Chapter 9: Simpler Times

"Hey, Kurt," the pale boy turned around when he heard his name. "Do you mind if I add some personal decoration to our room?" Sebastian was holding the picture side of a picture frame against his chest.

"Sure, what is it?" Kurt had an idea for what is was, but he did not want to say it.

Sebastian smiled at his roommate's question. "That is a good question to ask. I don't want any more confusion. This can, after all, be rather confusing." The taller boy turned the picture frame around, confirming Kurt's suspicion. "This is my family photo, taken a year ago." A well-dressed family of four setting next to a grand marble fireplace caught Kurt's attention. "In case the picture doesn't do me justice, here is yours truly." Sebastian pointed to himself. Next to the cocky smile and false good-boy innocence, was a beautiful women with judgment in her eyes. "This lovely woman," Sebastian pointed at the woman dressed in red, "is my mother. And this handsome fellow," the finger pointing to the woman slid against the glass and stopped on top of a man who strikingly resembled Blaine, "is my step-father." A hot shade of red consumed Kurt's cheeks. "My mother married this man and together they gave me myhalf-brother,this young man." Sebastian's index finger moved along the glass and stopped at Blaine. "This is Blaine, myhalf-brother.And I," Sebastian pointed back to himself in the picture, "am Blaine'shalf-brother."

"I got it." Kurt grumbled and began to turn back to his open textbook.

"I'm not so sure you do." Sebastian then repeated his story. However all Kurt heard was "half-brother" being repeated over and over again.

"I understand now," Kurt huffed, "you and Blaine are distant non-blood related cousins." Sebastian frantically shook his head, but before he had the chance to say anything. "Oops, I meant to say neighbors...no...is one of you a foreign exchange student, or a paper boy who was at the wrong place at the wrong time...." Kurt could have continued, but decided to spare his roommate.

Sebastian did an obvious fake laugh, "I know you are joking right now, but I need you to be serious..." Kurt could not help but to laugh at his ridiculousness roommate.

"...You two arehalf-brothers..."

"Perfect."

"...Half-brothers,who behave like their dating and easy for someone else to confuse as high school sweethearts." Kurt replied in his most sarcastic tone.

"I'm going to pretend I did not hear that last part." Sebastian clapped his hands. "Okay, well, now just help to keep your memory fresh," Sebastian positioned the picture frame on top of his night stand and pointed it directly to Kurt's side of the room. "I'm going to keep it right here. If you ever have any questions or you find yourself confused, just look over here or ask me personally."

"Okay." Kurt turned around. Even with his back against Sebastian, he could tell that his roommate was doing his notorious cocky grin.

"Now that we got all that confusion out of the way," Sebastian stretched his arms over his head. "How about we do, what you so actively promoted me and myhalf-brotherto do?"

Kurt was thankful that his back was turned and his hands were on either side of a textbook. "I'm trying to study." The boy simply answered.

"There you did it again." Sebastian loudly accused, causing Kurt to quickly spin around in his chair. "Kurt, you seem smart, but I do worry about you." The pale boy's perfect eyebrows shot up at the other's boy's insult. "Do I need to repeat my family photo again to you?"

"Please don't," Kurt nearly shouted.

"Okay, then, now, I'll make it simple for you," Sebastian teased. "I'm asking you if you want to join with me on a plus or minus date." The taller boy spoke slowly, grinning when Kurt frowned at him. "Would you like to join with me on a plus or minus date?"

Kurt stared at his roommate silently. "I'm probably going to regret asking this, but what is a plus or minus date? Is that a double date or a date where someone gets stood up? Or is it a situation where you will go somewhere with or without me?" Kurt riddled.

Sebastian slightly picked up his picture frame. "Honestly, your intelligence worries me, Kurt. One more time, me" Sebastian pointed to himself and then to Blaine, "half-brother."The taller boy set the frame back on the table and then set himself on the bottom corner of Kurt's bed. "Now, Kurt lets break down this question. I asked you to 'join with me on a plus or minus date.' The question is quite literal. We can join-up, or hook-up, without or without a date. Normally I prefer a minus date, but there are always exceptions for the extra hot guys." Kurt cringed at the bluntness in his roommate. "Oh, I see that worry in your eyes." Sebastian smirked and scooted a little more into the center of Kurt's bed. "I would classify you as an exception."

"Sebastian," Kurt began.

