Oct. 4, 2014, 7 p.m.
Left Behind: Chapter 5
M - Words: 2,098 - Last Updated: Oct 04, 2014 Story: Closed - Chapters: 7/? - Created: Sep 08, 2014 - Updated: Sep 08, 2014 193 0 0 0 0
Blaine loves his bath time in his new, even if temporary home. Kurt keeps him company and they even have a bubble war that Blaine ends up winning because his new best friend doesn't want to get wet. He is also given a weird rubber duck that floats on water. He doesn't understand what's the point of it but still plays with it. It is kind of fun, he finds out.
The cat hybrid gives him products that smell like fruits. Soon Blaine learns that they don't taste like fruits at all. Kurt puts some banana smelling product on what he explains is called ‘a loofah' and gives it to him to rub himself with while the other boy leaves him for a few minutes. In the end, when Blaine is all cleaned up he feels much better. Kurt helps him treat his bruises and he hopes that they stop hurting soon.
Feeling refreshed and wearing a new set of clothes which includes comfy pants and a t-shirt Blaine follows Kurt into the kitchen. Only then and there he remembers that they were supposed to eat earlier but they didn't because of his accident. He can't believe he has forgotten about it while distracted by the bath.
In the kitchen the hybrid looks around the floor hoping for a bowl set up for him. He can't find one. They are angry after all, he thinks. At least he isn't feeling very hungry after the ice-cream; his tummy is only making occasional noises, nothing he can't handle.
“Take a seat,” Kurt says gesturing at one of the kitchen chairs and Blaine sits on it. He has never been seated on kitchen furniture before. It's nice to see everything from above. “Dad made spaghetti for lunch. I don't know what he was thinking…”
Blaine senses that Kurt is not very happy with Mr. H and wonders why. Blaine is very happy with him, the man has been very kind to him.
“I'll heat it up for a bit. Not too hot though, I know you have trouble with hot food. Hm, we'll need to work on it,” the boy keeps talking absentmindedly.
While Kurt is busy with the food Blaine inspects his hands. They are all wrinkled from water which doesn't happen often to him. He rubs his fingers together trying to decide if he likes the weird sensation or not.
Blaine looks up when he hears Kurt chuckling. The cat hybrid is looking at him and Blaine extends his hands to show him what's going on. Kurt takes his hands and brushes his thumbs over Blaine's fingertips.
“Must have kept you in the bathtub for too long, sorry,” Kurt apologises and Blaine is quick to smile at him – Kurt doesn't need to apologise. “You liked it, huh? Thought so.”
There is a loud beep that grabs Kurt's attention and he lets go of Blaine's hands. The dog hybrid tries not to feel sad about losing the contact.
“My dad has already eaten while we were in the bathroom, so it's just the two of us,” Kurt says placing two plates on the table, one in front of Blaine and one in front of where he sits next. “Bon appétit.”
Blaine looks at his plate. He is given food, his friends are not angry! He is about to dig in when he notices the fork that is on the plate. He's seen how humans use it so he takes it in his fist and tries to grab a bite of spaghetti. He almost succeeds but as soon as he gets the fork up to his face the piece falls back into the plate. Blaine stares angrily at the annoying spaghetti piece. He tries again and then same happens. Next time he growls at his food trying to intimidate it but it doesn't work either. Unhappy, Blaine places his fork back onto the plate. He doesn't like spaghetti.
Kurt notices his struggle and rushes to aid him. “Blaine, look at me,” he says and Blaine complies. Kurt stabs the spaghetti with his fork, twirls it in his fingers, and when he raises it there is a lot of spaghetti secured on it. “It's easy. Try it.”
Blaine tries. He feels ashamed for using both hands but one hand just doesn't do the job. Maybe in the future he can get smart enough to eat properly.
They eat in silence until a slurping sound breaks it. Blaine blushes when he realises it's his doing. He knows it's impolite to slurp. But it doesn't seem to faze Kurt for some reason.
“Watch this,” he says and takes the end of a long piece of spaghetti into his mouth and sucks it all in with a loud noise. He smiles with his sauce covered lips. “Your turn, try it.”
Blaine can't say no to Kurt so he tries. He can't believe it but it is not only fun but the food also tastes better. They end up slurping the rest of their spaghetti just like that, forks forgotten.
“I think I know why dad made spaghetti out of all the meals he could cook,” Kurt says wiping the sauce off his face.
After they finish eating Kurt washes the dishes with Blaine's assistance and they go into Kurt's bedroom. Blaine is happy to find out that there is no unpleasant smell in the room.
Kurt tells him to sit on the bed and soon joins him with a pen and a notebook in his hands. “Okay, so this is our first lesson. I thought I would keep a track of all the words you learn.”
Blaine tries to concentrate on the other hybrid's words but he is too distracted by his hurting tummy. He was fine while he was eating but as soon as he finished he got this weird feeling inside his tummy and it got all round. Blaine rubs its over his clothes trying to lessen the pain.
“Blaine, you still with me?” Kurt asks. The hybrid opens his mouth to bark affirmatively but all that comes out is a belch. “Such a gentleman,” Kurt laughs.
Blaine's tummy feels a little bit better after the gas left his mouth and it's just enough for him to finally be able to give Kurt his full attention.
“Let's try… What's your name?”
