When all is said and done
Chapter 25
“Hey, Marco, it’s me Mercedes. I guess it’s been a couple of days since we met up and I was just wondering if everything is ok. We usually meet up every day and I guess I’m missing you a little. Please call me when you get this, I just want to know that you’re ok, love you,” Mercedes sighed as she pushed the end-call button. It had been three days since she has last had contact with Malcolm. She was confused, if he’d wanted some space surely he would have just said; she would have been fine with it. Also, Mercedes couldn’t help but be confused right now. She loved Malcolm, he was so good to her and he never pushed her into anything. He bought her nice things and took her places, but there was part of her mind that wanted Sam.
Sam sent her regular texts now. It seemed they were always in the middle of a text conversation. It had been of great comfort to Mercedes as she was pretty lonely without Malcolm. She didn’t tell Kurt about the lack of contact because Kurt would feel it was his responsibility to look after her and Mercedes knew that Kurt needed to spend as much time with Blaine as possible. Neither Mercedes nor Sam brought up the earlier conversation. They knew any mention of the romantic feelings shared between them could potentially lead to awkwardness. Mercedes didn’t know what to feel. She wished she could talk to Kurt about it but Kurt had way too much on his mind already. Mercedes didn’t want to add to his stress levels that were already way too high!
Mercedes decided that staying locked up in her hotel room would do her no favours! She needed to get out! With a sigh Mercedes got up off the bed and went down to the reception area.
“Hey Mercedes,” Nina called out.
Mercedes couldn’t help but smile back and head over to the main desk. She liked Nina, they had similar interests and they both could discuss their latest plans to get Blaine and Kurt together. Mercedes hoped they could stay in touch when she went back home. “Hey Nina, how are things?”
“Pretty good, bit boring really! How are Kurt and Blaine doing? Do you have any news?” Nina asked, eager for an update on the couple.
Mercedes grinned, “I know they’ve been going out at every opportunity, and the must be sharing a bed since the sofa wasn’t made up last time I went over there. I just wish Kurt didn’t have to spend so much time at the theatre; I don’t trust that Trixie and from what I hear Marco is no better! I just hope Kurt decides to leave!”
“I totally agree! Kurt deserves better than that! I’m glad they are going on dates together though, I guess it’s pretty much out of our hands now! I just wish there was more we could do! How are you, Mercedes? It hasn’t really seemed like you’ve been yourself these past few days. Is there anything I can help with, or sometimes it just helps to talk things through,” Nina placed a hand on Mercedes’ shoulder, the hand wasn’t shaken off, instead Mercedes laid one of her own hands on top. Mercedes just nodded.
“Tell you what; I finish my shift in five minutes. Do you want to go and get some coffee?” Nina asked.
Mercedes gave another nod, “I’d like that.”
Nina smiled reassuringly, “If you go wait on that bench over there I’ll be over in five.” Mercedes did as she was asked while Nina went to go and negotiate getting an unplanned morning off with her manager. Mercedes really hadn’t looked herself and Nina needed to be there for her.
Mercedes watched the various people entering and leaving the hotel. She wondered what business they had and when they left he felt a certain strange sadness that she was almost sure she would never see them again and would never find out why they were in London. It seemed silly considering none of them even made eye contact with her but she found herself suddenly very curious as to what their lives were like.
“Come on, my shift is over. Let’s get ourselves some coffee and we can have a good chat,” Nina held out her hand and smiled. It was silly but Mercedes suddenly felt better.
Kurt sighed as he sat on the bed, he liked living so close to Blaine; there were a pair of arms holding him every night and a mug of coffee ready for him every morning. There was always someone there to love him and be loved in return, it was such a special feeling, yet it scared Kurt; he didn’t want to get addicted. Blaine came in and sat next to him, laying a hand gently on Kurt’s knee. Kurt felt a sudden pull towards Blaine and before he knew it his lips were on Blaine’s.
Kurt pushed his tongue to Blaine’s lips; asking for entry, which Blaine immediately granted. Their breaths mingled together and their tongues met. Kurt wanted to memorise every inch of Blaine’s mouth, Blaine allowed him to run his tongue along the roof of his mouth and along his teeth before recapturing it with his own. Blaine gently sucked on Kurt’s lower lip and Kurt sighed into Blaine’s mouth. Kurt reached out a hand and tangled it in Blaine’s soft curls, while his boyfriend put firm hands on Kurt’s waist.
They stayed like that for what felt like hours, and then gently Blaine ran his hand along the hem of Kurt’s shirt while placing loving kisses along Kurt’s jaw line. Kurt’s mind was hazy, he was drunk on Blaine’s kisses, but he knew this wasn’t right. If it went much further he knew he wouldn’t be able to leave with clean conscience; he couldn’t do this to Blaine.
“Blaine… we … stop,” Kurt mumbled.
Blaine either didn’t hear or at least paid no notice as he sucked on Kurt’s neck leaving little red marks in his path, while he slowly stroked Kurt’s toned stomach under his shirt.