"I thought we agreed that you would call me Bas?"

"Fine,Bas," Kurt warned. "I don't like people on my bed, so get off."

"What was that?" Sebastian asked plainly with wide eyes. "All I heard you say was 'bed' and 'get off.'"

"What is wrong with your brain? Please, stop being disgusting." Kurt complained, not angrily, just tired. "We're friends and I want to stay friends with you. Could you please not make this awkward?"

The older boy ignored his roommate and rested his head against Kurt's pillow. "Awkward? There is nothing wrong with wanting me, Kurt. Most people do." Kurt remained silent and cautiously watched Sebastian finger tips tap on his shirt covered abs. "Do you ever take care of your own needs? You were fine with me and Blaine hooking-up, but when I offer you a hand, figuratively and literally, you turn me down. Why?" The sound of Kurt's desk chair stretched against the wooden floor. Sebastian closed his eyes and hoped that he looked undeniable. He has after all, gotten some boys to bend over for him with less effort than this. "You don't know what you're missing out on. I could be a great first time and mentor." Sebastian stopped talking when he heard loud banging sound, which caused him to snap his eyes open. "What was that?"

When Sebastian opened his eyes he saw Kurt standing next to the door with one of Sebastian's shoes against the wall. "What are you doing? Here I am, offering you my body and you're slamming shoes to the wall? Is that how you get your kicks or is this some sort of kink I don't know about?"

Kurt slowly turned the shoe around and looked at the bottom of it. "Don't worry, I got him."

"I don't follow?" Sebastian whined. "I'm over here. You don't have him." Sebastian pointed at his pants.

"Not you, you moron," Kurt teased. "There was a spider on the wall..." Sebastian stumbled out of Kurt's bed and accidently fell on the floor. "What is wrong?"

"There was a what?" The green eye boy demanded while scanning the wall for more spiders. "A spider, where was there a spider? How big was it? What color was it?" Sebastian race to his wardrobe and swung the doors opened. "Talk, speak, what did the spider look like?" Kurt felt like his voice was caught in his throat. He had never seen someone this scared before. "Where is my bug spray? Why don't I have bug spray?" The taller boy was on his knees and irrationally pouring the contents of his toiletry tote on the floor.

"Why would there be bug spray in your tote?" Kurt lightly tossed Sebastian's shoe to the floor.

"Don't do that!" Sebastian screamed and crawled on his knees to the fallen shoe. "That shoe has been compromised. Why did you use my shoe? Why didn't you use one of your thirty pairs?"

"Your shoe was just setting their and I didn't want the spider to get away." Kurt cried. Sebastian nervousness was starting to rub off on him.

"How fast was it?" Sebastian did not waste a second to ask. "Where are my tissues?"

Still on his knees Sebastian crawled to his nightstand and pulled out several contents. The tissue box was the only item Kurt paid attention to. Kurt chose not to question the original intention behind the tissue box or what else what in the drawer."Sebastian, it's okay. The spider is gone. It can'thurtyou now." Kurt was now fully smiling. "Had I known you would have gotten this work up on a spider, I would have kept it around longer."

Sebastian stopped scrubbing his shoe, "You can't talk that way. I avoid spiders when they are outside, but once it is inside my room the rules change."

Kurt bit his lip and tried with all his strength not to laugh. If Sebastian wants to tease him, then so be it. Two people can play this game. "It was a pretty big spider." Sebastian huffed, but kept listening. "They say female spiders tend to be larger than males..."

The pale boy did not need to finish his story before the message was received. "What if she laid eggs? What if there are baby spiders running around? Were spiders the only things having sex in this room?"

Kurt casually shrugged his shoulders. "Spiders mate for life. I wouldn't be surprised if there is an angry husband crawling around on its eight long legs planning his vengeance. I bet he will find your shoe, and then follow your scent. Flash forward to one night, you are peacefully sleeping and the angry spider slowly moves up the bedpost," Kurt motioned a crawling spider with his fingers, "and lightly crawls on your skin. At first you will think it is just a tickle, but when you figure it out...it will be too late." Kurt clapped his hands and finished with gloom in his voice.

Sebastian turned white. "It is finial. We are not sleeping in here tonight. We can stay somewhere else and tomorrow we will tear this room apart. We will wash our sheets, all our cloths...oh no our cloth's." Sebastian pulled his shirt over his head and frantically shook it in the air. Even with his horrified expression, Sebastian still maintained impressive abs. "I feel like there are spiders crawling all over me. I need a shower." The taller boy began to pull down his pants.

