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It was kind of a cliche thing in everyone’s mind. Of course, the dweeb in the wheelchair and the town’s faggot got together, it only made sense. They were both outcasts, they were both in the glee club, they were both subject to harassment from people that were bigger than them, they were both gay .
But they loved each other, they had for years. They weren’t only boyfriends, they were best friends and they had been that way since the day they met. Kurt wasn’t able to hide the fact that he was gay like Artie was able to so he was out and proud at a young age while Artie was able to wait until he was comfortable enough to come out. And when Artie did come out and told him that he liked him, Kurt said he liked him back because he did, he was in love with his best friend. Ever since that day they had been dating.
They made a good team. Artie rolled over the toes of the people that pushed Kurt into lockers and Kurt kicked the balls of the people that tried to push Artie down the staircase in his wheelchair. If everyone wasn’t so homophobic they would admit that they were a cute couple but the only people brave enough to do that were the kids in the glee club who were their friends and who were also bullied.
Kurt thought he knew Artie, they had known each other since the first day of kindergarten and had been close ever since. Artie was cute and dorky and funny. He wore race car gloves because he told him that he might as well make the best out of his situation by pretending he was a NASCAR driver. He liked rock and rap music and his voice was the best in the glee club (yes, even better than Rachel’s). He was on the school’s math team where his inner nerd shined and he was in the glee club with him where his inner star shined. Artie told him that his goal in life was to be a music producer or a director and that he also wanted to make his own album.
As for their sex life, he knew Artie was uncomfortable about actually talking about it when they did it. Sure he didn’t mind the kiss on the cheek he always gave him but when it came to more, he usually didn’t say anything and let him do all the talking. It kind of made him feel bad like Artie felt like he couldn’t be open and honest with him about his feelings. They had done it plenty of times but each time it just ended in awkward silence until he put his clothes back on and left or went to sleep. They were best friends, they talked about everything freely and openly and yet they couldn’t do it with this one thing that only made them closer. He didn’t get it.
That’s why he was confused and then surprised and then pleased when Artie sent him a photo .
He was hanging out with the girls in his room while Artie hung out with the guys in Finn’s room when Artie sent it to him. Which was ironic because he had just had the pleasure of discussing that particular area of their relationship with everyone.
“How does he even do anything though?” Santana asked him, making his cheeks turn pink.
“That’s for us to know and for you to never find out Santana,” Kurt told her. “Trust me, he makes it happen,”
“Well he told me that it still works,” Tina shrugged. “You know, when he was pretending to be straight,”
“ It still works,” Kurt said, avoiding eye contact with everyone. “But I really shouldn’t be talking about it with you guys, he doesn’t like talking about it,”
“I smell relationship troubles,” Mercedes said, raising her eyebrows.
“Is everything okay with you two?” Quinn asked him. “Because I could ask Sam to talk to him about it,”
“Yeah we can act as spies on the inside,” Rachel exclaimed.
“If he won’t talk about it with me then why would he talk about it with the guys?” Kurt asked them. “What, does he just see me as a girl? As someone who doesn’t understand?”
“Kurt no,” Tina told him. “Artie loves you,”
“Maybe he’s just confused then,” Kurt said, getting upset. “Maybe he really is straight, I mean it only has been a month since we’ve started sleeping together. It could just be a phase,”
“Why don’t you just ask him?” Brittney asked him happily.
“It’s not that simple Britt,” Kurt sighed. “I’ve known him since he was a kid, I know how he gets when he doesn’t want to talk about something. Which is so weird because he always wants to talk about everything ,”
“Well you can’t blame yourself,” Rachel told him.
“Exactly, you need to stand up for yourself,” Quinn added. “Relationships are all about communication and if you guys can’t talk about this then things are going to falter out really fast,”
“Maybe one day,” Kurt told them. “Maybe I’ll make it my New Year’s Resolution to be more open with him,”
“Speaking of the holidays,” Rachel started to say. “I found out what I’m getting Finn,”
“I don’t really care,” Santana told her, picking at her nails.
