Ch. 99
Kurt wasn't happy. Either Carol or Rachel had tipped off the boys about their final stop on the shopping trip, he was sure of it. When was the question. The guys had just gotten home, like 5 minutes ago, and he hadn't seen any interaction that screamed "I'm telling your secret!" between anyone.
They were all acting oddly, eyes darting around between them and sneaky little grins thrown here and there. Blaine, though…well, it didn't seem that he knew. He looked at Kurt with the same loving, warm gaze as he always did, and tonight Kurt was thankful for that. Buying Blaine's ring had been…nerve wracking…to say the very least. He didn't regret it, though, not for one, single second. But now he felt that he had to come up with the perfect proposal. He wanted to do this for Blaine. He wanted to create a memory Blaine would always love and cherish, something that would make him smile widely for years to come.
He had some ideas. He'd been running through different scenarios in his mind for months, if he was being honest. There was no doubt in his mind, when he'd first met Blaine, that this man was something special to him, and he was beyond thrilled with the way their relationship had progressed and grown. Who said you had to spend years and years together before you got engaged or even married? When you knew, you just knew…..and Kurt knew.
Blaine was on cloud nine. Burt had given them his blessing and he walked all the way back to the apartment with his arm slung over Blaine's shoulder, chatting about sports, food, work and mostly…Kurt. Blaine could listen to Burt talk about Kurt all day long, because he got to hear stories he knew Kurt would never tell him. It wasn't so much because Kurt was embarrassed by stories of his younger self, but probably because they may have seemed like insignificant things to a young, oblivious Kurt Hummel…but they meant something to Burt. That's what made them special.
They had opted to eat dinner in that evening, so Kurt and Carol were busy in the kitchen while everyone else sat around the living room ignoring the television that was on and talking about the new school and what needed to be done to make it a reality. Jeff was still hanging around, despite the fact that Joseph was downstairs and he could have gone home at any time. He enjoyed hanging out with everyone, and they all enjoyed having him. It wasn't until his phone rang that he realized what time it was. He was sure Nick was expecting him for dinner.
"Hey Nicky…"
"Pretty Boy," Nick said with an obvious smile in his voice. "Where are you?"
"Still with Klaine," he grinned, catching Burt's eye and grinning when it dawned on Burt what Jeff had said…and then what he meant.
"Gonna come home soon? I'm starving."
"I dunno, whatever Kurt and Carol are making smells awfully good…" Jeff said, standing to grab his jacket. "I'm kidding, I'll be home soon. Are you there?"
"On my way there, actually, but not there yet."
"What do you mean 'you're just kidding'?" Kurt asked. "Are you saying whatever I'm making doesn't smell awfully good?" Kurt demanded.
"NO! That's not what I meant. See, I just need to shut my mouth and go home," Jeff laughed.
"You're not staying? I made extra for you…and there's enough for Nick if he wants to come over as well," Kurt told him.
"Did you hear that, Nicky?"
"I did, babe. I'm on my way. See you soon. I love you."
"Love you, too, baby," Jeff replied, a deep blush staining his cheeks when he realized how loudly he'd said it. But…he realized he didn't really mind. He didn't care who knew how much he loved that man…and he truly did love him with everything he had.
"Nick's coming?" Kurt asked.
"He is…are you sure you have enough?" Jeff asked.
"I do…we do. It's in the oven now, ready in about 45 minutes," Kurt smiled. "Carol's got the garlic bread and the salad done, just waiting on the lasagna."
"So…can you tell me about Naomi? I'm dying to know what happened!"
"Yeah…it was…intense, to say the very least. The whole night and into the morning was…wow," Kurt said, sort of lost in his own thoughts of everything that had happened the day before. "I suspected Carter was behind the ruined pants, but Naomi had been watching him before any of that happened. Apparently some of the stuff he was doing behind my back didn't sit well with her, and she knew she'd need evidence, so she got one of those nanny cam teddy bears and set it on her desk with some flowers….said they were from her boyfriend, etc. She got more than she bargained for, though. Turns out Carter was stealing, walking out with whatever he wanted and we were still kind of clueless because we had no reason, yet, to look for the things he'd taken. Eventually it would have come up 'missing', but he walked out with one of the new tablets as well as some expensive silk. And it was Carter who destroyed my pants. I think that makes me angrier than anything else."
"So David saw the video, too?" Jeff asked.
"He did, and so did Carter's faculty advisor. She was there for the meeting along with Naomi, David and me. Carter strolled in half an hour late, his attitude off the charts, and of course saying he hadn't done anything. When he was shown the footage, though, you could tell his first instinct was to look for the camera. He knew he'd been caught. What pisses me off is that when Naomi told him to back off, he threatened her, caused her physical harm when he burnt her arm with some hot coffee, and also tried to blackmail her into keeping her mouth shut. She was brave, though, and she was going to let us know what was going on even if it meant he'd share whatever secrets he had on her. Thankfully, it didn't come to that, but she and I had a very long, heartfelt conversation after everyone had left. She was willing to put herself on the line and would have looked pretty bad if the story had come to light without all the background information he would surely have left out. I feel for her, I really do. And I owe her for risking it for me. She didn't have to do it, but she did. I wish I knew how to repay her. Maybe someday I can."
"Secrets? Are you sure it's safe for her to be there, then? She wasn't doing time for theft or anything was she?" Jeff asked, and it had never crossed Kurt's mind that he'd think that…but it was a logical question.
"No, the nature of her 'crimes' are hers to know and live with, but it's nothing like that. More of a moral and personal struggle." Kurt told Jeff the story of Naomi's step dad and mom splitting up and the financial crisis that followed. He skipped the personal details, just letting Jeff know that she had racked up some pretty serious student loans and that he felt for her. Jeff, of course, was understanding and hated to hear it. He liked Naomi, and always had. She was a fun girl to work with and never gave him any crap for not having his degree in the field he was working in like some others might have. Hearing that she was struggling wasn't easy.
Before he could get caught up in it, though, Nick arrived, and they all sat down to eat soon after. They managed to wrestle Joseph up the stairs and made him sit at the table and eat as well. His presence was a comfort to Jeff, and especially to Nick, although to sit around the table with all of them talking animatedly, nobody would ever know anything was potentially wrong.
Kurt was still uptight, though. The glances continued…mostly from Finn, and Kurt was going to get to the bottom of it. His brother was clearly not a master of hiding anything, and Kurt didn't want his surprise ruined. He'd threaten Finn with nefarious deeds if necessary.
