Continuing where we left off in chapter 5 …
Lyrics: Perfect – Maren Ord
Chapter 7 More revelations, less clarity
Kurt doesn't wait around for Sebastian to make his return and continue with his insults.
With his quick and sharp tongue, he undoubtedly has a lot more in his repertoire than just calling him a girl.
Sure, Kurt hates himself for doing it, taking the easy way out. But he knows that if he'd stayed he would have ended up having a freak out, maybe even started crying, right in front of Sebastian. And he couldn't have that. So instead Kurt chooses to escape the situation, by storming from the room.
And naturally, he runs right into Blaine.
"Oh, hey there, I was just coming to get you." The dark haired boy laughs, feeling completely at ease, not the least bit perturbed. He carefully reaches out, helping Kurt to steady himself. "Great minds think alike, I guess."
"Yeah." Kurt huffs out a laugh, meeting Blaine's eyes. A big mistake as it turns out. The bright smile on the other boy's face vanishes, a deep frown taking its place.
"What's wrong?" Blaine demands.
A part of Kurt wants to come clean, tell him that his roommate managed to piss him off within seconds of their first meeting. But the other part, the one that isn't willing to admit complete defeat just yet, is winning out.
"Nothing." He deflects.
"Are you sure?" Blaine presses, clearly not convinced.
"Yes. I'm fine." Kurt assures him, putting on his best fake smile.
"Okay." Blaine replies. He still doesn't look like he believes him, but thankfully he doesn't push the issue either. "Are you ready to meet my friends and try out Dalton's cuisine?"
"Yes." Kurt states wholeheartedly. "Yes, I am."
The dining hall is just as remarkable as the rest of the building.
Well, the part Kurt has seen so far. But then again, he doubts there is even one room in the entire building which isn't bright, clean and equipped with great furniture, right down to the broom closets. If there are any.
There are no plastic tables in here, but wooden ones, each of them large enough for eight people. And the chairs have cushions. Only half of them are occupied, though. Apparently, Kurt hasn't been far off from the truth when he told his dad that people have been hiding.
Blaine leads him right to the food distribution area, which, predictably, looks nothing like the one at McKinley's cafeteria. No, it looks more like a buffet, one you usually only find in a five star hotel.
There are numerous dishes on hotplates, containing various types of meat and fish, as well as a nice choice of potatoes, rice, noodles, vegetables and other fixings. There are also bowls of salad, big plates with cold sandwiches and large assortment of deserts from pudding to pastries. There is even a cheese plate. And the center piece is an enormous basket of fruits.
Naturally, the appetizing smell of all the food laid out in front of him makes Kurt's mouth water and his stomach growl. Loudly.
"Great, isn't it?" Blaine comments with a laugh. "All the food is freshly made. We even grow most of the vegetables on the premises. I can show you the garden later, if you like …"
"Blaine, slow down. It's just my first day. And I'm kinda overwhelmed already. And I'm starving."
"Right, sorry." The dark haired boy blushes.
"No worries, I know you mean well." Kurt pats Blaine's hand, quickly withdrawing his hand when he realizes what he's doing. In order to downplay his mistake and hide his embarrassment Kurt goes and picks up an empty tray. Blaine slowly follows suit. Kurt can sense his eyes on him, but thankfully Blaine refrains from making a comment.
"So, what would you recommend?" Kurt asks, taking a closer look and the occasional whiff.
"Well, that depends. Are you vegetarian? Or a vegan? Or do you prefer meat?" Blaine inquires.
"I'm not picky. I eat pretty much everything," Kurt informs him, quickly amending, "as long as it's healthy."
"Well, I'd recommend the meatloaf. It's better than my gram's. And that's saying something. She is a great cook. But if you are into healthy stuff, you should try the salmon …"
"Maybe I can be of help?" A voice interrupts. Somewhat reluctantly Kurt tears his eyes away from the salmon dish Blaine just pointed out, and looks up. It only takes him a second to recognize the spiky haired guy from this morning, the one who took his suitcases up to his room.
