AN: Long time, no update! I'm sorry for the lack of update, family obligations crept up on me (and nobody has internet but meeee...). This one is a tad longer, so maybe that makes up for it. :) Any grammatical and spelling errors are my own.
Disclaimer: I do not own Glee.
Ch 12. Love and friendship, and reality.
Kurt found himself at the Lima Bean again the following Tuesday with Mercedes and Rachel. Rachel was going on about some musical that would be on this weekend at the playhouse, and would he come with her? He felt bad, but he wasn't really paying attention. He was trying to calculate the amount of study time he needed do to make up for all of the studying he didn't do for his test tomorrow.
"Kurt, earth to Kurt," Mercedes said, waving a hand in his face.
He looked up, finally drawing his thoughts away from the dreaded calc test.
"Er, sorry," he said, "what's up?"
"You're like a million miles away, Kurt. What's up with you?" she asked. "Are you thinking about your friend Blaine?"
"Your cute friend Blaine?" Rachel asked with a smirk.
Oh god. No, he hadn't been thinking of Blaine, but he was now. Curse those feelings.
"No," he growled, turning beat red, "I'm thinking about my test."
The two girls exchanged a look.
"It's sad that I can kind of believe that," Mercedes sighed. "But seriously, when are you going to go for it? You said you liked him, and that he was single. Goooo for it."
Kurt shook his head and sighed.
"I can't do that, guys. Blaine has been my best friend since we were like 5. He doesn't see me that way…"
"Well you never know until you try," Rachel pointed out.
"Til you try what?" a suave voice asked behind him.
Holy bananas on a pogo-stick. This just had to be his luck. Why couldn't someone other than Blaine himself pop-up out of nowhere in the middle of a conversation? The boy in question smiled charmingly and slid into the booth with them.
He swallowed, feeling his face go from read to what he was sure was an unattractive purple.
"Oh noth-" he started.
"Kurt's trying to decide if it's worth it to tell the guy he likes that he likes him," Rachel interrupted, and Kurt rewarded her with a murderous look.
"I'm Rachel, by the way, and this is Mercedes."
He gave them a quick nod, "It's so nice to meet you. Kurt talks about you guys all the time.
He was going to find every animal sweater she ever owned and bleach them.
Blaine turned back to Kurt and leaned forward, face resting on his palm, eyes wide and curious.
"Oh! Kurt who is it? Well- it doesn't matter, the answer is yes of course you should tell him. Whoever he is, he'll be getting one of the sweetest, most caring guys out there."
Kurt wondered what he would say if he told him the truth.
"Hmm," Kurt replied. "Why don't we settle on maybe? What are you doing here anyway? Lima's a long way from Dalton if you're not here to see me. Also- are those the Warblers I see over there?"
He caught Wes' eye and the boy nodded at him, but didn't come over. The other Warblers were giving them odd looks too. He knew most of them, and had seen them around the last few times he'd visited Dalton, so their behavior was a little excessively strange. Hmm.
Blaine smirked at him.
"Now who's cocky?" he teased. "And yes, yes it is. Actually…Kurt, I'm in a very similar situation as you. There's this guy I like, and I've decided that I'm going to tell him how I feel."
Having just taken a sip of his coffee, he chocked. Coughing wildly until Mercedes patted his back, he gave Blaine his full attention. Was he talking about Kurt? Did he feel the same way?
"Oh yeah?" he asked, eyebrow raised. "How are you going to do that?"
"Yeah," Mercedes asked with a grin. "Are we going to get to see you in action?"
"Oh yeah. Hence the Warblers. I'm going to serenade him!"
Kurt felt his heart stop. Oh. My. God. Blaine is going to sing his feelings to him. He could tell Mercedes and Rachel were thinking the same thing.
"Oh," he breathed. "Well, that's genius Blaine. Really, congratulations. He'd be an idiot to say no to you."
"Yeah, I'm pretty nervous actually," he confided.
What in the world was he playing at?
He looked over in the direction of the coffee bar, and a smile lit his eyes.
"Okay," he said, reaching over to clap Kurt on the shoulder. "It's showtime! Wish me luck!"
"Umm…good luck?" he replied, confused.
He watched Blaine stand up and walk to the Warblers.
"Oh my god," he hissed at the girls. "Is he? Is he? He's going to…sing…"
They were no help to him as they were squealing and grabbing his hands and shaking them excitedly.
