VI: Baby It's Cold Outside - Our first (of many) flirty duets.
(Kurt & Blaine, 2010)
It seems like, no matter where he goes, Kurt cannot truly get away from Dalton.
More specifically, he can't get away from cute, curly-haired Warblers who interrupt nighttime study sessions with flirty Christmas duets.
And, try as he might, he just can't escape that beautiful, frustrating, wonderful song. Slipping into his car, the radio blasts but baby you'd freeze out there. Walking down the downtown shops, muzak blares it's up to your knees out there, and if Kurt has to hear ooh, your lips are deliciousone more time, he vows to burn all copies ever created of this song.
But he knows that's not true. Really, it's the infuriating, charming boy who has attached himself to Kurt's memory of the song.
It seemed to be the worst directly afterwards the duet, when Mr. Schuester recruits Kurt's shopping prowess. The melodies are already seared into his brain as he climbs into Mr. Schue's beat-up blue car, threatening to never leave. But as his former teacher turns the key and the car roars to life, he's instantly reminded of their duet when James Taylor and Natalie Cole begin crooning the same lyrics that are stuck on repeat in his head. It's impossible to not think about it.
So he lets the thought take him over.
"You seem happy." Mr. Schuester interrupted his pleasant memory. "A lot happier than we've seen you in a while. I'm happy for you."
His thoughts flicker back to Charlemagne, and to old boom boxes, and Blaine's long fingers tickling the ivories. How being at Dalton, where he was acceptedso completely, made him feel human again.
Kurt replies with a genuine smile, "I really am." He hums along to the radio, mentally mapping out the plan for the mall.
Mr. Schuester might know his way around with Glee club, but when it came to gift giving, he's clueless. After a short time and a little convincing, Kurt finds the perfect gift for Ms. Sylvester. But Blaine keeps seeping into the front of his mind as he and Mr. Schue walk around the large mall. He keeps passing cardigans, scarves – perfect presents for Blaine – and is more than grateful when he's finally back in the halls of Dalton. Even those brief moments of Blaine-free thoughts are soon shattered when, just as he was getting back to Dalton to pick up his things, Blaine appeared waving goodbye.
I need to get out of here.
"Kurt?" Burt snaps his fingers impatiently, stirring him from his thoughts. "Kid, I know you've got school to think about, but I just need you to focus here." Kurt stares out the window of the car.
"Sorry, Dad."
So he does his best to keep Blaine out of his head. It's like a game of Whack-a-Mole. Every few seconds, Blaine pops up like some furry mechanical rodent (except gorgeous and real and exactlylike what Kurt wanted) and Kurt has to smack the thought out before it consumes him.
His heart, on the other hand, is a completely different story. It clings to every little bit of the happiness that this potentially-reciprocated crush brings like a security blanket„ which brings on a whole cavalcade of emotions,
Burt notices. "Everything alright, kiddo?"
Kurt swallowed hard, calculating some explanation for his father. A hard test. A difficult teacher. Anything but the truth.
The words come out before Kurt can even stop himself. "Yeah, it's just. There's… this guy… who I like."
For a second, Kurt sees his father's fists clench up, as if preparing for a fight. "Is it that Blaine guy you keep talking about?" Kurt nods. "Have you told him that?"
"We're just friends, Dad." He leaves I wish we could be more than thatto his inner monologue. "I don't want to screw that up."
Burt nods along, but he still has a slightly perplexed look on his face. "Look, kid, you know, sometimes you just gotta take a chance. Hell, when I met your mom, I was so nervous to ask her out that afterwards, I practically threw up. But look where that took us. Yeah, it's frightening and yeah, he may not feel the same way, but I gotta tell you – from what I hear from you, I'd say he just might feel the same way."
Kurt lets his dad's words seep into his skin. He hopes they're right.