Chapter 3. Catching Up.

After two hours of catching up, Kurt and Dave headed out to lunch.
“I wonder where Blaine got to.” said Dave, as he and Kurt got into his car.
Kurt shrugged.
“He's been so distant lately. It's like I hardly know what's going on anymore. Just last night he-” Kurt choked. “He... Uh.. I can't. Can we go please?”
“Of course. I've missed you so much Kurt. McKinley's not the same without you. I swear, it's colourless now.”
“It can't be that bad, surely.”
“Oh, but it is.” Dave said seriously.
Kurt laughed.
“So how is everyone?” he asked.
“I don't always see them, but I know Puck's fine, Mike's great, Artie's.. Still dating Brittany, Quinn and Finn are back together-”
“Say what?”
“Oh yeah. Tina's fine, and, oh. Guess what?”
“What could be more surprising than Quinn and Finn?” Kurt grinned.
“Mercedes and Sam.”
Kurt gaped at Dave.
“No way!”
Dave nodded.
“It's true. They're so happy, it's great.”
Kurt frowned.
“I wonder why she didn't tell me. You know, she hasn't really been in contact for ages.”
“They all think you're super busy with the Warbler stuff and all that. Santana told me. She's actually changed quite a bit. She's really nice now.”
“Ah, yes. And how is my lovely friend Satan?”
Dave laughed.
“She's back with Puck.”
“Good for her!”

“Is that proof enough?” Sebastian asked, breathing hard.
Blaine wiped his sweaty forehead.
“Oh yeah.” he grinned.
Sebastian ran a hand through Blaine's now unruly hair.
“God, I missed this.” Blaine sighed against Sebastian's bare chest.
Sebastian laughed.
“You aren't the only one, believe me.”
Blaine rolled over, facing Sebastian.
“I'm going for a shower.” he whispered, making Sebastian shiver.
Blaine stood and walked to the bathroom.
“That shower's big enough for two you know!” Sebastian called after Blaine.
“Then what are you waiting for?” Blaine called back.
Sebastian didn't need to be asked twice.

“Thank you so much, Dave. Lunch was amazing.”
“Nothing's too good for you, Hummel.”
Kurt blushed.
“There it is! At least I can still make you blush! You have no idea how much I've missed this, really.”
Kurt put a hand to Dave's cheek.
“Why don't you transfer to Dalton?”
Dave shrugged.
“I guess I never thought about it.”
“Maybe you should consider.”
“Maybe I should.” Dave grinned.

“Ok, one more step- open!” exclaimed Sebastian.
“Oh, my God.” breathed Blaine. “It's beautiful!”
“All for you, babe,” grinned Sebastian.
Sebastian had taken Blaine to an amazing beach house as a surprise.
“How the hell did you even pay for this, Seb? It's so gorgeous I feel like we shouldn't be here!”
“It's mine now.” Sebastian shrugged. “This was my 16th birthday present from my parents.”
He tossed the key to Blaine.
“You go inside, I'll get the bags.”
Blaine walked (rather slowly,) up to the porch.
He unlocked the door and went inside.
There was a staircase straight away to his left, and a huge lounge looking out the window (which was more a wall of glass) to the shoreline of the beach.
The enormous windows let a lot of light into the white place, and the furniture was either light blue or black.
Wandering into the modern kitchen, Blaine's stomach rumbled, and he realised he hadn't eaten properly all day. The kitchen was quite huge, like the rest of the house, Blaine supposed, and the cupboards, pantry and fridge were all absolutely stocked with food, so much that Finn could live there for a week and there'd still be leftovers. There was a brief pain in Blaine's chest as he thought of that, Finn was Kurt's brother. Kurt. Somehow, it felt wrong to be here, with Sebastian..
But Kurt was with Dave, and Blaine needed to move on.
Blaine grabbed two muffins and an apple juice, (Minute Maid, mind you.) seated himself on the white bench, and began eating, his legs swinging back and forth like a child.
He finished the first muffin quickly, and reached for the apple juice.
Blaine took a gulp, then put the bottle back on the bench, going for the second muffin.
In a matter of seconds, the muffin and the rest of the juice had been demolished.
He looked at the doorway then, to see Sebastian grinning at him, dressed in board shorts and a white singlet.
“Up for a swim?”
“Hell yes.” Blaine laughed, jumping off the bench.
Sebastian directed him up the stairs to the massive bedroom, where Blaine quickly got changed into his own swimmers.
He then walked into the connected bathroom, where he found coconut scented sunscreen.
Blaine raced back downstairs.
“Take your singlet off.” he instructed Sebastian.
Raising an eyebrow, Sebastian obeyed, pulling off the singlet in one swift movement.
Blaine walked behind Sebastian, and proceeded to drench Sebastian's back and shoulders in sunscreen.
He heard Sebastian's laugh, to which he replied: “Safety first.”
He handed Sebastian the bottle and started lathering the stuff on his own body.
Sebastian finished off his chest, arms and face, then rubbing it on Blaine's back.
When he finished, Blaine turned around.
“Race you!” he grinned.

