Another episode of big change for Kurt and Blaine... Kurt's headed back to McKinley!
Thank you all so much for all of your comments and reviews and just everything. I wasn't even sure that this was a good idea when I started, and as long as even one of you is enjoying it I am glad I decided to go for it! It's really been fun revisiting Kurt and Blaine's story from season two as we approach season three!
(I do not own Glee or any of the characters, dialogue, or songs from the show. It's all just for fun!)
BLAINE
"I know you miss them, but you cannot go back to school there," Blaine scolded gently into the phone.
"I can handle it now," Kurt retorted.
"Mentally, maybe," Blaine allowed. "But not physically."
"What is that supposed to mean?" Kurt snapped. Blaine rolled his eyes.
"You know what I mean, Kurt," Blaine said.
Kurt sighed heavily.
"It's just Karofsky," Blaine said. "You know it's not safe for you at McKinley with him around."
"I'm sick of other people dictating what I do," Kurt huffed.
"I know," Blaine said sympathetically. He thought about his own experience leaving his first high school to come to Dalton. Unlike Kurt, he didn't miss anything from his old school, but he still felt the regret that he had allowed bullies to chase him away. He still hadn't told Kurt anything about the incident that had been the catalyst that forced him to transfer. He couldn't bring himself to do it; he didn't want to see pity in Kurt's eyes.
"I hate emotions," Kurt mumbled. Blaine smiled at the other boy's dramatic tone.
"Me too," he teased. He could tell from Kurt's silence that he was probably fighting a smile.
Someone knocked on Blaine's door, startling him.
"I've gotta go," he said to Kurt. "See you this afternoon!" They had plans to meet some of Kurt's friends from New Directions at the Lima Bean after school.
"You're turning me into a coffee addict," Kurt said playfully, and he ended the call.
KURT
"You haven't asked us anything about our New York trip," Mercedes chided gently.
"Is it because it's too painful?" Tina guessed.
"Yes, as a matter of fact," Kurt said sourly. "But while the New Directions are preparing to perform at Nationals, the Warblers are preparing to perform at a nursing home in a strip mall next to a national bank." He felt selfish admitting it, but he wanted to go to New York so badly that he could hardly think about the fact that they were going without him. "But I'm so proud of you guys!" he attempted to redeem himself.
"We miss you so much," Tina declared.
"Isn't there any way you could come back to McKinley?" Mercedes asked. Kurt felt his heart clench at the request. He thought of his conversation with Blaine earlier in the day.
"I told him, I would be all for it if it wasn't for Karofsky," Blaine spoke up.
"Wait, what did you just say?" Santana chimed in for the first time.
"Kurt needs to be safe," Blaine clarified.
"Okay, can we please change the subject?" Kurt begged.
"I'm just saying that it's not safe for you at McKinley while he's there, and you know it," Blaine said.
"I hate logic," Kurt mumbled.
Blaine kicked him gently under the table, and Kurt resorted to full-out foot warfare for a moment. He wanted Blaine to break his relaxed façade, but was disappointed when the other boy managed to keep a straight face.
"I've gotta gay," Santana said suddenly, standing up. "Go!" she corrected herself quickly, "Go. I've gotta go."
Kurt watched her leave. "What's up with her?" he asked once she was out of earshot. He was intrigued at her slipup.
"Who knows?" Mercedes rolled her eyes.
"I can't believe Rachel is planning to have a nose job," Kurt said dramatically, hoping to steer the conversation away from his desire to transfer back to McKinley, "She is bringing shame upon Barbara Streisand."
"Well I can't believe that anyone ever gave her a hard time about her nose in the first place," Blaine said. "I think she's beautiful."
Kurt turned to glare at him, and he shrugged innocently.
"I think you're all beautiful," he amended with a laugh.
"That's better," Kurt nodded.
The conversation about body image and societal pressures continued, and Kurt reached out to hold Blaine's hand under the table.
KURT
"So," Blaine asked hopefully as he closed Kurt's dorm room door behind him, "how did it go yesterday?"
