April 10 2013

Kurt nervously cracked his knuckles. Maybe it was a bad idea to skip school for this, - it was not like he wanted to know that Kurt was there, watching him - supporting him.

The last time he saw him back in March he seemed so broken, yet so relieved, that Kurt almost had given in straight away. But he couldn't. Because he wouldn't. But somehow today his feet had dragged him to this place to support his very own supporter. At first he made up the reason that he didn't want him to think that he was alone, but it turned out to be a crowded day and the entire ‘friends and family'-area was completely filled. Not one seat was empty - and Kurt had expect nothing less, so his reason didn't make sense.

Kurt cracked his knuckles again. Perhaps he should leave. By all means: he was a big boy, a very talented man - he was going to make it. Kurt almost stood up to leave, but the soft sound of applause made him sit back down immediately.

He guessed he could stay then, mostly because he wanted to stay, and joined the soft clapping. The door in the back opened. Kurt's breath faltered as his frequent shoulder to cry own stepped into the room. There was no turning back now; Kurt would have to face the music.

September 5 2012

"Is it bad that I'm bored already?" Nancy didn't really make her statement a secret as it was practically yelled into Kurt's ear. A few heads in front of them actually turned around to see where the loud, accented voice had come from.

The entire lecture hall at the NYU Tisch building was filled to the nock with eager first-years. All begging and panting to start, waiting for further information. It was their official second day as Tisch students. Kurt had the pleasure of meeting Nancy during their first day. Not that he had been willing at first: Nancy simply jumped him, started to talk (of which Kurt barely understood half of it) and dragged him along campus, telling him her entire life-story ("Then my good old dad said: ‘Nancy, you should be an actress.' Because ‘ya know - I acted halfway through High School.")

And even though Nancy wasn't really Kurt's fancy to have as a first friend, at least he wasn't bored alone at the moment - because to be fair: he was.

Of course the thrills of a whole new school, a whole new city (holy hell, Hummel, you're in New York) and a whole lot of new people to meet were there, but in the end he really didn't want to sit through another boring lecture about the whims and ways of Tisch. If he ever had to sit and listen to the history-story of Tisch and that it was founded in 1965 again, he would gladly strap himself to Nancy and jump of the Brooklyn bridge as she proposed yesterday ("Seriously, nobody cares. I know I stopped caring the moment I walked in." and "Who the hell names their kid ‘Preston'?"). Nancy reminded Kurt of Santana, which was probably the main reason why he decided to keep on tagging along with her. Plus she was way better company than Rachel probably would have been - don't think of that, Kurt squinted. Just because she got into NYADA does not make you lesser. Tisch is better known any way, by all means Idina freakin' Menzel graduated here.

"They promised yesterday we would get some excitement today." Kurt mumbled to a still fussing Nancy.

She let out an unflattering huff. "By excitement they probably mean a tour around campus, as if we're toddlers and unable to find our ways ourselves."

"We did get lost yesterday." Kurt reminded her. She furiously shook her head, letting it go that she meant for that to happen and ‘what kind of guy can't read a map'. Kurt snickered. "You're just full of contradictions."

"And you love me already. But seriously Kurt, you need to stick around with me, because I have an impeccable gaydar."

"Nancy, we're doing the dramatic arts musical-program and although I've had issues with my own gaydar in the past." Finn, cough. Sam, cough (although Kurt was still undetermined on his part). "I'm pretty sure half of these people are playing my team." He scattered his looks around the, still filling, lecture room. It was hard to realize that all these young people shared Kurt's dream and that they were all talented. It was ridiculously intimidating. These are the people Kurt was going to battle with for roles upcoming plays and musicals, not just the half-and-half talented misfits of McKinley High in Lima, Ohio. This time he wasn't competing against Finn, Mike or Puck, who've never really shown passion to get the part of Tony in West Side Story in the first place - here he had to fight with equally vitalized people. But Kurt had learned one important thing of surviving his life so far: Bring. It. On. Nobody scared him anymore, nobody would toss him into lockers - Kurt Elizabeth Hummel was one fierce diva on a mission. Except he hadn't really shown that part of him yet to anyone since he came to New York. Nancy only seen bits and flavors of snarky Kurt and big eye ‘Oh-my-God, we're lost'-bambi Kurt.

"You need to find yourself a boy, mate." Nancy said. Kurt couldn't help but stare at her in disbelief.

"Did you just quote Pirates of the Caribbean?"

