Author's note:
Warnings: Rated M
Disclaimer: I do not own Glee or the songs in this chapter
On Saturday morning, Matthew was trying to hold his nerves in check. With only five minutes to go before Justin was due to pick him up, he stuck his head round the lounge door to talk to Jeff, who was sat on the couch waiting for Kurt.
"I forgot to say you should just sign in the visitors register as a guest of my student - his name is Nicholas Duval."
Jeff nodded and added those details to his phone so he wouldn't forget. He didn't want to let his uncle down since he had been so kind to him.
The doorbell rang and he heard Matthew greet Justin. He hopped up from the couch to say goodbye. Just as the two men were walking side by side down the driveway, Jeff called out.
"Uncle Matt? I forgot to ask, how old is Nicholas? 11 or 12 I'm guessing?" I wonder what song we should do to keep him interested. I know where Uncle Matt has got to with him, but it might be nice to do something a little different to keep his interest.
Matthew turned back to shout, "No, he's a senior like you. 17 I think. Have fun!" He couldn't help the smile appearing, before he turned to get into Justin's car.
Jeff gulped. O-okay. He thought, suddenly panicked. Crap, I hope he's not homophobic. But Uncle Matt wouldn't put me in an awkward situation, would he?
He realised he was still standing frozen at the open front door even though Justin's car had disappeared a few minutes ago. He backed into the house, shutting the door as he frantically tried to think of a revised lesson plan that would keep a 17 year old interested and occupied, so he didn't get yet another beating for being gay.
He was no further forward by the time they were half way to Dalton in Kurt's Navigator. His brunet friend was trying to help, thinking of songs too. "What about John Mayer, Edge of Desire?" He offered, thoughtfully. This was at least suggestion number seven by now.
Jeff nodded slowly. "Yeah. That's a good one. Thanks!" He shuffled around in his backpack, locating his ipod before starting to play that song. After a few bars, both boys were nodding. "Yes, that'll do nicely. Okay, I think we're here, let's find somewhere to park where you can wait for me. Sorry about this, Kurt. Are you sure you don't mind?"
Kurt smiled. "It's no problem. It's a nice day and I've brought a blanket to sit on while I do some reading for English class. Don't worry about me."
A few minutes later, Jeff had signed in and was making his way to the practice rooms, by aide of the map which his uncle had drawn for him. He had his bass slung over his shoulder in it's travel case and carried his backpack with music in it. He knew the practice room had an amp he could use.
The closer he got, the louder the sound of music playing somewhere near became. As he carried on heading to where he needed to be, he realised that the sound was coming from behind a large set of wooden double doors, along the same corridor he was walking along.
He paused, since he was about twenty minutes early, listening at the door. Someone was singing. He didn't dare open them enough to see who was singing, but the boy's voice floating through the gap was wonderful.
He tried to place the song, smiling when he realised it was Coldplay's The Scientist.
Come up to meet you, tell you I'm sorry
You don't know how lovely you are
I had to find you, tell you I need you
Tell you I set you apart
Tell me your secrets and ask me your questions
Oh, let's go back to the start
Running in circles, coming up tails
Heads on a science apart
Nobody said it was easy
It's such a shame for us to part
Nobody said it was easy
No one ever said it would be this hard
Oh, take me back to the start
I was just guessing at numbers and figures
Pulling the puzzles apart
Questions of science, science and progress
Do not speak as loud as my heart
But tell me you love me, come back and haunt me
Oh and I rush to the start
Running in circles, chasing our tails
Coming back as we are
Nobody said it was easy
Oh, it's such a shame for us to part
Nobody said it was easy
No one ever said it would be so hard
I'm going back to the start
As the song came to an end, he hastily carried on along the corridor, not wanting to seem creepy for listening. Whoever he is, his voice is amazing. Jeff thought.
Jeff found the smaller room he was looking for and quickly set up his music stand and music, repositioned the chair and plugged in his bass.
He checked it was tuned quickly, since going in and out of buildings of different temperatures always affected it, making the neck bend slightly, before he began with a few warm up grooves.