"Oh, it's you." Kurt acknowledges.
"Nice to see you again, Kurt." He smiles. "I'm Lucas. But you can call me Cas."
"Alright, Cas." Kurt acknowledges with a smile, wondering why the young man chose that particular short version of his name instead of 'Luke'. But what's even more interesting is his new attire. This morning he was wearing a suit, sort of like a valet does, and now he is wearing an apron and a chef's cap. "What are you doing here?"
"Brownie," Cas offers with a shrug.
"No, thank you." Kurt declines with a frown. What kind of answer is that? "I'm not in the mood for something sweet."
Cas' smile returns. And next to him Blaine sniggers.
"What?" Kurt huffs. He looks from one fae to the other, silently demanding an explanation. It's Blaine who provides it.
"He wasn't offering you a piece of chocolate cake. Brownie is his genus."
"Oh, I didn't know that." Kurt ducks his head in embarrassment, feeling utterly stupid. But who could fault him for making such an easy mistake? It's not like Eli provided him with a Fae almanac. With an apologetic smile he looks up again, addressing the Fae whose genus is the same as his dad's favorite dessert. "Sorry, Cas, I didn't mean to offend you …"
"No offence taken." Cas stops him with a wave of his hand. "It's refreshing to meet someone who doesn't know who we are."
"Why?" Kurt frowns.
"Well, it's simple. We are natural caretakers. We like to keep things clean and organized. But because of that a lot of people take us for granted, thinking we are nothing but servants." A shadow crosses over the young man's face, contorting it. For a split second it looks like a mask is pulled away, revealing the true form of the Brownie. And it isn't beautiful. Quite the contrary. It's butt ugly, terrifying even. Sunken cheeks, blank eyes, crooked nose, sharp teeth. But it's gone as quickly as it appeared, leaving Kurt wondering if he'd just imagined it.
"That's terrible." He utters.
"That's life," Cas replies with a shrug, clearly playing it down. Obviously he is in a similar position as Kurt used to be at McKinley. Facing prejudices on a daily basis, but unable to do anything about it. Kurt feels sorry for him. He wants offer his help, but he doesn't know how. There are still so many things he doesn't know. Maybe things are working differently in Fae world. Maybe there is some kind of pecking order, Eli neglected telling him about. But even if that's the case, Kurt vows to himself, to always treat Cas or any other Brownie with the respect they deserve.
"But moping isn't an attractive attribute in a man, don't you think?" Cas remarks, sparing Kurt a significant look. He has a valid point. Wearing a constant frown isn't a good look, on anybody. And who wants to get wrinkles prematurely? Certainly not Kurt. And Cas seems to agree, dropping his gloom expression and putting his bright smile back on. "And anyway, that's not why you are here. As you can see we are great cooks. So, what shall it be?"
"Um, I think I'll try the salmon with some rice and vegetables. And can I have a little salad with that?" Kurt asks, politely.
"Sure." Cas smiles, busying himself with putting together a plate. A large plate. But Kurt doesn't argue. After all he is famished. "Here you go."
"Thanks." Kurt says, taking the plate and setting it down on his tray.
"Are you sure you don't want something for dessert?"
"No thanks, not today." Kurt declines with a shake of his head.
"Very well," Cas nods, and then he turns to Blaine. "Let me guess? Meatloaf with roasted potatoes for you?"
"Sure," The dark haired boy agrees, somewhat curtly. With practiced hands Cas quickly puts another plate together. Blaine accepts it with a gracious thank-you, one that doesn't sound as true as Kurt's.
"Enjoy your meal."
"Thank you. I'm sure I will." Kurt says, waving his goodbye. "See you."
"Looking forward to it." The Brownie winks.
"Come on, we sit over there." Blaine says, leading Kurt away from the buffet. After a few steps he suddenly stops short, causing Kurt to do the same.
