Author's Note: Hello all the lovely people that read this story! I have come with the fluffy update! Though I must say, a tad of angstiness wormed it's way in there, but that's because a bit more background came out of this chapter too. Don't worry, though! I think overall the fluffiness makes up for it!
So I didn't get to finish their entire time at the carnival in this chapter, so there will be a second chapter of carnival antics! :D
BTW, you can thank 'I hate mosquitos' for the little tidbit I added at the beginning. ;)
Happy Reading!
Again, no beta. All mistakes are my own.
Disclaimer: I own nothing, nothing, nothing. No profit made etc. See Chapter 1 for more elaborate disclaimer.
~C.
(Chapter 10)
"Kurt, I think you've used almost half your credits on this game. It's a rip off and you know it. No one can win."
"I know…I just…I REALLY want that prize. It's like…a collector's edition!"
Blaine chuckled, "You can probably get it for just five dollars online."
Which is substantially less than what you've given the gaming vender at this point.
"But I wanted THAT one!" Kurt pouted, crossing his arms over his chest and glaring at the spiteful 'Goblet Toss.'
Blaine rubbed his back, placating, smiling to himself when he felt Kurt's tense stance actually relax under his ministrations. Currently, Kurt was wearing a black, knee-length coat with few of the top buttons undone so Blaine could admire his gorgeous pale neck, a bright blue shirt that made his eyes look absolutely amazing peeked out from underneath the coat, tight jeans, and black combat boots. Kurt's outfit choice may have been simple, but Blaine could not stop admiring his companion. When he glanced down at his own choice of clothing—a black and white brindle sweater, cuffed jeans, and black shoes—Blaine couldn't help but hope that maybe Kurt got dressed with him in mind, much like how Blaine had with the intention to impress Kurt when he chose his outfit for the evening.
Does he always look so put together?
Blaine was brought out of his ogling when Kurt turned his head towards him and showed Blaine his big longing blue eyes; it was enough to want to make Blaine just pay for the damn Lady Gaga puzzle himself.
"Yay! I won!" A little boy shouted in glee as he observed the little plastic ball he threw land in a red goblet.
Kurt snapped his head to the side, "WHAT?!"
Uh oh…
The little boy giggled and made grabby hands at the puzzle (Kurt's puzzle!) that was handed to him. The boy titled his head as he looked at his prize, then tugged on his dad's jeans to ask, "Daddy? Who's the man wearing a sparkly dress in this picture."
When Kurt got a, 'what did he just say?' look on his face, Blaine knew it was time to forcible steer Kurt away from the 'Goblet Toss.' Kurt didn't even seem to notice as his mouth hung open in shock at the equally confused look that crossed the father's face. Blaine looped his arm through Kurt's to grasp his pale hand between both of his olive-toned ones. "How about we find that nice game of 'Skee-Ball' you liked so much?"
"Lady Gaga isn't a man!
"I know, Kurt."
"She is an artist!"
"A very good one at that."
"No one has talent, but her!"
"Whoa, whoa, Katy Perry is VERY talented. I shall not have you putting down my woman."
Kurt momentarily felt his tirade diminish; the look of mock-challenge on Blaine's features was absolutely adorable. "Your woman, is she?" he smirked.
Blaine nodded curtly, "Katy Perry fills my life with lollipops and candy canes. She is so epic that she puts the 'scream' in whips cream."
"The 'scream' in whips cream?"
"Yes."
"That makes no sense."
"She's Katy Perry. She doesn't have to make sense."
Kurt chuckled, "I think this is the most ridiculous conversation we've had so far."
Blaine shrugged, "You started it."
He shoulder bumped Blaine playfully, earning a smile from the shorter boy. Having already passed the 'Skee-Ball' game, they were content with just walking along the wooden boardwalk and observing the carnival lights brighten up the brisk night. Before the night had begun, Kurt hadn't been sure he made the right decision when he agreed to spend an evening out with Blaine. Well, not that Blaine was a terrible person, quite the opposite actually. He was sweet, funny, and overtly courteous to anyone he met; plus he could SING. Blaine was—for lack of a better term—perfect. When he looked down at their still looped arms and still intertwined fingers, his heart sped up a bit. Kurt glanced back up at Blaine's face and found himself being observed by an amused looking Blaine. "Everything all right, Kurt?"
Kurt nodded stiffly, his mouth going dry at how the carnival lights playing off Blaine's eyes made them look like warm honey. "Y-Yeah, I'm just…" He tried to think of something that would stomp down the warm flush that threatened to radiate throughout his body. "…w-wondering about your job. I can't believe after all we've discussed, I still don't know what you do for a living."
