Someone pointed out I used a lot of 'May I's' and 'Please's' during the last chapter. Sorry about that! I had them asking one another permission a lot in order to allow Kurt the freedom he needed to say no. Time to move out of the bedroom bubble and onto reality…
. . . . . . . . .
Last time on "Try Me":
"I feel protective of you. I feel friendship toward you. I think that I love you," he said quietly.
"Truly?" Kurt asked softly, his eyes soft and warm.
"Yeah. I love you, Kurt," he said, hoping he wasn't making an ass out of himself.
"I love you, too," Kurt said, his voice sure and determined.
"You do?" Blaine asked, needing that extra reassurance like Kurt had. "Do you think it's too soon?"
"Do your feelings of love feel wrong or rushed?"
"No," Blaine said.
"Then it's just fine. Yeah, people will probably think it's too soon. But think of what we've been through together in such a short period of time. That kind of thing brings people closer, faster. So there," he said with a grin.
"Alright then," Blaine said, grinning back.
"Will you kiss the man you love please?" Kurt asked, smiling.
"It would be my pleasure," Blaine said, leaning over to gently kiss the most beautiful lips in the world.
"It would be our pleasure," Kurt corrected, before leaning back into the kiss. Suddenly, he leaned away again. "Does this make us boyfriends?"
Blaine thought for a moment. "It doesn't seem like a big enough term to capture all I feel for you. But yeah, I guess we are boyfriends," he smiled.
"Boyfriends," Kurt said, contemplating. "Sounds good to me. For now."
"For now," Blaine agreed, leaning in to kiss him again.
. . . . . . . . . .
Three weeks later…
"Blaine, we need to talk," Kurt said at breakfast one morning. He had made them omelets and cinnamon rolls. Blaine, surprised had dug in like he hadn't eaten in a month.
With Kurt's statement, Blaine looked up at him, his cheeks stuffed with omelet. Chewing slowly, he swallowed then took a long drink of his coffee.
"I've learned from watching other couples that 'we need to talk' is never a good thing. Is it because I left my clothes on the floor? Cause I'll go clean it up," Blaine said, floundering a bit.
Kurt smiled. "I already picked up your clothes. I don't mind doing that. It makes me feel quite domestic," he said. "No, this talk is about us as a couple."
"Oh. Okay," Blaine said, pushing his plate away. "Let me have it."
"Don't look so freaked out, Blaine. I'm not breaking up with you or anything. I couldn't be happier if I tried. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me," Kurt assured him. The look of fear on Blaine's face was so sad, he had to relieve him. "Baby, I just think it's time for me to go back to my dorm room."
Blaine froze. It was as bad as he thought it was. "Why do you want to leave me?"
"Blaine, it's not leaving you. We knew I was only going to stay with you until the threat of Karofsky was gone. We haven't heard from him for almost a month. I feel perfectly safe returning to my dorm room. I have to clean the place, it's been empty for so long. All the food will need to be thrown out. Not to mention the rest of my clothes are there. I can stop repeating outfits so much," Kurt said in a relieved tone.
"Kurt, that's leaving me. We made that agreement when I was just helping you heal from what happened. Then we became, well, more. I thought that meant you'd be staying here permanently," Blaine said, his expression raw and hurt.
"Blaine, baby, I'm not leaving you as in ending the relationship. Everything will stay the same, I'll just be living at my dorm. I feel like I need to do this, to see if I can be there by myself. I'd also like to start training with you like we've discussed. What do you think about that?" Kurt asked, really not wanting to see Blaine hurting. But he really wanted to do this. To go back to the dorm and face the ghosts of his recent past.
"When will you be coming back?" Blaine demanded. "You will be coming back, won't you?"
Kurt reached over and took Blaine's hand in his. "Blaine, this doesn't change anything between us, you know that don't you? We'll just be living separately. Would you want to live full time at my dorm when most of your stuff is somewhere else?"
"Yes, I would. I would just move the rest of my stuff in with you so I wouldn't need anything. I would do anything to stay near you. Anything to keep you in bed with me each night," Blaine said firmly. Since Kurt had started really healing, they'd learned they loved to cuddle at night, trading off as the big spoon, though Blaine had found – tough guy or not – he enjoyed being the little spoon. "I can't imagine waking up and not seeing your beautiful eyes, not feeling your touch in the morning."
Kurt started thinking about those things. He'd never felt so good about himself as he did when he caught Blaine staring at him.
"Okay. One week. Give me one week and then I'll move in with you permanently, if that is what you truly want. There's only a month left until Karofsky takes off. I doubt we'll see hide nor hair of him before then. One week at my dorm will give me time to deal with some things and then I come home," Kurt said with a soft smile, enjoying the way 'home' sounded coming from his lips.
Blaine stared at him hard for a moment. "Are we still going to be seeing each other during this week?"
"Of course, baby! This isn't a break-up or break or anything like that. Just me living back at my dorm for a week. You can even come and stay the night if you'd like. I would like a couple nights on my own. It just feels like something I need to do. I slept in that dorm in fear for way too many nights of my life. Would he show up? Would he be angry? What would he demand from me? I want to sleep there and know that nothing is going to happen. I think starting up the training is going to help too," Kurt hinted.
"Yeah, that's fine, we can start. I can't wait to see you all hot and sweaty," Blaine said, wiggling his eyebrows.
