AN: Happy Saturday everyone! Not much to say today except that I really appreciate all of you and thank you for reading.
As always all my love to theatrevicki who is helping shape this story into something better than it would have been if I was on my own.
Enjoy!
"The universe is full of magical things patiently waiting for our wits to grow sharper. – Eden Phillpotts
Kurt did everything he could to not think about the mirror that they were dragging behind them. He and Blaine had rented a truck and trailer and were making the nine hour drive from New York City, New York to Bluespruce, Maine. At first, the trip was tense, with Kurt starting off behind the wheel and neither of them having much to say as they carted a cursed mirror along the east coast.
It was too exhausting to stay jumpy the whole time though. At some point Blaine flipped on the radio and started to softly sing along. Kurt tried to act like he wasn't listening intently to Blaine's rich tenor voice, but it wasn't long before they were both singing, radio turned up and their voices loud and harmonizing as they laughed and shot each other playful glances.
It was a long drive and Blaine grew quiet as they switched drivers and drew closer to Bluespruce. They spoke in hushed voices about Blaine's childhood at Callaway Place and Kurt's upbringing with magic. About college and their careers. They seemed to get along just as well as they always had, only clashing when it came to their impressions of magic.
To Kurt, it had always been bright and happy, a connection to his mother.
For Blaine, it was shadowy and eerie, the thing that stole his aunt from him.
Kurt wanted to destroy the mirror they were dragging behind. He had been reluctant at first, yes, but after being around it more, not to mention trying to destroy it only to have it push back, he knew it had to go.
Besides, anything that upset Blaine so much was something Kurt wanted to get rid of. Blaine was a naturally happy person, or at least he had been when Kurt knew him growing up, and he could still see that side of him at times – like when he was belting out Gwen Stefani with a grin on his face or animatedly telling stories about his job back in California – but he was somber more often now, thoughtful and sad in a way Kurt didn't remember him being. Kurt hoped having the mirror destroyed would take a weight off of his shoulders, even if it wouldn't restore his dear aunt's health.
Kurt watched Blaine's profile as he drove and they talked – his intense eyes and the way his lips seemed to naturally quirk up in a smile – but eventually, the rhythm of the tires on the road and the worries of knowing what he still had to do wore on him. Kurt nodded off, head leaning against the window as the sun set, and Blaine continued to drive, his steady voice singing softly under his breath.
The truck eventually slowed and Kurt woke with a yawn, not knowing how long he'd been asleep. Kurt's eyes were still closed when Blaine called to him softly, "Kurt? Kurt, we're here."
"Mmmm?" Kurt mumbled, but then remembered where he was. He sat up quickly, rubbing sleep from his eyes to find Blaine smiling gently at him. Kurt quickly smoothed down his hair.
"We're here. Callaway Place," Blaine announced as he parked next to another truck in the driveway.
Kurt looked out the window but couldn't make much out in the dark. They both stepped out of the truck and Kurt glanced up, getting his first look at Callaway Place.
The porch light was on and the house was silhouetted by the bright moon; he couldn't make out details, but he could tell it was large and looming and it seemed incredibly intimidating.
Blaine came and stood next to him, hands in his pockets as the fall air breezed around them. "I first saw it in the dark too, except it was raining and the lightning lit it up."
"And you were twelve?"
"Yes."
"Were you scared?"
"Yes." Blaine laughed.
"Understandable," Kurt smiled back at him.
"Come on," Blaine nodded to the front door, "It isn't as daunting inside."
They brought Kurt's luggage in, setting it in the foyer as Blaine gave the grand tour. Most of the rooms on the ground floor weren't in use, furniture still covered by sheets, and there was one door they didn't enter at all, Blaine just nodding towards it, "That's Helen's room." But everything Kurt could see was amazing.
"Blaine, I've never seen an old house this intact with the original furniture and decor. No one decided somewhere along the line to update everything?"
"I guess not, I mean the electricity and plumbing are newer, but yeah…" Blaine shrugged as Kurt walked around the parlor, fingers tracing over a mirror on the wall. "The house itself is protected by the historical society and I know they used to do tours here back in the day."
Kurt turned from looking at a mid-nineteenth century clock on the mantle still in pristine condition to shake his head in awe at Blaine, "This place is nearly invaluable, Blaine. I mean from a curator's perspective I'm basically in heaven right now."
Blaine grinned broadly, shuffling his feet bashfully, "I'm glad you like it."
"Like it? Blaine, I could spend months here just appraising things and it would be the best few months ever."
Blaine laughed at that and then held out his hand, "You haven't even seen the second floor yet!"
Kurt looked down at Blaine's hand, wanting to take it but considering if it was a good idea or not. He was already starting to enjoy the feel of Blaine's hand in his own, but he shouldn't encourage feelings in himself or in Blaine.
Then again, what harm ever came from holding hands?
He took a step towards Blaine and then stopped in his tracks, "Wait, what was that?"
"What's what?" Blaine asked, letting his hand drop.
