Head in the clouds – Pt. 3
By GayforKurt
Summary: Ten years after leaving Lima, Kurt has found fame and fortune. Life should have been great, but what is success without love – or a reasonable facsimile? A Kurtofsky story set in the not too distant future. Please read and review.
Disclaimer: I don't own Glee. If I did there would be more boys kissing boys and definitely no bullying!
CHAPTER THREE
Kurt was in a daze. He stood pressed against the railing of his balcony, letting the slightly too-cool breeze ruffle his hair. Maybe he was hoping the breeze might blow the memory of Dave's eyes from his mind, a futile wish, probably.
When their gaze had collided in the elevator earlier that day, Kurt had felt it like a punch in the gut. Who knew that he would remember the exact striation of emerald green and hazel in those irises? Yet when Kurt had stared into them it seemed for a nano-second that all the intervening years had ceased to exist. All Kurt could think of was Dave standing there outside the classroom, staring pleadingly at Kurt as he told him he was "so freaking sorry"!
Now Kurt took a deep breath and stared at the cityscape before him. He was still a little embarrassed at how flustered he had been when Dave had introduced his sister and her fiancé. Of course, Kurt knew of the Hallandsby family. They were as close to aristocracy as you could get in this republic, he thought cynically. Kurt Hummel Events had had the privilege of handling the recent debut of one of the Hallandsby girls; a niece probably, as Kurt knew Jeremy and his late wife had not been blessed with children. Now he was going to handle a Hallandsby wedding as well.
David looked so amazing, Kurt's mind whispered. He shook his head as if to clear it of the annoying voice but it was tenacious. I wonder what he looks like in less formal wear; who am I kidding! I wonder what he looks like naked. Kurt gave into the inevitable; his mind was not going to let him lock their meeting away in some tiny room in his subconscious and throw away the key as he was wont to do with uncomfortable feelings. I can't believe I'm acting like a hormonal teenage groupie, but I'm probably just hard up right now. It's not as if he'd even be interested; me hooking up with my former bully is seriously messed up!
It probably wasn't fair of Kurt to continue adding 'former bully' behind Dave's name every time it popped up or Kurt saw him in a magazine or on TV. Life wasn't fair and Kurt had forgiven Dave the instant he had apologized all those years ago and taken steps to be true to his words. Kurt had not even heard of Dave getting into any violent escapades like so many pro athletes did these days. In fact, Dave lived a pretty low-key life, if Finn were to be believed.
It was inevitable that the McKinley alumnae followed each other's lives, the famous and the not so famous, too. Kurt had no doubt that Dave had probably seen Kurt on TV as well or in some of those stupid magazine stories. Living life in the public eye was an unfortunate side effect of both their lines of work and Kurt wasn't going to pretend that he didn't occasionally follow the events of Dave's life, though not as avidly as Finn and Noah did.
Kurt's mind detoured to Noah Puckerman, 'Puck' back when they were at McKinley. The sexy bad-boy and Kurt had indulged in a minor flirtation for a very brief moment one night during Kurt's junior year at college. To say Kurt had been knocked for a loop when he ran into Puck at a party on campus would be the understatement of the century. Watching Puck grind against and snog the stuffing out of a skinny media major was another heck of a surprise; the media major was all male.
Puck had caught sight of Kurt gaping at him from over by the drinks table and left his snog partner looking dazed and abandoned as he made his way toward Kurt. To Kurt, Puck hadn't changed much. The mohawk he had sported in high school for a while was back and Puck's bicep-baring black top stretched tightly across his impressive pectorals and abs.
As if that were not enough, Puck's jeans were barely legal as they strained across his thighs; the faded area at the front and below his wolf's head belt buckle drew the eye, no doubt intentionally, and sparked all kinds of naughty thoughts. Kurt could barely lift his eyes but when he did it was to see Puck leering down at him, his trademark smirk firmly in place.
