Author's notes:
As of this chapter, this story departs from canon definitively.
As always, I don't own Glee or any of the songs/movies/television shows/websites/ real things referenced.
Rating is for language and eventual sexual content.
Approximate words this chapter: 12,150
Wednesday March 7
Kurt woke at his regular time feeling refreshed: a solid night's sleep was all that was necessary to negate the weird vibe he felt the night before. The dinner at David's was fine; great, actually. Spending time with David, Blaine, and Sean was fun also. Even the uncomfortable feeling with which the end of the night left him was gone, cleansed by the night's sleep.
It was before Kurt even left for school that he received a message from David.
David: Good morning, Kurt. Thanks again for coming over and hanging out last night. I really needed that. 6:57 AM
Kurt shot a message back, making time just before gathering his school items and getting out the door.
Kurt: Good morning, David. It was a pleasure for both Blaine and me. Talk later? 6:59 AM
David's reply was quick as well.
David: Definitely. You can call when you get home from school. 7:01 AM
The day at school was relatively uneventful, the glee-session being the high-point of Kurt's day, and he found himself home at four o'clock after a stop at the grocery store. Having some time to spare before beginning dinner, Kurt picked up his phone and rang David.
"Hi, Kurt!" David's greeting sounded enthusiastic when he answered.
"Hello, David! You sound animated."
"Well," David replied, getting in a rough chuckle at the same time, "it's always good to hear from the outside world." David added a snicker. "I had a good day. I dove into my new lessons. Rupert told me to touch base with some of my friends from my classes to make sure I was aware of the stuff the teachers were stressing as important for the exams, so I'll be talking to Sean later tonight.".
"Sean and I talked for quite some time last night. He's a little awkward, but a nice guy, really."
"Yeah, when I first met him, it seemed like it took a couple of days of me talking to him for him to actually warm-up and say much back to me. Once he did, though, we hit it off." David Laughed. "Reminds me, I'll be listening to the playback of Blaine's interview either tonight or tomorrow night."
"Do you have special plans for the audio portions of the project?"
"Yes, I do, but I still need to collect a few more interviews for it to work. Really, for the whole project to work like I want it to."
"Do you have any other definite ones?"
"Two definite ones: guys I chatted with online last fall. There was another guy I chatted with online who was in the Air Force stationed in Dayton. He said some stuff about don't-ask-don't-tell which would be an interesting perspective, but I haven't heard back from him yet. I may find a few more between now and then. Five interviews plus my perspective might be enough for a student project."
"It would be good if you could get some interviewees of different age groups involved," Kurt suggested.
"Well, one of the guys is in his forties and the other is sixty-six," David replied.
"That's interesting," Kurt replied, curiosity piqued. "How did you come across them?"
"Kinda weird story. I'll tell you next time we hang out or something if you remind me."
"Well, however you came in contact with them, I'm sure they'll add a perspective that neither Blaine nor I can." Kurt thought for a moment. "I don't know any gay people out of our own age group except Rachel's dads, and I don't think I'd ever think to talk to them about that kinda stuff."
"Why not?" David asked.
Kurt pondered. "I'm not sure. Good question, though."
"You figure, they've gotta have a story to tell, right? And their story would be so different from what ours will eventually be that it would be interesting to see the differences. And it's always that stuff that makes history really worthwhile, at least for me."
"You're right, it is interesting to think about, and it's something that would have never occurred to me," Kurt admitted. After considering for a moment silently, Kurt added, "I think your project will be pretty amazing when it's finished, David."
David chuckled hoarsely. "I wish I could sit back and be smug about how I thought the whole thing out and I'm some kinda genius, but, the truth is, it all came to me all of a sudden and I'm just kinda putting the pieces together as to how I'm going to accomplish it."
"David, you're a smart guy either way, and I'm picturing that, right now, you're reclining sideways on your gameroom couch, comfortable and looking smug, believing fully that you are some kind of genius," Kurt let out a giggle, punctuating the image.
"Ha!" David laughed even more hoarsely than before. "Either you think a little too much of me or you've gotten to know me too well in too short a time!" Both Kurt and David laughed, fully audibly. "Anyway, like I said, I'm just figuring it out as I go along," David explained further. " Any similarities to true genius are completely coincidental."
Kurt thought how fond he was becoming of laughing with David. "But was I right about the part where I pictured you reclining on your gameroom couch?"
"Close," David said casually, "I'm up in my bedroom just laying here on my bed." A few moments of silence passed. "Was thinking about having a short nap before dinner."
Kurt nodded dreamily for a moment. "Must be nice, David."
"What are you talking about?" David queried with a chuckle, still raspy. "Your parents aren't even around for weekdays, right? You can sleep all day if you want to!"
"No, I couldn't sleep all day," Kurt retorted. "In fact, an afternoon nap can ruin my sleep for the night. It's a nice thought, though. Nice image."
"I'm good with a couple of catnaps sometimes," David admitted, sounding somewhat quieter and clearer. "What's a nice image?"
Kurt thought for a moment. He remembered saying it, but wasn't sure what exactly he meant by it, before finally replying. "I guess just the thought of being curled up and cozy to that point of relaxation in the afternoon is a nice thing to picture."
David replied quietly, smoothly. "I like a short afternoon snooze, but you just made it sound a little better than it is. Or maybe made me see that it's better than I thought."
Kurt smiled. "Sometimes you just need an outside perspective to see those things for what they are. Sweet dreams, David. You can text or call later if you like."
David snickered. "'Sweet dreams'? Thanks, Kurt; and thanks for calling. G'bye."
"Goodbye, David."
Friday March 9
Kurt arrived at school at his normal time. He was at his locker retrieving books for his first class when Blaine walked up to him quietly and leaned in close over Kurt's shoulder, talking into his ear just above a whisper, "Good morning."
"Hi, Blaine," Kurt giggled, not needing to turn to see the person greeting him.
"Are we on for our regular Saturday together?" Blaine spoke, still quietly but less ambiguous.
"Do you even need to ask?" Kurt replied with some attitude, craning his head upward, nose in the air. "I thought it was a given, a standing appointment." Kurt turned to face Blaine, still facing upward, eyes cast down on Blaine's smiling face.
"Just checking," Blaine replied, smiling wide, his well-rehearsed smile befitting a toothpaste ad.
"Any ideas for an activity this Saturday?" Kurt asked, attitude eroding to a friendlier appearance.
"Same as always? Coffee and catching-up at the Lima Bean? Checking out all of the clothing stores? A movie maybe?"
Catching up for what? Kurt thought. It's not like they didn't see each other every day and talk on the phone every night. What would they need to catch up on? Kurt smiled while exhaling, nearly sighing. "Yes, our standing appointment, then." Kurt smiled. He appeared pleased. He was pleased. He thought he was pleased.
