Chapter 18: Talk to Me

"That's why I'm casting my vote for Kurt Hummel. Vote Hummel, McKinley. Vote for Kurt."

Kurt didn't say anything as Rachel took her seat beside him. What? She had just conceded to him. Why?

"Why'd you do it?"

Rachel did a lot of rambling, but she eventually said one thing that Kurt could believe, because he felt the same way. "I hated you hating me."

They were friends again, but Kurt didn't miss the fact that Rachel had apologized for not withdrawing from the race when she got the lead in West Side Story. She had not apologized for running against him in the first place. Of course, she had every right to run, just as much as he did, or Britt, or that hockey moron. But a little loyalty would have been nice. She could have at least talked to him about it first.

Kurt sent Nigel a text during study period.

From Kurt: Rachel conceded.

From Nigel: gr8! just u & Britt?

From Kurt: & some hockey jock want to help me celebrate?

From Nigel: Can't sorry got to finish a paper

Kurt stared at his phone. This was becoming quite a habit of Nigel's. It was starting to piss him off.

From Kurt: :(

Kurt hugged his Dad. "Congratulations, Dad. You're going to make a great congressman."

"I can't believe it." Burt rubbed his head, a nervous habit. "I don't know the first thing about being a congressman. What am I going to do?"

"You'll be fine. They've got that introductory thing for new congressmen, right?"

"Yeah, you're right." Burt still looked dazed. "Kurt, I won."

Kurt laughed. "I know, Dad, I know."

Walking to his Navigator, after Glee, Kurt took out his phone to text Nigel.

From Kurt: Dad won! I lost

Kurt parked in his driveway, and checked his phone for messages, nothing. Frowning, he scrolled down to Nigel's number, and hit call. No answer, it went straight to voice mail. Kurt dropped his phone on the passenger seat. He was pissed. Nigel had not responded to any of his texts today, and now, he wasn't answering his phone. Kurt strummed his fingers on the steering wheel, thinking. Nigel had been MIA for weeks. He'd only managed to see Kurt for a few hours last Saturday. They hadn't had any store time in months, not since Nigel started college back in September.

What the hell was going on? He was almost certain that Nigel still cared about him. At least, when they were together, the OSU student was as caring, affectionate, attentive, not to mention as passionately sexual as he had ever been. The problem was that, they were almost never together. Nigel never seemed to have time for him anymore. Fuck it! He was going to find out what was going on, if he had to beat it out of him. Kurt smirked to himself, and he backed out of his driveway. Scratch that; beating Nigel wouldn't get him anywhere, except in Nigel.

Kurt made it to his boyfriend's house in record time. Yes, he'd been speeding. And, yes, he'd run every yellow light. He had sped across town, looking up at the traffic lights as he drove under them, to see if they had turned red. He skidded into Nigel's driveway, and ran up the walkway. It took all his self-control to keep from pounding the door. He didn't want to scare Claire, or the kids. He rang the doorbell.

Nigel opened the door. "Kurt! Hi."

Kurt glared at the OSU student, brushed past him, and stalked down the hallway to Nigel's bedroom.

Kurt waited till Nigel entered the room, and then slammed the door shut. "What the hell is going on? You're not answering your phone. You're not responding to my text messages. You haven't been over to my place in weeks. We hardly see each other anymore. What the hell is your problem?" By the time Kurt reached the end of his rant, he was full out screaming.

Nigel came from a family of screamers. He had always sworn that he would never be like his parents. He knew that screaming never solved anything. But Kurt's screaming lit an inferno inside Nigel, and he forgot everything he had ever sworn to himself, everything he knew… he screamed back.

"Jesus Christ, Kurt, you're not the only fucking senior around here. This is my last year too. Recruiters are on campus next semester. I have to get straight A's or they won't even look at me."

Kurt stared at Nigel, face flushed, eyes wide. "Fuck you!" He spun on his heel to leave, but Nigel blocked him, his hand reaching for Kurt's arm.

"Don't touch me, Nigel." Kurt's hands were clenched fists at his side. "Don't touch me or, I swear, I will punch you."

Nigel backed off, his hands in the air. "Kurt, I fucking love you, but I have to study."

Kurt stormed into Nigel, forcing him back into the wall. He grabbed Nigel's shirt in one fist. "You love me?"

"Yes."

"You want this relationship to work?"

"Yes."

"Then fucking talk to me."

"I do." Nigel sounded bewildered. Kurt still wanted to punch him, but his brain was starting to work again, and he stepped away. He was pretty sure that the Boyfriend Handbook said you weren't allowed to punch your boyfriend for being an idiot.

"Nigel, you never told me about the straight A's, or the recruiters, or that you were worried about finding a job after graduation. How the fuck was I supposed to know that, if you didn't tell me?" Kurt started to pace the room. "I told you about NYADA, about running for Class President, about wanting to shoot Berry. Why was I the only one talking?"

"I didn't want to worry you."

"Nigel, I'm not Tommy or Angie. You don't have to take care of me."

"Kurt," Nigel moved towards Kurt. "That's not what I…"

"Yes, you were. You were doing what you always do, being the strong, silent man; taking care of everyone else." Kurt watched as his words filtered through Nigel.

Nigel's eyes widened, and he nodded slowly. "Yeah, maybe….you're right, I'm sorry. I should have told you."

It only took two steps, and Nigel was in Kurt's arms.

The room was silent, now, but Kurt could hear the echo of their screaming, and he held Nigel tighter.

Nigel spoke softly against Kurt's ear. "Kurt, you're going to break my ribs."

Kurt laughed, and pulled Nigel until they were both sitting on Nigel's bed. "From now on, you're Chatty Cathy. You're going to tell me when you're worried or upset. You're going to share, like, Oprah sharing. You hear me, Dennison?"

Nigel held his hand up, two fingers out. "Boy Scout's honor."

Kurt wrinkled his nose in distaste. "Well, I'm pretty sure the Boy Scouts don't have any honor, but I accept your promise."

Knock. Knock. "Uncle Nigel?"

Nigel grimaced at Kurt. Kurt waved a hand at the door, and mouthed, "Go."

Nigel opened the door to Tommy and Angie.

"Angie heard you yelling. She's worried." Angie wasn't the only one worrying. Tommy was tense, and his face was shuttered.

"Oh, Sweetie!" Kurt picked Angie up and sat her down on the bed. He knelt down in front of her, and held her hands.

Angie looked from Kurt to Nigel. "I heard you yelling. Is Kurt going away now?"

"No, Kurt's not going anywhere. We're not breaking up."

"Then why were you yelling?"

Nigel pulled his desk chair out for Tommy, and sat down on the bed across from his nephew. Kurt sat beside Nigel, Angie in his arms. "We were yelling, yes. We were mad at each other. But, we talked about it and we worked it out. We're not mad any more. Kurt's not going anywhere." Nigel reached across Angie and took Kurt's hand. "Okay?"

Tommy looked at their linked hands, and then at their faces. "Kurt?"

Kurt nodded. "We figured out what the problem was, Tommy. We're good now."

"Okay." Tommy stood, and held out his hand to Angie. "Come on, Ang." As he closed the door behind his sister, Kurt and Nigel could hear him saying, "See, I told you there was nothing to worry about."

They both smiled at how quickly Tommy assumed his 'Older Brother Knows Everything' mantle.

Nigel moved into Kurt's arms, his head on Kurt's shoulder. "Shit!"

Kurt held Nigel close, his head on Nigel's curls. "Yeah."