Title: Of Money and Love
Pairing:Kurt and Blaine
Rating: PG 13 (Possible PG18 in later chapters)
Status:WIP
Summary: AU. Kurt Hummel is a very proud person but there is a special circumstance where he has to shred that pride of his to pieces. When his dad and Carole used their honeymoon money to send him to Dalton Academy for Boys, he knew that he can't just idly, happily study there while his guilt is gnawing their way to his kidney. So he had decided to be a jack-of-all-trades. And Blaine knew just the way to help him get his money but with other intentions as well.
Chapter 3
Kurt stood in front of the mirror and adjusted the mockingjay pin on his fitting midnight blue, short-sleeved button up. He matched his shirt with a grey skinny jeans along with his signature boots. He tousled his hair a bit and smiled confidently. The clock's reflection in the mirror shows that Blaine will be knocking on his door in 20 minutes. The countertenor began to walk around his room wondering what he should expect on his first date with Blaine. He has so many unanswered questions crossing over his mind right now and it is really frustrating not knowing the answers. Kurt looked up, raised his hands above his head and shouted, "At least give me a damn hint!" Knock Knock The frustration was quickly replaced by anxiousness and embarrassment for shouting at the ceiling. He took a deep breath and one last check in the mirror before walking towards the door.
The smile on the Warbler's face dropped immediately after knowing who is standing outside his door."Please perish into the Black Hole."
"Geez, we would have thought that your mood will be at its highest peak before your FIRST date with Blainey," Wes wiggles his eyebrows.
"And here we are, trying to sooth your nerves before your FIRST date with Blaine and you asked us to dive into oblivion," Rick gave a very hurt look at Kurt.
Kurt looked at the Warblers standing by his doorway, "Nice try. What do you want?" He paused for a while and said, "Do you really think it is a date?"
David rolled his eyes, "This is why we are here! And yup, it's a date. Now let us in! We only have 15 minutes."
The three of them quickly shuffled into Kurt's room. Rick took out a notebook, David gently sat Kurt down by the bed and sat beside him, lastly, Wes pulled the desk chair in front of Kurt and sat on it.
"Ok, I know this question may seem sudden but why did you accept?" Wes looked seriously at the countertenor.
Kurt does not need google to translate what he meant. He looked at the three of them, trying to figure out what their purpose are but he decided to just go along with it. "At first, I didn't know why I said yes to Blaine's proposal. I guess...impulse? But now, I know that it's because I hope that he is trying to use a different way to approach me."
The three intruding Warblers looked puzzle, so Kurt explained, "I don't know if you realise but Blaine acts like my mentor sometimes. He tried his best to help me adjust to Dalton, catch up with my studies, making sure that I am never alone and helped me make new friends which is unfortunately you guys. Eventually, I became the best friend of this amazing person and it made me feel very special but honestly, as much as I love it...I am kind of hoping for more. I wish for more!" Kurt looked exasperated.
David nodded sympathetically, "But you are not getting any do you? Not to mention, you are busy with getting money to help your dad with the tuition fees that you have no time to flirt."
"I prefer the term bonding and hinting. Wait, how did you know I was trying to help my dad out?"
"I am not your friend for nothing you know. Wes figured it out too." David inclined his head at Wes' direction.
"Both of you are off my regretfully-friends-with list. Anyway, I think that Blaine does have slight feelings for me. I get that sometimes. So I hope that he is using this way to either confirm his feelings for me or he is trying to see if I like him. If anything goes wrong, he can just stick to the whole scheme and our friendship won't be affected. I might get hurt but I am willing to take what I can get."
The three Warblers smiled at each other. Wes turned to Rick, "Did you get all that?" Rick salutes, "It's all written down, sir!" "Splendid! Bye, Kurt!" The three of them got up and head to the door leaving the countertenor sitting by his bed.
"Wait, that's all? Why are you writing it down? What the hell are you guys planning?" Kurt grabbed David by his sleeve and gave him the bitch glare.