Kurt giggled. "And stinky and gross," he added.
"No way. A good healthy sweat brings out your natural manly smell. I'd love to lick the sweat off your neck, down your chest. Mm, sounds yummy," Blaine said, his eyes darkening at the thought.
"Stop getting yourself worked up and eat your cinnamon roll before it gets cold," Kurt said, rolling his eyes. Blaine was insatiable in bed. While Kurt was enjoying sex more and more, he still couldn't compare with Blaine's sex drive.
Blaine's eyes lit up and he started in on the delicious roll, glazed frosting covering his fingers.
"So, will you help me get some of my stuff back over to the dorm?" Kurt asked, grateful to have Blaine happy with the cinnamon treat.
"Why bother if you're just coming back?" Blaine mumbled through a mouthful of food.
"Because I'll need some of my stuff. My computer, bathroom stuff, things I'll need on a daily basis. Everything else can stay if you're okay with that," Kurt said.
"Of course I'm okay with it. I'd be even more okay with it if you were staying too," Blaine grumbled.
"It's only a week, Blaine," Kurt said, sighing. "Don't you want me to feel like I can do something that used to scare me and make me anxious?"
"Yes. But it doesn't mean I can't miss you," Blaine said petulantly.
"Fine, you'll miss me, I'll only be gone for a week, then we'll move all of my stuff in here before the new semester starts. I'm going to need more closet space," he finished thoughtfully.
Blaine grinned. "There's a closet in the hallway that's supposed to be for linens. All the linens are in the bathroom cupboards, so that closet is all yours."
"Sounds good to me," Kurt said. His voice grew quiet. "I really can stay there overnight by myself without being scared."
Blaine took his hand. "Yes, you can. It won't even faze you."
. . . . . . . . .
Kurt tried repeating Blaine's words to himself as he settled into bed in his dorm two nights later. He was alone in his dorm, alone period, for the first time in weeks. His stomach was in knots and he had to keep himself from calling Blaine and asking him to come over. Blaine had offered just that, seeing how nervous Kurt was. But Kurt had said no, he had to handle this on his own. Kurt, now, was thinking he was a dumbass. The room seemed extra dark, the walls closing in on him, the blankets seeming to hold him down, to strangle him. He clung to the sweatshirt he'd managed to smuggle from Blaine's house.
He didn't know what had possessed him to do this. He was sweaty nervous. Every time he heard a squeak, in the dorm room, he'd jump. He didn't honestly think Karofsky would show up as a specter in the dark. This was the fear that he wanted to get over. Those times when Karofsky would wake him from sleep and either beat him up or worse.
Keeping his mind on Blaine, he began to sing to himself.
A chair is still a chair
Even when there's no one sitting there.
But a chair is not a house
And a house is not a home
When there's no one there to hold you tight
And no one there you can kiss goodnight.
A room is still a room
Even when there's nothing there but gloom.
But a room is not a house
And a house is not a home
When the two of us are far apart.
And one of us has a broken heart.
Now and then I call your name
And suddenly a face appears.
But it's just a crazy game
And it ends,
It ends in tears.
So darling, have a heart.
Don't let one mistake keep us apart.
I'm not meant to live alone,
Turn this house into a home.
When I climb the stair and turn the key,
please be there,
Still in love with me.
Kurt sang, secure in his knowledge that Blaine was still in love with him, that he was there for Kurt. He fell asleep, a small smile playing on his lips.
. . . .
When Kurt opened his eyes the next morning, he smiled. He had won. There was nothing more to fear. He'd never felt so good, singing at the top of his lungs while he was getting in the shower and then finding a kick ass outfit for the day. He was meeting Blaine for coffee in an hour and he wanted Blaine to be proud of him.
. . . .
"I knew you could do it, Kurt. I'm very proud of you," Blaine said as soon as they saw each other in the café. "And you look downright edible. What are you doing later?"
"I was thinking I might invite my boyfriend back to my dorm," Kurt said coyly.
"Ah, well, it's a damn good thing your boyfriend is me or I might have to get violent," Blaine smiled.
Kurt's phone beeped and he giggled. "Maybe that's my boyfriend calling," he said.
Blaine growled and grabbed Kurt's phone. His smile died immediately. "You were kind of right," Blaine said and answered the call. "What the hell do you want, Karofsky?"
"I want to send out an invitation for you. You and me. Three weeks from now, Hyde Park at six in the evening," Karofsky growled.
"And this is an invite for?" Blaine said, waving Kurt away from taking the phone.
"For me to kick your ass," Karofsky said.
"Oh, how sweet! Are you going to train? Are you going to do a Rambo music montage showing you getting strong? I accept asshole. And don't think you can trick me by making me walk into a trap. I'll have my own people there. See you then, asswipe," Blaine said and hung up the phone.
"He actually set up a date to fight?" Kurt asked incredulously.
"He did indeed," Blaine said seriously. He was already thinking of how he would need to step up his own workouts, just so he could make sure Karofsky couldn't surprise him.
"I want to do it," Kurt announced.
"What?" Blaine asked, not sure he knew what Kurt meant.
"I want to be the one to fight Karofsky," Kurt said, his face serious and sure. "I want to take him down."
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Hope you enjoyed the chapter! More to come. Review please!