"Well, well, if it isn't McKinley's very own diva," he purred in Kurt's ear, his proximity giving Kurt a heady whiff of cologne, clean male sweat and pure Puck. Kurt collected himself and though he knew his cheeks were signaling his absolute mortification at being caught ogling Puck, tried to project an air of cool aloofness.
"Well, well, if it isn't Noah Puckerman," he sniffed and turned his head to scan the dancing, drink-guzzling horde around them, "and in a place of higher learning, too. How unexpected."
Puck leaned up against the wall beside the table, snagging a tall beer bottle from one of the coolers. "Buddy of mine wanted to stop in, score a little co-ed action. The band's on its way to a gig near here next week. You haven't seen me play, have you?"
Kurt sniffed though he knew Puck would hardly be able to hear it in all this racket that passed for party music. "I haven't had much time – or to be honest, the inclination – to torture my eardrums, Noah." He paused and glanced up at the tanned, good looking face of the one-time jock. "I never knew 'rock star' was your dream when we were in glee club. You always played acoustic guitar."
Puck took a long draught of the beer, the action of swallowing drawing Kurt's reluctant attention to his throat. Stop it right now, Kurt Hummel! As he waited for Puck to answer him, Kurt scolded his wayward libido. What the heck is wrong with you and jocks, anyway? Puck finally looked straight at him, his fingers picking at the bottle's label. Of course, Kurt's eyes locked onto the fingers and he flushed again.
"Tell you what," Puck said quietly as he stepped into Kurt's space. "Why don't we go outside so we can talk? We haven't seen each other in what, three years?"
Kurt eyed him suspiciously. It wasn't that he didn't trust Puck; he didn't quite trust himself. He knew his own weaknesses very well, thank you, and hanging about at a party with a hot former jock turned rock guitarist was pushing a lot of his buttons. Then again, it was said college was a time to try new things and test your limits, right? Right!
Kurt surprised Puck by grabbing the front of his shirt, turning around and heading for the door. He pushed through the jumping, sweaty masses, Puck in tow, and ignored the surprised glances from several students. Once outside and away from the light spilling onto the walkway that surrounded the building, Kurt stopped. He sat on a low wall and watched as Puck lifted a booted foot and leaned an elbow on the upraised knee.
"You look good," Puck said quietly. His eyes took in Kurt's outfit, a look of appreciation making Kurt glad he'd decided on the close-fitting teal top and tight dark blue jeans. The only nod to fashion was the addition of a butter soft black leather vest that he wore open. However, as low-key as his ensemble was, he knew the colors made his eyes pop. He still had a reputation to maintain though he was definitely not looking to impress at any campus keg party he was forced into attending by his roommates.
Kurt nodded at the compliment and allowed his eyes to wander from Puck's boots all the way up his long, muscular legs and stopped at the band's name in silver on Puck's black sleeveless T-shirt. When Kurt unconsciously licked his lip, Puck straightened up and stepped closer to him.
"If you keep looking at me like that, I'll have to do something drastic," he breathed, his voice slightly hoarse as Kurt stared up at him.
"Why that name?" Kurt indicated with his chin the words Sword and Sheath emblazoned on Puck's shirt.
"What…" Puck glanced down at his own chest then looked back up with a wicked smirk. "What do you think it means?"
"I know what the words mean, you clown; I meant why did you choose it?" Kurt's eyes flashed in slight annoyance tempered by amusement. Puck would use every means at his disposal to discomfit him. It was a game he always enjoyed back in high school.
Puck chuckled and straightened up, unconsciously (or not) bringing his crotch closer to Kurt's upturned face. The lights from the party inside spilled out to blend in with the moonlight bathing the two boys. Puck had always liked Kurt's eyes, though he felt the diva's ego was too big already so he would never have told him. Now he stared into Kurt's eyes, allowing a bit of heat to rise in his own.
"All of us in the band have one hobby in common…" he waited for Kurt to ask him what it was. His large warm hand stroked the side of Kurt's face, enjoying the feel of smooth, flawless skin. Kurt tried to pull back; really, Puck was taking a whole hell of a lot for granted! Puck, however, tightened his grip slightly on Kurt's chin and whispered: "Sex."
