#i just realized how many of these are focused on blaine's love for kurt | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

hopefulobjectmiracle · 3 years

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for the ask game... klaine! who saw that coming??

Klaine? What's a Klaine?

Kidding, ahah. I don't honestly think I can choose just one favorite moment, because it switches so often, so I'll give you my current top 10, ranked :)

10. Blaine’s Showcase

This was so ridiculous and so completely, utterly them. Blaine took a chance - a really risky chance - all for the sake of letting his one true love shine, and it paid off masterfully. I love how dorky they are together. I bet they sang this one for fun all the time together, since all Blaine had to do was whisper the word and they had a perfectly choreographed duet. Also, I am a sucker for Blaine’s speech. “There is nothing I am more passionate about than my fiancé” - yes please!!

Oh, and did I mention that I loved seeing Kurt tell off June right before this, calling Blaine the love of his life and stating that nothing would come between them? Yeah, that was excellent...

9. Kurt helping Blaine get ready to go out with June.

This scene is a perfect example of how Kurt loves Blaine. His love might not be the most obvious or outward with it like Blaine’s is, but it’s real and it’s just as strong as Blaine’s is. Kurt is a steadfast support for Blaine throughout this entire episode, choosing to share a wonderful opportunity with him, and incredibly generous when Blaine gets something that Kurt wanted but was unable to have. He lets Blaine know his true feelings while also letting him know that he’s genuinely happy for his success, he helps him get ready, he compliments him in his own perfectly Kurt way, and he tells Blaine that he’ll stand by his side no matter what.

Oh, and Kurt fixing Blaine’s bowtie is always an immediate ‘squee’ moment for me.

8. Blaine helping Kurt get ready for his Peter Pan play.

Likewise, Blaine is also a constant source of support for Kurt.

Perfectly balanced, as all things should be.

For Kurt’s play, while many of his friends initially chose not to come in favor of doing their own things, Blaine chose to be there for Kurt. He had the opportunity to have dinner with Diane von Furstenberg and declined it so that he could watch Kurt perform at a nursing home. This is especially significant because as stated in 5x18, Blaine doesn’t normally get to spend time with celebrities, it’s normally just him and June. Yet when Blaine does get the opportunity to meet someone famous, he declines simply so that he can support his fiancé. Blaine is so sweet and it makes him so happy to see the person he loves happy, which is the most pure and adorable thing ever.

As mentioned in another ask, I am also a hoe for cheek kisses, and the fact that this was their only one makes it all the more special to me. I have to praise Darren and Chris for their chemistry here too - they feel like such an old married couple in this scene, with the sweet smiles and light touches, support, and looking out for one another, like when Kurt told Blaine not to sit in the front row because of potential hazards.

I thank Chris Colfer every day for giving us such a simple, sweet and tender scene, especially amongst the wonderfully complex but rather angsty arc that was S5.

7. Blaine asking Kurt to dance at prom.

This moment is nothing short of magical. Kurt’s arc in S2 was all about finding himself, and this moment is the culmination of all of that. Kurt, after being beaten down again and again for being who he is, and having to transfer to another school where he was safe, yet once again stifled and not appreciated for being himself, finally got the opportunity to go back to his school and go to prom with his own friends and his own boyfriend. Kurt was ready to have a fun, peaceful night, however, as luck would have it, he wasn't able to do that due to yet another cruel, humiliating joke.

Instead of casually being allowed to enjoy the dance, he’s voted Prom Queen and is made to dance with the boy who once bullied him. And that boy, too scared to come out of his own closet, leaves Kurt all alone on the dance floor. But then Blaine swoops in, like Kurt’s own Prince Charming, like something straight out of a fairytale, and offers his hand to dance. This is the boy, the who was reluctant to come to a dance due to his own trauma, being brave for the person he loves because he can’t stand to see him go through anything alone. Kurt takes his hand, and together the two of them show McKinley, and by extension the world, that nothing can touch them or what they have.

6. The final locker scene.

This scene is just so perfect and lovely. I love Kurt’s sentimentality. I love that he put together a locker full of his high school ‘greatest hits,’ and how it has no fewer than four Blaine-related mementos in it. I love that this made the Box Scene canon - that was a truly generous thing of the show to do for us. I love how Blaine is always there to reassure Kurt in his moments of self doubt and tell him how exceptional he is. I love Blaine’s love for Kurt. I love how he loves Kurt for everything that he is, even the parts that most of society doesn’t deem acceptable. And I love that Kurt loves Blaine right back.

The best part, though, is how happy and relaxed they both are. During moments in the NYC arc, though they loved one another, it seemed like something was always off. They were sometimes tense, sometimes cold, sometimes uncomfortable, sometimes hurt. Here, all of that has melted away, leaving two people who are perfectly content and at ease with one another, just happy that they get to spend the rest of their lives together.

5. Blaine singing to Kurt in the hospital.

Look at them :(( I don't know if it's my own unfortunate experiences with hospitals, or if it's the sheer intimacy and gentleness of this scene, or if it's just the fact that Blaine has also been gay-bashed and has to watch the love of his life go through this, but this moment always breaks me. Blaine loves Kurt so, so much, and it’s so hard for him to watch him in pain. The moment at the end, were Blaine strokes over Kurt’s cheek and tucks his face into his neck, is almost painfully intimate and rather hard to watch. It’s absolutely beautiful, though, and I’m glad we got it even if Klaine got nothing else in this episode.

4. Their hug after It’s Time.

This entire song/scene is just the sweetest. I love how supportive Blaine is of Kurt, I love how he knows exactly what to say (and sing) to Kurt to convince him to leave, and I love how content Kurt looks in this scene. And this hug is the cherry on top. There’s such a nostalgic feeling to this scene because it’s the last early!Klaine scene we’ll ever get and it makes me yearn for a time when they were both still sweet and innocent. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely adore adult!Klaine too, but there’s something magical about them when they were younger and this scene is the perfect example of it. Also, their chemistry in this scene is incredible.

3. Their Elevator Scenes

These two fucking dumbasses set up an entire picnic, arranged all of the food and silverware just for the two of them. I love this scene because of all of the character insight we get - Kurt’s crumpled and Blaine’s neatly hung clothing, the fact that they chose to arrange all of this despite being stuck in the elevator, even their posture. This is such a perfect, intimate look into who they are when it’s just the two of them.

We also find out that these two would give their kids the worst and dorkiest possible names. I think my favorite part of this scene is how comfortable they are with one another here. Chris and Darren’s natural chemistry is so lovely and I love these little moments when they’re allowed to shine. I love that this was ad-libbed and I love the little touches the actors put into the characters. I love that scenes like this show above all, that Kurt and Blaine really do like one another. They’re friends - best friends, even - and that bond doesn’t go away just because they’re broken up.

Obviously this appreciation would not be complete without a mention of their best kiss. That’s right - move over, first kiss, this one is far superior. Seriously, though, I love this kiss. Not because it’s hot, but because it’s so passionate, intimate, and all-encompassing. Both of them look completely taken over by it, and by the time they pull apart, they’re wrecked. The acting and staging are superb (even if the robot is a little bit creepy), and it’s one of the most raw Klaine scenes we’ve ever gotten.

2. Kurt giving Blaine Margaret Thatcher Dog

I wrote 1500 words of flailing on this, so here I’m going to keep it simple and just say that this is one of my favorite scenes of all time. Kurt is trying his best to make Blaine happy here and cheer him up after his bad day, and he’s also trying so hard to reconcile Blaine with his family. He loves that boy so, so much, and little moments like these make me wonder how anyone could believe that Kurt didn’t love Blaine as much as Blaine loves him.

1. Their Hallway Talk

Look at this precious bb!! Look how cute and happy and flirty he is with Blaine! That’s the love of his life, y’all!! This scene has everything. Friendship, support, Kurt complimenting Blaine, Blaine inventing romance with his words - seriously, “with you in it, a wonderful life” is my favorite Klaine quote ever - and pure love from both of them.

I love how cute Blaine is when he’s nervous. I love that Kurt thinks so too. I love how Blaine asked Kurt to stay for Regionals because he wanted his support, and I love how Kurt was clearly expecting something so much more. I love that Kurt had already decided that he’d stay to support Blaine. I love their clear love for one another, tentative and shy as it is. I especially love the chemistry between Darren and Chris and the way that they so perfectly play this moment. We were truly blessed to have such a talented pair give us these scenes.

#i just realized how many of these are focused on blaine's love for kurt #normally i don't shut up about kurt's love for blaine so it's nice to have a change in scenery lol #also don't kill me klaine fans but neither the first kiss nor the proposal are on here #i guess i'm not really all that hyped about the bigger moments anymore ahah my favorite scenes are the smaller ones #klaine #i guess this also falls under #klaine meta

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chocoholicannanymous · 3 years

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If the Spit Hits the Fan (Glee) Pt XVIII

This is the last part of this. Of a story that I was pretty certain I wouldn’t finish and just posted the bit I had in my scraps and snippets tag for a lark. You read that, and you liked it, and your response made me want to try and finish it. And so here we are, ~29k finished fic.

Thank you for the support.

Follows pt I, pt II, pt III, pt IV, pt V, pt VI, pt VII, pt VIII, pt IX, pt X, pt XI, pt XII, pt XIII, pt XIV, pt XV, pt XVI and pt XVII.

New York is big and loud and filthy and expensive.

Kurt's first apartment had been an absolute rathole. He'd shared it with four others, and his “room” had been a repurposed coatroom. There had been just enough place for a bed and a tiny table instead of a desk. He'd only brought the most necessary in way of clothing, and with the exception of two shirts hanging from a nail in the wall he'd been forced to keep everything in a suitcase under the bed.

He'd moved out after a month, tired of never being able to keep food in the kitchen, weary of the nicks surrounding the lock on his door – he'd replaced the old one day 1, but even the best of locks only went so far – and fed up with having to carry all his valuables with him at all times.

Luckily the Warbler network had activated and Trent's older brother had offered up his guest room (and if that wasn't a sign of wealth, a student in New York with a guest room, then Kurt didn't know what was) for the rest of the year provided Kurt find someplace else to spend the night on those occasions it was needed. During the fall it'd mostly been solved by Sebastian coming to visit and the two sharing a cheap hotel room, and during the fall by Kurt spending the night at Sebastian's apartment. It had been tempting to move in with Sebastian then, but Kurt had resisted and they both agreed they'd become stronger for it.

Living together had been tough, especially since Sebastian had a lot more money available than Kurt. They'd managed to find a balance though and looking back Kurt feels proud of the work they'd put in to make it work. Three years (and counting) together and these days Kurt is willing to proclaim that Sebastian is as much of a perfect boyfriend as it's possible to be.

Yes, New York is still loud and filthy and big, but it's also full of light and laughter and love. Kurt's learned to find his way around both city and school, and he's on track for graduation with excellent prospects. Life is good.

Of course, that kind of means he's overdue for a cold shower and unfortunately it comes as cold and icy as is possible.

“Blaine. I guess I should have known you'd turn up.”

Like a bad penny, Kurt thinks. His ex-boyfriend just smiles wider at the words, clearly not picking up on the undertones.

“Yes! I'll always come back to you, Kurt. We're meant to be – you're my soulmate.”

Kurt shudders. All these years, and he still haven't gotten over his negative reaction to those words.

“Yeah, I'm pretty sure you and I have different interpretations of what those things mean. Personally I can't see how someone who walked out of my life without a word years ago could be considered my 'soulmate', but that's me.”

“That's not fair! I never wanted to leave you, but my parents made me.”

Blaine does this thing with his face that resembles what Kurt remembers of Blaine's “I've apologized, sort of, and you should forgive me now” expression and Kurt thinks that if Blaine could see himself he'd never ever do it again. It's not pretty. It kind of looks like he's about to shit his pants, frankly.

“Right. Your parents. And why, exactly, were they so determined to get you out of Lima without saying goodbye?”

Blaine flinches, and Kurt can see the realization hit him. Strange. It's as if he never even thought about the possibility that Kurt would know about the lies Blaine had told. Emotions run across Blaine's eyes and face, one after the other, and Kurt just waits without even trying to figure out what's going through his ex's mind. He's beyond caring.

“Kurt, I... I, I have a confession to make. When I got home that last night, my parents, they were waiting up for me. They made assumptions, and I, I let them.”

Blaine's face twists, and a couple of tears start falling. Kurt would be touched, really he would, except he happens to know that Blaine can cry on command.

“I know I shouldn't have, I know it was wrong, I was just so afraid! I thought they'd throw me out, and so I kept quiet and did what they wanted. I'm so sorry I did that to you.

“I love you, Kurt!”

The thing is, he can remember when those words from Blaine's lips would make him melt. That's no longer true. Now he listens to them like he would a performance, and he finds them lacking. He should have gone for soft instead of intense, a hint of tears maybe, not volume and anger.

This isn't school though, even though it very much is a performance, nor is it worth critiquing. It's not worth anything, really. Kurt sighs a little, just wanting all of it to be over and Blaine to be gone.

“Here's the thing. I understand, I guess. In your shoes I would have been worried to tell my dad the truth too. I think just about every teenager out there would be at least a little afraid to tell their parents they got drunk and stupid.

“But I also think that just about every teenager out there knows that there's some kind of middle-ground between 'I got drunk and tried to rape my boyfriend' and 'my boyfriend drugged me and tried to rape me'. Except apparently you didn't. You just went with what would get you of the hook the fastest and easiest.”

“Hey! That's not fair!”

“Oh, it isn't? You doing what you did is okay, but me calling it what it was is unfair? Now, why am I not the least bit surprised that that's how you feel?

“You know, at first I didn't understand how you could do it. How you could say you loved me and then not just leave me, but let your parents believe that I would do something like that to you. Well, that you could let anyone think I'd do that to anyone.

“But as I said, I understand why you did it.”

A triumphant look flash up in Blaine's eyes. Oh, he's doing a pretty good job at hiding it – much better than he would have been able to as a teenager – but Kurt knows him, and he's looking for it.

“You threw me under the bus because you knew it'd be an easy out. You could have told your parents something else, anything else, but you chose the worst possible lie – one you had to have known would get me in trouble. You did it because it was easy, and it would get you of the hook – maybe even get you some sympathy instead of the punishment you deserved – and you did it because that was all you cared about. You.

“I always knew you were a bit self-involved, but I told myself it was just part of you being a performer. A healthy ego's pretty much a must, and I used to think that was it. Except it turned out you were so focused on you, and your needs and wants, that nothing else mattered. Certainly not me.

“It took me a while to accept, but I know now that regardless of what you said you didn't love me. Not really. You might have thought you did, but Blaine? Love means that the other person's just as important to you as you yourself are. And I never was that to you.”

He ignores Blaine's protests and just continues, projecting his voice to be heard over the barely restrained excuses and lies.

“The truth is that your lack of empathy and care for other people borders on Narcissistic Personality Disorder, and quite frankly I am better off for not having you remain in my life. Just don't expect me to thank you for it though.

“No one else will either. Do you realize how many people you worried with your little disappearing act? There was quite a few at Dalton who were convinced that your parents had shipped you off to conversion camp. They were counting down until your 18th birthday and from what I heard there was even the beginning of a fund to pay your way at Dalton if you escaped and were disowned.”

There's a triumphant gleam in Blaine's eyes. Clearly he's pleased about his friends being so worried about him and so ready to help him out. Kurt just wants to stomp that light out. Violently.

“Then when you didn't resurface after your birthday a few started worrying that your parents had you in a mental hospital, and there was talk of trying to stage some kind of rescue. That only lasted so long, of course.

“You see, somehow it's hard to convince anyone that their friend is practically jailed and in need of a rescue when they're seen out and about clubbing in L.A.. After all, these days everyone carries a phone, so the idea that you were unable to contact someone – anyone – and ask for help went up in flames pretty quick after that.”

Thad had been so angry that he'd made sure every single Dalton student that had ever know Blaine found out, and even the boy's most die-hard supporters had given up then and there.

They'd all understood not wanting to getting into a conflict with your family, especially when said family usually paid for college and any possible trust funds tended to be under the family's control for a while longer. What they hadn't understood was Blaine's total lack of communication. Email telling them that Blaine was okay but under orders not to contact anyone from Ohio would have gone a long way to ease worries, and was, they felt, the very least he owed them.

“Funny thing about you showing up here now? I can't help but remember that you turned 21 a couple of weeks ago. You didn't happen to get access to a trust fund then did you? Not that I actually care, but there are some old bets to settle.”

There wasn't, not really, but enough Warbler had warned Kurt about this very scenario with an added “I bet he shows up afterwards, thinking you'll take him back” for it to not quite be a lie.

Blaine splutters before launching into a long row of “explanations”, one more shitty than the other. It's obvious that he didn't expect Kurt to be angry with him, but instead to be welcomed with open arms. It's even sounding as if Blaine expected Kurt to take him back and just let him slide back into his life as if nothing had happened. Kurt isn't quite sure if Blaine intended for him to move in with Kurt and start a new life in New York, or if the idea was for Kurt to give up everything and follow Blaine back to L.A., but both options are equally ridiculous.

“Stop. Just, stop. I told you, I don't care. If you want to get in touch with any of your old friends from Dalton and McKinley and explain all of it to them, do so. But you don't need to explain anything to me. I don't want to hear it. Your window for explaining yourself to me closed years ago. It closed after you let your parents walk into a police station ready to have me charged with rape.

“Nothing you can say will ever make that okay. Nothing you say can make me forgive you.”

Kurt stops himself and takes a deep breath. There's so much he could say, so many accusations that could be made, so much hatred to be poured out.

Blaine's actions had gotten Kurt into trouble, and could have landed him in jails. They'd been what had stopped Burt Hummel from running from reelection after being asked – while nothing had come from the Andersons' accusations there had still been enough people who had known about it for it to leak and ruin a political career. After all, who cared if it was true when it made for a good weapon? And “local congressman buries son's rape charge” made for a great weapon.

Kurt had been willing to risk it, but his dad hadn't wanted to. Had it leaked the only way to prove Kurt's innocence would have been to make the video of Blaine trying to assault Kurt public. No good parent does that to their kid had been Burt's position, and Kurt had been grateful.

That didn't mean he wasn't aware of exactly how much that had cost not just his dad but the whole state. The man who'd replaced his dad had been the kind of bigot that wasn't good for anyone, not even his followers.

Kurt still blames Blaine for that, and even if he'd been insane enough to consider forgiving everything else he's never forgiving that. The chance of making Blaine understand any of that is minuscule though. The chance of him caring is even less.

There is, simply put, no point in spending even another second on trying to get through to him.

“You're not welcome here. Please leave. Goodbye Blaine.”

Once the door is closed and locked behind Blaine Kurt finally relaxes. He's closing the door on Blaine in more than one way, finally able to truly do that – because regardless of what he's hoped he's always known that one day his former boyfriend would pop up again.

“If he comes back you're filing for a restraining order.”

“He won't come back, Sebastian.”

“You don't know that. He did today, didn't he?”

It's obvious that Sebastian is coming from a place of care and worry, and Kurt feels himself soften. Blaine hasn't just been the monster under Kurt's bed during all of these years.

“Yes, he did, and no, I guess I can't really know. But honey, I really don't think he will. Blaine was reminded today that actions have consequences, and he found out I have the means to ensure said consequences. Coming after me and trying to change my mind is more work than he's ever shown himself willing to put in.

“After all, he's not the kind to stick around when the spit hits the fan.”

Luckily Sebastian is.

~ The end ~

#chocoholic fics #kurt fic #kurt hummel #sebastian smythe #kurtbastian #itshtf

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slipping-through-my-fingertips · 3 years

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If Glee did a Taylor Swift Tribute Episode...

Just my opinions, feel free to add on to them. I know I have some fellow gleek swifties following me. I’d love to hear your thoughts. Obviously they have to do some of the hits but I think some people would have some out of the box picks.

*This post assumes all Taylor songs are available to choose from as of May 14th 2021 but focuses on Taylor’s first 6 albums (if you want more glee and Taylor I have fics with that; LOVER and FOLKLORE) and takes liberties with where this episode’s placement is in terms of canon. But since it’s all made up anyway who cares (but Blaine’s involved so I guess season 3 idk).*

Okay, trying to do a full plot here (completely inspired by @kurtdeservesbetter head canon posts. I hope this lives up to her fabulous posts). This will be my version of glee so everyone gets solos and Rachel can’t hog the spotlight. Also, this is about to be super long (both post wise and episode wise).

Let’s open the first episode with

...Ready For It because the New Directions are in their reputation era. Santana does the opening cough centerstage. Everyone in black and/or camo green outfits (can you just see Kurt in a dark green bedazzled snake jacket, Santana in a black leather dress, and Tina digging out some goth clothes for people to borrow?), snakes everywhere, but probably no Karyn (she just wouldn’t fit on the auditorium stage). Santana takes the first verse but we have Blaine step up for verse 2. (I just love their friendship in the Michael tribute, cute little badasses are BACK. Also him singing “Burton to this Taylor” is such a Klaine thing to do).

Everyone is still dressed in their rep outfits but we’re in the choir room now. Mr. Schue is talking about why Taylor had to disappear and clap back with rep, how rough the industry is for women and tries to uplift the ladies in the room and encourage them to not silence their voices (cue snarky comment from Santana about Rachel needing to be silent).

Then, Mr. Schue goes on about how you can only understand how Taylor got to her rep era by studying her earlier music. So we have a performance of Tim McGraw. Simple, front of the choir room performance, maybe Puck does guitar, and sitting on stools.

Everyone is surprised to find out how pumped Sam is for this assignment but he is all over it. “It's about time we did some country in this room.” Cue Sam and Quinn at her locker talking about their ‘date’ last night, Sam’s all cute and teasing and Quinn is not into it. She tells him it was fun but she was wrong, they shouldn’t do this again. In turn, he does a wonderful performance of Bye Bye Baby. He thought it was more but clearly he’s “a part of her past.”

