CHAPTER 54

"What in the name of all that is HOLY is that noise?" Blaine asked, but got no reply from Jeff who was sitting on the sofa. "Dude?!" he said, trying again. "JEFF!" he bellowed, finally getting his attention.

"Yep?" Jeff said, raising his head and looking over the back of the sofa while he removed some large, new headphones.

"What the hell IS that noise?"

"I think they're working on something in front of the building, so yeah…just put these suckers on my ears and ignored it!" Jeff smiled.

"Awesome…" Blaine mumbled out. He'd worked late the night before and sat around talking to everyone after the bar closed. All he wanted was to sleep, but it sounded like someone was ripping the street up in front of the building. "Got another pair of headphones?" Blaine yelled, but Jeff had already replaced the things on his head that looked like oversized earmuffs. Blaine shook his head and snickered at his friend, heading back to his room to try and get some rest….somehow. He thought, momentarily, about stealing the earphones from Jeff; he was already awake after all, and he could sleep through anything. Blaine was a light sleeper and needed to block the noise out. With a sigh, he went back in to try and get some rest.

Seb, on the other hand, wasn't faring so well. He'd been up all night working as well, as the Governor had an engagement and Seb had been assigned to work. There was no going back to bed for him with all that noise, so he just lay there thinking about Hunter and all the ways he felt he'd fucked up…all the ways he felt they'd fucked up. He still wasn't to the point of begging Hunter to come back, though, or even considering giving up his lifestyle, if Hunter wasn't even going to talk to him about things between them. What was the point?

His thoughts turned to Kurt, wondering if he'd talked to Hunter, which made him think of his recent new friend "Jason" from the week before. They had met for coffee twice since their first meeting on the street, and although Jason seemed like a nice enough guy, there was something wrong, and it was painfully obvious that he was unwilling to give up much of any personal information to Sebastian. He wanted to know all about Seb, though, so he dutifully fed Jason plenty of details…just not factual details. He had no reason to suspect that Sebastian would lie, right? But lie he did, and Seb didn't feel badly about it at all. No, his new purpose in life was to find out what was going on with this guy, if he truly was there to cause Hummel more grief, and to put an end to any and all danger that hung around his building and everyone in it. They might be an odd bunch of house mates, but they'd become his friends and he wasn't about to stand by and let this guy mess things up.

Realizing that there was no way he was going back to bed, Sebastian got up, showered and dressed and headed out to his actual office, where he spent little to no time lately, and thought about looking up some more background information on the people currently in his life. You could never know too much about the people around you.


8:13a from Kurt: Just heard Sebastian leave the building.

8:14a from Blaine: Probably can't sleep, just like the rest of us.

8:14a from Kurt: Jeff home?

8:15a from Blaine: On the sofa with some giant ass ear muff looking things on his head listening to music and flipping through a magazine.

8:16a from Kurt: I may have left my door unlocked when I got up for coffee this morning.

8:16a from Blaine: Not safe, my love, not with Seb around! Ha!

8:17a from Kurt: You're so obtuse. It's a good thing I love you anyway.

8:18a from Blaine: As in an "angle"?

8:18a from Kurt: I'm naked.

Jeff was momentarily startled at the noise and whiz of motion around him. "….the fuck?" He clutched his magazine to his chest, his eyes wide as Blaine flew out of his bedroom and nearly hurtled furniture to get to their front door. For a brief second he thought his curly haired roommate might rip the door from its hinges in an attempt to avoid the lock that wasn't cooperating, but soon it clicked and he was gone, the door still standing open. Seconds later he heard Kurt's door slam shut and he chuckled to himself, the events finally clicking in his head. Just then, the phone on the coffee table buzzed as it did each and every morning without fail. Jeff had yet to reply, but he knew that Nick was aware that he had received the phone.

8:19a from Nicky: Good morning, Pretty Boy. Big day today. They're presenting the information they've collected from my dad's personal office. His "partners in crime" are folding like a house of cards. Still nothing on him, physically. Dominic's been gone as well, though, so they're up to something. He knows he's finished, he's just wasting time now.

8:21a from Nicky: Be safe, be careful, and know that above all else, I love you so much…with all that I am and all that I'll ever be. Xoxo

Over a month without his Nicky, and he was still stunned by how simple, yet beautiful, words could move him to feel things he never thought possible. He wasn't sure how much longer things would go on, and above that, he wasn't sure how much longer he'd be able to handle not being with Nick. Each day was a chore without him, and Jeff had just about reached his limit. Holding the phone tightly, like a lifeline, he smiled to himself and figured that their communication was inevitable, since they'd already sent letters.

