Summary: The moments after the day they first kissed. (Set during Original Song)
Words: 2300
The Sweet Hereafter
Kurt realizes that he has probably not spoken more than a total of six sentences since earlier this afternoon. He clicks his bedroom door closed and takes out his books. Math homework. It’s not that he’s usually a chatterbox or anything, but today, this afternoon, he feels the world whirling and twirling around him in its ordinary way and he’s just watching from the outside. Stunned and quiet.
Blaine kissed him. Before Warblers practice at about 1:45 pm this Friday afternoon, Blaine kissed him.
He opens his binder and flips to the homework questions. Picks up his pencil.
Blaine got in trouble in Warblers practice. Not trouble trouble. But he missed his cue. Twice. “Blaine, are you feeling okay? We’ve practiced your entry in this number already.” Dave is all concern for the fearless leader.
“Sorry guys,” Blaine blushes. “I’m feeling great, actually,” And he quickly steals a side glance at Kurt. From which Kurt quickly turns away. What was he supposed to do? “Won’t happen again.”
It happens again. “Blaine, regionals are in 6 days. Are you prepared for this?” Wes is stern. Gavel in hand.
“God sorry. Maybe I am feeling a little dizzy. But there are no excuses for this.”
Blaine’s better after that. But Kurt can’t help but feel a little wave of pride at being the cause of the dizzy. Or at least he thinks he is. Even though he really really wants to win regionals.
Math.
He asks his dad if he can be excused from his dish-washing night to do his math homework. Mostly he feels Carole’s eyes on him and he can’t bear having to answer any questions at all, even the most innocent or conversational. When his dad asked how school was at dinner, he felt like he’d been caught.
“Good day?”
“Mmmm.” I mean if good is regular, because it was a regular day. Which is good. But it’s not like Blaine and I were kissing or anything. He doesn’t say that. Obviously.
Luckily his dad had had a particularly eventful day at the garage which could fill the space that former Kurt would normally occupy - the Kurt who could talk about regular days at regular Dalton, the Kurt who hadn’t kissed Blaine that afternoon. “New lube technician started today,” his dad muses between bites of chicken, “And he forgot to change the oil on Mr. Chen’s car. And you know how Mr. Chen gets when there isn’t enough oil-” And Kurt knows he has to get out of there right away.
Math. Integers. He has to do his math homework. Two questions in and his phone buzzes. Does no one want him to do his homework?
Rachel Berry (Star) (She had typed that in) lights up the screen.
“Hi Rachel.”
“Kurt. The New Directions are in crisis.” Clearly, not much new going on. “I, of course, can’t tell you our plan for regionals but I can tell you that nobody is taking it seriously but me. And Finn. Well Finn is trying to support me in taking it seriously. Despite the fact that he’s dating Quinn again. Why?”
“Because you and Finn broke up and they like each other?”
“The question was rhetorical, Kurt.”
“I know, Rachel.” Sometimes Rachel’s self absorption drives him crazy. Sometimes it’s a layer of protection. A safety zone. Somewhere he knows he can go and be welcomed without having to give much back. In honesty, Kurt has no idea why Finn is dating Quinn again. Something about a Valentine’s Day kissing booth and Quinn being hot? He’s not sure Finn even knows why. Then again Blaine went on a date with Rachel. Kids these days.
“Anyways, Mercedes and I are coming over tomorrow for our Lonely Hearts Club sing-a-long. Will Finn be home? Don’t answer that. So we’ll see you then, okay?”
“Mmmm.” Kurt hums his answer. He’ll wait to tell her that his heart may not be so lonely anymore. Hopefully they’ll still let him sing.
Solving for x.
Blaine Anderson. His phone lights up with a text. Kurt’s face quickly matches. He has got to reign that in.
Blaine: Still out at Aunt M’s. Top Model watch tmrw eve?
He stares at the text contentedly for a minute. Waits. Doesn’t want to seem too eager. He’s cool.
Blaine: Kurt?
Forget cool.
Kurt: They walk with fire and I hear Alexandria gets very controlling.
Blaine: Can’t wait.
Kurt: See you then.
He smiles at his phone. Okay. Now math.
