Kurt stayed sitting at the little table in Blaine's room, sipping on his coffee and snacking on his donut while he watched the singer scurry around his room, hastily packing his things and getting ready to leave. He felt a little bad that he was just watching, but short of refolding Blaine's clothes for him, he didn't think he could be much help. Besides, Blaine didn't ask, and he didn't want him to feel like he was overstepping by volunteering to help him clean up after he'd invited himself along on tour.
Eventually, after nearly an hour of packing, Blaine turned to look at Kurt. "That all you have?" he asked, gesturing to Kurt's one duffel and his backpack. "That should be easy enough to store."
"Yeah. I packed for a four-day trip, not a tour," Kurt said, immediately regretting his words. God, that was snarky. "I-I mean, I just didn't know it would be an option, ya know? I'm sorry. I-I shouldn't have said that. I can just… You know, why don't I just go? I don't-I don't think-"
"Woah. Woah. Slow your roll there, Kurt. I was just asking so I knew how much space I needed to make with my stuff. It's not a problem; I'm not judging. And, just because I don't remember asking you to come along yet doesn't mean you aren't welcome." He crossed the room to be closer to Kurt, bending so he could look him straight in the eye. "I was going to wait to tell you this until we were on the bus, but I'm glad you're coming. You're-" He stopped himself before he could say, You're cute, and I want to spend some time staring at you, and instead ended with, "interesting." Still just as lame as it was last night in the bathroom, he thought to himself, inwardly cringing.
"I'm so glad 'Just Blaine' finds me interesting," Kurt mocked, giving Blaine a smile anyway. Then, his face became a little more serious again, and he said, "But you're sure I won't be in the way? None of the other band members will be upset that you are bringing a random fan along on tour?"
"You're not a random fan," Blaine told him, straightening up and going over to the bed to grab up a few of his bags. "You're...Kurt." Not smooth, Anderson. Not smooth. Do better.
"Right. I'm Kurt. Do you even know my last name?"
"Uh, no. But I would love to learn it on the bus! So, come with me, I'll fill the guys in on what's happening, and we'll be on our way. It's an almost two-hour drive from here to our venue, so we'll have plenty of time to talk." Blaine grinned at him, walking toward the door. He stuck his head out and talked to the security guys in the hallway before looking back over his shoulder. "You coming?"
Kurt nodded, rising from his chair and following Blaine to the door. "What's the first stop on your tour?"
"Um…" Blaine laughed, giggling harder at Kurt's confused look when he glanced at him. "We're playing at a church…"
"What? You're kidding," Kurt said, stepping into the elevator behind Blaine.
"Nope," the singer answered, popping the "P." He shook his head, pressing the button for the lower floor. "I guess this is a super progressive church that regularly hosts concerts and stuff." He shrugged. "I don't make those decisions. Our agent does."
Kurt was about to open his mouth and ask another question, but the elevator dinged just then, and they were walking out the door into the lobby. The rest of the bandmates were already gathered there, smiling and waving at those who gawked on their way out. At the sound of the elevator opening, all the bandmates turned in that direction, mouths open to greet Blaine, but the words died on their lips.
Blaine walked over, setting his few bags down and looking up at the group. "David and Trent are grabbing the rest of my stuff from my room; they should be down soon. But I wanted to talk to you guys about something."
"What the hell is he doing here?" Eli asked, pointing an accusing finger in Kurt's direction, smiling when Kurt backed up just a bit, hunching his shoulders to make him look smaller.
"Shut the fuck up, Eli," Blaine sighed, not even bothering to look at him. "Last night, before I left Marie's, I invited Kurt to go along on tour with us, and he's agreed. So, he's coming along, at least for the first few stops. He's only got those two bags, so he can store his stuff with mine. And, he can stay in my hotel room. He won't be in the way, will you, Kurt?" He turned to the man in question.
"No. I won't," Kurt said, crossing his heart with a giant "X." Then, he smiled. "Scouts honor."