Before David could answer, Wes slammed the door with loud bang. "He is here! I saw him! We have to hide!" The gavel owner grabbed both of his accomplices and ran to the bathroom. And a few minutes later, Knock knock knock "Kurt? Are you ready?"
Said Warbler cursed under his breath and glared at his bathroom door, "Hold on, I' ll be there in a minute." The porcelain boy tried to open his bathroom door but it is locked. "Open the door this instant!" he whispered.
"Nope, go get your date Kurt. You don't want Blaine to wait. By the way, you look hawt!" someone replied from the other side of the door.
"Erm, Kurt? Is everything ok in there?"
"Yeah! I just can't find my...er...my scarf," Kurt turned his attention back to the intruders. "When I see you next time, you three owe me an explanation. If you survive what I am about to do to you first." Satisfy with the squeak behind the door, Kurt simply grabbed a scarf and opened the door.
Blaine was standing nervously right outside of Kurt's door. Their first date! Even if it is under pretense, Blaine is not going to complain. He has been waiting for this for a long time. He is going to find out if Kurt likes him. If things work out, he will make it up to Kurt and explain everything. The dapper gentleman knocked on the door three times. "Kurt? Are you ready?" He heard shoes shuffling faintly inside the room, "Hold on, I' ll be there in a minute." The gentleman smiled gently to himself. It is so typical of Kurt to take his time looking perfect. Blaine bet that Kurt must have taken half hour just to get dress. Suddenly, he heard noises like someone is trying to open a door that will not budge. "Erm, Kurt? Is everything ok in there?"
"Yeah! I just can't find my...er...my scarf," Kurt sounds breathless. A few minutes later, the door open and there he is, wearing a mockingjay pin on his midnight button up. Blaine's face brightened up with a smile. Kurt looks amazing, as always, especially with his slightly messy hair. Although he is not sure about the black and white striped scarf he is holding.
"You look amazing. Interesting choice of scarf by the way," Blaine said with a light hint of amusement.
Kurt looked at the scarf he is holding in his hand. His eyes doubled its size when he realised which scarf he took. He quickly recovered from his shock and gently tied the said accessory on his neck. "I like to challenge fashion."
Blaine bet on all his Katy Perry's CD collection that that is not the scarf Kurt is looking for. Yet, he finds it cute that his date is still going to rock his outfit with it. "Well then, shall we?" said the dapperman and held out his arm. The countertenor blushed and hooked his arm around Blaine's.
"I really like your mockingjay pin. Where did you get it?" Kurt realized that Blaine's hazel eyes are looking at him. 'Blaine must have caught me staring'! Kurt looked away and stared ahead, "I saw it in ebay and I knew I just have to get it." They just finished watching the movie, Lady and the Tramp, and were now walking to a family restaurant for dinner just a few blocks away from the movie theatre.
"We really annoyed the couple in front of us, didn't we?" Blaine put his hands in his pockets and laughed. During the movie, Kurt and Blaine recited dialogues to each other and sang along with the music part. The couple kept shushing them throughout the show. Despite that, Kurt thinks that it is really fun.
The pale-faced boy smiled and said, "Are you sure it's not because of your off-key singing?"
Blaine turned to Kurt and start walking backwards, "Just so you know, I was trying really hard not to laugh when I am singing Bella Notte. It happens. Besides, the couple's face when we start singing was hilarious!" Kurt can only shake his head at Blaine.
They finally reached the restaurant and Blaine held the door for Kurt. They sat at a quiet corner by the window and a waitress came to get their order. Both of them ordered meatball spaghetti and smiled knowingly at each other.
"Here, I wanted to give this to you." Blaine took out a neatly folded piece of paper and handed it to Kurt.
Kurt's heart sank when he saw what it is.
"It's our contract. I thought maybe you might have some question about it and so I prepared this. Took me a few hours but I think it covered everything." Blaine took a sip of water and waits for Kurt to finish reading the contract.
Kurt scanned through the contract briefly. His heart felt really heavy. He couldn't believe that Blaine will give him a contract. On the first date no less. Well, if what David said about this being a date is true. "It's great... So, do we calculate the amount at the end of each date?" Kurt stared blankly at the tenor.
