A/N This was, by far, my favorite chapter to write so far. Here's where your 'M' rating starts to kick in. If you're not into that kinda thing, turn back now! :) (Oddly, I see very few of you running for the door!)
Moving right along...and as always, I own nothing you recognize...not even Glee, although a girl can dream, right?
And what's up with two updates in 24 hours? Hmmmm... Yeah, I just wanted to get this chapter out there because I love it :)
Thanks for sticking around!
CHAPTER 21
That's how Rachel found them the next day, still snuggled up on the sofa together, loosely holding hands. She'd come to ask if they wanted breakfast, but was afraid to knock too loudly as she wasn't sure who might be sleeping in the apartment after the party and didn't want to startle anyone awake. After softly knocking on the door a couple of times, she shyly turned the doorknob and found it unlocked. To say she was stunned by what she saw would have been an understatement. She immediately pulled out her cell phone and snapped several pictures from different angles, smiling to herself and nearly giddy with joy for her best friend. He deserved someone to make him happy after everything he'd been through with Jackson. He needed someone kind and understanding, someone patient and caring. She sincerely hoped Blaine was that man.
9:32 a from Rachel: Mr. Hummel, I know this may be absolutely weird, but I hope this brings you even half as much utter joy and peace as it did when I saw it this morning. I hope I'm not overstepping.
With that, she sent one of the photos she snapped of Kurt and Blaine snuggled up together on the sofa, and felt a tear or two sneak down her cheek. It felt like an eternity before Burt answered, and she was happy with her decision to send him the photo when she received his responses.
9:42 a from Burt H: Rachel, thank you for the picture. Dare I ask who this curly haired Merlin is? Kurt seems quite comfortable, and after the past year, I know you realize as I do that this is nothing short of a miracle….or magic?
9:43 a from Rachel: It's HIM, Mr. Hummel…..it's the coffee shop guy! It's a long story, and I'm certain Kurt will want to tell you all of It himself. I know very little, but I can't begin to tell you how happy it makes me to see Kurt here, like this, and not having an absolute panic attack.
9:45 a from Burt H: Rachel, I'm absolutely floored….between Carol and I we've gone through half a box of tissues in the last 10 minutes. She's crying her eyes out…surely I'M not….haha. Take care of my kiddo, Rachel, and please tell him to call me when he wakes up. I'm dying to hear the whole story! Thank you, Rachel. You've lifted a heavy heart this morning.
9:49 a from Rachel: Will do. I wouldn't wake him for the world right now. Going next door to Kurt's to make Finn some breakfast and tell him the news. Have a good day!
9:52 a from Burt H: Wait….next door to Kurt's? To make Finn breakfast? There's a story here, I just know it. Tell that boy of mine to call me!
Rachel encountered Jeff and Trent in the hallway, coming up the stairs. Jeff was dangling a set of keys.
"You won't need that…the door's open" she smiled through her tears. "Wait until you see what's on the sofa in there…."
Jeff and Trent shot each other a look and ran for the door, knocking into each other and the wall on the way there.
"Shhhhhhhhh! You two better NOT wake those boys up!" she hissed. "You leave them be…..they were probably up half the night talking!"
The three entered the apartment together, quietly, and their smiles could have lit up half the city. Rachel showed them the photos she'd taken and Jeff immediately said "you have to send that to Coop! Or me…and I'll send it to Coop!" She ended up sending it to Jeff, and Jeff forwarded it to Coop with the message "The Muse and Adonis, sitting in a tree…" He was quite proud of his witty self sometimes.
Rachel grabbed a throw off the chair and covered them up, giving Jeff and Trent another warning to 'leave them be' and headed back to Kurt's apartment. Trent went straight to Blaine's bed and fell face first into a dead sleep. Jeff did the same in the guest room. It had apparently been a long night all around.
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"So yeah, he's been talking about this guy down the hall and that other weird dude across the hall to all of us at work, and it turns out, the whole time he was talking about KURT!" Finn grinned excitedly.
"Hmmmm, well you may have known some of this already if you'd been here to help MOVE him into his apartment, Finn Hudson!" Rachel smirked. He gave her a roll of his eyes.
"I loaded up the van, didn't I?"
"Yes….yes, that you did."
"Never in a million years did I see this coming!" Finn said excitedly. "Do you think things will work out?"
"Who knows, Finn…they've just actually 'met' but knowing how Kurt has been for the last year, and how he has shied away from anyone, anywhere…..and to see him like that with Blaine….well, it gives me great hope that I may get my friend back whole and hearty some day! I miss the old Kurt, Finn. We have to make it a point to be there for him if he needs us, even more so than we have been. "
"Rach, I get it. He's hurting, and that really bothers me, too. I want the old Kurt back as much as you do. Let's just keep our fingers crossed that things are looking up!"
"I love you, do you know that?" Rachel whispered to Finn, lacing her arms around his neck as much as she could from her vertically challenged position.
"I think I knew that, but you can tell me again if you want" Finn smiled back at her.
"I could show you, if you want?" She purred.
"Ewwww….no!"
"Ewwwww? Finn….?" Rachel threw herself away from him and her lip puckered up. "What kind of thing is that to say?"
