This was not one of his best choices, yet at the same time it wasn’t worst. It seemed like the both of them were surprised that this was really happening. Hell, Barry was surprised with himself. That he was actually going to go through with this in the first place. Another thought that had been circling around in his head— he probably should have waited to hear the other’s name before hanging up. Now they’ll just have to go by clothes, mostly. He had offered his name, so that was at least something. He took a breath; why was he even nervous? Oh right, this wasn’t something he actually did often. Trying to do a one nightstand just wasn’t his style. True, he wanted to at least try, but– a tiny part of him kind of hoped it wouldn’t go that way. Hey, who knows, perhaps it could be something else? There was nothing wrong with being just mildly positive. after all. Okay Barry, stop, now you’re just being ridiculous. Shaking his head, he’ll go with the flow he supposed. And with that thought, he arrived at the bar. Man, he really wished he could get a least a little tipsy. Barry looked around to see if he could spot anyone wearing a bowtie, and a blue cardigan. The bowtie would certainly stand out. After a moment— was that him? It was the only person with a bowtie he could see. Okay, you got this. The speedster made his way over, and settled next to him. “Hi— I’m Barry,” he said, that didn’t sound lame, right? He was trying to at least look confident. “You called earlier, from you know,” okay now that did sound lame.
Feeling a tiny bit better after his drink–Blaine hooked his heels on the rung of the stool and bounced his knees to the beat of the song playing. It was a way to get out some energy that kept building up the longer he waited. Studious eyes stared through the glass he lifted–elbow propped on the bar–and held eye level. What the hell was he doing? There were a few times within the last minute where he pondered if leaving was a better idea. But outright ditching someone wasn’t okay. Not anywhere close. Sure he could text him and tell him something came up. Yet, he didn’t. Something just kept him firmly planted in his seat. Everything seemed to intensify as his heart began to beat faster. Not the dulling numbness that alcohol usually made things less sharp around the edges. No, that was nowhere to be found. Every person that came within a few feet of his stool was given a quick glance but none of them had the crimson–or was it red?–sweater that Barry pointed out he should be looking for. Just as his glass was put back down on the bar and he let his hand fall to toy with some of the lines of wet rolling down the outside–he heard a voice that was newly familiar and quickly moved his finger back to join the others beside the glass. Meeting gazes with a man who was utterly striking to look at–Blaine felt his breath hitch and his lips part. Crimson dusted over his olive complexion but the smile that curved the edges of his lips made him look a little less daft, at least? “Hi– I’m Blaine.” Oh, wow. His eyes were green. “Right. Yes. I did. Um–Drink–Would you like a drink?” Good to see both of them were starting out the gate with a stutter. Somehow–the fact that they were was a much appreciated comical comfort.
The females gaze narrowed the moment Blaine mentioned the tweedledum twink she’d shut down days before. He was going to get defensive, && that alone had her setting up defenses of her own. A rolodex of hateful words ran through her brain as she tried to listen to what he had to say. That was more than most people got from Santana. At least he started off on a semi-understandable note. Though his voice dripped with distaste, or disappointment. She didn’t bother learning the difference. “Okay puppy breath, I don’t think Kurt was that hurt by a few blows at his dance moves && creepy old people habits.” She should of kept quiet but the snark came out under her breath. How could it not when he was so pointedly attacking her? Even if it was well deserved, that wouldn’t mean she’d be backing down any time soon.
At this point her heart was pounding in her chest, the tension rising more && more with each passing moment of silence. He went on about how Kurt didn’t deserve it, but he did. The boy deserved the few quick witted, well delivered insults for what he said in glee club. How could he honestly be defending him? After everything, he was still Kurts bitch, && she wasn’t going to let it slide. “There are no words — for how absolutely PATHETIC you look right now. I can tell how hard you’re trying to stand up to me right now, because your over gelled hair is actually trying to defy gravity, only in a broken && totally repelling way, similar to Kurt’s rendition of the song when battling queen uni-brow. I think maybe it would of worked. MAYBE. If only you weren’t trying to fight with me on someone you can barely look at without breaking into some depressing song about broken hearts && lost dignity. You know, if you spent just half of the time you waste on the narcissistic purse dog you happen to still think is yours — maybe you’d stand a chance against anything other than a pastry shop. Now get out of my face please, before I end you.” Santana could tell she’d regret snapping at him the moment it stopped. Blaine cared about his friends, even her, through thick && thin. Yet here she was tearing him apart. Maybe some part of this was her fault, but that kind of confession still wouldn’t come soon.
