–
Time 5
Broadway Is Calling
–
(title)
[AN: title is what it's supposed to be btw of this section, just like the others' references]
–
KURT
–
There was something about New York that made Kurt see clearly, but only after being there for a few weeks. Conversely it only took minutes for Ohio to completely mess with his head and destroy any sane thoughts he'd had. Blaine was often at the root of the insanity while in Ohio but it was more than just him, it was everything Ohio represented to him. It just ate away at whatever he'd built in New York. New York was healthy for him, Ohio was always trying to suck him under.
He had made a few good choices in Ohio, mostly to get out of Ohio. He took bad choices with him to New York and eventually got rid of them and then returned to Ohio to be sucked right back in again. Not to say he had made completely healthy choices in New York, he had lived with Rachel and Santana after all for a couple of years. Even that ended, but that time it wasn't his choice. Although living with them had been decided in Ohio.
He'd ended it with Blaine how many times while in New York? And how many times had he been back in Ohio and took Blaine back? Just starting with Blaine had been nuts but he could never quit Blaine no matter how much grief and pain he'd put him through while he was in Ohio. He'd broken up with Blaine, so clear headed and then he'd come back to Ohio for some holiday and had gone back to New York determined to move on. He hadn't let himself stay in New York long enough before he was back in Ohio and attempting to get Blaine back.
Even though Blaine had been with Karofsky.
He'd gotten Blaine back.
Now he was sitting on a precipice of a major life altering decision.
They weren't in Ohio, Ohio wouldn't legally let Santana and Brittany wed. They were just across state lines and weren't in New York either, not that Ohio and New York shared state lines. It wasn't Ohio but they'd only been here for 2 days setting up and practicing.
Brittany and Santana were looking at Kurt questioningly. Blaine was looking at him with hope and so many other emotions, including expectation. "It's crazy, right?" He asked Blaine, they'd gotten back together days ago. No less crazy than getting engaged after they got back together last time.
Tina had taken a page out of his book and asked Mike to marry her. She'd gotten turned down hard.
Kurt was the only one left to make a decision, the other three had basically all agreed but Kurt thought maybe he should point it out Blaine, get him to see too. Blaine always did things fast and without thought to consequences. He really shouldn't be surprised by him now.
They weren't in Ohio. They weren't in New York. He was tempted to say yes, especially with all this pressure to do so. "No, it's too crazy. We haven't- it's- no."
Blaine's face crumpled in grief and degradation of self, thinking Kurt said no because of him.
The girls looked disappointed but moved on. "I would have had the same wedding date as you. We'd have shared our anniversaries for life." He pointed out and Santana no longer looked disappointed, instead looked pleased to have avoided that. It could have seemed like they had a 4 person wedding if it was viewed from outsiders. They weren't all getting married to each other.
It was partly because of Blaine. Kurt realized it as they stood watching the vows. It was because it was too soon and it was because Blaine would always push him into going there too soon. It was just his way. Kurt felt like he missed the bullet by inches and he didn't fully understand this lift of a burden that he felt.
As Santana and Brittany kissed, his brain flashed back onto a smiling face at his engagement party. That smiling face had been the first one he'd suspected Blaine to get together with both times Blaine had told him he'd been with someone else. It was never him. He didn't fully understand why he thought Blaine would go to him every time when he never had while they were together. He was still overly friendly and helpful for Blaine, warm smiles, welcoming attitude.
Blaine wanted to get married after not having dated for nearly a year and not even currently being engaged? He remembered their conversation in the fake elevator. Blaine had talked about their history but he had started making new memories, important memories which overwrote the memories he shared with Kurt.
Memories he'd made with Karofsky.
Blaine had chosen one of Kurt's biggest adversaries to date and not the other. Thinking back on those days so long ago, every time they confronted Karofsky, Blaine had put himself up close and personal. Karofsky had put his hands on Blaine both times, and Blaine had been overly aggressively male and pushed him back. At the time, Kurt thought it was Blaine defending him, or pushing away the bully when he couldn't push away those that had bullied him. In truth, it was probably an attraction Blaine felt for Karofsky and he presented it that way, not understanding nor realizing it himself. Needing to get closer.
Like then, he was once again putting the relationship he'd developed with Kurt over his feelings. Maybe it was because he was scared of his feelings for Karofsky. Kurt was easy, a memory, a feeling. He'd given Karofsky up for him but he was happier with Karofsky than he'd ever been with Kurt.
Karofsky gave him what he really needed. Kurt and Blaine had always been better at being friends than try to support each other emotionally and physically in those ways.
As they slow danced, Blaine could tell something was wrong. Kurt held his hands against his chest. "I'm seeing so clearly now."
"I hate when you use that phrase." Blaine whispered, dropping his head onto Kurt's shoulder. He knew the second Kurt hadn't jumped in with both feet without looking with him that this was the end.
"We really need to for once and for all just cut the cord. You were doing so well with Karofsky." He was and Karofsky was doing well with him, even if it was awkward to look at. He hoped for Blaine's sake that Karofsky would take him back.
They'd both broken up with good guys for this last chance but it had already passed. They were just not meant to be. Kurt wasn't destined to end up with Walter either, he was just a neat older gay guy that Kurt was learning from and teaching at the time.
"It's time for me to go back to New York and stay there other than a random reunion."
Blaine's hands skated over Kurt's not wanting to let go but unable to hang on either. "I don't want to say goodbye to you."
"Hey, I told you I never would, right?" Kurt nudged his chin up so he would look him in the eye. "This isn't a goodbye, just a... see you around."
"Feels an awful lot like a goodbye." Blaine put his head on Kurt's shoulder. They wouldn't ruin this wedding for the girls'. Them being together for the wedding was sort of a wedding present of it's own, something they had both really wanted to see happen.
–
Burt finished out his term, accomplishing what he'd most wanted from his run, increasing gay rights for those who resided in the state. Kids had protection, adults could get married, no one could be denied just because they were gay and they had legal recourse if something was violated.
He sold his house and he and Carole moved to upstate New York to be closer to him. He got together with them at least once a month, sometimes he went up to them and sometimes they came down to him. He gave it another 10 years before they'd be relocating again to Florida.
He kept the shop up and running for Puck and Sam to run in his steed. Puck went back and forth between the shop and his pool cleaning service in California. It worked out well because sometimes Sam ventured out to California to see Mercedes for months at a time in the winter. They nearly traded off their time spent elsewhere. Burt still popped in on a rare occasion to check over things and offer advice but as the years passed, he didn't weigh in as much.
When Kurt was 28, Burt sold the shop to both those boys to split between them. By then Puck's little brother had worked through his educational costs and was off elsewhere pursuing his dreams. Puck's daughter came to stay with him while her mother was out shooting a movie and then another. All in all, she ended up staying there 3 years with the occasional visit from her mother.
Brittany and Santana were still together and living it up in Boca. He barely saw them now other than through video chats.
He'd lost contact with most of the ND and Dalton kids other than making sure he sent them all birthday cards every year.
Kurt had dated a few more guys and nothing really stuck. Mostly because they always felt second to his career.
He had slowly made his way up the Broadway circuit and went on tours around the country. He had a few tight friendships with people he'd met in New York. He had a whole other range of friends that he could call on at any moment to head to a club with him or find a party. Sometimes it was lonely living in New York. Mostly he just enjoyed it. It may have been easier to go through everything with a partner but it taught him to stand on his own two feet and really let himself pursue his dream without anyone holding him back. He didn't regret his decision that day, he'd been totally clear headed for once in his life about Blaine.
It had been the best for both of them.
Karofsky and Blaine hadn't lasted. Blaine was in Memphis now making music with the likes of former famous popstars who ventured out on their own and were borrowing from other influences now. There was no way that would have happened had they stayed together in New York. Blaine sent him periodic updates on his life.
Karofsky's dream came true, he was married to a man who made him happy. Karofsky was a recruiter for OSU and his husband was a contractor. They had 2 kids running around the house his husband built for them.
Rachel was still single and was feeling her biological clock ticking now that she was nearing her 30s. When they were younger she had never thought about that. Now she was going on all the dates she could and it was starting to show through. Guys could just read the desperation on her. Or at least the ones she determined fit her parameters that were allowed a second look could read it on her and most stepped away on their own. She was dabbling in a lot of different things, since she made a name for herself as a complete flake, it was hard for her to be taken seriously again which stretched out beyond just the stage world.
Prominent people had seen her on Broadway and so many were excited for her show, which she just up and abandoned for a disaster of a TV show. Her name was mud around NYADA too. Kurt felt badly for her, they had done the opposite in response to their grief, he'd dug in and worked harder to succeed and make good choices. She'd lost her way. He knew she was incredibly talented and tried to help her whenever he could but he had to be careful not to get dragged down with her. He'd already covered for her and she'd broken her contracts but she was maturing and aging and probably wouldn't go that path again. He just wasn't a hundred percent sure what she'd do, he never was with Rachel.
In fact, she threw it all in eventually and headed down to Nashville to try her hand at singing and song-writing. She was doing a few shows a month at least on some of the stages that could get her noticed. He supposed she'd probably do the best there, she was great at emoting in music and didn't have to show up nightly. As a famous singer she could be a diva and people would roll with it.
