Kurt watched with no small amount of irritation as Sebastian not-so-subtly flirted with Blaine and Blaine smiled back at him as his camera clicked away. Sebastian was made up and costumed as Dionysius, the Greek god of wine and ecstasy. Why did he always get the sexiest themes?
Kurt was Hermes, messenger to the gods.
"It's perfect," Sebastian had laughed when they were in hair and makeup. "When Blaine and I finally hook up, you can deliver sexy notes for us."
Brittany had been no help when he told her about it a few minutes ago.
"Just hook up with Blaine before he can. Do you need Cupid's arrow? Because I have it."
"I can't just...hook up," Kurt hissed, using air quotes. "First of all, I would be accused of cheating. And I could get Blaine in trouble. And I wouldn't want him to think I was just using him to win the competition. And most importantly, I won't be doing...that until I'm in love."
Brittany blinked at him. "So you're a unicorn who hasn't grown his horn."
He rolled his eyes and walked away.
He was distracted all through his shoot, especially since Blaine wasn't shooting him today. Instead Kurt got the new Model America featured guest photographer, a once a season unknown that Blaine shared a photoshoot day with to give them a leg up in the industry. As much as Kurt respected giving the underdog a chance, he couldn't help but feel the sting when it was announced that Blaine's latest pick, Tina Cohen-Chang, would be shooting him, Mike, and Marley, while Blaine would still shoot Sebastian, Brittany, and Bree.
It's nothing personal, he told himself again, missing another of Tina's instructions. He tried to focus, but his eyes kept drifting back to Blaine and the smirking meerkat, and soon he was shooting glares at Tina whenever she called his name in annoyance. His heart ached painfully as he watched Sebastian talk with Blaine, who was looking gorgoeouss as always in eousa dark red cardigan and striped shirt paired with tight, dark jeans and, Kurt noted with admiration, the latest Louboutins. He hated tbe idea of slimey Sebastian playing with Blaine's heart, and reassured himself that Blaine was a man of the worldhe who didn't have time for some nobody like Sebastian.
He frowned. Of course, he was also a nobody.
"Kurt! For the last time, you're Hermes, not Hades. Quit looking like such a downer!"
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
"Two beautiful models stand before me," recited Tamora, drumming her French manicured nails on the back of the photo she was holding, "but who will stay and who will go?"
Blaine watched Kurt and Bree standing in front of her, the bottom two. Bree was pouting, but Blaine was focused on Kurt, whose eyes were lowered. He looked totally miserable and Blaine's heart went out to him. It was Kurt's first time in the bottom two, Bree's third. Bree was no surprise, but Blaine couldn't understand what had gone wrong for Kurt this week. Kurt was usually one of the more low maintenance and cooperative models in the comoetition. It's why Blaine had put him, along with Mike and Marley, in Tina's group for the Greek god shoot, and took on the more challenging models himself. But Tina had reported Kurt was distracted and irritable, and his photo for evaluation did lack that usual Kurt factor that really made him pop. The judges had ripped him to shreds, and even Blaine had had to tell him he didn't look present. Kurt's cheeks had darkened and he had nodded his head silently, which was a point in his favor, since Bree had loudly protested when Ricky T said she had no neck and Tamora said she looked fake.
"Bree, you've had attitude problems throught this competition, but no one can deny you take a fierce picture. Kurt, you've been growing so much, but you seem to have hit a wall this week. Can you recover?"
Tamora paused for dramatic effect, prolonging their misery.
"Kurt, you are not staying."
Blaine sighed inwardly as a tear trickled down Kurt's cheek and Bree grinned.
"...and neither is Bree. No one is staying, because we're all going to Paris!" Tamora shouted.
Kurt looked up in shock, and Blaine couldn't help butsmile as Marley and Brittany shrieked and ran over to hug him. Bree jumped up and down and Mike gave everyone a hi five, but Sebastian wore a sour expression. Blaine was sure he was looking forward to Kurt going home.
As for Blaine, he was looking forward to Paris, and seeing Kurt pose in couture in the fashion captial of the worldth and have his breathtaking face framed by beautiful cityscapes, fountains, and immaculate parks. He was looking forward to Paris more than he should be.
As an assistant handed out champagne, Blaine met Kurt's eyes. He was taking a sip, and his blue eyes flashed over the rim at Blaine, full of excitement. Blaine was getting really tired of being on his best behavior where Kurt was concerned, and he doubted being in the City of Love with him was going to make things any easier.