It had been slightly more than a month since they had met with the Warbler Alumni for brunch and the group was back in town to go out to dinner with the current Warblers and to attend the a cappella competition that evening to support them. Kurt had to be at the theater too early to be able to join them, but Sebastian met up with them.
All of the groups were wildly talented and the competition was stiff. The group did well, placing third. Afterwards, Sebastian headed to the theater to meet up with Kurt to go home together.
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After breakfast the next morning, Kurt was going through his closet, planning for the next day. There was a lot of hype surrounding the official opening of the show on Sunday evening. The reviews during the previews had all been overwhelmingly positive. There were celebrities and press members that had tickets and a red carpet entrance being set up to photograph their arrivals, along with a big after party.
"Have you decided what you're wearing to the after party tomorrow night?" Kurt asked.
"Not really. I'm not sure whether I'm supposed to wear a black suit or what."
"You could. You have that Givenchy suit from Fashion Week."
"That's a good idea. I'll wear that. Just pick a shirt and tie for me and I'll be set. I'll wear the shoes I wear when we go dancing since I'm likely to be on my feet for several hours."
Kurt looked through Sebastian's side of the closet and pulled out a cerulean shirt. He looked through their ties and picked out one a black, gray, and cerulean pattern. He put the matching pocket square into the suit jacket. "There."
Sebastian wrapped his arms around Kurt from the back. "Thank you."
Kurt leaned back into him. "You're welcome. Now I need to pick out mine." He pulled out a slim-fit charcoal suit, a cobalt button up, a tie and the matching pocket square. He put the jackets over the shirts and hooked the hangers on the closet doorknobs to see how they looked together and liked the result. He liked the results. He grabbed his phone and took a photo. "Done." He put them back in the closet together on his end. "How about more snuggles now that we've gotten that done? We have a little time before we need to get ready to go meet Madison, Mason, and Jane."
"Sure. We can talk and snuggle. I want to be the little spoon." He lay down on the bed.
Kurt scooted up behind and held him. He kissed the back of his neck. "Two weeks. Well, one of classes and one of finals and then we're done. We've almost made it. It's been insane, but we're so close." He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "You helped keep me sane. Thank you."
Sebastian brought Kurt's hand up to his lips and kissed his knuckles. "You're welcome."
"So, what do you want for graduation?"
"Want?"
"We could cook something special together. I miss cooking with you. We could use one of the sets of tickets we got and go somewhere. We could buy another season of Star Trek or Doctor Who or something that just came out on DVD recently and we could cook together and have a movie marathon."
"Ooh, I like that idea the best. I wonder what's coming out soon."
Kurt rolled back and grabbed his phone. He looked at what was coming out soon. Sebastian rolled onto his back.
"I see Star Trek the complete original series, Chuck the complete series, and Psych the complete series. Those are all potential options. We'll have to look more in-depth to find out the actual release dates."
"Any of those would be fine. And a new cookbook. I like the Italian and Mexican soup cookbooks we got, but let's get another one. A Middle-eastern one this time. We could eat a heavier soup for lunch since we won't have classes two weeks from now."
"That seems so weird. I haven't processed that yet. What will I do with myself here in the City if I'm only doing the show? And then when the show ends?"
"What will I do with nothing to do? I need to figure that out."
"Well, I do have a couple of ideas, now that I think about it."
"What?"
Kurt moved smoothly and swiftly and pinned Sebastian to the bed and began to tickle him.
Sebastian pushed up to sitting and kissed Kurt. He distracted him long enough to get a good hold on him and slide Kurt's legs forward knocking him on his back and pinned him instead. "Nice try, mon feu, but that's enough tickling. If you're feeling so energetic, I have a better idea." He leaned down and kissed him until they were both breathless. "How about we put our bells and stuff on and we dance?"
"That does sound fun."
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"Isabelle, this is Madison, Mason, who is Madison's brother, and Jane, who is Mason's girlfriend."
"It's nice to meet the three of you. Are you ready to find something to wear tomorrow evening?"
"Definitely," Jane said. "When Kurt told me he'd bring us here, I thought he was teasing us. This is going to be so much fun."
Isabelle let them into the vault and showed the girls several dresses. Kurt showed Mason a selection of suits.
Once they found two that fit well, Mason said, "I'll wait until Jane chooses her dress to pick out anything else. We decided that we're going to wear whatever we choose for Prom as well."
"Good idea. We can sit over here and wait for them to show us what they've chosen."
A few minutes later, Jane came out in a cotton, knee-length, sleeveless, '60s-inspired sundress in a gold, black, and white geometric pattern that was reminiscent of a cityscape.
"I like this one, even though it's not really all that fancy. It's comfortable and unique."
"It's perfect," Mason said. "I'll take the black suit. Now, all I need is a shirt and if I don't find one the right color of marigold or whatever the correct name is for that dark yellow, I can just wear white since her dress has white in it too."
"I'm sure you go to Macy's you can find a marigold shirt," Kurt said. "But we might have a tie that would go with the dress."
Isabelle took Jane over to the ties to look through them.
Madison came out wearing a silk-rayon blend, round-neck, knee-length dress with cap sleeves. The base color of the dress was a periwinkle blue and it had a stylized rose pattern embroidered on it in cobalt. It was fitted through the top with a waist that sat just above Madison's natural waistline with an a-line skirt. It wasn't full at the bottom, but it was full enough to move around comfortably.
"I like this one. It's really feminine, but not low-cut or revealing anywhere, preventing any down-the-top or side-boob photos."
Everyone laughed.
She walked around in it and looked at herself in the 3-way standing mirror. "And I can sit and stand in it comfortably. And I like the gladiator sandals. I'm not a big fan of heels and these look good, I think."
Isabelle turned around. "I like that a lot. After the show, you can curl just the very front part of your hair into a ringlet on each side and pull your hair up into a loose bun quickly. You'll look really elegant without a lot of effort needed. The neck is too high for a necklace." She looked in the jewelry case. "How about these cobalt hoops and the silver and cobalt bangles?"
"Sure. Those would look great without being too much."
Isabelle opened the case and took them out. Madison took them from her and put them on.
"Perfect," Isabelle said. "You look both elegant and casual." She looked in the case again and back at Jane. "I don't think any of this is what that dress needs, but I did see just the thing. I couldn't think what I would wear them with, so I didn't get them. We can go see if they're still there." She winked at Kurt.
"You can't go in there dressed like that," Kurt said.
"I know. I'll take them there and they can go in without me. I'll describe what the set looks like. I'll just wait for them down the block."
Madison looked at Kurt, with a completely confused expression.
Kurt sighed. "There's this place that I found that sells vintage stuff for a really good price, but if anyone that Isabelle knows finds out about it, the store will be overrun with people looking for a good deal and the guy who owns it will raise the prices on everything. And then people on limited budgets will lose the best source of fun accessories and clothing."
"I need to go to this place," Jane said. "I have a unique taste in clothing and Ohio doesn't sell much of it."
Kurt laughed, "Don't I know it! Madison and I have to get going to the theater after we eat lunch, but Isabelle can take you and Mason."
The girls changed back.
When they came out, Isabelle asked Jane, "Do you not need any shoes? You didn't try any on."
"Well, I have shoes I like that will go with this dress, but I did see some black boots over there that I really like."
"Sure. Try whatever on that you like. You too, Mason."
They both ended up with some moto-inspired black leather boots, which they kept on when they left to go out to lunch.
{]:[} {]:[} {]:[} {]:[}
Sunday morning they got up and did their weekly shopping. They stopped by a couple of bookshops and picked up a new cookbook. When the got back home, they spoke French and cooked together.
