A/N: I guess I am continuing the trend of naming chapters after songs from my Just A Floor Away playlist. The title of this chapter is inspired by one of my favorite songs, "Palms" by Allman Brown. I strongly suggest listening to it. For maximum feels.
This is my LONGEST and tropiest chapter yet. Did I mention I wanted all the tropes in this story? I hope you enjoy the little change of pace!
Chapter 21
Holding Me Together
Saturday, 22 February 2025
Dave sat next to Kurt at the airport terminal that late Saturday morning as they waited for Finn and Rachel. Considering how his cousin had her son only four years ago, he knew how anal she was when it came to being prepared in case the baby arrived and he doubted Rachel would be much better. She was probably packing for three people instead of two, just in case. But with an ample amount of time before take-off, neither he nor Kurt were worried.
The airport was about as busy as it could be on a weekend, but not nearly as busy as it was when Dave saw Travis off for the holidays. It brought back unwelcome memories, considering his ex's destination was, in fact, a lie.
The company he had with him today was far more enjoyable, thankfully, what with Kurt sitting next to him looking far more casual than he had seen him in a long time, save for when he was sick. He was so used to Kurt and his fancy suits and, when necessary for added warmth, his peacoat. Today, however, Kurt had opted for a pair of tan chinos that were cuffed at the ankle, a simple black and white striped top, and a soft, slouchy baby blue cardigan. Funnily enough, he wore similar pants and boat shoes, but with a simple white t-shirt under a dark blue collared shirt with maroon flowers that he left open. He couldn't shake the smile from his face when Kurt's eyebrows rose and he looked him up and down and said, approvingly, "You look nice." He clearly wasn't expecting the shirt's floral design.
"Hey!" Dave heard two voices call out and he and Kurt both looked up from their phones that they were occupying themselves with.
"Hi!" Kurt said brightly upon seeing Finn and Rachel. Dave sat up but didn't say anything. He hadn't said much of anything since they arrived at the airport, and very little in their cab ride either. His stomach had been in knots at the thought of flying. It was honestly the last thing he wanted to do.
"Glad you could finally make it," Kurt said, standing up to greet his brother and best friend. Kurt gave them both an awkward hug, Rachel due to her belly and Finn due to the sheer number of bags he was holding.
"Got enough carry-ons there, Hudson," he quipped as he stood up as well.
"Where else will I keep all my insults for you, Karofsky," Finn smirked good-naturedly.
"Touché," Dave said and clapped Finn on the back which Finn didn't seem to mind. If anything he seemed taken aback when he held his hand out and offered to take one of the bags. Finn handed him a shoulder bag like the kind Evelyn would take with her everywhere that contained diapers and wipes.
"I packed all of the essentials and my "go bag" just in case this little guy or gal shows up early," Rachel said as she rubbed her protruding belly fondly.
"Yeah, please don't say that," Finn said in a panicked voice as if she could jinx it.
"Seriously, the last thing we want…" Kurt began as he crossed his arms, "for you to give birth 40,000 feet up in the air."
"Or in Florida," Dave added quietly from the corner of his mouth as he leaned into Kurt so only he could hear him. Kurt turned his head sharply towards Dave and gave his arm a little shove as he snickered. Dave couldn't help but smirk, pleased at the reaction he got from Kurt before he turned his attention back to the couple.
"I don't know," Rachel said dreamily as she stuffed her coat into her larger bag. Dave noticed that she was wearing a long, flowery dress that wouldn't be weather appropriate in New York, at the moment, not that his outfit was any better. He wondered if she changed as soon as she got to the airport. "They would certainly have the Berry flair if they were to do that, but no, I would like to enjoy this last trip before they come along and we're stuck on mommy and daddy duty."
"How many more weeks do you have?" Dave questioned with sincerity. Rachel's eyes widened momentarily at his genuine interest, before answering.
"Oh, about thirteen more."
"Should I make a joke about 13 being an unlucky number or…" Finn drawled.
"Fine," Rachel said placatingly, "Twelve and a half. They're due on May 17th."
"Just ten days before mine," Kurt added proudly.
A voice on the intercom interrupted their discussion as it signaled the commencement of boarding onto the plane. The four of them began to make their way to the gatehouse as Kurt bumped into him.
"I appreciate you inviting me," Kurt said sheepishly as if Dave inviting him was some sort of act of service, "Well, all of us."
Dave turned his head to look at him in surprise.
"Of course. There is no one I would rather go with honestly." Kurt blinked, somehow taken aback despite the amount of time they spent with each other.
"Then I guess it works in both of our favors then," Kurt said brightly as they heard their boarding group being called. Rachel and Finn were nowhere to be seen and Dave assumed they already boarded. Though once Kurt looked away from him, Dave allowed his cheerful facade to evaporate as he turned his gaze towards the horrendous abstract shapes and colors that comprised of the airport carpet as he thought about how he would much rather not go at all.
oOo
Once they were on the plane, Kurt squeezed through the aisle following Dave. He had been quiet much of the ride to the airport and while they sat waiting for Finn and Rachel. He didn't want to press Dave for information and just assumed he had pre-flight jitters. He knew plenty of people who didn't enjoy flying and Dave must have been one of them.
They passed by Rachel and Finn at the front of the plane, who were already making themselves comfortable. They managed to get two business class seats, which was fortunate for Rachel, as she was able to have more room to stretch out. He and Dave, on the other hand, were seated five rows behind them in the economy section.
Once they reached their assigned seats, Dave paused waiting to sit down and turned around to face him.
"What's wrong?" he asked, his brow furrowing at Dave's hesitation. Dave looked down at his ticket and Kurt was acutely aware of the fact that they were holding up the line.
"Do you think we can switch seats?" Dave asked in a small voice, as if not wanting anyone to hear him. "I have the window seat and…"
"You don't want the window seat?" Kurt cocked his head.
Dave shook his head so minutely that he may have missed it, his eyes, however, revealed his trepidation. Though slightly taken aback by the shift in Dave's demeanor, Kurt smiled softly in understanding.
"Of course," Kurt said, trading his ticket with Dave just in case one of the flight attendants wanted to see it, "I love the window seat."
Dave took a step back to let Kurt into their row before he remembered he had a rather large carry on himself.
"Oh, wait," Kurt began, before Dave interrupted him, already realizing Kurt's intentions.
"Here," the man grunted as he held out his hand. Kurt offered him the bag and Dave hoisted it up into the overhead compartment. Kurt felt himself blush when he found himself chest to chest with Dave.
"Sorry," Kurt said, hoping his cheeks weren't as red as he thought they might be as Dave looked down at him. Remembering where he was, Kurt ducked his head and swallowed thickly before sliding into his row.
"S'fine," Dave said with a grunt as he plopped down next to him. The trepidation that was visible on his face before made its way to his voice as well. As soon as he sat down, Dave exhaled and closed his eyes and kept them that way. Kurt took the opportunity to look at him.
Dave really didn't like flying, and the thought made him feel guilty for allowing Rachel to convince him to accompany them on the trip.