“I got him a sweater,” Rachel told them, ignoring Santana’s comment.
“Oh yeah he’s going to love that,” Santana muttered. “A sweater ,”
“Well, what did you get Brittney?” Rachel asked her, irritated.
“Well I can’t say it right now Berry,” Santana snapped at her. “She’s right here,”
“I’ll probably forget,” Brittney shrugged.
“We both know you aren’t that stupid Britt,” Santana smiled at her.
“What did you get Artie, Kurt?” Tina asked him.
“I haven’t gotten him anything yet,” Kurt admitted to them. “I want to get him something different this year now that we’re dating but I can’t think of anything,”
“Just get him something from the heart,” Brittney told him. “I gave Santana a lap dance for Christmas and she loved it. And it was from the heart,”
“I’ve already given Artie a lap dance,” He muttered. “That’s not enough,”
“You’ll find something,” Mercedes assured him. “It’s probably better than what he’s going to get you,”
“You have to give him some credit,” Kurt told her, rolling his eyes playfully. “He’s a good boyfriend you guys,”
“I don’t doubt that,” Santana shrugged. “All I’m saying is that you need to grow a pair so he knows who you are,”
“That’s not funny Santana,” Kurt frowned when his phone went off. He looked down to see that Artie had sent him something and he smiled. “See here he is right now, as sweet as ever,”
“What did he say?” Quinn asked him. “Because I’m pretty sure the guys are drunk,”
“Puck brought over beer,” Mercedes explained. “So if he sends you something dumb…”
He shrugged and opened his messages with Artie to see a very explicit photo. His eyes widened as he covered the image with his hand and then removed his hand just to cover it back up. It wasn’t that he didn’t like what he saw, it was just so unexpected .
“Oh my god,” Kurt muttered in shock as he looked over the photo. Artie was laying in a bed naked wrapped in glowing LED Christmas lights from head to toe. He sent the photo with a caption that read “you like what you see?”. Oh yeah, he was drunk alright. “Oh my god,”
“Okay, how did you go from ghost pale to blushing red in a matter of seconds?” Quinn asked him. “What did he send you?”
“Was it a nude?” Santana asked him, trying to peer over his shoulder to get a look at the picture. Kurt put the screen to his chest though so she couldn’t see it. Maybe drunk Artie was comfortable with everyone seeing him naked but he wasn’t and there was no doubt in his mind that Artie would be embarrassed if anyone saw the picture after he sobered up. “Oh my god, it was a nude,”
“Be quiet Santana,” Kurt hissed at her although he trusted all the girls in the room.
“Artie sent you a nude?” Rachel asked him, laughing out loud with the rest of the girls. “Oh my god, Kurt got a nude ,”
“It’s not that big of a deal,” He told them, doubting that statement. “Right? I mean you guys have gotten nude pictures sent to you before right?”
“Yeah but Artie’s drunk, it’s different,” Quinn told him. “Not that it doesn’t mean anything but he’s probably going to think differently about it tomorrow morning,”
“What’s he doing in it?” Santana asked him, wiping her tears after she was done laughing. “Is he making one of those weird sexy faces that all guys do?”
“I don’t do that,” He told her.
“Because you’re classy,” Tina explained to him. “And you’re always saying you’re an honorary girl anyway,”
“Plus you’ve never sent a nude photo before,” Mercedes told him. “I know you haven’t,”
“Well, what do I do?” Kurt asked them, starting to freak out. “Do I say something back?”
“You should just go and talk to him,” Santana told him.
“He’s obviously drunk Santana, he’s not going to make any sense,” Kurt explained to her.
“Talk to him anyway,” Quinn said. “You might get something out of it,”
“I’m not…I’m not about to sleep with him while everyone’s over here,” Kurt told her.
