#but it’s so quiet since Abram doesn’t want to disturb anyone | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

ranwing · 6 years

Text

Kadam Fic: Learning to Fly (5/?)

Title: Learning to Fly Series: A New Direction (was Season Four Remix) Pairing(s), Characters(s): Kadam, Kurt Hummel, Adam Crawford, Burt Hummel, Rachel Berry, Santana Lopez, Carmen Tibideaux, Cassandra July, Artie Abrams, Tina Cohen-Chang, Elliot “Starchild” Gilbert, Dani, Adam’s Apples, Original Characters Rating: PG13 Genre(s): canon divergence. Parts: 5/?

Summary: As another school year starts at NYADA, Kurt seemed to have it all. The respect of his teachers, a group of wonderful friends and best of all, getting to live with the man that he’d come to love. So of course the universe would throw a few curve balls in his direction.

Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four

On AO3

As dedicated as Kurt was to his education, he would be the worst liar in the world if he tried to claim that he was in any way disappointed to receive voice mail from Professor Collins regretfully cancelling their morning voice session because of an emergency dental appointment. Having a chance to enjoy a quiet morning and a leisurely breakfast at home like a normal human being rather than just grabbing a coffee and muffin on the go while he rushed to class was just too rare a luxury not to take advantage of.

Adam had already left for his morning shift at the café, leaving Kurt to laze in bed for a bit before getting hungry enough to seek out something to eat. He whipped up some scrambled eggs and toasted a few slices of whole grain bread. Sitting on the couch in his pajamas with his breakfast and coffee while he watched the morning news and did a little frivolous net surfing was a luxury he almost never got to enjoy.

He was nibbling on some grapes that he’d found in the fridge when his Skype app pinged for his attention. He grumbled in mild annoyance, not really wanting to be bothered when he had so few occasions to truly relax but opened the program to see who was trying to contact him. He was surmised to see that it was Adam’s mother. He mentally calculated the time difference, noting that it would still be well into the work day for Ellie Crawford and it was not typical for her to try contacting them from the office. They usually got calls from her or her husband in the evening, when Adam was at home.

Hoping that there was nothing wrong, he checked to make sure that he was semi-decent and that his hair wasn’t doing anything particularly crazy before opening the link to accept her call.

“Good morning, Ellie,” he greeted cheerfully as Adam’s mother appeared on his screen. “Or rather, good afternoon for you.”

Ellie Crawford smiled warmly at her son’s boyfriend. “Good morning, darling! I hope that I’m not disturbing you.”

“Not at all,” Kurt assured her. “One of my classes got cancelled so I’m having a bit of a lazy morning.”

“Lazy? You? Perish the thought,” she laughed brightly.

“Is everything okay?” he asked curiously. “Adam’s not home and…”

“I know, love. I just wanted to touch base with you,” she explained. “I had a little bit of a lull on my calendar today and I saw that you were on line. I can ring up my favorite American lad every now and then, can’t I?”

Having been on the receiving end of her affectionate behavior numerous times since their first formal meeting, this out of the ordinary call really wasn’t too surprising when he thought about it. Her smile was infectious and Kurt couldn’t help from relaxing. “Of course, you can,” assured her, settling in so he could balance his laptop comfortably on his knee.

“Adam’s been telling me that you have all kinds of exciting things happening at school,” she declared. “Getting such an important role in your school production at your age… that’s so thrilling.”

He couldn’t help from smiling at her enthusiasm towards his achievements. “Well, it’s a lot of work. Adam’s always worried that I try to do so much, but I can’t help it. And it seems to be working in my favor for the time being, so…” He just shrugged.

Ellie chuckled fondly. “He cares about you, love” she pointed out. “He just doesn’t want you to overextend yourself.”

“I know he does. I worry about him too,” Kurt assured her. “He’s got so much to focus on with his new job and I just want to take as much pressure off him as possible so he can concentrate on what he needs to.”

Ellie nodded, appearing thoughtful at his statement. “And how are you handling things?” she asked, showing sincere concern for her son’s boyfriend. “I know that Adam working out of town is not exactly going to be convenient for you.”

Kurt sighed, running a hand through his hair. “It won’t be so bad,” he claimed. “I’ve got a dorm room reserved for next semester, which will probably give me more time to focus on my studies. There is a bit of an advantage to living at school with everything going on.”

“Oh, I’m certain, darling,” Ellie agreed. “But it’s going to be a bit of a shock, going from having your own place to more communal living.”

Kurt just shrugged. “I’m sure that it’ll be okay. I’ve got a single so I’ll have my privacy,” he assured her. “So long as the showers aren’t too disgusting, I’ll manage.”

“Well, if you need anything, you be sure to let us know,” Ellie reminded him. “I’m always ready to send a care package now that I know what tea and jam you like.”

Kurt couldn’t help from laughing. “Ah, you’ve discovered my secret,” he confided. “I’m only with Adam for the steady supply of tea and jam.”

Ellie laughed brightly, shaking her head in mock admonishment. “Oh, you scoundrel!” she accused dramatically. “Using my poor lonely boy so cruelly.”

“Well he’s returning the favor,” Kurt teased. “Abandoning me when I need him most.”

Ellie’s laughter quieted and her gaze turned more serious as Kurt’s deceptively light words sank in. “Darling, you know that he’s not abandoning you,” she insisted. “He adores you so much.”

“I know he does,” Kurt said soberly. He blinked in surprise when he realized what he’d just said. “I never doubted that. I… I don’t know why it came out like that.”

Ellie eyed him sympathetically, her voice taking on a soothing tone. “Talk to me, love,” she urged. “Are you really all right with Adam taking this job? You can be honest with me.”

Kurt looked at her image on his computer screen, seeing her sympathetic gaze and felt incredibly disappointed with himself that he’d allowed his darkest thoughts to slip out so casually. “Of course I am. Ellie, I really do want him to do what’s best for himself and I’m so proud that he got cast in that part,” he insisted with absolute honesty. “I’m not blind to the challenges it’s going to make for the both of us, but we’ll have to deal with them.”

Ellie nodded understandingly. “I know you will, darling,” she acknowledged gently. “I just worry about both my boys.”

Kurt couldn’t help from smiling. “My dad is the same way,” he admitted. “He tries not to be too overbearing and lets us live our lives but he does watch out for us. Adam included.”

“Then you won’t mind if I want to make sure that you’re going to be all right,” Ellie stated. “I know that you’re both big boys and can take care of yourselves, but this is a huge change for the both of you. And I can’t help from feeling that not everything is quite as rosy as you are pretending it to be.”

She smiled at him reassuringly. “Don’t forget, I am a solicitor. I’m very good at reading people.”

Kurt sighed, knowing that she had him nailed. “Ellie, please believe me… I support Adam in this one hundred percent,” he claimed ardently. “This is so important to him and the last thing in the world that I ever would want is for him to think that he should have turned down the job because I’m being childish or insecure.”

“Darling, it’s perfectly normal to feel uneasy about being separated for such a long time,” she assured him kindly. “You shouldn’t punish yourself for that.”

Kurt bit his lower lip, not sure of just how much he wanted to tell her. “I don’t know how much Adam told you about the relationship I was in before we met,” he started uncertainly.

“Only that things ended badly,” she answered. “And that you were taking things slowly at first as a result.”