Kurt popped into NYADA once in awhile to guest teach a class or two. He had Mike on speed dial to help him choreograph for auditions and it helped Mike lived full time in New York now. He was the go to for the stars, especially those who wanted something for their music videos or for the stage He'd also marked out quite a few numbers for TV shows and movies that had a song and dance scene.
Kurt helped Mike with his music and voice lessons.
Life was overall great. He stretched with his class for the day and wondered how many more years he had left on Broadway. His young looks would keep him going for longer at least. How old were some of the greats before they got removed from the stage? Most seemed to have moved from stage to movies and TV which would have been surprising since the film world was harsh when it came to the smallest of lines or wrinkles and worse with ageism but it was probably a lot easier on the body. And if you were a great from the stage who wanted to be on the screen, Hollywood these days were more than welcoming for the real talent.
Kurt sighed, he was 28 and the best he'd done was off-Broadway and touring Broadway shows. He hasn't been on one of those guilded stages since they snuck onto Wicked's set back in high school.
If he were to give it up, where would he go after? What would he do? He still lived in a tiny hovel of an apartment barely able to keep the lights on. The fashion world was even harsher on age if you hadn't broken in and kept breaking boundaries until you were just a household name or had an army behind you. He didn't think he had the desire for that anymore. He supposed he could always turn gears on the stage and either work as a dresser or a director? He didn't fancy himself as a writer though. He liked to bring to life other people's works, he didn't make up his own worlds and stories.
He slid into a splits facing the door and then lifted off it slightly to change directions, stretching his hips in all directions. He heard the door open softly then close again but he thought maybe it was a latecomer even if the class seemed full it could still be one straggler. Then someone tapped him on the shoulder and he turned to tell them it could wait.
It was some guy in a suit but Kurt recognized him instantly. "Mr. Hummel, if we could have a word?" He followed him outside as he instructed the head of the class to continue things. "I've seen your videos and was there at your last audition. I've been following you and was at your last show. I'd like to formally offer you the part of Christo." It wasn't the lead nor was it even close to the lead but he'd take it and he did.
He would have his first Broadway play under his belt in about 6 months. In a year he'd be eligible for another role.
Broadway had literally tapped him on the shoulder and called him in.
–
There was a buzz that Kurt couldn't understand. He was due on the stage any minute now, he was listening to the lines being spoken that would cue his arrival. Three years after his first role, he was now lead in a beloved classic. He'd been at the helm as second lead for a brand new play last year and he'd enjoyed the unknown, playing new songs, forging the model that all others would compare to. He'd also liked the risk that it would flop and no one would come to the second show. It had been a raging success and he'd been asked to audition for the lead in this one.
He'd done this show a hundred times already since they opened. It was the first time the crew was buzzing like this. It was a beloved classic, they were all old hats and could do the lines in their sleep. He didn't understand why they were so anxious.
That was until he stepped foot onto the stage and landed his lines perfectly and spun on his mark as he was supposed to. Even with the bright lights he could tell the auditorium was completely empty. He didn't let that throw him and he continued unaffected.
He wondered if something globally drastic happened while they'd been warming up, oblivious to the outside world. Though a few of the crew seemed to have their phones glued to their hand when they weren't on the stage. They would have known and shared.
Though they hadn't told him about this.
More likely, someone was filming this and hadn't told the crew that they would be without an audience to save them from having to edit out their reactions or other sounds. Even more reason to perform to the best of his ability and not let the lack of an audience interfere with his performance.
His scene ended and he held the mark like he normally did and didn't let the surprise reflect on his face when he heard a single person clapping.
He disappeared off stage. He didn't have another scene for awhile but he looked through the curtains, squinting and trying to see who it was that had been in the audience. It was strange to let someone in if they were filming it. Maybe there were more than one person here but they couldn't be seen beyond the bright lights.
Kurt didn't recognize the man. His spying did let him know though that there really was only one person in the audience. So strange.
He headed out to the box office since he had a moment. His phone said the show was sold out. He was going to dig into this some more then reassure everyone else that it was fine. He was the lead in not only the play but with the actors too. Each group that set up the performance had their own head and the director lead them all for the most part.
He looked out onto the street as he walked, it wasn't snowing or raining. Nor was it bright and sunny and happy. It was just a perfect day to go to the play without interference. He frowned lightly and met up with one of his favorite front end people. "Are we that unpopular?" He teased.
She looked startled. "Kurt! Hi, what are you doing here?" That had been a strange emphasis on you.
Kurt would mull over that later. "I was just trying to figure out why 99% of the ticket holders didn't show up. If they're boycotting, it's a funny way to show it."
She stared at him for a long moment before she started laughing. "Oh, no. They're all here."
Kurt didn't get it, they'd added this show on extra because it was so hard to find seats. They wanted to accommodate as many people as possible, yet they only sold one seat? "Well what about the other seats? Why do they say sold if they haven't been? Is it a technical glitch?"
"Kurt, no." She was smiling broadly, as if she had a secret. "The seats have all been sold and all the owners of the tickets are already inside."
"You're not making sense. Are we performing for ghosts now? I'll tell you what, I'm more inclined to believe they're invisible before I'd take the ghost story."
She giggled. "How can someone be so logical and yet so creative?" She shook her head. "No Kurt, the answer is in front of you, you just have to think about it and look." She glanced at her watch. "You'd better head back, you're not even dressed for your scene yet."
"Ok... Cryptic." He rolled his eyes and started heading back.
"It'll all make sense after the show."
The rest of the performance went off without a hitch. Then the houselights went up after their last bows. The person had clapped for all of them but had really clapped when Kurt came on. They'd all managed to keep their energy up but it was hard without a full house. They never wanted to do that again. They got their energy from their audience even if most were polite and watched the show closely, they still clapped loudly between numbers. One person couldn't mimic the sheer madness a full house could create.
They made their final bows and disappeared off stage. Kurt filed out like he normally did and went off but the man didn't move from his spot. The director found him and nudged him with a few words to go back out there. Kurt looked at the others but the director shook his head. "He wants to talk to you alone."
Kurt went back to the stage and walked to the edge where he could safely pop down and join the man in the aisle. The majority of the front end of the stage opened up to the orchestra pit. He made his way closer and as he did his steps slowed down. The closer he got, the more sure he was that he recognized the other man and he was feet away when he realized how he knew him. He nearly turned tail and ran but curiosity and anger drove him a foot closer.
"What the hell are you playing at? You're messing with all of their lives, careers and income just to get at me?"
"Get at you?" The man asked with feigned innocence. "Get to you, maybe. Do you know how hard it is to get a hold of you? Besides, your friends are fine, they won't notice or remember this in a few days."
"What's the deal, Smythe?" He crossed his arms over his chest and couldn't help but look over Sebastian. He looked good, he looked just as fit as he always had, his features even more defined than before as he lost his youthful baby fat and he looked even more male and man and manly. Kurt found it incredibly unfair.
Meanwhile Kurt had filled out a bit more than he had been growing up, his shoulders had widened, his thighs had thickened and he'd gained some weight, nothing over the top but he was no longer the boy he'd been even though he was still an active healthy weight. In some ways he was happy about that, but it totally changed the roles he could play, what he had always thought he'd do and what he'd be stuck in all his life. He still looked youthful but not quite the same as he had been. He frankly looked more like an average guy now than that double take he used to get with people trying to figure out if he was a boy or a girl. Conversely his face had lost the sharper angles and rounded out. He had to start wearing glasses too and wore contacts when he was on stage.
If he hadn't seen the change in the mirror, anyone off the street without looking closely at both pictures would never have been able to tell you he was the same person, only that they shared some features. Kurt knew he was still attractive but it was a different kind of attractive. No one could ever call him a twink now, the name would have been totally inappropriate, not at all the definition of it anymmore. People had to take a second to realize he was gay these days, they didn't just instantly pass that judgment without even having to talk to him or watch him.
It was still fairly obvious once you actually talked to him but unless you were stuck in the stone-age, you couldn't tell by his looks and how he dressed. More and more men, gay, straight or otherwise had started dressing more for fashion now, started improving their styles. Only someone really in the know would know that those were designer labels he wore, that there were small nods throughout his wardrobe that let like-minded people know he was on their team.
It was only partly that he was more subtle than he was before, he didn't hide it but he also got to explore all those dramatic clothing choices on the stage now, so he didn't need to do it as much in his personal life outside of certain events. The people who needed to know he was gay, did, and he wasn't low on offers for dates and other things.
It was more that the rest of the world had caught up to him. Sebastian was a prime example, as Kurt had never thought the man in front of him would ever wear anything but loose jeans and a rugby shirt outside of his uniform. His current outfit of designer slacks and a button down shirt and fancy sweater was not a style Kurt had ever expected from Sebastian. It was fancy enough for the theater but not over the top.
"You've become so cynical." Sebastian shook his head in amusement.
"What do you want?" Kurt tried again, this had to be some form of punishment for something they'd done over 10 years ago.