"I don't have a problem with it," Elliot spoke up. "Kurt's a nice guy; I say he should tag along."
Jeff, Nick, and Sebastian all nodded, murmuring their agreement. Eli, however, shook his head, a sour expression on his face.
"No way! No. No, he can't come! If you start inviting nobodies along with us, pretty soon we're going to have a caravan of fans! No way. He's not part of the band!"
"First of all," Blaine ground out, "Kurt is not a nobody. Just like us, he's a person. A very kind, interesting, and cute person." Shit! Did I really say that out loud? "And," Blaine continued, pushing on despite his cheeks blushing ever so gently, "it's not just up to you. We vote on it. So, if you're outvoted, that's just too bad." He paused, looking at the other four boys. "All in favor of Kurt coming along?"
Around the circle, there were five raised hands.
"Well, that settles it," Sebastian commented. "Welcome to the tour, Kurt." He held out a hand, and Kurt took it in a light grip.
There was another ding of the elevator, and the band all looked behind them to see David and Trent, the two security guards who had met Kurt at the elevator earlier that morning, coming out with armloads of stuff. "Let's get on the bus!" one of them hollered, and everyone picked up their bags and moved out of the hotel to the bus waiting outside.
It didn't take long for everything to be packed away in the bus. Most of the equipment and other gear was stored below in the cargo carriage units. The guy's clothes and laptops along with a few acoustic guitars were loaded up inside, and pretty soon they were heading down the road on their way to Philly.
Kurt could tell that Eli was pissed. In fact, he really seemed like he was mad at the world. He'd been nothing but rude to both David and Trent as they loaded the bus, he'd been a snot to Seb when asked where he'd like his acoustic guitar stored, and he was now sitting beside the window, his headphones in his ears, glaring across the bus in Kurt and Blaine's direction.
Sebastian and Elliot had found a spot for themselves toward the back of the bus and were cuddled together, watching a movie while Jeff and Nick were dozing toward the front on an air mattress, curled into each other's arms.
"What is his problem?" Kurt asked, jerking a thumb in Eli's direction. "He's been an asshole all day."
"That would be my fault," Blaine admitted, "and part of what I wanted to talk with you about. So, I guess we're starting that conversation now?"
"I guess so," Kurt agreed. "Sounds like there might be a lot of stuff to talk about."
Blaine nodded, taking a deep breath and releasing it as a sigh. "So, I guess I should start from the beginning. I don't know how much you know, but you're only going to understand the here and now of the situation if I tell you all the details."
"I'm all ears," Kurt confirmed.
"Great. So, I don't know how much you know about the history of the band, but we formed while we were at Dalton. So-"
"Just checking, do you remember that I told you I was attending Dalton, going into photography?"
"Um, vaguely? I remember something about my brother being handsome." Blaine scrunched up his nose. "You don't have a crush on him, do you?"
Kurt couldn't hold back a laugh at that. "No. You were the one that brought up how handsome he is, actually. Not me."
"Oh…" Once again, Blaine found his cheeks coloring pink. What is wrong with me? I don't get embarrassed easily. "You should probably know that I'm a lightweight when it comes to drinking. I get tipsy easily, and after that, my memory is crap."
"If I need to tell you secrets," Kurt said, giving him a sly smile, "I'll be sure to get you liquored up first!"
They both had a good chuckle about that, then Blaine went on seriously. "Anyway, when we first formed and got famous off of that cover of Teenage Dream I did for the Dalton Talent Show, we were all single and unattached. However, the more time we spent together, writing music and recording our songs, the more Elliot and Sebastian and Nick and Jeff realized they were falling for each other. As it turns out, they were soulmates, destined to be together once they figured out their feelings. So, those four have been paired off almost since the beginning, a few months in, actually, and that just left Eli and me on our own."
Please don't tell me they were actually together… Kurt prayed as he listened to Blaine talk. I'm not sure I can handle that.