"I didn't mean YOU were 'Ewww', I meant the idea of doing anything here, at Kurt's is gross! He could walk in any minute!"
"Ok, ok, I get it. Let's go home then? I'll leave a note for Kurt and maybe I'll come back later when you head to work tonight. You are working tonight aren't you?" she asked.
"Yeah….even though Nick's not here. Some dude is filling in. Hope he's half as good as Nick."
Rachel left Kurt a note demanding that he call her the second he got in, and she also reminded him to call his dad. Kurt wouldn't get the note for a few more hours.
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Blaine woke to every muscle in his body screaming for him to at least shift a little bit, so he did, ever so slightly. The sun was shining in the front window onto the sofa and he felt heavy…absolutely heavy, as if he was supporting the weight of…..oh wait! His smile grew to cover his whole face when he glanced down to see a fair skinned angel asleep, snuggled up between his legs with his head resting on Blaine's chest. Kurt shifted a little as well, snuggled back into Blaine's chest and his hand rose up and grabbed a handful of Blaine's shirt. He wadded it into his hand and grinned in his sleep, which made Blaine grin as well. He'd never felt so mentally balanced in his life. He felt peaceful and solid and warm and…just…..whole. He pulled Kurt up a little tighter to his chest and nuzzled his nose into Kurt's hair. He smelled absolutely amazing, even after laying on Blaine all night…or all morning for that matter.
It suddenly hit him that waking up like this may scare the hell out of Kurt and send him into a panic. He would have to wait for Kurt to wake up, slowly, on his own and be quite careful about everything when it happened. It was so clear, after their conversation last night, that Kurt was in such a fragile place right now. He was perched on the edge and just waiting to fall off. Blaine wanted nothing more than to be a rock for him. He wanted to be anything Kurt needed. He ached to be Kurt's safe place, and he'd do whatever he had to to make it happen.
His mind turned to the story Kurt told him the evening before and he felt hot rage boil up into his chest at Jackson for what he'd done. What sort of animal, for he would NOT call him a 'man', would do something so ugly and brutal to anyone, let alone to this angel before him? Blaine asked the Gods for the small favor of one day meeting Jackson Hardy in a dark alley. He would make him pay for everything he'd put Kurt through. Jackson was a coward and a brute, and Blaine didn't tolerate either very well after everything he'd been through in his life. People like Jackson got theirs in the end, though, and Blaine just hoped that Karma was paying attention to that jerk when his time came!
He had nearly drifted back off completely when he felt Kurt stiffen in his arms. This was it….the moment of truth.
"Kurt, it's me, Blaine. Just me and you here, please don't freak out. You ok?"
"Um…..yeah. I'm good." Kurt mumbled, but he still hadn't relaxed his body.
"Do you want me to let go? To get up, or move away?"
"NO! I mean…no, it's…it's ok, I'm good." Kurt whispered, and Blaine finally felt him relax.
"Can I..um…..can I?" Blaine said, quietly, reaching for Kurt's face. Kurt nodded and Blaine settled his palm softly against Kurt's jaw and ran his thumb down, softly to Kurt's chin. "You're so soft, it's amazing, your skin is just…..so….it's almost luminous. How do you do that?" he grinned.
"I'm a little fanatical about my skin care regimen….morning and evening, every day." Kurt blushed.
"Keep doing what you're doing. Your skin is beautiful. You're beautiful. Did I tell you that last night? If I didn't, I will now. Kurt, you're just…..wow, you're stunning. And I'm babbling. It tends to happen when I'm staring at you apparently" Blaine blushed.
Kurt dropped his eyes and smiled, alternately freaking out internally over being so close to Blaine and feeling his mind go a little bit numb over….well, being so close to Blaine. He snuggled up a little closer and realized he was wadding up a handful of Blaine's shirt in his hand. His fingers were resting on Blaine's bare belly, and he could feel the little dark hairs there tickling the backs of his fingers. He reached out, slowly, and ran the pads of his fingers over Blaine's belly button and the surrounding soft hairs, hearing Blaine suck in air when he did. His hips jerked Kurt up a little and he giggled….he actually giggled. Kurt's heart melted right there on the sofa, and a warmth he didn't quite know what to do with filled him from his head to his toes.
Blaine nearly died when he heard that silly giggle come out of his mouth, but for crying out loud, Kurt had tickled his belly button. His eyes dropped shut and he grinned at Kurt, ruffling his hair before realizing that when he arched his back and his hips jerked, he was ….um….yeah. Welcome to an embarrassing moment in Blaine's morning. He was used to this when he was alone…..this was not something he was prepared to deal with, knowing Kurt was actually LAYING on it…..and oh…no…ohh….don't think that. Don't go there. Not yet. Blaine! He internally yelled.
"Oh shit… Great Aunt Harriet on the toilet, dead puppies, parents having sex, truck stop bathrooms….." he muttered out quietly like a mantra, eyes closed, trying everything he could to lose his morning wood before he scared the hell out of a very close Kurt.
"I don't know if I want to ask….?" Kurt grinned "but I kinda have an idea of what the problem might be….NOT that it's actually a problem for me…that you…that you're….that it's…um…..there…between us….and…..yeah, I'm shutting up now."
