Ch. 82
Kurt's eyes were no longer flirtatious, no longer filled with lust…he looked broken now. After all that…the pep talk, the preparation, and the desire to do something fantastic and romantic for Blaine…he was saying he couldn't do it.
"B-Blaine…" Kurt said, and began to sit up slowly.
"No! No, Kurt, please…Dear God, just…don't move. Stay where you are or…" He faltered, eyes closing and breath huffing. He was shaking, Kurt noticed.
"Blaine? You don't want to-"
"Jesus…Kurt, I want to. So much, don't…don't move. Just let me get my bearings, love. I can't…I can't move. I can't walk over there right this minute because I'm…if I so much as move, and this towel brushes over me in the state I'm in, I'll come all over the towel and myself like some pubescent teenager watching porn because God damn, Kurt…you are sinfully sexy laying there right now. One wrong move by me and it's over…and I want you so badly…it can't be over. Not yet." He nearly squeaked, squeezing the doorframe and squishing his eyes shut trying to get his himself together. "It's just….you...and I saw you there and….all the blood rushed from my brain to my groin and I'm a bit lightheaded up here and heavy headed down there and….God, Kurt."
"Oh…." Kurt giggled…his heart in his throat. "I thought…I thought you were saying you couldn't make love to me!"
"Nobody and nothing in this world will keep me from making love to you tonight, Kurt. If the building burns down, we'll just have to hope it happens around us, because I'm not passing up this opportunity for anything. I can't wrap my head around the way you…how you…Kurt…." He breathed out in awe.
Kurt blushed and ducked his head, the smiled returned to grace his face with a pretty blush that made Blaine wait another minute before he dared to breathe deeply and move slowly toward the piano. He made it about four steps before stopping to stare again. Kurt was an amazing vision of pale, silky skin that just made him want to lick and suck and take a bite as if he were creamy candy. He was enthralled and speechless.
"I need for you to know that this is not something I'd ever…ever…consider asking you, Kurt…except that…right now, you look so…so unbelievably perfect and…and I never want to forget this. If you are strongly opposed, I won't, but I need…this is something that I'd never ever thought I'd see and …." Blaine babbled, clearly overwrought with emotion and lust. He grabbed his phone and flipped to the camera, holding it up for Kurt to see with a wicked gleam in his eye.
"May I snap a photo of the world's most beautiful lover in all his glory?" Blaine asked, breathless. Kurt's eyes went wide, unsure how he felt about it, but…it was Blaine…his Blaine.
"Can I stay like this?" Kurt asked, knowing he was laying on his belly and not showing too much. He was, actually, thoroughly inebriated with Blaine's obvious lust and adoration.
"You can stay however you want, I just want a shot for posterity…of your posterior." Blaine snickered. "You look so perfect laying there…sinful and sexy and…all mine."
"Ok, then….do your worst, Blaine. But keep it classy." Kurt smirked.
"Everything about you is classy, Kurt Hummel." He grinned. "Just one?"
"One…two…ten…I'm yours. Whatever you want, Blaine…as long as they are for your eyes only."
It turned out to be more like fifteen, but as Blaine walked around the glossy, black piano he couldn't find a single thing he didn't want to remember forever. Kurt had removed the fluffy down comforter from their bed, folded it in half and laid it on the top of the instrument, then layered their throw pillows all around and draped the soft sheet over the top of it. He was cocooned in softness and his skin looked right at home with the yards and yards of silky fabric he was encased in.
"Turn to me…pull the sheet over, and lay on your side a little…yeah…..now put your hand up to your chin…lay on your back with hands over your head…look this way….my God, you are…." Blaine babbled, "My boyfriend is the most stunning individual I've ever laid eyes on, did you know that, Kurt?" Blaine teased.
"I wasn't aware….but if he's hot, you really should make sure you don't let him get away from you." Kurt teased right back.
"I hope to make him happy…always. I don't ever want him to want to leave me, for any reason, forever…I just want to be with him…he's perfect, and he's mine…and I love him more than I ever thought possible." Blaine grinned. Teasing Kurt always made him smile that smile…the one that melted Blaine's heart. "Kurt, you're beautiful, inside and out, love."
"Then how 'bout you stop snapping pictures and come up here with me? I'm a patient man, Blaine, but the fact that your towel is barely covering much of anything at all is kind of making me a little….needy."
Blaine smiled, setting his phone down on the keys of the piano with a 'plink' and, after a few more seconds of staring, he carefully climbed onto the piano bench and up toward Kurt, shedding his towel as he went. He settled next to all that pale, sexy skin and ran his fingers from shoulder to hip, playing with Kurt's fingers and pulling his hand to his lips to kiss his knuckles one by one.
