Happy Wednesday. Hope you're all doing great.
Here's a new chapter for all of you! I'm very grateful for the support for this story so far :)
Thanks to Christine for helping me with all my edits, and to Sofi for the encouragement while writing.
Enjoy!
A patch of moonlight fell right in the middle of the bed. Blaine lifted Kurt's hand and kissed each fingertip, before pressing his palm to his chest, where he still felt his heart racing. He wanted Kurt to feel it too. He wanted him to know exactly how special what they had just done was.
They had gone over the edge together, and Blaine was never going to forget that moment for as long as he lived.
He turned to lay on his side, tucking himself to Kurt's chest. Kurt immediately wrapped an arm around him, protectively, pulling him even closer. Blaine kissed the spot where his neck met his chest and glanced at him. Kurt's eyes were closed, the expression on his face was more peaceful than he had ever seen it, but he knew he was still awake.
"Hey, Kurt?"
Kurt hummed to show him he had his attention. "Yeah?"
"I've been thinking…"
"I hope this isn't about some other book you've been reading…" Kurt teased.
Blaine pushed him a little. "I'm serious."
Kurt pressed his smile to the top of Blaine's head. "Sorry. What were you thinking about?"
"The way you handled Rachel's parents tonight. And Rachel herself," Blaine said. The party somehow seemed to have happened a million years ago. "I was so proud of you."
Kurt was very still. "I barely even spoke to them."
"I know, but you agreed to meet with them. You invited them to meet you. I think that's a really wonderful first step."
"Is that how you saw it?"
Blaine shifted to lie on top of him now, resting his hands on Kurt's chest and his chin on top of them, so he could look at his face. He was completely expressionless. "It must have been really hard for you to do that after what happened between you all those years ago. It took a lot of courage, if you ask me."
"I can't say it was exactly a pleasure," Kurt admitted in a monotone.
"I know, but it was the right thing," Blaine said, smiling softly at him. "I'm sure Finn and Rachel must be so relieved. This must have been so hard on them."
"Forget about them," Kurt said, letting his hand trail down Blaine's naked back to settle on the curve of his ass. "There's something I've been meaning to ask you."
"What's that?" Blaine muttered curiously.
"Where did you get the book for tonight's performance?" Kurt asked and Blaine chuckled.
"Oh I got it at the library," he said. "The librarian recommended it to me. I think it was a very good choice."
"How exactly…" Kurt began to say bewildered, "do you ask someone for a recommendation like Three Nights with the Amazons?"
"There's no need to be embarrassed. I was very subtle about the whole thing," Blaine said at once, hoping to reassure him, but Kurt only frowned at him.
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"I just asked her for a book that would give us some… inspiration," Blaine shrugged, like it wasn't a big deal.
"Inspiration?" Kurt repeated, like he couldn't believe it.
"She was so very nice about it. I explained to her that we're newlyweds, and well… it's normal for newlyweds to fumble around a little bit…" Blaine said.
"Fumble around?" Kurt echoed, indignant.
Blaine cupped his cheek, like he wanted to console him. "Oh, please, don't be ashamed. No one expects you to be a perfect lover right from the start…"
"I cannot believe this," Kurt said with a huff.
Blaine tilted his head. "Are you angry?"
"Me? Angry? Whatever gave you that idea?" Kurt said sarcastically. "Where are my ties, by the way?"
Blaine looked around, and fished one from under the pillow. "Here's one. They're probably ruined. I'll try ironing them out in the morning, but I can just buy you new ones. The other one must be around here somewhere…"
"Don't worry, one will do," Kurt said, pulling it taut, as if to test it.
Blaine watched him, not understanding. "What are you going to do?"
"Fumble around a little," Kurt said with a little smirk, and rolled around very quickly, to get on top of Blaine. He caught one of his wrists.
"Kurt," Blaine laughed, parting his legs so Kurt could fall between them. "You wouldn't."
He giggled as Kurt tied his hand to the bed and began to kiss down his neck. There was something joyous and relieved in him. Everything was going to be alright. Kurt was learning how to play in bed.
On Sunday, Blaine felt, for the very first time, like they were truly, truly married.
It didn't feel like a farce, like a business agreement, when he blinked his eyes open. He was tucked right into Kurt's side, his face hidden in his neck, and Kurt had wrapped a protective arm around him, holding him close. Blaine propped himself up a bit, just enough to look down at Kurt, who kept sleeping peacefully, lips slightly parted. He was absolutely stunning, and Blaine felt extremely privileged to get to see him like this, because he knew no one else got to. He knew Kurt wasn't vulnerable around anyone – and he had agreed to be vulnerable with him last night. That was the most priceless thing in the world.