Once everyone had taken their seats, the flight attendants gave their usual spiel about the exits on the plane, seatbelts, and what to do in case of an emergency. Kurt felt like he had heard it a thousand times, considering how often he flew. So he took the time to lean into Dave so that their shoulders touched.
"Are you okay?" Kurt whispered in concern. He reached out to Dave with the hand furthest away from him and placed just his fingertips on Dave's arm. He was pleased when Dave didn't move away.
Dave, however, didn't answer. He merely shook his head.
"You don't like flying do you?" he looked the man up and down. He was tense all over.
Dave let out an emotionless chuckle.
"Not one bit."
Kurt felt horrible and wanted to be upset with Rachel, despite the ignorance on her part about Dave's feelings about flying. Maybe this was why he was so quick to give his tickets away. And then he thought about how if it wasn't for Dave finding out about Travis's cheating, they probably would be on the flight together right now. If he wasn't so worried about Dave he would have felt somewhat vindicated.
"I didn't know. I'm sorry," Kurt said apologetically.
"It's okay," Dave said. The man managed to turn his head and opened one eye to glance at him as he gave him a weak smile. "It's only a two-hour flight. I'll just order a drink and go to sleep."
Kurt withdrew his hand to play with the hem of his open, light blue cardigan, apprehensively. He opted to go with that article of clothing so he could easily accommodate the warmer weather once they reached their destination.
"Have you ever flown before?" Kurt asked, trying to sound nonchalant and provide a distraction for Dave as well. As the overhead light that indicated to fasten their seatbelts came on, Kurt searched for his, which somehow got stuck between their two seats.
"Only once," Dave replied as he buckled his seatbelt in unison with Kurt.
"Oh…" Kurt was surprised by this bit of information considering how Dave's dad passed away the previous year. Did that mean he never went home to see him? Though his dad could have flown to New York to see him, he supposed.
"You?" Dave asked in return.
"I fly a couple of times a year. I go back to Lima during the holidays, sometimes on my birthday, sometimes on my dad's or Carole's birthday even," he explained and then, chuckled, "If it makes you feel any better, I'm still alive."
The corners of Dave's mouth twitched despite his fears. His dark eyelashes fluttered slightly as if he wanted to bring himself to look at Kurt again, but couldn't quite muster it.
"I'm not afraid of heights. Or flying," Dave stated. Kurt's brows furrowed in confusion.
"Then what..."
"I don't like tight spaces. Or very crowded spaces," Dave explained, rather calmly for someone in a place that met both of those criteria. I guess kind of like agoraphobia mixed with claustrophobia. But also… Not?" He huffed as if Kurt wasn't understanding him. Though it was more likely him trying to understand himself. "I don't think it's bad enough to be considered a phobia, though. It's just suffocating. It just… Feels difficult to breathe." Dave paused as he reached up and rubbed his neck in a seemingly soothing and unconscious motion. Kurt eyed the gesture with a contemplative squint. "Usually I can handle it so long as I know I can leave what is causing me that anxiety. It's kind of hard to do that on a plane."
"That's why I wanted an aisle seat," he continued, dropping his hand on his lap. "I also double-checked to make sure I got a row with two seats, not three. Feels less cramped."
Kurt looked around and realized that the plane was the kind with three seats on one side and two on the other. He had been on these planes before, but never really took note of it. Then, like a lightbulb going off in his head, he remembered something.
"You ride the elevator though," Kurt pointed out, and immediately felt bad, like he was arguing Dave's fears.
"Not if it's full. Also, it is only for a few seconds. Though now that you mention it, I would be screwed if it got stuck."
"Sorry," Kurt said quickly.
"It's fine," Dave waved a hand. "I have my coping skills, thanks to therapy. They help a lot."
"That's good, though," Kurt said encouragingly. He became silent as the plane began to move on the tarmac and picked up speed. Kurt watched through the window as the ground disappeared from under them. He always liked being able to watch the different clouds in the sky. To watch the cityscape of New York fade away into rivers and greenery.
Kurt turned his attention from the window to Dave once they reached altitude to see how he was doing. Dave was even more visibly uncomfortable than he was before. His leg rubbed against his as he bounced it up and down, a difficult task considering the tight confines of the seats on the plane.
He looked at Dave's hand which clenched and unclenched on his lap. Kurt realized it was in time with his breathing, which appeared to be a conscious and controlled effort. Kurt watched the rise and fall of Dave's chest as he breathed through his nose until his lungs seemed filled to capacity, and at the same time, Kurt saw his hands clench from his lower periphery. Then Dave breathed slowly out of his mouth and his hands unclenched.
Kurt's heart ached in concern as he watched Dave in his turmoil, unable to do anything to help him. Without thinking, he reached across the armrest once more, this time with the hand closest to Dave, and covered Dave's hand with his own.
For the first time since explaining his phobia to Kurt, Dave opened his eyes and looked at Kurt in surprise. His eyes flicked up and down from Kurt's eyes to their conjoined hands.
"Does…" Kurt swallowed. He was always mesmerized by how Dave's hands dwarfed his in comparison, "Does this help at all?"
Dave nodded wordlessly. There was gratefulness in his eyes.
"Good, just focus on me then." That… He mentally cursed himself. Not me. Dammit.
"Okay," Dave said thickly and, hopefully, touched by Kurt's gesture. He let his head fall back on the headrest once more and closed his eyes. Kurt, with his hand flat on top of Dave's, slowly let his fingers slip between Dave's easily, interlocking them, and Dave curled his fingers, holding on tightly. The soothing gesture made Dave's eyelids flutter momentarily.
Kurt managed to pry his eyes away from Dave as he looked at their hands. He took in the size of Dave's once again. Kurt couldn't begin to cover the man's hand with his own.
Kurt felt his breath hitch as he watched as Dave began to rub his thumb back and forth over the side of Kurt's pinky almost methodically. And Kurt suddenly understood what Dave meant-not being able to breathe.
A cold chill washed over Kurt's spine as he stifled a shiver that wanted to accompany it. He hated that he found pleasure in a gesture meant to soothe Dave.
'If it was Rachel or Finn you would do the same thing,' he attempted to rationalize in his own head.
'Yes, but you wouldn't feel the same way,' came the traitorous reply.
Kurt licked his lips, unable to tear his eyes away as he, ever so bravely, mimicked the gesture. He circled and brushed his thumb over the knuckle below Dave's pinky. Kurt forced himself to look up at Dave and saw his Adam's apple bobbing. Kurt's mind was racing with a million thoughts. How much softer Dave's hand was than he anticipated… Whether there was a way the flight could last longer so they could stay like this forever… A thought which delighted him but would have horrified Dave.
"Sweetheart?"
Kurt jumped as he looked up and noticed the flight attendant with a drink cart standing next to him. It was almost like he imagined Dave saying the endearment to him.
"What can I get for you and your partner, sweetheart?"
Kurt blanched but made no move to remove his hand from Dave's. Or correct her. He didn't think he was capable of forming words, presently. Instead, he gaped at the woman wordlessly, the word "partner" repeating over and over again in his head.
"We're…" Kurt stammered, before a gruff voice beside him interrupted.