"I'm a patron of the arts." Sebastian shrugged. "I was here the other day and was impressed by your troop and was planning on investing. Then I was floored by the lead actor, so charismatic and talented and frankly hot. I knew I wanted to meet him and then I looked at the roster and I recognized that name."
"So you got revenge on me by taking it out on my friends?" It was the way Sebastian always operated.
"I bought out the theater for the show." Sebastian countered. "I paid for every single seat and every seat has been registered as being here. I asked the director to have a special showing just for me, so I could see you in all your glory in comfort. You were fantastic. I still can't decide which performance I liked better – you in your pure element or the flawless way you carried today off without the typical audience. You didn't even miss a beat even when you were surprised by the empty seats."
Kurt shrugged, they'd done dress rehearsals before, it wasn't much different than that. He didn't tell Sebastian that though.
Kurt sighed and rubbed his forehead. "What game are you playing Sebastian?"
–
SEBASTIAN
–
"This was the only way to get your attention." Sebastian had sent him drinks at the bar the group gathered at after the shows before but Kurt had turned them all down without looking to see who had sent them. He'd tried to talk to him at the coffee shop down the street. Kurt had always been in a hurry, grabbing his pre-ordered drink and heading off elsewhere or disappearing into the theater.
Sebastian had even tried to friend him on the social networking sites. He was either unable to find Kurt (blocked) or Kurt had his set too private for anyone to find him or he'd been denied and then blocked. Sebastian had even gone through their mutual friends to try and friend him but... no luck.
He had known not to play with Kurt's source of income but he was left with no options. Kurt broke even, even if it wasn't the way he'd been planning on spending the day. There were curious onlookers and Kurt shifted uncomfortably in front of him. "Go change and come have dinner with me, I'll explain more there." There wasn't much more to explain but he was sure Kurt would poke and prod and find more.
For Sebastian it was simple, he wanted to take this incredibly hot and talented guy out on a date.
What he knew about Kurt and he doubted it had changed much, if at all, that wouldn't be enough for Kurt. Kurt would dig for an ulterior motive and Sebastian welcomed it, it meant that Kurt would be spending that time with him. Kurt's curiosity would put him exactly where Sebastian wanted him without Kurt ever once suspecting he was playing into Sebastian's hands.
With a heavy sigh, Kurt agreed. He popped himself back up onto the stage and then disappeared into it's depths. Sebastian headed toward the front of the house to wait for Kurt, chatting with the most helpful girl as he waited. He handed her a tip when he saw Kurt heading their way and a wink. She smiled pleasantly, humor dancing in her eyes as she saw what was happening so clearly.
"Don't think this means you've bought me for the evening just because you bought out the house and are taking me to dinner." Kurt warned as they headed onto the street, the theater closing up behind them as everyone else left out the back. So Kurt had some inkling about what was happening after all. Sebastian smiled, pleased, he'd never once thought that Kurt was stupid.
Sebastian didn't say anything as he led Kurt to his waiting chauffeured car, he wasn't going to take Kurt anywhere Kurt could typically afford. As he'd expected, Kurt was dressed for the occasion and he couldn't believe how easy it was to get Kurt to agree to dinner.
Kurt laughed though as he stopped in front of the black vehicle. "Yeah right. This isn't a date Sebastian and I'm not letting you take me anywhere I can't get to on my own. We'll go eat at the restaurant down the street where the people there know me. They won't let you murder me and get away with it. You're still buying though."
"Even thought it's not a date?" Sebastian checked with a hint of a smile.
"Yep, consider this a business dinner." Kurt's eyes glittered at him with antagonism and Sebastian knew he would have to work hard to curb that if he had any chance with Kurt. Although that antagonism might make the night more interesting- no, he had turned a new leaf, he wasn't that kid anymore.
He let Kurt lead the way after dismissing the chauffeur for awhile. He followed him into the restaurant of his choosing. Kurt was greeted by name as they entered and Sebastian was impressed by the mix of warm and cozy and well-cared atmosphere and restaurant. Kurt led him to a small table in the corner out of the line of sight of most people. While Kurt didn't want them to let Sebastian get away with murder, he hadn't wanted to be on display with Sebastian present. Maybe he wouldn't have felt that way with someone he actually liked? Sebastian wondered as they sat in obscurity. What would it be like if Sebastian was someone Kurt wanted to show off?
"How did you manage it?" Kurt asked not even glancing at the menu. If he was here as often as Sebastian was beginning to suspect, he wouldn't need to.
In fact, the waiter brought over a tray without asking, it had a bread basket, two glasses of water, a glass of red wine and a small plate with olive oil and balsamic vinegar for the bread. The waiter squeezed Kurt's shoulder briefly before turning his attention to Sebastian. "What can I get you?"
"Let's get a bottle of that wine." Sebastian said with a smile and the man frowned back at him. Sebastian held his gaze and lifted a brow when the man still hadn't moved off to fulfill that order.
Finally he looked to Kurt. "Ok with you?"
"If Sebastian wants to get drunk, that's his choice. He has a driver nearby to take him home." Kurt gave a small shrug and the waiter nodded before heading off for that bottle.
"Do you have a strict one glass policy or something?" Sebastian asked when the guy disappeared from sight, he was feeling a little annoyed at the man's protectiveness over Kurt.
"Sure." Kurt waved for Sebastian to continue. "Buying out the theater?"
"Has it really escaped your knowledge that I'm rich?"
"Well, obviously. You attended Dalton and acted as if you owned the place. Nobody argued with you." Kurt gave an unconcerned bounce of a shoulder. "A place like that only really ever only caters to the rich without a lot of effort to be popular or pushback if neither." Kurt had been neither, less popular when he stole their favorite boy from them and then even less popular when they beat them with said boy at the helm. They had still hated Kurt despite Sebastian cementing Blaine's loyalty to New Directions with rock salt to the eye. "For you to be able to walk around unaffected by the others you had to be very rich even by their standards."
"Extremely rich, even by their standards." Sebastian said with pride in his voice and the look Kurt leveled at him had his bubble popping and his puffed up chest and grin fizzling off quickly. Ok, so Kurt wasn't impressed by that at all, he noted. "I did lose hierarchy there for a little while as my dad lost a lot of his money and someone came in with more than we had currently, and was older." He was a few years too old but had returned to Dalton with the hope of glamor and had only gotten dismal failure and a black mark against his reputation. Sebastian had scraped by and escaped that same black mark against him with incredible luck and a fast talking mouth. His dad weighing in would have back-fired. It had greatly helped that his tests had come back clean, even the ones that had tested for usage further back in time.
Sebastian liked to drink and party but he never participated in party drugs. He still had his name and his dad was still an attorney general and his mom still had more money than they could ever use in 3 lifetimes. His dad did eventually recoup his money with smarter investments and doubled their former wealth and was still raking it in.
"That's your family's money." Old money and new money all mixed together.
Ah, Sebastian grinned and leaned forward and Kurt backed up as if he was a prey caught in the sights of a dangerous predator. It was true enough. "I have more than enough that I've earned all on my own." In fact he could rival his father for business acumen already if you disregarded all the trust funds and inherited wealth.
"Selling your soul." Kurt snapped. "How many people's lives have you destroyed in the process?"
Sebastian opened his mouth to argue and then closed it, thinking about it. He treated his people well and when he bought out other businesses he'd tried to do the best he could for them too but he did have to weed out the worthless and the ones that had helped contribute to the business ending up where they did, ripe for the picking. There were probably other far reaching consequences to his actions he hadn't taken into account, only focusing on what he could control. "I hope I destroyed no one's life, but you're right, I can't promise that."
Something about his tone had Kurt's face falling and he nearly spoke and backpedaled to try and put a more acceptable look onto the other man's face. Even disdain was preferable to this look. Kurt looked remorseful even. "I'm sorry." He finally whispered. "I'm judging you and I don't even know you anymore. I don't even know what you do, just making assumptions. I don't want to be that person. I'm just – you just – I have trouble acting like myself around you."
"I deserve that. I wasn't exactly the nicest to you in high school."
"You tried to blind me." Kurt pointed out dryly. "Tried to steal my boyfriend and hurt my friends."
"I didn't try to blind you, that wasn't the intention at any rate." Sebastian held up a finger counting off his defenses to the accusations that Kurt just leveled at him. He had no recourse, but he was determined to put those issues to rest. "Blinding your boyfriend temporarily, that only happened because he was so much shorter than you. If anything it would have stung your face or ruined your clothes or maybe made it difficult to sing for awhile, hence taking my competition out of the way."
He held up a second finger. "I did, I'm sorry."
"Wait, wait, you are admitting you were trying to steal him or you accomplished that goal?"
Sebastian smirked a little but then realized it was the wrong face to be using with the guy he wanted to sleep with now. He contorted his face to looking a bit more apologetic. "Yeah, I tapped that. I can see why you kept going back to him despite everything he did to you."
Kurt's face contorted into something dark and ugly and Sebastian waited for Kurt to throw his drink at him or storm out. Slowly he breathed through it and settled into his seat but he didn't talk or look at Sebastian until long after the waiter came back with the bottle and another glass. He put it on the table a little too loudly and glared at Sebastian before asking for his food order. They hadn't touched the bread though it smelled delicious and warm.
