A/N: Because I love you guys so, so much, I've been working my butt off to write as much as I can during the half term as there's been no school or exams, which has paid off! I'm currently writing chapter fourteen so there'll be chapters up weekly pretty soon!
I've loved reading all of the reviews you amazing people have been writing and can't wait for you to read all of the other chapters and get your awesome feedback! (However, as this is a story there does need to be some semblance of order and that's where the update once a week thing comes in, sorry!).
I've got the whole story planned and only need to write it so don't be worried about whether or not it will be finished, I've got an epilogue planned already!
Also, if you guys want to try your hands at writing a new synopsis of this story go ahead! I think I want to change it but don't know what to put!
Okay, I'm going to shut up now. Enjoy the chapter!
Edit:
A/N: Sorry to the people who haven't been able to review, and for getting an extra email telling you this was updated! It's because I deleted the authors note and replaced it with this weeks chapter, sorry guys that ones my fault! I've fixed it now, so no worries! Review your little hearts away! Thank you to Sofia Michelle the best most beautiful reviewer ever for helping me realise the situation! I love you!
Okay, sorry! Read the chapter if you haven't yet read it!
A Game of Cat and Mouse
Previously on A Game of Cat and Mouse:
I need to stop doing this to myself, she thought, unwrapping the sheet from herself and pulling on shorts and a tank top, curling back under her cover and tried to get back to sleep. She could still smell Finn on her sheets.
Chapter Nine: Inside Man
Blaine looked at Kurt, watching him as he flitted around his office adding ornaments and colourful curtains that Blaine knew were in season – after all he was gay, while not a requirement nor the rule most gay men knew at least a little about fashion. Which just begged the question, how on earth did Kurt know about fashion? Sure straight guys work in fashion all the time, but still...
For that matter, what on earth was what happened a couple days ago, in forensics?
Kurt and Emma had been talking a mile a minute about Emma's wedding plans and if Blaine didn't know any better... Well.
Blaine took a deep breath, summoning his courage.
"Kurt," Blaine spoke up. "Are you-"
"Hush, Blaine," Kurt said, without even looking. "I'm going to transform your office whether you like it or not, there's nothing you can do to stop me."
Blaine looked at Kurt in slight amusement. "... Okay." He replied, settling back down in his chair.
He found it incredibly funny that Kurt just assumed what it was he was going to say, and that what he was going to say would be in protest at Kurt redesigning his office.
And that was the reason he wasn't going to follow through on his question. Not because he was scared about what the answer would be.
At least that's what Blaine told himself.
In fact it was a couple of hours later before Blaine had time to go back on that train of thought and explore it further. It was lunch time and Kurt had gone on ahead to queue up for food in the cafeteria, Blaine going in the opposite direction to pick Emma up.
Emma looked up, startled, when Blaine knocked on the door. "Hey Emma," he greeted and Emma smiled prettily.
"Oh, hi Blaine," she started peeling off the white plastic gloves she wore constantly at work. "Let me just pack up, I'll be with you in a moment."
Blaine waited patiently and in mere minutes they were off, walking down the corridors to the cafeteria, which was about a three minute walk away. They talked about random nonsense for a little bit before Blaine managed to find an opening in which to ask his question.
"Emma. About Kurt. Is he-?"
"Gay?" She looked at him, turning her head to the side minutely and then looked away again. The detective in Blaine instantly told him that it was one of the most obvious signs of avoiding a question when interrogating a suspect.
Except, Blaine reminded himself, Emma's not a suspect. Seriously, dude, this is messing with your head. This is not an investigation. Calm the fuck down.
Passing the men bathrooms into another corridor, just a minute or so away from the cafeteria, they carried on walking.
"It's not really my place to tell you, Blaine. You need to ask him if you want to know,"
Blaine's hope sunk a little, even as his curiosity rose.
Whilst he knew that Emma was a nice person, and respected peoples wishes, especially if that person was a friend, it was a little strange she didn't have anything else to say on the matter, and that she refused to tell Blaine – which was odd because she and Blaine were incredibly close.
Although, Blaine mused, it may be the inner counsellor in her, the confidential aspect of the job anyway. He did the mental equivalent of shaking his head in amused irritation. She would be so great as the grief counsellor for the NYPD. I know how much she hates the mess of forensics and she's a natural at getting people to open up and feel better. If only she'd admit it!
"I was afraid you were going to say that," he responded and Emma laughed at him, knowing full well that even if he'd expected her not to say anything he had still hoped.
They turned the corner, going on to talk about different things. Neither of them realised they'd been overheard by the man coming out of the bathroom moments after they'd passed it – which wasn't much of a surprise, being quiet was crucial to what he did for a living.
Kurt cursed, waiting for the voices of Emma and Blaine to fade as they got further away before carrying on down the corridor.
It seemed the detective was starting to piece things together.
When he got to the cafeteria and saw Emma at their normal table and Blaine in the line for food, he made a beeline for Blaine – albeit against his better judgement - joining him where he was in the line.
"Blaine." The employees behind Kurt muttered in annoyance as he walked past them, but considering who Blaine was they didn't push it. He was the head detective of one of the NYPD's most well known departments after all and well liked enough that holding a place in the line in the cafeteria for a friend didn't ruffle that many feathers.
"Oh! Hey Kurt!" Blaine shifted over to let Kurt stand next to him in the queue. "Where were you? I thought you were trying to get here early?" They queue inched forwards and they did the same.
"Oh, yeah. I was. But I also... kind of desperately needed the toilet," Kurt admitted, telling the truth but omitting that he had heard Blaine and Emma's conversation. Thankfully, as Kurt had dawdled a little on the way to the cafeteria, he'd been gone too long for Blaine to worry that he'd heard that he and Emma were essentially gossiping about him.
Blaine laughed. "Why didn't you just say that?" Kurt shrugged and they inched closer to the counter.
"I don't know, I guess I try to appear-"
"Immaculate? Not needing human functions to survive?" Kurt glanced over at Blaine and rolled his eyes as Blaine smiled, his dimples showing as he teased his friend.
"Shut up," he nudged Blaine with his elbow. "And no. I don't know. I guess." Kurt took a deep breath and in a jumble of words continued. "You see cop shows on the T.V and, because its a show, no one ever goes to the toilet-" Kurt's explanation, that was a little true – he'd been trying not to draw attention to himself- was drowned out by Blaine's laughter.
"Shut up," Kurt said again, but smiling despite himself, aware how ridiculous his reason sounded.
Blaine finally managed to stop laughing and shook his head in mock despair at Kurt.