"Just kill me now!" Blaine sighed. "That came out of my mouth didn't it? Ugh…It was supposed to stay in my head where all the other things that make me limp live". Kurt burst out laughing, burying his nose in Blaine's shirt.
"Is that a long list of things?" Kurt chuckled. "If it makes you feel any better, the issue is not yours alone. In fact, if you don't mind, I think I'll…um…." He hooked his thumb over the back of the sofa toward the bathroom and started to scoot down Blaine's body to sit up. The cuff of his sleeve, between buttons, caught on the button on Blaine's jeans and he stopped suddenly, trying to free it. It wouldn't budge.
"What the hell? It's not as if it's a zipper or has something sharp!" Kurt laughed.
"Just….wait, let me see….hang on….I don't want to ruin your shirt."
"It's an old shirt, I was wearing it to do Rachel's facial…just rip it if you have to, don't worry about it" Kurt told him. "I don't want to break the button on your jeans!"
"Ok, I'll hold the button and you pull." Blaine suggested. Kurt yanked at it several times, each time increasingly harder, but it wasn't budging. In the meantime, Blaine was slowly dying, the vision before him, of Kurt's hands so close and yanking on ANYthing at that point, was about to send him into convulsions.
"Ok, Kurt…wait….I think what's caught is the thread by the shirt button….it can't be that hard, just pull harder….you won't hurt me, I promise….just…..yeah, like that…..now yank really hard and…."
A sudden soft, yelping whine sounded from the hallway behind the sofa and the boys both raised their heads over the back of the sofa to see a slightly stunned Trent in the hallway, just staring at them both with a surprised look on his face.
"I'm…I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt you guys and your..um…privacy…..just….bathroom….and yeah…..oh my God…" Trent blushed, ducking into the bathroom.
"Our privacy?" Kurt said, looking at Blaine, confusion on both of their faces. Then it hit them…'pull harder, you won't hurt me….yeah, like that…' Kurt's face flamed so red Blaine feared he may explode.
"Oh my God...no...it wasn't that...we're not..." Kurt began.
"TRENT…..no….we weren't…nothing like that happened!" Blaine shot up off the sofa towards the bathroom to make his point to Trent. Unfortunately, Kurt was still attached to his crotch by the sleeve of his shirt. Trent stuck his head out the door, still looking slightly embarrassed, and eyed them critically again. Blaine was standing, Kurt was kneeling on the floor in front of him, and his hand was in dangerous proximity of Blaine's zipper and whatever was under it at the moment, and it was clearly no big secret what was under that zipper right now.
Just then Jeff sauntered out of Blaine's room, rubbing the sleep from his eyes and shuffling his feet heading for the kitchen. Taking in the scene in front of him he did a complete about face and headed back into the bedroom, closing the door quietly behind him.
"Sorry guys….I didn't know you were…..god, sorry!" he bellowed. "Oh, and Blaine, now we're even, right?"
"What?" Kurt looked confused.
"Holy shit…." Blaine muttered. "TRENT! For the love of God and all that's holy, please just give me the scissors that are in the vanity drawer, second one down on the left!"
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After the shirt debacle, they all sat down for coffee and toast, Blaine not being much for cooking. Kurt laughed at him, and told them he'd come over and make breakfast the following morning if they wanted something more than toast. Jeff was ecstatic and requested pancakes.
"I like my kitchen next door, Blaine, but this...this is magnificent! I'll come over and cook here any time! I can do pancakes tomorrow….or waffles, or crepes or a frittata or…"
"Oh my God! Ok, we get it, you're fantastic in the kitchen and I can't open a can of soup!" Blaine yelled, teasingly. "But yeah, come cook for me anytime." Blaine winked. Kurt blushed and dropped his eyes to his coffee, smiling.
"So what's on the agenda for today?" Jeff asked. "You're working tonight, right?"
"Yeah, I don't have to be there until 9 or so and we won't start playing until 11….you guys still wanna come see us?" Blaine asked.
"Wouldn't miss it, man.." Trent said, then added cautiously "but, um…..how do we protect ourselves from lickers?"
Kurt's eyes flew open and his gaze shot to Blaine. "Lickers? Does he mean 'liquers' as in booze?"
"No, um….this guy licked me on my first night at work…" Blaine laughed.
"Ewwwwww! Where do you work?" Kurt laughed.
Blaine's smiling laugh was so big he could barely reply. "I work at a bar called Dive Deeper…..I play piano with the band and….."
"What? No, really. You work at Dive Deeper?" Kurt asked, surprised.
"Yeah…I know, the name is a little risqué, but it IS a gay bar, and it IS a dive...and the clientele is a little…forward."
"Oh, I know all about it, believe me….." Kurt sputtered out.
"You…you do?" Blaine questioned. He couldn't possibly imagine Kurt hanging out in a place like that with the 'people' issues that he had going on. If getting bumped into in a elevator sent him over the edge, the Dive would damn near kill him. He was immediately saddened by this, knowing that it was unlikely that Kurt would ever hear him play there.
"Yeah, my brother….well, my step brother works there…..you almost HAVE to know him…." He began.
