Chapter 29: Back to the Start
"Kurt! I got 27 Valentine's!"
Kurt smiled at Angie as he hung up his coat. He pulled a card out of his pocket, and handed it to her. "And now, you have 28."
"Thank you! Mom! Look what Kurt gave me."
Tommy closed the front door, and rolled his eyes as his sister ran off. "Girls!"
Kurt laughed and held out a white envelope which Tommy refused to take. He shot Kurt an insulted look. "Dude!"
"Don't worry. I know you're too old for Valentine's cards."
Tommy opened the envelope, suspiciously, as if he expected a Valentine to jump out at him. His posture relaxed, and a grin lit his face, when he found a gift certificate to E.B. Games. "Nice! Thanks, Kurt." He folded the certificate and put it in his back pocket. "Uncle Nigel's in his room, working on a paper. Mom's in the kitchen."
"Thanks, Tommy."
Kurt stopped at the kitchen door, on his way to Nigel's room. "Hey, Claire."
Claire looked up from her laptop. "Hey, Kurt. We've got some apple pie left?"
Kurt shook his head. "Thanks, maybe later. I'm going to find Nigel."
Claire nodded, and went back to her screen.
"You have no idea?" Nigel sat on his bed, his back against the head board.
Kurt shook his head. He sat crossed legged, facing Nigel, his fingers twisting the edges of the pillow in his lap. "None. I thought Blaine might have some idea so I went to visit him after school."
"How's he doing?"
"Better, his doctor says he's healing well. He's coming back to McKinley next week." Kurt flopped onto his back, staring at the ceiling. "The only person we could think of is Sebastian but it's just not his style, and even if he was the type to send Valentines, he would have sent them to Blaine, not me."
Nigel reached out and ran his fingers through Kurt's hair. "This is really freaking you out?"
Kurt turned his head towards Nigel. "It's really creepy, not knowing who's doing this." He grabbed Nigel's hand and tugged him down, beside him. "And the curiosity is killing me!"
Nigel grinned, and moved over Kurt. He ghosted kisses around the edges of Kurt's lips, teasing until Kurt grabbed his head, and kept his mouth still. Breaking the kiss, with a last slide of his tongue over Nigel's bottom lip, Kurt looked up at his boyfriend. "Come to Breadstix tomorrow night." Kurt rolled his eyes, and grinned. "Sugar's throwing a Valentine's Day Party; she's calling it the Sugar Shack. All the Glee kids will be there, even Blaine." Kurt moved his hands down to Nigel's hips, and thrust up, watching as Nigel's eyes closed at the sensation.
"Yeah." Nigel moved fractionally, aligning their pelvises, grinding down onto Kurt. "I'll meet you there as soon as the store closes."
Kurt pushed on Nigel's shoulders lightly, and raised his eyebrows. "I seem to recall a certain text you sent, something about putting your mouth wherever I wanted it?"
Nigel grinned and slid down Kurt's body. "Don't tell me. Let me guess."
Kurt showed up early to meet his secret admirer. He wasn't too worried because anyone who wanted to hurt him wouldn't have suggested a meeting at Breadstix. He was more than ready to get the answer to the 'Who?' question that had been plaguing him for days. He turned to the person in the gorilla costume with relief, curiosity leaping in his eyes. He read the card, the gorilla handed him. "Wait, you think you love me?" Kurt watched as the person removed the gorilla mask. Dave! Holy shit! It's Dave!
"Karofsky!" He had never even thought of Dave. Dave wasn't at McKinley any more. Kurt hadn't seen him for months, except for that one time at Scandals. Too many drinks had made Blaine forget that Sebastian was a douche bag. He and Nigel had to listen to him complain, and curse himself, and them, for letting him get anywhere near the skinny Warbler. Before Nigel got there, he and Dave had talked at the bar about Dave's new school. Kurt had never expected this!
Dave's eyes were hopeful, and pleading, and he was so nervous. Fuck! Kurt had never had to say no to anyone before, not like this.
"Dave, I like you, and I'm so proud of you, of how far you've come. I want you to be happy. You will be happy, but I'm with Nigel."
Dave blushed till he looked like he was running a fever. "I didn't know you were seeing anyone. Is Nigel new at McKinley?"