"Yep, and I might add the question of the eunuch thingy -"

Fortunately for Kurt the hall dimmed its lights. Some students started an applause as the same woman from yesterday, head coordinator of the dramatic arts department, Miss Susan Dursey, walked upon stage with her usual condescending stroll. Sure she liked her fresh batch of new students, Kurt thought, but he saw the loathing and the ‘simply not caring who you are'- look on her face. She used to be a big Broadway legacy, until she fractured her knee and her understudy nailed the part better than she did. Kurt couldn't help but shudder at thinking that if his career went wrong he would end up here - as a teacher or a janitor.

The applause faded as Miss Dursey told them to quit it. Kurt and Nancy hadn't even bothered to clap for her.

"Yes," the lady started after hoisting herself onto the higher platter with a microphone stand, "welcome back to the second day of this introductorily week at Tisch, NYU. I hope everybody has gathered their schedules for next week as the real courses will commence."

"Yay for that." Nancy cheered in a softer tone than before. "I hate introduction weeks, I remember those silly camps in order to get to know your classmates, as if I care."

"You don't seem to care about many things."

"See, one day and you already know me, that's all it takes."

Someone behind them shushed them and Nancy sneered something that sounded like: "Ass kissing.", "Suck ups." and "Nobody cares."

"- as for today," Miss Dursey continued, "we have some special guests - actually, today we will be showing you your future."

"Ah! We're going to be waiters for a day!" Nancy whispered.

"Today you will explore the grounds of campus and meet up with a few of our last year and some years before, graduated students." She gestured to the door behind her, which immediately was opened by one of the bystanders. "We have categorized you yesterday, you shall remain in that group and will follow one of these -" A young woman with frizzy ginger hair came out of the door, followed by an elder woman who was blind this morning while dressing, a skinny boy who seemed to have ran freshly out of the production of Billy Elliot, "And get a little master class from them. To give you the taste of your upcoming years here." Another boy stumbled out, this one looking more like Pinocchio. "And of course a taste of your future professional life-" The door closed, but a hand stopped it just in time.

"Oh my God." Nancy shrieked and Kurt jumped a little at her exclamation. He turned to her to find her staring open-mouthed at the stage - what has gone in to her? The boys weren't that cute. Kurt looked around a bit more to find even more openhanging mouths, followed by soft murmuring. Miss Dursey had turned quiet and finally Kurt turned back to the stage; holy. shit. He repeated his thought out loud, bringing his hand subconsciously to his mouth to make him stop talking and he could feel his eyes widening.

"I think I just came." Nancy blurted, fanning herself.

Kurt didn't even cringe at the crude wording, because he could only quote his former school counselor: so this is what being turned on feels like. Next to Ginny Weasley, Grandma Yetta, Billy Elliot and Pinocchio on stage stood a Disney Prince come to life. Even from afar Kurt could make out very light eyes, searching the crowd - oh my God, don't look at me - and his hair was done spectacularly well (easy-looking with care). Of all the people on stage, including Miss Dursey and the weird professor who has been in the back scratching his head ever since they started, he had the most charisma and it was making Kurt's blood boil. He was tall, charming and handsome. He was -

"He's mine." Nancy claimed, still fanning. "You find yourself a different boy, mate. That man is mine."

"No, no - no." Kurt spluttered without realizing it. "You have an impeccable malfunctioning gaydar, hon', he plays for my team. He has to."

"In your dreams, pear hips. My gaydar screams straight as an arrow."

"My hips are not pear-shaped - they're -" Kurt stopped talking because people were standing up. In their heated whim they missed Miss Dursey announcing who needed to follow who. Group A was leaving with Ginny Weasley.

"Group B will be joining Miss Lucas." More students stood up.

"Kurt." Nancy hissed. "What group were we?"

"Uh," Kurt couldn't think straight and the panic started to fight the boiling blood.

"Group C with Mister Hayley." Miss Dursey continued.

"Group D." The memory of them being ‘sorted' yesterday returned.

"Group D will be following Mr. Mertins." Shit. They got Pinocchio, not the Disney Prince. "And of course group E will join Mr. Anderson." Disney Prince smiled widely at hearing his name. "The rest of the day you will be rotating, so you'll meet everyone."

Nancy hoisted Kurt up to push him down the stairs toward the stage. "Fuck this Mertins, guy - we need to get close to Neo."

"Neo?" Kurt asked, almost missing a step on the staircase.

"Mr. Anderson, gah Kurt - don't you watch films? Matrix? Thought you wanted to become an actor -"

"Musical performer, Nance, can you name all best musical Tony-winners from the past two decades?" Kurt didn't even think Nancy heard him.

They blended in with the mass downstairs, gathering around Pinocchio and ignoring the tempting thought of swapping to Group E. Shamelessly Kurt feasted his eyes on the, even more impressive up close, man who was smiling widely at the flailing girls and boys of Group E. For a split second Mr. Anderson looked at him directly and Kurt felt his breath falter. The Prince's smile became even broader at seeing Kurt blushing. Quickly he looked away to focus on the wooden puppet without strings.