Sebastian glanced at the menu and wasn't sure if he wanted to risk what he said next. "Surprise me." He wasn't overly picky and the man's eyebrow twitched up and he nodded and left them to their silence. He didn't think Kurt was going to talk again without prompting.
"Thank you." Kurt finally bit out through gritted teeth. "Blaine would have never told me the truth about that. When did you sleep with him?"
Sebastian hesitated because he was going to be snarky and say there was no sleeping involved but that seemed like enough for Kurt. Kurt nodded and reached for the bread. "It's not what you think."
"He said his name was Eli and if I went looking for him, I'd only find a lighthouse picture."
"Did you ever go looking for him?" Sebastian wondered if he'd slept with the ponce too.
"No. It didn't really matter who Blaine cheated on me with, it was the principle of the matter."
"For what it's worth, he didn't sleep with me then." He used Kurt's word out of respect for the other guy. Despite the years and maturity in both their faces, bodies and attitude, Kurt was still oddly naïve and old and Sebastian was still cynical and young. It may have seemed the opposite but Kurt was full of the old values of love and marriage and romance and not sleeping around, though sex before marriage was fine in the right settings. Sebastian was still young because he was still rallying against the norms and fighting traditional values and looking for the shock value with what he said. Though he had found himself settling down and growing older, seeking those things he'd dismissed earlier on. In business he'd had to tame his tongue, knowing they all had a role to play and some of dealings were with old people both physically and mentally and some just mentally when it came to traditional roles and behavior.
Sebastian thought himself a very liberal and debauched young man. However it had taken him a lot of dealings with others in the business world to realize he was quite tame compared to some of them and their idea of how business was conducted. He learned that he didn't want to work with some of those whom he'd met, some he had taken over without falling into their preferences of dealing and some he'd just disconnected ties with. It was a hard lesson to learn that 'old' and 'young (new)' was actually all arbitrary. It all depended on what was old for someone else and new/young for another and their culture and history and history of culture. It was sobering to realize he hadn't been much better than some of the men he looked down upon. He wanted to be more like Kurt, those were more in line with the values he strove for now.
Some called them wholesome, some traditional. Sebastian was realizing the way Kurt had been in high school and likely how he still was, was fair and decent and it took a while but he learned even first hand that Kurt's values included compassionate and forgiving.
He was banking on that last one. "We slept together after the Lopierce wedding. He called me up the following week and invited me to join him at a club in Columbus. We both got drunk and he was very determined to sleep with me. I didn't tell him no, curious to see how far it would go and how it would be. He put a lot of passion into it, determined to get you out of his system, punish you, prove something, move on, I don't know. I attempted it with him twice more but it was never as good. He went back to Dave the next week. Dave was probably content with the mediocrity knowing his sexual history."
"You'd slept with Dave too?" Kurt was flabbergasted.
"No. I told him then and I told him a few more times after that I wasn't interested and he wasn't my type. He doesn't have a lot of choices though, does he? Small town Ohio, looking as he did."
"He's the only one of us to have gotten married and start a family." Kurt countered. He hadn't liked Dave himself and Dave had been the one so far in the closet it had terrified Kurt on several occasions for different reasons but he was the one had found love and family.
"That wasn't our goals." Sebastian countered in turn.
"Mine was to be successful and married by the time I was 30. Part of my goal came true and the other part can never."
"It can still happen, just a bit delayed."
"Ok Sebastian, whatever you say." Kurt paused. "To be fair, it was never mediocre with Blaine. It's probably because we had an emotional connection and a lot of history, though."
"Was he the best you've ever had?" Sebastian asked idly, speaking out loud without really meaning to.
"No." Kurt agreed with Sebastian there. "He wasn't the worst either and no, not mediocre. I think he did have a deeper chemistry with Dave than you probably realize. It was probably fine between them, maybe even really good. I just never saw a physical connection between the two of you. I know you were pulling all the stops out to seduce him but he seemed interested in a curious way, stroked ego type of thing, but it never seemed genuine between you two."
"You saw that better than I did at the time then. I was physically aroused every time I hung out with the two of you. I never got aroused by him when we were alone except in the way a hot guy hitting on you arouses you, almost like you're supposed to be even though you're not, going through the motions. If we had hung out alone, you and I back then, I probably would have realized I was attracted to you and not Blaine nor aroused by antagonizing you. I thought maybe I was attracted to Blaine because it pissed you off so much. There was a thrill in that."
Kurt nearly choked on the bread he was chewing on and Sebastian was tempted to touch him but he'd cleared his throat and regulated his breathing before Sebastian could. Perhaps because he knew Sebastian would have and wanted to avoid that. "You were attracted to me?"
"Still am." Sebastian nodded in agreement and lifted both brows when Kurt just stared at him in shock. "Oh come on, I rented out an entire theater for you!" Sebastian shook his head when Kurt still didn't budge. "I saw you on the stage and my body betrayed me so quickly it would have been embarrassing had I cared, had I not been glued to everything about you. I knew we needed to see each other again in a more private setting to tell you, to see if it was mutual." So far, it didn't seem it was, at all. "I haven't had such a sudden reaction to another guy in..." Well it was probably about 10 years or so now. "A long time." Sebastian shifted uncomfortable since the entire time he'd seen Kurt on stage again he'd been rock hard, thankful the sweater had hidden that from Kurt's earlier sweep over his body. He'd nearly gone to the bathroom at intermission and helped himself out but knew it would only spring back into action during the second half and would have had to deal with a mess. Maybe it wouldn't have been as hard though. "You don't feel the same way?"
His voice was husky and Kurt turned a bit pink. The first promising sign from the other male. He'd seen the way Kurt's eyes had taken him in both when they first met and earlier at the theater. Until he realized who Sebastian was, he'd seen the multilayered interest in Kurt's body and eyes. It had nearly been wiped out with the knowledge of who had been in the theater.
He didn't push Kurt harder on this knowledge, letting it simmer and sit. "I'm sorry about hurting your friends. I was immature and thought I could get away with anything and everything. I feel badly about it now. More than anything, I'm sorry about the way I treated you." Sebastian hesitated and breathed in, touching on a difficult subject but wasn't sure how difficult it would be for Kurt. "I'm sorry about Finn too, I treated him horribly and I never got a chance to really apologize to him. I'm sorry for your loss."
Kurt looked down at the table, his shoulders curled in protectively but then he pushed them back and Sebastian realized that with Kurt's new looks, so too had his reactions. He still felt deeply, still cared, but looked vulnerable and appealed to others because he didn't look vulnerable in the same way. He also didn't act like such a victim anymore, not that it had ever been an act, he had been a constant victim. No, he pushed all that aside and refused to be seen that way, either in the past or able to be put in that category again. "Thank you, Sebastian. I miss him dreadfully still, but the pain is getting more manageable. I don't think about him as often as I used to but when I do it still hurts."
It was the first time Kurt had said his name in years. Smythe hadn't counted, that was a dig, impersonal. The way his name rolled off of Kurt's tongue was beautiful.
Time slipped past them and Sebastian let Kurt reel back in those emotions and when his eyes finally met Sebastian's again, he breathed a little easier. If this was the only chance Sebastian got to convince Kurt to give him a chance, he would cover all the things he regretted without fear. Sebastian would also accept it if Kurt told him to get lost at the end of the night and to never talk to him again.
Or he thought he would, hoped he could.
They made small talk for a little while and Kurt accepted a second glass of wine. They talked about the last 10 years, talked about what they were up to currently. Kurt even got Sebastian to open up and talk about the charities he spearheaded. Kurt looked impressed for the first time all night when Sebastian talked about the good that they were doing in different communities. It wasn't all just throwing money at the issue. Sebastian actually went to some of those schools and talked with individuals, gave lectures and helped build sets and gave very hands on lessons and help. Helped people like Dave, Kurt and even Blaine connections that could help support them when times got tough.
–
KURT/SEBASTIAN
–
Sebastian helped out with other communities too, he established and single-handedly kept a community hospital open, free and for the public. Kurt had seen it on the news a few times for the good work it did and how state of the art it was kept, despite being a free clinic. He hadn't heard of any issues with theft or things going down there.
Kurt felt himself thawing and feeling a little like a lump on a log as he listened to Sebastian. His own work with disenfranchised youths and animals seemed like pittance compared to what Sebastian accomplished. "It's because I had the money, you've done so much with what you have." Sebastian cut across his thoughts, having heard about Kurt's own community service ventures. He was also helping get those lost youths into the theater world. He'd put forward the idea of letting kids come in for free on some matinee and night performances. There had been a little bit of a push back but then people started paying attention and contributing to their education and funding Broadway more than they had before.
Kurt rented out a off-off-off Broadway theater and was helping them put on a community theater. There were kids from all the Burroughs, maybe not all the neighborhoods, but it was picking up speed and interest. Kids like those he'd attended McKinley with, who would never have talked to each other or crossed enemy lines were now very good friends.
