Oct. 21, 2012, 7:18 a.m.
The Chances We Take: Chapter 16
E - Words: 4,219 - Last Updated: Oct 21, 2012 Story: Complete - Chapters: 37/37 - Created: Jun 02, 2012 - Updated: Oct 21, 2012 555 0 0 0 0
Blaine did as he said the following day. He brought a large duffle bag and a guitar case to work with him. Kurt let him store his items in the box office and after work, Kurt helped him carry his things to Kurt's apartment. Blaine insisted that he could carry his duffle bag all the way, but it was heavy and Kurt finally ripped it off of his shoulder and handed him the guitar case.
"You didn't bring many things," Kurt mentioned.
"There wasn't really much to salvage. I had to send most of my clothes and all of my bedding out to a dry cleaner and the guy I bring them to takes forever."
"Then why do you use him?"
"Because he does the best job."
"That makes sense."
Blaine wasn't sure if Kurt was mocking him or not so he elaborated. "I'm a little picky about my clothes."
Kurt hummed. "I know the feeling." They approached Kurt's apartment building. "This is us," he said.
There was no elevator so they had to hike up four flights of stairs. "It's not much. It's tiny and not that glamorous compared to your place."
"It's not a competition," Blaine soothed.
Kurt put his key in the door and opened it. "Home sweet home." He lead Blaine through the kitchen and into the living room.
"Sorry we don't have an extra room. It's a comfortable couch though."
"No. No. I'm grateful. Thank you." He put his guitar case down and Kurt put Blaine's duffle bag on the couch. "You hungry?"
"Starved."
"There's a great Tai place near by that delivers. I'd cook, but we need to go grocery shopping and I'm too tired to cook."
"Pad tai sounds amazing right now. When does your room mate come home?"
"In an hour or so. His name's Puck."
"Oh." Blaine started eyeing the place. Kurt was right. It was tiny. But he could also see that someone, probably Kurt, put a lot of effort into arranging the room to maximize the space and look less like a cheap apartment and more like a swanky bachelor pad. It was neutral in gender really, but it was still something that Blaine could picture in a feature for Nate Berkus on how to properly decorate your little living space. He could see touches of Kurt everywhere. It made him happy and everything made him feel comfortable and at home… just like Kurt did.
"Here, let me give you the tour." Kurt smiled. "It won't last long." He pointed out the closed door behind him. "Puck's room." He walked over to another door and opened it. "Coat closet, but you can use it for whatever you need to store." Then he moved one door over and opened it. "My room."
Blaine looked inside and smiled. His room was even more stylish than the living room. Everything was black and white and touched with a bit of silver here and there. It was so neat and uniform. There were framed movie posters and pictures all over the walls. Framed magazine covers and playbills. It was beautiful and just so… Kurt. Blaine loved it. "It's nice," was all he could come up with to say.
"Thank you. Vin wants to change it when he moves in… we'll see about that." He made a huffing noise and lead Blaine back to the kitchen. "He really has no taste in interior decorating. He's so plain sometimes." He pointed out the last and final room, the bathroom. "Do you shower in the morning or night?"
"Morning."
"Me too, but we go into work at the same time, so it won't matter. We'll figure out a routine."
Blaine nodded and they stared at each other. "Thank you." Blaine did something he hardly ever dared to do. He hugged Kurt. He felt this was an appropriate time to do so. Touching was such an intimate thing that he never wanted to overstep his boundaries, but he was really thankful for what Kurt was doing for him that he felt a hug was okay.
Kurt smiled, wrapping his arms around Blaine and closing his eyes. "You don't need to thank me. I'm happy you're here." They stayed that way for another few moments and Kurt's phone rang. He jumped and backed away, pushing his hand into his pocket and extracting his cell phone. "It's Vin." He moved away from Blaine and held up one finger to Blaine to signify he'd be only a minute. "Hey, Baby." His conversation wasn't long and he quickly set out to ordering dinner for him, Blaine, and Puck.
The food arrived before Puck did and Kurt said that there was no point in letting the food go cold because Puck wasn't there. They could eat without him and save him some if they finished before he walked in. Kurt and Blaine talked more than they ate and they talked about everything.