“I've got 'Singin' in the Rain', 'Die Hard', 'The Simpsons Movie', 'The Wedding Singer', or 'When Harry Met Sally'.” Dave said, going through a pile of dvd's.
“The rest are Azimio's which are mostly stupid swearing, and Puck's, which, are.. Inappropriate.”
Kurt hesitated. He thought of how he had once compared he and Blaine's relationship to 'When Harry Met Sally', at that time he was hoping he would indeed end up with Blaine. But he was with Dave now, and that had changed everything- right?
“I don't need details about Puck's movies.” he laughed. “But honestly, I really don't care what we watch, Dave.”
“You sure?” Dave asked.
“Surprise me.” Kurt said, waving his hand.
Dave inserted a dvd, and went back to sit with Kurt on his bed.
The give-away hum of 'The Simpsons' made Kurt groan internally. He would have much preferred 'Singin' in the Rain', or what would've been Blaine's choice if he had brought some of his dvd's.
Even Harry Potter or Star Wars was better than The Simpsons Movie.
Still, it had been Dave's decision.
Kurt smiled at Dave nonetheless, and Dave put a protective arm round Kurt.
All this thinking about Blaine had made Dave's arm feel alien.
Some time during the movie, Dave fell asleep.
Kurt got up, turned off the dvd player and televsion, pulled the doona up over Dave, and left a note, not wanting to wake him.
Kurt called a taxi- Dave had driven Kurt everywhere today in his car- back to Dalton.
When he arrived, he paid the driver and hurried inside.
Walking back to Windsor house, he was stopped by Jeff.
“Hey Kurt, you seen Blaine?” Jeff asked.
“Is he not in the dorm?”
Jeff shook his head.
Kurt pulled out his phone and texted Blaine.
Hey, Jeff and I were wondering where you were, where are you? You okay? -K
“And now we wait.” Jeff said, as Kurt put the phone back in his pocket.

Blaine ran out the back door, jumped the railing, before running down to the beach.
He threw off his own singlet, quite like Sebastian had done before him, and ran into the water.
The first wave hit him like a wall of ice, reminding him of the water down at Broadman's.
As Blaine struggled to the surface, he gasped for air; the ice water had winded him.
He went back under and scrubbed all the gel out of his hair. It felt too unnatural, and made his head itch. Still, his hair was out of control.
Jumping back up, Blaine realised the water wasn't as cold as it had been, thank God for that.
Two strong arms encircled his waist.
“I still don't get why you bother gelling your hair.” Sebastian said.
Blaine turned to face Sebastian.
“Because, Seb, my hair is ridiculous.” Blaine said matter-of-factly.
“For the record, I think it's sexy.” Sebastian replied.
But before Blaine could grab Sebastian, he let go and dived under the water, out of Blaine's reach.
He popped up behind Blaine.
“Missed me.” he chirped, diving back down when Blaine turned.
WOOSH. A giant wave knocked both boys over, causing them to tumble along with it.
Blaine couldn't breathe, couldn't tell which way was up, or down, or right, or left.
Another wave crushed him as he tried to stand, knocking him over again.
When it passed, Blaine left the water, sat down on the beach, shaking.
All this made him remember a certain night, 2 years before, at a place called Broadman's Lookout...
He sat on the sand, head in his hands, eyes stinging as tears mixed with salt water.
“Blaine!” a voice was yelling.
“Oh my God, Blaine, are you okay?” Sebastian worried, seating himself next to Blaine.
“I'm so sorry, we shouldn't have have come here, I-”
“It's fine.” Blaine sniffed.
“Let's go inside.” Sebastian suggested, standing and offering a hand.
Blaine accepted, wiping his nose one more time with his free hand, as the pair walked back inside.