"So, Duval…any other requests? Have you been over everything I've sent? I have to say, my guy's pretty thorough, if I do say so myself. Anything else you want to know?" Caesar Fontaine, David Duvall's attorney, sat across the table from him with a bland, bored look and questioned his client. David was silent, thumbing through the third round of information he'd been brought regarding Jeffrey Sterling in the past few weeks. He still said nothing, not giving Fontaine the decency of a reply. Not yet. "They've set a date for your trial. Do you even want to know when—" he began, but David stood, picked up the file, this one decidedly thinner than the previous two, and walked toward the exit.
"Soon…" was all he said, then nodded and disappeared through the heavy door, escorted by the guards, as usual, leaving Fontaine to stare after him. That 'soon' was confusing. It wasn't exactly ominous, nor was it innocuous. Duvall was planning something, but Fontaine had absolutely no idea what. He made a note to check the visitor's log on his way out to see who else had been to visit his client in the past couple of months.
David returned to his cell, thankfully alone. He set the file down with the others, then settled on his bed, elbows on his knees and fingers steepled beneath his chin. Prison gave a man a lot of time to think as well as time to plan. He doubted there was anything about Jeff Sterling or his family and close friends that he didn't know by now. Fontaine's man was, indeed, very thorough. David liked knowing who and what he was dealing with, and the more information he had on someone, the better he was able to handle any given situation. That gave him confidence, and a confident David Duvall was a strong David Duvall…better able to make important decisions…smart decisions.
He'd given great thought to the way his own family viewed him lately. Things were much easier before Jeff Sterling entered the picture. He wasn't sure how much Nicholas knew or suspected his father was up to before he'd met Jeff, but since he'd become tangled up in that man, Nick was unyielding and stubborn, and he knew it was because David had been giving him a hard time over his choice of partner. Did he have the right to do so? Didn't matter now…he'd done what he'd done and now he had to deal with it.
David supposed he couldn't blame Nick, really. As he looked back on things, he'd be quite overbearing to his middle son for much of his life, as well as the other kids, he admitted, but he pushed Nick harder. He knew Nick would face bigger obstacles because of his sexuality and he wanted to make him strong, push him to be the very best he could be and give him every single opportunity he was able to bestow upon him before setting him off into the world to deal with things on his own. True to his roots, Nicholas Duvall took the real estate world by storm and kicked its ass. He made David piles of money, in fact, more than any other facet of his business ever had. Nick was good at what he did, and he knew it. David had watched him…closely. He knew that many of the properties he'd passed up had been snatched up by his son. Nick made a hefty profit on his own, and David surely didn't begrudge him that. His son deserved success, after all, that's exactly what he'd groomed him for, and David had knocked it out of the park with that one. All of his children were exceptional people…but Nick took it further. He wasn't just good in business, he was a damn fine human being…much better than his father, for sure. Clearly he took after his mother.
David had been reminded of his own nature time and again, but he stuck to his guns, doing what he thought was best for his family. It was only now…now that he was sitting in prison…that he thought perhaps he'd gone a bit too far. His wife was leaving him, his business was, for all he knew, in a shambles, his children wouldn't even speak with him and he wasn't sure who he could count on anymore on the outside. And all of this was because one man stepped into their lives…a man brought up with humble beginnings; a man who'd lost his father at a young age, yet still managed to have a stable upbringing with his mother and grandmother; a man who made himself into a paragon of the community, apparently. He couldn't find a single person who didn't think Jeffrey Sterling was a fine, upstanding man with a heart of gold. Even his former boss at that school knew Jeff had been innocent of those accusations and said she'd hire him back at a moment's notice if given the chance.
That man was married to his son now…living in New York City because David had forced Jeff from his hometown, his apartment, his job….because he hadn't thought it through. If David had done his homework beforehand, if he'd waited…held off…Jeff would possibly still be in Ohio teaching those disabled and mentally challenged kids, and none of this nonsense would be happening. Instead, he forced Jeff's hand, pushed him straight into Nick's waiting arms and facilitated everything he'd been fighting against.
With a deep breath, David contemplated what was next. He'd done everything he could to run the blonde off, and he still kept coming back. Why? Was he a glutton for punishment? Did he have a masochistic streak? Or…could he possibly just love Nicholas that much? David had to admit, his middle son was one of the most kind hearted, loving men he'd ever known. He knew that Bailey and Nick were closer with each other than any of the other siblings, and he knew why. Nick took the time to listen to his sister, and he gave a damn what happened to her, as well as everyone else around him.
Nick was a damn good man, and in business, David never doubted him. Why had he immediately doubted Nick's ability to pick a suitable partner? What had set him off when he'd been told about Jeff? For the life of him, David didn't know, aside from the fact that Jeff wasn't from their tax bracket. Nick was smart, he was responsible and he was prudent…and he'd picked Jeffrey Sterling to spend his life with. That said something…didn't it? But what? David picked up the files again, settled himself at the top of his bed and laid the pages out over the bed again, studying, calculating and deciding on his last stand.
"You're up late." It was said more as a question than a statement. Hunter shoved open the door and staggered into the apartment around 2 a.m. He was surprised to see Sebastian at the small desk he used as his "office" at home.
"I uh…some things I wanted to go over for work…" Seb answered, obviously distracted, watching his computer screen.
"Looks like video…of your floor at work, if I'm not mistaken? Is that Jimmy's office?"
"What? How can you tell that from a grainy, black and white shot on a laptop screen?"
"That piece of artwork in the corner…I like the colors in it, always have. I told you that once…."
"You did, I remember that." Seb's smile was distracted. "This is…uh…ya know, I'm done here for tonight. I'd much rather spend time with you," Sebastian smiled widely, then stood from his desk chair and leaned in to kiss his clearly exhausted husband. The smile remained on his face as Hunter slid his arms around Seb's neck and kissed him back.
"Sometimes my shift seems to last for a week, not a day…I've missed you. I feel like I haven't seen you forever."
"Hunter, I miss you every time you step out that door, so I know…but this is temporary. You'll get through this internship and you'll be a little more in charge of your own hours soon. We'll make it through, no worries, ok? Until then, I'll keep myself busy and try not to miss you so much, and you'll learn everything you can learn and be the best damn doctor this city has ever seen."
"I am so completely and utterly in love with you, Sebastian," Hunter breathed out, his words tickling Sebastian's ear as he nuzzled there, nipping and placing small kisses along Seb's neck, behind his ear and down to his mouth.
"Mmmmm, I am just as in love with you, Doc," Sebastian smiled, leaning his forehead on Hunter's. "And if you weren't so unbelievably tired, I'd drag you to bed and make love to you until I was so sore I couldn't move….but I can see that you're beat, baby. Let's get some sleep, huh? Please tell me you ate something recently?"