"I've missed this," Kurt said. "So much. This is how we got to know each other so well – spending our weekends together. Maybe you could do the shopping while I'm doing one of the Saturday shows. That would give us time to cook together on Sunday mornings the next few weeks."
Sebastian said, "That might work. I miss this too." He put his hand on Kurt's waist while he washed the fresh vegetables and fruits they had bought. Sebastian grabbed them and dried them and put them next to the cutting boards.
Kurt turned and was met with a kiss.
"We're going to have to relearn how to be us. We've gotten so used to the hectic pace of doing things quickly when you're home. Running on hamster wheel like we talked about last summer before the madness began."
Kurt wrapped his arms around Sebastian's neck. "A trip to France would cure us."
Sebastian smiled and kissed up his neck. "I can arrange that. When do you want to go?"
"The show closes May 22nd. Maybe a week or two after that. We can hang around with everyone, plan the reception, and relax."
"I'll see what I can do."
"Mmm. That feels so good." Kurt turned his neck to give Sebastian better access.
Sebastian gently untucked Kurt's shirt and put his hands on Kurt's lower back, caressing his skin gently, while he continued to kiss Kurt's neck.
Kurt tried to focus. "Let's get the roast and chicken in the oven and resume this in just a minute."
Sebastian slid his hands out from under Kurt's shirt and pecked him on the lips. "Sure."
They worked together efficiently and got all of the meat started and set the timers. Sebastian stepped right back into Kurt's personal space, with a grin on his face. He slipped his hands right back under Kurt's shirt and began to kiss him. After a few kisses, he nuzzled his nose into Kurt's neck and hugged Kurt close.
"About a year ago, right in this very spot, you told me that you loved me as a friend."
"I did. I remember. And you were surprised."
"I was because I was already falling for you. And I had been telling myself to stop because you'd never feel that way about me. When you told me that you loved me and how much you would miss me if I left, the little tiny spark of hope I had got a little bigger, but I still seriously had my doubts that you'd every love me as more than a friend. But I also realized that if you didn't, that I still wanted you in my life. Like Adam and Sam. I had learned the value in strong close friendships."
"I remember you saying that you were glad they had come to be such good friends, even if they were leaving."
Sebastian started to kiss Kurt's neck again. "I still am glad. But most of all, I'm glad you agreed to be with me. I love you."
"And I love you. We've been married almost two months. A very hard and trying two months and I'm so glad we're almost past the crazy. Tonight's going to be crazy though from my understanding. It will definitely be new for us. Press and cameras and video cameras. It's always a lot easier on the stage than it is one-on-one. This type of thing is far more stressful for me than to get up perform. Not that I've been to an off-Broadway opening, but just from hearing other people talk this past week and knowing my own history. I've learned a lot about myself in the last year and I know that I still struggle accepting compliments and this type of event is practically designed for the cast and writers and everyone to be given compliments."
"I think knowing that will help. Going into it knowing that people are going to compliment you intentionally will help you realize that it is all part of the way things go. The compliments fuel the show. The more people say nice things, the more people will come. And of course, ticket sales keep the lights on and pay everyone involved. Opening a show is a huge risk and graciously accepting a few hundred compliments will lower that risk."
"You're right. I will remember not to deflect. I will accept the compliments and also spread the accolades around by pointing out other people's hard work. I want this to be a successful run. The writers are so good at what they do. I want them to have all the support they need when they write something else and there's still the possibility of it moving to Broadway."
The timer on Kurt's phone went off. He stepped away from Sebastian and turned the heat off on one of the burners and reset his timer.
"I'd like to give you a massage when we finish this."
"I'd like that. Can I give you one too? I enjoy that too."
"Sure." He washed his hands again and focused on the work they had left to do in the kitchen.
Kurt joined him and they talked, flirted, and kissed through the rest of their cooking tasks.
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"I need a shorter last name like Poe. Hummel-Smythe is too long to write 100 times every evening," Kurt play whined, as they got in the shower and he washed Sebastian's hair.
Sebastian rinsed his hair, and then kissed Kurt's shoulder, as he reached for Kurt's shampoo. He lathered up Kurt's hair and responded mockingly. "You poor, poor thing. Next thing you know you'll need treatment for carpel tunnel syndrome from all of the autographs."
Kurt rinsed his hair, spun in place, and kissed him. "You're supposed to baby me, not mock me." He batted his eyes playfully.
"Ohh. My mistake." He picked up Kurt's right hand and kissed from his wrist down his index finger. When he got to the end of his finger, instead of letting go, he opened his mouth and began to suck on Kurt's finger.
"Oh, God, that's hot."
He moved on to the next finger and the next. When he finished, he gently pushed Kurt against the shower wall and kissed him, pressing in and licking his way in. When they broke for air, Sebastian ran his hand down Kurt's side and made eye contact and then looked down, getting Kurt's nod before he moved his hand lower.
When they both came back to their senses, Sebastian handed Kurt one of the washcloths and they finished quickly. Kurt grabbed Sebastian's towel and handed it to him after he stepped out. They both dried off quickly and finished up getting ready for bed.
Ten minutes later, they were snuggled up in bed. "You were amazing tonight. Even better than the first two times I saw the show. I didn't hear a single negative comment throughout the whole after party. And no one knew who I was to temper what they said within my hearing distance."
"That's good to hear. We stayed out all night after Rachel's opening to read the reviews when they came out in the paper, but I can't do that. We can't do that. We both have class in the morning. Can we sleep like this with me lying on you?"
"I love being your body pillow." He kissed Kurt on the forehead. "I love you."
Kurt caressed Sebastian's shoulder with his thumb. "I love you." He nuzzled in a little more and relaxed, falling asleep quickly.
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The next morning, the alarm went off and Kurt groaned. He rolled back and pressed the button to make it stop. Sebastian rolled over and snuggled him instead.
"The night was too short," Kurt said, as he kissed the top of Sebastian's head. "I want to stay in bed."
"Me too, but Cassie won't take it well if we don't show up."
"I know. One more week."
"We have to get a barre for here at home. I know we talked about it, but I never actually did anything about it because we still could use the dance studio at NYADA. I'll start looking."
"And maybe a mat that we can use together, like in the stage combat room. I'm going to miss having access to the stage weapons."
"Maybe we can work on getting some for ourselves. We can store them in the second closet in the living room."
"Mmm. That would be fun." He ran his hand down Sebastian's arm. "We have to get up."
Sebastian groaned.
"I know. Last week of classes. We can do this."
Sebastian got up. Kurt sat up and stretched. Sebastian went out into the kitchen to start some coffee for them. He came back into their room to find Kurt dressed in shorts and a singlet, pulling his Doctor Who hoodie on over his head.
"I see that you're going for the ultra casual look today."
"I am." He pulled out his gray Chucks, grabbed some no-show socks and sat down on the bed to put them on.
Sebastian already had his dance shorts on and a singlet. He stood in front of his closet and pulled out a pair of Kurt's shorts and put them on and put a hoodie on as well. He turned around and struck a pose to get Kurt's attention.
"When did you get a Dear Evan Hanson hoodie?"
"Yesterday when I went out shopping with Isabelle, Mason, and Jane. Mason and Jane got one too. I want to get some shorts like these. I have two pairs, but I want to get a couple more. I have some other shorts, but they're sporty ones and I bought them just to go running in or to wear around here. But I like these."
"We can go shopping for some. I'll take you to my favorite places."
"Mason and Jane loved the resale shop. I think Jane must have spent $200 in there. She has very eclectic taste in clothing and she found a lot of stuff she liked. And no the guy didn't think she was rich or something. She kept saying. 'I've never see anything like this in a store in Ohio. I just HAVE to have it.'"
