Kurt seemed done with answering questions for now, and he got off the bed to straighten his clothes and hair, ensuring he looked well put together.

When he was satisfied, he took Blaine’s arm and pulled him towards the door. "Ready to go?" Kurt smiled, giving his arm a reassuring squeeze.

Blaine nodded and took a deep fortifying breath before he stepped out into the hallway. Being with Kurt made it a little easier.

They walked through the many twisting hallways, Kurt frequently nodding in greeting to the other passengers. They got to a staircase that was simple metal with wooden railings, and climbed up two flights. Everything was new and clean, but there were no decorative flourishes or fine carved woodwork anywhere. It felt like an entirely different ship than the Titanic Blaine was used to.

Going through a double doorway, Kurt pulled Blaine into a large, crowded room. Looking around, he seemed to see people he knew as he walked with purpose in one direction. Blaine was busy taking in the scene.

The room was simple, just white painted walls with White Star Line travel posters displayed for a bit of color. The floor was linoleum with a decorative square pattern that softened the edges of the stark interior. Wooden benches encircled the walls and divided the room into a few sections, with wooden tables and chairs filling up the rest of the space.

But what was the most amazing about the room was the people. Talking, eating, drinking, dancing, singing. His ears picked up at least a dozen different languages being spoken as they worked through the crowd. Children ran around unsupervised, darting between the gatherings of people with ease. It was noisy and vibrant. Fantastic.

They reached their destination and Kurt sunk down on a chair, giving Blaine a challenging arch of his eyebrow. Blaine had said he could handle anything Kurt could dish out, and here was his chance to prove it.

There were no empty chairs at the table, so Blaine looked around and spotted one nearby. He walked over, and was able to convince the people at that table that they could spare it. Returning with the chair, he settled close to Kurt and looked at his friends with a smile.

“I’m Blaine.” He said simply to the tall, dark-haired man to his right, holding out his hand to shake.

----

An hour later, Blaine was joking around with the group like he'd known them years, no reservations at all. The fact that he'd paid for a couple rounds of beer helped a lot.

But his eyes kept being drawn to the group of musicians on the other side of the hall, where a lot of people were gathered to sing, clap and dance along.

Leaving Kurt to his intense discussion about English cricket with a squeeze to his shoulder, Blaine walked closer to the musicians. It was obviously an impromptu gathering, just anyone with an instrument joining in on the fun. There was an accordion, a few fiddles, a bodhran drum, and an Irish whistle.

Blaine moved closer, ending up besides a man holding a guitar but looking a bit too drunk to play it. After a couple songs, he leaned closer and asked the man if he could borrow it for a little while. The man nodded and passed the instrument to Blaine, turning to some friends to talk.

It had been a long time since he'd played a guitar, and he tuned the instrument first, and then strummed a few chords to get the feel again. But the lively music was far too tempting and he joined in, matching his chords to the key to strum along with the songs he didn't know.

"Do you lads know The Mermaid?" He asked when there was a break between songs, and they were sipping their beer. A few of them nodded and began to play it, Blaine strumming along as he sang, happy to have many people gathered nearby joining in.

When I was a lad in a fishing town
Me old man said to me:
"You can spend your life, your jolly life
Just sailing on the sea.
You can search the world for pretty girls
Til your eyes are weak and dim,
But don't go searching for a mermaid, son
If you don't know how to swim"

'Cause her hair was green as seaweed
Her skin was blue and pale
Her face it was a work of art,
I loved that girl with all my heart
But I only liked the upper part
I did not like the tail

I signed onto a sailing ship
My very first day at sea
I seen the Mermaid in the waves,
Reaching out to me
"Come live with me in the sea said she,
Down on the ocean floor
And I'll show you a million wonderous things
You've never seen before
So over I jumped and she pulled me down,
Down to her seaweed bed
On a pillow made of a tortoise-shell
She placed beneath my head
She fed me shrimp and caviar
Upon a silver dish
From her head to her waist it was just my taste
But the rest of her was a fish

As they sang the second chorus, Blaine noticed Kurt standing in the crowd, clapping and singing along, and they shared a small smile. 

But then one day, she swam away
So I sang to the clams and the whales
"Oh, how I miss her seaweed hair
And the silver shine of her scales
But then her sister, she swam by
And set my heart awhirl
Cause her upper part was an ugly fish
But her bottom part was a girl

Yes her hair was green as seaweed
Her skin was blue and pale
Her legs they are a work of art,
I loved that girl with all my heart
And I don't give a damn about the upper part
Cause that's how I get my tail.

At the end of the song, he passed the guitar back to its owner, patting his back in thanks. Smiling and waving to the other musicians, he went back to Kurt's side.