"Sebastian, no," Kurt raced to the boy and stopped the boy from undressing farther. Once Kurt hands were touching Sebastian's bare shoulders he automatically felt uncomfortable and self-conscious. He has never been this close to another half-dressed boy, let alone a worldlier boy than himself. "It is fine. The spider wasn't even that big. It probably just got lost. I wouldn't stress about it."

"That is a small spider?" Sebastian yelled. "How big is a big spider?"

"That is not what I meant. I meant to say, that we are fine. We have nothing to worry about." Blue eyes soothed to the green eyes as Kurt gently rubbed soft circles on Sebastian's bare back. "I'm sorry for scaring you more than I needed to."

The taller boy deflated his tense shoulders and nodded his head. "I just hate spiders." Kurt offered a sympathetic head nod. "We cannot sleep in this room until we get it thoroughly cleaned."

"That is ridiculous. It was only one spider. We are the big kids now." Kurt smiled and coolly shook his head. "I think we can handle this."

"I really think we should sleep somewhere else. Blaine has a big room. We can go in there."

"We are not crashing your brother's room." Kurt finalized. "I mean you can, but I'm staying right here. I'm not afraid of thebig bad spider." Kurt lowered his voice and shifted his shoulders when he said 'big bad spider.'

Sebastian shook his head. "No, if you stay in here, then that will make me look bad in front of everyone else. If we both go, then no one can judge us." Kurt stayed silent. "I'm just afraid to sleep in my bed. What if there is a spider in it?" Sebastian whined and dragged his arms to his side.

Kurt rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. "Then I will be your knight in shining armor and protect you."

"How will you protect me?" The taller boy asked and secretly sneaked his arms around the younger boy's waist.

Kurt carefully thought before he answered, "With a shoe."

"Does this mean you protect me in my bed?" Sebastian whispered into Kurt's ear.

Kurt stiffened his body and took several steps back. "What did you say?" The memory of Sebastian touching his waist was fresh on his covered skin. Slowly the pieces of the situation fell into place. "You jerk!" Kurt yelled and pushed Sebastian's onto his bed and stomped to his side of the room.

Sebastian let out a loud laugh and rested on his elbows. "Awe, I see you finally caught on?" Kurt glared at this roommate. He was not mad at his roommate. He was mainly mad at himself for falling for it. He should have known that Sebastian would make something like this up. "I'm pretty impressed with how far I got. Even you have to be impressed. I mean look." Sebastian laughed and waved his hands towards his bed, "I went through my toiletry tote, and I empty my fun-nightstand drawer. I even have a box tissues, tube of lube and free condoms just setting on my bed. If that wasn't a big enough hint. I started to undress for you. I got you to touch me-mind you it was on the back, but still. I can say it was skin on skin contact. For a minute I honestly thought this strategy would have worked." The green eyed boy grinned. "If you want to know the truth, here was my original plan." Sebastian cleared his throat and set up. "While I was talking to you I saw that spider on the wall. These spiders are common in this area, don't worry they aren't poisonous. When I saw it on the wall I assumed you would see it too. However, I figured you would have been afraid of it." Kurt huffed and rolled his eyes. "In that situation, I being a good roommate and friend would have offered you a safe place in my bed." Sebastian finished his story. "Isn't that nice of me?"

Kurt stayed silent and weighted his words carefully. "I think someone just cried wolf. Just as a fair warning. I'm pretty good with revenge."

"Oh really," Sebastian green eyes brightened. "I love games. I also love winning"

"Well, be prepared to lose this one, Mr. Smyth." Kurt challenged.

"Wow, Mr. Smyth, now that is hot. Just so you know, I never lose," Sebastian replied."And I will win you too."

"You know what?" Kurt uncrossed his arms and did a mischievous smirk. "Why don't you go sleep in yourboyfriend'sroom?"

Sebastian's smile slightly fell and he immediately corrected with complete seriousness, "step-brother."

...

Unspoken traditions have always been habits Kurt easily became accustomed to. He always ate a mint before an exam and he would commonly recite the alphabet before he would sing a song. He liked traditions, and deviating away from these traditions were not only uncomfortable it was, to a small degree, unacceptable.