"Listen," Kurt said in a hushed tone, noticing Blaine glance to the mirror. But that wasn't it; not tapping or whispering… was that singing? Kurt closed his eyes and breathed in long and deep and then out slowly. He turned his body to the right as a smile lit his face.
Opening his eyes, they landed on a small bronze female bust placed on an end table; he picked it up and lifted it to the light, it was in good condition and only a little dusty from neglect. It was emitting a high, clear, very soft operatic voice. "Your sculpture is singing."
Blaine moved close to him, looking at the bust, "I can't hear it."
Kurt turned to him and smiled, "Trust me."
Blaine met his eyes, "I do."
Kurt drew in a breath and set the sculpture down, moving slightly back from Blaine's closeness. "We can test it to make sure that-" he stopped and turned towards the door, hearing something else.
He smiled at Blaine, "Come on." He lifted his eyebrows and nodded back to the hallway before rushing out of the room in excitement, Blaine trailing behind him. In the foyer on a table by the stairs was a vase that sounded like rushing water. "Magic here too." Kurt beamed at Blaine and then closed his eyes again, "Give me a minute."
This time, he really listened, not to just the bust or the vase; he tried to tune into the whole house. "There's more," he said, opening his eyes and unable to suppress the huge smile on his face or the tingly feeling in his stomach. "This way!"
He grabbed Blaine's hand and pulled him along, first to the dining room where, inside a big china cabinet, he found a cutlery set that chimed like bells. Next, to the kitchen where the table itself sounded like the pitter-patter of small feet on the kitchen floor. Then, they dashed to the drawing room, Kurt laughing and Blaine smiling after him. The piano there was playing a nearly perfect piano sonata. "I think that's… Beethoven?"
"Kurt, this is incredible," Blaine said, his eyes lighting up as he tilted his head towards the piano as if that would help him make out what Kurt was hearing.
"There's still something else down here," Kurt answered, listening. "Back in the foyer I think?"
"Well, come on." It was Blaine's turn to lead him out of the room in excitement as they smiled at each other and hurried back to the front of the house.
Once there, Kurt stood in place and turned in slow circles until his eyes landed on the crystal handle of the front door. "This," he said, walking up and brushing his fingers over it; he bit his lip, "It's crying."
"Oh," Blaine said, his excited smile falling, "That's a sad one."
"No," Kurt shook his head. "It doesn't feel sad. Maybe they are happy tears?" There was something about this one that made him feel nostalgic, like friends meeting after a long separation. He looked up at Blaine with his heart in his throat.
He felt Blaine's hand against the small of his back, "Amazing."
"This house is special, Blaine."
"I meant you are amazing, Kurt."
Kurt felt himself blush and laughed as he tore his eyes away from Blaine's steady gaze, "This is just the first floor; I bet we find more magic throughout the rest of the house."
"We can test to make sure none of it is dark though, right?"
"Yes of course." Kurt nodded, "But honestly, everything has given me a good feeling so far. I have never seen so many magical objects in one place…" Kurt looked up at Blaine again who was smiling softly at him, his honey eyes kind. "I can't understand how there is so much magic here."
"I don't really understand what makes something magical in the first place," Blaine said, reaching out and touching the doorknob gently as if he'd never really looked at it before.
Kurt shrugged, "This kind of magic is basically a very strong memory, most of the time a good one, that gets captured in the object because there is magic in the vicinity. If I had to guess, I'd say that the magic at Callaway Place has been preserving memories for decades, maybe centuries."
"Probably since Saffron Callaway's time," Blaine said with a gleam in his eye that looked a little frenzied.
"Likely," Kurt said, watching Blaine shiver as he let his hand fall away from the doorknob, "I know you aren't fond of Saffron Callaway, but it doesn't mean that all the magic here is dark. Or any of it really."
"Besides the mirror."
"Yes, besides that," Kurt said and smiled as he met Blaine's eyes. Blaine had been excited racing through the house with Kurt on his hunt for magic earlier, and Kurt wanted to light that same excitement again, show him that magic could be good and uplifting.
Blaine took a step back from the door, "It's late. We should bring your stuff upstairs and then decide what to do with the mirror. I don't feel comfortable leaving it in the trailer all night."
"Alright."
They brought Kurt's things upstairs to the room next to Blaine's, stopping for a moment to see the broken glass spread out on the floor by the fireplace. "I can see how that would get old quickly," Kurt said, hands on his hips.
"Look," Blaine knelt down and carefully picked up the largest piece of broken glass, "This is the piece I threw into the ocean."
Kurt felt a chill down his spine, "Okay that's creepy."
"Is this like the sounds you hear in other magical objects?" Blaine asked, letting the piece of glass fall. "Repeating a memory, but this time not a sound but actually breaking over and over again?"
"I…" Kurt paused; he'd never thought of that, "It could be, I don't know why it wouldn't just echo the sound of glass breaking though."
Blaine shrugged, "Because the mirrors at Callaway Place are strange."
Kurt nodded and smiled; he enjoyed talking about magic with Blaine, he didn't have that with anyone else and getting a fresh perspective was thrilling.