"That was really great, Blaine. I had no idea you were so musical." Kurt leaned in close to his ear to be heard over the crowd.

Blaine used the excuse of the crowd to press the side of his body against Kurt's. "Thanks. I had an Irish nanny who taught me lots of songs. And when I went away to boarding school when I was twelve, she gave me an old second-hand guitar to keep me company."

Smiling and nodding, Kurt put a hand in Blaine's arm to pull him back to the table. A few people had left and new ones taken their place.

"Blaine, this is Denis Lennon." Kurt said as they settled into their chairs.

Holding a hand out across the table, Blaine shook Denis's hand.

Denis was quite young, maybe eighteen or twenty years old. "And this is Mary...Lennon." He nodded at the young woman beside him with a bit of a blush. They shared a quick look and a small smile.

Looking down at their hands, Blaine could see they were bare of rings. But the looks between the pair were like a newlywed couple would share. "So, are you brother and sister?"

Mary bit her lip and glanced towards Denis.

Denis smiled ruefully, and looking between Kurt and Blaine, before leaning closer to them. "Well, that's how it is on our tickets. But we are actually not related. Not yet. We're getting married in New York."

He reached a hand out to cover Mary’s on the table, giving it a squeeze. The looks they shared were of pure, true love.

"Our parents don't approve of the match. So we ran away, in the middle of the night, with just enough money for tickets onboard." Mary dropped her head to Denis’s shoulder.

"Aye, that is right romantic, but whatever you do, don't get married. At least not right away." Seamus chimed in, shaking his head. "I almost made that mistake, thinking I was so in love. But after living with her a few months, she showed her other side, and I was eager to get away from her."

Blaine turned towards Seamus, laughing. "But you're Irish! How could you 'get away' from a wife? Divorce isn't legal in your country."

Seamus smirked widely. "Luckily, we were only handfast. A year and a day passed, and we could choose to stay together or to part. She had her eye on another fella by then, and I happily sent her his way."

"But surely that isn't legal!" Blaine laughed, scandalized at the idea of living with someone as man and wife, and dissolving the relationship so casually at the end of a year.

Shrugging, Seamus looked bemused at Blaine's shock. "Aye, but in the smaller communities, we still follow the old ways at times. And if the lady agrees, who is to question it?" He took a sip of his beer, leaning forward. "Besides, it makes sense for a couple to really get to know each other, have a full year of the good and the bad together, before they decide to be with each other for all eternity, wouldn't you say?"

Denis was nodding along, seeming a little too interested in what Seamus was saying. Mary elbowed his side and gave him a bit of a glare. Denis dropped his gaze, taking a long sip of his beer.

Blaine couldn't argue with Seamus' point. He knew that right now, he was completely infatuated and could hardly think straight in Kurt's presence. There was such a surge of desire and confusing emotions swirling through his mind and his heart. A tempest that he was completely swept up and happily carried away in. But if he could truly and openly live with Kurt, would the buzz of feelings settle and dissipate in a few months?

He had had short romances in the past. Boys he had been mutually attracted to, and they would spend as much time together as they could get away with. And the strong emotions of the beginning changed over time, as they got to know each other more and realized they weren't as good a match as they had hoped. Or that the physical chemistry fizzled out after a few sessions once the novelty of a new partner wore off.

Glancing at Kurt, he couldn't imagine the intense feelings he already had after knowing him such a short time fading away. The more he learned about him, the more his feelings grew.

Shifting his chair a little closer to Kurt's, he moved his left leg to press against Kurt's, needing the contact. Kurt glanced his way, looking relaxed and happy. He really glowed being around people like this, joking around and sharing stories.

"Aye, but it must hurt like the dickens when the person you have been with so intimately walks away to be with someone else." Kurt said, taking on an accent so similar to Seamus' that everyone stopped talking to stare at Kurt. He simply smirked back at them.

Norbert clutched Kurt's arm, laughing at his impression. "That was incredible! Can you do other accents?"

"Ja. I can do one or two." Kurt said, lowering his voice to match Norbert's German tone.

Everyone roared at that, and Kurt was kept busy, as everyone demanded he do other accents. Russian, British, French, Italian all came easily to Kurt.

---

It was late when they finally left the gathering, feeling a little tired since the effects of the beer had worn off. But they were headed, together, back to Kurt's cabin, and Blaine was excited at the opportunity to be alone with Kurt again.

The room was still empty, and they sunk down on the bed with a sigh, kicking off their shoes. 

But before Blaine could utter anything, Kurt got out of the bed and went to the sink. It was full of cold water, and Kurt pulled a wine bottle out before pulling the stopper. He expertly uncorked it and poured wine into some glasses. 

