"Look up at me!"
Kurt sighed and raised his head, looking straight at Joanna.
"Very good" the woman nodded. "Now walk towards me. Slowly."
Kurt did as he was told, moving slowly on the stage.
"No, that's not what I mean" Joanna sighed. "You're afraid."
"Of course I am!" Kurt replied in frustration. It was late, they had been working for hours and he was really tired.
"Why?" Joanna asked.
"Because there will be a lot of people staring at me. It's scary" Kurt answered.
"You don't have to be afraid of them" Joanna smiled. "You look great. Stop being nervous."
"I can't" Kurt said and turned around, looking down at his feet. Or at least he tried but he couldn't see anything from his baby bump. "I'm nervous. I haven't been on the stage since high school."
"Kurt, these people will be here to see how amazing you and your clothes are" Joanna smiled. "You don't have to be nervous, it will be fine. You wanted to be an actor, right? Imagine this as a role. You're the sexy, confident model and the others are your admirers."
"I don't feel like a sexy, confident model" Kurt said. "I'm huge like a whale, every part of my body hurts and I can't even see my own feet anymore."
"You're beautiful" Joanna smiled. "There are plenty of people out there who want to look as great as you are right now. So stop whining and walk down that stage as a real model."
Kurt laughed and turned around, raising his head high. He smiled at Joanna and started walking towards her, acting like he had no problem at all.
"That's it" Joanna said. "I won't bother you more for today. You can go and change your clothes back."
"Thank God" Kurt sighed and stepped down the stage. He couldn't wait to get out of those uncomfortable boots.
~ o ~
By the time he got home, he was so tired he could barely move. Luckily, Blaine was at home, ready with the dinner. All Kurt wanted was some food and a good sleep.
"You look tired" Blaine said when he saw his pregnant boyfriend walking through the door.
"I am" Kurt sighed and sat down. "And I feel like I had swallowed a whole watermelon in one piece."
"It will be only harder" Blaine said.
"I know" Kurt said, rubbing his eyes.
"Dinner is ready, if you're hungry" Blaine said, standing beside Kurt, ready to help him.
"Oh, yes" Kurt said. "I could eat the whole content of the fridge."
"Stay here, I will be back in a minute" Blaine said and disappeared in the kitchen.
He came back minutes later, with a tray in his hands. He had made pasta again because it was one of the few dishes Kurt could eat. They had tried some healthy food too, but it looked like the baby hated everything his father used to love.
"Thank you" Kurt said and grabbed his fork, ready to eat up everything Blaine had made.
"Wow, slow down. There's some more left if you're still hungry" Blaine said as he watched his boyfriend eat.
Kurt nodded happily and put another amount of pasta into his mouth.
"How was your day? Are you ready for the show?" Blaine asked when Kurt finished eating.
"Yes, everything is ready" Kurt nodded. "The clothes are great and the other models seem nice. But..."
He blushed and looked down, playing with the fork in his hand.
"But what?" Blaine asked.
"I'm so nervous" Kurt admitted. "I'm afraid of people watching me."
"You're not serious, right?" Blaine smiled.
"I am" Kurt said seriously.
"Why? You will be great" Blaine said as he took Kurt's hand.
"I'm not sure. What if I trip over my own feet? What-what if I get scared and run away in the middle of the show?" Kurt asked, looking up at Blaine. "God, I knew it was a bad idea."
"Hey, it will be fine" Blaine said and pressed closer to Kurt, kissing his forehead. "You're beautiful and I'm sure everybody will talk about you."
"Because I will be that bad" Kurt muttered.
"No. Because you will be the best" Blaine said. "I believe in you, Kurt. I know you will be amazing."
Kurt smiled weakly.
"Thank you" he said.
"Besides, I will be there. You can always watch me if you need some support" Blaine smiled.
"What would I do without you?" Kurt muttered, leaning his head on Blaine's shoulder.
Blaine laughed and put his arms around Kurt, running his fingers up and down his boyfriend's back as he kissed Kurt's forehead.
~ o ~
The day of the show came and Blaine found himself sitting at a table in the large, bright room. Kurt was backstage, getting ready, and left him alone waiting for their friends to arrive. Blaine was slightly nervous because he was going to share the table with Rachel, Jesse and...
"Hello, Blaine."
Blaine jumped and looked up at the new arrival.
"Hello, Mercedes" he greeted the woman stading beside the table, dressed in a long black dress.
"How is Kurt doing?" Mercedes asked as she sat down, choosing the chair beside Blaine.
"Fine, I guess" Blaine answered. "He was nervous but I hope he's alright now."
"He will be great" Mercedes smiled. "I can't wait to see him on the stage."
"Me too" Blaine nodded.
In the next few minutes, Blaine remained silent, looking at everything but Mercedes.
"You're afraid of me" Mercedes stated.
"What? No, I-I'm not" Blaine said quickly.
"You are" Mercedes smiled. "But you don't have to. I told you everything I wanted last time but I'm not angry with you. You just needed to know a few things."
"I talked about it with Kurt" Blaine said quietly.
"And what did he say?" Mercedes asked.