"So beautiful…"
"You're not so bad yourself…what's with this?" Kurt said, running his fingers up the abs that were more defined than they had been when Blaine left 6 weeks earlier, he was sure of it.
"I had a lot of down time…alone. You weren't there, and they had these weights in the gym, so I put them to good use. I've missed boxing with Kyle, but it was the next best thing, I guess. Do you approve?"
"Whole heartedly" Kurt replied, leaning down to kiss said muscles as Blaine rolled to his back and grinned. He made his way up Blaine's body, kissing his lips softly until heat took over and he was desperate for more…for a deeper connection. "Blaine…please….I've waited so long…made you wait so long…make love to me?" Kurt asked, his voice firm but needy.
"If you're sure, baby…." Blaine told him, keeping eye contact as he moved to adjust them both to their sides and scoot up behind Kurt. He figured this would be the easiest position for Kurt's first time, both of them on their sides and Blaine behind him, but Kurt wasn't having it. "God, I'm the luckiest man alive…."
"Please…can I…wait, I want to see your face. I need to be able to open my eyes at any point and know it's you…just you, B." He said, slipping lube into Blaine's hand. "Would you…please?" Kurt asked bashfully.
"You're an enigma to me, Kurt. One minute you're in charge and pinning me to the bed while you handcuff my wrists to the bedposts and the next you're like a nervous, blushing virgin in my arms."
"Just a little nervous, I guess."
"I promise to take care of you…I promise. Just watch my eyes…don't look away….just look at me, love."
Blaine slicked his fingers up and tentatively stroked over the soft, rosy pucker he was seeking, watching Kurt shiver as he did so. He didn't want to rush, didn't want to freak Kurt out at all, and he knew if he went too fast and didn't allow Kurt time to adjust, that it may end badly. With every ounce of patience he could muster, Blaine slowly slid the tip of one finger inside and heard Kurt's breath hitch a bit, but not enough to make him think he wasn't ok with it.
"You tell me…just say the word if it gets to be too much, and I'll immediately stop, ok?" Blaine asked, scared of it overwhelming Kurt. "I want this more than I can articulate in coherent sentences, but I will stop if you want…at any point, at any time, I'll stop, Kurt…you just say the word."
"I'm not asking you to stop, I'm asking you to go….stop talking and fuck me already, B." Kurt laughed softly, nervously. "But really, Blaine…I'm sure, I'm certain, I'm ready for you to do this, and I have never been more in love with you than I am this minute…so let's do this together and make a beautiful memory just for us, hmm?" Kurt smiled, biting his bottom lip. It drove Blaine mad.
Blaine nodded and slid that single finger in deeper, slowly, watching as Kurt's chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm, making sure he'd be able to catch any little sign of Kurt's reluctance if it showed. After working one finger in, he added another, taking his time, whispering words of love to Kurt as he kissed his belly, his collarbone, then worked his way back down and took Kurt's length into his mouth as he added a third finger.
"Oh sh-shit…" Kurt hissed, causing Blaine to pause, but not to pull off. Kurt raised his head enough to look down and see Blaine's head of curly hair between his legs and he was enthralled. He reached for a pillow to tuck under his head and just watched as Blaine worked fingers in and out and expertly kept his mind from the burning stretch by sucking and licking hims cock until Kurt was barely capable of thought.
When he thought Kurt was finally sufficiently stretched, he sat up on his knees between Kurt's legs and slid his slick fingers out slowly.
"You're sure?" He asked Kurt.
"More than sure…especially with you. Please…."
With a nod, Blaine rolled a condom on and dribbled lube generously, so nervous he could barely keep his hands from shaking and making a mess with it.
"Just tell me if-" Blaine began.
"No worrying now…just…please. Just go slowly."
Kurt was sure the first push would send him reeling. That first ring of muscle was always what held him up, but in practicing, he realized it wasn't so much to get through, and Blaine was careful…slow, and tender, and he wanted nothing more than to feel all of him inside his body.
He raised his eyes to Blaine's and realized he was gritting his teeth in what looked to be absolute agony, and Kurt almost laughed. When Blaine opened his eyes and looked at him, he nodded and pulled Blaine down to kiss him softly…slowly…lovingly.
"C'mon, babe…it's killing you…just push in. It's ok." And with those words, Blaine slowly worked to push the rest of the way in and let out a breath that nearly left him light headed. He was soon fully seated inside Kurt…he was in Kurt…all of him. He was overjoyed, stunned and elated all at once.
