don't let him get under your skin. words kurt had internally repeated many times when interacting with the man beside him, ones that had failed on every single occasion. there was just something about the guy that drove him absolutely nuts. despite the thick walls he'd started carrying around when he was younger to hide his insecurities, sebastian somehow managed to narrow in on each and every one, seemingly effortlessly. he was simply too clever for this town - something kurt would be the last person to acknowledge.
"your artificial charm might work on some people, but it won't fool me." that was an unfair assessment - after all, it had been years, maybe sebastian actually had grown -- but the next words out of his mouth only seem to prove that, no, despite the changes in their lives, things between the two of them were picking off right where they'd left off. it was almost nostalgic, really, in a way that makes it all seem far less infuriating than it might have been back in the day. "thanks for the offer, but i'm good. and- for the record? i was there before anna left. for awhile, actually. over a decade, but, hey, i guess long commitments aren't really in your wheelhouse, right?"
it's a low blow, and he knows it, a twinge of guilt twisting in his chest as he hopes he hasn't gone too far - softened by parenthood, apparently. he'd heard about the end of sebastian's relationship, and, though there had been a slight bit of smugness at the news, really, he knew how hard that kind of thing could be. he might think sebastian could be a total ass most of the time, but that didn't mean he wished hardship upon him. ...not anything more than a stubbed toe or a bad hair day, anyway.