Blaine's definitely-not-creepy staring at his husband was interrupted by the growling of his stomach. The pizza they had eaten the night before seemed a million years away, and by the bright sunlight that bathed the bedroom, Blaine guessed it was late morning. It was odd for them to sleep in, since they were early risers, but considering they had been up more than half the night fumbling around, as Kurt had very eloquently said, then it made sense.
Blaine bit his lip. He'd better not start thinking about what they had been busy with last night or he would never get out of bed. He was already half-hard just for sleeping next to Kurt. With a little sigh, he kissed the curve of Kurt's shoulder, careful not to wake him and then fished his underwear from under the bed. He put that on with the sweater he had been wearing last night and padded out of Kurt's bedroom, barefoot.
After a quick stop at his en-suite bathroom, he headed to the kitchen and started opening and closing cabinets, checking the contents and thinking what he could do for breakfast. It was weird that Santana wasn't there, but he guessed Kurt had something to do with it, and Blaine was glad for it. He felt like spending some time alone with Kurt today.
Soon, he had found everything he needed to make breakfast. He started the coffee machine first, before moving down the counter to whip up some pancake batter, while he hummed a random song under his breath.
"Is everything okay?"
The question startled him, making him spill some batter on the pristine marble countertops. Blaine looked over his shoulder to find Kurt standing at the kitchen doorway, wearing a pair of dark blue silk pajama pants and nothing else. His mouth went a little dry, but he ignored that because there was a slight frown on Kurt's face.
"Oh hey," Blaine smiled softly at him, as he hurried to clean up the mess he'd made. "Yes, everything's fine. Why do you ask?"
Kurt took a few steps into the kitchen, but he seemed a bit wary. "I woke up and you were gone. I was wondering if maybe you were upset or…" He didn't finish the sentence, letting Blaine to fill in the blanks.
It felt a bit reminiscent of the first morning after they slept together, when Blaine had gone looking for him in the greenhouse, with the exact same concern. It was sweet that Kurt was echoing it now.
Blaine looked at him warmly. "Not upset, I promise. Just hungry."
"Okay…" Kurt nodded slowly, but he seemed still cautious. He stood right next to Blaine, leaning his hip against the counter to watch what he was doing. "What are you making?"
"Pancakes," Blaine said brightly. "They're the perfect Sunday breakfast, don't you think?"
"Sure," Kurt agreed vaguely, and he seemed too focused on looking at Blaine to really care about breakfast choices.
Blaine rolled his eyes and tilted his head back a little. "Hey. Come here," he murmured, and Kurt didn't hesitate to move in and kiss him, lightly, a brush of lips that shouldn't have been as sensual as it was. "Everything's okay. Stop worrying."
Whatever tension had been building in Kurt's shoulders dissipated and he let a little smile take over his lips. He gave Blaine a brief nod, and then said: "Can I help with anything?"
"Would you slice some fruit?" Blaine asked and tried not to shiver when Kurt nodded, ran a hand down the small of his back and moved to get the fruit. He failed.
It was like his entire body was hotwired to react to even the subtlest of Kurt's touches.
Soon they were sitting together at the kitchen table, a lot closer than it was necessary, enjoying pancakes and coffee like it was the most normal thing in the world for them. So far, since they had gotten married, Kurt had spent every Sunday pretty much the same way he spent the rest of his week: locked in his office, working. Blaine had entertained himself going out for a walk or meeting with Joanna, but they had been like two ships that didn't quite cross paths with each other despite being nearby.
They both carefully avoided talking about what they had found on Cooper's flash drive. They both seemed to need a moment of reprieve, a moment of calm, before they could face the world again the next day. Blaine still felt the buzzing of worry underneath his skin, but it was easier to ignore it when Kurt was placing his hand on his thigh under the table, in a gesture that was both intimate and apparently unconscious, like Kurt just needed to be touching him, feeling him close, at all times.
After breakfast, as if in tacit agreement, they left all the dishes in the sink to take care of later and Kurt guided him back to his private bathroom, and they got in the shower together. They kissed under the hot water spray and Blaine couldn't bite back his gasp when Kurt dropped to his knees and took him in his mouth. The only reason he didn't fall to the tiled floor, suddenly weakened by the image, was because Kurt had a good grip on him, hands firm on his hips.
And since they had talked about making things more equal between them, once Blaine managed to come back to himself after the mind-blowing orgasm that Kurt pulled from him, he pushed his husband against the wall and returned the favor, happy to do so, looking up at him from under his eyelashes, not wanting to miss the way Kurt's face reflected his pleasure.
They would have probably gone back to bed after they got out of the shower for yet another round, but their bodies felt too spent for it. So instead they slipped into pajamas and Blaine grabbed his hand and dragged him out to the living room, where they sat together on the couch, something they had never done since Blaine had moved in.