Time would tell if they'd always chose their friends over their community or if it would be a mix of both or if it took time and effort to overcome those lines in the real world or if they'd go with what they knew, with those they lived with. Kurt hoped for the best but he was a realist.
As he and Sebastian talked, he realized Sebastian wasn't the same guy he had been when they were kids themselves. He still couldn't believe Sebastian was telling him the truth about his attraction to him, but wasn't totally disregarding it now.
They opened a second bottle of wine before they even finished their food. Kurt had dessert coming like he always did and they lingered over it. Kurt shared the food with Sebastian and even after that was put away and gone, they stuck to their little corner. Kurt was feeling warm and content and all that animosity had disappeared somewhere between courses. Between the wine and laying old grievances to rest and the sheer amount of truth passing between them, had him mellowing out and just accepting the dinner for it was. Two old acquaintances catching up and enjoying the conversation.
Sebastian had asked about Kurt's physical interest in him and Kurt hadn't been able to hide the blush and had been thankful that Sebastian hadn't pushed. Kurt had always been slower physically in getting aroused and wanting to have sex. He had to be seduced mentally first but Sebastian had pushed through that timetable with his usual arrogance and he'd been hard since they sat down at the table. It had made him a bit more snappy than he'd meant, more defensive, especially as it wasn't like him.
Every time the waiter came around, he couldn't help but be amused by Sebastian's annoyance. The waiter was a very good friend of Kurt's and one of his stage mates at his last performance. He looked concerned when Sebastian ordered a third bottle and Kurt didn't tell him he was on his own or no. His friend had caught the looks that Sebastian wasn't able to hide and so made a show of touching Kurt even more than he normally did. He didn't hang about much, knowing Kurt had chosen a table for privacy for a reason and he gave him it.
The third bottle disappeared and yet they stayed. Kurt surprised both the men present when he ordered Lemoncello. Sebastian made it a bottle rather than two shots, which didn't surprise anyone. They sipped the new drink slowly and continued chatting and learning about each other.
After the bottle finished though, Kurt knew he'd drank more than he had in a very long time and it was going to hit him harder than he was prepared for. He needed to stop it then and there. "I should get home, I have a lot to do in the morning before the show."
"Oh, let me take you home." Sebastian seemed totally sober, not even remotely tipsy.
Kurt wondered about that, but Sebastian had probably drank a lot more than him on a weekly basis and his tolerance had to be a lot higher. "No, no, it's fine. I got the way down without even having to think about it."
Sebastian paid for the meal and drinks and tipped sizably despite his dislike of the waiter's attentions on Kurt. He must have picked up that they were friends or he was just that good of a tipper regardless, as long as the waiter didn't piss him off. Maybe it was a showy power dick move with money or maybe it was a way to get the waiter to like him more, or it was a genuine thing that Sebastian did. Kurt just knew that his friend had seen the tip and his eyes had widened and then disappeared with one more shoulder squeeze and a good night.
"It's not safe for you to go home on your own like this." Sebastian tried to insist. "It's very late and you're intoxicated and a target-."
"Because I have an unfortunate gay face? Or because I'm small and weak and a girl?" Kurt sniped and felt badly about the words the second they were out. Both were no longer true.
"Because you're a man walking alone while intoxicated." Sebastian was giving him a look. "Men are statistically higher targets because they walk someone else home and then walk home alone. Not to mention they look like a challenge to some people."
Kurt waved him off. "I'll be fine, I know the way and it's safe."
"Maybe but I'd feel better if I took you home. I have a driver, I won't be walking home alone regardless."
"Sebastian, it's fine." Kurt didn't want him knowing where he lived or to be in a tight enclosed space alone with him with the way he was feeling and what Sebastian had told him in return.
"I know where you live Kurt, it wasn't hard, I didn't even have to employ my people on it. I just googled you. Being a Broadway star, you probably should strip that from the public database."
"You googled me?" Kurt stumbled a little as they walked out of the restaurant and Sebastian caught him.
Kurt turned toward Sebastian and wrapped an arm around his waist, Sebastian slung an arm around his waist in return, holding him close and making their problem even worse, but not acting on it. "Of course I did." Sebastian lifted a hand to Kurt's jaw. "Let me take you home, I promise I'll leave you on your doorstep tonight."
"Just tonight?" Kurt questioned.
"I can't promise that." Sebastian said in agreement, his plans to let Kurt go if turned down tonight and told to go away falling out of the window never to be seen again. He now knew the attraction was very real between the two of them and Kurt had started to begin to seem like he liked Sebastian in return. Sebastian would have never pressed for more tonight, especially not after how much they drank.
"I'm walking." Kurt pulled out of Sebastian's arms with considerable effort on his own part but Sebastian let him go easily enough. "That's final."
"Permanently?" Sebastian questioned softly.
"No. This was just a business dinner." He waved at the building they had left. "You can take me out on a date next week." Then he turned and started walking in the direction of his place.
Sebastian sighed and leaned over to talk to the driver of the car that pulled up. "Follow us." The car crawled along beside them as Sebastian fell into step next to Kurt. The apartment was in walking distance but it was a long walk. He thought Kurt would change his mind after the first 20 minutes but Kurt still kept going. Sebastian was impressed, especially in their inebriated state. The car crawling next to them wasn't even all that unusual, the roads weren't all that full compared to normal, especially rush hour but the traffic wasn't going particularly fast either. A few honked and swerved around the vehicle but for the most part it was left alone. Film crews did it often enough along their streets, and there were always other reasons too. A cop did pull him over and talked it over with him before letting him back onto the road but warned to use the hazard lights since it was night time and someone might hit him.
40 minutes into their walk, they finally reached Kurt's apartment. Sebastian sighed as he looked over the decrepit building. It wasn't the nicest of neighborhoods but it was still relatively safe. He didn't dare imagine what he thought the inside looked like. There were already cracks visible through the window into the hallway that were roughly patched up.
Sebastian pressed Kurt up against the building with just a light touch and closed into his space. "I want your phone number. I'm holding you to your agreement."
Kurt fumbled out with his phone and Sebastian took it easily for him and quickly dialed in his digits before sending himself a message. His fingers slid the phone back into Kurt's pocket and lingered there a moment before pulling out his keys and pressing them into Kurt's hand. "Thanks." Kurt's voice was winded. He seemed to hesitate, as if unsure if Sebastian was going to try and kiss him or if he wanted him to. Eventually he got out. "I don't kiss on the first date and this wasn't even a date."
Sebastian laughed and stepped back, that was such a Kurt response and he let his fingers slide slowly on Kurt's hand. "You'll bemoan the fact that you pushed off what I can offer, but I respect it. It makes it more interesting to find out when you'll let me kiss you, and more."
"We'll never get the beginning back, the lack of knowledge of each other and the guesses and anticipation." Kurt muttered back and pressed his key into the lock.
Sebastian internally roared with laughter, the spit-fire was ever present and he was going to make Sebastian work for it. Wasn't there something about making him work for it? Was it supposed to make Sebastian fall for him more than if he just gave it up right away?
"You needn't work so hard." Sebastian whispered against Kurt's nape as he reached around him and unlocked the front door for him. He was tempted to help Kurt up the stairs and into his apartment but knew if he stepped past this threshold, he may not be able to leave it again before morning.
He just had to trust that Kurt would figure the lock at his door out himself. Sebastian went home to work on his very big problem all on his own, wondering if Kurt was doing the same or had just passed out on his bed.
–
Kurt surprised Sebastian by calling first. Sebastian answered a bit reluctantly, thinking Kurt was going to tell him to delete his number.
"Hey, so about this date, can we make it for Friday? I have plans for Saturday."
"You're not calling it off?" Sebastian checked.
"The thing I have for Saturday? No. I'm trying to work around it though."
"No, I meant our date."
Kurt paused on the other end of the line. "Was it just an invite in jest?"
"No, I really want to go on a date with you." Sebastian answered instantly. "I just thought you would sober up and change your mind."
"Oh." Kurt hesitated. "I thought about it but then I remembered our conversation over the night and how much fun I'd had just sitting there and talking with you. I figured if we could connect like that over drinks, we might have fun doing other things together too."
"We'll definitely have fun doing other things too." Sebastian replied with a grin, not even trying to make it intimate. They'd talked about their interests and things they did for fun and a lot of it aligned nicely. There were things that intrigued Sebastian and things Kurt had expressed an interest in trying but never had and some that Sebastian had brought up first.
"Ok, so Friday?" Kurt asked.
"Friday." Sebastian agreed. "I had fun too." He said before they hung up. Sebastian wondered what Saturday plans Kurt had that he didn't share. He didn't share it on Friday either or when they talked on Sunday and planned on meeting up for Brunch.
They would call each other mid-week, checking in with each other, wondering if they had any plans for the weekend and worked toward making a date. Slowly it just became a standing date every week which morphed into two then three. Somewhere along the line, Kurt invited Sebastian upstairs which was just as bad as Sebastian had expected. He wisely kept his mouth shut though, not wanting Kurt to kick him out because of his opinion on the quality of the apartment. It was close to work though, faster by subway than walking and Kurt had done a nice job on it. Still, even with his pay, without roommates he couldn't afford anything nicer in the same vicinity.
