Chapter 26 – Rum Raisin
"Kurt, always a way with words," Tracey teased as she brought the first tray and set it in the middle of them. "I'm still working on your special blends Kurtsie," she informed him, "but seeing as how Sebastian mentioned France as being near and dear to his heart. I compiled our best French flavors," she informed the two of them. "So, on this tray we have French Vanilla, Vanilla and Pink Pepper, Caramel, Lavender, Red Rose, Jasmine, Poppy, Amaretto, Grand-Marnier and Dark Chocolate. Are there any questions before I go get your coffee?" she asked sweetly.
"I think I kind of love you now, Tracey." Sebastian commented when she mentioned she'd brought out French flavors.
"That's what all the boys say," she said dramatically placing the back of her hand on her forehead and pretending to swoon. Sebastian let out a chuckle and then explained the act to Kurt who smiled as well being able to picture Tracey doing it perfectly.
"No, I totally do," Sebastian chuckled again once she actually listed the flavors. "You're reminding me of my summers with my grandparents in Nice. As odd as the floral flavors sound, they're actually quite good. Well at least in my opinion. Though my favorite will always be the Amaretto, I think."
"So, Kurt, ready to come on a small food trip down memory lane with me?" Sebastian asked once Tracey went to get the coffee.
"I'm always ready to go anywhere with you," Kurt said on impulse without thinking about his words before they escaped his lips and once they had they were followed by a blush. Too late to take them back now. "I...I mean that Bas," he said in a whisper and was shocked to find it was true. He always felt braver with Sebastian that's why he was becoming more certain that he had to fight to keep Sebastian's heart safe and protected from pain. After all, he'd promised Michel he would take care of Sebastian's heart. "How do we do this? I was thinking if you want a spoonful and then you can give me one since it is your tray after all."
He couldn't help the smile that came to his lips at those words. He was glad that Kurt meant them as well. God, he was falling more and more for this man each day. He hadn't even tried to keep it from happening either. He had just let it happen. He might get hurt, but he knew that Kurt Hummel was worth that risk. "I'm glad," was all Sebastian could manage to say in response to those initial words.
"Would it be too intimate if I fed you the tastes?" Sebastian inquired, his voice just a little rough at the thought of it because feeding someone else, especially someone you were attracted to, could be very intimate.
Kurt blushed at the sound of Sebastian's voice not so much the words that came from his lips. I mean if he was reading the Three Little Pigs in that voice Kurt would blush as well. Kurt felt like that was the sound of Sebastian's bedroom voice. He cleared his throat before speaking. "I think for functionality sake it is necessary," he said very diplomatically, but the blush on his cheeks suggested everything he wasn't able to say.
He smirked at that. Good, because he really wanted to and yes, it was a slight seduction of the senses perhaps. One that was only slightly lost on Kurt, but that was okay because they were in public. If he were recreating this kind of a moment in a more private setting, all bets would then be off. He regaled Kurt with stories of being a little boy and his grandparents taking him to this ice cream shop in Nice. His love for his grandparents came through loud and clear especially when he mentioned the times when it was just he and his grandfather going because grandmere was busy. He had never minded leading his grandfather though not even when he was small.
"Which is your favorite flavor?" Sebastian asked curiously.
"I found the Red Rose very interesting. It's not one I tried thus far," Kurt admitted, "but you haven't had my favorite yet," Kurt smiled enigmatically and as if on cue Tracey appeared at the table with two cups of coffee.
"How is everything going?" she asked setting Sebastian's cup in front of him, and then adding to Kurt, "I brought yours with a top on it. Not that I don't have faith in you and your abilities completely, but remember that one time when..." she didn't finish the sentence and Kurt was already chuckling. "I'll let you drink this a bit and I'll think about what I want to give you today Mr. Hummel," she teased before Kurt could remind her she added, "don't worry the seasonal flavors will be there, especially if you're actually serious about going for this Ted's thing." She walked away then to give the boys some privacy.
"What happened that one time when?" Sebastian asked arching a brow. It was good to see Kurt laughing, but of course now he wanted the full story.
"It isn't a very long story," Kurt chuckled. "In fact, it's quite short. I poured coffee over her brother's head and stormed out," Kurt said simply taking a sip of the coffee.
