missed connections (klaine secret santa 2024) - Chapter 3
Ooof . . apologies for the delay, @cryscendo!
But here you go! Another installment!
Many thanks as always to @esilher for all her assistance with the French in this chapter! Link below the artwork below.
Summary: A missed connection encounter refers to a situation where two people have the potential to form a significant bond but fail to do so, often due to timing, circumstances, or misunderstandings. Itās a moment of connection that remains unexplored.
****
It is 1893. Vogue Magazine is in its second year of publication.
One of its most popular writers, Kurt Hummel, is both worshipped and feared by his readers - his ability to cut down or to uplift those yearning for social acceptance and acknowledgment rivals the influence that even those of the illustrious Four Hundred had.
When Kurt is assigned a new illustrator for his column, he is not pleased. In fact, he despises Blaine Anderson on sight. How could he not, after how their previous first encounter had ended ā¦
For the Klaine Secret Santa Exchange 2024
Prompts: Period/Historical - AU - Enemies to Lovers - Vogue!Kurt
4. - a song title/lyric for vibes: Ofenbach & Quarterhead - Head Shoulders Knees & Toes (HBz & Marv U Remix) - https://youtu.be/VsDE6Kwhqyc?si=qL0upy5us_x5Jdcz
5 - a rating (G, T, M, E): Iām not picky - whatever the muse brings you. I like em all.
another entry in the "songs cricket's never heard before but now is obsessed with" category. i hope you enjoy this lil AU in honor of pride happening in my city this weekend :)
want your own ficlet? rules are here
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10:30pm, provincetown
Thereās an Adonis on the stage.
Henryās pretty sure itās not just drunk goggles; despite the heat of the day, the sunburn, and Henryās general dehydration, he hasnāt had that much to drink. But even in Henryās wildest dreams he could never have imagined the specific shade of warm brown skin, the delicate way his curls are falling across his forehead, the way the manās voice seems to sink into Henryās very bones as he sings over the noise of the bar.Ā
The manās song floats above the crowd, slinks between bodies, drapes over Henry like a blanket. Itās clearly a coverāif the way people are singing along is any indicationābut Henryās so focused on how it makes him feel he canāt focus on the words. Somehow, the rasp of the manās voice makes Henry feel like every cliche heās ever read. He can hear his racing heartbeat in his ears, he feels like dancing, he wants to breathe this man in like air, he thinks every half-formed wish sent heavenward has just come true. Henry wouldnāt be surprised to find out the man is actually a siren, heās that drawn to the singer.
Todayās been a series of fulfilled dreams: he got into grad school, Pez secured a major donor for the shelter they want to start, and he went to his first Pride. Just existing in a huge crowd of people who were also queer was such a balmāHenry hadnāt realized just how tense heād been until being in the middle of the throng relaxed him. Every person around him, as far as the eye could see, was safe, was like him, was overflowing with love for each other. Henryās made friends and kissed strangers out of general enthusiasm and spent the whole day grinning like a madman. Heās screamed and laughed and called Bea and let Pez almost drown him in glitter. Itās been an absolutely amazing day.
But all of that pales in comparison to the man behind the microphone. Henry just canāt help but stare, despite Pez teasing him for being so predictable. Nothing can bring him down today.Ā
āThank you! Iām Alex, Iāll be back in five with another set!ā
The crowd cheers and boos in equal measure, no one wanting the spell (apparently) Alex has woven to break. Henry canāt stop himself following Alexās path through the crowd, drawing in a sharp breath as he realizes that Alexās trajectory will bring him to the bar right next to Henry.
āāScuze me, sweetheart.ā Oh bloody hell, Alex has an accent that makes Henry worry for the integrity of his skeleton. He moves aside as much as he can, letting Alex squish in without taking his eyes off the way the light catches each individual curl in Alexās hair. Heās so busy cataloging the details of Alexās appearance he misses Alex actually talking to him until Pez elbows him in the ribs.
āOoof, Pezza, what?ā They truly are a great friend, because all Pez does is not significantly to Henryās other side where Alex is watching their byplay with a drink in hand and an amused quirk to his lips.
āErā¦hello.ā
āFriend of yours?ā Alex asks.
