A/N- Wheeeeeeeee! There was no real reason for that. It's just fun.
Thank you to the delightful reviewers of course. So close to 200! I am stunned and amazed by that. I would like to know though...yay or nay on the inclusion of Dev and Blaine up to this point...I'm interested to see what people think about that element.
Love the FLIRT! Enjoy!
Kurt looked around their table. They had driven to a cafe about ten minutes from the theatre, and bustled inside, piling into a three sided booth near the back of the room. It was a bit surreal for him really, to realize he was in the middle of a 'coupley' thing. But he was.
Jeff and Allie were tucked into the end of the booth, both of their hair still slicked back and his eyes still shadowed with the heavy eyeliner he had tried and failed to remove completely. Kurt imagined he'd tried to take it off with soap and water or something equally inadequate. And Jeff was looking so pathetically and delightfully pleased that Allie's parent's had let her come, that he seemed to think it was necessary to hold her in place against his side. Just in case some one else tried to take her away.
Adam was sitting across the table from Kurt. He had come to hang out, but mostly because the girl he was crushing on worked here. He had actually managed to convince her to take her break and sit with them. Kurt smiled at the playful flirting and teasing they exchanged. Every few minutes the girl, Kelsey, glanced away and back, tucking her bangs behind her ears. Kurt had to remember to tell him later that it was a good sign from a girl.
David wasn't with them though. Within a few minutes, he had emerged from backstage with Jeff, only to be suddenly pulled away by his family, looking disappointed and apologizing to the rest of them.
And he and Flint were relaxed. Kurt had his legs crossed on the bench, enjoying the story that Adam was telling, which was clearly full of exaggeration intended to impress the girl beside him. Flint had his arm around Kurt's waist, his thumb rubbing softly as he grinned at Jeff's explosive laughter and Allie's slight embarrassment.
Kurt was thoroughly enjoying his evening when Flint touched his head to Kurt's, moving his mouth next to his ear.
"So Jeff has another show tomorrow afternoon and night..." Flint murmured. Kurt gave him a quick smile, but went back to listening to the conversation at the table.
Flint frowned in irritation. Fine. If Kurt didn't want to catch on, he'd get his attention. Flint ducked his head again, licking his lips slightly before he spoke again.
"Which means that we'll have my room for the whole day. Alone." Kurt's eyes flickered to him with a mixture of interest and annoyance. He really was trying to keep up with the topic at hand, but Flint was distracting him slightly.
And then he was distracting him a whole heck of a lot.
"Which means I have hours to touch you...maybe kiss you...everywhere you'll let me sweet thing."
Kurt's hand flashed over to clutch Flint's knee in a way that was a little painful, but totally worth it.
"What the hell happened to no PDA? You're all over tonight." He hissed.
"I haven't touched you at all since the theatre. We're just talking." Flint smirked.
With a wink and a confidence he'd been feeling strongly since kissing Kurt in the lobby, he ghosted his hand over the inside of Kurt's thigh under the table. Kurt's head snapped to glare at him.
"Okay, now I've touched you." Flint admitted under his breath, before lifting both his hands to his coffee mug on the table. His voice returned to the level of the rest of the table. Kurt scowled at him for a minute before leaning in to burst Flint's bubble.
"I already promised Mercedes that I'd go over to hers for a sleepover tomorrow night. I'll be leaving around lunchtime so I can drop by my house too." Flint's smirk dropped off his face and he looked to Kurt with disappointment.
"Seriously?" Kurt smiled and nodded. "Crap. Well, I guess I'll hang out with Gareth and Simon."
Flint sighed. Kurt rolled his eyes and nudged him.
"You'd better change the plan of events though."
That cracked a smile, and Jeff scoffed from the end of the table.
"Guys. Stop being so cutesy and come live in the real world with the rest of us. Kurt, tell Allie that story you've got about your old glee club and Gaga costumes. She was just complaining about what she has to wear for her ballroom class."
Kurt smiled.
"Seriously? Cause I'm not impressed by anything less than than a six foot frankenteen in a puffed sleeve vinyl shower curtain."
Adam just shook his head.
"I'm not even entirely sure what that means."
Blaine pulled out his phone and scrolled down to the name he'd been thinking of for the past couple days. He hadn't seen much of Devon this week. He'd been tied up in Warblers rehearsal, and extra time working the duet with Kurt, and calming David down for his upcoming performance and ignoring Wes' annoying chuckles at a series of apparently lewd texts he was exchanging with a girl.
All of which meant he was currently staying in on a Friday night to do homework, because he needed tomorrow off. He had promised Dave he'd drag Wes along to the matinee performance, and now he was wondering whether or not to ask Devon if he wanted to go out in the evening.