Kurt was pacing. The Warblers had been called to an emergency meet, wondering where Blaine had disappeared to.
Kurt felt somewhat responsible for his best friend's drop off the radar.
Trent, Nick, Jeff, Thad, David and Wes had all left messages on Blaine's phone, and Kurt had called 5 times.
This was the standard protocol when someone who had attempted suicide failed to turn up.
Kurt's phone rang.
Without checking caller id, he answered, not realising it was on loudspeaker.
“Blaine?”
“Kurt?”
“Blaine! Oh my God, where the hell have you been? I've been worried sick!”
“Didn't you get my note? Seb and I went away for a bit, we're coming back tomorrow night. Could you tell David he's in charge 'till then?”
At this, Jeff and Nick groaned in unison, whereas David grinned.
Kurt hissed at them to be quiet.
“Uh.. Sure thing. What note Blaine?”
Silence from Blaine's end.
“Oh.” Blaine said. “Right. About that. I never left it, I just found it in my pocket just then!”
Kurt laughed bitterly.
“So we've been here, for the past 4 hours, worrying about you, when you're on some mini-holiday with Sebastian?”
“I'm sorry Kurt, I-”
“Sorry doesn't cut it, Blaine. You could have died and we would have never known. This is bigger than you can imagine, okay? You can be so confusing sometimes, Blaine!”
“I'm confusing, am I? What was that this morning then? You staring at me while I put a shirt on like you wanted me, what the hell was that?”
“Y-you s-saw?” Kurt stuttered. The Warblers watched on with immense interest.
“Of course I did! I've only been wanting you to look at me like that for four months! But no! As soon as I come to tell you how I feel, you go make out with Karofsky!”
Sebastian loves me, Kurt. He looks at me, the way I look at you. Looked at you. So if you don't mind, I'd like to enjoy my weekend.”
“Uh... Blaine? You're on loudspeaker..” David said out loud.
“I don't care!” exclaimed Blaine. “Ok? I loved you Kurt, I really did, but now? I don't even know. I'm gonna say good night to David, and to every other Warbler in the room, and I'll see you all tomorrow.”
“But Sebastian cheated on you. Blaine. And he never even apologised.”
At this point, all Warblers turned their gazes to Logan, who quickly made his exit.
“Dave bullied the crap outta you, Kurt, you can't talk.”
“Yes, but Dave changed, Blaine. Sebastian is not capable of changing. At all.”
“Do you really think I'd take him back if he hadn't?”
“I do.”
There was a frustrated sigh from Blaine's end.
“Goodbye, Kurt. Have a good weekend guys, I'll see you tomorrow.”
The Warblers mumbled goodnight's and goodbyes.
Blaine's line went dead.
The Warblers stood, some individually, others in groups, grumbling more goodnight's to Kurt, as they each walked out awkwardly.
Kurt sat down on one of the lounges, crying silently.

Blaine lay face-down on the bed.
“Dinner!” called Sebastian, from the kitchen.
Blaine groaned, he had lost his appetite for the second time that day.
When he didn't answer, Sebastian came upstairs.
“Blaine? Dinner's ready.”
“Not hungry.” Blaine mumbled into the pillow.
“But you where whining about how hungry you were not 15 minutes ago?”
“I'm going to sleep.”
Sebastian walked to where Blaine lay.
“What's wrong?”
Blaine explained to Sebastian all about the phone call.
“But don't worry. I'm fine, just bummed out.” Blaine finished.
“Okay. If you get hungry later, give me a yell and I'll make you something.” Sebastian said, leaning down to kiss Blaine's neck before leaving.
Blaine sat up, walked from the bed to where his guitar sat. He closed the door, went back to the bed, sat, with the guitar on his lap, strumming chords at random.
He didn't need a specific song, they just came to his mind.
This was what he did whenever he was angry, sad, or just plain upset, and, like boxing, it worked.

Blaine lay face-down on the bed.
“Dinner!” called Sebastian, from the kitchen.
Blaine groaned, he had lost his appetite for the second time that day.
When he didn't answer, Sebastian came upstairs.
“Blaine? Dinner's ready.”
“Not hungry.” Blaine mumbled into the pillow.
“But you where whining about how hungry you were not 15 minutes ago?”
“I'm going to sleep.”
Sebastian walked to where Blaine lay.
“What's wrong?”
Blaine explained to Sebastian all about the phone call.
“But don't worry. I'm fine, just bummed out.” Blaine finished.
“Okay. If you get hungry later, give me a yell and I'll make you something.” Sebastian said, leaning down to kiss Blaine's neck before leaving.
Blaine sat up, walked from the bed to where his guitar sat. He closed the door, went back to the bed, sat, with the guitar on his lap, strumming chords at random.
He didn't need a specific song, they just came to his mind.
This was what he did whenever he was angry, sad, or just plain upset, and, like boxing, it worked.