"Let's watch a movie," Blaine said, as he reached for the remote.
Kurt hummed quietly. "I haven't watched a movie in a very long time."
Blaine glanced at him, surprised. "No? Kurt, I think you need to relax more."
Kurt shrugged like it didn't matter. "I work a lot. There's a lot of stuff that requires my attention."
"Still, you should give yourself time to sit back and enjoy something every now and then. You'll go insane if you don't relax," Blaine said as he flipped through the channels.
Kurt smirked and leaned in to press a swift kiss to the edge of Blaine's jaw. "I'm quite relaxed right now," he said suggestively.
Blaine chuckled. "You're obsessed, Kurt Hummel," he said, and then grabbed Kurt's arm and put it around his shoulders so he could snuggle against him. He settled on a movie he had seen a million times, but he didn't really care what they watched. This wasn't about that, not really. "Now hold me and watch the movie."
Kurt shifted to get comfortable and did as Blaine asked, holding him tight against him. Blaine could feel the shape of his smile pressed against his temple. "Whatever you want. And Blaine?"
"Yeah?" Blaine murmured.
"It's Kurt Hummel-Anderson," he reminded him.
Blaine smiled, too, warmth spreading inside of him like wildfire, and burrowed more deeply into his husband's side.
It wasn't so bad, he thought, being married.
Not bad at all.
Monday morning found Blaine sitting behind his desk at Extravaganza, paperwork he needed to take care of spread in front of him, chin propped up on his hand, mind wandering. It was hard to focus on invoices and taxes when the images of that weekend were still so, so fresh, like they had happened seconds before. If he closed his eyes, he could still see Kurt's soft smile as they lied together in bed, arms around each other, warmth and safety surrounding them.
Kurt was making impressive progress.
Blaine knew that things weren't going to change overnight, but this weekend had been a perfect sample of how hard Kurt was willing to work, and how open he was to Blaine's suggestions. Blaine felt relieved and happy in a way he hadn't felt for a long time.
It made him feel like Kurt was going to work at making him happy, and that was certainly a positive thing in a marriage, even in one as odd as theirs.
Blaine shook his head and forced himself to focus on work – he couldn't spend the entire day thinking about how nice it felt to run his fingers over Kurt's beautiful pale skin, as tempting as it was. He started humming a cheery little tune as he reached for a catalogue. Maybe it would be more productive to choose a few new pieces, instead of trying to go over boring financial stuff right now.
He had only flicked through a couple of pages when there was a knock on the partly open door and he looked up to find Finn standing there. He looked gigantic in this small, cramped space, out of place.
"Finn, hi!" Blaine said cheerfully. "How are you? What a nice surprise."
"Hi, Blaine, I'm sorry to just drop by like this," Finn said. "I… I like your shop. It looks interesting."
"Thank you," Blaine replied with a kind smile, as he gestured for Finn to take a seat. "How was the party after Kurt and I left? The Berrys have a very beautiful home. I'm sure it was a success."
"Yes, it was. And no one made any snide remarks about Kurt to my face, if that's what you're asking," Finn said, sitting across from Blaine. He looked tired.
"Not exactly," Blaine said, tilting his head to regard him.
Finn hesitated for a moment, before he said: "Blaine, I wanted to talk to you about the party, actually. I heard that Kurt agreed to meet Hiram and Leroy. Is that true?"
Blaine beamed at him, unable to hide his pride. "It is. Isn't that wonderful?"
"Wonderful?" Finn repeated, like it was the last word he would have chosen to describe that. "So you're saying Kurt actually means to make his peace with Rachel's parents?"
Blaine sat back, relaxing in his chair. He felt a little smug about the turn of events, if he had to be honest. No one had believed that Kurt was capable of change, that he was capable of being kind to others. Only Blaine had been sure all along. "Yes, he does. You know, your brother is a little stubborn…"
Finn snorted. "Understatement of the century…"
"And a tad arrogant," Blaine continued, ignoring Finn's comment.
"A fucking dictator would be closer to the truth…"
"But," Blaine said, voice a little louder to drown out Finn's remarks. "He's also very smart. He knows he would be fighting a losing battle. He knows you're serious about wanting to be with Rachel. So I'm sure he can see that the best he can do for the family is to mend things with Rachel's dads. You know how important family is to him…"
Finn ran a hand through his hair, messing up the dark strands. "I really want to believe you, Blaine. But he made so many threats…"
"Empty ones," Blaine said, without a single doubt. "He would never tear the family apart."
"It would destroy my mom if Kurt decides to act against me," Finn said nervously. "She can't take any more heartache."
