The Storm: Reconciliation
Chapter Thirty-One
By Gayforkurt
Summary: Kurt and Dave have come to terms with the past but can they battle the envy and jealousy of others to make a future for themselves? This is rated M.
Disclaimer: Messrs. Ryan, Falchuk, et al are the owners of my favorite boys. Only the OCs and situations belong to me, alas.
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KHDK
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Kurt stood with his head tilted back, staring up at the ceiling of the two-storey foyer. He turned slowly, taking in all the features and finally looked at David. His face was split into a huge, beaming smile and his eyes sparkled.
"David, sweetie, this is great! Who would have thought there were houses like this here in Ohio?" Dave came up and slid his arms around his lover, happy that he was happy. He leaned down to drop a light kiss on the smiling pink lips but just as their lips met, there was the sound of a throat being cleared.
They turned as one and gazed at the woman who was watching them with a slightly disapproving look on her lined face. Kurt immediately straightened and his chin went up. He stepped away from his fiancé and toward the woman, coming to a stop just a few feet from her.
"Yes?" His melodic voice was unusually cool and his haughty mien immediately put the woman on warning. "You are…?"
She cleared her throat before answering, her eyes flicking quickly to Dave and back again to Kurt. "I'm Mindy Hitchens, from the realtors'…"
Kurt flicked a look up and down her outdated Chanel knockoff and gave her his shoulder, looking at David enquiringly. The older man stepped forward and introduced himself. "I'm David Karofsky. I take it there are papers to sign?"
The Hitchens woman's eyes widened; she knew the name David Karofsky and now realized things may have started off a little awkwardly. She tried flashing a huge, patently false smile at the two men who only stared back silently.
Clearing her throat again she hurried over to a sofa and took a seat before spreading some documents out on the coffee table so David could sign them. He read silently for a while before signing several of them and when he was finished he rose and moved towards the entrance. She had no other recourse but to hurriedly stuff everything back into her briefcase and then jump up to follow him.
While David and the woman took care of business, Kurt had been admiring the beautiful great room with its see-through glass fireplace. The proportions of the room were lovely and the light coming through the window above the front door highlighted the fabulous furnishings. He hoped the rest of the house was just as fantastic because this room just took his breath away. Their home back in London was exceptional but this one had its own flavor.
Dave came back after seeing the woman out, a slight frown on his face. He walked up to Kurt, almost in the same position as they had been before the woman interrupted them and he hugged the slender form to him.
"You know, I don't think I remember people being this narrow back then?" He nuzzled Kurt's fragrant neck and dropped a little kiss on it before leaning back.
Kurt shrugged. "Oh, they were, you probably just didn't notice. Believe me; I got that sort of look – and worse – all the time."
Suddenly he clapped his hands together and looked at David with a determined expression. "Tell you what; let's forget about bigots and out-of-season suits and explore this beautiful house you found for us."
Dave chuckled at the gleam in his lover's eye; Kurt Hummel was beautiful all the time but never more so than when he was taking charge. Dave grabbed his hand and tugged him towards the nearest door. He had seen pictures of each of the rooms when he'd communicated with the realtors but seeing it in person was a whole different ball game.
They wandered from room to room, admiring the unusual furnishing (especially the chairs in the breakfast nook with their wrought-iron leaf pattern on the backs) and making notes of the things they would change and the things they would keep. Kurt especially loved the paver patio that was accessed from the breakfast room.
The house actually had three levels; Dave told him that the basement had what was called a mother-in-law suite with its own fireplace. Kurt was getting used to these huge, expensive houses that Dave seemed to like so he didn't exclaim, just nodded as each feature was discovered and elaborated on. For instance, there was a master bedroom suite on the first floor as well as one on the second floor. In all, the house had five bedrooms and five bathrooms. The full powder room was just off the front foyer, as was to be expected.
The two men headed upstairs and the first place Kurt headed for was the bathroom of the master suite. He had a thing about a large bathroom and he was not disappointed. This one was well appointed, too, and he was especially happy with the large, oval whirlpool spa bath that faced the windows.
When he turned back to the bedroom he realized he'd overlooked the beautiful cherry wood furnishing and he smiled as he ran his hand along the chest of drawers. The floors in most of the rooms were hardwood, gleaming between the obviously expensive, hand-woven rugs and Kurt smiled at David, pleased with their newest purchase.