"…"
One second they were staring at each other and the next their lips and tongues were tussling hungrily. Kurt moaned at the cool, sharp taste of the beer Puck had been drinking. What was he thinking, making out with Puck of all people here on his campus? His mind took a decided back seat to activities much farther south on his body as Puck pulled him up into his arms, his large hands coming to settle on and knead Kurt's tight arse.
Puck's lips moved to suck and nibble on Kurt's long neck. "Mmmm, Noah, stop," he moaned, but his body gave lie to the request as his hands roamed Puck's toned chest and abdomen. "Oh, god, I can't believe we're doing this."
"Where's your room," Puck's husky voice whispered in his ear before he moved to nibble on the lobe again. "I've wanted to do this for a while."
Kurt leaned back in his arms and stared up at the horny boy looking down at him. "What? You always wanted to dry hump me? Please!" He scoffed at the very thought that Noah, while helping his teammates to throw him in the high school's dumpster, had been harboring lecherous thoughts about him. "I find that really hard to believe; you're supposed to be straight!"
Puck ignored Kurt's half-hearted attempt to squirm out of his arms and kissed him again. "Mmph, just stop!" Kurt yanked his lips away from him. Once again, Puck pulled him back to his chest, kissing the other boy more deeply and thoroughly. When Kurt moaned again, Puck ground his hard on into the other boy's groin.
For a while nothing was heard but the soft sounds of two people appreciating each other enthusiastically. When Kurt started to feel overheated and, to be honest, overwhelmed by Puck, he succeeded in wrenching himself away. He leaned against the cool wall beyond which he could still hear the thumping party music, and smoothed a shaky hand through his mussed up hair.
Puck was breathing deeply, eyes seeming to strip Kurt naked, and just as he moved towards the slender boy again, Kurt put up a hand to stop him.
"Noah, please, I don't think we should take this any further; I really don't," he pleaded.
To say Puck was confused was putting it lightly. Still in a sexual daze, he stared at Kurt's crotch where his arousal was very much in evidence. "You want this, too. Why do you want us to stop?"
Kurt took a deep breath. "Look I don't want you to think I'm being a tease," he tried to explain. "It's just that I don't do casual. I've only been with a couple of people on dates since I've been here and, well, it's just not me."
Puck had started cooling down as Kurt explained himself and now he gave a huff of quiet laughter. "Yeah, I think I knew that about you. Still, I think you're really hot and I would so like to do you."
Kurt was surprised into laughter by Puck's honesty. "Well, don't think I'm not flattered. Maybe I think you are hot, too, in a caveman kinda way." Who would have ever thought they could laugh over an aborted make out session.
Puck finally straightened and took another step back from Kurt. He looked at the pale-skinned boy and smiled ruefully. "I'm gonna head back inside and try to round up the guys. We really do have to head back out on the road. Maybe one day you'll come hear us play, huh?"
Kurt smiled softly, his eyes gleaming in the low light. "Yeah, maybe."
Years later, the memory of their brief encounter could still bring a little smile to Kurt's face. Puck's open admiration and honest desire had been a big boost to Kurt's flagging ego. Since he had not been in many relationships and therefore didn't have a lot of experience, he had thought maybe he wasn't very attractive to men. To know that such a macho guy as Puck was turned on by him had given him a massive infusion of confidence.
Now Kurt sighed forlornly, his mind turning back to David Karofsky. Dave had grown into a really stunning looking guy, big and buff, and Kurt didn't know how he was going to handle being in close contact with him. He almost wished Vivian hadn't roped him into this job.
No, Kurt was many things but he wasn't a coward, he told himself. If he had to come into occasional contact with Dave, he could handle himself. After all, he was no longer that scared teenager hiding behind a cool, disdainful persona while the small-minded and unenlightened people of Lima, Ohio, made his life nigh unbearable.