Then, we’re in the empty choir room. Tina and Mike are there. (I love their cutesy duets) They sing Everything Has Changed and it’s utterly adorable. Can’t you hear Mike asking Tina if she’s “good to go” like Ed does? And while we’re on the subject of cute duets and RED, we flash to the courtyard to see Santana and Brittany. They turn Stay Stay Stay into a duet. “I’ve been loving you for quite some time,” “before you I only dated self-indulgent takers who took all their problems out on me,” “no one else is gonna love me when I’m mad, mad, mad,” and “it’s occurring to me that I’d like to hang out with you for my whole life” it’s perfect for them. Adorable ladies kisses are had.

Let’s toss in some boy drama for fun. Idk shit about football but somehow Puck is praised by their coach over Finn, which gets him all pissy, and Puck’s upset and jealous because Finn is back with Quinn now (this is why Quinn shut Sam now earlier, she changed her mind). Can we say duet of Bad Blood? “So if you’re coming my way...just don’t.”

After their dramatics, we have a Brittany solo in the choir room. It’s after school at this point (or whenever glee club is). Brittany does You’ll Always Find You Way Back Home.

When she finishes Mr. Schue tries to explain that it’s a Hannah Montana song. Britt injects that it’s confusing how she’s really Miley Cryus “like how can you be two people at once?”. Before Mr. Schue can continue, Kurt pipes up “you never specified that the songs had to be sung by Taylor Swift, just that they were her songs.” Mercedes adds, “yeah, Mr. Schue, Taylor wrote that song.” Mr. Schue concedes that he has once again been outwitted by Kurtcedes. The friends do their little hand shake thing.

With a sigh, Mr. Schue asks Mike if he’s ready to go and Mike asks to take things to the auditorium for some dancing room. Everyone’s on stage with him and it’s kind of a group number but Mike is the focus. It’s Shake It Off. All inspired by the music video. He’s tried to fit in elsewhere (i.e. football, with the smart kids, etc..) but he’s really himself in glee when he’s dancing.

Part 2 of Taylor Tribute Episodes

We begin with an ALL GIRL NUMBER of A Place In This World. Just because.

Glee is dismissed and we zoom in on Artie. He’s watching Tina with Mike and Brittany with Santana. Both Tina and Britt have broken his heart by this point. So, he’s rolling down the halls singing A Perfectly Good Heart. While Artie’s soloing, we cut to Rachel watching Finn and Quinn chatting. Artie’s song playing over this scene. Rachel is feeling similar to him at the moment.

She’s pretty sure Finn dumped her to be with Quinn again even though Kurt and Blaine told her they saw Quinn and Sam at the movies last night together making out in the back row. Fine, if that’s how he’s going to be, she doesn’t need him anyway. Cue Mr. Perfectly Fine. Uber dramatic solo performance walking around McKinley’s halls watching Finn and Quinn together ending in the auditorium alone. (see what I did there, both broken hearted peeps singing a song with Perfectly in it (this was not at all planned, actually, happy accident))

After some good old heartbreak, we have Kurt and Blaine on screen. Blaine walks into the auditorium to see Kurt sitting on the edge of the stage. “What’s all the fuss?” he asks from the door. Kurt had texted him “EMERGENCY.” The band starts to play and Kurt just starts singing, Enchanted. It’s time to profess their love for each other, just like they sing Perfect together in the car, this duet needs no audience. Blaine catches up and sings while walking towards his boyfriend. It’s very reminiscent of past New Directions competitions where they come in from the back and make their way to the stage. “Wondering if you knew I was enchanted to meet you?” Kurt and Blaine both know the answer to that question now but just a few months ago they were both wondering that exact thing.

They kiss before we cut to Kurt and Blaine walking hand in hand into the choir room where everyone else is already. Mr. Schue is praising the performances thus far and of course asks Rachel if she’s ready to solo (some practice for her completion solo). This causes an uproar from Mercedes and Santana. Another classic argument of how she gets too many solos. Mr. Schue tries to shut them both down but Santana tells Rachel to watch her back, and we get three very different reactions to this.

All three girls storm out.

First, we visit Mercedes alone in the courtyard. This solo is all about being hurt over this great thing in her life (glee) and her being denied happiness within that club. Thus, Cold As You. (mostly to indulge myself because she’d blow us away with this song).

Next, Rachel in the auditorium. A huge bridge on stage (very Speak Now Tour of her), belting out Better Than Revenge. Santana’s dropped the last straw (the humiliation, name calling, Finn at one point and now solos,) it’s too much this time.

And finally, Santana walking around McKinley, showing us flashes of Rachel ‘outshining’ her and the rest of glee and Mr. Schue being unfair, while singing Look What You Made Me Do.

Tina walks out at the same time as Rachel, Mercedes, and Santana but no one seems to put two and two together. She feels just as underutilized as the latter two do. She ends up in an empty classroom and sings The Outside. “Nobody ever lets me in” and “on the outside looking in.”

Once the 3, err 4, divas have left the room, Finn sticks up for Rachel. Quinn, of course, has something to say about this along the lines of “you always defend her.” Finn, intimated by her ‘scary Quinn’ fumbles and blurts “because she’s my girlfriend” WHICH IS NOT TRUE AT THIS POINT. Quinn dumps him on the spot, cuts quickly to Blaine and Kurt sharing some ‘oh my god, can you believe this’ expressions, and vanishes from the room.

By this point, Rachel is long gone from the auditorium but the bridge is still there.

Here’s where we go way off script but imagine, Quinn has decided to just quit boys. They’ve all failed her anyway, she’s better off being alone. She walks up the bridge and thinks to herself “god Rachel’s so dramatic, where did this thing even come from” before it hits her “fuck, I’m as bad as Finn. I want her.” Then, she starts singing Clean to herself in the auditorium, likely tearing up throughout and ending with a good cry. (Because Dianna would DELIVER with Clean.)

While Quinn is having a sexuality crisis, the rest of glee is still happening. They’re discussing upcoming competition and debating solos and songs.

Kurt’s all: “Mr. Schue, if I may” and performs a lovely rendition of Call It What You Want. Those opening lines are too good. “My castle (ie McKinley) crumbled overnight, brought a knife to a gun fight (ie couldn’t fight off Dave Karofsky), “I’m doing better than I ever was ‘cause my baby’s fit like a daydream,” and “at least I did one thing right.” When he’s done, Blaine’s a mess in the back of the choir room, and Mr. Schue says: “not really what we’re looking for but very nice, Kurt” however, Kurt’s too busy sitting beside Blaine teasing him about blushing.

Then, the missing girls return to the room having sung out their emotions. Quinn, having realized her feelings for Rachel, ends up soloing You Belong With Me to the New Directions in the choir room. Odd looks all around, no one knows what’s up with her and why does she keep glancing at Rachel? (Faberry just fit so well I had to add it, don’t know if I’m a shipper or not but it’s here now) (also thanks to @spicygemini for pointing out the obvious “Quinn would have ate YBWY”).

Mr. Schue wants to move the group to the audition to perform their final number of the Taylor Swift tribute well but Tina asks to sing first. He’s surprised but allows it, taking a seat with the rest of the New Directions.

Tina sings Beautiful Ghosts. “Watch from the dark, wait for my life to start” because New Directions is refusing to use her talents AGAIN. She’s singing this to Rachel and the girls who were in the Treble Tones. Because she absolutely SMASHES this number, the glee kids agree she gets solo for their next competition (and they deliver on that promise).

To conclude Part 2 of the Taylor tribute episode, we have a group performance of Long Live. “One day we will be remembered”, “all the years we stood there on the sidelines wishing for right now”, “for a moment a band of thrives in ripped up jeans got to rule the world” ie wining completions, “when they look at the pictures please tell them my name...”

#this took so long please enjoy it #Taylor tribute glee episode #glee head canon #gleek swifie #glee #taylor swift

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klaineaddictsfanficrecs · 3 years

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Fic Name: A Summer Story

Fic Author(s): Kb.Ellen

Fic Summary: When an injury forces Kurt to take the summer off from his dream job as a principal dancer with the NYC Ballet, he's anxious to recover and get back to life as he knows it. But can a tiny town in southern Arkansas, a joyful aunt, a town full of good-hearted people and an intriguing local handyman make Kurt reassess what his dreams actually are? Welcome to Cassville.

Fic Trope(s): Enemies to Lovers, Dancer Kurt, AU,

Fic Length (Word Count): 109,192

Fic Rating: M

Fic Warnings or Triggers: no major ones

Fic Status: Complete

My Review: Alright, I'm starting with this one because I've read A LOT of the stories in this trope, and this is my favorite. Now, I'm not biased. I've read (and reread) several of the stories in this trope, and so it's not just because this one is freshest on my mind. On the contrary, I read it a few weeks back, and it has stuck in my mind as I was reading other stories because it was that amazing. I'm going to try to share of few of my reasons now.

By now, those of you that have read my other reviews or my own stories know that I'm a sucker for slow build. This story does that to perfection, to the point where I was yelling at Kurt and Blaine for all of the will they, won't they moments. And when they finally admitted their feelings, I was doing the John Bender fist pump in the air until I realized, oh god! They waited too long. And even though I was elated that they were finally together, I had this giant pretzel knot in my stomach, worried about what would happen when the clock ran out. I truly read this straight through without taking many breaks because I had to find out how things would be resolved. I can say much more about this, but I don't want to spoil anything. I truly was on the edge of my seat, especially in the final chapters.

You guys probably know me well enough to know that I love great characterization. Kurt and Blaine are different than their show counterpoints, but I loved it here because the author does an impeccable job capturing their core personalities even though they are different. Kurt is still his sassy self with the most amazing heart, and Blaine is his hard-working, kind-hearted self. And honestly, it wasn't hard to see Kurt as a ballet dancer and Blaine as a construction worker because the foundation was there, and the author really fleshed out their personalities so well. And I have to shout out to the original characters as well. They were fun and quirky, especially Darla. They were all just very well written.

You also probably know by now that I love some well-written dialogue, and this fic has it in spades. I just love their banter, both when they are at each other's throats and when they are truly becoming friends. It's witty, fun, and believable, and I just love how the way they talk to each other. Many times I get a little frustrated when the story focuses on mostly the physical parts of their relationship, and don't get me wrong, there's some well-written smut here, but I love how this fic has them actually conversing, talking, discussing, arguing, and actually becoming friends and not just two people that are physically hot for each other. It just gives it a sense of authenticity.

There's so much more to this story's beautiful brilliance, but I'll leave you to discover it for yourself. You're welcome. Because I know there's no way that you won't love this story.

Fic Link: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13890945/1/A-Summer-Story?__cf_chl_jschl_tk__=586dOgyB8MSjl66YXb5Nhy1EwysDWYcP.0xdvRCE4ro-1641094002-0-gaNycGzNCWU

#Klaine Fanfic #Klaine fanfic Rec #Trope Enemies to lovers #Trope- dancer Kurt

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forabeatofadrum · 3 years

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I’d cry a river just for you (2/24)

Notes: As mentioned in the AO3 tags, there is an accompanying playlist! I’ll update it when I post a chapter.

AO3

CEILING - Wicked

2003

Kurt’s mother always taught him about kindness and how people who are in pain need someone to rely on, but it’s been two years since Kurt’s mother died and he’s still waiting for that kindness. There’s an uneven amount of kids in his class, which means that he’s always the one left to sit alone. No one wants to be around the sad kid whose mom died. Kurt wanted kindness and support and friends during one of the worst moments of his young life, but instead he got casted out even more.

He’s sitting at his desk, doodling dresses for existing Disney princesses, since he thinks he can do better. He’s so focused on his art that he doesn’t notice the teacher announcing the arrival of a new student named Blaine, who’s moved to America from the Philippines. He does finally notice when the teacher tells Blaine to sit in the empty spot next to Kurt.

At the mention of his name, Kurt looks up from his drawing and he watches how the new kid nervously shuffles towards him.

“Hello, my name is Blaine,” he says when he sits down.

“Kurt,” Kurt extends his hand. Other kids might not be kind, but Kurt’s mother taught him to be better than that.

Blaine smiles.

Blaine says hello every morning. Kurt always acknowledges him, but then he goes back to his own stuff. Kurt’s a bright student, so he can manage to not always pay attention to what the teacher is saying. Kurt and Blaine don’t really talk to each other.

One day, that changes.

“What are you drawing?” Blaine asks.

Kurt automatically covers up his artwork.

“Oh. Sorry,” Blaine looks away and he looks so genuinely sorry, Kurt feels for him. He uncovers his work and he slides the sheet of paper towards Blaine. It’s a risky move. Other kids used to tease him before and they only left him alone after his mother died, but Blaine doesn’t know that yet.

Kurt watches Blaine’s face for a hint of disgust, but Blaine looks amazed.

“You drew these?” he says.

“Yeah.”

“I never liked that they gave Ariel a pink dress,” Blaine says as he looks at Kurt’s redesign, “It clashed with her beautiful red hair. I’d go for a deep green if it were up to me, but your blue dress fits too.”

“Yes.” Kurt totally agrees. That’s what started this whole redesign process. “I love that movie.”

“I love all Disney musicals,” Blaine agrees, “I love all musicals. Do you know Wicked? It’s new on Broadway, but my mommy bought me the CD!”

“I haven’t heard of it yet.”

“You should come to my house!” Blaine says excitedly, “I have a lot of CDs. I love music!”

Kurt’s once again looking for traces of annoyance or disgust or anything that could lead to an ulterior motive, but there isn’t any. Kurt tries to think back to the past few weeks and he realizes that Blaine hasn’t talked to many other classmates.

Is this the kindness Kurt’s been waiting for? Does he want it too?

Kurt’s not used to going over to play at other kids’ houses, but it’s nice. Blaine’s mom brought them drinks and cookies. She’s really nice. Kurt introduced himself and she gushed over his politeness. Kurt’s brought his drawing supplies and the two of them go to Blaine’s room.

They draw.

They dance.

They jump on Blaine’s bed, trying to reach the ceiling.

And most importantly, Blaine shows Kurt his CD collection.

And now whatever way our stories end I know you have rewritten mine By being my friend

“This is my favourite part!” Blaine says excitedly. He’s been pointing out his favourite lyrics in every song and For Good is no exception.

“It’s really nice,” Kurt says and he takes a sip from his lemonade.

“Do you want to be my best friend?” Blaine says abruptly and Kurt almost spits out his drink.

“Really?”

“Really!”

“Yes,” Kurt says and he realises that he means it. He gives Blaine another look. He also looks genuine. Maybe Blaine really wanted a friend as well. “Yes, I like that.”

End notes: Oh to be 10 years old and just say “Do you want to be my best friend?”

#klaine advent: ceiling #klaine advent 2021 #klaineadvent #klaine advent #klaine #glee #holy fuck I wrote #2021 #multichaptered

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pixiealtaira · 3 years

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And the Thunder Rolls

This is the first of my Glee Summer Bang fics...but I decided it was too gloomy.

It is a Klaine Break-Up Fic and this Not Klaine or Blaine friendly.

Takes place right after the end of Junior Year:

The crash of thunder shook the house. Kurt looked out to the pouring rain. It was nearly pushed horizontal by the wind. “Very Blustery, my ass. Hurricane force winds would have been a better description,” Kurt muttered as he watched chaos out the window. Kurt still felt that being out in the storm would be preferable than where he was currently at, that the chaos outside would be safer and somehow 'less' than the chaos inside his being as he listened to Blaine. Lightening ripped through the sky, near enough for Kurt to just see the light of the flash and not a actual bolt and for the thunder to roll right after it and actually shake the house. He wondered if Finn knew he had a flashlight in his room. Rachel didn't like power outages. Kurt leaned closer to the window to see if he could see where it might have landed.

“Kurt, I don't think you are listening to me.” Blaine whined behind him. “Do I need to go get Finn and Rachel and have them listen to this as well? I am setting out guidelines for how I want our summer to be and you just aren't really paying attention to me. Stop looking out the window and look at me, the boyfriend. I am beginning to think you don't actually love me at all. You are not at all focused where you need to be focused.” “Blaine, I love you. I told you that just a few days ago. And yes, you are my boyfriend. But that doesn't give you permission to dictate my summer.” Light brightened the whole room again and thunder shook the house and Kurt wished it would just hit the house. Maybe stop what he suspected would be a defining moment to everything for the whole of the rest of his life. Blaine huffed. “I'm not dictating your summer. I'm just letting you know how things need to be so we can see each other more often during the summer. My dad got me this job, you know, and it is Important that I am my best during the time I am working and performing. Important people might be watching, you know. Nila said that Jason, one of the boys who left the year before I could perform at all, got scouted and got a modeling job and a job as a back-up singer for a band. That could be me this year, but only if I'm at the top of my game. I I can only be at the top of my game when I know you are focused on me. You need to know when to keep yourself free to come see me and visit me. If you don't do this for me like I want it done, well then, I'm afraid we will just not be able to see each other at all.” “And I told you I am not going to be going to the amusement park and paying 80 to 100 bucks a day just to see you on your break periods, especially if I'm not 'allowed' to spend the rest of the time enjoying the park. You can come here on your days off or I can meet you at your place on your days off.” “You cannot go to my place. I mean...I just haven't exactly told my folks I have a boyfriend yet...so you'll have to wait for that. And my days off are all booked with family stuff or other things I need to do. If you love me, you'll come see me on the days I listed at the park. It is the only acceptable option. I just do not understand why you are having a problem with this. A good boyfriend would be perfectly willing to do this for me, I'll have you know. And it's not like I'm asking more than others who work there have. Nila's boyfriend was there three days a week last summer. Matt and Ryan both worked there, so I guess they don't really count, but it was so unfair watching those guys making out and whatnot and yet the rest of us had to just make due. Now, this year, I'VE got the boyfriend and so you need to come to the park so I can have good breaks too. You need to come on the days I listed earlier for certain and also whenever I text that the day would be a good day for you to be there. I NEED you to be there for me, Kurt. I need to be able to show the others that I'VE got a boyfriend and that he does what I ask of him. But, you also can't like hang out with anyone, or talk to anyone...I mean, you are great and all but you just don't exactly talk about the kinds of things the other kids who work at the park do and so I need you to remember that...but also you need to make sure they know you are only at the park for me...you'll need to sit off to the side of where ever I am, just smiling and making eyes at me.” Kurt closed his eyes and breathed deeply. The lightening hit again and the thunder rolled and the lights in the house flickered and Kurt heard Rachel screech from Finn's room. There had been nothing in any of Blaine's demands for summer about wanting to spend time with Kurt, himself. Just about wanting to have the boyfriend be there to be seen. And curtailing as much joy as Blaine possibly could in his demanded excursions. “Blaine. You are being unreasonable.” “I am not. I am being perfectly reasonable. Boyfriends show up to support their significant other when their significant other wants them to, in whatever manner asked. That is why people have boyfriends and girlfriends. To have them there when they want them to be there for them. To show off. And if you do things the way I told you you need to, everyone will see how devoted you are to me, and to me alone. It will do wonders for what the others think of me, you there just sitting and looking at me and not even thinking of anything other than me. But, don't try too hard. And like, don't practice making sexy faces or longing faces or anything. You don't do sexy. You do longing OK, so maybe stick to staring at me longingly. It will be cute. Then it will be perfect. I mean, Nila's boyfriend just stopped by to make out with her when lines were too long for rides he wanted to ride, he didn't focus on her only. Just think how jealous she will be when MY boyfriend just pays attention to Me in such a cute way.” “No” The flash of lightening hit close enough that even the air in the house felt charged. The thunder was nearly deafening. It wasn't loud enough to cover Blaine's scream. “What do you mean 'No'? You are my boyfriend, you can't just say no.” “I did just say No. No. I am not going the amusement park, at over 100 bucks a pop when you add travel and food, multiple days over the summer just to sit and stare at you...it is just not happening. There are many reasons why....not the least of which is I would be bored out of my mind. I don't have the time, or money, or inclination to be some sort of living statue for you to use to boost you ego in some sort of ego war with your co-workers. I have work, too, Blaine. And I NEED my paychecks that I get over the summer to be able to enjoy my school year. They pay for my clothing, any time spent shopping or out to the movies or dinner or coffee or anything else fun. I could maybe do ONE trip to the amusement park to see you...and to enjoy the park when you can't be with me and thus get my money's worth. I can not go at least twice a week every week all summer long, with a third or maybe even fourth trip to see you on demanded days at a texts notice.” “But Kurt, if you loved me...” And Kurt saw the next bolt of lightening hit. It hit a transformer on one of the street light poles the block over and half a block down. The thunder shook the house as the lights went out. Rachel screamed like Finn was stabbing her or something. Finn started screaming as well, telling her to calm down. Kurt was glad, though, because with the power out Blaine could not see the tears running down his face, with with how Kurt was standing. “I guess I don't love you then. Not if that is what you think Love requires of me. ” Kurt said, turning to look at Blaine instead of a flames spouting from the blown transformer. He could already hear the sirens of the police and fire trucks responding to it. “And if you loved ME, and not just the notion of a boyfriend, you would have never demanded any of what you have today.” “Of course I love you.” “No, you don't. Because if you did, you would know me well enough to not have come here and said any of what you have said in the last hour. You would know me well enough to know I can't afford your plan in the first place. We don't have that kind of money. You would have listened to me enough to know that I will have a full 40 hour week at the garage every week, and will have hours of work at other places as well. You would have known about other demands on my time over the summer. You would have realized I would like to be able to do things with you that I would like to do as well, like go swimming or go to play mini-golf. Or take you to the car shows with me and have you ride in the parades at the fairs with me. You would know that I don't like just sitting doing nothing for long periods of time. But you don't seem to know or care about any of that, so you must not actually love me.” “Now Kurt, stop being hysterical and silly. You know none of that is true. You might work at the garage but what do you actually do there, huh? Sweep? No one needs you there, and what else do you really have to do...that is as important or more important than me? It is just, face it, your time and my time are not equal. My folks plans are important. I need to be there and show up with acceptable company, so those periods of time are out. My work...performing is hard, Kurt and the rest of the work at the park is just as difficult. Do you even know what it is like to have to deal with parents who are upset because their kid is too small for a ride? That is so much more challenging than anything you might be doing.” “And that just proves you don't actually love me at all. Blaine, as soon as this storm calms, you need to go home. Have a great summer. Maybe if I get in touch with Jeff or Nick or anyone else from Dalton, I'll have them say Hello from me, but I won't be getting hold of you for a while. I need a clean break. And you need someone else, who can love you like you think love works.” “What are you talking about?” “I am breaking up with you. This isn't what I want from a relationship. It isn't what I need.” Kurt turned around again and stared out the window. The lightening strike was far enough away that the whole sky didn't seem to light up with it. Kurt counted a full Mississippi before he heard the thunder. Blaine was still talking to him, trying to tell him he couldn't break up with him and how mistaken Kurt was and how Kurt was purposefully being difficult and misunderstanding everything and making a big show and fuss about things. The rain was coming down more vertically again, just as hard and violently, but in a more natural angle and Kurt could tell the fire was out over where the lightening had hit. He could see a vehicle from the power company over in the area. The chaos was calming...and things seemed to be easing up. Kurt wouldn't be surprised if within the next half hour the storm had settled into an steady gentle rain. Oddly enough, he rather felt like he'd settled into an oddly calm and settled state as well. He wondered if he'd feel bad latter, if he'd feel more crushed and upset at the end of his first relationship, but for now...he felt like he was easing into a peaceful gentle state of being. Not sunshine yet, but the knowing that it could be soon.