"She won't have to," Blaine said, convinced. "You'll see."
"You have way too much faith in him, Blaine," Finn murmured.
"And you have too little," Blaine retorted. "He's a good man, Finn. He's had to harden in order to pull through when everything fell apart for him. But he wouldn't hurt the people he fought so hard to protect."
Finn sighed, but looked far from relieved. "You just don't know him the way we do…" He shook his head. "But I don't know. Maybe you're right. Maybe you're having a positive effect on him. Maybe marriage is mellowing him."
Blaine smiled brightly. He felt so, so optimistic after this past weekend. "You can count on it, Finn."
Maybe soon they would all see Kurt exactly how Blaine saw him.
The next afternoon Blaine was busy trying to fit a new giraffe-shaped coat rack into the window display when his phone started buzzing in his back pocket. He fished it out distractedly, while he tried to figure out where to put the jungle pattern folding screen that took up too much space. He didn't even check who was calling when he accepted the call.
"Hello?"
"Blaine, hi." He immediately recognized Carole Hudson-Hummel's voice. He bit his lip and wished he had checked the caller ID before picking up. "I'm so sorry to bother you. How are you?"
"It's no bother, Carole," he said politely. He dreaded whatever it was she was going to say. He was a little wary of her since their lunch meeting a few weeks ago. "I'm fine. How are you?"
She skipped his question altogether. "I know you're busy at work, so I don't want to entertain you long. I just had lunch with Finn, though, and he told me what happened on Friday night."
"You mean about Kurt and Hiram and Leroy Berry running into each other at the benefit?" Blaine wanted clarification even though he truly didn't need it.
"Yes, of course. What's going on?" She asked, eagerly. "Did Kurt really agree to meet with them?"
Blaine couldn't hold back his smile despite the fact that Carole couldn't see it. "That's correct. Kurt and the Berrys are going to mend things for Finn's and Rachel's sakes."
Carole sounded a little breathless. "I can't believe it."
"Finn was just as stunned as you seem to be. I don't think either of you are giving Kurt enough credit. He's quite a reasonable man," Blaine commented as he tried to move the folding screen with one hand.
"Reasonable," Carole repeated, like she had never heard that word. She sighed. "God, Blaine, this is terrible news. I'm so worried. Poor Finn. And poor Rachel. They're so good for each other and it's unfair that Kurt won't come to his senses…"
Blaine stopped what he was doing and blinked, confused. "What are you talking about? I just told you that Kurt is going to meet with her parents and put an end to this."
"Sure, he'll put an end to it," Carole agreed. "But not in the way you expect. Nothing good can come out of that meeting. If Kurt's agreed to see them, it's because he has something to rub in their faces…"
Blaine felt suddenly outraged. "That's not true." How could no one have any faith in Kurt's integrity?
"He's probably going to blackmail them into forcing Rachel to break up with Finn," Carole said sadly.
Blaine would have stomped his foot on the floor, but he didn't want to disturb the display. "You're making my husband sound like Machiavelli," he said heatedly. "I refuse to believe Kurt is going to blackmail anyone, least of all to hurt his own brother."
There seemed to be tears in Carole's voice when she said: "Then I'm sorry, Blaine, but you're being foolish. You haven't seen the worst of what Kurt is capable of. I wish I hadn't, either. I wish I could believe that he still has a kind heart under that hard exterior. But he's proven that wrong a million times since Burt's death…"
"You're wrong," Blaine said sharply. "He may have done things we might not approve of in the past, but you have to understand that we're not ourselves when we're grieving. That doesn't mean we become terrible people for making a few bad choices…"
"Whatever comes out of this meeting will bring more pain to this family. I wish I could believe in Kurt like you do, trust me," she added sincerely. "I love that boy to pieces, despite everything he's done…"
"Love is not enough," Blaine said dryly. "Not if you don't trust him, not if you only expect the worst from him."
"I've lost hope, Blaine," she muttered. "Stay married to Kurt for a while longer, and you will, too. I'll let you get back to work now. Have a good day."
The conversation ended as abruptly as it had started and Blaine was left standing there, feeling a little dizzy. He really couldn't believe how distrustful Kurt's family was. But he had to admit that Carole's certainty that Kurt was out for blood made him a bit unsure.
"Is anything wrong?" Tina asked from behind the counter, where she was drinking her afternoon cup of coffee.
"No," Blaine said, staring at the giraffe-shaped coat rack like it held all the answers he needed. "At least I hope not. But maybe I shouldn't take any chances."
Instead of putting the phone back into his pocket and focusing back on work, Blaine dialed Kurt's number. It went straight to voicemail. He felt nerves pooling in his stomach. He dialed Cooper's office number next and, sure enough, Sugar picked up very quickly.