Kurt nodded, grateful once again for his boyfriend’s consideration. “I was with someone for nearly two years. We met in high school and I was very much in love with Blaine. But he was a year behind me and after I graduated and came to New York, he didn’t respond well. I was only away for a few weeks when he told me that he’d been with someone else.”

Ellie didn’t comment at first, but her gaze was easily readable event through the computer screen. There was a hint of anger at the boy who’d hurt him, but more concern over how that betrayal had impacted him.

“Sweetheart, Adam isn’t like that,” Ellie reminded him gently. “He adores you.”

“I know that he does,” Kurt insisted. “And I trust him more than anyone except my father. Believe me, it took a long time for me to get to that point. I don’t trust easily under the best of circumstances and after what Blaine did…

“But I knew that wasn’t being fair to Adam, making him deal with something that Blaine did to me,” he acknowledged. “He deserves so much more and I’ve worked very hard to not keep putting my Blaine issues on our relationship. I know that Adam would never something like that to me.”

“Then what is it that’s upsetting you so?” Ellie asked softly, her eyes kind and expressing her concern for her son’s partner.

Kurt was afraid to look that deeply inside himself, not wanting to see that the scars left from Blaine’s betrayal might still be a bit raw around the edges. “I lost Blaine because I was too busy focusing on school and work,” he started, only to be cut off irritably by Adam’s mother.

“No, he lost you because he was an immature brat,” she stated firmly. “Don’t try to take ownership for his poor choices, love.”

Kurt had known that he still felt some sense of responsibility for Blaine’s infidelity. Even after all this time. Rationally he knew that Blaine was solely responsible for his choices, but it was still difficult to not take on the blame himself. He knew that it was Blaine’s choice to respond to anything that he did or didn’t do by fucking someone else, but that didn’t ease the hurt that still lingered. And he was so damn tired of hurting over it.

“You’re worried that Adam will cheat on you as well,” Ellie surmised, looking at him sympathetically. “Once you’re apart and busy with your own lives.”

“I know he won’t,” Kurt insisted ardently. “He is the kindest, most generous, loving man I’ve ever met. But he’s going to be out there in the real world, meeting all kinds of people who can offer him a lot more than I can. And one day I’m afraid, he’s going to realize that he’s been wasting his time with some silly school boy back in New York.”

He felt his eyes stinging and had to pause to wipe at them, angry with himself for revealing what he’d just said. Fantastic, he reprimanded to himself. He just revealed to Adam’s mother just how childish and insecure he was, absolutely ruining the carefully crafted veneer of maturity that he’d tried so hard to cultivate. Adam’s mother would now see that he was a foolish little boy and totally unworthy of being with her son.

He was surprised to see her gaze holding steady and calm, her eyes so much like her son’s as she waited for him to regain his composure. “Kurt, I’m not going to patronize you,” she promised. “I know that you have very good reasons to be fearful about things.”

“I’m sorry,” he said sincerely, feeling even more foolish for his mini-break down.

“Oh sweetheart… there’s nothing to be sorry for,” she claimed, looking at him fondly. “Kurt, have you spoken to Adam about any of this?”

He shook his head adamantly. “No. The last thing I wanted to do was make him think that I didn’t want him taking the job. These are my problems.”

“No, sweetheart. This affects the both of you,” she reminded him gently. “Do you think that you’re the only one worried? I know for certain that Adam’s been working himself into a tizzy over leaving you.”

“He has?” Kurt hated how weak he sounded, but he had to know. “He’s been so calm about everything… I thought that he was really happy.”

“Oh, he’s glad that he found a job,” she corrected. “He’s been very anxious about getting work since he finished school, but make no mistake his first choice would certainly have been to stay in New York with you. Darling… are you telling me that you really think that Adam wants to leave you?”

When he didn’t answer, she made an annoyed sound. “Kurt, for such a smart lad you’re astonishingly dim sometimes. He loves you and the last thing he wants to do is be away from you.”

Kurt knew that his old baggage was making a very unwanted reappearance, but he needed to get this out of his system. “I thought that Blaine loved me,” he admitted. “And it didn’t take him long to find someone else. What’s going to happen when Adam starts meeting people more on his level and I’m not there for him?”

“First of all, the idea that you’re not Adam’s equal in every way is absurd!” Ellie scoffed. “What, do you think he hasn’t been around other people before he met you? If anything, he finds them totally lacking in comparison to you so you can put that silly thought out of your head.

“I’m not going to tell you that it’s going to be easy,” she admitted. “I respect you too much for that. But I can tell you from personal experience that you can get thought this if your both willing to put in the effort.”

Kurt had nearly forgotten that Adam’s father had traveled extensively during his professional career, and he doubted that Ellie would have been able to go with him all the time. “How did you and Peter manage things?” he asked, hoping that she could give him some guidance.

Her eyes seemed to brighten when she realized what he was asking. “It wasn’t so bad at first, right after we got married. I was still in school when he first signed with the orchestra. Much of the time he toured, I was so busy with class that I didn’t have much time to miss him. And when I could join him on my school breaks it felt like wonderful holidays together.

“But after I got my degree and started working, I couldn’t go with him so often,” she admitted. “And then Melissa came along and my career started to demand more time and we would sometimes have to be apart for weeks at a time when the orchestra was touring. It wasn’t easy, having a baby to care for all on my own while managing work and a household. I’ll admit that I was very lonely much of the time and we had our fair share of fights over how often he was away.”

Kurt’s eyes softened when he realized that she really did understand what he was feeling. “How did you get through it?”

Ellie smiled at him sympathetically. “It took a lot of work on both our parts,” she acknowledged. “Phone calls as often as we could manage and just taking the time to be there for one another. We had to make staying in regular contact a serious priority, otherwise our marriage would never have survived.

“It wasn’t any easier for Peter, mind you. He felt like he was missing so much of the children’s lives while he was traveling.”

Kurt absorbed what she was telling him, understanding that he was not so unique in his situation or concerns. “Was it worth it?” he asked.

She considered what he was asking and nodded. “I think so. As much as I would have preferred having Peter with me all the time, he would have been miserable if he wasn’t able to pursue music the way he needed to. He needed it as much as you and Adam love the stage. It’s in your blood. Just like the law was in mine. It was the nature of the fields that we chose.

“And in the end, we both got our chance to grow into ourselves as individuals. Not merely as part of a couple,” she mused. “I think that we’re the better for having that chance. And because we had to spend so much time apart, we very much appreciate the time we have together.”

She looked at Kurt sympathetically, fully understanding his fears. “Darling, you both chose a field that may require you to be apart at times. This time Adam is the one who needs to travel for work. One day you might get hired for a play or a film and you’ll be the one on the road. This is something the two of you will have to work out between yourselves.”

Kurt sat silently for a moment, taking in the lesson she was gently imparting and could not feel anything other than grateful for her advice and guidance. He’d had no one around him who’d faced what he was and had their relationship come out intact in the end. There were so many examples about him that long distance relationships were doomed to end in failure that he’d forgotten that it was indeed possible for them to survive this as a couple.

Their relationship would change, for certain. But change wasn’t always bad. They could come out stronger and closer if they put in the work. And Kurt realized that he did want to make the effort in a way that he hadn’t wanted to with Blaine.

But Ellie was right. He needed to talk to Adam, and he needed to tell Adam the truth.

“Thank you,” he said sincerely. “You gave me a lot to think about.”