#glee fic #Kurt Hummel

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lady-divine-writes · 4 years

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Klaine one-shot “Artistic Differences” (Rated NC17)

Summary: Kurt and Blaine have known each other all their lives. They've loved each other almost as long. But as Blaine uses his love for Kurt as inspiration for his music, Kurt has yet to reciprocate. And since painting is Kurt's entire world, Blaine is worried about what that might mean for the two of them. (2703 words)

Notes: I had been writing this for the @klaineadvent Drabble Challenge 2020 prompt 'opinion'. I finally finished it. Wee! XD

Read on AO3.

Baby, you're not alone...

'Cause you're here with me...

And nothing's ever gonna bring us down...

'Cause nothing can keep me from lovin' you...

And you know it's true...

It don't matter what'll come to be...

Our love is all we need to make it through...

Blaine stops singing when he notices an echo haunting his lyrics, lingering on the high notes for longer than written. He listens with eyes closed, smiling at his keyboard.

His boyfriend Kurt, humming behind the melody.

Blaine has been ironing this song out for the past three hours now but Kurt hasn't complained once about the constant stopping and starting.

He never does.

Blaine peeks over his shoulder as he continues to play with the harmonies and watches Kurt, focused on the canvas in front of him, swaying to the rhythm of the music, happily sandwiched between his two passions - art and music.

It's a mild and sunny Saturday - a whole day devoted to cleaning up commissions and tying loose ends on weekly projects before their one day off together. Blaine and Kurt share a studio space - normally unheard of for an artist and a musician, but they make it work. It helps that they've known one another for so long that being alone together is the same as being alone with themselves. That also means they get the inside scoop on what the other is working on long before the public does.

And what they're not working on, which has begun to bother Blaine.

Blaine adores everything his talented boyfriend comes up with. Even regarding his more controversial works, there isn't a thing Kurt has painted that Blaine finds objectionable. Kurt puts his heart and soul into every painting, no matter who it's for, and no matter the subject. A writer from Artforum once wrote: "Kurt Hummel goes beyond the veil to showcase not just the external, but the core of every subject - their drives and motivations. It pairs nicely with the transparency of his own soul, which shines through the gouache and the gesso to leave the viewer with a tangible piece."

And therein lies the root of Blaine's problem.

A glance at one of Kurt's canvasses and the world knows everything it needs to about what he loves.

But one subject in particular has gone wholly unrepresented.

“How come you've never painted a portrait of me?” Blaine asks.

"Hmm... what's that, love?" Kurt mutters, switching out brushes, then moving from a blob of Titanium White to a smear of Winsor Blue.

"How come you've never painted a portrait of me?" Blaine rises off his piano bench and relocates to the wooden folding chair behind Kurt's easel in the hopes of pulling his attention a bit. "You've been an artist for as long as I've known you, and I've known you your entire life. But not once have you ever painted a portrait of me."

“Why do I need to? I have you right here," Kurt says, pretending to bop the tip of Blaine's nose with his brush. "Besides, these aren’t personal." His gaze bounces between the three canvases set on easels in an arc in front of him. "They’re bought and paid for.”

"But what about your private stuff? You've shown me your sketchbooks and your digital art files. Unless you have some hidden folder marked 'secret boyfriend art' that I've yet to come across, there's not a single piece of me in any of your work."

Kurt doesn't steer his gaze away from the apple he's adding highlights to to acknowledge his pouty boyfriend, but the corner of his mouth hitches. "If you say so, dear."

"I know so," Blaine grumps, crossing his arms over his chest and dropping back in the chair so hard he nearly topples it over.

"That's your opinion."

"You're evading."

"Is it really so important to you?"

"Yes! It would be nice to be immortalized by my artist boyfriend!"

Kurt snickers. "Are you that much of a narcissist?"

"Your art is important to you! More than that - it's your life! You paint everything that you love! You've made dozens of paintings of Finn, your father, your mother, your Navigator... "

"My Navigator is my baby. It deserves love. I don't get to drive it much living in the city," Kurt defends. "Besides, those paintings I posted on Instagram landed me a huge contract with Lincoln, and that paid for our month-long tryst to Bali. You're welcome, by the way."

"I'm not saying I'm not grateful... " Blaine pauses, the smile on his face a souvenir from thirty straight days of overindulgence in sex and alcohol. "I think I more than proved that on that private beach? Under the moonlight?"

"Yeah, you did," Kurt growls, silently hoping that will be the end of this discussion.

"But... " Blaine picks up and Kurt's heart sinks.

No luck.

"... nowhere am I present in your work. Not that I've seen. Not even in the abstract. And that makes me think... "

"Think what?" Kurt mutters, his playful attitude fading the longer this conversation drags on.

Blaine sighs, realizing how much like a spoiled toddler he sounds. But he's in too deep to stop now. "That you don't expect me to be around long."

Kurt's snicker turns into a full-blown chortle. "We've been together forever! You staked a claim on me in kindergarten! Are you suddenly going somewhere?"

"Can't you take this seriously?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because it's ridiculous!"

Blaine huffs. "Great. So my feelings are ridiculous."

"No, Blaine, your feelings are valid. This argument is ridiculous. Believe it or don't, you don't know everything about me. Or my work. What does it matter what I put on a canvas? I told you that I love you! That I would always love you! I tell you over and over and over! Those are my words! My truth! Listen to my truth!"

"B-but what if you change your mind?" Blaine grimaces when that toddler inside him begins throwing an all-out tantrum.

"Then I change my mind!" Kurt groans, slamming his free hand down on an open tube of Dandelion Green, sending a thick ribbon of paint a good four feet. "I'm allowed to change my mind! And so are you! But I don't see that happening!"

"Then why won't you marry me?"

Kurt pulls a face, probably without thinking about it. "Because I'm not very fond of marriage."

"Why not? Your parents had a great marriage! And your father has a wonderful second marriage!"

"But your parents don't have a very good marriage, do they? Nor your older brother, who's been divorced twice already! " Kurt argues, frustration causing him to forget himself and clean his stained hand on the untucked hem of his shirt instead of a rag. That should be a huge red-flag for Blaine to back down, yet he doesn't. Common sense? Sorry, don't know her. "And the national average isn't that great, either. Doesn't it mean more that I choose to stay with you instead of feeling obligated to?"

Blaine doesn't have an answer for that, even though the answer is obviously yes. Of course, it does. And in high school, that would have been enough to shut Blaine up. But admitting to that feels too much like conceding, and this one time, this is an argument he wants to win. "Did you hear that song I've been working on?" Blaine asks, switching gears so quickly, it puts Kurt on edge.

"Yes," Kurt replies, his voice becoming tight quickly. "It's lovely."

"I wrote it for you."

"Thank you. It sounds wonderful. Another huge hit in the making."

"It's the 15th song I've written in your honor."

"Wow," Kurt says dryly, predicting the direction this is heading. "That many?"

"Yes."

"Well, that's an incredibly kind and loving gesture, one that I didn't know required reciprocation."

"It doesn't require reciprocation. But it would be nice."

Kurt rolls his eyes at Blaine's agenda. Tit for tat. Is that how this is supposed to work? "From what I remember, those songs made you a pretty penny."

"So?"

"So, it's not like you wrote them for me and kept them between us. Most of those songs are chart-toppers."

"But I didn't release them for the money! I wouldn't care if they didn't make me a dime! I put them on the albums because I'm not afraid to let the world know how I feel about you!"

Kurt's brow furrows as he fights through a blooming headache to decode that declaration. Once he gets it, he gasps. "I'm not hiding you away if that's what you're implying! You go with me EVERYWHERE! Every gallery opening, every art show! There have been articles written about our relationship! You're no dirty little secret!"

"I never said I was."

"No?" Kurt chuckles bitterly. "You're sure implying it a great deal!"

"That's not what this is about."

"You're right. It's not. Blaine!" Kurt tosses his brush into a mug of water and starts pacing the floor. "I am a gay artist walking a very fine line."

"I'm a gay artist, too!" Blaine says, offended.

"But you're a musician. And a songwriter. Musicians are supposed to use love as their muse. Writing about your relationship is expected... unless you're Taylor Swift, apparently."

"Yeah. What's up with that?"

Kurt shrugs. "I don't know. The point is that the second I make a piece of art about our relationship in any way, shape, or form, I'm afraid that's all it will be about, no matter what I intend."

"Isn't art supposed to be subject to interpretation?"

"That's just it! If I hint that my art has anything to do with you, that will become the only interpretation. Because too many straight people see the homosexual experience as solely about the right to fuck who we want to fuck and nothing else. I make a portrait about you or dedicated to you, and after that... " Kurt's eyes leave Blaine's face, scanning the room and his canvasses all around for help making his argument. He finds a painting of a forest they hiked through in Bali and stops there "... a tree that I paint will no longer be just a tree. It will become a symbol. In a forest of evergreens, if one needle is slightly browner than the rest because the paint oxidizes weirdly or whatever, then it'll be about you and me on the skids and nothing else. And I don't want that to happen."

Blaine turns in his chair to find the painting Kurt is staring at. On the surface, it's trees, dirt, and sky, but underneath, it's much more than that. That painting of their beloved paradise is perfection - so much so that he can feel the sun on his face, the breeze kissing his cheek, smell the sunscreen on his skin. "I understand what you're saying, but... "

"But?" Kurt grinds out between his teeth. This is the frustrating thing about arguing with Blaine. Even when he says he sees Kurt's point of view, he doesn't seem to really.

And when he's not winning, he gets dismissive.

"... I think you're overthinking things a little."

"And you're not?"

"Another evade," Blaine says, pointing at him in a way reminiscent of his brother's only acting technique.

Kurt grabs the hair at his temple and pulls to keep from flinging the palette in his hand like a frisbee at Blaine's head. "Isn't it more important that you know how I feel about you? You inspire me every day! Your love, your support, your music - they feed my soul! But do I have to plaster it on a wall to make it real?"

"That's kind of an empty question because you don't! There are no paintings of me! Not even in our apartment! And I'm sorry, but I think that's very telling!"

Kurt nods, his lips pulled taut. "You're right, Blaine. Not one. And it is very telling." He drops his palette on his work table and circles the room, grabbing finished canvases and carrying them over. He positions them purposefully, placing some under UV lights he has mounted to runners on the ceiling.

"What... what are you doing?" Blaine asks with worry, wondering if Kurt is about to do something hasty, something that will ruin his paintings, waste all those hours of work, jeopardize the money he has yet to collect for them.

Kurt doesn't answer.

He doesn't even look at him.

He works silently, his shoulders rigid, his footsteps heavy as he collects paintings Blaine forgot about, paintings that had made Blaine bristle because they were of places they had been to together, things they had made a point to see only with each other, but not a one included him. Those Kurt flips upside down.

He swipes a squeeze bottle of clear liquid from his army of supplies. It could be water. It could be paint thinner. Blaine doesn't know, but he's not certain he wants to find out. He's about to leap off his seat to stop him, but Kurt switches off the overhead lights, turns on the UVs, and Blaine stops. He watches in horror as Kurt douses the flipped canvases in fluid, but the paint doesn't run. Whatever is in that bottle, it sticks, but only in certain areas, and before it dries completely, Kurt dusts the paintings with a fine powder, one that brings hidden images to life beneath the lights.

“Oh my God,” Blaine mutters, stepping back to get a better look.

Every painting, in one way or another, is of him. Of them. And not just recently. There are images of them from college, high school... middle school. There are profiles of Blaine in the negative space between flowers of one painting, and in the clouds of another. A fluorescent image of teenaged him playing guitar to a silhouette of Kurt sitting beside him. There are shadows of them dancing, singing, even a daring one of them making love up against a wall.

And the flipped landscapes? Their vacation pictures, as it were? The glowing dust reveals portraits hiding in plain sight, painted upside down and invisible to the naked eye. All of these images, Kurt painted in ways where no one would detect them if they weren't looking for them. If they didn't know they were there.

And they are in every. single. one.

Now that he's seen this, it's safe to assume all of Kurt's works carry similar Easter eggs, even paintings long gone.

"Why... why didn't you tell me about this?" Blaine asks, too stuck on stupid to move, walk from painting to painting and examine them properly.

"Why did I need to? I love you. I've told you. What else did I need to prove?"

Blaine shakes his head slowly, ashamed of himself. What an imbecile he is! Kurt is absolutely right. He loves him! He didn't need to prove it! The hurt Blaine felt - that was on him. It wasn't Kurt's responsibility to fix it. There isn't a day that goes by where Kurt doesn't show his love to Blaine in one way or another. Blaine didn't need this. He really didn't.

And right now, he doesn't feel he deserves it.

On a side note, how wrapped up in his own crap has he been that here, in this space that they share, where proximity has forced Kurt to memorize every song Blaine has been writing for his latest album while he paints, that he never realized just how frickin' talented his boyfriend is!?

"Kurt... " Blaine finally finds the strength to take a step forward, drawn to that ghostly image of them making love. It's a simple shadow of the moment, but it evokes a powerful memory "... these are incredible. How did you... ?" Blaine expects an answer before he can finish. Kurt is rarely shy about discussing his work.

Though Blaine should use this opening to his advantage - apologize since those should have been the first words out of his mouth.

But he gets nothing.

"Kurt?" Blaine looks over his shoulder in search of his boyfriend, ready to make amends.

But Kurt is gone.

#klaine fanfiction #klaine fic #klaine #blangst

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skyblue-ringpops · 4 years

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A Deep Dive Into Blaine Anderson

I wrote a six page essay analyzing Blaine Anderson.

Click to read it, I would really appreciate if you did. Keep in mind - it’s long.

I hope you enjoy, and feel free to share your thoughts!

Warning: There will be discussion of neglect, abuse, homophobia, suicide, self harm, eating disorders, and sexual assault.

When we were first introduced to Blaine Anderson, he was made out to seem like Kurt’s mentor, very confident and open to being himself. It wasn’t long before he changed, and many would say that change was for the worse. As many people say, he became whiny, clingy, and, according to many of his critics, annoying. However, it isn’t hard to see that Blaine was struggling mentally, and these issues were never explored further. This essay will not only determine what he was going through, but explain possible causes and effects.

We first meet Blaine at Dalton Academy, confident, accepting of himself, someone for Kurt to look up to and be guided by. But why does he suddenly change after season two? He isn’t being himself at Dalton, he’s being the way he’s expected to be. The Warblers all seem to have a similar presence that captures the spirit of the academy - formal, wise, confident. That fits the personality of season two Blaine. Why is he acting this way, though? There’s a few possibilities. One, he’s trying to fit in. Everyone else in the academy acts that way, and Blaine doesn’t want to stand out, he wants to fit in, something he wasn’t able to do at his old school. Two, he could have a mentor at the academy that he’s trying to act more like. Blaine is the head Warbler, but he isn’t the authority in the group. That role would likely belong to Wes or David, one of the members of the council. It’s possible that Blaine admired them or was inspired in some way, and tried replicating their behavior. Three, he could have been ashamed of his actual personality or feared nobody would like his true self, and tried hiding it either to fit in, as I said before, or to make Kurt like him. I personally don’t think this is the case since he took off his mask once arriving at McKinley. I think he was likely trying to fit the image of the academy, hoping it would prevent the bullying he faced at his old school. Although Dalton had a zero tolerance policy, he likely faced some trauma, and a simple policy wouldn’t be enough for him.

So, what happened at his old school? Blaine said that he and his openly gay friend were jumped at a Sadie Hawkins dance at their school, leading Blaine to transfer to Dalton. This affected him quite a bit, and it was shown multiple times. While at the prom with Kurt, Blaine seems protective of him at times and isn’t too sure they’ll be safe. The chance of this being his first dance since the Sadie Hawkins is very high, it’s no surprise that he’d be afraid, especially knowing that Kurt had been bullied in the past. After Tina very awkwardly asks Blaine to the Sadie Hawkins dance and gets rejected, she apologizes, thinking he said no because of his past experience. We know he said no because of his crush on Sam, however, I don’t believe that’s the only reason. He knew Sam wouldn’t feel the same way, and he knew Tina would have been willing to go as friends. Even if it wasn’t the main reason for him rejecting her, his trauma likely played a role in it.

alton Academy was a place of refuge for Blaine. He went there after the bullying, he made friends, he met Kurt, the Warblers were probably the closest thing he had to a family, he almost went back after his very hard breakup in season four. It wouldn’t be hard to believe that Dalton saved his life, which I’ll get more into later. When the academy burns down in season six, it’s clear that he was very affected by it. He’s brought into the auditorium clearly upset, crying, quiet. When explaining what happened, he seems distant, sort of zoned out. Chances are, he watched the academy burn - many agree it is a boarding school so even if it wasn’t during the school day, it’s very likely he was there. But the fire probably happened during the day, it makes sense since there would be something that could have caused it. Even if he didn’t witness the academy burn, he would have seen the results of the fire, even if it was just in pictures. The academy was clearly important to every student, they did what they could to respect it. Blaine has an extra reason to hold it so close, That would almost definitely add to his trauma, especially since it was a place that meant so much to him.

The Warblers were the closest thing Blaine had to a family. What about his parents, what about Cooper? We met Cooper and Pam, and his father was mentioned. However, in a deleted scene, it is confirmed that Blaine’s parents weren’t present in his life, they were too busy with work. Cooper and Blaine didn’t have much of a relationship, due to their age difference. Blaine’s father and Cooper aren’t even at the wedding, although it wasn’t originally his. There was a deleted explanation for Cooper’s absence, he had a callback for an audition. The only explanation for his father’s absence was also deleted - an implication that his parents got a divorce. It’s hard to say the effect this would have on Blaine, it was deleted so we never saw his reaction, and we don’t know if it even affected him much due to their absence. Also, it’s more than likely that Blaine raises himself. In flashbacks, it’s shown that he didn’t have the best childhood. We see Cooper teasing him and not letting him play, and we see him play Operation by himself. Chances are, he raised himself. He probably had nobody to raise him, no role models. We know Blaine didn’t have the best relationship with Cooper, we saw in the episode Big Brother that, although they seemed to make up at the end, Cooper never really supported Blaine and constantly criticized him, and Blaine seemed jealous of the attention Cooper received. These problems have probably always existed, and could even be traced back to their parents, if Cooper got more attention or praise. Their parents were absent for most of Blaine’s childhood, but due to the age difference, we can’t definitively say the same for Cooper. As for their father, he isn’t talked about much, but Blaine does tell Burt that his father used to fix cars with him in an effort to turn him straight. Now, this is only based on what Blaine says, it’s possible that he just assumed this and his father’s intention was simply spending time with his son. However, even if that is the case, there has to be some reason for Blaine to assume this. Whether his father made homophobic comments in the past, reacted badly to Blaine coming out, or explicitly said he had an issue with Blaine’s sexuality and/or wanted to “fix him”, or if his father never actually did anything, and he assumed the worst because of something done by someone else, there has to be some reason for him to think this. His mother does seem to be the better parent, at least she shows up once and he doesn’t have anything bad to say about her. But that doesn’t mean she was all good, and just observing her behaviors at the wedding shows this. First of all, she’s shown dancing with Puck, which must be weird for Blaine. Imagine seeing your recently divorced (although I’m not sure if we can consider the divorce canon since it was deleted, making this situation even worse) dancing with one of your classmates, who’s only a year older than you. This next point isn’t canon, it’s more of a possible scenario. His mother seems to be acting drunk at the wedding, and is one of the only ones to appear that way. Again, not confirmed. But if that is the case, imagine this scenario - Blaine’s mother hardly being present, and drinking when she is. First of all, this would make it much harder for the two to bond, since she probably wouldn’t be focused as much on him. Second, there isn’t much she would be able to do for him, so he wouldn’t have a responsible adult around if he needed one. And third - again, this is entirely speculation - it could potentially have a negative influence on him. While it definitely doesn’t seem Blaine has a dependence on alcohol (it actually seems to be more of the opposite, since he’s apparently drunk after one beer in The First Time), it could have a negative influence on his coping mechanisms, shown when he and Dave Karofsky are explaining their relationship to Kurt, saying they met at Scandals. This may not seem like an issue, but remember, during season six, Blaine was too depressed to do much of anything, to the point of getting kicked out of NYADA, but still chose to hang out in a bar.

Speaking of his relationship with Karofsky, almost everyone agrees that he shouldn’t have dated his ex’s former tormentor, and many criticize him for that. But what was his reason for choosing to date him? There are a few possibilities. First, he could have actually had feelings for him, which I doubt. It isn’t impossible, but he clearly wasn’t over Kurt, and he knew how Karofsky used to treat him, although he changed. It is possible that Blaine was just taking whatever he could get, like after the season four breakup when he was finally able to move on due to a crush on Sam, likely developed out of loneliness. Also, his feelings for Dave quickly disappear when he realizes he has a chance to get Kurt back. Another possibility is that he chose to date Dave to upset Kurt, out of spite possibly, but Blaine doesn’t seem like the type to intentionally hurt someone he loves. He usually tries to take on the role of a protector, so why would he try to hurt Kurt, even if he was upset with him, especially knowing what Dave did in the past? The third reason, which seems the most probable to me, is that Blaine dated Dave because he was seeking pain or abuse. There’s a few reasons why he could have done this. One, it isn’t uncommon for survivors of abuse, which with his father, Blaine might be, to seek out more pain after their abuser has stopped. It’s possible that, if his father was abusive, he did stop sometime around season 6, since Blaine likely doesn’t live at home anymore and if his parents did divorce around this time, he may not see his father anymore. Two, it could have been a form of punishment. If he blamed himself for the breakup, he may think he deserves pain for hurting Kurt. He also could have been seeking pain in order to feel something. He was extremely depressed after the breakup and likely felt numb, and in his mind, pain would be better than that. Finally, he could have been with Dave thinking he couldn’t do any better or didn’t deserve any better. This could be a result of the breakup or his previous insecurities shown in season 5.