The day passed quickly as most Fridays passed. Before the Friday Glee Club session, Kurt headed to the gymnasium. Mike had invited Blaine to a pickup game of basketball that some guys were getting together. It was a free period for Kurt and Blaine, and some of the classes let out early this particular Friday so it became a free period for several people. As it happened, and not surprisingly, most of the guys who showed up for the informal game were from the Glee Club: Mike and Blaine, Sam, Puck, and Finn all filtered in slowly at different times along with a few other boys until they were all moving, dribbling and tossing the basketball around; Lauren Zizes eventually showed up and took part in the game as well. Also filtering into the gym were Kurt, Tina, Rachel, and Rory; each took seats in the bleachers fairly close together but not exactly next to each other, casually watching the game, sifting through the day's assignments, and waiting for the period to be over. Rachel was busy leafing through some sheet music while Rory watched the game with some interest. Kurt tried to look over some of the notes he took for his English class, but he found the noise of the game and the bouncing ball echoing through the nearly-empty gym to be too distracting. Eventually Kurt's attention was drawn to the movement of the game. At first he was watching Blaine's movements. The game bored him, but Blaine didn't. Then Kurt's attention was absorbed further into the action of the game. Collectively, the game was not a particularly good one being that only a couple of the players were proficient at the game, but the movement and the often-bungled short-term strategies became somehow mesmerizing to Kurt.
"I said I don't know much about the game, but they're not very good, are they?"
Kurt snapped his head to his right shoulder as he realized Rory had just spoken. "What was that, Rory?"
Rory laughed and repeated with his subtle brogue, "I don't know much about the game, but they're not the best at it, are they?" Kurt looked somewhat dazed as Rory continued. "It was the third time I said it."
Kurt smiled slightly. "Distracted, sorry. Yes, I agree." Kurt hardened his features with an agreeing expression. "They're not good players except maybe Finn and Mike. I can't imagine for the life of me why someone would want to do something that they're not good at."
Rory laughed again. "Maybe because it's fun? They asked me if I wanted to play, but I didn't think I knew enough about the game. Had I known it would be like this, I might have taken them up on it. That tough-looking girl is pretty good."
Kurt nodded and turned back to the game. No one had asked him if he wanted to join the game.
The boys and girl finished the short pickup game and went to the locker rooms briefly to towel themselves off. Kurt greeted Blaine as he emerged from the locker room. "You didn't shower, Blaine?" Kurt accused with a statement phrased as a question..
"C'mon, Kurt," Blaine laughed. "It's the end of the day, and we were only playing for about twenty minutes. Barely worked up a sweat."
Kurt appeared skeptical and he reached an arm around Blaine's shoulder. He could feel the warm moistness at Blaine's nape, the hair at the back of his neck, and radiating through his shirt at his shoulders. Though Kurt's expression was one of casual disapproval, the sensation was not uninviting (and he'd never have admitted that verbally at the time). There was, very subtly, a wet, primal scent being emitted by Blaine to which Kurt found himself drawn. Kurt gently pulled Blaine close for a quick, sweaty kiss on the way to the choir room. Blaine didn't understand the reasoning, but he smiled anyway.
Even when Friday Glee Club is a non-event, it still brings out the best human qualities in the young performers, even if some of them were a little winded by a pickup game of basketball. Kurt left the school giving Blaine yet another quick smooch; by this time, Blaine was getting somewhat clammy, Kurt assessed. The two parted ways for home. Kurt would regroup with Finn in expectation of the late-evening arrival of Burt and Carole, home from DC for the weekend.
Sometimes the arrival of Burt and Carole is marked by fatigue and a yearning for sleep; other times, like tonight, there's an excitement which pumps the adrenaline: it's a completely unpredictable thing, Kurt thought. As the night wound its way toward the inevitable night's slumber, Kurt moisturized and cozied himself into his bed before his nightly call to Blaine.
"Good evening, Kurt." Blaine's voice sounded expectant.
Kurt giggled. "Good evening, Blaine."
"Everyone get in okay?" Blaine asked. "Dad and stepmom all fine?"
"Yes, everything is good here. How are things there, Blaine?"
Blaine laughed. "Nothing new since this afternoon, Kurt. Not that I can think of, anyway."
"Did you enjoy the basketball game before Glee?"
"Yeah, it was fun," Blaine answered. "It's not my best sport. I'm a little height-challenged to be very good at it, I think, but we were just having fun. Did you enjoy watching me?"
"Yes," Kurt answered while thinking to himself that he watches Blaine do many things. Kurt pondered this for a moment then spoke again. "Rory mentioned that even he could tell that most of you weren't very good."
"Being good is not the point of it. Having fun with friends is the point of it."
Kurt kept silent what he wanted to say. "Well, I'm just shy of exhausted, Blaine. I'll see you tomorrow at the Lima Bean, nine o'clock."
"Right, nine AM as usual!"
"Good night, Blaine. I love you."
"Love you too, Kurt. Good night."
Saturday March 10
Kurt's alarm clock roused him from sleep to the tune of "No More Tears (Enough is Enough)" by Barbra Streisand and Donna Summer. How curious, Kurt thought. He could have sworn that it was set to wake him to Adele. Since he was excited for his Saturday with Blaine, he didn't give it another thought.
It was incredible how the sunlight, streaming in through the windows, illuminated everything so strongly so early in the day. It must be a weather-related phenomenon, Kurt thought to himself. The effect was throwing the most ethereal light into his bedroom giving everything a soft-focus appearance. Kurt showered and did his hair. He had selected his outfit the night before, but he didn't remember it looking quite so stunning then. His hair appeared especially sculpted today also. Everything was so perfect.
As he opened his bedroom door, he noticed that rest of the house was filled with the same spectral early-morning light phenomenon as his bedroom was; and the wafting air carried the most curious fruity scent. He wondered if this was something that Carole was making for breakfast. As Kurt descended the stairs and approached the kitchen, he felt somehow lighter, more agile than usual. Entering the kitchen, he saw Finn voraciously devouring a stack of pancakes as Carole flipped another batch of them flamboyantly through the air and onto a plate.
"Pancakes, Kurt?" Carole offered with a huge, almost grotesque grin.
Kurt didn't seem to notice the oddness of Carole's expression and flashed a nearly grotesque grin of his own, accepting the plate. "Sure! They smell fantastic, Carole!"
Kurt sat across the table from Burt and next to Finn. Finn was eating loudly as if communicating through chewing noises, and Burt was trying to distract himself from his large bowl of plain, unembellished oatmeal.
"Morning, kiddo!" Burt greeted almost mechanically. "It's heart-healthy!" Burt blurted proudly, nodding in the direction of his oatmeal. "Sleep well last night? You appear well-rested."
"And dressed to kill!" Carole added.
Finn contributed more surreally-loud chewing noises.
"Thank you, Carole!" Kurt smiled almost too widely as he reached for the blueberry syrup and poured it sparingly on his pancakes as opposed to the seeming quart of maple syrup which Finn had dumped upon his butter-smothered stack. "Yes, Dad, I slept great last night."
"Are you going to the mall with Blaine today, Kurt?" Carole asked, still irrationally cheerful.
"Well, duh-uh! Of course!" Kurt beamed, "It's Saturday, isn't it?"
The chewing, noises coming from Finn's direction added a snort, seeming to serve as a response. Finn's plate seemed perpetually full despite his zealous devouring actions.
Before Kurt knew it, though, his plate was empty and he was complimenting Carole on the wonderful pancakes, taking his nearly plate to the counter, and announcing his imminent departure for his Saturday activities.
