Klaine Advent 2018 Day 1: Athlete

Own dimension: The beginning, pt. 1

Blaine doesn’t dread going home. He never does and he never will. Of that he’s certain. But he does dread the mood Kurt will be in. Kurt had texted him earlier today about how he failed a class. Kurt will be in a sour mood and Blaine won’t be able to fix it.

Kurt keeps assuring Blaine that it’s not his job to fix it, but Blaine is a pleaser. He wants to please people, especially Kurt.

“There’s a difference between supporting a person and fixing a person, Blaine.”

That’s what Kurt always says.

Blaine tries. He really tries. But caring (too much?) is in his nature. It’s not a bad thing, but he has the tendency to blame himself for other people’s problems and he feels a responsibility to fix them, even though the problems have nothing to do with him.

They’re both stressed. After Rachel moved to LA, it was a time of pure bliss. They finally had the loft to themselves. They could do whatever they want. They’d go out on dates and they’d have countless movie nights.

But one day, reality burst their bubble. Kurt and Blaine are still both full-time students at NYADA and it’s not easy. In fact, Blaine’s first year at NYADA is about to come to an end, and it’s been incredibly disappointing.

School causes stress. Jobs cause stress. Apart from Artie, everyone’s left New York and they feel more alone than ever. They love each other, but they need to have lives on their own.

They are annoyed. They snap at each other more often.

They’re both aware of it, but do they have the time to work it out with all the stress of school?

These thoughts float through Blaine’s head as he walks home from NYADA. He knows Kurt’s already home. He knows Kurt will snap.

Blaine knows it’s not his job to fix everything, but oh he wishes he could.

As he walks through New York, his eyes fall on an antique shop. Blaine’s always loved antique shops. He never buys anything, but he loves looking around. Since he’s in a bad mood, he could use some cheering up.

A bell rings as Blaine steps inside and an older man sitting behind the counter greets him warmly. Blaine looks around and he chats with the man.

“Excuse me, young man, but I can’t help but notice that you seem a bit upset?” the man suddenly asks.

Blaine shrugs it off. He’s not in the mood to talk about it. Let him sulk in his own misery.

The man nods, but says: “Of course, but if you need a listening ear, I’m here. The shop’s empty and you look like you could use someone who listens.”

Blaine looks around. The shop is indeed empty and it has been a while since Blaine talked. Sam is busy applying for a job at McKinley since he’s decided to become an athlete, Wes is in Thailand, Elliott has a new boyfriend… it’s been a while since Blaine’s talked about his problems.

He should talk to Kurt. But they’re never in the right mood.

“My fiancé and I are… at an impasse,” Blaine starts.

The man pulls up a chair and he motions for Blaine to sit down.

“We’re both stressed and it’s affecting our relationship. We haven’t properly talked in weeks. We keep snapping and fighting over the most useless things. It’s just not going well. But we both don’t have the time to do something about it, because we’re both full-time students.”

“Don’t you want to make time for this?” the man asks and he frowns, “If you love each other, then you should be able to make time for each other. Don’t you want this to work?”

Blaine’s eyes widen. “Oh, no, it’s not like that. It’s not that we don’t want this to work! In fact, I desperately want this to work. I mean, what’s the alternative? Me moving back home and dating, I don’t know, David Karofsky? No, sir, please don’t think we don’t want our relationship to work.”

The man nods. “Sorry, it is not my place.”

But his words do cut deep. If they love each other so much, then why haven’t they gotten the time to sit down and talk? If they love each other so much, why do they keep making excuses to put off the confrontation?

“What are you looking for, young man?” the man asks.

“Happiness,” Blaine blurts out without thinking. He feels embarrassed, but the man doesn’t seem fazed by it. In fact, it even makes him smile a little bit.

“With him?”

“Yes, obviously.”

The man’s smile widens. He gets up and says: “Excuse me for a moment!” before hurrying away. Blaine’s left speechless. Not only has he unexpectedly poured his heart to some stranger in an antique shop, but now this stranger is running around his shop like he’s looking for something.

“Oh, why is everything so cluttered?” he mutters.

Blaine watches him run away for a couple of minutes, before the man exclaims: “I got it!” He’s holding up a book.

The book is absolutely beautiful, but Blaine knows not to judge a book by its cover. The man sits down again. “Have you ever heard of this book?”

Blaine tries to see a title, but there isn't a title, and he shakes his head.

“They say that this book is there for the loved ones in need. Read this book, and find new meaning in your relationship. If the two of you can survive the stories in this book, you two can survive everything together.”

“… okay?”

“Here,” the man pushes the book in Blaine’s hands, “Have it. Free of charge.”

Blaine protests. He cannot easily accept something that seems valuable for free. Not only that, but Blaine has no idea what this man is talking about.

“Sir, I can’t-”

“You want time to fix your relationship, right?” the man cuts him off.

“Well, yes, of course.”

“Then take this chance.”

Blaine stops protesting. Instead he looks down and he takes in the beautiful cover of the book. At this point, he’s willing to believe everything if it makes his relationship better again. And if this book will have the answers, then why not try?

Blaine buys the book without a second thought.