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ranwing · 7 years

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Kadam Fic: Just Breathe (12/12)

Title: Just Breathe Series: Season Four Remix Pairing(s), Characters(s): Kadam, Kurt Hummel, Adam Crawford, Burt Hummel, Rachel Berry, Santana Lopez, Carmen Tibideaux, Cassandra July, Blaine Anderson, Sam Evans, Adam’s Apples, Original Characters Rating: PG13 Genre(s): canon divergence, major lol Klaine and Blaine. Parts: 12/12

Summary: Auditions mean new challenges for Kurt and those around him, forcing him to face both his past and his future.

Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four, Part Five, Part Six, Part Seven, Part Eight, Part Nine, Part Ten, Part Eleven

On AO3

Kurt stared disbelievingly at his phone screen, as if staring long and hard enough would somehow magically transform the text message from his boyfriend into something that made some kind of rational sense. Both of them had been so busy the past few days now that the semester was over that they hadn’t seen much of one another, and it wasn’t unusual for them to go nearly a whole day without a phone call or text between them. Kurt had been putting in extra hours at Vogue, wanting to give Isabelle as much of his time as possible before he took his summer leave of absence. Adam had been busy with auditions and preparations for his graduation ceremony.

He knew that Adam’s parents had arrived in New York for his graduation and that he would be meeting them at some point before the ceremony. What he had not been expecting was a text from his boyfriend at three o’clock in the afternoon that he’d totally forgotten to inform Kurt that his parents had made dinner reservations for that evening and that they’d all be meeting at their hotel at six. Something that Kurt was in no way prepared for. Not with how he was dressed.

“I’m dead,” he moaned, wondering if it would be more convenient to just off him himself rather than plotting the demise of his irresponsible boyfriend. Isabelle would not appreciate blood all over the office, but he could probably smother himself in the supply closet without making any undue messes. His boss shouldn’t have to suffer because his boyfriend was an absent-minded ninny.

The rational, empathic side of him insisted that Adam couldn’t really be blamed for being forgetful when he had so much on his plate. It was entirely understandable that he was excited about his graduation and seeing his parents for the first time in nearly a year. That, however, did not change the fact that Kurt was entirely unprepared. He’d spent most of the day running errands for Isabelle and the sudden late spring heat and humidity snap left him a disheveled mess. His clothes were wrinkled, his hair was a frizzy disaster and he was very much in need of a shower. But even if he left work at that instant, he didn’t have the time to get back to the loft, shower and change, and then make it back to Manhattan in time to meet the Crawfords.

Chase stopped by to drop some files off for Kurt to put away and didn’t miss the dismayed expression on the younger man’s face.

“Hey, Kurt… are you okay?” the older man asked, his handsome face showing his genuine concern.

Kurt looked up at him, his eyes wide and a little bit manic. “Besides my boyfriend being an idiot?” he asked mournfully. He ran a hand through his hair, knowing that wouldn’t help him at all.

Chase couldn’t help from chucking a bit at Kurt’s dramatics. “I’m sure it can’t be that bad,” he consoled. “What did Adam do now?”

Kurt sighed, knowing that his romantic life was something of a favorite source of gossip in the office. “Oh, only forget to tell me that his parents made dinner reservations for us for tonight. And I only have three hours before I’m supposed to meet them at their hotel,” he complained. “There is no way I can get cleaned up and get there in time.”

Chase cocked his head thoughtfully, studying the despondent younger man and considering their options. “Did you forget where you work?” he asked playfully.

Taking Kurt by the arm, Chase pulled him into their boss’s office and announced, “Isabelle? We have a situation here.”

The petite woman looked up at their entrance in surprise, not even attempting to hide her concern that the problem apparently involved Kurt. She quickly got up from her seat and hurried out from behind her desk, surprisingly poised despite balancing on precariously high-heeled Jimmy Choo pumps.

“Kurt, what’s the matter?” she asked, seeing how frantic her normally unflappable assistant looked. “Is your father okay?”

His boss and coworker had been a blessing to Kurt. From the very moment he’d first arrived in their offices with nothing to his name by a fashion blog with a few followers and a head full of ambitions, they’d been nothing but embracing and supportive. And in Chase’s case, playfully flirtatious. That had greatly helped Kurt to regain his confidence after his first rejection from NYADA, and then the heartbreak of his first real breakup. They might still be grumbling a bit over his preference of pursuing a theater career over fashion, but Isabelle had insisted he had a place at Vogue for as long as he wanted.

Kurt looked up at them helplessly and his dilemma poured out of him in a rush. “I mean, he knew that I was waiting to hear what plans they might have,” he complained. “And there’s no way that I’m going to get home and find something to wear in time! He’s such a jerk! And he’s all ‘sorry, I totally forgot’! They’re going to think I’m a total slob!”

Isabelle tried not to laugh at Kurt’s mimicking of his boyfriend’s accent and the way he was flinging up his hands in frustration, pacing about the office as he ranted. Having seen her assistant handle temperamental designers, models and writers with aplomb, Kurt’s own display of temper was rather amusing.

“Sweetie, calm down,” she soothed, reaching out to touch his arm comfortingly. “We’ll get this sorted out.”

She looked to Chase, considering their options. “Why don’t you run down to the vault and see if you can find something suitable for him,” she suggested. “We should have just enough time to get him fitted if we hurry.”

Chase nodded and looked to Kurt. “Where are you going to dinner?” he asked.

Kurt sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “Café Boulud. I’ve never been there so I have no idea what might be appropriate.”

Chase’s eyebrow rose in appreciation. “Nice. So we need something a little on the dressy side, but not too stuffy.”

Isabelle’s eyes sparked at the prospect of outfitting Kurt. “What about that grey Canali suit?” she proposed. “The one we used in last month’s shoot?”

Chase considered the suggestion and shook his head. “It’s a little uptight, don’t you think? We don’t want him to look like a stock broker,” he reminded. He looked Kurt over, considering his options. “I was thinking more about a Sartorio linen jacket with a soft scarf. Something classic, but young.”

“With the Lanvin trousers,” Isabelle suggested. “The blue ones that we just got in.”

“Perfect!” Chase proclaimed. “Let me go downstairs and grab them.”

“Don’t forget some accessories!” Isabelle called out as Chase rushed out the door. She then got on the phone to call one of the other departments. “Hi, Javier. Are you crazy busy right now? I need a favor. Can I send my assistant down for a quick wash and styling? Great! He’ll be there in five. I really appreciate it.”

Hanging up, she gave Kurt a reassuring smile. “Okay… you get down to Hair and Makeup and Javier will get you sorted out. Chase should be back by the time you’re done and I’ll get one of the tailors up here. We’ll get you there in time,” she promised. “Now get going… Javier is waiting for you.”

Kurt gave his boss a thankful smile, grateful that he had the good fortune to work for someone so considerate. When he arrived in the stylists’ area, Javier quickly and cheerfully took him in hand, ushering him to the small shower that was usually used by models to wash off after a shoot. Once Kurt was clean and feeling much better, Javier sat him down at his workstation and offered some suggestions to freshen up Kurt’s usual style. Having someone pamper him a little bit set him more at ease and put him in a better frame of mind for the meeting that he’d been anticipating for some time.

He ended up leaving the Vogue offices with exactly twenty minutes to spare in an Uber car that Isabelle had called for him and wearing about two thousand dollars of designer clothing. He looked perfect and barring any major traffic jams, would arrive just in time to meet the Crawfords. He texted Adam that he was on his way and would be there shortly.

