#i finished today's chapter at a quasi-reasonable time so maybe i'll post another tonight

[thnxforknowingme]

It's Who I'm With (7/24)

Summary: In an attempt to make industry connections (and pay rent), Kurt gets a job as a nanny for the daughter of a Broadway producer. When bringing her to a piano lesson one day in December, he meets Blaine Anderson, personal assistant to a famed pianist. (For Klaine Advent 2021)

Rating: T

Seven: Rhythm

When Blaine arrived on Thursday, Francie hovered around Kurt as he opened the door.

“Blaine!” she exclaimed as soon as he was visible in the doorframe.

Blaine’s face lit up with a smile. “Well, hello, Francie.”

“I’ve been practicing,” she said. “I can do all the chords you showed me.”

Blaine glanced at Kurt, who pursed his lips to avoid laughing at Francie’s enthusiasm. “She’s been hard at work,” he said finally.

“I can’t wait to see,” Blaine said, following Francie into the living room.

Kurt lounged on the couch during the lesson. Rachel was texting him about some guy she’d seen at her audition who she recognized from NYADA. He was so absorbed in his phone that it wasn’t until he heard someone say his name that he realized he’d been tapping his foot to the rhythm of the piano playing.

He glanced up to see both Blaine and Francie looking in his direction.

“Yeah?” he said, sitting up.

“Come join us,” Blaine said with a tilt of his head.

Curious, Kurt slowly stood up and walked over to the piano.

“Francie says you sing,” Blaine said.

Kurt fixed Francie with a look, and she just smiled back. “I sing sometimes, yes.”

“Care to help me show her a new song?”

Kurt raised an eyebrow. He noted that Blaine had excellent posture, his back straight and fingers laid out on the piano keys perfectly at ease. “I’ll do my best,” Kurt answered.

Blaine began playing a few chords, and the tune nudged at Kurt’s memory - he knew he knew it, but couldn’t quite place it. Then, Blaine sang the first words: “Hey, Jude, don’t make it bad…”

He nodded at Kurt, who easily took over the next line, grateful that Blaine had chosen a key that worked for him - “Take a sad song and make it better…”

They went on like that, taking turns on different lines and sometimes singing together. They never missed a word, communicating only through their eyes and gestures as they tossed the song back and forth. By the end of it, they were both working in the occasional harmony. It was a kind of instant musical connection that Kurt had never felt before - usually the first time you worked with someone there was negotiation and awkward maneuvering, stops and starts as you figured out how you could combine your voices. But with Blaine, they started singing together and it just worked.

Even their ending was in-sync - although the original song lingers, vocalization repeating on and on until it fades out, Kurt could tell by Blaine’s change in tempo right when he was going to cut it off. The last chord rang out, and they looked at each other as they sang their last note, finishing simultaneously.

Suddenly it was quiet in the apartment, and Kurt blinked. Blaine was still looking at him, his expression caught somewhere between awe and confusion.

“You guys were so good!” Francie said, breaking the spell. “Blaine, can you teach me to do that?”

Blaine shook his head just slightly, then turned to face Francie. “Yeah, uh - yes, you can learn that. You already know some of the chords you’ll need for it. We can work on it next time, okay?”

Kurt looked at the clock over the mantle and realized that the lesson was finished.

Kurt cleared his throat, trying to get his bearings. “Uh, are you in a hurry today? Or can I offer you coffee or water before you leave?”

Blaine smiled. “A coffee would be great.”