After that, he started playing the chords for Edge of Desire. He hummed quietly along at first, then sang softly, then a little louder. Soon he had relaxed completely and was basically performing the song. He didn't realise it was time for his student's lesson.
So young and full of running
Tell me where has that taken me?
Just a great figure eight or a tiny infinity?
Love is really nothing
But a dream that keeps waking me
For all of my trying, we still end up dying
How can it be?
Don't say a word, just come over and lie here with me
'Cause I'm just about to set fire to everything I see
I want you so bad, I'll go back on the things I believe
There I just said it, I'm scared you'll forget about me
So young and full of running
All the way to the edge of desire
Steady my breathing, silently screaming
I have to have you now
Wired and I'm tired
Think I'll sleep in my clothes on the floor
Or maybe this mattress will spin on its axis
And find me on yours
Don't say a word, just come over and lie here with me
'Cause I'm just about to set fire to everything I see
I want you so bad I'll go back on the things I believe
There I just said it, I'm scared you'll forget about me
Don't say a word, just come over and lie here with me
'Cause I'm just about to set fire to everything I see
I want you so bad I'll go back on the things I believe
There I just said it, I'm scared you'll forget about me
Nick finsihed singing in Warbler Hall. He had gotten carried away singing while the hall was empty, and he had only just realised that he was five minutes late for his lesson with Mr Sterling.
He quickly picked up his bass and jogged along to the practice room, smiling when he heard his teacher playing and singing. I guess great singing runs in their family! He thought. His voice sounds just like Jeff's.
He listened outside the door for a few moments, before he turned the handle quietly, not wanting to surprise Mr Sterling and make him stop. He wasn't prepared for what he saw next, though. Jeff. Gorgeous, blond, sexy, hot as hell, Jeff.
His brain tried to make sense of it. Jeff was in the room. The room that Nick was supposed to have a lesson in. Not Mr Sterling. Jeff was in Dalton. To teach him. Nick's head was swimming from confusion to attraction and back again. His feet had grown roots.
To put it bluntly, he was awestruck. Jeff's voice was sending shivers down his spine as he struggled to say anything coherent - or at all, for that matter. When Jeff finally stopped singing, Nick whispered, "Th-that...was... beautiful."
Jeff's head whirled around, since the voice had made him jump.
"Hi, you must be...it's you!" Jeff's fingers stilled and his eyes went wide. His "teacher" speech was forgotten as he realised in an instant who Nicholas Duval actually was.
He was the cute brunet boy who had smiled back at him at Scandals. The one he had made no secret about liking to the entire club.
Oh my god. Why was I so obvious? What if he is straight? Shit, I have to teach him. I'm supposed to know what I'm doing! Stop blushing! Wow, he's even better looking up close.
He started nervously flicking his fringe, trying to hide his blush as he tried not to stare at Nick. The Dalton boy was casually dressed in a deep green t-shirt, dark wash jeans and had a very sexy cap on his head.
Nick spoke up. "I'm Nick. Sorry, I didnt mean to make you jump, it's just I got carried away singing and I thought I was late for my lesson. I expected Mr Sterling."
Jeff giggled. Nick didn't think there could be a cuter sound in the entire universe.
"Yes, well that's me, technically. I'm his nephew, Jeff Sterling, any way. I hope you don't mind, he accidentally double-booked himself and asked if I would sub for him. I didn't want him to cancel the first date he's been on for ages." Stop rambling!
Nick was starting to smell a rat. He didn't think Thad's lesson had been rearranged. But if he was right, Mr Sterling was about to become his number one favourite person in the entire world. Well, second to the gorgeous boy in front of him, that is.
"No! Not at all! I saw you at the gig..." Jeff looked into his dark brown eyes, then away, blushing even more, "...and you were amazing. Your uncle actually told me about it, so Thad, Blaine, Seb and I came to watch." Nick forced his legs to work, finally going into the room and putting his things down.
It was now dawning on Jeff too, just exactly what his uncle had been up to. "Thanks! Wait, Uncle Matt told you about my gig?" Then he muttered under his breath. "I'm not sure whether to thank him or kill him."