"Oh my God, he just totally winked at me." Nancy whispered. Kurt snapped up again.

"But he was -" looking at me.

"Let's go!" Pinocchio announced and started to make way toward the exit. Kurt turned around one last time to see Prince Charming woo his group - was it time to rotate yet?

Paul ‘Pinocchio' Mertins was apparently working in some Off Broadway show not even Kurt had heard of. He had taken Group D to an empty rehearsal room and now they were sitting on the floor as some kind of prayer-circle.

"This is a waste of time." Nancy hissed in his ear. "This is seriously turning into the day of ‘who gives a fuck'. Well - I know who I would like to give a fu-"

"Nance!" Kurt hushed, hoping she would shut up. "You are not making time go faster!"

One hour. He needed to survive one hour with the ‘I wish I was a real'-boy. After that hour they would rotate to Mr. Anderson. Kurt couldn't help but wonder what he was doing in the business. He looked like he belonged on the Wicked stage dancing through life, kissing green girls and turning brainless. He would do anything to see him in those tight crème trousers. Kurt casually placed the him as Elphaba-file into the ‘ain't gonna happen'-folder. Pity that folder was already bursting out with dreams.

After the endless monologue about that the upcoming years will be the best and worst of your lives (quoting Grey's Anatomy? Seriously?), Paul begged his goodbye and sent them off to Mr. ‘Fiyero' Anderson.

"If we get lost now I will castrate someone." Nancy was quivering like an excited Chihuahua. They were in luck that somehow they were categorized with some of the ‘suck ups' from the introduction before and they already knew campus by heart. In a record time they arrived in another rehearsal-room.

Nancy started to cuss again as they were greeted by the very manly back (and bottoms) of Mr. Anderson, whom himself was staring at the whiteboard where a few scribbles were noticeable. He turned around at the murmuring sound of a new group of freshmen entering. He grinned widely (making several people gasp) and gestured everybody to form in front of him.

"Hi." he greeted and of course his voice perfectly matched the looks. "I'm Cooper. Cooper Anderson." Cooper. Cooper. Kurt and Coo- what, Hummel - shut up. Cooper paced sideways a bit, interpreting every face of the swooning crowd. He was talking about his school and career and the tough life of a struggling actor, searching for auditions.

"I would hire you." Nancy spoke up. Cooper seemed off guard for a second, raising his perfectly trimmed eyebrows (no straight guy in Kurt's life ever trimmed their eyebrows: team gay - one.).

"Well, thank you - I would too." Cooper grinned. "But I am not here to tell you guys my pathetic life story, no. I am here for a serious reason." For some reason he said ‘serious' quite loud. "Look around you." Oh God, not another Grey's Anatomy reference, make it stop. "You are going to get to know these people on whole new levels upcoming years. Who knows who you are going to kiss during rehearsals, who knows who you will have to hold every performance. Now I understand that not everybody wants to know each other on that level - or maybe you do, just keep it safe -" Wink. " - but, this is Tisch! This is your dream, so let go of your comfortable zone and it's going to start right now." He pointed to the floor and paused for full dramatic effect. Quickly he snapped back up to his smile. "So pick a partner and get ready to feel each other up, get comfortable."

"I know who I would love to feel up." Nancy muttered as she pulled Kurt into her personal circle before anyone else could claim him. "But you'll do." She grinned mischievously. "Let's see if I need to ask my eunuch question after all."

"You keep your hands away from my junk and I am not touching your boobs."

"I know you want to."

"Oh! We're uneven!" Cooper suddenly interrupted before they could start. A girl was wandering alone between the formed couples. Nancy muttered something about not being open for a trio unless it was with Cooper and Cooper himself took the girl's hand. "Uhm." He seemed lost for a minute. Then his eyes struck Kurt. They flickered shortly between him and Nancy and before they could even consider taking a breath, he had already walked up to them. "Swap!" He took Kurt's hand (oh my God, oh my God), placed forever-alone girl in front of Nancy and dragged Kurt up front. "You practice on me."

Kurt could hear the spluttered "What?!" coming from Nancy's area, but Kurt was frozen on the spot - back straightened, hands clenched and eyes widened.