Kurt chuckled. "I'm glad she had a good time. I didn't get to talk to her much at the after party."
"They're flying out in an hour or so. They both have school to go back to. Jane's missing a half day." He laced up his trainers and headed into the bathroom.
Kurt went in the kitchen and made their cups of coffee and fixed them two sandwiches to eat as the walked to the subway. He put the sandwiches on top of the shoe cabinet by the door and went back for the thermoses with coffee and waited by the door for Sebastian.
"Thank you." He kissed Kurt and grabbed his sandwich and coffee.
Kurt put his duffle on over his head and grabbed his stuff and locked the door behind them.
"I didn't see you pack other clothes," Kurt said as they waited for the elevator.
"I didn't. I'm not going to wear the dance belt and shorts underneath all day, but I'm wearing the rest of what I have on. And I'm going to tell everyone who asks about my hoodie to go see the show."
Kurt leaned toward him and kissed him on the cheek. "You're a sweetie. Maybe I should call you 'cupcake'."
"You can if you want." He winked at Kurt and stepped inside the elevator.
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They walked into class together. They took off their outer clothing and took their place at the barre. Cassie came in a few minutes later wearing a white tank that said 'for forever' in blue letters and had the Dear Evan Hansen logo on the lower left hip over her traditional black leotard and tights. She looked at Kurt and winked.
"So, someone in this room has done a bang up job on keeping things to himself despite his success."
Everyone looked around the room.
"No more of that. Everyone gets a song and dance number for getting a role in anything. And you, Kurt, got the lead in an off-Broadway show this season and did not brag about. I thought maybe it was a terrible show and you didn't want anyone to come see it since you hadn't been talking about it, but then I went last night to the official opening and you were amazing and the show is fantastic. Anyone who hasn't been to see it should go."
Kurt smiled and nodded slightly.
"So, since you kept your amazing news from everyone, we don't have a dance ready for you and instead, you and Sebastian will dance for us."
Kurt looked panicked for a second, but Sebastian slipped his hand over Kurt's and took it. He stopped by his stuff and grabbed his phone. He started the first Salsa song that he and Kurt had worked on and was now second nature to do. They danced the whole piece flawlessly. They held hands and bowed. Everyone clapped.
"Very nice. And as a congratulatory gift, that will count as your final for this class. An A."
Kurt didn't manage to hide the surprise from his face. "Thank you."
"You're welcome. Madame Tibideaux has requested that you be in her office in 10 minutes."
"Yes, ma'am." Kurt picked his bag up and went into the locker room quickly and took off his dance belt, dance shorts, and singlet and redressed. He left immediately to make it on time.
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When he arrived, he started to sit down, but he didn't get the chance.
"She'll see you now, Kurt."
He nodded and approached her door, knocking, and then opening it. He stepped inside and closed the door, but waited to be acknowledged before stepping in any farther.
"Have a seat, Mr. Hummel."
"Hummel-Smythe, if you would please," he said, as he placed his bag on the floor next to the chair and sat down.
"Yes, of course. My apologies. The opening went quite well last night. I was impressed."
"Thank you."
"As you are aware, there is a Senior Showcase that starts one hour before the graduation ceremony a week from Saturday morning. Three seniors have been chosen to perform. You are one of them. You will sing twice. I would like you to sing 'For Forever' from Dear Evan Hansen, which I have already had approved. I would also like you to reprise your performance of 'Being Alive'."
"Alright."
"You don't seem pleased."
"I'm honored. I just have a lot on my plate already. I know I sang at the first Winter Showcase with no preparation, but this is different."
"My apologies. I should have explained myself better. 'Being Alive' is your assignment for your final with me. You will work on it this week and you can perform it for me next Thursday during your scheduled exam time. You can sing it again Saturday morning."
"I will do my best to represent the school in front of the parents who are there."
"Of that I have no doubt. I considered what you said to me earlier this year. I set up a video camera and recorded myself during the mid-winter critiques. I watched to see my own expressions as the students performed for me. I concede the point you made. Rather than neutral, I seem stern and oftentimes displeased or uninterested. I still see the need to teach students to be able to push through and perform to their highest level whether they are receiving positive feedback during their performance or not. Oftentimes, those watching an audition will sit far enough back in the audience that the person auditioning cannot see their faces due to lighting. I am working on a way to improve that portion of our teaching to present the students with different situations, but as a learning experience. We will record graded performances and use video self-feedback as part of the learning process. You mentioned the students not knowing what they were doing wrong. Hopefully, this will ameliorate that issue."
Kurt nodded.
"I've also convinced the school that we need a student council of sorts. We will be working on the exact function of the council and how to choose the members over the summer. Gossip is a big problem in show business, but it should not interfere with a student's education. Students will be able to file complaints anonymously with this council and the issues will be brought to the staff."
"That's a good start."
"It will take time to make changes. We have already assembled a group of mentors for the fall from the current junior class. Each mentor will be assigned five incoming students and they will receive guidance on how to help the incoming students become part of some of our student groups and set up mixers for all of the incoming students to get to know each other. We'll see how it goes."
"It sounds like an interesting idea. One suggestion would be to not assign students from the same major with a mentor from the same major. I know that seems to be the most logical way to do it, but in reality, there is no cohesive feeling to the school because the cliques are already so strong. The performance majors look down on the non-performance majors. I think it would be good to have people from five different majors in a group together so they learn more about what each area does."
"An interesting suggestion. You have a point. Logic says to group them together by major, but experience says that they will do that on their own. I will make that point when the students are being divided up. The other issues we discussed, such as the seniors not getting credit for being in the productions, have all been taken care of. The graduation requirements have all been updated to reflect the changes and will go into effect at the beginning of the fall term."
"I'm sure the juniors will appreciate that."
"We have worked to align our curriculum with several other conservatories and musical theatre and theatre programs. We are adjusting the credit value of several of our courses, or holding the class less frequently if the value is to remain as is. It will take a couple of years to be where we want to be because it will require us to hire a few more instructors and potentially let others go if they are uninterested in teaching the new courses."
"You have been quite busy."
"I have. When I asked for your honest critique of this school, you were specific with legitimate concerns. I acted on those concerns because I saw them as issues that a school of this caliber should not have." She paused and looked at her computer. "You will also see the other departments represented at the Senior Showcase this year. Your costume design instructor will speak to you about that."
"Yes, ma'am."
"We will also be trialing an instructor evaluation at the end of this semester. It will be anonymous. If the feedback isn't useful, we will continue to work to redesign the survey until it is."
"I'm sure the students will appreciate having their voices heard."
"I'm sure." She nodded, and with finality in her voice, she said, "I will see you this afternoon."
"Yes, ma'am." He stood, picked his bag up, and left the room.
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Wednesday after the matinee show, Kurt came out to see Rachel and Tina standing behind the barricade at the stage door, waiting to have their playbills signed. He smiled and walked directly to them first. He pulled his Sharpie out and signed.
"You were amazing, Kurt!" Tina said.
Rachel said, "We'll go get a table and wait for you."
He nodded. "I'll be there when I finish here."
Rachel turned and held her phone up and took a selfie of the two of them together before she made her way back through the crowd.
Kurt turned to the person standing next to where she had been and started to sign playbills and posters. He stayed until he had signed everyone's items. He went back to his dressing room, grabbed his bag, and went to the café where Rachel had chosen to meet. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly before he went inside. He hadn't expected to see Tina, but she was there and he had to deal with it. He saw them as he entered and went to sit with them.
The server came over quickly and took his order. He ordered for Sebastian as well, since he hadn't arrived yet.
When he walked away, Rachel said, "He already had our orders. We asked him to wait until you came to send them back. I ordered you a hot tea. I put honey in it myself. It should be room temp by now."