"I did. I actually had a whole meal, really. One of the nurses on my floor is engaged to a guy who's tossing around opening his own restaurant soon. He's trying out every recipe known to man, and doing so with the help of his current boss who wants to back him when he leaves. Anyway, she brings in a ton of food some days because she doesn't have room for it in her fridge and doesn't want to throw it away, ya know? So I had these fantastic fish tacos for dinner with the best guacamole I've ever eaten. The whole meal was phenomenal. The only drawback was that I missed my window to catch 30 minutes of sleep during my break because I was eating," Hunter grinned. "Worth it though, believe me!"
"Well, then let's get some sleep, shall we?" Sebastian tugged Hunter's hand and led him into their bedroom where he systematically undressed them both and gave Hunter a little push so he flopped back on the bed. "You look delicious. Could you work on that, please? Don't come home looking so tasty when we're both exhausted?"
Hunter smiled at Seb and hauled his husband down on top of him, reaching over to switch the lamp off and tug the covers up over them both.
"You know I need you, right? I don't know what I'd do without you, Seb. You urge me on, you take care of me, you make me wanna be a better me and I honestly don't know how'd I'd get by without you in my life. And it certainly doesn't hurt that you have a fantastic ass, and your dick is a thing of sheer pleasure and beauty…just so you know," Hunter finished, eyes already closed, without missing a beat. Sebastian barked out a laugh that had him actually jerking up off the bed and hugging his own stomach.
"Awww, Doc…such a way with words, ya know it?" Sebastian's eyes crinkled as he stared through the darkness at his husband, knowing that whatever doubts and fears he'd had months ago before they were married, those were a thing of the past and he never ever wanted to be without this man beside him. "You know…you're not so bad yourself…" he said, rolling toward Hunter and propping himself up on his side. His hand wandered dangerously close to Hunters now half hard cock and at that moment he didn't care how tired he was, he wanted his man in his mouth.
"Babe…" Hunter groaned with enough enthusiasm that Sebastian didn't give himself time to think twice about his hand moving closer to its goal. He flopped gracelessly between Hunter's legs on top of the sheet, but left himself enough room to tug the sheet down, and then went to work on Hunter's boxer briefs. He'd barely slipped them down enough for Hunter to escape the cotton prison before he took all of the man into his mouth and gave a good, long suck without warning. "Christ, Seb….baby…oohhhhhhh…." he groaned, lost in the sensations Sebastian was pulling out of him. His mind was chanting 'sleep, sleep, sleep…', but his body was screaming over it, "plenty of time to sleep later, don't stop…"
Elbows digging into the mattress beside Hunter's hips, Sebastian didn't waste any time getting right to the point. He felt Hunter's hands fist in his hair and tug, just slightly, and Seb knew his time was limited. Get to the point and get it done, Smythe. Seb worked him over, bobbing his head quickly, keeping his mouth tight around Hunter's length and making sure he was precise in his suction. Hunter's knees bent just slightly, unable to rise fully because Seb was laying on the sheet that covered them. His hips were pinned down as well between the sheet and Sebastian's body, but all Hunter could focus on was the wet, warm heat surrounding the head of his cock and his husband's fascinating mouth.
"This'll be over embarrassingly fast, baby….please…." Hunter groaned, tugging a bit more on Seb's hair before his telltale whine that signaled he was so very close. With a moan that tapered off as quickly as it began, Hunter succumbed to his pleasure and slumped back into the mattress like a wet noodle. Sebastian massaged his husband through his orgasm with his mouth, taking care of him and the mess, and by the time he raised his head and let go of Hunter with a wet pop, the poor, exhausted man was already softly snoring. Sebastian chuckled and let his head drop, his chin resting on Hunter's soft belly as he stared at the sleeping face of the man he loved more than anything else in his life.
"Jeff, I'm…I'm really struggling with this. I know you feel like it's something you have to do, and I can see that, I really can, but….let's talk about this. This guy tried to kill you, man! Do you think it's wise to blindly walk into the lion's den and taunt the guy?" Blaine asked.
"He's in prison, Blaine…there are guards there and from what Nick tells me, he hasn't spoken to anyone in weeks…months, maybe. I have some things to say to him, and I honestly can't think of a safer place for that meeting to happen. It's not as if he's going to be able to snuff me out when there's an armed officer nearby, ya know? I need to do this, and I'd feel better if you went with me, but if you aren't up for it, I will certainly go it alone." Jeff was insistent, and Blaine knew that he wasn't going to talk Jeff out of going, but he also felt he had to let him know he had his doubts about the plan.
"Ok…alright, I'll give you that, but I'd feel better if you told Nick. I'm afraid he's going to be really angry, not only with you but with me as well, for letting you go through with this."
"No…I don't want him to worry. I'll tell him when it's over and I'm home, don't worry, but if I tell him beforehand he'll insist on going along and I don't think that'll help a damn thing, honestly. In fact, it would probably make it worse. I need to go, say what I have to say and then just leave. I'll go in to meet with him alone, I'll say my piece and I'll get out. In, out, quick, to the point, all done. Don't worry."
"Yeah, right, don't worry….because you said that, I'll just shrug off all my worry and not let it bother me. Makes all the sense in the world. So when's this happening?"
"I have to call up there and see when visiting hours are. I want to be able to walk without this limp, too. I don't want him to think he got to me at all. I want him to see a healthy and whole Jeff Sterling-Duval. No weakness, B."
"You're not limping. I don't see it…I think you feel like you're favoring it, but it doesn't look like you are." Blaine wanted to reassure his friend but then realized he probably just sped up his visit to David Duvall.
Blaine took a deep breath and nodded, resigned. Truth be told, he was terrified and thought Jeff should be as well, but his blonde friend acted as if this was nothing. He supposed after someone caused you to lose your job, burned part of your apartment down, threatened your family and then tried to kill you that a mere visit wasn't much…to Jeff. To Blaine it was nerve wracking and he honestly felt kind of sick. But…this was Jeff, and if Jeff wanted him there, he'd be there. No ifs, ands or buts about it. He just wished he could arm himself for the visit…but he knew he wouldn't get past the parking lot that way. Saying he was nervous was an understatement.
"Ok, so that's all taken care of….I need to call up there, find out when I can show up, and I need to know if they tell him who's visiting or if he just comes into the visiting place and wham! There I am…."
"Yeah, I'd ask that. If he knows you're there, he may not even come out of his cell to talk to you. That'd be a wasted trip. And how do you plan on getting up there, anyway? You just gonna wait til Nick leaves and take his car?" Blaine chuckled.
"I'll take mine, I don't need to swipe his…" Jeff trailed off, wiping down the counter and shaking the dishrag into the sink.
"Oh yeah? How'd you get your car up here?"
"I…uh…I didn't. It was a…um…a wedding gift. Nicky bought me a car," Jeff mumbled, grinning widely and biting his lip.
