Chapter Text
Kurt had only been at Dalton for about two weeks, one week and three days Kurt thought to himself, and yet it was a whole new world compared to McKinely.
As much as he appreciated formal wear, and the importance of image, and well let’s be honest, the way the blazer fitted Blaine, attenuating his small yet manly waist, the Dalton uniform was stifling and uncomfortable for Kurt. As images went this was not one Kurt ever thought he would submit to, but means must he supposed. But he did miss his colours. He was worried that he would become like Blaine, as much as he adored him, only ever seeing blue and red as acceptable colour palates. When Kurt opened his wardrobe for the first time he nearly fell back in shock. Such a devoted Vogue reader should not have only those limited choices no matter how designer they may be, or how much blue and red suited them. Kurt and Blaine had only recently became friends, and as quickly as they did in becoming close, Kurt didn’t want to offend his friend so early on. And so bit his tongue and promised himself that he would soon take Blaine out for some much needed clothes shopping. He would look great in yellow. Probably the only person who ever could. Though to be fair…he certainly had enough bowties. A fashion accessory he could always appreciate even if he was momentarily stunned by the fact that another boy in Ohio actually had a bigger collection than him. At least they had a wider colour palate. Some were even patterned and plaid. Some Kurt may have even ‘borrowed’.
Then there’s the classes and teachers. It was weird during the time in-between lessons and lunch the teachers were nowhere to be seen. Even in classes they were hardly impressionable. They just showed up droned on for the allotted amount of time and then shooed them out punctually without looking at their desks. The sense of repetition was already harrowing on Kurt. He was used to the wacky kind of teachers, who admittedly should not be in teaching, and yet managed to make things entertaining. At least compared to the wooden statues that were the Dalton teachers. The classes themselves were difficult. A lot more difficult. Kurt enjoyed the challenge he did, he told Mr Schuester that only three weeks ago but…Kurt didn’t realise or realise that a challenge of such meant he had to stay in the library at all hours when he could be at home with a mug of hot chocolate gossiping lazily with Carole and watching his dad and Finn bicker over sports and TV channels.
Kurt spent most of his time studying true, but since being accepted into the Warblers last week he was now struggling to account for rehearsals which were a new experience in itself too. Mostly for the fact that the Warblers actually practiced and decided on competition songs in advance rather than the day before like New Directions. Yet, Kurt missed his friends the most it was true, but he also missed the relax atmosphere (even with Rachel Berry’s diva outs) and just the plain fun of being in New Directions. The Warblers were great but…stiff. Yes stiff, that’s the word. And if Wes bangs his gravel at me one more time for making Blaine giggle I’m going to jam it right up his warbler.
Kurt sighed, and exited his chemistry class after their teacher absently waved them out on the dot of the clock. It was time for Warbler practice and Kurt always made sure he could sit next to Blaine for he had to be early since everyone wanted to sit next to Blaine. Kurt smirked to himself when he remembered how in the last session he and Nick had a discrete race to sit in the only space beside Blaine. Blaine had been in an intent conversation with Jeff and thankfully did not see. Nick ‘won’ when he cheated and tripped up Kurt, though he was adamant that that chair had come out from nowhere and it was most certainly not him who moved it there but the Dalton poltergeist. But Kurt digressed. Especially since as soon as Blaine saw him, he immediately jumped up and came to greet him, leaving Nick and Jeff pouting at his back.
Once the session had started Blaine had pulled Kurt over to the side where he let Kurt sit next to Jeff who had scooted along beside Nick and he sat on the armrest, his legs casually brushing Kurt’s shoulders. Which did not make Kurt blush and squirm at the radiant heat from the touch, no siree. But what did was when Kurt looked up at the Warbler council to see Thad giving him an honest to God stink eye that left Kurt confused and bewildered.
Was Thad gay? Jeff and Nick were upset because Blaine is just pure awesome and everyone wants to talk to him. Plus it means more chance of getting a solo in the near future. But Thad…
Kurt had been lost in thought and had soon made his way to the choir room where a hand clapping onto his elbow shook him out of his reverie.
“Kurt, hey! You alright?” asked Blaine peering at him through his ridiculously long eyelashes.
“Yeah…yeah. Sorry, just away with the birds,” Kurt laughed. Blaine smiled politely in return and swept an arm forward towards the room mentioning for Kurt to enter. So dapper.
“So, what do you think of the sectional’s choices then? We’ve only got three days, and we really need to choose once and for all,” Blaine asked him as they went to sit down next to Trent who was texting away furiously.
“Well, I thought we had decided on Soul Sister? Which I think is a great choice and you will rock it of course,” Kurt let out a little laugh to cover up his embarrassment, rock seriously? Though the small blush on Blaine’s face made up for it. “But I quite like some of the slower choices just to balance it. Still think we should have considered DuranDuran though.”