"Kurt, you realise T.V isn't real life, right? I go to the toilet all the time." Kurt groaned as the detective's voice once again took on a teasing lilt. "Heck, I bet even Sue Sylvester goes to the toilet once in a while,"
Kurt snorted, despite his slight embarrassment. "More like once a year,"
"Once a decade," Blaine added and the grin on his face caused Kurt to start laughing, even as they approached the front counter and picked out their food.
"Once a century," They paid and turned to get cutlery before moving to join Emma at their table.
"One a millennia," Blaine raised an eyebrow in challenge, and Kurt tried to come up with a retort.
"Uh, once a light-year?" Blaine looked at him incredulously and Kurt sighed, the sound admitting his defeat for him.
Blaine grinned in triumph and Kurt shook his head a little in reluctant amusement. When Blaine won something he always perked up and Kurt couldn't help but picture a puppy who'd managed to earn a treat.
Then he remembered why he'd gone to Blaine in the queue, other than for food. He needed to talk to him, away from Emma who'd likely get confused if she over heard and ruin his plan completely.
Blaine selected a knife and fork for his food and they moved on, Kurt readied himself and blurted out his question.
"Hey Blaine, how'd you feel about going on a double date with me?"
Blaine looked over at him in shock. "With you?"
"Yeah! Me and Rachel." He pretended he didn't notice Blaine's eyebrows furrow in confusion. "We've been room mates for years, and I've" Kurt gulped, grateful he was such a good actor as he forced the next part of the lie through gritted teeth. "always had a crush on her. She finally agreed to go on a date with me, but only if it wasn't just us two alone. She thought it might be a bit awkward if it were."
Blaine's look of confusion hadn't vanished yet he somehow managed to come up with a response.
"I find that odd, I got the impression when we met," they both tried not to remember the night on the roof, both for different (but rather similar) reasons. "That she was rather outgoing and confident."
Kurt snorted."Oh, she is believe me," Catching Blaine's confusion he elaborated, lying smoothly.
"It's just that she's known me for so long... She thought the transition might be awkward. You know, from friend to," once again Kurt wined minutely, uncomfortable saying the word that he associated being with another man and not a woman, certainly not Rachel. "Boyfriend,"
"Huh. Well, uh, sure I guess," Blaine looked as uncomfortable as Kurt felt. "Oh, uh, I don't really have anyone-"
Kurt interrupted him, grateful and not wanting Blaine to find a way to duck out, but still wincing at the awkwardness of the situation.
It has to be done, he told himself, He's getting too close to making a connection, this is necessary.
"Oh, don't worry about that," he laughed, waving Blaine's worries away breezily, expertly weaving his web of lies and smooth talk together to convince the sceptical detective."I know someone who I think will be perfect for you," Blaine looked sceptical. "His name's Finn," he added, not helping with Blaine's look of distrust - but not increasing it either Kurt told himself, so that's a plus.
Kurt tried not to think on how awkward and surreal the situation was and instead asked once again, if Blaine would go.
"Uh, yeah. Like I said before, sure," Blaine's confusion seemed to be the reason for the easy acceptance and Kurt was glad. They'd unknowingly been standing in the middle of the cafeteria while they were talking. Just realising it, they noticed all the people shooting them annoyed looks as they walked around them to get a seat.
"Oh," Kurt said in realisation, allowing his hand to be grabbed by Blaine's and to be tugged along to their table, looking over his shoulder to call. "Sorry," behind him as they sank down in the chairs Emma, and Will (who must have turned up when they were talking), had saved for them.
Blaine's hand detached from his the moment they sat down, Kurt frowned as the heat it provided disappeared and only the aftershocks of his touch, running up his arm like sparks, remained.
The feeling triggered a memory and he breathed evenly, but slowly, in an attempt at ignoring it and ensuring there was no visible reaction from him.
-Blaine's hand wrapped around his as he pulled him into the elevator of his building, drunken kisses pressed to each others lips, necks, faces anywhere and everywhere they could reach, their joint hands leant above their heads on the side of the elevator, blood rushing down from their wrists to their shoulders. Sparks sprouting from every where their skin touched. The elevator pinging as they reached Blaine's floor, being tugged by Blaine into his apartment,the blood rushing back as their joint hands lowered -
He'd gotten pretty good at keeping his face blank and free from any reaction during the flashbacks, they'd been happening so often lately.
And he had no doubt that Blaine still had absolutely no idea that it was him he'd slept with, because Blaine had had at least as much to drink as he did and in his memories, even though he knew now that it was Blaine, the face of the man he'd had his drunken interlude with was still fuzzy because of all of the alcohol he'd consumed – although it had cleared a little and was more obviously Blaine now he knew the identity of the guy in his memories.
"What were you guys talking about over there?" Emma asked, her mouth full but her hand held in front of her mouth politely.
Blaine didn't look like he was about to tell them about the date any time soon, probably because he was still in slight shock, so Kurt answered for him.
"I was just explaining why you guys got here before me, and then somehow," he frowned slightly here, partly for show and partly because god, he and Blaine did have some weird conversations sometimes, didn't they? "We ended up speculating how often Sue Sylvester goes to the toilet." he shrugged, popping one of the grapes from the small pot he'd brought at the counter into his mouth, and bit lightly, the skin breaking and the liquid spilling into his mouth.
"What about you guys," Kurt carried on once his mouth was no longer full, "What were you two love birds up to over here, all on your lonesome?" The tone in his voice made the question teasing and Emma blushed while Will laughed.
"Nothing as interesting as your conversation," Kurt snorted. "We were talking about Emma's parents. They're her only family and we would love them to come to the wedding, but they're not very... nice," Kurt looked at Emma and Will in concern, opening the wrapper on his cheese salad baguette.
"Why? What are they like?"
That question incited a bit of a rant from Will, which got increasingly louder – not that you'd notice in the din of the cafeteria.
Despite they were now all adults some things never change - about how they were constantly demeaning Emma and trying to get Will to change his mind on marrying her.
"That's horrible," Kurt said, aghast. "Parents are meant to love their kids." He'd really lucked out with Carol and his dad. He knew they'd never do anything like that when he got married.
After that conversation kind of stalled and then Emma turned to Blaine, who wasn't really paying attention to them, in an attempt at starting another one up.
"Blaine, you've been very quiet," Emma noted, swallowing a bite of her daily PB&J sandwich. "Is anything the matter?"