Nick looked up from where he was unpacking his things for the lesson."Sorry, what was that?"
Jeff quickly recovered. "Uh, nothing. Er, we'd better start as my friend is waiting for me outside."
Nick wondered if Jeff's friend could possibly be Tall Tripping Guy. "Friend? Does he or she want to come inside? We have a great coffee machine in our common room."
Jeff hoped that if Kurt was more comfortable he wouldn't mind him overrunning a bit, to spend as much time with Nick as possible.
"He. Kurt. He was at the gig too, and he does love a good mocha. I'll go and fetch him."
Nick put his hand out without thinking, touching Jeff's arm gently to stay him. His fingers tingled as he held the soft fabric of Jeff's hoodie, saying, "No, wait, I'll text my friend Blaine. He can fetch him and keep him company. He's great at entertaining, he always knows just what to say."
Jeff nodded, eyes darting down to where Nick still held his sleeve.
Nicks eyes widened. "Oh, sorry." He quickly snatched his hand back and started typing out a text to Blaine to hide his embarrassment.
B, No time to explain. Jeff is my teacher today and HIS FRIEND KURT is in the parking lot. It might be the guy you like from the gig. Go fetch him for a coffee now PLEASE! N
He smirked at the immediate and unusually short reply.
On my way! B
Nick couldn't help smiling at the mental picture of Blaine frantically tearing out of their dorm room and downstairs to the parking lot.
"Okay, Blaine is going to get him now." Nick informed Jeff and the two boys fell silent.
They were each remembering the gig barely over a week ago. Jeff suddenly had a horrible train of thought. What if he only smiled at me because he already knew who I was and was just being polite? Think of something to say!
Jeff cleared his throat. "So, you said you were singing? Was that you I heard in that larger room down the hall just now?"
Nick smiled, nodding. "Yeah, it's good to have Warbler Hall all to myself for once, I couldn't resist!"
"I understand. You're very good!" Jeff got lost in Nick's eyes for a few seconds. "So, I thought we could try something a little different today, do you know Edge of Desire, by John Mayer?"
Nick nodded. "Yes, I love that song." Especially when you sing it.
For the next ten minutes, Jeff showed Nick the chord changes, desperately trying to ignore the warm tingles shooting up his arm when he had to touch Nick's fingers to help him with positioning. Together they started playing the groove over and over, before Jeff softly started to sing.
Once Nick had got the hang of playing the new song, he joined in with the second verse. Now it was Jeff's turn to be awestruck.
The soft velvety tones of this boy's voice were floating around the room, enveloping him in a musical hug. He really didn't want this lesson to end, to have to leave Nick. I've only just met him! He reminded himself. But somehow he felt incredibly comfortable with Nick, like they just fit together somehow.
Just as he thought about having to stop to go shopping with Kurt, his phone buzzed in his pocket.
Jeff! You'll never believe it, the guy you sent to fetch me is the curly haired one from Scandals! His name is Blaine. I'll see you in the common room after your lesson. No hurry! K x
Yeah, well guess who my student is? :) J x
Jeff and Nick carried on with the song for another twenty minutes before it was time to stop. "Well, I guess we should finish up here." The blond said reluctantly, unhooking his bass strap and unplugging it.
Nick looked up at Jeff, picking up on the disappointment in his voice and decided to go for it.
"Okay, well, now the lesson is over I guess you're not my teacher any more." He said mischievously.
Jeff looked at him expectantly. "I guess?"
"So it wouldn't be against school rules for me to ask you out?"
The shock registering on Jeff's face must have looked bad. "Oh! I'm sorry, you're not gay and I've just made a complete fool of myself..." Nick hastily mumbled, cheeks turning pink straight away. He turned away from Jeff, packing his things quickly.
Jeff caught Nick's upper arm to get his attention, "No! I mean, yes, I am gay! I had just convinced myself you weren't, that's all. I'd love to go out with you." He looked at Nick until he would return his gaze.
The brunet smiled broadly and exhaled in relief. "Great! I suppose we should go and find Blaine and Kurt, but give me your number first."
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