Nov. 6, 2012, 12:13 p.m.
The Understudy: Chapter 12
T - Words: 1,724 - Last Updated: Nov 06, 2012 Story: Complete - Chapters: 20/20 - Created: Nov 06, 2012 - Updated: Nov 06, 2012 441 0 1 0 0
Kurt quickly brought up the page on his phone. As it loaded, he was greeted with his picture.
"Crap," Kurt said. He passed the phone to Rachel, who began to read the article.
"Blaine Anderson's other lover?" As Rachel read the title, she could see Kurt sitting there in a state of panic.
"What else does it say?"
"Has Blaine Anderson got another lover? Not long again we reported on spotting Anderson locking lips with a mystery guy, but has he already swapped lovers? Reports are coming in that last night, Anderson was seen with a tall guy walking into his apartment building, and this morning, that same person was seen leaving the building in a rush with a pile of clothes in his hand," Rachel read out.
"Me." Kurt gestured for her to carry on.
"Not long after, Mr. Anderson was spotted leaving the apartment, dressed down and wearing sunglasses. Is Mr. Anderson back to his playboy ways? That's all it says."
Rachel handed him the phone back.
"Wait, didn't you say he never turned up at the theatre?" Rachel asked.
"Yeah, the director was going nuts. They couldn't get hold of him.”
"I think I might know where he is." Rachel replied remembering where she bumped into him the first time. She got up off her seat and grabbed her drink.
"I'm going with you." Kurt grabbed his stuff.
"No, you go back to the theatre. We don't want you to get in trouble. You need to impress them, remember?"
"I guess you're right.”
“Is there anything you want me to say to him?”
“I don't know, Rachel. I think I do love him, but like you said, I don't want it to be because of a rebound thing. These feelings are confusing as it is, and I don't want to lead him on if it is. But, I get this pain in my chest whenever I see him. At first I thought it was from the jogging, but I got it yesterday and well..."
"Kurt… that's how I feel when I see or think about Finn."
"Really?"
"Of course. Did you ever feel like that about Tom?" Rachel sat back down and took hold of Kurt's hand. Kurt thought for a second before shaking his head no.
"Well, maybe you weren't in love with Tom to begin with. Maybe that was just a fling… something fun. I think you are in love with Blaine. I mean, I saw your face light up when you saw him yesterday. I've never seen you look that way before. Even though you were angry and upset, you still looked like you had just seen something so beautiful for the first time. I think you two should talk about your feelings toward each other, and then go on from there."
"Ok." Kurt knew she was right. Maybe the thing with Tom wasn't love. Why should he be so upset about it? They both hugged, before Rachel went off to find Blaine.
She went back to Central Park, to the same bridge where she had found him the last time, and she was right. He was sitting under there, just resting his head against the wall and holding onto his hand.
"Are you ok?" Rachel asked as she got to Blaine, who was deep in thought. He slowly turned to her, running up and hugging her before jumping back.
"I'm sorry." Blaine stepped back away.
"It's ok. I don't mind. What are you doing under here?" Rachel went to sit down by him.
"Not many people come under this bridge, and if they do, they think I'm crazy or a homeless guy… or both. So, they quickly walk by. I like to think here, in the fresh air, where no one can see me."
"Oh. I see… and do you think a lot?" Rachel asked.
"Never really used to. Not until..."
"Kurt?"
"Yep. Have you seen him since yesterday?"
"Actually, I've just been talking to him, and he told me what happened this morning between you two."
"The kiss? Yeah. I think he doesn't like me… well not in the way I do." Blaine sighed.
"Oh, he does. I think I helped him figure that out. He just had to get his head around the facts."
"The facts?"
"Well, we worked out that the thing with Tom was only a fling. I mean, of course he liked him, but it wasn't love… not real love, anyways. I could see it when you two were together yesterday. Only, in that minute, he was in love with you."
"How?" Blaine asked.
"Blaine, I've known Kurt for a long time, and, well, I've never seen him look at anyone like that before. Even though he was upset, his eyes were filled with so much love, like you were the most beautiful thing he had ever seen." Rachel held onto Blaine's hand.
"That's the way I think of him." Blaine had a little embarrassed smile.
"Well, you're coming with me to tell him that, but first, I'm getting you to a doctor for them to check on your hand."
Blaine quickly pulled it away.
"It's fine." Blaine jumped up and walked away.
"No, it's not, Blaine. You need to get it checked out."
Blaine slowly turned around, his eyes filled with sadness.
"I like the pain." Blaine he did his best not to cry.
"What?"
"It's the only thing that's made me feel human in this world. I mean, I don't injure myself on purpose, but it reminds me of something that happened years back."
"What happened?"
"I've never told anyone, but back before I got on TV and any of this, I had just come out. On my way home from school, I got attacked. I was in a bad state - a few broken ribs, a black eye… I was in hospital for a few weeks. Of course, my parents kept telling me this would happen. After I started earning money for myself, I moved out on my own and never spoke to them since. But the pain… it reminds me of that night, and when you're in this world, it's very easy to get caught up in what people write and say about you. So, pain is the only thing that makes me feel human, and reminds me of who I really am."
"So, you have no contact at all with your family?" Rachel walked over to Blaine.
"Only my brother. He’s the only accepting one in my family. I mean he can be an ass sometimes, but he's the only person I have left."
Rachel went into hug him as he started to cry.
"Well, I'm getting you sorted out, and then we are going to my apartment where you can talk to Kurt."
"Ok."
Kurt had gotten Rachel's text, and was waiting in the apartment after work. He kept walking around in circles. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. He took a breath before walking over. He slowly opened it to see Rachel with Blaine just behind her.
"Hey," Kurt said, letting the two pass and closing the door behind them.
"Sorry. We had to get his hand seen," Rachel said as she walked into her room.
"How's it feeling?" Kurt asked. He walked over to Blaine, who wasn't sure whether to sit or stand.
"Umm… I had to have a few stitches, and they gave me some pain killers, but its ok," Blaine said. Kurt looked at his hand, which now had a fresh wrapping on it. Rachel appeared back from her room, holding a towel and some clean clothes.
"Guys, I'm going to have a shower. So, while I'm in there, I want you to talk about how you guys feel." Rachel went into the bathroom. None of them were sure what to say, so they both took a seat and just sat in silence for a few minutes.
"Blaine… umm… this morning, I... I… well, I'm glad I kissed you. The thing is, I think I am in love with you."
"I love you, too. From the moment I first saw you, I had never seen anything so beautiful in my life, and I think I want to be with you...” Blaine moved from his seat and onto the sofa to sit next to Kurt.
“No. Not think. I know I want to be with you."
"Blaine? Can we start again like what happened this morning didn't happen? Like we could rewrite the scene, so to speak?" Kurt looked into Blaine's eyes.
"Where do you want to rewrite from?" Blaine asked, as he lost himself in Kurt's eyes. Kurt moved closer to Blaine, grabbing onto his uninjured hand.
"From here…" Kurt slowly moved in to kiss Blaine. Kurt slowly pulled away as they both laughed. Blaine moved a lock of hair that had fallen in Kurt's face.
"Don't run away this time," Blaine said, as he went back in for another kiss.
Suddenly, there was a banging sound at the door, and shouting coming from the other side.
"OPEN UP, RACHEL! I KNOW YOU’RE IN HERE!"