Gleefulpoppet Prompt: "We're both cosplayers and we somehow always manage to meet each other at cons dressed as a popular ship and people want photos of us in compromising positions and oops now we're kissing."
GFF Prompt: "If we're going to do this, we're going to need—" "A plan?" "No! Codenames! Cool ones!"
GFF Words: Plan, Codenames, Dorks
A/N: So, here I am, minding my own business on a Saturday morning, and Gleefulpoppet sends me the cosplay prompt above. (I already had planned to write a one-shot for my completed fic, Outlined on My Finger, Printed in My Heart, as well as a chapter for my current WIP, Braid of Gold.) And I'm like, "Fuck! I just thought of something. Damnit!" Because this RIDICULOUS story just popped into my head, and now I HAVE to write it for this week's GFF prompt. I hope you enjoy "Nerds" and this completely not typical portrayal of one Mr. Kurt Hummel and his new friend.
Second A/N: NERD is NOT a derogatory name, nor am I using it that way. I am a proud nerd and will always be a nerd. This story will showcase a lot of that nerdiness, as well as some self-indulgent college basketball love of mine. (This story is fiction for a reason...just go with it.) Plus, I'm at a con this weekend (being VERY safe. I promise) and this was just kismet that the prompt and this story came to me when it did.
TAGS: mentions of cancer, minor character death, college, Kansas Jayhawks, Comicon, cosplay, doctor Kurt, lawyer Blaine, implied blowjob, married Klaine.
It all started in 2010. Kurt Hummel had moved from Lima, Ohio, to Lawrence, Kansas, to attend The University of Kansas for college. Growing up, his dad loved to watch sports. Ohio State mostly but he also loved the Jayhawks. Kurt loved watching their basketball team and always chose them to win the NCAA tournament, regardless of the year they were having.
He can still tell you exactly where he was when Mario Chalmers hit that three-pointer with 3.6 seconds left in regulation in 2008. It put them into overtime, and he knew they'd win the whole damn thing. Which they did. Kurt yelled and celebrated with his parents that night, which caused him to be hoarse at school the next day.
When Kurt was thinking about colleges, he learned that KU had a phenomenal medical program. Ever since his little sister had died of cancer, he had been drawn to study medicine. His family was ecstatic when he got accepted into the pre-med program. And Kurt? Kurt was ready to get out of Lima and be in a city that was more liberal and accepting.
Burt and Elizabeth found an apartment not far from campus and told Kurt they'd cover his rent and utilities. They'd still cover his car insurance, too, but he would need to find something part-time for groceries and his fuel. They wanted him to have some responsibility of his own, though they didn't want him to have too much, given what he was studying and the reason he was studying it.
While Kurt was at KU, he fell in love with the area. Lawrence became his new home. He felt safe and comfortable in a way that he never was in Lima. His first semester was amazing, and his parents were insanely proud of his hard work.
That spring [2011, Kurt decided to check out a local event he'd heard about in one of his classes. Planet Comicon was being held the weekend spring break ended. He'd never been to a con before, but he loved comic books and superheroes and really all things nerdy. So, he went.
When he was planning for it, Kurt decided he wanted to cosplay, too. Since he didn't have a lot of extra money—his on-campus job paid okay, but not spectacular—nor a lot of extra time, Kurt decided to dress up as Sherlock. He loved British shows, and Sherlock was just the right amount of snarky for his taste.
Lindsay Wagner was headlining the con, and Kurt loved her in Warehouse 13. As he was standing in line, waiting for her panel, someone walking past him to get to the back of the line caught his eye.
"Oh, my god, I have to get a picture of you two," a woman standing behind Kurt said. "Do you mind?"
Kurt realized she was talking to him and the gorgeous guy dressed up as Watson who was walking past him.
"That's fine with me," Watson—holy fuck he's hot—replied.
The two stood side-by-side and made stoic faces while the woman took their picture. Someone else in line was also taking a photo and blushed as he asked if Sherlock could stand behind Watson and wrap his right arm around Watson's chest.
Kurt looked at Watson. "I'm okay with that if you are." He tried to sound more confident than he felt.
"I'm good with that, too."
The two posed, and Kurt had to will his cock to behave. He smells so good. No. No good smells. Gross, disgusting feet and vaginas. And boobs. Okay. Oh, we're done.