"Oh really?" Blaine smirked. "And what, exactly, dare I ask, did he buy you?" Blaine was super curious now, knowing what Nick drove. "And did you have any say in it or did he just pick something?"
"He asked me what I wanted…and then he ordered it. I didn't get what he's got, if you're thinking that. I've got no need for a car that costs that much money. I'm afraid to drive it as it is…I just wanted something…nice. And it is," he smiled.
"Soooo?"
"C'mon, let's go see it. We can go take a buzz around town if you want. Wanna go shopping? Ohhh! We have a ring to shop for, don't we?" Jeff asked, bouncing lightly on his toes, still wary of his leg. Blaine just shook his head at his friend, grinning like a fool at the blonde ball of crazy, and followed him out to the elevator to make their way to the garage.
"Yeah…we can do that. I saw a few I liked the other day…I'll show 'em to ya."
Jeff's sporty little Audi was good for weaving in and out of traffic, and Blaine figured it would be one of the last days they could drive with the top down. It was nice, getting out of the crazy city traffic and opening it up on the road further from the heart of the city. They pulled off at a little roadside diner in the middle of nowhere and got burgers and milkshakes before climbing back in and heading home, Blaine driving this time. Getting used to the clutch took a few minutes, but once he got the feel of it, he was thrilled to be sailing down the back roads with the wind in his hair.
Jeff didn't seem to mind, and Blaine thought, perhaps, his leg might be bothering him. He was happy to take a turn driving, though, and had to admit that he missed his spotty little BMW he'd left at home in the garage. Of course, his mother told him she'd sell it for him and his father took it upon himself to keep the money that was made from the sale, stating that it was 'his' money which had paid for the car to begin with. Blaine didn't argue, not wanting to cause a ruckus between his parents at the time. Little had he known what was going on and what his mother would find in those journals. Now he wished he'd given his father hell. But…that was over. That was then and this was now, and now he was pulling into a parking garage across the street from a small, family owned jeweler back in the city.
He nearly dragged Jeff across the street, barely dodging traffic and not paying attention to anything else around them but the store front. He was like a man possessed and Jeff tried not to snicker at his friend, knowing this was just the type of thing that would make Blaine a nervous wreck. Clearly he'd had too much time to think about it in the car.
"Blaine, it's always nice to see you!" The sales lady was all smiles as Blaine walked through the door with Jeff close on his heels. "Is this your young man?"
"Huh?" Blaine gaped immediately, turning to eye a grinning Jeff, whose hand rested lightly on Blaine's shoulder as they came through the door. "Oh…no, God no, Barb!" He babbled, shaking his head. "This is my Jeff…I mean…this is Jeff…my friend. My best Jeff…friend…"
The saleswoman, Barb, raised her eyebrows at Blaine, then her eyes landed on Jeff, a chuckle nearly bubbling out from her chest as she took in Blaine's flustered appearance.
"Well, ok then, I'm assuming you brought him along for his opinion, then?"
"I did, yes," Blaine said, regaining his thoughts. "He knows Kurt quite well and as I told you, Kurt's a bit more fashion forward than your average guy and I thought Jeff would be able to help me with making a decision from the options I've already narrowed it down to since I'm not so good with this stuff and Kurt's…Kurt's the grand diva of accessorizing, I mean it's what he does, ya know, for work…he's a fashion designer and…and I don't want to choose the wrong thing because then he may not like it and if he doesn't like it he'll wear it anyway because he's sweet that way and he'd be afraid of upsetting me by just saying he didn't care for it so I thought I'd nip that in the bud—"
"Blaine stop!" Jeff jumped in, placing both hands firmly on his friend's shoulders and softly shaking him. They were eye to eye now and Jeff could tell Blaine was breathing a little heavier than normal after his little bout of rambling nonsense. "Good Lord, man…ok, deep breath," Jeff said, then turned to speak to the woman behind the counter whose eyes were big and round now. "Would you happen to have a glass of water…bottle of water…anything?"
"I…yes, I do. I'll be right back…one second," she said, then disappeared through a door behind her. Jeff turned back to Blaine, concern clear in his eyes.
"Duuuuude…you need to calm down, ok? If you're not ok with this yet, then you don't do it. I thought you were going to overheat and explode there for a minute, B. I won't have it!" Jeff put his hand on Blaine's forehead and deemed it not hot, then put both hands on Blaine's pink cheeks forcing him to look Jeff in the eyes. "Tell me what's up?"
"I'm…I love….I'm so in love with him, Jeff…" Blaine blurted out, then was horrified to find that he was crying, just sobbing outright in the middle of the jewelry store. "I don't wanna wait. I want to ask him yesterday and get married tomorrow, ya know? I just…he's so perfect, Jeffie…" Blaine nearly threw himself into Jeff's arms and couldn't stop himself from heaving in huge lungs full of air as he tried to compose himself. Just then Blaine's phone rang and the ringtone announced that it was Kurt. Blaine looked at the screen and his eyes went wide with panic. He was glancing around the store and out the windows as if Kurt could see where he was and knew what he was doing. Shaking his head vigorously, he nearly threw the phone at Jeff who wasn't sure what to do, so he answered it with only a little hesitation.
"Kurt…what's up, man?"
"Jeff? Is Blaine with you?"
"Uh…yeah, in a manner of speaking, he's…with me. Sort of."
"Can I speak with him?" Blaine could hear every word and frantically shook his head no, certain he'd never get through the conversation without revealing exactly where he was and what he was doing, not to mention probably sobbing into Kurt's ear.
"Uh…he can't talk right now, Kurt, he's kinda busy and uh…I can have him call you back later if you want?" Jeff said, eyes wide and casting glances at Blaine that said "wth man? What should I say?" Blaine just continued to shake his head no, panicking.
"What do you mean he can't talk. Jeff, is everything ok? Where's Blaine?"
"He's uh…everything's fine, Kurt, really, he uh…" Jeff paused, unsure what to say and how to get out of the conversation without rousing any suspicion. "He's in the can, Kurt, and you know how long it takes him when he's had too many vegetables. He's been in there awhile and I don't even wanna get close to the door, man, or I'd hand him the phone or slip it under. I'll have him call you later, ok? Gotta run, our uh…our pizza we ordered for lunch is here. Peace out, Kurtie!" Jeff said, then disconnected the call, utterly proud of himself. When he looked up and caught eyes with Blaine, he knew he probably hadn't made any points with his friend, as he was staring slack jawed at the blonde as if he'd lost his mind. Barb stood behind him with the requested bottle of water utterly confused.
"Oh my God, Jeff….really? That's what you came up with? REALLY?" Blaine gaped.