Kurt's eyes closed on a grimace for one split second, but when he asked Blaine to move in him, it went away almost immediately. The sharp pain he was expecting wasn't there. He felt it…oh God, did he, but, it wasn't anywhere near as bad as he'd braced himself for.
"This isn't…not nearly as…I'm ok, B…really ok. C'mon….you can relax now." Kurt smiled at him.
"You're ok? Really?"
"I'm good….so very good. So you should…." Kurt began and then rolled his hips a bit, and when Blaine pulled back and pushed back in, Kurt let out a satisfied whimper and a grunt. "Oh…oh wow, that's…because you're much bigger than the …um…that thing….that I bought." He blushed again.
"Yeah?"
"Oh, god, yeah, I mean, it's tiny and thin compared to…um…you." Kurt chuckled. "Ahhhh…" he whined as Blaine pushed back in with a little more umph this time. "Feels good….so full…just really tight. I didn't expect this…fullness, I guess?"
"Still stands…say the word and I'll stop." Blaine breathed out with a little difficulty, but kept up his rhythm. He leaned in to Kurt's body, laying chest to chest and bent for a kiss. It was slow and soft and wet, and more than that, it was tender and passionate. It was really awkward, though, trying to move back and forth yet still keep their mouths together. They ended up snickering more at their failure to do so than anything.
"Should I be upset that you're snickering while we're making love on our piano, Kurt?" Blaine asked, teasing him. Kurt blushed and it made Blaine giggle more. He pushed in a little harder and ran his tongue over his bottom lip and never lost eye contact with Kurt. "You think that's funny? I'll give you something to laugh about." He grinned. Another harder push, making Kurt grunt and pant a bit more, was all it took to get his attention back.
"Blaine…." He whined.
"Mmmmm….God, you're so tight, Kurt. It's the most amazing feeling…you're mine…and I'm inside you…making love to my drop dead gorgeous boyfriend…you like that?" Blaine said, low and velvety as Kurt's back arched beneath him on a whine.
"T-touch me…Blaine…please…." Kurt mewled, stretching his arms above his head and letting his eyes fall closed seductively. Blaine's heart nearly thumped out of his chest, but he complied and wrapped a hand around Kurt, stroking slowly, anything to prolong the pleasure. He slowed his thrusts down to a calmer rhythm, wanting so badly to draw this out as long as possible. He watched Kurt's chest rise and fall, the little shivers of surprise and satisfaction overtake his body as Blaine worked in and out of him. He was beautiful, every line of his body, every expression on his face, every hair flopping out of place from the two of them working their bodies together. He couldn't take his eyes off of Kurt for even one second. He was enthralled with this man, his body, his mind, his heart. But no matter how hard he tried to prolong the bliss, his body was building up to the pinnacle…
"Baby… I don't mind telling you…you don't have much more time to 'say the word' if you want me to stop. You're so beautiful, Kurt…so sexy…." Blaine said, wrapping his fist tighter around Kurt's length and stroking him at a good pace now..
Kurt's moaned again at the dual pleasure and when he heard Blaine begin to pant his name as he reached his limit, he knew he wasn't far behind.
"God, Kurt…oh my God…just so good….so good….fuck, I'm close…." Blaine stuttered before shoving in hard, tensing all over, and letting out a guttural groan that shook Kurt inside and out as Blaine climaxed inside him. His hand was still squeezing Kurt's cock and he attempted to not shut down and keep stroking Kurt through the orgasm. His knees shook and his muscles screamed as he tried to remain upright between Kurt's thighs. He managed to get ahold of himself long enough to increase the pace of his hand around Kurt, but he knew that Kurt was testing him…holding back as he stared into Blaine's eyes as if he were daring him to make him come.
"Kurt…please…."
"Don't stop, then, baby…c'mon, you can do it….keep up that beautiful rhythm…make me come, Blaine…all over your hand…my chest…your belly….C'mon, Blaine…." Kurt panted with every ounce of sex appeal he could shove into those words. Blaine was a man possessed, his sole purpose to stroke Kurt until he exploded, and it didn't take much longer.
When Kurt let go, he whined long and loud and the sound was so sensual, so spectacular, Blaine's cock gave a valiant effort to get hard again. White hot spurts covered Kurt's chest and Blaine's fist and he let out a growl of satisfaction that he'd caused Kurt to do this…to feel this…and he felt whole. He was so thoroughly in love with this man beneath him that he was stunned by it.
Huffing, Kurt patted the spot beside him and Blaine all but collapsed there in a sweaty heap, completely worn out from the night's activities.
"I love you so much it scares me, Blaine…" Kurt said softly, as he lay there, still and quiet surrounding them, and Blaine's fingers in his hair.