“I’m always here if you need to talk, love,” she promised. “We’re all so fond of you and if you find yourself needing some advice, or just someone to hear you rant and scream about things, Peter and I are here for you.

“And don’t put off talking to Adam,” she urged gently. “I know it’s not an easy thing to bring up, but you need to do it. One of you needs to take that first step.”

Kurt couldn’t help from smiling, thankful that the Crawfords were so gracious towards him. “I will,” he promised.

She gazed at him fondly and blew him a kiss. “You’ll be fine, darling. Let me know how it all goes.”

“I will. And Ellie… thank you.”

She smiled brightly. “Have a good day, sweetheart,” she urged, giving him a happy wave before turning off the connection. That left Kurt alone in an unsettling quiet with a head full of thoughts.

He knew that Adam’s mother was right. He wasn’t doing himself or Adam any favors by keeping his fears to himself. He’d always found himself able to talk to Adam, but he also had a bad habit of hiding away his deepest hurts and fears. He knew that Adam would be understanding and would try to ease his fears, but he didn’t want his boyfriend to need to do that. He needed to be able to get his own emotional house in order.

He had a few hours before Adam would be getting home from work and he had class and rehearsals to focus on that afternoon. That would give him a chance to clear his head and consider just how he was going to broach this uncomfortable subject and make some real plans on how they were going to go forward from here.

Unquestionably he had some thinking to do. Ellie had made some very good points and delaying this very much needed conversation when they had so little time left to spend together would not help them weather they long separation they were facing. It was past time for him to face up to his fears.

* * *

The flat was quiet when Adam returned home late in the afternoon. He’d worked a few extra hours at the café since he didn’t have a shift at the bar that evening and he wanted to squirrel away as much money as he possibly could. All going well, he would be able to save most of his pay from the show to tide him over until they either got picked up for a New York opening, or until another prospect came along. While it was gratifying that both his current employers would be happy to take him on again when he returned to New York, he’d much prefer not needing that type of employment.

It would be nice to have some time to relax before Kurt got home and they could maybe have a late supper. Even with all their efforts, they saw precious little of one anther most days, a fact that was troubling him greatly. They had just a few weeks until his rehearsals were to begin and before they knew it, the year would be over and he’d be leaving. But their respective schedules kept pulling them apart.

Maybe it was time to give up his bartending gig. The extra money was nice, but it was just taking up too many hours that he could be spending with Kurt. He’d already given his notice to his boss, so telling him that plans had changed and he would need to leave earlier than expected wouldn’t be a huge issue. This would leave his nights free to spend with Kurt.

Knowing that Kurt would be starving when he finally got home, Adam began to rummage through the refrigerator to see what he could cook. He frowned at the meager contents, thinking that they really needed to do some proper shopping. They both had been meaning too but their schedules had made even basic chores a challenge. Wondering if he’d have a chance to run down to the store before Kurt got home, he sent Kurt a quick text to see what he was in the mood for.

To his surprise, he got an answer almost immediately.

Am on my way home now. Will pick up dinner on the way. See you soon!

He felt a smile etch its way across his face, happy that he and his boyfriend would have an evening to spend together. That reinforced his decision to quit his second job, because the thought of possibly missing out on more opportunities like this. It just made sense for him to be a bit more flexible with his time for the next few weeks and work a bit more around Kurt’s schedule.

It was nearly an hour later that Kurt came through the door, burdened with his school bag and a plastic sack filled with take out. “Hi honey,” he greeted, barely taking a second to drop the bad before turning to Adam for a kiss. “Did you have a good day?”

“Oh, fair enough,” the older man granted, taking a moment to pull Kurt into his arms. “Mmm… I missed you all day.”

Kurt kissed him again. “Come on… I picked up Chinese and I’m starving.”

They settled on the couch in front of the television with their take-out cartons and chopsticks, Kurt settled happily against Adam’s side. Adam couldn’t help from smiling at the selection of food, seeing that Kurt had selected their favorites to share and enjoy. He handed Kurt the bowl of wontons in hot oil and grabbed the container of sesame noodles.

“Thank you, darling. This was just what I needed today,” Adam said happily as he slurped down the savory noodles. “And we had absolutely nothing in the fridge.”

“I figured we both needed a break with the way both of us have been working,” Kurt answered, enjoying the mild burn of Chinese hot oil on his lips. He reached for a container of cumin-spiced beef and dug in happily.

“Well, things might start getting a bit easier,” Adam promised. “I’m quitting my job at the bar, so my evenings will be free until my rehearsals begin.”

Kurt looked up at him, his eyes widening happily. “You are! That’s great,” he said with obvious delight.

Adam just stroked Kurt’s cheek lovingly. “I’m tired of us fighting to find time to spend together,” he explained. “It might mean tightening our belts a wee bit, but I want to spend as much time with you as I can. This way I’ll be here when you get home from rehearsals.”

“Oh honey… you didn’t need to quit your job,” Kurt insisted. “I know that my free time is kind of short right now, but…”

“No, it’s a bit overdue,” Adam claimed, quite content with his decision. “I’m going to need to quit sooner rather than later and I’d rather do it when it gives us the chance to have more time to spend together.”

Kurt felt his heart tighten at his boyfriend’s consideration. “It’s my schedule that’s out of control. I can…”

“No, darling,” Adam interrupted, taking hold of Kurt’s hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze. “You need to focus on your lessons. I know that my schedule is a bit more flexible for the time being, so let’s take advantage while we can.”

Kurt tilted his head to kiss Adam warmly. “I knew that there was a reason that I loved you.”

Adam gazed down at him, his blue eyes warm and tender in a way that made Kurt feel safe and loved. “There’s nothing that I wouldn’t do for you, sweetheart,” he said, his accent thick with emotion. “I hate the fact that I’m going away.”

“Adam, it’s okay,” Kurt stated insistently. “I know that you need to do this.”

“I could have waited,” Adam said softly, his eyes starting to water from the emotion he’d been holding back. “I didn’t have to take the first job offered to me.”

Kurt put down the food container he’d been holding and shifted on the couch so he could face Adam fully. He made sure to look directly into his lover’s eyes to make sure that there was no mistaking his meaning. “Adam, you need to start working on your career. You couldn’t turn down an offer just because it wasn’t especially convenient. This is what you need to do for yourself at this point.”

Adam pulled Kurt into his arms, burying his face in Kurt’s shoulder. “I hate that I have to leave you,” he said, his voice muffled slightly by Kurt’s shirt. “I love you.”

Kurt wrapped his arms about Adam, holding him close. “And I love you. Which is why I want you to do this,” he said with a resolution that surprised him. “I don’t want you to go, but the last thing that I would ever want is to stand in the way of something you need.”

Adam lifted his head to look at the younger man in his arms. “You have been so amazing,” he said with a trace of wonder in his voice. “This is asking so much of you and I’m terrified that one morning you’re going to wake up and decide that I’m not worth it.”

Seeing the genuine fear in his lover’s expression caused the reserve in Kurt to finally begin to crack. Ellie was right, he realized. Neither of them had been talking and he’d totally missed Adam’s own misgivings in his efforts to support his lover.

“You’re not the only one,” he admitted softly, hating the weakness that he detected in his own tone.

Adam blinked and pulled back slightly to look at him. “Whatever do you mean, love?”