"Blaine? What is it? Did you forget something?"
"No." Blaine shakes his head, taking a quick look over his shoulder, before leaning in, whispering. "You have to be careful, Kurt. Sure, Brownies aren't exactly dangerous, but they can be quite vicious. If you ask them for a favor and they ask you for something in return, just give it to them. Believe me; you don't want to find out what happens if you cross them."
Blaine's words sound more like a simple advice. They sound like a warning, like he is speaking from personal experience. Kurt studies Blaine's face, but he cannot detect anything specific. Well, other than worry.
"I'll keep that in mind." Kurt grumbles, wondering what had happened between those two. Cas doesn't strike him as dangerous, and neither does Blaine. Either one of them is playing him, or both. Kurt's head starts to hurt. And then his stomach growls again.
"Let's go and sit before that beast starts to do more than just growling …" Blaine jokes, heading straight for a table a few feet away, where four sets of eyes are already fixated on them. Well, more precisely on him. Thankfully, Kurt can sense no hostility only curiosity. And something else he cannot quite put a finger on.
"Here goes nothing." He mumbles, following Blaine.
"Hey guys."
There is nothing left of his worry. Blaine is completely at ease now. But then again, that's how it should be, when you are among your friends, right? Blaine puts his tray down and takes a seat, motioning for Kurt to take the one next to him.
Before he gets the chance, Blaine takes charge of the introduction. Not that Kurt minds, but it's still a bit weird. After all, he is old enough to speak for himself.
"This is Kurt."
"Hey, Kurt."
"Hiya."
"Hello."
"Nice to meet you."
"Hi." Kurt responds, smiling shyly.
Sure, he can sense that he is welcome at the table but he still feels out of place. Like all them have something in common, and he is the odd man out. But maybe that's just his uneasiness talking. After all, he's not exactly used to such genuine kindness.
"And these are my friends." Blaine continues, introducing them one by one. "Wes, David, Thad and Trent."
Fortunately, Kurt is rather good with names. Okay if it had been more than four people, he might have had some trouble remembering who is who. But thankfully there are only four.
"Rough first day?" The one named Wes asked. Well more like assumed.
"Is it that obvious?"
"Well, you look a bit overwhelmed." The Asian guy observes with a knowing smile.
"I am." Kurt admits. "This is pretty much all new to me."
"It's only natural to be nervous. But we will help you adjust." Blaine promises, handing Kurt a set of cutlery.
"Thanks," Kurt replies. He puts the utensils to use right away, eagerly taking his first bite of the salmon. The fish is delicious, literally melting on his tongue. In fact, it's so good he can't help himself. He moans in appreciation. Loudly.
"You certainly seem to like the food." Trent remarks. There is a little hitch in his voice, and he is shifting in his seat, like he is somewhat uncomfortable. Looked at more closely, Trent seems to be a little different than the rest of his friends, less confident. He certainly doesn't have that same formidable aura the others are emanating, especially Blaine. Which makes the guy that much more likeable. Not that Kurt doesn't like Blaine, or any of the others, but Trent reminds him of himself. He feels like a kindred spirit, in the self-confidence department.
"I do." Kurt confirms, trying the rice and vegetables next. "This is very good."
"So, where did you transfer from?" Thad asks, moving on to the next logical step in the whole 'getting-to-know-each-other-process'.
"Until last Tuesday I went to McKinley in Lima."
"McKinley?" David perks up. "I know a guy who goes there. Matt Rutherford. Do you know him?"
"Yes, I do. He is in my Glee club. Well, he was. Or I was, since I left …" Kurt rambles, suddenly remembering how Matt had reacted the other day. "Does he know about you?"
"No." The black boy shakes his head, smiling. "We are not friends, just acquaintances. He is the son of one of my father's business partners. I met him at a function last spring. And since we were the only kids there, we got talking. I told him about Dalton, the abridged version of course, and he told me about his school and his Glee club. He is a nice guy ..."