Now that he was suitably groomed and dressed for the occasion, Kurt was able to admit that at least part of his tantrum at the office was the result of nerves about meeting Adam’s parents in person. He knew that he was being silly, as he’d joined in on several of Adam’s Skype calls home. But meeting them in person was a big deal. He and Adam were in love and he very much wanted to make a good impression. It would mean a great deal to Adam to have Kurt accepted by his family and the last thing he wanted was to make them think that he wasn’t good enough for Adam.

He didn’t know why he was so nervous. He hadn’t been this nervous when he’d met the Andersons and had managed to maintain a cordial, if not overly warm relationship with them for the duration of his relationship with Blaine. His own family had all but adopted Adam and the Crawfords had seemed so friendly when he’d spoken with them. He knew rationally that there was no reason for him to be at all anxious.

Maybe it was because meeting Adam’s family would be the final stamp on just how serious their relationship was. Families had expectations and Adam had already faced Kurt’s father. Now it was Kurt’s turn and while he wasn’t exactly afraid that he might be found wanting, that didn’t erase the fact that he wanted to prove to Adam’s accomplished parents that he was a suitable partner to the son that they clearly loved so much.

As his care pulled up to the front of the London Hotel, Kurt took a steadying breath, hoping to quiet the last of his nerves. He couldn’t walk in there like this was some kind of performance because Adam didn’t deserve that. This was real life and he was going to show the Crawfords his best, most genuine face. It would be enough.

* * *

Adam checked his watch, noting that Kurt should be arriving shortly. He still felt absolutely terrible about having completely forgotten to let Kurt know about his parent’s plans before his boyfriend had left for work for the day and he could tell from the terseness of Kurt’s texts that he was understandably upset about the late invitation. Adam sighed, knowing that he would need to do a fair bit of groveling in order to get back into his boyfriend’s good graces.

He looked to his parents, a rueful expression on his face. “Kurt should be here in just a bit,” he informed them. “I’m afraid that he might be a bit cross with me.”

“Adam, I cannot believe that you forget to tell Kurt,” his mother admonished as she put the final touches on her makeup. Though she was dressed simply in a pair of black slacks and a white blouse, her simple clothing and jewelry looked very classy in an understated way that Adam knew his fashion forward boyfriend would appreciate. She gave her son a disappointed shake of her head, making her displeasure clear.

“I know, Mum. I messed up,” he admitted. “I have to figure out how to make it up to him.”

“I’m sure that once we get a glass or two of wine into him, he’ll feel better,” Peter Crawford suggested, giving his son a reassuring pat on the shoulder. “You’ve had a lot on your mind the past few days, and it’s obvious that Kurt loves you. He won’t stay mad for long.”

That was something Adam was certain of, but that didn’t mean that he didn’t feel terribly about totally neglecting to let Kurt know of the plans well in advance.

His mother put on her earrings and gave her husband and son a smile. “Well, why don’t we head downstairs and meet him in the lobby so he’s not waiting for us? Peter, do you have the gift for him?”

“Right here,” her husband assured her, holding up the elegant gift bag. Offering her his arm, they stepped out of their suite, their son following behind him.

Riding in the elevator down to the lobby, Ellie Crawford gave her son a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. I’m sure that Kurt won’t be too upset with you,” she insisted gently.

Adam allowed himself to smile, momentarily reassured. “I know, Mum. I’m just annoyed with myself for being such a total berk.”

“Everyone’s got so much happening right now,” his father reminded him. “Both of you have a lot on your plates.”

“I know. It’s just... Kurt hates to be unprepared for anything,” Adam explained. “And he’s a bit nervous about meeting you both, so I know he wants to make a good impression. I’m afraid that I just made things very difficult for him.”

“We’ll make it up to him,” Ellie promised as they stepped out of the elevator. The hotel lobby was a bit crowded, with guests coming in from a day of sightseeing or heading out for an evening on the town. “Is he here yet? I don’t see him.”

Adam looked about and felt himself smiling when Kurt stepped through the front doors, looking surprisingly well put together for someone who’d just a few hours ago had an unexpected dinner engagement dumped in his lap. Stepping forward, he held out his arms and gathered his boyfriend into a warm embrace.

He felt Kurt sigh a bit, then relax into Adam’s arms, turning his face up for the offered kiss. “You look amazing, darling,” Adam complimented, taking in the sight of the younger man’s stylish outfit. Kurt looked like he’d just stepped off a fashion runway.

Kurt gave him an arch stare. “We have Isabelle to thank for that,” he said, a trace of condemnation clear in his voice. “It’s a good thing I work for a fashion magazine.”

Adam couldn’t help from wincing. “I am so sorry, sweetheart,” he said sincerely, feeling awful about being so inconsiderate. “I should have called you last night as soon as my folks told me what they had planned. I was so excited about seeing them but… that’s no excuse.”

He sighed, gently smoothing back a lock of Kurt’s hair behind his ear. “I am so sorry,” he apologized with all the sincerity he could manage. “I was a thoughtless idiot.”

“Yes, you were,” Kurt agreed, though there was no heat in his voice. He gave Adam a fond, exasperated stare. “You are very lucky that I have a wonderful boss and a coworker that delights in dressing me like his personal Ken doll.”

Adam tamped down the spark of jealousy that flared at the mention of Chase, even though he knew that Kurt had no intention of reciprocating the man’s interest. “Well, you look absolutely smashing,” he complimented. He was glad that he had thought to wear some of the more fashionable items from his wardrobe that Kurt had given him over the past weeks so that he wouldn’t look poorly in comparison. “And I really am dead from the neck up sometimes.”

Kurt huffed, but found it impossible to stay angry and offered his lover a small smile. “Yes you are, but I love you anyway.”

Adam could feel his parents’ stares and knew that they were trying their best to give him and Kurt a bit of space, but were eagerly awaiting their formal introductions. He gave Kurt a reassuring smile and asked, “Think you’re ready to meet them?”

Kurt nodded and warned, “If they hate me, I’m holding you fully responsible.”

“Noted.”

He kept his arm about Kurt, a reassuring presence as he guided the younger man to where his parents were waiting. He bit back a smile at how his mother was all but quivering with excitement while his father just had a pleased expression at seeing the two of them together.

“Mum, Dad… I know that you’ve spoken, but this is my Kurt,” he introduced proudly, glad to finally have the chance to show off his boyfriend to his family.

“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you both,” Kurt said with just the slightest trace of nervousness in his voice. “In person, that is.”

Ellie quickly swept Kurt up into a hug, all but pulling him away from Adam to do so. “I was right!” she proclaimed happily, squeezing a surprised squeak from Kurt. “You’re even more gorgeous than you looked over the computer. So stylish and posh…”

“Ellie, let the poor boy breathe,” her husband playfully reprimanded when it became apparent that she wasn’t going to release him any time soon. He wouldn’t be putting it past his wife to already be planning how to smuggle their son’s partner back to England with them.

He looked to Kurt apologetically, explaining, “I think she’s more excited about meeting you than seeing Adam. We’re very glad to be meeting you, son.” He shook Kurt’s hand warmly, hoping to make up a bit for his wife’s over-enthusiasm.

“Adam, did Melissa come too?” Kurt asked, looking about for his boyfriend’s sister. He probably shouldn’t have been surprised that she didn’t appear to be there.