He didn't think the other boy would say no. He had sent him wide smiles whenever they crossed paths in the halls or at meals. And Blaine had invited him to Warblers' movie night, although it had all stayed very chummy because neither of them had apparently wanted to do anything with Adam around.
But Blaine had walked him back to his room afterwards, and given him a soft peck that had seemed to surprise Devon a little, in a good way. He had immediately pulled Blaine into a tight hug and kissed his cheek, before disappearing into his room with a laugh.
Devon was so...it seemed strange but the word Blaine kept coming up with was "delightful." He was sweet and funny and full of energy, if a bit impulsive. So far Blaine had found it an endearing quirk though. He knew what it was like to be swung by the heat of the moment. He'd done enough ridiculous things in his life that had seemed like a great idea at the time.
He quickly typed out a text and sent it off, refocusing on his textbook while he waited for the reply.
"Dinner tomorrow night? You and me at 7?"
Devon wiggled a tiny victory dance in his seat on the bed, drawing the attention of his friends, who paused their video game for a moment.
"What's got you all riled up?" Jesse asked teasingly.
"I've got a smokin' hot date tomorrow night." Devon replied as he relaxed back and tucked his hands behind his head.
Jesse and Joe just shook their heads and went back to the game .
"We'll wake you up from your daydream when its your turn." Jesse teased, but Devon just grunted back a response, focusing on typing his response back to Blaine.
Kurt was just finishing the top coat on Mercedes' nails when she raised an eyebrow at him, giving him her most expectant stare. Kurt pretended very well not to notice it, but clearly not well enough.
"Sooooo."
"So what?"
"Oh come on boy. I want dish! What's going on with you and your tall drink of water. You've been holding out."
Kurt laid back on the bed and sighed.
"Fine. You get three questions. And I get one pass. Do your worst."
Mercedes clapped her hands together and scooted back happily on the bed to stretch out her legs.
"Come here white boy." Kurt rolled his eyes, but shifted over to drop his head onto Mercedes' lap. He checked his cuticles carefully as she thought where to start.
"Okay. One. What are your three favourite things about him."
He frowned in thought. Three? He could probably come up with a bunch of things he liked about Flint, but his favourite three?
"Well...He's funny, in kind of a dorky, silly way. And he's really great with his family. And, well, I guess that I like how affectionate he is when we're alone."
Mercedes hummed in interest before asking her next question.
"Three favourite body parts?" Kurt could feel his cheeks colouring a little, even though this was his best friend.
"Um...I...well...he's got great eyes...and nice hands...and um..." Kurt rolled his eyes and murmured something down to his feet.
"Sorry, what was that?" Mercedes teased.
"His mouth, okay? I like his lips, and his tongue is so...ugh...he is such a good kisser!" Kurt ended with a bit of a squeak, slapping his hands over his face in embarrassment, but he couldn't help breaking out in giggles as soon as Mercedes started.
"Kurt...you are just so cute about him. I'm really happy for you."
"Thanks Cedes..."
They smiled at each other for a moment, before Mercedes cocked her head to the side.
"Are you going to give him your virginity?"
Kurt's hands went out to block her from going any further.
"Pass. Totally passing on that one."
Mercedes shot back just as quickly.
"Fine. Do you think you could love him?"
Kurt's mouth fluttered for a moment, struck dumb before he glanced up at Mercedes from under his eyelashes.
"Can I answer the sex question actually?"
Seeing the faintly terrified look in Kurt's eye, Mercedes ran the fingers of her dry hand through his bangs in a soft sweep and rolled her eyes with considerable exaggeration.
"Fine! Fine! Two passes, but just this once. How about...What does he call you?" Mercedes offered, knowing it was a lighter, sweeter question that Kurt would be better able to handle at this point.
She knew she was right when Kurt's smile spread slowly across his face.
"Sweetheart." Mercedes let out an adoring coo that was quickly converted into happy laughs at Kurt's bashfulness. "Sometimes honey...or...um...sweet thing?"
"Sweet thing? Seriously?" Kurt just shrugged.
"I know. He said it's his roots, because his family is apparently from South Carolina or something, but I'm still kind of afraid that I'm going to stumble upon some sort of hidden country collection of his. But for now I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt...I think its kind of cute."
Mercedes snorted in amusement.
"Boy, he could wear a skunk on his head right now and you'd think it was cute." Kurt scowled and thumped a nearby pillow against her legs.
"Just for that, I'm totally picking the movie." He jumped up and hurried to kneel by her shelves, flicking through the collection.
"Oh hell to the no! We already agreed to "Dreamgirls"!"
"Well, now I think I've had too much sassy black woman for my night already. Now go sit down while I force you into watching Sweeney Todd again." Kurt snapped the case open and popped the dvd into the player before planting himself back against the headboard.
Kurt lifted his arm and laid it around Mercedes' shoulder, letting his head fall against her hair.