"Thanks, guys!" the photographers said, and then Kurt got back in line as the doors opened to see Lindsay. The panel was great, and Kurt was sad when he couldn't find Watson again that weekend. He enjoyed seeing Jeremy Bullock (Star Wars' Boba Fett), Alaina Huffman (Smallville), Tom Kane (Star Wars: The Clone Wars), and Michael McMillan (True Blood) that weekend, too, but none of them made the impact on him that Watson did.
The next year went by without much to talk about. Kurt thought his Psychology 101 graduate teaching assistant was hot as hell—picture Viggo Mortensen but blonde, and that's what he got to look at for an hour three times a week—and he never missed a class. He really enjoyed KU and thought the campus was the most beautiful place he'd ever been. Plus, the hills did wonders for his ass.
As March 2012 approached, so did Planet Comicon. Kurt was beyond excited to see Billy Dee Williams and knew that this year's cosplay had to be Star Wars themed. Once he'd heard that the Lando Calrissian was going to be there, he started planning. While thrift shopping at a local Goodwill, Kurt found the perfect thing to turn into Luke Skywalker's orange flight suit. He worked for a few months to get the suit and accessories right between studying and work, and in the end, he was very happy with the result.
Comicon finally came, and Kurt was feeling confident in his cosplay. Several people had stopped him to get his picture, and he couldn't help but hope he'd see a certain someone again this year. As he was waiting in line to see Billy's panel, who should he see walking by but the handsome guy from last year. Only this year, he was dressed as Han Solo, cosplay complete with blaster gun and feathered hair (which had to be a wig).
As Kurt was posing for yet another picture, Han walked up to his right side and put his arm around Kurt. Slowly, Han moved little by little until his left leg was between Kurt's.
"Is that a blaster in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me again?" Kurt asked under his breath.
Han chuckled quietly, his breath ghosting across Kurt's neck. "Maybe a little bit of both. You look really good, Luke." And with that, Han walked away, and Kurt tried, yet again, to will his hard-on away.
Fuck! Why is he so goddamn sexy?
Kurt sat through Billy's panel and loved the behind the scenes anecdotes he talked about. Throughout every other panel he saw, he kept looking for Han, and not once did he see him.
If I see him next year, I'm going to get his damn number, come hell or high water. Kurt enjoyed the rest of the panels, and he really enjoyed Amy Okuda and Robin Thorensen from The Guild.
Kurt's third year at KU was a little harder than the first two, which he fully expected. He was doing more science classes to prepare him for medical school and fewer general education classes. What did surprise him a little, though, was falling in love with Psychology. He wasn't sure if it was Sizzle McHotty GTA or the subject matter, possibly a little bit of both. Regardless, Kurt decided to minor in Psychology and figured it would help him with his patients when he was a doctor.
He also started CNA—certified nursing assistant—classes after having heard from some doctors and nurses in the field that they could always tell who had taken the classes because they tended to make for better doctors and nurses later on. After his classes were over, he got a job with a placement agency in Kansas City so he could continue his on-campus job while also making some extra money on the weekends if he wasn't too busy with homework. They paid well, and he got to pick his own schedule.
Comicon was in April that year, and he had been ridiculously busy with his coursework at KU, his CNA classes, and then finding the job at the placement agency. He really hadn't had a whole lot of time to work on a cosplay for the con. He had, however, stumbled upon a new show one night when he couldn't sleep and thought it was hilarious. Kurt also knew he could find something at Goodwill, or even Michaels, to make the costume his own in such a short amount of time.
This con, more so than the previous two, Kurt was looking forward to. Not only was Wil Wheaton going to be there, but so were Nicholas Brendon and Charisma Carpenter (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), George Takei (Star Trek), and Ray Park and Peter Mayhew (Star Wars).
It was no surprise, then, when he was standing in line to see George Takei, that someone behind him should ask if he could take a picture with the Bob Belcher walking toward him. Of course, that's who he came dressed up as, Kurt thought and laughed.
"Nice to see you this year, Teddy!" Bob said.
"You, too. Are you going in to listen to George?" Kurt asked, not letting this chance slip away.
"I am."
"You're standing in line with me and sitting by me. No discussion. Well, unless you're here with someone, and then I don't want to keep you from them."
