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”Hey, it’s Lady Hummel,” Kurt hears from behind him as he stands in line for ice cream with Blaine. He rolls his eyes and turns around, wondering which of his old bullies he’s managed to run into this time — it’s Azimio.
“I see your insults haven’t gotten any more creative with age,” Kurt says.
WHAT’S HAPPENING? Blaine asks from beside him, looking back and forth from Azimio to him with curiosity. He has no idea what’s going on or who this is, and Kurt would prefer to keep it that way.
NOTHING, JUST SOMEBODY FROM MY OLD SCHOOL, Kurt signs, turning back around to face the front.
“What’s with your boyfriend?” Azimio laughs and Kurt refuses to turn around. If he keeps looking forward, so will Blaine and he’ll never have any idea what’s going on. Kurt doesn’t want to have to interpret any of the offensive things that Azimio will say. He’s spent years trying to get over the trauma that the jocks at school put on him and ever since graduating, he’s actually grown more confident. He’s learned that out in the real world, things are much better than in high school. People are more accepting, less mean. Those people that don’t like him, they just pass him in the halls and ignore him now. Nobody in the real world feel the intense need to criticize and humiliate him publicly.
It seems Azimio never grew up, which doesn’t surprise him.
“What, is he Deaf or something?” Azimio calls out loudly, causing several people around them to turn around, which unfortunately catches Blaine’s attention.
“What’s the matter, you couldn’t find anyone normal to date your girly ass so you had to get somebody off of the short bus? You’re pathetic Hummel.”
Out of the corner of his eye, Kurt can see Blaine tense up and he realizes that Blaine must have read Azimio’s lips. Before Kurt can turn around and give Azimio one of the legendary verbal smackdowns he’s so famous for, Blaine is in his face signing so quickly that Kurt can’t understand anything he’s saying. He’s hitting each sign hard and so close that Azimio is backing up in fear. Kurt has to admit, he’s never seen anyone yell in ASL before, but it’s the most terrifying thing he’s ever seen.
“What the hell?” Azimio cries out. “What the hell is wrong with him?”
“You,” Kurt says, pulling Blaine back, who looks ready to punch somebody. “You might have been top dog at McKinley, but we’re not at McKinley anymore. I’m not some poor, sad puppy you can slushie and call names. I’m going places. I’ve been accepted to NYADA, the best dramatic arts school in the country. I’m in a happy relationship with another man, that’s right, another man. You remember all those times that you told me nobody would ever want to kiss me? Well I guess you were wrong because they do. As a matter of fact, a lot of people do. Because out here in the real world, I am something. Which judging by the looks of your Burger King uniform, is not something you can say yourself. So take your old and tired insults and go flip some more burgers. Nobody is listening to you anymore.”
He grabs Blaine’s hand and turns them both around so that they can order their ice cream. He wants to storm off and cry. His hands are shaking and he’s having a hard time breathing, but he refuses to let it show. He can’t let Azimio still hold this much power over him.
ARE YOU OKAY? Blaine asks.
WHAT WERE YOU SIGNING TO HIM? Kurt asks, curious, as he pays for their dessert and they walk away, pointedly ignoring Azimio, as if their interaction meant nothing. As if the integration hadn’t dragged up years of torment and brought those feelings right back to the surface.
I WAS TRYING TO DEFEND YOUR HONOR, Blaine signs with a blush. I SHOULD HAVE REALIZED YOU COULD DEFEND YOURSELF.
TRUE. BUT IT’S ALWAYS NICE TO HAVE SOMEBODY ELSE THERE WITH YOU, Kurt signs with a smile and leans in to kiss Blaine.
And if he steals a glance back at Azimio to make sure that he saw the kiss… well nobody has to know.