He, Kurt Hummel, owner of one of the most sought-after event planning firms in the world, was a sophisticated, talented, fabulous, rich entrepreneur. He employed hundreds of other talented, sophisticated people who staged events that made the news. No way in hell was he going to let a one-time sweaty chubby Neanderthal turn him into that inwardly quivering child he was once.
By the time Kurt finished his inner ranting, his blood was up and he stormed back into his condominium. He looked at the beautiful space and allowed the serene, elegant atmosphere of his home to soothe his spirit. The remembered pain of his childhood abated slowly; he hated when these moods overcame him. His loneliness only exacerbated the anguish that he had never told anyone about.
He walked over to a beautiful silver-framed photograph of his dad and Carole and picked it up. When these moods came upon him he always wished he could just pick up the phone and call his father. He and his dad had looked out for each other for years before he married Carole but now he felt he couldn't burden him. When he was little, his dad used to listen to him chatter on about what his life would be like when he grew up.
"I'm going to be famous daddy, and rich, too!" Burt would only smile down at him and listen patiently. "I'm going to have a big house and you are going to come live with me."
As he grew a little older, he would dream about getting married and having a family, telling his pa that he would have a little girl and a little boy and they would all be happy. Later, as he matured, his dreams grew smaller. By the time he was in high school, he just basically wanted someone to see him as special and love him; they would be as happy as his dad and his mom had been, before she got sick. For a brief time, he had thought Blaine would be the one. Right, look how that turned out, he thought cynically.
Now he just wanted someone to share his life for as long as they could manage. Life wasn't easy on people with romance in their hearts and their heads in the clouds. Kurt's dreams had – under the stress of life – dwindled into a just a tiny glimmer of hope.
GLEE
The word had got out that Kurt Hummel Events would be handling the upcoming Hallandsby nuptials and the press kept speculating on everything from who would design the bride's dress to where the couple would honeymoon. Really, one would think there were hardly any more serious things happening in the world. Kurt was wound tighter than he had ever been. For some reason *cough*Karofsky* he was investing more of his personal attention in this wedding than previous ones.
Vivian worried for Kurt as he seemed to be living on nervous energy and his favorite caffeinated drinks. If he continued this way, by the time the 'wedding of the century' rolled around, he would be seriously burned out. An intervention on her part was looking more and more necessary.
"Viv, what did the florists say about the orchids?" Kurt's voice blasted from the intercom on Viv's desk. She rolled her eyes and was about to reply when he continued. "And where in hell is the menu from the caterers, goddamit!"
Viv rolled her chair back from the desk and marched into Kurt's office, shutting the door so the rest of the staff would not be able to hear them. It wasn't often that they got to witness Kurt in a full on meltdown and some of the newer workers were tiptoeing around and others held their breath. She knew they were just as puzzled as she was about their boss's erratic behavior.
"Kurt, please, you have got to get a grip! You know you have competent staff; they've done hundreds of different events, including society weddings, over the years." She didn't quite raise her voice but the unusually stern tone was enough to give Kurt pause.
He slumped back into his chair and ran a hand through his hair. Vivian was taken aback by this sign that Kurt was riding close to the edge. She walked over and took a seat in front of the huge, gleaming desk that was littered with charts and plans and seating arrangements for the upcoming wedding.
As Vivian waited for Kurt to respond, she watched him take up a beautiful gold pen she knew had been given to him by his father when he first started the business. He only fiddled with it when he was upset and she wondered what had set him off now. This wasn't the largest or even the most high-profile wedding they had ever undertaken so she was at a loss to explain what was causing Kurt to look like he was at his rope's end.
"Vivian," Kurt's voice was so quiet she had to lean forward to hear him. "Did you know I wanted to sing on Broadway?"
The apparent non-sequitur left Vivian gaping at him. Of course she had heard him reminiscing over the years about his time in his high school's glee club. She had even asked him why he hadn't pursued a career on the stage when she had first head him singing to himself in his office one night. They had been working late, he in his office and she outside, when she had heard a beautiful, breathtaking countertenor singing a show tune. When she had looked up to try and locate where it was coming from, she had moved to his door and seen him standing by his huge window, staring out at the city below him.