"Anderson Unlimited, 's office, how can I help you?" She said in a tone that indicated she was bored out of her mind, which wasn't unusual.
"Sugar, hi," Blaine said. "It's Blaine."
"Oh hey Blaine, it's nice to hear from you," she said. "What can I do for you?"
"I want to talk to Kurt, is he busy?" He asked.
"Unfortunately, he left a little while ago. He was headed to a meeting," she informed him. "Do you want me to take a message?"
"No, there's no need, but…" Blaine bit his lip. He didn't like lying, but he thought this justified a little white lie. "Maybe you can help me. I just need to know his schedule because I'm supposed to coordinate something around it. Is Kurt meeting Hiram and Leroy Berry in the near future?"
"Oh, yes," she said cheerfully. "Their secretary called this morning. Mr. Hummel actually left to meet them now."
Blaine felt as if something had dumped a bucket of ice on his head. "Really?" He cleared his throat and tried to act nonchalant. "Would you mind telling me where they're meeting?"
Sugar mentioned the restaurant of a prestigious hotel in Manhattan. It wasn't very far from the boutique.
"Thanks, Sugar. You've been most helpful," Blaine said and after saying a quick goodbye, he ended the call.
Tina was still standing behind the counter, watching Blaine with some interest. "Are you sure everything's okay? You look worried."
"Yes. Yes, I'm sure everything's fine," Blaine said with a little smile that felt a bit forced. He had told everyone to have faith in his husband. He couldn't be the one to lose it now. "But I should probably check, just in case. I'll be back soon."
He grabbed his coat and sprinted from the boutique before Tina had time to say anything else, not bothering stopping long enough to get an umbrella despite the fact that it was raining.
Blaine didn't want to waste a single second.
He just wanted to make sure he knew Kurt as well as he told everyone he did.
There was an unpleasant, eerie feeling in the pit of Kurt's stomach as he made his way across the hotel lobby towards the restaurant. When Mr. and Mr. Berry's secretary had told Sugar where they would be meeting, Kurt felt like he had been punched in the face. But he wasn't one to show weakness, especially to people like them, so he had just said he would be there. He wished he could have chosen the venue, but it was okay, in the end: it didn't matter where this happened, he was still in control of it.
The last time he had been here, he had still been a naïve, young man from Ohio with his heart full of dreams and hopes. Jordan had brought him for a romantic dinner – right now Kurt couldn't remember what they were celebrating. Had it been an anniversary? Maybe one of their birthdays? Back then, Jordan had always tried taking him to the most expensive, exclusive places in New York. He had liked the high life. And Kurt had soaked it all in, feeling like he was living the life he had always been destined to have.
And then it had all crumbled like it was nothing.
Jordan had dangled a perfect life, a perfect love right in front of him, just to take it all away in the blink of an eye.
Kurt's jaw tightened. He didn't want to care about that: it had cost him dearly, loving Jordan. He had lost more than he had earned in that relationship. He shouldn't have felt like he felt now, walking across the lobby, almost seeing Jordan walking next to him, his hand in his, pulling him along with a brilliant smile.
He touched the wedding band on his finger and reminded himself that he didn't need Jordan, that he could have something so much better…
No. It wasn't that he could. He had it already. Blaine was his husband.
It's a marriage of convenience, a little voice said in the back of his head. It's not going to last.
Kurt tapped into his endless source of self-discipline and effectively silenced that voice.
There was still some weakness inside of Kurt that he didn't like to admit existed. He had tried to will it out of existence so many times, he had lost count. He knew it would never disappear. He would fight it the rest of his life.
But he could pretend to have it under control. He could hide it from everyone else.
If they didn't know he was weak, they couldn't use it against him.
He crossed the entrance into the restaurant, the large crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and catching the light from the wide windows that showcased the outline of the city, and was immediately greeted by the maître d'.
"Mr. Hummel-Anderson, of course," he said with a polite nod when Kurt told him his name. "They're waiting for you. Let me take you to your table."
Kurt followed him as he straightened up, head high, determination on his face. He had a job to do today, and he was going to do it.
Hiram and Leroy stood up to greet him when they saw him approach. Kurt noticed the slight downturn of Leroy's mouth, almost a grimace, and he could tell he was worried about what was going to happen next. Good. That made things so much easier…
"Kurt," Hiram said, extending his hand in greeting. "It's good to see you again."
Kurt accepted his hand but made sure his grip was firm, so they would know he wasn't here to mess around. He didn't say anything as Leroy also offered his hand, looking a bit more wary than his husband.
"It's been a long time," he added, probably in the hopes of lighten up the tension.
"Has it?" Kurt replied dryly, as he took his seat across from them.