Kurt sighed, knowing that there was no going back. “I didn’t want you to think that I’m not supporting you in this. Because I am,” he insisted. “It’s just…”

Adam’s gaze softened. “Talk to me, sweetheart,” he urged gently.

Kurt paused to gather his thoughts, wanting to make sure that there was no chance of Adam misinterpreting his meaning. “I’m afraid too,” he explained. “Let’s face it… none of my friends had any luck with trying to manage a relationship over long distance and I’m at the top of the list. I get too focused and too absorbed in whatever I’m doing at the moment. And right now, I’ve got a lot that’s going to demand my attention and I’m afraid that I’m…” His voice trailed off.

Adam bit his lower lip nervously. “What are you afraid of?” he asked softly, giving the younger man a gentle nudge. “It can’t be that bad.”

Kurt sighed and just dove in, knowing that there was no easy way to put this. “I never wanted what happened with Blaine to be an issue with our relationship,” he insisted.

“And you haven’t,” Adam assured him.

Kurt gave him a thankful but frank expression. “Not by lack of trying, I’ll admit. I hate that things he did still bother me and that I’m letting it interfere with us. I’m so happy for you getting this opportunity,” Kurt stated resolutely. “But I can’t help from being terrified that history is going to repeat itself. That I’ll be too busy with my things and you’ll be out there with all kinds of people seeing just how amazing you are and you’ll wonder why you’re bothering with a kid still in school when you can have anyone that you want.”

The confession came out in a rush, as if Kurt had to get the words out as quickly as possible before he lost his nerve. Adam felt his heart tighten uncomfortably at seeing his lover so distressed. “Kurt, I do understand but listen to me,” he said urgently. “There is no one that I want other than you. Please believe me… I don’t care how handsome or successful anyone I meet may be. It won’t mean anything because they’re not you.”

He reached out to cup Kurt face in his hand, his thumb gently caressing his lover’s cheek. “From the moment I first saw you, I was absolutely entranced. And it’s only gotten stronger since,” he promised. “Every moment that we share together just makes me realize all the more of how in love with you I am. Don’t think for a moment that I’m as foolish as Blaine and would look at someone else.”

Kurt wiped at his eyes, the expression on his face was one of profound thankfulness and once again Adam fought down the desire to seek out and pummel Kurt’s ex for betraying his trust so profoundly. That this beautiful, intelligent man should feel grateful that his lover promised not to cheat on him was just appalling, in Adam’s estimation.

“It goes both ways,” Kurt swore, reaching up to take Adam’s hand in his. “I love you and I don’t care how long we’re apart. There is no one that I want in my life more. Next to my father, you are the most important person in the world to me. Losing you would…”

He paused, inhaling deeply. “I want everything for you,” Kurt insisted. “I want you to go out there and be the star that you deserve to be. And there’s nothing I won’t do to support you.”

Adam bent his head to kiss Kurt lingeringly, taking his time and feeling his lover shudder against him. When he drew back, he looked deeply into Kurt’s eyes so that there would be no mistaking his meaning.

“I know that this isn’t going to be easy,” he admitted. “And there are going to be times when we’re both lonely and frustrated with our situation. But it’s only for a few months. I am going to come back to you. I promise.”

His broad hand stroked Kurt’s hair, savoring the feel of the silky strands slipping between his fingers. “I want you to have all the kinds of wonderful experiences that you can have while I’m away,” Adam insisted. “I want you to go out and go to parties and have all sorts of fantastic friends. Even if they’re fit, handsome blokes like that Elliot fellow.”

Kurt couldn’t help from laughing at Adam’s urging, his eyes shining as they gazed into one another’s.

“I want you to learn and grow and continue all these wonderful changes that I’ve been watching since we met,” Adam said softly. “And I can’t wait to come back and learn about the man you’ve become.”

Kurt felt a tear begin to trace its way down his cheek but didn’t bother to reach up to wipe it away. Not if it meant relinquishing his hold on the older man. “I know that I haven’t always been very good about expressing myself and not letting the past get in the way of our lives,” he said softly. “But I am trying. I want my feelings about not wanting you to be away to be strictly about missing you and wanting you to come back. Not because I’m afraid I’m going to lose you.”

Adam smiled and with his thumb wiped the tear stain from Kurt’s face. “I know that this is going to take a lot of work on both our parts, but I think we can do it. I will call and Skype you every chance I get and I’ll want to know about everything that you’re doing,” he promised. “We’re going to break that trend. I’m going to be back this summer and we’re going to have a grand time rediscovering one another.”

Kurt smiled as Adam pulled him into a tight embrace, the two of them holding on to one another as if for their lives. The knot in his chest that never totally went away from the instant that Adam had told him about his job finally began to unravel and he felt like he could really breathe again. They would beat the odds, he told himself. And they’d be stronger as a couple as a result.

Kurt knew that the survival of their relationship was no certain thing. He wasn’t so delusional as to believe that it was a foregone conclusion, not after living through Blaine’s betrayal. But they both very much were willing to put in the effort to allow their relationship to survive the changes that they were facing.

Adam was not Blaine, but likewise Kurt was not the same young man that he had been over a year ago. He knew what he wanted and Adam was a large part of that. He knew that it would be a struggle, but it was one that they face head on and together.

For now though, Kurt was content to let Adam just hold him. The future would come soon enough.

* * *

“This is the best idea we ever had,” Rachel chirped happily as she came up to Kurt’s side. Her best friend put his arm about her shoulders and pulled her close, pressing a kiss to her cheek.

It had been a wonderful idea, Kurt considered as he surveyed the dining table in the loft that was already groaning with food. The living area of the loft was filled with friends, old and new, and it felt like a nearly perfect way to celebrate Thanksgiving.

It probably shouldn’t have been a surprise that no one had plans to go back to Ohio for various reasons. Travel was difficult for Artie, so he and Tina decided to postpone a trip home until the winter break to make the effort more worth their while. Santana didn’t want to be the only one to go back and would rather deal with her mother’s complaints than be left out of the fun. Fortunately the Lopez family gathering was large enough that one missing person wouldn’t mar the festivities.

“Did you talk to your dads?” he asked as he opened the oven to pull out the guest of honor. “Damn, could we have gotten a bigger bird?”

“We’re feeding a lot of people,” she reminded Kurt. “And yes, I did. They flew out yesterday and are down in Miami now. They’ll spend a few days there before the cruise sets out.”

If she was upset that her fathers decided to book a cruise and would be out of town for several weeks rather than spend the holiday with her, she made no sign of it. “They invited me to join them, but I think that they’re treating it like an extended honeymoon now that their nest is empty,” she explained without a hint of disappointment.

Kurt nodded understandingly as he covered the immense turkey with foil to rest before carving. There were several covered dishes to be popped into the oven to warm before serving. In the meantime, there were tons of snacks and hors d'oeuvres to enjoy and a chance to enjoy one another’s company before stuffing themselves silly.

The living area was good and crowded with those who had become their second family over the past months. Santana sat on the couch with her arm wrapped about her girlfriend, Dani chatting happily with Artie and Tina with Santana adding her own biting observations. Elliot and Adam were talking over by the window, drinking wine and laughing like old friends. After having eased Adam’s concerns about his new friend, Kurt was glad to see them getting along so well.