"Come here, David; you have done very well, getting this house at such short notice." He reclined on the huge four-poster bed, moving backwards slowly as David stalked towards him, a little twinkle in his eye.
Kurt giggled as David finally pounced on him, the two of them bouncing on the king-size mattress and making the elaborately carved headboard bang against the wall. They burst out laughing and Kurt, between his giggles, cried, "Oh goodness, the guys are going to think we're at it already!"
Their boisterous laughter echoed down the stairs and Devon glanced over at Ian as they brought in the mounds of luggage. They stared up the stairs for a few seconds before Ian just shook his head and Devon started chuckling. Those two were the happiest couple they'd ever known and it really was cool, working for people that happy.
Devon sighed as he thought about Puck; really, when wasn't he thinking about Puck? He was seriously missing his lover, though, and he couldn't wait for him to finish up his business and fly out to join them. He rolled Dave and Kurt's luggage towards the little elevator just off the kitchen and got in, glad that they didn't have to struggle up the stairs with them. Boy, whoever thought of the design for this house sure deserved a medal, he thought gratefully.
Kurt heard the sound of the lift mechanism first and he raised his head, puzzled. Dave, who had been busy unbuttoning his lover's shirt and planting little kisses on the exposed skin, simply pulled him back down.
"Oh, forgot to tell you_" kiss, kiss, "there's a lift, brings up heavy stuff_" nibble, kiss, "thought_" lick, nibble, kiss, "it was a great idea…"
Kurt squirmed as he tried to wriggle from beneath the heavier man as he heard the footsteps of the person coming towards the open bedroom door. "David, let me up!"
"Don't wanna," Dave whined, wondering why Kurt wasn't getting with the programme. He wanted some skin and he wanted it now; what was so hard to understand?
Kurt slapped him playfully on the butt and finally managed to escape, one hand struggling to button his shirt and the other trying to smooth down his thick, tousled hair.
Devon grinned as he came face-to-face with a slightly flustered Kurt. Kurt grinned back and rolled his eyes; he knew Devon understood perfectly as his own lover was a bit of a horny toad himself.
"Thank you, Dev; you can leave them right here. A certain individual will bring them in later," he smirked in David's direction who only groaned and flopped face down on the bed, conveniently hiding his erection from the two men grinning by the door.
Devon nodded and smiled again at Kurt; his bosses were the best! They were so in love with each other and, as he himself was just as taken with Puck, it made working seem like a holiday. As he moved off he wondered what their time would be like here in the US of A. He'd been to America before but he hadn't spent very long. He hoped he'd get to see where Puck went to school for he'd told him that the next town over but one was where he'd grown up. Lima, he'd said, pronounced like the bean and not the city in Peru.
Devon headed downstairs again, taking the stairs this time, and joined Ian who was scoping the place out. They had to choose their own bedrooms and he rather thought he'd take the downstairs master suite for him and Puck.
Ian had the choice of a suite upstairs, one on the ground floor or the mother-in-law suite in the basement. The last choice was more to his taste, as it also had access to the lift, so he chose that one.
The men knew that when Kurt had family to visit, the other rooms would be occupied, hence the reason for Dave buying that large a house in the first place. Their boss was starved for family and with Kurt he got a ready-made one. The rest of the house was spacious enough to hold air mattresses or sofa beds if that ever became necessary.
Upstairs, Kurt and Dave were lounging on the bed, their hands caressing each other as they talked quietly. Kurt remembered something and sat up, looking down at his lover curiously.
"David, I know there was something that was niggling at the back of my mind," he waited for Dave to focus on his eyes. "Where's the staff?"
Dave looked at him blankly for a second and then sat up straight. "Damn, it's all your fault; you distracted me," he grumped, a little smile in his eyes.
Kurt pouted at him but pretended to preen. "Can't help it; I am gorgeous, after all." He smiled as he watched Dave pull his mobile out and thumb a number on it. When the other person answered, he spoke for a minute or so and then hung up.
"That was the agency that I've been in touch with. My assistant got the number for me when I finalized the deal on the house but I have to vet her selections in person. Come on," he grabbed Kurt's foot and tugged on it.
"Alright, hold your horses, I have to make myself fabulous, y'know," and he sauntered into the bathroom, his backside swaying enticingly as Dave watched him.