"If you want to, it's fine by me. I think it is better that way since one of us might forget." Blaine replied obliviously to Kurt's monotonous question.
Feeling a bit heartbroken, Kurt smiled weakly at Blaine and carelessly put the contract into his pocket. 'I shouldn't be feeling heartbroken just because he gave me a contract. I did accept when he asked me to be his paid boyfriend. Maybe I am wrong, maybe Blaine just wants to help me as a friend so he created this whole stupid agreement. Not because he wants to know if I like him or confirm his own feelings for me.' The more Kurt thinks of this, the more depress he get.
"Hey, are you okay? Is it the contract? We can change or cancel it if that's what you want." Blaine looked worriedly at Kurt and put his hand on the countertenor's.
Kurt took his hand away and said calmly, "I am fine, Blaine. Thank you for your concern." 'He wants to cancel the agreement? Clearly this is so trivial to him that he can simply cancel it. So he really just wants to help me...God, I feel so stupid!' Thankfully, their food came to distract Kurt from his thoughts. Their meal was silent and awkward.
'Oh this is the night, it's a beautiful night,
And we call it bella note,
Look at the skies, they have stars in their eyes,
On this lovely bella note.'
Blaine stood up and sang in perfect key. "Blaine! What are you doing?!" the countertenor looked around the restaurant to find a few disdain stares and the waitress laughing at them. He is forced to scoot closer to the window as Blaine forced his way to sit beside Kurt.
'Side by side with your loved one,
You'll find enchantment here.
The night will weave its magic spell,
When the one you love is near!
Oh this is the night, and the heavens are right!
On this lovely bella notte!'
"Oh my god, Blaine! You did not just serenade me in the restaurant." Kurt is trying to cover his blushing face from the public.
Laughing at the porcelain Warbler, Blaine took his plate from the other side of the table and said, "Well, I just did. And you have to admit, it is in perfect key. This shows how awesome I am! Even the waitress agrees with me." The tenor gave a wink to the waitress who winks back. "Come on Kurt, look at me."
"No way! I don't know you. We are strangers who just so happens to sit beside each other." Kurt turned his whole body away from Blaine.
"Sigh, if you say so, I' ll just help myself with this delicious meatball." Blaine took Kurt's meatball and ate it. The porcelain boy witnessed the whole thing and scowled at Blaine, "You owe me a meatball."
Dinner went on as usual after Blaine belted out Bella Notte. Kurt managed to put aside his problems and enjoy Blaine's company. After dinner, Blaine held Kurt's hand on their way back to Blaine's car. Kurt can feel a tingling feeling in his hand. Without much thought, Kurt asked, "Why did you hold my hand?"
Blaine panicked. 'Because I wanted to hold your hand? The moment seems right? Your hand is soft and it feels good? Okay, that sounds so embarrassing.' "Well, I have to satisfy my client don't I?" Blaine gave Kurt a charming smile.
The pale-faced Warbler sighed and just focused on the tingly feeling in his hand.
"I have a wonderful time tonight." Kurt reluctantly let go of Blaine's hand to open his room door.
"Me too, and I promised. I will not steal food from you ever again." Blaine put his hands back into his pocket, ignoring the emptiness that only Kurt's hand can fill.
Both of them stood awkwardly outside of Kurt's room. Blaine wondered if he should give Kurt a hug or a peck on the cheeks. Unfortunately, Kurt can wait no longer and said good night to Blaine.
"Wait! Kurt..." Blaine took a step forward to stop Kurt from closing the door. The tenor hugged Kurt tightly, trying to convey his feeling to the countertenor.
Kurt felt happy that the tenor hugged him but then, he remembered about the contract and Blaine's response when he asked him why he held his hands. Kurt quickly pushed Blaine away and said, "It is the end of the date. According to the contract, 5 bucks every 10 minutes. We've been holding hands for half an hour. Plus the hug...it's 25 dollars." Then, the countertenor gave the now open-mouthed Blaine a small smile and then slammed the door in his face.