"I'm not, and I'd love to sit with you. Pictures first."
This year's pictures were just as interesting as the previous years. Someone asked Kurt if he could get behind Bob and put him in a head lock while Bob angrily flailed to get out of it.
"What is with these poses they ask us to get into?" Kurt asked with a laugh. "Are you okay with that? It's not going to trigger any sort of trauma for you, will it?"
"That's fine with me. And no, it won't," Bob replied.
The two posed, and the group around them laughed. Just then, the doors to the room opened, and Bob joined Kurt in line to find their seats to see George. Once they were sitting down near the middle of the room, something dawned on Kurt.
"I'm Kurt, by the way."
"Blaine."
Part way through the panel, Blaine leaned over to Kurt and whispered, "I know that Allegiant is important and the story needs to be told, but all anyone here wants to hear him say is, 'Oh, my,' and hear what it was like on Star Trek."
"I thought it was just me!"
"Nope," Blaine replied.
After the panel, Kurt asked, "Are you going to see Wil?"
"Yes! He's who I was most excited to see. I love Table Top, and he just seems like a fun nerd to be around."
The two sat by each other during Wil's panel and both got a little misty-eyed when a kid in middle school asked how to be cool. He went on to say that he was comfortable there in that room surrounded by those people, and he wanted to be able to translate that to other places. Wil told the kid that all he had to do to be cool was to be himself and find people who were like him. He said that it didn't matter if some people thought he was cool or not because somewhere, there were people he didn't have to change for. The room cheered, and Wil smiled his million-watt smile and told the kid to look around and see all of the people who thought he was cool.
"I wish I would have had the foresight to record that," Kurt said as they walked out of the room and into the main part of the building. "That would have been a cool thing to tell my patients someday."
"Patients?"
"I'm studying to be an oncologist," Kurt said proudly.
"You must be ridiculously smart!"
"I am pretty smart. Plus, I want to help people fight cancer. I want to be their biggest cheerleader and help them when they need it. I just… I just want to be there for them when they're going through one of the worst things in their lives."
"You're amazing," Blaine blurted out. "I mean… No. I meant that. You're amazing. I've only really known you for a little while, and I can tell that you're special."
"Thanks. What is it you do, Blaine?" Kurt asked as they walked through the isles of the con and looked at art and toys and apparel people were selling.
"I'm actually a law student at Washburn in Topeka."
"And here you are, saying I'm smart. That's pretty cool. What year are you?"
"I'm in my third year, second semester."
"Me, too! Are you originally from Kansas?"
"No. I grew up in California. Where are you from?"
"I'm from Lima, Ohio," Kurt replied.
For the rest of the con, the two took pictures for and with people who stopped them, everyone loving the antics they got up to while dressed as Bob and Teddy. Before they left that day, they exchanged numbers, knowing they'd love to keep in touch, especially after learning they only lived about 20 minutes apart.
Over the next year, their friendship grew. Both of them were busy with their respective majors and jobs, so they didn't get together as often as they wanted. They always made time to talk, though. The next winter, Kurt introduced Blaine to his first basketball game at the Phog, and he was forever changed.
"Holy shit that was amazing!" Blaine crowed after the Jayhawks wiped the floor with the K-State Wildcats.
"Told you so," Kurt replied with a happy smile.
"You did, and I will never not believe a thing you say again. You said that it's like no place on Earth, and you were right. And I've been to Disney, Kurt. Allen Fieldhouse on a night like that… There is absolutely no better place to be in this world. And, the fact that I got to experience that with you… It just makes it all that much better."
Blaine grabbed Kurt's hand to hold, and neither one let go until they were back at Kurt's house. Driving on game days was insane, and he didn't live that far from campus. The house had been purchased by Burt and Elizabeth when they saw just how much their son loved Lawrence, and they knew it was going to be very likely that he would attend KU Med in Kansas City. The commute to KC wasn't bad, and when they'd talked to Kurt, he said he would love to stay in Lawrence if he could. Plus, rent on an apartment was more expensive than a house payment, so they all agreed to the house.
It was a beautiful little cottage just to the south of campus, close enough to walk to all of his classes. The house had three bedrooms and two bathrooms, as well as a working fireplace and a fenced in backyard that Kurt had decorated with fairy lights. He loved to study on the back patio when it was nice enough out and the bugs weren't biting.
