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In case anyone was curious, this will be updated every Wednesday until complete.
Thanks to Dolly, for being perfect, as usual.
Love Story Part 04: Mutual Discourse
Coffee in hand, Devon headed straight for a table near the far window, where a handful of teenagers were seated with shopping bags and coffee cups. Sebastian trailed after. So this was Kurt, the boy Devon had been blushing over. At least he had good taste in coffee.
"Kurt!" Devon said.
A boy, a willowy brunette who was so flaming gay he unironically wore a neckerchief, stood and hugged him.
"I didn't know you were coming to Lima today," said Kurt, in a high, breathy voice that did not fit at all with the image of "Kurt" Sebastian had built up in his head these past few weeks.
Really? This was Devon's type?
"Bas wanted coffee," Devon explained, and stepped back so he could introduce Sebastian. "Kurt, this is Sebastian. Bas, this is Kurt Hummel, Rachel Berry, Tina Cohen-Chang, and Mercedes Jones."
"Charmed," Sebastian said, easily.
"Wait," said Tina, her dark eyes going wide as she looked from Sebastian to Devon. "Is that Sebastian Smythe?"
"I'd heard he was going to school in Ohio, but he's here at the Lima Bean? With Blaine?" said Mercedes.
Rachel squeaked.
"He can hear everything you say," Devon said, his voice so mild that none of the girls probably realized he was teasing them.
"It's always nice to meet my fans," Sebastian said, smiling.
"Oh, we aren't fans," Kurt said, coldly.
Sebastian leaned back on his heels, raising one brow challengingly, and Tina gave a nervous chuckle.
"That would be an understatement," she said quickly. "I've loved you since 'Our Song' was released. I've been to all your concerts in Columbus."
Her attempt to play peacemaker worked. Rachel and Mercedes jumped in with questions and compliments, leaving Devon free to talk quietly with Kurt to one side.
Sebastian settled against the table and let the girls monopolize his attention. Several people around them in the cafe were whispering excitedly, and he noticed more than one flash go off as people took pictures. He had a feeling it was going to be a long afternoon.
"I can't believe I'm getting coffee with Sebastian Smythe," Mercedes marveled. "Can I get a picture?"
"Just don't post it until after I get out of here." Sebastian obliged, leaning across the small table so he could fit in the frame with the girl.
"I won't!" Mercedes said, wide eyed.
"How did you meet Blaine?" Tina asked, once Sebastian was upright.
"We're both at Dalton," Sebastian said. "It turns out that he's their go-to guy for student tours. Possibly because he's the only one in the school who actually knows about 19th century relief carving."
"Quiet, you," Devon said, and went right back to talking to Kurt like he had never interrupted himself.
Sebastian stuck his tongue out at the back of his friend's head. "He's not bad, even if he does use an entire bottle of product in the morning."
The girls giggled.
"So why are you here in Ohio?" Mercedes asked. "I mean, it seems like an odd place to go when you have a beachfront home in Malibu, a penthouse apartment in New York, and two more in Paris and Venice."
"I sold the place in New York!" Sebastian objected. "And I had almost forgotten about Venice. How did you know about Venice? Nevermind, I don't want to know." He laughed as Mercedes flushed. "I have family around here. When I decided to take a break and finish high school, it just made sense to take some time with my family, too."
Rachel, who had been mostly silent up until that point, finally burst out, "Can I meet your agent? Is she accepting new talent? I'm sorry, I'm Rachel Berry," and here she thrust out her hand for Sebastian to shake. "I'm going to be a famous Broadway star, and I wanted to know if you had any tips for an aspiring singer."
Sebastian blinked, detangling his hand from hers. "Advice? Well, don't give up. Everyone you meet will be against you. When they put you down, use it as fuel and rub it in their face." He considered for another moment, taking a bit of cookie off Rachel's plate even as she nodded enthusiastically. Mercedes and Tina looked slightly horrified. "Sing every chance you get. Sing at weddings, sing at bars, sing at karaoke night and at coffee shops. Sing when they boo you off stage, and get up there and sing the next day. Just sing." He hesitated, then added, "and if there's one person in your life who makes it brighter, and is always there for you, and is always on your side, don't lose them." He refrained from looking at Devon.
The three girls melted. "Are you talking about –" Mercedes started, but was cut off by Devon.
"Hey, I'm going to get Kurt and the girls refills. Do you want anything while I'm up there?"