āMy best mate, for my sins.ā
Alex beams. āAnd the Blond Bombshell has an accent! Careful, darlinā I may swoon.ā
āOh.ā
āYou got a name? Iād hate to let any other blond in here think I was talking about them instead.ā Christ, the man is lethal.
āH-Henry.ā
Somehow, Alexās grin widens. āWell, Henry. You might have heard that my nameās Alex.ā Henry can only nod, all words, despite his degree in literature, completely deserting him. āIām supposed to do another half-hour up there, but after that, Iād love to get to know you better.ā
āMe? But youāreāā
āYou. I could barely remember the lyrics to Call Me, Maybe up there when I spotted you.ā
āOh. Well then. Yes. Iāll be here when youāre done.ā Henryās voice is totally breathless and he can feel Pez sniggering against his backāheāll get revenge later. Alex doesnāt seem to notice or care, just shifts and relaxes once Henry agrees. Amazingly, Henry realizes Alex had been nervous. Of Henry. Absolutely mad.
āAny requests? I wouldnāt want you to forget me while Iām gone.ā
Henryās sure heās blushing. He will blame it on the sunburn, but he knows Pez will know the truth. āIāve always been partial to Bowie.ā
Alex, the absolute reprobate, winks at him before downing his drink and sauntering back to the stage.
āDid that just happen?ā Henry asks faintly.
āAppears so, old bean.ā
Itās ridiculous, some singing and two minutes of conversation shouldnāt make him so certain, but Henryās sure heās never going to feel alone ever again once Alex gets off stage.
Over the heads of the crowd, Alex grins at him before strumming his guitar and stepping close to the mic and closing his eyes as he starts singing again.
āTonightā¦Iām gonna have myself a real good timeā¦ā
Henryās sure his delighted smile could light an entire football pitch for a week.
How about: klaine + things you said when you thought i was asleep?
thank you so much for the request! both you and @bitbybitwrites sent me the same prompt so here it is for both of you <3
i went with something canon compliant and a bit angsty for this prompt. it discusses blaineās thought regarding his relationship with kurt during the second half of season 5. i hope you like it !
Pairing: Kurt Hummel/Blaine Anderson
Rating: G
Word Count: 841
Prompt: 12 - things you said when you thought i was asleep
if you would like to send me a prompt, you can do so here!
fic can be read below the cut <3
Kurt got home late a lot these days.
He knew that Blaine had a hard time with it. He moved to New York largely to be closer to Kurt and now Kurt was too busy to really devote much time to him.
It wasnāt anybodyās fault. Kurt just had a heavy course load this semester, and paired with his Vogue internship and diner job, he hardly had a moment to himself, much less a moment to focus on Blaine. Many evenings were spent with Kurt coming home, deciding something simple for the two of them to eat, showering, and then passing out the moment his head hit the pillow.
Blaine tried to never complain about it, but Kurt could tell it bothered him.
Tonight was especially a let-down. Kurt came home from work and had discovered that their roommates would be out for the evening. Like, all their roommates. And normally, this was a fantastic thing seeing as they hardly found time to spend together with just the two of them. But just as luck would have it, Kurt was too exhausted to be able to take advantage of their personal time in any meaningful way.
āIām sorry, Blaine, but I havenāt really had a moment to breathe in about twelve hours,ā he explained apologetically, āI really just need some sleep.ā
āOh, yeah! Of course! I get it, yeah, get some rest, honey,ā Blaine replied encouragingly, offering Kurt a chaste kiss of the cheek. He was trying to not let his disappointment show, and Kurt could appreciate that.
It wasnāt until that evening that Kurt really got to see the other end of Blaineās thoughts.
He didnāt mean to listen in, not really. He really was prepared to pass out and be dead to the world until his alarm clock devastatingly went off the next morning.
But somewhere in between the haze between wakefulness and sleep, Blaine started to speak. Not to Kurt, or rather, not in a way that Kurt was ever supposed to hear it. He sat up in bed and sighed ā Kurt felt the bed jostle even despite Blaineās efforts to not disturb him.