"I was under duress!" Jeff snapped back. "You…you caught me off guard when you shoved the phone at me and I didn't know what to say! It's a legit excuse, man, you have to give me that much!"
"Barb, I'm so sorry, you must think we're crazy," Blaine said, still flustered and now blushing.
"Blaine, drink the water and let's start over, shall we?" She grinned at him widely as she shook her head and resisted rolling her eyes fondly at Jeff. As Blaine finished the water, she took the bottle and tossed it in the trash and rested her hands on the glass case. "Ok, boys…what'll it be?"
From there things went smoothly and there was only one time when Jeff thought Blaine would hyperventilate as they pulled rings out, examined them, named off pros and cons and then put them back. In the end, there were two left after whittling down the many options Blaine had started with.
"This one, B….this is so him. It's timeless and classic and a little flashy but not…really…and I think he'll love it. I really do," Jeff said with a sincere smile and his arm over Blaine's shoulders.
"Yeah? You're sure?"
"Absolutely positive. He's gonna love it, I know it."
"K….Ok. Well, Barb, I think we've made our choice," Blaine smiled, biting his bottom lip and then losing the battle to a face splitting grin as the ring was slipped into a velvet box and he handed over his credit card. With a fond look at his friend, Blaine hugged Jeff and murmured into his ear, "Thank you, Jeffie…thank you for coming with me, for keeping me grounded and centered, and for knowing this is a big thing, and I'd need you. I'll always need you."
"You will…and I'll always need you. And you have me, B…you'll always have me. Now go get your boy and get it done!" Jeff grinned, watching as Blaine turned to sign the sales slip before thanking Barb and leaving the store holding two precious things: his best friend's hand and the love of his life's engagement ring.
"I want to know who you told and I want to know now, Rachel Berry." Kurt was more than confused by his phone call to Blaine, which was actually answered by Jeff.
"Kurt? What are you talking about?" Rachel asked, clearly confused.
"At dinner you all were looking around at one another, giving silly grins and glances and even winking. Did you tell Finn? I asked you and Carol not to say anything! Lord knows Finn can't keep a secret to save his life…I wanted it to be a surprise, Rach!" Kurt whined.
"Kurt, I promise you, I haven't said a word to anyone. I haven't even mentioned it to Carol since we left the store. I gave you my word that I'd keep it quiet and I meant it. I don't know what everyone was grinning about, but it wasn't because of something I said. Is Blaine acting oddly? Do you think he knows? You hid the ring well, didn't you?"
"I did, there's no way he'll find it. And no, he's acting fine, but I could tell Jeff and Finn and even Dad were a little bit off. Maybe I'm over-reacting, I dunno. But then…THEN, I called Blaine today and Jeff answered his phone and gave me some horrible excuse why Blaine couldn't talk to me and said he was in the bathroom and he'd been in there for a while and… it was just very strange. He was nervous, I could tell. You don't think something's wrong, do you? I mean, they're so close, Jeff would tell me if something was wrong, wouldn't he?"
"Kurt, I don't know. Jeff's his best friend. Maybe something was going on and—"
"What? What do you mean 'going on"? You think they…that they're…behind my back? No, Rachel…he wouldn't ever do that to me. He wouldn't!" Kurt argued fiercely.
"Kurt no! I didn't mean that, good grief! Blaine wouldn't ever cheat on you, Kurt. Been there with that suspicion and done that, and let's not go there again, remember? I just think maybe you're over thinking this….you're so high strung when you're planning and plotting and I know you want to make it perfect, and I'll help you in any way that I can, ok? Just don't panic, don't make problems where there are none and don't doubt Blaine. I've gotta run, Kurt. I'm due in alterations...ugh, 5 minutes ago! Love you…talk soon!" She said, disconnecting the call.
Kurt stood there, staring at his phone after being hung up on twice in 20 minutes. This wasn't going to be his day, apparently.
When Blaine's phone rang as Jeff dropped him off in front of the building, he was relieved to see that it was Rachel, but he was also curious. Rachel didn't call him often, if at all. She called Kurt when she needed something.
"Hi, Rachel, what's up?" He asked brightly.
"Blaine! I'm glad I could reach you! Look, I know this is an odd question, and I tried to call Kurt first, but it went to voicemail…I was wondering if I could get Jeff's phone number from you? I have a question regarding theater and acting and I was hoping he could help me out?"
"Oh, sure, I know he'd be glad to, and I can do you one better. He's here with me in the car, would you like to speak with him?" Blaine asked, helpful as ever.
"I would, thank you, Blaine!" Rachel said with her characteristically insane enthusiasm. Blaine shrugged and gave Jeff the phone.
"Rachel, it's Jeff, how are ya?"
"I'm good, thanks, and you?"
"Awesome! I spent the day with my boy, Blaine, and I just pulled up to drop him off. What can I do for you?"
"You know, I have something I want to run by you…theater and acting and all that and I was wondering if you'd meet me for coffee or something soon?"
"Absolutely, when are you free? I can show up any time, I'm sort of…well, I don't have anything going on now, so…" he trailed off and laughed.
"As soon as you can…how about now? I can be anywhere in less than an hour."
"Sounds good, where are you? I'll come to you," Jeff offered. Rachel rattled off the address and Jeff hung up. He and Blaine said their goodbyes and Jeff pulled away from the curb with a short wave and a grin.
Thirty minutes later he pulled up to a coffee shop a block and a half from the theater Rachel performed in nightly and spotted her outside waiting for him as he slid the sleek little car into a blessedly open parking place alongside the café.
"Well look at you, Blondie. Sweet ride…how'd you pull that off?" Rachel grinned.
"Wedding gift from my over-the-top husband who hasn't quite figured out the meaning of boundaries and limits. I let him do his thing, ya know? The last time I argued with him over it, bad things happened. I'm taking it as a sign that I need to loosen up a little bit," Jeff smiled back as they walked inside. "What'll it be? I'll grab it," Jeff said, strolling backwards from the table Rachel sat at toward the counter.
"Just some hot tea with lemon, please, thank you, Jeff."
When Jeff came back with his own cup of coffee and Rachel's tea, he slipped into the seat across from her and slid the cup over toward her.
"Ok, so how can I help?" Jeff asked, always eager to talk about theater and acting.
"I lied, I don't need help with any theater stuff," she said, waving him off airily. "I want to know what's going on. Kurt talked to you today and then called me a little rattled. I know why he's rattled, but you shouldn't be making him suspicious, so you need to spill it so you and I can be on the same page and help this little business along," she said, getting right to the point and not letting Jeff get word in edgewise. His stunned expression and blinking eyes let her know she was on the right track.
"I…what?" He muttered, shaking his head in confusion.