He had explained, when she had enquired, that after getting his fine arts degree he had considered coming to New York to study at Juilliard. When he had gone home for a break to visit his family, he had uncovered all the old wedding magazines and books that he had started collecting with his mom before she became so very ill. The almost forgotten feelings had come rushing back – that old desire to make beautiful, happy memories for people on their special day. He had started crying and his dad had come upstairs to find him sitting amongst his mom's things. That's when he told Burt that he was going to be a wedding planner; that he felt it would honor his mom's memory.
Burt had cried a little too because he knew Kurt had always, always dreamed of being on stage, of having his name in lights and moving people with his beautiful voice. He decided to honor Kurt's decision, however, because he saw that his boy was determined to do this thing. Whatever Kurt ended up doing, he told him, would be proud of him, because he knew Kurt was special and was meant for special things.
Viv had discreetly wiped away the tears as she listened to Kurt talk then, about four years ago, but since those days he never mentioned singing or Broadway. Now, here he was, looking like some little girl's discarded doll as he sat slumped in his over large chair behind his over large desk. His normally pale skin was almost translucent with fatigue and faint blue smudges showed beneath his sad eyes.
"Yes, you've spoken about Broadway once or twice," she tried to answer calmly without betraying her growing concern. "Is everything okay?"
Kurt looked up at her and smiled, a trifle embarrassed at his emotional state. "Yeah, everything's just fine. I have a fabulous business, great staff, we make lots of people happy and, to top it all off, we bring in a ton of cash. Of course, everything's fine."
"Yes, all that is true, but why are you so sad? What's happened?" Vivian's warm heart reached out to her friend. She had a feeling she knew what was nagging at Kurt but she didn't want to embarrass him by overstepping any bounds there were to their friendship.
Kurt, however, looked up at her, a shrewd expression edging out some of the sadness that had just been there. "You remind me so much of Mercedes, y'know. I think you have a suspicion as to why I'm feeling a little low these days."
He watched as she tried to compose her face into a picture of cluelessness but when she gave it up and chuckled, he joined in and relaxed a bit. He continued talking in a soft, almost faraway voice.
"I've been thinking a lot these days about what I have, all for which I'm extremely grateful; but I've also been thinking about the things I seem to be lacking in my life." Here he glanced at her from beneath his lashes. He didn't open up to many people but he'd always felt close to Vivian, from the moment he'd hired her.
"Kurt," she paused and took a deep breath. "You know I've always wished the very best for you. You also know I think that includes you having a good man in your life..." she waited for him to look up at her, his eyes wide, "and in your bed."
He laughed out loud at her outspokenness. She smiled to see the light coming slowly back into his face. She really loved this man for his inner beauty, his talent and graciousness. She gave thanks every day that when so many people took great pleasure in tearing down their employers, she could happily count herself out of that demographic. Kurt was just a genuinely nice guy and she honestly wanted him to get everything his heart desired.
When his laughter died down, he looked over at her, shaking his head. "I seem to always find the perfect women to make me feel better or call me on my drama. Too bad I have no wish to marry them."
They shared a few more moments of soft laughter and then Vivian asked, "Is there anything I can do this time? I told you I know some really nice guys who I think would be great for you. Huh, wanna give it a go?" She said this last with an outrageous wink, causing Kurt to crack up again.
"Nah, I'm too busy to add that whole dating thing into the mix." He looked down at the desk with a dreamy expression on his face, his finger tracing a pattern on a miraculously clear space. Vivian thought she recognized that look: Kurt was already interested in someone!
"Kurt, is there someone you are interested in right now?" Vivian saw the flush come flooding into his cheeks and knew she had hit the nail on its head. "Oh, my gosh, tell me. Is it someone I know? Is he hot? Tell me he's hot!"