Ellie shook her head, letting Adam take possession of his boyfriend again. “I’m afraid she couldn’t make it,” she explained regretfully. “And she was so looking forward to meeting you too.”

“Melissa has been tied up with a huge court case the past few weeks,” Adam explained. “Remember that big horse seizure I told you about? It’s the kind of thing that can take months to resolve, so I knew that it was possible that she wouldn’t be able to come.”

“What a shame,” Kurt mused, sad on Adam’s behalf. “I know that you’re disappointed.”

“A bit,” Adam admitted. “But her work is important so I do understand.”

Adam’s father nodded regretfully. “She was very upset that she wasn’t going to be able to get away, even for a few days,” he insisted. “She very much wanted to see you, and to meet Kurt. And that reminds me…”

Peter held out the gift bag he’d been holding to Kurt. “This is just a little something from Melissa and us,” he explained. “A little ‘welcome to the family’ token. And to thank you for watching out for Adam for us.”

Kurt hesitated before accepting, taken aback by the gesture. “You didn’t have to do that. I’m just glad to be here with you all.”

Ellie snorted. “Nonsense! We wanted to bring you a little bit of England since Adam told us that you’re something of an Anglophile. We thought this was something that you, of all people, would appreciate.”

Kurt sighed, knowing that he couldn’t refuse without giving offense. “Thank you,” he said politely, opening the bag and pulled out a heavy hardcover book from the nest of tissue paper.

His eyes widened at seeing the title on the aged cover. “Oh,” he breathed, stunned at what he was holding in his hands.

Adam leaned in to see. “What is it, love?”

Kurt held out the book carefully, as if afraid of dropping it. “A collection of Noël Coward’s plays,” he said in astonishment.

Adam’s father watched his response in amusement, glad that they had apparently chosen wisely. “It’s a first edition,” he pointed out, causing Kurt to gasp a little bit. “We thought it would make a fine addition to your personal collection.”

“Adam told us that you especially love Coward’s works,” Ellie inserted, letting her husband place his arm about her shoulders and hold her close. “Take a look inside.”

At her urging, Kurt opened the book to the title page and nearly dropped it in shock at seeing the author’s name written in a very clear and distinctive script. He had no doubt that it was genuine and felt himself looking up at Adam’s parents in shock.

“I can’t take this,” he insisted, holding the book out of them. “It’s too valuable. I can’t…”

Adam’s father shook his head. “You most definitely can, Kurt. We wanted you to have this.”

“But it’s too much,” Kurt protested weakly, not even attempting to try and guess at how much a book like this would cost. An original printing would be rare enough, but to have it autographed by Noël Coward himself…

Ellie made a gentle shushing sound. “Not at all,” she claimed. “Kurt, sweetheart… this is just a little token from all of us.”

“It’s from my father’s collection,” Peter explained, giving the younger man a fond smile. “He met Mr. Coward many years ago, but the poor book has been gathering dust for ages. He’d have wanted it to go to someone who would really appreciate it.”

Realizing that protesting much longer would offend the Crawfords, Kurt looked down at the precious text in his hands, his finger tracing the gold lettering on the spine. He looked to Adam’s parents and couldn’t help from smiling, so taken by surprise at their generosity. “Thank you,” he said sincerely. He felt himself hugging the book to his chest, as if to protect the precious thing from the world.

Adam just smiled and bent to kiss Kurt’s head, holding him close. “You silly thing,” he teased. “I told you that they’d love you.”

Kurt snorted, using his head to nudge at Adam’s shoulder. “Hush, you…”

“Well, we’d better get a move on if we want to keep our reservation,” Peter stated, amused at the antics of the younger men. “We should have enough time to walk, if that’s all right with everyone.”

“Oh, yes!” his wife exclaimed. “It’s such a lovely day outside.”

Adam helped Kurt place the book back into the gift bag and offered to carry it, not terribly surprised when Kurt glared at him like Adam was asking Kurt to sever a limb. But the younger man consented to letting Adam hold his hand as they walked outside with Adam’s parents.

As they leisurely strolled to the restaurant and enjoyed the spring weather, Kurt felt completely at ease with Adam’s family. He listened to Peter Crawford reminisce about the times he’d played in Carnage Hall and the travails of trying to drag his cello about the city, while Ellie mused about how rapidly New York seemed to change, always different each time they visited. And as always, Adam remained a comforting presence at his side.

* * *

Rachel paused, not sure of what she was looking for as she stood outside of Ms. July’s office. Classes were over and they’d gotten their grades so all of her questions should have been answered. Instead she was left even more confused about where she stood in the grand scheme of things. Never before had her vision of her own future been so unclear, and she very much needed to figure out where she went from here.

She heard sounds of movement from inside the office, confirming that the dance teacher hadn’t already left for the summer break just yet. Steeling her courage, she raised her fist to knock on the door and hoped that with classes being concluded that her teacher might be in the mood to help.

“Come in!” Ms. July called out and Rachel opened the door to step inside, surprised at what she found. Having spent nearly a full year in seeing her teacher in leggings and dance attire, to see her dressed in skinny jeans and a faded Depeche Mode concert t-shirt as she packed up her office for the summer.

Ms. July looked up at Rachel, her long ponytail swinging behind her. “What do you want, Schwimmer? I would have though that you’d be out trying to show some director that you know better than they do.”

The insulting greeting hurt, mostly because Rachel knew that she was right. “I was hoping to catch you before you left for the summer,” she explained, trying to be as respectful as possible.”

“Well, get on with it,” Ms. July demanded sharply. “Because there’s a beach and a piña colada with my name on it waiting for me, and I am not going to miss my flight for you.”

Rachel nodded. “I won’t take much of your time… I just had a question about my grade,” she said.

“It should be pretty self-explanatory,” Ms. July snapped as she carefully placed her plants into a box.

Rachel nodded. “But what I don’t understand is why you gave me an Incomplete,” she stated. “You told me that I was failing, so I’m a little confused why you didn’t just fail me outright.”

Cassandra huffed in annoyance and turned an irritated gaze to the younger woman. “You really are dense,” she noted harshly. “I’m giving you an out and you’re questioning it? Do you want me to fail you?”

“No!” Rachel insisted. “Of course not. But I don’t get why you didn’t.”

The dance instructor’s gaze turned flinty, her mouth drawn into a harsh frown. “You know, most students just sigh in relief when they don’t fail a class they were expecting to, but you would be the one to start questioning a gift horse.” She shook her head in frustration.

“Look, you and I both know that you rightly should have failed. You didn’t give any real effort and you didn’t improve at all this year,” Cassandra reminded her student.

Rachel felt herself wither at the harsh assessment, but it wasn’t anything that she hadn’t already heard from her teacher.

“Your final assessment just confirmed that you would never survive the next level of classes and I had no qualms about holding you back. But your performance did give me something to consider.”

Ms. July looked down at her, her gaze penetrating. “You actually put in a bit of real effort. And you asked for help. Much too late to be of any use, granted, but it was the first time all year that you acknowledged what a fuck up you’ve been.”

She shrugged, turning to toss a few more things into the box to go home. “Make no mistakes, Berry… what I did for you is a much bigger favor than you deserve. If you repeat the class and pass, the Incomplete won’t affect your GPA. But that’s entirely up to you.”

Rachel nodded in understanding. “I already signed up for the summer intensive, like you suggested,” she explained. “I really am taking this seriously now.”