Settling down beside Blaine, he passed him a glass and then a plate covered with a cloth napkin. As Kurt settled down beside him on the bed, leaning back against the wall, Blaine pulled back the napkin to reveal small slices of bread, cheese and apple.

The wine was cool and refreshing, a crisp light white that went well with the sharp cheese and crunchy sweet apple. They were both a bit peckish after the night in the General Room, and the food quickly disappeared. Kurt grabbed the last slice of apple.

Holding it teasingly in front of Blaine, he brought it closer to his mouth like he was going to feed it to him. But when Blaine opened his mouth, Kurt brought it to his own mouth to take a small bite. Again, he held the partial slice close to Blaine, but this time Blaine didn’t open his mouth, even when Kurt dragged it against his lips.

Kurt’s eyes were on Blaine’s lips, occasionally flicking up to his eyes, and Blaine was finding it a little hard to catch his breath. Kurt, when he was close and playful like this, was far too irresistible. When Kurt leaned close, licking the traces of apple juice from Blaine’s lips with little kitten licks, Blaine’s control snapped. He groaned and kissed Kurt fully, his hands digging into the hair at the back of his head to keep him from moving away.

They were both breathless when Kurt pulled back. “Remember what I said earlier about the next time we get ‘inspired’?” He chuckled as he got out of the bed, pulling Blaine with him. Kurt picked up the wine glasses and the dish, moving them back to the sink.

Blaine was a bit distracted, just watching Kurt’s motions, when what he just said sunk in. Oh. Kurt had said they should get fully naked when they were next ‘inspired’. And he could tell that Kurt knew when he realized it, had heard his little gasp in realization.

Smirking slightly, Kurt stood right in front of Blaine, and started undoing his shirt buttons. Blaine froze for a moment, and then he reached up to Kurt’s buttons.

But Kurt shook his head. “Let me do this first.” His voice was soft, and his eyes intent on the buttons, taking his time with each one.

Blaine remembered how last night, (was it only last night? It felt like so much had happened since then), Kurt had said how he would think about unbuttoning Blaine shirt, and kissing along his skin. Had Kurt really pictured exactly this, last night, while lying in his bed alone? Thought of this as he stroked himself? The thought of that made Blaine’s breath speed up. It made such a simple act almost unbearably erotic.

Part of Blaine wanted to rip off his clothes and Kurt’s, drag them both to the bed to crash together, jump into the fire of sensation until the passion was extinguished. But the other part of him loved this slow burn of desire, building, building. Licking along his skin and making it even more sensitive in its wake. This was the first time Kurt was going to fully undress him, and he was going to soak it all in. Every touch, every reaction, the way Kurt looked at him with such wonder and desire. Just as fascinated by Blaine as Blaine was by him.

By the time Kurt had Blaine down to Kurt’s underwear, Blaine was more than ready to return the favor. Kurt, naked and beautiful before him, took Blaine’s breath away. Kurt's smile was shaky when he pulled off Blaine’s underwear and helped him step out of it.

“You are sublime, Blaine.” Kurt said softly, pressing a little kiss to his bare shoulder.

Closing his eyes, Blaine was getting to the end of his endurance. “Please, please, Kurt. Touch me.”

“Um, sure. But I need some more wine first.” Kurt said, and Blaine could hear the bottle shifting from the sink. His eyes snapped open in surprise. In the middle of this, Kurt was stopping for a drink?

But he shouldn’t have questioned it. Kurt was back in front of him, holding the half-full wine bottle in one hand and a towel in the other. Dropping the towel on the floor near Blaine’s feet, Kurt had a glint in his eyes as he deliberately tipped the wine bottle until some of the cool fluid splashed over Blaine’s chest and raced downwards.

“Oh my, I seemed to have spilled my wine all over you. I better clean it up.” Kurt murmured, and then pounced on Blaine, licking, slurping and sucking up the wine from his skin. It was quite the sensation, feeling the cool wine on his hot skin, and then Kurt’s wet, warm lips and tongue flicking over him. Spreading the towel out better, Kurt knelt and poured more wine over Blaine, chasing the trails of alcohol down his legs with his lips.

But all the teasing stopped when Kurt looked up to catch Blaine’s eyes. Kneeling in front of Blaine, Kurt’s mouth was so, so close that he could feel his warm exhalations against his aching cock. And he hpeld the bottle right in place. At any second, the cool liquid was going to wash over him, and then he’d feel Kurt’s mouth… right there. Where he’d been wanting it for weeks. Decades. Eons. Blaine rested his hands on Kurt’s shoulders, wanting it so much, but almost afraid his knees would give out.

