A/N: Hello my beautiful, amazing readers! :D Thank you so much for the support you've given this story. I remember when it was once to be a one-shot, and now I'm here writing up chapter seven. I couldn't be more thankful for all of you guys.
MERRY CHRISTMAS! :D AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS to those of you whose don't celebrate Christmas. And just in case I don't update by then… HAPPY NEW YEAR! Gah, this year went by so fast…
I know this is sort of random, but I was writing this while listening to my music on shuffle and the muse for this story began playing! And I have no idea if I ever told you guys which song inspired this fic, so I shall tell you now. It was "Marry Me" by Train. It is one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard in a while and I plan on using it when Kurt and Blaine eventually get married sometime later in the story. If you haven't heard it before, and you like slow love songs, then I highly recommend it. :D
Since this story is AU, I am taking full liberties with what happened in canon. So certain events/people from the series will be mentioned but probably with a twist. Also, I could have sworn I had this rated T, but I guess I was wrong so this story is now officially rated T for language and make-out sessions. This is just a short update. Consider it a Christmas present. I wrote this up just now so I apologize for any spelling/grammar errors.
On another side note, ever since I read a certain Klaine fic (can't remember the name at the moment) I cannot say or read New Directions without hearing it as Nude Erections. SO… I hope I ruined all of you too! I don't want to be the only one with a dirty mind.
Enjoy the chapter and don't forget to review! :D
Kurt smiled broadly as he and his fiance left the theater and walked to Blaine's car. That had been an absolutely amazing representation of West Side Story. It sort of reminded him of when New Directions had given a performance of their own of the well-known musical. The actors/actresses on stage had completely immersed themselves in their characters and it seemed so real that Kurt had given a standing ovation at the end of it all.
Blaine was also smiling broadly, but for an entirely different reason. He was smiling because Kurt was smiling. Kurt looked so radiant when he smiled, and Blaine loved it every single time he was graced with such a smile. After the moment in the car earlier, Blaine was a bit worried about Kurt, but now Kurt seemed to be back to his regular happy self.
They reached the car and separated their conjoined hands long enough for each to settle themselves in the car. Once inside, Blaine immediately took Kurt's left hand in his own right one, squeezing affectionately. Kurt returned the gesture with a loving gaze.
"So what would you like to do now?" Blaine asked.
"Coffee?" Kurt suggested.
"Lima Bean?"
"Sounds perfect."
Blaine started the car and took the required turns to get back onto the freeway. Once they were on the right track to the Lima Bean, Kurt began humming a song to himself. It sounded vaguely familiar to Blaine, but he couldn't quite place it.
"Hey babe, what song is that? It sounds sort of familiar…"
Kurt instantly ceased humming and flushed. "Nothing."
Blaine chuckled. "Aw, c'mon. You know you can tell me anything."
"Fine. But you have to swear not to tell anyone." Blaine quirked an eyebrow. "I'm serious, Blaine. My whole reputation is at stake."
Blaine's curiosity was piqued now. "Alright, alright. I swear I won't tell another soul. What song was it?"
"."
"What was that, babe? You sounded kind of jumbled."
Kurt sighed. "I said, I was humming Larger than Life by the Backstreet Boys."
Blaine used every ounce of self-restraint he possessed to not burst out laughing uncontrollably.
"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up," Kurt grumbled. "I have to have some sort of guilty pleasure music, don't I?"
Blaine swallowed a chuckle before replying, "Of course, sweetheart."
Kurt glanced over to see Blaine's red face due to holding in all of his laughter. "Go ahead. I officially give you permission to laugh for the next three minutes. Enjoy it while it lasts. Starting now."
The second Kurt had finished his last sentence, loud guffaws flew from between Blaine's lips. He pulled into the parking lot of the Lima Bean, thanking any entity that was listening for preventing a crash happening due to Blaine's blurry vision and unmanageable laughter.
Two minutes later Kurt called out, "Time." He waited for Blaine's laughter to contain itself before he spoke again. "Feel better now?"
Blaine took a few deeps breaths before responding, "I had no idea you listening to 90s pop. Let alone boy bands."
"No one is supposed to know," Kurt replied sourly.
"Relax." Blaine leaned over and placed a chaste kiss to Kurt's lips. "I swore not to tell anyone, and I meant it. My lips are sealed," he assured.
