Spider was the one who fell into the coma, James is the one who wakes up. James reckons with his new life: navigating the fallout from his injury, working in slough house, and coming to terms with emotions he never allowed himself to feel. River tries to grapple the Spider he knew with the one he has; and if he can allow himself the happiness that is finally within his grasp.
More covers and info below!
(ignore the black squares they're for spacing)
Preamble (1,511)
River receives some unexpected news
Part 1: Cobwebs In The Attic (13,508)
James reckons with his new life: navigating the fallout from his injury, working in slough house, and coming to terms with emotions he never allowed himself to feel.
Chapter 1: Second chance, or a curse?
Chapter 2: The Talking Thing (So would you tell me if you want me)
Part 2: Someone New (15,884)
River tries to grapple the Spider he once knew with the James he now has; and if he can allow himself the happiness that is finally within his grasp
Chapter 1: Take your time but let me know
Chapter 2: I'm holding back and it's not fair, I think I'm trying not to care
Bonus chapter: Your fragile beauty caught me in its web
Part 3: Nothing, it seems, is lost, only relocated (11,720)
Life goes on. Together.
Fic Playlist:
Original post: 🥰
cover art:
Edward Hopper, Attic in Nyack, 1899. | Édouard Manet, Le Suicidé, 1877-1881. | Unknown, Wisteria, c. 19th century.
Preamble: Edward Hopper, Study for a Stairway, 1949.
Cobwebs in the Attic: Edward Hopper, Man Seated on Bed, 1905-1906. | Edward Hopper, Studies of Hands, 1905-1906.
Someone New: J.C. Leyendecker, Illustration for 'A Voice in the Rice,' 1910. | Francis Cadell, The Boxer, c. 1920s. | John Singer Sargent, Reclining Male Nude, c. 1890-1915.
Well, it’s the next day for our beloved Usagi and Mamoru! I know it’s been a while. Between the rest of UsaMamo week and Smutember, I haven’t had a lot of time to work on this beast. But it is fully outlined now! And you’ll have many more chapters to look forward to, I promise. For now, please enjoy!
Note: for reference in the song— bold is Blaine/italics is Kurt/both is both
—
Kurt Hummel is tense the moment he walked into this New Years' party. Not only is it loud and overwhelming, but he doesn’t even know anybody here. Although, this is better than a New Years' party with, say the McKinley football team. At least there are no lockers here to shove him into. Nevertheless, he quickly settled himself on the corner of a couch in the quietest corner (which is not very quiet at all).
If it wasn’t for his dad forcing him to try and make friends, Kurt wouldn’t be at this party at all. He’s tried to explain to his dad that he does have friends on the Cheerios with him, to which his response is always about how he wants Kurt to have guy friends.
Sure, he’s been amazingly accepting ever since Kurt came out of him back in his sophomore year, but that never stopped Burt Hummel for wanting a son on the football team, or at least with some other guys that he can sit with at lunch or whatever. (What to guys even do together? Watch football? It’s really no interest of his.)
Besides, what friend was he going to make at a New Years' party at a retreat in the middle of Ohio? Kurt wouldn’t ever see any of these kids again, so what's the point?
Kurt settled back against the couch and crossed his legs before pulling out his phone. Maybe Brittany or Santana can distract him through text, or at the very least, he can find a new Vogue.com article that he hasn’t read yet.
Vaguely, in the background, there was some slightly off-key karaoke by probably drunk teenagers. He winced slightly when a girl tried to hit a high note that she couldn’t quite reach, but besides that didn’t react. While Kurt was fully aware that he could carry a tune, there was no way he would go up there and sing live (even though he would have hit that note.)
Judging by the scattered clapping around him, Kurt guessed that whatever pair was up there had just finished, and the DJ once again started asking for volunteers. When nobody immediately volunteered, they started threatening to pick someone at random. He shuddered, sending a silent apology to whoever got chosen.