In the back of his mind, Kurt could hear other magical objects calling out from the second floor, but he would have time to hunt for them later. Right now, they needed to deal with the mirror they'd brought back to Callaway Place.
"Should we put it in the parlor?" Blaine asked once they were back outside. He threw the trailer doors open and they both stood and stared. They hadn't really bothered packing the mirror up, seeing as they wanted to destroy it anyway and it was indestructible, so they had just slid it on its back into the trailer and it laid there now just the same as they'd left it. The sight of it made Kurt's heart beat faster.
"Kurt?"
Kurt looked up from the mirror to Blaine, "Um no. Not the parlor. It did a number on my living room, so if it acts up again, it would be better not to have it in a room with so many valuables. Is there somewhere open and empty in the house?"
Blaine lifted his eyebrows as if in disbelief, "Yeah, I know a place."
Blaine found a hand truck in the shed behind the house, and he and Kurt maneuvered the mirror onto it and then inside and up two flights of stairs; once they had it placed in the middle of a large room on the third floor, they paused to admire their work and catch their breath.
"The third floor mirror back to the third floor," Blaine said gravely.
Kurt looked around the large open room, so different in its sparseness from the rest of the house. "This is where they found her?" he asked softly.
"Aunt Helen? Yes, three days after disappearing without a trace, this is where they found her." Blaine's voice trembled. Kurt watched him fold into himself, making himself smaller – and it didn't matter that Kurt's feelings towards Blaine were confusing, Blaine was his friend and he was hurting. Kurt moved forward and wrapped Blaine in a tight hug.
"I'm sorry," Kurt whispered and rubbed a hand up and down Blaine's back.
Blaine seemed to have needed the hug – the way he melted into Kurt, his head on Kurt's shoulder as his breathing evened out. They stood there like that for a few minutes, Blaine fitting perfectly against him, and Kurt hoped Blaine didn't notice how his heartbeat sped up. Eventually, Blaine pulled back sniffing and wiping an eye.
"Do we do this now or wait till morning?" Kurt asked, glancing at the mirror.
Blaine's eyes widened in surprise, "Now? Are you serious?"
"It is what we came here for. Besides I don't think I'd get a wink of sleep tonight if we didn't try."
"You're sure?" Blaine met Kurt's eyes with concern.
"Yes." Kurt's heart was hammering in his chest, but he honestly wasn't going to rest easy until they had attempted the spell again. Now was as good a time as any.
"I mean… okay." Blaine nodded.
Kurt went downstairs to unpack the ingredients they needed, while Blaine went to the kitchen to fill Kurt's spell-working bowl with water. Kurt's hands shook as he grabbed his things. This was it; if the spell didn't work here, at Callaway Place, he didn't know what to try next.
He also couldn't help but worry how the magic in the mirror would react. It had fought back last time; would it be stronger here in a place of magic? Kurt shivered and cleared his throat. Hopefully, his magic would be stronger here as well, but it didn't matter, really; this was the only option they had and he was going to see it through.
"I have the water," Blaine said, standing in the doorway of Kurt's bedroom; Kurt turned to face him and nodded. Blaine was brave to be doing this, to come back to a place that had taken his aunt from him.
"Okay." Kurt breathed, "Here we go."
They brought everything they needed upstairs, Kurt finally having a chance to admire the intricately carved wooden door to the third floor; it looked very old and Kurt's historian side prickled to stop and look. But there was too much in this house to stop and look at and he had a job to do first.
The large upstairs room had a light fixture at the center of its high arched ceiling that gave off enough light to work in, but still the room had a dark and sinister feel to it. Kurt could admit that that was probably a feeling magnified because of what they were about to do. He murmured a little charm that made the light shine a bit brighter.
They both sat cross legged in front of the mirror again as Kurt ground the spider legs and salt together with the hemlock root before pouring it into the water; he then ripped up the toadflax petals, dropping them in one at a time, causing them to float on the top. Lastly, Kurt lit a match, letting it burn for a moment before blowing it out and watching the small tendril of smoke swirl up into the air; once the smoke was spent, Kurt crushed the burnt head of the match and drizzled it over his potion. He whisked it with his rosemary sprigs and then turned to Blaine.
"Want to do the honors?"
"Really?"
"Just spread it over the mirror like you saw me do back home."
Blaine nodded and stood to follow Kurt's instruction as Kurt smiled and watched him. Maybe if Blaine could participate in magic a little, he'd see that it wasn't so bad after all.
The room filled with a sharp earthy smell that reminded Kurt of the Indigo Pyramid as Blaine brushed the concoction over the mirror, around the frame and down the glass, before looking over his handiwork and sitting down next to Kurt again.
"Is that good?"
"Perfect." Kurt smiled even as a nervous feeling rumbled in his stomach.
Blaine reached out and held Kurt's hand; Kurt was growing accustomed to the gesture. "You don't have to do this," Blaine said, "I feel like I pushed you into this and-"
"No Blaine," Kurt interrupted him, "You didn't push me into anything. I want to do this. My mom always said that as a diviner, someone who knows about magic, it was our duty to keep people safe from magic. I'm doing this because it is what I'm meant to do."