"Hey Mercedes? Thank you." She could hear the sincerity that had risen suddenly into his voice. "For understanding." Mercedes just slouched down slightly to rest her head on Kurt's shoulder.
"You know it. I love you boy." She felt Kurt's smile rather than saw it, but she was happy in just knowing it was there.
Blaine had met Devon at his room again, and they had held hands on the way to the car. The drive to the restaurant had been filled with questions that they hadn't had a chance to ask during their first date at the theatre.
Blaine had told him that he had a dog, and that he liked ginger beer way more than ginger ale, and that his favourite thing to do on summer nights was to go on the swings at a playground near his house and let the rushing air cool him off.
Devon had told him about how he'd always had awesome Halloween costumes as a kid made by his mom, including an octopus when he was eight and a traffic light when he was eleven that actually lit up. And about his younger siblings Nina and Leo, who were adopted from China and Vietnam. And how he was dying for a new guitar, but he's parents said he'd have to come up with all the money for this one on his own somehow.
Dinner seemed to go smoothly. Devon seemed a little skittish, and a little bit quieter than in the car, but Blaine supposed he was maybe just nervous or something. He was still on guard himself against saying something totally embarrassing or ridiculous, so it was understandable.
He frowned a bit though when he noticed Devon's finger flicking against the edge of that table in a sort of nervous tick. As soon as the other boy noticed him watching it though, he snapped his hand into a fist and scrambled to find an engaging topic of conversation again.
He could also feel the way Devon's foot was jittering up and down under the table. Blaine tried to ignore it though. It probably didn't mean anything. Dev was full of energy and he was likely just one of those people who was always in motion.
They had finished their meals when Devon quickly excused himself to the washroom, leaving Blaine to wait at the table. Devon had insisted on paying the dinner bill, as Blaine had covered their last outing, so he couldn't even busy himself with that. Plus they hadn't discussed dessert or coffee or anything yet. Instead he just sat, and waited, going over the songs for regionals in his head and reconsidering the divisions that he and Kurt had been working on for the duet.
Blaine frowned.
Devon had been gone for a while now. He didn't really want to barge in on him in the bathroom or anything. If he had been in there for...whatever reason...he would be petrified to have his date come in. The polite thing to do was just wait for him to come back, and then pretend nothing had happened.
"Hey. How was your meal?" The waitress smiled at Blaine as she slipped his empty plate from in front of him.
"Great, thanks."
"Good. So I know you guys are heading out, but did you want me to pack up some dessert for you to go?"
Blaine looked confused for a minute and the waitress suddenly looked a little distressed.
"Sorry. I just...I saw the other guy heading out to the parking lot and I just figured he was getting your car or something..."
"He went outside?" Blaine glanced towards the front door and the girl started apologizing again.
"Yeah, I just saw him, but...I shouldn't have said anything. I'm so sorry, I just thought..."
Blaine looked back up at her and shook his head.
"No, it's okay. I, um... I'm just going to go check on him. I'll leave my coat here and stuff..." Blaine fumbled, his wallet falling out and he grabbed thirty dollars. "Actually, here. Does this cover it?" He handed her the money.
"Of course, it's more than-"
"Just keep the change," Blaine insisted. He grabbed his coat and Devon's, pacing towards the door quickly.
He couldn't see anyone in the car, not that he expected to. He had the keys and he doubted Devon had one of those metal bars for breaking into cars just hanging around. No one was sitting on the cement ledge out front or standing on the sidewalk. Blaine ducked back inside, checking the bathroom and back at their booth, but there was no sign of the other boy. He twisted their jackets together in his hands, glancing around nervously. He stepped down to the end of the building, his hands on his hips as he tried to imagine what could have happened.
Did Devon duck out on him? He thought the date had been going well...
Blaine stopped. He thought he had heard...something. A scrape of something on concrete maybe, or a rough breath. He ducked around the corner of the building, around to where wooden lattice hid away the service entrance.
And there was Devon. Crouched down, the heels of his hands pressed to his eyes, his back heaving up and down.
"Dev!" He looked up as Blaine rushed over, kneeling in front of him on the patchy grass.
"Shit." Devon murmured, his breath catching halfway through the word and dragging his chest with it. He stood up sharply, almost hitting his head on Blaine's chin. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. How long was I?" His words were cut with sharp hics, as a shaky hand pushed up his sleeve. "Shit. I didn't realize I'd been out here so long. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I ruined it. I...I..."
He started heaving with each word and Blaine realized what was happening.
"Okay. Stop trying to talk." He grabbed Devon's arm and started leading him towards the parking lot. "We're going to take a walk. Just try and take some steady breaths okay?"
Devon nodded and followed, although he pulled his arm away and started rubbing his thumbs over the ends of his fingers.
