June 1, 2012, 10:40 p.m.
Remember Me, Remember Us: Chapter 11
E - Words: 2,596 - Last Updated: Jun 01, 2012 Story: Complete - Chapters: 22/22 - Created: Jun 01, 2012 - Updated: Jun 01, 2012 253 0 0 0 0
Kurt drove the annoyingly long drive to Dalton and walked across the parking lot when he finally found a parking spot in the student lot near the back. More people have cars this year, he noted. He remembered David's room being on the third floor of Crathern Hall so he headed for the grand staircase that led up to the second floor and up another to the third. He could hear the boys from the hallway entrance.
"Go. Go. GO! Damn it! No! Mark, where the hell did you go?" were among the things he could here besides laughter and loud music.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
The door opened. He halfway hoped or expected it was Blaine opening the door, but a tall, skinny, brunette that he didn't recognize, answered his knock instead. "Hi! You must be Kurt," he greeted.
"Yes I am. Hi." He held out his hand, hoping the other boy would just say his name.
"Sebastian," the boy said and shook Kurt's hand firmly. "Come in."
Kurt walked in and immediately the Warblers he once adored so much, greeted him with hugs and high fives. He noticed Blaine was sucked into the game and didn't even glance his way. It bothered him on a level made him question coming at all.
"So how's everything going?" he asked
"Blaine and Mark are the only ones playing right now. The rest of us died already a couple times, so we signed out for a break. Blaine is a master at this game and Mark took off somewhere with his character and won't tell us where he is."
"I'm goin' rogue man," Mark said from a chair next to Kurt. He didn't look up from the screen either."
"Hi, Blaine," Kurt said, trying to pretend like nothing was wrong.
"Hi, Kurt," Blaine got out quickly and continued to play the game. He had his tongue sticking out of his mouth a little and he was biting on it as he blasted a few opposing characters.
"So, Sebastian…" Kurt started. "You're new? What kind of things are you into?"
"Well, the Warblers, obviously, lacrosse, soccer."
"That's a lot. You must be busy."
"Yeah, but that also because I have other lessons too."
"Lessons?"
"Tap, piano, and cello."
"The parents want you well rounded, huh?"
Sebastian chuckled. "You could say that. Piano and soccer are all them, but I always wanted to learn cello since I was a kid. My mom made me do tap when I was little and I ended up liking it and it stuck with me. Lacrosse was something I got into at my last school. There's something about being allowed to throw stuff at people and semi-attack them that is fulfilling. Especially when they're holding in what you know are insults in the locker room."
Damn it, he's charming, Kurt thought. "I know the feeling. My friend Zach plays the cello and piano too." Blaine shifted his head ever so slightly in their direction. He wondered if Zach was the name of the tall blonde.
"What are you into?" Sebastian asked.
"Just glee club, really, but I love fashion like there's no tomorrow. If I don't get into the New York Academy or Dramatic Arts school that I want, then I'm going to go for Fashion Design."
"Nice! I'm not much for fashion, myself. I mean, I like it. I like looking nice, but I'm not totally into fashion shows or uber high-end designer clothes. You know? If it looks good, I don't care where it came from. Mostly I just care if my hair looks good. That's my thing, my hair."
"I know what you mean. I go crazy if my hair is out of place. A guy's gotta look good, right?"
"Are you too gonna make out, soon? Clothes, hair, and the arts, every gay guy's wet dream," Mark joked as he stared at the screen with his eyes bugged out.
Sebastian reach out and smacked the back of Mark's head. "Shut up, Mark."
"Shit! Mark! You shot me!" Blaine yelled.
"I told you; I went rogue."
Blaine looked at Mark incredulously.
"Alright, Blaine, my turn. Hand the controller over," Sebastian said, walking up behind Blaine and leaning over him to grab the X-Box control paddle. Kurt glanced away because he didn't like how close and comfortable this stranger already was with Blaine. Kurt didn't even get that uncomfortably close to Blaine and Kurt was, well… Kurt.
Blaine handed over the paddle with a smile and stood up. He scooted between all the chairs and went over to Kurt, but was still looking at the screen.
"Hi," Kurt said.
"Hi," Blaine replied, turning his head down and toward Kurt, but still not looking at him.
Kurt swallowed. "Do you want to go for a walk?" He asked silently.