The older woman gave her an appraising stare, as if weighing out the sincerity of her words. “I’m not the one you have to convince anymore, Berry,” she stated firmly. “You’ve already blown your chance at making me think you’ve got potential and a real willingness to learn. But you’re getting a new teacher who doesn’t know you, so you’ve got another chance to prove that you’re not just full of hot air. It’s up to you at this point not to screw it up.”

Rachel knew that she shouldn’t have expected her teacher to be any kinder to her now, so the harsh words didn’t cut nearly as deeply as they might have a few weeks ago. And she could hardly claim that however hurtfully worded that she didn’t very well deserve that criticism. Having another chance might not be something that she’d earned, but she wasn’t going to turn it down over misplaced pride.

“I won’t,” she insisted. But her teacher had already tuned her out, returning to gathering her personal possessions and packing them to take home for the summer. “I just… I just wanted to say that I appreciate this. And that I’m sorry for giving you so much trouble.”

She turned to leave when her teacher called out, “Berry. One more thing…”

Rachel bit back a sigh, wondering if the older woman felt a need to tear into her a bit more. If just for old time’s sake.

Cassandra looked down at the younger woman, her face set in a firm scowl. “Just a bit of advice,” she offered with clear reluctance to give any kind of aid.

“Forget about trying to prove that you’re the best dancer in the room, because you’re not,” Cassandra reminded her sternly. “You don’t have the natural facility for it, so however good you’re going to get is going to hinge on how much work you’re willing to put in. And even then, you’re not going to be so fantastic. Maybe good enough for chorus work… if they stick you in the background.

“If you stop trying to prove that you’re the best that ever existed, you might actual learn something. There’s always going to be someone better than you,” Ms. July warned. “If you focus on being your best instead of worrying about being the best, you’ll do a lot better.”

It wasn’t what Rachel wanted to hear, but she had gained enough self-awareness over the past few weeks to accept that it was what she needed to hear. If the humbling she’d endured accomplished anything at all, she knew that it forced her to recognize her shortcomings and how they were holding her back.

She nodded, letting her teacher know that she was paying attention. “I’ll keep that in mind,” she promised, more to herself than Ms. July. Her teacher might have granted her a small bit of help, but Rachel was smart enough by this point not to press her luck.

And she didn’t think that Ms. July would be too offended if she avoided her classes in the future.

* * *

Santana and Rachel looked up as the door to the loft slid open and Kurt walked inside. “Oh wow… look who finally made a reappearance,” Santana chuckled, shaking her head in mock reproach. “We thought that the Crawfords must have kidnapped you.”

“Ha ha… We’re not completely joined at the hip just yet,” Kurt responded.

“Hey stranger,” Rachel greeted brightly. “Come on in… we’ve got company.”

It was only then that Kurt noticed that they weren’t alone. “When did you two get here?” he asked, coming over to greet Tina and Artie. If he showed a measure of restraint when greeting Tina, no one commented. His reserve towards her was more than understandable.

“We just got in yesterday,” Artie explained. “We wanted to check out our living arrangements before the school term begins.”

“You’re both coming to school in New York?” Kurt asked, leaning against the kitchen counter.

The two of them looked good now that the pressure of high school was done with. Artie’s wardrobe looking a bit more put together than Kurt remembered him being, with clothes that were considerably more stylish and better fitted. Tina was dressed casually in jeans and a bohemian-style top that looked quite becoming on her. Kurt just wished that he felt better about seeing the both of them.

Tina nodded, a bit shyly. “Artie’s going to film school here in Brooklyn. And I got into NYU.”

“That’s wonderful,” Kurt congratulated sincerely. “For theater?”

Tina allowed herself to smile a bit. “Yeah… I got in. I really did.”

Despite how things had deteriorated between them, Kurt was genuinely happy for her. Tina had spent a lot of her time at McKinley being ignored and sidelined in much the same way he’d been, so he was genuinely glad to see her get that kind of affirmation. And for her to get admitted when Blaine didn’t… he wasn’t going to hide that he found this a much more preferable option, even if they really weren’t friends anymore.

“So now that school’s over, we decided to fly up and to see the dorms… get the lay of the land… Get a feel for the place,” Artie explained. He reached over to take Tina’s hand in his.

Kurt’s eyes widened a bit. “Are you two back together?”

Tina nodded, giving Artie a fond smile. “For the past few weeks,” she admitted. “We started talking after we got our acceptance letters since we’d both be going to New York. And one thing led to another. So we’re giving it another try.”

Artie lifted her hand and pressed a soft kiss to her knuckles. “A lot changed since you guys were last in Lima,” he insisted.

“I can’t wait to hear all about it,” Kurt insisted. “But I think we’re going to need a few bottles of wine, so I’ll run down to the store…”

“I’ll come with you,” Tina inserted, getting up from the couch. The look she gave Kurt was imploring. “If it’s okay with you, Kurt.”

Kurt sighed, having hoped to avoid any uncomfortable interactions. He hated surprises and being put on the spot like this, but to refuse her would only exacerbate the undercurrent of tension in the room. Seeing no way to refuse her without making everyone uncomfortable, he decided that it was better to bite the bullet and just get it over with.

Tina followed him downstairs and they began to walk towards the wine and liquor store that they had been frequenting the past few months because the clerk didn’t look too hard at their fake I.D.s. They walked in silence at first, Kurt not wanting to start a conversation and Tina clearly trying to figure out what to say to him. It hurt Kurt, because they were so close at one time. Of all the friends that he’d lost, she was one that bothered him the most.

“I didn’t know you applied to NYU,” he finally broached when the silence between them became too uncomfortable. “Blaine didn’t mention it when he was here.”

She pursed her lips and nodded. “Blaine and I… we’re really not on speaking terms right now,” she admitted with a trace of regret. “After Mr. Schu’s wedding… we started drifting apart.”

She shook her head. “No, that’s not right. I think that I just started seeing more of who he really is instead of who I wanted him to be. I realized that I was using him as a substitute boyfriend and he…” She paused and forced back the bite she still felt when she realized just what their “friendship” constituted. “He was just using me.”

Kurt inhaled and nodded. “He… does tend to do that.”

She adjusted the strap of her bag on her shoulder and looked down at her sandaled feet. “I’ve wanted to talk to you so much since I saw you, because I have to apologize. I treated you so badly at the wedding and you didn’t deserve that from me.”

Kurt looked at her and watched as she wiped at her eyes.

“It’s just… the past year was so hard,” she explained. “All of my closest friends graduated and Mike broke up with me before he even left. That was bad enough, but I thought that it would finally be me time to shine and instead I ended up being ignored again. I guess that I just latched onto Blaine because I had nothing else going for me and I… I just kind of lost my mind.”

Kurt didn’t respond immediately because while he sympathized with her situation, having been there himself, that didn’t excuse her treatment of him.

She then pause and shook her head. “It’s not an excuse to how I treated you, but all I could see is that you were turning down someone who wouldn’t look twice at me the way I wanted. Seeing you at the wedding and getting that verbal smack down… it woke me up.”

Kurt couldn’t help from smiling a bit. “I’m good at that,” he admitted.

Tina gave him a shy smile. “Yes, you are. I missed seeing you do that to people. But being on the receiving end isn’t quite as much fun. Even though I totally deserved it.”

“You kinda did,” Kurt agreed. He looked at her archly. “Is that why you tried to warn me about Blaine?”

She nodded. “I didn’t want him to blindside you. I knew he was going to try to make trouble and wanted to at least give you a heads up. I don’t think I can blame you for ignoring me.”