āSometimes I feel like you donāt really want me around,ā Blaine muttered into the darkness, and yeah, Kurt was definitely not supposed to be hearing this. A warm hand ran through his hair gently, carding through in soft strokes. āEver since I moved to New York, I dunno, I just feel like our relationship isā¦ different somehow.ā
Kurt shouldāve done something. He shouldāve alerted Blaine that he was awake, because these thoughts that Blaine was sharing were something personal and private.
Against his remarkably better judgment, Kurt didnāt move.
āI think a lot of it is probably my fault,ā he confessed to who he believed to be no one. āI know you say that you forgive me, and I do believe you. But I feel like some part of you still holds it against me. Not that I blame you.ā Kurt heard Blaine sniffle and wondered if he was crying. Then, the hand in his hair moved as Blaine grazed his thumb along Kurtās cheek. It was a sweet, loving gesture, but it took a bit for Kurt to not react to it in a way that would reveal he was not actually asleep.
āI should probably tell you all these things when youāre actually awake, huh? Iām just scared, I guess. I donāt know if itās obvious yet, but Iām not really that great at this whole relationship thing. I feel like when we first met, I always knew exactly what you needed. Now, Iām not so sure.ā Blaine took a breath and finally pulled his hand away.
āI thinkā¦ I think I just need you to need me,ā Blaine eventually admitted, and even the way Blaine spoke felt weighted. āItās selfish as hell, I know, but I liked feeling like you needed me. You were so scared and alone and needed someone to protect you and I loved being that person for you. But now you donāt, andā¦ and Iām still trying to figure out how to be okay with that.ā
Blaineās voice broke and Kurt felt his chest constrict at the sound. āI love the man you are, but I canāt help but miss the boy you were. Youād probably be pissed if you heard me say that.ā Blaine let out a soft laugh, but it was devoid of any real humor. āItās so much easier to say these things when youāre asleep.ā
After that, Blaine fell into silence. It felt like ages, but he eventually resettled into bed, pressing a kiss to Kurtās temple before finally cuddling up next to him. Blaine was warm, but Kurt couldnāt help a chill that sat deep in his bones from everything he just heard ā every word Blaine wanted to say to him but couldnāt find the strength to say it. With his arm wrapped protectively around Kurtās waist, he murmured one final thing before drifting off to sleep.
Hello! You may be able to help me. I am looking for the name of the artist who drew this stunning pic of Kurt. Iāve used it as an inspiration for a Kinktober fic and Iād love to give them credit.
Do you know who it was? The pic was shared to me by someone else who was unsure of its origins as well.
I have no clue. I looked it up through reverse image search as well and there's no match. Personally, I also do not recognise the art style as someone's style.
I'm gonna @ my co-owner of the blog @justgleekout do you happen to know it?
Otherwise, if anyone else knows who made this fanart, please let us know in the replies.
EDIT: @misqueue identified it as Vanity by mistysigh, who has deactivated both their Tumblr and DA, but misqueue reblogged it!
Eee! Thank you! This bit is from the next part of the Elliott POV interlude set while Blaine's unconscious, The Soft, Shivering Place. (It will be part of the main fic, I'm just kinda writing it on the side.) Once again, cut for length.
---
āHey,ā Elliott says as he comes home to Kurt in the kitchen--and by the look and sound of it, heās preparing dinner. Elliott slips his shoes off at the door, relieved that Kurtās come back to share a meal.
āHi,ā Kurt doesnāt look up from the quick, controlled movement of the knifeās blade on the chopping board. The clip of steel on wood is the only sound in Elliottās quarters. Kurt hasnāt even put music on.
Elliott summons a control pad on the wall by the door, taps the music on. Chill, meandering instrumental. āHowās Blaine?ā
Kurt stays focused on his hands. His shoulders are a straight hard line. āUnconscious still, but heās alive and stable. Just seeing him relaxed and breathing...ā Kurt blinks and sniffs before continuing. āMr. Nixon in a similar state to Blaine, heās generally better off, I think he opened his message last. Mr. Duval is... stabilized but critical. I heard Major Clarington was unaffected, but is presently detained since the message seems to have come from his data rig.ā
Elliottās not permitted to tell Kurt what heās learned about the investigation yet. Instead he asks, āIs there a prognosis?ā
āOur doctors say they canāt do much more than what theyāve already done. Ambassador Dolloway, she sent an emergency order to the ship that brought them here, to turn around and render aid. She said theyāll have the facilities to do the--whatever needs to be done with the computers to clear them of the virus and restore them. Deal with any... brain damage incurred.ā Kurt shudders, and the knife pauses...