"Whiskey. Straight," Dave said as he opened his eyes and smiled at the attendant almost mechanically. He held onto Kurt's hand though, which apparently turned into a life preserver for him, keeping him afloat.
"Of course," she said. Her kind eyes reminded him of Carole. God, he missed that woman. He wondered what sort of motherly wisdom she could offer him in this situation. "And what would you like, dear?"
"Gin and tonic. Please."
He really needed a drink.
The woman busied herself at the cart making the drinks and humming pleasantly. Kurt stared at the screen on the seat in front of him. He just now noticed that the inflight movie was Mamma Mia, one of his favorite movies, but he had been far too distracted by Dave's hand to notice.
"Here you are, dears," she said as she handed Dave both drinks. Dave's hand, much to Kurt's dismay, slipped out from under his. He muttered a thanks and she gave Kurt a beaming smile. A look that clearly said "he picked a good one" and by good one she meant "partner", not drink. Kurt felt sick, and not from the cabin pressure. Dave turned in his seat to hand Kurt his bubbling drink, being careful to avoid his eyes.
Kurt looked up and he knew that Dave's expression matched his own. The fear of the unknown. The fear of not knowing whether you would get through something unscathed. The fear of putting yourself in a position that you knew could have a very positive outcome, even if it meant experiencing all of that terror and dread and apprehension that went along with it. Dave's, however, as a result of his attempt to conquer his fear of small, cramped spaces, Kurt's on the other hand…
He knew he had feelings for Dave.
And yet… There he sat, hand in hand with the man who was the subject of his affections, and still so afraid of telling him. Of letting himself be vulnerable. Of possibly being rejected. Ruining their friendship that they so carefully cultivated the last three months. God, was that all it had been? It felt like a lifetime...
He had known, in retrospect, for a while now. He couldn't pinpoint when the feelings emerged exactly. They might have started when they were ice skating and Dave saved him from falling onto the ice, catching him with his strong arms. Or when they had their snowball fight and he could feel Dave's heat on top of him while he stared into his eyes. Or when they caught up and shared a shake at the diner. They may have started on New Year's when he was so painfully and obviously jealous of Travis after having met the man at the Christmas party when he discovered his cheating and came to the opinion that someone as atrocious as him didn't deserve someone like Dave.
Maybe they started on the day he and Dave reunited. Maybe he had feelings for him all along, since the day he dressed up in that ridiculous gorilla costume and made him feel special for an entire week.
All he knew was that mulling over it wouldn't help him get over the man in the long run.
Kurt came back to the present as he took the small, plastic cup from Dave filled with a clear liquid, ice, and a lime wedge. Kurt felt a jolt from the abrupt change in temperature from having Dave's warm hand in his to having the cold condensation moisten his fingertips. He took the tiny straw in his thumb and forefinger and took a long drag from it and felt somewhat soothed.
From his periphery, Kurt watched as Dave took a mere sip from his strong liquor, just enough to wet his lips before he pulled down his tray table and set his cup upon it. Kurt followed suit and wiped the condensation from the drink off his hands onto his pants just to be able to do something with them.
Dave's hand caught his eye. It was on his lap as before only this time his fingers were tapping in time with his foot that Kurt could hear tapping on the floor. His eyes weren't closed this time. Instead, he stared down at the dark liquid of his drink which he picked it up and took a longer sip out of it, likely hoping it would numb his senses.
Kurt didn't have to think about it this time as he reached out and slipped his hand under Dave's before interlocking his fingers with the man's, this time palm to palm, to still his movements. Dave turned to look at Kurt questioningly as if holding his hand was good for one use only.
"Thank you," Dave said as he continued to look down at his lap, as if too embarrassed by his anxiety to say it to his face. Regardless, Kurt's heart skipped a beat, thinking about how perfect his fingers fit between Dave's. Like a missing puzzle piece.
How cliched…
Kurt couldn't bring himself to respond to Dave. He merely gave Dave a small smile and tightened his grip on the man's hand before he resumed his earlier position, looking like he was sleeping. Kurt turned his head once he was satisfied that Dave was as comfortable as he could be. As he looked out the window at the puffy white clouds floating lazily by, his chest felt as warm and bright as the sun bouncing off the wing of the plane.
oOo
Fort Lauderdale was like a whole other world when they touched down. Instead of giant skyscrapers lining the street, palm trees were swaying in the warm breeze that tickled Dave's face and made his open shirt flutter as soon as they left the airport. He felt like he was finally able to breathe since getting off the plane.
Ever since his suicide attempt, he found it difficult to be in tight confined, stuffy spaces for long periods. He wasn't sure if it was from his location of choice being his small, walk-in bedroom closet or the fact that for those horrendous thirty-seconds (Minute? Two minutes? He never knew…) he was left incapable of drawing breath. He had seen his therapist about it. Either way, being on a plane with its low ceilings, narrow aisle, and the fact that there was no escape was not an ideal situation for him. Hence why he would only drive back home to visit his dad. He'd rather drive the eight hours than be on a plane for two. But somehow he felt compelled to join Kurt, Rachel, and Finn on their trip-or his trip rather. After all, he was planning on conquering his fear of flying with Travis, so there was no way he could say no to Kurt who was, in every sense of the word, better than him.
But when Kurt took his hand on the plane he felt the calm flow through him more than his whiskey had. Sure, his heart pounding wildly and felt like it was soaring much like the plane, but it gave him something to focus on until he was able to fall asleep.
Except he never did.
For two hours he sat with his eyes closed, marveling at the feeling of Kurt's hand in his. The skin that was delicate and cool to the touch. The slender fingers that gripped him like it was he who needed the contact.
And in a moment of weakness, he allowed himself to move his thumb against the outside of his pinky as a gesture of his thanks. When mere words couldn't suffice in just how grateful he was.
Mistake.
His mouth had gone dry and he wondered fearfully what Kurt must have been thinking until, thankfully, the attendant came by with their drinks.
"Partner" she referred to him as. And for whatever selfish reason, he never corrected her.
But neither had Kurt. Though it was more likely a shock to his system for him to be referred to as such. Or maybe he was thinking of a kind way to say they were not, in fact, together.
He almost wanted to be angry that she had interrupted their G-rated handholding session as she provided them with their drinks, but once his hand was free once more, Kurt took it once more.
Just one more memory to add to his "reasons why I'm falling for Kurt Hummel yet again" memory bank.
Their Uber SUV drove through the street just west of the beach, passing by hotel after hotel. Eventually, they reached a tall condominium complex, which was the very building they would be staying at. While the exterior wasn't that impressive, it was the interior that really drew him in when searching for Airbnb's to stay at.
Once their vehicle pulled to a stop, Finn helped Rachel clamber out from the middle row before Dave could push the seat forward to follow them.
"Wow," Kurt said once he exited the vehicle behind him. Dave shut the door as Kurt stared out in the direction of the ocean just across the street. The fluttering wind mussed his usual hairstyle and Dave couldn't help but watch his mesmerized look as he watched the waves slowly drift towards the white sands littered with seaweed.
"You guys coming?" Finn asked, having already pulled the bags and suitcases from the hatchback of the SUV and placed them on the asphalt.