Now, let’s take a closer look at his insecurities. Insecurity is something that has been covered quite a bit on the show, but is typically done poorly. In Blaine’s case, his insecurity makes him jealous and many criticize him for that. When Kurt begins a more healthy lifestyle and gets in better shape, rather than being happy for him, Blaine becomes jealous, tries to reverse his progress, and turns to the internet because he doesn’t feel comfortable around Kurt. There are some suggestions that Blaine may be going through something many characters in the show face - the eating disorder that only lasts one episode. There are many implications that he may be binge eating at the beginning of the episode, and even after deciding he wants to get into shape, continues consuming a large amount of calories, seemingly using it as a coping mechanism. However, this issue was completely overlooked, just like many others throughout the show. He also says to Kurt, “One day, you’re gonna wake up and realize that ‘I don’t love him anymore.’” He has the belief throughout the episode that Kurt is better than him, and could do better. However, this isn’t the first time he has a mindset like this. When Kurt texts Chandler, Blaine accuses him of cheating despite doing something similar with Sebastian and seeing no issue with it. When Kurt graduates, Blaine worries that the long-distance relationship won’t work for them, he worries that Kurt will leave him. When Blaine meets Elliot, he confronts him for trying to steal Kurt from him, despite both of them assuring him they are just friends. Kurt hasn’t done anything to make Blaine believe he isn’t loyal or wants to leave him. It seems that Blaine has abandonment issues, which could be traced back to his parents’ absence. This would also explain his clinginess and dependence on Kurt. Even when Kurt isn’t around, he always seems to have one person he latches onto. For example, in seasons four and five, he’s hardly seen without Sam, and even in season six, when he seems to go everywhere with Dave and moves in with him very quickly, and the only times he is without them are usually when he is with Kurt.

Blaine’s anxiety is shown in more ways than just his abandonment issues and clinginess. For example, when Blaine is reconsidering his choice to audition for NYADA and instead claims he wants to be a doctor despite having no prior interest, he is avoiding a cause of worry, a common symptom of anxiety. He also shows signs of an anxiety attack during the shooting. He’s shown sitting quietly, crying, and hugging his knees. He’s okay at first, but later panics after being shushed. He most likely thinks everyone is mad at him for making noise, and fears that if anything happens to them, he will be blamed. When Ryder calls “Katie” and the phone rings, everyone tells him to turn it off except for Blaine, who can be seen mouthing “Turn it off please” but doesn’t make a sound, likely because he’s too scared to speak. He doesn’t move and is the only one to not touch anyone during the lockdown. Even when Sam is trying to leave, Blaine doesn’t help, just covers his ears and tries to block it out. This could be signs of PTSD. Throughout the experience, he seems almost childlike, for example, curling up, audibly sobbing, clinging to Sam, and being the only person to call his parents and greeting his mother with “hey mommy”.

Along with his anxiety, Blaine is shown to have severe depression, which is especially notable during seasons four and six, but likely existed even before his transfer to Dalton. He talks about being unable to sleep and eat after he and Kurt broke up in season six, and was even kicked out of NYADA due to his lack of motivation. He nearly transfers back to Dalton after the season four breakup, a place of refuge for him, because everything at McKinley reminds him of Kurt and he can’t handle it. He even shows signs of being suicidal in seasons three and four. Season four has less to discuss, he says a few things that suggest he either is or is becoming suicidal, showing signs of severe depression and acting as if he has nothing left. In season three, though, there is more to look into, and if you aren’t paying close attention, it’s easy to miss. Both examples are from the episode On My Way. The theme for regionals is inspirational, and Blaine chooses to sing the song Cough Syrup. The song is viewed as a cry for help from the band when they were first starting out and unsure what to do. However, the song is not about suicide. It’s about the difficult decision to stray from the norm and do your own thing, or do what is expected of you. In fact, upon viewing the episode, the band said they never thought of the song in that way. However, many listeners do think of the song as being about suicide, and we don’t know what Blaine’s interpretation was. Later in the episode, the club discusses suicide. Everyone makes eye contact, and when they say what they are looking forward to, everyone laughs and smiles. However, Blaine doesn’t. Rather than looking at everyone else, he looks down, rubbing his wrists, suggesting possible self harm or suicidal ideation. He looks sad throughout the discussion, and his only smile, towards the end of the discussion, looks very forced and his eyes still look sad. Due to his past, it wouldn’t be hard to believe he had thoughts of suicide at some point, whether before Dalton, or during seasons three, four, and/or six.

My final point will be discussing this article. The article points out some inconsistencies about Blaine and sex, from his open discussion with Burt, casually bringing up masturbation, his sometimes sexual song choices, the car scene after he and Kurt go to Scandals, and his talk about sexy faces, to his argument with Sam when he says he’s “not for sale”. He shows no discomfort most of the time, until one suggestion makes him become angry and defensive. His character did go through quite a bit of changes, which could be an explanation for his inconsistencies, mixed with Glee’s notoriously bad writing, but there is another way to look at it: some kind of sexual trauma during his childhood. The ability to have a mature discussion about it can be explained by his exposure to it at a young age if this is the case, since, depending on his age, he would probably need an explanation and a discussion with adults, possibly strangers, if he came forward about his experience. He could, depending on the trauma, view sex as a way to gain approval. And if his dad actually is homophobic, this could be directly linked with Blaine’s experience, with his father possibly believing his sexuality is a result of the trauma. The presentation of his trauma could differentiate every day, being perfectly fine with talking about it one day and not wanting to the next. This could also provide a bit more of an explanation for the car scene during The First Time, if Blaine’s experience happened at a young age and that was his first exposure to and therefore the foundation of his understanding of sex, Blaine may not realize when he goes too far. We know that, whether this theory is true or not, Blaine experienced sexual assault when Tina “vaporaped” him. He doesn’t seem too bothered by her, and she even becomes one of his best friends after it happened. However, the response to trauma I discussed earlier seems to be present. Sam brings up the event later on, meaning he knows about it, and since the chances of Tina or Kurt (the only other ones who know) telling him aren’t high (Tina because she wouldn’t want to admit to it, unless she slipped up like she did with Kurt, and Kurt because he wouldn’t want to reveal Blaine’s trauma), and the fact that Sam brought it up in front of Blaine, shows that he was likely okay with talking about it. He wouldn’t tell Sam if he wasn’t okay discussing it, and if they never talked about it, Sam probably wouldn’t casually joke about it in front of him. If Sam thought the comment he made was okay, he probably didn’t think it affected Blaine too much. However, when Sam brings it up, Blaine clearly looks upset. It did have a negative effect on him, and it was more than likely traumatic. And there’s a possibility that it may not have been his first experience with sexual trauma.

There is no question that Blaine had a rough past, and many of those struggles continue to affect him. However, the show, for the most part, ignores them. I hope that through this essay, you were able to learn a bit more about Blaine, understand his inconsistencies and behaviors that seem out of character, to look past the surface level. Blaine is one of the strongest characters, but his issues are hardly ever brought to light. Keep in mind, a lot of this is speculation, headcanons, or analysis of background information that may not have been scripted. Respectful discussion is encouraged, and feel free to share any additional observations, theories, or headcanons, or suggest another character for me to look into.

#glee #blaine anderson #deep dive #blaine anderson headcanon #blaine anderson hc #blaine anderson angst #character analysis #glee blaine #klaine #blam

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spaceorphan18 · 4 years

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99 Perspectives on a Single Love Story #19

A/N: The Story of Kurt and Blaine told through the eyes of everyone else but them. Each chapter is a different perspective in the ongoing tale of their love story.

I started something like this a while back - and now I’m taking the idea and really running with it. Each chapter is a ficlet of a different character at a different point in Kurt and Blaine’s life - documenting their love story. This starts in Audition, and each chapter will be paired with a different episode until reaching Dreams Come True.

[Ao3]

***

Sam Evans (Rumours)

Sam takes in a deep breath before he rings the doorbell. He had been picking up the deliveries that take him to the farthest parts of Lima in hopes that no one would notice him. But it’s Friday night, and they’re swamped, and of course, Matt being the lazy ass that he is, won’t go farther than a mile away, so he’s left delivering to pretty much everyone. Including an address he recognizes -- The Hummels.

Kurt, of course, already knows about his situation -- just last week he had delivered to Dalton, but after everything that had been going on lately, everyone digging into his business, everyone making weird assumptions about him, he really doesn’t want to be near anyone from school. Not helping is the strange sense that he’s being followed. He rings the doorbell again, inspecting some bushes that might be moving as the door opens.

“Sam!” Kurt cries as he opens the door. Kurt is… well, Kurt’s weirdly happy to see him. Or maybe just happy. He’s got the goofiest grin on his face, and Sam isn’t quite sure how to react. The short amount of time he did know Kurt before he left, he barely smiled. And now he’s, maybe, radiating? He’s also, uh, unkempt -- at least for Kurt. Sam doesn’t usually notice these things, but he does know that Kurt is particular about his hair and his wardrobe. Kurt’s hair is a mess and his shirt is half untucked.

“Uh, hey, Kurt -- nice place,” Sam stammers as he sets the pizza on the end table.

“Come in, don’t stand in the cold,” Kurt insists. “Thank god you are here. Oh my god, we are starving and I’m practically a beast when not fed properly. Now, where is that money Dad left us?” He’s leafing through some mail on the table as Sam quietly waits.

“So… pretty crazy today in class, right?” Sam says - just trying to fill the uncomfortable silence.

Kurt freezes to give a stone-cold stare. At first Sam thinks he’s done something wrong, but he quickly realizes that Kurt’s giving him his normal reaction glare. “You would think after all the drama the glee club has been through over the years, that they would learn that it doesn’t matter and we should really be focusing on the music. We’re going to New York -- and these people take one Sue Sylvester led newspaper cycle and everything is falling apart. I mean, who cares if they think we’re dating…”

“Wait, uh, what?” Sam’s brain starts to reel. He knows people are thinking he and Quinn are getting back together. And they’re not. So not. Though he would be lying if he hadn’t thought about it. But Kurt? Really? How many times has he got to tell people he’s not gay before they believe him.

“Oh, god, Rachel practically had my head about it between classes today,” Kurt continues, giving the biggest eye-roll. “And don’t worry - I deflected perfectly, no one knows about your secret -- my word is always the best. But please. Don’t get me wrong, Sam, you are adorable, but Blaine and I are ravishingly happy.”

Sam’s brain is still processing the idea that Rachel thinks he’s dating Kurt. “Why does she think that?”

“She recognized the jacket I gave you,” Kurt explains. “Which reminds me, do you need any other clothes?”

Before Sam can answer, he sees Kurt’s boyfriend on the top of the stairs, pulling a white t-shirt over his head as he starts to descend the stairs. Oh, god… Did he interrupt… He gets the image of Kurt kissing his boyfriend in his head and it’s… weird. Well, no, it’s fine. Like - Kurt can kiss whoever he wants, even if it is a dude, he’s cool with that. Really, he is. But, like, it’s Kurt. Kissing people. And that just seems weird. Shit, why is he thinking about this?

“What’s taking you so long?” Blaine asks. He comes up right behind Kurt, and wraps his arms around Kurt’s waist, placing his chin on Kurt’s shoulder.

Kurt leans back into him, clearly enjoying it. “I was telling Sam that Rachel thought he and I were dating, Kurt says, turning his head to face Blaine.

“Well, that’s ridiculous.”

“That’s what I said.”

The two of them are doing that thing that couples do -- that Sam has seen his parents do -- where they talk to each other with just looks. He’s not sure what they’re saying but he feels like he’s intruding on something more… private. “You guys, I’m so sorry, I really didn’t mean to stop you from… whatever.”

“What?” Kurt looks genuinely confused.

Blaine grins, and speaks close into Kurt’s ear. “He thinks we were having sex.”

“Oh,” Kurt flushes deeply, becoming flustered. “No, we were just, uh, hanging out. Blaine was just changing.”

“Yeah, because you wanted me out of the blazer,” Blaine says, giving a kiss to Kurt’s cheek.

“Blaine!”

“You know, I really should go,” Sam says. Seeing the two of them together - he guess it does make sense. They are super into each other. But the room is getting a little warm, and Sam more than anything wants to not be there anymore.

“You sure you don’t need any more of my clothes?” Kurt offers again.

“No, I’m fine…” Sam says, backing to leave.

“C’mon, Kurt, I’m hungry,” Blaine says, biting at Kurt’s ear.

Kurt all but melts in Blaine’s arms. “We should really feed you then.”

“Well, then.”

They’re doing that weird nonverbal thing with their eyes, which means it's Sam’s queue to get the hell outta there.

They’re only looking at each other as Kurt grabs the pizza, and Blaine pulls him back to the stairs. “Money’s on the table, Sam,” he calls as the two of them race to the second floor, pizza box in hand. “See you on Monday.”

Sam looks awkwardly around for a moment, grabs the two bills Kurt had unearthed on the table (score, does Kurt realize he gave, like, a one-hundred percent tip?), and leaves the house. As he walks back to his car, his brain mildly wonders if they’re going to eat first -- and then have sex, or the other way around. And people think he’s hooking up with Kurt. He’s barely made it to third base with a girl, while Kurt is obviously getting some now. Wild.

#s.o. writes things #99 perspectives

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kurts-still-here · 3 years

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Nothing Breaks Like A Heart Chapter 2 Kurt/ Sebastian FanFiction

Hello everyone, I am back with chapter 2 of “Nothing Breaks Like A Heart”. Please read etheir on here or A03 or FanFiction. Net and leave any comments, questions or feedback for me. I love hearing from you guys and everyone was super sweet about chapter 1. This chapter is about how Kurt’s family reacts when they see him beat up and I loved writing this because of how loving and supportive everyone was. Anyway read for yourself and have a good day!! :)

Archive Of Our Own

FanFiction.Net (Chapter 2)

“It’s Like One Day You Flipped A Switch And Became Someone I Never Knew”- Unknown

“What the hell happened?” Kurt heard his dad and Finn yell at the same time. Kurt didn’t answer them, just continuing to cry into Sam’s chest. He was asking himself the same question. Carol went over to him and kneeled down in front of him so that when Sam pulled Kurt away from that Kurt was looking right at her.

“Kurt, honey, what happened? Who did this to you?” She asked him but all Kurt could do was shake his head. He couldn’t tell them, they would call the police on Blaine and then Blaine would know that he broke his promise and would probably come after Kurt to hurt him more. He wasn’t taking any chances, he was in enough pain as it was and he wasn’t about to go cause himself more.

“Kurt, son,” His dad started to say calmly , joining the group over at the table. “I thought you were with Blaine tonight. Where is he? Why didn’t he drive you home? Do I need to call him?”

“No,” Kurt yelled, making his dad and Carol exchange an odd look with each other.

“Blaine and I broke up and I told him that I would just walk home… because it’s not that far away but then…” Kurt stopped and took a shaky breath, trying to figure out what to say. “... I don’t want to talk about it.” That was enough, he didn’t want his family to get any ideas that Blaine was the one who hurt him, even though that idea was the truth.

“Wait, Blaine broke up with you?” Finn asked, surprised. “Why?”

“I broke up with him and it doesn’t matter,” Kurt whispered. It did matter, all of it mattered because not only was Kurt physically broken but he was also heartbroken which didn’t make much sense because he was starting to think he had never loved him in the first place.

“Well, he didn’t hurt you did he?” Sam asked and Kurt shook his head, lying.

“You know Blaine didn’t do this, Sam. Blaine wouldn’t hurt a fly.” ‘But he would hurt his boyfriend.’ Kurt thought to himself, miserably. He didn’t want to talk about it anymore though so he changed the subject. “It hurts,”

“Well you do look pretty beaten up there honey,” Carol told him. “Lucky for you, I’m a nurse so there’s no need to take you to a doctor right now.”

“Carol, I think…” Burt started to say but Carol shot him a look that said, “Not now, look at the state he’s in,” and he shut up. He turned her attention back to Kurt and started examining his body while asking him some questions that thankfully had nothing to do with the identities of his attacker.

“Where does it hurt specifically Kurt?”

“My head, my face, my wrist and my stomach and my ankle. I think I snapped my ankle, it’s kind of dangling out of place.” Kurt admitted, trying not to look down at his foot because he felt sick enough and didn’t really want to throw up again.

“Well it looks like whatever got you, got you pretty hard, sweetie. You’ve got a black eye and your eyeball is really red and swollen.” ‘Must’ve been the book,” Kurt thought to himself. “And when you say that your head hurts do you mean because you feel sick or did you hit it?”

“Both,” Kurt mumbled, starting to feel sicker and sicker by the minute.

“And is that the same with your stomach?” She asked him. “Did someone punch or kick you? Or something,” She added at the end.

“Yes, I got punched,”

“Okay, Kurt I’m going to need you to stand up and take your shirt off so I can see if you have any marks. Not to worry you but you could have internal bruising if you got punched. Can you stand up?” She asked him.

“Yes,” Kurt said and held onto the table to push himself up but when he was fully standing, he felt the pain throughout his body increase and winced. “Never mind, no,” He changed his answer.

“Sam hold Kurt up, please,” Carol ordered Sam who gave Kurt a small, comforting smile and held him up by his hips. “Okay Kurt, let me help you,” She told him, going over to him to help him pull his wet and surprisingly, blood soaked shirt off. It took some time and it was extremely painful for Kurt but they all managed. When the shirt was finally off Carol placed it aside and went back to look at Kurt’s stomach when she along with Finn and Burt gasped.

Kurt’s stomach was practically black, covered in various little bruises but when you looked from afar it looked like one. Kurt told himself not to look down so as to not freak himself out. He hated all these injuries, the blood and the bones and the bruising. He always had, that’s one of the reasons why he never got into any sports until he played football his sophomore year. The thought of having a bone sticking out of him or getting a bloody nose was very unappealing to him so that just made this whole situation even worse than it already was due to the fact that there was blood all over him and that his ankle was deformed.

“Kurt that looks painful honey,” Carol told him and usually Kurt would snap back at her and would say that it was painful but he was too focused on breathing so he wouldn’t puke all over himself and Sam. “We need to get some ice on that after you get yourself cleaned up but next you said your wrist hurt. Can I see it?”

Kurt nodded his head a little and held out his right arm for Carol to examine. She took it in her hand and gently held it, trying her best not to twist it to cause any more pain or damage. “Hmm, it may be sprained honey, we’ll have to wrap it up, okay?” She asked him but Kurt was silently crying again, feeling sick to his stomach and wasn’t paying attention to her. “Kurt?” She asked again and when Kurt started to feel something rise in his throat he wiggled himself out of Sam’s grasp and fell towards the sink just in time to throw up in it.

He retched and heaved while Sam rubbed his back. He felt horrible which only made him cry more, which made his stomach hurt more which caused him to vomit even more. When there was nothing left in him for him to puke (for now at least) he turned on the sink and washed it out before splashing the water on his face. He dried off his face with a paper towel and realized that he was out of breath. He just wanted to sleep now but Carol wasn’t done examining him and he still had to take a bath and get his injuries wrapped up. He continued crying and Sam helped him sit back down in his chair before sitting down himself next to Kurt and Finn joined them. Both boys grabbed one of Kurt’s hands and held it, trying their best to comfort him without hurting him anymore.

“Kurt bud, I know it hurts but it’s going to be okay,” His dad told him. “What do you want us to do?”

“Nothing,” Kurt told them all. “I want to… I don’t know it just hurts.” He sobbed.

“How about some pain reliever?” Carol suggested and Kurt nodded his head. “You’ll probably have to eat something to keep it down though. Do you think you can do that?”

“No,” Kurt choked out. He didn’t want to be sick anymore and he wasn’t taking any chances.

“Okay, well how about this?” Carol started to suggest. “Let’s do this. Let me check out your ankle. If it is dislocated like you think it is then I will try to pop it back into place. I’ve done it many times before but it will be extremely painful. In the case that it doesn’t work, we’ll need to take you to the hospital but let me try first. After we tend to that, you can go and take a bath and change your clothes. Once you’re done I’ll come in and bandage your wrist and will give you an ankle brace. Tomorrow I’ll go out and get you an air cast and that will relieve the pressure that you put on there. You’re going to have some kind of medicine for all of this or else you’re just going to feel even worse so you’re going to have to eat something for me, okay?” Kurt reluctantly nodded his head.

“After that, we’ll let you sleep and we’ll just see how you feel in the morning. Hopefully you feel a little better. Does that sound like a good plan?” She asked him.

“Yes,” Kurt answered, trying to figure out how long all of this would take so he could hurry up. He just wanted to skip to the step where he could go to bed even though he was drenched in rain, sweat and blood.

“Okay, so let me see your ankle.” She told Kurt who held out his ankle for her. She carefully took his shoe off and then his sock to reveal a swollen, dislocated ankle.

“Yep, definitely dislocated but it looks like it will be an easy fix.” She told everyone. “Now, like I said, this is going to hurt badly. You may scream, you may vomit, you may pass out but once I get it back in place it will feel much better. Are you ready?”

“Yes,” Kurt told her when he really meant no. He didn’t want to vomit again let alone scream or faint. Hopefully he said quiet, with his mouth shut and his eyes open.

“Okay, I’m going to fix it on three. One… two… three.” She said and snapped his ankle back into its socket.

“OH MY GOD,” Kurt shouted. He knew it was going to hurt but it felt like, he didn’t even know, it hurt that bad. His vision became blurred with tears and he squeezed his brother’s hands tightly.