"Well, Eli wasn't handling that very well." Blaine's eyes flitted up to see if his bandmate was still watching them; he was. Leaning in closer, Blaine made sure his mouth was obscured from Eli's view before he went on. "He tried dating other people off and on, both other stars and fans, but he didn't like any of them well enough to stick it out. Eli's bi, you know, and so eventually, he told our manager he thought it was a bad image for me, as the lead singer, not to be in a relationship."
Kurt gasped, unable to hold back his surprise. How manipulative! he thought.
Blaine nodded grimly. "Yeah. So, when our manager asked what he thought we should do about me being single, it was Eli's idea for the two of us to date. I tried to say no, but Eli and our manager both insisted it would be good for our image if the group was made up entirely of couples."
"Did they coerce you?" Kurt whispered, not trusting himself to keep from turning to Eli and shouting him down for being such an asshole.
"Not exactly, but I was definitely not excited," Blaine admitted, diverting his eyes to look out the window as he spoke some more. "My manager promised that this was only for appearances and stories, that I would not have to pretend with him if we weren't in public, but apparently Eli didn't get the picture. What you saw him doing last night, calling me Blainey, hanging all over me, and kissing my cheek was what he normally did, even when we were alone, and I couldn't stand it. Every time he did, I would tell him to quit, and it pissed him off. Last night, me not going back to the hotel with him and instead getting drinks with you was the last straw. He was waiting for me in my hotel room last night, and we got into a huge yelling match. He accused me of not loving him, and when I told him I never had, not as more than a friend, he told me he was quitting the band and left. Obviously, that didn't happen because he's here now, but because of him, I got no sleep last night." And, because of you, too, Blaine added in his head.
"That's horrible," Kurt breathed. "I'm so sorry."
"Don't be," Blaine replied, sighing and looking back at Kurt. "Honestly, I was hoping he really would quit the band. Things haven't been easy, not even in the beginning. But he's good at what he does, so we kept him around. It would be a lot easier, though, if we could find someone else..." He trailed off. "Anyway, that brings me to this morning. First of all, I didn't remember inviting you along but secondly, I've gotten no sleep. Which is fine. I was just a little bit out of it when you called. How did-How did you get my number, anyway?"
Kurt chuckled. "Of course you don't remember that, either. You sent yourself a text from my phone when we were leaving Marie's. It said my name so you wouldn't forget it and your hotel address."
"Oh! That's why that was on my phone when I got back to the hotel. I spent so long staring at it, wondering why I had the address of my hotel with someone else's name attached to it." He laughed. "I feel so dumb whenever something like this happens."
"It's okay," Kurt replied. He wanted to ask, Do you remember kissing my cheek before you left? But he decided it wasn't the right time.
"So, how is it that someone who only packed for a few days in New York can come along on a 10-day tour with a band?"
"Well, because I gave it all up," Kurt said softly. "I dropped my entire life in Ohio and made this my life for a while. I- Well, it's a lot to explain, but I needed to. For me."
Blaine glanced at his watch. "I've got time. We've barely been on the road for 15 minutes."
"Okay. I should warn you, though, that my backstory is kinda sad. So, don't expect to giggle while I talk."
"Stony-faced Blaine at your service," the singer said, saluting him quickly.
Kurt smiled before clearing his throat and starting his story. "My dad died when I was little. I was eight, and he passed away from cancer. He was way too young, and- Anyway, so since then, it's just been me and my mom. She's a preschool teacher, and the job never paid much, but she loves it. So, I was on my own a lot. Teachers don't get to just go home when the bell rings like the kids, and I was home alone a lot once I was old enough to think hanging out in her Pre-K room was boring." He chuckled. "So, when I graduated high school, I didn't feel like I could leave Mom on her own. I'd been working and helping take care of the household as long as I could remember, and she hadn't met anyone yet. So, when I got a full-ride scholarship to Dalton, I took it. My major was photography and my minor was music. I love music and always wanted to have a career in it but as a writer, not a performer. Music writing wasn't one of the topics that Dalton offered under either music or creative writing, unfortunately."