"Oh, sorry," Kurt apologized, breaking out of his trance and taking Dave with him. They each took their respective suitcases and bags, save for Rachel. He along with Finn and Kurt all took one of her "extra" bags while she pulled along her suitcase.
The SUV drove away as they made their way up to the building. Once inside the simple, beach-themed lobby, the four of them stood outside waiting for the elevator to chime. Dave took note of the stand with rows and rows of brochures on activities to do around the city as well as restaurants to eat at. Once the doors opened Dave hesitated, which was not lost on Kurt.
"You two go ahead," Kurt said simply. He jiggled the handle of his bag. "I don't want to cram us all in there with all of our stuff.
"Good idea," Rachel said, before adding, "I count as two people anyway." Finn scoffed.
"See you on the fourth floor."
Once the doors were shut, Dave let out the breath he didn't realize he was holding.
"You didn't have to do that," he uttered, staring at a scuff on the floor.
"Is that your way of saying 'thank you?' Because you know you have said that enough. And you don't have to thank me for caring about you. I know you would do the same," Kurt pointed out. Dave relaxed his shoulders. There was a part of him that was still worried that Kurt might judge him for his fears, despite it being one that he shared with many people.
Kurt pushed the elevator button once the light ceased to glow orange and they waited for the chime once more. The elevator was empty once more and they dragged themselves and their suitcases inside.
"You're not the only one with fears you know," Kurt said quietly as the doors closed. As the elevator lurched and began to move upward Dave turned his head to Kurt.
"What are you scared of?"
Kurt opened his mouth to answer but the doors opened to reveal Finn and Rachel waiting for them just a short distance away. Cursing the fact that they were interrupted, he and Kurt stepped out of the elevator there were only four doors on the floor, which made sense as the layout of the building was shaped into a wonky x. While the other doors had normal handles and locks, the door to their condo had a keypad to punch in the code provided to them on their itinerary. The code was programmed by their host to be the last five digits of his phone number.
"Here we are," Dave murmured once he entered the five numbers and pushed open the door. Kurt, Finn, and Rachel all let out a breathless 'wow' as they took in the condo.
The condo, while nice, would have been fairly simple, if not well decorated, if it wasn't for the windows that stretched across the entirety of the living room wall. It was like an oil painting, the way the cerulean blue ocean met the pale blue and sunny sky. Dave had to wonder if this was why the room and all of its furniture was a sleek gray, so it wouldn't take from the picturesque views down below.
The four of them stepped inside and set their bags on the clean white tile floor. Kurt immediately went to the window placing his hands on the bottom of the frame to stare at the ocean just as he did outside. It was like he was a kid staring at a puppy through the glass at one of those pet shops in a mall. It was no wonder why he was so excited about the beach. Like Dave, having grown up in the barren cornfields of Ohio, the ocean was a sight to behold. Even the Hudson River couldn't do it justice.
"I'm going to get changed and go down to the beach," Kurt said as he turned around and practically pounced to his bag and dragged it to one of the bedrooms. Rachel and Finn had already scoped out the one and Dave could hear them 'oohing and awwing'.
"Already?" Dave laughed at Kurt's eagerness. He went to the kitchen, which was similar to his and Kurt's back in New York with its white cabinets and gray granite counters. The host even provided a Kuerig coffee maker and a variety of K-cups of different flavors of coffee and teas.
"Of course, we're only here till Monday, aren't we? I want to soak up as much sun as I can."
"That's fair," Dave said, leaving the kitchen to see Kurt going to the other bedroom, dragging his suitcase behind him. He could hear chattering from the room Finn and Rachel already seemed to claim. And then he frowned, a thought wiggling into his mind that he hadn't thought of when he booked the Airbnb.
"Hey, David?" The uncertainty in Kurt's voice led him to believe that he too discovered the very thought that had entered Dave's mind. He was just about to go see how Finn and Rachel were settling in when he turned around to see Kurt in the doorway of the bedroom.
The only other bedroom.
"You do know that this place has only two bedrooms, right?"
"I… Fuck…" Dave cursed, running his hand over his head. "I completely forgot. Honestly, when I booked this place it was a complete afterthought. I just know that I liked the way it looked and the views. Not to mention I was with Travis at the time.
"Oh…" Kurt said as Dave moved to stand next to him. They both peered into the room.
A king-size bed was placed in the center of the room against the far wall. A cushioned bench was at the end of the bed. Much like the living room, all of the linens and furniture were a soft gray, and unlike the short windows in the living room, the ones in the bedroom stretched from floor to ceiling, like a completely transparent wall with floor-length curtains drawn to either side.
"Here I thought we had the master bedroom," Rachel said, appearing behind him. Dave turned to look at her questioningly as Kurt made his way to the window once more.
"What?"
"Yeah, the other room is much smaller than this. Well, smaller isn't the best term for it," she explained.
Dave slipped past her and made his way to the other room. Once inside he saw Finn rifling through his suitcase.
"You and Kurt coming down to the beach with us?" Finn asked, holding up a pair of baggy swim trunks. Or maybe they were just normal size swim trunks on Finn considering how tall he was.
"Yeah," Dave said, offhandedly as he took in their room. The bedroom was a similar style to theirs (no, the other bedroom, he had to correct himself), and the rest of the condo, with its craft-store, generic beach paintings. Also, their windows resembled those in the living room, and rather than a king-size bed, they had a respectable queen instead.
He really didn't think this through.
"Hey, Kurt," Dave announced as he returned to the living room. Kurt poked his head out of the bedroom.
"Can you believe the view from this place?" Kurt said in wonderment and was nonplussed by the sleeping arrangements.
"Yeah, it's great," he said quickly, trying to keep himself from blushing in embarrassment. The last thing he wanted was for Kurt to think he had planned on the condo having only two bedrooms. "I didn't mean for the mix-up."
"What do you mean?" Kurt asked curiously. Dave grimaced.
"The fact that there are only two beds."
Kurt shrugged.
"It's fine, David. I am surprised there are even two bedrooms considering you booked this place when you were still with Travis," he pointed out, speaking the name of his ex with disdain he nearly spat it out.
"I can sleep on the couch," he said quickly. And then Kurt scoffed.
"It's a two-seater, Dave," Kurt said, and to make a point of it went to sit down, kicking his shoes off before stretching his feet out of the seat. Even sitting up, his feet reached the opposite armrest. "We can share the bed? It's fine." Kurt looked away as he sat up on the couch. "It's a king-size bed after all, so long as Rachel and Finn are fine with sleeping in the queen."
"Of course we don't mind," Rachel said, popping out from the bedroom at the mention of her name. "We're cuddlers anyway." As if to emphasize that fact, she circled her arms around Finn's torso and he pulled her closer with his arm around her shoulder.
"Oh," Dave said, trying to push down the wave of jealousy at the thought of the two sleeping in such close quarters. But why would Kurt want such a thing? The only reason why he was offering to share the bed was that he was accommodating and the only other option was for Dave to sleep on the floor. Or for Kurt, Rachel, and Finn to all share the king-size bed. He decided to keep that suggestion to himself lest they decide that would be a better idea.