"Food," Sebastian said, flatly. He stole another piece of Rachel's cookie off her plate.
Devon smiled. "Will do. See if you can get us some chairs, alright?" He threaded his way back to the front counter.
Sebastian turned his smile on the table beside them, and got two more chairs. He dragged them close to the table, between Tina and Kurt, tossed his coat onto one to save it for Devon, and tucked his long limbs into the other.
This time, Tina squeaked, turning bright fuscha now that she pressed against him shoulder to thigh in the crowded cafe.
"Hi again," Sebastian said to her, fighting back a smirk. She gulped.
"Hi," she said back, staring into his eyes. "Can I get a picture, too?"
Sebastian started to say yes, but was interrupted.
"Let's get one thing straight," Kurt said, his voice once again bitingly cold.
Sebastian turned from Tina to face the other boy.
"I know why you're here," Kurt continued, "And it's not going to work. Blaine isn't one of your Hollywood whores. He won't sleep with you because of cheap moves and bad music. Why don't you skedaddle back to your gold-plated bathrooms and leave Blaine alone."
Really, what did Devon see in him? He was not attractive, he sounded like a girl, and he was more judgmental that Sebastian. And Sebastian did not have gold plated bathrooms; that was just tacky.
"Well, as hot as Blaine must find your desire to control who he can and can't be friends with, I'm going to have to say no. I'm pretty sure you're just a prude projecting your own fears about sex and your inability to get fucked because you look like a thirteen year old girl onto someone who is sexy, successful, and definitely not a virgin."
Kurt went white, and then red, and Sebastian could almost see steam pouring out of his ears.
"Okay!" Rachel said. "I respect both of your opinions and approve of mutual discourse as a problem-solving method, but I think that if we don't talk about something else, this conversation is going to end up on the news tonight, and that is not how I want to get my first national television appearance."
Sebastian glanced around to see the people at the tables around them were quiet and staring at them. Most looked away when Sebastian met their eyes, but some, like the couple three tables over, were unashamed or even filming the entire scene. Sebastian waved to the camera.
Kurt flushed brighter. "I haven't said anything I don't stand by," he said defiantly.
"Are you talking about your obsession with Lady Gaga, again?" Devon asked, coming back with tray filled with drinks and food. He set the tray on the table and nodded his thanks to Sebastian, who had stood to help pass everything around the group.
"No," Mercedes said, once Sebastian and Devon were seated again. "We're talking about his obsession with Devon."
Sebastian, who had started attacking his sandwich as soon as Devon was settled, almost started choking. Devon's ears turned red.
"Devon?" Sebastian demanded.
"I firmly believe he's one of the greatest musical talents in our generation," Kurt said swiftly. "His lyrics are amazing, and his ability to combine jazz and Broadway standards with pop music is nothing less than genius."
"Well, we agree on something," Sebastian mused. This was hilarious. "Did you know he was such a fan?" he asked Devon.
Tina said, "As if anyone doesn't know about Kurt and Devon's legendary love affair."
"One day, we will meet, and he will realize we are soulmates," Kurt said.
"I'm sure," Devon said, sweetly.
Sebastian started laughing. Devon kicked his chair.
"What?" Mercedes demanded, insulted by Sebastian's mirth. "It's not like you've had any luck with the boy!"
"Actually, I was in his bed just a - Ow!" Sebastian rubbed his thigh where Devon had pinched it. "You are violent today," he muttered under his breath.
Devon said, "I think Devon just likes his privacy."
"I think someone at this table knows something he's not saying," Tina said, giving Sebastian a meaningful look.
Sebastian said, "Many things, most of which you're too young to know. Did you mean something in particular?"
"Devon is not dating Sebastian Smythe," Kurt growled.
Tina looked at Sebastian.
"Sorry, ladies," he said. "Devon would kill me if he knew I was gossiping about him. If he was really upset, he might go into an interview and say I hurt his feelings, and his legion of fangirls would find me and gut me."
Kurt said, "We can only ho -OwW! Rachel!"
At the same time, Devon turned to Sebastian and smiled brightly. "I'm sure your own legions would protect you."
"I can only hope," Sebastian said, gravely.
Kurt said, "Anyway, Blaine, Sugar couldn't come, something about her dad, so we have an extra ticket to so see Mama Mia at the community theater in an hour, if you want to come with us."
"Exciting," Sebastian muttered.