Blaine stared at him fondly, his golden eyes bright as he nodded.
"I gave you this option before, and now that we know what could happen, I feel like I need to give you this option again. Could I convince you to wait downstairs?" Kurt asked, mostly hoping Blaine would say yes and retreat a safe distance away.
"My answer is the same – not a chance." Blaine's face was serious and his voice firm. "We're in this together."
"Okay," Kurt sighed, some of the tension in his stomach lessening. "Then let's do this again." Kurt kept hold of Blaine's hand – it made him feel braver – and reached out to touch the mirror with his other hand.
He closed his eyes and focused, hearing the distant sounds of magical items throughout the house. He made them quiet in his mind as the mirror started whispering, clear as day, as if the voices were coming from inside the room with him and not behind glass; Kurt braced himself, pushing down his fear as he tuned all sound out and recited, "From wind and shadow and dark did rise, evil called forth shall now demise –"
Before Kurt could even finish the spell, a loud scream cut through the air. Not a bellow this time, but a harsh, angry, wordless wail. Kurt gasped; the voices that had once been only whispers started shrieking. Kurt couldn't understand the words, but he didn't need to know the language to hear the venom in them.
"From wind and shadow and dark did rise, evil called forth shall now demise," Kurt yelled quickly. "Earth and salt and light take hope, thy powers called forth we now invoke!" He glanced at Blaine, whose face had gone all but white and who was looking back at him with wide eyes, and then—
Blaine was gone, torn away from him in an instant. A loud clatter filled the room and a strong gush of air ripped through the mirror, making it shake. The wind was harsh enough that it had pushed Blaine away from Kurt, and now it started circling the room. Kurt was flung forcibly backwards, head whipped forward as he flew through the air, body lifted off the ground and tossed around the room.
"Blaine!" He shouted, as he saw Blaine's body whip by him in midair. They were both stuck in a room- sized whirlwind, the mirror the eye of the cyclone.
"From wind… and shadow and… and dark did rise!" He heard Blaine shouting somewhere behind him, but he trailed off after that.
Kurt took up the chant. "Evil called forth shall now demise!" He covered his head when he looked like he was going to be slammed against a wall, but he just missed it and continued to circle the room. "Earth and salt and light take hope!" His voice was shaking, but gained strength when Blaine flew past him and joined him for the last phrase. Their voices joined together even as they continued to circle the room at dizzying speeds, the wind roughly pitching them around. "Thy powers called forth we now invoke!"
The wind had carried them up to the rafters, but as they finished the spell together, it cut off abruptly, dropping them unceremoniously to the hard wooden floor. Kurt hit the ground with a thud. He heard an echoing thud nearby and knew in the back of his mind that Blaine must have fallen to the floor as well, but he couldn't look to see if he was alright –
All Kurt could do was let his eyes slide shut as the world went black.
Blaine blinked open his eyes with a moan; his head ached, his muscles were stiff, and his body was sore. He felt hungover, but with a killer neck ache. Sunlight was streaming in from a nearby window and hitting him across the face. He sat up with a wince, trying to remember where he was and why he felt mowed over by a truck.
He drew in a sharp breath as he started to recall what happened; looking up, he saw the large full length mirror standing in the center of the empty room.
"Oh god." Now he remembered last night, Kurt trying the spell again only to have the mirror repel them; they had been lifted in the air like they were no more than a flurry of fall leaves, and then they were dropped to the ground with force and –
"Kurt!" Blaine quickly scrambled to his feet, his heart in his throat, eyes falling on Kurt who lay on the floor a few feet away from him, limbs splayed out and eyes closed. "No!"
Blaine ran to him and skidded on his knees to kneel next to Kurt's prone form. "Kurt?" Blaine ran a hand down Kurt's cheek. "Kurt, please wake up." Blaine's heart was tight in his chest, his mind panicking. This was his fault, he'd brought Kurt here and–
Kurt's eyes flitted open.
"Oh thank god," Blaine's body sagged with relief, he felt like he could breathe again.
Kurt looked up at him in confusion, "What happened?"
"The mirror fought back again. Stronger this time." Blaine's hand cupped Kurt's cheek and he searched his eyes, making sure he was alright.
Kurt moaned and started to lift himself, Blaine helped, his hand on his elbow and shoulder. Kurt sat on the floor and scooted back to lean against the wall.
"Are you okay?" Blaine asked, eyes scanning over Kurt, "Where do you hurt?"
"Everywhere?" Kurt said with a grimace. "What about you?"
"I'm okay."
"Blaine."
"Yes, I'm sore, but I'll live."
"Did it knock you out too?"
"All night it seems."
Kurt nodded and Blaine moved to sit next to him, also leaning against the wall.
Kurt turned his head to face him and they both just looked at each other silently for a moment.
"That didn't work."
"No." Blaine reached out to cup Kurt's neck, thumb skimming over his jawline. "Are you sure you're alright?"