"Really, David… It's fine," Kurt said earnestly, before laughing. Rachel and Finn retreated back into their bedroom and Dave didn't miss how Finn whispered hastily at her as she tried to shush him.
"We're going to go change into our swimsuits now," she said saccharinely as she slowly shut the door, "we'll be out in a bit."
"Sounds good." Kurt leaned around Dave to smile at them and then turned back to Dave once she shut the door.
"I'm going to change. I can't wait to go down to the beach," Kurt said, sounding chipper and like he had forgotten their discussion entirely. Dave still couldn't make sense of his willingness to accommodate him.
"Kurt, I can find somewhere else to stay if…"
Kurt guffawed as he grabbed his suitcase to drag into the bedroom. Dave followed suit.
"You're still on about that? David, I don't care if we share a bed." Kurt picked up the suitcase and plopped it on top of the armless seat in the corner of the room. He faced away from Dave but as he unzipped the luggage he craned his neck to stare at Dave from over his shoulder.
"Though I'm offended that you seem to be. I promise not to hog the sheets if that's what you're so worried about," Kurt said, his voice taking on an almost icy edge.
"No," Dave said quickly to pacify Kurt. "Not at all I just thought, you would be. Worried about it, I mean."
"We're friends," Kurt pointed out with a chuckle. "Why would I be?" He lifted the lid of his suitcase. The contents inside were arranged neatly and Kurt seemed to have a plethora of outfits-far more than what he needed for a three-day stay- as if he would change his mind on what he wanted to wear the three days they were in Florida and needed more options to choose from.
Dave exhaled. He wasn't sure how to answer Kurt's question and he hoped it was meant to be rhetorical. He remembered how Kurt had held his hand on the plane… How he slept, basically, on top of him hat time he was sick. Why was he making such a big deal of it? Maybe it was different now that he was vastly more aware of his feelings for Kurt. Kurt had always been pretty touchy-feely with him, but he was that way with all of his friends… Wasn't he? He didn't know if he could imagine, at this point in time, the idea of crawling into the same bed as Kurt and waking up next to him. The very thought felt like forbidden territory-way too intimate to even think about.
"I'm going to go get changed. You're coming down to the beach too, I hope?" Kurt asked as he pulled out his pair of swim trunks from his suitcase as well as a shirt. The shorts were considerably smaller than Finn's. He had to force himself to swallow the lump in his throat as he was already picturing the man wearing nothing that minuscule article of clothing.
"Yeah, of course. I will change after you." Kurt smiled at him as though he was finally satisfied with Dave's surrender before he slipped into the bathroom. Dave plopped on the bed now that Kurt was out of view and fell onto his back, covering his face with his hands.
It was going to be a long three days.
oOo
Once the door was closed, Kurt sat on the edge of the tub that was big enough to be a small jacuzzi. He let his elbows rest on his knees that were covered by his swimsuit and shirt as exhaled into his hands. The only way he could justify how calm and put-together he was while talking to Dave about sharing a bed was due to the performance skills he gained in the Glee Club.
Lifting his head, Kurt rubbed his lips with his hand. Three days of sharing a bed with Dave. He wasn't sure how he was going to survive that.
It wasn't as if being close to Dave was something new. Besides, he had shared the bed with Rachel during their "slumber parties". He had even shared a bed with Finn while their family went on vacation.
Except sharing a bed with Dave was a thought that occupied many a vivid daydream.
Kurt sat up and set his outfit on the edge of the tub before slipping off the clothes he was already wearing. 'It was fine. It is all going to be fine,' he tried to tell himself to no avail. 'Nothing is going to happen. You're just friends.'
The thought was supposed to calm him but it only made him disheartened.
If only something could happen.
Once dressed Kurt stepped out of the bathroom to find that Dave was no longer there and a moment of panic slipped in. Had he decided he would much rather stay somewhere else?
Grabbing his white tank top from his suitcase and slipping that on and donning a pair of pink flip-flops and grabbing a towel as well, Kurt all but sped into the living room to find Rachel and Finn already dressed in their swimwear.
"Dave said he would use our bathroom to get dressed," Rachel said brightly. She was wearing a ginormous, wide-brim sun hat. Her white swimsuit had cute little red flowers and she wore a long, semi-transparent red cover-up tied at her waist as well.
"We're going to head down there and scope out a spot," Finn said, wearing a simple pair of red trunks and navy shirt. He had a football under his arm. Kurt wasn't sure how he managed to fit that in his suitcase. It probably took up a third of it. "Now I'm glad Dave decided to come. I have someone to toss the ball with."
"Oh, so now I'm only here for you're personal gain, Hudson?" Dave's voice chimed in and Kurt turned his head. "Now I'm hurt."
It took Kurt every fiber of his being to channel his inner strength not to pass out.
Dave came out of the bathroom with his shirt tossed casually over one of his very broad shoulders and in his hand, he held a rolled-up towel. His swim trunks were more like the swim shorts he was wearing. Except Dave was much taller and girthier than he was, which meant that they went up to his mid-thigh, and less baggy than Finn's, which reached the top of his knees. He couldn't tear his eyes away. Kurt knew that Dave lifted weights in the gym and his arms showed that, which he already knew, but it was apparent that squatting with the weights must have been in his regime as well. He was just big and strong all over and his thighs reminded him of the trunk of a tree.
Fuck, he really was perfect. In every aspect.
Dave, Finn, and Rachel were talking but Kurt couldn't begin to register what they were saying. He was too busy staring at Dave's expansive chest with his dusting of hair that went down to his belly button and… oh god… further than that. What he wouldn't give to touch...
"Kurt?"
"What?" Kurt said, blinking his eyes rapidly to force himself out of his trance before turning towards Finn. He wondered how many times he had called him. He hoped he hadn't been caught staring at Dave.
"You ready to head down?" Finn asked with an amused look on his face.
"Yeah," he all but squeaked.
"'Kay, let's head out."
oOo
Dave had caught Kurt staring and a million questions rang through his mind and the first one had not been a positive one.
He was aware of the fact that he was not tall and lanky like Finn or chiseled like some of the guys he had been with. He was big. Not fat. Not thin. Just… Big. It took a long time to realize he would never meet what many people believed to be the ideal body type but he was confident in himself, especially if he were to consider how many of the guys he had been with considered him attractive.
But that didn't mean he didn't remember what Kurt had said in high school.
It wasn't something that weighed on his mind, but it certainly came back when he caught Kurt staring.
Dave tried not to ruminate on it as they stood outside the elevator. Kurt was looking down and refolding his already perfectly folded towel. When the elevator chimed, Kurt looked at him questioningly. He knew what that look referred to.
Dave gave him a small smile and a barely noticeable shake of his head signaling that he felt comfortable enough to take the elevator down with all three of them.
It did feel good that he and Kurt seemed to have an unspoken method of communication-that the man worried about him.
Once they were downstairs and outside, Kurt seemed to deliberately trail behind Rachel and Finn, as if he wanted to talk to Dave alone.
"So, your swim trunks…" Kurt began, looking down at them. "Rainbow roosters? Really?"