Kurt didn’t answer her immediately, considering his options here carefully. He’d missed his friendship with Tina and she’d been one of his best friends for a long time. Their estrangement had hurt him, that she would chose his ex over him despite all they’d been to one another. Tina’s regret was obvious and while he was reluctant to leave himself open to being hurt again, he didn’t want to lose anything else to Blaine.

“Rachel says that you and Adam are doing really well,” Tina said gently, giving him a soft smile. “I’m really happy for you. You really deserve to have someone treating you well after putting up with Blaine for so long.”

Kurt couldn’t help from smiling at the thought of his boyfriend. “Thanks,” he said sincerely. “He’s been great. It’s going to be interesting to see how things go now that he’s graduated. I guess we’ll be working out a lot of stuff over the summer.”

Tina moved as if to take his hand but stopped herself. She hadn’t earned that privilege yet.

“Well, I think that we’ll have plenty of time to talk and catch up on things,” he offered. “Since you’ll be going to school here. I mean… NYU isn’t that far from NYADA. And I know a few people at NYU now.”

Tina’s eyes teared up at the realization that he was at least being willing to give her the opportunity. “Thank you,” she said sincerely, wiping at her face.

Kurt offered her a gentle smile and took her hand in his. “It’s okay, Tina,” he assured her with as much sincerity as he could manage. “I think that we’ll be okay. Just give it a little time.”

Inside the wine shop, Tina looked about at the wide assortment. “What do you think?” she asked. “White or red?”

“Oh… white. Definitely. Maybe a rosé too,” Kurt decided, leading her to the refrigerated cabinet where the chilled wines were kept. After perusing the available options, he pulled out a few bottles and handed two of them to Tina. After picking out a few more bottles they made their way to the cashier where Kurt’s I.D. barely garnered more than a cursory glance.

They returned to the loft with their ill-gotten gain, Kurt announcing, “We’re back, and we come bearing Riesling.”

“Oh… yum,” Rachel said appreciatively, getting out some of their cheap wineglasses.

Artie watched with wide as Kurt poured for everyone and handed him a glass, even though none of them were legally of drinking age. “Do you do this all the time?” he asked, taking a sip.

Santana shrugged. “It’s not a big deal,” she insisted. “I mean, all of us are too busy to be drinking all the time, but we do enjoy a glass when we have the chance.”

“Welcome to New York,” Rachel chirped brightly. “This is one of the perks of being an adult out in the world.”

Tina shrugged and took a sip, her eyebrow raised appreciatively. “It’s a shame the dorms are really strict about this kind of thing,” she mused.

“It’s a shame about the dorms, period,” Artie added.

“That bad?” Kurt asked sympathetically.

Artie shrugged. “They’re technically handicapped accessible, but that’s about it,” he explained. “The rooms are okay and I should be able to manage in the showers by myself if I get a shower chair and no one moves it.”

Tina offered him a reassuring smile, taking his hand. “And it kind of sucks that he’ll be here in Brooklyn while I’ll be in Manhattan. We’re not going to see much of one another.”

Artie looked about the loft with a hint of ill-concealed longing. “It’s a shame that we can’t afford a place like this,” he mused. “It’s so open and I can get around easily. And it’s not far from school at all.”

Rachel’s eyes brightened as a thought came into her head. “Guys… I think I have an idea.”

Santana looked down into her glass, as if to find comfort there. “Uh oh… think we need to be worried about this,” she chuckled, tossing back the last of her wine and holding the glass out for Kurt to refill.

“No, seriously,” Rachel insisted. She looked to Artie and Tina. “Why don’t you both move in here? The rent isn’t too steep and it’s cheaper than the dorms with all of us splitting the costs. You said it yourself; it’s really easy for Artie to get around. And there are people around to help.”

“Uh, Rachel… don’t you think that’s going to really make the place crowded,” Kurt asked, not wanting to be the voice of reason but seeing that he needed to. “Not that it’s not something we shouldn’t consider, but we’ve already got three people living here and we just finally got Santana off the couch. Making two more sleeping areas is going to really tighten things up. Not to mention that we’ve only got one bathroom.”

Tina tried to hide her disappointment at Kurt’s reluctance. “Artie and I can share a space,” she insisted, looking to her boyfriend for confirmation. “I mean, we don’t need much.”

Kurt sighed, not seeing an easy solution. While the loft was spacious, it felt just perfect for the three people who already lived there. That didn’t say that there weren’t downsides. They had only one bathroom, which often meant a rush in the morning for everyone to have a chance to wash and brush their teeth before starting the day. Adding another two people into the mix, especially someone who would need additional time like Artie, would make it pretty much impossible.

He hated to be the bad guy in this, but he wouldn’t be doing his friends any favors by agreeing to a living arrangement that would leave everyone harried and miserable. He turned to the refrigerator, wondering if they had any cheese left that he could put out for snacking.

Rachel came up quietly to him, and he very much hoped that she wasn’t going to try to argue him into something that he knew just wouldn’t work.

She sighed and placed her arm about his waist, leaning in. “Kurt… I know that you think I’m jumping the gun here, but there was something that I don’t think you considered. I know that you’ve been thinking about moving in with Adam,” she said carefully, not wanting to look like she was trying to force him out. “You already spend most of your time there. I don’t think he’d object to having you to himself full time.”

He paused, looking down at her strangely. “I wouldn’t have thought you’d want me to move out,” he said thoughtfully.

She paused, giving him a loving smile. “I don’t,” she admitted. “But I know that it’s what you want and it would be really good for you to start building a life with him. And it’s not like I won’t be seeing you at school every day and you won’t be coming to visit.”

She squeezed him tightly, wanting for him to see that she really had his best interests at heart. “I think this can really be good for all of us,” she insisted. “I know that you didn’t talk about moving out because you didn’t want to leave us in the lurch, so this is a perfect solution.”

Kurt thought about it briefly, knowing that she was right. And while he would never had expected her to be the one to push him into making this choice, having her do so made it a lot easier.

“I’ll have to talk to Adam before we make any final decisions, but I don’t think he’d object too much,” he chuckled. “And we have to find a bigger place, because his apartment is just too small for us over the long haul.”

He inhaled sharply when it struck him just how momentous this really was. “We’re really doing this, aren’t we?” he couldn’t help from asking.

Rachel nodded and hugged him again. “Yeah, I think we are. Should we tell them the good news?”

Kurt nodded and the two of them returned to the main area where the others were waiting for him, his arm firmly about Rachel’s shoulders. “Okay… Rachel and I came up with a solution,” Kurt advised. “It’s been pointed out to me that I need to shack up with my boyfriend and this means that I can let Tina and Artie take my space if that works out. So long as you’re willing to work out a bathroom schedule, you should be able to manage. We’d just need to let the landlord know about the change and I’ll sign over the lease to Rachel and Santana.”

Artie and Tina looked stunned at the turn of events. “Kurt, are you sure?” the younger man asked carefully. “We didn’t come here to put you out of your home.”

Kurt felt a momentary pang at the thought of leaving the loft. He loved this space and it became the home that he and Rachel had built for themselves together. It had been his refuge and place to retreat to as he carved out his place in New York. Finding it had been his first step in becoming an adult on his own.

He realized that leaving the loft was his next step. Because the idea of waking up next to Adam every morning outweighed what he was losing. And he really wasn’t losing anything, he saw.