Blaine chuckled, “I know. It would have been great. The council should’ve considered it a little while longer.”
“Or even pondered it at all,” Kurt bristled, still feeling the aftermaths of humiliation from his polite but firm rejection.
“Well-“ Whatever Blaine was going to say was interrupted by the arrival of Wes, David and Thad, who upon seeing Blaine and Kurt sitting so closely instantly glared Kurt’s way.
Kurt startled slightly at the intensity and glanced at Blaine to see his reaction, but he was smiling easily at the three appearing not to notice.
Kurt resigned to this, noticing that Blaine was perhaps not the most…perceptive person in the world. It was early days and yet Kurt was picking up on signs. Like when Kurt tried to flirt with him by using the only flirty lines he knew which were from movies, Blaine thought they were playing a game. Which turned awkward very fast for Kurt, and very fun for Blaine.
Kurt was hyperaware throughout the rehearsal of the little snide looks Thad gave him now and again. It made Kurt’s skin prickle and burn. If he could handle Karofsky (well sort of) he could handle some guy who main strategy of ‘insulting’ is to look him, but Kurt wished he knew what he had done to make Thad dislike him. He was obviously fine with him joining the group since he complimented him on his performance and perfectly admirable afterwards. Well to his face anyway. But Kurt was certain it had to be something that occurred from after his audition and now. Guessing by the way Thad’s glare would intensify every time Blaine casually touched Kurt, and boy does he touch me a lot, Kurt didn’t think he really wanted to know by the tightening of his stomach and the jealously bubbling in his chest at the mere thought of Blaine dating someone else. Anyone else.
This feeling was not new. He felt it nearly every day when he had the less than stellar crush on Finn when he was dating Quinn, and then again when Rachel confessed she liked Finn too and wanted to seduce him. But this time it was more intense. Kurt had accepted the fact that his crush on Finn was largely hero worship, and a need to be liked. Just simply liked by someone and Finn was that guy. Sort of. He at least let him take off his McQueen jackets and bag to stop them getting ruined in the garbage. That, back then, was more than he could have hoped for sometimes. It got worse when Finn joined Glee club, and actually proved himself to not be like the other jocks like Kurt had always known. Hope was the real cruel mistress.
Blaine though. Blaine was different. Not just because he was gay. But because Kurt was a romantic and he believed everything that ‘Disney’ and Broadway taught him. He believed in love at first sight, and that moment when Kurt said “Excuse me”, and Blaine turned and met his eyes, his jaw totally dropped when he saw me too. No one will ever be able to convince me otherwise, was love at first sight. Well…sort of. Maybe a slight exaggeration.
After all if Kurt was ever going to fall in love with Blaine that very first day he met him then surely it would have been after Blaine sang ‘Teenage Dream’ so beautifully knocking Katy Perry out of the park, and acting like he was specifically serenading Kurt, while Kurt’s heart was threatening to burst out of his chest, overwhelmed at the most gorgeous boy in front of him and how all the other boys were just cheering him on. No slurs, no disgusted looks, no “that’s so gay!” Just genuine enjoyment and admiration at the boy singing a girl’s song and who was more or less singing it straight at another boy.
Or it was after when Blaine had so casually told him that he was gay in a way Kurt had only ever seen in fictional TV shows and movies. Even Kurt himself, who was the epitome of confidence in his sexuality some days, couldn’t do that when he was in Blaine’s year, Blaine’s age. He wasn’t even out. Full stop.
Or maybe it was after despite knowing him for a day, less really, Blaine travelled all of the two hours from Dalton to McKinely, just to confront his homophobic bully. Let himself, after telling Kurt before how he had his own struggles with bullying, be pushed up against a wall and spat in his face and be subjected to it once again after being safe at Dalton.
Or maybe after Kurt realised that Blaine was the one thing that made Kurt feel happy at Dalton, still is, because amongst the repressing uniforms, the uninspiring teachers, the arduous classes, and the inflexibility of Warbler practice, there was Blaine. And that made Dalton all the more worth it. Yes Dalton was a safe haven away from the bullying and especially Karofsky, but Kurt missed his friends so much it hurt. And his dad, especially with the ever present fear of his dad’s heart and health, which Kurt had a feeling would never, ever, go away. He felt himself wanting to rebel against Dalton and its rigidness. Given that he had only been there for one week and three days, Kurt put that down as a bad omen.
So yes, Kurt thought, moving easily to the choreography they had already run through three times in that one session already, so he could confidently watch Blaine who was right next to him softly singing ‘Soul Sister’ to himself running through his own steps. Kurt gazed past Blaine and met Thad’s still glowering eyes with a smirk, since they were both watching Blaine, bring it on Thad Warbler. Bring. It. On. Because Blaine will be mine. Just you keep watching.