"Oh," Devon said, actually looking torn. "I'd love to, but Bas and I only have the one car, and I can't abandon him in Lima for that long."
"I can drive you back to Dalton tomorrow," Kurt said. "It's not a problem. We were going to have a girls night, anyway."
Sebastian gagged. "As banal and quaint as that sounds," he said, "Blaine and I have plans."
"We do?" Devon asked.
"We do," Sebastian confirmed. "Don't look so scared, Killer, it's not even a little illegal." Beside him, Tina started.
"Oh, well, in that case," Devon said dryly.
"It's the last weekend of the show," Kurt wheedled, glaring daggers at Sebastian.
"Is that for you, Popstar?" Mercedes interrupted.
The entire table turned in the direction she pointed.
A veritable horde of cameramen were in the parking lot, peering through the windows to see in side. Some of them were gesticulating wildly, others were snapping photos with long lenses. Sebastian turned away.
"Wow," Tina said.
"Photographers!" Rachel squealed. "How's my hair?"
"Well, we weren't exactly being subtle." Devon chewed on his lower lip. "Bas? Do you want to sneak out the kitchen or go straight through them."
If he had been out with anyone but Average High School Student Blaine Anderson, Sebastian would have gone straight through the paparazzi. He probably would have (badly) answered a few questions, too, and ended up with Anita calling to dress him down when the story aired. Devon always had been a good influence.
Except for that time they crashed into the parking meter.
"Want to make a break for it out the back?" he asked Devon.
"Or you could go alone, and Blaine could come with us," Kurt challenged.
That - he had not considered that. Would Devon consider that?
"Let me be the one to talk to the girl behind the counter," Devon said, as though he had not heard a work Kurt said. "Come on, Bas, let's see if you can outrun the crazed mob."
"Blaine," Kurt objected.
Devon's face softened, looking down at Kurt. His eyes were large and made promises Kurt did not seem capable of recognizing, much less reciprocating.
"We'll see something on Broadway over break," Devon said. "Christmas isn't that far away."
"Come on, Killer," Sebastian said, helping Devon into his coat, and, conveniently, drawing him away from Kurt. "Go convince the manager to help us sneak out."
"Be prepared to sign something," Devon warned, as he headed for the counter.
"You really want to make him go through that?" Kurt demanded, gesturing wildly at the papparazzi.
Sebastian paused in pulling on his own coat."I don't make D-Blaine do anything. He's old enough to make his own choices." He finished buttoning and turned and followed Devon up to the counter, to help charm the manager and escape.
"So, was the coffee worth it?" Devon asked, once they were in the car and on the thruway, with no sign of pursuit.
Sebastian, who had relinquished the keys to Devon, snorted disparagingly. "I've had better."
Devon gave him a look.
"But not in Ohio," he admitted. "Do you think we could get them to deliver?"
Devon laughed. "To Dalton?"
"Maybe I should get Anita to send me a PA," Sebastian mused. Devon continued laughing quietly beside him. Sebastian said, "Are you okay with not going with your girlfriend?"
"Sebastian," Devon sighed. "Don't make comments like that. And he's just my friend."
"All right, all right. It's just the voice and girl's sweater honestly confused me," Sebastian professed. "And it's not for lack of trying on your part," Sebastian said, a little too harshly. "You are really obvious, and he's an idiot. And his hair is practically in another time zone."
"I like his hair!" Devon argued. "It's so manageable."
"Hey. Don't knock the curls."
"It would just be nice to have hair that didn't turn into a fluffy ball of static as soon as there was a little humidity."
"Hey," Sebastian said again, "Don't knock the curls."
Devon smiled. "So where are we going?"
"Columbus," Sebastian said. He had been expecting the question ever since he had told Devon they had plans. He could have dragged Devon out for dancing, or to an actually decent show, or even just spent the night marathoning Marvel movies. Instead, he said, "My father's house. I want to see Marina."
I want you to meet Marina, just in case. Devon probably knew what he was not saying.
Sebastian slouched down and stared out the window. Devon reached out and grabbed his hand.
"Does she like ice cream?" he asked brightly. "There's this great little dairy on the way that makes their own flavors. Maybe we could pick some up?"
"No need," said Sebastian. "You're more than enough."
End Part 04
Uploaded 10/16/2013
Next Week: Sebastian had always sort of meant for Blaine to meet Marina. Now was as good a time as any, right?
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