Minutes later he was back and they headed downstairs together. Dave headed towards the den but Kurt headed towards the kitchen to fix them some coffee. The house had been stocked as well, apparently, so everything was right at hand.
A half an hour later saw them interviewing a rather stern-looking woman of middle years. Kurt was a little doubtful, not having fond memories of the people here, but he was willing to accede to David's choices for now.
The woman, a single mother of two girls, both now in college, assured them that she could handle the work of cooking for five men and keeping the house clean. She seemed a no-nonsense sort but she had excellent references and, though a sense of humour seemed to be lacking, she appeared to be intelligent. Before Dave could conclude the interview, however, Kurt had one question for her.
"Ms. Goring, how do you feel about homosexuality?" Kurt watched her closely, his eyes boring into hers as he searched for any signs of revulsion. On the contrary, she smiled ever so slightly and turned more fully towards Kurt.
"I'm a Christian, so I don't have a problem," she said, her voice still that calm, measured tone.
Kurt looked puzzled; he glanced at David and then back at the woman staring impassively at him. "Please, explain. In my experience, it has always been the ones shouting loudest about the Bible who have been against people like us." His eyes flicked to David and then back to her.
Dana Goring shook her head; though a slight sadness appeared in her eyes, her voice didn't change. "I know what you mean, but true Christians aren't intolerant people. I've never had a problem with who people love. I'm sorry to say that most of us Christians have lost sight of the fact that loving each other is one of our Lord's great commandments."
Kurt looked at her, a hard expression in his eyes and ignored the gesture Dave was making behind the woman's back. He knew Dave wanted to hire her but he still had to clarify something.
"So, you're saying that you have no problem with gay marriage, is that it? Your sensibilities wouldn't be offended?" His cold, beautiful face was implacable but he had had hard experiences here in his home country, even worse than anything he'd faced abroad. He waited for her to answer, not giving an inch on this issue.
Something in Dana's face softened as she looked first at Kurt and then back at David. Suddenly her eyes fell to Kurt's hands that were wrapped around one knee, his legs crossed as usual in an elegant pose. A smile bloomed for the first time and Kurt could see that she wasn't as hard-bitten as she'd first appeared.
"No, no problem, whatsoever. May I ask when the wedding will be?" A dimple now appeared in her smooth cheek, giving a slight look of mischief to the previously stern face.
Kurt finally relaxed and smiled back at her before looking over at David, one eyebrow cocked. "We haven't set a date yet but soon, I hope."
After that, everything went smoothly. Dave finally rose and came around the desk to shake Dana's hand. She turned to Kurt and held hers out to him; after a pause he took it but held it in his before speaking.
"I hope you'll forgive me for coming on so strong, but I haven't had the happiest experiences here in Ohio when I was growing up."
She nodded in understanding as she squeezed his hand gently; she recognized that there were scars on this young man's soul that should never have been there. She only hoped that he and his handsome partner would be happy in their marriage, she really did.
After Dave arranged with her to start working the next morning (she would come in at seven so breakfast would be ready by at least nine), they walked her out to the front door. As they watched her get into her little hybrid, they enjoyed the feel of the crisp, cold air on their faces. Winter in Ohio wasn't as harsh as it used to be when they were kids. Still, it was nippy enough for Dave to hug Kurt closely to his side before they scampered back indoors.
Just as they closed the door, Kurt's phone went off. Grabbing it, he headed back into the great room, and saw that it was Carole calling. "Hey, I guess you just got in?"
He threw himself into one of the huge sofas, his eyes admiring the room even as he listened to his stepmom.
"Yes, I think he'll be free then. Uh-huh, okay, will do. See you then; 'bye!" He slid the phone shut and laid it on his stomach as he reclined, feet up on the couch. He really felt free and relaxed in this house; the light streaming through the gauzy curtains covering the wall-to-wall windows gave the place a light, airy feel.
"David… David!" He leaned his head back over the couch's arm as he called to his fiancé who had headed back to the den to clear up some papers.
Dave came back into the room, shifting Kurt's legs as he sat on the same couch. "Was that your parents on the phone?" He rubbed his hands up to Kurt's knee, enjoying the little shiver his touch elicited.
"Mm-hmm, Mom wants us over to dinner the day after tomorrow. I told her I thought you would be free then." His eyes drifted shut as he basked in Dave's caresses; if he could purr he would have.