"Oh yay! Oh Kurt, this is amazing!" Rachel gasped.
The Warblers were spreading out through the coffee shop, and Kurt suddenly prayed that whatever Blaine was going to do wouldn't get them kicked out.
"I wonder what he'll sing?" Rachel asked curiously surveying the group as Blaine said a few words to them.
"The more important question is, are any of them foine boys single?"
Kurt opened his mouth to respond, before stopping. The guys were harmonizing.
(Bum Bum Bum Bum
Bum Bum Bum Bum)
Kurt looked for Blaine, hoping to catch his eye as he started singing. And his heart stopped. Blaine was standing in front of the order counter staring at the barista with blonde curly hair that was just too ridiculously fluffy.
Ohhhhhh...
(Ba dum a dum)
Baby girl, where ya at?
Got no strings, got men attatched
"Omigod, he's singing this song?" Rachel squeaked. "That's highly inappropriate!"
"More importantly, who the hell is he singing to?" Mercedes asked brows furrowed.
Kurt's mood was slowly growing darker.
"The Barista," he growled. "I should have known."
"He is so not even attractive," Mercedes whispered.
"And a little bit older, yeah?"
"Oh just shoot me now," he moaned, burying his head in his arms on the table.
He ignored Mercedes' hand on his shoulder.
Because you walk pretty
Because you talk pretty
'Cause you make me sick
And I'm not leaving
'Til you're leaving
Oh I swear there's something when she's pumping
Asking for a raise
Well does she want me to carry her home now?
Does she want me to buy her things?
On my house, on my job
On my loot, shoes, shirt, my crew, my mind
My father's last name
When I get you alone
When I get you you'll know babe
When I get you alone
When I get you alone
Oh, come on
Yeah, yeah
(Ba dum a dum)
Baby girl, you the shhh
That makes you my equivalent
Kurt's mouth dropped open as he looked up to see Blaine jump up on one of the tables.
"Oh god," he moaned. "This is both horrifying and embarrassing."
"I wish I had a video camera," Mercedes commented. "This fool is trippin."
"I… can't… look away," Rachel said, eyes wide as Blaine hopped off the table and skipped after the barista.
(
'Cause you walk city
'Cause you talk city
'Cause you make me sick
And I'm not leaving
'Til you're leaving
"I can't watch. Make it stop."
His eyes were perpetually at the point of popping out of his head as Blaine followed after the boy, who was trying to get away from him and looking more than a little distressed.
So I pray there's something
She ain't bluffing
Rubbing up on me
Well does she want me to make a vow? Check it
Well does she want me to make it now?
On my house, on my job
On my loot, shoes, my voice
My crew, my mind
My father's last name
When I get you alone
When I get you you'll know, babe
When I get you alone
When I get you alone
(Ba dum a dum
Ba dum a dum
Ba dum a dum
dum dum dum
dum dum dum
yeah...)
Just…. Arfafdhsjkads. He was pretty close to banging his head on the table to make the scene before him disappear.
Ohhhhh...
When I get you alone
(Ba dum a dum)
Blaine slid up to the counter on his knees like he was sliding into home and Kurt forgot to breathe. He was just so beautiful. And damn-it why the fuck did he have to sing to that guy?
"I.. just wow," Rachel murmured. "He does have an amazing range…"
Kurt and Mercedes exchanged a look before wadding up their napkins and throwing them at her.
"Hey," she cried. "I was just making a constructive comment."
He gave her a blank look.
"Oh.. umm… but what an asshole… seriously."
"I don't know if we can ever come here again."
He sighed and looked over to where Blaine was now talking to the guy. The guy looked upset and was gesturing outside. Leaving the Warblers to stand around awkwardly, they went outside.
"I'll be right back," he said to the girls, before walking over to talk to Wes.
They had pulled some tables together and Wes was sitting in the middle, surround by Warblers. He recognized a few of them- there was of course David, who scowled at him as he approached; there was Jeff, Chad and Nick, all of who had gone to their elementary school; and several others who he was sure he had met over his years in Westerville. They all smiled at him as he came to stand next to the table.
"Hey guys," he said, trying to keep his voice from wavering.
"Hey Kurt!" Wes said cheerily, reaching back to pull up a chair so Kurt could sit amongst them.