“There, you’re all done.” Carol told him. ‘Thank god,” Kurt thought. “You did good.”

“Thanks,” Kurt said, bitterly.

“Okay, now for step two. Finn, Sam, can you help Kurt upstairs? I need to get all the supplies.” She asked the other two boys who nodded their heads. They both stood up and Sam bent down so he could pick Kurt up bridal style and Finn led them up the stairs to Kurt’s room. Once they were inside, Finn shut the door and Sam placed Kurt down on his bed.

“So, how do you want to do this?” Finn asked him. “Can you stand long enough to take a shower?”

“Yes,” Kurt told him. He would try to anyway but he wasn’t going to have his brothers help him take a bath. He wasn’t a baby and he already knew how uncomfortable Finn would be. “I won’t take long just… please don’t leave,” He begged them both. He didn’t want to be alone right now.

“We won’t,” Sam promised him. “We’ll just wait in here, take your time,”

Kurt stood himself up and walked into his bathroom. He slowly bent down to get a towel from the cabinet underneath his sink and when he came back up he accidentally looked into the mirror and froze. Carol wasn’t kidding when she said he looked bad in fact that was an understatement. He looked horrible. Just like Carol had said, his right eye was black and swollen and his eyeball was bloodshot red. He had other bruises all over his body and his lip was busted. He didn’t even know how Blaine had managed to hurt him so bad.

Tears were starting to well in his eyes again when he snapped out of his daze and continued getting ready to take a bath. There were two doors in his bathroom, one that led to his bedroom and the other that led to his closet. He walked into his closet and went over to where he kept his lounge clothes because contrary to what everyone thought he did have those. It took him some time to find something warm enough for him to wear since he was freezing but he eventually found a pair of sweatpants and a sweatshirt that went together and took that with him back into the bathroom.

He turned on the hot water in his shower and took the rest of his clothes off. He tested the water to see how hot it was and when he was satisfied with the temperature, he got in. The water felt good on his body and it felt even better when he felt the blood and sweat wash off of him. He scrubbed his body with soap, careful to avoid any sore spots and then washed his hair, massaging his scalp. After what seemed to be about twenty minutes, Kurt turned off the water and carefully stepped out of his bathtub. He slowly dried off and put on his clothes before walking over to his sink and grabbing a brush to brush his hair. Once he was done with that, he brushed his teeth and thought about doing his skincare routine but decided against it. The shower had woken him up a little but the effect was wearing off and he still had things to do before he could sleep.

Kurt walked out of his bathroom and sat on his bed. Finn and Sam had been talking to one another, sitting around in Kurt’s room and quickly looked up when Kurt entered the room.

“Hey, do you feel any better?” Sam asked him, hopeful.

“Yeah, you look better,” Finn added and Sam nudged him in his rib. “Ouch, what was that for? He does look better, idiot.” Apparently Finn didn’t get the message.

“I do,” Kurt told them. It was true, he didn’t feel as sick anymore even though that was probably subject to change when he had to eat something and the shower had helped with some of the pain.

“Great, that’s great,” Finn said, acting weird. He had a strained smile on his face, like he needed to say something but couldn’t get it out. “That’s just fantastic,”

“Finn, are you okay?” Kurt asked him, raising his eyebrow.

“I think the better question is if you’re okay, Kurt,” Finn asked him, raising his voice a little and causing Kurt to flinch back.

“Finn calm down, you’re scaring him,” Sam warned Finn but Finn didn’t listen.

“No, you scared us Kurt. You weren’t returning anyone’s calls or texts, we called Rachel and Jeff and Sebastian and they all didn’t know where you were, Burt was about to call the police and then you show up, covered in blood and bruises and you don’t tell us who did this to you. It’s not okay, we deserve to know. We… we were…” Finn paused, looking up at the ceiling and taking a deep breath, “... I was scared, little bro. I thought you were dead or something. I know I was overreacting but… I don’t want to lose you,” He finished saying before breaking down into tears.

He went over to sit down on Kurt’s bed next to him and pulled him into a tight hug. Finn was squishing him and it hurt but Kurt didn’t pull away. Sam joined in on the hug and they sat there for a while, all three of them crying.

“Just, don’t scare us like that anymore, okay,” Finn said, pulling away from them.

“I’m sorry,” Kurt said, wiping his tears. “I didn’t mean to, I was just… I was upset and I was panicking. I didn’t know what I was going to tell you guys and I wanted to get home. I didn’t know what to do,”

“It’s okay,” Sam said, rubbing Kurt’s back. “I mean it’s not, it’s not okay that you got beat up but you’re safe now and we won’t let it happen again. It’d be helpful though if you could tell us who did it.”

“I can’t,” Kurt admitted, shaking his head. “I just can’t and I don’t want to talk about it, it’s hard to explain,”

“Okay. Well, do you want to talk about Blaine?” Finn asked him.

“No, I’m done with him. We had a falling out but I’ll be fine,” He partly lied. He wasn’t in love with Blaine, not anymore and he hadn’t been for a while but he wasn’t sure whether he would be okay or not.

“That sucks man,” Sam said. “I thought you guys were forever,”

“Yeah, but we’re on your side,” Finn told him. “I never liked him anyway,”

“I know you didn’t,” Kurt said, smiling a little. “Thank you,”

“Anytime,” Finn told him and then stood up. “I’m going to get my mom so she can wrap your stuff,” Finn left the room and Kurt noticed that Sam was staring at him with an expression that Kurt couldn’t put his finger on.

“Sam, are you okay?” He asked him. “You’re staring,”

Sam shook his head, snapping out of his trance. “Yeah I’m okay, sorry.” Sam paused before opening his mouth again. “I know it was him, Blaine I mean, who did this to you and I’m really sorry.”

Kurt stared at him with wide eyes before starting to cry again. “Sam, please don’t tell anyone,” He begged. “I’m so scared that he’s going to… hurt me again and I can’t let it happen. You have to promise me. Please.”

“Whoa, calm down,” Sam told him. “I won't, I promise, it’s just, I think you should tell someone. Your dad and Carol so they can call the police. He hurt you Kurt, why are you protecting him? He has a better chance of hurting you again if you don’t tell anyone.”

“I just can’t. I don’t want to deal with it right now. I can’t do that to my dad or Carol or Finn. I don’t want them to worry or… or think that I need extra protection because I got myself into this. Maybe I’ll tell them eventually but I’m not ready to yet.”

“I’m not letting him anywhere near you,” Sam said. “I promise. So, can you tell me what he did exactly?”

“We got into a fight,” Kurt said, hanging his head. “I don’t know how but apparently he gets jealous whenever I hang out with you or Sebastian or any other guy. He accused me of cheating and wanted to see my phone and I told him no and he got angry and hit me. It just got worse from there and he eventually kicked me out. He told me that he would call me when he was ready to but I told him not to because I was breaking up with him. Whether he’ll respect my wishes or not, I told him to act like he never knew me and to stay away from me. I just don’t know how that’s going to work if he decides to stay at McKinley. You know how persistent he is.”

“I’m sorry Kurt. I know I said I thought you guys were forever but I never liked how he treated you. Like you were his property and I should’ve said something. Maybe if I had then it wouldn’t have gotten this bad. I’m so sorry, I should’ve realized…”

“It’s not your fault Sam,” Kurt assured Sam, cutting him off med-sentence. “It was mine fault actually. I knew what he was doing was wrong but I didn’t stand up for myself. I didn’t call him out until tonight because… I thought that maybe I could change him or that it was just a phase. I thought that if I broke up with him that… I would never find anyone else that would love me. I guess I never found that person in the first place though.”

Kurt continued crying while Sam held him until Carol, Finn and Burt came into his room. Carol had a bunch of boxes with her and placed all of them on her bed. Finn had a banana and gave it to Kurt who looked at it like it was poisoned.

“You feeling any better, kiddo?” His father asked him and Kurt nodded his head. “Good, you’re doing great,”

“Okay, so I have an ace bandage for your wrist,” Carol said, holding up a box of bandages. “And then I have an ankle brace, it may be a little tight but that’s for the best to help keep everything in line and like I said, a boot will be your best option. You ready for me to wrap everything for you.”

Kurt nodded his head again and Sam let him go so he could face Carol. “Now all of this shouldn’t be as painful as earlier with your ankle and I’ll try my best to be gentle but let’s get this over with, okay?”

She kept her word when she said she would be gentle. She slowly wrapped his wrist and then slipped the brace onto his ankle and Kurt was relieved to find that the pain was only a seven out of ten.

“There, all done,” Carol exclaimed when she had finished. “How does it feel?”

“Fine,” Kurt told her and Carol nodded her head.

“Good. Now I need you to eat that banana so you can take this Tylenol. At least half of it so you can keep it down.” She said, pushing the banana and two pills towards him. “You can do it honey and then you can go to sleep, alright?”

“Okay,” Kurt said and he managed to eat half of the banana like Carol had told him to so that he could swallow the pills.

“Alright honey,” Carol said once he was finished. “I’m going to leave you alone so you can sleep now. You wake one of us up if you need anything okay?”

Once again, Kurt nodded his head and Carol gave him a hug before taking all her supplies and leaving his room. Next his dad came over.

“Night son,” His dad told him. “Hope you feel better tomorrow and just… get some rest and take it easy.” His dad awkwardly patted him on the back before leaving his room like Carol had and Kurt was upset with himself for being the reason behind his dad’s weird behavior.

The only two people left in the room were Finn and Sam who took their spots next to Kurt on his bed again. They sat there in silence, all trapped in their own thoughts. Finn and Sam didn’t want to leave Kurt alone and Kurt didn’t want to be left alone but no one knew how to go about saying it. Finally Kurt spoke up.

“Can you guys stay in here tonight?” He asked them. “Only if you want to, I just don’t want to sleep alone,”

“Of course,” Sam said, smiling along with Finn and Kurt laid down in his bed while Sam laid on to his right and Finn to his left. Kurt snuggled up against Sam and Sam wrapped his arms around Kurt while Finn did the same on the other side. Kurt felt safe in their embrace and let his tears fall down his face once more while he fell asleep. Things couldn’t get any worse than they already were… right?

#glee #glee fanfiction #kurt hummel #sebastian smythe #sam evans #finn hudson #kurtbastian #lol blaine #lol klaine #please read #and reblog #have a great day/night!

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vcg73 · 4 years

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Free Kurt - Past Kurt

I wrote one extra story for the Free Kurt, anti-proposal challenge, but it’s a little different. 😊

~*~*~*~*~

“What are you wearing?”

Kurt jumped at the sound of a young and judgmental voice speaking directly in his ear.

He was standing on a wide marble step within the hallowed halls of Dalton Academy, surrounded by dozens of friends, acquaintances, and strangers from the assorted western Ohio high schools that Blaine had brought here today to witness his proposal. A proposal that was currently proceeding from the step below his own, and which Kurt was feeling increasingly pressured to accept in spite of his own very real misgivings.

And while it was a very distracting scene, he had not noticed anyone sneaking up behind him. He turned his head slightly, attempting to pay attention to Blaine’s words while simultaneously taking a quick peripheral peek over his right shoulder.

Kurt nearly jumped out of his skin when the voice spoke again, this time right next to him on the left. “Wait, are we getting proposed to?”

Whipping his head to the left, Kurt frowned. Who was that? He didn’t see anyone.

Blaine faltered a little, apparently noticing his distraction. “Kurt?” he mumbled, hazel eyes darting about as his intended frowned and looked everywhere but at him. “What are you doing?”

“Don’t you hear that?” he asked.

“I’m very good looking in the future!” the voice observed, sounding pleased. “Tall too! But that suit has got to go. Peacock blue brocade can be beautiful if used sparingly. Maybe a vest or a jacket against an all black suit. Though on second thought that might make it look like you were about to deal roulette in Vegas. But an entire suit? And with a violet silk shirt to contrast? I know this is just a dream, otherwise I wouldn’t be watching myself, but what has happened to my fashion sense since I got old?”

The young voice was so utterly horrified that Kurt almost laughed in spite of the bizarre circumstance. For he recognized the speaker now. What was even stranger, he remembered now with a startling burst of clarity, that he had had this very dream when he was about 14 years old. Himself standing in what he had thought was a fairy tale palace, watching himself be proposed to by Prince Charming.

Had it not been a dream? For he did recall suddenly that it had occurred following a whack to the head brought about after one of the goon squad, who had already started targeting him in middle school, had aimed badly when shoving Kurt into a locker. Kurt had told his dad that he’d been hit with a dodge ball during P.E. His dad had skeptically bought it, not able to prove otherwise, but Kurt had been given a few days off of school that week, and he remembered being watched like a hawk the whole time.

He also remembered having a lot of strange half-remembered dreams that he had written off to concussion.

A little shiver went down his spine. Surely it was not possible that he had done some kind of astral time travel thing. Wasn’t that just a little too sci-fi for the real world?

And yet, he could not deny the voice that was apparently only in his own ears at this moment. For nobody else was reacting as if they heard a young teenager passing judgment on this whole affair.

“Actually, forget our fashion taste. What the hell is he wearing?”

Kurt bit down a smirk. He had forgotten how dramatically fond of italics he had been as a kid. But he focused, really focused for the first time, on that hideous banana yellow creation that Blaine had chosen, and had to give his alter ego a point on it. No doubt Blaine had wanted something that would force every eye onto him. It wasn’t like he had ever been able to stand not having 100% of the attention in any room turned his way.

Blinking, Kurt wondered where that harsh thought had come from. Sure, it was true, but shouldn’t his thoughts be focused toward how romantic this all was? Apparently listening to the point of view of his less inhibited younger self was sparking a little rebellion inside of him.

“He’s handsome, our boyfriend,” the young voice observed in a clinical tone that made his older self want to laugh. He remembered using it when deciding between two equally perfect outfits, trying to decide which would have more of a ‘wow’ factor. “But his fashion taste is terrible and I don’t like the hair. That slicked back Elvis retro thing is so 1995. It also makes him look like he’s pushing 30. Wait. Is he older than us? How old are we? Are we 30?”

That age must seem ancient to a boy of 14, Kurt supposed. His conscience prickled at the remembrance of his own life plan having been to find someone and become husbands or domestic partners, depending on what the law dictated so far in the future, with him by 30. Before that, he had always expected to live a life of fashionable single fabulosity, with boyfriends by the dozen, while he conquered the career of his choice. It had not been until high school, developing his first bad crush on Finn Hudson, being swamped with insistent hormones, and being constantly surrounded by relationships, that he had started longing for a commitment. Not because he knew what to do with one then, but because he had hated being the only person who did not even have the prospect of a real relationship.

He knew better than that now. So why was he still so determined to do something he knew in his gut that he was not ready for? Even if their ‘teenage dream’ had been perfect, was he really willing to enter into a lifelong commitment before he even hit 20?

Apparently unaware of his thoughts, the voice of his young observer continued with relentless interest. “Oh, my god. Is that Rachel? Tell me you are not thinking of letting Rachel Berry be your attendant. She’s the most obnoxious girl in school! And she’s dressed better than you! Maybe this is actually a nightmare. Oh, hey, there’s Dad. Hi, Dad!”

Kurt looked at his father, looking slightly confused a few steps below where he stood just behind Will Schuester. Burt looked around surreptitiously, as if he had heard the call, but knew it was not possible for it to be there.

“If he’s here at our proposal then he knows about us!” invisible Kurt said happily. “Did we come out to him, and he’s happy for us?”

The sound of a dreamy sigh made Kurt’s eyes unexpectedly prickle with tears. How well he remembered that feeling. That co-mingling of fear, dread, and hope that had gripped him every time he had considered biting the bullet, and telling his father that he was gay. Of course he would have thought he was dreaming all this, seeing his father in his every day attire in a place like this, while they were both surrounded by the glitter and formality of dozens of smiling peers. Friends were another thing that young Kurt had never been sure he would actually experience in real life.

“If this is a dream, does that mean Mom is here too?” the invisible speaker asked, this note of longing in his young voice going straight to Kurt’s heart. He had heard that question deep inside himself for so many years. The small childish part of him that had never entirely accepted that someone as wonderful, fun-loving, and tenderly understanding as his beautiful mother could just be snuffed out of his world after only eight short years.

“No,” he said softly. He knew suddenly that if his mother had been here, she never would have approved of this. She had held the safety and happiness of her only child as a sacred trust from the day he was born until her very last day on Earth. He had always been able to talk to her about anything, and this would have been no different. Mom never would have allowed him to compromise his heart and his future for a dream that he already knew did not live up to reality. “I’m sorry.”

He had been speaking to past-Kurt and to his mother, but when he said the words, it caused Blaine to stop mid-sentence with a look of shock. “What do you mean, no.”

Kurt blinked. Suddenly he knew that while he had not meant those words for Blaine, a part of him had actually wanted to say them out loud ever since he walked in the building.

“Kurt, what are you doing?” Blaine said, his voice more annoyed now as Kurt brushed past him to walk down a few steps, looking around at the crowd and realizing for the first time how few of these people he actually knew. “You’re embarrassing me! I don’t what you’re looking for, but it doesn’t matter. Can we just get on with this thing?”

Kurt turned to look at him, frowning at the irritated question.

“This thing?” he repeated, eyes narrowing. “You mean the thing where I’m missing my flight home so my ex-boyfriend who’s still in high school can ask me to agree to spend the rest of my life with him, even though we’ve only been casually back together as a couple for a couple of days? The thing where we’re both supposed to agree to love and be faithful to one another forever? That thing?”

Apparently he had not entirely lost his love of italics after all. His tone was biting, the reminder of his own youthful hopes and expectations making him feel angry and betrayed all over again.

Instead of understanding, Blaine actually rolled his eyes. “Not that again. I told you, I thought we were over when that happened! And didn’t I promise I would never ever do it again? Isn’t that enough? Why can’t you just get over it? It’s not like it meant anything, Kurt.”

That injured way he said Kurt’s voice, the way that usually deflated whatever outrage Kurt felt and caused him to guiltily give in, enraged him this time.

“No, Blaine. I can’t just get over it. Because we weren’t anywhere near over when it happened, and you know it. It’s called a long distance relationship, and what you did was horrible. Our being boyfriends meant everything to me. The fact that you could throw what we had away on a stranger after just a few weeks apart, because I couldn’t devote all of my attention to you while I was starting a new life in a different state? That meant something to me. It meant that I couldn’t trust you anymore. I don’t trust you, and I can’t forget that happened, so I guess I was wrong about being able to forgive it too. I’m sorry, but I can’t do this. I don’t want to spend my whole life with a guy that I don’t believe will keep a vow to honor and cherish me.”

Blaine sputtered. “But, but I . . . what about all this?” He gestured frantically around them as if he could not conceive of such a scene not magically wiping away whatever doubts Kurt had.

“This is all very beautiful,” Kurt said, glancing around at the streamers, balloons, and startled faces that filled the room, “but it’s only a child’s dream. The real world isn’t a pretty song and a lot of smiling faces. It’s hard work, and compromise, and shared joys, and making sacrifices for each other’s happiness. That’s what a real commitment means, Blaine. It means being there for the people you love even when conditions are not ideal. Even when they’re so bad that you don’t know what to say or how to move forward, but you keep trying because you love them too much to ever want to cause that person pain. It means being your best self and making good times for the two of you even when the worst things are happening.”

“I don’t understand,” he admitted, flopping his hands helplessly. “Where is all this coming from?”

Kurt looked at his dad, who was dashing away tears from eyes that carried mingled pride, regret, and new understanding.

“I was reminded on the way here about how much my mom and dad loved each other, and how deeply committed they were to each other. Even when my mom was dying, they never stopped trying to make each other smile. They never would have cheated on each other, or tried to pressure each other into making a decision that they knew was wrong. And when it was just Dad and me, he did the same for me. He wanted me to always know that I had a safe space with him, a home where I could be myself and try to block out all the pain of the outside world. And I did the same for him, even when I was a little clumsy about trying to protect him.”

Burt nodded, his smile wry as he was clearly remembering some of of the awkward, uncomfortable, but always deeply loving moments they had shared together

“I want that again,” Kurt said, turning back to his would-be fiance. “It’s been a long time since I had a place where I know I can always be myself without having to hide half of the things that make me who I am. A place where I can feel safe because I always know that I’m loved and respected. A home where I can be with someone wants to make sure that I’m happy, just because knowing that makes him happy. Because I deserve that, Blaine. And because I’ll do the same for the man that I’ll agree to spent my life with one day.”

“And I’m not that man?” he asked, sounding genuinely sad.

Kurt looked at him, smiled, and gently kissed his cheek. “No. I hope you will be that man for somebody one day, but we both know deep down that it can’t be me. Our relationship started right here in this hallway three years ago. It’s appropriate that it ends in the same place. Good luck, Blaine.”

They looked into each other’s eyes for a moment, Blaine reading the truth in Kurt’s steady gaze. “I’ll miss you. I’ll always love you, Kurt.”

“Goodbye. Dad, I’ll meet you out at the car.”

Holding his head high, Kurt walked down the steps and past the shocked crowd of onlookers.

“Thanks, Kurt,” he whispered, no longer able to sense his younger self, who had probably awakened from his dream at the same time his present self had ended the swirling nightmare of his unwanted proposal.

Pushing past the great double doors of Dalton Academy, Kurt smiled and stepped out into the sunlight, leaving the past behind him.

THE END

#Free Kurt #elledelajoie #Anti Klaine proposal challenge

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justyouraverageravenclaw · 4 years

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Broken Together: Chapter 1

My take on episodes 5x15/5x16 (Bash/Tested). I dove into both Kurt and Blaine's minds and tried to make sense of what they were thinking and going through, and rewrote the ending in a way I thought captured their relationship. Basically my interpretations of their relationship and what should've happened in the episode. This is the first of six chapters.

The hospital lights are bright as the two adults hurry down the hall. Fluorescent bulbs paint shadows across too clean walls, and highlight every wrinkle of worry on the faces in an unflattering white light. The click of hard heels echoes as the reception desk comes closer and closer.