"Um… I…" Kurt swallowed deeply, his cheeks tinged pink, "Probably as alright as you are. My head aches, my whole body aches, but I don't think I have any serious injuries. I think it was more the magic that knocked us out than the floor."
Blaine nodded, glancing from Kurt's blue eyes down to his pink lips. He pulled his hand away and cleared his throat, both of them breaking their gaze. "Is that meant to be comforting? Magic knocking us out?"
"I just meant that it lessens the chance of brain damage." Kurt's voice sounded like he was trying to make a joke, but Blaine was too anxious to laugh.
"Now what?" Blaine asked, nervously rubbing a hand up and down his arm.
Kurt gasped next to him, "Blaine, look."
Blaine glanced up quickly, first at Kurt and then in the direction he was looking. The mirror. Kurt braced a hand on the wall behind him and stood to his feet; after a moment of surprise, Blaine followed suit.
"I can't believe it," Kurt said, taking a step towards the mirror.
Blaine hadn't noticed in the confusion of first waking up, but the mirror wasn't the same. Alongside the long crack that went down the mirror's length, dozens of small fine fissures had appeared all over the glass, like a network of thin delicate veins reaching out from the middle and spreading to the edges.
Kurt walked up and brushed his fingertips over the glass and Blaine saw him tremble slightly.
"Are you okay?" Blaine knew he kept asking that, but he was concerned for Kurt; anything that happened to him would be because Blaine brought him here, his stomach twisted at the thought.
"Blaine, it worked," Kurt said with a small smile on his lips. "Well, not completely, but it's a start."
"A start?" Blaine asked, heart leaping to his throat, "Wait, you want to do that again?"
"We have to, we took a step in the right direction, and I think we weakened the mirror, we created these fractures…" Kurt looked at him before closing his eyes. "Listen, can you hear the whispering? It's very faint but still there."
Blaine was still standing a couple feet from the mirror, hating to be close to it, but he took a step forward now. He didn't hear whispering, he never had except… "Wait, last night those voices shouting at us, is that the whispering you hear?"
"You heard that?" Kurt said, his eyebrows rising in surprise.
"Yeah. It's the only time I've heard voices from a mirror… well besides your voice, but yes, I heard that. It was terrifying."
"Agreed. And it must have been strong magic if you heard it." Kurt said, worrying his lip and letting his fingers brush over the mirror again.
"Strong and angry, Kurt." Blaine said, reaching for his hand and pulling it away from the glass because that thing was evil and Kurt seemed too enthralled by it, but also because he didn't want him to cut his fingertips on the glass. "I think we're lucky to have gotten out of that mostly unscathed." Blaine's heart was beating hard just thinking about it. "It fought harder this time; there is no telling what it would do if we tried again."
Kurt turned to face him. "What do you want to do, Blaine? I think we have to completely destroy it, and now we know that it's possible, we hurt it last night. But we don't have to try again right now, it is your call."
"Now? No. We aren't trying it again now, Kurt."
Kurt nodded, "Okay, what do you want to do?"
Blaine closed his eyes and sighed. He felt restless and worried, Kurt's hand in his own his only comfort. "I want to go downstairs and have breakfast," Blaine said, opening his eyes and smiling at the beautiful man next to him. "You're right, we do need to finish this, but let's think it though first. It seems to get angrier every time you try the spell, and I don't know that we should go for a third round without being sure about what we're doing."
Kurt glanced at the mirror and then back at Blaine with a small smile, "That is very wise. Breakfast it is."
The first thing Blaine did when they got downstairs to the kitchen was try to start some coffee, but the coffee maker wasn't working. Blaine huffed as Kurt scrunched his eyebrows and walked to the light switch, flipping it a few times. Blaine glanced up at the light; it didn't seem to be working either. "Great."
They went out into the hallway and tried another light switch and another until they had tested all of the lights in the main rooms on the first floor.
"Do you think we blew a fuse?" Kurt asked, Blaine standing by the unresponsive light switch in the dining room.
"Maybe. But…" Blaine thought back to when he'd first found the third floor mirror years ago, "Could it be the mirror? The lights on the third floor used to not work either. Andrew thought it was the breaker, but now I'm not so sure."
"I don't even know any more, Blaine." Kurt sighed wearily, and he looked so lost that Blaine wanted to kick himself for bringing him to this place, "But yes, it could be the mirror. I think it might have done the same thing at Britton's."
"Well, I have eggs and bacon in the fridge and the stove is gas." Blaine wanted to help Kurt think about something else, "I'll call Andrew later about the electricity, but I'm starving."
Kurt laughed at that, visibly relaxing. "Eggs and bacon sound perfect right now."
Blaine started breakfast as Kurt sat at the kitchen table, his head held in his hands. They both needed some rest, but Blaine knew the bulk of the weight of this was on Kurt's shoulders. Blaine hated that, hated that he'd brought such dark magic into Kurt's life. No matter what Kurt said about it being his job to protect people from magic, it was too heavy a burden for him to have to carry.