Kurt turned from where he had been planning the best way to pack his closet to smile a greeting at Blaine.
"I'm transferring back!" Kurt exclaimed, unable to reign in his enthusiasm.
"Kurt, that's great!" Blaine said earnestly. He moved to sit down on Kurt's bed, reaching out to brush his hand across Kurt's Dalton blazer, which was folded neatly with the rest of his uniform.
As Kurt started to fold his clothes and pack them gently into a suitcase, he explained the meeting he and his father had attended with Karfosky. And his private conversation with the other boy that had sealed the deal.
"And you think Karofsky is serious?" Blaine asked when Kurt finished the story.
"I guess," Kurt shrugged. "He seemed really calm about it."
Blaine looked at him for a moment, and Kurt suddenly felt a surge of guilt about leaving Blaine at Dalton for his friends at McKinley. He stopped packing to walk over and sit on the edge of his bed beside Blaine.
"Are you upset?" he asked shyly.
"What?" Blaine asked.
"I'm not leaving because I don't want to be with you," Kurt fumbled over his words.
He saw a hint of sadness in Blaine's eyes, but the other boy nodded. "I know," he said.
"I'm sorry," Kurt added.
The sadness in Blaine's eyes turned to seriousness. "No, Kurt," he said, shaking his head, "you have no reason to be sorry. Dalton's not the environment that is best for you. It's okay."
"But you're best for me," Kurt said. "I wish I didn't have to leave you behind."
"Distance makes the heart grow fonder, right?" Blaine attempted to lighten the mood.
"I'm serious," Kurt scolded.
"Me too," Blaine said. "I'm not going to lie; I'm going to miss you like crazy. But I know you," he reached out and briefly caressed Kurt's face, "and we both know that this is what is best for you."
Kurt was silent. He wanted to allow himself to feel nothing but happiness about returning to McKinley, but it was hard to imagine how this was doing the right thing in terms of his relationship with Blaine.
"You don't have to choose between your dreams and me, Kurt," Blaine said, understanding Kurt's silence. "We will make it work. Whatever 'it' is."
Kurt felt so much affection for the other boy that he felt like he was going to explode. He thought about what words to say to explain to Blaine how much he had changed Kurt's life. Kurt thought about how he had felt inside the day thay had met. He hadn't really known that people like Blaine existed. It had been like opening a door to a whole new view of the world.
He couldn't think of words to say, but he could think of an appropriate song.
"Before you met me, I was alright," Kurt sang quietly, "but things were kinda heavy. You brought me to life..."
The smile on Blaine's face made Kurt's chest constrict involuntarily, and he had to stop.
"That was unusually nostalgic," Blaine commented.
"I can't believe that was only six months ago," Kurt said softly.
They were both silent for a moment, lost in thought about everything had happened since the day Kurt took Puck's dismissal to heart and skipped school to spy on the Warblers.
"Do you want help packing?" Blaine offered after a moment.
"Sure," Kurt said.
They chatted about frivolous things as they packed up all of the things in Kurt's room. Their favorite songs of the moment, dream roles they wanted to play, random stories from the news.
When the room was nearly all the way packed into various boxes and suitcases, Blaine reached over and picked up a framed photo on Kurt's desk.
"Remember your first day?" Blaine smiled at the self-portrait he had taken of the two of them before Kurt's first Warblers meeting.
"I miss Pavarotti," Kurt whined.
BLAINE
Blaine wrapped the photo frame in one of Kurt's towels and placed it gently into a box. He stood up and walked over to grab Kurt's shoulders. He shook Kurt playfully.
"No more of this gloominess," Blaine said with mock sternness. "You are transferring back to where you belong. Let yourself feel happy about it."
Kurt smiled hesitantly.
"I've got to think of a song," he admitted.
"A song?" Blaine released him and returned to helping Kurt pack.
"I guess it's a New Directions thing," Kurt said, and Blaine could hear the other boy's enthusiasm bubbling back to the surface. "It's kind of a challenge... find a song that expresses what you're feeling."