"Have a fun time, kiddo!" Burt announced, still fighting with his oatmeal, stirring it more than actually eating it as if this will somehow transform it into something more appealing.
"I will!" Kurt assured as he exited the kitchen. "See all of you wonderful people later!"
Finn responded with something like a swallowing sound mixed with a grunt and waved in Kurt's direction, not taking his eyes from his plate.
Though the ground outside was waterlogged and squishy, the breaking sunlight had a particular hue that was giving everything a pastel-yellow coloration. Kurt climbed into his Navigator and hit the road for the Lima Bean. He arrived, of course, early as usual, ordered his usual caramel latte, and took a seat at one of the more centrally-located tables: a good vantage point for locating the approach of his beau Blaine.
While waiting for Blaine, Kurt busied himself by leafing through the latest issue of Couture ad Nauseum magazine. It wasn't his favorite fashion rag, but there was an interesting exposé about the appalling ideas of a new fringe group which actually has the audacity to call fashion unimportant. Honestly, where do these philistines get their crazy ideas? Kurt thought to himself as he read the shocking article. Elsewhere, the magazine had another article of interest about the latest height of fashion which only one-sixteenth of one-percent of the population of France had the body to actually wear properly: talk about exclusivity!
Kurt's name was called so he bounced up to the counter to retrieve his caramel latte. The barista was a hip-looking young man with feathery-looking blonde hair and a touch of eyeliner, and he winked and pouted slightly as he handed Kurt his paper cup, topped high with whipped cream swirled with caramel in a lacy pattern.
Kurt sat down again at his table when he saw the door swing open and Blaine enter. Blaine was dressed in a white-and-orange plaid shirt under a navy sweater vest and complemented with a coordinating bowtie. As their eyes met, Kurt smiled his best-rehearsed in-front-of-the-camera smile, an arm in the air to signal Blaine of his location as Blaine returned the expression adding his well-rehearsed puppy-dog eyes. Kurt swooned and Blaine walked up to the counter to order his drink. Blaine was handed his order almost immediately, seating himself across from Kurt with a frothy concoction dotted with a dusting of cinnamon.
"Good morning, my darling Blaine!" Kurt proclaimed. "Last night, I was checking out the Salon de Tedium fashion blog, and there was a really informative piece about using one's sexual orientation to influence friends to make risky fashion choices! The more outlandish the outfit, the more fun it is! It's like planking for people like me!"
"That's fascinating, Kurt!" Blaine smiled, laughing and seeming almost too interested, eyeing Kurt's magazine.
"What about this weather?" Kurt held up his hands in a theatrically showy manner, facial expression all eye-contact and enthusiasm. "Have you ever seen the sun like this? It's like we're living in a pastel yellow cloud! The ground, though, totally early March: all sloppy and messy."
Blaine then asked Kurt, "Completely unimportant question as to whether I should invest in socks?"
"Relevant statement about the unpredictability of late-winter weather patterns in the North-eastern corner of the American Midwest," Kurt mechanically responded. "In support of purchasing apparel of any kind now however," Kurt explained, "gushing comment about the spring line!"
Blaine smiled handsomely and added, "Generic-but-endearing comment about the extent of Kurt's gayness!"
Kurt blushed as if on cue. Blaine smiled and the light caught his left upper-canine causing a sparkle of light to flash for a moment. Kurt giggled and trembled. "How did you do that, Blaine?"
"Why, do what, Kurt?"
"You know, silly! That sparkle-tooth thing!"
"Why, Kurt, it's gay magic! You can do it too!"
"I can?"
"Sure you can!"
"Show me how, Blaine! Pleeeeeease?"
Kurt awoke with a start, the sound of his alarm nearly making him jump. It was seven AM, and "No More Tears (Enough is Enough)" by Andy Bell and k.d. lang was blaring almost painfully from his alarm device. He could have sworn that he had Adele set to be his alarm song.
Kurt rose and showered. Moving did not come without effort. The fading image of the dream from which he'd been shaken awake was making his head spin. Styling his hair was an exercise in frustration. No matter what he tried to do, it looked overdone. Kurt just decided to go with the soft, casual look for the day. This rendered the outfit which he'd prepared the night before completely inappropriate. Kurt settled on a long-sleeved gobelin-blue pullover embellished with a sparkly-but-tasteful design in a repeated skull motif and a looser-than-usual set of black jeans. If he wasn't feeling exactly perfect, he at least wanted to be comfortable. The light from the outside was painting the walls of his room gray once he turned his lights off. It gave him a chill so he layered a thick, buttondown sweater in charcoal-gray over the pullover top.
Breakfast with Burt, Carole, and Finn was cheerful and pleasant, if unremarkable; but it did serve to wake him slightly. The March morning was, indeed, gray, the ground was squishy, and the air carried a distinctly damp aroma. Kurt arrived at the Lima Bean. Blaine was predictably late, but not too late. The thought crossed Kurt's mind that perhaps Blaine's rock-star lateness was a vanity-thing. Kurt was bothered that the thought even crossed his mind, though.
The coffee was pleasant if without incident; not much had changed in the clothing stores during a week. After the mundane repetition of reviewing all of the clothes they saw the previous week (and liking them less the second time), Blaine convinced Kurt to swing over to the sporting goods store with him. There Blaine ran into Gordon, a student he knew from Dalton Academy, one which Kurt had not met when he was there. While Blaine and Gordon caught up on Dalton sports melodrama, Kurt half-heartedly eyed track-and-field clothes: the color combinations of sports attire usually struck Kurt as gaudy, but, he thought, they're really no louder than that navy-with-red-trim Dalton blazer which he adored. After a few minutes, Blaine and Gordon went their separate ways, shaking hands and smiling goodbye; Kurt realized that Blaine didn't even bother to introduce him to Gordon, and this oddly didn't really bother Kurt; it somehow seemed acceptably expected Blaine protocol. Dinner at Breadstix was nice but typical. Why is it everyone seems to eat there so often? Kurt wondered. It must be the cheescake. The two pondered taking in a movie; but, then, they often disagreed upon any movie choice, and this hadn't exactly been a weekend full of hot, new releases.
Kurt returned home after a brief-and-routine-but-not-uncomfortable smooching session under the cover of a dreary parking garage in back of Kurt's Navigator, a smooching session which, to Kurt's expectation, never cracked the line between PG and PG-13. The house was dreary. Finn didn't seem to be around, not that Kurt was looking for him exactly as Finn and he really didn't hang out that much; but Kurt felt like he could use someone impartial to talk with. Burt and Carole were in the family room, cuddled up on the couch in front of the television. Carole was good to talk to, but Kurt didn't want to spoil what appeared to be a cozy moment between her and Burt. Kurt wasn't sure what he wanted to talk about exactly, but he knew that it concerned Blaine and himself and what Kurt felt he wanted and what Kurt felt he needed or perhaps didn't need. The vagueness of Kurt's torpor was quietly galling.