"Oh yeah! Finn is Kurt's brother. We met him last night!" Jeff yelled. "He was flipping out when he realized that Kurt was the Muse and you were Adonnis, even though I don't really get that yet, but he went off to call some Rachel girl and go all batshit crazy laughing about it. He was saying something about the way his fingers smelled when he shook hands or something and the 'story' and laughing….and then he looked like something had suddenly dawned on him and he was going to rip someone's head off. I don't know what she said to him on the other line, but his face went really red and….Blaine, you ok? You look like someone just walked over your grave, man!"
"Ohmygod…." Blaine whispered, and closed his eyes, laying his head on his folded arms on the table. He thought back to every conversation they'd had at work about the apartment, Smythe, the 'new neighbor', the man on the sidewalk and what Blaine wanted to do with him, the reason for the quick clean up with the tissues, the facebook post about the whorehouse. "I'm so dead…." He moaned.
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11:26 a from Nick: Hey
11:26 a from Jeff: Hey yourself
How's the family?
11:27 a from Nick: The same….we've talked about that. You know how they are. Lol My mom wants to meet you. I haven't told my dad about you yet. He'll want to interrogate you
11:28 a from Jeff: Seriously? It can't be that bad, can it?
11:29 a from Nick: YES. Yes….HE can be that bad. I won't put you through that, believe me.
11:33 a from Nick: Busy?
11:34 a from Jeff: No…..just…..
11:35 a from Nick: Just?
11:35 a from Jeff: Nick….are you afraid he won't approve of me?
11:36 a from Nick: What? I'm not following you?
11:38 a from Jeff: Are you…um…..is it me? You think they won't like me?
11:41 a from Nick: NO! No Jeff, that's not it at all! My dad…..he's…Jeff, he's different. I distance myself from him…from my brothers, on purpose! I stay away from home for a reason and…God, it's a long story. NO WAY am I embarrassed or anything like that. How could they NOT love you, Jeff….you're amazing!
11:42 a from Jeff: Ok…if you say so.
11:43 a from Nick: Are you busy? I …I kinda need to talk to you. I need to hear your voice.
Jeff did a little mental happy dance when he saw that, then realized what it meant.
"Shit you guys! He wants to talk on the phone…..he's going to call. He's not supposed to know I'm here!" Jeff hissed to the guys at the kitchen table.
"Go in my room and close the door. We'll be quiet." Blaine told him.
11:46 a from Nick: Lost you again. It's ok…if you're busy.
11:46 a from Jeff: Not busy, call me?
11:47 a from Nick: Calling you
"Hey you" Jeff grinned, answering Nick's call.
"Hi beautiful" Nick beamed. "How are things?"
"Good….uneventful right now, actually. Just kinda hangin' out, layin' low. Being a slug." Jeff laughed. "How are things with you?"
"Boring…..they had some major lighting issues at the facility where Bailey's competition was going to be held. The floor exercises that were supposed to be last night were postponed until today at noon. We showed up a little early, but there are still no lights. Bailey stayed with mom, but the rest of us came back home. She'll call if they resume the meet and we'll head back up. It's only 10 minutes away."
"I'm sure she's bummed, though. You came all that way to see her perform and now there's nothing to see!" Jeff half laughed. "Well, at least you can visit with your family while you're there."
"This is your positive alternative?" Nick laughed.
"They can't be that bad, can they?"
"Oh Jeff…..if only you knew. I really, truly just…it's hard to explain, and honestly I'm afraid if I did explain it would scare you away. Some day, but not right now."
Jeff felt a little niggling of worry creep in. What in the world could be so bad? Nick had already told him that his family was well aware that he was gay, and that they accepted him and his sexuality. They didn't give him a hard time about it or anything. Maybe they were upset that he'd moved away from Chicago where the rest of them were? "
"When you're ready, you'll tell me. Until then, you should know that there's not a whole lot they could say or do that would make me turn away now. Unless you're a serial killer or something? I …I don't really think I could…" Jeff finished, in a much lower tone of voice, almost a whisper.
"Wha…..really?"
"Yeah…I mean…I…..you're…um…..I didn't think I'd made that a big secret, Nick. I really like you…a lot." Jeff said, and he could feel himself blushing even though Nick couldn't see him. In some ways it was easier to say things like that when he was on the phone. Having to say them in person would be stressful….seeing Nick right in front of him and not being sure of what his reaction to Jeff's words would be….well, it was a risk.
"I like you a lot too, Jeff." And Jeff could hear the smile in Nick's voice and picture him grinning and blushing as well.
"I was thinking…..if this whole thing is a bust….I mean, I was supposed to be here in Chicago until Tuesday, but here it is only Saturday and if it gets cancelled…well, there's no way I can stay here and just hang around the house all day with my family. We'll all kill each other, maybe literally! If….and it's a big 'if'…..if the competition gets cancelled….I thought maybe um…..since Chicago is sort of closer to Ohio….."
"What?! No…you….I'm um…..I'm not there. I'm at my grandma's house this weekend!" Jeff blurted out.
"Oh….you didn't mention that. Ok…another time. I just really want to see you…..just to um….yeah…" he trailed off sounding a little embarrassed.
"…just to um…what, Nicky?" Jeff teased him.