“Maybe the reason he doesn’t want to talk about his sex life with you is because you act like you’re still a blushing virgin,” Santana pointed out. “You can’t keep acting like it doesn’t mean anything because then he acts like it doesn’t mean anything when it actually means something to the both of you,”
“Santana’s right,” Rachel told him. “Go talk to Artie whether he’s drunk or not,”
“You’re right,” Kurt said firmly, standing up before he frowned and hesitated. “Wait…”
“Go,” Mercedes said, standing up and pushing him towards the door. “You can’t come back in until you’ve talked to your man,”
“You can’t kick me out of my own room,” Kurt told the girls.
“Watch us,” Santana said, standing up and opening his door. He pushed him out of his room and shut the door right in his face. Well, there was no arguing with that.
He sighed and shook his head before he started heading for Finn’s room. They had a lot of explaining to do if they were involved in this. He knocked on his brother’s door and heard snickering coming from inside, making him roll his eyes.
“Hello lil bro,” Finn slurred when he opened his door. “Whatcha doin?”
“Where’s Artie?” Kurt asked him, not up for his games.
“Oh he got the pic,” Puck laughed, high-fiving Sam.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” He lied. “I just came to see Artie,”
“He’s in the guest bedroom,” Finn told him, pointing at the ceiling. “Down there,”
“Your sense of direction is off,” He told him.
“I’m drunk,” Finn shrugged.
“Wait,” Sam told him, getting up and handing him a bottle of beer. “Merry Christmas,”
“I don’t drink Sam,” He smiled at him, pushing the drink back towards him. “But you have fun. And if any of you throw up, you’re cleaning it up”
“Got it,” Finn nodded with red cheeks and messy hair. Yeah, Rachel would love that. “Merry Christmas and… Happy New Year,”
Kurt shut the door for the boys and rolled his eyes. People really were the worst when they were drunk. Now to deal with Artie. He didn’t know why he was so nervous. Maybe it was because everyone knew what was going on between them except the two of them. It was kind of ridiculous if he was being honest, the fact that he was so scared of talking with Artie. But he walked down to the guest bedroom anyway and knocked on the door.
“Artie?” He asked, not knowing what was behind the door. “Are you in there?”
He heard laughing coming from inside the room and figured that that was his answer. He took a deep breath, calming his nerves and his anger before he opened the door and walked inside the room.
“Kurt,” Artie slurred happily, still laying on the bed with those dumb lights wrapped around him. “Merry Christmas,”
“If this is my present I’d like to return it,” Kurt told him seriously, sitting down on the bed with his back facing away from him. “Put your clothes back on,”
“These are my clothes,” Artie laughed.
“Really?” Kurt asked him, still not looking at him. “Well, I guess you can go home like that too,”
“Why won’t you look at me?” Artie asked him but Kurt could tell that he still wasn’t moving to put his clothes back on. He knew he could do it, if he could take them off and wrap himself with Christmas lights then he could untangle himself and put his clothes back on.
“Because I’m upset,” Kurt admitted, frowning. “That picture wasn’t funny,”
“Why not? I laughed,” Artie told him.
“You’re drunk,” Kurt pointed out. “When you’re sober you’ll understand,”
“I had one… okay two drinks Kurt, I’m not drunk,” Artie told him.
“Then why would you send me something like that?” Kurt asked him angrily. “We both know you wouldn’t do it if you hadn't drunken anything,”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Artie asked him, getting angry as well.
“It means that I don't know what’s going on between us, Artie,” Kurt yelled at him, standing up from the bed and looking at him.
“Why are you mad at me for sending you a picture?” Artie asked him, sitting himself up. “I thought you were gay,”
“I thought you were gay too,” Kurt huffed. “But I’m starting to doubt that now that we’ve been together for a while and you won’t talk to me,”
“What are you talking about?” Artie asked him. “I talk to you all the time,”
“You know what I mean Artie,” Kurt told him, tears welling up in his eyes. “It’s like you’re ashamed of me or something. We always talk about everything but now we can’t talk about this,”
“What do you mean this ?” Artie asked him. “If you want to talk then let’s talk, you don’t have to be such a drama queen,”
“I want to talk about us,” Kurt told him. “I want to talk about why you can’t talk about us,”
“I talk about us all the time though,” Artie frowned.