Blaine didn’t go into this confrontation without expecting some sort of incinerating backdraft inferno exploding in his face. So when it came? He stood silently listening and took every word in with the drumming of his pulse in his ears as a soundtrack. Not a peep came from him until she was done. Though there were telltale signs of what her words were doing to him throughout the entire tirade. Prepared or not. He physically reacted in subtle ways. It showed in how he gripped down onto his arms so tight that the color drained out of his fingers and how the honied hazel of his eyes stopped exuding the light they normally captured and radiated back tenfold. Instead? They were darker, more serious and narrowed at their edges. The tip of his tongue pressed tight against the backside of his bottom row of teeth causing the muscles of his jaw to tense up. Finally. Either she ran out of words. Or she had to breathe. Something in him broke. Not in a loud, screaming sort of way. But something far more done. When he was sure he wouldn’t choke on what he had to say–Blaine slowly let gravity pull him from the wall he’d been leaning one heel against and took a few steps towards her–chin tucked down and eyebrows raised just to make his point crystal clear.
“Grow. Up. Santana. If all you have to hurt me with are insults about hair products that I’ve been hearing since I came to this school and degrading Kurt or what he may or may not mean to me? Are you sure you’re ready for such an adult decision as marriage? I’m pretty sure you should drop the middle school lash outs before you take that leap. The purse dog you continue to insult also happens to be the boy who tried to make things remotely better for you the only way he knew how when you were put through hell at this school. He is also that boy who didn’t boot your rear end to the curb when you randomly showed up in New York City proclaiming that you were going to live there. Why? Because he cares about you. You got to stay. Well. Until you drove the both of them so crazy with your selfish games they had to kick you out or go nuts. But most of all,” he stopped walking and stood there sighing softly. “That’s the same boy who told me when I asked where the heck it was and thought I was going to have to punch someone if they stole it from him again–gave you the most important thing that he ever had that belonged to his brother because he was so worried for you that he knew you needed it more than him. It was more than insults about dancing and old people. It was about his appearance, his personality, his entire self and you used me to make the hammer hit harder. Or do you not even hear what comes out of your mouth when you do this to the people that love you so much? Because–if that’s the case? Until you think about it? You’re going to keep on losing them until you end up alone.”
“Your phone–huh?” Blaine couldn’t stop himself from cracking up. Which he promptly did. Trying to act oh-so-smooth–he ignored the heat spreading over his cheeks and gave the man on top of him a wry smirk broken up by puffs of laughter. “I mean– I could check. You know? Keep it from getting crushed. It’d be a shame if it did..”
“Or you could tell me what’s really going on with you because I’m not buying into anything you just said,” Blaine pressed his tongue against the inside corner of his lips watching her closely. “It’s up to you, though. I know you’re only going to talk on your own terms but–I really wish you’d let me in enough that you didn’t feel you have to lie to me.”
♬ = singing to them.
“See? I knew you couldn’t resist giving into all that annoying singing that’s been happening since we all came back for our mini-reunion. To what do I owe the honor of the ever elusive Santana serenade? By the way? I hope you plan on a duet next. Because now we have to sing together. Before you tell me to shut up? I’m not taking no for an answer.”
“Santana? Listen. I understand that what Kurt did when you proposed was totally uncalled for and definitely not at the right time. I get that.” He knew he should uncross his arms, smile more. Everything you need to do to make yourself seem less angrier than he really was but–so far? Blaine just stood there–not listening to his own common sense–and tensed from head to toe. At least his words and tone of voice were relatively calm? “But what I don’t get. Is how you could be his friend and use me and every little insecurity he has against him just to show him he should have kept his opinions to himself. Yes–he made a serious mistake. No–he shouldn’t have opened his mouth but you, of all people, should know that you can’t take the parts of someone that they are the most insecure about and use it against them like that.”