8:25a from Pretty Boy: I love you, too, Nicky….more every day.

Nick figured he should have been embarrassed. He should have wanted to crawl in a hole and die at his outburst. He should have probably headed back home to sit down in the relative privacy and comfort of the penthouse, but instead he found himself sitting at a table in the coffee shop, Kara having saved him from scalding himself by grabbing his coffee cup back at the last minute when he suddenly seemed as though he was going to collapse to the ground. Mr. Duval looked like he'd won the lottery the way he was smiling at his phone, Kara thought. His eyes wet with unshed tears and the most dazzling, amazing grin on his face, he grabbed Kara's cheeks from across the counter and hauled her rather unceremoniously across the marble to lay a big smacking kiss on her lips as he bellowed out that "Jeff still loved him!" to anyone and everyone in the coffee shop.

When poor Kara regained her senses, she helped him, still shaking, to a table and made him sit down while she got him a cool cloth to lay across his forehead. He resembled a mad man, he was sure, sitting in the little shop babbling away like a lunatic about Jeff and finally getting a reply, but he didn't care. This ranked right up there with the best days of his life and nothing, absolutely nothing, was going to ruin this day.


"….Jesus….Kurt….m-more…please….don'tstopdon'tstopdon'tstop...please….p-please…oh fuck…fuckfuckfuck yes…..uuuggghhhhhhnnnnnn!" Blaine nearly screamed as he came long and hard down Kurt's throat. Kurt's lips were still wrapped snuggly around the base of his cock and he was humming….humming his enjoyment at having pleased Blaine. Blaine, for his part, was incapacitated at the head of the bed, arms stretched above him and snuggly fitted to the bars of Kurt's headboard, eyes closed and breath panting from having just experienced once of the most incredible orgasms of his life at the hands of the kinky little vixen between his thighs.

Kurt giggled. "Nothing to say, beautiful boy?" Kurt teased him.

"W-where….where did you get these?" Blaine smiled, his eyes glancing up toward where his arms were cuffed to the bed in the softest, most snug fitting "cuffs" he'd ever felt.

"I might have made them…especially for you." Kurt grinned, eyes falling down to Blaine's belly button and the soft trail of dark hair that traveled down to his now flaccid cock laying on his thigh. There was no trace of any mess on or around him…Kurt had seen to that.

"You…you made them?" Blaine said, suddenly his eyes alight and smiling widely.

"The other ones left marks, Blaine. I'm not a big fan of marks, but I couldn't stop thinking about how hot it was when you couldn't move and I was in charge. I've been playing around with the idea since then, and when I had the velvet left over from a design…well, I was just playing around." He blushed.

"Well, I wasn't a big fan of the marks either, but I have to tell you, I'd do all of that again with the marks if it made you feel safer.

"I don't feel unsafe with you, baby. I just…I like them…your cuffs, my cuffs. And you have no idea how unbelievably sexy you look like this…" Kurt said, running his fingers over a nipple and watching Blaine flinch from the sensation. Kurt leaned in to lick the other nipple and Blaine whined.

"Off…take 'em off I need to touch you…please, Kurt." He begged softly.

"No can do, baby…" Kurt purred.

"No? Kurt…I want to feel you…I just wanna cuddle you." Blaine whined like a little, pouting child.

"When I'm done with you, I promise."

"But you…uh…already…and then I…." Blaine began, but as Kurt raised up on his knees, still between Blaine's thighs, the curly haired man's eyes got wider and he just shook his head. "What the hell do you eat, Kurt? Your recovery time is phenomenal. I'm a little embarrassed now…" Blaine began.

"Years and years of pent up lust I guess." Kurt snickered. "Having Adonis between my sheets doesn't hurt, either. Let me fuck you?" Kurt asked, his breath a whisper near Blaine's ear making him shiver and sigh.

"I've created a monster!" Blaine mock huffed. "Well, if you must…." He grinned.

Kurt wiggled back down the bed, sitting on his heels and his toes hanging off the edge of the mattress. He gave Blaine one last glance, his boyfriend unable to raise his head too much because of how stretched out on the mattress he was, and he dipped his head lower to lick up the underside of Blaine's cock, the member giving a valiant attempt to revive itself as Blaine groaned loudly, for once knowing he probably wouldn't be heard by anyone.