The people themselves are clearly well-off, dressed in expensive looking coats and expressions of perpetual contempt. Smooth black hair is neatly parted and neatly combed, pulled back in a low bun for the woman and tightly gelled for the man. Shoes are polished an almost feverish amount, shiny enough the reflections of the people wearing them stare back, wavy and distorted on the hard leather. They’re wearing all black, black coats, black scarves, black hats. Like it’s a funeral, not a hospital.

In some ways, it’s the same.

“We’re here for our son.”

“You must be Mr. and Mrs. Anderson. Follow me, Blaine is just down this hallway.”

The receptionist is young, pretty even as she leads the Andersons down yet another still hall. The morose atmosphere seems to be sucking the life right out of her, and by the quiet dejectedness in her voice she’s realized it too. The three of them hurry quickly, the couple in the back almost faster than the receptionist, desperate to reach the room where they can see their son.

The trio stops at a nondescript door, white, closed, and still, like the rest of the doors they’ve passed.

“He’s in here”, the receptionist says softly. “He’s okay”, she says even softer.

“Okay?!” Shrieks Mrs. Anderson. “Just okay?! That’s all you have to say about him?”

“He’s okay”.

A hand reaches out to open the door, but pulls away quickly. “We need to discuss legal action first.”

“ . . . legal action?”

“Mr. Anderson, this was a hate crime.”

“But he’s okay, right?”

There’s a pause, one that seems to stretch on much longer than silence is supposed to.

“He’s okay.”

“So then that’s settled, right? Why would we need legal action?”

Another pause, almost longer this time. The receptionist stares dully at the man in front of her.

“We don’t want to make a big deal out of this. There are many things our family wants to be known for, and this isn’t one of them.”

And so the door is opened, and the Andersons rush inside quickly, expressions of worry turning to expressions of love as the curtain around a bed is swept open.

And there he lays, pale and still, a dark constellation of bruises decorating broken skin. Mr. and Mrs. Anderson crowd around, staring at the boy. Taking in his beaten body, hidden under hospital blankets that smell too much like rubbing alcohol. Looking for those warm hazel eyes . . . except they’re not hazel. They’re blue. And then they’re taking in the stitches, the blood, the pale blue-grey eyes that once were so bright, now dimming and dimming until the last breath is exhaled through bloody lips, until the last light goes out in those blue eyes, until Kurt's body goes limp and lifeless, his skin finally the same color as the porcelain he was nicknamed after, and just as cold.

Blaine wakes with a start, little beads of sweat stinging his shirt. His heart is a steady pounding in his chest, and his throat feels too dry, too ashy. Out of habit he checks, and yes, Kurt is still there, sleeping peacefully next to him, almost a picture perfect replica of the Kurt Blaine saw in his dream. And he’s so still, so quiet, so unmoving, that it takes every bone in his body to stop him from reaching over and waking Kurt up just to make sure he really still is alive. But Kurt has been getting barely any sleep lately, and Blaine has been working on being less clingy, so instead he focuses on the things he can know for a fact: that Kurt’s chest keeps gently rising and falling, that his fingers gently twitch once in a while, and that he can hear the gentle exhaling of Kurt’s breathing. People don’t do that if they’re dead, Blaine knows. Kurt’s alive. And so he tries to go back to sleep.

But sleep can’t come when he’s haunted with pictures of Kurt in that hospital bed. Blaine’s hospital bed. The hospital bed Blaine was supposed be lying in in that dream. And it feels like his subconscious is mocking him, reminding him of another hospital bed he should’ve been in instead of Kurt. A different bed, in a different hospital, in a different city, yet so similar.

Because like in his dream, Kurt shouldn’t have been there. He shouldn’t have been lying on bloody sheets. It should have been Blaine in his place, Blaine who had gotten beaten up by those men, Blaine who had sworn and promised to protect Kurt, Blaine who had swooped in and saved Kurt when he was in high school yet couldn’t do it once he was an adult. Blaine who’d failed.

And just like that he’s fourteen and scared again, helpless against the hate that rages on, unable to do anything but stand by and watch as people get hurt. Unable to be the hero he needs himself to be. And then he’s fifteen again, sweeping Kurt off his feet with a bravado and charm that disappears the second Kurt sees through him, playing the hero and ignoring the fact that he too is just a scared kid overcompensating for everything. And then he’s sixteen, learning for the first time just how addicting love can be, but not yet learning how dangerous it is to put your whole heart, your whole soul, your whole life into one very young, very human person. And then lo and behold he’s seventeen and so fucking stupid, learning that actions have consequences, and struggling with the knowledge that in his desperate need to feel . . . just wanted, he ruined the one thing he was living for. And this time, it was all on him. And then he’s eighteen and still hasn’t been knocked into reality yet, planning a fairytale proposal like it’s a romantic gesture instead of a desperate attempt of proving he’s still worth something. Because if he gets Kurt back, then everything will be fine. It has to be.

And now he’s nineteen, and it’s not perfect. He has everything, the college of his dreams, a house shared with his best friend, a fiancé who loves him, and yet he’s still not happy. Everything in his life, every heartache and downwards spiral, had all boiled down to that one question. Was he really the hero he tries to be? And with that phone call, telling him that Kurt was in the hospital, that he failed to protect him, he finally got his answer.

He wasn’t. Not even close.

#glee #klaine #klaine fanfiction #5x15 #5x16 #blaine anderson #kurt hummel #angst #communication

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d-criss-news · 4 years

Link

Darren Criss acts as playwright when he writes songs. He’s far more confident, and certainly more vulnerable, when he allows himself to play the part. In such a way, songwriting opens up a whole new world that pulses with untapped potential. So much of what he has accomplished in 15 years resides in his willingness to expose himself to what his imagination and intuition have in store. He steps into a playwright’s shoes with considerable ease (just look at his resume), and always one to put on plenty of bravado, especially during our Zoom face-to-face, it’s the natural order of things.

“As I get older and write more and more songs, I really recognize that I’ve always preferred to write for another context other than my own,” Criss tells American Songwriter. He speaks with a cool intensity, gesturing emphatically to accentuate a sentence, and when you let him go, he’s like the Energizer Bunny 一 “I can tell by just how quiet you already are that you’re fucked,” he jokes at the start of our video chat. But he remains just as engaged and focused when listening.

He soaks in the world, taking astute notes about behavior and emotional traits he can later use in song. His storytelling, though, arrives already in character, fully formed portraits he can then relay to the world. It’s not that he can’t be vulnerable, like such greats as Randy Newman, Tom Waits, and Rufus Wainwright, who have all embroidered their work with deeply personal observations, it just doesn’t feel as comfortable. “I’ve always really admired the great songwriters of the world who are extremely introspective and can put their heart and soul on the chopping block,” he muses. “That’s a vulnerability that I think is so majestic. I’ve never had access to it. I’m not mad about it. It’s just good to know what your deal is.”

Criss’ strengths lie in his ability to braid his own experiences, as charmed as they might be, into wild, goofy fantasies. In the case of his new series “Royalties,” now streaming on Quibi, he walks a fine line between pointed commentary on the music industry, from menial songwriting sessions to constantly chasing down the next smash, and oddball comedy that is unequivocally fun. Plotted with long-standing friends and collaborators Matt and Nick Lang, co-founders of Team StarKid, created during their University of Michigan days (circa 2009), the show’s conceptual nucleus dates back more than a decade.

If “Royalties” (starring Criss and Kether Donohue) feels familiar, that’s because it is. The 10-episode show ─ boasting a smorgasbord of delightful guest stars, including Mark Hammill, Georgia King, Julianna Hough, Sabrina Carpenter, and Lil Rel Howery ─ captures the very essence of a little known web series called “Little White Lie.” Mid-summer 2009, Team StarKid uploaded the shoddy, low budget production onto YouTube, and its scrappy tale of amateur musicians seeking fame and fortune quickly found its audience, coming on the heels of “A Very Potter Musical,” co-written with and starring Criss. Little did the trio know, those initial endeavors laid the groundwork for a lifetime of creative genius.

“It’s a full circle moment,” says Criss, 33, zooming from his Los Angeles home, which he shares with his wife Mia. He’s fresh-faced and zestful in talking about the new project. 11 years separate the two series, but their connective thematic tissues remain striking. “Royalties” is far more polished, the obvious natural progression in so much time, and where “Little White Lie” soaked in soapy melodrama, the former analyzes the ins and outs of the music world through more thoughtful writing, better defined (and performed) characters, and hookier original tunes.

“Royalties” follows Sara (Donohue) and Pierce (Criss), two struggling songwriters in Los Angeles, through various career exploits and pursuits. The pilot, titled “Just That Good,” features an outlandish performance from Rufus Wainwright as a major player in dance-pop music, kickstarting the absurdity of Criss’ perfectly-heightened reality. As our two main characters stumble their way between songwriting sessions, finally uncovering hit single potential while eating a hot dog, Criss offers a glimpse into the oft-unappreciated art of songwriting.

In his own songwriting career ─ from 2010’s self-released Human EP and a deal with Columbia Records (with whom a project never materialized) to 2017’s Homework EP and Computer Games’ debut, Lost Boys Life, (a collaboration with his brother Chuck) ─ he’s learned a thing or two about the process. Something about sitting in a room with someone you’ve never met before always rang a little funny to him.

“You meet a stranger, and you have to be creative, vulnerable, and open. It’s speed-dating, essentially. It’s a different episode every time you pull it off or not. All the big songwriters will tell you all these crazy war stories. Everyone has a wacky story from songwriting,” he says. “I slowly realized I may ─ I can’t flatter myself, there are tons of creative people who are songwriters ─ have prerequisites to just put the two together [TV and music]. I’ve worked enough in television as an actor and creator. I can connect the dots. I had dual citizenship where I felt like it was really time for me to go forth with this show.”

But a packed professional life pushed the idea to the backburner.

Between six seasons of “Glee” (playing Blaine Anderson, a Warbler and lover to Chris Colfer’s Kurt Hummel), starring in “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” on Broadway, and creating Elsie Fest, a one-day outdoor festival celebrating songs of the stage and screen, he never had the time. “I was lucky enough to be busy,” he says. “As Team StarKid’s star was continuing to rise with me being separate from it, I was trying to think of a way to get involved again with songwriting.”

At one point, “Glee” had officially wrapped and his Broadway run was finished. It appeared “Royalties” may finally get its day in the sun. “I went to Chicago for a work pilgrimage with the Langs. We had a few days, and we put all our ideas on the map: every musical, feature film, show, graphic novel, and animated series we’ve ever thought of,” he says. “A lot of them were from the Langs; they were just things I was interested in as a producer or actor. We looked at all of them and made a top three.”

“Royalties” obviously made the cut.

Fast forward several years, Gail Berman’s SideCar, a production company under FOX Entertainment, was looking to produce a music show. Those early conversations, beginning at an otherwise random LA party, showed great promise in airlifting the concept from novel idea to discernible reality. Things quickly stalled, however, as they often do in Hollywood, but Criss had at least spoken his dreams into the universe.

“I finally had an outlet to put it into gear. It wasn’t until two to three years after that that things really locked in. We eventually made shorts and made a pilot presentation. We showed it to people, and it wasn’t until Quibi started making their presence known that making something seemed really appealing,” he says. “As a creator, they’re very creator-centric. They’re not a studio. They’re a platform. They are licensing IP much like when a label licenses an indie band’s album after the fact.”

Quibi has drawn severe ire over the last few months, perhaps because there is a “Wild Westness” to it, Criss says. “I think that makes some people nervous. Being my first foray into something of this kind, Quibi felt like a natural partner for us. If this had been a network or cable show, we would’ve molded it to be whatever it was.”

Format-wise, “Royalties” works best as bite-sized vignettes, charming hijinks through the boardroom and beyond, and serves as a direct response to a sea of music shows, from “Nashville” and “Empire” to “Smash.” “Those shows were bigger, more melodramatic looks at the inside base of our world. I’ve always been a goofball, and I just wanted to take the piss out of it,” he says. “This show isn’t about songwriting. It’s about songwriters… but a very wacky look at them.”

“30 Rock,” a scripted comedy loosely based around “Saturday Night Live,” in which the focus predominantly resides around the characters, rather than the business itself, was also on his mind. “It’s about the interconnectivity of the people and characters. As much of the insider knowledge that I wanted to put into our show, at the end of the day, you just want to make a fun, funny show that’s relatable to people who know nothing about songwriting and who shouldn’t have to know anything.”

Throughout 10 episodes, Criss culls the “musicality, fun, and humor” of Fountains of Wayne’s Adam Schlesinger and Max Martin, two of his biggest songwriting heroes, and covers as many genres as possible, from K-Pop to rap-caviar and classic country. While zip-lining between formats, the songs fully rely on a sturdy storytelling foundation ─ only then can Criss drape the music around the characters and their respective trajectories. “I wanted to do something where I could use all the muscles I like to flex at once, instead of compartmentalizing them,” he says. “I really love writing songs for a narrative, not necessarily for myself. I thrive a little more when I have parameters, characters, and a story to tell.”

Bonnie McKee, one of today’s greatest pop architects, takes centerstage, too, with an episode called “Kick Your Shoes Off,” in which she plays a bizarro version of herself. “She has her own story, and I’ve always been fascinated by it,” says Criss, who took her out to lunch one day to tell her about it. Initially, the singer-songwriter, known for penning hits for Katy Perry, Taio Cruz, and Britney Spears, would anchor the entire show, but it soon became apparent she would simply star in her own gloriously zany episode.

In one of the show’s standout scenes, Pierce and Sara sit in on a label meeting with McKee’s character and are tasked with writing a future hit. But they quickly learn how many cooks are in the kitchen at any given moment. Everyone from senior level executives to publicists and contracted consultants have an opinion about the artist’s music. One individual urges her to experiment, while another begs not to alienate her loyal fanbase, and then a third advises her to chronicle the entire history of music itself ─ all within three minutes or so. It’s absurd, and that’s the point. “Everyone’s been in that meeting, whether you’re in marketing or any creative discussion that has to be made on a corporate level by committee. It’s the inevitable, comedic contradictions and dissociations from not only rationality but feasibility.”

Criss also draws upon his own major label days, having signed with Sony/Columbia right off the set of “Glee,” as well as second-hand accounts from close friends. “There are so many artists, particularly young artists, who famously get chewed up and spat out by the label system,” he says. “There’s a lot of sour tastes in a lot of people’s mouths from being ‘mistreated’ by a label. I have a lot of friends who’ve had very unfortunate experiences.”

“I was really lucky. I didn’t have that. I have nothing but wonderful things to say,” he quickly adds.“It wasn’t a full-on drop or anything. I was acting, and I was spreading myself really thin. It’s a record label’s job to make product, and I was doing it piecemeal here and there. I would shoot a season [of ‘Glee’] and then do a play. I was doing too many things. I didn’t have it in me at the time to do music. I had written a few songs I thought were… fine.”

Both Criss and the label came to the same conclusion: perhaps this professional relationship just wasn’t a good fit. They parted ways, and he harbors no ill-will. In fact, he remains close friends with many folks from that time. So, it seems, a show like “Royalties” satisfies his deep hunger to make music and write songs ─ and do it totally on his own terms.

“I still say I want to put out music, and fans have been very vocal about that. I feel very fortunate they’re still interested at all,” he says. “That passion for making music really does come out in stuff like [this show].”

“Royalties” is Darren Criss at his most playful, daring, and offbeat. It’s the culmination of everything he has tirelessly worked toward over the last decade and a half. Under pressure with a limited filming schedule, he hits on all cylinders with a soundtrack, released on Republic Records, that sticks in the brain like all good pop music should do. And it would not have been the same had he, alongside Matt and Nick Lang, not formed Team StarKid 11 years ago.

Truth be told, it all began with a “Little White Lie.”

#darren criss #american songwriter #royalties press #press #royalties #june 2020

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wheresmynaya · 4 years

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Cupcake Battles Ch.2 | Brittana

Thinking about you all today and I hope you’re doing alright. <3

Also available on ff.net (x) ao3 (x) & below the cut!

We’re back in the Cupcake Battles’ arena and the remaining three teams stand at the ready in their stations as Sam Evans strolls in through the glass double-doors to the show’s action-packed theme music. He struts down the aisle as if it’s his own personal catwalk, smoothing his hands along his shaggy blonde hair before shooting Mercedes and Artie with his finger-guns.

They look to each other confused and unamused while Sam then finishes his entrance with a twirl that leads into a not-so-smooth body roll. Despite that though he doesn’t give up and proceeds to hump the air, missing every single beat while he does so.

“Gross,” Santana scrunches her nose and tries to avert her eyes before she goes blind. Instead she catches Brittany staring at her, attempting to keep from laughing at Santana’s obvious disgust. She feels the blood start to rush to her face upon being caught but then Kurt’s whispering to her.

“And to think he was on Grooving with the Celebs,” Kurt admonishes quietly, “I think even I might dance better than him.”

Santana’s eyes drift from Brittany to find Sugar egging Sam on as she pumps her fist. She can’t decide if Sugar is genuinely into this method of torture or she’s just messing with him. Either way, Santana reluctantly looks away to acknowledge Kurt’s comment.

“I wouldn’t say all that,” Santana quips and Kurt sucks his teeth at her, “What? I’ve seen you dance after you’ve had two Shirley Temples. It ain’t cute.”

Kurt rolls his eyes, “First of all, I’m always cute.”

“Yeah,” Santana sputters out behind a laugh, “Sure.”

“Secondly, you think you’re a better dancer?” Kurt questions with a smirk, “All you’re missing is a stripper pole.”

“At least I’d get paid to dance,” Santana shrugs, “You’d probably get paid to stop.”

When the music cuts, Sam straightens his suit jacket and points to the camera, “Welcome back, Viewers! Who’s ready for Round 2 of today’s Cupcake Battle?”

The camera alternates between capturing the teams’ reactions and all the teams clap and cheer with excitement upon finally getting to the challenge after the interruption that took place just before the cameras started to roll again.

It was then that everyone learned that Rachel Berry is not one to go gentle into that good night.

The uncharacteristically long break between rounds was due to Rachel rushing around the arena, trying to evade being escorted off the premises.

Rachel had broken through the doors and went around knocking over as many baking pan racks as she could all while belting out Hannah Montana’s Nobody’s Perfect in between giving Santana death glares.

Who knew someone so small could cause such a big scene?

The crew had scrambled to keep Rachel from coming at Santana, but the co-judge wasn’t having it.

“Nah, let her through!” Santana called from over a crew member’s shoulder. She tapped her chest with her hands and shot her arms out, “Try me, I light up! Come on!”

“Oh my God…” Kurt facepalmed, “How is this show not cancelled yet?”

The teams were a little afraid but the drama was so addicting, they couldn’t stop watching.

Thankfully, the crew was able to wrangle Rachel to the ground before she caused anymore damage. She struggled like hell to break through until Finn came over to talk some sense into her. It seemed to work and she calmed down enough that the crew felt it was safe to let her up slowly.

Finn gave her a dopy smile before throwing her over his shoulder like a sack of full of broken dreams.

“Sorry about that,” He said to everyone then gave her butt a pat, “She’s super passionate.”

As Finn carried her out, Rachel made her exit by singing ABBA’s I Have a Dream.

It was quite the spectacle, but once she was safely removed the crew quickly reset the arena so that they could get back to filming.

The camera pans back to Sam, “Well, this round is sure to quench that thirst!”

“Did he really just…,” Santana mumbles aloud looking as unimpressed as ever, “Who comes up with this crap?”

Kurt lifts his shoulder, “I thought it was quite…punny.”

Santana gives him a look and says plainly, “I’m quitting.”

“No you’re not,” Kurt chuckles and pokes at Santana’s side, “You love me too much.”

“No one said anything about love,” Santana groans, batting away his hands.

Kurt tutted, “Last premiere party, you said it in front of everyone so I have witnesses.”

“I said I appreciate your fabulousness. That’s all.”

Kurt just gives his co-judge an eye roll before they both turn to Sam as he approaches the panel.

“Cheerleading is thirsty work, isn’t that right Coach?” Sam asks, trying to be conversational as he looks to Coach Sue Sylvester. He gives her a dorky grin but she just ignores him and continues to stare down the camera like the cameraman is attempting to infiltrate her mind.

Sam waits for a reaction before ultimately giving up. He looks to the audience, “Well, I’m sure it is! For our first round, we focused on good eats and now we’re focusing on good drinks. Round 2 is all about Day Drinking!”

“Finally something I can get behind,” Santana smirks.

Kurt tilts his head, “I don’t think that’s what it means. At least, I hope not? This is meant to be a family show…”

“The challenge for this round will be to create three cupcakes that are each based on a drink that gets you through the day. Hence, day drinking!” Sam explains carefully.

Santana frowns at the clarification, “Boo..”

Kurt nudges her side, “Shh.”

Sam goes on with explaining, “So we’re looking for cupcakes that are inspired by a drink that gets you up in the morning, a drink pushes you through those afternoon blues, and a drink to end the night with.”

The camera pans to Team Batter Up Cupcakes where Brittany and Sugar exchange excited smiles as they bounce on their toes. They’re buzzing with anticipation and Brittany’s already running through various ideas at a mile a minute, her creative side ready to run wild.

Team Baking Dreams Come True looks equally thrilled with the new challenge and stares down their biggest competitors across from them. Blaine and Tina try their best to intimidate Brittany and Sugar – keyword try – but Team Batter Up Cupcakes don’t look the least bit concerned.

Team AJs Bake Shop on the other hand look slightly worried as Mercedes and Artie start to brainstorm. With the rivalry going on between the other two teams and the dramatics that came from Rachel and Finn’s kitchen during the first round, Team AJs Bake Shop has flown under the radar for the most part.

But aside from the cupcake Brittany and Sugar put up, Mercedes and Artie were the only other team that came close to a high level of praise. By high, we’re talking about Santana labeling it as tasting just fine which isn’t really that high of a critique when compared to the words said to Team Batter Up Cupcakes.

Brittany and Sugar aren’t new to this whole competition thing and although Mercedes and Artie think they’re being slick with the whole silent but deadly act, nothing gets past them. Old rivals or new ones, they’re gonna take down anyone who stands in there way of that prize money!

“But wait, bakers, there is…a twist,” Sam interrupts the teams as the surrounding walls illuminated in the usual pink neon lights shift to green, followed by a dramatic sound effect.