Looking a little hunted about the eyes, Kurt tried to head off his assistant's far too perceptive attentions. Damn, he had always been told his face was an open book when he wasn't in diva mode but this was too much.
"No, uh, yes he's hot, no, you don't know him." Kurt was beginning to regret ever even opening his mouth today, the way Vivian was looking avidly at him. You would think she didn't have a life of her own to worry about, much less worrying about Kurt's.
"What's his name; where did you even meet him? Wait, Kurt, does he even know you like him?" Vivian couldn't believe her eyes as she watched Kurt duck his head. Are you kidding me, she thought, amazed. Right before her eyes it was if Kurt was regressing to his teenage years. She hadn't known him then but he had filled her in on his life and how things had been for him.
"Oh, my god, don't tell me he's straight!" When Kurt's head thunked on the desk and a soft murmur came from the direction of his muffled mouth, she leaned over further. "Sorry, I can't hear you."
"I said, I don't know, I haven't even really spoken to him. I'm not even sure I really like him, so give me a break!" Kurt's soft pink lips were definitely pouting and Vivian had to squeeze her knee to stop herself from laughing at his petulant display.
"Okay, I'll back off for now but I'm not happy," she smiled gently at him, her voice once again stern but kind. "You have got to get yourself out of that tower and get down here in the real world where people get dirty, and they fight and they love and they get over stuff. It's not healthy to keep things so bottled up; you know that, Kurt."
Kurt nodded, really grateful for her words of wisdom. "I know you are right; I will make an effort, but this wedding… it's sort of getting to me. I thought of handing it over to you entirely but I didn't know if you'd even consider that." He looked at her questioningly and waited for her to digest his words. "It is a lot of responsibility, what with it being 'the wedding of the century'."
Vivian was too much of a professional to gape at her boss but, oh my god, she would love to handle the wedding herself. She composed herself, swallowed down the elated little scream that wanted to erupt, and looked up at him calmly. "Yes, I think it's something I could handle. I would still want to consult with you, though, if that's okay."
Kurt sighed in relief. "Of course I would still consult. You know I've been a little tired lately; I suspect that's the reason behind my little display a while ago…" he tried to cover but knew he wasn't fooling her. He got up and stretched out his hand formally. "Congratulations, Vivian, you've just become my senior executive assistant."
This time Vivian did let out a tiny little scream of joy. Not only that, she leapt to her feet, moved around the expansive desk and pulled Kurt into an enormous hug. "Thank you, thank you so much!"
They laughed and embraced until a slight shuffling sound at Kurt's office door caught their attention. Kurt put his finger to his lips to shush her and tiptoed over to his door. When he reached it, he yanked it open and several of his staff almost fell on their faces, as off balance as they were from trying to listen in on the private conversation.
"Really, people, you would have found out eventually," Kurt raised an eyebrow at the people huddled in the doorway. "Peter, would you set up for a celebration, please? I think we'll have the Krug Grand Cuvee Brut that's on ice and, Donna, please get out the Bormioli Rocco Premium champagne flutes, okay?"
Everyone scrambled to do his bidding. Kurt was a generous employer and promotions in his firm were frequent and deserved. He believed in putting people where they could do their best, making his company profitable and renowned.
Vivian stood with a dazed look of happiness on her face. As the other staff members scurried around, she couldn't help but think that once again, Kurt had turned the spotlight away from himself and his feelings and managed to brighten up everything and everyone around him. A sudden thought popped into her mind and as it percolated, she became more determined than ever to see that Kurt would be happy too.
When the others had gathered and their well-filled champagne flutes were held aloft, she listened to Kurt's musical voice explain about his decision to promote her and everyone cheered in congratulations. She looked over at Kurt and when he looked back, she smiled and toasted him as well.
"Salud!"
TBC
A/N: Whew! I don't know where that came from but these characters just grabbed me by the collar and I just had to follow where they led. I might take a break to do the usual Thanksgiving prep, but I can't leave the boys alone for too long. LLAP