Kurt only ended up pouring a small amount of wine over him before settling the almost empty bottle on the floor and running his mouth over Blaine, slurping and sucking with great enthusiasm. Blaine’s moans and pants were practically constant. Kurt took him in deep, taking him over the edge with his skillful mouth.

Blaine slid limply to floor, guided by Kurt to lean against him. They laid back on the towel, Blaine curled up against his side.

Bending up one leg, Kurt wrapped his hand around his own erection and stroked quickly.

Blaine kissed his neck, and stroked over his bare chest. “Yes, Kurt. Let me see you. You look so beautiful.” He could tell Kurt was very, very close, his body already tensing against Blaine. He wanted to see this, found it incredible intimate and erotic.

Kurt was glorious in his orgasm. His muscles tensing, his lips parting for the quick pants, his face tight and then relaxing into such bliss. His skin flushing a deep pink on his face, neck and chest, but quickly dissipating. The slight tremor through his body. The soft sound that was a mix between a moan and a whimper. Although intense, he was almost silent in his release.

Cuddling together as they cooled off, Blaine ran a hand up and down Kurt’s arm. Kurt had probably had to share a room with one or more roommates during all his travels, and had probably learned to be so quiet from that, as a courtesy to the others.

Blaine looked at the other bunk bed, and then at the door in alarm. Did Kurt have a roommate now, a man who could come barging in at any time? “Um, Kurt, this may be a little late to ask this, but do you have a roommate?”

Kurt chuckled, and lifted his head from Blaine’s chest to look at him. “Yes, but he’s a stoker, and he’s working until the wee hours of the morning. So, you’ll have to leave pretty soon.” Sitting up, Kurt stretched and yawned. He looked wonderfully rumpled.

Standing up, he stretched, totally unselfconscious in his nudity, and Blaine didn’t mind at all. “Mmmmm. It’s times like this I want a nice, hot, deep bath. Just a nice, long soak. But there are only two bathtubs for all the 3rd class.”

Blaine got up too, and wet a washcloth at the sink and wiped down his chest. He smelled a little of wine still, not that he minded too much considering how it got there. “Well, there is a Turkish Bath on board. Can you meet me there tomorrow morning before you go into work?”

“Will they let me in?” Kurt asked, cleaning himself up a little as well.

Pulling on Kurt’s underwear again, Blaine redressed in the rest of his own clothes. “I’ll tell the attendant you are my guest, and if he seems to resist the idea, I’ll slip him some money.”

With a quick kiss at the door, Blaine slipped out. This time of night, even looking a little rumpled, his fine clothes gave him easy passage to his chamber. He slipped into his room, and soon crashed on his own large bed.

---

-Disclaimer: I own nothing. 

-The Mermaid song: I thought this was a traditional song that had been around so long that no one know it’s exact origins, but it’s from 1965, written by Shel Silverstein. I know it from the version done by the band Great Big Sea in 2005.

-Denis Lennon and Mary Mullin: A true Jack and Rose story, almost. “Mr Denis Lennon and Mary Mullin were actually eloping to the United States together, hence the shroud of secrecy and the reason why the two are listed as brother and sister.

The truth is Denis found a job as barman in the Mullin family's general store/pub in Clarinbridge, Co. Galway. He fell in love with Mary, however the upwardly mobile Mullin family forbade such a romance between a humble barman and their daughter.

The young couple, desperate and in love decided to elope to the States. Originally booked on the "Celtic" they were transferred to the "Titanic". They had been pursued to Queenstown by Mary's older brother who was supposedly armed with a gun (he had been tasked with retrieving their tearaway daughter). Nonetheless, the brother arrived by train too late and just missed the "Titanic's" tender. Hence the couple sailed off into destiny and disaster unhindered in their flight.” Encyclopedia-titanica.org

-Stoker: Titanic had 163 Stokers (or Firemen) who shoveled 600 tonnes of coal a day into 29 massive boilers, 24 hours a day, to keep the ship at the correct speed. It was hot, hard work.

-3rd Class Baths: There were only 2 bathtubs for 700 people. There was hot and cold running water in the rooms, so most people did a sponge bath in the privacy of their own rooms. It was only a one-week trip, and many people of the time held the opinion that frequent bathing had a negative effect on one’s health.

Note about future chapters:  those of you who have read my stories before will know I time jump sometimes. I will do that when the ship starts to sink, so there will be no detailed descriptions in this fic of any deaths or the ship coming apart.  Go watch Titanic if you want that, James Cameron does it perfectly.  I will jump to what happens in the aftermath