"Thank you." He picked the cup up and took a sip.
"I'm sorry that it's taken me seven weeks to contact you and that I didn't call ahead to let you know I was coming. I came to apologize. I called and talked to Rachel the same day you came to visit me. I talked to Artie later that week. I went to see a counselor at school and I did all of that other stuff you and Sam recommended. I don't really know what to say other than I'm sorry. I'm not asking you to forgive me or to even start talking to me again. I'd understand if you never spoke to me again after today. I've been doing a lot of reading and self-reflection and I realized that Mike was this pillar of strength that I drew from when we were together. Not in a negative way. I didn't push him to the background or drain him emotionally. But while I was relying his strength, I didn't work to get strong on my own. When he was around, I was more confident. And when he broke up with me, I lost that. I tried to regain it by imitating Rachel. And I lost myself even more because I'm not anyone else. I'm me, for better or worse. The counselor is helping me a lot. And you were right that I turned to Blaine for that source of strength and it worked. I turned to him for what I missed from having Mike in my life. Blaine cheered me on. He boosted my ego. I couldn't see how you could cut him loose. And I was so angry that I wanted someone so badly, but he wanted you back after you rejected him when I was right there willing to give him anything he wanted, except that I don't have what he wants in a partner. I'm not a guy. Everything you said was right. I stopped calling him the next day after my first therapy session. I blocked his calls. I tightened all of my privacy settings on social media. I'm staying at Brown and finishing my degree. Mike's going to come spend the summer here in New York and I got accepted into a program at Columbia that's an exchange program of sorts. Columbia students will be spending the summer session at Brown. He's attending a summer intensive at the Ailey School. We're going to talk and see where things go. We've never tried living together of course. We're just going to be roommates, nothing more for now. We've been apart for a long time and I'm not who I used to be and he's changed too of course. With more counseling, hopefully I can figure out who I am now and who I want to be."
The server came back with their food before Kurt could say anything. He asked if they needed anything and left. Kurt's phone pinged with a text, which he quickly checked and put it back away.
"You've made a lot of progress in seven weeks. It took me a long time to work through everything. I think seeing the counselor and working to figure out what you want is great. And I accept your apology. It's not an automatic 'I forgive you' like I used to offer. All that got me was people repeatedly hurting me and expecting my unfailing forgiveness in return. No more of that. Actions speak louder than words, but since we are not living close to each other, words are all there can be for now. I'm willing to start over, just like I was with Rachel. But she can tell you it hasn't been a quick process. She apologized last summer and she did as I asked, which was not to push and to give me time. She came to me again in December and I said I would try, but I've barely had time to breathe since the semester started. This is my sixth week of performing full-time and still going to school full-time. Before that I was in rehearsals for this and for Mamma Mia! and going to school. Next week is finals and after that there are only a few weeks left of the show. Maybe by the time you're here this summer, we can all start to do a few things together. There are concerts in Central Park, art exhibits, and other things like flea markets. We'll take it slow and see how it goes."
Tina nodded and continued to eat.
Kurt finally began to eat what he had ordered, knowing that he had limited time with needing to be back at the theater to get ready for the evening show.
Rachel said, "You were really great today, Kurt. I mean that. I've never given you the credit you deserved. Your performance was really emotional and poignant."
"I agree with Rachel about you being really good. I knew you were and I let myself get all mixed up. But seeing you today, it just brought everything back to doing Rocky Horror. I know that sounds weird, but you were amazing as Riff Raff and I let myself forget that. And I lost my mind over the course of my senior year and I'm just now putting myself back together. Hopefully, a year from now, when I'm about to graduate, I will be a lot closer to the version of myself that I want to be."
Kurt said, "I hope so. I'd like that for all of us."
"In case you think Mike is graduating this year, he isn't. He did spend a year training at the Joffrey school and he stuck it out because of the scholarship he got, but it wasn't what he wanted. The Joffrey trains for ballet companies. He just jumped at the opportunity for a scholarship without reading through everything. The Joffrey doesn't offer college classes. He could audition for the their dance company or other dance companies, but not get a degree. He applied to Columbia College because he really enjoyed being in Chicago and he's gotten to perform in a bunch of different shows and help choreograph some. This summer, he's attending a 6-week intensive at the Ailey School and then he'll be going back to Chicago to finish out his last year."
"I didn't know any of that," Kurt said. "He didn't really talk about it when we were together Lima – three years ago I guess. Or maybe he did and I was just too stressed out about my dad's doctor's visit to pay attention to what he was saying. He came for Brittany and Santana's wedding, but I didn't really talk to him that day. I'm glad he found a program that he likes."
"Me too. You are actually happy with Sebastian, right? I know you kept everything about your personal life private before. You're not just saying that everything's good, are you?" Tina asked.
"I'm genuinely happy and content. I live in a peaceful home with the man I love who loves me. We don't fight. We talk a lot. About everything. We spent a lot of time getting to know each other. We had lived together successfully for eight months before we started to date. We knew we were compatible in that way. Living with Mike platonically will give you a lot of insight into whether or not you think the two of you could work as an adult couple. It's a lot easier to be a happy high school couple because there's no living together, no shared space, no need to let your less attractive side be seen by the other person."
"We've been talking. I found out why he broke up with me. He told me that it wasn't the distance from Chicago to Lima for nine months, but it was because I had my heart set on going to Brown. He said that as much as he loved me that he couldn't make it work with me as my boyfriend for five years in a long-distance relationship. He knew that we couldn't be there for each other the way two people in a relationship should be. He said our schedules would be nuts and we'd end up making phone date times and not being able to keep them and one of us would let the other down all the time and he thought that would be worse than breaking up and being friendly and keeping in contact when we could with texts, calls, and emails. What he said makes sense, but at the time all I felt was the rug being pulled out from under me and everything falling apart."
"And Blaine loves nothing more than to be there for someone in their hour of need and turn himself into their hero and then soak up the hero worship," Kurt said without a trace of anger or sarcasm.
"That's pretty harsh, even with what went on," Tina said.
"You don't know a lot of what went on. A week after the alley incident, he came at me in stage combat. I defended myself. When I talked to him that evening, he was jealous that the other guys in our stage combat class were talking to me and were being a little hero-worshipping towards me about what happened in the alley. I had finally forced myself to get over being self-conscious to be seen in the singlets or shirtless. He was upset that they were paying attention to me, talking to me, and admiring my more muscular physique. He sat there on the couch in the loft and told me that power balance had shifted and I had gotten muscular and strong enough emotionally to take care of myself and he liked it better when I was like I was when I went to Dalton, beaten down and afraid, and he could protect me. He said that to my face, Tina. That he liked it better when I was emotionally weak and afraid. He didn't like the new improved stronger Kurt. So, trust me on his need for hero worship."
"Oh, wow," Tina said. "That's terrible. I mean that's just so weird. If all the girls thought my boyfriend was hot, I would not tell him to stop being hot. I would gloat to the other girls." She switched to a sassy tone. "'That's all mine, honeys. You can look, but no touch.'"
Kurt laughed. "That would be the normal response. His was, 'Why aren't they fawning all over me?' The Warblers treated him like he was a rock star. The girls at Crawford County Day fangirled over him. And think about the two of you. Neither one of you ever found me attractive, which is fine. Very few people are attractive to everyone, but you two both fawned all over him. The guys accepted him as one of the guys. The girls treated him like he was Prince Charming. Of course, he was going to think that everyone would fawn all over him and ignore me. That was the reality he had lived. I was never the desired one." Kurt's voiced dropped to barely audible. "Not even by him." He closed his eyes and brought images of Sebastian to the forefront of his mind. The two of them chasing each other around the apartment laughing. The two of them in the living area dancing. The two of them cooking. Reading. Talking. Snuggling. Kissing. He opened his eyes. "I supplied him with love and attention and he pulled all of the focus to himself. I congratulated him for getting the part I needed. I supported him even when it should have been the other way around. And on top of all of that, he was the man. I was not. He asked my dad for permission to marry me. He arranged that insane proposal. He put a ring on my finger. I was his. When we danced, he led, despite being quite a bit shorter than me and the fact that dances are more easily done when the lead is taller. He was the man, so he led. There were just so many things that none of you noticed. And if I had pointed them out, my concerns would have just been downplayed and I would have been told I was just being a drama queen."