When Kurt had invited Blaine to the game, they'd decided to meet at Kurt's and then walk. As they got back to the house, Kurt was warring with himself as he had been practically the whole walk. Blaine's hand felt so good in his, and while he'd dated, he had had a crush on his friend since the first time they met. So, it was going to be very hard to send him back to Topeka. Unless… He just stayed the night.
"Blaine?"
"Yeah?"
"It's kinda late, and traffic is going to be a bitch. Do you… Maybe… Would you like to stay the night? I have a guest bed, so it's not like—"
Kurt was cut off by Blaine's lips as they stood on Kurt's front step, the moonlight shining down upon them.
"I'd love to," Blaine whispered when their lips parted.
No other words were spoken before Kurt re-attached his lips to Blaine's. Nothing happened that night, though they did talk about a few things, one of which was that they wanted to be boyfriends. The second was their cosplays for Planet Comicon coming up in March.
As they were planning their costumes and throwing out ideas left and right for what they could possibly do, they had the most ridiculous conversation that made them laugh for several minutes.
"If we're going to do this, we're going to need—" Blaine started.
"A plan?" Kurt asked.
"No! Codenames! Cool ones!" Blaine replied. "Think about it. If we're going to be going as a couple and we somehow let people know that, there's no telling what kind of positions we're going to get ourselves into. AND we can just put ourselves in those positions and give the fans what they really want."
"Fans?" Kurt asked, dumbfounded.
"The fans at the con love us, babe."
"You do know that we're going to have so many pictures taken together, right?" Kurt asked.
"You say that like it's a bad thing."
"Not at all. It just really makes me wonder what we can get away with as far as poses."
In 2014, Kurt and Blaine dressed up as Will and Captain Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean. And they were right. They were asked to take tons of pictures, especially with Blaine's portrayal of Jack being so spot on. They weren't particularly over the moon about any of the guests—except Lavar Burton and Sylvester McCoy, because… Well, he's Lavar Freaking Burton, and he's the motherfucking Doctor— especially having seen Wil the previous year. What they lacked in star enthusiasm, they made up for in photo-ops and just being able to be nerds without judgment.
The following year, they wanted to go all out on their cosplays. They'd both be graduating in May, and then the next phases of their lives would be starting. Kurt would be attending medical school in Kansas City, and Blaine would be continuing to study law at Washburn. They'd also both be taking a huge step in their relationship by moving in together.
Lawrence was basically in between their two schools, and they were spending all of their free time together anyway. One night, they talked about moving in together, and they both felt really great about it. Neither one was of the impression that they'd never have problems or that everything would always be spectacular in their relationship. What they did know, though, was that they loved each other and could see their relationship lasting. But before they could move in together, before they could graduate, they had to go to Comicon.
Not only was the con a much needed break from their senior years kicking their asses, because it was. It was also something they were particularly looking forward to because there was one particular star that they were more excited to see than at any other con thus far: Cary Elwes. Early on in their dating, they'd both discovered a mutual love for The Princess Bride, and when they saw that Westley himself was going to be at the con, they knew they needed to not only see his panel but get his autograph.
When they showed up to the con, people were stopping them to take their pictures before they could even get in the doors. As Captain America and The Winter Soldier, they were well-prepared to do this all day long, too. Once they got inside Bartle Hall, they made a beeline for Cary's table, wanting to make sure they got their photo and autograph first thing. Then, they could enjoy the show.
Cary's booth was set up differently than others. He had curtains put up around the table.
"Do you think it's so people have to pay to come see him?" Blaine heard someone behind him ask.
"Maybe. Makes me not want to even be here if he's going to be that stingy," another person said and actually did end up leaving the line.
Kurt rolled his eyes at the entitled people behind him and was just happy to be there in that place with all of those like-minded, nerdy people with the love of his life by his side. He moved his shield to his other side and grabbed Blaine's hand before he leaned over and kissed his cheek.
"You two are so cute!" a girl behind them said. "Could you do a kissing picture for me? I am a closeted fanfic reader, and Stucky is one of my favorites to read."
"I mean, if I have to kiss this beautiful man here, I will," Blaine snarked and planted a deep kiss on his boyfriend, earning hoots and hollers from all around him.
"Well, if that isn't true love, I don't know what is," they heard a very distinct voice say from in front of them.