"Aren't they awesome?" Dave said with a laugh. Kurt smiled in amusement and shook his head in disbelief.
"I do love the double entendre," Kurt said as the two stood on the sidewalk on the edge of the street waiting for traffic to clear.
"I thought you might," he said fondly, before adding, "I like yours too." Kurt was wearing appropriately designed shorts with pink flamingos, drinks with little umbrellas, and palm trees. The little illustrations were neon and almost appeared to be glowing, like the lights that one would see on the walls at tacky bars.
"Thank you," Kurt said, looking pleased from the compliment.
Once the street was clear, he and Kurt crossed. Thankfully, the beach was quite literally across the street from their condo, another reason why Dave picked that location. Once they were past the break in the white half-wall that separated the sand from the sidewalk, he watched as Kurt kicked off his flip flops and picked them up. He dug his toes into the soft ground and a delighted looked graced his features. Dave couldn't help but revel in Kurt's enthusiasm at something so seemingly simple. He honestly loved that about Kurt-how he seemed to marvel in life's little pleasures. He followed suit and they trudged through the warm sand until they reached Finn and Rachel who had already laid out their towels. Finn was helping Rachel sit down on hers.
"There you are, slowpokes," she said. She had a mesh bag that contained different essentials, including their phones in little plastic bags that she took from the kitchen of their condo to keep the devices safe from any water or sand. It was a good idea, which wasn't a surprise considering how Kurt had been the one to come up with it. In her bag, she also had a bottle of sunscreen as well as Finn's football.
"Give me the football, Rache," Finn said. "I wanna see if Karofsky's arm is as good as it was in high school."
"I'll take that as a compliment," he said with a laugh as Finn took off down the beach and closer to the waves that slowly brushed the shore, leaving the muddier shade of wet sand in its midst. He laid his towel down next to Kurt's, who was laying his next to Rachel's.
"Gimme a sec," Dave said as he called after him. It was nice how much Finn had warmed up to him. He was aware of their history. Both before and during high school.
"Kurt, help me up," she said despite having just sat down. She held her hand to her brother-in-law, ready to enjoy what the beach had to offer, but Dave was already at her side and took her hand.
"I gotcha," he said as he took Rachel's one hand and held his hand out for the other. He then hoisted her up carefully.
"Thank you, David," she said appreciatively as she adjusted her hat. From the corner of his eye, he saw Kurt turn to look at their interaction.
"Kurt, I'm going to go look for some seashells, would you like to join me?"
"I'd love that," Kurt said, "You go ahead though. I'm going to put some sunscreen on, otherwise, I will burn to a crisp."
"Oh, okay. I'll get started on our little treasure hunt."
"I'm gonna go toss the ball around with Finn," he said, as he turned to jog down towards the tide, but Kurt stopped him.
"Dave wait," Kurt said and Dave turned back around in time to see Kurt pulling off his tank top.
Dave felt his mouth go as dry as the sand between his toes. It was a good thing Kurt's head was still inside the confines of his shirt otherwise he would see his eyes raking over his naked torso.
He gulped almost as dramatically as those in the cartoons he watched as a kid.
He wasn't sure why he was reacting in such a way, especially since he had seen many a naked man before, but it was different now… It was Kurt and he couldn't stop himself from admiring the man.
He understood, now, why Coach Sue called him Porcelain in high school. He was paler than the sands they stood on. It was obvious that the man either shaved or waxed his body hair. Whether it was because they were going to the beach or if it was a usual aesthetic choice, he didn't know, nor did he really didn't care. He was too busy staring at his flat stomach and narrow waist… with just the smallest indentation where his abs met. He couldn't help but stare at his arms either, even though he had seen them when he saw him at the gym. His shoulders somehow were incredibly pleasing to look at. He was toned in all the right places, which wasn't a surprise considering how he had seen him running on the treadmill. And at his shoulders stretched his delicate clavicles. God, how he would kill trace them with his hands, his lips...
Honestly, Kurt might have been the most gorgeous man he had ever laid eyes on.
"Would you mind putting some sunscreen on my back?" Kurt asked shyly. He had already gone through Rachel's bag and pulled out the bottle and squirted some of the white liquid into his palm before holding the bottle out to him.
It was very, very difficult to keep his thoughts PG-rated.
"Yeah, sure," he Dave gruffly as he took the bottle from Kurt's hands. The man was already smoothing some onto his arms.
"Here," Dave said, handing the bottle back to Kurt once he had enough to coat his palm. Kurt took it from him and poured some more onto his own hand before putting the bottle between his knees to spread some on his chest and face.
There was something that felt forbidden about touching Kurt, even if it was just his back. He had hugged the man and held his hand, but even if he was being asked to spread the lotion on his back felt like completely new territory.
He rubbed the lotion between his hands as he took a gulp and ran his hands over Kurt's shoulder muscles.
Fuck...
"Thank you," Kurt said, dipping his head so Dave wouldn't get any on the hair at the nape of his neck. "It would be weird if only my back was burned. Not to mention painful." He added with a laugh.
"Right." Dave attempted to laugh, but the sound came out raspy. "No problem."
Dave slid his hands down either side of Kurt's spine. He had been holding his breath and managed to resume breathing despite how his hands slid lower and lower. Once he reached the hem of Kurt's waistband, he spread the lotion over the small of his back and his pink accidentally slipped just a mere centimeter below the fabric. He then moved his hands to either side of Kurt's waist to make sure the lotioned part of his back met the front. And then… Kurt gave a half-giggle, half-yelp, his shoulders scrunching up towards his ears.
"Oh, sorry," Dave stammered at both the reaction that Kurt had towards his touch as well as the endearing sound that came out of his mouth.
"No it's fine," Kurt said, merely laughing this time. "I should have mentioned I was ticklish where."
"Oh…" was all Dave managed to say as he moved his hands away from Kurt's "ticklish" spot and ran his hands back up and down, up and down, until all of the lotion was absorbed into his back.
"There you go," Dave said, attempting to sound nonchalant and not like he just gave Kurt a personal massage and thoroughly enjoyed feeling the sinewy muscles and his soft skin rolling under his hands.
"Thank you," Kurt said cheerfully. The sun was already making the apples of his cheeks pink. It was a good thing he put sunscreen on sooner rather than later.
"Do you need…" Kurt began to say as he held up the bottle.
"No, it's fine," Dave waved his hand as Kurt held the bottle up for him. He didn't know if he could handle Kurt returning the favor. "I don't burn easily."
"I see that," Kurt said, sparing a glance at him as he snapped the cap close on the lotion. "It's like you've been sunbathing all winter."
Dave looked down and realized Kurt was referring to just his normal complexion. He supposed he did have more of an olive tone like his mother, but he wouldn't consider himself "tan".
He chuckled anyway, "That's just au naturel."
"Lucky," Kurt said as if his body wasn't an embodiment of a statue found in a museum. He tossed the bottle back down so it plopped into Rachel's open bag. "I'm going to go join Rachel. You have fun with Finn. I really do think they are glad you came, by the way. I know I'm glad we both did.