Blaine seemed to shake himself, looking up from where he was simply staring at the cafeteria lasagne that he'd decided to take a risk on buying – cafeteria food was still terrible, that had also stayed the same since high school – and was sluggish in his reply.
"I don't know... Just thinking I guess." He shook his head again, "Sorry. Anyway, what was it you were saying about Mr and Mrs Pillsbury, Will? Maybe I can help, I am your best man after all,"
Emma and Will exchanged a look, while Kurt looked at Blaine in slight surprise. Blaine was Will's best man? They were closer friends than he thought.
"Thanks for the offer Blaine, but I think this is something Emma and I need to sort out for ourselves."
Blaine nodded, running his hand over his face, tired, and stood up, taking his food with him. Kurt stood too, looking at him in concern.
"Are you okay Blaine?"
Blaine nodded. "Yeah, just a bit of a headache that's all." He glanced over at Emma and Will who were looking on in interest. "Kurt, I think we can call it a day. We don't really have any leads on our current case and I really don't feel too hot right now."
Kurt nodded. "Of course. I'll text you the details once I've talked to Rachel and Finn, okay?"
"That sounds fine. See you tomorrow. Bye Will, Emma."
Will and Emma called a goodbye at Blaine's back and then went back to discussing wedding plans. Kurt stayed for a few more minutes before leaving too, heading home, grateful that he already had Rachel on board with the idea of a double date.
Or... so he thought.
"Rachel," Kurt whined, poking her on the shoulder. "You promised!"
Rachel, determined not to give in, pulled away and turned from him slightly.
"I don't care," she said. "I refuse to be in the same room as him,"
"But I need you-"
"Find someone else. Ask Santana,"
"Rachel, Santana has a life outside of New York you know. And I already kept her back longer than she planned when I asked her to go to the Ball with me-"
"I have a life too, Kurt! And I'm not doing it, so find some one else."
"...We'll discuss this again later," Rachel ignored the disgruntled expression on Kurt's face and reminded herself that she had helped him so many times in the past that she deserved one free pass.
Besides, she did have a boyfriend... Even if he wasn't around much. Even if the moment Finn had discovered she and Jesse were going out again and she got his reaction (provoking much satisfaction but she'd never admit that), her feelings towards Jesse had practically disappeared.
Despite all of that she stillhad a boyfriend.
She and Kurt turned back to carry on watching their favourite T.V show, a guilty pleasure of theirs.
Not many people liked Dr Sexy M.D but the two friends did, even if they didn't take it all that seriously.
Dr Sexy had just been slapped by one of his many love interests on the show and Kurt hissed in sympathy, it had sounded painful. Rachel tried to get back into the show.
She saw Kurt was wrapped up in the plot so she discreetly checked her cell phone, for the fifth time that evening. Nothing. Still nothing.
She sighed quietly and locked the screen.
She'd not heard from Jesse in days and he only ever seemed to be around when Kurt was, which annoyed both Kurt and herself extremely. She loved Kurt, of course she did, but she'd like to spend alone time with her boyfriend every once in a while, that wasn't really asking much in her opinion.
And Kurt was annoyed at Jesse being around whenever he was because he hated Jesse, even though he was putting up with him for Rachel's benefit, for which she was grateful, he still didn't trust him.
She turned to Kurt with another sigh.
"Kurt,"
All she got in response was a distracted grunt as Kurt was absorbed in watching Dr Sexy give a patient a much needed heart transplant. With an irritated sigh she pointed the T.V remote and muted the show.
He turned to her immediately.
"Hey!" he said in annoyance and she ignored it.
"Kurt, do you really need me to do this for you?"
Kurt looked at her, studying her as if it was a trick question, before sighing and slumping down even lower into the sofa, a feat in itself considering his back was practically flush with the seat of the sofa and his legs were bent at the knees (which he had his arms wrapped around).
He sat like that whenever watching Dr Sexy M.D, because despite how ludicrous the scenarios often were – c'mon, a heart transplant?- it was addictive and you were sucked in easily.
"Yes," he said bitterly, not a surprise considering how much Rachel knew that Kurt didn't like having to rely on people. "I already asked Blaine, considering you had said yes before you decided to diva your way out of it, and he said he'd come."
Rachel took in a deep breath. Yes, she'd agreed to do it before, but that was before she'd slept with Finn. Again. But, Kurt needed her. She'd swallow her pride for him.
"Alright," she said. "I'll do it,"
The speed of which Kurt sat up and the size of his grin was enough to know she'd said the right thing and he was no longer going to sulk.
"However," she continued. "I need you to do something for me."
Kurt frowned. "...Okay." he allowed. "What?"
"I need you to break into Jesse's apartment," Kurt's breath caught in his throat but Rachel didn't notice. "I think he's hiding something from me."
"What brought this on?" Kurt asked, raising an eyebrow and when Rachel answered it was bitterly.
"He only comes around when he knows you're going to be in the apartment. Besides, he's been acting really suspiciously and... I don't know, I think he might be using me,"she admitted and when Kurt wasn't surprised and didn't try to deny it she knew that he had known this already.
"Alright," she sighed. "What's this all about?"
Kurt hesitated but her glare prompted him to answer. "He has my prints," he said and she gaped.
"And" he continued. "if he hands them into the NYPD they'll admit them into evidence as the prints of Porcelain. And as they'll match mine, they'll know. Or at least they'll get suspicious."
"Which is why you didn't tell me," Rachel concluded and he nodded. "Do you have anything on him or is he keeping them as leverage?"
"Oh no, I've got something on him too. And the right motive and imagination in which to use it. He knows that. However, he has something that can be even more incriminating, and he knows that too. The only reason he's not acted on it yet is because of Puck and because he knows that if he does I'll have someone else leak out what I have to the paps."
"Then you need to steal them," she said and he nodded.
"I know,"
Rachel sighed, letting her head roll back to rest on the back of the sofa dramatically. "So, I guess he was just using me again. And like an idiot I bought it." Kurt winced in sympathy and rolled over from where he was sitting to rest his head on her shoulder.
"Sorry, hon." She sighed again.
"Oh well. At least I know this time." her eyes sparkled as something occurred to her. "And he doesn't know that I know,"
Kurt snorted. "I would hope not, else there's nothing stopping him giving the NYPD my prints."
"What should I do? Do you want me to... break up with him? Stay with him? What?"
Kurt groaned, "Oh, god, Rachel I don't know. Uh... Stay with him for now, I guess."
"Okay," Rachel reached once again for the remote and before pressing the button to turn the volume of the television back up said, "Tell me the details when you've arranged it with Blaine. And you can deal with Finn, I don't want to talk to him any more than I have to."
