Klaine Advent 2018 Day 10: Joke

Dimension eight: Artist

Kurt gets woken by the sound of people yelling.

Ah, New York, New York, what a wonderful town.

Kurt opens his eyes and he expects to see the curtains of his room in the loft, but instead, he sees an actual wall. This is not his bedroom.

Or maybe it is, because the design is impeccable and his taste. Kurt guesses this is his room in this dimension. He gets out of bed and he looks out of the window. He is in New York, but the view is amazing. This is not Bushwick.

He leaves the bedroom and he sees a small, but wonderful and quite luxurious studio. The light is amazing thanks to the big windows and the high ceilings. One side of the studio is liveable, with a small kitchen, a dining table with a couple of chairs, and a living room. The other side of the studio is filled with huge canvases and paint supplies.

Kurt is an artist, and a successful one. After all, what kind of artist can afford to live in this?

He’s baffled when he sees the canvases. Not to brag, but they are beautiful. (Is it even bragging, because technically, Kurt is not the one who painted them?)

There are layers and layers of differently coloured paint. It’s a mix of abstract art and surrealism, and maybe a hint of post-modernism. Kurt’s so glad he took that art class at NYADA, because if he has to be an artist for this dimension, then he cannot blow his cover.

The thick layers of paint are almost inviting in a way and Kurt reaches out to touch it- only to have his finger covered in thick paint. Kurt curses himself. The paint on the canvases are drying!

Kurt immediately takes a step back and he inspects the damage. There’s a small fingerprint in one of the paintings now and Kurt hopes that his version from this dimension will forgive him when he gets back. If he gets back.

Kurt tries not to think about the other versions of him, because it would mess with his mind, but sometimes he does wonder if him being in these different dimensions has any impact on the dimensions. This is one of those times where he can’t help but feel bad for the Kurt of this dimension, because suddenly, this other guy takes over his life.

A phone starts ringing, so Kurt doesn’t have the time to dwell on it.

It’s Quinn.

“Hello?” Kurt says.

“Oh God, you’re awake,” Quinn sounds stressed, “Kurt, where the hell are you?”

“I- uh, I just woke up.”

“You just woke up?!” Quinn yells, “Kurt, did you oversleep? Your exhibition at Gilbert’s Art Studio starts in two hours and we still have to set things up. You better get your ass over here fast before Santana decides to drag you out of your home.”

“And I will!” Kurt hears Santana.

“Shit, uh, I will be right there!” Kurt says back.

“Are you okay?” Quinn asks.

Kurt nods, but then he realises Quinn can’t see him, so he says: “Yes, don’t worry.”

It is silent for a while, but then Quinn says: “I always do.”

After a quick Google search, Kurt hopped on the train that would take him to Gilbert’s Art Studio. His quick Google search gave him the information he needs: Kurt is a hot and upcoming artist who specialises in oil and acrylic paint. Gilbert’s Art Studio is a mix between an exhibition hall and an art shop, and it hosts high profile artists.

Kurt is one of those.

He’s incredibly nervous. Kurt does know some things about art. After all, he took that class, but he is not an artist, and now he has to go to his own exhibition where people will ask him questions about his own art. Is this some kind of joke?

Great.

He gets off the train and it’s a short walk to Gilbert’s Art Studio. Brittany is waiting outside.

“There you are!” she ushers him inside, “We’ve already started with the finishing touches. After all, it’s all been set up. Are you ready?”

Kurt looks around in awe. Did he, or a version of him, make all of this? There are flyers lying around and Kurt picks one up. His exhibition is about loneliness of adolescents.

Kurt decides to look closer and he feels a pang of sadness when he sees how much his paintings radiate sadness and loneliness. Art comes from somewhere and Kurt suddenly feels really sorry for the Kurt of this dimension.

Santana slaps him on the shoulder. “Hey, we might need some washi tape. Are you willing to walk 16 whole feet to the art store part of the building to buy some washi tape?”

Kurt nods and he walks the 16 whole feet to the art store part. The art store is huge, and the woman behind the counter knows Kurt’s name. Kurt can’t ask her where to find the washi tape, because that would look weird. After all, Kurt’s supposed to know this shop.

So Kurt starts walking around. There are a lot of art supplies for all sort of art: calligraphy, painting, drawing, sculpting, and many more. There’s also a section of the store filled with books on art history and ‘how-to-draw’ books for beginners. Maybe he should buy one of those when he gets back home in his dimension. He does love art.

He finally finds the washi tape and he buys a couple of rolls. He goes back to his exhibition and he hands them over to Santana.

“I only need one,” she says, so she returns the other three rolls to Kurt.

“Are you ready?” Quinn asks Kurt.

Kurt nods. He hopes Quinn believes him.

The exhibition is a success. It’s opening night and it’s crowded. The New Directions are also there. Some even flew to New York for this. His dad and Carole flew in as well. Kurt’s missed them, since they haven’t seen each other since the Pokémon dimension, and even though they aren’t really his parents, it’s nice to see them.

Kurt’s surprised by how much he enjoys it. Sure, him giving a speech was a bit awkward, since he absolutely knows nothing of the progression of these artworks, but Kurt’s an actor and improvisation is his friends. Besides, artists are a bit weird, so the crowd buys Kurt’s weirdness.

The only downside is that he can’t go and look for Blaine. Blaine isn’t in the crowd.

He gets home after midnight and he promises himself to go looking for Blaine the day after.

Kurt has no leads.