Nick let out a low growl, knowing that Jeff was moving into a teasing mood, and he knew damn good and well that Nick loved his teasing. Nick stepped out on the balcony of his parents' penthouse and closed the sliding glass door behind him.
"Just to touch you…" Nick whispered.
"Nick…" was all Jeff was able to breathe out.
"I don't think in all my life I've ever wanted something more."
"I know….I know exactly what you mean. I feel the same way."
"Yeah?"
"Oh yeah….more than you know…yet."
"God I hate staying here. There's just nowhere to go….my room isn't 'my room' anymore, and privacy is non existant!" Nick pouted.
"And what exactly do you need privacy for, Nicky?"
"Jeff, don't…..with the Nicky….Jeff, please…."
"mmmmmm…..he begs so prettily….." Jeff purred, winding Nick up.
"Jeff…." Nick growled at him.
"It just so happens that I DO have privacy where I am….so I'll just take the opportunity to get comfortable here…."
"God, Jeff….don't tease. It's so unfair…..please!"
"I won't tease you, Nicky….I'll give you anything you want." Jeff grinned.
"Any….anything?" Nick shivered.
"Any….unghh….anything at all…." Jeff whispered, breath hitching as he slid his palm down over his twitching erection.
"Jesus Christ, Jeffie…..don't….you can't….just….."
"Can….." soft moan….. "will….." ungghhh… "am….shit Nicky…."
Nick was now leaning on, and half bent over, the metal railing, thanking God that his back was to the sliding glass doors. His imagination was in overdrive and he was certain every ounce of blood in his body was now much further South than it had been 60 seconds ago.
The sounds coming over the line from Jeff were pornographic and Nick's mind was going crazy. He was picturing everything…Jeff's hands roaming down his stomach to his waistband…his eyes fluttering shut….back arching as Jeff's fingers dipped under the waistband and down over his cock.
"So….Nicky….if you were here…..what would you….uggnnngghhhh….what would you do with me?"
"Dear God, Jeff….right now you'd have to revive me first. I'm dying. Fucking dying here! You're killin' me!"
"Tell me, Nicky…"
"You would have to pry my mouth off of you, Jeffie….."
"Where?"
"Christ! Everywhere, baby….anywhere and everywhere…." Nick said, casting a furtive glance back over his shoulder, seeing two of his brothers on the sofa inside. "I'd start right behind your ear and work my way down over every inch of that beautiful body…"
"You think my….oh shit….ohhhhhh….you think my body is beautiful?" Jeff panted.
"More beautiful than anything I've ever seen…..pictures don't lie, Jeffie."
"Gawd! I can't believe I sent you pictures!" Jeff snickered, embarrassed.
"Oh, baby, you sure as hell sent me pictures, and I'm looking at a damn fine one right now….."
"So close, Nicky…..uunnggghhhhh…..please….."
"Please what, Jeffie?"
"Talk me through this….I need a push…."
"Oh I'd be pushing right now if I were there…..slamming actually….licking up your chest and touching you everywhere my hands could reach and then some….."
"Mmm…moorrre…ughhh….."
"You nice and slicked up, Jeffie? Wanna feel my fingers slide into you…so softly….finding that spot that makes you scream…and baby, I know you scream…"
"Shit! Shitshitshit….FUCK Nicky…..oh God…. Nnggggghhhhhhh…."
Jeff's eyes had rolled back in his head and Nick dropped his phone, sitting down with a thunk on the floor of the balcony, knowing full well he now needed to get past his brothers into the bathroom discretely. Retrieving his phone, Nick heard Jeff still panting on the other end. Neither said a word for a minute or two, they just sat there listening to each other breathe and come down from the high.
"You ok, babe?" Nick finally said.
"Uh huh…..I….I think…yeah…so good. I wish you were home." Jeff whined.
"What good would that do either of us? I'd still be in New York and you'd still be in Ohio." He said, exasperated.
Jeff caught himself before he said anything more to give his location away.
"Yeah….yeah, that's true. I just….I wish we were together."
"Me too, Jeff…me too. Soon, though, I promise. Can you wait a bit? Please say you can hang on a bit…if not, I'll wilt away, Jeffie. Seriously, I'll leave right now and come to Ohio."
"I'll wait as long as I have to…forever if necessary. Call me cheesy, but it would be well worth the wait, I know it." There was no teasing in Jeff's voice now, and Nick picked up on that right away.
"You're serious, aren't you?"
"Nick…..yeah. Of course I'm serious. It's a need rather than a want now. So yeah…..soon, ok?"
"I promise…soon. Knowing how you feel….yeah….it's….heady. My chest is about to explode right now."
Nick heard a clink on the glass doors and looked up to see his brother, Rob, trying to get his attention. Rob slid the door to the side.
"We're gonna go grab some grub, you in?" Rob snickered, desperately trying to hold back a devilish grin.
"Yeah….yeah, give me a minute, I'll be there." Nick replied. What was that about?
"Don't wait on me, Nicky….I've gotta run anyway…stuff to do with ..um…my grandma…and all that." Jeff said, trying not to laugh.
"Ok, babe…..I'll talk to you soon ,ok? Text me later!" Nick smiled into the phone.
"I will, I promise."
"Bye Jeffie…"
"Bye babe…."