"Well, he slapped me..." Blaine answered.
Mercedes threw her head back and laughed.
"What? It's not funny!" Blaine said.
"Sorry, but I think it is" Mercedes replied. "I've never seen him hurt anybody. I'm sure it was great. But why did he slap you?"
"Because I told him the truth about Dave and me. That we were just friends, nothing more" Blaine muttered.
"You're an idiot" Mercedes said, shaking her head.
"I know, okay?" Blaine said, rubbing his eyes. "But it's fine now. We love each other and that's all that matters."
"True" Mercedes smiled. "Now if Mrs Tony Winner would arrive, we..."
"Ah, finally!"
Mercedes fell silent as she looked up to see Rachel coming towards their table with Jesse beside her.
"I should have talked about you earlier" Mercedes said. "Where were you?"
"It took her forever to get ready" Jesse said and pulled out the chair for his wife.
"Because it's a fashion night and I have to look amazing" Rachel said.
"You always look amazing" Jesse said.
"Thank you" Rachel said, kissing Jesse's cheek, before she turned back to the other. "Isn't he sweet?"
"He is" Mercedes said boredly. "Now let's talk about the important things: baby shower."
"Yes!" Rachel said excitedly, clapping her hands.
"Uhm, what?" Blaine asked.
"The baby shower! For you, Kurt and your baby" Mercedes explained.
"I'm not sure we want a baby shower" Blaine replied. They didn't talk about it with Kurt.
"But we want" Mercedes said. "We talked about it with Rachel. We will organize it, all you have to do is bring Kurt to my place."
"We want it to be a surprise" Rachel said.
"I'm not sure it's a good idea" Blaine said.
"Of course it is!" Rachel said. "Kurt will love it, trust me."
"There will be a baby shower, it's not a question" Mercedes said.
"You should just nod and let them have what they want" Jesse whispered into Blaine's ear.
"Okay, there will be a baby shower" Blaine sighed, raising his hands.
The two women laughed, hugging each other. They couldn't wait to surprise Kurt.
~ o ~
Kurt stood up, swinging back and forth on his feet. He was already dressed in the first outfit for the show, a tight pair of black jeans, white shirt, black velvet jacket and black boots. He liked this outfit, it was stylish and comfortable, but he couldn't feel himself well in these clothes. He was so nervous, he could barely breath properly. He felt Elyse kicking him from the inside, as if she had told him that everything was going to be fine. He smiled and stroked his baby bump, looking around.
The other models seemed to take the preparations better. Some of them had their boyfriends with them, and Kurt almost slapped his forehead as he thought for the first time about asking Blaine to come here with him. He should have asked Joanna if Blaine could joined him, he shouldn't have been alone. But it was too late, the show was about to start and Blaine was waiting somewhere outside with Rachel and Mercedes.
"Alright, everyone" Joanna said as she stepped into the waiting room, ready for the night. She was dressed in a long red dress that fitted well for her. She was absolutely breathtaking. "I'm going to say a few words and then it's your turn. Don't forget to smile. It's a great night, we're celebrating pregnancy and children, so look happy. Everybody ready?"
Some of the models shouted 'yes', others just nodded. Joanna smiled and turned away.
"Then let's go and make this evening unforgettable" she said and disappeared behind the curtain.
Kurt looked at his reflexion in the mirror and took a deep breath. He looked great, he knew. Joanna's team had done a great job on him and he didn't look tired or sick at all, although he felt like in his first trimester when he couldn't pull his head out of the toilet.
"Kurt, you're the next" one of the workers said.
Kurt stepped to the curtain and closed his eyes. It was his moment to do something incredible and he knew he was able to do it. He would walk down that stage and show how beautiful a pregnant man could be.
The worker motioned him to step outside and he took another deep breath before he forced his legs to move. The lights blinded him for a second but as he was able to see again, he felt relieved. He couldn't see anyone but Joanna and the other model in front of him and he was really grateful for the fact. He didn't know where Blaine was seated, so he imagined him sitting right in front of him, waiting for Kurt to walk towards him.
And so he did.
He smiled and took a few confident steps forward, stopping beside Joanna to give the photographers the chance to make a few good photos. Then he continued walking forward, stopping one more time before reaching the end of the stage.
It was the second that he saw Blaine, sitting not too far from him. He was smiling at him, nodding reassuringly. Kurt smiled again and turned away, giving place for the next model on the stage.
He had to walk up there two more times that night but they were way better then the first time. Now that he knew where to find Blaine, he kept his eyes on that spot when he had to be outside.
And before he could think about his performance, the show was over. He was in the middle of the crowd in the waiting room again as Joanna appeared from behind the curtain.
"You were great!" Joanna shouted happily. "I'm so grateful that you helped me with this show. It means a lot for me. Thank you."
Joanna talked for a few more minutes and then let them go and change their clothes.
"Kurt, can I talk to you for a second?"
Kurt looked up from his shirt to see Joanna standing beside him.
"I just want to thank you" she said.
"You already did it" Kurt smiled.