Nice save, Hummel.
Blaine stopped in his tracks and stared at Kurt with shocked, slightly worried eyes. He didn't want to tell Kurt what he did. What he did was a joke. What he did was what other people wanted him to do. "I…um…I uh…"
He'll make fun of me.
He'll call me a sell out.
He'll think I'm a FAKE.
…And he'd be right too.
He didn't want Kurt to be apart of that aspect of his life at all. Blaine just wanted to keep his relationship—erm…friendship—with Kurt as something between them, without any input, or opinions, or suggestions about the two of them from anyone. Was that too much to ask for? Is trying to keep his personal life and work life separate just too much for Blaine to hope for? "Well, I dabble a bit."
That's…technically not a lie.
Kurt tilted his head curiously, "Dabble?"
Think Anderson!
"Um…well, I'm a musician at heart, if I have to put a label on what I do. I'm still…struggling, so like all struggling artists, I tend to dabble here and there." Blaine gave a shaky smile, hoping it was convincing. From the look of the blush that spread across Kurt's cheeks, it must have.
"Oh, right. I remember; you must be quite good, though. I mean you live right across from my stepsister Rachel. Her aspiration is to one day live on the Upper East Side, swank city, and she might not be there yet, but it's a whole lot nicer than when we lived in Bushwick. It was terrible, I had to shout out random things and twitch whenever I walked around outside at night just so no one would bother me. Even when I went home to Lima, I forgot I didn't have to do it anymore. Scared the living bajeebes out of my neighbors." Kurt chuckled, self-conscious.
Blaine found himself grinning at the images Kurt painted for him in his head, "I bet you'd still make crazy look good." Kurt groaned and covered his face with hands, flattered and embarrassed all at the same time. "So…you never did tell me. What do you do?"
"Me? Um…" Kurt lowered his hands and bit his lower lip nervously, "Well, I guess I dabble a bit too. When I was in New York, I was at NYADA studying to become apart of Broadway, but uh…that obviously didn't happen for me. Then at Lima, I mostly work in my dad's tire shop."
"A Broadway, fashion-forward, mechanic. Is there anything that Kurt Hummel can't do?" Blaine said playfully.
Kurt rolled his eyes, "You're much more accomplished than I am."
Being considered accomplished and feeling accomplished are two very different things.
"So…Puck pays you to perform at the 'Pinn-Up?' "
Blaine gulped, "Not exactly. I-I actually just go up on 'Open Mic Night' for the fun of it."
Why have I never come up with answers for these questions before?
Oh right, no one's ever really cared to ask me…until Kurt.
Kurt looked at him curiously, "But then how…?"
"Come one, come all!"
The two boys immediately turned towards the booming voice, Blaine relieved at the sudden distraction and Kurt slightly startled by the loud shouting. "Ladies and gentleman, boys and girls, couples and singles, feast your eyes on this magnificent 'Dunk Tank.' Isn't it something?" The person shouting was a young woman dressed in white pants with red pin stripes down the side, a red blazer, and a straw hat. She spun a tan cane between her hands and looked everything like an old school carny. "Don't be shy! Step right up and give it a try!"
Blaine tugged on Kurt's hand and dragged them over to the tank. "Oooh Kurt, look. What's that?" The woman smiled brightly at finally having caught someone's attention. "Hi ma'am!" Blaine exclaimed brightly, the awkward atmosphere that had befallen them starting to melt away due to the woman's exuberance and Blaine's sudden excitement. Kurt had to admit; even his interest was starting to become peaked.
"Well, hello there good sir! Care to try the 'Dunk Tank' challenge? If you win, you get to claim any prize you want and participating in the challenge doesn't cost you ANY credits. It's free." She smiled wickedly.
Kurt raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Free, huh? What's the catch?"
The woman slapped her knee, "Ah, I knew you were a smart one. You have that look about you. Right, well, the one who accepts the challenge doesn't have to pay credits, but your opponents do. Do you get where I'm going with this?"
Blaine bounced on the balls of feet enthusiastically as he looked at the array of prizes hanging behind the 'Dunk Tank,' he'd heard nothing past the 'any prize you want' bit.
I wonder if they have something Kurt might like?
"I'll do it! It sounds like fun." Blaine said.
"What? Blaine, do you even know what you're going to be doing?"
Blaine just smirked, "Nope, but isn't that what makes life fun?" He winked at Kurt, finding satisfaction in the fact that he can easily make the paler boy's cheeks tint pink.