“For god’s sake, Artie can you take those lights off?” Kurt asked him, upset with the blinking lights. “I mean sure I liked the picture but I just don’t understand. How could you send me something like that? How can you sleep with me yet never talk to me about it? How come you can’t tell me that you love me? Because I can do that to you,”
“I tell you I love you,” Artie shrugged, avoiding eye contact with him.
“You don’t seem like you mean it,” Kurt sighed, sitting back down on the bed. “We can talk about everything else but we don't talk about our feelings. It’s ridiculous Artie, I love you and I hope you love me but how am I supposed to be sure when it’s like you’re always avoiding these kinds of subjects,”
“I’m not trying to avoid anything Kurt,” Artie told him.
“Then why do you?” Kurt asked him.
“I don’t know,” Artie sighed, seeming a lot less drunk. “I guess I’m just scared,”
“Why are you scared?” Kurt asked him, softening his tone. That was not what he was expecting.
“Because I love you and I don’t want to mess up what we have,” Artie told him. “I guess I did that anyway though,”
“You didn’t mess anything up Artie,” Kurt told him.
“Well I could,” Artie told him. “You’re my best friend, I took a big step doing this, and now I kind of regret that,”
“What?” Kurt asked him, dropping his jaw open.
“I don’t regret you,” Artie told him. “I regret taking this huge step. I mean I know we’re both weird and we’re both outcasts but you have to admit that I’m still out of your league Kurt. If you weren’t gay then you’d be a normal kid but I’m still in my wheelchair whether I’m gay or not,”
“And you’re scared that you aren’t enough for me?” Kurt asked him, realizing what he was trying to say. “Artie…”
“Don’t get soft on me,” Artie told him. “I love you Kurt but we both know this isn’t going to last,”
“How could you say that though?” Kurt asked him. “Surely if we’re best friends then we can get through anything together. Even this. But that’s why you won’t talk to me?”
“Pretty much,” Artie shrugged. “I’m sorry,”
“Artie Abrams, you’re an idiot,” Kurt told him, laughing.
“And you’re scary,” Artie told him. “How can you go from fine to upset to angry to laughing in a matter of 5 minutes?”
“Artie you don’t have anything to be sorry for,” Kurt told him. “And you don’t have to be scared, you aren’t out of my league. I love you no matter who you are or what happens to you. If I didn’t like you because of your wheelchair then do you think I would be here right now?”
“No,” Artie admitted.
“Exactly,” Kurt said. “We’re going to last. And if we don’t then we’ll still be best friends. We shouldn’t let this ruin what we have. Okay?”
“Okay,” Artie told him.
“Thank you though, for talking to me,” Kurt told him. “It means a lot to me,”
“Well I do love you,” Artie said.
“And I love you too,” Kurt smiled. “Now can you please take those ridiculous lights off? God, where did you even get those?”
“Finn had them in his room for some reason and Puck dared me to get naked and wrap myself up in them,” Artie explained.
“And they saw you?” Kurt asked him in disbelief.
“No, they just dared me to send you a picture and they said they would ask you if I did it or not,” Artie said. “I told them that you probably wouldn’t tell you whether I did it or not but they said they had their ways. Plus I was pretty drunk,”
“Well take off the lights and I’ll take you home,” Kurt said, laughing a little again. “We’ll stay at your house, I got kicked out of my room by the girls,”
“Okay,” Artie said smiling. “But I’ll need your help,”
“Whatever,” Kurt rolled his eyes, standing up to help him anyway. “What a wonderful way to end such an emotional talk,”
“You know you love it,” Artie told him, winking.
“I do,” Kurt sighed, winking back and helping him get untangled from the lights. “I love you,”
“I love you too,” Artie smiled. For once Kurt knew he meant it.