Tina nodded. "You're right. I never thought about any of those things. I think we all saw you as an 'honorary girl' and we saw ourselves in your place. We saw Blaine as the guy. We saw you as one of us. But we never looked hard enough to realize the inherent bias. Why do only women wear engagement rings nowadays? Why do men go to a woman's father to ask permission to marry her like she's his property in the 21st century? Why can guys in a relationship be sexy and flirty with waitresses and other people and it's okay, but if a girl does is, she's being provocative and leading guys on or slutty? We have all of these gender roles and we don't even think about them a lot of the time. And you're right. We put you into those role with us. And maybe we were never outraged for you because we accept that role for ourselves. It never dawned on us that you were unhappy in the feminine role. We don't have any alternative role. We're still climbing an uphill battle to just get paid the same amount as a man for doing the same job with the same degree and experience. Expecting equality in a relationship isn't really something girls even really consider."
Kurt nodded, "Sadly, you're probably right. But I'm not a girl. I was glad to be allowed to be an 'honorary girl' because the guys didn't accept me and the girls did, at least in a way. If the girls had completely rejected me, I would have been alone in Glee. But when you take into account that Blaine and I are equally male, you can begin to see how lopsided things were. When I asked Sebastian to marry me, I got both of us rings. When we dance, he leads because he is taller, not because I am 'the girl'. We both cook. We both clean. We take responsibility for ourselves. We don't have that 'The man does what he wants and wife picks up after him and cares for him like he's a child' dynamic to our relationship. He remembers his own stuff. I remember mine. We're two completely adult people sharing our lives. Too many men move out of their mother's care directly into living with another female that they take advantage of, to be honest."
Tina said, "I can see that. If you put a guy and a girl the same age in room with a young toddler that needs fed, diapered, and what not, the guy will look at the girl like she's supposed to have some kind of inborn knowledge of how to do it. I've seen it myself firsthand."
"But it goes beyond even that," Kurt said. "Think about this. I'll direct this to Rachel, since she's in a relationship right now. Let's say that you and Jesse fly to Florida for a vacation, but your luggage doesn't make it. Which one of you could go shopping and buy clothes and personal hygiene items for BOTH of you for a 3-day time period?"
Rachel snorted. "I could never send Jesse to the store to buy what I need or to get me clothes."
"That's exactly what I'm talking about. Jesse is no less capable of learning what products you like and what size clothes to buy you than you are of learning those things about him. I could go out and do it for you and we haven't lived together in two years. Now, I might not get the exact products that you're using right now, but I would come back with either what you used then or products that are suitable for your hair and skin type."
"And Sebastian could do this for you?" Tina asked. She saw him walk up behind Kurt.
"I have no doubt. He's done it plenty of times. Not the clothes shopping, but he would be perfectly capable of buying clothes that would fit me and I would like."
Sebastian heard him and smiled at Kurt's confidence in his skill, but waited until he finished to slide into the spot next to him in the booth. He kissed Kurt when he looked towards him. "I'm sorry I'm so late. The bus got a flat tire and I decided to just walk. I don't think I would have gotten here any sooner in a taxi. I should have taken the subway, but it was nice out and I thought the bus would be more cheerful."
He smiled at Sebastian. "It's fine, Bas. Your salad is waiting as you can see."
"It looks good," he said. "I've never been here before."
Kurt said, "Rachel had. She chose the place."
"They have a lot of vegetarian and vegan options, which is nice on 2-show days. I'm not strictly vegan any more, but I do avoid dairy right before performing."
Tina said, "I already apologized to Kurt. I'm really sorry for the message, Sebastian. I think I already said that, but anyway the condensed version is that I'm getting help and I'm moving forward."
"That's good. All of us have benefitted from some unbiased thoughts on our lives and some guidance," Sebastian said. He mixed together the Cobb salad Kurt had ordered for him and began to eat. "This is really fresh. I like the dressing too."
"I'm glad you like it," Kurt said. He slipped his left hand onto Sebastian's thigh. "Tina said that she and Mike are both doing summer classes here in the City this summer. She's going to be studying at Columbia."
"I hope you enjoy it. I have."
"Thanks," Tina said. "I'm actually really looking forward to it, which is something I haven't been able to say in a while. Mike's coming for an intensive at the Ailey School too."
Sebastian asked, "How long are you staying in town?"
"I'm leaving after we finish eating. I have an exam tomorrow at 11:00 and another Friday morning."
"That's right. You had spring break the week before we did. We don't have finals until next week," Sebastian said.
The server came around and took everyone's plates except Sebastian's. Kurt asked for more hot water.
"You have another year of school left, right?" Tina asked.
"Actually, no. I had some AP credits and I took an extra class each semester and some summer classes. I spent an extra year in high school due to transferring from my school in France to Dalton."
"I didn't know you had been in France."
"I move there when I was 8. I went back to Ohio when I was 17, almost 18. It would have been my final year in high school in France, but I hadn't taken courses like American History or American Literature and some required math and science courses, plus with Dalton being a private school they required things beyond what the State of Ohio did."
"Wow, that must have been frustrating."
"Yeah, it was." He continued to eat rather that expand on his answer. "If you don't have a place to live yet, I can give you the name of the building where the students post their sublets for the summer. You'll save a lot of time commuting if you find one in between the Ailey School and Columbia." He took his phone out. He pulled up a map. "Actually they're on the same bus route, so if you could find a place anywhere along Columbus Ave, you'd both be set." He pulled up a map of Columbia and showed her the building. "It might be worth going there on your way back because a lot of people will be posting this week trying to secure a subletter as soon as possible. You'd get the broadest selection of places."
She showed him her number and he texted the map to her.
"Thanks."
"You're welcome." He finished up and drank the rest of his lemonade.
The server saw that he had finished and come to clear Sebastian's place. He left their bills.
Tina picked up Kurt and Sebastian's folders. "Consider it my wedding gift."
"Thank you," they said in unison.
"You're welcome." She put took their slips out and put them into her folder and put her card in with them.
Once the server returned with their cards, everyone got up and headed outside.
Kurt hugged both Tina and Rachel. "Thanks for coming to see the show today. And for lunch, Tina."
"You're welcome."
"We loved the show," Rachel said.
She and Tina waved as they headed toward the subway.
Kurt and Sebastian headed the other direction back to the theater.
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"I wasn't expecting Tina to be there," Sebastian said, as he took Kurt's hand and intertwined their fingers.
"Me neither. She was with Rachel at the stage door when I came out."
"I'm assuming that she actually apologized and didn't just offer excuses."
"She did. She told me that she wasn't expecting anything after today's lunch. I told them both that if we could work it out, we might be able to do some sightseeing with them, and of course Jesse and Mike if they want to come. We'll see. It wasn't a promise, but a possibility. I'm not sure how long we'll stay in France or when we're leaving. We hadn't talked about really after you said you'd look into it. If we're here when Tina and Mike are, then we can go do something touristy with them one Saturday morning or something. And since Rachel and Jesse live here, at some point we can invite them to do something, even if it just go to a free concert in the Central Park. I'm still feeling kind of prickly about letting people into our home. I don't mind Sam and Lexi or my parents or Isabelle and Grandma Smythe, but I'm not sure how I feel about other people yet."
