Author's note: Second to last chapter.
Kurt texting
Blaine texting
PART THIRTYTWO
He's cornered pretty quickly at the party, and he tries to ignore the feeling of sheer terror creeping through him. He wonders if they realize the tables have completely turned and how much they scare him now. He knows in theory that they can't do anything physically harmfuling, but that's not what he's worried about.
"We just want to understand…" Rachel starts but Mercedes holds up her hand.
"Screw understanding! I want answers! And I want to make sure you don't even think about messing with him!"
He looks between Rachel and Mercedes and swallows nervously. Despite Santana's reassurances earlier that New Directions feel slightly warmer toward him since Az decked him, she was clearly overly optimistic.
"I won't mess with him. I promise."
"How did you two become friends anyway? Because he didn't even mention he was even talking to you," Rachel says, and she says it calmly, clearly trying to act as a go-between peace-keeper, and compared to Mercedes' narrowed eyes and hand-on-hip stance he'll take it.
"Uh, how much has Kurt told you?"
"Told us? Nothing!" Mercedes snaps.
"Oh… uh…" he doesn't know what to say to that, whether Kurt's embarrassed at how they have connected, or whether he feels he's protecting Dave in some way, or whether he simply wants to keep it a secret between the two of them. And his few hundred followers on tumblr. Hmm.
"Look, Kurt and I found each other online. We didn't know who the other was; we just started exchanging messages…"
"Really?" Mercedes asks, clearly skeptical, although he can tell Rachel already has an 'oh, that's so romantic' phrase on the tip of her tongue.
"Yeah, we talked a lot, for a few weeks, about… lots of things. We just, kind of hit it off."
"How did you meet online?"
"Uh, gay teen support website?" He suggests, and he's pretty sure Mercedes doesn't believe him, but Rachel is nodding as if it makes perfect sense.
"And what, you decided to tell each other your names one day?"
"Uh no, not exactly. Um. I'd feel better if Kurt was here, this is his story too…"
"But you're doing such a good job, telling the story…" Kurt says, and he feels Kurt's body press up against him from behind, arms wrap around his waist and his chin resting on his shoulder. Rachel is looking at them happily, but Mercedes is still frowning.
"So, one of you figured it out?" Rachel asks.
"David figured it out… he'd recommended some books for me to read, so I decided to go to the book store, which David happens to work at… and he saw the books and he knew it had to be me he'd been talking to all along."
"And how long did you keep that a secret?" Mercedes asks, and he feels Kurt's body tense.
"He actually dropped hints immediately. Massive hints. Like telling me he was going to New York. If I had been paying attention I would have realized then and there. He sent me a message later, telling me."
"Oh, that's so romantic. Like 'You've Got Mail'."
He knows for certain the Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks didn't bond over gay fanfiction but he smiles and nods, and judging from the way Kurt's body is shaking with contained laughter, he's probably thinking the same thing.
"So how long were you guys talking online?"
"Weeks. And that was before we became a couple two weeks ago. The reason I didn't tell you? Because until Friday last week David wasn't out, and also, I knew you'd react like this. Quite frankly no one else's opinion matters. That's what Blaine told me, and he's right. I've forgiven David, I'm the one that has to make out with him, and kiss him and go on dates with him. Not either of you. So, if you'll excuse us, I'd like to go and make out with my boyfriend."
Dave knows his mouth is gaping and he feels one of Kurt's fingers in a belt loop, tugging him backward and he smiles apologetically to both Rachel and Mercedes, because he's pretty sure Kurt hasn't exactly endeared him to either of them, although he's pretty sure Rachel is sold on the sheer romance of the scenario. Which he's pretty sure would fade if either he or Kurt mentioned all the times they'd talked about sex, but regardless, Mercedes will probably come around. Hopefully.
OAA
Two weeks into his summer vacation things have calmed down considerably. Proximity, and lots of it, seem to have eased everyone's doubts about David. They've gone to the movies a couple of times, met for coffee, and David has sat through numerous and no-doubt grueling interrogations when he's stepped away. Mercedes is the last of his friends to acquiesce, and she does it with bad grace, telling him she isn't happy about it. He'd rolled his eyes and snapped back that she doesn't have to be happy, because he's happy enough for the both of them.
He's glad for Blaine's unwavering support through it all, because it seems like each glee club member has gone to Blaine individually and tried to get him to stage an intervention. Fortunately Blaine has been the voice of reason and talked each of them down, and he supposes he just needs to be glad they didn't go to him like the hive mind they sometimes are. If he thinks about it too much it annoys him so he tries to avoid over thinking it and reminds himself that they're meant to be his friends. Heaven forbid he had enemies that were intent on breaking him and David up before they even really got started.