After that, their dates became more frequent and often with sleepovers. Sebastian forced himself to sleep over at Kurt's for about a month because he wouldn't turn down the opportunity to do more than sleep with Kurt. However his hackles were finally drawn and his rich boy attitude made it's face known when he started enticing Kurt to his place instead.
Kurt commented that it was nice once but didn't talk about it otherwise. He wanted Sebastian to come over and would go over to his place in the end, but he never stopped asking for Sebastian to come to his home. Eventually it got to be an issue as Kurt was always staying at Sebastian's. Granted it was a much further commute for Kurt.
It wasn't an issue for Sebastian but Kurt cornered him once on why he didn't come over to his place anymore. They had a big fight about it when Sebastian told him straight out why he didn't want to spend the night at Kurt's. Kurt called him all sorts of names including elitist and they didn't see each other for a week when they were practically in Sebastian's bed nightly up to that point. Sebastian tried calling and and leaving a voicemail for Kurt to just move in with him and it wouldn't be an issue.
That had just made matters worse and Kurt told him exactly what he thought of that. "I'm not your kept boy, I'm not going to just upheave my own world when I am perfectly capable of paying for the place I had painstakingly researched and have been happy living in."
"No, I don't expect you to and you're not a kept boy, you're my boyfriend and it's only natural for boyfriends to eventually move in together."
"Boyfriend? Sebastian you can't just keep dropping these revelations in my lap without talking to them about me." Kurt was frazzled and it was easy to tell by his mistakes when talking. "I mean, talk to me about them."
"What else would you call us?" Sebastian snapped. "We've been going on dates near nightly and sleeping over at each other's places and having glorious sex and I haven't been dating anyone else."
Kurt was bright red on his end of the phone, he was sure Sebastian had just roared that at him with people nearby, people who worked for him, people Kurt would have to face eventually, since he was Sebastian's self-proclaimed boyfriend. The word did send shivers of delight down Kurt's back and the sex was glorious, probably the best he'd ever had and the confirmation that is was so good for Sebastian was even better. "Ok, ok, we can make that official then. I still think we should have talked about that face to face. Especially before you invited me to move in with you."
Sebastian sighed heavily but there was pleasure in his voice when he spoke. "You're right, I've never been good at doing things the right way. Ok boyfriend, will you move in with me?"
"No." Kurt was adamant on that point, even though they were practically living together already. "I don't want to live in that apartment and you don't like mine."
"What's wrong with my place?" Sebastian closed his eyes and waved the staff members out of his office. He wasn't planning on having this argument just then but he would follow through with it, it was more important than whatever meeting they were going to have.
"You mean besides the fact that the entire place is a shrine to old hookups? Do you know how many times I've come across something someone has left behind hoping you'd call them to return it and have another go?"
"Oh, you mean unlike how a lot of things in your closet are clearly Blaine's?"
"They're not!" Kurt defended hotly.
"How about that too short for you Dalton sweater?" Sebastian asked silkily.
"That was mine, if you remember, I used to be quite short. I just couldn't bare throwing out a part of my life like that."
"It's right next to your letterman's jacket, that clearly fit you better." Sebastian had seen the difference in arm lengths easily.
"Wow, you clearly need to go back to school and learn how to measure again." Kurt rubbed at his face. "That was Finn's. I had to fight Puck for it." He couldn't bare to throw that out either.
"Oh." Sebastian didn't want to get into something so touchy when he had just been on the back of so much happiness that Kurt had agreed to call them boyfriends. "What else is wrong with my place? I'll scrub it clean of all those remainders."
"It doesn't fit me, Sebastian. It's not my style at all."
"I know it seems like a bachelor's pad right now but if you move in, you can change everything to your heart's contentment and make it ours."
"The bones don't fit me." Kurt tried again. "It's too far from the theater district especially when I have to run to an audition that someone just dropped was available." Now that he was on Broadway he got insider's knowledge nearly first but he was still low-ranking on the totem pole despite staring in an on Broadway production. He hadn't been the lead on a new play or been around and beloved like many of the others yet. He was working his way up but wasn't there yet. He was given a very narrow window to audition before the masses flooded in.
"You can have a car." Sebastian had plenty of them. "Complete with driver."
"I like walking and taking the subway. Honestly Sebastian with how lazy you are some days I'm surprised you didn't gain 50 pounds since high school."
"I burn my calories other ways." Sebastian gave a shrug and Kurt was privy to most of those methods. "It's just to work, you can take either method back."
"It'll be too tempting." Kurt shook his head, suddenly wishing they were having this conversation in person. "It's your place, Sebastian, not mine and definitely not ours."
Sebastian dropped his head back against his desk chair and groaned. "Fine, we'll start apartment hunting, find something that suits both of us. Will you at least come over tonight?"
"Yes." Kurt could do that and it lifted the vice from around both of them, they would be fine. This was just another step along the way of being together in an adult romantic relationship. "And I'm going to hold you to that promise."
"When have I ever broken any of my promises to you?" Sebastian murmured and Kurt blushed again, Sebastian had certainly held true to his word since he'd met him, good or bad. Thankfully they'd all been good since they met up again.
–
Three years later, Kurt stepped out onto an empty stage with only a spotlight on it and an empty auditorium. He breathed in the room, closing his eyes and spread himself out mentally to all the corners and hidden areas of the stage and audience seating. He knew how to reach every single one of them but there was only one he wanted to touch today.
Sebastian walked out after him a few minutes later, looking confused and around at the empty space. "What's up, boyfriend?" Sebastian liked to tease him with that word all the time, or maybe it was Sebastian just reaffirming it all the time, committing it to memory, having trouble to believe it still, even to this day. Well, Kurt had another word for him to try to come to terms with. "I thought you had rehearsals today, why did you call me to come meet you here?"
He stopped on the edge of the spotlight and Kurt reached out to pull him into the light while he dropped down onto one knee. "Sebastian Smythe, one time you rented out the entire theater in an attempt to be with me. I still think it was totally nuts and you could have accomplished that goal with something a little less dramatic but it had worked. You got my attention and have held it ever since. I'm hoping you'd be willing to keep it forever?" Kurt opened the box to the ring he'd painstakingly spent so much time picking out. He hoped that Sebastian got it, that he understood that Kurt had brought them back to the place where they reconnected and had cleared it out so it was just them. Sebastian had a hard enough time with boyfriend, how would he do with fiance and husband? "Will you marry me?"
Sebastian slid a hand along Kurt's jaw, looking at him and not the ring. "You're the prize, the jewel and the gem. The precious and rare metal and reward." Kurt could have pointed out that those were pretty much all the same thing. Except he was waiting on baited breath for Sebastian's answer. Kurt had been the pursuer in other relationships and the one who had been asked to marry someone, twice. It was nerve-wracking to put himself into the same position, waiting for the verdict, fearing the worse but hoping for the best. So far, Sebastian's words sounded promising. "Of course I will, fiance."
Kurt started breathing again and had a hard time getting back up, made even worse when Sebastian flattened him onto the stage and sealed his lips over Kurt's. "Fiance." Kurt ran his fingers through Sebastian's short hair. He'd come from work and was wearing a very tailored and expensive suit. Sebastian of course didn't care one iota about that.
"When did you want to get married?" Sebastian suddenly had a teasing look in his eyes. "I seem to recall someone had wanted to get married before they were 30, but hopefully before you're 40 will do?"
Kurt gasped. "Don't you dare!" Kurt was only 35, he wasn't planning to push it off for another 4 years. Kurt had already had a million plans in his head, his dad and Carole wouldn't be hard to wrangle as long as it was warmer weather in New York, otherwise they'd have to come up from Florida. Sebastian's parents were harder to pin down.
Sebastian nuzzled against Kurt's jaw, his fingers were attempting to strip Kurt of his clothes but he was being surprisingly unhelpful with the task. Granted they were on the center of the stage where Kurt worked, but they'd had sex on Sebastian's desk several times before, what was the difference? They'd even had sex in Kurt's changing room a few times.
"I've been caught on stage before, with Rachel, but still-" Kurt gasped as he caught Sebastian's hands. He still hadn't put the ring on Sebastian's finger.
Sebastian lifted his head, he'd only seen the girl a few times since high school and she was always boasting about her singing career- which hadn't left Nashville yet. She was now married to a man who produced singers but it hadn't done anything for her career. "Rachel? I thought the ex was the one with the fascination for the man-hands?"
Kurt laughed. "No, but I did make out with Brittany." Sebastian nodded, that made sense, Brittany was incredibly hot, even to him, who was very gay and had never thought otherwise. "We had snuck onto the set of Wicked to sing to each other before Nationals one year." Sebastian recalled that story now. "We're just not safe of the guard walking in on us. I don't want to have to explain it to him."
"Or get caught in the act." Sebastian pressed a kiss to Kurt's brow and started pulling back. "It'll be easier to avoid that in your dressing room." He could wait until they crossed those few hundred feet. Then he remembered what he was going to say. "Why don't we elope?"
Kurt blinked at him slowly and Sebastian took the box from his hand and slipped the ring onto his finger for Kurt. It was a perfect fit. "Elope?"