"He is certainly nicer than most football players …" Kurt comments, dryly.
"Yeah, he told me about his teammates too. Not the kindest fellows."
"That's one way of putting it …" Kurt grumbles.
Thankfully, David seems to realize that Kurt isn't willing to talk more about his old school life, swiftly moving on to another subject. "So, who are you rooming with?"
"Sebastian Smythe."
"My condolences." David comments with a snarl, a sound that seems to carry around the table, from one boy to another. But it quiets down just as quickly.
"He is not that bad." Kurt shrugs, not sure what make him say that. He really has no reason to defend his roommate, not after he managed to insult him and his mother in the same breath. But somehow it feels wrong to condemn him. Maybe he just caught Sebastian on the wrong foot. Maybe he is a nice guy.
But maybe not.
Speaking of the devil … just then Kurt looks up and his eyes meet a pair of bright green across the room. There he is, sitting alone at the other end of the room. Sebastian's stare is intense, daring, and again Kurt is too weak to hold his ground. He quickly drops his gaze back to his plate, feeling his face heat up.
"Is something wrong?" Blaine asks.
"No." Kurt shakes his head, taking another bite.
"Hey, guys. Maybe we should let Kurt finish his lunch." Trent suggests. Kurt smiles at him in gratitude.
"Trent is right," Blaine agrees, "We can talk about that later … preferably somewhere else, away from all the prying eyes and ears."
Kurt covertly follows Blaine's gaze around the room. It's strange that he hasn't noticed it before. Pretty much everybody is looking at him, including the two boys who just joined Sebastian at his table.
It's more than strange actually. It's unsettling, but not because he isn't used to drawing attention. Back in McKinley he caused a stir pretty much on a daily basis, by wearing clothes that some people deemed too provocative, but he never managed to draw this kind of attention. No one here is judging him. Quite the opposite, they all look rather fascinated. Like he is a prized possession or something …
Weird.
Kurt wisely keeps his head down for the rest of the lunch, trying his best to ignore the stares aimed at him. He listens to Blaine and his friends talking about everyday things, chiming in every once in a while just to keep up appearances. And at the same time he keeps racking his brain, whether he just gained a bunch of groupies or just more problems.
Needless to say, he is more than happy when they finally finish their lunch and leave the dining hall.
The food is great, no doubt about that, but being watched like a zoo animal is not.
"Welcome to our den." David announces, pushing open the double door.
"This is actually one of our common rooms." Blaine corrects him, with what sounds like a warning growl. Kurt looks at him in question. But Blaine just smiles and hurries to elaborate. "We just requisitioned this one for our glee club meetings. So, don't be surprised if you find other people hanging around in here."
"Yeah, like Smythe." Thad grumbles, dropping onto one of the three couches, all of which are arranged around a large coffee table. There are a few chairs standing around, too, as well as two comfy looking armchairs.
"He isn't part of your Glee club?" Kurt asks, more out of curiosity than worry. Singing always makes him feel free, help him unwind. Why shouldn't it have the same effect on his grumpy roommate?
"Hardly. He would never lower himself to our level." Blaine scoffs, sitting down next to Thad.
"It's a pity, though. He has a great voice." Trent points out, earning himself a growl from Blaine. Not for the first time Kurt wonders why Blaine dislikes Sebastian so much. But then again, the feeling is clearly mutual, considering how Sebastian reacted to Blaine's short visit of their room.
"It's true, though, he has a great voice." David concedes. Kurt can't tell if he really means it or if he just wants to save the situation from becoming even more awkward than it already is. "But never mind Sebastian. According to Matt, you also must have quite the talent. Care to show us?"
"Really? Now?"
"Why not? Unless you don't want to …" David trails off. It's obvious that he is curious, but at the same time he has the decency not to pressure Kurt into doing something he isn't comfortable with.