It was just past seven o'clock in the evening, and the house was gloomy. Kurt thought for a moment that, for some, the gloominess was an opportunity for something different: coziness as in the case of Burt and Carole; a reason to get out of the house for Finn and his friends; but to Kurt, right now, it was just gloomy. Kurt wondered if it was as gloomy for Blaine as it was for him; Kurt wondered further that, if it was as gloomy for Blaine, why weren't they at least together in their gloominess with the option to transform it into something better? The two had just seen each other less than an hour before, but Kurt sent a text message to Blaine regardless.
Kurt: Hi there. What are you up to? 7:08 PM
Kurt opened his laptop and it illuminated as he walked to the other side of his bedroom. The light coming from the screen added some electricity, light, and life to the glum atmosphere, raising Kurt's mood a few notches. Kurt's phone buzzed with Blaine's reply.
Blaine: It's only been an hour since we parted! Can't stand to be apart, I see! 7:17 PM
Kurt grimaced at the message then another came in almost instantly.
Blaine: Just joking! Watching an old football game on the classic sports station with my dad. 7:18 PM
Kurt was, at first relieved that Blaine's initial comment was meant in jest (something very out-of-character for Blaine); then Kurt was baffled by the second statement: he's watching a rerun of a football game, possibly decades old; and, in doing this activity, Blaine seemed somehow more content than he was when he and Kurt were together earlier. Kurt replied, equally out-of-character and waiting several minutes before sending.
Kurt: LOL! OMG! Well I won't disturb u then. 7:24 PM
It wasn't perfect chat-speak, after all, Kurt is no Mercedes, but it was enough, Kurt thought, to send a subtle (or not-so-subtle) signal that he was irked. Or something.
Kurt : Just call me later. 7:26 PM
No reply. Kurt checked a few fashion blogs. Nothing grabbed his attention, certainly not enough to counteract his dark ennui. He thought of David and wondered how David spent nights like this. Probably watching the sports classic channel like Blaine and his dad, Kurt opined to himself.
Interesting to Kurt that, though he kept in nearly daily contact with David, there were times like this when he felt like they hadn't spoken or seen each other in weeks. Even stranger was this feeling when he considered that they weren't even actually friends for more than three weeks. If David seemed somehow distant right now, at this moment, from Kurt, something had amplified the thought, be it rational or irrational. Kurt knew he could contact David at any time, so he did.
Kurt: Hi, David. How is your Saturday night? 7:43 PM
Just tapping to send the message somehow made Kurt less anxious about the tangle of thoughts in his mind. Kurt was actually somewhat surprised that the reply was almost immediate.
David: Hey Kurt. Not really doing anything. 7:45 PM
Kurt considered just calling, but thought that the politeness dictated one more text message.
Kurt: May I call you? 7:45 PM
The phone lit up before Kurt was able to put it down on his nightstand.
"Hello," Kurt answered as a statement, sounding somewhat brighter than he'd felt a few minutes before but still feeling the shadow of his darker mood.
"Hi, Kurt," David's voice was quiet but clear, smooth, and somewhat higher in pitch than usual, giving a shy-sounding coloration to the sound. "What's going on with you?"
"Oh, nothing really. I was just wondering how my friend David was spending his Saturday night."
David laughed quietly. Kurt could hear the smile in the reply when David spoke. "Reading ahead in some of my textbooks. Doing some research earlier. Honestly, I think that's my life right now. How are you whiling away your evening, Kurt?"
"Honestly, I'm a little bored, David, and I'm almost never bored."
"I thought Saturday was your regular Blaine day. Thought maybe you'd be hanging with him or something."
"We were out earlier. We ran out of things we wanted to do, so we just went home. And then, when I came home, everything just seemed dismal and boring."
David replied, an understanding tone in his voice. "Yeah, I can relate. It is that time of year. The snow has stopped for the most part, but we're still getting those cloudy skies before the Spring weather starts happening. It still gets dark earlier in the evening."
"All that's true," Kurt agreed. "I think that's why Blaine and I just decided to go home early. The day was sapping our enthusiasm."
"I have nothing of substance to add to that, unfortunately," David replied, "but it sounds like a sound theory, I guess."
Kurt exhaled, nearly a sigh. "Blaine's watching the an old football game on the sports classic channel with his dad." This made David chuckle quietly but audibly as Kurt continued. "Actually, I thought that you might be doing the same." Kurt paused for a moment. "Is there some insight you could add to that, David? I mean, you like sports. Help me understand the allure of watching a game that's, like, years old."
"I've watched old games, and I've enjoyed them. Honestly, though, I think that there are better ways to spend a Saturday night." David paused, collecting his thoughts. "If I was, like, a big-league, professional coach or something, it would be kinda like learning from a historical thing the way a young artist might study the work of an artist from decades or centuries ago."
"I see the analogy, David," Kurt responded, "but it seems like somewhat of a stretch; I mean, you already know how the game will end, right?"
"Well, it's like watching a favorite movie movie that you've already seen a few times. You already know everything about it, but it still makes you feel what made you love it in the first place, right?"
"I guess," Kurt pondered. "I'm still not sold on the idea, though."
"The idea's not going to work for everyone, but we all have stuff we're into and stuff we're indifferent to. Gretchen made me a mix CD of a bunch of music a while back: all random stuff. A lot of it I really liked, but some of it was this old, creaky-sounding stuff. I couldn't figure out why anyone would listen to that kinda stuff, but it's apparently still being listened to and studied."
"Who was on the mix CD?"
"Lemme grab it and tell you." Kurt could hear background noise of David shuffling things around. "Here it is," David said finally, the background noise stopped. "Okay, some of this stuff I really liked. I never actually made it through the whole disc because I usually just used it as background music when I was on the computer or something. Okay, there's some stuff on here by Billie Holiday, Bessie Smith, and Robert Johnson. Those are ones which sounded out-of-place. Gretchen could go on about how amazing this stuff is and why, and she's totally justified in her opinions on the stuff, I guess; but it doesn't do much for me. Maybe it will someday, though. Who knows? I guess we grow in and out of stuff like that."
"I've heard of Billie Holiday," Kurt offered, sounding suddenly more interested. "Diana Ross portrayed her in a movie. I never heard any of her original music, though."
"Well, Gretchen said that all of those people were influential and important and that their work is still studied and revered. Even if Gretchen misfires a few times, she's really good at turning people on to new stuff. Or old stuff, I guess. Who'd have known that she'd have me digging the Doors?"
Kurt made a slightly disparaging noise. "The Doors. Wasn't that guy a drug freak?"
"Yeah," David answered confidently, "and Billie Holiday was a junkie: doesn't mean that they didn't create valid art."
"You have a point, David," Kurt admitted after letting the notion sink in for a few seconds. Damn. David was now messing with the fabric of Kurt's reality on a regular basis. Not only was Kurt getting used to it, Kurt was actually acquiring a taste for it.
There was a period of silence for a few moments before Kurt spoke again, changing the subject. "How did you spend your Saturday, David?"
"I helped my dad clean out the garage and did some yard work."
"Ugh. Chores on a Saturday."