"Class." Cooper spoke up. "Drop your guards and just start at the face, okay? No groping other body parts." There were a few moans, freaking student hormones. Cooper turned back to Kurt with a wide smile. "Let's start." He brought up his hands, tentatively - almost unsure. Kurt wasn't moving at all. There was a taller, gorgeous-looking man in front of him and he was about to place his hands on Kurt's tomato-red face. His breath hitched and eyelids fluttered as soon as the fingertips touched his cheeks, full hands came up to cup his jaws and thumbs stroked his cheekbones. "Tut, tut, relax. You're going to have to touch a lot of people upcoming years and you will definitely see a lot of people in their Tarzan and Jane suits, so - be happy your first time is with me." Kurt opened his eyes again. Cooper's eyes were icy-blue. His first attempt on ‘relaxing' was rewarded with a big toothy smile. "There we go, you know this exercise is kind of meant to be mutual, so feel free to touch my face." Swallowing down a big deal of fear and excitement, Kurt raised his jelly-feeling arms and cupped Cooper's face. He had a light, manly, stubble and Kurt felt the muscles under the skin move as Cooper smiled. "See? Not that bad, huh?"

No. Not bad at all.

Cooper's eyes schemed his entire face, deciding where to go next and his hands moved up a bit. Fingers touched the underside of Kurt's hair. Cooper quickly mumbled that he would try not to mess it up too much (team gay - two). Suddenly he let out a guff. "Gosh, here I am feeling you up and I don't even know your name."

"Kurt." he breathed and allowed his hands to wander too, dipping into the voluminous hair. It was too soft for a straight guy (team gay - three).

"Kurt." Cooper echoed. "Suits you just fine. Okay, class -" He turned to the group. Everybody was giggling whilst feeling faces. Nancy didn't seem amused in the least. "Move downwards." He put action straight to the words and let his hands move down to his neck. "So, - Kurt. Where're you from?"

"Ohio." Kurt squeaked, moving his hands to the broad shoulders. Cooper's face lit up at hearing the answer.

"Really? What a coincidence, I'm from Ohio too. Westerville to be exact, you?"

This gorgeous (possibly gay) man was from Ohio? There was hope after all.

"Lima."

"Sounds familiar." Cooper was grinning fulltime now. The rest of the hour they continued to talk about their hometowns, the dreadfulness that was Ohio and of course - their hands were memorizing every inch of their bodies. Kurt had gotten so into the rant about High School bully-policies that he didn't even notice Cooper touching him anymore. The hour had ended sooner than Kurt ever wanted. He didn't want to go to Ginny or Yetta or Billy: he wanted to stay with Fiyero.

Everybody was gathering their belongings to leave and Nancy perked up next to Kurt while Cooper got distracted by a couple not stopping groping each other.

"Found any hidden piercings?" she whispered in his ear, "because I did."

"Oh my God, no." Kurt grabbed his bag and slung it over his shoulder. "I should introduce you to Santana, she'll allow you to find her hidden piercings."

"Oh shut up, you are not allowed to be grumpy, you got your mack on with fairy-pants. Another loss for the poor population of straight females..." Nancy sighed dramatically.

"Wait? What?" They started to walk toward the exit. "You think he's team gay?"

The noises following were impossible to describe, but Kurt could make out that his thoughts were an understatement. "He was practically drooling, or wagging his tail when you started to touch him - gah, you cute little inexperienced boy. Two days into college and you already have a man, it must be a record  - oh wait I saw scrunch-face and bubble-butt make out yesterday, an image I would love to erase from my mind."

"It's not like I'm going to see him again -"

"Kurt!" The couple turned around at hearing the very silky voice of Cooper Anderson. He came up to them in a weird jogging pace. "Hey sorry, you just took off and -" Kurt mumbled an apology, but Cooper waved it away, "but I was wonder if maybe, we could - rehearse again? Practice? Maybe with some food involved?"

"You're asking me to touch you again?"

Cooper's eyes snapped big "Wha- no! No, no - unless you want to." Eyebrow waggle. "No, I can give you some... tips? On acting? Broadway? And show you the beauty of New York? I've been here longer than before and I know all the pretty places." His face was entranced with expectations Kurt didn't know how to answer.

Nancy started to laugh hysterically. Both men turned to her while she threw her hands up in despair.

"This is pathetic, Kurt - would you like to go on a date with Cooper?"

The anticipation grew in Cooper's facial expressions as he focused on Kurt. "Do you?"

"A- a date?" Kurt started to vividly blink, going through options and things, but then he remembered his motto: bring. it. on. "O-okay. Yes. Yes, I would like to go on a date with you."

"Okay." Cooper's shoulders relaxed even though Kurt didn't even notice them being tensed in the first place.

"OKAY!" Nancy declared, "Now swap spit or phone numbers - or both, just let me watch the spit-swapping."

They ended up only giving phone numbers (much to Nancy's chagrin).

There you go, Hummel - your first week in New York and you already have a date. Didn't we always agree that you would never find love in Ohio? Cooper might be from Ohio, but it will never happen there. And the fact that it had come true made Kurt Elizabeth Hummel the fierce diva he wanted to be.