Sebastian wanted to prod further, but instead he took a sip of the coffee as well. "Wow, this is really good," he mused. "I wouldn't expect an ice cream place to have such good coffee."
"Tracey's going to open her own coffee shop one day. It's a goal," Kurt said. He hated saying it was a dream because sometimes dreams didn't come true and this one would for sure. "That's why the coffee is so amazing. She practices new combinations all the time and mixes different beans to give the flavors a kick. You could drink her coffee black without sugar that's how good she is at this. Actually, here," he said holding out his plastic cup to Sebastian. "Mine is black."
He takes the offered cup and takes a sip. "You're right. I wouldn't even need to add the Courvoisier," he chuckled - another Lima Bean throwback.
"Thank you," Tracey said standing over them. "I'll take it as a compliment and assume the Courvoisier is an inside reference." She was holding the second tray in her hand and she informed Kurt of this so he could move his hand and the cup from the table as she slid the tray between them.
"Kurt," she said and her voice was suddenly tight with apprehensive worry. "I...Maybe I made a mistake," she said and Kurt detected the apprehension. "But, I thought...This place...It doesn't just belong to him it belongs to all of us. You...You belonged to me too Kurt," she said, "and I promised myself I wouldn't get emotional, but just because...because...You had no right to leave me too."
Kurt was silent. Shocked for a bit and then he had to consider his words carefully. "God Tracey...I don't know what I was thinking then. I was just...It was so painful, and I had to step back from it. I was rubbed raw. Can you understand that? I...I shouldn't have left you Tracey, but the way he left me..." Kurt shook his head remembering and then barely above a whisper. "He was right."
"No!" Tracey nearly shouted it then lowered her voice to a whisper. "He was an ass and he didn't mean it. He didn't know how to be what you needed him to be and he couldn't handle not being able to change. He's regretted it every moment after that. I promise you he has."
"That's nice of you to say," Kurt said hesitantly worrying his hands together. Suddenly, he was transported to that boy that Gavin had seen and judged. He hated the feeling. "How...How is he?" Kurt whispered quietly not lifting his head as he felt tears beneath the glasses he wore, and he began to repeat all sorts of mantras in his mind.
"Good," Tracey said her voice tight. "Really good actually. He has a show coming up. There are so many pictures of that day in Central Park. I've never seen you look that beautiful Kurt," Tracey whispered tears in her eyes. "If you could just see them, you'd know how he really saw you."
Sebastian merely sat back and took all of this in filing it away in his lawyer brain. Clearly, Tracey was the sister of one of Kurt's ex-boyfriends. That was interesting to know. It was hard to not be just a little bit jealous again. That was happening quite a bit to Sebastian lately, he mused. He and Kurt might not have defined what they were, but the bond between them was growing. Then there was the kissing...They had chemistry and Sebastian enjoyed spending time with Kurt. He didn't want Kurt to go back to Lima at the end of this week, though he knew Kurt had to. It was all a lot to take in.
"Forgive me but I feel quite a bit lost in this conversation," Sebastian admitted. He wanted to ask so many questions, but he didn't feel it was his place to do so. He only hoped someone would give him a bit more information.
Tracey chuckled through the tears and wiped at her eyes. "The boy Kurt tipped his coffee on was my ass of a brother," Tracey told Sebastian. 'He and Kurt were together for about a year. Gavin was studying photography and he recently finished. He has an exhibition opening in a few weeks."
"Ah. I see," was all Sebastian could say to that, so he had been correct in surmising that Tracey's brother was one of Kurt's ex-boyfriends. Good to know. He didn't like the situation, but he schooled how he truly felt away behind that courtroom perfect mask.
Silence. Tracey hesitated before speaking the next few words. "He's turned a corner Kurt. He's really changed. He needs to make amends. He does. There are so many people he feels he needs to make amends to, and you're at the very end of a very long list. I know you're angry with him Kurt. I know you're hurt. I was hurt too, but he won't take the next step until he can do so without looking back."
Kurt hesitated before reaching into his shoulder bag and taking out the list. He holds it up and out and Tracey takes it from him unfolding the sheet of paper and reading over it. "Number 31," she says a bit breathlessly tears now streaming down her eyes.
"I guess I have amends to make too," Kurt said. "...Number 31."