“It really is,” he assured them, unable to hide his smile. “Adam and I have talked about it, but I couldn’t abandon the girls. You two coming means that they can keep the loft.

“In fact, I’m going to let Adam know right now.” Kurt got out his cell phone and climbed out onto the fire escape where he could have a bit of privacy. Adam picked up after a few rings and greeted Kurt cheerfully.

“Hello, love. I wasn’t expecting to hear from you quite so soon.”

Kurt couldn’t help from smiling at the sound of his voice. “I just missed you,” he admitted. “Where are your folks?”

“They’re back at the hotel having a bit of a rest. It’s been a rather busy day and I can do with a nap myself,” Adam admitted.

“And they do want to see you before they leave tomorrow. I was thinking about taking them to Callbacks. Mum is rather disgruntled that she hasn’t had the chance to hear you sing yet.”

Kurt couldn’t help from chuckling at Adam’s teasing, but he knew that it was only slightly playful. Ellie Crawford had made her fondness for him very clear during their visit and was dropping very unsubtle hints about him singing for her. Unfortunately for her, between the graduation ceremony and time spent reconnecting with their son, there hadn’t been the opportunity.

“That will be nice,” Kurt said agreeably. “I’d like to see them again before they leave.”

He could almost feel Adam smiling over the phone. “I wanted to thank you for being so kind to them. And so patient with me the past few days. I’ve been completely barmy since they got here.”

Kurt wished he was there to hold Adam, knowing full well how it felt to be so far from your family. The family that they were building in New York wasn’t always a perfect substitute. He didn’t begrudge Adam’s lack of attention on him in the least.

“It’s okay, honey,” Kurt said gently. “I know that it’s hard being so far away from them.”

“It’s all right,” Adam insisted. “I’ve got a good life here. I’ve got my friends and I’ve got you. But maybe over your winter break we can take a few days and take a trip to England. I’d love to show you where I grew up, and you can meet all my childhood mates.”

“That sounds like a great idea. We’ll definitely plan something,” Kurt promised. “Listen, would it be okay with asking a few other people to join us at Callbacks? We’ve got some friends visiting from out of town that I wasn’t expecting.”

“Oh? Anyone I should be jealous of?” Adam teased.

“Just Artie and Tina. They’re coming to school here in the fall so they wanted to check things out.”

Adam was silent for a moment, clearly remembering Tina from the wedding. “Are you okay with them being there, love?” he asked, not hiding his concern.

Kurt couldn’t help from smiling at the quick support from his boyfriend. “It’s okay,” he assured Adam, knowing that he’d by on the subway and headed for Bushwick if Kurt gave the slightest indication that he was needed. “Tina and I talked and we’re… we’ll see how things work out between us. She’s really sorry and tried to warn me about Blaine, so I at least owe her the chance to try.”

“If you’re okay with that, sweetheart,” Adam said, leaving the matter entirely up to him. “Don’t feel obligated to do anything that you’re not comfortable with.” Again, Kurt got a reminder of why he had grown to love Adam. Rather than trying to manage his younger lover, he offered his support and advice but knew how to step back and be sure that Kurt knew what was best for himself.

But now to the matter at hand. “Anyway… there was something I wanted to talk to you about. Tina and Artie are going to need a place to stay that will work with Artie’s wheelchair and the dorms at his school aren’t so great. So we were thinking that if they move into the loft, I can move out and not have to worry about Rachel and Santana. If you can think of some alternate arrangements for me, that is…” He trailed off, not wanting to presume and leaving the final matter up to his boyfriend.

Adam didn’t answer immediately and Kurt felt himself biting his lower lip, wondering if this was just a step too far and Adam was having doubts. Trying to think of a way to backtrack, Adam’s answer was everything he could have hoped for.

“Well, I do know someone who wouldn’t mind getting a roommate,” Adam chuckled. “If you don’t mind close quarters, that is.”

Kurt smiled, feeling a surge of warmth running through him. “Not at all,” he assured his boyfriend. “Though I wouldn’t be averse to finding something with a bit more space at some point.”

“I think that we could work something out,” Adam assured him. “I’m not going to lie… this made me very happy, darling.”

Kurt could practically hear him smiling over the phone. “Me too,” he insisted. “We’ll talk more… get some real plans…”

“That sounds wonderful,” Adam said brightly, his happiness readily apparent in his voice. “I wish that I could come over there right now, but…”

“I’ll see you tonight,” Kurt chuckled. “We’ll meet you at… how about eight?”

“That sounds perfect,” Adam agreed. “I’d better get going, sweetheart. I promised my folks to take them sightseeing a little later.”

“Have a good time,” Kurt ordered playfully. “Call me if you need a rescue.”

Hanging up the phone, Kurt found himself unable to hide the bright smile on his face. He looked down at the city street beneath him, taking in the sights that had become so familiar in the past months. It wouldn’t be long before he would have a new environment to settle into and make his own. A new neighborhood would become his and he’d discover the best pizza shops and take out places.

His life was continuing to expand and change. There was no way for him to know where he would finally end up, but for the first time in many years he was happy where he was and excited about what the future might hold for him.

* * *

Tina and Artie were happy to tag along to Callbacks, having no other plans and wanting to see where many of the theater students in New York hung out. Kurt had to admit that while he still had some misgivings about their presence, it was fun to see them showing the same wide-eyed astonishment as he had that places like this actually existed and weren’t just things that they might see on television. After being so insulated and isolated in Lima, New York was going to be a wonderful awakening to the both of them.

Adam and his parents were already there when they arrived and his boyfriend greeted Kurt with a sound kiss. Ellie quickly grabbed Kurt away from him, hugging him to her breast and making it clear that she had no intention of relinquishing him before she had to.

“Mum… seriously?” Adam sighed, trying to coax her into releasing his boyfriend.

“Sweetheart, he just got here,” her husband admonished playfully, amused at her antics. “Give the boy a chance to settle in.”

“No! We’re leaving tomorrow and I need my time with him because who knows when we’ll see him again,” Ellie complained, keeping her grip on Kurt. He was all but sitting in her lap. She turned to her son and complained, “I mean, you both might even break up and I’ll never see him again!”

“Mum… please…”

She pouted teasingly, and finally released Kurt was clear reluctance. “All right… here you go. But you have to promise that you’ll sing for us!” she ordered. “We haven’t heard you once the whole time we were here.”

“I promise,” Kurt said sincerely, unable to keep the amused smile off of his face. He let Adam pull him back, as if Adam needed to check him for injury or fingerprints.

“Well, now that my parents have totally embarrassed me, let me introduce everyone,” Adam sighed dramatically. “These lovely ladies are Rachel and Santana, Kurt’s roommates.”

“And these are some friends of ours from Ohio,” Kurt explained, introducing Artie and Tina. “They’re both going to be coming to school in New York in September.”

Ellie nodded graciously, taking her husband’s hand. “It’s lovely to meet all of you.”

They pushed the two tables the Crawfords had reserved together squeezed in a few extra chairs, mindful about making space for Artie. Tina looked about the crowded room in awe. “It’s so crowded here,” she noted.

“It’s not too unusual for a weeknight,” Kurt advised her. “Lots of students, lots of office workers looking for a few drinks and free entertainment before going home. It can be a lot of fun.”

Rachel nodded enthusiastically. “And we get to try out different material and arrangements. Sometimes it’s nice just to sing when we know we aren’t going to be graded. I leaned that from someone very special.” She turned a fond look to Kurt and gave his hand a squeeze.

