his favorite sofa, the one facing the view of Manhattan's cityscape, and went to get them some wine. The steaks were still in the refrigerator and they could wait. He wanted to snuggle with his man right now, so food could just take a back seat until later.
Kurt placed the half full wine glasses on the low table before them and laughed as Dave pulled him down onto him. Kurt slapped his wandering hands playfully and slid off him, leaving only his long legs stretched across his lap.
As they sipped and cuddled, they spoke of many things both light and serious, but one thing they were both agreed on; they would attend Pat's wedding as a couple.
Dave turned and looked at Kurt seriously for a moment and Kurt wondered what was on his mind. Dave finally took a deep breath and asked, "We are an item now, right?" At Kurt's curious nod, he continued. "I don't want you to think that I think you are predictable, but I got you something, hoping that you felt the same way I felt, you know?"
Kurt smiled at Dave's shy, nervous delivery, wondering where this was going. "Dave, you knew from the night of the ball that I wanted you. You must have heard my nickname…" and he waited for Dave to nod then said, "well, when I saw you again, I knew I didn't want to be that person any longer. You've got me, neuroses and all, sweetie."
Dave hugged him and planted many kisses along Kurt's tempting neck and shoulders, moving the sweater out of the way to get at the gleaming skin. When he had tasted every bit of skin he could get at, Dave eased Kurt off of him and stood up, heedless of the state his jeans were in.
Kurt blushed more as he saw how aroused Dave was but decided to let him cool off. As Dave walked over to his coat, Kurt leaned his head on the back of the sofa and smiled to himself, he was so happy. When he heard Dave coming back over to him he looked up, only to see Dave coming to a crouch in front of him.
Kurt looked at him in alarm, one hand flying to his throat because, seriously, Dave had got down on one knee!
"Dave, oh my god, what…?"
"Kurt, it's okay, you don't have to give me an answer just yet but I don't want to wait to ask you this." Dave opened the small satin-lined box to show Kurt what was inside. "Kurt Hummel, will you marry me?"
Kurt couldn't speak, he was barely breathing! When he felt the tears starting to trickle down his cheeks, he stared into Dave's handsome, open face and nodded. He didn't even look at the contents of the little box with the famous logo; he just closed his eyes and nodded.
Dave smiled softly and took pity on the smaller man; he reached over and slid the ring onto the third finger of Kurt's right hand. He slid forward, still on his knees and hugged Kurt to him who just continued to sob into Dave's sweater. Finally, Dave reached for a couple of tissues from the box on the coffee table and gently dabbed at Kurt's flushed face.
To his surprise, Kurt leapt to his feet and dashed into the powder room, slamming the door behind him. Dave went after him but wasn't fast enough to stop Kurt from locking the door.
"Kurt, sweetheart, please, don't cry." Though Kurt had nodded yes to his proposal, Dave was at a loss as to what to do now. He went over to the huge windows and gazed out; maybe Kurt just needed a little time to get over the shock.
A few minutes later, Dave heard the click of the door being unlocked but he didn't turn around. Eventually, Kurt stepped up beside him to look out at the breathtaking view that David was hardly seeing. When he felt a soft hand on his arm, he looked down at the man he loved, wondering if he had made a mistake.
The breath he was holding whooshed quietly out of him at the look on Kurt's face. There was only a little redness left around his eyes and his nose but otherwise, Kurt was glowing and Dave knew he had done well. Kurt moved into his arms and spoke softly.
"Dave, no one has ever made me feel the way you do. The way you look at me, you make me feel beautiful and as if I can do anything in the world. I knew I felt that way but I wasn't sure about you," Kurt's voice hitched a couple of times but he soldiered on.
"I love you and I do want to marry you. I never thought someone like you would want someone like me. I'm not the easiest person to live with… you do remember me from school, right?" They shared a little laugh as Kurt quirked an eyebrow at him, both recalling how much of a diva Kurt had been.
Dave planted a kiss on Kurt's thick, clean-smelling hair. The man in his arms was so beautiful but so insecure. Dave would never have known this from just seeing Kurt on TV or his photos in the magazines and gossip rags. He was so talented and had the biggest heart, but somehow he had been made to feel he wasn't enough. At least, that was what Dave picked up from what he was saying.
"You are everything I ever wanted Kurt, even from high school. The horror and the confusion of those days, of what I was doing to someone I cared for, made me want to change. You, Kurt Hummel, made me want to change. I love you so, so much, and I want to marry you in the biggest, boldest ceremony that Vivian can plan."
Kurt threw back his head and laughed. Dave joined him after a second or two of admiring his fiancé and the two hugged in front of the beautiful view, oblivious to a city that was going to be stunned when the morning came. Their Ice Queen had met his match; his walls had been breached by The Fury.
TBC
A/N 2: Does anyone think Kurt's reaction was a tad over the top? I wrote it this way because my boy has always been a diva - and something this huge coming out of the blue? Heck yes, he would definitely burst into tears! You can all tell I just love writing Kurt, right? An epilogue should follow as soon as Thanksgiving is out of the way, hopefully.
TH