Nick took another minute to sit on the balcony and calm his breathing before going inside and trying to slip past his brothers, who were sitting on the sofa, one with a Nintendo DS in his hands and the other reading the paper.
"Sooooooooooo….Nicky?"
Nick spun, quickly, and gave his brother a look of puzzlement. "Nicky? You've never called me that before…."
"No, but apparently Jeffie does and I think it's cute" Rob teased him. Nick's eyes flew wide and he looked back at the glass doors, then to Rob again.
"Yeah…those are glass….and when you pulled that one 'shut' you left the screen on the other one opened up! So how was it?" Danny asked him, giving him the wiggly eyebrows.
Nick looked back to the doors in shock, and sure enough, he'd actually pulled the door open over the screen in the next bay.
"Fucking hell…" he muttered, storming off to the bathroom.
"There was nothing hellish about that! That shit was H.O.T. HOT, baby!" Rob yelled to him, laughing in earnest now.
"I hate you both!" came the embarrassed choke from the bathroom.
"You gonna stomp your feet now, too, Nicky?" Danny teased him.
"Aaaaggghhhhhh! SHUT UP!" Nick wailed, wanting nothing more than to beat his brothers senseless at that moment….or crawl under the bathmat.
"What, we don't even get to hear about him? C'mon, Nick, this is the first guy you've had around that you've even let us know about for …..WAY too long!"
"You don't know about him because I told you, you were eavesdropping! Not coming out. Go away!" Nick yelled back.
"Fine, I'm telling Dad, then!" Danny yelled.
"No! Nononononono, don't tell dad. Just don't, Danny!" Nick pleaded. "You know how he gets! I don't want him to freak Jeff out before I've even properly met him in person. So just don't!" Nick said, quite firmly.
"Don't what?" David Duval said as he walked into the living room. Nick's father was quite an imposing figure.
Nick immediately shot out of the restroom and gave his brothers a pleading look, silently begging them not to say anything about Jeff to their dad. The only thing he had on his side was the hope of compassion from them, both of them knowing quite well what their father was capable of when he became nosey. And if it concerned one of his five boys, or his only baby girl, he was nosey to the point of breaking the law at times. It was the reason Nick rarely dated anyone more than once. It was certainly the reason Nick didn't bring anyone home to meet his father, only his mother, and she was sworn to secrecy. He hadn't, however, had anyone home to meet anyone in his family for quite a long time. It was too much of a hassle, and he hadn't met anyone worth the trouble. Until now.
"Um….don't tell Bailey that…that I might have to take off a little earlier than I'd thought, dad. Got a call from New York and some things need my attention up there."
"I'm assuming things are running smoothly? I haven't heard anything to the contrary, and we both know I'm keeping an eye on things don't we Nicholas?" Mr. Duval asked.
"Dad, things are fine….there are just things that need to be handled by ME, and not anyone else…." He said, pointedly glaring at his brothers while his father fixed himself a drink across the room.
"You have that meeting with Evans/Duke yet, Nick?" Rob asked him, smoothly leading the conversation in another direction. Nick mouthed a "thank you!" to him and then "I owe you one…" before going on with the rest of the work related chat. This was another thing he was going to have to bring up with Jeff. As far as Jeff knew, or anyone that he hung around with socially for that matter, Nick played guitar. Period. None of them knew he worked for his father, albeit in a position that was so far removed from what his father actually did that he could barely be traced back to the company. Nick preferred to keep anything he touched on the up and up. His father wasn't always so choosy. Nick wanted no part of that, and made no attempt to hide the fact from his dad.
Unfortunately, this often caused a rift between father and son, and oddly, became the reason that David Duval often didn't trust his son, and checked up on him regularly, even without Nick's knowledge. There were no surprises in David Duval's life. He couldn't afford that. Oh, he was well aware that his middle son was gay. This didn't bother him in the least. He, himself, had quite the wild college experiences with both boys and girls, and he didn't begrudge any of his children their hearts desire. Nick's orientation didn't have a role in their business. It wasn't publicized, but it wasn't a secret either. David's only rule was that he not date anyone related to their business affairs. This wasn't only a rule for Nick, but for all of the Duval boys, and eventually for Bailey as well, as she would undoubtedly be moved into the family business in due time.
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"You jackass! Here!" Blaine said, throwing clean sheets at Jeff as he stepped out of Blaine's room. He had the good grace to have a sheepish look on his face, and took the sheets with a pouting lip and a grin.
"Don't be mad, Blainers, please? After all, it's your fault I even know Nick!" he laughed.
"I'm not mad, I'm just not sleeping in your….in…..your….mess!" Blaine said, scrunching his nose up.
"No mess…..t shirts dead,though." Jeff wiggled his eyebrows and gave a lovesick sigh. "God damn, he is FINE, Blaine." Jeff said, changing sheets and shaking his head. "I wish, so much, that he was home this weekend. Nothing would have made this a more perfect weekend than hanging with you guys and Nick."
"Who's Nick?" Kurt asked.
"Oh….I forgot…um….Nick's another guy I work with. He saw a photo of Jeffers on my phone one night and the rest is history!"
"The guitar player? With the dark hair?" Kurt asked.