“Not when he’s already at a huge low,” Blaine swallowed the guilt he felt for somehow ending up being the biggest reason for said low. It wasn’t fair that he was the one who ended up here broken and now had trouble looking at himself in the mirror and thinking about Kurt but–here he was doing exactly that. And now–here he was-–stepping in to be the one to stand up for him at the risk of being on the receiving end of whatever Santana came back at him with. –Yep. Here he was. Indeed.– “He didn’t deserve you going that far and in front of people. In his own way, he was just–. Okay. I’m–There are no words.” His lips pressed together in a thin line before he palmed a sigh and his hand fell back to the crook of the opposite elbow. “You need to talk to him before both of you lose someone else important to each other. We’ve all been through that enough already.”
“Oh! Hi there annnnd am I now? Have I told you how much of a nerd you are lately? Lucky for you? I agree. Maybe. Okay! Kidding. I’m yours. ..Hey, Barry? Curious minds wanna know? What exactly is that in your pocket..or–?”
( mssg » blaine | sent ) How about another solid no? We aren’t going to do that a public place. Not if either of us ever want to be on Broadway. ( mssg » blaine | sent ) Right now you’re at a solid 8 for making me come all the way out to the park, but I’m not going to make you do all that stuff, and you’re not going to get laid tonight if that’s what you’re hoping for. Maybe tomorrow if you make up for me having to come out in the middle of the night.
( mssg » kurt | sent ) dO what in a public polace? I’m lost.
( mssg » kurt | sent ) oh no i’m at 8? um. Il’l still get the card. I bet I can find a srorry i woke you up at 3 am to coem to a bridge in central park to get me and our friend because we did the how many shots can blaien take before He’s wishing he didn’t text kurt challenge card. IF not, sAntana said she’ll help me make one. ( mssg » kurt | sent ) btw? the answere is like 4. ( mssg » kurt | sent ) i love you and i’ll make it up to you. ( mssg » kurt | sent ) hey hoeny? Your’re beautiful. thank You for putting up with me. ❤
Elliott hadn’t really expected that reaction – he didn’t mean to upset Blaine! He could be blunt, a little determined with his words: persuasive, that was the best description, but he tried to keep them kind and positive. Mainly because he didn’t want to cause this kind of damage to someone.
“Shh, y’alright Blaine, s’alright.” He soothed softly. The arm around Blaine tightened slightly, while the other hand lifted to card black painted nails through his hair. He was careful to avoid messing with the gelled style, ending up in a more petting motion than anything else. A few people stared at them – two grown men arguing then hugging it out in the middle of a coffee shop – but Elliott didn’t notice, hoping Blaine was too occupied to either.
“Sorry. I’m really sorry,” his hold around Elliott’s middle tightened and he sighed heavily wishing for all the world that a hug could chase away the heaviness on his shoulders. But.. It didn’t. Blaine was half afraid that until he sat down and talked with his fiance’? The pressure wouldn’t just stay there. It’d keep getting worse until he didn’t have the slightest capability to ignore it anymore. He’d gotten good at that. Not seeing what–apparently–even people who were gone and just came back could see. Blinders towards the inevitable. But he’d hang onto them for as long as he could because pulling them off? The idea was terrifying. Inevitable but terrifying.
“I didn’t mean to react like that. It’s just been a few really stressful weeks,” he let his eyes fall shut at the pet over the top of his head and gave the man one more squeeze before opening them and lifting his head off Elliott’s chest so he could look up at him. “You’re such a good person. Thank you for caring so much,” he breathed in deep and plastered on a smile. “That was not the kind of welcome back you should have gotten. Hi, Elliott. Let’s deal with Blaine’s drama.” Blaine scrunched his nose and cringed apologetically. “Not how I planned on saying hi to you face to face when I saw you again.”
“Blaine, really, I don’t need you criticizing my life choices. ”
“Okay–sorry–point taken. I can see where I came off like that. I’m not criticizing all of your life choices, River. But from an outsider’s point of view? I’m just saying you might want to rethink that one in particular.”
pianokeysandbowties 