Blaine frowns. Kurt has just said his name then why is he asking again? It wouldn't be nice of him to forget his name when Blaine remembers his.
Kurt points at himself. “Kurt,” he says slowly, then points at Blaine. “Blaine.”
Okay, so Kurt remembers his name… Now what?
Kurt repeats his motions but this time when he points at Blaine he stays silent, looking pointedly at him. “What's your name?” he adds when nothing comes out of the hybrid's mouth.
It seems important to Kurt so the dog hybrid stops questioning it. “Bl-Blaine,” he barks out.
Kurt's eyes light up for some reason. “Well done! Let's try again. Kurt,” he says pointing at himself and then points at Blaine.
“Bl-Blaine!”
“Wonderful. Now let's change things up a little. Blaine,” Kurt says pointing at him and then points at himself, waiting.
Blaine knows what he is supposed to say, he knows what Kurt expects. But he doesn't understand how Kurt hasn't figured out yet that he can't speak. “Bl-Blaine,” he barks hesitantly. It's not what's expected of him but it's the only thing he can say. He's never felt this bad about not being able to speak human.
It must be showing because Kurt's face soon turns sympathetic. “I'm sorry, I was being stupid, we need to start with something easier,” he says and thinks for a moment. “We can start with ‘mom', it's one of the most common words that toddlers learn first. Repeat after me – mom,” he says slowly.
Blaine knows that Sebastian has a mom but he doesn't know what she has to do with this.
“No? Nothing?” Kurt tries to not look disappointed but fails. “I'll think of something.”
While the hybrid says nothing Blaine plays with the hem of his t-shirt, deep in his thoughts. While he has been treated very nicely by Kurt and Mr. H he can't help but think that his life with Sebastian was simpler. He knew what was expected of him while here everything is a surprise. Nobody bothered to get him to speak so he didn't have to feel like a failure all the time. He knew his old house and here he couldn't even go to the bathroom to take care of himself.
“Aha, I've got it!” Kurt says excitedly and starts laughing really loudly. Blaine tilts his head worried about his friend's sanity. “Come on, laugh with me,” the hybrid encourages him and Blaine feels a strange pull. Kurt's laughter is so contagious that he can't not laugh even with the dark thoughts clouding his mind.
Blaine laughs with Kurt not knowing what's so funny and it's the only sound until the cat hybrid speaks again. “Now slower. Ha-ha-ha-ha,” he goes back to laughing. Blaine mimics his slow laughter. “Now, let's take turns. Ha-ha,” Kurt says pointing a finger at himself and then at Blaine.
“Ha-ha!” Blaine laughs.
“Ha-ha!” Kurt repeats. And then Blaine follows. “Hi!” Kurt laughs in a weird way.
“Hi!” Blaine repeats. He has never heard anyone laughing like that before.
“Hi!” Kurt beams and smiles even wider when Blaine repeats it. “Blaine, do you know what you just did?”
Yes, he has just laughed.
“You learned to say ‘hi'! Now you know two words!”
Blaine looks dumbly at Kurt. “Hi,” he says again and finally he understands why it sounds weird as laughter. It's because he is used to hearing it in other situations. “Hi,” he says again.
He looks up at Kurt and feels tears gathering in his eyes. He is speaking. He is using real human words. He is not useless! He can go up to anyone and greet them. Nobody will ever be able to say ‘this is Blaine, he can't speak' because now he can.
Not able to contain his gratitude Blaine throws himself at Kurt and tackles him onto the bed. He starts licking his neck and cheek to show him just how grateful he is. Kurt tastes like heaven.
“Mm, Blaine, stop it,” the hybrid laughs pushing against his chest. Blaine whines when he can no longer reach Kurt's neck. “Hello.”
“Hi,” Blaine says proudly. They are communicating using real language! He can't wait to learn more words.
Blaine crawls off of Kurt and sits back again. He helps the other hybrid to sit up and watches as he writes something in his notebook. When he shows it to Blaine he can see two words written there. Maybe when he learns to speak Kurt will teach him how to read.
“So we have ‘Blaine' and ‘hi'. I think we are doing very well so far,” Kurt says checking his watch. “Only took you seven minutes or so. At this pace you will soon be speaking better than me.”
They spend twenty more minutes on the lesson but Blaine is too excited to concentrate on new words that Kurt tries to teach him. He wants to learn more but it's just impossible to focus when all he can think about is how he is going to start greeting everyone he sees.
Kurt gives up on the lesson and offers to go celebrate by drinking some juice. Blaine does feel thirsty after speaking so much so he is glad to go downstairs and into the kitchen. Mr. H is there reading something and he looks up when they enter.
“Hey, boys,” he says.
“Hi!” Blaine responds loudly watching the human's surprised face.
“What? I thought Blaine only knew how to say his name,” the man says.
“He just learned to say ‘hi',” Kurt says looking proudly at Blaine. “He is a fast learner,” he praises him softly.
“Well done,” Burt looks impressed by that.
“Thank you. We are here to get some juice, do you want some?” Kurt asks when he opens the fridge.
“No, I'm fine,” Mr. H says pressing some buttons on a small device. “I found this one missing hybrid ad in the newspaper. It doesn't have a photo but the description matches Blaine's appearance. It might be his family,” he says and presses the device to his ear.