Another groan from Kurt and he started protesting immediately, the renewed sounds of Dr Sexy drowning him out.
The conversation with Finn went much the same way the one with Rachel did.
He protested.
"But Kurt, why do I have to pretend to be gay? You actually are gay why don't you date the dude?".
"... Shut up, Finn."
He tried to make deals.
"I'll, I don't know, I'll do your homework for a month?"
"Finn, we're not in school any more, I don't get homework for you to do."
And then he, eventually and very reluctantly, agreed to do it.
"You're sure Rachel agreed to this Kurt? I mean, I won't get in trouble or-"
"Yes, Finn. For the thousandth time, Rachel said its okay."
"Oh... Okay. Fine," a groan. "I'm going to live to regret this, aren't I?"
The next day Kurt arranged it with Blaine for them to go out that Friday night, the day his tracking bracelet came off, to the New York chain of Bread-sticks, which was marginally better than the Ohio chain.
All too soon it was the day of the date, the days coming up to it slightly awkward but going fast all the same.
It was coming up to the time of their reservation and Kurt had been standing in front of his bedroom mirror for about a half hour, fiddling with his tie, pulling at it and redoing it nervously. His fingers were brushed away by Rachel's and he sighed in relief, turning sideways so she could get at it.
"Thanks Rachel," he said, smiling at her weakly. Rachel nodded, eyes and face calm as she quickly and efficiently redid his tie for him.
"No problem, Kurt," she said, her face pure concentration as she looped and tugged at the fabric. "I used to do this for my dads all the time back in Lima." she finished up, hands going to his shoulders to smooth down the suits fabric. "Besides, I can tell that you're nervous." her eyes searched his face. "Are you okay, Kurt?"
He nodded, breathing out his nose gustily. "Yeah, I... I think so. It's just," he shook his head slightly. "Here I am, getting ready to go on a date with Blaine. But, you know, it's not the real thing. I'm going with you and he's going with Finn and I don't know." He admitted. "I guess I always thought that when I eventually went on a date with him it'd be the real deal." He looked at her insistently. "I know it's got to be this way, of course it does, it's the convincer."
(When on a con, the convincer is the moment in the con that convinces the mark that the con is legit and that they should trust you, the conner.)
"I've done this tons of times when I'm working a con. It's just... I've never had so much riding on it before." Kurt continued, swallowing slightly.
Rachel looked at him in sympathy, and pulled him to her in a careful hug, making sure not to wrinkle their clothes. "I understand Kurt," she pulled away to look at his face. "But, you know, you're not alone in this. Finn" her face tightened when she said his name but they both ignored it. "and I are here for you, we're going to be helping you out. We know its important."
Kurt smiled again, this time it was stronger. "I know, Rachel. Thanks. You two are the best inside men I could ask for," Rachel elbowed him lightly and they broke apart.
"I'm a woman, Kurt." she chided and he laughed, eyes regaining their spark despite the nerves still in them.
"Oh, sorry." he said, sarcastically. "You two are the best inside women I could ask for,"
This time when the laughter came it was from both of them, cutting short only when there was a knock on the door.
Kurt went to get it as Rachel yelped and raced off to track down her red heels.
Kurt smiled when he opened the door and saw Finn.
"Finn!"
They hugged each other. Kurt had found himself missing his step brother, they'd not seen each other since Christmas, only talking on the phone, and that was months ago.
"Hey Kurt!" Finn replied as they both pulled away. "Where's Rachel?". Kurt eyed him curiously.
Why do I get the impression that Finn's more nervous with the prospect of seeing Rachel again and not the date?
"She's gone to find her shoes." Kurt answered in amusement.
Finn nodded jerkily, eyes racing around the apartment and Kurt joined him out in the hall, closing the door behind him and calling behind to Rachel to tell her that they'd wait outside for her.
"Hey, are you okay?" He asked and Finn nodded again, just as robotic as it was before.
"Yeah, man. Just, you know. Nervous." Kurt snickered mentally. I bet you are, Rachel's very intimidating.
"Ah, about having to pretend that you're gay?" He asked, a little sarcastically and Finn nodded unconvincingly before shaking his head.
"Yeah, well, sort of."
"You know, you don't have to act any differently. Being gay doesn't change who you are, it just means you like people who are the same gender as you," Kurt coached. "Make sure you don't check out any of the waitresses and act like you're interested in what he's talking about and then you're set."
Finn nodded and Kurt could tell his words hadn't helped calm him at all. He stole himself and then asked, with trepidation. "Is this about Rachel?"
Finn's head snapped as he looked at him. "No," he denied weakly. "No... it's not... Just.. I don't want to talk about it,"
Kurt sighed, before giving in reluctantly. "Alright,".
They waited five minutes before Rachel finally graced them with her presence and said she was ready to go, ignoring Finn stiffly by directing anything she had to say to Kurt.
To his annoyance he saw Finn not speak up against being treated that way by Rachel, something that High School Finn would never have taken without a fight.
Something has happened between those two, Kurt thought, and then winced mentally. This is really not the best time for their drama.
As they made their way over to Bread-sticks, where they had told Blaine they would meet him, Kurt found himself hoping that even if Blaine still had suspicions about his sexuality, at the very least Rachel and Finn wouldn't embarrass him with their soap opera dramatics.
For what felt like the hundredth time Blaine cursed himself for agreeing to this date.
What the hell had he been thinking? Agreeing to go on a date with some random guy that Kurt had set him up with? Kurt who was going to be there on a date with Rachel? Did he like being tortured?
That must be it, Blaine thought to himself flatly as he stood outside Bread-sticks in the cold, I must be a masochist. I mean, first Jeremiah. Now Kurt. Fuck, he winced, running his hand through his hair in annoyance, I sure know how to pick 'em, don't I?
He was distracted from his inner monologue at the sight of Kurt, Rachel and a horrendously tall guy dressed in flannel, getting out of a cab.
Surveying the stranger, who he knew must be Finn, Blaine had to admit he wasn't bad looking. But, he thought, he's way too tall. I mean, even Kurt makes me look like a fucking hobbit and he's only a few inches taller than me.
And, he continued, still surveying Finn, he looks too macho for me. I bet he played football in high school. I hate football. I bet Kurt doesn't like it either.
And that was how the evening continued for Blaine.
Finn would say something to Blaine and Blaine would have to tear his eyes away from Kurt in order to reply because Kurt looked far too amazing in a tux - much like the one he had worn to the charity ball – for his own good.