Blaine despised that mirror for what it had done years ago and he hated what it was doing now to people he cared about. Because of course it didn't matter how many years had gone by, he still deeply cared about Kurt. Just the sight of Kurt made his heart flutter and his stomach flip over. That same feeling Kurt had always given him when he was growing up but now it was intensified by having met him face to lovely face.
All he wanted to do was smooth the worry from Kurt's brow, kiss the grimace from his lips, hold him and keep him safe from the magic of this old house... And, wow, that was a little much. Blaine needed to get hold of his emotions; Kurt seemed reluctant around Blaine and he didn't want to push him farther away. Besides, they had just come back into each other's lives and Blaine did have a bad habit of letting his emotions lead him.
"Are you burning the eggs?"
Blaine was jerked out of his thoughts by Kurt's question. "What? No." Blaine looked down at the scrambled eggs, quickly plating them next to the bacon he'd already finished and then bringing them to the table along with a couple glasses of orange juice.
"This looks wonderful, Blaine. I feel like I have a magic hangover, and you know greasy food is good for a hangover." Kurt took a bite of bacon and closed his eyes for a moment, letting out a pleased hum.
Blaine watched him, face relaxed for the moment, eyelashes long, and lips tipped up in a satisfied smile. "God, you're gorgeous."
Kurt coughed, choking on his bacon, "What?" He stared at Blaine with round eyes.
"I… I mean." Blaine's whole face felt hot, he quickly looked down at his plate. Yes he was exhausted, but did he have no filter at all? First he said something about his crush back at Kurt's apartment and now this? And wasn't he just chiding himself for letting his heart run away too fast? Kurt was going to think he was crazy. "Sorry." Blaine hurried to explain. "It's just that I've been thinking it since the basement at Britton's and apparently I have no self-control."
He heard a quick laugh from Kurt and glanced up again to see his face bright with a blush, "You do have a tendency to blurt things out, but don't be sorry." Kurt pushed eggs around on his plate, smiling ear to ear. "It's a nice thing to hear; besides, I may have very similar thoughts about you."
Blaine's chest felt like it was expanding, "Oh."
"Yeah. Oh." Kurt looked up at him with a grin, taking a bite of scrambled eggs. Blaine matched Kurt's grin when he felt Kurt's foot slide against his own under the table.
After breakfast, Blaine called Andrew, who reprimanded him about missing their appointment the other day, "I uh… had to go out of town… unexpectedly," Blaine said, making a face at Kurt who started to laugh, "Sorry about that."
Andrew couldn't come that day but said he'd swing by the next morning to take a look at the electricity. He didn't seem to think it was odd that it was out, "It's an old house after all," he explained.
Blaine and Kurt spent the day gathering all of the items that Kurt had found with magic in them, bringing them to the parlor. Blaine finally uncovered the parlor furniture – he felt better using the room with Kurt by his side—and Aunt Helen had always liked Kurt and he felt she would approve of including him in this space that they had always shared. Even with the furniture uncovered, they ended up sitting beside each other on the floor, the magical objects gathered around them, all but the kitchen table and piano, which they tested previously without moving them.
Blaine watched intently as Kurt picked up one item at a time, cupped it in his hands reverently and then closed his eyes humming a sweet little melody. Kurt was so full of goodness that Blaine could practically feel it radiating off of him in the way Kurt said he could feel light magic from each of the antiques he tested. Kurt was kind and brave and handsome and Blaine was so grateful to have him here; he couldn't put the feeling into words.
He wished he could hear the magic Kurt heard from all the objects. All Blaine could hear was the periodic tapping from the mirrors in the house.
"Can we test the mirrors?" Blaine asked once Kurt assured him that all the objects they'd found so far had light magic in them. "I know there are a lot, but they obviously have magic too."
Kurt nodded, "Yes, of course." He stood from the floor and held out a hand to Blaine, pulling him up. They walked to the mirror in the parlor, the first one Blaine had ever heard tapping. Blaine watched as Kurt pressed his hand against the glass and closed his eyes, humming his tune.
Nothing happened so Kurt tried again.
After a moment, Kurt opened his eyes and turned to Blaine, "It doesn't work."
"It just worked on everything else."
"Back when I first found my mirror, the one I used to talk to you, the tune didn't work on it either. And it didn't work on the third floor mirror. I have a spell from my book I could try, the one I used on my own mirror, but…"
"Isn't that the same spell that sucked me off the beach and into the basement at Britton's?" Blaine asked, lifting his eyebrows. As grateful as he was to have found Kurt, he didn't want another gut churning journey through a mirror, or to watch as Kurt was magically swept away from him.
"Yes..." Kurt said slowly.
Blaine puffed up his cheeks and blew out a long breath of air, "What do you think?"
"I don't think this mirror is as strong as the mirror upstairs and nothing like that happened when I used this charm on my own mirror."
Blaine nodded. "Okay, let's try."
Kurt closed his eyes again and Blaine took his hand, twining their fingers together, "If you get pulled through a mirror, we go together." Blaine laughed, only half joking.
