The Storm: Safe Harbor
Chapter Seventy-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 favourite boys. Only the OCs and situations belong to me, alas.
The opportunity to enlighten Cooper came rather more quickly than Kurt had expected but he didn't waste time.
The company had been quite happy to receive a week's break in their performing schedule and Rex, bless him, arranged for a trip to the Lake District. The Casellis, who were the liaisons for the foreign theatre companies had offered the use of their family's summer villa which slept twenty, twenty-four at a squeeze. If the entire 40-member troupe wanted to go, the Casellis were willing, they said, to rent other accommodations in the town.
Most of the members had received the news quite happily; about a half dozen or so had opted to go on various day trips to other parts of Italy, and another eight or so said they would take quick trips home or stay in Milan. Rex had reminded everyone that they needed to be back and in perfect form to perform the next night after their return. There were the usual groans and mutters of complaint but they were all very professional in their attitudes and over the years he had rarely had to reprimand anyone.
Rex continued to outline the details of their trip out of town, the sleeping arrangements, etc., and made sure to let them know that everyone who was going had to be at the theatre the next day by eight. He had arranged for a coach but he knew a few people would prefer to take their rented cars.
Kurt had liked the idea of visiting the Lake District but he needed to speak to Rex in private before he agreed to go. With that in mind, he indicated to the AD that he wanted a meeting and when Cooper, who was still behaving as if he were attached to Kurt by the hip, got up, he turned to him.
"Coop," he said now, politely but firmly, "could you wait outside for me, please? This really is a very sensitive topic so I'd rather it were just Rex and me…"
Cooper loved when Kurt spoke to him with that gentle, lilting tone to his voice, as if he were special to him and he puffed his chest out and nodded magnanimously. "Oh, of course, go ahead. I wanted to ask you something but I'll wait for you backstage."
Kurt nodded quickly and turned to Rex, biting his lips to suppress a giggle at Cooper's cluelessness. Rex simply shook his head and indicated that Kurt should follow him to his office. Once inside he rounded on the young singer and frowned at him.
"Kurt, I don't like this game you're playing with Anderson." His thick, grizzled eyebrows were pulled down over his dark eyes but Kurt could see a gleam of worry in their depths.
He threw himself into one of the office chairs and crossed his legs, shrugging nonchalantly as he stared back at the older man. "Oh, pffft, you know Cooper is harmless. He just won't back off so I keep him on a leash."
Rex frowned but sat back in the huge leather chair, one hand tapping on the desk. "That might be so but he won't take just the crumbs of your attention for much longer, believe me."
He listened to Kurt's chiming laughter and felt a little spurt of anger at his favourite singer. "It's not funny at all, Kurt, but anyway, what did you want to talk about?"
Kurt sobered a bit and tried to look at least a bit remorseful. It was rather sweet that Rex was worried for him but, seriously, he could handle Mr. Cooper Anderson any day. He cleared his throat as he got down to business.
"I would love to take up the Casellis' offer and go with you all to the Lake District but," his eyebrows knitted together slightly. "What do I do about my 'shadows', as Cooper calls them?"
"Oh," Rex nodded and leaned forward, his hands stroking over the blotter as he thought about Kurt's question. "I think it wouldn't be a problem if they came; they might have to bunk with you, though. Would that be a problem for you?"
He didn't know what the situation was like for Kurt and his team but they seemed to have a very laid-back relationship that he could see. He watched Kurt's expression lighten and the singer's lips curve into his signature serene smile.
"Okay, that would definitely not be a problem. Do you think the others would be a bit uncomfortable with them around?"
Rex lifted a sardonic eyebrow at the younger man and quirked his lips. "If they are, they'd simply have to deal with it, wouldn't they?"
He smiled as Kurt chuckled and then rose, thanking Rex before pausing at the door. "And don't worry, please, Rex. I really do know what I'm doing and, best of all, I have David's blessing, too."
With a wave and a little grin, he left a bewildered Rex behind, giggling a little beneath his breath. He'd vid-chatted with David just the night before as they always tried to stay in touch as much as possible. Thank God for technology, he chuckled as he made his way backstage. He couldn't imagine living in a time when it took weeks to send and receive letters or messages. It must have been hell back then on lovers who had to be separated for whatever reason. Nowadays, one touch of a button and you could see your love in real time and chat. The only drawback – no touches or kisses. Still, it was a heck of a lot better these days.