"I like it being our private place most of the time. The City is crowded and noisy and we've been really busy. I like having a refuge, a place of calm and quiet, that's just for us and the very occasional family members."
"I haven't made you feel like you can't have people over when I'm gone, have I?"
"I've just been doing stuff with people on campus, like I always did. Rather than take the time to go all the way to our apartment and study and then make the trek back to campus, we just meet up on campus and do whatever we were going to do. It saves time."
"Makes sense. We're here." Kurt pulled the door open.
"We are."
They walked back to Kurt's dressing room. Sebastian pulled out a printout of one of his final papers. He smiled and handed it to Kurt. Kurt leaned forward and kissed him before he took the paper and sat down to read it. Sebastian pulled a book with post it notes in it out and looked through the pages that he had marked while Kurt read through his paper. Mark and Rob came in a few minutes later. They went to their dressing area and got dressed. Kurt laid the paper down long enough to get into his striped polo and khakis. He sat back down and read while the other two had their hair and make up done. The two of them left once they were finished. Kurt handed the paper back to Sebastian and got into his chair. The two of them discussed the paper while Kurt was prepped for the show. Sebastian went and watched them warm up and run through a couple of songs. He went back to the dressing room before the show started and continued to study. After the show, he followed Kurt down to the stage door. He stood back from the door on the inside of the building and watched the crowd react to Kurt. He stayed inside until Kurt had talked to everyone who wanted to talk to him. Once the last person started to walk away, Sebastian came out with his bag and Kurt's small leather satchel. He hugged him, took his hand, and they headed for the Metro.
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The next few days were crammed full of studying, review sessions, and finalizing papers and projects. When they were in the kitchen cooking together on Sunday, Kurt got a text informing him that Dear Evan Hansen had been chosen as the Outstanding New Off-Broadway Musical by the Outer Circle Critics. He read the text out load to Sebastian.
"That's amazing!"
"It is. It says the ceremony is May 26th at Sardi's. We're going to get to go to Sardi's." He threw his arms around Sebastian's neck.
Sebastian chuckled and wrapped his arms around Kurt's waist and spun him in a circle. "Congratulations!"
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Monday morning finals week started. Kurt spent time at NYADA making sure his costuming piece was as perfect as possible and working on a scene he had to present. He also spent time working on "Being Alive". He went in to help Isabelle one morning for a few hours, mostly for fun since it had been so long since he had gone to work.
By early Friday afternoon, it was all over. They had taken their last tests, turned in their last projects and papers, and given their last presentations. They met at Kurt's favorite vintage store and Kurt found a pair of sunglasses and some bangle bracelets that he thought Carole would like. They said their goodbyes and Sebastian headed home to be there when Burt and Carole arrived.
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Saturday morning, everyone got up and ate breakfast together before Kurt had to leave for NYADA to get ready for the Senior Showcase. Sebastian, Burt, and Carole left later and met up with Isabelle and Grandmas Smythe at the school.
After Kurt arrived, he warmed up and sang through each song once before going to the round room. He sat on the stage area to the left, in the second seat as he had been instructed to do. The other seniors being showcased filled 11 of the available 13 chairs, leaving the end chair on each side empty. Madame Tibideaux sat next to Kurt and the school president sat in the other empty seat.
Madame Tibideaux and the president of the school stood and walked to the center of stage are and the room fell silent.
He spoke first. "I want to thank all of you for coming to the New York Academy for Dramatic Arts Senior Showcase. I want to commend each of you selected to perform today. You will have the words, 'with departmental honors" on your diplomas for graduating at the top of your department. This is different than the distinction Latin Honors, which are based on your overall GPA. The students honored today have been chosen for their skill in their chosen major."
Madame Tibideaux continued. "We will have three live presentations from each of our performance departments, intermixed with video footage from our productions this year, which will highlight students in other departments. First up, from our Musical Theatre Department, we have Kurt Hummel-Smythe who will be performing 'For Forever' from Dear Evan Hansen, the Outer Circle Critics' choice for New Outstanding Off-Broadway musical this season, in which he plays the title role of Evan. I am asking that everyone refrain from applause between the performers so that we can be sure to finish the Showcase in time for the graduation ceremony." She and the president took their seats.
Kurt stepped into the spotlight center stage, and the musicians began to play. As soon as he finished, he returned to his seat on the stage. Madame Tibideaux stood and introduced each performer from the side of the stage. During the second video portion, Kurt exited the stage and changed quickly.
When the video portion ended, Madame Tibideaux arose again. "Next up we have the Costuming Department's top three pieces created this year by seniors." She introduced the two people who entered the stage before Kurt, and then Kurt. "Kurt Hummel-Smythe is wearing an outfit suited to a landowner in the 1800s. These three students did the historical research on their outfits, created the patterns, assembled and sewed the pieces themselves, with the exception of Mr. Hummel-Smythe's top hat and their footwear, which has been altered to fit the style of the time periods reflected in their outfits."
Kurt and the other two students left the stage after stopping in three places and turning for the audience to view their entire outfits. Kurt changed back into his original outfit and quietly re-entered the stage during another video presentation. When it was over, the president moved to the center of the stage again.
"NYADA is a school with high expectations and a demanding curriculum. Some years we have a graduating senior who displays the characteristics the school holds dear: perseverance with a positive attitude, a high level of skill in performances, a professional attitude when working with others, and the leadership skills and tenacity to make improvements in the status quo. This type of student not only excels and holds themselves to high standards, they also reach out to others to help them be the best they can be. They see the value in all aspects of performance from the smallest details in the sets to the big picture of everyone working together to create a whole production of the highest quality. They not only excel in their performance of the required material, but they also create new works. They see challenges as obstacles to overcome, rather than roadblocks. They excel across the fields of study and are extremely well-prepared to work in the ever-shifting and exacting field of stage performance. It's been several years since this honor has been bestowed upon anyone. It is my great pleasure to present the NYADA Award for Spirit of the Theatre to Kurt Hummel-Smythe. Kurt, please come forward. Kurt is going to sing the song that gained him entrance to this school."
Kurt moved to the center of the stage again and sang "Being Alive". When he finished, he bowed slightly and sat back down.
The president stood back up and took center stage. "I'd again like to thank all of you for coming today and sharing in the presentations. Please allow the seniors to exit first, so they can put their robes on for the graduation ceremony, which will be held in our main performance auditorium."
Madame Tibideaux stopped Kurt before he could leave. "Congratulations. You were nominated by several faculty members from several departments."
"Thank you. I wasn't even aware of the award."
"I'm not surprised. The winners are usually people not seeking out awards. It's been three years since it was last awarded." She paused. "To Mr. Crawford."
Kurt smiled.
"Would you prefer that the school send you a plaque or a certificate?"
"A certificate would be fine. Thank you."
"Before you leave, I have something else to tell you. You will find two blue cords with your robe. When we calculated the Latin Honors for the graduates and double-checked everyone's coursework yesterday afternoon, it came to our attention that you not only completed the coursework for your BFA in Musical Theatre, but also in Costume Design. Your diploma will reflect that. You have two blue cords because you received honors for your work in both departments. Go get your robe and get to the front of the line before they walk in without you."
"Yes, ma'am."
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Sebastian managed to get out of the round room quickly and made his way towards where he knew the seniors were getting dressed for the ceremony. He saw Kurt across the atrium and made his way through the students. When he got close enough Kurt saw him and his face lit up. He didn't move out of line, but he hugged Sebastian.
"Did you know about that award you were getting?"