And standing next to Adam, leaning into him and laughing at Elliot’s jokes was Mercedes, who had made the long-overdue trip to visit to surprise her friends before returning home to spend a few weeks with her family. Kurt had very much missed his friend and was thrilled to have a chance to catch up with her for a bit.

He poured himself a glass of red wine and approached the trio with a broad smile on his face. “Well you all look like you’re having fun,” he teased, getting their attention. “I’m feeling left out.”

“Well, if you’d get out of the kitchen and join us instead of hovering over a turkey,” Mercedes chuckled, pulling him into a one-armed hug so that she wouldn’t lose her wine. “I was feeling neglected until these two handsome men took pity on me.”

“Well, I should have to thank them for their consideration,” Kurt chuckled, turning to Adam. He kissed his boyfriend warmly, letting Adam pull him into a tight embrace.

“This is quite a gathering,” Elliot complimented. “And I very much appreciate the invite. It saves me the drama of the annual argument between my folks over who’s place I’m spending the holidays at.”

Adam gazed at him sympathetically. “They never learned to share, did they?” he asked.

Elliot shook his head. “There’s a very good reason why they’re divorced.”

“This is a lower key party than we had last year,” Kurt advised, chuckling at the memory. “We’d invited my boss because she was at loose ends and she showed up with what looked like half the fashionistas and drag queens in New York City.”

Mercedes laughed. “Only half the drag queens?” she asked teasingly.

“That was enough!” Kurt insisted, his eyes sparkling with good humor. “We were sweeping up glitter for the next week!”

Adam laughed riotously, nearly dropping his glass. “How did I possibly miss that?” he asked teasingly.

“I’m afraid that was before we met,” Kurt answered regretfully. “A shame about that, because I think that Miss Chantelle would have loved you. And she had the most stunning legs.”

“Not better than yours,” Adam corrected, nuzzling his nose against Kurt’s throat. “Impossible.”

Kurt looked about the room, seeing those he was closest to enjoying themselves and shook his head. “I like this better,” he claimed. “I mean, we had a total blast but I’m glad to have everyone here this year.”

Mercedes just smiled and kissed her friend on the cheek, leaning into him.

“Mercedes here was telling me about her album,” Elliot explained. “I’ve got to say that your friends are pretty amazing, Kurt. A recording deal, two accepted into NYADA, a film student and someone in NYU… all from one show choir group.”

Kurt looked to Mercedes, who gave him a knowing smile. They were very aware of just how special their group of friends were. To have so many intensely talented people in one school and drawn together almost by happenstance was nearly too much to be believed. It was even more outlandish when one considered Quinn’s Ivy League acceptance and Santana’s own budding music career.

For all of William Schuster’s flaws as a teacher and a choir director, he had the wisdom to give his intensely talented students a place to grow. None of the would be where they were without that and whatever misgivings they might have had over favoritism and how the choir was managed, they were grateful for the opportunities they’d had.

Rachel came over and touched Kurt on his shoulder to get his attention. “We’d better start getting dinner on the table before we fill up on snacks. I mean, we’ve got a lot of food.”

“That sounds like a good idea,” Kurt chuckled. He looked to his boyfriend and Elliot. “You two want to help?”

With the promise of a veritable feast, the group broke off from their conversation and hurried into the kitchen to help ferry platters and bowls of food to the table. Dani took over the task of carving the immense turkey, skillfully slicing the breasts before moving on to take off the legs and thighs and neatly arranging them on the waiting platter.

“Where did you learn to do this?” Kurt asked curiously, snagging a bit of meat and taking a taste and raised an eyebrow at the seasoning which clearly showed Santana’s influence. “Last time we tried this, it looked like a crime scene.”

Dani chuckle, placing the carving knife in the sink. “Dad taught me,” she explained. “He got really good carving turkeys for holidays on whatever base he was stationed at since we ended up with at least a few dozen birds for the crew.”

“Where is he stationed now?” Mercedes asked curiously.

“Okinawa,” Dani answered. “I love my folks, but there was no way I was going to fly halfway around the world for Navy turkey.”

Santana’s eyes softened a trace, and she reached over to touch her girlfriend’s arm. She knew that Dani had been a military brat and living in New York for school and work had been the most stability she’d had her entire life. It was one thing to be apart from family by choice, but it was a different matter when your family was halfway across the world the way Dani’s were.

Kurt knew that Adam had to endure the same kind of separation, but he seemed to find solace with his relationships, professional and personal, here in New York. He hoped that his presence, and the way his friends had pulled Adam into their tight-knit little group offered some measure of comfort to him.

As if to answer his concerns, Adam leaned over to kiss him on the cheek as he took the seat next to Kurt. “I’m glad that we did this,” he admitted, placing his napkin neatly across his lap. He kept one arm on the back of Kurt’s chair, wanting to maintain the casual contact between them.

“So am I, but I thought that you wanted to do the holiday with just us,” Kurt said. “Making our own traditions.”

Adam smiled, looking about at the happy group taking their seats about the table. “This is making our own tradition. A wonderful meal with the family that we’re making of our friends. And we’re together.”

He leaned close to kiss Kurt again. “That sounds like the best tradition of all, to me.”

Kurt felt his cheeks warming. “I think that you’re right,” he answered softly.

He looked about the table, seeing the smiling faces of friends old and new taking their places. The dishware and glasses were all mismatched, and some were a bit chipped about the edges. The silverware was a collection of random styles and Kurt was entirely sure that the salt and pepper shakers had been stolen from the diner that Santana and Rachel had worked at.

Much like the people seated around the table, he considered. They were a varied and mismatched bunch who had little in common but a love of performing. They had come together and formed friendships that had their bumps and outright fights and resentments that could last for years, but managed to survive and become stronger. These were people that he loved as much as his own family and had become another family to him in their own right. Kurt knew that he would make many friends over the course of his lifetime, but he doubted that he would ever be as close as he was to this select group.

Rachel took her seat at the head of the table and accepted a glass of wine from Tina. “Well, everything looks amazing,” she complimented. “And before we get started, I thought that we’d engage in a little tradition that my fathers started. Before we ate, we would go around the table and everyone gets a chance to say something that we were thankful for from the past year.

“So I guess that I start us off… I’m thankful for all my friends being here today,” she said happily. “The past year was really challenging in a lot of ways and that I’m thankful that you managed to put up with me when I was at my worst. I know I didn’t deserve your friendship a lot of the time, but I’m ever so grateful to have it now. If I can’t be with my fathers, there’s no other people that I’d rather spend the holiday with.”

They went about the table and there were expressions of thanks for things large and small. For friendships and a warm welcome and delicious food. Artie was thankful for finally being in a place where his talent and aspirations were the first thing associated with him, not his handicap while Elliot and Dani both expressed thanks again for the warm welcome that they’d found and their hopes for continuing these new friendships in the coming year.

“Yeah, can we hurry this along?” Santana growled irritably. “I’m getting hungry here.”

“Santana, aren’t you thankful for anything?” Rachel pressed, a knowing smile on her face.

“Yeah, I’m thankful that we’re going to be eating soon and that I didn’t let you ruin the turkey.”

Adam gave her a fond smile, having long since reached an understanding that the young woman hid her tender feelings in a cloak of barbs and jabs. He thought that he could read her rather well by this point and knew that she would never be able to show real vulnerability in front of an audience. It just wasn’t her way.