Leroy glanced at his husband as they both sat down as well. The waiter arrived and smiled at Kurt, not knowing he had just walked into the lion's den.
"Good afternoon. Can I get you some coffee while you browse the menu?"
"No," Kurt said simply, and left the menu untouched.
The waiter scattered away as fast as he could.
"This isn't going to be easy, is it?" Leroy said with a sigh. "I was afraid of that."
Kurt studied them carefully. They looked a lot older than they had years ago, when everything had been ruined between them. Hiram's hair was whiter and there were a few more wrinkles around Leroy's dark eyes. For a moment, Kurt was filled with the kind of melancholy he rarely allowed himself. He wondered what his dad would look like now, if he was still around: Would there be lines around his eyes, around his mouth? Would he have rounded up, despite Kurt being so hard on him about eating healthy and doing exercise?
It wasn't the time to ask himself that – it would only help his weakness show. He had to keep it hidden as long as he could. Forever, if it was up to him.
But their weakness was written plainly on their faces. They were both hoping for a truce. And that was all Kurt needed in order to have the upper hand.
"There's no point wasting our time in a rehash of the past," he said.
Hiram tried to smile, clearly hoping to be the one who would manage to break through Kurt's icy exterior. "Isn't there? When you get to be our age, Kurt, you'll find that you spend a lot of time looking back. You keep wondering what you would have done differently…"
Kurt let a little smirk on his face, the exact opposite of Hiram's smile. "Don't tell me you have any regrets."
"We all have regrets," Leroy said, a little more sharply. "Don't you?"
Kurt looked at him, keeping his face neutral. The reply flashed in his mind: Jordan, Jordan, Jordan. But he didn't let it show. It was a low blow and Leroy knew it, but as long as he didn't see Kurt's reaction, he was still winning. "I'll let you know if I ever do."
"You do that," Leroy murmured, dryly. He sipped his macchiato, probably needing some time, before he added: "Why did you agree to meet us today?"
"You both know the answer to that," Kurt replied calmly.
"Rachel and Finn," Hiram said, and Kurt nodded. "I guess finding out about their relationship left a bitter taste in your mouth. We weren't all that happy in the beginning, but the truth is that our girl's happiness will always come first."
"And Finn makes her really happy," Leroy said with a sigh, like it pained him that it was the case. "We weren't thrilled when we first heard that they were dating. Our families had parted ways long ago. But he's a good man, and that's all we can ask for our daughter. A good man that will take care of her."
"Of course he's a good man, that was never in doubt," Kurt said, linking his fingers on the table top as he regarded them. "But that doesn't mean it's a good idea for them to be together. I definitely don't want to see my brother getting involved with Rachel. He deserves someone who's not going to bail at the first sign of trouble."
"I don't think you're being fair to her…" Hiram started saying, only for Kurt to cut him off.
"I think I'm being too fair, actually. She's never cared about anyone but herself. She's only around if there's something for her in it. She's been like that since she's been a child, and I guess it's my fault for expecting anything other than betrayal from her," Kurt stated. He felt a little fire inside of him, the old flame of rage and disappointment, but he managed to talk as calmly as ever, as if he didn't care. "She's egocentric and selfish, and Finn deserves better."
Hiram placed a hand on Leroy's arm when he looked like he was ready to give Kurt a piece of his mind. Giving his husband time to calm down, Hiram said: "We understand that you're angry and resentful over what happened between us, but Rachel had nothing to do with it."
"Rachel, who was the only person I thought I could turn to when my life fell into pieces, was too busy saving herself to care about her so-called best friend…"
"Rachel was worried something was going to happen to us. We were all under so much stress when Jordan ran away with all our savings. She was afraid for our health and our well-being," Leroy said. "She didn't want us to…"
"End up like my dad?" Kurt interrupted, still keeping his cool but feeling like his heart was going to beat right out of his chest at the same time. "I know."
Hiram ran a hand down his face. "Please, both of you calm down. We're not doing anyone any good by…"
"I don't need to calm down," Kurt said softly. "I'm perfectly calm. What I need is to tell you exactly what's going to happen next…"
Leroy inhaled sharply. "You can't threaten us."
"Who said I was threatening you?" Kurt asked, but the tiny, little smile on his face told them a different story.
"If you are going to try to get us to make Rachel and Finn break up, forget it," Hiram exclaimed. "We would never do anything to hurt her."
Kurt hummed, like he was considering this. "Mm, sure. And does she know that you two made an incredibly generous donation to the producer of her current show? I wonder what that money was for. Supporting the arts, I'm sure. But it does beg the question… is it a coincidence that it happened right before Rachel auditioned for the lead role?"