"It's not so bad," David reassured. "My life's pretty boring right now; and I get to spend time with my dad, and we've been getting along great. He's really been so amazing. Then, of course, we ordered take-out food and had dinner. I keep telling him that one of us is going to need to learn how to cook something more involved than breakfast and sandwiches for lunch." Kurt chuckled and David joined in laughing after a few seconds before continuing. "Actually, my dad did make a really good breakfast last week on my big test day."
"I love my dad to death, but most of my attempts to domesticate him have yielded very few positive results," Kurt said through a smile.
"Your dad is intense to the point of scaring me, but I can see that he's an amazing guy. What did you and Blaine do today?"
"Not a whole lot, really," Kurt sounded slightly squeaky and annoyed. "We met at the Lima Bean, had coffee, went to the Mall, and eventually ended having dinner at Breadstix."
"That doesn't sound so bad."
"Well, we talked about going to a movie, but we couldn't decide on anything that we both wanted to see. Most of the time at the Lima Bean and Breadstix was spent staring into each other's eyes. It was cute early in the day. By the time we got to Breadstix, it was almost ridiculous, I mean, there must be something to talk about or do or experience."
"Ah, well, I'm the last person who would have any clue what a good date is supposed to be like. I'm sure it's just this weird time of year. Soon enough, the two of you will be having a great time again. Maybe the two of you need to have some experiences that one of you is into and the other has never done."
"Like what? What do you mean, David?"
"I don't know. Maybe watch a game with Blaine sometime. Maybe have him tag along when you do something that you're into that he's never done, though I wouldn't know what that might be."
"Nice theory, but I don't think that would work, David," Kurt answered. "I've gone to football games with Blaine. He ends up being rapt with the game itself, and I text Mercedes while I wait for halftime."
David laughed, then composed himself. "Well, this is just a question, but did Blaine ever try to get you to understand why he liked the game, or did he just basically get absorbed by the game and forget you were there?"
"Um, more like the second part, but not quite so extreme. Sometimes it seems like he keeps me out of the 'guy loop' whether he realizes it or not." Kurt paused for a moment. "Maybe it's just as well."
"I dunno. I'm just throwing out ideas, and you probably shouldn't listen to me anyway because I have zero experience here."
"It's okay, David," Kurt spoke with some warmth. "Your ideas are not bad ideas, and I'm glad to have you to talk to."
"Well, then, maybe sometime you and Blaine can get together with me and some friends, and we'll watch, like, a football game or something; and I'll try to get you to understand why people like Blaine and me like it so much." The suggestion was greeted with silence. "I'm not necessarily expecting you to instantly love the game or anything, but maybe you'll find out that it's really not so bad. And maybe it becomes an experience that you and Blaine can share more comfortably."
Kurt spoke after another period of silence. "You know, David, that actually makes sense, and it's not a bad idea at all; but shouldn't Blaine be the one to do those kinds of things like helping me to understand that stuff?"
"Maybe he doesn't know how, I dunno. Maybe he just thinks you'd shoot him down if he tried."
Kurt was taken aback though David's voice was calm and not accusing. Kurt could be incredibly stubborn and rigid at times about certain things.
"Whatever the case," David continued, "I like you and I like Blaine and I like the two of you together so if I can help that, I'm happy to do what I can."
"Okay, so does that mean you'll come with Blaine and me see a live musical theater performance?" Kurt quipped, not expecting a serious or affirmative reply.
"Sure. Why wouldn't I? I mean, if just to be able to honestly say that either I like it or it's not my thing. And, of course, having that experience with my friends would make it worthwhile in itself. Might be the only way to get me to go to something like that."
"Really?" Kurt asked, stunned. "You'd do that?"
"McKinley Karofsky would not have done anything like that," David paused and spoke clearly if softly, "but I would."
"Have you really changed that much, David?"
"Geeze, Kurt, once I got to the point that I could deal with who I am, I didn't need to pretend any longer that I was this total closed-minded hard-ass. It opened up my world. In some ways I'm still the same guy I was, but I'm also okay with admitting that I can appreciate stuff I'd have never wanted anything to do with before." David stopped and regrouped his thoughts. "Okay, I'm still largely a work-in-progress, but the guy I've been for the last eight months has developed beyond the hung-up, insecure, issue-infected guy that terrorized you at McKinley."
"Infected?" Kurt asked. "Odd choice of words?"
"Nope. I was sick or poisoned or something. I mean, not literally, but something had poisoned the way I thought. Once I understood that I am gay and that's the way I am and that doesn't make me abnormal or anything, I started to slowly come out of that toxic mindset that kept poisoning so much of what I did. I thought that I had all of it out of my system last fall, but I didn't. I guess I'm still getting it out of my system, but my head's feeling healthier all of the time."
A silence passed, but it was not uncomfortable. It was actually pleasant. In Kurt's mind, David was making sense. David continued. "I also realized that now, I'm defined by so much more than I was. When I was at McKinley, I was, like, one thing: the mean big kid who slammed kids into lockers and knocked them around. I'm not that any longer. I don't want anyone to think I'm just the bully jock any longer. Hopefully, I won't be labeled so easily again."
Another silence, this one somewhat uncertain. Kurt finally spoke. "You're right, I think. I mean..."
Kurt's phone made a beeping noise in Kurt's ear: it was Blaine calling.
"Oh, David, Blaine's calling."
"Alright. You should go then. Hey, I'll probably be up for a while, you can text me later."
"Alright. Bye, David."
"Later, Kurt."
Kurt ended the call with David, picking up Blaine's call. "Hello, Blaine." Kurt sounded nominally polite.
"Hi, Kurt. What are you up to?"
"I wasn't really up to anything earlier, and then I texted David, and he called me."
"How's Karofsky doing?" Blaine sounded like the mention of his name brought a smile to his face.
"He's doing okay. I think it's gotta be tough for him to be alone so much of the time, though. I feel bad for him when I think about it."
"Does he seem depressed or something?" Blaine asked sounding genuinely concerned.
"No, not really. It just seems like he could be happier with some people around him sometimes. I mean, it's Saturday night, and he's at home reading ahead in his schoolwork. It sounds sad."
"And I was watching a vintage football game on TV with my dad, and you were, you said, up to nothing until you started talking with Karofsky," Blaine catalogued.
"What's your point, Blaine?"
"I guess I'm wondering what makes any one of those things better or worse than the others," Blaine answered objectively. "So, Karofsky was home alone on a Saturday night. I'm guessing there were no grand things going on at your place or you wouldn't have bothered to see what I was up to or what Karofsky was up to. And I was watching TV with my dad. Honestly, Kurt, you're thinking too much about it, and you're not responsible for Karofsky's entertainment."
Kurt laughed weakly at the logic. "Yeah. You're right." A few moments of silence passed before Kurt asked, "So, how old was the game you were watching?"
"It was from about six years ago, I think," Blaine answered.
"Okay," Kurt sounded somewhat sarcastic. "You've gotta let me know what you get out of watching a game that's six years old. It's not really old enough to appear any different than a new game, and you could, presumably, already know the outcome."
Blaine took several seconds to verbalize his answer. "Uh, it's just, like, a guy-thing."
"A guy-thing." Kurt said, slightly flummoxed. David had given a far better answer to that same question, and David's answer was something short of spectacular.