"Kurt called to talk to Blaine and you wouldn't let him. You gave him some ridiculous story about Blaine being in the restroom instead. You're hiding something. Who told you? Because I know it wasn't me," she demanded. "It had to be Carol. You guys didn't tell Finn, did you? Because he can't keep a secret to save his life."
"Secret?"
"Don't play dumb with me, Jeff. I know you know something."
Jeff wasn't sure what to say. How had Rachel found out? Could she have seen them in the store? Every scenario that passed through his mind was too far-fetched, from the jewelry saleslady knowing Rachel and connecting dots which weren't even there, to Rachel overhearing something she wasn't there to hear. There was no way she could know. He sat silently for a few seconds more thinking about his reply.
"Blaine…I've known him for a long time…when a man's in the can, you don't disturb him, Rachel…he's my best friend, I know this better than anyone since we lived together for years…and Kurt should know it, too. I mean, he lives with the guy…"
"What the hell are you talking about, Jeff?" Rachel asked, brows drawn.
"What the hell are YOU talking about, Rachel?" Jeff questioned her, his face more confused than questioning. She let out a long sigh and stared straight into his eyes until he began to squirm.
"I know you know about the ring," she finally blurted out, then second guessed it, but it was too late.
"How the hell do YOU know about the ring?!" Jeff bellowed back, eyes wide and clearly surprised and upset now. "How could you possibly know?"
"Jeff…" she sighed, "I'm his best friend, I was with him when he bought it," she smiled, shaking her head at his anxious demeanor.
"What? No you're not, I am, and I was there!"
"Of course I am! You two may have spent quite a bit of time together recently, but clearly I'm his best friend, Jeff. He had it all picked out and—"
"No…he didn't. He may have had it narrowed down, but we spent a good amount of time discussing which would be the best choice. Kurt's very picky, you know, and getting the wrong ring wasn't an option. He was totally anxious, completely freaking out. I had to calm him down…." Jeff let the sentence hang as he considered what alternate world Rachel lived in where she suddenly considered herself Blaine's best friend.
"I don't know when he took you to see the ring, Jeff, and quite frankly I'm absolutely furious that you were allowed to see it before me, but he wasn't upset at all. He was very calm and knew exactly what he wanted, and there were no other options. He picked well, the ring is gorgeous," Rachel argued. "And you still haven't answered my question. Who told you?"
"Blaine told me, of course!"
"Blaine knows?!" Rachel blurted out loudly, causing many of the patrons of the café to turn and look their way.
"Of course he knows. You're insane, short stuff. How could he possibly buy something he doesn't know about? You're not making any sense at all…" Jeff said, understandably confused by her outburst.
"Wait, what? Blaine….Blaine bought a ring?!" She blurted out loudly, yet again, completely unruffled by the stares they were getting. A barista approached their table then, slowly and with trepidation, asking if she could get them refills in the hope that they'd settle down a bit. Rachel handed her cup over but Jeff had barely touched his.
"Rachel, we need to start from the beginning. Why did you call me here?" Jeff asked.
"I…" she began, but then it dawned on her, and by the look on Jeff's face it dawn on him as well. "Kurt bought an engagement ring for Blaine!"
"And Blaine bought one for Kurt!" Jeff said excitedly. "Oh man…he's…he'll be totally bummed if Kurt proposes first. He's got this plan, ya know?"
"Oh, Jeff…Kurt's been thinking of the perfect way to ask and I don't have the heart to watch it all fall to pieces if Blaine asks him first!" Rachel was clearly conflicted as was Jeff.
"We have to let this play out, Rachel. I won't tell Blaine and you won't tell Kurt. Whoever asks first is up to them. We can't get in on it. Deal?" Jeff asked, slipping his hand across the table to shake. Rachel hesitated. Being Rachel, she was always one to stick her nose in where it wasn't needed, and she wanted Kurt to ask first. But…it wasn't for her to decide or mess with. Resigned, she shook Jeff's hand.
"I won't say anything, I promise. But how long is Blaine planning to wait before he asks?"
"I don't know. When he broke down blubbering in the jewelry store today he said he wanted to ask him yesterday and marry him tomorrow. He doesn't want to wait," Jeff said, filling her in on the plan.
"Well, my only comment to Kurt will be 'don't wait too long, then' and I won't say another word," Rachel smiled. "Oh, this is going to be so exciting! Alright, give me your number so we can compare notes if this gets dragged out too long. And as soon as you know anything, I want to be in the loop, ok?"
"I don't know if he'll tell me exactly when he's planning to ask Kurt, but if I find anything out, I'll pass it along….as long as you promise to keep quiet about it?"
"Pinky swear!" She grinned, and stuck out her pinky, squeezing with Jeff's as he offered his own finger.
Sebastian stared at his home computer screen, clicked to another tab, read through the information again, then back to the security video from his floor at work. He rewound, watched, rewound again, then paused. He did this over and over again at different stages of the tape, making notes as he went. Something wasn't right, and he wasn't sure what it was yet, but he was bound and determined to get to the bottom of it. He didn't like what he was seeing on the tape, and the corresponding phone calls that were made at the same times. Flicking through the print outs next to him, he sipped his decaf coffee and compared the pages. Running his tongue over his top teeth, he paused, circling a date and time that didn't fit. How long had they been getting away with it? Sebastian wondered if anything he was just now finding was the subject of this coming Monday morning's mandatory meeting at the ass crack of dawn. He wasn't so thrilled with the time, but if someone else came across this information, he was all ears. Knowing what he knew, a few of his fellow employees weren't to be trusted.
He considered calling Jimmy, his boss, and letting him in on what he'd found, but oddly, until he had more answers, he wasn't sure who he could trust at that point. So far, Jimmy hadn't shown up on his radar, but someone was heading up this bullshit, and to find out who it was he'd have to do some digging. The Governor himself was the only one to whom he felt any responsibility. He worked for him, it was Sebatian's job to protect him, and he felt that the Governor deserved to know what was going on sooner rather than later.
The thought crossed his mind to see if he could possibly get a moment with the Governor over the weekend, just the two of them. It was, after all, his safety at risk, and Sebastian didn't feel comfortable waiting with the information he'd found. The following evening Sebastian was scheduled to attend a charity gathering with the man…surely he could lure him away for a moment. If his life was in danger, it was Seb's responsibility to say something. He wondered if he should even wait that long, but his only option was contacting the man's secretary and having to spill his guts as to why he was calling and interrupting the Governor on a Saturday morning while he played, probably, his last round of golf for the season. He'd have people with him there…he'd be surrounded by witnesses. No…nothing was going to happen there, but Seb was damn sure not going to pass up the opportunity to make the information known to his boss as soon as possible.