"Yeah." Sebastian spun to Kurt who was looking at him as if he were nuts. "Your dad and Carole can come and be our witnesses." Sebastian was quite pleased with his answer, thinking it would be right up Kurt's alley of no-fuss, no-muss, no unnecessary attention outside the stage. Kurt still hid him in the back of the restaurant and once Sebastian had bulked and move them to the center of the restaurant. They'd fought over that and Sebastian confessed he felt like Kurt was embarrassed by him. Kurt admitted the first time was because he didn't want them to be interrupted and it had become their table in his mind, but he wasn't hiding Sebastian, he just liked to keep it private between them, no distractions, just them in their little bubble. He sat down at the table in the middle of the restaurant and gestured for Sebastian to take the other seat, proving he wasn't embarrassed. Sebastian had grabbed his hand and tried to drag him back to their table, quite pleased by Kurt's explanation. No reason that this wasn't exactly like that.
"Sebastian Smythe, you really are the worst!" Kurt complained and jumped to his feet. "You have all this money you're constantly throwing about and yet on the most important day of our days you want to be cheap? You want to just elope and not spend a dime and not have a big party celebrating our relationship with our friends and family? Just hide it away?"
Sebastian's jaw dropped and he laughed, hard. They could have easily argued about this, but he had Kurt's ring on his finger and he was deliriously happy. "Whatever you want, of course! I thought I was offering something you would have wanted, but if you want the biggest wedding of the century and want to spend more on it than the most lavish royal wedding, please go ahead! I will not welch on a single penny."
Kurt spun to him. "Really?"
"I'm more surprised that the penny-pincher wants to go so lavish and big with so many people when up to now you've been perfectly content to have it be just the two of us. I'm not complaining, this makes me so incredibly happy, you've no idea!" Sebastian paused before Kurt could say anything. "Though I have found merit in your desire to keep us mostly private, I like that too."
"Big and loud and expensive, huh?" Kurt asked thinking about it. Maybe he could bend a little on the arrangements. "What about renting out the entire villa strip in Palm Beach?"
"Renting?" Sebastian sounded offended and Kurt hadn't realized until after they moved in together that Sebastian thought renting was the dumbest thing a person could do. He'd sold his apartment and bought the shared one. To make Kurt more comfortable with the arrangement, Sebastian told Kurt that he could rent the place from him until he paid off half of it. Sebastian just dumped whatever rent Kurt gave him back into an account that he'd given Kurt access to, in case of emergencies.
Sebastian bought a place anywhere they've been that they've liked. Kurt would have to pay forever if he ever had a hope to pay off even half of one of the places. Thankfully as his name went up the list of popularity and fame, his paychecks reflected it too.
Sebastian had even bought a house next to Burt and Carole in both upstate New York and Florida. Kurt tried telling him there was no reason to. They weren't far from New York City when they headed to see his parents in Upstate New York and they could just stay with them if anything popped up and whenever they went to Florida they were welcome to stay.
Sebastian was insistent that they needed their own space. Kurt sometimes went and saw them on his own and he did stay at his dad's house then. Maybe Sebastian would mellow about it when they were married. He supposed his dad wasn't the most pleasant about their living arrangement and neither wanted to see it in action. Burt would only warm up to them if they got married and maybe Sebastian wouldn't be so jumpy about it and actually enjoy the shared space in the morning.
Kurt laughed and kissed Sebastian. "Seriously? I will be happy just to have it in our place in Key Largo. They can all stay with us too."
Sebastian shook his head. "We're going to have it in Ohio. Then you and I are going to go on a month long honeymoon that will hopefully last for the rest of our lives."
"Why Ohio?" Kurt was thrown by the suggestion.
"Because your dad worked so hard to make it possible. It's where we first met and even though we weren't on the best terms there, we spent considerable amount of time there knowing of each other. I want to cement it, make that stupid boy of so many years realize what he could have had for even longer had he not been so demented."
"Are you talking about you, me or someone else?" Kurt asked with a laugh.
"Me. I wasted so much time with you by being such an idiot. I want to right that wrong. I want to make everything come full circle with no more loose ends or places that we aren't deliciously happy together in."
"No places in this world that hold only bad memories for us?" Kurt asked softly, warming to the idea.
"Exactly."
–
KURT
–
6 months later, Kurt found himself in an event hall that was going to host everything he'd ever dreamed of, including the man he was soon to marry. He reflected on his life up to this point, all the times he'd been in Ohio over the years. How when his father moved away, he hadn't been back, not really, just in and out for McKinley reunions. There were many glee kids who weren't part of those, they were in different years. He'd stayed with Puck or Sam, depending on who was in town during those visits. Sam wasn't part of his year either. It always felt so weird not to have Tina, Sam, Artie or Blaine present at the reunion, they'd always been so present in his time at McKinley that he sometimes forgot they were younger. Brittany went to both their years' and the following one, having graduated twice (and as Brittany's wife, Santana did too). Blaine went to both Dalton and McKinley's and Sebastian always grumbled coming back from them but he never invited Kurt along.
Then, speak of of the devil. Kurt turned from an arrangement and nearly jumped out of his skin.
"You look so good."
"Coming from the man who'd dated Karofsky, I might be offended but since it's my wedding week, I won't take offense." Kurt turned with a grin though toward the voice coming from behind him. He'd been leaning down to fix one of the chairs' decorations. His butt was still something people commented on constantly. And he'd lost a little of the weight he'd gained since his teenage years, especially in his face. It was still more rounded and he had never been overweight, just wasn't that tiny thing anymore and more muscular.
"He was attractive in his own way." Blaine defended, slightly offended himself at the attack on his choice. Kurt had pushed him into his arms after all, twice. "But you are looking good." He was still in his decorating clothes. He wasn't doing the hard labor but he was overseeing the construction of his dream venue and decorations. He had fallen in love with this place the second he'd found it. He'd booked it and had visited for the first time a week later. He had come out to Ohio several times to talk with the wedding planner based here and the one in New York who was coordinating with her. It was a testament to Kurt's skills that kept them from being insulted or threatened by the other. He explained to both that there was a lot to do and neither would have their commission cut into by the other. He even paid for both to be flown out to the other state to go over things with each other and with him both separately and together.
He had New York tastes which the Ohio designer wouldn't be equipped to handle and the New York designer wouldn't be able to manage all the vendors in Ohio because she didn't know everyone there and didn't have the connections to make it all happen for Kurt in a smooth manner.
"What are you doing here, Blaine? The wedding's not for another few days." Even Sebastian hadn't flown out yet. They'd rented the venue for the week.
"I wanted to see you, talk to you in private ahead of time." Blaine had been invited but he was only supposed to come to ceremony and party afterward.
Kurt frowned lightly, that was not what he wanted nor needed to hear right then. "It's been years since we've even seen each other, Blaine." After Sebastian and Kurt had made it official, Blaine had nearly dropped out of their lives completely. He no longer sent updates on Memphis and what he was up to. They had really debated inviting him, he wasn't part of their lives anymore, had only heard from him at Christmas and Kurt's birthday. Kurt still sent yearly cards to people on their birthdays or called and talked to them if they were closer. Blaine had been part of their lives and they didn't want to be asked about why they didn't invite him or why he wasn't there. They gave in to imagined peer pressure, knowing the loudest would be Rachel and she was definitely going to be there.
"I know, that's why I wanted to talk to you. I wanted to catch up on old times and the years between before the craziness of the wedding. Who knows when I'll see you again after that?"
Kurt looked over Blaine, the shorter guy was even hotter than he'd been the last time he'd seen him. What was it with these Dalton boys? His glasses only added a sexy factor and Kurt bit his bottom lip. Would it be ok? Sebastian was a bit testy when it came to Blaine. If he knew Blaine was here, early, he'd have a fit. Kurt pulled out his phone and text him that information, not wanting to argue about why he kept it from Sebastian for even a moment.
There was silence for a long time following that text while Blaine kept talking and Kurt kept working on the smaller details that he was neurotic about. It felt good to have his hands full. Blaine's warm voice and natural exuberance over everything hadn't gone away.
Kurt turned his head and stretched out his neck, trying to ignore the other male in the room. His phone rang and he breathed a little easier. "Hi fiance." Kurt greeted happily, so happy that Sebastian had called rather than texted. He needed to hear Sebastian's voice right then, even if it was clipped and having trouble hiding his annoyance and anger. It was still the most gorgeous voice to Kurt's ears.
"Fiance." Sebastian breathed out heavily, calming down but still not quite back to his normal self. "The elf is there?"
"Came in early." Kurt agreed, not feeling guilty at all that he was ignoring Blaine. He'd come for a reason, to set up for his wedding with Sebastian. Blaine had crashed it and was interrupting his work and making more work for him actually as he played with a decoration Kurt had already aligned perfectly. Which Kurt had to come over and fix. He played with another decoration and Kurt took it from his hand and placed it back on the table.