Even though Kurt wore a suit most days at the station it still looked as good as it did the first time he'd seen him in one. This happened again and again throughout the evening and Blaine became more and more pissed off as the night wore on.
He was practically ignoring Finn in favour of staring at Kurt, who was snuggling with Rachel on the other side of the table. (Not that he thought Finn really cared, he was staring at them too.)
Just the sight of Kurt and Rachel holding hands as they whispered stuff into each others ears and fed each other pieces of their food because "You have to try it Kurt, it's amazing!"and "Rachel, this is like heaven on a fork, you've got to taste this!". So while Blaine remained calm, dapper and composed on the outside, on the inside he was cursing and calling Rachel and Kurt the foulest and rudest things he could come up with.
Who even does that? He thought sourly, This is a public place!
"You guys make the cutest couple," he commented because even if he hated it, fuck it all they did with their hand holding and cuddling and, god forbid, the ridiculous pet names.
(Kurt and Rachel actually had started a bet before going out that whoever managed to call the other the most ridiculous pet name and not get called out on it the other restocked their wine cabinet.)
After Blaine had made his comment Kurt's eyes flashed and Rachel looked amused for some reason he couldn't comprehend.
"Thanks," Kurt said and was that... sarcasm he detected?
But why would Kurt be-
"I don't know why I was so worried this would be weird," Rachel smoothly interjected, pulling Blaine from his train of thought.
Suddenly with a sour taste in his mouth Blaine missed the appreciative glance Kurt shot her as he reached for his beer and took a huge swig.
"And I guess it's not very surprising. I mean, we've been friends for so long, it's natural that our friendship went into this direction. It's the next logical step," Rachel continued, turning to Blaine. "Aren't I lucky, Blaine?" She shot a look at Kurt, who was making gestures for her to shut up, not that Blaine saw, he was too busy pretending that his meal was the most interesting thing he'd ever seen. "I mean, just look at him," Rachel carried on talking. "Super fit, funny, awesome singing voice-"
Blaine couldn't take it any more. Apparently neither could Finn.
"-Yeah, Rachel, we get it. You're extremely lucky,"
"-You'll be the envy of all the girls. Please excuse me, I need the toilet,"
"Me too, I'll go with you, Blaine,"
As the boys made their way to the rest-rooms Kurt turned to Rachel.
"What the hell was that?" Kurt hissed and Rachel turned suspiciously innocent, turning to her bowl and she dipped her spoon into her soup (tomato and basil).
"I have no idea what you're talking about," she said as she took a sip.
"Don't even try that Rachel Berry," Kurt growled in hushed tones so as not to draw attention. "I've got more dirt on you than anyone. Don't think I won't let your Taylor Swift phase slip to the paparazzi because I swear to god I will-"
"Gah, fine." Rachel huffed, putting her spoon down to lean back against her chair, cross her arms and raise her head in defiance. "You can't blame me for trying to be your wing man, Kurt."
Kurt opened his mouth to respond. "Not," Rachel added before he could speak. "That I need to. It's pretty obvious he has a thing for you,"
This time Kurt did manage to speak up. "No he does not!" he protested before pausing, looking at her with an odd expression on his face. A look torn between reluctant hope and disbelief. "You think?"
Rachel rolled her eyes in exasperation, reaching for her wine glass and taking a sip. Her silence said that it was pretty obvious.
Kurt waved it off. "It's probably just left over feelings from the one night stand," he said breezily. "Not to mention the confusion its probably produced. The constant changes in his stance on my sexuality that I've caused probably hasn't helped much either."
Rachel hit him on the shoulder and as Kurt let out a yelp in pain she chastised him. "Kurt, you're not stupid so please don't act like you are. He's been glowering at us all evening, all but ignoring Finn-"
"-Not that he noticed, he's only had eyes for you all night," Kurt interjected but Rachel resolutely ignored him, speaking louder to drown out his remark.
"-and his 'congratulations' sounded far to jealous to be genuine." she stared Kurt down, raising an eyebrow in expectation for his retaliation.
"... We've only known each other for two weeks-!" Kurt started and to his surprise and confusion Rachel burst out laughing. Wiping tears from her eyes to see Kurt looking at her like she'd lost her mind, she realised he had no idea what she found so funny.
"Kurt, you've known each other for five years!" Kurt's look of confusion turned into one of understanding.
"Yes but he doesn't know that I'm who he's known all that time," Kurt protested, "and these two weeks are the only time I've really been myself around him so-"
"- I'm fairly sure you've at least been attracted to him for four years and two hundred and forty five days of those five years." She interrupted him and Kurt smiled fondly in reluctance, reminiscing.
"Oh yeah." he said. "Our second meeting."
Four years and two hundred and forty five days ago:
When Kurt spotted the fresh faced detective across the dance floor, his face obscured with a mask covered in what (if Kurt wasn't mistaken) were Canary feathers, he could hardly believe his eyes.
Detective Anderson, he thought to himself, his eyes glittering under his own mask (Black Bird feathers). We meet again.
Their eyes met across the room and Kurt chuckled at the sight of the detective's eyes widening before his vision was obscured by dancers spinning around the dance floor. By the time the dancers had cleared Kurt had moved away from the part of the room, going out onto the balcony that opened out from the ball room.
Kurt was honestly incredibly surprised that Anderson was at this ball. It was a masquerade held for some stuffy rich persons birthday. The only reason Kurt had attended at all was because of the rare Picasso in their gallery (already missing from its space on the wall and being secreted out of the building via one of the caterers who owed him a favour).
He wasn't surprised when he heard someone approaching from behind and therefore didn't react when the detective spoke.
"Porcelain."
"Detective Anderson," Kurt greeted, hearing but choosing to ignore the man's slight intake of breath at the realisation that he'd been remembered. "Whatever brings you here?"
"A tip from a viable source," the detective replied smoothly, moving to stand beside him at the railing. "He said you were interested in collecting Picasso's at the moment. I heard that the Addler's were holding a party and was confident that you'd make an appearance considering the value of the Picasso they have."
Kurt nodded, refusing to be impressed even as he cursed inwardly.
God dammit Adam! He cursed inwardly.
He'd made the mistake of mentioning how he'd taken to acquiring Picasso's more often recently to Adam a few weeks back after they had became... reacquainted with one another.
He and Adam had an agreement that just because they had no strings attached sex occasionally, it by no means meant that they wouldn't rat each other out if there was something in it for them.
Obviously there had been something in it for Adam.