"I get that…I do…I feel the same way, believe me. I think maybe that's how you know it's the real deal, though, ya know? It overwhelms me, occupies every corner of my mind, my heart, my soul. It's all you, Kurt. Every last, little bit of everything I have, I may ever have, everything I do or say, everything I want….it's all for you…for us."
"For us…." Kurt said softly.
"If I forget to say it when I'm fully awake and my mind hasn't just been overtaken by life altering sex, thank you….thank you for trusting me enough for…to…" Blaine faltered. "Thank you for giving me that without hesitation, Kurt."
"I'd never dream of giving myself to anyone but you, B…never again….." Kurt mumbled, trailing off as he slipped into sleep tucked into Blaine's side on their soft cocoon on the piano.
"Good morning, Birthday Boy." Nick said, running his finger along the side of Jeff's face, soft in slumber and slowly waking up to his lover's voice.
"S'my bir'day?" He grinned, eyes still not open.
"It is, and I'm a little hesitant to wait another second to give you your gift, but as it is, I can't give it to you here, so you might want to get up and get yourself together. We'll have to go get it…pick it up…sort of…it's not here, how's that?" Nick laughed.
"Nicky…tell me you didn't go overboard?" Jeff said, a bit more awake now.
"I got you something I think you'll love…God, I hope you'll love it." He finished, muffled a bit. "But, like I said, if you don't love it we'll sell—" He began. "We'll um…we'll celebrate some other way….we'll get rid of it and find something else that you do love, ok?" Nick grinned.
"M'kay…just five more minutes, though? Snuggle me?" Jeff whined.
"Five minutes and your breakfast will be cold, love, and I don't slave over a stove for just any cute piece of ass, Pretty Boy." Nick said smartly. Jeff jerked awake.
"You cooked? You did? With your own two hands? Christ, I didn't even hear the fire alarm go off!" Jeff blurted out without thinking.
"Ha. Ha. Fucking ha." Nick deadpanned, staring at Jeff across the bed as he brought a tray over and set it across Jeff's lap.
"What in the name of all that's holy…" Jeff breathed out, reverently. "Belgian waffles, bacon, eggs, juice, dear god, is that raspberry butter?" Jeff nearly whimpered. "You remembered!"
"Oh God, Jeffie…babe, it's food, don't cry over it!" Nick laughed.
"But…that was one of our very first conversations! You asked what my favorite childhood breakfast was—"
"And you said your Gram's Belgian waffles with raspberry butter…"
"Oh my god, if I wasn't head over heels in love with you before, I am now. You're…this is amazing, Nicky…I love you for this…so much. Thank you." Jeff grinned, his eyes watering. "Sit with me and share?" He said, patting the bed beside him.
"I thought you'd never ask." Nick smiled, and settled down beside him.
"Ok, so, where do we need to go for this…thing…today?" Jeff asked shoving food in left and right and occasionally offering Nick a bite. Nick filled him in and they shared bites back and forth until the food was gone. "You got Gram's recipe, didn't you? Don't even think I don't know this is my Gram's recipe, Nicky." Jeff smirked.
"I'd get anything for you. It's your favorite, so I talked her out of it. I may have had to send in some muscle, but they left her intact-"
"NICK!?" Jeff bellowed, eyes wide.
"Oh…oh my god, your face…." Nick roared with laughter. Jeff sat there, glaring at Nick before shifting his legs to the side and sliding from the bed. "Oh…come on, Jeffie, you know I'm joking, don't run away angry!" Nick said, watching Jeff stride across the room with the tray in hand. He set it on the dresser firmly, then turned with his hands on his hips.
"You think that's funny? You think it's amusing to say you sent muscle to my Gram's house? Well it's not, you ass, and you're gonna pay for that!" Jeff said, laughing now, as he dove onto the bed and tackled Nick.
"Oh don't…Jeff, don't…you know I'm ticklish and you….STOP! Pretty B-… shit, Jeff stop stop!" He wailed as Jeff continued to torment him with tickles and pinches.
"Say you're sorry!"
"I'm…not…" Nick teased, and Jeff ramped up his assault.
"Say you're sorry you even THOUGHT of sending in 'muscle' to my Gram's house, Nicholas!"
"Won't say….JEFF, STOPPP!"
"SAY IT!"
"OH….stop, Jeffie…please…ok, I'm sorry. I'm SORRY! STOP!" He laughed. "Stop you jerk, before I piss the bed!" He yelled at the top of his lungs, making Jeff roar with laughter as he rolled over off of him and collapsed on his back laughing even more.