Blaine: xo
Forget math.
Blaine: Too much?
Kurt: Nope.
Kurt: xo
Kurt figures he should sleep now because then tomorrow will come sooner. Who needs math when there is Blaine?
…
It’s 4:43 in the afternoon, 2 hours and 43 minutes into his singing fest with Mercedes and Rachel and Finn has joined them for the last thirty minutes since he got home from football practice. He feels like his bedroom is a revolving door of energy and he is sitting and watching with quiet amusement.
“Finn just got home, didn’t he?” Rachel stops mid-solo when she hears the front door open.
“Rachel - never let a man disrupt your music,” Mercedes warns.
“Absolutely right, Mercedes,” As she randomly breaks into an operatic scale that stretches up to every high note she can reach.
“Oh hey, Rachel,” Finn saunters in. “That’s a lot of loud high notes.”
“We need to be ready for the competition, Finn,” Rachel is so stern. “Do you think Blaine is just sitting at home and watching television in the face or regionals next week?”
“Actually, Blaine will be here in about an hour for our weekly Top Model watch.”
Finn smirks. Rachel harrumphs. Mercedes rolls her eyes. Kurt watches. They sing. Burt and Carole poke their head in on their way out to the movies. Carole gives them all a thumbs up.
Kurt and Rachel are harmonizing on ‘Happy Days’ (one of their best numbers if he does say so himself) when he hears a new tenor line blending in underneath.
“Blaine!” Rachel stops short.
“Sorry,” Blaine puts his hands up in defense. “Didn’t mean to startle you. Burt and Carole let me in on their way out. You sound great.”
“Well you know, keeping the team strong right before our competition.”
“As long as you’re warming up our secret weapon at the same time,” Blaine teases. “Did you know that Kurt and I are singing a duet together?” Blaine beams. So Kurt beams too.
“Kurt! Why didn’t you tell us? Your first competition solo.”
“Oh I don’t know, Rachel. You take up enough conversation for all three of us,” Mercedes sighs. “We didn’t even get to ask Kurt how his week was before we started in on the New Directions drama.”
That’s true. And Kurt is grateful. Because his secret is still his. And Blaine’s. He wants to talk about it. Can’t wait actually. But there is something so precious in its newness. He wants to hold on to it as long as he can. Keep floating outside himself in this ephemeral way. Like he’s watching a dream.
“Well, we’ve had quite the week too,” Blaine starts and knocks Kurt gently on his side. Kurt is sure his cheeks are crimson. “Anyways, I didn’t mean to interrupt. You guys can continue-”
“They were just leaving, actually,” Kurt hints hopefully.
“We were?” Rachel.
“We definitely were, right Rachel? Remember that New Directions thing we need to organize?…” Mercedes isn’t subtle. But at least she’s aware. Aware that Kurt likes Blaine. Because he realizes that that’s what she’s doing. Making space for him to be with the guy he likes. The guy who also likes him. If yesterday was real. She just doesn’t know that part yet.
“Oh yeah, the thing!” Finn enthuses. Also not subtle. But with the way Blaine is smiling and nodding and just letting them go without even his usual courteous protest of “Stay!” and “Let’s sing together for good karma,” he is pretty sure that Blaine does not care one bit.
They leave. It’s quiet again.
“Hi,” Blaine breathes out.
“Hi.” Kurt smiles back. He giggles in the silence. Which is ridiculous. They literally get together all the time. Or at least they used to. When former Kurt was hoping Blaine would actually want to be his boyfriend. This new Kurt isn’t sure exactly what to do anymore now that Blaine may actually be his boyfriend. Is he allowed to think that?
“Project Runway?” Blaine flops down on his bed. Kurt grabs the remote and sits down on the other side of the bed, pressing this red button and that black one to cue the DVR.
“They model with real fire, huh?” Blaine stretches out. He looks peaceful. Kurt turns, still sitting, and looks. He should probably lie down too. It would be more comfortable of course. It makes sense. He does.
Blaine turns away from the TV and looks at him and smiles with his eyes scrunched up. He turns too. Scrunches too. Blaine is here. Finally.