"Yeah. You know. Not your thing."
"I'm a guy, Blaine," Kurt spoke unemotional, greatly flummoxed, slightly humiliated.
"Kurt, I just don't think you'd get it." Blaine sounded dismissive.
Kurt was silent for a moment: flummoxed, humiliated, definitely dehumanized. David's answer was infinitely better and far more respectful.
"Well," Kurt finally spoke, "what's on your itinerary for tomorrow?" The question was idle chatter designed to mask some element of Kurt's anger.
"Probably talking to you a few times in the morning and afternoon. Sunday dinner with the parents in the evening. Maybe we can get together tomorrow afternoon?"
Kurt's mood lightened at the suggestion. "Sure. I just need to check that the parents here have nothing in mind."
"We'll work it out tomorrow."
Kurt wasn't physically tired, but his mind was stressed. "I'm kinda winding-down for the night, Blaine."
"Yeah, me too, Kurt. I guess I'll talk to you tomorrow. Have a good night."
"Good night, Blaine. I love you."
"I love you too, Kurt."
Kurt held the phone to his ear for several seconds before he heard Blaine end the call on his end. Kurt then reached over to his nightstand and connected the phone to its charger, reclining onto his bed as he rested the phone on the surface of the bedside table. Kurt lay there for several minutes, parts of the night's conversations replaying in his mind.
David was no longer the McKinley monster. He could not be so easily labeled. Kurt, on the other hand, was the dictionary-definition of the flamboyant gay boy. David was complex and undefinable. Kurt was the gay kid.
More bothersome was that David's logic granted Kurt respect; Blaine's did not. David didn't verbalize, no, he didn't even imply, that Kurt was simply the gay kid; Blaine had said it loud and clear though not in such blunt terms. Blaine had bought into the ruse: in his mind, Kurt was reduced to stereotype. The idea was downloading in Kurt's brain like a compressed file expanding and installing itself.
When exactly did this happen? Did Blaine always consider Kurt to be his trivial, domestic-arts-minded, objectifiable friend useful for times when he feels he needs his ego to be stroked but not worthy of even an introduction to his sports buddies or an objective, mature conversation or even a straight answer?
Kurt fell asleep, his mind spinning, his evening skin-care routine completely neglected.
Sunday March 11
Mercedes: Hi Kurt. Im gng 4 manicure + pedicure 2day. Been a while. R U game? 10:08 AM
Kurt: Hi, Mercedes. Thanks for asking, but I'm going to pass on it today. I have some things going on, and I'm just not feeling it. 10:09 AM
Mercedes: Well, thn, I gss Ill C U 2morro N school. 10:09 AM
Kurt: Have a good Sunday, Mercedes. Sorry i can't join you. 10:10 AM
Mercedes: U2. L8er, Kurt. 10:11 AM
Kurt: Good morning, David! I'm sorry that I didn't text you later last night, but I fell asleep after talking with Blaine. 10:16 AM
David: Hey Kurt. It's cool. 10:22 AM
Kurt: Is it alright to call right now? 10:23 AM
David: Yeah 10:24 AM
Kurt dialed David upon reading his texted response.
"Hey." David's voice was soft, low, and indifferent-sounding.
"Good morning, David," Kurt sounded cheerful, not registering David's low-key delivery. "Did you just wake up? It's fairly late in the morning."
"I woke up a while ago. I was up pretty late." David's words were short and mechanical.
"Why were you up late?" Kurt sounded bright and curious.
"Reading stuff. Nothing important."
Brevity. David had been like this before. It struck Kurt; still he was trying to be positive. "Did you have trouble getting to sleep?"
"No. Just started out bored. Reading stuff online. Then it was, like, two o'clock. Thought it might be time to crash. Laid awake for a while."
"Is everything okay, David?" Kurt's concern switched on and was genuine.
"Yeah, Kurt. I'll be okay."
There was some silence before Kurt responded. "You'll be okay? Does that mean you weren't okay?"
Silence again. Again Kurt spoke. "David, you were really talkative last night, and I love some of the conversations we have. Like last night's." Kurt was thinking of what he'd say next when David responded.
"Last night was last night. Today is another day. Pretty-much the same as yesterday."
Kurt understood what was unsaid, and he felt bad that he didn't get back to David after talking with Blaine the previous evening. David was alone on a Saturday night, and Kurt realized that he himself represented some small-but-sufficient contact with someone.
After more silence passed, Kurt spoke, leaving no doubt about his view of David's state of mind. "David, I think you're really isolated and alone. I've thought that before, but I don't know what I can do about it." Once again, Kurt was about to say more when David interrupted.
"Okay, Kurt, I know all of that. I'm dealing with it, and I don't need to hear it from you or anyone." His voice raised, an aggressive tone. He heard Kurt's breath rise on the other end. "Don't get all weepy on me, Hummel, Okay?"
This put Kurt on the defensive. He felt David's pain, but he wasn't going to suffer this behavior when he was doing his best where David was concerned. Kurt spoke calmly and clearly, somewhat louder.
"Okay, David. I don't know exactly why you're speaking like this to me. You're someone I care about, but you're repelling me right now. I don't think that's what you want to do. I'm going to let you go for now. You can call me later if you like, okay."
"Okay." David's voice was quiet.
"Goodbye, David."
The call went dead before David had a chance to say 'goodbye'.
He sat in silence for a while in his bedroom. He was disappointed last night because Kurt hadn't called back or texted him later in the night. David was isolated and alone. Kurt's call the previous evening raised his spirits; the lack of a response later in the night sent him slowly descending. The mix CD Gretchen had given him months ago was in his player from late last night. He found the song which he'd set on repeat as the hours drew into the early morning.
They looked at me like they never seen something like that in their lives
I wanted to shove it right down their slimy throats
I went right back to my cell and freaked out by myself
And don't you know it feels good to know without a doubt to know
I am what I am all about
Back in my jungle, back in my cell
A man in front of the barrel of a gun
Instructions: remain calm
My dreams they all die
In my dreams they all die
I'm exterminating from the inside
No one hears a scream
No one holds or heeds to my dreams but me
The assassin of my dreams comes to destroy from the inside
The assassin of my dreams exterminates without mercy, without judgement
I am the assassin of my dreams
I am the exterminator of my thoughts
I am the rough that corrodes my will
I am my worst enemy
I am my best friend
I am my end
Remain calm
Prepare to destroy
Part animal part machine
Sunday was a much nicer day that the previous day was. The sun was bright; and although it wasn't exactly warm, the light was pleasant and warming. Kurt was meeting Blaine at the Lima Bean (again). They'd spoken earlier, and made plans to so. Kurt was early as usual, primarily because he had allotted time to prepare himself, also as usual, but he just wasn't feeling it. He could have done something fun and fashionable with his hair, he could have worn something more dressy, but it just seemed unnecessary; and it just didn't suit his mood of the moment. His primary concern was to attempt to find some resolution to yesterday's odd meetings and conversations. A seasonally-unspecific gray sweater, gray jeans, and gray knee-length jacket suited his mood appropriately as did his unstyled-but-presentable hair which he threw back and slightly to the left side of his face.