"You know, the funny thing is that when I met Vin, I was really looking for you." Kurt forked a bit of noodles in his mouth with his chop sticks, saying the sentence like it was just another thing to add to the conversation.
When Kurt closed his eyes to chew, Blaine stared at Kurt in shock, awe, and unbelievably. What was he saying? Blaine wondered. That if I had been there that night, Kurt would have come to ask me out? He didn't know how to take that and averted his stare just as Kurt opened his eyes again. "Really? No." Blaine pretended like he wasn't phased by the comment, but merely flattered.
"Seriously. I thought you were really cute and nice. But the bartender said that your weren't working that night and I met Vin on the dance floor. Vin was different than the other guys. He wasn't completely interested in getting in my pants. I mean he did ask me to go back to his hotel room with him, but he didn't seem to mind when I said no. I took a chance on him and look where he and I are now." Kurt smiled. "He's moving in at the end of the summer."
"Yeah." Blaine took a sizable bite to avoid having to say anything else for the moment.
"I really did want to get to know you though. I was sort of disappointed you weren't there. Then I got drunk and forgot." Kurt laughed at his joke. Blaine chuckled as well.
"Well, it's good that we kept running into each other then. I'd be homeless if it weren't for you."
"I don't know." Kurt looked off into nothingness as he started to speak. He looked like he was speaking his thought process out loud. "It was strange. It was like I couldn't stop running into you at random times and I felt so comfortable around you. We barely knew anything about each other and, yet, I felt like you knew everything about me.
"Yeah, I know how you feel. I did too." Blaine grinned and took a sip of his water. "This is a nice change, by the way. No alcohol. It seems like most of the instances where we hang out, one if not both of us are drunk."
"Please don't remind me," Kurt laughed. "I keep thinking that I'm surprised you continue to be my friend when you spend your time watching me inebriated and then tucking me in at night."
"It's not as bad as you think." Blaine took a breath and plucked up the courage to say what he was really thinking. "You look really angelic when you sleep. I never minded taking care of you when you were drunk. It was worth the effort to make sure you were okay."
Kurt paused his actions and stared Blaine in the eyes. Both of their expressions softened and the mood changed. He could feel his heart beating and hear his own breathing. "You're eyes really are gorgeous, you know that?" Kurt gasped at the realization that he blurted his thought out loud.
Blaine looked pleasantly surprised. "You and Vin both keep saying that."
Kurt pursed his lips and nodded as he looked down at his food, pretending to pick something out with his chop sticks.
"Thank you though. It's sweet."
Kurt was about to say 'you're welcome' to Blaine, but was distracted by the door opening and Puck walking in the apartment. "Food here?" He called out from the kitchen.
"And already being consumed," Kurt called back. "Better hurry up before it's gone."
Puck joined Kurt and Blaine in the living room and Kurt made the introductions. They all chatted and ate their Pad Tai on the floor, surrounding the coffee table, and laughing as Puck and Kurt reminisced about their teen years to Blaine, who laughed along with them. Blaine was pleased to be learning about the people from his rival glee club and thought that Puck was a pretty chill guy. He really liked the atmosphere that Kurt and Puck created for themselves.
Blaine couldn't help, but notice how happy Kurt looked and thought that he hadn't seen him this happy in a long time. He looked so sweet when he laughed. Blaine was able to see Kurt's dimples and his face scrunched up.
Kurt was just hoping that Blaine didn't notice that he was leering a little too long. It seemed Puck and Blaine were becoming fast friends and Kurt thought that Blaine would have fit in perfectly had he gone to McKinley High School instead of Dalton. He sighed, lost in his thought for a moment and found himself wishing that Blaine did go to McKinley. He wished that he didn't have to wait so long to have met him. Blaine was an amazing person and by default, Kurt loved how he felt when he was around Blaine. He was comfortable and confident and liked himself a bit more. He thought it was strange that Blaine had that effect on him.
Kurt, Blaine, and Puck finished their Pad Tai and Puck stretched, saying that he had to get up early for work. Kurt squinted and looked at him curiously because even if he did have to get up early, Puck was never a go-to-bed-early kind of guy. He almost always stayed up late.
"It was nice meeting you," Blaine stated, "and thanks, really, for letting me stay while they fix my house."