"Yeah, me too, Kurt," Dave said and Kurt's full lips quirked upward but his eyes twinkled in the bright sun as if giving him a full smile. And then he watched with what he knew to be lovesick eyes as Kurt took off towards Rachel a couple of hundred feet down the beach.
oOo
"Here's a good one." Kurt vaguely heard Rachel say, however, he was distracted. He stared down the length of the beach where Dave and Finn seemed to be having a great time. They laughed as Dave threw the ball a little too far and Finn tried to go after it. He ran after it while it spun mid-air only to get his foot tangled in a bunch of seaweed and he fell into the sand. Dave doubled over, hands on his knees laughing harder than he had ever seen him laugh. So much that he fell back onto the sand as well. Kurt felt a small tinge of jealousy that it was his step-brother that made him laugh that hard.
"Kurt?" Rachel said and Kurt turned towards her.
"Hmm?" Kurt intoned and then saw the shell she was holding out to him. "Oh!" He took the spiraling shell and held it in the palm of his hand, inspecting it. It appeared to be a hermit crab's old home.
"I like this one," Kurt said approvingly and then slipped it into the pocket of his swim trunks.
"I didn't mean to distract you," Rachel said coyly as he found himself glancing towards Dave once more.
"What?" Kurt said innocently as he knelt down to dig in the sand. He pulled up a rosy cockle shell. He dumped the sand out of the bowl shape and brushed off the rest.
"He is rather attractive… I always knew Blaine wasn't really your type."
"Mmhmm…" Kurt hummed in agreement before realizing what she said. "Wait, what?"
"Nothing," Rachel said furtively as she walked towards the tide that swept the shore. Kurt followed and loved the way the water tickled his toes and the wet sand squished under him and molded to his feet.
"I'm going to go out a little farther," Kurt said as he stepped further towards the waves.
"You be careful," Rachel said in her best mothering tone. "I'm going to go back to Finn and Dave. I saw a drink stand further down the way and I could use a virgin margarita. Also, I need to rest my feet. I think the salt is making them swell even more."
"I will, mother," Kurt said, as she gave him a little wave and began waddling back towards the two other boys.
Despite it being a warm 82 degrees, practically an oven after a New York winter, the water was not. Ignoring the pinpricks in his feet, he waded out further until the water met his calves. As a gentle wave rolled in he smiled, unbothered by the seaweed that swept over his foot. The sand was kicked up on the water and he could feel practically every grain that scuttled over his toes.
"Hey, Kurt!" Kurt turned to find Dave calling out his name as he ran towards him. Kurt felt like he was in an episode of Baywatch and Dave may as well be running in slow motion towards him and he was surprised to see a look of concern on his face.
"Is something wrong?" Kurt asked as Dave stood further up on the dry sand as he caught his breath.
"Just wanted to make sure you weren't, you know, swept up by the ocean."
Kurt felt a little pitter-patter in his chest at the thought of Dave being so worried about him he would pause his little game with Finn to check up on him.
"I'm fine," he said in surprise to both Dave's arrival as well as the wave that came up and splashed him around his legs where his shorts ended. He figured he should probably get out of the water before his legs became numb. "You should join me though, just in case," Kurt said sweetly and Dave came out to where he was standing. The juxtaposition of the sun beating down on them and the frigid waters was not lost on Dave.
"Jesus," Dave said as he waded out and looked at Kurt like he was insane. "Kurt, it's fucking freezing.
Kurt laughed, embarrassed, "I know. But as soon as I walked in I knew I had to commit to it."
Dave shook his head in mock exasperation.
"Dork," he said fondly.
The two went quiet for a moment, also lulled into a trance by the ebb and flow of the water. Kurt forgot about everything except the man standing shoulder to shoulder with him. How easily he could just reach out his hand once more. Did it really matter that this time he wouldn't have a reason to do so?
"Oh!" Dave exclaimed, sharply wrenching Kurt from his thoughts as he rummaged through his pocket. Kurt watched curiously as Dave pulled out….
"A sand dollar?" Kurt said, looking up at Dave who held the skeletonized creature proudly. Kurt took it from his hand, touched that Dave thought to collect it to give to him. His pockets were already weighed down from the myriad of shells he and Rachel found. "I haven't seen one of these in…" Kurt stopped talking as he felt his throat close up. A multitude of emotions and memories that he thought were long forgotten came rushing back much like the ocean tide.
"Kurt... " Dave said as he stepped closer, worried that he may have caused Kurt any undue grief. "Are you…"
"Sorry," Kurt said. His eyes burned as if the salty ocean water sprayed his eyes, only it was from salty tears instead. "I just remembered something, that's all."
"I didn't mean to make you upset," Dave said as softly as the hand that touched his elbow. Kurt gave a wet laugh.
"It wasn't you, it's just…" Kurt sniffled and took a deep breath in, filling his lungs with the briny air. "My mom she… She had a sea shell collection that I found when I was a kid. It was from when my parents went to California for their honeymoon. They couldn't afford Hawaii, you see." Kurt laughed as if he had been alive at the time to be able to recount the story. He stared at the horizon so he wouldn't have to look at Dave. Dave, however, listened so intently to his story that it felt like he was burning a hole into Kurt. Kurt swallowed as he continued his story.
"I really liked these as a kid," he ran his thumb over the design in the middle, a flower shape. The creature was rough against his skin. "My mom would tell me stories about them. How the mermaids of Atlantis used these as currency." He gave a nostalgic laugh that sounded more like a sob. "She bought me a mermaid tail too. It was purple and iridescent and I would wear it in the tub. I loved that thing so much I would wear it throughout our house too. I tried to hop around with it and I fell and ripped it." Kurt heard Dave give the tiniest laugh, but he could hear the underlying sadness just underneath. "That's when she taught me how to sew."
Kurt paused as he pictured his mother, with her eyes as blue as his and her hair, that he helped dye auburn once she started getting a couple of gray hairs. Her wide smile and full lips were captivating and he would tell her she was "the prettiest mom" as he sat on the edge of her bed watching her do her makeup at her vanity. He would ask her to do his makeup too, which she would do without hesitation, before finishing his makeover off with a spritz of her favorite perfume.
"She told me that she would take me to the beach one day. That we would start a collection ourselves." Kurt sniffed and then it happened. The hot tears began to slide down his cheeks. The sound of the waves was all that was heard in his pause and how he wished that it would stifle the words he was thinking… The words he would say out loud.
"And then she died…" he laughed humorlessly. He looked up whose face mimicked the pain he felt inside. "And I never got to go with her."
"Kurt…" He felt Dave's hand cup his elbow.
"I really need to stop crying in front of you," Kurt choked, still using humor as a coping mechanism as he attempted to turn away from Dave who held him firmly in place.
"You don't need to stifle your feelings or make yourself smaller just to make me feel comfortable," Dave said, his voice just as firm and yet somehow soft. "I thought we talked about that? If you need to vent to me, vent. That's what I'm here for."
Kurt took a steadying breath as he finally brought himself to meet Dave's gaze.
"Thank you," Kurt said in a hushed voice as he dabbed at his cheeks with the back of his wrist.
"Kurt, Dave!" Dave turned and Kurt looked over his shoulder to see Finn waving them over. "Rache wants us to take a photo."
