Anyone who has been following me for a while should know what is coming:

This chapter is dedicated to paddyofurniture: my cheerleader, my soul sister, my Dorothy. A very happy 15 months :)


Story so far...

Mercedes and Blaine visited Robert, and watched him Skype Gaga, then heard her duet with Kurt.


-*T&C*-


"Baby," was the first word that Blaine said when he stepped into the apartment after getting back from Robert's. After that, he gathered Kurt in his arms and pressed kisses on Kurt's cheeks and forehead. Kurt just laughed, cutting Blaine off with a firm kiss on his lips.

"Did you really miss me that much?"

"What do you think?" He went in for another kiss, but this time Kurt ducked away.

"I think we're blocking the hallway a bit. Do you think Mercedes might want to come in?"

Blaine moaned, but stepped back. "I'm never forgiving you for this," he warned.

She just laughed and hit his arm. "Just keep it in your pants for one more night, Anderson, that's all we ask."

"What if we're really, really quiet?" Blaine asks. This time it was Kurt who punched his arm. "Hey!"

"What?" Kurt asked, innocently. Then the façade dropped and he stepped past Blaine to walk back into the living room. "How did it go?" he asked Mercedes, who had just flopped down on the sofa.

"It went well, I think," she replied. "He's such a great kid." She sat up a bit, leaning her arm on the back of the sofa. "Why do the worst things happen to the best people?"

"I don't know," Kurt sighed, sitting down next to her and tucking his legs beneath his body. Blaine tried to sit down next to him but Kurt waved him off. "It's great that he's so positive about it. He cares a lot about his friends. I think he's more scared about leaving them behind than he is about... moving on."

"Oh, you believe in that stuff now?"

Kurt shook his head. "I'll believe it for Robert, but no, when you die, you die. That's it. The end."

A brief silence fell. Mercedes contemplated trying to change Kurt's very negative opinion of the afterlife and religion, but deemed it impossible. Besides, everyone was different. Instead, it was Blaine - who had slumped down on the sofa - who spoke next.

"Where's Gaga?"

"Oh," Kurt started. "She's making a call in the bedroom. Something about her manager or something."

Blaine nodded. "It was good to hear you. Singing, I mean. On Skype. And in the Aviary. You were great."

Kurt blushed lightly. "Charmer."

"I mean it," Blaine insisted.

Kurt regarded him, considering. "Come here."

Blaine stood and slid in behind Kurt on the sofa, wrapping his arms around Kurt's waist and pulling him onto his lap. He kissed the back of Kurt's neck. "Love you," he whispered.

"Love you too," Kurt replied with a brief peck on the lips, before turning back to Mercedes. She was watching with raised eyebrows. "What?"

"You two," she said. "So freaking charming."

Kurt decided to change the subject. "How about you, though? You got anyone?"

Mercedes huffed. "Other than some guys on tour, no. I'm not like you two, all loved up."

Kurt pouted. "We're not that bad, are we?"

Mercedes apologised with a shake of her head. "I just meant that you're really lucky. I'm so jealous of you. Not many people make it with their high school sweethearts. I mean, look at Mr Schue."

"Yeah, but look at Finchel," Blaine pointed out.

"And my mom and dad," Kurt added.

"And apparently Quinn and Joe."

"Mike and Tina."

"Okay!" Mercedes interrupted. "So, everyone but me." She flopped back. "You know, I just want some guy who ain't gonna break my heart. Some guy who I can come home to. Some guy who will kiss me and mean it. And who can give me some amazing sex." Kurt turned his head to look at Blaine, and they gazed at each other for a few seconds. "Right, I give up. Want me to leave you lovebirds alone?"

At that moment, Gaga appeared in the room. "Sorry about that," she said. "I just wanted to talk something through before I asked Kurt about it."

Kurt turned his head to look at her, and followed her round to when she sat down opposite him, on the floor with her legs tucked beneath her. "Oh?"

"Yeah. I have several interviews coming up, what with Yellow Brick City just being released and my tour coming to a close. The first one is with Ellen in a week and a bit. I was wondering if... could you design my outfit?"

Kurt blinked once. Then coughed. Then blinked again. "Excuse me?" he asked, softly.

"Well, when you went off to work this morning, I did some thinking. You'd told me about getting that great opportunity in your company, and that bowtie you showed me earlier when you'd got back from Dalton was... Just one event is all I'm asking. I'm not asking you to do any more. It can be as down-stated as you want. I just really want to help you get out there, Kurt. You have a great gift." She lifted her hands into a begging position. "Please?"

"What does... what did your manager say?"

"He was totally for it. So, Kurt, what do you say?"

Blaine was hugging Kurt so tightly it was a wonder he could still breathe. He turned to look at him, honey eyes wide with excitement. He looked at Mercedes, whose smile was hidden behind her hand, her elbow resting on the arm rest. He looked back at Gaga, eagerly awaiting his response. "Um, yeah. I- yeah! Yes, I'll do it."

And that was how, drunk from champagne, the four of them ended up playing Never Have I Ever and finding out more about Gaga than they'd ever thought they would.


As you might have noticed, recent chapters haven't had names. I will get round to doing these at some point, hopefully before I upload the sequel! If you have any ideas, please let me know. It'd be a great help :)


-* Don't forget to check out luspeak. wordpress. com for updates, deleted chapters and spin-offs! *-


You'll be with me, like a handprint on my heart xx