"Very clever, detective." Kurt murmured as he looked out at the stars. The Addler Estate was in the country and as it was away from the polluting fumes of New York City they were twenty times more visible. "You've gotten farther than any of the other detectives assigned my case have."
The detective leant against the balcony railing also, looking at Kurt in the low light.
"I try," he mumbled modestly and Kurt chuckled huskily.
"You succeed," He said dryly and the detective snorted, obviously a little on edge at the casual approach Kurt had to their second meeting.
Kurt sighed as the music inside changed from a foxtrot to a waltz, the strains of music slower and more graceful.
"I take it the painting's already out of the building," Anderson stated and Kurt nodded distantly.
"Obviously. I presume you're here alone?"
Anderson shook his head in frustration and that told Kurt everything he needed to know.
"The NYPD not willing to put out resources on the word of a newbie and his unreliable source?" Kurt asked archly and the detective grunted.
Kurt nodded thoughtfully and started searching his suit jacket.
Anderson jumped a little at the sudden movement and then eyed the thief in interest.
"What are you doing?" He asked curiously.
"You'll see," Kurt muttered as he pulled out a white piece of card from the lining of his jacket.
"Do you have a pen?" Kurt questioned and the detective frowned.
"Sure," he reached into his pocked and retrieved one of his black pens. "Why?" he said as he extended the pen in offer to Kurt.
Kurt took it and leant the card on the balcony railing, a little crease appearing in between his eyebrows as he concentrated on writing.
He looked up and smirked. "I'm feeling generous," he said, answering Anderson's question, then he turned back to the card.
"Here you go," he said as he signed the card with a flourish. "Hand this to your head of department when you get into the station next. You can read it before hand if you want to."
Kurt slid forward and Anderson seemed to hold his breath as Kurt invaded his personal space to tuck the card into the front pocket of his suit smoothly, even as he tucked the pen into his own inner breast pocket.
He brushed off some imaginary lint from the detective's chest.
"There," he murmured and withdrew, his senses heightened as a wave of desire flooded through him at the sight of the handsome detective breathless and alert in the dark.
Kurt left while the detective was distracted, Anderson coming out of his shock induced stupor just fast enough to hear Porcelain's "Good bye detective," fade from the air.
It was only once Blaine had gotten home and was getting changed did he remember the card (and realise that Porcelain had stolen his pen, not that he was surprised. He should have known better to give his pen to the thief) as his fingers encountered it when he was clearing out his dress suit jacket before rehanging it.
It was, as he expected, one of Porcelain's calling cards. Yet when he turned it over it had a message written in elegant handwriting (reminiscent of French penmanship,). It read:
To Whom It May Concern,
Let it be understood that I seldom do things like this. In fact the only reason I am now doing so is because of the surprising competence of Detective Anderson and how his competence is being treated.
Whilst you are of course under no obligation to do so, I would recommend Detective Anderson be appointed lead detective on my cases. Whilst I doubt he'll be able to catch me, he did manage to find a (semi) reliable source who provided useful insight into discerning that I would be at the Addler Masquerade Ball tonight.
This is the best any of your detective's have managed to do so it would be pure foolishness not to do as I recommend.
Besides, I do so like a challenge.
Catch me if you can.
Detective Anderson – until the next time.
~Porcelain~
Kurt still had Blaine's pen. In fact he had last used it to write a check for his half of the rent.
"And if you still refuse to believe that Blaine has a thing for you Kurt," Rachel was still talking. "Then how do you explain him excusing himself when I started waxing poetic about your attributes?"
Kurt jumped at the chance to voice something he'd been wanting to say since he beginning of the evening.
"Oh yeah? Then why did Finn go with him?" He asked triumphantly, raising an eyebrow in question.
Rachel tossed her hair behind her shoulder. "I plead the fifth," she said and Kurt scoffed.
"You can't plead the fifth Rachel, we're not in court!" Rachel snorted.
"You don't have to just be in court to be able to plead the fifth,"
"Maybe so but I'd rather you'd refrain from doing so unless you are!" Kurt insisted, "It makes me jumpy!"
Rachel sat back, taken aback a little. "Oh," Rachel said. "Sorry Kurt."
He started laughing and Rachel looked at him. He could tell she was thinking he had gone insane.
"Sorry," he spluttered, still laughing. "It's just this whole evening is so fucked up Rachel. God."
"Kurt!" she admonished him for his cursing.
"Sorry," he apologised, wiping hysterical tears of laughter from his eyes. "I don't why but I've started swearing a lot more frequently with Blaine around. I'll try and break the habit."
Rachel's eyes softened and she reached for his hand, taking it in hers.
"I think he's having a good influence on you," she noted and he snorted.
"What, by causing me to curse more?" He said sarcastically.
"Kurt," she said, "You know what I mean,"
He shook his head. "I'm still doing all the things I usually do," he reminded her, speaking vaguely as they were in public. "It's only because of the tracking bracelet that I'm not doing things as much as I used to."
Rachel shook her head. "No," she said. "I'm pretty sure you could have gotten around that bracelet if you really wanted to." Her eyes softened. "But you didn't." She pulled him into a hug, him trying to get her off of him.
"Rachel, get off! Stop it!" He squirmed, waiting out the hug. When she finally released him he shook himself a little.
Wrinkling his nose he said, "Gah, girl germs." He shuddered a little more for comic affect and Rachel laughed.
"You know," Kurt said once Rachel had calmed. "Blaine and Finn have been gone a long time. I wonder if they're okay."
Rachel nodded, thinking. "Yeah, you're right. Why don't you go to the bathroom and check on them?" she suggested.
Kurt nodded, "Okay, be back in a second."
Getting up from the table he made his way across the floor to the bathrooms, pushing open the door to the men's toilets he paused at the sight in front of him.
"Blaine?" He asked, "Finn?" He shook his head, as if to shake the sight out of his head. "What are you doing?"
With the two guys were about ten other men, all were sitting in a circle, cross legged on the floor.
"Are you playing poker?" Kurt asked, incredulously.
Blaine nodded sheepishly and Finn nodded too, but far more energetically.
"Yeah, man!" he said, enthusiastically. "And Blaine's winning." he added. "It's insane."
Kurt turned to Blaine, eyebrow raised and Blaine laughed, still sheepish. He reached up to his hair and combed his hand through it, messing it up a little, causing some of his hair to come free of the gel. Short tufts of it were sticking out and it looked ridiculous.
Kurt shook his head in wonder. "Alright," he said, turning to the other men in the room. "You lot, get out of here. Your dates and families, whoever you've come with, are probably missing you." When none of the men chose to move, he rolled his eyes and pulled out Blaine's NYPD badge.