"Can I…um…" Kurt began, running his tongue over his teeth. "I wanna uhm….taste you?"

"Yeah, anything you want, but you just did, babe, so it's not like you have to assskohhhhhhhhhfuck!" Blaine shouted as Kurt tongue made soft, wet contact between his legs and under his balls.

"Oh goddddd…." Kurt hummed as he ran his tongue around Blaine's pink pucker, long fingers pulling his cheeks apart. Blaine was a writhing mess, panting, straining against the cuffs connecting him to the headboard and murmuring sexy little phrases that only fueled Kurt's fire.

"Kurt…..oh my god, Kurt…yes…perfect…I'm- ohhhhh….fucking hell, Kurt!" Blaine blurted out as the man pointed his tongue and pushed past the muscle wanting to hold him at bay.

"Mmhmmm….." was all Kurt managed. He was in such a state. If you'd told Kurt a few months ago that his life would have changed this much, he'd have called you a liar for sure. But now, here he was, in bed with the most beautiful man, teasing him, loving him, making memories and he found that he really liked where his life had landed. Pushing Blaine's thighs up, he worked his way in further, feeling the hair on Blaine's legs scratch at the sides of his face. Poor B was a moaning mess and it turned Kurt on to no end. Truth be told, THAT'S what made Kurt's recovery time so amazing. Blaine never failed to excite him and make him a wanton mess. Being around Blaine left him in a constant state of hardness and lust.

Slipping his tongue out, he replaced it with a finger, slowly working his way in to open Blaine up for him. Watching that beautiful body wiggle in his bed and beg for more was almost more than he could take. Kurt was soon adding another, the lube doing its job and making things just a bit easier.

"Please…baby, please. Kurt it's ok, I need you now. Now please….Kurt….." Blaine begged.

Kurt knew he'd worked him open well, but he adored the way Blaine begged, and he prolonged this as much as he could without seeming evil.

"In due time, handsome…I just want to be sure you're open enough for me." Kurt assured him.

"Now….."

"Sooon…."

"NOW…..Kurt please…."

"Patience…."

"Is frayed and I'm- FUCK! Kurt…baby, you're four fingers in and ….please….just….please….."

"My poor baby….how about if I just…line this up here and….just a little bit…."

"Yeah….oh god yeah, that's…yes, please."

"Awww, his manners came back." Kurt grinned.

"More…."

Kurt's hips stuttered forward, jerking more than he'd normally do, but it got the desired effect from Blaine when the man's eyes flew open wide and his mouth formed an "O" before his eyelids fluttered shut again and he smiled. "Damn you're too good at this to be so new at it." Blaine praised him.

"I've been studying for this test for years, Blaine. It just so happens that you're the lucky one who administered the exam, and you're open to all my quirky answers." Kurt grinned.

"Oh, I'm open alright."

"Feel good?"

"Full…very…ughnnnnn….yeah…very full and ….mmmm…yes….there." Blaine smiled. "Little faster?"

"As my Adonis wishes." Kurt said, leaning in to kiss the soft lips beneath him. His hips set a rhythm that pleased Blaine immensely and his panting and moaning gave every evidence that he was happy with Kurt's exam preparations.

Kurt's hand wandered over all of the skin beneath him and played in the soft, dark hairs on Blaine's chest. Every now and then he'd stop kissing his lips to lean down and give a little nip and nibble to one of the perky nipples brushing against his own chest. It always made Blaine catch his breath a little bit, which in turn made Kurt bite his lip.

Kurt reached down to haul one of Blaine's legs up higher and hooked it over his elbow changing the slant of Blaine's body. His low, choked and wanton moan was the first clue that Kurt had hit his prostate and suddenly Kurt was relentless in his thrusts.

"Close, Blaine…so close….do you need me to touch you?"

"N-no…no…just don't stop, baby….give me everything you've got." Blaine said, his breath choppy and stilted. "Yeah…there….oh fuck, Kurt right there….."

A few well timed thrusts later and Blaine stiffened, his body locking and his cock spurting over his belly. He felt his entire body clench and suddenly the feeling of Kurt inside him was something more, something better, something he couldn't name, but knew he never wanted to be without. Kurt's release came so shortly afterward that Blaine was still quite sensitive and the fact that his cock was trapped between them was something he could do nothing about with his hands cuffed to the bed.