Kurt recited the charm, his voice taking on a soft, reverent tone the way it did when he used magic – the mirror started tapping. Kurt opened his eyes and Blaine watched him, "The whispering is back, very faint and-" He stopped, his face lit with a soft golden glow. Blaine turned to the mirror which was now shining.
"Whoa."
"Mine did that too," Kurt said in a hushed voice.
The mirror grew brighter and brighter and then winked out, leaving the room darker and seemingly colder.
"Is that good or…" Blaine asked nervously.
Kurt squeezed his hand. "Good. It's light magic. And exciting, it seems to have the same kind of magic my hand mirror did."
"Okay. Good. That seems good," Blaine said, feeling more relieved than he expected; he hadn't known he'd been so nervous about that result. He tapped a finger against the glass and it tapped back, "You know these were silent when I first arrived a few days ago. Not anymore."
"You woke them up."
"What?"
Kurt shrugged like it was common knowledge, "This house has magic, but most of the time magic sleeps without people who have magic nearby, unless it is very strong. The mirrors tapped when Helen lived here and then grew quiet when she left. When you came back they woke up again."
"I don't have magic," Blaine said, feeling a little overwhelmed.
"It's in your family," Kurt answered patiently, and Blaine noticed he was standing very close. "I have magic, a specific kind; I'm a diviner because my mom was."
"Are you saying I can use magic?"
"I have no idea," Kurt answered, reaching out to squeeze Blaine's arm, "Maybe. You may have already when you were helping me recite that spell last night."
He quickly glanced down to Kurt's lips; he was so close that it made Blaine's breath shallow. "I guess if it helped, then that's a good thing, but I'm not really interested in learning it."
Kurt took a step back and smiled, "That's alright. I'm not going to force you to try and use magic."
They spent the rest of the morning testing the mirrors on the ground floor. Blaine steered Kurt away from his aunt's bedroom though; he still couldn't face it. All the mirrors reacted the same as the first. Glowing bright before fading out.
They had an easy lunch together of turkey sandwiches and sliced pears and then decided to take on the second floor. There were a lot more mirrors up there and Kurt seemed to hear magic from several other items as well. They were both distracted from the ominous presence of the mirror on the third floor by going through the rooms, each one special and unique.
The historian in Kurt seemed ecstatic. "Blaine! The lamps in this room alone are extremely rare. Are they Tiffany's?"
Kurt found magic in a magnifying glass, a rug, an old picture frame and a pair of worn white leather gloves. He was practically buzzing with delight. In watching Kurt's animated expressions and the joy in his voice, Blaine decided Kurt had to be right; there had to be some good in magic. Anything that made Kurt this happy Blaine was willing to give a chance.
It was the best afternoon Blaine remembered having in a very long time. And slowly, the house started feeling less sinister, less cursed. With Kurt there, Blaine could remember how much he'd loved this place growing up. Along with that hopeful feeling, Blaine was becoming more and more intrigued by the magic Kurt was discovering. He felt a spark of excitement and longing in his chest. Longing to know more, to understand the magic of Callaway Place. He wondered if this was the same spark that Aunt Helen had felt for years.
As the sun started to set, the lack of electricity in the house became more of a problem. Blaine found some big yellow candles in a drawer in the dining room, and he lit a few, placing them around the kitchen so he could put something together for dinner.
"Let me," Kurt said, "I like to cook." He took over, pulling things out of cupboards.
"Okay, I'll be right back." Blaine was struck by an idea as he hurried out of the kitchen.
Blaine used a flashlight to navigate upstairs to a hall closet and pulled out a few blankets. He took them downstairs and spread them out on the floor in the parlor in front of the fireplace. Next, he went outside to grab an armful of wood, which he piled in the fireplace and soon had a modest fire roaring.
Blaine went back to the kitchen, clasping his hands in front of him and rocking on his heels. Kurt had a plate of sliced fruit, some grilled cheese sandwiches and a couple mugs of hot cocoa ready.
"Let's find a tray to put that all on." Blaine said, "It looks delicious by the way."
"What are you doing?" Kurt asked, watching him as Blaine pulled out a large silver platter.
"We should eat in the parlor."
Kurt gave him an inquisitive look but Blaine didn't explain. They loaded up the food, Kurt carrying the mugs separately as Blaine balanced their meal and led him into the parlor.
Kurt walked into the room and a wide smile spread across his face as he saw what Blaine had done.
"I figured since it was dark and it is getting cold, a fire would be nice," Blaine said by way of explanation as Kurt stood in surprise by the door. "Or do you… do you like it? We can eat in the kitchen if you-"
"Blaine… this is perfect," Kurt said, walking past him and making his way to the blankets, sitting down and placing the mugs on the brick of the fireplace; he patted next to him and looked up at Blaine. His face was cast in the flickering light of the fire and his blue eyes were dancing. It took all of Blaine's self-control not to swoop down and kiss him on the cheek.
Blaine sat close to him, placing the platter on a footstool and smiling shyly. This felt like a date, it wasn't of course, but it still felt really nice.