"Holy shit! Cary Elwes caught us making out," Kurt whispered.
"Yes. Yes, I did. Come on in, gentlemen."
"I didn't whisper that as quietly as I thought I did, did I?"
"Nope," Blaine said with a smile, popping the "P."
Once they got behind the curtain, they paid for their autograph and photo, and then they actually got to talk to Cary.
"I have these up because I like to be able to spend time with my fans without all of the distractions," he told them.
"That's pretty amazing," Kurt said with a dopey smile.
Cary signed their copy of The Princess Bride. They told him it was the first movie they'd bought as a couple, even though both of them had their own copies.
"Kurt and Blaine. Tru Wuv. Cary," he said as he signed. "Now, how should we pose for this photo?"
"Totally up to you, Cary," Blaine told him, and then Blaine leaned in and whispered something to him that Kurt couldn't hear.
In the end, Blaine was on one side of him, Kurt was on the other, and Cary threw his arms around both of them, all of them smiling for the camera.
"Thank you so much," Kurt told him as they got ready to leave.
"You've made our whole year," Blaine added.
"As you both wish," Cary said with a smile on his face. He wasn't sure what it was about these two. He just knew that they were the epitome of love, and they'd make it through anything.
Kurt and Blaine's eyes grew wide as they exited the curtained-off area. They moved a little ways away, and then they stopped to look at each other.
"Fucking Cary Elwes just told us fucking 'as you wish,'" Kurt said, knowing he wasn't being quiet in the least.
Blaine nodded his head up and down, still trying to process what had just happened. When he finally was able to, he looked at Kurt, placed both of his hands on his boyfriend's face, and kissed him more passionately than he ever had before. After the kiss broke, Blaine pulled something out of his vest pocket and got down on one knee.
"Kurt, I love you. I love you so much, and I know you might be pissed off at me later for a public proposal while we're in costume. And that's okay. We can do a more private one later if you want. This place, though... This is where we began. And I just couldn't think of a better place to ask you to be my husband than where we began. So, Kurt Hummel, will you marry me and make me the happiest nerd in this whole building?"
"There isn't a person on this planet or any other that I'd rather spend the rest of my life with," Kurt said. "YES!"
Blaine slipped the ring out of the box and slid it on to Kurt's finger before he jumped up and kissed his fiancé. There was applause all around them.
"Is this going to be a thing? The two of you kissing and causing a raucous outside of my booth?"
Kurt and Blaine's kiss broke, and they looked to see Cary holding up Blaine's phone, pointing it right at them.
"You told him?" Kurt asked.
"I did. And he recorded it for us."
"I love you, you crazy man!"
"I love you, too. And Cary, thank you for recording."
"You're very welcome. I wish you both a lifetime of love and happiness."
The rest of the con went by in a blur. They sat in panels and listened to Stephen Amell (Arrow), Karen Gillan, Sean Gunn, and Michael Rooker (Guardians of the Galaxy). When someone got up and asked Michael Rooker to interrupt them when they talked, they laughed and laughed and laughed some more as he impersonated Yandu.
That night, Kurt got his intimate proposal and cried. He actually loved that Blaine did it at the con where they started. And it was even better than Cary freaking Elwes was right there to capture it. Kurt loved his ring, too. It was unlike any ring he'd ever seen, and it was perfect for him—for them. The ring itself was tungsten, and around it was 8-bit Mario from the original NES system. Blaine had remembered how Kurt had told him it was his favorite video game and how, one day, he'd beaten the whole game twice. He'd had to beat it the second time because nobody saw the first one or believed it.
Graduation was an event in and of itself, and the boys, thankfully, didn't graduate the same day. Kurt was excited, mainly because he wanted to walk through the campanile and never had as a student due to one superstition he'd heard while on campus. This wasn't the only one, of course. He'd heard how the bronze Jayhawk in front of Strong Hall would fly away the day a virgin graduated from KU. And while he thought that one was funny, the one about the campanile was one he didn't want to even test. He'd heard if a student walked through it before they graduated, they wouldn't graduate. That was just NOT an option.