"K-K-Kurt….oh fuck, baby….have mercy!" Blaine laughed out, gritting his teeth, but no mercy was given. Kurt's body stiffened then and the feel of the hot rush inside him was more than Blaine could handle. Kurt's eyes were closed and he was straining, holding himself above Blaine, his legs stiff and straight beneath him, shaking and nearly giving out.

"Blaine….." Kurt panted, whining just a little bit.

"…'s ok…you can lay on me. Just cover me, Kurt…with your body."

Kurt collapsed, his body lax and spent and his cheek was buried next to Blaine's ear. Breathing was harsh from the both of them, but neither seemed to mind. Kurt's fingers made their way above his head to the cuffs and worked them free, Blaine slowly rubbing his wrists and moving them down in front of him again to hold Kurt to his chest. Hearts beating wildly, Blaine leaned in to kiss Kurt's hair and whispered "I love you…so much…" so softly that Kurt was almost afraid he'd misheard.

"Mmm….love you too." Kurt said, giving him a tired, soft grin.

"Can I ask you something?" Blaine said softly. "Or rather…just tell you…something? I don't know if it's a question or what, but, you just seem so much more relaxed with me now. I know there are still trigger spots for you; still places I shouldn't touch if I can help it, but the sex…wow, Kurt. I am SO not complaining, but you've really surprised me." He said, blushing a bit.

Kurt sighed, unsure how to say what he wanted to say. In the end, he knew he'd just have to come out and say what was on his mind, he just hoped he could make Blaine understand.

"B, I've been through a lot, and you're aware of this. I've given up weeks, months, years of my life to a man who didn't love me, appreciate me or deserve me. Now I have this man that does all of that and more, and I refuse to let some asshole from my past determine what I'm doing in the present or the future. Without sounding cheesy or like a horrible cliché, I need for you to understand that making love to you, our first night together, was the single most intimate experience of my life. It was beautiful and it was moving. You gave me a gift I can never repay, Blaine. You gave me patience and kindness, love and respect, and that's something I'll never forget. You are everything I've ever wanted, Blaine Anderson, and all I want to do is focus on being what you need. And it doesn't hurt that sex with you is everything I fantasized it would be…and a whole lot more." Kurt said, a blush staining his cheeks as well.

"Yeah? A whole lot more, huh?" Blaine said, tickling Kurt's sides. Kurt squealed and wiggled off of his chest and onto the bed next to Blaine.

"Don't' get greedy for information, Blaine." Kurt said, his bitchy face in place, but broken suddenly by childish giggles as Blaine started tickling him again.

"Tell me…what's more? What didn't you expect? C'mon, Kurt, you can't say that and not tell me!" he asked.

"No…."

"Kurrrrrttt….."

"No, Blaine, it's embarrassing…."

"Can't be that bad, can it?" Blaine teased.

"It is, now stop." Kurt said, hiding his face in Blaine's side.

"Ok, ok, I'll stop. Some day we'll swap stories of things that surprised us." Blaine said, almost as if it was a threat of some kind.

"Some day…not today. Today I want to snuggle you a little bit before the day really has to begin. Don't go, please?" Kurt said, yawning widely.

"Nothing to do all day but be yours if you need me." Blaine answered, pulling him closer.

"Mine….." Kurt breathed out, nodding off shortly thereafter. Neither realized that the noise outside had stopped somewhere along the way, and they slept peacefully for a few hours wrapped up together.


"So I talked to Irene again today." Nick said as Blaine came into the break room before anyone else had arrived. "I was going to call you but I figured I'd just see you here anyway, so there was no point. She said to make her an offer on the building and if she likes what she sees, she'll give it some thought."

"No mention of Kyle?" Blaine asked. Nick just gave him a curious look. "I mean, I don't want him to think I'm going behind his back or anything; trying to take advantage of the guy's mom or something, ya know?"

"Oh…no, she didn't mention him, but maybe she doesn't want him to know?"

"Maybe. But if it comes down to me buying the place, I'm going to ask him if he'll do the renovations for me. I know he does side work at night for extra cash, and I'm sure he knows a few guys that'll help out if necessary. It's not like I'm in a hurry to get it done in a week or two, but I'd like it to be done as soon as possible. And before you ask, no, I haven't told Kurt and I don't intend to yet. I want it to be a surprise." Blaine blushed. "I have plans…." He trailed off.

