"The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug." - Mark Twain

Chapter Nine: Acafellas – Part Two

Kurt examined the price tag on a scarf. Mercedes tapped his shoulder. H turned to see her holding up two shirts.

"What do you think, Magenta or Dark Green?" Kurt took the shirts and held them each up to Mercedes in turn, squinting at her through one eye. His gaze shifted to something behind her.

"You should defiantly go with the magenta, but," He marched past her to a rack of headbands, "you should wear this with it." He held up a broad cloth headband the same shade of green as the shirt he'd advised against. Mercedes quirked an eyebrow at him. Kurt sighed and grabbing hand dragged her over to the mirror he held up the shirt and slipped the head band on. "See, the magenta is bold, the green is understated and with the right pants…" He cast around for the appropriate item but Mercedes beat him to it.

"What about these?" She held up a pair of low-cut overalls. Kurt looked at them like they were the Messiah.

"Oh my god those are perfect." Mercedes smiled as he cooed over the ensemble.

"Kurt?"

"Mm-hm." She bit her lip.

"Do you know some half-Filipino guy named Blaine?" Kurt tensed. Blaine… that did sound familiar…

"Maybe…"

Sorta older but on the shorter side, dark hair slicked back with gel, well-dressed, eyebrows shaped like triangles…" Oh… the guy who'd stood up for him the first day of school and helped him out of the dumpster last week."

"I may have spoken to him a couple of times, why?"

"Oh I was just talking to him earlier today and he mentioned you." Kurt frowned. He mentioned me? Why? We've exchanged maybe, ten sentences? Why would he be talking about me?

"What did he say?" Mercedes leaned against the nearest rack.

"Not much. He seemed to think you were pretty cool." Whoa someone thought he was cool? A guy thought he was cool? That was new.

"I-I don't know why that would be. We've barely said a word to each other and the times we have involved a bunch of jocks chucking me into a dumpster shortly before or after."

"Well, he seemed like a pretty cool guy too. Maybe we could get him to join Glee. God knows we need new members." Kurt fiddled with a button on his shirt. Something about this Blaine guy was a little bit… off. He seemed friendly and all, but there was… something. He couldn't place it. Part of Kurt wanted to go find him this instant, and drag him back to his house, and watch silly romantic comedies with him. Or maybe movie-musicals. Part of him wanted to drag this Blaine to Breadstix or a coffee shop and just listen to him talk. That part of Kurt scared the rest of him. It made the rest of him never want to see Blaine ever again. There was only one thing that sorted out his thoughts when he felt confused and torn like this, so he excused himself and made his way to the bathroom. Locking himself in the nearest empty stall Kurt pulled out his phone and flipped through it to a photo of Finn he'd taken during Glee rehearsal. Kurt closed the toilet seat and sat down on it. Pulling his knees up to his chest he curled around the glowing image. Blaine seemed nice and all, but Finn? Finn was his crush. Finn was tall and strong and a pretty decent singer. He could be sweet and, as he'd shown when Mr. Schuester left, he could be a good leader when he wanted to. He was the guy who'd stuck up for Kurt when Puck slammed him into lockers, and took his more expensive accessories when Puck tossed him in dumpsters. He hadn't even been involved in the lawn-furniture-roof-nailing. There was still a niggle in the back of his head reminding him that Blaine had stuck up for him too, and caught him when he'd been tossed. And he'd helped him out when the jocks had gone away, and had never participated in any bullying activities as far as Kurt could tell. But Kurt ignored the niggle and concentrated on the most important thing. When he looked at Blaine he felt something slightly warm and fuzzy. When Blaine had caught him he'd felt incredibly… safe. But when he looked at Finn there were butterflies in his stomach, and he became rather breathless, and his chest hurt so much he thought his heart would burst. When he looked at Finn he felt everything. And when he looked at Blaine he only felt vaguely nice. Kurt pocketed his phone and exited the bathroom. His mind was made up. He loved Finn Hudson, and nothing could really change that.


Hmm, Blaine has his work cut out for him.