He bounced into the dressing room, calling out a greeting to Julian before screeching to a halt. The scene before him made him want to simultaneously grind his teeth and laugh.
Cooper, whom he'd forgotten about in the short time he'd been talking to Rex, was seated on the dressing table stool but facing outward. Seated on the couch was Julian, a most unusual scowl warping his fair, handsome features. The grey-blue eyes were stormy as he stared at Cooper who had a haughty sneer affixed to his own face but he turned to look at Kurt, smiling and rising quickly.
Kurt stopped and raised a hand to halt Cooper's approach. He looked at Julian and said gently, "Hello, Julian, I thought Xavier had this shift?"
Julian rose to his feet but didn't approach, his eyes darting between Kurt and Cooper. He didn't look happy at all but he pulled himself together to answer in his coolest tones. "He asked to switch things about a bit. It doesn't do to be too predictable in our line of work, does it?"
Kurt nodded, biting his lip to keep from grinning at the oh-so-serious blond. "Hmm, I agree; good idea." He turned to Cooper now, the amusement draining away slightly. "So, Cooper, was there something you wanted to ask me?"
He moved away to gather his things to head back to the hotel; after all, they'd just received an unexpected little holiday and he wasn't staying at the theatre a minute longer than was necessary.
Cooper cleared his throat and looked quickly at Julian – who was staring at him impassively – and then back at Kurt. It was clear that whatever he wanted to say he didn't want to do it in front of Julian but he wasn't going to get the chance, apparently.
"Well, it was about Rex's announcement." He was a bit startled when Kurt spun around and interrupted him.
"Oh, yes, about that." He looked at Julian and smiled, ignoring the way Cooper bristled when he did. "Julian, do you and Xavier want to visit the Lake District with me?"
Julian, who had been helping Kurt get his stuff together, looked at him with one eyebrow raised. "I've been to the Lake District before and I would definitely enjoy seeing it again. Thank you," he said in his posh way, making Kurt grin widely at him. "I cannot, however, speak for Xavier but I doubt he'd let you go without him."
His eyes smiled in his otherwise serious face and Cooper gritted his teeth at the man's obviousness. He broke into the conversation now, his eyes cold and furious as he looked at Kurt.
"I don't see why you need them with you when you'll be with me…" his voice faded away as he stared at Kurt's suddenly stony expression, realizing belatedly he'd overstepped a line… again.
Kurt gazed serenely up at Cooper, the blue of his eyes just a tad darker. He said nothing, simply stared at the other man and then turned to Julian, his features relaxing slightly as he looked at the blond.
"Could you wait for me just outside, Julian? Thanks," he handed over the things he was holding and when Julian had stepped out and closed the door, he turned swiftly back to Cooper.
He straightened to his full height, tilted his chin up and looked down his nose at Cooper. He said nothing for nearly half a minute and Cooper would have sworn the temperature fell a degree or two before Kurt spoke.
Folding his arms across his chest in such a way that his engagement ring glittered in the dressing room light, Kurt said quietly: "Do I look like a child to you, hmm? Do I look as if I need you to tell me what to do, Cooper?"
Cooper honestly had not been the focal point of Kurt's ire very often and he would kick himself if he lost ground because he couldn't keep his mouth shut. He tried to draw on his charm now and smiled softly at the pissed-off singer.
He raised his hands in attractive entreaty and shrugged, making sure his teeth gleamed. "No, but I_" he broke off as Kurt lowered his arms and his head and took a step toward him.
Kurt bit out, his voice tight, "Never_ NEVER contradict me again. Do you understand me? He waited with his full lips drawn thin, his eyebrows dipping above his nose, for Cooper's reply.
Cooper knew Kurt's reputation as a diva; it was stupid of him to forget it, he realized, so he simply nodded. He didn't mind backing down now because once he got Kurt where he wanted him – on his back and beneath him – he would make the little bitch pay.
He nodded and smiled now, all sweet contrition. "I'm so sorry, really I am. I don't know what came over me." He reached for one of Kurt's hands and relaxed when the singer didn't rebuff him.