"Oh? What sort of plans?" Nick said, his eyes wide and his smile large.

"Just…plans. I love him, Nick, and I want it to be our place, not just my place. I'm in it for the long haul, I think, and it needs to be a space that works for both of us." Blaine explained.

"I don't think that'll be a problem, man. When it's all said and done, that third floor is going to be massive by living standards here in the city. You'll have more space than you know what to do with. And what about the apartment you're in now….and Kurt's as well?" Nick questioned.

"I dunno…I think Jeff wants one, but –" Blaine began.

"WHAT? Wait…um…no. He can't. He'll be living with me by then." Nick said, clearly flustered. "When did he tell you he wanted one of the apartments?"

"He…uh….we were…talking about it …on the phone, I told him…about the building and that you were looking into some things for me. I'm sure he wasn't thinking straight when he said that. Clearly he'd rather be with you, Nick." Blaine backtracked.

Nick looked crestfallen. He'd finally gotten a response from Jeff, but now he was hearing that Jeff wasn't entirely ready to get back together any time soon. Well, he should have figured, what with everything going on.

"Yeah…I'll uh…I'll talk to him about it if I can get him to answer me again. Did I tell you-" he began excitedly.

"…that Jeff texted you back this morning. Yes, you've told me, four times now, and I'm still excited for you!" Blaine laughed.

"It's just that it's been so long, and I'd really kind of lost hope that he would…." Nick said, pausing when his phone rang. "Hey Bay, what's up, baby girl?" he said to his sister.

"Not a bunch. It's weird here, though. Everyone's walking on eggshells. Steven and Alex are here all the damn time. It's like they're afraid to leave mom and me alone. I think they forget Robby and Danny still live here, morons. Anyway….I was wondering if you'd let me come up and visit for a little bit? I promise I won't be in the way?"

"Bay, you know you're welcome whenever you want to come up. I'll get your room ready. When are you coming?" Nick asked, excited to have company for once.

"Soon. I'm going to try to convince mom to come with me. She's been really down, Nick. Dad hasn't contacted her at all, and I know it's making her sad no matter how angry she is with him. She feels like he's deserted her. I'm so angry at him for so many things, Nicky. I hope he doesn't come home any time soon." She said, hurt and anger in her voice.

"You're welcome whenever. Tell mom I said to come up, shop, hang out, get a spa day in there somewhere. It's on me. It'll be fun."

"Ok, will do. I knew you'd say ok, but I didn't want to assume. Love you, Nicky. I'll see you in a few days I hope!"

"Love you to, Bay." He said, disconnecting the call.

"Company coming?" Blaine smiled.

"Yeah, I think my sister and my mom might come to visit. Dad just left them…no word at all to my mom, just fell off the face of the earth. She's kind of devastated, not to mention hurt and angry. She could probably use some time away." Nick explained.

"No offense, dude, but your dad is as big an asshole as mine is…maybe even more!" Blaine laughed.

"Yeah, don't I know it."


"Blaine, we need to talk." Sebastian said, sauntering right into Blaine's living room without knocking.

"I'm well, Seb, thanks for asking, and sure, come on it!" the curly haired neighbor replied with a smirk and a roll of his eyes. "Have a seat, what are we talking about?"

"You want me to leave?" Jeff asked, removing the headphones that seemed to be glued to his head lately. Turns out the noise out front was still annoying everyone and there didn't seem to be any end in sight. Every day more equipment showed up.

"No, Blondie, you better stay, too. It's about Kurt. Well, not so much about Kurt, but about that guy he was seeing that fucked up his life. Now I know you're wondering how I know…." He said, seeing the looks of surprise on both faces before him, "but right now, that's not important. What's important is that you guys know what to look out for, ok? Here's the deal…" he began. "Blaine, remember when we were in the hallway downstairs and I asked you if that guy looked familiar?"

"Yep, and he didn't and you went to ask him out because you can't stand it that there might be a man in New York City you haven't propositioned?" Blaine replied.

"Haha….cute. Yes, the very one. Turns out…wait for it…he introduced himself as Jason Williams, and we've had coffee twice more since then. I've found out quite a bit about Jason, including the fact that his license in his wallet doesn't say Jason Williams."

"Dude, you were in his wallet? How the hell did that happen?" Jeff asked.

"Not hard, I just waited for the right time and slipped it out of his pants."