"Yes, I should be free by then. We still have to arrange for other staff but we can take care of that tomorrow."
Kurt's eyes opened just a slit. "Other staff? How many were you thinking?"
David knew that this size home probably didn't need live-in help like the manor house back home but they should have at least a gardener, maybe, and a girl to do the general housework. They could hire maybe a young couple who really needed the money and who lived relatively nearby.
Dave explained all this to Kurt who nodded in agreement. "That's good. You won't be entertaining any of your billionaire friends while we're here, will you?"
Dave shook his head. "No, I'm thinking of this as a vacation for myself as well. I haven't really taken time off just to have fun and if I don't get with the programme, I'll soon be drummed out of the billionaire playboy club."
He smirked and ducked as Kurt attempted to whap him with a cushion. He was certain Kurt only heard the 'playboy' part. "Hey, you're my boy toy so I'll be playing with you, exclusively!" He ducked another cushion and laughed out loud at Kurt's fake muttering.
Kurt sat up and looked at David, the smile slowly fading. "David, we haven't really talked about our plans to get married, yet."
Dave slid an arm around Kurt's waist and tugged him onto his lap. Kurt settled in, resting his head on David's shoulder in such a way that his fiancé had easy access to his lips. He loved kissing as much as David did and never gave up a chance to indulge.
He slid his arm around the larger man's neck and pulled his face down, his lips pressing lushly against Dave's slimmer ones. They kissed, slow and languid, no need to hide or hurry as they had most of the house to themselves today. Back home in England, the house always seemed to have staff moving about and while it felt cozy and comfy, there was not a whole lot of privacy if PDAs were not your thing.
Now Dave slid his tongue into Kurt's hot, sweet mouth, sighing at the delicious feeling of kissing someone you both loved and were attracted to. His hand slid down to Kurt's hip and then around to his butt, kneading the firm globe gently. He felt Kurt's moan as much as heard it and he hardened beneath the weight of his beautiful lover.
He pulled back, though, because he did intend to answer Kurt seriously. It was just that he so often got distracted when Kurt was in kissing distance. He nuzzled his nose against Kurt's and the singer opened his eyes to gaze lovingly up at him.
"I love you so much, Kurt; I don't know what I've done to deserve you." Dave stared into Kurt's blue-green eyes, mesmerized as always. Kurt smiled and pecked Dave's smiling lips.
"Sweetie, I'm the one who doesn't deserve you," he stroked the side of David's face as he stared into the golden eyes. "I was such a bitch to you when we met last year. I can't believe you loved me through all of that. Maybe that's why I fell in love with you, y'know. You saw me at my absolute worst and you still loved me."
Dave used a thumb to wipe the lone tear hovering on an eyelash. Kurt nuzzled his face into the large, warm palm and then leaned against his chest, contentment swelling within him. "Do you want to get married here or back home?"
They had not discussed it but they both tacitly acknowledged the manor house in Chiswick as home. Dave, though, knew Kurt would want to have his family there and, really, it would be no hardship, if the others could find the time, for Dave to have everyone come over for the wedding.
"What do you prefer, sweetheart? Anywhere you decide will be more than fine with me."
Kurt nodded; he had known that would be David's response. The man was the very essence of consideration. He made up his mind.
"I want us to get married at home. I don't need a church wedding, of course, and I think the grounds will be gorgeous in the summer."
Dave chuckled, picturing Eddy and Mrs. L's faces when they broke the news to them. Of course, they'd have to tell them soon because women needed a lot of time, apparently, to make a wedding perfect – even if it was two men getting married.
He told Kurt this and listened to his fiancé giggling softly as he mimicked Eddy's Yorkshire accent. He did such a terrible job that he soon had Kurt in stitches, trying to catch his breath.
"Oh no, oh, baby, that's awful!" Kurt laughed again, hugging Dave and chuckling as the man proceeded to imitate Puck and then Ian. Kurt roared when Dave tried to do Puck's 'sexy' eyebrow lift and smirk and only succeeded in looking mildly addled.
The two continued chatting and laughing until the light started to dim. Finally, at a faint rumble from the vicinity of Dave's stomach, Kurt decided they should all just go out and eat because he was not in any mood to cook that evening.