"I know. I just..." Joanna stepped closer and hugged him. "I know it was hard to do it, to step out and show these people how beautiful a pregnant man can be. And I have to tell you, everybody was impressed. The other fashion designers, the reporters... everybody."
"It's good to hear they won't throw rotten tomatoes at me when I step outside" Kurt joked.
"They most certainly won't" Joanna laughed. "Look, I know you only have a few more weeks left but if you don't mind, we would take some photos of you in your paternity clothes. For the press and the new catalog."
"Of course" Kurt nodded immediately. He had survived the fashion show, some photos wouldn't hurt.
"Great. I will call you" Joanna said and hugged him again. She was about to say something else but one of her workers called her and she had to go.
Kurt finished getting dressed and grabbed his bag. He couldn't wait to see Blaine and the others.
~ o ~
Finding Blaine wasn't hard at all. He was waiting for him just outside of the dressing room.
"Hey" Blaine greeted him, smiling as he raised the bouquet in his hands.
"Thanks" Kurt said, taking the flowers from Blaine. "How was it?"
"You were great" Blaine said immediately. "You should have tried modeling earlier."
"Nah, it's not something I would do forever" Kurt said. "Where are the others?"
He looked around, searching for his friends but he couldn't see Rachel or Mercedes anywhere.
"They are waiting outside" Blaine said and took Kurt's hand. "Are you ready?"
"Yes" Kurt nodded.
True to Blaine's words, they found Mercedes standing right beside the door, and Rachel and Jesse not too far behind her, lost in each others' mouth.
"Mercedes!" Kurt shouted happily, throwing his arms around the woman.
"I'm happy to see you too" Mercedes laughed and pulled away. "Berry! Get out of your husband's face and come here."
"What the hell is her problem?" Kurt heard Rachel mutter as she walked to them. "God! You were so great!"
Kurt found himself in Rachel's arms and smiled as he hugged her.
"Thank you" he said.
"Now where are we going?" Jesse asked as he joined them.
"We should go and eat something" Blaine said. "I'm sure Kurt's hungry."
"And he's not the only one" Rachel said quickly.
"I thought it will be an adult party" Jesse muttered, somewhat disappointedly.
"You mean with too many drinks and loud music? No, we had enough of that last month" Rachel said, taking his hand.
"If you say so..." Jesse muttered, following his wife God knew where.
~ o ~
"Oh, I love this place" Kurt sighed as they stepped into the small restaurant.
"We used to come here when we were students" Rachel explained.
"Yeah. We had a fight right there" Kurt pointed at a table.
"And you got hospitalized just an hour later" Rachel sighed.
"Hey, don't worry about the past" Kurt said as he sat down. "Besides, I'm well. I survived that night and now I'm here, happily and healthily, with the father of my daughter and my best friends. That's all that matters."
"True" Mercedes said, squeezing Kurt's shoulder. "Let's order. I'm starving."
They ordered their drinks and food. Kurt was tired, ready to fall asleep on Blaine's shoulder but he tried to pay attention to the others.
"Okay, Rachel, we all know that you're incredible but leave this night for Kurt" Mercedes said after a while. "I want to hear about the baby."
"What do you want to hear?" Kurt asked.
"Everything" Mercedes said. "We barely had the opportunity to talk about your pregnancy."
"Well, it's getting harder" Kurt smiled. "I feel like a whiale most of the times, I can barely move and I could sleep all day."
"And what do you like to eat?" Mercedes asked.
Blaine smiled beside Kurt. It was a good opportunity for the woman to ask questions she would need for the baby shower and it looked like Mercedes was perfect in it.
"Everything unhealthy" Kurt answered, not suspecting anything. "Cheeseburger, french fries, pasta. A lot of pasta."
"And what about the baby's supplies?" Rachel asked when she understood why Mercedes asked those questions.
"Her room is mostly ready" Kurt answered. "Blaine promised me to paint the walls next week and we bought the bed and some clothes. But we still have to buy the smaller things."
The women's eyes met knowingly, smiling at each other.
"I'm sure you will be ready in time" Mercedes said in the end.
The rest of the night went well. The girls asked a few more questions as they were eating with Blaine helping them out when they weren't exact enough. But after they finished eating, Kurt was too tired to stay longer and asked Blaine to go home.
"Are you coming with us?" Kurt asked as he stood up with Blaine's help.
"No, we still have to talk about a few things" Rachel said.
"She means she needs my help. For her new show" Mercedes lied.
"Oh, okay" Kurt said, somewhat sadly. There was a time when Rachel had talked about thing like this with him.
"Don't worry, I will tell you everything later" Rachel said. "Come here."
She stood up and stepped closer to hug Kurt. Mercedes, seeing the opportunity, leaned to Blaine's ear.
"I will call you and tell you the details" she said and winked as she stepped back.
"Thank you again, guys. It meant a lot for me that you were there for me tonight" Kurt said and took Blaine's hand who was already turning towards the door.
"Thank you for the invitation. It was the first time I saw a fashion show. Call me next time, too" Mercedes replied.
"I will" Kurt laughed and hugged the two women one more time before he let Blaine lead him out of the restaurant.