With his backpack filled with textbooks and his shoes neatly tied, Kurt kept glancing at his watch. It was seven-twenty, and ten minutes from the time he would normally meet with Blaine in the student lounge and chat. The two boys never agreed to meet at that place or at that time. It just happened. However after recent events Kurt was embarrassed to see Blaine. Kurt was not too afraid to encounter with Sebastian after the misunderstanding. He knew that Sebastian mischievous personality would find it comical. Blaine, on the other hand was a different story. As far as Kurt knew, Blaine was shy, insecure and sensitive. In addition there was the matter that Kurt misused Blaine's trust. Blaine confused his love and Kurt tagged the love to the wrong person. Who Blaine was in love with still confused Kurt.

The light sound the ticking clock seemed to tease Kurt and demand an answer to the question, would he confront Blaine or not. The longer the ticking went the more obvious and answer became. Of course he needed to confront Blaine and apologize for the misunderstanding. At best Blaine would shrug it off and at worst Blaine would ignore him.

With his mind make up, Kurt grabbed his bag and left the dorm. Sebastian had already left twenty minutes before.

The walk was uneventful and it allowed Kurt the opportunity to decide what he should say to Blaine. The best option seemed to be a simple apology and brief explanation.

Kurt stepped to the lounge and his eyes immediately landed on the table he and Blaine would normally meet. It was empty. The pale boy briefly scanned the verily empty area. Blaine was nowhere to be seen. Further guilty plagued him, not only did he embarrass Blaine, he also scared him off.

One person who was there, who normally was not, was Nick.

"Hey," Kurt smiled and set his bag on the floor.

"Hi," Nick greeted. Nick waited for Kurt to get a coffee and come back before asking, "How are you?"

"Fine, do you know where Blaine is?" Kurt answered and kept looking at the entrance to the lounge area.

Nick frowned at the inquiry. "Well, he and his brother decided to pollute my morning hangout-the Dalton gardens." Kurt too frowned at the news. "I can't stand those guys. They act like they are nice, but at the end of the day, they are sly jerks."

"Are you this angry because beat you to Peter's bench?"

Nick raised his eyebrows. "What is Peter's bench?" Nick huffed. "No, this is not about the bench. It is about you and them."

Kurt was more than slightly taken aback by his cousin's words. "What?"

Obvious shame flushed Nick's cheeks. "That came out worse then I meant it to. What I mean to say is... I don't think it is a good idea for you to spend this much time with them. Blaine and Sebastian, they have a well-earned reputation for using people for their own sexual sport. I don't want to see you mixed up in that sort of crowed."

"Are you speaking from personal experience or from popular word?" The question was asked kindly.

Nick sadly bit his lip and avoided eye contact. Yes he learned the truth about Blaine and Sebastian from personal experiences. He was naïve, depressed because Jeff would never see him more than a friend, and he believed it when Blaine said losing his virginity to Sebastian would make him feel better. In hindsight Nick can see the flaws of his decision. Nick also knew he was just as much to blame for the turn of events. The truth was still something he was not ready to admit it, let alone confess it to his cousin.

"I'm just saying you need to be careful. You would be surprised if you knew how many people had to transfer because of them." Nick added his own experience, but left out the details, "and some people want to leave, but there their parents won't allow it."

"Nick," Kurt soothed his cousin. "I'm sure it is just rumor. I mean yes, Blaine and Sebastian have their off target idiosyncrasies, but they don't seem that bad."

Nick took a timid sip from his coffee and stared at his cousin. It was no secret that Kurt was good looking and carried and an air of innocence which would tag him as a worthy prize. It would be impossible for Blaine and Sebastian not to see and want it. "Is there anything I could do to convince you to change your mind?"

"I'll be honest. Sebastian does shamelessly flirt with me. I won't pretend I don't see it. Sometimes I think he is joking, and other times I believe him. I want to assure you that I don't love him and he could never make me do something that I don't want to do."

It did not go unnoticed that a second character in their conversation was missing. "What about Blaine?"

Kurt softly laughed. "I don't think Blaine is going to be a problem."

"Why do you say that? You barely know him." Nick demanded. Blaine was slyer than his brother. If he was able to get Kurt to lower his guard, then in essence he was already winning.

"Blaine has shown himself to be a complete romantic. Like myself, I too want romance and I'm not going to throw myself around." Kurt causally added unaware that he touched a sensitive topic for Nick.