Dave agreed, of course, and he went to roust out Ian and Devon from their respective rooms. Devon was just hanging up after talking to Puck and Ian was reading a magazine Dave was sure featured only high-powered rifles. They, too, were more than ready to eat so they decided to head out.
Where to eat was not a problem as they seemed to have quite a few options. They decided they'd all stick with Italian so they checked the GPS for the closest restaurant and decided to trust that they'd like it.
Kurt grinned at Dave as the two climbed in the back again. He was so getting used to being chauffeured; he whispered to David that he thought maybe he'd been royalty in another life. They chuckled together as they leaned against each other, feeling as if the world was laid out before them just for their delectation.
After about 25 minutes, Ian pulled into a parking lot that was almost three quarters full. In Kurt's mind that meant the food and/or drinks at that place was good. He took David's arm as they headed inside, Ian and Devon following closely behind them. Though people weren't very familiar with Dave's face, the Karofsky name wasn't completely unknown. Kurt decided to take lead and gave the maître d' his name and they waited at the bar with drinks until they were called.
The four men gazed around the large, noisy room with its dark wood panel, gleaming mirrors and red leather booths. The décor was generic but the happy buzz and the well-dressed patrons gave the place a slightly more high-end feel. Certainly a lot of effort was put into the artwork on the walls; they all seemed to be original prints of Warhol posters mixed in among eye-catching art deco pieces. The brass work along the bar, too, gleamed with the patina only real brass provided.
Kurt relaxed slowly as he sipped his gin sling, Dave nursed his rum and coke, Devon sipped a Guinness and Ian, the driver tonight, stuck with his diet Coke. What, he liked the taste. The bartender had looked up with a stupid grin on his face when he'd ordered it but one look at the bald man's menacing eyes and he'd hurried to fill their orders.
Eventually their table was ready and Kurt sauntered ahead of the others, Ian carrying up the rear. Their server handed each man a huge, laminated menu and the men spent the next several minutes on the serious task of deciding what to eat. They were mostly meat-and-potatoes guys, except for Kurt, so there were steaks all around and pasta for the diva.
The booth they were sitting in was fairly private but it afforded them a bit of a view of the wider dining area. Kurt was glad for this because then he could secretly molest David's leg and the other diners wouldn't have a clue. Well, except for Ian and Devon who had to pretend they couldn't see what Kurt was doing.
Still, Dave tried valiantly to distract Kurt with nostalgic references to when he played football, both at high school and college, but to no avail. Kurt giggled as he slipped his fingers out of David's grasp and walked them delicately up the bulge in his fiancé's jeans.
"Sweetie, stop!" Dave tried to whisper in Kurt's ear but he knew the other guys had heard. Kurt turned his head, widened his eyes innocently and demanded, "Stop what?"
Devon let slip a little giggle and then ducked his head while Ian gazed out at the other patrons, his face impassive as usual. Dave sighed and shook his head once and then leaned down to capture Kurt's smiling pink lips. The kiss had been meant to placate the teasing minx but Kurt opened his mouth and deepened it, sucking on Dave's tongue relentlessly.
When Devon cleared his throat the two men parted, Kurt wiping moisture from David's bottom lip before looking up. Their server was doing his best to ignore the two men but his heightened color indicated he was struggling. Still, he set out the cutlery and baskets of truly appetizing bread in quite a professional manner before scurrying away, a little smile tugging at his lips.
Kurt chuckled as the other men looked at him with varying degrees of fond exasperation. Hey, he was in a good mood and he was going to enjoy himself! He went through one of the baskets of bread and took several pieces to place on his and David's bread plates. The divine aroma indicated that the bread had been recently baked and Kurt moaned as he took his first bite, oblivious as usual to the looks the others were giving him.
Dave groaned to himself and simply prayed there was no tiramisu on the menu tonight. They would surely be evicted from the place if Kurt did his usual orgasmic worship of the coffee and chocolate-laden dessert.
The men chatted idly as they awaited their entrée, speculating on the weather, arguing over sports and politics and just generally relaxing and enjoying the ambiance. There was a huge flat screen television above the long bar but the guys couldn't see it from that distance. Apparently some game was on and every now and then some group or other would cheer or rag on another group. It was all quite friendly and laid back and Kurt could only hope their whole vacation could continue as it had started.