"Very good sir, follow me if you will!" As Blaine was escorted to the yellow tent a few feet behind the tank, Kurt was left to wait on the boardwalk while others passed him. That…was probably a bad idea, because now he had time to think.
Kurt, what are you doing?
This is how it all starts remember?
He's nice, he's charming, and he gets you to trust him.
Then you find out that he's not the person he pretended to be, that he's lied to you.
He accuses you, and forces you to…to…
"Good Lord, it's cold!" Kurt was snapped out of his overly critical thoughts when Blaine's voice echoed in his ears. When he looked at Blaine, his jaw dropped.
Oh…my…
Blaine's teeth were chattering due to the cool wind licking at his exposed chest and feet as he climbed up the ladder to the tank. He was wearing only his jeans as he perched himself up on the plank that dangled him over the water. He waved at Kurt…who was just staring at him. Blaine looked down at himself, was there something wrong?
Is my fly open or something?
Kurt, on the other hand, was positively drooling. He could see Blaine's abs move and contract as he wriggled himself around on the plank. His arms were exposed and Kurt could see the muscles ripple when Blaine rubbed his hands together to keep them warm. Blaine's toned pecks and peaked nipples were giving Kurt very naughty images in his mind.
What was I stressing about again?
"Here, here! Come on over ladies and gents! Buy a football, hit the target, dunk the man, and win the grand prize! It's all you have to do, easy as that!" The woman said as she tapped the tank full of water with the cane.
"So how many times does he have to survive before he gets the…whatever grand-prize thingy?" Kurt inquired.
"Survive five footballs and the kid gets whatever he wants."
Kurt looked at Blaine as he just sat there, swinging his legs back and forth while he smiled like a loon. "I'll take a football."
"Yes sir!" While the woman accepted Kurt's card with carnival credits on it, Blaine felt himself grin a mischievous grin.
Oh, no you don't.
I wont let you dunk me that easily.
Blaine watched as Kurt was handed the football and positioned to stand behind the appointed line. Kurt smirked smugly at Blaine, but the tanned boy seemed unfazed. When Kurt pulled back to throw the ball, Blaine shouted, "Hey Kurt! Did I tell you, your ass looks DAMN sexy in those jeans?!" The ball left Kurt's hand, actually flew over the target, and landed somewhere near what sounded like a very startled alley cat. Kurt was beet red as he glared at an innocent looking Blaine, turning to glower at the woman gaming-vender when she started to snicker.
"Another football."
"As you wish." The woman handed Kurt another football, Blaine thinking of something else to shout that may distract Kurt.
When Kurt took a determined stance and pulled his arm back again, Blaine immediately blurted out, "Captain Sexypants, are my chiseled arms properly proportioned to my incredibly humble ego?" Again, the ball went flying. This time, it flew into someone else's gaming booth, the game's vender not looking too happy about it either.
Kurt huffed, "Hush you, no more talking!" Blaine crossed his legs, made a 'zipping my lips' motion, and placed his hands in his lap innocently. Turning towards the woman, he asked for another football. She had her lips pursed to keep from laughing as she handed Kurt his third football. Kurt was determined to look agitated; Blaine was not going to shout inappropriate things and not get soaked for it! However, on the inside, Kurt was laughing too.
Blaine watched as Kurt pulled his arm back again, he promised he wouldn't talk. "If you want my body, and you think I'm sexy!" Well, singing was a bit different from talking, right? The ball was released too late and ended up spiking into the ground.
"That's not fair! You're cheating!" Kurt said, his hands on his hips in what was suppose to be angry stance, but a smile kept threatening to play across his lips.
"But sugar, I just want you to let me know." Blaine said, that look of mock-innocence still cemented on his face.
Kurt wasn't having any of it. "Anoth—" A ball was already stretched out in front of him, the woman smiling brightly at her own helpfulness. Kurt grabbed the ball and spun it in his hand. He pointed the football at Blaine, "You're on my list, Anderson."
Blaine just chuckled, thoroughly enjoying this back and forth with Kurt. When the pale boy wound his arm back again, Blaine sang, "If you really need me, just reach out and touch me!" This time, Kurt decided to forgo aiming for the target. He shifted his aim and spiraled the ball at the obnoxious boy on the plank.
"Ack!" Blaine ducked his head warily, watching as the ball bounced off the back of the tank and landed in the water. "You meanie! That almost hit me! I-I call foul!"
Kurt stuck his tongue out at Blaine, "Just watch, the next one's gonna drop you in the water!"
"Miss Lady, can I try?" Kurt turned to where he saw a little girl about six years old looking up at the gaming vender.