Blaine nodded in understanding. "Yes. I've been after Coop to tell the board to change that, but it doesn't seem to matter." He smiled apologetically. "Sorry. Go on."
"So, photography was okay, and like I said last night, your brother was the one who introduced me to you and Warbler Attack. For the most part, things have been okay at Dalton. I've been accepting the challenges at they come, and it's less horrible than high school was." He pressed his lips into a line. "But I haven't really been happy there. It's not where I wanted to be or what I wanted to do. So, when you offered to let me come on tour, I had some serious thinking to do."
The other man made a noise of agreement but didn't interrupt this time.
"I realized after I thought about it that Mom has a new boyfriend now; she thinks he might be her second soulmate, her second chance at love, and her first relationship since my dad, so she doesn't need me so much anymore. I can learn photography anywhere, and I wasn't in love with my job. So, I just quit. I texted my mom, sent an email to the school, and told my boss that I was quitting. And, here I am."
"Wow…" Blaine said softly. There was admiration in his eyes. "It takes a strong person to be able to do that, to give up what they know for a chance that something they've been offered might be better."
Kurt blushed. "Well, I don't know about that…"
"It's true!" Blaine said firmly. "You don't know how much I admire your bravery. I'm not sure I could do something like that, give up my entire life for a maybe."
"But you did, didn't you? I mean, there was no guarantee you'd be big after that cover. People become famous for one small thing all the time, but sometimes, it doesn't grow past that. So, you left school two years before you graduated with a few friends to try to write songs that would capture the world. You had no promise you'd be successful. But look at you."
"Yeah… I guess you're right."
Kurt reached out a hand to lay it gently on top of Blaine's. "I'm sure that, when no one treats you like a human with feelings, it's hard to remember you're brave, that your story is astounding. But it is. And, I wanted to say I'm sorry for treating you like anything other than the breathtaking, amazing man that you are. I'm sure that hurt you, and I wanted to be sure you knew I didn't mean anything by it."
"No need to apologize," Blaine told him, moving his hand to brush his thumb lightly over the top of Kurt's. "It happens all the time. I'm used to it."
"All the more reason to tell you that I'm going to do better," Kurt assured him. He took a deep breath. "If I tell you something, will you promise not to judge me or think less of me?"
"No. I mean, not if you're going to tell me that you have secretly been stalking me or something crazy like that. But if it's anything else, I'll do my best."
"Okay." Reaching down to the backpack Kurt had insisted he keep with him on the bus, he pulled out a small envelope and one of his notebooks, the one he knew contained a few songs he'd written for Blaine to sing. He thought he could hear a tiny noise of disappointment as his hand moved away from Blaine's but he didn't comment. Instead, he said, "I want to tell you something that I've never breathed to another living soul. It's kinda embarrassing, but I feel like you deserve to know if I'm going to be hanging out with you for a while."
"Okay…" Blaine answered, looking nervous. Maybe he is a stalker?
"Ever since Mr. Anderson-your brother. You know, it's so weird for me to hear you call him 'Coop'-introduced me to Warbler Attack, I haven't been able to get enough of you. In fact, I would say that you were kind of an obsession of mine. I think I've watched every interview you've ever done, listened to every song you've ever sung, and… Well, let's just say I felt drawn to you, and I had nowhere else to put that passion than into following your public life." He scooted the envelope across the table toward Blaine. "You were the subject of my final project for one of my photography classes last semester." He nodded toward the envelope. "That's what's in there. You don't have to open it."
"Well, now I have to. You've got me intrigued," Blaine said, opening the envelope and sliding the pictures out. He thumbed through them, looking at each one carefully. When he was done, he set them down again, grinning at Kurt across the table. "Those are really good. If I didn't know better, I'd say you were there at all those events and captured each of those moments yourself."
"How do you know I wasn't?" Kurt sassed.