"No. Nigel goes to OSU. He's in economics. He's graduating this year. I met him at the Lima Mall last year, he works in a men's store there." Kurt was rambling, and he finally made himself stop. Dave didn't want to hear about Nigel.
Dave stood up. "Sorry. I didn't know."
"Dave you don't have to go." But of course, he did. He was too embarrassed to stay.
Kurt sat and watched as his friends trickled in, and Breadstix became the Sugar Shack.
Nigel walked in to a red and pink Breakstix. He waved at Kurt on stage. Finn called his name, and Nigel slid into the booth beside him. Rachel, Mercedes and Brittany sang back-up, behind Blaine and Kurt. Nigel didn't really hear the words, he was too focused on Kurt; how he looked, how he moved. His tie had little hearts on it, and his vest clung to him, and Nigel was very aware of the body it covered.
I hop in my Chrysler
It's as big as a whale
And it's about to set sail.
I got me a car that seats about twenty,
So, come on, bring your juke box money.
Love Shack.
Blaine jumped off the stage and started a dancing train through the restaurant. Balloons fell from the ceiling as the song ended. Kurt leapt off the stage, and dragged Nigel out of the booth. Arms around each other, they danced in the crowd.
"Happy Valentine's Day!" Kurt had to yell over the noise but Nigel heard him, and pulled him closer.
"Happy Valentine's Day, babe." Nigel spoke against Kurt's ear, and Kurt grinned.
"Where are we going?" Kurt was too much of a control freak to appreciate surprises.
"I'm not telling you." Nigel opened the passenger door for Kurt.
"Really?" Kurt clicked the seat belt automatically, his eyes on Nigel.
Nigel squatted on the pavement beside Kurt, the open car door behind him. "Really" Nigel pulled a sleep mask out of his pocket and held it up for Kurt to see.
"You're kidding!"
"No. If you can see, you'll figure out where we're going, and I want it to be a surprise. Please!"
"Okay, fine." Kurt huffed and took the mask. He slipped it over his eyes. "This better be good, Dennison."
Nigel closed the car door, hurried around the car, and slipped into the driver's seat. "It's not far."
"Good!" Kurt's unhappy was very clear.
Nigel started the car, and reached over and twined his fingers through Kurt's. Kurt held Nigel's hand and relaxed back into his seat. A smile flickered at one side of his lips. "I'm probably just pissed that you thought of something like this, and I couldn't come up with anything." He turned his head towards Nigel, not that he could see him. "I didn't want to do the chocolates and flowers thing, so pedestrian!" Kurt squeezed Nigel's hand. "I wanted something that said us, you know." Kurt laughed. "You're the numbers guy. I'm supposed to be the artistic, creative one. But you came up with this." Kurt touched the sleep mask. "My ego may never recover!"
Nigel laughed. "Don't give me too much credit yet. It may not be the best idea I've ever had." Nigel glanced at Kurt, who, of course, couldn't see him. "We're almost there."
Nigel held Kurt close, an arm around his shoulders, as he guided him across the pavement. Kurt slipped his arm around Nigel's waist. "For an accountant, you make a pretty good guide dog."
Nigel huffed. "Data analyst, thank you very much." He stopped walking, and Kurt heard the jingle of keys. Nigel opened a door, and guided Kurt through it. "Wait a sec." Kurt heard electronic beeps, and then they were walking again, another door. "Soon"
Nigel stopped. He took Kurt's shoulders and turned him slightly. He stood behind his boyfriend, wrapped his arms around him, and removed the mask.
It took a moment for his eyes to adjust, and then he saw it. Soft lights everywhere, electric candles that turned their dressing room into a mystical place. "Nigel!" Kurt breathed out Nigel's name on a whisper. He folded his arms over Nigel's and leaned back against his boyfriend. "I love it!"
"I wanted to use real candles, but I didn't want the place to burn down while we were at Breadstix."
"These are perfect." Kurt watched the flickering lights, the shadows they cast on the steps to the circular dais, and the three way mirror. "Remember?"
Nigel nuzzled into Kurt's neck. "Yes"
Kurt turned in his lover's arms. He looked at Nigel, eyes glowing in the shadowed room. "Back to the start?"