"No problem, man." Puck got up and headed for his bedroom, but not before turning back to Kurt, while Blaine's back was to him, and pointing at Blaine while mouthing 'I like him.' Then, just before Blaine had a chance to catch him, Puck started making humping gestures with his hips.
Kurt tried to keep his face still because Blaine was looking at him, but he wasn't able to for long and Blaine turned just in time to miss Puck's immaturity. "G'night guys."
"Goodnight, Noah," Kurt said emphatically.
"Noah?" Blaine asked Kurt when Puck was gone.
"It's his first name. Everyone's called him Puck since… well since pre-school, I think."
"I take it Puck is his last name."
"Puckerman, actually, but you have the right idea."
"He's not g-"
"God no!" Kurt laughed. "Straighter than a politician." Blaine laughed at the joke and Kurt yawned. "I should probably start getting ready for bed. I do this moisturizing routine and it can take a while." He yawned again. "And I'm tired." He stood up. "I'll get you a pillow and sheets. You sure you're okay with the couch?"
"I'm perfectly happy with the couch. I'm just thankful to have a place to stay. I'd take the kitchen table if that's what you offered me."
Kurt smiled. "Good thing I have a couch then. Wouldn't want Puck to come out and think you were breakfast."
"Better you than him."
Kurt blushed and looked away. He quickly got an image in his mind of Blaine naked on a platter surrounded by fruit and mimosas, drizzling chocolate down himself for Kurt. He pushed it out of his mind just as fast as it came. "I'll go get those blankets." He got up and went into the closet in his room. He had spare everything because he was used to Finn having to come over and crash on the couch after one of the many times Rachel was in her crazy town rages. Kurt brought out a pillow, a fitted sheet to put on the couch, a flat sheet, a blanket and a comforter. Blaine insisted that he could put his bed together himself and that Kurt has done enough already, but Kurt helped him anyway.
When they were finished, Blaine and Kurt stood at opposite ends of the couch and stared at each other, neither knowing what to do next. "Thank you," Blaine professed again. He couldn't thank Kurt enough today it seemed.
"You're welcome."
"Really. Thank you. If I'm ever any imposition-"
"Don't even think about it. You couldn't impose even if you wanted to."
"It'll only be a week; two, at the most."
"I'm happy to help."
"Thank you."
"You're welcome."
There was another awkward silence. "You're probably tired," Blaine offered as filler.
Kurt wasn't sure why he was still standing there. He should already be in his room, but he couldn't help, but not really want to go to bed. He wanted to spend more time with Blaine. "Yeah. I'm- I'm going to get ready for bed."
Blaine was trying not to smile. "Right. Moisturizing routine."
"Right." There was yet another awkward pause. "So I'm just going to- Good night!" Kurt turned quickly and shuffled off to his bedroom, where his vanity was, and barely had time to hear Blaine say 'goodnight' back to him before his door was shutting.
Blaine let out a sigh and smiled, finally able to give himself the joyous action of expressing how happy he was to be where he was at that moment. Not to mention Kurt's awkwardness was utterly adorable. He blushed. He actually blushed. He smiled wider, trying to suppress a chuckle and changed out of his clothes and into a pair of sweats. His feet and chest were bare, but the comfort of the high thread count of the sheets and the knowledge that they were Kurt's was enough to warm him quickly.
He couldn't get what Kurt said to him earlier out of his head. You know, the funny thing is that when I met Vin, I was really looking for you. He didn't know what that meant. Why would Kurt be looking for him? They barely knew each other at that time. Could Kurt possibly he harboring feelings for Blaine? No, Blaine thought. He said it like it was filler in a conversation. Like it was nothing. He couldn't possibly have feelings for me. He has Vin. Then he started to think about Vin and what he knew about their relationship and what he knew about Vin as a person. Vin was a good guy and it seemed like he was really good to Kurt. Then their was the selfish part of him that knew Kurt and him would be so good together. Kurt and him got along so well and had a connection that he just knew that he and Vin couldn't possibly have. Right? Blaine told himself in his head. I can't be the only one that feels our connection. Kurt has to feel it too. He just has too. He looks at me like he knows it too. Fuck, what am I thinking? What am I doing? Kurt's happy with Vin. Why am I even thinking about getting between them?