"Because I would remember a face as beautiful as yours."
There was silence between them for a moment, neither sure that they had heard that sentence right. Blaine, taking the silence as uncomfortable, wished he could take the sentiment back, but Kurt was busy wondering what in the world could make a rockstar think that he was beautiful.
"Thanks," Kurt finally whispered, giving him a small smile.
Blaine felt the air leave his lungs, and he nodded. "These are really good, though, Kurt. Like, amazing. You have a gift for photography, and I'm honored to have been your subject."
Kurt didn't reply to that. Instead, he went on with what he'd been telling Blaine as he opened the notebook, looking for one of the songs he'd written for him. "Going to your Legends Festival was one of my dreams from the first moment you announced the first one," he confided in Blaine. "I wanted to go every year, but the timing was off for the first two. When I figured out I could go this year, I was over the moon, though. And because I wanted to spend my every moment in New York soaking up the culture and putting it into songwriting, I packed a bunch of my songwriting notebooks to bring along." He patted the one he had opened lightly before looking up to meet Blaine's eyes. "Now, you might call me silly, but whenever I finish a song that I'm really happy with, I write down who I would like to sing it in the margins. As I'm sure you can guess, a lot of these are for you, and I wanted to show you one." He passed the notebook over, open to a page that contained lyrics for Blaine. When he pulled back, he discovered that his fingers were trembling with nerves.
Scanning the page quickly, Blaine read through the lyrics, pleasantly surprised when he reached the end. He read the words again, a bit slower this time, and when he finally looked up at Kurt again, there was that look of awe dancing there once again. "Kurt…" he whispered so softly, his name rolling reverently off his tongue. "I don't even have words. These are beautiful…"
"Do you-Do you really like them?" Kurt stuttered, unwilling to believe what he was hearing. The Blaine Anderson had just complimented his writing skills. Is this even my real life?
"I really, really do," Blaine replied, nodding. "I would be honored to sing something like that, something so beautiful." They're almost as perfect as you.
"Thanks," Kurt whispered, putting his notebook and photos back into his backpack. When he looked back at Blaine, there were tears shining in his eyes.
"What's the matter?" Blaine asked, his mind racing to think of anything he could have said to upset the other man.
"I just can't believe this is really happening," Kurt replied, his voice wavering and cracking. "For so long, I dreamed of getting out of Ohio and following my dream, and now that I'm actually working toward that with you of all people, I just…"
Blaine didn't know quite what to say. He hated to see Kurt cry, even if it was tears of happiness or relief falling like rain down his face. He surprised himself by asking, "Can I hug you?"
"I-I'd like that."
The two of them rose, and Kurt rounded the table, allowing Blaine to pull him into a hug. It was as their chests met and their arms enveloped one another that they felt a tiny burning sensation in their wrists, very near their matching soulmarks. The spark tingled up their arms, across their shoulders, and to their chests, making their hearts beat in one rhythm as they pressed against one another, seeking comfort and understanding.
To the two of them, it felt as though they were locking together like puzzle pieces, their hearts pumping all their confusion and adoration for the other into the world leaving only one word pounding through their heads: love.
When they finally pulled away, they just looked at one another for a moment, wondering if the other had felt what they themselves had just experienced during that hug. Neither seemed to have words for what they had felt, so neither spoke. They just looked, communicating with their eyes.
"Shall we-" Kurt began, pausing. "Shall we sit back down?"
Blaine nodded. "I think we should."
They both returned to their chairs, their hands finding one another across the table as though their nerve endings were guiding them back together again, unwilling to be separated for long. Quiet surrounded them again, neither sure what to say. They were just caught up in feeling.
Finally, Kurt broke the silence, lifting his head to meet Blaine's eyes, tearing his gaze from their hands. "I have to ask you something," he said softly, so softly Blaine had to sit forward a bit more in his chair.
He nodded. "Okay."
"Do you remember last night, when we were leaving Marie's, that you kissed my cheek?"
