duran.

Duran laughed. “It definitely doesn’t feel good. I’m pretty sure I’ve knocked myself out a couple of times, then I started building up my muscle. Makes gripping the pole easier.” He was definitely starting to feel more at ease, and none of the awkwardness he felt earlier lingered. Duran felt it was actually a lot easier to talk to Blaine about more things now that the initial ‘hi’ was out of the way. And the thought of teaching him how to pole dance was actually more appealing than he’d thought, though he wasn’t going to push for it.

“I’m too in love with Dalton,” he continued. “Plus, between you and me, there’s more eye candy here.” Duran had always entertained the idea of going to a public school, but he’d seen what some of those guys looked like, and he really wasn’t interested. There was something more appealing about a well dressed guy, even if he personally preferred to dress more casually.

Now it was his turn to blush. Looking down at himself, Duran absently tugged at his blazer, trying to adjust it. “You think so?” He asked. Looking back up at Blaine, he wore a bright grin. “You know, it looked great on you too.”

Blaine laughed quietly as he imagined what the situation look like knocked out on someone’s floor after falling off a pole.  Explain that to the EMTs when they showed up and try not to let it get back to his father, hm?  It was an amusing thought and one he might take Duran up on if he ever could shake the fact that he’d be asking a guy to teach him out to pole dance.  It was a stupidly embarrassing reason to shy away from the offer so he kept a smile because he didn’t have to force one–he was truly happy and enjoying his new company.

Because of that?  He decided to chide himself once he was alone for being such an idiot to find what was just a hobby–Duran wasn’t on it for dollar bills for crying out loud–as embarrassing. Perking up with a twinkle in his eye when Duran proclaimed his love for Dalton–Blaine nodded and had to stop himself from blurting out how much he did too.  A wistful sigh parted his lips, his smile faltered for a second as a bubble of homesick filled his belly but he dove headfirst into the conversation quick enough to hope it wasn’t that noticeable.

“Yes I think so,” he tucked his chin towards his collar at the compliment.  “Ah–?  Thanks,” a lopsided wide smile lingered when he lifted his head just enough to meet Duran’s gaze.  “It’ll be missed.  It is missed.  I figure trade in the tie for the bowtie,” he tapped the blue and gray fabric bowed perfectly at his collar.  “Sort of makes me miss it a little less and besides?  At least I get a few more varieties of color to mix in?  There’s that?”