The camera zooms in on the far wall that begins to move. A special pantry slides forward from a hidden segment in the paneling. The shelves are stocked with various cans and bottles.

“Is that?” Sugar squints at the cabinet trying to distinguish the labels. Once she realizes, she looks to Brittany and asks, “What day is it again?”

“Turn Up Tuesday,” Brittany responds with a devilish grin then it falls as she turns to Sugar, “Or maybe it’s Thirsty Thursday? I don’t really keep track of the days anymore.”

They both giggle at each other with these great big grins while Sam continues.

“As a curveball ingredient, each team is required to use an item from this pantry in their creation!” Sam announces as he windmills his arm to point to the cabinet next to him. The camera pans along the items there as he continues to explain, “There are a variety of popular sodas as well as spirits that you can choose from, but at least one of these items must be included in your final product.”

“Aren’t the bakers meant to provide for a cheerleading benefit at the end of this?” Kurt whispers to Santana, “Isn’t it a bit…inappropriate to include alcohol around minors?”

Santana ponders it before deciding she doesn’t actually get paid enough to care about how ethical these challenges are, she’s just here to serve looks and dish out realness. But she can tell Kurt is a little conflicted about this so she throws him a bone.

“Listen Miss Priss, no one is going to get buzzed off of a boozy cupcake except for maybe you.”

Kurt gasps and begins to stammer out a reply, but Santana cuts him off.

“Besides, I doubt they’re unfamiliar to the taste of it because: number one, they’re high school seniors and I’m sure they’ve already turned to alcohol at least once. Number two, they have to deal with grandma down there as their coach.”

“Watch it, you knock-off J.Lo.” Sue quips without even glancing in Santana’s direction.

“Knock-off? I’ll show you knoc – “

“Sit down, Santana!” Kurt urges and tries to force her back, “You can’t try to fight another guest judge, remember what happened last time?”

Santana’s quick to bite her tongue, the producers don’t necessarily like when she roughs up a guest judge but this lady is pushing it. She cuts her with one last glare before taking a settling breath and looking back to the remaining teams.

“Man your stations, bakers, and let the battle begin!” Sam pulls the pocket square from his chest and waves it like a flag girl yet again with such a flamboyant flare that even Kurt questions how straight he really is.

Brittany rushes to pull out the sketch pad beneath the counter and starts to scribble out a design she had been working on ever since the pantry rolled out.

“Alright so this is what I’m thinking…Dr Pepper, Piña Colada, and that spicy Mexican hot chocolate we like.”

“In that order?” Sugar asks as she watches Brittany craft the designs with such focus.

Brittany nods resolutely without looking up from the sketchpad, “Yup, in that order.”

Sugar glances over at the pantry to find Dr Pepper and Malibu then turns back to Brittany and asks, “You want to use more than one ingredient from the curveball pantry even though we don’t need to?”

“Yup,” Brittany says and pops the p for emphasis. She finally looks up at Sugar, “And I want you to create these cute fondant decorations for each. You saw what Tina did last round?”

“Yeah,” Sugar scoffs and shoots Tina a glare from across the aisle. Tina looks back questioningly at first then tries to match it with her own scowl.

“You’re going to show the judges how it’s really done,” Brittany smirks.

Sugar tears away from her staring match with Tina and begins to beam because her best friend is such a genius, “Hell yes, this is going to be so awesome!”

Brittany high fives Sugar, “Duh.”

In Team AJs Bake Shop’s station, Mercedes and Artie work together to try and come up with their three drinks. Ultimately they decide on a mocha Frappuccino, an Earl Grey infused with lemon, and a tequila sunrise. They’re pretty confident with their choices and set off to begin making their cupcake batters while watching Team Baking Dreams Come True and Team Batter Up Cupcakes duke it out amongst themselves.

Mercedes and Artie figure that with such an intense rivalry, the other teams will be too busy bickering to notice them coming through for the win!

Over in the Team Baking Dreams Come True kitchen, Blaine is working quickly to draft a design but finds that Tina keeps getting distracted.

“Come on T, focus!” Blaine urges when he catches her staring across the aisle again, “Just ignore them.”

“I can’t!” Tina cries as she continues to glare back at Sugar, “I can feel her beady eyes burning holes into me. She’s taunting me, Blaine, taunting me.”

Blaine sighs at his friend’s dramatics, “She’s just trying to get in your head, you know how they work. They always do this. Remember when they told us they replaced all the sugar in the test kitchen with salt but they didn’t actually do it and we wasted all that time recreating all of our batters because didn’t check beforehand? It’s just like that again, they’re all talk.”

Just then Sugar scribbles something on her sketchpad and shows off the message to Tina.

Still salty?

Tina gasps; it’s like Sugar is in her head and she quickly turns to Blaine. She grabs him by the shoulder and the sudden movement makes him jolt forward with wide eyes.

“What are you doing?”

“Quick! Taste the sugar!” Tina urges.

Blaine groans and pries Tina’s hand off of him, “We’ve been standing here the entire time, there’s no way they could’ve switched – “

“JUST DO IT!”

Blaine sighs and goes to sprinkle a bit of sugar into the palm of his hand before bringing it up to his mouth. Tina watches him like a hawk for a reaction.

Blaine’s facial expression goes from tired, to confused, to surprised.

“Salt?”

“Yeah,” Blaine grumbles and shoots Team Batter Up Cupcakes a glare.

Brittany and Sugar are doubled over as they laugh and laugh, it only makes Blaine and Tina even angrier.

“That’s it,” Blaine narrows his eyes, full of a new sense of determination, “Game on!”

Santana watches the whole exchange between the rivals with a proud smirk. Switching out the sugar for salt is a classic practical joke, but even she has no idea how Brittany and Sugar pulled that off. It must’ve been when the crew was resetting after Rachel’s second outburst.

She glances over at the team but lingers a little longer on Brittany as she talks excitedly to Sugar. Deep down she knows she’s being a little unprofessional here, but there’s this aura about Brittany that Santana just can’t resist.

It also doesn’t help that the girl is super fine and talented as hell too!

“I’m really interested to see how Team AJs Bake Shop does this round,” Kurt says to Santana, “They’re kind of like the dark horse, the underdog, the sleeper, the– “

“Okay, I get it.”

Kurt glances at Santana to find her staring at the blonde yet again. He shakes his head, “You really need to work on your subtly.”

Santana looks to him and blinks, “What?”

“Your lesbian tendencies are showing,” Kurt says knowingly with a wag of his finger towards her.

Santana quirks her brow and looks down at her chest before adjusting her boobs, “Better?”

Kurt laughs at his co-judge’s ridiculousness, “Not what I meant, but sure.”

“Alright judges,” Sam announces as they come to a stop in front of Brittany and Sugar’s station, “First stop, Team Batter Up Cupcakes! How are you ladies doing?”

“All good in the hood over here,” Brittany says coolly with a thumbs up. She’s leaning on a stand mixer while Sugar’s off to the side rolling out fondant.

Santana smiles politely at them both while her hands stay folded in front of her. She looks like a meek little mouse but at the same time ready to knock you down a peg if you think you’re flying too close to the sun. She totally nails the balance of looking adorable yet intimidating and she really is so, so attractive but Brittany can’t stop staring her boobs.

She tries her hardest, she really does but they’re right there staring at her! She can’t remember if it was like that when Santana came around in Round 1, then again she was too busy with being blinded by Santana’s gorgeous smile to notice anything else.

“You seem to be handling the pressure quite well,” Kurt acknowledges and his soft voice manages to break Brittany out of her boob-daze long enough to focus on him, “What are your drinks of choice for this round’s challenge?”

Brittany nods and looks down to taste the base frosting she has been working on before making an adjustment, “Well, my morning usually starts off with Dr Pepper so we’re pretty lucky that the drink is included in the pantry. For the aftern – “

“Wait,” Kurt pauses, “You start off your mornings with Dr Pepper?”

“How else are you meant to brush your teeth?” Brittany deadpans, “Or…do you not do that?”

Santana hides her laughter behind her hand while Sue stares at Brittany like she has two heads. Sam is looking somewhat convinced with Brittany’s logic though while Kurt gawks at her.

“Of course I brush my teeth,” Kurt scoffs then chooses to move on while Brittany starts on her next task, “And your choice for the afternoon?”

“Piña colada with Malibu from the pantry,” Brittany answers and Kurt is surprised yet again.

“For the afternoon?” Kurt clarifies and looks to Santana for some kind of back up. When she doesn’t give him anything, he turns back to Brittany, “I’m not following your decisions here. Can you explain?”

“It’s 5 o’clock somewhere,” Brittany replies easily as she tosses the Mexican chocolate into the double-boiler, “Everyone loves Piña Coladas.”

“Getting caught in the rain!” Sugar sings from behind her.

Brittany wiggles her hips to the sound and smiles sweetly at Kurt, “You’d probably benefit from an afternoon Piña Colada. Although, I’m still not sure if the song is talking about an actual drink or if it’s a euphemism…”

“I – “ Kurt stammers and Santana takes that as her cue to cut in before he combusts.

“You’re using two ingredients from the pantry,” Santana points out as she takes a step closer to Brittany. There’s this glimmer in her eye and this sexy little smile, “That’s pretty bold of you.”

“All or nothing,” Brittany says confidently, “That’s my motto.”

“I like that,” Santana chuckles, “You both showed off a lot of skill in the first round, how long have you been baking?”

Brittany ponders that a moment while she whisks through the melting chocolate and calls over her shoulder, “Hey Sug! When did I transfer to the C.I.A?”

Sugar hums as she comes up beside Brittany to steal some food coloring, “A couple years ago?”

Brittany nods and looks to Santana, “For a couple years then.”

“What?” Kurt gasps, “How is that possible?”

Santana is equally surprised, “That’s really impressive, I spent nearly ten years in school before I opened my own place. Where did you transfer from? It must be just as prestigious with the amount of skill you already possess.”

“I mean, I guess?” Brittany says, “I transferred from MIT.”

“Holy sh – “ Santana is completely in awe, “I needz to hear this backstory.”

“We really should move on to the other teams,” Sam tries but Santana just waves him off.

“Shut it, Trouty!” Santana bites before looking back to Brittany, “Tell me more.”

Brittany shrugs although her stomach can’t stop flipping because Santana Lopez is interested in her backstory. Is she dreaming? She keeps her cool though and does as she’s told.

“Well, I was working on my second Masters when I got into a little argument with someone from the Department of Chemistry over the quality of a cake they brought in for a staff luncheon,” Brittany explains, “They said that they spent years perfecting the recipe and that it takes a certain kind of talent to bake. I said that it couldn’t be that hard and here I am.”

“You are just…,” Santana pauses and tries to keep her smile from growing any wider, “You’re full of surprises.”

Brittany lifts her shoulder all nonchalant-like and she’s too busy being wrapped up in another compliment that Santana has given her that she doesn’t realize her chocolate is starting to bubble. She quickly turns the heat down before it burns, but not before a lone chocolate bubble bursts and splatters a couple droplets on Santana’s dress.

All the cool she possessed goes right out the window as her face turns beet red.

“Oh my God,” Brittany gasps and Sugar darts to look in her direction at the sound of such a distressed tone.

Santana looks down at the melted chocolate dotting her chest.

Kurt’s jaw drops and he subtly moves behind Sam in preparation for the absolute fit Santana is about to throw. He’s seen first hand how vicious she can be and he doubts even Brittany’s pretty face will help her this time.

“Oh my God,” Brittany repeats and grabs at a paper towel to wet before she’s absent mindedly dabbing at Santana’s chest, “I’m so sorry. I – I can pay for the dry cleaning bill or I can–“

Santana stills Brittany’s trembling hands.

Kurt thinks this is it, this is the day Santana finally gets her ass fired and waits for Santana to yeet the poor girl across the room, but something strange happens instead.

Santana smiles.

Kurt thinks she might’ve hit a new level of pissed that he’s yet to see during their many years of working together. He’s actually scared for Brittany, but there’s no way in Wal-Mart that he’ll try to intervene now. There are just some things even he won’t do.

Brittany gulps.

Sugar stands back to watch, popping tiny marshmallows into her mouth like popcorn.

“It’s fine, Brittany,” Santana says through her smile then slowly let’s Brittany’s hand fall to the counter, “Although you might want to keep a better eye on your chocolate next time.”

“Yeah sure,” Brittany nods in a daze. Honestly, she’ll agreeing to anything Santana says right now as long as she doesn’t tear into her like she did with Rachel earlier.

Santana looks down at the cutting board next to where Brittany’s hand rests now and recognizes the chocolate packaging, “Are you using Mexican chocolate?”

Brittany slowly blinks and looks down at the board and back up, “Uh… yeah. It’s for our drink to end the night with. We’re doing a Spicy Mexican hot chocolate.”

“Hmm,” Santana hums before swiping a piece of chocolate from the board, “You have quite the line up for us. Good luck to you both.”

“Thanks,” Brittany says before they all begin to walk away. She feels like she can finally breathe again and looks over her shoulder to Sugar and starts to mouth holy fuck did you see th –

“Oh and Brittany?” Santana calls out.

Brittany instantly swivels on her heels and stands at attention, “Yeah?”

“Keep an eye on your chocolate,” She smirks as she pops in the piece she stole earlier before turning away.

Brittany thinks she actually might be drooling right now because woah, but it doesn’t last long before Sugar is ruining her moment.

“Oh my God, Britt!” Sugar squeals as she starts slapping at Brittany’s shoulder, “There is no denying it now. I’m not even going to say it because you and I and all of America knows what I’m thinking.”

Brittany lets out a sigh and shakes her head, “I need a drink.”

“Shots!” Sugar cheers. She grabs the bottle of Malibu from her station and pours a bit into a measuring cup and hands it to Brittany while Sugar pours some into a ramekin. They both knock back the shot and Brittany sends Sugar a knowing look.

“I’m beginning to see what you’re talking about now…help.”

“Yes!” Sugar beams, “Don’t worry about a thing, I’m going to be the best wing-woman!”

“Let’s just win this thing first before you go all Love Connection on me,” Brittany chuckles, “I know how you like to spiral.”

Sugar throws up her hands in defense as she walks back to her side of the station, “I just call it like I see it, Brittz, and I called it from the very beginning.”

Brittany just keeps her head down and gets back to work, trying to keep thoughts of Santana to a minimum.

“I thought you were going to kill her,” Kurt whispers as they leave Team Batter Up Cupcakes behind, “I thought you were going to finally catch a case and kill that poor girl, not to mention her ruining your dress.”

“The girls did their job, what do you expect?” Santana replies easily, “Besides, it was an accident.”

Santana is guided off to the side so that her stylist can work her magic and remove the stains, or at least position her hair so that it’s a lot less noticeable. It’s only a couple dots so it’s really no big deal, but Kurt doesn’t seem to want to drop it.

“An accident? You know who else had an accident? Marley Rose. In her pants. Because you threatened her with a knife.”

“Calm down, it was an off-set spatula,” Santana corrects, “There’s no sharp edges there.”

“It was completely unnecessary,” Kurt admonishes.

“You know what else was unnecessary? Combining avocado and chocolate.”

“It wasn’t that bad, Santana. Don’t be dramatic.”

Santana rolls her eyes at him as her stylists does some finishing touches before Santana is given the okay to return to set. She gives Kurt a disgusted look, “Avocado has no place in this kitchen, damnit. I don’t care what kind of food trend band wagon rolls up in here. It’s a no for me.”

Kurt shakes his head in disbelief but returns to the previous topic as his tone dips lower, “She practically had her hand on your boob, Santana. Brittany, not Marley.”

“Yeah…and?”

“And you didn’t rip it from her body…”

Because I’m a lesbian and I’m into it, is what Santana wants to say but she doesn’t and honestly she doesn’t know what stops her. She’s always said what was on her mind, but now?

Santana glances over at the station they just left and catches Brittany with her head down in deep concentration. She smirks for a split second before turning a glare onto Kurt.

“I know what happened, Kurt, I was there. I don’t need you doing a play-by-play for me.”

Kurt looks at her quizzically, but the response seems to shut him up for the meantime. They go on to check in with the rest of the teams in silence.

After they make their rounds, the judges return to the panel and wait out the last few minutes. Although thus far Santana hasn’t been able to keep her eyes from straying too far from Team Batter Up Cupcake’s kitchen, she along with the other panel judges are unable to look away from Team AJs Bake Shop.

The pressure is definitely on as the team scrambles to frost their cupcakes, but it doesn’t seem like there will be enough time for Mercedes and Artie to complete all three of them. You can start to see them beginning to lose focus as they keep checking the time, the seconds quickly disappearing until ultimately the buzzer sounds.

“Alright bakers, put down your utensils!” Sam calls out as he walks to the center of the arena, “This round is ovah.”

The camera pans to each kitchen, capturing the bakers’ relief – Sugar and Brittany hug it out while Blaine and Tina high five – but when it gets to Team AJs Bake Shop, Mercedes and Artie look completely defeated and devasted.

Only two out of the three cupcakes they planned have made it onto their plate.

“First up to the judging panel,” Sam says while doing his James Earl Jones impression again, “Brittany and Sugar from Team Batter Up Cupcakes! Let’s see what you’ve made.”

Brittany and Sugar make the short walk over to the panel and hand out their cupcakes. They’re aesthetically on point with Brittany’s excellent piping and Sugar’s fondant work rounding out the whole presentation, but they hope that their eccentric ways don’t scare off the judges too much.

“Looks awesome,” Sam compliments with a wide smile, “Please explain to the judges what you’ve created.”

Brittany has been pretty cool-headed so far, but ever since the chocolate boob incident she’s been thrown a little off her game. She sucks in a breath to calm her nerves before speaking.

“Hi again, judges! To start your morning off right, we’ve made a Dr Pepper cupcake inspired by my awesome dentist Dr. Pepper who taught me that teeth-brushing isn’t only done at night.”

“Oh my God…it was her dentist. I feel so stupid,” Kurt sighs to himself.

Santana just chuckles, “As you should.”

“We used Dr Pepper from the curveball pantry in the chocolate cupcake batter as well as in the cherry buttercream frosting. Sugar made the topper out of fondant,” Brittany explained while the judges went in for their first taste.

Their expressions shifted to surprise at the sudden tingling sensations on their tongues.

“Oh! And we also garnished with popping candy to replicate the fizziness of the Dr Pepper,” Brittany supplies and watches nervously for a positive reaction.

Santana is the first to speak up this time, “Can I just say this is probably one of the best soda-inspired cupcakes I’ve ever had.”

Brittany’s brows shoot up to her hairline while Sugar lets out a squeal.

“It’s not just a chocolate cake with a splash of Dr Pepper, you can actually taste the soda in this and your use of the popping candy was again…sheer genius,” Santana adds, “Great job.”

Kurt reluctantly nods, “I love the frosting. It isn’t too sweet and this fondant work is spectacular, I’m just not sold on your choice to start the day off with this kind of beverage.”

“It was alright for me,” Sue shrugs nonchalantly, “Next!”

Santana and Kurt scowl at her but move on to the next cupcake anyway.

“So to get through the afternoon blues, Sugar and I went with a Piña Colada cupcake for obvious reasons,” Brittany begins to explain.

“Get litty!” Sugar whoops and knocks her first with Brittany’s.

“There’s pineapple juice and a little coconut cream in the cupcake batter and it’s topped with a coconut rum buttercream then garnished with some toasted coconut flakes as well as another awesome fondant piece by Sugar,” Brittany finishes while the judges taste their second cupcake, “We used Malibu from the curveball pantry in this recipe.”

“Wow, you can really taste the rum here,” Kurt comments but Brittany and Sugar can’t tell whether or not that’s a compliment.

“Be careful you don’t get all white-girl wasted on me,” Santana teases while she tastes the frosting and lets it coat her tongue. She gives a satisfied smile, “That’s really good and I’m not even a big fan of Malibu. Might be just a touch too sweet for my tastes though. Malibu is so sugary as it is, you should’ve maybe cut back on adding any more sugar to your recipe.”

Brittany’s smile falters, “Understood.”

“I really like the fruity flavors of the cake here,” Kurt adds.

“You? Liking something fruity?” Santana’s brows rise, “I’m shocked.”

Kurt opts to ignore her and continues, “It’s just the right amount of pineapple and coconut, I feel like I’m on some tropical beach somewhere. And the addition of the toasted coconut flakes was a great touch, it adds a nice texture to your cupcake.”

“This one is better,” Sue agrees and at second glance they find that she has somehow devoured the entire cupcake, “Although, I don’t know how well it will go over with the parents if you’re chosen to cater for the Cheerios benefit. You would have to come up with something different. Next!”

Brittany and Sugar feel like they’ve been dealt another blow and think that maybe they should’ve been a little more tame this round. The judges’ responses are all so mixed, they don’t know where they stand.

They remain positive though as the judges move on to their final cupcake.

“To end the night, we have a Spicy Mexican Hot Chocolate cupcake with marshmallow frosting,” Brittany says as the judges start to taste, “There isn’t anything from the curveball pantry in this recipe, only the Mexican chocolate we found in the regular pantry.”

Kurt looks like he’s struggling with his watery eyes, “Is that…cayenne pepper?”

“It is,” Brittany nods resolutely, “Hence the spicy.”

“It’s really…” Kurt starts to cough but Sue is quick to slap his back which makes him yelp in pain.

“I’m into this,” Santana nods, barely batting an eye at Kurt’s reaction, “Once again, you’re showing off how well you balance out flavors and this marshmallow frosting... I’d eat it of off anything.”

Brittany gulps at the way the word rolls off Santana’s tongue. In an instant, Brittany’s mind takes her there. She closes her eyes tightly, willing the thoughts away with all her might because now is not the time for them.

“No hot chocolate should have cayenne pepper in it,” Kurt replies once he’s able to speak again, “Like why? I didn’t get it.”

“That’s because you’re a basic bitch,” Santana eye-rolls but turns an encouraging smile onto Brittany and Sugar, “I liked this, it really took me back to my roots.”

“I’m a big fan of cayenne pepper,” Sue agrees, “Combine that with some lemon juice and sand and you’ve got yourself the perfect Sue Sylvester master cleanse.”