Kurt sat down hesitantly.
"As always, you guys were fantastic," he commented. "But I have to ask… who was Blaine singing to?"
Wes gave him a look. One that said: I know. What it was exactly that he knew, Kurt wasn't sure.
David scowled at him, and Kurt wasn't sure if this was because he was legitimately scowling at him or at his question.
The other Warblers all grimaced.
"That's Jeremiah," Nick said with a role of his eyes. "Blaine just decided a few days ago that he was in love with him and that we should help him make a 'grand gesture' to help him ask the guy out."
"I told him it was a bad idea," David said with a sigh.
"Jeremiah didn't look very happy," Wes added.
"He's going to be moping for days," another Warbler chimed in, and they all looked outside in time to see Blaine's bright eyed expression fall.
"Hmmph," was all he could say.
"Dude, when he said he was in love I totally thought he meant Kurt," Chad said, and Kurt's head whipped around so fast that his neck cracked.
"Erugh?" he croaked, unable to form words.
"That was attractive," Wes whispered.
"Yeah seriously, ever since you came to see him and Wes, it's been 'Kurt this and Kurt that' and 'I'm going to meet Kurt for coffee' or 'One time when we were little Kurt did this…'" Jeff said.
He swallowed, but did not dare voice his own thoughts.
Wes was watching him like a hawk.
"Yep," he said, "who knows what goes on in that head of his… You know what? I think I'm going to go outside and see if he's okay, this looks like it's going south pretty quickly."
They all turned to look outside again.
"Hey Kurt wait, before you go," Chad called, "Can I get the number for one of those girls."
He sighed deeply.
"Go ask for their number yourself, Chad."
He turned and made his way to the door. As he opened the door he could hear Jeremiah talking.
"Listen, we had coffee once Blaine, but I'm not interested. No one here knows I'm gay, and I wanted to keep it that way."
"I think they probably did," Kurt muttered, drawing their attention. He shrugged. "Sorry…it's the hair."
Jeremiah clenched his jaw.
"Listen, just stay away from me okay?"
Oh, yikes that was harsh. Blaine looked like someone had stomped on his face. They watched him walk away, and Kurt wasn't sure what to say to his friend. Finally, he tentatively reached out to place a hand on his shoulder.
"I…I'm sorry, Blaine," he whispered.
Blaine tensed under his touch.
"I am such an idiot," he whispered back, eyes trained on the ground.
Kurt's heart hurt for this stupid adorable boy. He guided them to a bench that was on the side of the store.
"You're not. Everyone does stupid things when they're in love."
"I guess I'm not sure what love really is. That's quite apparent now, huh?"
He thought he probably loved Blaine.
"Listen, I know this sucks. I have been there, but the best way to get through it is not to be self-deprecating."
"Then how do I make this feeling go away?"
Kurt considered this for a moment.
"What feeling is it?"
Blaine looked at him in confusion.
"Blaine," Kurt said seriously, "are you feeling heart-broken? Or are you feeling embarrassed? I kind of imagine it's the latter."
Blaine's wounded look made Kurt feel a little harsh. Blaine probably wanted Kurt to tell him that there were better guys out there (there were- and their names rhymed with lurt) and that the asshole wasn't good enough for him (he wasn't), but Kurt's experience with this type of situation led to the understanding that when you thought you were in love with a guy that you barely knew or interacted with, you probably weren't actually in love with him, but the idea of him. His embarrassment over his crush on Finn was a painful reminder of what happens when you lose sight of reality.
"I… I don't know, both maybe?" Blaine said finally, not looking at Kurt.
"Okay," he nodded. "Then for the heartbreak, you have to give it time. For the embarrassment, well that one never really goes away, but you just have to treat it as a life-lesson."
"It gets better?"
Kurt thought he sounded a bit pathetic, but he cared too much to comment on this fact.
"It gets better," he confirmed.
Neither was really looking at each other, but Kurt could practically feel the wallowing emotions rolling off of his friend. Swallowing quickly, he reached out a hand to grab Blaine's.
"It gets better," he repeated. "And until then you just have rely on your friends to help you get through it."
Blaine clutched the proffered hand and squeezed, before laying his head on Kurt's shoulder.
"You're a great friend Kurt," he whispered.
There was that word again: friend.
Up next: Kurt should probably know better than to say no to one Sue Sylvester.