An idea sprang into Blaine's mind. A song. He made a mental note to call an emergency meeting of the Warblers later in the afternoon.
KURT
"Kurt Hummel's back at McKinley!" Kurt threw his arms in the air in triumph. He felt a surge of familiarity as he hurried down the concrete steps of the courtyard and into the arms of his friends.
"Let me breathe, let me breathe!" He demanded happily as the members of New Directions swarmed to welcome him back. He felt Mercedes remove his hat.
"Let's get ready for Nationals!" He said, feeling as if he had never left.
"Not yet," Mercedes said, still holding Kurt's hat, "See, there's a reason we're meeting here today. There's some people who want to say goodbye to you, Kurt."
Confused, Kurt glanced up to see Blaine, Wes, and David coming down the concrete stairs. He felt his heart flutter wildly. He and Blaine hadn't said any goodbyes the night before; they had agreed that it was unnecessary. They would still see each other multiple times a week, and they could text and call each other in between visits. The sight of Blaine here to say goodbye with the Warblers was completely unexpected.
"Kurt, Dalton's going to miss you," Blaine spoke for the group, "You were a great addition to the Warblers and you made us a better team." Kurt thought about his first days and weeks at Dalton, and how difficult that mentality had been for him to embrace.
"I'm sad to see you go, but we all know this is something that you really want," Blaine continued, "And I'll still have you after school and on the weekends. But these guys won't, so they wanted to say goodbye."
"And thank you, Kurt," Wes said sincerely.
Kurt felt pain in his chest as he thought about everything that had happened to him while he had been at Dalton. It had changed his entire life.
He was surprised again when the rest of the Warblers arrived and began a song. This time, Kurt was nothing but glad that it was Blaine who was singing the solo.
I walked across an empty land
I knew the pathway like the back of my hand
Kurt thought for a moment about what was happening. While the song was meant to be from all of the Warblers, he had eyes only for Blaine. He was being serenaded by the boy he loved. In public. He didn't know how to feel, but all the emotions that were battling for his attention were good ones.
I felt the earth beneath my feet
Sat by the river and it made me complete
Oh simple thing, where have you gone?
I'm getting old and I need something to rely on
So tell me when you're gonna let me in
To Kurt's surprise, he could see tears in Blaine's eyes. Blaine had been so supportive of the transfer, and Kurt realized with a twinge in his chest that maybe Blaine had secretly hoped that Kurt would decide to stay at Dalton with him.
I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin
Blaine rushed past Kurt to the piano and began to play along with the Warblers' background vocals. Blaine looked at Kurt as he played, and Kurt thought about their duet at Christmas.
And if you have a minute why don't we go
Talk about it somewhere only we know
This could be the end of everything
So why don't we go
Somewhere only we know
Kurt took a deep breath. He knew that Blaine had chosen this song on purpose; from now on, Dalton would be a place that he and Blaine had experienced together. An experience that none of his friends at McKinley would completely understand. Five months of memories that only they knew.
Somewhere only we know
Blaine walked over and took both of Kurt's hands in his, pulling him gently down the few stairs to the bottom level of the courtyard. Kurt was glad he wasn't supposed to be singing along, because there was suddenly a giant lump in his throat as he looked at the emotion on Blaine's face. He thought about the first time they had eaten lunch together in this courtyard after Blaine had come to help him confront Karofsky. Their relationship had evolved so much since that day.
And if you have a minute why don't we go
Talk about it somewhere only we know
This could be the end of everything
The other Warblers started to pat Kurt's back and say their goodbyes, and Kurt couldn't keep a few tears from falling. He realized that he was going to miss them. He still felt that he was making the right decision to return to McKinley, but he had grown fond of the trim young men of Dalton Academy. They had helped to reassure him that life didn't always have to be a fight for acceptance.