Hiram went pale and Leroy gasped like he had been burned. "You bastard…"
Whatever they were about to say next was drowned out by some sort of commotion happening by the restaurant's entrance. The maître d' who had guided Kurt to the table was trying to stop a man, soaked by the rain that had started to fall outside. Kurt would have recognized him anywhere.
His voice carried out clearly across the restaurant. "Kindly take your hands off me. I told you, I'm Mr. Hummel-Anderson and I'm here to join my husband. He's right over there."
Kurt was certainly startled to see Blaine there, pushing his way past the maître d' and trying to get to where he was. His curls had broken free from the gel, probably because of the rain. He looked both adorable and ridiculous and Kurt felt a rush of fondness for him, before it morphed to confusion.
What was Blaine doing there?
"I'm sorry, sir, but I can't let you in without a reservation…" the maître d' said as he followed Blaine helplessly. "If you could wait in the lobby, I can…"
"There's nothing to worry about," Blaine said, smiling at the poor man over his shoulder. "I told you my husband was here."
He skidded to a halt right beside their table and leaned in to kiss Kurt's cheek in greeting, a gesture that didn't fail to warm Kurt's insides, despite not knowing what Blaine was doing there. "Hi, Kurt. I had a little trouble getting here. I told you I don't look like your husband," he laughed.
He was breathless. Between that and the dampness of the rain that resided in his hair and clothes, Kurt guessed he had run there all the way from Extravaganza.
"What are you doing here, Blaine?" He asked, a bit worried. "Is everything okay?"
"Yes, everything's just fine," Blaine beamed at him, before he turned to Hiram and Leroy. "Good afternoon, Mr. and Mr. Berry. What a lovely party. Hope you made lots of money to support the arts."
Leroy gazed at his husband in a confusion that mirrored Kurt's as he accepted the hand Blaine was offering to him. "Mr. Hummel-Anderson, it's a pleasure to see you again."
"We're happy you enjoyed the party," Hiram added gently.
"Oh, I did," Blaine said as he took a seat next to Kurt, without missing a beat. "Didn't Mercedes do a great job? I don't know if you happened to notice the cloisonné elephant in the solarium, but it came from my shop."
"The elephant…" Hiram repeated, dazed.
"Yes. And I must say that it looked right at home there," Blaine said with a quick wink. "It's for sale, you know."
"I see," Leroy muttered.
The maître d' apparently understood he wasn't kicking Blaine out anytime soon, because instead he signaled for the waiter to approach them.
Hiram glanced at Blaine. "I wasn't aware that you were joining us today."
"Neither was I," Kurt muttered, a little coldly.
But Blaine didn't look intimidated. He smiled even brighter. "I managed to get away from the boutique for a bit, in the end. I appreciate you waited for me." He picked up the menu Kurt had ignored earlier. "I need a good cup of coffee. And I'm hungry. I only had a salad for lunch and it feels like it was a million hours ago. What do you recommend, Mr. Berry?" He asked, looking at Leroy.
"Please, just call me Leroy," he said, still looking bewildered. "And they have an exquisite chocolate tartlet here…"
"That sounds fantastic," Blaine said and looked up at the waiter. "I'll have that and a latte, please." He turned to Kurt. "What about you, honey?"
Kurt tried not to be visibly startled by the endearment but he wasn't sure he succeeded. "I don't want anything."
"Nonsense," Blaine said with a smile. "You deserve a little treat, you work so hard. Plus, I'm sure a good cup of coffee will do you good. He'll have a non-fat mocha, and a slice of cheesecake, please."
Kurt tried not to growl in annoyance. "Exactly how did you know where to find me?"
"Sugar told me when I called your office," Blaine replied, like it wasn't a big deal.
"I'll have to remember to fire her when I get back to the office, then," Kurt muttered, and Blaine slapped his shoulder lightly.
"Don't even joke about that. You would be lost without her," Blaine said, patting his hand rather condescendingly.
Kurt was fuming.
"I didn't mean to interrupt the conversation," Blaine said politely, turning back to the Berrys.
"The hell you didn't," Kurt whispered under his breath, for only Blaine to hear. He finally knew what was going on. He was certain that Blaine had decided to join the meeting to avoid exactly what Kurt had been planning to do.
"Please, continue," Blaine said with an easy smile.
"We were talking about our daughter," Hiram said.
"In fact, Kurt was about to blackmail us with some information he thinks he has on us and her career," Leroy added bitterly.
Blaine's relentlessly cheerful smile finally vanished from his face. "That's ridiculous. Kurt would never do that. Right, Kurt?" He asked.
God, Kurt hated this. He hated it because he knew that telling the truth meant he would see a very disappointed look on Blaine's beautiful, trusting face. He still believed Kurt was inherently good, and there were days when Kurt looked at him and wished he could be exactly what his husband wanted him to be.