Before they knew it, they were in the parking lot of the Lima Bean. The couple emerged from the car and linked hands. They walked hand-in-hand into the establishment that had become their habitual haunt. They received a few odd glares at their linked hands, but ignored them and placed their orders. Once their orders had been taken they stood off to the side to patiently await their drinks. After the friendly barista handed over their coffees, the couple made their way through the small café toward their table, the table that held so many memories for them both.
"So…" Blaine spoke before taking a sip of his medium drip.
"So…" Kurt replied, equally as casual as he wrapped his hands around his grande non-fat mocha.
"Did you enjoy the musical?"
"It was amazing!" Kurt gushed over the rim of his coffee cup. "The choreography was spot on and the leads' voices were great. And to think it had been a local production… reminded me of our version in a way."
Blaine smiled. He remembered that event quite fondly. Although he had felt a bit anxious about having the lead at the time, Kurt had been nothing but supportive. Growing up the way Blaine had, he was always searching to please the people closest to him. And when Kurt had told Blaine that he was proud of him, Blaine didn't know how to feel. Just that one simple word, proud, had dredged up so many different emotions – joys, tears, pride in himself, and a sense of completion – that Blaine still teared up at the memory.
"Are you alright?" Kurt asked concernedly, noticing the lone tear in Blaine's eye as he looked off into space.
Blaine wiped his eyes. "Yeah, just some good memories is all," he replied, his voice watery from the tears he had kept at bay.
Kurt reached across the table and took one of Blaine's hands in his and smiled fondly in his fiancé's direction.
"Babe, I want to talk about the wedding."
"Of course," Blaine replied. "Getting a bit impatient, are we?" he teased.
"No," Kurt retorted. At Blaine's skeptical raised brow, Kurt conceded. "Okay, maybe a little. But can you blame me? I'm so excited!"
Blaine grinned at Kurt's enthusiasm. He too was excited to officially make Kurt his forever.
"I know it's a bit early," Kurt continued, "but Rachel's been badgering me about the details for a while now so I wanted to discuss it all over with you."
Blaine nodded. Like Kurt he was more than excited to be marrying the love of his life. Unlike Kurt, however, Blaine wasn't looking forward to all the work that would need to go into planning and executing the affair. Luckily, Blaine didn't have to worry much about the planning since Kurt had adamantly declared he would have it under control. Blaine didn't doubt that for a second.
"What do you think of a blue and green theme?" Kurt asked nervously. He desperately hoped Blaine liked the idea.
"I think it reminds me of my gorgeous fiancé 's gorgeous eyes."
Kurt blushed. "Blaine!" he chastised via whisper-yell. "I'm being completely serious."
"As am I."
Kurt shook his head fondly. Sometimes Blaine just couldn't stop with the compliments, not that Kurt necessarily minded. "While I appreciate the compliment, I'd really like to know your opinion on the two colors as a theme for our upcoming nuptials."
"I think whatever you decide will be perfect." Blaine raised the hand still entwined with his own to his lips and kissed Kurt's knuckles sweetly.
"Aww," cooed a voice from behind them. Kurt and Blaine both turned, silently questioning when someone had approached their table.
Unsurprisingly, the culprit was Rachel Berry.
Kurt sighed. "Rachel, what are you doing here?"
Rachel pulled up a chair beside Kurt and sat down. "I was just making a quick detour at the best coffee shop in Lima on my way to your house when I spotted my favorite couple, other than Finn and myself, sitting in the back of this quaint café. I couldn't possibly not stop to say hello, so here I am," she explained with a smile.
"Of course," Kurt drawled in the sarcastic tone saved especially for Rachel. Blaine had secretly dubbed it "Kurt's Rachel Tone." Sure it was unoriginal, but Blaine had better things to think about.
Rachel either didn't care or didn't notice the change in Kurt's voice. She continued babbling on happily while Kurt shot Blaine various exasperated looks. Blaine had the decency to pretend to listen to Rachel while simultaneously stifling any laughter Kurt's expressions were causing.
"… And so that's why I needed a drink and ended up here."
Blaine mentally sighed in relief as Rachel finished her story. He nodded his head as if he had been listening attentively the entire time. Thankfully Rachel didn't seem to notice that he actually hadn't been listening at all.
"As enlightening as this has been," Kurt remarked, "Blaine and I have some things we need to do." Kurt stood from his seat and motioned for his fiancé to do the same. Rachel also rose from her seat and Kurt leaned forward to give her a hug.
While Rachel could be quite a nuisance with her diva attitude and tendency to never stop talking, Kurt loved her all the same. As Rachel had once said, the two of them, had more in common than one might think.