Kurt sighed pocketing his cherished sand dollar.
"She really picked an inopportune moment to do a photo op." Kurt exhaled, steadying his breath.
"I could always throw myself into the ocean and pretend to drown. That might delay her for a little while." Dave offered.
Kurt laughed this time, a real laugh, not a 'this is embarrassing and I need to close up and push the pain away' kind of laugh.
"I'd rather not risk you actually drowning," Kurt said, linking his arm in Dave's as he had when they walked through the park and through the snow. Except for this time, there were no clothes separating them and Dave's sunkissed skin was warm against his. "I think Finn would be sad something happened to his new best friend."
"Yeah, sure," Dave scoffed, but almost seemed pleased by the idea that he might be able to consider Finn just that.
"I know I would be," Kurt added without any hesitation. He felt Dave tense and it pained him how much he seemed to believe that he didn't care about him. The man said nothing, only nodded his head a fraction.
As they came upon Finn and Rachel, Kurt regretfully let go of Dave's arm. The two were sitting on the same towel, with Rachel sitting between Finn's legs and leaning against him.
"Come on we need to take a picture together to remember this day," Rachel said as she dug for her phone.
"Use my phone so I can send the picture to Dave," he said as he squatted down behind Rachel and Finn. He pulled Dave down with him.
"Well, maybe if someone gave me his phone number I could send it to him," Rachel said with a pout as she dug Kurt phone out of her bag.
"I'll give it to ya later," Dave said in amusement.
Kurt pulled his phone out of his plastic baggie and handed it to Finn.
"Here, your arms are longer," Kurt pointed out.
"You know that's the one thing I'm sensitive about, Kurt," Finn said jokingly and Dave laughed from where he knelt next to Kurt.
"Oh, shut up and take the picture, Finn," Kurt said, giving his snickering step-brother a shove. Kurt moved in closer to the two in front of him. Finn moved the phone around to make sure they were all in it. Kurt held onto Finn's shoulder to better angle himself and Finn tilted his head so that his cheek rested against his wife's forehead. Kurt noticed that Dave's right hand was on Rachel's shoulder while the left one…
Kurt felt his heart pound against his sternum as Dave's arm snaked around his shoulder and pulled him in closer, almost emulating Finn and Rachel's pose. He knew his hair must have been tickling Dave's cheek.
"Say cheese!" Rachel said and all three let out a resounding 'cheese!'
Kurt heard somewhere that people would 'say cheese' for photos because the word forced a person to smile. Which was exactly why Kurt didn't say it.
He didn't need to.
oOo
By the time the sun had set on their evening at the beach, Dave was exhausted, but they still needed to eat, so they walked a little further up the road to order some take-out to bring back with them to their hotel. He and Kurt were both feeling like having fish so he ordered a divine smelling cedar plank salmon, while Kurt ordered the pan-seared ahi tuna. Rachel ordered on the lighter side with a roasted beet salad, and Finn, as no surprise to anyone, ordered the Kansas City Steak.
They went back to the condo and ate their food, chattering to one another until they were too tired to even form words. While Kurt and Rachel sat on the couch and watched some schmoozy rom-com that just happened to be on, Dave and Finn went to their respective bathrooms to shower so that Rachel and Kurt could do the same afterward.
Dave, having already bid Finn and Rachel a good night, put on his pajama pants and clean white t-shirt and slipped into bed. His phone, which sat on the end table, lit up and he saw that he had a text from Evelyn.
Hope you're having fun with your boyfriend. :)
"Goddamn menace," Dave growled and had half a mind to delete her text message. When he told Evelyn and his aunt and uncle about going to Florida with the three, she tried to squeeze every bit of information out of him. She already knew who Kurt was: his high school crush, who he was adamant he didn't have any feelings for. Though he knew, now, that was a lie.
You're hilarious. Go to bed. And give Aidan a kiss from me.
Dave pressed send after adding a middle finger emoji to the beginning of the message in an afterthought. The bathroom door opened and Kurt came out wearing another tank top, black this time, and a pair of gray lounge shorts.
"Who are you texting so late," Kurt asked curiously. He was toweling off his hair. The wet strands stuck up all over his head in a way he had never seen. His cheeks and chest were blotchy from taking a steaming shower.
"Oh, my cousin," Dave said dismissively, setting his phone down on the end table. He tucked his arm behind his head casually, as if his cousin hadn't sent him a message containing the secret desire that shook him to his core. "She just wanted to say goodnight and make sure I didn't drown in the ocean."
Kurt grimaced and then lightly said, "That's considerate of her." Kurt turned back towards the bathroom for just a moment, and when he came back the towel was gone and his hair much neater.
"Yeah," Dave said, thickly as he watched Kurt moving about the bedroom with such domesticity. Like they always shared a room. His heart was thudding in his chest just knowing that Kurt would be crawling into the same bed with him at any moment and the anticipation was killing him. He watched Kurt walk to his suitcase and pull out a bottle of moisturizer and apply some to his face. Finally, he came to the edge of the bed and pulled the covers up, and slipped in next to him.
"I'm exhausted," Kurt yawned as he laid down, pulling the comforter over him and wiggling until he found a comfortable position in the already comfortable bed. It big enough that there was more than enough distance, unfortunately, between the two of them. "Do we have any plans for tomorrow?"
"Oh..." the word 'we' caught Dave off guard. "I don't know yet. I'm sure Rachel has an idea for something."
"Probably," Kurt said in agreement, laying flat on the bed but with his head turned towards him. "That woman is better at planning than I am and that's saying something."
"I guess she needs to be, what with her baby arriving soon." Kurt snorted. His eyes were opening slower and slower by the second and Dave watched as his dark lashes fanned over his cheek, almost blue in the moonlight from where they left the curtain half-open.
"I'm glad we could be here together, David." As much as Dave wanted to assume Kurt meant in the same bed, he knew he meant spending time in Florida, which honestly meant just as much to him.
"Yeah," Dave said, rolling onto his side to face Kurt. He had always been a side and belly sleeper. "I'm glad too, Kurt."
"I'll see you in the morning?" Kurt asked sleepily, a soft smile gracing his features. He was so angelic it made his heart want to sing.
"Course," Dave said softly, mesmerized by his relaxed features. God, he felt like the luckiest man alive.
And then, much to his disappointment, Kurt turned to face away from him.
Dave stared at Kurt's back that was turned towards him. The top of his shoulder that peaked out from under the comforter had just the slightest tinge of pink from being at the beach for so many hours. He realized that Kurt should have put on another layer of sunblock considering how long they were there.
The hand that rested on the space between him and Kurt itched and yearned to just reach out and touch Kurt again. To feel his soft skin as he did before. To soak in the warmth that was likely emanating from his rosy skin.
No.
He knew he couldn't. Kurt had asked for help before with putting the sunblock on, but it was different now.
Dave closed his eyes, extinguishing those thoughts like a dangerous flame that needed to be put out. There was no reason for him to think about Kurt this way. He didn't need to put himself through that same pain once more, so he rolled over and turned off the light and hoped he could fall into a dream where he could welcome and indulge in these desires.