"No," Blaine answered honestly. "But I know why I would."
Kurt tilted his head a bit but didn't say anything.
"You…" Blaine trailed off, not exactly sure how to say what he was feeling. "You've touched something inside of me that I didn't know was there. You've brushed against something that's woken me up, and I feel like I'm seeing my world for the first time. And, in a way, I am. Because I can't explain it, but-" He stopped, reaching out his other hand to rest lightly against Kurt's jaw. "I don't want to scare you away. We've only just met, and I know that this sounds improbable… But ever since you showed up at my door this morning, it's kind of felt like you're becoming my world."
Kurt's breathing hitched. Is-Did he-?
When Kurt didn't say anything, Blaine withdrew a bit, beginning to pull his hand away from Kurt's. "I knew I shouldn't have said that. I scared you…"
"No! Not at all! It's just… I've been feeling exactly the same, like the air between us shifted this morning, and I couldn't figure it out until you said it. It's like waking up, and all I'm seeing is you." He sighed. "I'm so glad you had the words."
Blaine nodded, tightening his grip on Kurt's hand again.
"Did you… When we hugged, there was a burning by-by my soulmark. Did-"
"Yeah."
"Should we?"
Blaine nodded again.
Cautiously, they both rolled up their sleeves the tiniest bit, their eyes drifting down to their wrists. There, just beside their soulmarks, were the faintest outlines of hearts, barely-there against their skin.
"Could it-"
"Are we-"
They spoke at the same time then looked up at one another with wide eyes.
"We can't tell anyone," Blaine whispered. "Not yet. Not until these are…"
"I know. Proof," Kurt whispered. "This is all I need for now."
"Me, too."
They spent the next several moments just touching, feeling, and thinking, exploring this unexpected connection between the two of them.
After a bit, however, Blaine yawned widely.
"I think you should take a nap," Kurt informed him. "You didn't sleep last night, and you've got a gig tonight. You should rest."
"I-I will," Blaine agreed. Casting a glance over Kurt's shoulder, he found that Eli had put his hood up and over his head. His eyes were closed, and his chest was rising and falling evenly. Looking back at Kurt, Blaine managed to stutter out, "D-do you think I c-could kiss you?"
Kurt nodded. "I'd like that."
Rising again, the two of them wrapped one another in a hug, Kurt's arms falling naturally over Blaine's shoulders, and Blaine's arms wrapping around Kurt's waist as if they belonged like that. Then, their lips pressed together gently, tentatively, and they tasted one another for the first time, that tiny burn they had felt during their first hug reigniting in their wrists and running its course to their lips this time, filling the whole kiss with electricity.
It lasted only a few moments before they pulled back, looking at one another breathlessly.
"I-I think I'll just go lie down," Blaine whispered.
"Sleep well," Kurt replied.
That evening, as Kurt sat backstage and watched Warbler Attack perform for a crowd of 1500 people in the First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia, his mind wasn't on their music or how amazing it was to be backstage, watching his favorite band that he'd only just managed to meet for the first time the night before.
His mind was, instead, on his first real kiss, that powerful, healing hug he'd shared with Blaine, and that tiny heart that was ever so faintly beginning to show on his skin. He didn't know what it could all mean, how so quickly he could have gone from an unknown Ohio man to the soulmate of a rockstar, but he wasn't about to question Fate.
The whole thing made him nervous, though. How would the band react? Elliot, Sebastian, Nick, and Jeff had, apparently, already found their soulmates in one another; they'd probably be overjoyed for them. What would Eli think? Their manager that Kurt had yet to meet? The media? All these things made him nervous, and the longer he thought about it, the more the anxiety and instability of the whole situation made a lump grow in his stomach.
Sitting back in the little chair he'd been given backstage, Kurt vowed to talk to Blaine about it all when they had some time alone later. For now, he was going to sit back, enjoy the show, and watch the magic that was his soulmate win over the crowds that had gathered to watch him sing.