With no school to get up to every day he's finding his routine completely out of synch. So he's gotten himself a summer job, working behind the counter at the small coffee shop where David takes his breaks. He has to go on a two-day barista training course before they'll let him touch the actual coffee, and he's been warned not to talk to the early-morning customers until they've had their first cup. He's doing it in the hopes that he'll develop a skill-set which he can use in New York, maybe get a part-time job there. His dad is quietly approving, which he just rolls his eyes at, because he's not doing it because he suggested it.
He's been introduced to Suzanne, the florist and gift-shop owner at the mall, and she'd hugged him enthusiastically and told him it was nice to finally meet him. The gorilla suit, gifts and rainbow colored rose all slot into place. As do the other flowers David occasionally gives him when he sees Kurt after he's finished at work. David is definitely a romantic, and it's thrown in to stark relief that he isn't actually sure how to reciprocate. He loves the attention, and small tokens, and little things David does that ensure he knows he's always on his mind, but he's not sure how to make David feel the same way. Yet.
Part of their routine now includes him staying over at David's occasionally. So far it's been three times since his graduation. His dad hasn't mentioned David staying over at home, and he's fine with that, his dad is dealing with everything as best he can, although he's pretty sure since Blaine's faux pas David can do no wrong in his dad's eyes, although he hopes for the sake of his sanity that his dad doesn't sit around thinking about his sex life. They haven't moved past dry humping and fondling each other through their clothes. While he's pretty sure they're both ready for more neither of them seem to be in a huge rush to move past it either.
OAA
He's hung up about saying the words again, although at least this time there's no think about it, but he wants Kurt to know. He studies him surreptitiously, lying on his bed curled on one side, facing him and reading one of his books while Dave sits at his desk and writes. He never thought he could be so comfortable with someone else, but sharing silence with Kurt has quickly become one of his favorite past times, after making out with him and talking to him.
"You're staring again…" Kurt says, faint smile on his lips and he chuckles softly, knowing he probably hasn't typed anything for several minutes. Kurt is good at keeping him on task, offering up excellent motivation for finished chapters.
He stares at the open documents in front of him, Unmasked being one of them. He'd marked it as complete, although it was really anything but complete. He's explained to a couple of his most faithful reviewers, the whole story behind it, because it's not like his usual plot-heavy long-chaptered pieces or his smut-ridden one-shots. He's reached a point though that he wants to expand on it, to open up some more to Kurt. They don't talk like they used to. They do talk, but Kurt still gets all delightfully flustered when they talk about sex and he kind of wants for them to be able to talk about anything, without feeling embarrassed about it.
He finishes writing it, hands shaking with nerves as he uploads it, changing the summary slightly and rating, and types out the author's note with shaking fingers. He publishes it and lets out a long breath and wonders if Kurt has his e-mail alerts turned on. He usually doesn't when they're together, because Kurt reads through the chapters before he posts them anyway, and apparently his e-mails are the only ones Kurt cares about. He bites his lip and wonders how long he's going to have to wait before Kurt reads it.
OAA
In two short weeks the sound of typing has become one of the most comforting and soothing sounds for him to relax to. He likes listening to David type, likes the little pauses and look of intense concentration on David's face when he's concentrating on figuring something out. He likes the longer pauses, knowing that David is probably staring at him and he enjoys this time together. He's hoping it bodes well for them in New York, capable of dual study sessions so they'll be able to spend time together. They've talked about New York a lot now, fears, expectations, his excitement and David's general apathy about it being New York, just saying it was a good sports journalism school.
That's okay, he can be excited about New York for the both of them and he's already made a list of things he's going to take David to. Things David will enjoy, like sports. He's gotten his dad's advice on what sports and teams, and he's pretty sure his dad spoke to Paul, and thinking about it he could have just snooped on David's tumblr. He's on there infrequently, not really needing it when he has David right in front of him or only a text message away. He has been introduced to all of David's online friends though, which had been odd, but he understands how important they are, and how David is planning on meeting some of them this summer.
His phone chimes and he knows it's Blaine without even needing to look, solely because it's the start of the Hobbit theme song, Santana's idea of a joke, and he pulls his phone from his pocket.
You didn't tell me he told you he loves you! Blaine's text reads. He frowns and reads the message again, trying to make sense of it.
What are you talking about?
Dave. He told you he loves you. Blaine replies, and there's another text filled with wide smiling emoticons and he chews his bottom lip. He never told Blaine what David said at Valentine's, just about the gifts and the general sentiments, so he knows Blaine can't be referring to then.
Okay. I still have no idea what you're talking about.
You haven't read his latest chapter? I thought you read all of them before they were posted?
He frowns, flicks into his e-mail and waits for it to connect and update, which doesn't take long considering he just uses the wifi.
New chapter – Chapter 2 of story, Unmasked, by HookedonHope.
Oh really? He flicks his eyes up to David, who is studiously ignoring him. In fact, the typing speed seems to have increased. He thumbs over the link and begins to read.
You now need to go and read the second and final part of "Unmasked" by Aetheriata
You can find it in my favourites. I can't post a link here, it deletes half of it.
You need to read this so that the next (and last) chapter will make sense.