“This sounds great,” Artie said agreeably.

Adam made sure that Kurt was sitting closer than was probably entirely necessary, even with the close confines, least his mother try to steal him away. “Well, before we start with the musical merry making, Kurt and I have some news,” he informed his parents. “He’s agreed to move in and share my humble abode with me.”

“Until we find a bigger apartment,” Kurt clarified.

Adam’s mother seemed stunned at the news, her mouth dropping open in surprise. “Oh dear… you’re not fibbing, are you?” she asked. “You shouldn’t get my hopes up like this.”

Adam shook his head, holding Kurt close. “No, Mum. It’s something we’ve discussed but now the stars have aligned in our favor. But more to the point, we’re both ready to take this step.”

The older woman’s eyes began to glimmer as their news sunk in. “Boys, I’m so happy for the both of you,” she insisted happily, clasping her hands together in front of her.

“This calls for a celebration,” Adam’s father proclaimed. He quickly checked the wine list on the table and waved a hostess over. “Can you bring us two bottles of the Perrier Jouet?”

“Dad, you don’t have to do that,” Adam started, only to be cut off by his father hand waving away his protests.

“Nonsense. We have a lot to commemorate here. Your graduation, the two of you moving on with your lives. These two coming to New York to start school in the fall…” Peter gestured at Artie and Tina. “This should be celebrated.”

“I’m glad you’re both so happy about this,” Kurt mused. “Because my dad is going take a lot of convincing. At least Carole will take our side until he calms down.”

Peter Crawford chuckled warmly, amused at the despondent look on his son’s face at the prospect of an overprotective in-law to deal with. “He’s out to defend your virtue?” he joked.

“Papa bear is a little late for that,” Santana snarked, her dark eyes shimmering will ill-hidden amusement. “Not with the way these two keep us up some nights.”

Rachel couldn’t help from giggling at Kurt’s sharp stare at their friend, knowing better than to add her own commentary about lost sleep and keeping her mouth shut.

“I think that I’m going add my name to the sign up list,” Kurt proclaimed, hoping to change the subject from his sex life. He looked to his boyfriend. “Do you want me to add you?”

“I already did so, love,” Adam answered, his thumb rubbing at Kurt’s hand soothingly. Santana never failed to get Kurt’s hackles up with her sharp barbs. “You go ahead.”

Kurt nodded and turned to his roommates. “You two coming? Or do you plan to sit here all night and chuckle at my expense?” he teased.

Rachel nodded and got up. “I’m not passing up on a chance to sing.”

“And I need to practice some stuff for work,” Santana added.

With the trio heading towards the bar to put their names on the list to perform, Adam tried to make small talk to keep his parents occupied and make the newcomers feel welcome. He couldn’t help from glancing over to where Kurt and his girls were debating song choices, offering and rejecting suggestions with a lot of smiles and laughter. He couldn’t help from smiling at the sight of his lover looking so happy and at ease with himself.

His smile didn’t go unnoticed and he felt a slender hand touch his arm. “Adam? Can I speak with you for a moment?” Tina requested softly. “I just need a minute.”

Adam wondered what was on her mind. His interactions with her at the wedding were limited, but he remembered how wrapped up she was with Blaine and had made Kurt very uncomfortable. He tried not to think badly of her but the last thing he would tolerate was his Kurt being abused.

Kurt hadn’t seemed terribly bothered by her presence, if not overly warm, so he could assume that they’d made some sort of peace. It wouldn’t cost him anything to hear her out. Turning to his parents, he said, “Tina and I will be right back. Don’t let them start without us.”

The young girl followed him to a quiet spot by the coat room and he turned to face her. “So… you and Kurt have patched things up between the two of you?” he asked.

“I apologized to him,” she assured him. “There was no excusing my behavior and I’m hoping that one day we’ll be the kind of friends we were before he left Ohio.

“But I also wanted to apologize to you as well. I behaved so badly and so disrespectfully, and I just wanted you to know how sorry I am.”

Adam blinked in surprise, having not expected that. “That’s…. quite a surprise,” he claimed. “I mean, I don’t remember us speaking very much, if at all.”

Tina just shrugged. “I still felt that I owed you an apology too. I didn’t behave well towards you or Kurt, and I wasn’t respectful of your relationship. I thought that Kurt owed Blaine another chance and I was really rude to him. I just wanted you to know that I do understand just how wrong I was and that I will never do that to Kurt again.”

He had to give her credit for having the courage to admit her mistakes and to make the effort to approach him. “That’s very mature of you, Tina,” he complimented sincerely. “And so long as things are well between you and Kurt, I won’t have any issues.”

The young woman smiled and for the first time Adam could see the pretty, shy girl that Kurt had described to him. “Thanks. But I do want to get to know you too,” she insisted. “You’re so important to Kurt and I want to see if we can try to be friends too. Because I know I didn’t show it, but he means so much to me.”

Adam felt himself nodding, willing to give her that. “I think we can manage that. That would make Kurt happy, that I got along with his friends.”

“That’s important to me too,” Tina insisted. “I already hurt him more than I ever thought I could and the last thing I’d ever want is to do that again.”

Adam gave her a smile. “Well, you know Kurt at least as well as I do. Give him a bit of time and I’m sure that you’ll have the chance to really win back his trust.”

Adam knew that would not be an easy task for Tina, as Kurt did not give back trust so quickly once it was broken. Kurt had been very hurt by Tina’s behavior, but Adam knew that he was also fair minded. If Tina proved herself, in time, Kurt would be able to really forgive her mistakes and move past them. He just hoped that she wouldn’t expect too much too quickly.

She nodded and gave him a thankful smile. “I really appreciate this,” she said softly.

“It’s quite all right, love,” he assured her kindly. “Let’s head back before they wonder if we’ve run off together.”

“Oh no… I’m not giving Kurt any other reason to be upset with me,” she chuckled a little tearfully. With a gentle hand to her back, Adam lead her back to their table where the waitress was setting out two buckets of ice and expertly opening up the bottles that his father had ordered.

Kurt and his girls had returned by then and his boyfriend looked up at their approach. “Where were you two?” he asked.

“Oh, I was just showing Tina where the facilities are,” Adam said quickly, allowing the young girl to keep her dignity and not answer uncomfortable questions right there. He accepted a glass of sparkling wine from the waitress.

Once everyone had been served, his father raised his glass in toast. “All of you are embarking on wonderful new phases of your lives,” he said. “I wish you all good fortune, good health and much happiness. Cheers.”

The group answered him back before sampling the wine and Kurt’s eyes opened a bit at the tart bubbles that danced over his tongue. He hadn’t really enjoyed champagne the few times he’d had it, finding it too dry and acidic for his tastes. This vintage was much better, with just enough sweetness to balance out the tartness and he realized that really good champagne was well worth enjoying when he had the opportunity. Or maybe it was just the company that made the wine sweeter.

The evening progressed pleasantly, with the group making small talk and discussing plans for the summer. Kurt felt a bit more at least with the presence of the younger students, and Artie and Tina asked if they minded the two of them visiting before the school term started in the fall. They wanted a chance to explore a bit more of the city and reconnect the friendships that had faded from time and distance.

Kurt found himself unable to begrudge them that chance and invited them to come see Adam and him perform at the festival. That got Rachel insisting that the younger students come see Santana and her perform at the piano bar and before Artie and Tina knew it, they had a full social calendar planned out.

