July 27, 2013, 8:55 a.m.
It's a Rich Man's World: Chapter 13
T - Words: 1,294 - Last Updated: Jul 27, 2013 Story: Complete - Chapters: 13/13 - Created: Mar 08, 2013 - Updated: Jul 27, 2013 85 0 0 0 0
It had been a long time since Blaine found himself not working on a Thursday afternoon, but on this particular Thursday he found himself cuddled up on Kurt's couch, with Kurt, with daytime television making noise in the background as he focused on the feel of Kurt's fingers raking through his hair and Kurt's heartbeat where it drummed steady beneath Blaine's ear where it was pressed against Kurt's chest.
He's been fired.
It was earlier that Thursday morning that Blaine walked into the office and was called into Figgin's office immediately. This time the eyes of his coworkers, of Nick and Jeff and David, watched him as he walked into Figgin's office and shut the door behind him.
Figgins sat behind his desk and, calmly, explained to Blaine just how much damage the CCPP bankruptcy had caused and then told him that there had to be changes made within the office and they would have to let him go. And Wes too.
Blaine had little choice but to nod and accept his fate. He understood that like everyone who'd invested their money, the company had taken a risk by investing so much of their time. And in the end, this was the price they had to pay. It had been Blaine who'd been the captain of the sinking ship, wasn't it? It only made sense that we be one of those who had to go.
Santana, who had spent the previous night at Brittany's, had yet to come in for the day so, with a box of his belongings, Blaine left the office without a word to anyone. He walked out into the New York morning and headed toward the direction of the only place he wanted to be. He went to Kurt's.
Blaine had given a half-hearted smile when Kurt opened the door, barely awake, and ushered Blaine inside and immediately into his arms.
"What do I do now," Blaine eventually asked when they'd settled into the couch.
"We'll figure that out tomorrow," Kurt said instantly, 'Today we can just...be."
Blaine wondered if that was the same thing that Kurt had said to Santana the night she was fired from the restaurant. He remembered Kurt telling him that he'd learned that whenever something bad happened, it was good to just take a day to just be. And then the rest of it would work out in time.
So he told himself that there was nothing else he could do, nothing that he had to do, right away, and he could just be with Kurt. He would stay in that moment, wrapped up in the man that he loved, and who loved him, he be content to wait until tomorrow.
Well, until the door of the apartment slammed open, banging against the wall and Santana came flying into the apartment.
"You could have waited for me to tell me instead of letting Nick do it," Santana shouted, her hands on her hips, her hair stuck on her lipstick, "And I'm pretty sure he never looked me in the eye."
Blaine sat up, Kurt behind him, "I'm sorry, Santana. I just thought it would be best if I just got my stuff and left."
"Yes, without your lovely assistant."
"I talked to Figgins; you get to keep your job. You're really good at it."
"Oh, I know. I went into Figgins office and gave him a piece of my mind. You were the best damn personal investor they had in that joint and they let you go."
"It was collateral damage, Santana. There was nothing Figgins could do," Blaine explained, "Honestly I'm surprised it didn't happen sooner."
"He practically pissed himself when I went into his office."
Blaine let out a laugh, "You can be scary."
"Don't I know it," Santana said, "I should quit in protest."
"Please don't," Blaine said.
"Fine," Santana said then huffed, "I should go back. They've got me answering the telephone and calling people letting everyone know that you've been canned. But I needed to get out of there and let you know that I was mad. And to see if you were okay."
Even though she had called him her friend during the time when he and Kurt had been fighting, Blaine was still shocked to hear that Santana cared about him. He'd assumed that while Santana had wanted him and Kurt to be happy for Kurt's sake, and not really his own, this was different; this had nothing, really, to do with Kurt. And Blaine couldn't help but smile towards the woman who'd once chased him out of the apartment they were currently in, the woman who'd once tried to drive him away from Kurt, who was not standing on his side, as his friend.
Blaine reached behind him and grabbed hold of Kurt's hand, "I'll be alright."
"I have an idea," Kurt said, "What if we invited Brittany over tonight and the four of us can just hang out and have some fun. Blaine and I will make dinner."
"I suppose that could be fun," Santana said, "although it makes figuring out which couple is kicking the other out at the end of the night a little difficult."
"We'll figure it out," Kurt said then looked to Blaine," Is that alright with you?"
"Yeah," Blaine said turning so that his eyes met Kurt's, "That sounds great."
Once that was decided Santana returned to work, calling Brittany on her way out the door, while Kurt and Blaine spent a little more time wrapped in each other, forgetting about the world that existed outside the walls of the apartment, the world that held so much uncertainty, while in the world of just the two of them, there was little doubt. Blaine loved Kurt and Kurt loved Blaine and they'd built something that wasn't easily destroyed by money or jobs or their own self-doubt.
Late that night, Kurt, Blaine, Santana and Brittany were gathered around the kitchen table playing a rather intense game of Sorry! when Kurt's phone began vibrating in his pocket. Blaine watched as he glanced at the number without looking at anyone else and excused himself from the room to answer.
While Santana and Brittany took their turns, Blaine watched the opening that led into the living room for Kurt to come back while listening, not to Kurt's conversation, but for any sign that Kurt needed him to follow. Santana had just swatted his arm to bring his attention back to the game when Kurt reentered the kitchen tears in his eyes and the streaks of a few others evident on his cheeks. Blaine stood immediately, causing Santana and Brittany to turn and look at Kurt.
"I-I got it," Kurt said carefully, as if he said the words the wrong way they might break or somehow become untrue, "I got the part."
Blaine let go of a breath he'd been holding since Kurt came back to the kitchen and shouted in celebration before hurrying to gather Kurt in his arms, hugging his boyfriend tight, kissing his cheek and then his lips until he was pulled away by Santana who jumped up and down before launching herself into Kurt's arms, hugging his tightly. She mumbled something that sounded awfully like 'you did it, sweetie' into Kurt's ear and Blaine heart swelled even larger.
While Brittany kissed his cheek, Kurt reached out for Blaine's hand, lacing their fingers together, squeezing tight, while Santana grabbed the bottle of champagne they were saving for Kurt's birthday.
Blaine wasn't sure what tomorrow would bring him, but he knew that the people standing in the kitchen right now, his friends and his boyfriend, would be there with him. Ready to face whatever challenges were to come...together. And with a guarantee like that, Blaine knew that everything would be alright. For while they were poor in many ways, they were rich with a love that had built a foundation that would remain sturdy for the rest of their lives.