"Okay," Nick silently brood for a moment. "A moment ago you mentioned 'Peter's bench.' What is that?"

Kurt smiled. This seemed like a lighter conversation then the one they were having before. "It is a story that Blaine told me."

Nick stopped himself from saying 'go figure.'

"It is the story about how Peter used to sit on the bench and watch the dean's daughter, Juliet, plant the garden. It is a romantic story. I'm surprised you don't know it."

"I don't know it because it is not an actual story." Nick stepped in. "If Blaine told you it, then he was probably just playing you."

Nick's last statement got Kurt angry. "I wasn't being played."

"I'm sorry to tell you, but you were. That is something Blaine does. He tells made up stories in effect to try and stop you from thinking clearly. He does this all the time." Kurt crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. Sensing the motion as a challenge Nick added. "Alright, if you don't believe me then I challenge you to prove me wrong."

Kurt lessened his irritation for curiosity, "How?"

Apart of Nick wanted to smile because Kurt was willing to hear him out. "It wouldn't be hard," Nick began. "How about we go to the library and look up one of the many books about Dalton's history. If you would like, we can even take a gander in the Dalton family history. If this story about Juliet and Peter is correct, then you were not played. Otherwise..." Nick trailed off.

"What if I don't feel comfortable with that?" Kurt carefully asked.

Nick stayed silent and relived a moment from last year. In that moment, Blaine was whispering in his ear and telling him how good another man's touch felt. Thankfully the memory did not last long. "Then you would be a fool."

Sensing that Nick was hiding Kurt agreed. "Alright, during our lunch break we will meet in the library and figure out if Blaine was storytelling."

"It is not called storytelling. It is lying and misleading."

...

"What are you doing here?" Blaine entered the gardens and demanded.

Sebastian only smirked and shrugged his shoulders with false innocence. "I've come to admire the gardens. What else would I be doing here?"

Blaine joined his brother on the bench. "Isn't this Nick's hangout?"

"I don't know. I lost interest in that boy when he ended up being lame in bed. I understand that he was a virgin and all, but still, being a virgin can excuse poor performance only so much."

Blaine agreed. "Don't you hate that when that happens?"

"I'm here because I figured you would come here." Sebastian answered the earlier question.

"And why is that?"

"Because you, my dear brother, are predictable," Sebastian teased. "I know seven-thirty is when you and Kurt bond over music and whatever else that is not physical and enjoyable. I also know that you are nowactingshy and embarrassed about his and our misunderstanding."

Blaine did not waste a moment. "My acting shy will drive him into guilt and my bed afterwards. I,dearbrother, have this game in the bag."

"Whatever, you and Kurt may be singing sad songs, but you are turning yourself into the best friend. Every day I spend with Kurt I get closer and closer to gettinginsidehim. You should have been their yesterday. There was a spider on the wall..."

"He did not fall for that one!" Blaine shouted. "Even if he did fall for that that would disqualified you!" Blaine accused his brother and rearranged his body so that he was not setting on one leg. "That is one of my moves! It is like what I did with that ginger kid from last year. First I freaked him out over a spider, and then I mentioned that I saw a spider on his pants and he needed to get undressed right away." Blaine laughed at the memory. "He was undressed faster than I could say 'let me fuck you.'" Blaine finished with his story with a broad smile, "Which I did by the way."

Sebastian crossed his arms. "It did not work. Apparently a spider isn't strong enough to make Kurt drop his pants. Instead I had to change things up and play the scared victim. It almost did work through."

"You probably did it wrong. My plays never leave me disappointed."

"Correct, and this play." Sebastian sarcastically added, referring to Blaine's current good-boy persona. "Is working wonders for you. Instead of taking Kurt next to the coffee machines you are hiding out in the gardens talking with me."

"I just want Kurt to sweat a little. I want him to think that I am mad at him. I bet his little heart can't bare that thought that someone being mad at him." Blaine clapped his hands, "And I bet he will do anything to earn my forgiveness."

A few unnamed people entered the gardens. The brothers silently watched them. After their guests proved to be uninteresting they resumed talking.

"You don't honestly believe that, do you?"

Blaine turned and looked Sebastian in the eyes. "After class today and before practice, I will met up with Kurt and then I will show you how to get Kurt to sleep with you. Well in this case, he will be sleeping with me.

"This I have to see."