"Mh hmmmm….." Jeff said, sinking down into the kitchen chair and leaning his chin on his fist with a dreamy look in his eyes. "He's amazing….."
Kurt laughed. "Yeah, he's hot. Finn has photos of all the guys from work in a frame on the wall in their apartment."
"Not all…." Blaine smiled. "Or maybe this wouldn't have taken so long or torn my heart to shreds in the process? Do you know how much sleep I've lost over you, Kurt?"
Kurt turned 8 shades of red and dropped his smile to the coffee cup on the table. "Yeah…. I know….cause it was the same for me, believe me!" He grinned.
Just then someone's phone started to ring. The ringtone was "Glad You Came" by The Wanted, and they all looked at the table unsure whose phone it was, not recognizing the ringtone as one of theirs. Trent looked positively pale and snatched up his phone, leaping from the table and hurrying off, shutting the door inside the guest room. The other boys sat around the table giving each other curious glances and wondering what that had been about. With one more sideways glance at Jeff, he and Blaine softly got up and tiptoed to the door of the guest room, pressing their ears to the door. Kurt stifled a laugh.
"You know you're only going to be able to hear one side of the conversation, right?" Kurt asked. They didn't care, they continued to eavesdrop, listening intently to hear who Trent might be speaking to.
"Seriously! I told you I was coming up here! No, THIS weekend!" Trent said.
"Well, what the hell! I would have been surprised if I was home! Damn it! I haven't seen you in so long, …DON'T….. don't even start that. I told you I was going to be here, and you wrote it on the wrong weekend. Don't make me feel guilty for it. I love these guys like my own brothers, but you know I'd rather be there with you!" he said into the phone.
" I can't….I can't just bail. How rude would that be? And besides, then Jeff would have to fly back alone." Trent went on.
"Do you know who he's talking to?" Blaine whispered to Jeff.
"No idea….I spend as much time with him as anyone and he's never mentioned anyone special. I mean, hell, if I don't know, I don't know who would!"
"No! I'm NOT just telling them. I'm not ready to do that yet. I don't know what they'll say. I KNOW you're ok with it, but I'm…..I dunno….NO I'm not ashamed of you! Holy shit, please…please don't say that. You know how in love with you I am. Yes! Oh my God, seriously? Ok, ok...I love you, there I said it. It's not as if it's the first time, goober! I've said it a hundred times before." Trent giggled. There was a pause as whoever was on the other end of the line replied.
"You have a surprise…I should just drop everything and come running back, then, right?" He sighed "Let me think about this. Where will you be? Jeeeez…..ok, you know Mrs. Lovett next door? She has a spare key. I'll text her that it's ok to give it to you. Yeah, just….sit tight. I'll figure something out. Damn it, yes, I miss you like crazy too, but…" Trent hissed into his phone. "Don't…..oh God, don't. Saying shit like that only makes me want you, and I can't fix that HERE…"
"Seriously," Jeff said, "this is totally weird. I have no idea who he could be talking to. And it sounds like it's nothing new, either, or is that just me? He fucking said he's in LOVE with whoever it is! "
"No, I think you're right. This has been going on for a little bit at least." Blaine agreed.
"You guys are crazy! Get away from the door you snoops!" Kurt said in hushed tones, laughing. "I'm sitting here thinking how many walls I share with you Blaine!" Kurt stood to take his cup to the sink.
"Two, and one of them is your bedroom, believe me, I know…" he said with a smirk and a wink to Kurt. The coffee cup smashed to the floor and Kurt's eyes flew wide, his cheeks turning so red they would have shown brightly at midnight. His mouth went to an 'O' and his eyes never blinked.
"Oh geeez, Kurt! Don't freak out…..we're all guys here….we all do it…in fact, we all just witnessed the lovely muttled sounds of Jeff, here, going at it with…" UMPH! Jeff wailed him with a living room sofa pillow and Blaine collapsed with laughter, while Kurt busied himself with sweeping up the broken mug. At this point it was an all out pillow war between the two Dalton boys and Kurt was laughing when Trent came out of the room looking a little worse for wear.
Kurt moved toward Trent because the trash can was near him, and he shook his head at Blaine and Jeff's antics, saying quietly to Trent "Are you ok? You don't look so good….I hope it's ok for me to say that."
"I'm ok….I guess." Trent answered, but he was not convincing at all.
"Important call?" Kurt asked.
"Kind of….someone's in town…and I told him I'd be gone this weekend and he wrote it on the calendar on the wrong weekend…..and we never get to spend any time together. He lives and works in another city and he's horribly busy. I just….I miss him, and I wish we would have been on the same page this time. I dunno when I'll get any of his time again."
Trent looked ready to cry, and Kurt replaced the broom and dustpan and moved slowly over toward him. He was going to try this….it was going to be fine. Slowly, he raised his arms and patted Trent on the back, giving him the lightest hug he could, feeling a little bit of panic work it's way up in his chest when Trent put his arms around Kurt in return, squeezing him back in the regular manner.
"Hands off, buddy, that one's taken… if he'll have me?" Blaine grinned. Kurt's breath caught in his throat at Blaine's words and Trent smiled slightly, backing off with his hands raised at shoulder level.
"I'm a lot of things, but I'm no boyfriend thief." He laughed.