"Kurt, I...I'm sure Sebastian wants you back, but...There's someone...Someone that's really good for Gavin, really amazing actually. Gavin wants to get married, but he's afraid that it will all turn out like it has in the past. If he waits too long and makes too many excuses…I know...I know it's too much to ask…But, I'm asking anyway."
"I'm here for the rest of the week," Kurt said quickly cutting Tracey off. "I think it's time for Gavin and I to come face to face." Tracey squealed from joy then and hugged Kurt before excusing herself and leaving Kurt to the onslaught of questions that Sebastian had.
"I'll be happy to facilitate that if it helps, Kurt." Sebastian said honestly. Better to be able to control the situation and size up the ex, so to speak, and also to be there for Kurt if he needed him. If Kurt wouldn't allow it, which he likely wouldn't, then Sebastian could always go to this exhibition. There were things to ponder. "So, back to number 2 on your list," Sebastian said attempting to change the subject. "What flavors do we have?" He inquired.
"Bas," Kurt said a bit teasingly. "Would you like to accompany me to the show?" he asked a bit exaggeratedly calling Sebastian's bluff when Bas only 'humhed' in response Kurt added, "besides, I need someone I can trust to tell me about these damn pictures that he has plastered of me all over the place."
"I would of course be all too happy to accompany you and to describe the pictures to you," Sebastian said in a mock grumbling tone but his face wore a large grin.
"Hand," Kurt said holding out his hand and asking for Sebastian's. When Sebastian obliged, Kurt pressed Sebastian's knuckles to his lips. "I understand the jealousy," he says simply, and he did after all sometimes he felt like who could compete with Michel. "Let's eat this before it melts. Ready for an adventure? I have no idea what she brought."
He took Kurt's hand when asked and maybe he mentally melted just a little when Kurt kissed his hand. There were little moments that happened with Kurt which were unlike any Sebastian had had before. He was usually the one cast in the role that did those sorts of things, so to have someone do even the smallest thing, like kiss his hand, as Kurt had, meant something more to Sebastian because he didn't get treated like that. Not even by Michel.
That wasn't to say that Michel hadn't done sweet things, that there hadn't been romantic gestures between them, but it was a different dynamic. "Yes, I'm ready," he chuckled lightly and divided the first taste in half, giving it to Kurt first before tasting it himself. Slowly, they worked through the ten flavors Tracey had brought for Kurt. The flavors were interesting - Pumpkin Spice, Apple Pie, Carrot Cake, Butterscotch, Rum Raisin, Hazelnut, Pistachio, Maple Walnut, Tiramisu, and Olive Oil Rosemary.
"Actually I helped create the olive oil and rosemary," Kurt smiled remembering that night when they'd all sat around with a bottle of red wine, Gavin's guitar and Tracey mixing flavors. Her best friend Sam making her famous blueberry pancakes in the small kitchen in back. He told Sebastian the memory and the details because it was a happy one and he owed himself and Gavin that much, to remember the happy memories. David's words came to him. He really didn't know how long he had to deny himself thoughts and emotions would therefore be criminal.
"So, what's your favorite flavor?" Sebastian inquired. Even though the question was irrelevant it seemed one of those deeper questions one knew about someone. Like the way that people made their eggs or what their favorite flavor of ice cream was.
"Rum raisin," Kurt admitted blushing. Kurt's face was so adorable, but the choice was so controversial. Sebastian didn't have the heart to tell him, however. His mind then entertained thoughts about how desperately he wanted to kiss Kurt.
Tracey appeared above them suddenly putting two fresh cups of coffee in front of them in to-go cups. "For the road," she said, "on the house and I brought this." She handed the list of all the flavors Ted's made to Sebastian. She'd checked off the ones they'd sampled today, listed their names and the date. "We keep one on record here. You have a year to complete the list," Tracey said and then handed Sebastian a flyer for Gavin's show. "That has all the information you'll need about the show."
Tracey then gave Kurt a big hug whispering in his ear words of encouragement over Sebastian. As they were leaving, Sebastian shot another look through the window and caught Tracey undressing him again. He smirked to himself and winked at Tracey. He was rewarded by the blush that invaded her cheeks. Oh yeah, Sebastian Smythe Sex God was back!