"I hadn't even heard of it."
"I'm so proud of you. You've worked so hard." He gave him a peck on the lips. "I'm going to go back and sit with everyone." He hugged Kurt again before he slipped away.
Kurt waited in line a few more minutes. When he got to the front, he was helped into his robe, and handed his cap and black and white tassel, and four cords to wear – one gold, two blue, and a black and white striped cord. He looked at the cords and smiled. He asked, "What's the black and white striped cord for?"
"Special distinction for something," was the answer he got.
He nodded, put the cords on, and stepped down to the mirrors to put his cap on straight.
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The seniors filed into the auditorium for the ceremony. As each graduate's name was called, they crossed the stage, shook hands with the dean of their department and received their diploma cover from the school's president. Kurt's name was called first.
"Kurt Hummel-Smythe, BFA in Musical Theatre and Costume Design, Summa Cum Laude with departmental honors. Recipient of the NYADA Award for the Spirit of the Theatre." He shook hands with Madame Tibideaux and Professor Emory. He exited stage right, paused to move his tassel to the other side of his cap and have his photo taken, and then he took his place at the top of the riser behind the stage curtain.
When the ceremony ended and Kurt met up with everyone, Sebastian hugged him as soon as he could.
"You did it!"
"I did."
"I'll meet you in the dance hall," Sebastian said before sped off.
Kurt looked confused.
Carole said, "Sebastian brought his with him and stored it in Cassie's office. That's where he zoomed off to. We wanted a few pictures of both of you in your robes together and this was the only way to do it since the NYADA robes belong to the school."
"Got it. This way to the dance studio." Kurt led them through the school.
Sebastian was straightening his cap when they came in the room.
"What are your cords and those mini pennants on your robe and the sash for?" Carole asked.
"You'll find out," Sebastian teased. "Our awards aren't given out as surprises. I actually know, but I'm not saying right now."
She smiled and teased, "Fine. Keep your secrets for now."
They arranged and rearranged in different groupings against the fancy wood paneled walls of the dance studio. Once they finished, Kurt ran off to turn his robe in and pick his costume up. He met the other three outside the building.
"Well, kiddo. You did it! It's over."
Kurt let out a sigh. "It hasn't sunk in yet. After about six weeks of not going back, it will probably completely sink in. Right now, it still just feels like the end of a semester."
"I get that," Burt said. "We know you have to get to the theater, but we're going to grab some lunch first. We'll eat some place near the theater though just to make sure you don't get caught in traffic."
"Actually, we need to go home. I didn't bring anything with me this morning. And I don't want to keep this costume and the boots with me at the theater all day. I'll have to take them home on the subway if I do."
"Alright. Home, then out to eat." Burt pointed to the car that pulled up.
"Thank you," Kurt said. He hugged Grandma Smythe and while she was close, he said, "You're always so kind and generous. I'm learning to accept that it's out of love."
She smiled and nodded when he looked at her.
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Sunday morning, Kurt made Carole's favorite breakfast for her and gave her the sunglasses and bracelets he had gotten, along with a Mother's Day card. Sebastian whisked her off to the MOMA for the day not long afterwards. Burt stayed at the apartment and enjoyed watching televised sports.
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Monday evening, they took Burt and Carole to Taj with them to go dancing. They arrived in time to order some appetizers and let them get a feel for the place before the lesson started at 7:00. Burt did the lesson with Carole like he said he would. He wasn't very good at it, but he made up for his lack of skill with enthusiasm and a huge smile. They all had a great time.
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Tuesday evening the Department of English and Comparative Literature held its awards ceremony. Kurt got permission to show up to the theater much later than usual, but he kept it a secret from Sebastian. He showed up with Isabelle and Grandma Smythe.
"How are you here?" Sebastian hopped up out of his seat and hugged him.
"Special permission. I would never miss something like this if it was in my power to make it."
Sebastian kissed him and stepped into the aisle to let Grandma Smythe, Isabelle, Carole, and Burt sit down in the seats he had been saving for them. He hugged them as they walked past him.
Sebastian took Kurt's hand and interlaced their fingers. "I'm glad you came."
"Me too. I have to leave at 7:00 though, so if it's not over by then, I'll have to slip out. Grandma arranged for a car to take me straight to the theater. I'll just need to warm up on the way there. She said she'd call for a separate car for everyone else if we can't all leave at 7:00."
"I think we'll be able to." Sebastian hugged him and went to take his place on the stage. The ceremony started about five minutes later.
A woman in doctoral robes stood at the podium. "I'd like to welcome everyone this evening. We're here to honor the distinguished students in our English and Comparative Literature Department." She gave a speech about their accomplishments and had each honor student stand as the title of their thesis paper was read out loud.
A man in doctoral robes took her place. "In addition to the departmental honors conferred up these fine students, the English and Comparative Literature Department offers other awards for various types of writing." He went on to name a few awards and their recipients moved to the podium to collect their certificates.
The woman returned to the podium. "This is a most unusual year because we have one winner of both the Brolenstein Writing Prize and the Charles Patten Bartlett-Rose Memorial Prize." She explained that the first award for a short story of 25 pages or less and the second was for academic writing. "This year's winner of both prizes is Sebastian Hummel-Smythe." She gave the titles of both works as he approached the podium.
Sebastian shook her hand and took both certificates and returned to his seat.
The ceremony came to its end and Sebastian came back down into the audience. Kurt gave him a chance to put the certificates in the folder he had in his bag before he wrapped his arms around him. "I'm so proud of you. You actually wrote the story about the time traveling artist and a child."
He smiled and nodded. "I did."
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Wednesday morning was Sebastian's graduation ceremony. It was a huge outdoor ceremony with over a thousand students. Since there was no way for the car to get very close to the seating and Sebastian had been told that the ceremony lasted for more than an hour, they erred on the side of caution and brought Grandma Smythe in her wheelchair, which she hardly used anymore. The other four were allowed to sit with her in the wheelchair accessible area. Kurt had packed some snacks and drinks for everyone while they sat through the long ceremony.
Once it was over, Kurt had to rush to the theater again for the matinee show. Burt and Carole got out of the car and hugged Kurt before he went inside.
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When the matinee ended, and Kurt had finished at the stage door, the stage door manager led him to the foyer of the theater. When he entered, he was surprised by a graduation party.
He hugged Carole. "I thought you two left for the airport when you dropped me off."
"That was part of the ruse," she said with a huge grin on her face. "We are leaving in a couple of hours, but we wanted to throw a small party for you at least. Come on, there's a lot of muffins and cookies."
There was a small 'Congratulations!' centerpiece on a round platter surrounded by various types of muffins and cookies, along with some bottled drinks.
Grandma Smythe said, "I had it on good authority that Smackery's was the place to go. We'll see. Go on. You and Sebastian get to go first.
The two of them approached the table and everyone else got in line. Sebastian spent so much time at the theater that he had gotten to know everyone too, so he didn't feel out of place.
Mr. Johnson got everyone's attention. "I have two announcements. First of all, our run here has been extended a week. Our final shows will be May 29th, rather than the 22nd. Secondly, I've been informed this afternoon that we've all been invited to attend the Obie's this coming Monday night. And Kurt has been asked to sing 'Waving through a Window' as part of the entertainment for the evening."
Gasps and cheers and everything in between could be heard around the room.
"I accepted on Kurt's behalf of course. And I would appreciate if as many of you as possible could be there."
Everyone nodded.
Carole and Burt approached Kurt when he was standing with Sebastian.
"What are the Obies?" Carole asked.
"They're like the Tony Awards for off-Broadway shows."
"I get it. O, off. B, Broadway," Carole said.