After all, New York is huge and this time he can’t rely on supernatural skills to find Blaine. In this dimension, Kurt’s just an ordinary human being. He doesn’t even know if Blaine’s in New York.

He can feel the stress building. He’s had to spend the night in this dimension and he doesn’t like it. He still wants to go home as soon as possible.

In order to distract himself, he goes to his own exhibition. He knows that sometimes artists just mindlessly stare at their own work when they need distraction. When he arrives at Gilbert’s Art Studio, he decides to make a detour. He now has time to check out the art tutorial books. He writes down the titles on a notepad. He can put the notepad in Blaine’s bag so that they make it home.

He’s walking through the aisles when he sees the one book is not like the others.

It’s the book from the antique shop. Kurt doesn’t hesitate. He takes it with him to the counter to buy it. Unfortunately, the price is steep, but Kurt doesn’t care. Besides, in this dimension, he has enough money. Hopefully, the Kurt from this dimension will forgive him.

Kurt takes the book with him to his exhibition. He feels some sense of pride when he sees that there are people admiring the art. Is it weird that he’s proud of a version of himself?

He opens the book and he smiles when he sees one of the shapes: the washi tape. That’s still in his luxurious apartment. The other shape is very easy: it’s a pencil. He’s learned from the time in the private detective dimension that a specific pencil is needed, but he hopes Blaine will have the answer to this one.

Finding the book motivates Kurt again. He suddenly has an idea.

He leaves the exhibition and he takes the train to Bushwick. Maybe Blaine’s in the loft this time.

Kurt gets off at his stop and he walks towards the loft, book still in hand. He passes a couple of stores, including an art store. At first, Kurt walks past it without caring. After all, he has a mission.

But then he realises that someone has hung a drawing on the store window and not just any drawing, oh no, it’s a drawing of him.

Kurt walks back to the store and he looks at the drawing. It is absolutely stunning. It’s a very detailed pencil drawing of a portrait of Kurt. Underneath, a sentence is written: Kurt, I am here! x B

Kurt immediately enters the small art store and Blaine is standing behind the counter. He looks different in this dimension. His curls are loose and his wardrobe can be described as hipster. Kurt starts laughing the moment he sees Blaine, which alerts Blaine.

“Kurt!” he says and his face lights up.

“Blaine, you’re a hipster artist!” Kurt laughs.

Blaine starts laughing as well. “I guess I am. But you found me!”

Kurt nods towards the store window. “I saw your drawing. Who made it?”

Blaine turns a bit red. “I did.”

Kurt’s eyes widen. “You did? But I thought we didn’t ‘inherit’ the skills from the our versions of the dimensions?”

Blaine turns even redder. “I’ve always been great at drawing, Kurt. I just don’t draw that often. I’m good at it, but it’s not a hobby.”

Kurt almost drops the book in shock. How come Blaine never showed Kurt any of this?

Blaine’s eyes land on the book. “Oh, you got the book! Have you figured out-”

“Yes,” Kurt says. Since there’s no one else in the store, Kurt opens the book and he hands it to Blaine. “I have washi tape in my apartment. Does the pencil mean anything to you?”

“Definitely,” Blaine says as he scans the page, “It’s probably the pencil I used to draw that portrait. I have it with me.”

Blaine has his bag hidden underneath the counter, and he takes the pencil out of it. He puts it on the page and it disappears.

“Okay, now we need your tape.”

“Like I said, it’s in my apartment. Let’s go.”

But Blaine shakes his head. “Uhm, I kind of have a job? And it looks like the version of this Blaine needs it. That’s why I haven’t actively searched for you. Tomorrow’s my day off, but for now, I need to stay till 5.”

Kurt can wait.

“Wow. This is where you live?” Blaine looks around in awe. His awe becomes even more apparent when he sees the canvases with the drying oil paint. “Did you make these?”

“The me from this dimension did, yes,” Kurt says. He puts the book on the dining table and he takes the washi tape out of a drawer in the kitchen.

“Man, I currently live in a dump. The Blaine from this dimension is the stereotype of a struggling artist,” Blaine says, “Wow, look at those windows. Kurt from this dimension is the stereotype of a successful artist.”

“But the art from the Blaine from this dimension is stunning,” Kurt says.

In the store, Blaine had shown Kurt an art pad filled with pencil drawings, watercolour and gouache paintings, and charcoal sketches. There were a lot of sunflowers. It is so beautiful, they were almost tempted to take it with them in Blaine’s bag, together with Kurt’s book titles, but they don’t want to steal the work of this Blaine. He’s obviously put a lot of time and effort in it.

Instead, they decided to take Kurt’s portrait with them. It’s made by a different Blaine, but it’s just as beautiful.

Blaine pouts. “Art is hard.”

He takes the art pad out of his bag and he puts it next to the canvases.

“My address is in it. Maybe the Kurt from this world can return it and also give him some recognition,” he says.

“Hopefully, they’ll fall in love.”

Blaine sighs deeply. “That’s one of the weirdest parts of this dimension hopping. I expected us to be together in every one of them, but we’re not. So far, we’re either unfamiliar with each other, or we’re rivals. Another reason to get home as soon as possible.”

“Exactly!” Kurt says.

Blaine’s words do hit him. Why aren’t they in love in every dimension? Kurt just hopes that all the versions of him will eventually fall in love with their Blaines.

They have to continue, so Kurt puts the washi tape on the page. It disappears and it reappears as an image, next to the image of Blaine’s HB pencil. Kurt turns the page to see the new word.

“This looks fun,” Blaine says happily.

It says ‘superhero’.