"It's okay," Kurt allows, walking over to the other side of the room, where a number of instruments are out on display. Without hesitation he picks up a guitar. "I don't mind."
"You can play?" Blaine sounds pleasantly surprised, if not a little impressed.
"I don't often get the chance, but yes I do." Kurt states, rather proudly. Sure, he isn't the best player, but he can hold his own. He pulls a chair around and takes a seat, getting comfortable. Then he lets his fingers dance over the strings. It's a beautiful instrument, perfectly tuned. With a shy smile he faces the boys, who lean back in their seats, waiting expectantly.
'Okay, here we go …'
Don't close your eyes
They may not open
What if they open
Would you be alive
His voice is a bit shaky. It's funny. This is the first time he is nervous about a performance even though he has nothing to lose.
Everyone falls
But not everyone rises
Why don't you get up
And rise again for me
Kurt cannot make sense of the blank looks on the guys' faces. Is he that bad? Feeling a little discouraged, he closes his eyes, loosing himself in the song.
What if the world were
A little more perfect
Would you stop crying or
Would you take the leap
What if the world
Were a little more perfect
Would you open your eyes
And blink again for me (for me, yeah, for me)
Kurt keeps his eyes closed, his voice getting softer with the next verses.
What about friendship
What about friends
You said the whole world
Was against you
And it all had to end
What about love
What about family
What about all that
You have to live for
Not seeing their faces actually helps. His voice gains more strength with the second chorus.
What if the world were
A little more perfect
Would you stop crying or
Would you take the leap
What if the world
Were a little more perfect
Would you open your eyes
And blink again for me (for me)
It isn't easy here without you
Why did you leave me
What am I supposed to do
(without you)
What if the world were
A little more perfect
Would you stop crying or
Would you take the leap
And what if the world
Were a little more perfect
Would you open your eyes
And what if the world were
A little more perfect
Would you stop crying or
Would you take the leap
And what if the world
Were a little more perfect
Would you open your eyes
And blink again for me (for me, for me)
Kurt ends the song on a soft note. He could have belted out the last note and it wouldn't have made a difference. The whole room is utterly silent.
Not a good sign.
Okay, so maybe this song wasn't the right choice. Maybe he should have sung something else, something less depressive, with a little more pep. Maybe some Katy Perry. But this song has been stuck in his mind for last few days. And he just needed to get it out.
Bracing himself, Kurt slowly reopens his eyes. What he expected to see were the same blank faces as before, maybe a frown or two, but not this. Five guys openly gaping at him, completely awestruck.
"Wow … that was beautiful." Thad declares.
"Your voice is like … magic." Trent breaths, looking like is going to pass out or something.
"No wonder, Matt kept bragging about his Glee club." David comments. "You are amazing."
"That just proves my suspicion. You must be a siren." Blaine states full conviction.
"A siren? I wish." Kurt snorts. He gets up and returns the guitar to its place.
"So what are you, if you don't mind me asking …?" David inquires, carefully.
Kurt turns around, heaving a sigh. Apparently, it's time for full disclosure. "I'm a succubus."
Again the entire room falls silent. Like before, after his performance, all eyes are on him. Five sets of golden eyes, to be exact. Well, that's not completely true. Blaine's eyes are a little different. They are orangey, somewhere between gold and red. And there is something else. A strong scent … a scent Kurt knows all too well.
It isn't him though, it's them. All of them, reeking of arousal. And he can tell it's directed at him.
Kurt swallows, hard. "So, I'm just going out on a limp here. You are all gay?"
"What?" Blaine laughs. "No, we are not. Well, I am. But what we all are is shape shifters, werewolves to be exact."
"Werewolves?" Kurt repeats, warily, taking a step back.
"You don't have to be afraid. We aren't dangerous." Blaine hurries to appease him.
"Unless you meet them under the full moon …" A snarky voice remarks.
And who might that be?