"Sutton, Garver and Kensington…I've got my eye on you, boys. Best to wrap it up and go home before someone gets hurt. Not on my watch, gentleman…not on my watch."
"Talking to yourself again?" Hunter asked, dragging himself through the door at an obscene hour. "This is the fourth night in a row I've found you here working instead of sleeping. What's up, baby? Something wrong? You never do this much work at home…and surely not until 2 a.m."
Seb initially jumped, not hearing Hunter come in because of the ear buds he was using to try to hear what was being said on the tape. He knew nobody else would get in. Only Hunter had a key.
"I uh…some stuff that needs to be done before Monday. We have big meeting and I want to be prepared," Sebastian smiled. There was no way he was telling Hunter what he'd found. It screamed of something rotten and he'd assume way too much, not listening when Sebastian tried to tell him it was nothing. And it wasn't "nothing"…it was definitely something, and Seb aimed to find out what. What he'd already come across was dangerous information to have, and he was a little unnerved about the event the following evening. There were lives on the line and he didn't want his boss' life to be one of them. Hunter would assume the worst and freak out, and Seb didn't need to deal with that now…not at all. He needed to be sharp and on his game. Shit was about to go down.
"Hey man, what's up?" Blaine said with his sunny smile as he ran into Trent climbing the stairs in the building. Trent looked up then and Blaine's smile froze, then died. "Trent…what's wrong? What happened?" He asked, then moved quickly to his friend's side and softly pulled him into a hug. This, of course, set Trent off into another round of tears before he could even speak properly to tell Blaine what was wrong. "Ok, ok…get it out. What can I do? What do you need?" Blaine cooed, rubbing his hand up and down Trent's back.
"H-he cancelled everything. Thad called everyone and cancelled everything for the wedding…"
"What?! No…No, Trent, something's…he wouldn't do that. Did you guys argue? Is…I can't see him doing that, man. Are you sure?" Blaine asked, absolutely stunned with eyes wide. Trent dropped his eyes to the floor and nodded.
"I got a call today from the caterer. He called her early this morning and left a message and she was confirming it…she has my number on file. He won't answer his phone now, and I don't…he won't…why won't he talk to me, Blaine?"
"Oh God…Trent…no. There has to be a reason. Did you guys argue about anything recently?"
"No…nothing. Last night we had dinner that he cooked for me since it was my late night. We watched TV all snuggled up on the sofa and then we went to bed and had phenomenal se—"
"OK, TMI….I get it. Last night everything was fine and dandy…" Blaine rushed out, blushing. "So this makes no sense. You've tried to call him?"
"I did, so many times, and it just goes to voicemail. He won't even answer me. I feel sick. I have to go in there…" Trent said, nodding to their apartment door, "and hope that his things aren't gone," he choked out, barely able to keep it together.
"That's not like him, Trent. It's not, and you know it…something's off. There's a good explanation for this, ok? We'll get to the bottom of it. Did you get a call from anyone else?"
Trent nodded, eyes watery. Blaine asked all the right questions, and then made Trent go into his apartment to see that Thad's things were still inside. The audible rush of air from Trent would have been comical if it wasn't so sad. He was crushed, and Blaine made it his mission to talk some sense into him. Thad loved Trent and wouldn't do this without a reason, Blaine was absolutely sure of it.
They talked for an hour or more, sitting on the sofa, and Blaine assured Trent that it was all a huge mistake and that they'd get to the bottom of it as soon as Thad got home. When Trent told him that the officiant had already booked himself another wedding and that they'd have to find someone else, Blaine had an idea.
"Listen, I know someone who can help you, I think. Let me make a call and I'll get you his info, ok? I left my phone upstairs…I was actually just going down to grab the mail when you came in. I'll get in touch with him and bring you his info, alright? Don't panic, Trent. Something's not right about all this…it's not like Thad at all, and I think you know this, don't you?" Blaine said, head tilted as he looked at his friend and tried to be calming. Trent nodded and hugged him.
"Thank you…for talking some sense into me. I'll wait for him and just…just talk to him when…if …he comes home."
"Sounds good, my friend. I'll get you that info as soon as I can, ok?" Blaine smiled, patting Trent on the shoulder, then stood to leave. "You ok?"
"I'm ok for now, yeah. Thanks."
Blaine nodded and slipped out the door to grab the mail and head back upstairs to make a few phone calls…and one would certainly be to Thad.
"Babe, I'm home!" Thad yelled as he came through the door of their apartment a mere five minute later. When there was no answer, he assumed that Trent wasn't home yet and dropped his bag at the desk near the door, hung his keys and walked into the kitchen for a glass of water. It was only then, when he turned to get his phone out of his jacket pocket, where he'd unfortunately left it the night before, that he saw Trent on the sofa in the living room, curled up into a ball and staring straight ahead at the TV which wasn't even on.
"T?" Thad tried again, and slowly, Trent turned his head to look at him. "Hey…honey, what's wrong?" He asked, sitting down on the sofa beside Trent.
"Do you….Thad, why don't you want to marry me?" Trent asked, the sadness in his voice enough to tear at Thad's heart.
"Oh my God, what kind of question is that, of course I do! How can you even ask me that?" He said, rubbing circles in Trent's back. When he heard his fiancé sniff and realized his eyes were filled with tears, he figured something big was up…but for the life of him, he couldn't think of what it might be. "Trent…tell me what's going on, please. I don't know why you're questioning things, but if you are, we need to talk about it. Have you changed your mind?"
"No…I haven't. Absolutely not, but…Thad, I got a phone call today that scared the hell out of me and…I just need to know that you're still on board with me, here, ok?"
"Trent Nixon, nothing in this world, barring death, will keep me from marrying you in two weeks. Nothing. Do you understand what I'm saying? We have everything set, everyone's been contacted, the invitations sent, the replies received, the seating charts are complete…I don't know what else could be left to do," Thad smiled. Trent did not. "What phone call…please tell me…you're scaring me, Trent."
"The caterer called me today…on my cell phone, at work. Apparently, she said you'd called her and cancelled, citing that you'd changed your mind and that we were no longer in need of her services. When I questioned it, she said you provided her with the confirmation number and everything. You told her I'd moved back home and there was no…no need for…" Trent stopped talking then, unable to finish his thought as his throat closed up and he tried to calm himself. Thad was sitting here with him, on their sofa, in their apartment and he said there was nothing wrong. Clearly this was someone's idea of a joke. Little did Thad know yet how far it had gone.
"Baby…no, there's some mistake. Did you tell her that? Surely she hasn't booked anyone else in our place in a matter of hours, right?" Thad moved from sitting on the edge of the sofa to kneeling on the floor in front of it, his hands cradling Trent's tear streaked face as he spoke in low, soothing tones.