“Alexandria is way too controlling. She can’t win with that attitude,” Kurt’s barely paying attention but it’s hard to miss.
“I’m going for Brittani. Happy about her third place. Supporting others. I’m into it.”
“Our fearless, compassionate leader,” Kurt teases. But suddenly Blaine’s fingers are creeping gently on top of his hand lying between them. Yes okay, that’s obviously why his hand was resting there between them, but it still makes him catch his breath. Blaine giggles at his blush. Interlaces their fingers.
“You know after your dad walked in that morning, I never imagined that I’d be lying here again-”
“Oh I imagined it.” Kurt isn’t sure where the flirty confidence is coming from but there it is. Blaine looks shocked, then thrilled. Former Kurt is just sitting like a shadow on the edge of his bed, watching him run his free index finger along Blaine’s forearm and joke about thinking about Blaine in his bed like it’s the most ordinary thing in the world. The new normal.
“You imagined me here?” Blaine’s eyes are sparkling. Kurt raises his eyebrows in amusement as Blaine leans over him. “I like your imagination.”
The second time kissing is even better than the first. Or different. Less internal freaking out. Slightly at least. When the initial ‘We’re kissing again’ excitement dissipates, Kurt realizes that they’re still kissing. And that Blaine’s lips and mouth are soft and a little stubbly and that kissing (well fine, French kissing) feels really really good. Blaine lies back down on the pillow but doesn’t let go. They’re just lying there, turned towards each other, mouths gently exploring, teeth tugging and breath mingling. They’re so close. Kurt feels it down to his toes curling inside his socks. Intimacy.
Blaine breaks the kiss and not so subtly wipes his mouth on his sleeve and then blushes red. “I may have missed the last ten minutes of whatever they’re doing.”
“Funny me too.”
“Rewind?”
“Turn off?”
“I like your brain, Kurt Hummel.”
“This means, of course, that you’ll have to come over after school on Monday to finish watching.”
“Of course.”
Kurt learns that he loves cupping Blaine’s face when they kiss. He loves feeling his jaw move under his hands, the scratch of his five o’clock shadow. Kurt learns that when Blaine kisses his ears it feels unbelievably amazing. He learns that Blaine is not afraid to try things like tongues on ears and necks and that that makes him not afraid to try things he previously believed that he would definitely be too afraid to try. He learns that Blaine loves what they’re doing too.
“I still don’t want to screw this up.”
“Me neither.”
“You’re my best friend,” Blaine says, “But-”
“But?”
“You were right. About this, I mean,” Blaine has beautiful eyes when he is talking seriously. “I just want us both to be comfortable.”
“So kissing is okay?” Kurt is leaning over him again, flirty and comfortable.
“Definitely okay.”
Kurt learns that hearing the front door swing open downstairs and the chatter of your parents while you are making out with Blaine with the door open and TV off is indeed anxiety provoking. America’s Next Top Model is suddenly a quickly agreed to excellent idea.
They are sitting up against the headboard, a comfortable distance between them when Burt and Carole walk by, “Good evening, boys?” Burt checks in.
“Just watching America’s Next Top Model, Mr. Hummel,” Blaine answers politely. Blaine is very polite. Carole likes that about him and tells Kurt each chance she gets. What she is really telling Kurt is that she approves. That she wants this for him. That it’s all good. He sees it in her smile even now. She knows something is up but Kurt is grateful that they make their way to their own bedroom.
“I’m going to tell them, you know?” Kurt turns to Blaine. Blaine smiles. He knows Blaine loves his family. “Though I suppose it’s convenient for tonight that they don’t know just yet.”
“Will I be banished from the bedroom forever?”
“God I hope not,” Kurt looks helplessly at the ceiling. “I have no idea. I’ve never done this before.”
“Me neither.”
They settle back on to their pillows, move slightly closer together. Blaine hooks his pinkie finger under Kurt’s. “Think they’ll catch us?”
“Holding pinkies?” Kurt laugh-smiles. “I think they could handle it. We could definitely handle it.”
Former Kurt looks at Kurt and Blaine lying back relaxed on the bed looking at each other, fingertips touching.
He exits the room.