Blaine was about to immediately say no, that he was happy where he was, but he saw the look on Kurt's face and he felt guilty. He knew Kurt's expression was because he canceled plans with Kurt and didn't tell him. He was having fun and really liked being around these guys, but he now wished he would have given Sebastian a rain check on the visit. Blaine didn't like seeing Kurt sad, but more than that, he didn't like being the cause of it.
"Guys, um, Kurt's going to show me a round for a bit, but we'll be back."
"Are you guys gonna go make out?" Mark asked jokingly again.
Sebastian hit Mark on the back of the head again, taking his eyes off the screen and getting shot at for not paying attention. Blaine blushed and Kurt said nothing.
"Come on," Kurt whispered.
They left and Kurt started walking downstairs. "Where are we going?" Blaine asked.
"Just around. I wanted to show you a couple things." They walked a little further in silence. They stopped in front of a closed door on the second floor. "This was your room."
"It was?" Blaine smiled a little. Somehow, seeing some form of actuality that he once went here, besides a picture, made him happy. He'd only been here a few hours and he already loved it. "Can we go in?"
"Probably not. Someone else lives here now, but I wanted to show you something tangible about being here."
"Thank you."
"It's probably lame, but-"
"No! It's perfect. I was just thinking that- the tangible part. I like it here. It's nice to know that there is a place to go with the pictures. It makes it real."
"It is nice here." Kurt tucked his head down, trying not to let his emotions go unchecked. "I couldn't believe it when you told me you were transferring," he said quietly, yet full of meaning. Kurt put his hands in his pockets and started walking away. He thought Blaine would follow, but he didn't. He stopped and turned back to him.
They stood in the empty hallway, hearing the sounds of sound systems playing, TVs blaring too loud, and boys yelling here and there from their rooms. They stared at each other without saying anything. They way they do so often that it breaks Kurt's heart because he knows that their silence isn't an awkward one. Their silence is loud because they're both screaming out things in their heads that they're too scared to say out loud.
"I'm sorry," Blaine finally confessed.
Kurt looked down at the floor and shook his head to indicate whatever Blaine was apologizing for, was nothing. Blaine walked closer. "No, really. I'm sorry."
Kurt started rocking on his feet. Tears were threatening to burst from his eyes. Blaine saw this and instantly knew what Kurt was holding back. He jumped forward and wrapped his arms around Kurt's middle. "Don't," he said. "Just don't cry."
That cued the waterworks in Kurt because that's what the old Blaine used to say to him. "I'm sorry. Whatever I did, I'm sorry; and I'm more sorry for not knowing what I did."
"N-no. Kurt." Blaine let Kurt go and looked him in the eyes. "You didn't do anything. I just wanted something different. I met Sebastian and I got curious about Dalton. My parents never let me do anything." Blaine was being honest, but he didn't say that his explanation wasn't the reality of what happened. It was just a feeling and thought in his head.
Kurt wasn't sure if he should say that going over to his house was something different. He didn't want to turn this into an argument of semantics. "Did something different mean doing something that didn't include me?" Blaine's non-readiness to respond gave Kurt his answer. "Maybe we need a break then. If that's what you want. I can stay away."
There was another silence. Kurt's eyes were rimmed red and Blaine's looked tired. "You could?" Blaine asked slowly. What he meant when he asked was How? How could he stay away? Blaine had already decided that it would be impossible to stay away from Kurt, even if it was what he wanted.
"If it was what you wanted." Another silence. "Sometimes I don't know if you are frustrated with me or the situation. I want to help you and make everything better, but you just start yelling at me. I try to be strong. I want to be strong. I'm sorry that I'm crying. I don't want to be boring. I don't want you to get sick of me."
"I'm not sick of you. I could never get sick of you. You're the most important person to me." Blaine got closer, just as close as Zach was to Kurt earlier. So close that he could feel the nerves in his lips starting to flare up. "Don't you know that?"
Kurt sniffled then shook his head. "No."
"Kurt, do you know what I thought last night when you told me you'd understand if I didn't want you to come back?"
"What?"
"I thought about how gutted I'd be if I didn't see you not just the next day, but not ever. You don't know what it's like for me when you're around." He suddenly grabbed both of Kurt's hands and held them. "It's like tripping over rocks and branches and not being afraid because you know that you'll be caught by gentle hands if you fall."