Suddenly, Finn stepped in, and Kurt was surprised when he found himself wrapped in his step-brother's arms. Kurt thought briefly about how far he and Finn had come. He wondered what his younger self, still pining after Finn, would have said if someone had told him he would experience this moment in the not-so-distant future.
So why don't we go somewhere only we know
Kurt hugged Mercedes and turned to look at Blaine, who was finishing the song. He looked heartbroken, and Kurt missed him terribly, even though he was still standing right in front of him.
Somewhere only we know
Somewhere only we know
Blaine took a shaky breath as the song ended, and Kurt's heart clenched with such intensity that he had to do something physical to distract himself. He rushed forward to embrace Blaine, hoping that the hug would convey the flood of emotion that he was feeling.
The strength of Blaine's hug in return told Kurt that the other boy was feeling the same kind of emotional overload, and Kurt never wanted to let go.
"I'll never say goodbye to you," he said so only Blaine could hear.
He released the other boy, and he could tell that Blaine felt overwhelmed. The dark-haired young man looked at Kurt with an expression that said that he couldn't hold himself together enough to speak, and Kurt wanted to chase after him as he turned to walk away. But he resisted. He had to stay. They had to learn to be together while living apart for now. A few of the other Warblers consoled Blaine with friendly pats on the back as he climbed the stairs.
BLAINE
After climbing a few of the stairs, Blaine turned around to see Kurt surrounded by the rest of New Directions. They were embracing him and rubbing his arms and back lovingly. Mercedes put his hat back on.
Blaine felt a swell of satisfaction. On a personal level, the prospect of not seeing Kurt every day at school made his heart ache. But, as he looked at Kurt's interaction with his friends, Blaine knew that it was the right thing for Kurt to come back to this school. He and Kurt had started out as friends at different schools, and Blaine knew that they could make it work as boyfriends the same way. It helped to know that the members of New Directions would be looking out for Kurt when Blaine couldn't be there to do so.
Feeing a mixture of satisfaction and heartbreak, Blaine turned to leave. This time he didn't look back.
"Great job, man," David said as they walked back to the parking lot.
Blaine rubbed his eyes, a little embarrassed about his tears. He hadn't expected to feel so emotional during the song.
"Thanks for coming to help me out," he managed.
"Blaine, hey, wait up!" A voice from behind them stopped the boys before they reached their vehicles.
Mercedes hurried over, smiling brightly.
"Thanks for doing that," she said sincerely. She grabbed Blaine's face and kissed him on the cheek. "I know you didn't know him then, but there was a time when what just happened would have seemed completely impossible to Kurt."
Blaine had to wipe his eyes again. Mercedes pointed a finger at him.
"You're good for him," she said, "Now get going!" She laughed. "I want Mr. Hummel all to myself for once!"
BLAINE
"You're certainly lively today," Blaine noted as he hugged Kurt in front of the Lima Bean. They generally resisted kissing in public, still wary of how the people in the community would react. Blaine tapped Kurt's red hat with the end of his finger. "I like the hat. How was the intervention?"
"Barbara-vention," Kurt winked. "It was perfection!"
As they got in line to order their coffee, Kurt chatted animatedly about the flash mob he and Puck had organized for Rachel earlier in the afternoon, and Blaine knew for sure that transferring back to McKinley had been the right decision for Kurt. In the days since the transfer, Kurt had been more enthusiastic and driven than ever.
Once they had their drinks and were settled at their regular table, Kurt finally stopped talking.
"I'm overly excited," he admitted, blushing slightly.
Blaine smiled. "You're adorable." He took a drink of his coffee. "How's it going being back in New Directions?"
"Great," Kurt beamed, and he launched straight into the story of the week's lesson.
"Wanna see my shirt?" Kurt asked after he finished the back story. Blaine nodded, unable to stop himself from grinning at Kurt's attitude. Blaine hadn't said five sentences the entire time.
Kurt dug into his bag for a moment, and pulled out the shirt. He picked up his coffee with one hand and draped the shirt over most of the table with his other hand.
Blaine felt warm as he saw the words printed on the shirt. "I love it," he said.