"Was he in them at the time, or where they on the floor of someone's bedroom?" Blaine asked, grinning again.

"Oh my God, you are hilarious. Very funny, Blaine. I don't make it a habit to sleep with men who attempted to kill friends of mine, thank you." Seb deadpanned.

"Wait…what? What the hell….Jason is Jackson Hardy?" Blaine nearly yelled, jumping from the sofa and charging at Seb. The taller man held his hands out in front of him as if Blaine would run right into him. "You have to tell Kurt, Seb. He needs to know he's here, close by. He already thinks he's going crazy because he thought he saw him at the Dive. Then he called Kurt on the phone….Oh my God…." He said, trailing off and pacing the floor behind the chair Seb sat in. Jeff just sat there, eyes wide, watching the exchange.

"Well, yeah, that's what I want to talk to you about. How do you think he'll react? I don't want to send him into a panic, Blaine. He needs to go on about his business as if everything is normal so we can do what we need to do to arrest Jackson if he plans to harm Kurt in any way. That's the only reason I've stuck around with him for coffee and whatnot. I'm hoping to find out anything he's doing, where he's living, etc. He's not as smart as he thinks he is; in fact, he's about as slick as sand paper, but I can't have him arrested just for being in the city, and so far, he hasn't done anything or approached Kurt as far as we know, right?" Sebastian asked.

Blaine and Jeff both agreed. Kurt hadn't said anything about having seen or heard from Jax again after the phone call.

"Still, Seb, we have to tell him, and even if he gets upset or panics, it's information he's entitled to." Jeff added.

"Agreed. The question is when and how." Blaine added.

"Well, about that. Does Kurt know how to defend himself in any way? Does he own a weapon or anything that wouldn't show up? I've already checked records and it doesn't show him owning a firearm of any kind…legally." Sebastian asked.

"You did what?" Blaine questioned. "You checked up on him?" he said, almost grinning, but still taken aback.

"Blaine, it's my job to be suspicious of what's going on around me. I guard someone's life for a living. I have to know what I'm dealing with, and that means looking into anything that's public information and some things that aren't. I know everything about everyone in this building, the two of you included." Seb informed them with a straight face. "You, for instance," he said, pointing at Jeff, "you have quite the talent with martial arts, and from the noises I've heard coming from Hummel's place, either you're teaching him a little bit here and there or you're fucking him and you make really strange sounds in the process."

Blaine's eyes shot to Jeff.

"Dude! You know I've been working with him, B, don't even look at me like that. I would NEVER….shit man!" Jeff said defending himself with crazy eyes.

"I know, I know…I…Jesus, this is freaking me out." Blaine said, running his hand through his hair and then over his face. "Ok, ok…here's the deal. I think we have to tell him, and soon. The sooner the better. As far as I know, Kurt doesn't own a weapon of any kind, unless you count his sewing scissors. Nothing in his bedside drawer or under his pillow or anything hiding as far as I've seen."

"Yes, and you'd know what's in his bedside drawers these days, wouldn't you?" Sebastian smirked, causing Blaine's ears to turn red.

"Yeah…." Blaine sighed, smiling ear to ear. "Yeah…he's….wow. SEB! Don't get me off the subject!"

"Fine, whatever, but when this is all over and done with, you owe me details. It's the least you can do. Until then, I say we call Kurt and let him know what's going on. With all of us here, maybe he won't freak out too badly, ok?" Sebastian told them, a hopeful look on his face.

"Yeah…ok, I'll go get him." Blaine got up and walked out the door, Seb on his heels until he reached the threshold. When Blaine was at Kurt's door, Seb turned to Jeff.

"Alright, Blondie. You spend as much time with Kurt as anyone, and I know you can kick some serious ass if necessary. I've seen the videos of what you're trained to do, don't look at me like that. Yeah, they're out there on the internet, get over it. I also know what you did to those kids when they went after Blaine, and fucking kudos to you on that one, but you need to know that this guy is crazy dangerous and telling either of them this is going to send them both into a frenzy of panic and chaos and we can't have that…there's no time and no room in the day for it. So I need you on your toes, ok? Ok." Sebastian rattled off as soon as Blaine was gone out the door. Jeff didn't move, didn't really react at all, just nodded.

"I'm on it." Was all he said.

"He doesn't know, does he?" Seb asked. Jeff just raised an eyebrow at him. "Don't give me that look. You know exactly what I'm talking about. Blaine doesn't know the extent of things, does he?"