About five minutes of silence went by and he didn't think about anything. He heard a door open and feet padding across the floor. He looked up to see if it were Kurt, but it was Puck, seemingly trying to be quiet as he tiptoed to the bathroom. On his way back, Puck saw that Blaine was still awake.
"Did I wake you up?" Puck asked.
"No. I was awake already."
"Oh. Ok. Hey, I gotta say, now that Kurt isn't in ear shot, you staying here is better than Vin. I like the guy, but… I don't know."
Blaine furrowed his brows in confusion and sat up. "What do you mean?"
"I don't know, man. It's weird. Kurt says he loves Vin and all, but you've been here for one evening and Kurt seems way more happy with you here than the entire month that Vin was. They fought constantly. He moped around for the past two or three weeks. Then you walk through that door and he's done being a sour-puss. Suddenly he smiles and laughs again. And he's not faking it. You can tell."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Really. Hey, you two aren't, like… you know?"
"No!" Blaine exclaimed, filling in the blanks with what Puck meant. "No we're not sleeping together or hooking up or anything like that. Friends."
"That's too bad. I mean, I never pegged Kurt as a cheater, but you'd totally be better for Kurt than Vin. Vin's kind of boring, which is strange because teachers are usually a shit ton of fun when they're away from their teacher clothes. Seriously. Straight up freaks. And Vin is… normal. I never thought that would be a negative about someone, but normal isn't for Kurt. You know him. Does Kurt do normal or boring?"
Blaine smiled and laughed breathily. "No. Definitely not." Blaine didn't think Vin was boring from what little time he spent with him. He wasn't particularly exciting, but then again, Blaine always thought that Vin might have been different behind closed doors.
"I mean, like I said. I like Vin, he's good to Kurt, I'd rather see him happy. It's too bad you two are just friends. I wouldn't mind seeing you around more. Good night." Puck left Blaine sitting on the couch, silently stunned at what he had just said. Puck had no idea that what he said to Blaine was just what Blaine needed to hear.
Blaine suddenly thought that Puck was the universe telling him something. Kurt's room mate and friend was telling Blaine, who was practically a stranger, that Blaine made Kurt happier than the person Kurt said he loved. That he wished Blaine was with Kurt and not Vin. That Blaine was better suited for Kurt than the other. His only problem now was figuring out what to do with this information. Should he let it go and let Kurt be with the guy he chose? Or let himself have the feelings for Kurt that he was trying to burry?
He laid back down and covered his face with his hands.
It took Kurt a half hour to finish his moisturizing routine and he changed into a T-shirt and pajama pants. Kurt got under his covers and had just closed his eyes when he heard a tiny knock on his door. He sat up. "Come in."
The door opened slightly. In the dim lighting from the street light outside his window, he made out Blaine's face in the space between the door and the frame. It was so quiet at that moment. Kurt could hear himself breathing.
What Blaine said next came out both nervous and innocent. "I'm afraid of the dark."
He could hear his heart beating. His stomach was in his chest. He didn't believe Blaine's comment for a second, but for whatever reason, Blaine wanted to be near Kurt. The thought made Kurt's heart flutter and he realized that he wanted Blaine near him too. It made him nervous. Kurt continued to look at Blaine in the doorway and then when it was almost too long to give an answer, he smiled nervously. "I sleep on the left," he replied and lifted the covers on the opposite side of the bed.
Blaine stepped in Kurt's room quietly and shut the door. He tiptoed to the right side of the bed and crawled in next to Kurt. The sheets were cold at first, but he could feel the heat radiating from Kurt's body. There was silence again for a few minutes. Blaine felt his heart beating out of his chest. His stomach was in knots. He knew he shouldn't be where he was. Kurt had a boyfriend. Kurt wasn't his. Even so, he couldn't bring himself to leave. Kurt was everything he wanted. He knew it the moment he saw him. It was like stars and planets aligning to create some sort of cosmic anomaly. He hadn't been around someone who made him nervous like Kurt did since he was a teenager.