“Well, since it’s my turn I’ll make this quick,” he promised. “Not quite a year ago, I got my first look at the most remarkable creature. And since then, he’s given me so much to be thankful for. I’ve found love and support and new wonderful friends. His family has welcomed me and he’s made this past year the happiest and most fulfilling I’ve ever had.”

Kurt looked up at Adam, his eyes warm with the love he felt for the older man. Despite a long history of masking his vulnerabilities, Kurt had no problem with expressing his feelings of love and friendship before others. He smiled and pressed a soft kiss to Adam’s lips before speaking to the others at the table.

“This time last year, I was in a pretty miserable place,” he admitted. “I got turned down to my dream school and except for my internship I didn’t feel like a whole lot working in my favor.”

Adam squeezed his hand reassuringly, silently letting his lover know that he was there for him.

Kurt’s expression softened into a warm smile. “Things really shifted not long after that. I got into NYADA and I have so many wonderful friends, old and new, that have made my life so full. I have a wonderful family that supports me every step of the way. And I have the most amazing man that I love with everything I have in me.”

He looked into Adam’s eyes, hoping that the older man could see just what he felt towards him. “I couldn’t be more thankful for what the past year has brought me.”

He needn’t have worried. Adam kissed him, not caring that they had an audience. Kurt made a contented sound when he felt those strong arms tighten about him, pulling him as close as he could manage in their chairs.

“Oh God… enough already!” Santana snapped, snatching up the bowl of Kurt’s sweet potato casserole and dumping a large spoonful onto her plate. She then grabbed for the serving tongs and went for the turkey.

“Um, I didn’t get my turn,” Tina pressed, but the older girl shook her head and demanded that someone pass her the gravy.

“Nope… time’s up,” Santana stated firmly, pouring a generous spoon of gravy over her turkey and looking about for whatever struck her fancy.

Rachel looked at her in amusement and shook her head. “I guess that’s our signal, guys,” she chuckled, watching her roommate shovel a heaping forkful of sweet potatoes into her mouth. “Can someone pass the veggies?”

The meal was delicious and reflected the diversity of the individuals enjoying it, yet somehow it all came together. Santana’s Latin spices on the turkey were nicely balanced with mole-style gravy and Rachel’s traditional cornbread dressing. Kurt closed his eyes, savoring the flavor of the vegetable casserole that Elliot had brought.

“Elliot, you have got to give me the recipe for this,” he insisted. The creamy mixture of fall vegetables in a lightly spiced cream sauce was a perfect complement to his sweet potatoes.

“I did a variation of a korma recipe,” the older man explained as he served himself some mashed potatoes and added a heaping spoonful to Dani’s plate. “I changed up the spices to fit in more with what we’d been eating.”

“It’s delicious,” Tina agreed, dipping a piece of bread into the sauce. “Everything is so good.”

The conversation flowed with the wine and good food as they stuffed themselves nearly to the point of a stupor. Mercedes looked over to Kurt as he served himself a third helping of dressing and turkey and shook her head in astonishment.

“How are you able to eat so much?” she demanded teasingly. “Your man there barely ate half of what you did.”

“I don’t even try to keep up with him,” Adam laughed, giving his boyfriend a playful nudge.

“Don’t poke him! He might explode,” Tina exclaimed, holding up her napkin as if to shield herself from an imminent shower of food.

“Oh, you are all hilarious,” Kurt complained, but the glimmer in his eyes confirmed that he wasn’t at all offended. “Can someone pass the cranberries?”

Dani moved to pick up the bowl in front of her to hand to Kurt, but was stopped by Santana. “No way… you get your hand to close to him and he’d probably eat it,” she warned. Using an oven mitt for protection she gingerly nudged the bowl towards Kurt, taking care to remain a safe distance away from him.

Kurt accepted the dish of relish gracefully and loftily dismissed both Santana’s mocking and the laughter of the others at the table as he spooned a portion onto his plate. “Sorry Satan, but there’s only one person seated at this table who’d get his body parts eaten,” he informed her with just enough haughtiness to get a pause from some of his friends before they realized what he really meant.

Adam blushed furiously, turning his gaze to the ceiling while Mercedes burst out laughing. Rachel and Tina giggled and Artie and Elliot couldn’t help from joining in. Santana just gave him an admiring smile and let Dani pull her back to her seat. Through it all, Kurt just had a playful smirk on his face as he finished his dinner.

Once everyone had eaten their fill, they remained at the table to chat and bemoan about the amount of exercise they were facing in order to work off the amount of food they’d consumed. Kurt let Adam pull his chair closer and place his arm about Kurt’s shoulders to hold him close while they talked. Artie was all but dozing in his chair and the girls looked stuffed to the point of pain.

“Ugh… I’m dying,” Dani moaned, patting the little swell where her flat belly had been.

“We’d better start putting the leftovers away,” Rachel mused, looking at the mess on the table. “And I don’t know about you all, but I’m going to need awhile before I even want to think about dessert.”

Tina made a pained noise, holding her stomach. “Oh please… no more food.”

“Wait until you see what Adam baked,” Kurt teased gently. “You’re going to want to find room for that.”

Once the leftover food was packaged and tucked away in the fridge, they got all the dirty plates and glasses off the table and loaded into the sink. Adam quickly took over, rolling up his sleeves.

“We don’t need everyone here for this,” he explained. “Why don’t you all go for a walk? You’ll feel better and by the time you get back, I’ll have this done and we’ll be ready for dessert.”

“Are you sure?” Rachel asked. “That’s awfully sweet of you, but…”

“I insist,” Adam said, smiling. “Take Kurt with you. He looks like he can use a bit of fresh air.”

Dani looked over to Santana. “I really need a walk,” she said almost plaintively, earning a quick kiss from her girlfriend.

“Alright everyone… grab your jackets,” Santana ordered. “Let’s waddle off some of this so we don’t get so bloated that we gross out the rest of the neighborhood.”

Kurt got his jacket and wrapped a gray scarf elegantly about his throat before going over to his boyfriend for a hug and a kiss. “We won’t be long,” he promised.

“Take your time, love,” Adam urged, giving Kurt a smile.

“I just don’t want to be away from you,” Kurt answered back, taking hold of Adam’s shirt and pulling him in for another kiss.

“Are you coming or not, Hummel?” Santana demanded. “Lord Byron will be here when you get back.”

Adam laughed, giving Kurt a gentle nudge. “Go on, you. Before it’s time for Christmas.”

Kurt sighed, reluctantly joining the others. Dani was slipping on her coat and noticed that Elliot had made no moves to join them.

“Aren’t you coming with us?” she asked, slipping her hand into Santana’s.

He shook his head. “Nah… I’ll hang out here and help Adam,” he advised, giving her a smile. “You all go have fun.”

“Thanks, mate,” Adam said appreciative. “We should be able to get this done in no time.”

“If you’re sure,” Dani said, grinning as she was pulled along with the others.

“Have fun!” Elliot called out as he joined Adam in the kitchen. “What can I do to help?”

“Why don’t I rinse while you load the dishwasher?” Adam suggested as he surveyed the pile of dishes. The dishwasher was a rather new, and very deeply appreciated addition to the loft since Kurt had moved out. It made sense, with so many people living there and keeping different schedules. The convenience would make their lives much easier, and he made a mental note that this would be a must have in his and Kurt’s new flat when he got back.