Kurt stared at him and deliberately softened his own expression. He didn't smile, however, simply nodded. "I hope you understand that my men go almost everywhere with me. You've been around here long enough to understand that. In fact, I owe my life to Julian's dedication to his job."
Cooper widened his eyes, honestly never having known that and he nodded now. Curiosity made him push for more and he asked quietly, "What's his story, anyway. I mean, his accent is pretty upper class."
Kurt turned away, tugging his hand out of the other man's and looked around the room to see if there was anything he was leaving behind that he might need. "I guess you'll have to ask him that one day."
He flung open the door and strode through, not looking to see if Cooper followed him, and joined the waiting agent. Together they headed out to the car that Julian had brought around. Kurt had mentioned earlier that he wanted to do some shopping so that's where they would be headed now. He turned to Cooper and nodded at him.
"See you tomorrow, Cooper," and with that he left with Julian, not even looking back at the man who stood outside the backstage door watching them leave with a little frown on his face.
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KHDK
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Kurt sighed as he stared out at the panorama before him. Below was the beautiful old village above which their borrowed villa nestled in forested grounds. There were forests to his left and behind but to the right were undulating hills in shades of green and brown sloping up towards the mountains.
He was relaxing on the terrace that ran the entire length of one side of the massive old house, basking in the sun and not caring if his childhood nemeses appeared. The freckles were a small price to pay for the lovely sunshine and at one point his mind sped back to the beach house in Pyla Sur Mer. He sipped his coffee and smiled to himself. Oh, how he wished David could be with him to see this view!
The troupe had arrived the previous evening and got settled into the 12 bedrooms and the long sleeping gallery. The Caselli villa had undergone extremely extensive renovations, although the façade of the centuries-old building had been left untouched. They had been pleasantly surprised by how up-to-date all the mod-cons were and were charmed by the stunning décor. Some of them, the women and girls, especially, had oohed and aahed over the beautiful fabric of the upholstery and drapery throughout the house while other members had been drawn to the huge floor-to-ceiling windows in the wall of the large two-storey drawing room. Kurt just knew that the twinkling lights of the village below would prove fascinating in the nights and he'd been right.
Now he sat out on the field-stone floored terrace in one of the comfortably-upholstered deck chairs after breakfast and basked in the sunlight. He'd been smart enough to apply sunscreen to his exposed limbs, neck and face so he relaxed now and gazed down at the village. Later a group of them would probably go exploring but for now he just wanted to sit and look.
He glanced up a few minutes later to see Cooper – of course – striding towards him, looking quite attractive in his white jeans and navy top with white piping around the collar and short sleeves. The outfit really complemented his healthy colouring and his shiny, dark hair whipped in the light breeze, flopping onto his forehead above his sparkling eyes.
Kurt considered him dispassionately and admitted that had he not found the man to be such a snake, he could have been attracted to him. He was certainly good-looking enough but Kurt needed substance and not just flash. He nodded as the other man flopped down into the chair to his right, turning back to gaze out over the parapet to the village below
"You know, this place reminds me of a trip to Jamaica once." Cooper's voice was quiet and reflective but his eyes were avid as they roamed over Kurt's form. The singer was wearing soft grey sweat shorts that hugged his crotch and showed off his smooth well-muscled thighs, the matching tank top bunching up a bit at the stomach. Kurt swore that if Cooper licked his lips even once, he was going to get up and leave.
The other man controlled himself however and after taking a deep breath he leaned back to sit properly in his own chair. He said nothing and after a few seconds Kurt's voice came.
"Jamaica? I haven't been there as yet. It's in the tropics, though, so how could it look like this?" Kurt glanced at him, genuine interest in his aquamarine eyes.
Cooper grinned and shrugged. "I'm no expert but from what I'd seen, the place looked to have every kind of topography imaginable. My friend's family owned a place up in the mountains which are pretty rugged so I guess the foliage would have to match."
He shrugged again and turned to grin at Kurt's curious expression. "Maybe one day we'll visit it together, eh – hot days on the beach, cool nights in the mountains?" He knew he was pushing it but he couldn't help himself. He frowned slightly as Kurt proceeded to laugh incredulously.