...and resumes. āTheyāre so far from home,ā Kurt says. āI canāt imagine--ā He breaks off when his voices quavers.
āThe Ambassador must be shaken.ā
Kurt nods silently, blinks furiously.
āYou as well.ā
āWell, yeah,ā and Kurt sets the knife down carefully; his hand trembles. āIt was horrible--is horrible.ā Turns his face into his elbow and shudders again.
Summary: For the Klaine Secret Santa 2023 Gift Exchange and was paired up to write something for the lovely and talented @mynonah.
You gave me a fantastic assortment of things to choose for prompts. It was challenging at first to decide which combination of them for your story!
I may have taken some liberties with how the medical profession actually works and how hospitals are run just for this fic. My apologies if some things aren't factually correct.
Send me a Ship and a Number and I will Write a Kiss
ā¦on a scar.
Love the list and tempted to send ore than one number in one go . . but I won't be greedy . . š
from the kiss list / see the rest
Notes: Mentions of the fact that Blaine has scars caused by his Sadie Hawkins experience but no details about it.
~~~~~
"So I can't help but notice," Kurt says. "That no one else is home."Ā
He smiles mischievously and pulls Blaine down next to him on the bed. Blaine feels the affection unfold in his stomach. He loves Kurt like this. Cheeks flushed and eyes bright and so obviously interested that it soothes some of Blaine's constant insecurities.Ā
"Hmm," Blaine hums like this fact had completely escaped him and the thought hadn't been thrumming under his skin for the whole car ride here. "Yeah. I guess my parents are both out tonight."
Kurt doesn't bother to act coy. His arms slide over Blaine's shoulders and then their mouths meet, soft and warm.Ā
It still feels so new. Kissing Kurt. Even though it's been a few months now. Months of sweet, shy kisses that have melted into heated making out. They've learned how to turn their heads to perfectly fit together. Blaine knows that Kurt's nose fits in the groove of his cheek. He knows that Kurt makes a gorgeous, needy little noise if Blaine's teeth catch on his bottom lip. He knows that his hand always finds Kurt's cheek or jaw, eager to keep him close.Ā
It's unusual for them to get any real privacy and Blaine doesn't fully know what he expected from suddenly getting some, but he loves how itās turned out. Just the opportunity to kiss slowly and lazily, a constant catch and release of mouths and shared breaths until his ears are flushed and his lips feel swollen and Kurt's eyes are dark and heavy.Ā
Blaine can't believe how good kissing feels. He could happily never stop kissing Kurt.Ā
"Can Iā¦?" Kurt breaths, trailing off. He toys with the buttons on Blaine's shirt.Ā
"Hmm?" Blaine can't stop staring at Kurt's mouth. Slightly red and damp. Completely kissable.Ā
"Can we take our shirts off?"
Blaine freezes, breath catching nervously. He wants to see Kurt so badly and trail his fingers across Kurt's perfect skin. Map out the shape of him without clothes in the way. But. That would also mean exposing himself. And he doesnāt know whether to warn Kurt about the scars. The ones that spider from his hips and up across his ribs. But the warning will just invite more questions. He doesnāt want to talk about Sadie Hawkins right now. Not because he doesnāt trust Kurt. But because he just wants to be with him in the moment and not invite his past into this bubble theyāve created.
Of course, not telling him means that Blaine might have to watch his face turn to shock or disgust. Blaine is not ashamed of the scars. And he doesnāt think that Kurt is the sort of person to care about them either. But thereās always that small level of doubt.Ā
"Blaine?" Kurt prompts gently. "Sorry. It's too soon. Forget I-"
āNo,ā Blaine interrupts. He cups Kurtās face. āItās not that. I want to. Justā¦ do mine first.āĀ He doesnāt want to talk about the scars. But he does want to get the reveal over with.