That was a mistake because that put him up right next to Blaine. He gulped and took a step back. He did not want to be close to Blaine. He always made bad decisions in Ohio with Blaine. He'd spent years undoing all those bad choices, he was not in a hurry to jump into another one. He didn't even want to, he loved Sebastian fiercely and had no desire to mess it up. It's just that he was fearful of the history of bad decisions repeating themselves, as if he had no choice in the matter, the pattern had been established. He didn't want to fall into the pattern. He had no interest in Blaine, yes he was objectively gorgeous but that's where his thoughts on the matter ended. He still didn't know if it was Ohio or if it was Blaine who always seemed to cast a spell over his good judgment, his desires and wants.
"What does he want?" Sebastian's voice grounded Kurt and he forced the fear to take a backseat. He was an adult and had control over his own actions. There wasn't some kind of magic out there that forced him to behave against his will. He was logical and grounded in reality. His hormones had worked against him the first time, his shared history had been at fault the next time. He'd worked through the second with a very thorough hand and the first had washed away over the years. Nothing was going to happen because he didn't want it to. He had no interest in Blaine, he looked over Blaine again and felt no stirrings in his body toward the other male. Sebastian spoke again and his body got goosebumps all over and he couldn't help the smile at hearing his voice. "Kurt?"
"I don't know." He snatched another decoration from Blaine's hand and pointed to have a seat out of the way.
"Find out what it is, hmm? Then report back."
"Yes sir." Kurt said sassily and Sebastian chuckled. That warm feeling covered his entire body, right down to his toes. Yeah, Sebastian was the only one he wanted.
Kurt realized there was something in what Sebastian said about his own sexual relationship with Blaine. It had felt like something he should have wanted and so had forced it. Blaine was Kurt's first but even then it had to be decided upon and done with considerable effort. Every time after was just a mix of effort and false ties and feelings because they'd been together already, the only one he'd been with. Then just the first one he'd been with and had confused nostalgia and years of friendship with current desire.
The relationships he'd had, even the ones that had ended dismally had taught Kurt that what he'd had with Blaine had always been just that – friendship. The relationship he'd had with Adam taught him about compliments and how he was deserving of them. Not just the surface stuff and things that didn't directly compete with his boyfriend's skill. Adam had also taught him, the partner stays when things get tough; unless that tough spot was going back to an ex and doubling down. Kurt had felt so guilty about that and had talked it out with Adam a year ago. He'd been appreciative of Kurt talking to him but he'd worked through it himself.
Sebastian taught him what a real romantic relationship was and what an intimate relationship was. He'd taught Sebastian right back too. More than that, they'd been in a real deep relationship, working through things without once breaking up or dragging someone else into it. They were there for each other through all the injuries, illnesses and tough times outside of their relationship too and did it without once hesitating. Complaints, sure, especially from Sebastian who wanted to just hire someone to take care of both of them the first time either were sick. For himself so Kurt didn't get sick too and for Kurt so there was professional care involved. Sebastian went a little nuts thinking Kurt's fever meant he was going to die. He still got a little paranoid every time Kurt had been sick since, thankfully not very often, but he didn't handle it as well as Kurt did. There were times when Kurt had made cracks about taking care of Sebastian but he never let Sebastian have someone do it for him.
When Kurt had surgery two years ago for something that was unavoidable with his profession, Sebastian had been right there, making sure he had everything and helping him ease back into work and exercise. He'd hired a professional trainer too to help keep both of them healthy and how to do it properly without injury in the future. It wasn't much different than how Kurt had done it, but the repetition had done him in.
Sebastian had hired a professional chef too to help him get back on his game faster. But the times when they couldn't be there, Sebastian was. Sebastian was there regardless of whoever he hired.
Sebastian had broken his leg last year, getting out of his town car and nearly run over by a bicyclist and stepped improperly off the curb. Kurt had been by his side, helping him mend and eat healthy without gaining weight due to lack of exercise. He helped Sebastian in whatever way he possibly could.
They were married in all but actual legal terms. Kurt wasn't going to mess that up, it's what he wanted. What he'd wanted since the moment Sebastian had pressed him up against the wall outside his apartment but didn't press his advantage. It had been the moment when it clicked for Kurt that Sebastian was genuine in his interest and he would go at Kurt's pace rather than do purely what he wanted. It had been everything for Kurt. Sebastian had put Kurt's needs first.
Blaine was off to the side tapping his foot impatiently and looking around, trying to determine if anything could hold his interest. Kurt sighed, he wouldn't get any work done until he got rid of Blaine. He wouldn't get rid of Blaine until he talked to him.
"I'll call you back when I'm done with him."
"Need some bodyguards or security down there to keep him away until the ceremony?" Sebastian asked and Kurt paused, thinking about it.
"No, it's fine." Kurt shook his head, the only reason he would need them is if he was worried about his own resolve and actions. He knew he wasn't going to fall into the old trap. He didn't need them to protect him from himself by keeping Blaine away. He had to prove it to himself now too rather than just determine that was the case. He had to put action to thought.
"Let me know if you change your mind."
"Blaine isn't and has never been dangerous." Kurt laughed. "He would never hurt me or force me to do anything."
"Yeah, ok, whatever you say." Sebastian was back to being a little testy and Kurt shook his head, wondering about his thoughts about Blaine in that way. Blaine had never hurt him.
So they talked and Blaine confessed to still having feelings and how it was too hard to still be friends when he was with Sebastian. Kurt wasn't moved and so he tried a different tactic by telling Kurt about how he'd slept with Sebastian. Kurt rolled his eyes. "That makes us even then, because I've slept with both you and Sebastian too."
"If you marry Sebastian we can never be together again. This will be it, the final final."
Kurt smiled softly at Blaine and patted his hand. "We did this a few times already, every time we've said it was the final final but last time I really meant it." He had but if Blaine had sought him out before he met up with Sebastian again, he probably would have been tempted to give it another chance. Who knew where they'd have been had it had happened. That was one what-if that he'd been spared. He didn't know if he could handle the on and off relationship his entire life and he never had to know the answer to that. He'd gotten off that merry-go-round years ago.
He went back to the venue and worked on straightening the last few things of the hall. He would work on the wedding dais tomorrow. There were still a lot to do including bringing in the flowers but he actually trusted his wedding planners to take care of that the day of the ceremony.
He called Sebastian as he worked, knowing on the other end of the line, Sebastian was doing the same thing. They talked about what Blaine wanted, Kurt was perfectly clear with what had gone down with him. Sebastian grumbled a bit but then settled and then talked to Kurt about how things were going at the venue and then just about how Kurt was doing in general. While Kurt asked after Sebastian, checking that he was eating and not just working and how he was doing.
It was funny how he never once thought that Sebastian was capable of cheating on him during his absences. It was also interesting how even when he was gone he still made time to talk to Sebastian all these years at least twice a day. He didn't let any of those calls go to voicemail or silence them.
Sebastian showed up the next day at breakfast, looking smart and handsome as ever. He didn't look ruffled at all at the early hour and greeted Kurt with a kiss and snagging one of his hard boiled eggs. He just chatted with Kurt, ignoring that he was also days earlier than planned. Kurt let it go and they worked on things together for awhile then went off to see the sights nearby and eat dinner.
Then headed up to bed together and repeated somewhat similar steps the next day.
The day of their wedding fast approached and went off without a hitch. Blaine had to sit in attendance just to make sure it actually happened, ready to swoop in if it didn't. They wed and Blaine left, not staying around for the party.
No one mentioned him to the happy couple. They stayed up late and had fun and hung out with their friends and family even after the venue closed and they were forced out to a bar until that closed too then spilled into one of the suites and stayed up partying until they all started dropping off and falling asleep, claiming old age.
Kurt and Sebastian headed back to their private suite. "So much for not renting." Kurt teased as he pulled off the haphazardous tie still around his husband's neck, it had gotten more and more messily tied throughout the night. A thrill shot through him with the word, he'd been saying it in his head all night and out loud whenever he possibly could.
"Husband, I bought this place once you decided this is where you wanted to get married. There is no renting here. It's actually quite a good investment." Kurt was giggling to himself and Sebastian pulled him to him. "Want to share in the joke?"
"It's just... being in Ohio, I thought your idea was going to end in disaster, Ohio always ends in disaster." Kurt shook his head, he was very drunk. "It turns out the only thing I needed to make a good decision in this place since I moved away was you. Since moving, I finally made a good decision while here."
Sebastian slid a hand around the back of Kurt's head and held him as still as he could, he was also quite drunk and felt like he was walking on a floor filled with water, even while standing. "I made a good decision myself, but it was years ago when I decided I would try and woo you." Sebastian brushed his forehead against Kurt's. "That good decision has carried me forward through the years. Every decision after that was just easier, knowing it was the right one, because I would be with you."
Kurt held his hands around his husband's lapels. "Why do I feel like you took my words?"
"Because we're each other's good decision." Sebastian tried to wink but kind of failed at it just then.
"Thank god for Broadway."
"Yeah, knew I'd find you on that stage sooner or later. All I had to do was keep an eye out for you."
"But-" Kurt frowned trying to put that together with what he'd known all these years but Sebastian was kissing him and he forgot all about what he'd said just then. Just happy to be in his husband's arms.