When he sobered a bit, Kurt turned his head to grin at the other man. "Oh, Cooper, you never give up, do you? Seriously, though, I can't imagine any scenario that would see the both of us in a place like that."
He giggled a bit and then, to Cooper's displeasure, rose to head back inside, Kurt waving over his shoulder at him. He stared at the firm buttocks as they moved smoothly beneath the shorts and he gritted his teeth against his body's natural reaction to the sight.
Kurt almost wished he'd worn more clothes because he knew Cooper was devouring him with his eyes but he ignored him as he strode back inside the villa to go upstairs and get changed for his excursion. He'd told the group of girls who'd wanted to go souvenir-shopping that he would accompany them and he knew at least Julian or Xavier would come with him, too.
The rest of the day passed amiably enough with the bunch of them darting in and out of the little touristy shops and by the afternoon they were all famished. Someone suggested eating at one of the outdoor cafés to make the most of the sunshine and they all agreed.
It was only about nine or ten of them in the group, not counting Julian who'd decided he would accompany Kurt, and they had to push tables together to accommodate them all at the café they'd decided on. There was much chatter and laughter as they all tried to get their orders in first but the proprietor and his wife were good sports about it. It wasn't very often they had such a large group at one time for lunch, apparently, but they promised the food would make up for the wait.
Lunch was unpretentious but enjoyable, the group munching away on fresh-baked breads, huge sausages and wheels of cheese, mounds of fruit and cheap but delicious wine. They were all slightly buzzed by the time they'd gone through half a dozen bottles of the vino and they were even louder than before. Julian was probably the only one smart enough to stick mainly to coffee and water.
Kurt giggled dizzily at one of the girls, feeling fingers in the back of his hair and he leaned back, hiccupping and apologizing at the same time. The hand stroking his hair felt so good but he started to feel a little uneasy because his love wasn't there and he was the only one allowed to touch his hair like that. He jerked away and with a frown turned to the person beside him.
Cooper grinned unrepentantly and dropped his hand behind Kurt's chair, making sure to brush against the singer's butt as he did so. When Kurt let out a little 'eep' and jumped, the girl on his other side laughed and leaned forward. She noticed Cooper's predatory smile and glanced at Kurt's flushed cheeks and pout before rolling her eyes.
Leaning towards Kurt she whispered, "switch seats with me" and they shuffled about, some of the others laughing at their antics. Cooper pretended to take it all in stride but inside he was fuming and then noticed that Kurt's blond shadow was frowning at him from across the round table. He sneered at him and went back to drinking his wine, turning his head to listen to the performers seated on his other side.
The little incident was almost forgotten until Cooper, unable apparently to restrain himself, groped Kurt's backside again when they were all bustling out of the little café. He started to chuckle at the startled sound Kurt made but suddenly his face was on fire and he found himself sprawled on the cobblestones.
Some of the group, the ones in front who hadn't seen what happened continued to straggle off but Julian and a couple of others turned back to surround Kurt who was glaring down at the man he'd just decked.
Kurt held back Julian by one hand but gritted his teeth as he stared at Cooper who was holding a hand to his flaming cheek.
"Touch me uninvited one more time, Cooper Anderson, and you will regret it," he snarled and with that he tugged on Julian's arm and stomped off. The blond moved away reluctantly, clearing wishing he could just finish off Anderson right there but some of the other shopkeepers had come out and was staring at the group of foreigners. He huffed to himself and strode off with Kurt, formulating all sorts of scenarios for revenge in his mind.
Kurt made it back to the villa in a much better mood than he'd expected. He knew that what Cooper had done was fairly mild but his own reaction set up the stage perfectly for the next part of his plot. He knew Cooper's mindset pretty well by this so he knew the man would be quietly seething the whole afternoon over what he would see as his public humiliation by Kurt. He couldn't let that slap pass and Kurt was betting that the night or next day would see Cooper reacting to the incident.
The group made use of the well-stocked pantry, refrigerator and freezer and cooked up a huge meal later that evening, Kurt volunteering to do a couple of different salads for the vegetarians amongst them. Some of them opted to eat on the terrace while others ate buffet style while seated around the huge living room. There was wine again and Kurt couldn't remember the last time he'd drunk that much. He rather blamed the wine when later, several of the group paired off and snuggled in front of the huge windows where they all watched the purple nightfall descend and the first lights in the village below begin to twinkle.