Santana gives Sue a look, “That can’t be healthy for you.”

Sue doesn’t answer though, just holds her head up high.

“Okay well, great job!” Sam commends, “Please return to your kitchen. The next team up: Blaine and Tina from Team Baking Dreams Come True.

“I’m a little worried,” Sugar says once they return to their station. She takes another swig of rum straight from the bottle before passing it to Brittany, “Were we too much?”

Brittany shrugs and drinks from the bottle too, “If we did it any other way then we aren’t being true to ourselves and that’s the most important thing.”

“True,” Sugar nods, “I can’t get a read on them. Their feedback was everywhere.”

“We’ll just have to wait. We’ve always been the oddballs in every competition but we still bring home a win,” Brittany adds and looks to Sugar, “It won’t be any different this time.”

“Yeah! And Santana liked most of them and she’s usually the hardest one to please so that has to count for something,” Sugar wonders aloud, “Right?”

“One of the best soda-inspired cupcakes she’s ever hand,” Brittany reminds her, “We’ve got this, Sug.”

That seems to ease Sugar’s nerves and they stay huddled side by side like that, passing the bottle of rum back and forth between each other as the remaining teams are judged.

“Here you go, Kurt!” Santana teases as Blaine and Tina present them with a pumpkin spice latte-inspired cupcake that they’ve chosen to start their day with. She cuts through the cream cheese frosting with her fork, “This is right up your basic bitch alley.”

“Shut up, Santana.” Kurt groans and rolls his eyes before tasting the creation. He doesn’t want to admit it aloud and land himself right at the butt of Santana’s joke, but the cupcake is delicious.

Judging by Santana’s facial expressions she thinks so too.

“I see you’ve taken my advice from Round 1 and stepped your game up,” Santana says to Blaine in a tone that drips with condescension, “There’s actually some flavor in here this time…even if you went with something so mainstream like a PSL. You did well, yay.”

It was the most unenthusiastic, off-handed yay Blaine and Tina has ever heard and they aren’t sure whether they should thank her for the compliment or be offended. Instead they just nod and wait for Kurt’s critique.

“Finally something I’m familiar with,” Kurt sighs through his pleased smile, “This is my favorite one so far. It’s like biting into Autumn. All of your flavors are spot on and this cream cheese frosting complements it so perfectly.”

Blaine and Tina share a surprised look that makes Brittany and Sugar want to gag. Sugar rolls her eyes so hard they almost stick while Brittany just wants to push one of them, most likely Tina since she’s the closest. Those two are the biggest suck-ups ever and they only confirm it as they thank the judges for their wonderful feedback and move on to the next cupcake.

Surprisingly, Sue smiles.

It’s kind of creepy, but it happens all because of their Matcha-inspired cupcake which represents their midday beverage.

“I hate cupcakes, but this one might change my mind,” Sues says after taking a bite.

Kurt tilts his head in confusion while Santana shoots Sue a look of disbelief.

“Wait so you hate cupcakes yet you’re on a show based on cupcakes?” Kurt questions, “How does that work?”

“Talk to my lawyer,” Sue answers shortly.

Kurt is taken aback and looks to Santana, “What?”

“I don’t know,” Santana shakes her head dismissively and gets back to judging the cupcake, “Once again, you’ve chosen another mainstream trend. Maybe if I was on My Weird Cravings and liked the taste of grass mixed with frosting and topped with dusting of seaweed, I wouldn’t mind this.”

Blaine and Tina cringe upon hearing Santana’s remarks.

Brittany and Sugar both bust out laughing and it’s so loud that the camera pans to them.

“You made…a cupcake…for a goat!” Brittany giggles between words. She’s close to tears and Sugar’s going red in the face.

“Way to go, losers!” Sugar adds as she tries to catch her breath.

“I – I’m so sorry, we-“ Blaine began but Santana just held up here hand to stop him.

“Don’t apologize. If you’re going to bake something and present it to me, you better be pretty damn proud of it to the point where even if you don’t get the response you’re after you still think it’s the best thing you’ve ever made,” Santana tells him sternly, “Confidence is important in this industry. Grow a backbone and own it.”

Blaine just gulps and steps back in line with Tina as the judge’s move on to their final cupcake.

Again for Santana, it tastes somewhat above average and their high skill level is evident and they do all the right things but there’s no risk taken.

She’s bored, they’re boring.

On the other hand, Kurt and even Sue are blown away by everything they’ve put forth so Santana is out numbered this time around.

Blaine and Tina look relieved when Sam dismisses them back to their station and they hold their heads high as they pass Brittany and Sugar. They don’t say a word, just give their best attempt at a cocky grin before crossing the aisle to their kitchen.

The final team Sam calls up arrives to the judges’ panel wielding only two of their three cupcakes.

“What’s going on here?” Santana asks as she looks down at her plate.

“Our final cupcake didn’t cook through completely…” Artie replies guiltily.

“Time management not a strong point for you, huh?” Santana comments the nods to the first cupcake, “Tell us what you’ve made then.”

Mercedes takes over for Artie and goes on to explain the first cupcake, the coffee inspired cupcake to represent the start of their day. Presentation-wise, it’s on point and when it comes to taste, they kill it!

Santana is actually surprised by how much she likes it, “The espresso is really pronounced here which is something bakers fall short on a lot, but you nailed this. Coffee and chocolate is kind of a weakness for me so I’m glad that this doesn’t taste horrible.”

“I agree,” Kurt adds, “This is a very good take on what you were aiming for. Great job.”

Their second cupcake receives similar praise; great flavor, beautiful presentation and fits with the theme.

Brittany would be a little worried if they hadn’t only come up with two cupcakes.

“So which one of these cupcakes contains an ingredient from the curveball pantry?” Kurt asks once they finish tasting.

“Well,” Artie starts nervously, “It was in our final cupcake which would’ve been our take on a tequila sunrise. It contained tequila.”

“Obviously,” Santana quips then she starts to frown, “It’s really disappointing that you weren’t able to finish on time. You could’ve had this challenge in the bag.”

Brittany and Sugar share a look upon hearing those words; were they just saved by another team’s missteps?

“Okay bakers, only two teams will be moving on to the final round. Do you think you’ve made the cut?” Sam asks as he stands next to the judge’s panel, “This round was a little bit of a challenge for most of you but…Blaine and Tina…you’ve made it to Round 3!”

“Oh my God!” Tina squeals as she jumps into Blaine’s arms.

“We made it!” Blaine cheers and they bounce around their kitchen. It’s like every step they take is a jab at Brittany and Sugar.

This can’t happen, they can’t lose to them. Brittany crosses her fingers and her toes as she shuts her eyes tight and begins to wish and hope that Sam calls out their name next.

“The final team that will move on to Round 3…will be…Brittany and Sugar!” Sam announces and the lights dim over Mercedes and Artie, “Sorry Team AJs Bake Shop, your fight is over.”

Brittany lets out a sigh of relief and pulls Sugar in for a hug, “That was too close.”

“The judges agreed that you put up some tasty cupcakes,” Sam goes on to explain to Mercedes and Artie, “But the fact that you didn’t provide three cupcakes was unfortunately a critical blow in your case.”

“Oh hell to the no,” Mercedes snaps and points over to Brittany and Sugar, “They made only one cupcake in Round 1 while everyone else made two and they won the round! So we do the same and now we’re getting cut? How is this fair? It doesn’t make any sense.”

“What is with everyone testing our decisions today?” Kurt grumbles.

Mercedes is still going, “All of our cupcakes fit the theme, meanwhile Brittany and Sugar just picked random-”

“Let me stop you right there,” Santana stands up.

Brittany looks from Mercedes to Santana and prepares for the worst. She’s got that look in her eyes again, similar to when she smacked Rachel down like the hand of God. There’s this determination mixed with pure fury and Brittany knows she shouldn’t be thinking about how good she looks up there, but it’s impossible not to.

“Britt and Sugar put their personality into their work which is something I have not seen from any other team here today,” Santana starts and Brittany instantly perks up upon hearing her nickname, “They didn’t do anything by random. They put thought behind everything that they’ve done and they actually take risks. Sometimes it’s a hit, sometimes it’s a miss but at least they’re swinging for the fences. Don’t come at them just because you messed up.”

Brittany can’t help but smile at how highly Santana is speaking about them and the use of baseball references just makes her feel warm all over. Her heart thuds hard and her stomach fills with crazy butterflies again. She’s overcome with this sudden urge to rush over and –

She stops herself from thinking such a thought. She doesn’t even know the woman like that and it would be so out of line. But then when she glances up, she just barely catches Santana looking her way before she sets her gaze back on Mercedes. It’s quick, too quick for Brittany to interpret. She just listens to whatever Santana says next.

Santana grits her jaw, “The challenge for Round 1 didn’t specify the number of cupcakes required, everyone just assumed it meant two. Everyone except, Team Batter Up Cupcakes. This round specifically stated that you were to make three cupcakes. You made two, or do you need a recount? Can you even count? Should I break out the counting blocks and have you practice for a bit?”

Mercedes quiets although she looks like she is going to go off at any moment now.

Santana hopes she does.

“You also left out a curveball pantry ingredient,” Kurt adds, “That’s too many errors to overlook and that’s why you’re being sent home.”

Mercedes and Artie swallow their pride and exit the arena without another word.

Santana takes the moment to finally sit back down, but not before glancing over at Brittany one last time. The blonde is looking at her like she has put every single star in the sky. Oddly enough, the look makes Santana blush and she has to look away quickly before the camera catches her.

What she doesn’t evade is Kurt’s quizzical eye and when Santana finally sees that she has been caught, she does her best to fake it until she makes.

“What?” She scoffs.

“I totally get it now,” Kurt says as the dots all finally connect, “You like her.”

“You’re delusional.”

“You do like her!” Kurt squeals, “I knew it, that’s why you let her touch your boobs!“

“Boob,” Santana corrects, “Singular and I didn’t let her. She did that on her own.”

“Same thing!”

“Don’t start with me, Kurt,” Santana snaps, “I’m still full of rage.”

Kurt only smirks, “That’s not all you’re full of…”

“Huh?”

“You’re full of shit too.”

Upon seeing the wide grin Kurt wears, Santana rolls her eyes, “You’re really trying to get your scrawny ass kicked, aren’t you?”

The camera drags up Sam’s torso to settle in close as he makes the final announcement of the round, “Another team bites the dust here at the Cupcake Battles’ arena! The two remaining teams that will battle it out in the final round are: Brittany and Sugar from Team Batter Up Cupcakes – “

The camera pans to Brittany and Sugar who are all kinds of intimidating. They both growl at the audience and flex their muscles, alternating from different poses, before they point over to Blaine and Tina and yell out, “We’re going to break you in half like a pop tart!”

“Oh, that’s violent…” Blaine frowns.

“And facing off with them will be Blaine and Tina from Team Baking Dreams Come True!” Sam adds as the camera points to the contestants.

They’re remaining polite and do the whole smile and wave which surprises no one because they’re so boring.

“Stay tuned to see who comes out on top for our third and final round in,” Sam takes a long dramatic pause, “Cupcake Battles!”

#Cupcake Battles #Brittana #brittana fanfiction #fanfics #baking au

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flowerfan2 · 4 years

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Private Time - Chapter Two

Klaine, M, 4k, A03. Summary: One thing about being in quarantine with your grad school roommates... you hardly get any private time...

Wow, the reaction to this fic has blown me away. Thank you so much to everyone who reblogged and commented. It’s wonderful to feel the Klaine love.

And since you asked so nicely, here is chapter two!

Chapter 2

Kurt Hummel prides himself on being able to survive just about anything, from small town bigots to drama school divas. But this quarantine thing is really getting to him.

It’s not that he has any problems with his roommates, far from it. He’s known Rachel since high school, and his fondness for her more than balances his aggravation. Sweet and goofy Sam became part of their trio of friends last year when Kurt had thought about starting a band, and Sam had shown up at the audition. While the band didn’t take off, Kurt will never forget Sam’s rendition of “Nothing On But The Radio.” Priceless.

But then there’s Blaine. Even thinking about the guy makes Kurt go weak in the knees. It’s not like Kurt to be so affected by a pretty face, even one peeking out from under wet curls as he scoots down the hall after his evening shower with just a towel wrapped low around his hips. Kurt prides himself on his restraint when it comes to opening up to the possibility of romance, but with Blaine, it has been a challenge.

It started with that damn a capella benefit Rachel dragged him to. As if he needed to spend an evening watching preppy kids grinning at each other while they sang poorly re-arranged pop tunes. “It’s for a good cause, Kurt,” Rachel had argued. “And it’s not just the college groups. Everyone at the university can participate. I would be performing, too, if I wasn’t saving my voice.”

And so an hour into a dreadfully dull evening of twenty-somethings trying to relive their high school musical glory days, Kurt had his first experience of nearly losing his mind over Blaine Anderson. Amidst a sea of mediocrity, Blaine came on stage and performed Sondheim’s Not While I’m Around without accompaniment. Kurt felt like he was coming apart. He was so wrecked that he left the theater immediately after Blaine’s performance and spent the rest of the evening stalking around campus, furious with himself for losing his cool.

That night while his roommates were still out, Kurt indulged himself in a way he hadn’t done in ages. First a lavender scented bubble bath, then a long solo session in between fresh, clean sheets. It was okay to fantasize about Blaine Anderson, he was just a guy on a stage, Kurt didn’t know him from Adam (and he was way, way hotter than Adam with or without his Apples). Kurt found himself humming “nothing’s gonna harm you, no sir” halfway through and didn’t even censor himself, reveling in the thought that his fantasy Blaine would protect him from all the demons of the world.

After that, Kurt felt like he saw the guy everywhere – ducking out of the campus coffee shop, running in the early morning chill, giving Sam a warm hug before they parted ways after class. Kurt had sort of known that Sam was bringing Blaine to see his performance of Macbeth, but had managed to block it out until afterwards, when Sam trotted backstage with Blaine on his heels. Blaine’s shy smile and soft blush when he offered Kurt his congratulations had rendered him nearly speechless.

And then the unthinkable happened. They had held off on finding a fourth person to share the rent for several months, mostly because Rachel thought that sharing their single decent shower with two guys was as much as she could stand, but money was tight for all of them and it seemed silly to let the room stay empty. Before they had even had a chance to advertise the vacancy Sam came home one afternoon with Blaine, announced that he had found them a perfect flatmate, and started giving Blaine the tour. Kurt had nearly choked on his skinny margarita.

There wasn’t much time to dwell on his crush before the quarantine, but now, Blaine is everywhere. Kurt tries to count how many different black polo shirts the man has, just to prove himself he could look but still retain a modicum of brain power, but he fails miserably. Instead his eyes keep sliding down to where Blaine shirt’s is tucked around his slender waist, just before his red pants curve over the best ass Kurt has ever seen.

When Rachel announces her private time plan Kurt immediately knows what she is up to. If Sam and Blaine knew her better, they would have caught on faster as well – since when did Rachel Berry mind if anyone heard her sing? It’s a lame cover-up, but before Kurt can open his mouth and say so, he realizes how useful Rachel’s plan could be. So he stands up, smooths his hands down over his pants, and high-tails it upstairs to the privacy of his room before his pants get even tighter.

That first night, Kurt doesn’t have any intention of participating. He’s feeling rather superior, if he is honest with himself. Suddenly randy Rachel and lack of self-control Sam may be taking care of business, but Kurt Hummel doesn’t need any of that. He puts on his headphones, pulls out an old voice lesson journal, and goes through some exercises himself. Rachel may have been joking about the need for private rehearsal time, but Kurt is nothing if not career focused, and he hasn’t had much of an opportunity for honing his craft lately either.

After he finishes the exercises in his journal, Kurt gets out his phone and some earbuds – he’s got some vocal tracks on his phone which split the parts, the lead coming through on one side and the harmony parts on the other. Just as he’s finding the track he wants to start on and fiddling with the left earbud, which for some unknowable reason keeps falling out of his ear, he hears a long, low moan.

Kurt freezes, earbud dangling from his hand. It’s Blaine, that much is obvious from the direction of the sound, and from the fact that it seems to be coming from right next to him, where only a wall divides his room from Blaine’s. Somehow that one drawn-out expression of need has shot right through him, sparking through his entire body. Kurt feels light-headed and almost forgets to breathe.

Overwhelmed, Kurt panics. He scrambles to grab the noise-cancelling headphones and clamp them over his ears, and dives under his duvet. It’s too much, and it’s inappropriate to think about, but at the same time it’s impossible not to imagine. It’s Blaine, with his hand on his private parts, making that incredibly sexy noise just a few feet away from Kurt. Kurt is never going to make it through this quarantine.

By the next morning Kurt has regained his equilibrium. He spends most of the day firmly (but not firmly, Kurt thinks, bad word choice, sternly, yes, very sternly, god that’s hardly better, hardly, stop it, I’m dying, I’m being slain by my own internal monologue) telling himself that he is not going to participate any further in Rachel’s ridiculous plan. Tomorrow, their next scheduled private time night, Kurt will simply go for a walk. Walking is good for him, he could use the exercise and fresh air, and he doesn’t do it nearly as much as he should. He’ll even wear the new mask he made from a Prada dust bag (there’s no need to abandon style, just because there’s a pandemic).

But on Thursday night when he tells Rachel he’s going out she cackles at him like she’s auditioning for the Wicked Witch of the West, and points with a shaking finger to the window. It’s raining, a veritable deluge. Kurt growls at her and goes upstairs.

Fine. It’s all fine. He can do this. It’s nothing to feel shameful about, even if everyone in the house knows he’s doing it. They’re all doing it too.

Kurt lights a candle (sandalwood), finds some of the expensive body lotion he saves for special occasions, and makes himself comfortable. Soon his thoughts are wandering to how a certain someone looked this morning, sitting out on the back porch with Sam. They had both been fooling around on their guitars, and Sam was teasing Blaine about how his hair kept falling into his eyes. Sam had even reached out and pushed an errant, gel-free curl away from Blaine’s face…

That should have been Kurt. He would have waited until Blaine finished playing a gentle love song (“the things you do endear me to you, ah you know I will… I will”) and looked up expectantly at him, a hesitant smile on his face. Kurt would have leaned close to Blaine, seeing his long lashes flutter as he softly pressed his palm to Blaine’s smooth cheek. Kurt would have threaded his fingers through Blaine’s dark hair, and they would have laughed together, barely audible to anyone else, and then Kurt would have pulled Blaine in for a breathtaking, awe-inspiring first kiss.

Kurt climaxes with an unexpected grunt, and then presses his face into his pillow. That was embarrassingly fast, even for a fantasy. He’s going to have to do better. At least he needs to get to the part where he can grab Blaine’s ass in his hands and give it a good squeeze. Who knows what kind of noises Blaine might make when his ass is fondled just right. Kurt might even have to think about sliding those tight red pants down over Blaine’s luscious curves, moving his hands up and down and around, letting his fingers explore and press in…

Kurt realizes he’s getting hard again, and much to his dismay, he soon goes for round two like a horny teenager.

It rains all day on Friday, and Saturday morning is equally gloomy, ruining their plans to make lunch and take it to campus for an appropriately socially distant picnic. Sam comes up with an alternate plan that involves bartering for a packet of yeast (the sister of one of his rugby mates thought ahead and purchased large quantities from a restaurant supply store) and making homemade bread, and Blaine sunnily agrees to bike to the other side of town to pick it up. Kurt volunteers some of his masks to use as a trade, and by noon, they are all assembled in the kitchen, ready to start their day’s project.

Kurt has made bread a million times (okay, maybe just two or three), so they all look to him for guidance. It turns out to be way more fun than Kurt had expected, even more so when he keeps catching Blaine looking at him shyly from under those ridiculously long lashes. When they all start giggling at the mess they’ve made and Blaine reaches out and tries to wipe flour off of Kurt’s nose, Kurt thinks he’s never been happier.

That night they eat their bread with the remains of various cheeses and drink more wine than Kurt had thought they had left in the house. He’s feeling loose and safe in his skin when Blaine flops down on the couch next to him, holding out a bowl of strawberries. “These go great with the bread,” Blaine says, which is what they’ve been saying about everything they have eaten that night.

Kurt doesn’t argue and pops a strawberry in his mouth. “Yeah, they do.”

Blaine focuses his big brown eyes on Kurt, and then leans in and draws his finger just along the edge of Kurt’s mouth, making him shiver.

“Powdered sugar,” Blaine explains, and then shuffles even closer to Kurt on the couch. It’s like he’d done earlier today, but this time his voice comes out in a caramel draped baritone. “You’ve got a little here, too.” Blaine touches a fingertip to Kurt’s cheek, and then then blushes furiously and lets his hand drop.

Kurt can’t resist, Blaine is simply too enticing. Blaine’s done all the hard work anyway, his blush speaking as eloquently as any Shakespeare sonnet. “I think you’ve still got flour in your hair,” Kurt says, reaching out and twining a curl around his finger. It’s just as soft as he imagined, and Blaine lets out a little sigh in response and leans his head into the touch.

Kurt takes a deep breath, his whole body trembling. Blaine’s eyes rise to meet his, and Kurt cups Blaine’s cheek and pulls Blaine in for a kiss.

It’s better than his fantasy, of course it is. Blaine tastes of strawberries and wine, his stubble scrapes ever so gently against Kurt’s skin, and he’s warm and alive under Kurt’s hand. They move closer on the couch, knees and thighs and shoulders pressing against each other. Blaine’s tongue darts out to trace Kurt’s lips, and then Kurt opens his mouth and the kiss deepens, harder and gentler in turns, until Kurt forgets that anything else exists in the world except for this.

When they finally part, breathless and wide eyed, Rachel and Sam have disappeared. Kurt glances at the clock on the wall and sees that it’s after eleven. Blaine’s glance follows his, and then he beams at Kurt, a mischievous look dancing in his eyes.

“It’s private time,” Blaine says, and Kurt blinks at him, momentarily confused. The earnest expression on Blaine’s face sure doesn’t look like he’s interesting in putting an end to their not-so-solo activities, and either does the hand he’s holding out to Kurt.

“Care to accompany me?”

#klaine #klaine fic #glee #glee fic #kurt hummel #blaine anderson #my fic

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