Blaine woke slowly to the sizzle and smell of bacon and his stomach rumbled. He started to grin, but realized that if he was smelling food, it meant Kurt had gotten up before him and was cooking breakfast…which meant he wasn't in their bed….or on their piano, rather, with Blaine. Blaine wasn't finished with him…he wanted round two.
With a groan that was just as much discomfort from where they'd slept as it was irritation at being left alone in 'bed', he rolled over and slipped his arm around Kurt's warm belly and smiled. Wait…what? If Kurt was here next to him, still on the piano, then who—
"Morning Squirt!" Cooper blurted out when he noticed Blaine's movements.
"What the F—" Blaine began.
"This kitchen is the shit, man, I'm just sayin. I thought you'd have food in the fridge by now, but you don't have much in there, so I stole it out of the one downstairs. Thought I'd make you breakfast in bed for your first morning in your new place, right? Because the sooner I get you out of Kurt's place and up here, the sooner I can get Trad out of your old place which means I can get MY stuff in there and not have to go across town for a clean shirt, because let's just talk about what a pain in the ass THAT'S getting to be, can we?" He babbled on.
"Blaine?" Kurt whined.
"Mmmhmmm?"
"I hear Cooper. Tell me it's a nightmare? Tell me he's not in our home already."
"I'd love to tell you that, but I can't babe…as soon as I work this nasty kink out of my back I'll get up and beat him with the biggest thing I can pick up, but for now, this damn kink—"
"Ooooh, we're already talking about kinky things…well, yeah, it doesn't get much kinkier than fucking each other senseless on that big ass piano. Jeff agrees, he said to give you a massive high five when you woke up and Seb wanted another picture or two, but—"
"What the actual fuck, Cooper!? You took pictures?" Blaine roared. "And SENT them to people?" Kurt just groaned and pulled the covers up over his head.
"Duh…shit like that doesn't plop itself in my lap all that often, and when it does, I take advantage. I sent a couple to you guys, too, though. Don't get all distressed over-"
"OUT!" Blaine yelled, slipping down onto the piano bench. "Out now!" He said again, his groin covered with nothing but a throw pillow as he picked up and wielded a huge plaster candle stick. "I'll beat you with this, Cooper Anderson, I swear to God, I will. We TALKED about this, Cooper. We had a DISCUSSION, and you agreed!" He wailed. Kurt tugged a pillow over his face and groaned.
Cooper was maneuvering around the kitchen island, mirroring Blaine, keeping him across from himself so he wouldn't be hit with the candlestick, but Blaine was losing patience.
"This isn't going to work, Cooper. I'm not doing this. I'm not going to welcome you into a building I own, for you to move in downstairs and screw around with my privacy in my HOME. I'm not doing it. No way. You can't have the apartment. I changed my mind!" Blaine told him, and Cooper's face fell.
"But I already told Mags!"
"Then tell her why you can't have it now…that you and I talked about this, you promised no more barging in uninvited and unannounced and on the freakin' very first DAY we're living here you broke that promise! Now get the hell out!" Blaine said, his nerves frayed.
"Ok, ok…" Cooper said, his hands held up in front of his chest. "I'll go, but if Maggie told the kids already, you're gonna have to explain to them why-"
"Nope. You'll tell them why, Coop. YOU will explain to them about keeping their word. YOU WILL, are we clear?" Blaine said, barely holding on to his temper now.
Cooper was heading for the stairs, his head hung low, perhaps finally realizing that Blaine was well and truly upset with him when he turned and said "The bacon's gonna burn…" just as the smoke alarm went off. Then he turned and darted down the stairs, duly chastised as the alarm blared throughout the apartment.
Blaine let out a loud groan and slammed the candle stick down on the counter, pushing buttons on the smoke detector trying to make the damn thing silent, to no avail. He then walked over and used the tongs to remove the bacon from the pan, then threw the pan in the sink and ran water over it. He flipped on the vent fan for good measure and stood in the kitchen fuming. Finally the smoke was dying down. In a last ditch attempt to stop the noise, he slammed the candle stick into the smoke detector and watched it fall to the floor in pieces. Now it was dead and the candle stick was chipped…and Blaine was pissed.
"B…."
"Not now, Kurt. Don't bitch at me now, I don't think I can take it." Blaine said softly, head hung low and shoulders tense.
"Not bitching….come back to me. Don't argue, just come back to me….that's an order." Kurt said sternly. Blaine took in a big, deep breath and walked back over to the piano, still stark naked, hands on his hips. "Now come up here and snuggle your hot boyfriend and forget about the food, the smoke, the candlestick, because in the big scheme of things, they don't matter. You matter, I matter, and that's about it right now. Oh, and your adorable, naked ass matters, so climb on up. We can sleep for another hour or two before we have to worry about anything."
"Sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you." Blaine mumbled. "I wanted…I just…this is our first morning here and I wanted it to be perfect. I'm sorry."
"You have nothing to be sorry for. Blow it off, B. What would have been perfect?"
"You. Me. Waking up slowly in your arms with no noise and nobody burning the damn kitchen down."
"Then let's try for that with round two, hmm?" Kurt said, smiling, then tugged Blaine down and lifted his own head to settle on Blaine's chest. Slinging an arm across him, Kurt settled with a grin and snuggled up close. "I wasn't quite finished with you yet, anyway."
"Oh? Why's that?" Blaine smiled into Kurt's hair.
"I had a different wakeup call in mind."
"I have a feeling I won't complain one bit."
"B?"
"Mmhmm?"
"You have an absolutely fantastic ass." Kurt said matter-of-factly. Blaine barked out a laugh before grabbing a handful of Kurt's ass and squeezing.
"Not so bad yourself, there, Hummel. Not bad at all."
Nick was a wreck. Totally and completely uptight, he'd dragged Jeff out of the penthouse early, unable to even wait another minute. He felt like he'd told so many half-truths and lies over the past few months that he just needed to get it all out and over with, and today was the day.
Jeff said he had a stop of his own to make and shoved a legal sized envelope into Nick's briefcase as they were leaving, and he was curious about that as well. They sat in a mess of cars about 3 blocks from their destination and Nick's leg was bouncing on the seat, making Jeff raise an eyebrow at him.
"What's up, Nicky….you're like…not yourself this morning. Is everything ok?" Jeff asked from the passenger seat.
"Yep. 'M alright…just fine." He smiled briefly.
"You're tapping your foot and bouncing your leg. Why are you nervous? That's what you do when you're nervous." Jeff said. If anyone should be nervous today, it's me…. He thought.
"I desperately want you to just have this damn gift…I want you to love it…I want you to see what I see when I look at it…I'm just…but ….if you don't like it…don't want it, do not, for one minute, hesitate to tell me, Jeff. Please, all I ask is that you're honest with me, ok?" Nick asked.
"I'm always honest with you, Nick…this will be no different." He smiled.
Finally Nick pulled up to an older neighborhood. There weren't many people out and about yet, and he got out of the car and grabbed his briefcase.
"Just one stop first…you can come in if you want. I have to meet the new owner here before we can…get to it….do what we need to do…for your birthday. Ok?" Nick said, and it was so clearly evident now that he was shaking…truly uptight.
"I can wait in the car if you want…I don't want to be in your way if—" Jeff began.
"No, on second thought, come in with me. I want to show you this building and it doesn't look like he's here yet anyway."
"Ok…alright, Nick. Honey…hey." Jeff said, walking over to Nick and reaching up to grab his shoulders. "I don't know what's going on or what you have…wherever you have it…but please know that whatever it is, I'm sure I'll love it, because it's from you…even if you didn't have to get me anything at all…just…calm down, ok?" Jeff said, staring into Nick's eyes. Nick smiled back, his first genuine smile since they left the apartment, and leaned in to kiss Jeff's lips quickly.
"K. Ok, I'll….Let's just go inside and wait."
"One sec…I want to take a picture of this building. I like the old stonework and the architecture out here. Look at the arch over the door…" Jeff said, yanking out his phone and snapping a couple of pictures. He got a shot of Nick's profile as he stared up at the building and then tucked his phone back in his pocket. "Lead the way, real estate dude o' mine." Jeff laughed.
Inside was just as impressive, Jeff thought. The old stonework carried into the lobby of the building, which resembled the front of the church Gram used to drag him to when he was younger. Large pillars stood, floor to ceiling, and there were beautiful old marble floors. Three doors separated where they stood from whatever was on the other side. The doors were easily 12 feet tall and made of beautiful wood, and as he approached one of them to pull it open, Nick blurted out "NO!" and startled him.
"No? Ok…sorry…" Jeff said, sheepishly.
"It's just…I mean…let's walk this way first…" Nick said, leading him down a hallway off to the left. There was an identical hallway to the right, and he wondered where that one went as well.
"What are all the doors?" Jeff asked. Nick opened one and looked inside as if he hadn't seen it, and Jeff followed. "Huh…just a bunch of rooms? I wonder what they used 'em for. What's the guy who bought it using them for? Wow, this room's huge….ballet barre, mirrored walls….."