They settled in to enjoy the musical entertainment, and Kurt saw that NYADA was well represented by the performers that night. There were several familiar faces in the crowd that he and Rachel waved to and it felt good to support their fellows in even as casual an environment as this. Given the careers that they had chosen, competition would be a regular feature in their lives and to have a refuge like this reminded them that performing could just be for fun too. That just because it would be their jobs, they didn’t want to lose their passion for it.

Rachel and Santana had elected to do a duet together, their voices balancing one another out beautifully in a gorgeous rendition of “Some Things Are Meant to Be” from Little Women. Kurt closed his eyes, leaning into Adam and just taking pleasure in hearing his friends do what they were best at. The girls finished to rousing applause and cheers from an appreciative audience and they returned to the table a little breathless and all but glowing with happiness.

When Kurt’s name was called, he gave his lover a coy wink before stepping up to the piano.

“Wow… those two are a tough act to follow,” he said, complimenting his friends, who applauded him loudly. Kurt smiled at them and then addressed the audience. “I was asked quite awhile ago if I had a song in mind for a certain someone in my life. I admitted to a few, and that one day I would sing one of them to him.

“Adam… wherever our lives take us, nothing will change how much you’ve come to mean to me. And help shape me into who I am today.”

Kurt nodded to the pianist, who began to play the music Kurt had selected. He thought that people might be surprised by his choice, but to him nothing else fit Adam better.

“Cold late night so long ago, when I was not so strong, you know. A pretty man came to me. Never seen eyes so blue.”

That was the first thing Kurt always thought about when he thought of Adam after their first meeting. Sure, Adam was handsome in a way that took Kurt’s breath, and had a beautifully fit body. But it was those gentle blue eyes alight with humor and kindness that had gotten Kurt to unclench enough to seek out the Apples and listen to that ridiculous song. Despite not knowing Adam at all, Kurt found himself trusting the older man and wanting to know more about him.

“I could not run away. It seemed we’d seen each other in a dream,” Kurt sang, letting a little bit of heat color his voice. “It seemed like he knew me. He looked right through me… yeah…

“’Come on home, boy,’ he said with a smile.” Kurt made a teasing, beckoning gesture, as much to lure Adam as it was to reflect the pull he’d felt those months ago. “You don’t have to love me yet. Let’s get high awhile.”

And that had been the best part of the early phase of their relationship, Kurt realized. Adam might have been attracted to him, but he didn’t ask for any more than Kurt was willing and able to give. Had Kurt only wished for his friendship, Adam would have made himself satisfied with that. After being so relentlessly pressured by Blaine since Kurt ended things with him, it was a novelty to just enjoy the time he shared with Adam.

“But try to understand… Try, try, try to understand… I'm a magic man.’”

He saw the instant that his friends realized what he was implying and Adam’s face colored at the realization that this was how Kurt saw him. Kurt didn’t think that any of his friends had ever heard him sing such a blatantly sexual song. Santana turned a smile that wouldn’t have looked out of place on a shark to the Englishman, giving him a playful nudge. Rachel was positively beaming and grabbing at Adam’s hand while Adam’s parents were watching in delight.

Kurt closed his eyes, thinking back to those early days in their relationship when he was still struggling to figure things out. The scars from his relationship with Blaine were still fresh and bleeding, but he had so much pleasure with Adam, who accepting their relationship on whatever grounds Kurt was content to set. They started off as friends, but the relationship quickly deepened and before Kurt knew it, he couldn’t imagine his life without that smiling, gentle man at his side.

“Winter nights we sang in tune, played inside the months of moon,” he sang, remembering those blissful early easy days, when classes might be cancelled because of snow and he found himself ensconced in the warm confines of the loft with Adam. Music and play began to bind them together and Kurt’s bruised heart began to heal. “Never think of never. Let this spell last forever.

“Well summer lover, passed to fall,” Kurt crooned, seeing that as the seasons passed, their relationship deepened and matured. “Tried to realize it all. Papa says he’s worried. Growing up in a hurry. Yeah…”

His father hadn’t been as enthusiastic about Kurt’s new relationship, concerned that his son was biting off more than he could chew by getting involved with someone several years his senior and light-years ahead if Blaine in regards to maturity. With Kurt living away from home, he wasn’t in a position to monitor Kurt’s relationships and finding his son involved with an older, more seasoned man had been a challenge for him to deal with.

“’Come on home, boy’ Daddy cried on the phone. ‘Too soon to lose my baby yet, my boy should be at home’.”

Kurt had long since accepted that his father’s over-protectiveness was not something that would likely ever go away completely. He could be forty years old, with a mantle covered with acting awards and a flock of his own children at his feet and he’d still be Burt Hummel’s little boy. That was something that just wasn’t ever going to change.

“But try to understand. Try to understand. Try, try, try to understand. He's a magic man, Daddy,” he proclaimed. “Ahhh… He's a magic man.”

Adam was indeed magic to him. Gentle and loving and supportive; more than willing to be a partner to him but not afraid of Kurt’s less charming qualities. He could stand up to Kurt and challenge him without belittling him the way Blaine did. Kurt felt like he could be his best self, not try to be something that he wasn’t.

“’Come on home, boy’ He said with a smile.” Kurt looked to Adam, letting his love for this man shine in his eyes. “’I cast my spell of love on you, a grown man from a child’.

“But try to understand. Try to understand! Ohh ohh! Try, try to understand!” His voice rode on the music, totally giving in to showing his love and passion for his boyfriend. “Try, try, try to understand! He's a magic man!

“Oh yeah…. Ohhh… He’s got magic hands….”

The audience hooted and applauded and Kurt couldn’t resist giving a little shimmy of his shoulders, winking at Adam. The older man just grinned, his cheeks bright with color because Kurt just proclaimed to everyone in the club that he rocked Kurt’s world on a regular basis. Tina’s mouth was drawn tight as she struggled not to giggle and Artie just shook his head in bemusement.

Kurt returned to the table to a round of applause from his friends and the Crawfords and his boyfriend giving him a wry smile. “That was very naughty of you,” he reprimanded playfully, giving Kurt a swat to his bottom before he could sit down.

Kurt wasn’t at all apologetic. “I just wanted to show what I feel about you,” he insisted, giving Adam his most innocent expression.

“So now the world knows that I have ‘magic hands’. That wasn’t exactly something my parents need to know.”

Kurt wasn’t at all apologetic, content to nestle in his boyfriend’s arms as they enjoyed the rest of the evening. He’d said what he needed to and was content to just enjoy the company of those around him. He felt Adam’s hand stroke his hair and his boyfriend’s lips pressing a kiss to his temple.

Several hours later found him in Adam’s bed, curled up around his sleeping lover. He’d elected to spend the night with Adam so he could see the Crawfords off the next day. In the dim light peeking through the binds, Kurt watched Adam sleep, his handsome face slack in repose as he slept soundly. Kurt just smiled as he looked down at Adam’s face.

Maybe later, he’d take some time to think about all the momentous changes his life had undergone in the past few months. How he had changed and grown. He would look back upon his life and see the long progression of events, good and bad, that lead him to this place.

But not now. For now, Kurt just wanted to savor the moment of peace and security he felt. The past and the future would take care of themselves. Right now, he just needed to be. And to breathe.

**FIN**

#kadam fic #kurt hummel #adam crawford #rachel berry #santana lopez #cassandra july #tina cohen chang #artie abrams #original characters #nyada #oh my god I can't believe it's finally finished!!!#just breathe

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