"No, and I'd rather keep it that way, so keep your mouth shut…I'm not asking you, either." Jeff told him.

"I've never seen you look so serious, Jeffrey. It's intimidating." Seb smirked at him.

"Don't underestimate me and I'll give you the same courtesy." Seb just gave him a nod.

"Oh! Ok…wait, what's going on?" Kurt said, nervously laughing when he saw them all assembled in Blaine's living room. "It looks like an intervention or something." He said, trying for lightheartedness.

"Kurt…" Blaine began, but then shot his eyes to Sebastian, suddenly not knowing what to say.

"Kurt, I've been seeing this guy, sort of, and I met him because he was across the street….more often than I thought was normal, actually, so I approached him, and we've had coffee a few times. Anyway, as it turns out, he's not who he says he is."

"And who does he say he is?" Kurt asked. "And what does this have to do with me?"

"Well…" Sebastian said lowly, "have a seat, Kurt. We have a lot to go over."

132. That's how many text messages Hunter had from Sebastian. 132. He sat and read each and every one, over and over, and thought about what they were to each other, what they'd been through together and most of all, what he wanted to be in the future. How did he plan to have any kind of life with Sebastian if he was too much of a coward to come out to his own parents? How did he plan to face any kind of life without Sebastian by his side at all? Hunter knew they were meant to be together. He also knew that if he pulled himself together and did something about 'them', that they could make something of their lives, as long as Seb was willing to do the same…to put in 100%. He missed that man so much…so damn much.

Hunter scrolled through the photos on his phone from the past two years. When he looked at them, it hurt just a little less. He could see in Seb's eyes that there was something there…something between just the two of them that really couldn't be named, but it was there…burning bright and strong in Seb's eyes and in the way he just knew Hunter…in the way he said his name when they were alone…in the way he touched him with his fingertips nonchalantly, as if it was the most normal thing in the world no matter who was watching.

Sebastian's words were staring at him, taunting him, making him itchy in his own skin.

"…do you want me to do, baby, if you're not willing to…."

"…can't do this alone, especially when I feel like you're pulling away…."

"…don't want to be without you, but unless I know what you're feeling…."

It was there, in each and every one. Seb was asking him to make a decision, which would then allow him to make a decision as well. At least Hunter hoped that was the case. He hurt…all over. His body, his mind, his heart. He missed Sebastian so much it was like a piece of his soul had been ripped away, and he didn't know how much longer he could do it. Perhaps it was time? Perhaps, after all this hiding and sneaking around, after all the secrets and cover ups, it was time to man up and do what needed to be done? He sat there thinking about it for a long time. Surely this wasn't the first time, but it was the first time he felt there was a resolution somewhere in his head.

He never made it to bed that night. Instead, he faded in and out of sleep on his sofa, tossing and turning until the sun came up and shone so brightly in his face that he couldn't possibly sleep even if he'd wanted to. Somewhere in the night, something had clicked. Things finally made a little more sense, and he'd made a decision. Picking up his cell phone, he dialed the too familiar number and with a push to connect the call, he uttered the only words that he could think of to describe what he was feeling: "Well, fuck it….." he muttered as the phone rang a few times.

"Hello, handsome…how are you this morning?" the voice on the line said to him. He took a deep breath, steadied himself, and forged ahead.

"Hi mom….um…I haven't seen you and dad for a while…I was wondering if I could come over for dinner tonight? Talk about some things?"

A/N It's been awhile, eh? Thanks to anyone still sticking around to see what happens. The holidays kick my butt every year, but this year was just a little more crazy than normal I guess. Missed writing...really, I did. So, here's a chapter. Lots going on and lots more to go on soon.
What are you guys reading? I'm hooked on Take All That I Am / becausehiships on and also One Good Turn Deserves Another / Nikusiatko on as well. Take a look at both :)
So we talked about a ship name for Cooper and Maggie and, holy cow, were they bad. There is just nothing good about putting those two names together. Thankfully, back in another chapter, Maggie's last name was revealed as "Jennings", so yay...they can be Jenderson or Anderjens! :)
Also, a note...someone asked me about the letters "L" and "J" after some of the text messages. Apparently that's what does to a smiley face like this :) and a sad face like this :( when you post...so let's see if that works down here as well?
Missed you all...and I hope your holidays were really nice.
Hugs to all and let me know what's on your mind if you have a minute to spare!