The vender knelt down to her eye level, "Oh honey, this nice man was just about to use the last football. You'll have to wait until the next young person takes the 'Dunk Tank' challenge."
When the little girl wilted at the woman's statement, Kurt couldn't even think about using the last football. As much as he wanted to see Blaine get dunked…wait a minute. He gave Blaine a dangerous look, one that made Blaine narrow his eyes in suspicion, before walking over to the gaming vender. The woman stood up when Kurt walked over to her and listened as Kurt whispered in her ear for a few minutes. All the while, Blaine was getting an increasingly bad feeling. Finally—FINALLY—the woman pulled back with an equally wide smile that matched Kurt's.
Yup…this is bad.
"Well little girl, it's your lucky day. This young man needs to rest his arm, so you can use the last football." The little girl squealed with delight, eagerly fishing her carnival card out of her pants so she could give the appropriate credits to the woman. When that was done, the woman took the little girl's hand, led her to the line she had to stand behind, and gave her the football.
The little girl giggled and waved at her mom, "Mommy! Mommy! Watch me!" The mother waved back happily, and that's when Blaine knew he was screwed. There was no way he was going to try and distract an adorably cute little girl who probably just wanted a stuffed animal.
Damn you, Kurt.
The little girl stuck her tongue out in concentration as she gripped the football between her two hands and held it above her head, "Oh, wait, wait. The person who throws the last football always has to close their eyes. That's the rule." The woman said politely.
"Okay." The little girl closed her eyes, and Blaine leant forward from his seated spot.
When the little girl threw the football, Blaine heard a distinct 'psst' come from his left side. Blaine turned his head and his eyes widened. There, standing oh so innocently by the target, was Kurt. "Kurt, don't you da—" The pale boy gave Blaine a mischievous look before punching the target. The plank gave out from under Blaine and the half-naked boy yelped as the ice-cold water engulfed his entire form. The game vender going over and covering the little girl's ears as she expected a few inappropriate words might fly out of the now drenched youth's mouth. Once Blaine surfaced, the woman was proven right.
Kurt was giggling up a storm as a soaking wet, and very cold, Blaine quickly climbed out of the tank. He crossed his arms over his chest once he was on the floor and couldn't stop his teeth from chattering. "Kuuuuuurt, n-n-now I'm c-c-cold." He pouted at Kurt the best he could with his still chattering teeth.
The vender finished handing the little girl an oversized stuffed puppy that was almost as big as her—the little girl having believed that her football hit the target—before turning back to the boys. "Towels are in the tent behind you, and there is a heater that will warm you up quite nicely in there. Thank you so much for participating in our 'Dunk Tank' challenge. Sorry, you weren't able to beat it. Please try it again any time!"
Blaine stuck his tongue out at the vender before shuffling off to presumably dry himself off in the tent. The woman was just giggling at the shorter male's attempt at being irritated. "Well, he's absolutely drool-worthy. You two are the cutest couple I've ever seen."
Kurt felt himself choking on the next giggle, coughing as air went down the wrong pipe. "Um…what? He's not…I'm not…I mean we're not…" He coughed a few more times before clearing his throat. "We're just friends. That's all."
The woman tilted her head at him as she started picking up the discarded footballs, "But he's so sweet and cute. Don't you think so too?"
Kurt felt himself blush, thinking to himself that he was a whole lot more than just cute. "Um…well I…uh…Blaine! Are you done yet?! L-Lets go see something else! Hey, Bla—" The words died in Kurt's throat as he embarrassingly scuttled away from the nosy carny.
Upon entering the tent, he came across a very scantily clad Blaine Anderson. He had a towel over his head as he scrubbed away the water from his hair, and only forest green boxer-briefs on. His soaked underwear clung to his entire package so as not to leave any room for the imagination, everything was only a thin piece of fabric away from being in plain view. Even then, the fabric was so heavy with water that they came to rest sinfully low on his hips and gave Kurt a perfect view of the V leading down into Blaine's soaked briefs. Dammit, why does a half-naked Blaine always make Kurt forget what he was about to say?!
Be strong, Kurt; be strong.
…oh look, drops of water are skating over his abs.
"Kurt, is that you? Could you hand me another towel? This one's getting full of gel."
Can't I just lick the water off…ah! Bad Kurt! Stop with the inappropriateness!
A/N: So I'll get the second half of the carnival out as soon as I can, the 'Goblet Toss' is an actual game on the boardwalk and the 'Dunk Tank' challenge I just kind of made up. Hope you enjoyed it, please drop a review and make me smile? :D