It was a really romantic setting and the singles in the group just shrugged off the ambience as several of them played card games or just sat around. Kurt was in the latter group, sipping on his final glass of red wine, he promised himself, before he would retire to bed. He yawned as the day's activities caught up with him and he stretched his legs out on the couch on which he was seated. When he felt someone lift his feet up so that they could sit beside him, he straightened quickly.
He really tried to hold back his frown but he knew he wasn't successful as he stared at Cooper. "I'm not happy with you, Cooper," he declared as he stared at the smiling man.
Cooper, instead of taking that as the warning that it was meant to be, moved one hand up Kurt's leg from ankle to thigh and then squeezed. Kurt almost choked on the sip of wine he'd just taken and glared at the fool beside him.
Kurt snarled now, uncaring that several eyes were now turned towards him and Julian and Xavier had risen from where they were playing a card game.
"What part of 'not happy with you' don't you get, Cooper?" His voice had risen steadily and he yanked his legs away to stand, glaring fiercely when Cooper got up as well. Rex, who had been dozing in a recliner, straightened now and called out to both men. He actually couldn't believe that Anderson was being so stupid about the whole thing.
Cooper ignored them all and with his eyebrows drawn down fiercely, moved to stand within Kurt's personal space. "What is your problem, Kurt? Are you trying to tell me you wouldn't want some of this?" And here he crudely grabbed his crotch, unheeding of the gasps and outraged cries from both Kurt and the onlookers.
"Why are you being such a prude, Kurt? I'm only offering you a good time. We're all adults here, what's the big deal?"
Kurt, upset and furious beyond all control now, flung a hand out to stop Julian and Xavier's approach. He poked Cooper in the chest now and yelled at him. "What's the big deal? The big deal is that I wouldn't want you even if I wasn't engaged… that's the big deal!"
Cooper, blazingly angry now, suddenly grabbed both of Kurt's upper arms and pulled him forward, forcing his mouth down on the singer's. He mashed their mouths together and held the struggling man against him. Kurt wrenched his mouth away but didn't himself move away.
Staring straight into Cooper's blazing eyes, Kurt suddenly brought his knee up straight into Cooper's crotch, stepping back with a sneer as the man doubled over in pain.
Kurt dragged the back of one hand against his mouth as he watched the gasping man without any sympathy. He heard a couple of snickers in the background and what probably were a few curses from Rex and then, quite dispassionately, took one step forward. He lifted Cooper's chin with his left hand and then pulled back his right to punch him squarely in the face.
The blood that spurted from the man's broken nose splattered Kurt's jeans and he made a moue of disgust before turning to the others. He stepped aside as a couple of people ran over to Cooper but he really didn't care at this point. Turning to look at Xavier and Julian, he raised an eyebrow and said, "Well, I did warn him about touching me uninvited, didn't I?" and strode to the kitchen to get some ice for his aching hand.
He ignored the hubbub he'd left behind as the members of the troupe who had been out on the terrace bustled back inside to see what all the commotion was about. It was clear from the comments he overheard that several people had won big in the pools concerning Kurt's eventual lack of patience with Mr. Cooper Anderson. He grinned to himself and then looked up as Xavier came to join him in the kitchen.
Xavier stared at him before nodding in what Kurt realised was approval. "Okay, I want to state formally that I don't ever want to get on your bad side, mate!"
Kurt, stunned speechless for a few seconds, burst out laughing, his eyes warm as he stared at the dark-skinned agent. Xavier came over to him and took his hand gently, unwrapping the ice cube-filled towel to inspect his hand.
"Yeah, you're okay, but it will probably be painful for a few hours," and he chuckled as he shook his head. "I still wish you would've let me at him, though."
Kurt sobered slightly and shook his head. "Yeah, me too, because this really hurts!"
They laughed again but stopped abruptly when Julian entered the kitchen to stand staring at them. Kurt felt somehow as if he were about to be reprimanded by his headmaster but then he noticed something odd. Deep in the back of his eyes, Julian looked as if he wanted to smile! Kurt's dimples popped up as he restrained his grin but he nodded at Julian who, after a second or two, nodded back, turned and walked out of the kitchen.