"I don't know. We can ask him…" Nick said, opening a few more doors as they want down the hallway. After 8 doors, the hallway dead ended and then continued to the right. There were a few doors off of this hallway as well, many of them with small rooms like the ones they'd already seen, but each one empty. As they reached the end of that hallway, there were several doors leading to the right again, but the hall itself ended. Jeff reached for one, then glanced at Nick to be sure he wasn't going to yell again. Nick grinned and rolled his eyes. Jeff pulled the door open.
It was dark back here… very dark. He walked in, hearing Nick follow him, and saw huge, hanging curtains, and it dawned on him when he saw the ropes that they were on a stage. Jeff kept walking until his theory was confirmed and he found himself on the stage looking out onto rows and rows of seats. Above the seats he saw several balconies and a sound and light booth as well.
"This is so cool!" He grinned. "It's an old theater!"
"It is…yeah." Nick said quietly. He opened his mouth to say something else, but snapped it shut as Jeff took a few quick steps and jumped, nearly doing the splits in mid-air. Nick's mouth dropped open and his eyes went wide as Jeff landed smoothly and rounded into a turn with his leg kicked up so high it hurt Nick to just watch it.
"God, I haven't been on a stage in too long….I miss it." Jeff laughed, walking back over to Nick who stood silently, just watching him…beaming.
"You…uh…you clearly haven't lost your touch." He smiled widely, setting his briefcase down. Jeff shrugged.
"I still stretch and practice every day. I'll get back to it at some point…I have to. It's in my blood." He said, absently looking around, pulling curtains back and testing ropes to see which curtains they controlled. "Cool! Look! It's a trap door!" He laughed, the sound like that of a happy child. Nick's heart was pounding. "So when's the guy supposed to meet you…this owner guy?" Jeff said, glancing briefly at his watch before whipping his phone out and swiping the screen to put on some music. He couldn't help himself, really, and he began moving his body this way and that across the stage. Nick almost forgot to answer.
"I uh….he…." Nick began, unsure what to say. "I wonder what he's going to do with this old place?" He asked instead.
"What? Seriously? Shit…there are tons of things he could do. All those little rooms were probably places for costumes to be stored, dressing rooms, prop rooms. Now they could be the same…or they could…I dunno…he could have classes here. People would eat that space up for dance classes or acting classes and stuff like that. Would it be unprofessional of me to ask him what he plans to do? I wouldn't mind teaching a dance class or two…or ten." Jeff laughed. "If he wanted help, that is. Maybe he has all this in the works already, who knows?" He said, gyrating across the stage back and forth in front of Nick as he spoke. "Hell, if someone's already teaching, I wouldn't mind getting back into theater here if—"
"Jeff." Nick said abruptly. His heart was pounding now.
"Hmm?" Jeff asked, turning his way. When he saw Nick's face he stopped and flipped off the music. Nick's briefcase lay open on the floor and for a moment, Jeff panicked, thinking maybe Nick had found what he brought along with them. Instead he had a handful of papers of his own and his face was as pale as Jeff had ever seen. "Babe? You ok? You look like you're gonna be sick." Jeff said, striding over to him. He put his hands on Nick's face and tilted his face up a bit. "You ok?" He repeated. Nick just nodded.
"I think so…I think I will be. It's sort of up to you, though."
"Me? Why's it up to me?" Jeff smiled.
"Do you trust me?" Nick asked. "If I handed you these papers and asked you to blindly sign them without knowing what they are, would you?"
"Yeah. Yes…I trust you. And I know that YOU wouldn't do anything detrimental to me….Nicky…what gives?" Jeff asked, head cocked to the side now. Nick let out a nervous laugh.
"You would, too…..God, I love you…" he muttered, but Jeff heard him anyway.
"Baby…I love you, too. What's going on?" Jeff asked.
"Happy Birthday, Pretty Boy. It's yours as soon as you sign on the dotted line." Nick said, forcing words from his mouth, still afraid of what Jeff would say. Jeff's eyebrows scrunched up, confused.
"Come again? What am I signing for?" He smirked. Nick handed him the papers and a pen and as Jeff turned them to read what he'd been given, Nick just waited. "This is all real estate mumbo jumbo, Nicky, and your name is on it, and my name….my…Nicky, why's my name on the paperwork …." He trailed off, and glanced up at Nick, uncertain. "Nick?" He said again, his heart pounding now. Surely not….
"I thought…maybe…because you've been missing it…the theater, the dancing, the classes….that if you had your own place…a place for kids to come and learn…from you…you could teach them. They could dance here, baby…act…learn music and how to make costumes and….and…as soon as you sign, this whole building is yours, Pretty Boy." Nick said, uncertain. The look on Jeff's face hadn't changed. He still looked stupefied. "If you want it…."