“Remember that time?
When you wouldn't talk to me?
You wouldn't talk to me
All night
Remember that song?
And all the words we'd sing?
Well here's a song I sing
All right

Remember that way?
How you'd never lie to me
'Cause you'd never lie to me

No way
I know you could be better
Don't have to waste my time
It's not like I need you more than
I need me and mine

But I know that you want it
Trying to get you on it
Baby we could fuck the rights
Turn around and wrong it

Spare me your convictions
The promises you keep
I've got a better proposition
And the friction that you need

Don't you tell me that
You don't want to
Don't you tell me that
You don't want to

Oh, don't you tell me no
'Cause there you go again
You're ten out of ten
I'm sorry d-did I just s-stutter?

Won't tell you what you know
But this is the end
You were never my friend
You were never my-
You were never my lover!”

Blaine opened his eyes, as he finished the song, to applause.
For the second time that say, Sebastian stood in the doorway, grinning.
“Oh.. I.. Uh.. Didn't think you'd be able to hear me.”
“That was fantastic.”
Blaine blushed.
“I'm not as good as you...”
“You're right. You're better.”
Blaine shook his head modestly.
“It's just what I do to cool off.” he shrugged.
“And it helps?”
Blaine nodded.
Sebastian smiled, and went back downstairs.
Blaine got up and walked to the bathroom. He walked to the sink and mirror, and washed his face, then looked at his watch.
8:30.
Back at Dalton, right about now, Kurt would have just finished his moisturising routine.
Blaine decided to call Kurt and apologise. It was the right thing to do- wasn't it?
He locked the bathroom door, sat on the bathtub's edge, dialled Kurt's number and waited.

After the third ring, Kurt picked up.
“Hello Blaine.”
“Kurt, hi. I'm so sorry about before, I was upset, and said things I shouldn't have. I'll believe you if you say Dave's changed. I know that apologising over the phone doesn't even begin to make it up, but I promise tomorrow I'll re-apologise. I've dragged you into so much over the years, and it was unfair to treat you that way. So-”
“Blaine, don't you dare apologise.” Kurt said thickly. “I should be saying sorry. I know you wouldn't get back with Sebastian if he wasn't any different. And I want you to drag me into these things. I can't stand the thought of you feeling alone. Have fun tonight, Blaine, see you tomorrow.”
“Bye!” Blaine replied. “Oh and Kurt?”
“Yes Blaine?”
I love you.
“Nothing. Just, goodnight.”
“Goodnight.”
I love you.
Blaine hung up, looking at the ground.
What was his problem? Why couldn't he get over Kurt?

Kurt looked at his phone.
He had almost told Blaine he loved him! He hadn't even said it to Dave!
Suddenly, his phone buzzed.
Kurt's heart leaped into his throat, thinking it was Blaine.
Hey Kurt, how are you? -M

Kurt gaped. It was Mercedes!
Oh my gosh, Mercedes! I was just thinking about you today! I'm.. Not too bad, I suppose, how about you? -K

Haha, been a while! What's the problem? I'm wonderful. Faaaantastic. :) -M

Problem? No problem. Okay, there might be a problem. I heard about Sam, that's amazing! -K

Okay, Kurt stop right there. Sam is amazing, but do not change the subject. You said problem. Deets. Now. -M

Honestly, it'll be fine. I got to catch up with Dave today! -K

Oh.. That's.. Great, Kurt, really. -M

Kurt frowned. What was that supposed to mean?

Do you not like Dave? -K

Kurt waited.

No, it's just, well, I think you could do better. Like Blaine! He's adorable, I like Blaine. -M

He scoffed. What was everyone's problem with Dave? Why couldn't they accept him?
Kurt was too angry to reply, but a tiny part of him agreed.
He exited the message, tapped the iPod icon, and scrolled to his Wicked playlist, plugged his headphones in, and grabbed one of Blaine's Harry Potter books from the shelf, beginning to read it.
A certain boy with liquid gold eyes and dark curly hair zoomed around on a firebolt in Kurt's mind, in place of Harry Potter.