They enjoyed their food and the hot chocolate in silence for a little while until Kurt spoke up. "This has all happened so quickly I can hardly believe I'm here with you."
"I hope it isn't too much for you. I know you gave up your bonus to get the mirror and you've had to take off time from work and what we're doing here is dangerous and-"
"Blaine."
Blaine stopped talking and looked up at Kurt's cheery face.
"There is nowhere else I'd rather be than right here with you," Kurt said and then blushed deeply as if surprised by his own words.
"I'm glad," Blaine answered, feeling a little nervous still and hoping they were both doing the right thing by being here. "I would hate to think I got you involved in something you don't want to be involved in."
Kurt carefully placed his mug down and turned to fully face him. "Blaine," he said, leaning forward so close Blaine could see freckles across the bridge of his nose by the light of the fire. "I've been involved with magic since before I can remember and involved with you and this house since I was thirteen. When I say there's nowhere else I'd want to be, what I mean is that I've been waiting for this chance, to be here in this house with you, for a long time."
"Oh." Blaine's breathing hitched as he looked down at Kurt's lips, rosy and parted; he glanced back up only to find Kurt looking at his own mouth. Blaine swallowed as his eyes fluttered closed and he leaned in towards Kurt, all thoughts and worries quiet and forgotten in his desire to press his lips softly against Kurt's.
He didn't meet Kurt's lips, though; instead, he heard a mumbled curse.
Blaine's eyes blinked open in confusion, finding that Kurt had leaned away.
"Sorry," Kurt whispered.
Oh god, what had he done? Just because Kurt was kind to him and interested in the magic of this house didn't mean they had gone back to where they'd been before Blaine had left him high and dry.
"No, I'm sorry." Blaine shook his head, moving quickly away from Kurt and almost shuffling on top of his plate of half-eaten food. "I… I don't know what I was thinking. I can't believe I - That was so stupid."
"No! No, it wasn't." Kurt shook his head looking troubled. "It's just that a lot is going on and you…"
"I was making assumptions," Blaine said, looking down at his hands in his lap, "I mean you're probably not even single and we haven't seen each other for years and you're here for the magic and I…" Blaine groaned, not knowing what else to say. Had he ever been this embarrassed? Probably not. This would be a good time for a mirror to suck him in and sweep him away.
"I am!" Kurt said eagerly.
Blaine glanced up, "What?"
"I am single," Kurt said, clearing his throat, "It's just that… Blaine, we haven't talked to each other in six years and now everything is happening at once and so fast and… and if we kiss." Kurt's face flushed, "I just think we need to focus on what we are doing here and not be caught up in something just because our emotions are high right now."
Blaine's breath caught in his chest. He wanted to kiss Kurt, not because his emotions were high right then, but because he'd wanted to kiss Kurt ever since he was a teenager, and getting to know Kurt in person was surpassing his wildest dreams.
But if Kurt didn't feel the same way, Blaine would back off. So he just nodded and settled down more comfortably on the blankets, picking up his grilled cheese sandwich, "Okay, yeah. That's smart." He took a bite, but had a hard time swallowing; his throat felt tight.
Kurt looked conflicted, staring down at his hot cocoa for a moment, brow furrowed, "I'm still glad I'm here with you," Kurt said eventually, looking at Blaine with a soft smile.
"Me too," Blaine replied, "Glad doesn't even cover it." He reached out and squeezed Kurt's hand, relieved when he didn't pull it away. Instead, Kurt scooted closer to Blaine, shoulder to shoulder, as they finished dinner side by side and watched the fire as it slowly blazed out.
Kurt lay in bed for a long time. He should have fallen asleep right away after the long drive from New York and trying that spell against the dark mirror and then finding all the magic in this old house; Kurt was exhausted. But instead of sweet sleep, all Kurt could do was berate himself for that almost kiss. He smacked a hand against his head "What were you thinking Kurt!"
It had been too much too fast and Blaine… all of a sudden Blaine was so close. But they had been flirting off and on for three days, and they had admitted and talked about their crushes on each other as teenagers. And Blaine had told him he was gorgeous. Kurt shouldn't have been so surprised.
It could have been even worse he supposed; Blaine was sweet about being denied and still wanted to sit next to him afterwards and hold his hand. Kurt just needed to remember that they were both under a lot of stress right now, Blaine probably more so because this all had to be bringing up a lot of emotions about Aunt Helen.
Helen Callaway who'd been driven mad by dark magic. Kurt shuddered.
Yeah, he couldn't get involved with Blaine right now, as much as a part of him really wanted to. Blaine had disappeared on him once before, who was to say he wouldn't do it again once this was all over?
Kurt finally let himself curl up on his side and fall asleep, thoughts of Blaine's lovely eyes and rosy lips in his mind.
He slept right through the gush of wind that came down from the third floor bypassing his room and sweeping with purpose into Blaine's.
Blaine slept fitfully, dark images in his mind, a breeze circling his room and a faint voice calling his name.