"Ok, then, Mr. Alotofthings….who was on the phone?" Jeff pried.
"Um….a friend. Got weekends mixed up and stopped over to see me….dunno when he'll be able to be back to Columbus anytime soon. " Trent said,sadly.
"This…..'friend'…have a name?" Blaine pushed. Trent's eyes snapped up to Blaine's and he shook his head.
"Nobody you know…nobody in particular, just a guy…a friend…a guy friend." He stammered.
"Uh huh, sounds like nobody in particular" said Jeff, giving Trent the evil eye. They all settled back to their chairs and resumed their conversation about that evening.
"Kurt, I wish you would come see us play! Not just for me, but for Finn. I'm sure it would make his day! And then maybe he'd rethink kicking my lily white ass" Blaine added, more quietly, as an afterthought. Kurt laughed.
"Why, exactly, does he want to kick your ass?!" Kurt asked.
Blaine grabbed his laptop and pulled up his prior status on facebook regarding the "whorehouse" comment. Kurt was mortified, and his eyes flew open wide, once again.
"Fix that! Rescind that comment!" he laughed.
What's on your mind? Facebook wanted to know…
Blaine Anderson: For those of you who commented on my prior status about living in a whorehouse….I wanted to be clear. The jury is still out on the dude across the hall, however, I've finally made the acquaintance of the other tenant, and there is not, much to your chagrin, Wes, anything untoward going on there. In fact…..said tenant has stolen my heart and turned my brain to mush
"OH MY GOD, Blaine! You did not hit enter! Oh my God!" Kurt laughed, casting a very loving, silly smile at Blaine.
"Of course I did! It's true, you have stolen my heart, Kurt Hummel!" he grinned. "As for the brain part, well, it's always been a little mushy I think?"
"What did you say?" Jeff asked, yanking out his phone and opening his facebook account.
Reading it outloud, he and Trent laughed at Blaine, knowing this was just like him, and Jeff smiled fondly at Kurt, knowing that if Blaine put it out there on facebook that he felt this way about Kurt, then it was most certainly true, and Jeff was quite happy for him. He and Blaine had been through a lot, and he knew Blaine truly and honestly deserved someone to treat him well, especially with the way his parents had treated him when he was back in Ohio.
Cooper Anderson: Dying to meet Kurt. Tell him to brace himself! ;)
Wesley Montgomery: Does that mean no photos?
Blaine Anderson: Wes! LOL No photos! On the other hand….
Blaine turned his chair and scooted up to Kurt. He slid his phone over to Jeff and said "will you do the honors?" Jeff held the phone up and snapped a photo of Blaine and Kurt, both with radiant smiles for the camera. Blaine posted the picture immediately.
Blaine Anderson: For YOU, Wes! You should come hang out with us tonight, man!
Wesley Montgomery: Ohio is a helluva haul from New York, dude…especially for one night of hanging out! LOL
Blaine Anderson: You goof! I live in New York now!
Wesley Montgomery: No shit, man?
Suddenly there was a private message box popping up on Blaine's page. He and Wes went back and forth, finding out that they only lived 10 blocks from one another. Although Wes wasn't able to come to the bar that night, they planned to meet for lunch or dinner in the coming week and hang out.
Jeffrey Sterling: Look at these two. Aren't they cute together?
Trent Nixon: Sickeningly cute
blech!
Thad Harwood: Lighten up, Trent. At least they're together, right? It's more than I can say for some people.
Trent's eyes went wide and his face was pale. WHAT was Thad doing?!
"Hey, Thad's online!" Jeff yelled out. He sent a private message to Thad. "What's up big city boy? How's Atlanta treating you?"
"Well enough, man. How are you Jeffie?"
"Good, I'm good! Hanging out with Blaine and Trent and Blaine's new squeeze, Kurt. You'll have to bombard Blaine in New York with us one of these times, for old times sake!"
"I'd love to! Gotta find a weekend off of work. Days off are few and far between unfortunately. I'm off this weekend, but I don't know when I'll have time again. We'll work something out for sure! Tell everyone I said hello! I'm off to feed my hunger for all things sweet!"
"Will do, Thaddeus! Talk to you soon!"
The boys laughed and responded to a few more things online and just as Blaine was ready to log off, he noticed that Thad had 'checked in' at Graeter's Ice Cream in Westerville.
"Man, I seriously miss Graeter's, don't you?" Blaine lamented.
"Nope, I have it all the time. Not MY fault you moved your ass up here away from the world's best freakin' ice cream!" Jeff laughed. Trent was oddly quiet, just gave a little half laugh at their banter.
"Wait…" Blaine began.
"Why's Thad in Westerville?" Jeff said at the same time. Kurt sat there without a clue, not knowing why this was weird at all.
"And he said he's off this weekend, and that he rarely gets time off." Jeff smirked, giving Trent an odd look.
Thad's status updated with a photo. Two huge scoops of Graeter's Toffee Chip filled the screen with the comment below saying "The one I came to see isn't around :( But maybe this trip can be salvaged after all…nothing fixes a broken heart like ice cream! Wishing you were HOME to share this with me, babe! I LOVE you….."
Trent's eyes rolled up into his skull and he slid out of his chair onto the floor.