The two men worked efficiently, loading up the plates, serving bowls and silverware into the machine and setting it to wash. They then tackled the platers, wine glasses and roasting pan, Adam washing them by hand and Elliot drying. Between the two of them, they managed to get the kitchen and table cleaned and ready for dessert when the others returned.

Adam turned on the oven to warm the pies sitting on the counter before turning to Elliot. “Want a cup of tea while we’re waiting? Or coffee? I’ll put on the kettle.”

“Sure, that sounds great,” Elliot said agreeably. “Thanks.”

He watched the Englishman move about the kitchen, clearly knowing where the tea and coffee were stored. Adam filled the kettle, setting it on the stove and set the coffee maker to brew a pot. He got out mugs and turned to Elliot.

“We’ve got an assortment,” he advised. “Any preferences?”

“Is there any chai?” Elliot asked.

“I think so… Ah! Here it is,” Adam exclaimed cheerfully, finding the box and dropping a teabag into one of the mugs and selecting Earl Grey for himself. “Santana is absolutely addicted to the stuff so I figured there had to be some about.”

Elliot couldn’t help from smiling. “You certainly know your way about here,” he noted pleasantly.

Adam chuckled in amusement. “I ought to, for all the time I spent here before Kurt moved in with me,” he explained. “If he wasn’t at my place, I was usually here.

“And I got rather fond of his roommates. They’re a pretty formidable lot.”

“Yeah, I kind of noticed that,” Elliot laughed. “They do tend to stick together. I was meeting Dani here once and it was like facing the Spanish Inquisition. You’d think they’d remember that I’ve known Dani for years before she met Santana.”

“There’s a lot of history there,” Adam said sagely. The kettle began to whistle and he lifted it off the burner, filling their mugs. “All of them faced a lot of challenges and even when they squabble, they’ll have one another’s backs.”

“They are definitely something else,” Elliot said admiringly.

“Kurt especially,” Adam insisted. “But then, I am biased on the subject.”

Elliot looked thoughtful for a moment, as if trying to figure out how to say something. “Adam, I like Kurt a lot. But as a friend,” he insisted. “I didn’t want you to get the wrong impression of my motives.”

Adam nodded understandingly. “I know. And it’s okay. Really,” he assured the other man. “I’m glad that Kurt will have friends to distract him while I’m away.”

“A lot of guys wouldn’t be so accepting of someone hanging around their boyfriend,” Elliot insisted. “Especially when they’re not around.”

Adam went to the refrigerator for milk and got out the sugar bowl. “Kurt and I had a talk about things,” he explained as he prepared his tea to his liking. “And while I’ll admit to having some reservations, I know that he’s going to need his friends over the next few months and I’m not going to dictate who he can have around him.”

Elliot spooned some sugar into his tea and poured in a healthy splash of milk. “I knew that you two were really solid, and even if I wanted Kurt like that I’d never stand a chance,” he claimed. “And it’s not that Kurt isn’t totally amazing. I mean, he’s talented and he’s seriously hot but I’m not the home wreaker type.”

“Elliot, it’s okay… you don’t have to convince me,” Adam insisted, sipping his tea. “I’m glad that Kurt has you for a friend. In fact, there’s a favor I wanted to ask you.”

“Sure. Whatever I can do,” Elliot claimed, leaning against th kitchen counter.

Adam looked down into his cup, studying the swirl of tea as he gathered his thoughts. “Kurt has a habit of taking on too much and burying himself in commitments. Especially if he’s trying to distract himself from something that bothers him. I know that he’s a grown man but with school and work and rehearsals, I’m afraid that he’s going to neglect himself. He puts everything else first and I don’t want to see him get overwhelmed or burned out because he tries to do too much.

“I just want you to be there for him,” he explained. “To be his friend and watch out for him. Make sure he comes up for air every now and then. Drag him out for a bit of fun or to parties… anything to give him a bit of diversion. In all honesty, as much as I love Kurt’s friends, they do tend to focus on themselves a great deal of the time and if Kurt insists that he’s doing well, they might not see that he needs a bit of extra attention. I just want someone to be looking out for him since I can’t.”

Elliot nodded. “Definitely. I really like hanging out with Kurt, and I’m kind of honored that you’re trusting me with him.”

Adam chuckled ironically. “I trust Kurt,” he clarified. “Completely. Even if you weren’t totally honorable in your intentions, I know that Kurt would keep things from getting out of hand.”

Adam wasn’t blind to how other men saw Kurt, and if he were a less secure individual it would be easy to find all that attention his boyfriend gathered threatening. The only way they would be able to manage was for him to trust in Kurt and he’d never been given cause to doubt the younger man’s loyalty. Even if Elliot was hoping for a relationship to extend beyond friendship, Kurt would have no difficulty making sure that his boundaries were respected.

He was at first worried that he might have offended Elliot by placing his trust in Kurt, but the other man didn’t seem bothered at all. Elliot seemed to understand that Adam was entrusting someone that he barely knew with something very precious and gave Adam a reassuring smile. “I get that, and I appreciate your honesty,” he acknowledged. “I like Kurt a lot and I’ll help out any way I can.”

Adam smiled back. “That’s all I can ask for.”

Adam put the pies he’d baked into the oven to warm while Elliot set out plates and cups for when the others returned. The two settled on the sofa to enjoy their tea and chat while they waited. Now that he had cleared the air with Elliot, Adam felt a great deal better about things and he knew that Kurt would have people there for him. And Elliot was a really nice fellow. He could see why Kurt was drawn to the charismatic man and Adam found himself liking him more and more.

By the time the loft door opened, heralding the return of the others, the loft was filled with the delicious scent of cinnamon and baked apples. Kurt hurried over to Adam, his cheeks rosy from their walk in the brisk fall air and all but threw himself into his boyfriend’s arms.

“Hello there, love,” Adam said cheerfully, giving him a quick kiss. “Did you have fun?”

Kurt nodded, his eyes bright and cheerful. “Yes, but I missed you,” he pouted playfully, giving Adam a coy blink of his eyes.

“You cheeky little...,” Adam murmured, tightening his embrace and ignoring the others in the room until Santana loudly cleared her throat.

Adam looked up at her, cocking an eyebrow at her bemused stare and how she had her arms wrapped casually around her girlfriend. “If we wait for you and Cock Robin here to get your mack on, we’ll never get our dessert,” she pointed out. “And Thanksgiving isn’t Thanksgiving if I don’t get my pumpkin pie.”

Elliot couldn’t help from laughing. “I think you’ve got your marching orders,” he advised the Englishman, who gave a dramatic sigh in response.

“I suppose so,” he said with an air of exaggerated resignation. Giving his boyfriend a quick kiss, he went to the kitchen to retrieve his pies from the oven. The walk had apparently reinvigorated the appetites of his friends and it was best to appease them as quickly as possible.

* * *

It felt odd to be able to wake up so late, Adam thought as dressed for the day. Six o’clock might not seem especially late to most, but when he had a morning shift at the café he had to wake up at an absolutely obscene hour in order to get there before the breakfast crowd. That would not be a consideration he would have to face for a very long time. He would still have hard work and long days, but now they would be focused on preparing for his show’s debut, not just keeping a roof over his head.

Kurt was coming out of the bathroom, freshly showered and wrapped in a flannel robe that was just ratty enough to look stylishly shabby. He approached his boyfriend and turned his face up for a kiss. “You look very handsome,” Kurt complimented, looking Adam up and down.