Kurt and Xavier stared at each other silently and then Kurt grinned, saying quietly, "Wow, that was the equivalent of a high-five from him, wasn't it?"
Xavier smiled softly, still staring at the door before looking back at Kurt. He shrugged and, looking down at the hand he was still holding with the dripping towel, said: "He's alright."
Kurt sobered as he suddenly remembered Julian's situation. It must have been doubly hard for him to see Cooper coming onto him all this time and not be allowed to do anything about it. He nodded to show Xavier he understood and, pulling back his hand, said, "Yeah, he's a good man."
They cleaned up a bit, Kurt dumping the towel in the laundry tub and headed back into the living room. Cooper was nowhere to be seen to Kurt's relief and he took his seat on the couch, this time with Rex beside him.
He cringed slightly now as Rex turned a very serious eye on him. He waited for what he was sure would be, at the very least, a mild tongue lashing and he wasn't wrong. "I expected better from you, Kurt. You could have handled this better."
Kurt frowned at the man who was even older than his dad. He knew he'd been leading Cooper on but in his opinion he deserved everything he got, especially as he'd warned him more than once.
"Rex, you're not being fair, y'know. Cooper has been ignoring my requests and my warnings. What was I to do?" His voice was quiet but no less passionate as he truly believed Cooper deserved everything he got.
Rex sighed and rubbed one hand along his brow, his body hunching forward. Kurt was a little concerned that he seemed so tired these days but he didn't think what had happened was his fault. He asked now as he rested one hand on Rex's arm: "You do realize that I could have him charged for assault? I have witnesses, and not just for tonight. Today, in public, he couldn't keep his hands to himself."
Rex nodded now and apologized. "I heard and I'm really sorry. Sorry that you had to deal with this and sorry that we all had to witness …" he waved his hand at the spot where Cooper had fallen before Kurt had broken his nose. "I just can't abide violence and I'd been hoping that you, as the better of the two, could have resolved things differently."
Kurt got up, anger tightening his voice. "Yes, I suppose I could have found a more 'diplomatic' solution but you're forgetting who we were dealing with. Do you truly believe that I would prefer this way if it hadn't been the only way to get him to understand? Truly?"
Rex looked up at the hurt in Kurt's voice and shook his head finally. "No, you're right. I did see for myself what he's been doing. I suppose I should have asked for him to be removed… or replaced… I don't know," he sighed in defeat. He looked up as Kurt sat down again, the singer laying a gentle hand on his arm.
"Rex, I think_ maybe after this gig you should take a break." His voice was soft and in his eyes was genuine concern and Rex smiled.
"Yes, I have been thinking about it but the thought of relinquishing this company into Cooper Anderson's hands was abhorrent to me." He shrugged now and smiled. "I guess I should thank you. There is no way now the Board is going to appoint him as my replacement after what just happened here. Thank you."
Kurt chuckled softly and nodded in mock formality. "Happy to be of assistance in taking out the rubbish!" and laughed aloud at the faint horror in Rex's eyes. "Oh, relax; at least I didn't let my bodyguards handle it…"
He continued to chuckle sporadically as Rex stared at him and shook his head. The two of them sat in companionable silence until Kurt announced that it was time for all little divas to be in their beds. He helped Rex up and when they made it to the top of the stairs, he hugged the older man and whispered softly to him.
"I am sorry it turned out this way, Rex. At least it's over now." He smiled as he said a soft goodnight to the older man and headed toward his bedroom. He was sure Cooper would leave the villa the next day and maybe he would be able to enjoy the rest of his stay. He smiled as he walked and didn't see the figure coming out of the shadows behind him.
He cried out but it was too late. He saw Cooper's pale eyes blazing at him but the man slid his arms around him and Kurt's arms flailed as he was sent toppling over the upstairs railing to the floor below. The last thing he saw was Cooper's bruised face with its taped nose glaring far above him and then… darkness and pain.
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TBC
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A/N: So sorry, please, put down the pitchforks! I just thought that Cooper would be the type who, after being humiliated, would want revenge. What do you think should happen to him?