When the food finally appeared, they all fell to immediately, no talking, just fork to food to mouth, continuously. Kurt had to admit that he had been ravenous as they hadn't had a proper sit-down meal the whole day because they'd been traveling. The ten-hour flight alone had only been made tolerable for him because he'd been on a private jet with his loved ones.
With the first edge of their hunger dulled, they ate more slowly, Ian wondering if he should have another steak. Kurt asked if he didn't want to leave room for dessert whereupon Ian most shockingly declared he didn't like sweets. Poor Kurt's horrified face made the other two burst out laughing and Kurt sputtered as he stared in disbelief at the taciturn man.
"Wh-what; but, why? Didn't you like sweets as a kid? Seriously?" Kurt looked so bewildered at the thought of anyone going through life without the sweet, rich taste and feel of chocolate on one's tongue that Ian took pity on him.
"Actually, diabetes runs in my family. My gran had it, then my mum. I just never got in the habit as a lad," Ian shrugged, his brown eyes looking at Kurt with the barest hint of humour. "Don't worry, I make up for the lack of sweets in my life with other things."
This last was said with such gravitas that Kurt immediately blushed and dropped his eyes. Dave and Devon started laughing again and Kurt, not having the courage to ask Ian what those things were, turned his face into Dave's chest. He wasn't easily embarrassed but something about Ian always discomfited him, at least a little bit.
They finished up eating and when the server came around to ask if they wanted coffee and dessert, the little silence that fell only served to heat Kurt's cheeks again. He shook his head and Dave said no, he and Kurt would have just the coffee. The other two also said they would have the coffee, though Devon's idea of coffee was so creamy and sweet, it should really be classified as dessert. Dave also asked for the check to be brought.
While their coffee was being prepared, Kurt excused himself to use the restroom and when Dave asked if he wanted company, he said he was a big boy and could handle things himself. When Dave smirked at him suggestively because of his wording, Kurt giggled and slapped him lightly on the arm.
"Oh, behave, you perv!" He laughed as he stepped past Dave who had had to stand to let Kurt out of the booth. The two men drew a bit of attention but they were oblivious; Kurt because he was accustomed to being stared at and Dave because he had eyes only for Kurt. He watched Kurt's rump in the tight black jeans as the singer strode to the doors beyond which the restrooms lay. Man, coming or going, his fiancé was a sight to behold. He finally realized he was still standing and slid back into the booth to await Kurt and the coffee.
In the restroom, Kurt took care of business and, after washing his hands, he straightened up to tuck some unruly curls back into their rightful place. He gasped as he realized someone had been standing quietly behind him and he stared at the man's reflection before spinning around.
The man was about two inches taller than Kurt with a tight, muscular body shown off in dark blue jeans tucked into cowboy boots and his impressive abs and pectoral muscles displayed lovingly in a tight white tee-shirt. It was not the body, though, that made Kurt gasp, it was the face. He hadn't seen that face in years but he would never forget that huge, wide grin and that floppy blond hair.
Kurt screamed: "Oh my god, Sam, Sam Evans!" He leapt into the other man's arms, sure of his welcome and Sam's ability to manage his weight. Sam laughed as he wrapped his long arms around Kurt's slender body, his lips brushing the side of Kurt's neck as they hugged enthusiastically.
"Kurt Hummel. Damn, it's been, like, forever, dude!" Sam leaned back just enough to stare down into Kurt's delighted face. His bright blue eyes danced as they roamed all over Kurt's glowing features, coming to rest on the succulent lips. He finally eased Kurt back down onto his feet but stood with his hands resting on Kurt's hips.
Kurt, busy marveling at the coincidence of running into Sam after all this time was unaware of the intimacy of their position. When the door opened and another patron came in, his eyebrows flying up and then lowering as he saw how closely the two were standing to each other, he pulled back quickly.
"Sam, oh Sam, it's good to see you," Kurt lowered his voice a bit and turned towards the exit. "Come with me, I want to introduce you to someone." He grabbed Sam's hand and hauled him along.
Back at the table, just as Dave was beginning to wonder what was keeping Kurt, he looked up to see his lover in the company of one of the most gorgeous men Dave had ever seen. His heart sank a bit as he saw the way their hands were clasped but it rose again when Kurt's glowing eyes collided with his. The happy, loving look in them was all for Dave and he felt just a bit guilty. Damn, he really needed to work on his self confidence.