Blaine entered the coffeehouse and visually located Kurt's table, waving and smiling. Kurt shot eye contact and a forced grin back. After a few minutes, Blaine sat down, pleasant-faced and smiling wearing a Sunday-specific medium-blue shirt with charcoal dress pants and a white sweater worn over his back with the sleeves tied loosely about his shoulders. Greetings followed, then the part where Blaine sips his coffee while staring deeply into Kurt's eyes. Kurt sat straight and leaned against the back of his chair, arms crossed, eyes narrowing. He appeared somewhat confrontational.
"You look really, like, casual today," Blaine observed. "Two days in a row now. Are you feeling okay?" Blaine smiled slightly uncertain.
"No," Kurt sounded dismissive and rolled his eyes away. "Just wasn't feeling terribly pretty today, I guess. More functional than decorative." Kurt shrugged.
Blaine registered some look of mild disappointment. "So unlike you."
"Unlike me really, or unlike the me you expect? Or want?"
Blaine lowered and cocked his head, raising an eyebrow, frowning slightly. No words.
"Blaine, are you, like, embarrassed of me, or something?"
"What?" Blaine's face registered surprise or shock, even. "Kurt, no. Why would you ask that?"
"Why didn't you didn't introduce me to your friend yesterday."
Blaine's face pained slightly, but he addressed Kurt directly. "He's one of my sports buddies." Blaine shrugged dismissively.
"Well... I kind-of make it a point to introduce you to my friends. As my boyfriend."
"I didn't think you'd have anything to talk about."
"It would have been an introduction, not a conversation, Blaine." Kurt looked away, down at his drink then to his side. "I feel kind-of disrespected."
Blaine appeared somewhat angered, definitely confused. "I really didn't think you'd want to meet him, Kurt."
"I'm your boyfriend. We're kinda connected."
Blaine rolled his eyes, looking away. "I just didn't think it was that important."
"Okay, I'll drop it then."
Blaine appeared relieved. "So, anything going on at home? Parents okay? Finn?"
Completely unnecessary small-talk, trivial and forced, Kurt thought. "Business as usual at the Hummel-Hudson household."
Kurt exhaled loudly and softened his posture somewhat. "I am a little worried about David."
"Still?"
"Yes, I know I shouldn't feel like I'm responsible for being his connection to the outside world, but most of the people David thought were his closest friends have abandoned him."
Blaine rolled his eyes in frustration. "Karofsky's a big boy. I'm sure you're not giving him enough credit to take care of himself."
"It's been almost four weeks, Blaine. Imagine being at home without seeing all of your best friends, or any friends, really, for four weeks. David even lost his mom in this thing."
"I really don't see how that's your problem." Blaine's words betrayed an irritation, a building anger.
"I told him I'd help him." Kurt sounded driven, committed. "I'm keeping my word to David."
Blaine threw his hands and his gaze into the air, eyes finally resting on Kurt's, Blaine's penetrating stare addressing Kurt, point-blank. Mouth slightly agape, silent for a moment, Blaine finally spoke, loud, just shy of yelling. "And since when is he 'David'? We always called him 'Karofsky'. Everyone calls him 'Karofsky' except a couple of people who call him 'Dave'."
Kurt's eyes narrowed, quiet rage, Kurt spoke, nearly whining, "That's his name, Blaine."
"You're the only person who calls him that!"
Fortunately, the background music at the Lima Bean was loud, some vintage jazz recording, or the two of them would have been quite a distraction to the other patrons.
After about thirty seconds of a silent-dagger-stare from Kurt, Blaine spoke again, loudly. "Y'know what? Maybe we should just take some time off. Call it for a while. Give us some time to figure out where our heads are at."
Kurt cocked his head, folded his arms over his chest, raised a shoulder, and spoke clearly, precisely, and quietly. "I agree."
Blaine backed against his chair-back, stunned. That was not the reaction Blaine predicted. He fully expected Kurt to whine and plead like he did the night the two of them left Scandals. Blaine was fully prepared to leave a sobbing Kurt alone at the Lima Bean and drive home only to have the two of them come to a cuddly understanding the next day; after all, Blaine was the masculine, sports-minded, dominant one. But it didn't happen.
"What?" Blaine sounded baffled.
Kurt softened and backed against his chair also, tilting his head and spoke sincerely without breaking his position on the matter. "Blaine, we've been at this for a while. Over a year. We should have some of this stuff ironed-out by now. We should know each other better, and I'll take the blame for half of that; but taking a break for a while is a completely reasonable action right now."
Blaine leaned forward, placed his right elbow on the table, propped his forehead upon his hand, and looked at Kurt. "You're serious."
Kurt nodded. He didn't seem angry; he seemed more exhausted by the intricacies inherent in the exchange. He stood, picked up his drink, and stopped momentarily next to the seated Blaine. "Goodbye, Blaine. See you in school tomorrow." Kurt stepped away from Blaine and proceeded to walk to the exit. There was no bounce to his gait: a casual, purposeful stride.
Kurt climbed into his Navigator, placed his paper cup in his drink holder, and pulled out of the parking lot. Kurt was halfway to home when his phone lit up with an incoming text. It can wait, he thought, assuming it to be from Blaine. As Kurt came to a stop at an intersection when a yellow light shifted to red, he picked up his phone and read the message.
David: Please call me when you can. Please. 2:46 PM
Kurt put his phone down quickly, the thought of Quinn Fabray crossing his mind. The stoplight was still red. The text message melted Kurt's heart. He thought to himself that maybe it shouldn't, but he understood that David was alone much of the time and possibly in great pain. As he pulled into his driveway and parked his Navigator, he thought about waiting to call David, to make him sweat for a while; but he couldn't bring himself to do that: Kurt wasn't vengeful in the least. Upon entering the house and seeing everything as normal, dinner not yet ready, and the weekly ride with Burt and Carol to the airport hours away, he climbed up to his bedroom and dialed David.
"Kurt." David's voice was soft. He exhaled loudly after he spoke Kurt's name.
"Hello, David." Kurt spoke quietly but clearly, trying to sound as approachable as possible.
"I'm really sorry for talking to you like that earlier."
"David, I..."
"Please let me finish," David softly cut Kurt off. "There's no reason for me to be that way with you. If I get that way, knock me down. You can do it, you did it today. Yell at me if you want to. Remind me who I'm talking with. I don't want to push you away."
A period of silence passed. David finished what he wanted to say.
"David, I understand that you're really alone. That can hurt."
"It hurts a lot sometimes, Kurt. I was really let down that we didn't talk later in the night." David was silent for a moment. "I'm selfish. I shouldn't expect that from you."
"David, I'm trying to be a friend to you."
David interjected quickly. "You are, Kurt. You've been an incredible friend to me these past few weeks. I shouldn't expect more."
"I really haven't really done that much."
"Kurt, you've done more than you know."
"You could have texted me or something." Kurt knew that wasn't the same. He knew that David was alone and waiting for someone to show him, even through the smallest action, that he mattered.
"Yeah. I could have."
"David, do you ever get tired of apologizing?" Kurt's voice was slightly more analytical. "I mean, you seem to be apologizing to me a lot."