“Blaine, stop,” Kurt said, a little more coherently this time.
Blaine stopped kissing Kurt’s neck but his hand remained on Kurt’s stomach, “why?” he asked looking into Kurt’s eyes.
With Blaine no longer kissing him Kurt’s mind became a little clearer, “because I can’t do this to you. I can’t go back to America with clear conscience if we go much further. It’s bad enough as it is with all the emotional ties we already have. I don’t want to add anymore, I won’t hurt you like that; you deserve better.”
Though Kurt hadn’t meant it to it was clear he had upset Blaine. Blaine had tears in his eyes that looked as though they would fall at any moment, “Is this what you want then?!” Blaine’s anger caught Kurt off-guard and he shifted away from Blaine slightly. “You don’t care about us! You just want things to be as simple as possible; you just want as little love as possible so you can cut it off easily! Well, it’s too late! I already love you more than anything! I did in high school and I still do now! I don’t care what happens to me after you leave because I don’t even want to think about life without you! So don’t talk to me about more emotional ties because I couldn’t have any more! I want to spend the rest of my life with you and there’s nothing that can change that.”
Blaine was crying now and Kurt reached out to him. Blaine cradled Kurt’s hand as if it was the most delicate thing in the world. He held it to his chest and rested his head on it. Kurt shuffled forward again and brought Blaine into his arms. There was nothing to say.
Mercedes and Nina reached the coffee shop with their arms linked. Nina asked Mercedes to go get them a seat while she got the coffees. Nina insisted on paying despite protests from Mercedes.
“So, what’s troubling you?” Nina asked, leaning forward slightly.
“It’s just boy trouble I guess, I’m worried about Kurt too but I guess I’ve always been worrying about him since we first met; he just one of those people who it’s impossible not to worry about. The poor thing wears his heart on his designer sleeve!” Mercedes smiled slightly in memory of their first days as friends together and how she’d thought they were dating. It had been pretty upsetting at the time but in hindsight it was actually hilarious!
“We’re not here to talk about Kurt! He has caused more than enough worry and attention over these past few weeks. Tell me about this boy trouble, Mercedes,” Nina said firmly.
“Well back in America I have this friend. He’s really close to me and I guess I kind of fell for him. We dating for a couple of months in high school but it wasn’t really the right time so we decided it was best to remain friends. It was a mutual agreement. Anyways I guess a couple of years later we were still friends. I used to give him dating and relationship advice! But I soon realised that I saw him as more than a friend. It was tough but I kept giving him advice as impartially as possible and I’d just gotten to the stage where I’d accepted that we would never be together like that and focussed on our friendship,” Mercedes explained.
Nina nodded, “so, is it still bothering you?”
“It wasn’t before. A few weeks ago I met this guy in London. He’s amazing! We’d go out every day and he’d take me to some great places. He made me feel special and I got over Sam, the boy in America, and found myself loving Malcolm, the new guy, instead,” Mercedes paused.
Nina smiled, “well that’s good isn’t it?”
“It was but up until a few days ago I’d heard nothing from Sam since leaving for England. He called me a couple of days ago and told me he loved me and said he wanted to be with me. But now I love Malcolm!” Mercedes liked having to opportunity to talk this through with someone who might be able to understand.
“I see… well I think you stick with Malcolm! He loves you and from what you tell me he’s good to you! Sam might just be a little confused right now because he misses you, Malcolm seems more reliable,” Nina evaluated the situation.
“Yes, but here’s the thing I haven’t heard from Malcolm in three days when we used to be tougher nearly constantly. He hasn’t even texted me apart from once to cancel a date and there was nothing in the message other than to say he had to cancel! He couldn’t even come up with an excuse! So now I’m so confused because I’m not even sure if we’re still together or whether I can forgive him or anything! Do I go back to Sam? I wish I could tell Kurt because he would be genius in times like this but he has so much to contend with right now I really don’t want to bother him!” Mercedes took a sip of coffee, allowing Nina time to speak.
“Yeah, I can understand your confusion! I hate it when guys don’t call because you never know where you stand with them! If I were you I’d give him another couple of days, it hasn’t really been that long yet, before going round to storm his house. Sometimes you have to command a guy’s attention or they just won’t give it to you!” Nina said.
“God, I don’t even know where he lives, we always used to meet up at places! Do you think he ws just playing me?” Mercedes asked, dreading Nina’s answer.
“Did you ever have sex?” Nina asked.
“No, he would never push me, I kind of got the feeling he wasn’t ready yet,” Mercedes sighed.
“Then no I wouldn’t have said so. Look Mercedes just give him another couple of days and if he doesn’t text then we can re-evaluate. Right now it could be anything like a lost phone or a family crisis! So let’s just wait a little while longer,” Nina advised.
The two left the coffee shop fifteen minutes later after a chat about the latest celeb gossip, though Mercedes did feel better she knew the matter was far from being resolved!