The two arrived at the table and Kurt started speaking so rapidly that Sam had to grab his shoulder, shake him a little and lean his forehead briefly against Kurt's.
"Hey, hey, breathe, little dude; I'm sure that sounded like a foreign language just now!"
Dave had started to bristle at Sam's manhandling of his fiancé but when Kurt just nodded while he pouted, he calmed down.
"David, guys, this is Sam! We went to McKinley together. Isn't it great?" He was almost bouncing in place and Dave chuckled as he held his hand out to Sam to shake.
"Hi, I'm this one's fiancé; nice to meet you." He laughed at the widening of Sam's blue eyes and nodded deprecatingly. "Yeah, he decided to make an honest man of me."
Kurt giggled as he moved to hug Dave who was still seated. He pointed at Devon and introduced them; they nodded smilingly at each other, and then he introduced Sam to Ian.
Sam probably hadn't taken a good look at the others when he'd first come up to the table because he'd been focused on Kurt but when he was introduced to Ian it was as if everything stopped. It felt to him like a Matrix moment, that crazy 360 degree camera move around the guy, but now he was the guy.
Truly, Sam had never met anyone with Ian's aura before and he felt as if his heart both stopped and sped up at the same time. He knew he was flushing as the man nodded at him, the brown eyes raking Sam from head to toe. How he could feel so exposed in one swift glance he didn't know but he felt as if he had no secrets left when Ian finally looked away.
"Uh-uhm, nice to meet you all." He realized Kurt was looking at him with a slightly worried air and he smiled at the slender singer. "Ahm, Kurt, can I talk to you for a sec?" And he grabbed Kurt's arm and tugged, spinning around so their backs were to the table.
"Jesus, Kurt, who's that guy? He looks kinda dangerous." His blue eyes were a shade darker and there was a tiny line between his eyebrows. He tried to slow his breathing but his chest heaved and he let go of Kurt's arm to shove both hands into his pockets.
Kurt glanced over his shoulder at Ian and turned back to Sam, puzzled. "What do you mean? Ian's a bodyguard, one of the best in the world, I gather." He looked up, concerned, at the tense way Sam was holding himself, his shoulders almost up to his ears.
At Kurt's last words, however, the blond visibly relaxed and heaved a sigh of relief. "Oh! Okay, then. It's just that I got a really strong vibe from him. Now I know he's one of the good guys, that's okay."
Kurt giggled as he suddenly remembered Sam's penchant for comic books, superheroes and sci-fi blockbusters back in high school. Kurt slipped his arms around Sam's waist and hugged him, briefly, tightly.
"Sam, you were always looking out for me back then and I so appreciated that. You were one of the good guys, although you were a jock."
"Hey, I tried. But, look, I've gotta run. The guys are gonna leave without me. Give me your number?"
The two rapidly exchanged cell numbers and Sam turned back briefly to the table to wave at its occupants before clapping Kurt on the shoulder and leaving.
When Kurt came back to David, he slid his arms around the man's shoulders but stared intently at Ian. Ian, of course, stared coolly back. Kurt smiled suddenly at him and a faint look of surprise appeared in Ian's brown eyes.
Kurt just shook his head, smiled and leaned down to drop a quick kiss on David's hair. "I think I get the no-dessert thing now, Ian. Yep, life is soooo going to be interesting here in Ohio!"
Dave and Devon looked up at the madly giggling diva, looked at each other and shrugged. Ian just closed his eyes briefly and shook his head. Kurt finally took his seat again and sat back to enjoy the delicious coffee and the company of these men.
Conversation started up again about what they each planned to do with their downtime, Devon and Ian's, of course, being predicated on Dave and Kurt's movements, but this was essentially a vacation for all of them. Kurt quite happily pointed out that day trips were a must as there wasn't all that much to see in his hometown.
For the first time in a long time, they simply relaxed, replete with good food, good company and, okay, two out of three ain't bad, Dave admitted to himself, as the conversation deteriorated into silly cow-town jokes from Kurt and touristy observations from Ian and Devon. He was happy and his loved ones were safe. That was a lot to be going on with and he wasn't about to grumble.
.
TBC
.
A/N: That last bit was inspired by CC's observation that, in his hometown of Clovis, everyone had a pickup truck and no one had a sense of humour. Love his wit!