"I- I asked her to please give me a few hours to talk to you…to find out what was going on and she agreed. But Thad…she wasn't the only one who got a phone call. After I spoke with her I kind of panicked, and I called you at work…but you didn't answer, so I started calling everyone else we had booked. Whoever…whoever did this cancelled everything…the caterer, the photographer, the musicians…everything. I tried to do damage control…everyone's waiting for us, on standby until I spoke with you…except the officiant. We'll have to find someone else…he booked another wedding that someone called him about just yesterday. I feel sick, Thad. If it wasn't you, then someone else…who would do this and how? They'd have to have access to our information…our lists and everything, which are here in the apartment! And why didn't you answer me all day?!" He finished, the anxiety finally making him snap. Just then Thad's phone chimed with a text alert. He got up to fish it out of his jacket pocket and swiped at the screen, seeing the message from Blaine.
Blaine: WTAF, man. We need to talk. You get in touch with me right fucking now, Thad.
The grin that spread over Thad's face was out of place in their heated discussion.
"I'm assuming you've already talked to Blaine?" he grinned. "Baby, I left my phone in my jacket last night and didn't have it with me all day. I'm sorry…I'm so sorry. And I was out of the office all day on site…you tried to call me there?" He asked, feeling awful. Trent just nodded sadly. "Oh Babe…"
"Someone's fucking with us, Thad."
"Who had access to everything? Did you have the information with you anywhere? I've only had the information out of the house once. I had to have it to write checks to finalize everything…they wanted payment two weeks before the wedding so I took it all to work with me and—" Thad broke off, suddenly angry and clearly turning multiple shades of red. It all made sense now…coming back from picking up lunch, planning to eat at his desk while writing the final checks, and seeing Micah slip out of his door as Thad stepped off the elevator, then feign surprise when he saw him saying 'oh, I was just looking for you in your office, Thad….'. He was more than furious. He was going to rip that asshole's head off. As if Trent wasn't stressing out enough, now he had to deal with all of this as well. But he knew when it all clicked for Trent. His expression changed as soon as Thad said he'd taken everything to work with him. He knew.
Trent's jaw clenched tightly and his breathing picked up. Thad saw his fingers clench into fists and his nostrils flare. He was pissed, and rightly so.
"You took…you took it to work with you? He did this, didn't he? Micah, that ass who followed you here from Atlanta…the one who throws himself at you on a daily basis…he did this. Who else would even bother? I'll kill him!" Trent raged, his breathing ragged and his hands shaking.
"Babe…ok, calm down. I'm angry, too, but we need proof before we punish, maim and kill him. Let's call everyone who has anything to do with the wedding plans right now and reassure them that this is someone's idea of a sick joke and make sure we have what we need. We'll get another officiant and then we'll work on pinning down who's at fault." Thad said calmly, attempting to reassure his fiancé.
"I'll make him wish he'd never looked at you, Thad. I know he has damn good taste, because he wants you, but you're mine, and I saw you first, and I don't play well with others when it comes to you. I'm going to end him, you mark my words." Trent growled.
"I know you will, baby, and I can't wait to see it happen," Thad grinned, leaning in to peck Trent on the lips, intending to pull back quickly, but Trent all riled up was a thing of beauty and Thad couldn't get enough. Leaning into Trent, he had him on his back on the sofa in no time.
"Mmmm…what? Now? You wanna make out now?" Trent mumbled.
"You are so unbelievably hot when you're angry. I can't help it…your eyes light up with this intense fire and you're even more gorgeous than you normally are. I adore you, Trent…" he said, mouthing at his fiance's neck and nipping at his collarbone. "Gonna marry my best friend in two weeks…go on our honeymoon and make love to you so many times you won't be able to walk off the plane when we get home….."
"Can't…can't think when you're doing that…losing my angry edge, babe…" Trent gasped, trying not to grin but losing the battle. His right hand gripped behind Thad's head and his left slipped under his shirt as he tugged it from Thad's waistband, then slid his fingers under the waistband of the tight black boxer briefs Thad was wearing. When his fingers found and traced the split as far as they could go, Thad gasped and ground his hips forward.
"Shit…oh shit, yeah…ok…can we…ohhh…." Thad gasped. "Need you…bed…please…."
"Don't wanna move…just…" Trent groaned, then moved his hand around between them to flick Thad's button and tug at his zipper. "Let me…" he mumbled, moving to his own zipper and snap and shoving his pants down just a little to free the necessary bits.
"I'll let you anything, baby…." Thad smiled, feeling Trent shove his pants and underwear down past his ass, hands gripping and grabbing Thad's butt firmly and pulling him close as they ground together. The friction was beautiful and Trent's tongue was exploring his fiance's mouth thoroughly when the door opened and Blaine came striding down the short hall into the living room.
"So I got in touch with a guy from work and he knows a guy who can—" he broke off as he rounded the back of the sofa to find his friends only partially clothed, writhing on top of one another, blissfully ignorant of their visitor until he nearly choked and dropped his phone as well as the paper he held in his grip when he threw his hands up over his face. "Shit…sorry! I…damn, Trent, I haven't even been gone ten minutes! Jesus…Ok…Thad, ignore my text…I'll just…shit!" Blaine exclaimed, groping for his phone, backing out of the apartment, still not looking, and banging into the desk near the front door. After tripping over Thad's bag, he turned his back to his friends and made his way into the hallway, closing the door behind him with a thud. "Good Christ…" he groaned, leaning against the wall in the hall.
"Not a good visit, then?" Kurt asked, climbing the stairs as he arrived home from work.
"Oh my Lord…can we just not talk about it right now? Shit…"
"Ok," Kurt grinned, eyebrows raised and curious. "Did you have a good day? Learn anything new?"
"Yes…Thad has a birthmark on his right ass cheek that's shaped like Italy. Let's go get dinner somewhere, can we?" Blaine said, sounding harassed and out of sorts. Kurt just grinned at him and shook his head, knowing he'd get the full story sooner or later.
"Certainly, if that's what you want, B. What sounds good?"
"Anything but Italian!"
A/N As always, many thanks to Suzanne for being my grammar Nazi. So happy to hear that so many of you will be able to see Hedwig. I'm so excited and looking forward to it! July can't come soon enough! :) Super pumped to meet up with some of you as well! :D
Many thanks for the story recommendations you sent. Many of them are things I'm already reading, but a few were new and worth the read. Anything you can suggest is a good thing :) I'm currently reading through everything written by Serohtonin on AO3. She does a lot of RPF, but some Glee / Klaine as well. I find it well worth my time :)
Thanks for reading! Have a great weekend, you guys!