"There aren't nominations that come out ahead of time like there are for the Tony's though, so sometimes the winners aren't present. And all of the performers are in a category together and more than one person wins. So, there aren't separate categories for lead actor, supporting actor, featured actor, etc."
"I see. It's still exciting that you're going to get to perform at the ceremony."
"It is. Nerve-wracking, but exciting."
Once everyone had eaten their fill, Carole and Isabelle packed the leftovers up. Kurt and Sebastian hugged everyone again and thanked them before they left.
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Kurt used his days to review for the ASE Recertification tests that he had paid to take on the 23rd. He spent most of the day answering detailed questions about engines and wide variety of other car repair issues. He finally finished at 4:00 and waited in the lobby for his results. Once he picked up his printout showing that he had passed them all, he sent a photo of the results to Burt and Sebastian and headed home.
Sebastian met him at the door with a huge hug. "You did it. You're amazing you know?"
Kurt melted into Sebastian's embrace. "You're just as amazing. I'm trying not to be nervous. Actually having to focus all day on answer car and truck repair questions helped keep me from thinking about it, but we need to get ready now."
Sebastian pulled back enough to kiss him. "Shower?"
"Definitely."
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When Kurt's name was called as the winner for Outstanding Performer in a Musical, he was nearly paralyzed. He didn't move for a second or two. Sebastian leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.
"Mon feu, get up and go accept."
Kurt came to his senses and got up. He walked up to the stage and accepted the award from the announcer.
"I like to thank everyone who has supported me and given me an opportunity to be a part of this community. And thank you to our fabulous team who created the amazing show that I get to be a part of."
He exited the stage to the area where the winners were photographed. He eventually returned to his seat next to Sebastian, who took his hand as soon as he sat down. After all of the awards had been given out, Kurt went backstage to warm up to perform. He took his suit jacket and tie off and left them in the wings. He unbuttoned the top buttons on his shirt and did some neck stretches to relax. When he was called up on stage, he sang out strong and clear. His performance was followed by boisterous applause. He bowed slightly and exited the stage. He put his jacket and tie back on before taking his place back in the house again.
After the event was over, Kurt was approached by numerous people asking him questions. He stayed calm, smiled, and did his best to answer them.
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They got home really late, but Kurt called Burt and Carole anyway.
"Kurt?" Carole answered.
"I won!"
"That's great, honey. What did you win?"
"An Obie. Tonight. I won Outstanding Performer in a Musical."
"Oh, honey. That's great."
"Way to go, kiddo."
"They filmed it. I'm sure you'll be able to see me sing and get the award online soon. I'll send you a link when I find it."
"I'm so proud of you, Kurt," Carole said.
"Me too," Burt said.
"I'll let you go back to sleep."
"Thanks for calling," Carole said before she hung up.
"I won."
"You're still in shock."
"I think so."
"How about a massage and a shower?"
"Sounds perfect."
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Mr. Johnson called everyone to the stage before their matinee performance on Wednesday. "We've just gotten the best news that a show could get. We're moving to Broadway in November."
Everyone was stunned and then excited. People started hugging whoever was nearest to them.
"Back to wherever you belong, please. We'll discuss the details at a later point in time."
Kurt pulled his phone out as soon as he got to the dressing room and texted Sebastian.
-We're moving to Broadway in November!
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Thursday evening was the Outer Circle Critics Awards at Sardi's. Kurt knew he hadn't won personally, but felt honored to have been nominated. The show won Best New Off-Broadway Musical and they had a lovely dinner at Sardi's and they got to meet several veteran actors and it was a thrilling night for Kurt, especially.
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Friday morning Kurt woke up first as usual. He attempted to lie still, which never worked, but he gave it his best shot. Within a couple of minutes, Sebastian stretched a bit and pushed back into Kurt to get closer.
"Mmm." He pulled Kurt's hand up to his mouth and kissed his knuckles. "Happy birthday. I love you."
"I love you. What are these super secret plans you have for today?"
"Hmm. Curious are you?"
"Always." He kissed along Sebastian's shoulder towards his neck.
"You think you can kiss me into telling you?"
"It's worth a try, and if not, I still get to kiss you."
"We are going to pamper ourselves. Spa day and we're going to cook together. And I have a present for you."
"I'm excited. You give great gifts."
"I'm glad you think so."
"So, is this planned pampering – is there a schedule or is it more of a make-it-up-as-we-go pampering?"
"There is a loose schedule. Breakfast is first. Come on."
"No snuggles first?"
"We're snuggling as soon as we finish eating. It's already prepared, mostly." Sebastian kissed Kurt's knuckles once more before moving it so he could get up.
Kurt followed along behind him. "Ooh, you made egg salad and got that sourdough bread I like so much."
"I did."
Sebastian took two slices and put them in the toaster briefly, and then put them on two napkins. Kurt spread egg salad on both while Sebastian lightly toasted two more slices. While he waited, he added sliced tomatoes to the top of the egg salad. Kurt grabbed the bread and topped the sandwiches off. He cut them in half diagonally. He hopped up on the counter and ate with Sebastian standing between his knees. They kissed and ate. The kettle whistled and they made tea with lemon and honey and took it to their room in their thermoses.
"So, snuggling?" Kurt asked as he got back in bed after brushing his teeth.
"Snuggling," Sebastian confirmed when he came out of the bathroom and climbed into bed with Kurt.
"No yoga today?"
"We can if you want, but I figure we'll get quite a workout without it."
"Oh, really?"
Sebastian pinned him to the bed on his back and kissed him passionately, Kurt joining in quite willingly.
"Mmm hmm."
"Sounds perfect," Kurt said when they broke for air. "Breakfast was delicious, by the way. Thank you."
"You're welcome." Sebastian began kissing down Kurt's neck. "I'm glad you enjoyed it. I did too." He nuzzled his nose into Kurt's neck and slipped to the side and half lay on Kurt like a body pillow.
Kurt ran his fingers through Sebastian's hair. He took a deep breath and let it out. "This is perfect."
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Kurt sat criss-cross in the corner of the sectional with his eyes closed and his hands out in front. Sebastian sat down next to him and placed a box in his hands. Kurt opened his eyes and unwrapped it. He pulled the lid off the shoebox and found two things wrapped in tissue paper. He unwrapped the one on top.
"The Complete 5th series of Doctor Who. I've actually never seen any of the ones with Matt Smith as the doctor. This will be fun." He leaned towards Sebastian and kissed him. He unwrapped the second item. "Oh, and the 6th series too. We're going to cook and watch, right?"
"We are."
He put the DVDs to the side and climbed into Sebastian's lap straddling his legs. He leaned down and pressed their foreheads together, staring into Sebastian's eyes. "I love you."
A huge smile spread across Sebastian's face. "I love you too. Happy birthday."
Kurt gave him a peck on the lips. "Let's cook!" He hopped up and headed into the kitchen.
Sebastian chuckled and got up to follow him.
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Sunday afternoon after three stage calls, the cast finally returned to their dressing rooms. Kurt stayed outside the stage door until the last person who wanted to talk to him left. Sebastian was waiting inside the door. They returned to the dressing room to make sure that nothing had been left behind. They stopped before leaving and took a selfie in front of the poster like they had done the first night of previews.
"It's so weird that it's over for now and we won't perform it again for over five months. I'm going to open a show on Broadway in six months. It just doesn't seem real yet."
Sebastian squeezed his hand. "It's real, but before then we're going back to France to visit everyone. We'll rest, relax, enjoy ourselves, have our reception and go on our honeymoon."
Kurt started to sing the chorus of "Pocketful of Sunshine" and spun himself into Sebastian.
Take me away
A secret place
A sweet escape
Sebastian smiled and kissed him. "That's my plan exactly."