They lapped the lot at a quick pace, Devon's breath slowing and evening, although Blaine noticed that a few tears were still tracing down the mostly dry tracks on his cheeks.
"You doing okay?"
"Yeah. We should go back inside. The bill...and my coat-"
"Both covered. Come on." Blaine lead him to the car and opened the door for him.
The whole way back to school, Devon seemed to be trying to press himself into the door, staying as far away as possible. His thumbs were still rubbing against his fingers rhythmically. But Blaine understood, so he just let Devon be, at least until they got to Dalton.
Blaine waited at the back of the car as Devon carefully unfolded himself and slipped up between the vehicle next to them.
"Devon..."
"It's okay Blaine. I know you're a nice guy, but it's okay... I'm just going to go up to my room. You don't have to..." Devon wrapped his arms around himself and Blaine had to jog to catch up to him. He grabbed his shoulders and steered the taller boy to one of the benches lining the court in front of Dalton's doors.
"Sit."
"Blaine, it's okay, really. It was an awesome night, but I totally ruined it, and...you should go." Devon felt his chest catch again and breathed heavily through his nose, his eyes watering.
"Its okay, really. I was worried when you didn't come back."
"Oh hell." Devon suddenly realized. "You paid for dinner too. I was supposed to pay. I can't believe I'm making you deal with me like this. I'm such a stupid mess."
"Hey. I don't mind dealing with you." Blaine said awkwardly. That hadn't exactly come out the right way. He raised a hand to rub Devon's back as a supplement to his awful way with words.
"I know I'm a handful, and I try not to be." There was a mournful, almost lonely note to Devon's voice that hit Blaine in the stomach.
"Dev." Blaine said softly, pulling the boy against him. Devon's legs pulled up towards his chest as he sniffed.
"I'm sorry."
"Dev. Stop it. I don't mind, really."
Devon could only shake his head.
"I hate this."
"Really, its okay.
"God, I must be like, the most unattractive person ever right now." Devon moaned.
"Okay, maybe I don't want to jump you just now." Blaine said teasingly as he wiped a tear from Devon's cheek with his thumb. "But you are always attractive. To me at least."
"I'm a mess."
"Who isn't." Blaine replied quickly. Devon glared at him.
"You? You're so perfect. It would be obnoxious if you weren't so charming about it."
"Look, this isn't that strange of a thing. I've had panic attacks before. That's what it was right? I know they suck."
"You've had them?" Devon looked skeptical.
"Yeah. The whole "I've got a seagull trying to escape my chest, I can't breathe, I think I'm about to die" feeling? Look, Dev, I'm not perfect. I'm so far from it. I used to get teased a lot at my old school. About singing, or being gay, or about...my hair...I dunno, lots of stuff."
"You've got great hair." Devon insisted, but Blaine wouldn't be distracted.
"And it got to me. I started having panic attacks, and eventually I had to leave there. I still get them sometimes when I'm really stressed out. It's not something to be ashamed of. And certainly not in front of me. Anyways, it just gives me a great excuse to cuddle with you until you feel better."
Devon finally laughed at this, although it could have been because Blaine tickled his side, causing him to squirm away from his hand and closer to Blaine's shoulder.
"I guess."
"Good night Dev." Blaine smiled softly, reaching out to run his finger down the line of Devon's nose. He screwed up his face in response.
"Mlah! Don't." Devon shook him away but as Blaine's hand dropped, his own rose up to grasp the back of the other boy's neck and tug him in.
He sucked lightly on Blaine's lip, encouraged by the pleased hum the other boy gave, and felt his stomach heave at the slip of tongue Blaine snuck in before pulling back. Devon clamped his mouth shut for a moment so he didn't let out something embarrassing, until he trusted himself to be coherent.
"Thanks. For being kinda awesome. And for not freaking out about me freaking out."
Blaine nodded softly.
"I honestly don't mind. Next time just let me know. Maybe we can find a way to keep if from going full blown."
"Kay." Devon nodded in agreement and Blaine rose up on his toes for a moment before spinning around and heading off towards his own room.
"Night Devon!"
"Night Blaine!"
Devon leaned back against his door for a moment as Blaine disappeared.
We? That would be okay with him. That would actually be... pretty nice.
"Wish you were here. Waste of an empty room tonight too."
Kurt grinned at the text from Flint he was reading under his covers. He bit his lip hesitantly as he typed out his response, but sent it before he could reconsider.
"Night babe. I'll see you tmr. P.S. I'm in a single. We don't have to wait for Jeff to leave for you to do what you said. Name the time and date honey."
Flint groaned into his pillow. Stupid Kurt. Being in Lima. He dunked his phone between the mattress and the bed frame, and decided the best option was just to get to sleep as soon as possible.