He looked over at Kurt, who was on his side and facing away from him. He kept thinking about what Kurt had said: The night I met Vin, I was really looking for you. I was looking for you. I was looking for you. He knew it was wrong, but he gathered up all his courage and slowly made his way over to Kurt's side of the bed. Blaine lined his body up with Kurt's and wrapped his arm around his middle. He was so close his nose was in Kurt's hair. He breathed him in. God, he smells so good. At first he thought Kurt was sleeping, but then, after another long minute, Kurt laced his fingers with Blaine's and brought Blaine's arm around, making him hold Kurt tighter. Blaine's hand was now on Kurt's chest and he could feel Kurt's heartbeat. It was racing. It only made his own race more.
"Kurt?" Blaine whispered.
"Yeah?"
"Do you like me?"
There was a pause and Kurt gulped audibly. "You'll have to be more specific. Are you asking if I like you as a friend, or do I have feelings for you?"
"Both."
"You're in my bed, so I think it's safe to say we're friends." Another pause.
"And the other part?"
"I have a boyfriend."
"That wasn't the question."
Kurt let go of Blaine's hand and started to turn over to face Blaine. Blaine's arm slackened, but remained around Kurt's middle, not ready to take his hand back. Kurt was close enough to Blaine's face that he had to shimmy away an inch or two.
For a second, Kurt got lost in the shine in Blaine's honey eyes. He licked his lips and glanced at Blaine's lips. He gulped and looked back at Blaine's eyes. "I'm not a cheater."
"Why did you let me come in here?"
"I don't know." His face looked almost sad, like his moral compass was at odds with itself and his natural glow was suffering for it.
Seeing Kurt potentially on the brink of being upset made him regret coming in the room to begin with. "I don't think Vin would approve."
"It would bother him…" Kurt trailed off as if in thought. "Knowing that I invited you into my bed when I have a boyfriend, hypothetically, if I were with you, would you trust me when I wasn't around you?"
He inhaled and pictured Kurt with him with the title of boyfriend. He gave the question some real thought. He wanted to say that if Kurt was his boyfriend then trust wouldn't be an issue because he'd never want to be without him. "If you were with me, I trust you wouldn't do this again."
"Why?"
"Because I can see how it's eating at you. Just by inviting me in you know how it would probably piss off Vin, yet you did it anyway. I doubt you want to feel like this again."
Kurt chewed on his lip and his face softened some. It was nice to know that Blaine wasn't just trying to get into his pants, but he knew that already. Blaine didn't strike him as the player type. "Why did you ask to be invited in?"
"I don't know." That was a lie. Blaine did know why he asked, but he didn't know how to say it yet. He thought for a second about the predicament he put Kurt in with his boyfriend. This isn't how he wanted him, as a secret. He took his arm back and sat up. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have put you in this position. I'll go back to the couch." He started to slide over to get out from under the covers, but he stopped when he felt Kurt's hand cover his own.
"Wait." Kurt's face looked nervous again. He gulped when he was able to see Blaine's bare chest. "You're already here."
Blaine heard his heart beat five times very loudly in his ears before he spoke again. He was too surprised to comprehend what Kurt said at first. "You sure?"
Kurt licked his lips and nodded slowly as if weighing out the possible consequences in his mind.
Blaine slid back over and laid back down. Kurt turned over in his side and Blaine cuddled close once more. He decided that he'd enjoy this, if only for just tonight because he may not get another chance.
"Blaine?" Kurt asked timidly.
"Yeah?"
"Do you like me?"
"Which way?" Blaine questioned, referring to the two parts of the questions they stated earlier.
"Any way."
"Yes." He paused. "I do."
Kurt wasn't sure what Blaine meant. "In which way?"
"All of them."
"Are you really afraid of the dark?"
"No."
Blaine couldn't see it, but Kurt smiled simply. Kurt closed his eyes. "Goodnight, Blaine."
"Goodnight, Kurt."
Kurt felt guilty for cuddling with Blaine in his bed, when Vin was alone in his own bed, in Vermont, trusting Kurt to be faithful, but he'd worry about that in the morning. Right now, he was in Blaine's arms and about to fall asleep. Sleep overtook both men at different times in the night, but Kurt fell asleep with the small smile on his face and thinking: He likes me. Blaine Anderson has feelings for me. The juvenile thought was thrilling and sent a tickling, shiver through his body. His arms grew goose bumps momentarily. It was the best night's sleep he'd gotten in months.