"Right," he murmured softly.
"I think," Blaine said, eyes going from Kurt to Leroy and Hiram, "that someone should tell me what is going on."
Leroy cleared his throat before he said: "Your husband has somehow learned that we tried to help Rachel get her leading role on Broadway…"
"Bribed a producer," Kurt corrected.
"We will do whatever it takes to make our daughter happy," Hiram said passionately. "She was getting discouraged, only getting minor parts, never achieving her dreams. She was ready to give up on something she has chased since she was two years old. We couldn't let that happen. It would have destroyed her."
"Just as much as it would destroy her to learn of this now," Leroy added, narrowing his eyes at Kurt. "She would never trust us again. But worst of all, she would never trust her talent again."
Hiram turned to Blaine, looking like he was ready to beg. "She is good, Blaine. She is so good. Her voice is completely outstanding. She has a great stage presence. She just had some bad luck at auditions. It had nothing to do with her talent. She was just never at the right place at the right time. And it was heartbreaking to see her struggle…"
"She was handed things on a silver platter her entire life," Kurt retorted in a monotone. "If she can't deal with failing, then she needs to grow up."
"It wasn't Rachel who told you to give us our money back at once when Jordan ran out with it," Leroy said fiercely. "It was us, Kurt. We didn't give you the time you needed. And we're sorry for not giving you a break when you needed it, but we weren't doing great financially. That loss really put a huge dent in our bank account. Rachel was still in college. We didn't want to put her future in jeopardy…"
"We were so sorry about your dad," Hiram added, and Kurt felt the tension growing in his spine. He felt cold all over. "We should have been more understanding. We're so sorry."
"I bet you're sorry," Kurt said sharply.
Blaine glanced at him quickly before he said: "It was all very unfortunate. But when the worst things happen, they tend to put everything in perspective, don't you think? We can finally see what truly, truly matters."
Hiram tilted his head, watching Blaine. "What's that?"
"Family," Blaine replied. "Family is the most important thing. You would do anything for Rachel, and that just means you are both good fathers. Kurt did the impossible to take care of his own family after his ex-fiancé ran away, despite the fact that he was still grieving his dad…"
"That's enough, Blaine," Kurt said, eyes fixed on the table in front of him. He wasn't going to look at anyone. He wasn't sure he could keep hiding what he was feeling.
"I'm sorry, Kurt," Blaine said, squeezing his hand briefly. "I don't mean to dredge up sad memories. But I just thought it would be nice if we all realized we have a lot in common. All of us."
"We certainly do not," Kurt wanted to shake him and keep him from saying another word. But he was forced to simply sit there, biting back his anger and his humiliation.
"Yes, we do," Blaine insisted. "We would do anything for our families, all of us. You know I would do anything for Cooper." We wouldn't be married if you weren't willing to do anything for Cooper, Kurt thought bitterly, before Blaine added: "Same as I would do anything for my husband. And you would do anything for me, for Finn and Carole…"
"Blaine," Kurt said in a tone that he hoped conveyed a warning.
"And the same can be said for you two and Rachel," Blaine smiled, looking quite proud of himself. "So, see? We have a lot in common and a lot to be grateful for. We have wonderful families, and we need to take care of them. I'm sure that means Kurt is happy for Finn and Rachel, since it took so long for them to find each other, and he wouldn't do anything to mess with that happiness."
"Is that true?" Hiram asked, hopeful eyes on Kurt.
Kurt was furious. He felt like he would start breathing fire through his nose any minute now. But Blaine was looking at him, so sure that he would do the right thing, and Kurt hated that he couldn't do this with Blaine right next to him. He couldn't see the disappointment on Blaine's face. He didn't think he could bear it.
Because it wasn't just that Blaine was purposefully meddling in his business, trying to stop him from doing something he thought Kurt was going to regret. It was that he could see just how much faith Blaine had in his integrity.
He would never be the person his husband wanted him to be. But he could pretend, at least for a little while.
"Kurt?" Leroy prompted, anxiously. "Are you going to tell Rachel?"
"Forget about it," he grunted reluctantly. "Forget about the whole damn thing."
It was painful to behold the relief in Leroy's and Hiram's faces. He could see them reaching for each other's hands under the table.
"Thank you, Kurt," they said sincerely.
The little revenge that Kurt had been looking forward to for years crumbled before his eyes. For a moment, Kurt wondered if he had lost his mind when he had married Blaine.
Sometimes it felt like he had.
How do you think things are going to go for Blaine after his meddling? Can't wait to read all your thoughts!
Have a great week. I'll see you next Wednesday.
Love,
L.-