Adam smiled, pleased that his appearance met Kurt’s approval. He needed to be dressed comfortably in clothes that he could move easily in since he’d be at rehearsal all day, but tried to incorporate some of the little touches that Kurt liked. A soft scarf was draped about his neck and he wore a set of braided leather bracelets on both wrists. His hair was pleasingly tousled, probably in need of a trim but Kurt so enjoyed playing with his curls that he’d been putting it off. As if having read his thoughts Kurt reached up to run his hand through Adam’s hair, smoothing the curls behind his ear.

“Nervous?” Kurt asked, his voice gentle and loving.

Adam couldn’t help shrugging. “Would you think I was silly if I said that I was? At least a little.”

Kurt smiled and shook his head. “Not at all. I’d probably be freaking out myself. Just a bit.”

Adam sighed and pulled Kurt into his arms, pressing his face into Kurt’s hair and savoring the scent. The herbal component from the shampoo he favored that left his hair like silk. The tang of citrus from his favorite body wash. And beneath that, the clean and unique scent that was entirely Kurt’s. It comforted him in a way that nothing else ever could.

“Why don’t you go pour us some coffee?” Kurt suggested. “Let me get dressed… I’ll be ready in just a minute.”

Adam nodded and gave him a quick kiss before retreating to the kitchen and got their mugs out of the cabinet. Their coffee maker was set on a timer so that there was always a fresh pot waiting when they woke up and made starting their day just a bit easier. Adam prepared their mugs, adding milk and sugar to their preferred tastes and sat down on the couch to wait for Kurt to join him.

They sat quietly together, holding hands as the enjoyed their coffee and what time they could have together before their day began. “What’s on your agenda for today?” Adam asked. Kurt was outfitted in some of his better casual pieces that could easily be accented with a few accessories to make it a bit dressier. “Going in to the office for a bit?”

Kurt nodded. “I promised Isabelle that I’d come in to finish those edits for her and I’ve got my session with Madam Tibideaux. Then rehearsal this afternoon so I’m not quite sure what time I’ll be getting out.”

“Me neither,” Adam mused. “How about whoever gets home first texts the other and we’ll play dinner by ear? We can always bring something in if one of us is getting home too late.”

Kurt nodded in agreement. “That sounds like a good idea. I’m not going to lie… I’m getting spoiled seeing you so much in the evenings now.”

Adam wrapped his arm about Kurt, holding him close as enjoying the luxury of being able to. However rigorous the next month promised to be, it was a far cry from having two jobs to manage.

‘I should get going,” Adam said with a trace or reluctance, not wanting to leave Kurt just yet but he knew that Kurt would need to leave shortly themselves. Having a somewhat more predictable schedule didn’t mean that they both wouldn’t be very, very busy.

Kurt kissed him and went into the kitchen where he brought out of the refrigerator an insulated bag. “I packed some things for you,” he advised, handing Adam the sack. “There’s a bottle of water there. And some fruit and snacks.”

“Darling, I’m sure that we will be getting meal breaks,” Adam reminded him, but Kurt shook his head.

“I know, but you’re going to be working hard and you need to keep your energy up. Just… take it. Make me feel better.”

Adam smiled and pulled him into another hug. “Thank you, sweetheart,” he said softly. “I don’t know how I’d get through this without you.”

Kurt handed him his jacket and tote bag. “Do you have everything you need?” he asked. “What about your book?”

Adam double-checked for his script, finding it in his bag where he’d placed it last night. “Yup… I have everything,” he assured Kurt. “I’m all set.”

Kurt reached up to smooth his hair back again. “Go and show them how amazing you are,” he ordered. “I can’t wait to hear all about it when we get home.”

Adam kissed him gently. “You have a good day, love,” he urged. I’ll see you tonight.”

“Call me when you get a break. Just to tell me how everything is going.”

Adam nodded. “I will, sweetheart. See you later.”

Shouldering his bag, Adam forced himself to leave the apartment and hurried down to the subway to catch the train to the theater district. He wanted to leave himself a bit of extra time to find the building and so that he wouldn’t be the last to arrive, very much wanting to make a good impression. The production had reserved a rehearsal stage in a large warehouse-like building where many shows were developed. It was his first time in this particular space and having the reality of what this job entailed was finally starting to hit him.

He checked in with the security guard and was advised that their room was up on the third floor. Taking the lift, he felt his body starting to quiver with pent up excitement. Walking down the hallway, he found the door with a piece of paper taped to it with the name of his show.

Butcher’s Bill – Cast and Production Only.

This was it, he realized, taking a deep breath to steady his nerves before opening the door and stepping inside.

The room was very much like a large dance studio, with polished wood floors and a mirrored wall. But there were no barres and at the center of the room was a large rectangular table with enough chairs for a good-sized group arranged about it. A small group of men were already seated there, drinking coffee and eating muffins or bagels as they chatted and reviewed their scripts. Adam immediately recognized Edward Keen, the director off the play talking to an older man that Adam thought he recognized from his audition but couldn’t remember if they’d ever actually been introduced.

Mr. Keen looked up at Adam’s entrance and got up to greet him. “Good to see you again, Adam,” he said cheerfully, shaking Adam’s hand. “Excited to be getting started?”

“Very much so,” he admitted, giving the director a smile. “It’s been a long time coming.”

“Definitely. Well, we’ve got some more people that we’re waiting for, so why don’t you something to eat? We’ll start as soon as everyone gets here.”

“Thank you,” he answered before going to check out the food set out buffet style on a table pushed up against the wall. Servicing himself a croissant and some fruit salad, he got a cup of coffee and took a seat at the table where he was greeted warmly by the other actors. They were all young men around his age, and while most were American he was pleased to see that he wasn’t the only refugee from the United Kingdom in attendance. They introduced themselves and chatted casually as the last of the group arrived and took their seats.

Mr. Keen gave them a few minutes to get settled before addressing the group. “Good morning, everyone. I’m absolutely thrilled to finally be officially starting rehearsals for Butcher’s Bill. Now before we get started I’d like to reintroduce Malcom Jellicoe, the writer of this amazing play.”

Adam smiled, now remembering the man from his audition and the actors gave a round of applause. The writer nodded his appreciation to the group, giving a brief statement about how pleased he is to see his play being brought to life but letting Mr. Keen keep control over the rehearsal.

“We’re going to be on a tight schedule since our official opening night in Boston is the eighth of January, so it’s important that rehearsals go smoothly. By now, I expect that you’re all familiar with your lines and that you should be ready to perform off book relatively quickly. Today we’ll be doing our readthrough so that we all are on the same page about the direction and feel of this show. Malcom and I will be able to give you a clear idea about your characters and by tomorrow you should be ready to dive in.

“So don’t be afraid to speak up and ask questions today,” Mr. Keen urged. “I want you all to be comfortable with your roles before we start blocking and working out the staging. Thank you all for your hard work and let’s get started.”

Adam swallowed the piece of melon he’d been chewing on and opened his script. Time to get to work.

#kadam fic #kurt hummel #adam crawford #rachel berry #santana lopez #tina cohen chang #artie abrams #elliot starchild gilbert #dani #nyada students #adam's apples #not blaine or klaine friendly #learning to fly

18 notes · View notes