"Yeah, I guess, but not to you. Especially if I talk to you badly like that. I owe you a lot. That's all, just leave it at that. Please."
"I really don't want to hear you apologize to me again. Really, can you move on from this?"
"Yeah, I'll try. But, really, bust me down if I get like that again."
"Okay. How was your day otherwise?"
"Really, not much going on here. I've been in my room most of the day. Dad knows when something's bothering me, and he's been great with me. I just can't talk with him about everything, though."
"Yeah, I know how that is, David."
"I'm kind-of exhausted, but," David's words hesitated for a moment. "Thank you, Kurt. Just, thank you. I think I need to get some sleep. I'll be doing some school work and working on my History project later, but I'm really tired right now."
"Okay, David. I'll text you later. Maybe we'll talk again tonight."
"Okay. Goodbye, Kurt."
Kurt thought he could actually hear David smile through his words. "Goodbye, David."
At dinner that night, Kurt told Burt, Carole, and Finn that he and Blaine are taking some 'time off'. Carole's reaction was swift and sympathetic, wrapping her arms around Kurt and consoling him until Kurt said, quite matter-of-factly, that he felt it was a good idea. He explained that He and Blaine hadn't been communicating all that well lately, and Kurt, for one, was okay with the move, even welcomed it. Carole seemed a little disappointed, if only that she couldn't be sweet and motherly for Kurt this time; and Burt, though surprised, admired Kurt's objective view on the event. Finn listened intently, but added no words confident that, if Kurt was okay with the breakup, he was fine with it also.
Tuesday March 13
As expected, Monday morning brought an apology from Blaine. Kurt was adamant that their breakup, temporary as it might be (stressing the word 'might'), was something that he welcomed for the time being. They were still inseparable friends, but that didn't stop the awkward feeling that manifested in both of them. Mercedes, having spoken to Blaine before Kurt about the breakup, began to assail Kurt with verbal abuse until Kurt told her that it was Blaine who initially suggested the move and Kurt merely agreed. Mercedes backed down, and, as a result, the Glee Club gossip-factory was oddly silenced.
Otherwise, Monday and Tuesday proceeded without event. Kurt texted David regularly throughout both days and spoke with him Monday evening: a typically pleasant conversation about the goings-on at McKinley for Kurt's part and the lessons and other minor daily activities for David's.
It was just before five o'clock on Tuesday afternoon when Kurt's phone rang. It was a call from his father.
"Hello, Dad!"
"Hi, kiddo!" Burt sounded very-much his blunt self.
"What's going on?" Kurt asked brightly.
"Well, I wanted to talk to you. Paul Karofsky called me. He wants to ask a favor of you, and he wanted to check with me first to get my approval before he asked you."
"Okay, now I'm curious."
"Paul has to go out of town on business Thursday morning, but he'll be back Friday afternoon. He doesn't want to leave Dave at home alone considering what happened last month, and he wants to know if you'll stay with Dave Thursday night into Friday morning. Listen, I know you've had problems with Dave, but I also know that you've become friends. I trust your judgement on this, even though I have my reservations. When Paul calls you, you can talk with him about it."
Kurt was surprised by the news. He really didn't know how to react. His duty as a friend to David made him want to agree to it, but he was still too stunned to say anything.
"Listen, Kurt, I know you've broken up with Blaine, but that's a non-issue in this as I see it. I remember being uncomfortable when I found Blaine sleeping in your bed last year, but you set me straight on that, so, yeah, I trust you'll do the right thing, but make sure you're comfortable with it and it's alright by you, okay? If you do decide to do this, and anything, I mean anything bad happens, you get your butt outta that house and call 911 or me or Finn immediately, do you hear me?"
Kurt shook himself out of his speechlessness. "Um, yeah, Dad."
"Call me back after you've made your decision, and let me know what you're gonna do, okay?"
"Okay, Dad."
"I gotta get going, now, but behave yourself, and take care until I'm back for the weekend, alright?"
"Yeah, okay, Dad. I love you, Dad."
"Love you too Kurt. Goodbye."
"Goodbye."
Kurt was severely taken aback by the conversation. He had questions as to why Paul would ask him to look after David, but he assumed that those would be answered by Paul himself when he called. He didn't have to wait long.
At six-thirty, just as Kurt was cleaning up after dinner, his phone rang. It was an unfamilar number with a local area code.
"Hello?"
"Hello," a man greeted back, pleasant and clear. "Is this Kurt Hummel?"
"Speaking."
"It's Paul Karofsky, David's father."
"Hello, Mr. Karofsky. My dad called and told me to expect a call from you."
"Yes, and I trust he filled you in on why I'm calling."
"He did. You want me to stay over with David Thursday night."
"That's correct. I'll be gone on business all day Thursday and getting back Friday afternoon. I'm asking you because most of our adult family around here isn't really friendly to David's situation. Asking his mother is really out of the question. I could ask his friend Sean, but, well, I know more about you. David and I have talked about you. He trusts you. I trust you, and I feel I know you better than I know Sean. If you don't want to, I understand, and I will ask Sean. I suppose I could ask David's tutor, but I didn't want to be imposing on his..."
Kurt interrupted. "No, I'll do it. I'm okay with everything. Really, it should be no trouble at all."
"Are you sure? I consider this a big favor, and I..."
"Please, Mr. Karofsky, I'm fine with it. I'll talk with David and iron out any details between now and then."
"Thank you, Kurt," Paul sounded relieved. "Like I said, you're doing me a big favor with this."
"You're welcome, and don't mention it."
"Okay. I'm sure I'll talk with you soon."
"Goodbye, Mr. Karofsky."
"Goodbye, Kurt."
Kurt ended the call, and walked into the Family room where Finn was watching the television, idly surfing channels, working the remote like a video game controller.
"Hey, Finn?"
"What's going on, Kurt?"
"Mr. Karofsky is going out of town on business, and he asked me to look after David Thursday night, so I'll be crashing there."
"Really?" Finn sounded stunned. "Does Burt know about this?"
"Yes, actually, Dad called me about it first. David's dad called Dad to make sure it was okay with him first before calling me."
"How do you feel about it?"
"If I didn't feel right about it, I wouldn't have agreed to it."
Finn shrugged. "I know you, and you're gonna do what you want to do no matter how anyone else feels about it."
"What does that mean?"
"Just that you're kinda stubborn that way; but, hey, before you take that as an insult, I know that you wouldn't do it if you didn't feel right about it. I also know that, no matter how stubborn you can be, you're a smart guy. Just promise you'll call me if you need anything, okay?"
"Yeah, no problem," Kurt answered, humbled and satisfied by Finn's words. "Do me a favor, though?"
"Sure, but it depends."
"It's no big thing. Just don't tell anyone at school about it, okay?"
"No problem. No one's business anyway."
"Especially Blaine."
"He's not your boyfriend anymore, so same goes for him: none of his business."
Kurt smiled. "Thanks, Finn. You're awesome about ninety-three percent of the time."
Finn, smirking, tossed a throw-pillow at Kurt which was handily deflected and tossed back with a laugh.
The song referenced is "Hot Animal Machine 2" by Henry Rollins