"So, what would yours say?" Kurt asked as he put the shirt away.
"I don't know," Blaine said shyly.
"It's because you're perfect, isn't it?" Kurt pretended to whine, dropping his head onto the table for a moment.
Blaine laughed. "I've always felt kinda self-conscious about my curly hair," he admitted, gesturing at his head.
Kurt leaned forward. "You should come."
"What?" Blaine furrowed his brow.
"We're doing a dress rehearsal tomorrow after school. You should come. I'll make you a shirt," Kurt said eagerly.
Blaine smiled, but shook his head. "I don't know..."
Kurt pouted.
"I'll think about it," Blaine acquiesced.
BLAINE
Blaine slipped into the auditorium at McKinley as Mr. Schu and the members of New Directions were setting up for the performance. He sat on the floor near the doorway at the back of the auditorium where he could blend into the darkness. He wanted to watch Kurt and the other members of New Directions perform the song without knowing that he was there.
He was right on time. Kurt walked alone to the center of the stage, and the music started.
It doesn't matter if you love him
Or capital H. i. m.
Just put your paws up
'Cause you were born this way, baby
Blaine couldn't concentrate on the rest of the song. He just watched Kurt. His demeanor was completely different than Blaine had ever seen him during a performance. He was confident and animated; he looked like he had been born to be on the stage. Blaine rubbed his neck, feeling unhinged.
When the song ended, the members of New Directions celebrated the successful run-through, and Blaine leaned back against the wall for a moment to watch the group. They had a very different dynamic than what he was used to.
As a few of the students started to walk off the stage, Blaine decided that it was probably time to show himself. He hopped up and walked down the stairs. Santana and Karofsky looked at him emotionlessly as he passed, and he nodded a silent greeting. Nobody else noticed him until he made it to the stage. Kurt's back was to him – he was chatting excitedly with Mercedes about something – but Finn noticed him.
"Hey man!" He called, waving from across the stage, "Love the hair!"
Everyone turned to see who Finn was shouting at, and Blaine smiled as Kurt turned and saw him.
"What the hell happened to the baby penguin?" Blaine laughed as Kurt rushed over and launched himself into Blaine's arms.
Kurt laughed and put both of his hands in Blaine's hair to mess it up. "I love it," he said emotionally, commenting on the lack of gel.
"You said the lesson was about embracing what you were born with..." Blaine shrugged, a little embarrassed.
"I made you a shirt!" Kurt remembered suddenly. "Stay right here."
He hurried away for a moment and returned with a white shirt. He held it up for Blaine to see. Printed in large black letters were two words. CURLY HAIR.
Blaine smiled. He pulled his dark shirt off over his head and grabbed the white shirt from Kurt, whose face was suddenly bright red. Blaine pulled on the new shirt and held his arms out for Kurt to scrutinize his appearance.
"I like it," Kurt squeaked.
Everyone laughed, and Blaine was surprised when they pulled him and Kurt into a group hug before he realized that everyone just wanted to ruffle his curly hair. He laughed with them as he allowed himself to be passed around. He caught a glimpse of the look on Kurt's face, and felt a wave of contentment as he realized that he was starting to feel truly comfortable around Kurt's friends.
I just had to have Blaine see Kurt perform 'Born This Way', okay? I HAD TO DO IT. It doesn't change the story at all to have him there, so... ;) Thank you so much for all the ideas about Blaine's shirt! I think "curly hair" is a good one, because he always gels it down! So it's kind of like Tina wearing blue contacts because she doesn't love her brown eyes.
There are four more episodes left to write and two more days until season three... CAN I DO IT? I think so. 'Rumours' and 'Funeral' will probably be pretty short anyway, just based on the extreme lack of Klaine (and by that I mean Blaine isn't in either one of those episodes, BOO). My plan is to have the season finale episode posted by (maybe kinda late) Monday night. And then on Tuesday we get NEW GLEE! HAPPY DAYS ARE HERE AGAIN! XD
Up next... 'Rumours'!