"Then why didn't you want to come to my house today? Why wouldn't you look at me when I came here? Why don't-" Kurt stopped himself. He almost said Why don't you want to be with me?
Blaine let go of Kurt's hands and took a step back. He kept eye contact with Kurt for another second and then looked down, partially ashamed and partially embarrassed. He didn't want to mention the pictures and how it made him feel. He didn't want to explain his dream and how it made him feel. He didn't want to say how seeing him with the tall blonde made him feel jealous.
"Is it Sebastian? He is really friendly and kind of charming. Did you only want to be with him?"
"No. I mean, he's nice and you're right; he is really friendly and charming. I like his attention and he's really good looking, but I don't want to be with him. I barely know him." Blaine misinterpreted Kurt's question.
"What?" Kurt straightened up his posture. Did I hear that right? "Y-you think he's really good looking?"
Blaine realized what he said and locked his eyes back with Kurt's in shock. He hadn't intended to let Kurt know his new feelings like this. "Yes…" He took a shaky breath. "Don't you?"
What Kurt wanted to say was No. I think you're really good looking and I only see you. "Are you really asking me if I think he's attractive or are you asking me something else?"
Blaine licked his lips and his inhale sounded shaky, like he was nervous. "Something else?"
"What are you trying to ask me?"
"Um… I've noticed a few things… and Mark said that thing about every gay guy's wet dream… and, well, some other things I guess." He thought about the tall blonde and Kurt in his arms. "So, um… are you?"
"Am I what?"
"G- um… g-gay. Are you gay?"
Kurt kept his expression smooth. He knew this was important for not only them, but Blaine. If they were ever to get back together and be a couple again, this would be the first turning point. They were establishing that they were both attracted to the same sex. In Kurt's case, he was wondering how to get the point across without saying so bluntly, you can have me if you wanted me. "Definetly. Yes, I'm gay."
Blaine took in the information he already knew, but wasn't confirmed on until now and thought for a second. Then another thought popped in his head. "Aren't you going to ask me if I'm gay?" It was strange. When Sebastian asked him, he wasn't ready to answer, but here in front of Kurt, he'd answer it to the best of his knowledge.
"I wasn't going to, but if there's something you'd like to tell me, you're welcome to."
"Why weren't you going to ask me?"
"Because I didn't want to pressure you into answering, in case you weren't ready."
"Do you already know the answer?"
Slowly, Kurt started to nod his head. "I do."
"Does my mom?"
"Yes. Everyone upstairs knows, everyone in McKinley knows, your family, and my family; we all know. I know that is a lot to take in, but just so you know, we're all really supportive. We love you just the way you are." Kurt mentally slapped himself. That was the first time he used the term love you to Blaine since the accident. He wanted to say it again, except this time personalize it to I. I love you.
"Wow."
"Are you okay?"
"Well… It's just that I thought all along that there was a secret that everyone was keeping from me. Now I kind of feel like this was it. Was it?"
"One of them." Kurt felt he should be honest about this, since Blaine knew now. The last thing he wanted was to alienate him. "I should tell you that I was the one who asked everyone not to tell you."
"Why?"
"Because this is something that no one can tell you. Being gay is a what, it's not a who. It's what you are, not who you are. It doesn't define you. It's not like you can't run because you're gay. Or, you're better at decorating a room because you're gay. It's more like a birth rite." Kurt liked to think of it that way. As a birth rite and not an affliction. An affliction needed defending and a birth rite was something special. Kurt didn't see the point in defending something that wasn't wrong.
"I still haven't said it out loud."
"Have you said it to yourself?"
"I don't know. I don't think so. I think I only just realized it recently and am just now coming to terms with it."
"Are you okay with it?"
"Yeah." Blaine thought of his dream and how wonderful it felt to be in Kurt's arms, no matter what the situation. "I'm perfect with it."
"Even though you haven't said it, just so you know, I'm really proud of you. And you didn't have to deal with this on your own. I could have been an ear."
Blaine nodded. "I know, but thank you anyway." He moved forward again, this time with a smile and hugged Kurt, feeling happy with the moment and what they'd accomplished. Kurt cradled Blaine's head with his arms around Blaine's neck and rested his cheek on Blaine's hair. He missed this. He wondered when this day would come. He wondered when the day or moment would come and he could feel confident in thinking that one day they'd be together again because they both knew they could have each other.
When they let go of each other, they both walked back up to David's room and they rejoined everyone else.