"I'm with the NYPD, now get the hell out of here." When all the men scrambled to get their winnings and leave he snorted. He then turned to Finn. "You too Finn," Finn nodded and also got his winnings together, moving more slowly than the other men. When Blaine started to stand up too, all of his winnings already in his pockets, Kurt turned to him.
"Not you Blaine, you can stay." Finn paused at the doorway of the bathroom.
"Are, are you guys not coming too?" Kurt's eyes glittered.
"No, we'll be a few minutes, Blaine needs to sort himself out." Kurt's gaze turned slightly sadistic. "Besides, you can handle entertaining Rachel for a few minutes, can't you?"
Finn audibly gulped and started to protest.
"Go," Kurt ordered and Finn went.
He turned to Blaine, who was leaning casually against the wall next to the hand drier.
"He seems scared of you," Blaine noted and Kurt snorted, moving to him.
"He knows he should be." When Blaine shot him a confused look Kurt elaborated.
"He's my stepbrother, he's known me since we were... sixteen I think? He knows he should be afraid." He snorted and shook his head, reaching out to turn Blaine to face the mirror. "At least, he knows he should be more afraid of me than Rachel,"
"Yeah, I noticed that. It's none of my business, but is Finn... bi? Or completely gay, like me."
And me, Kurt thought, wryly.
Outwardly, he shook his head and reached his hands up to try and fix Blaine's hair.
"No, he's bi." Kurt invented. "How could you tell?"
"He has been staring at Rachel all evening." Blaine said. "It was hard to miss," he added.
Kurt snorted. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure they've had a thing for each other since High School," Blaine looked shocked.
"You don't mind?"
Kurt winced mentally. Ah.
"No," he replied smoothly. "I mean, I'm pretty sure Rachel isn't all that into me. It'll hurt, sure, but this was more me trying to set them up than anything else." He and Blaine made eye contact in the mirror. "Thanks for the help." He said, slightly sarcastically and Blaine laughed.
"Yeah, I'm probably not helping with your matchmaking schemes, keeping Finn in the bathroom all evening, playing poker."
"It's fine," Kurt said. "I forgive you," he added, with a small smirk.
Blaine laughed, then stopped short as he realised something. He batted Kurt's hands away from his hair and then turned his head to face Kurt.
"Hey, whose badge is the one you pulled?"
Kurt smirked.
"Yours,"
Blaine's eyes widened and Kurt laughed.
"Relax, I only took it this afternoon," he said. "I picked it from your pocket when I pulled you into that friendly man hug we had before we left to go home,".
Blaine opened his mouth to speak but Kurt got there before he could. "I was going to return it," he reached into his pocket and gave it to Blaine. Blaine eyed Kurt suspiciously and he turned back to the mirror, tucking his badge into his pocket.
He raised his eyebrow at Kurt in the mirror as if to say 'carry on' and then winced as the hands Kurt returned to his hair tugged it painfully.
"Yeah," Kurt said, "This isn't working. Let's change position?"
Blaine's eyes widened and Kurt swore mentally as he remembered when he had last said that to Blaine. No doubt Blaine was remembering too. He had never seen Blaine remember anything about that night, not to his knowledge, so he was paying attention when he did this time.
Blaine's eyes glazed over a little, and his breathing stopped. After a few seconds it started again and Blaine shook his head, dazed. "Sorry about that," he said, smiling sheepishly. "Too much beer," he joked and Kurt laughed too, relieved that Blaine had obviously not realised it was him he'd had a one night stand with and at how well Blaine had lied to him. It was all the more humorous considering he knew the real reason
"It's okay," Kurt assured him, smiling to himself as he withdrew his hands out of Blaine's hair. "As I was saying, would you sit cross legged on the floor? I'll kneel," Kurt laughed at his next thought. "You're just a bit too tall for me to make a difference on that mess," he gestured to Blaine's hair, "when we're both standing, this will be easier."
Blaine shrugged, laughing at Kurt's description of his hair.
"Sure," he said and they both did so. When settled, Kurt's hands made quick work of restyling Blaine's hair so it looked a little better.
Blaine laughed at the sight of himself in the mirror. "Thanks Kurt," he reached up to touch it and Kurt slapped his hands away.
"Ah, ah, ah," he chastised. "Leave it alone, that's how you messed it up in the first place,"
Blaine lowered his hand sheepishly. "Sorry," he said, a smile in his eyes. Kurt suddenly felt slightly self conscious.
"Yes, well," Kurt said haltingly. "Let's get back to our dates then shall we?" He said brightly and Blaine's face instantly grew slightly darker.
"Do we have to?" He asked sourly, pulling a face and Kurt laughed again.
"Yes, you sourpuss." Blaine winced.
"Sorry, it's just..." he paused before saying, "Well, Finn's really different to me and..." he winced again, expecting Kurt wouldn't take what he said next particularly well. "I've been really bored all evening," he admitted and to his surprise Kurt laughed.
"Me too," he said and Blaine's eyes widened. Kurt snorted at his reaction. "I've been playing up the pet names, food feeding thing," he said, deciding to screw it and dedicate himself to the cover lie for his first lie, which was the reason for the date in the first place. "all evening," he continued. "Rachel probably has too. More to make Finn jealous than anything," Kurt wisely decided to omit the fact that Finn's jealously was completely unnecessary, considering he was gay. "Not that she would ever admit it," Kurt added. "They had a terrible first meeting and ever since have been horrible to each other, ignoring the obvious sexual tension."
Blaine laughed as he made his way over to the door of the bathrooms, holding it open so that Kurt could walk through ahead of him.
"Oh, I know what you mean," he said, "My friends Wes and David have been best friends practically all their lives, and act like such a couple but every time me or our other friends call them out on it they deny it emphatically," he saw Kurt's look of slight confusion and added, "the both of them are convinced they're straight," Kurt nodded as Blaine shook his head in amusement. "The sexual tension has gotten so bad that we have to avoid hanging out with them else we'll be choking on it,"
Kurt snickered. "Oh, I had a friend like that. In school he was a total jock and he refused to accept the fact he was gay, not" he added "that it was unwarranted, I mean the second his friends found out they totally shunned him and harassed him, it was awful." Kurt sighed, "Poor Dav-" he cut short mid sentence and he cursed himself as he realised he had nearly let slip to Blaine that he knew David Karofsky. It was so easy to forget everything that had happened with him.