Kurt catches Blaineās eye as he reaches for Blaineās buttons again. He makes quick work of them, hand sliding warmly over Blaineās collarbone as the sliver of skin is exposed. Blaine shrugs out of the shirt before he can change his mind, letting Kurt pull it away eagerly like a kid tearing wrapping off a gift.Ā
He hears the way Kurtās breath catches. āWow,ā Kurt murmurs. He sounds reverent rather than appalled so Blaine chances a glance at his face. His eyes are soft with open adoration. It makes Blaineās own breath stutter. He thinks Kurt must not have noticed the scars somehow, as impossible as that would be. But Kurt places his hands directly over the worst of them in a gentle caress.Ā
āDoes this hurt?ā he asks.Ā
āNo. Theyāre old scars.ā
Kurt gives him a knowing look. Like he knows as well as Blaine that some scars never truly heal. āCan we lie down?āĀ
Blaine wants to protest that Kurt still has his shirt on but if Kurt looked at him the way he is now whilst half naked, he might just combust on the spot. So he just nods. He lets Kurt push him down. Kurt doesnāt quite straddle him but he does hover over him, pressing another lush kiss to his waiting lips before turning his attention to Blaineās chest again.Ā
Itās startling when he puts his lips directly on Blaineās bare hip. Blaineās breath punches out of him. For all the kissing theyāve done, it couldnāt prepare him for Kurtās lips on the more untouched parts of his body. It feels so intimate, the way Kurtās lips softly press the path of the most obvious scar. Blaine shivers, hand fisting uselessly in the sheets.Ā
āIs this OK?ā Kurt checks, voice low. āYouāre trembling.ā
āItās OK. Better than OK. Good even,ā Blaine babbles and Kurt grins down at him, head slightly cocked.Ā
āGod, youāre gorgeous. Iām kind of feeling insane that I get to see you like this.āĀ Ā
Blaine would agree but Kurtās mouth is back on his body and all he manages is a groan. He throws a hand over his face. Heat spreads from every point of Kurtās lips on him. His hips shift helplessly against nothing. The simmering arousal from making out, slightly quelled by his anxiety, roars back into life. Blaine reaches for Kurt, finds his hair, wraps his fingers through it.Ā
āSo gorgeous,ā Kurt repeats half like an assurance andĀ half like he just can't help himself.Ā
By the time he's finished mapping Blaine's scar and is making his way up Blaine's throat instead, Blaine barely knows what to do with himself. He's hard and aching. He's breathless and flushed and incoherent. He wants Kurt's body on him, wants to get at his bare skin, wants to devour him.Ā
Kurt's face meets him back at eye level and looks down at him. He looks flushed too, bright eyed with arousal and looking at Blaine's lips. He nuzzles their noses together and Blaine melts. He hooks an arm over Kurt's shoulders and pulls him close so Kurt is half on top of him and their foreheads are pressed together.Ā
"You're perfect," Kurt says, quiet into the space between them and Blaine didn't know how much he needed to hear it.Ā
"So are you." Blaine slides a hand under Kurt's shirt, trailing over warm skin. He wants to make Kurt feel the same as he does. Adored and content and stupidly horny. "Let me show you."
Did I ask you some of these already? I forgot! If I haven't then:
2, 13 28
If I have, then you can ignore these - unless you want to answer them!š
2. Are you a pantser or plotter?
Pantser. Hands down forever and ever a pantser. Even in my original novel, for my sins š¤£
13. Describe your writing process from idea to polished
-Have unhinged idea
-Message whoever is online to be like "omg please don't let me write this"
-Get told to write it
-Create a google doc, which then has an automation set up to add a new line to the Works In Progress tab in my Airtable š
-Write, at some point, maybe??? This is VERY dependent on a number of things. Sometimes I just sit down and smash something out. Sometimes *cough*Anastasia AU*cough* they stall and linger for months
-Optional: If it's a long complicated story or I have plot stuff I'm unsure about, fling it in the vague direction of a beta reader
-Read over once for typos and then yeet it onto AO3, usually right before I go to bed so I can hopefully wake up to COMMENTS š„°
28. Favourite side character
LIAM MY BELOVED. RAFAEL LUNA MY BELOVED. TO GO BACK TO SCHITT'S CREEK, JAKE AND RACHEL MY BELOVEDS. (Lmao at @whimsymanaged who is currently watching SC and had to deal with my RACHEL!!!! JAKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