Jeff's legs nearly buckled beneath him and he sat down hard on the stage floor, staring at the papers in his hand. The words swam before him because his eyes had filled with tears and he couldn't seem to wipe them away with just his fingers. He looked down at the pen in his hand and realized his hands were shaking now. Funny, on the way in, Nick had been shaking and now he was fine….but now Jeff was shaking and Nick…Nick was kneeling across from him, palming his cheek and raising his eyes to look at him.
"Say something?" Nick said softly.
"I don't…I'm not…sure what…I…" Jeff began, but couldn't seem to string words together. He took a deep breath and looked around again. "Are you serious? Are you freakin' serious right now? THIS is what you got me for my birthday?!" Jeff said, finally finding his voice. "I can't…Nicholas…I…too much, it's….I can't take this, it's…..Nick?" He said, looking up to meet Nick's eyes again.
"You could…if you wanted to? I mean, I know you've missed it…and just think of how many kids you could help learn about the arts and ….I mean, if you truly don't want it, we'll sell it, Jeff, but if you're going to go on about it being 'too much' then I'll have to insist that you shut up and just sign the damn papers." Nick chuckled. "I think we've established that it's not going to break the bank for us, ya know?" Nick joked.
Jeff's mind was a blur. There was that "us" again in regards to Nick's money. His head spun. He couldn't make it slow down and all he wanted was to just make his heart stop racing and think clearly. Nick had bought him a theater. A fucking theater, with rooms for classes and he could teach again and hire more instructors and work with kids. He was truly overwhelmed and didn't know what to say. Then it dawned on him exactly how to respond.
"I'll do it…I'll sign these….on one condition." He said, smirking and looking into Nick's eyes.
"Ok…." Nick grinned back at him, but unsure.
"I'll sign your papers if you'll sign mine?" Jeff said, his voice finally steady.
"Yours? You have papers?" Nick chuckled, briefly, then recalled that Jeff had, indeed, stuck an envelope in his briefcase before they'd left. Jeff reached over and grabbed them out, lifting the flap on the envelope and pulling them out carefully. He bit his bottom lip, knowing this would be a hard sell, but it would be so worth it. Then he handed them to Nick.
"Baby…I don't have my glasses. You know I can't read small things without my glasses…" Nick trailed off, holding the papers close to his face and squinting. When his forehead scrunched up and his mouth dropped open, Jeff knew he realized what he was reading. Without moving the papers down, Nick kept skimming the words and spoke.
"Jeff, I don't understand. This….this looks like…well, I know exactly what it is, but people only bother with it when—"
"When they get married, yes, I know." Jeff said, and Nick lowered the papers from his face, brow still furrowed to see Jeff on one knee before him, a beautiful platinum band in his hand and a hopeful smile on his face. Nick's chest seized.
"Pretty…." He wheezed out, eyes wide.
"Nick…I'm pretty sure you know what this little thing here is for." Jeff laughed, holding up the ring. Nick's mouth dropped open, but nothing came out. "I know we haven't been together very long , but I think I'm pretty safe in saying that you're it for me…not for what you have or for what you can give me or anything like that. I…I want to be clear, right now, when I say that I'm only asking for one thing from you…just one. I only want your heart out of this deal…nothing more. I know you have the means to give me anything I want…anything at all, but what I want is you…just you. You are, without a doubt the most kind, caring, over the top, beautiful person I've ever met, and just being with you makes me happier than I've ever been. If you took all the happy times in my life before I met you, and squished 'em all together, it wouldn't compare to one night in your arms. You make me feel safe, loved, content…you make me feel like I can accomplish anything I put my mind to. You stand behind me no matter what, you defend me, and you build me up. A man can't ask for more than that…and I won't…I won't ask for more.
What I want to make perfectly clear is that I have nothing to offer you in return but my heart…but make no mistake, it's all yours. It has been since the end of that 13 hour conversation….or maybe even somewhere in the middle of it. I knew then, and that hasn't changed. I want to be with you, Nicky…to spend my life with you. I want to do everything in my power to make you happy. I want to be the one you come home to, and I want to see you there when I come home, too. I come into this with nothing, and if I leave, or you leave…I'll go out the same way. I want you, not your money. I need you, not your bank account. I love you so much….just your beautiful heart and soul….nothing more, nothing less. And I hope that's enough….enough for you to say yes when I ask if you'd do me the great honor of saying yes, and agreeing to be my husband, Nick?"
A/N So um...there's that. And now you know everyone's secrets and plans. Now to see how they all work out, yeah?
Thanks to Suzanne for finding the errors I'd have tortured you with if she hadn't looked it over for me :)