Kurt coughed to cover up his blunder and was incredibly relived they had reached their table before Blaine could question his abrupt ending of his last conversation.
"Looks like they're still ignoring the sexual tension," Blaine murmured in his ear as he crossed him to get to his seat and Kurt snickered. It was true.
Rachel and Finn had obviously not talked at all in the time they had been gone.
In fact Rachel was reading the desert menu, despite the fact not all of them had finished the main course, and Finn was tearing his paper napkin into shreds with the same amount of concentration one would apply when defusing a bomb (something Kurt had actually trained himself to do, just in case).
"Having fun guys?" Kurt said with false brightness and snickered under his breath at the dark look Finn shot him. Rachel managed to restrain herself from doing the same, instead answering in a (forced) light tone.
"You know it," she said through gritted teeth and leant over to kiss his check, keeping up the façade for Blaine's benefit (what she didn't know was that Kurt had already all but broken it in the bathroom.) As she did so she hissed into Kurt's ear, "You are so dead when we get home,"
Kurt snorted and locked eyes with Blaine across the table, who raised an eyebrow at him. Kurt crossed his eyes quickly and pulled a face without Finn or Rachel noticing and so they looked at Blaine like he was insane when he snickered.
"Something funny, Blaine?" Kurt asked, smiling innocently when Blaine realised he'd been set up and glared at him slightly.
"Inside joke," Blaine answered back flatly.
When Finn and Rachel turned back to their food Blaine's eyes narrowed.
It's on, he mouthed across the table and Kurt grinned beatifically.
When Kurt lent over Rachel's shoulder to look at an article mentioning her on her phone, Blaine stuck his tongue out at him in such a way that it made him snort.
"Sorry," he apologised to Rachel as she shot him a look. "Allergies, I guess," he said.
"Everybody has them," Blaine innocently chimed in on the other side of the table, earning himself a glare from Kurt when nobody was watching.
Rachel had been asked a question on her job in Broadway by Blaine and as she answered he struggled to pay attention because Kurt was mouthing her answer word for word behind her back, pulling faces as he did so.
When Kurt was taking a sip of his wine Blaine made an obscene comment which caused him to choke, the wine burning as it went down the wrong tube.
He shot a weak glare at Blaine as Rachel whacked him on the back, and Blaine simply smirked. "You okay, Kurt?" He asked, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
"Just peachy," Kurt muttered.
At one point, the conversation somehow turned to sex and when Blaine was asked by Finn when he had last had pulled at a club (Kurt had elbowed Rachel in the ribs when she opened her mouth to make some witty comment) he opened his mouth to answer after maybe a minute of thinking about what to say and whether or not Finn's question was serious.
It proved fruitless however when he could hardly concentrate on speaking at the sight of Kurt wiggling his eyebrows at him from across the table and making obscene hand gestures subtly.
Eventually the night had to come to a close, Blaine going up to the counter to pay, taking the money Finn, Rachel and Kurt had given him to pay for their share.
When he was gone Finn and Rachel turned to Kurt. Finn looking at him like he was Satan incarnate and Rachel with a raised eyebrow.
"What?" Kurt asked defensively and Rachel answered for the two of them.
"We're not stupid Kurt," she said importantly, "What happened with you and Blaine in the bathroom after Finn left?"
For once it seemed like Finn and Rachel were in agreement over something and Kurt sighed.
"I may have accidentally let it slip that Rachel and I weren't here on a real date," he mumbled. When Rachel started to call him an idiot he quickly carried on. "He still thinks I have a crush on you." he assured, "He just thinks that... "he winced. "He just thinks that I asked him on this date so I could get you two together, I'm sorry please don't kill me." He braced himself for the onslaught.
"Oh, and I told him Finn is bi," he added.
Before Rachel could go on a tirade, no doubt with Finn nodding along emphatically in the background, Blaine had returned and Rachel was forced to act civilly.
They made their way outside, talking about the meal, and when they got there they stopped in a slight awkward silence.
"Well," Rachel announced loudly. "This was very nice, we should do this again some time."
Blaine agreed politely while Kurt snorted and Finn looked like he was going to cry at just the thought of being forced into such an ordeal again.
Rachel kissed Blaine's cheek as she said goodbye and said an icy 'Good bye' to Finn as they waited for their taxi's.
Kurt pulled Finn into a hug while Blaine and Rachel said good bye and then Kurt and Blaine hugged quickly in a manly fashion. They pulled away and Kurt opened his mouth to bid Blaine farewell. Before he could do so Blaine held his hand out and said, sternly. "Badge."
Kurt snickered and gave back Blaine's badge that he'd sneakily stolen during the hug.
"Can't blame me for trying," he said and Blaine shook his head in reluctant amusement.
"'Night, Kurt."
"Good night, Blaine."
"See you at ten tomorrow," Blaine shot Kurt a look as he groaned. "And don't be late!"
Kurt sighed. "Fine!" he huffed and Blaine chuckled as he walked Kurt to the taxi Rachel had called over.
Kurt slid in and Blaine shut the door. Kurt waved slightly and Blaine raised his hand in farewell.
Turning to Finn he grinned slightly. "Do you want the next cab, or shall I?"
Finn waved his hand. "It's all yours dude,"
Blaine grinned and hailed down a taxi. "It was nice meeting you," he said sincerely and Finn nodded.
"Yeah, man. You too," Blaine rambled off his address to the driver and got in, pulling away to join in the stream of yellow, white and black that was racing down the street.
Neither of them had said they wanted to go out again, and it was understood without it needing to be said that neither of them wanted to.
Once they had gotten in and were both in their night clothes they went into the living room with half a glass of wine each.
"So," Rachel said, "How do you think it went?"
Kurt nodded slowly. "Okay," he chuckled before continuing. "Well, better than expected."
Rachel took a sip of wine as they both sat in silence, both thinking back on what had happened.
They sat there for a few minutes until they had finished off their wine and took them through to the kitchen. Kurt washed them up quickly and dried them.
Then the two put the apartment to bed.
Rachel turned out all the lights while Kurt went round locking all of the windows and the doors, turning on the alarm after reattaching the trip wires he had set up throughout the night should someone bypass the locks and disable the alarm.
Once set off they would cause such a ruckus to be made that he and Rachel would be roused and able to catch the trespasser.
Rachel and Kurt hugged, Kurt pressing a kiss to the top of Rachel's head, causing her to wrinkle her nose at the reminder of her shortness.
They parted at their bedroom doorways with a soft 'good night' exchanged in the silence and darkness of the apartment, both their doors shutting as they slipped into bed.