While walking to the football stadium, Kurt talked with his friends and made sure his parents and Blaine knew who he was around. His friend, Neal, was actually one of the Big Jays, and they had allowed him to wear the boots for the ceremony. When they walked through the campanile, Kurt took pictures of the inside so he could look at them later. He took pictures of the line and Potter Lake and his favorite weeping willow where he'd sometimes just sat and been still when classes were too hectic.
Once they were in the stands, they listened as Chancellor Gray-Little gave her speech, as well as the other faculty members. They pronounced each school as graduated, and when the pre-med students were pronounced, they popped champagne they were hiding under their gowns and celebrated louder than any other college. Before they were dismissed, they all threw their arms around their classmates one last time and sang the alma mater. This, more than anything else that had happened that day, made Kurt tear up.
After the ceremony, they all met back at Kurt's house, soon to be Kurt and Blaine's house, so Kurt could shower and change before they went to Kansas City for supper. They knew Lawrence would be insane, and they had reservations at Buca di Beppo—a family style Italian restaurant—to celebrate. Not only were they celebrating both boys' graduation, they were also celebrating their engagement. Blaine's family was there, too, since his graduation was actually the following day, and then they were all going to help him move after his ceremony.
Once the ceremonies were over, the parties were had, and everything was moved, sold, or donated, the boys finally had a little time to themselves while their parents all went back to their hotels to freshen up. They were having one last meal out before they headed home.
"Baby, we're living together," Blaine said.
"Blaine…" Kurt whispered as tears started to fill his eyes.
"I know," Blaine said. And he did know. Kurt was overwhelmed, and all he wanted to do was cuddle on the couch with Blaine. They also both knew that they didn't get to see their parents often, and Kurt would kick himself in the ass if he didn't spend time with them.
Blaine, being the amazing fiancé he was, knelt down in front of Kurt and unbuttoned his pants. After he'd sucked an orgasm out of Kurt, he could tell he was much calmer and ready to spend time with their families.
The boys started medical and law school in the fall, and while their schedules were hectic, they wouldn't have wanted it any other way. Over the next three years, the boys attended Planet Comicon and always had a blast. At least once per con, they'd end up in some compromising position or kissing for a photo, not that either of them minded.
Both of them decided they wanted to get married before they finished their respective degrees, and so in the summer of 2018, they wed. It was a simple ceremony on KU's campus, right next to Kurt's weeping willow and pond.
That next spring, when comicon rolled around, they decided to go as Crowley and Aziraphale from Good Omens. The cosplays were easy enough, and they weren't uncomfortable to walk around in all day at all. What excited them the most, though, was that Cary Elwes was going to be back for the 20th Anniversary of the con. Not only was he going to be there, but Wallace Shawn and Chris Sarandon were going to be there as well.
"Three actors from our favorite movie," Blaine said.
"And we're going to get Wallace and Chris to sign the movie, and Cary to sign our wedding program, right?" Kurt clarified.
"Yup!"
In the end, that's exactly what they did. Cary even remembered them and was so happy to see that they'd stayed together.
"You two are an inspiration. May you be blessed beyond measure for the rest of your lives. May your love rival Buttercup and Westley's."
"Thank you, Cary," Kurt whispered.
"That means a lot to us," Blaine said.
After they'd hugged him again, they set off to see what sort of panels they could sit in on and what art they could find. Before they left, though, they went to the spot where they'd met as it had become sort of a ritual since Blaine had proposed.
"I love you, Kurt."
"I love you, Blaine."
"Are you ready to go home and continue on this epic adventure that is our life?"
"There's nobody I'd rather be on it with than you, love."
A/N: Thank you, first of all, for coming on this journey with me. KU and PCKC are two things very near and dear to me as I'm sure you could tell by this story, and I was so happy to FINALLY have a fic where I could put the boys at KU… Well, one of them, at least.
Also, most of the anecdotes are ones I've lived. We got to meet Cary and he truly is one of the sweetest humans alive. He told me "as you wish" THREE times and I was floating on cloud nine for the rest of the con. The two myths about KU are ones I heard while I was there and Kurt's spot is my favorite place in the world.
Thank you again, and just in case you're interested, the boys' cosplays for the years I didn't write (because this story was getting way out of hand for a one-shot the way it was) were: genderbent Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy (2016), Merlin and Aurthur (2017), Eddie and Venom (2018—early hype from the movie as inspiration), and then this year, they will be going as Dean and Castiel since Misha Collins will be there.