"Kurt, tomorrow we should meet up with the girls again," Rachel suggested as she pulled out of their embrace. "It's been far too long since we last had a girls' night out."
Kurt nodded emphatically. "Sounds great. And Blaine can spend another day with his Warblers and the boys." Kurt shot Blaine a questioning glance which Blaine answered with an affirmative nod.
"Ooh, and then we can have a get-together this weekend!" Rachel bounced animatedly over to Blaine. "You can invite all the Warblers!"
Blaine chuckled. Despite the greater distances that the Warblers faced, they kept in touch nearly as closely as the members of the New Directions. Blaine knew putting the two groups together spelled certain disaster, but it would also guarantee a fun night.
"Sounds like it's time for another train wreck extravaganza."
"Except this time we'll all be without quickly upcoming academic obligations to worry about," Rachel pointed out.
"Rachel, do you ever quit?"
"No."
Kurt sighed, again. "Let's go, Blaine. Bye, Rach!"
"Wait. You guys aren't going to your house so where am I supposed to go? You not heading home ruins my original plan."
"I don't care, Berry. Go bother Finn."
Kurt pulled Blaine out the door before Rachel could respond. Kurt paused for a second before dashing to the car and quickly getting in, Blaine following suit. Once safely inside, Kurt released a sigh of relief. Blaine continued to chuckle until his laughter naturally subsided.
"Well, that was close."
"Indeed."
"Let's go somewhere before she comes outside and sees us."
Blaine started the car and pulled out of the Lima Bean's parking lot. Following Kurt's instructions, he headed in the opposite direction of the Hummel-Hudson home.
"Where to, babe?"
Kurt shrugged his shoulders. "Anywhere else but here." (Random A/N: yes, I did have a certain song in mind with that line. Virtual cupcakes to whoever guesses correctly. :D)
Blaine nodded. He drove aimlessly and eventually the couple found themselves at the entrance of the parking lot of Dalton Academy.
"What are we doing here?" Kurt asked curiously. It was nice to see his former school, but he wondered why Blaine had chosen it out of all the other possibilities.
"I have no idea," Blaine replied musingly as he pulled into an available parking space and parked the car. "I guess my mind is just used to driving here."
Kurt looked at the main building silently, lost in his own nostalgia. Blaine no doubt was too considering he sat looking straight ahead, his brow furrowed in concentration. This school had been a savior of sorts; it had given Kurt the time he needed to heal. And it was also the place he found the love of his life, his soul mate. His soon-to-be husband. In a weird way, Kurt was thankful for the Karofksy incident.
Blaine sat beside Kurt in a similar sea of thoughts. He was reminiscing over all the good times he had had at Dalton. The countless Warbler meetings full of entertainment, the insane Warbler parties, the multiple Warbler performances… and in that moment Blaine realized that nearly all of his good memories of the school that had saved him somehow heavily involved the Warblers. At least, until Kurt had come into his life. In his own way, Kurt had unknowingly become Blaine's world. After the first day Kurt had come to spy and eventually told Blaine about his troubles at McKinley, he had taken a portion of Blaine's heart.
In retrospect, Blaine should have done more. Kurt did not deserve to have his first kiss stolen from him my Karofsky. Blaine had had so many chances to admit his feelings to Kurt, but he just couldn't bring himself to. What if he had ruined their new friendship? Yet, it still made Blaine angry that he hadn't done something, anything that might have prevented the traumatic experience from occurring. He had told Kurt this multiple times since, but each time Kurt firmly told Blaine that it wasn't his fault. That there was nothing Blaine could have done. And Kurt always reminded Blaine that he had been the rock that he had so desperately needed. In a way, Blaine would always be grateful that Kurt had found a way into his life, despite the horrible circumstances that caused them to meet in the first place.
"Want to go inside?" Blaine asked. He was mildly curious to see what had changed since his departure. He also wanted to stop by the music hall and perhaps sing a duet with his beautiful and talented fiancé.
Kurt looked over as if Blaine had just grown an extra head.
"We could walk around, reminisce old times," Blaine explained.
Kurt mulled the idea over. Eventually he nodded. "Sure, why not?"
Blaine grinned and stepped out of his vehicle. He quickly dashed to the other side of the car and opened the passenger side door and then proceeded to assist Kurt out of his seat. Kurt smiled in thanks.
The couple joined hands and, together, walked toward the front office of Dalton Academy.
A/N: and that is chapter seven. The Dalton thing came up on its own. I have a feeling Blaine and Kurt are going to see a few of their favorite Warblers inside… -hint hint-
Don't forget to review! :D