As it turns out, though, Kurt spoke too soon. The next thing he knew, there was a bright light shining right at him as someone pulled him up off the couch and gestured him over to the stage. He tried to say no, tried to pull back, but nobody was listening. Before he knew it, Kurt was standing on the stage next to a random guy his age.
“Someday you guys might thank me for this,” the DJ shrugged, handing the other kid a mic before glancing at Kurt. “Or not.”
Kurt rolled his eyes. Great, thank you, DJ from hell.
He let himself glance quickly at the kid next to him, but he was so nervous that he didn’t even take in any of his face before the kid was turning his head to look at Kurt, making him quickly look away. Great, now he had to sing a duet with some random, probably straight kid who must think he’s a weirdo. Perfect way to end the year.
Words to a song that he didn’t know started rolling across the screen in front of him, and the kid took the male lead. Considering Kurt was still trying to calm himself down, it was probably for the best.
They were still avoiding eye contact when the guy began to sing.
Living in my own world
Didn’t understand
That anything can happen
When you take a chance.
Duet Guy’s voice was beautiful, Kurt couldn’t help to admit. (And so was his face, judging by the quick glance he took while he was singing.) However, he also looked very unsure, like Kurt might leave at any moment and he would be stuck there on the stage by himself.
Kurt was still the most uncomfortable he’s ever felt, but there was no easy way out of this situation than to bite the bullet. If not for him, than for his poor duet partner. So, taking a deep breath and still avoiding eye contact, he joined in the second verse.
I never believed in
What I couldn't see
I never opened my heart
To all the possibilities
He was more than pleasantly surprised when Duet Guy added the little ‘oh’ after the third line, causing added his own ‘ooh’ after the fourth. Still, Kurt refused to give him more than a glance out of the corner of his eye, but he could feel Duet Guy’s looking at him as they sang together.
I know
That something has changed
Never felt this way
And right here tonight
Okay, Duet Guy is definitely staring at him now. For the first time since the song started, Kurt allows himself to make eye contact and oh my god Duet Guy is gorgeous. Hazel eyes meet blue ones and Kurt stops breathing for a moment. He has to look away just to keep singing without passing out, but by the third line, they’re making eye contact again.
This could be the start of something new
It feels so right to be here with you (oh)
And now looking in your eyes
I feel in my heart (feel in my heart)
The start of something new
Cheers erupt from the crows as Duet Guy starts taking off his blazer, throwing it somewhere as he brings his mic closer Kurt feels his heart pounding as Duet Guy sings the next verse. He’s smiling so big by this point now that the nerves have been replaced with this new, knee-weakening emotion.
Now who'd have ever thought that
We'd both be here tonight
And the world looks so much brighter (brighter)
With you by my side (by my side)
I know that something has changed
Never felt this way
I know it for real
This could be the start of something new
It feels so right to be here with you (oh)
And now looking in your eyes
I feel in my heart
The start of something new
Duet Guy is doing this dorky dance as he dips the mic for the bridge, and Kurt can’t help but laugh as he watched him. The crowd behind them is dancing and clapping along, but Kurt doesn’t notice any of that. His mind is occupied at the moment by one person only.
I never knew that it could happen till it happened to me
I didn't know it before
But now it's easy to see
It's the start of something new
It feels so right to be here with you
Duet Guy is getting closer to him, so close that Kurt stepped back a few times, almost falling off the stage. His face is heating up as Duet Guy continued to smile at him with that gorgeous face.
There is no way that Duet Guy can be this attractive, this talented, and also gay, but perhaps this year is wishing luck to Kurt after what he’s had to deal with. He smiled wide just at the thought, joining Duet Guy with his own terrible dancing.
And now looking in your eyes I feel in my heart
That it's the start of something new
It feels so right to be here with you
And now looking in your eyes I feel in my heart (feel in my heart)
The start of something new (The start of something new)
The start of something new
The song ended with Kurt face-to-face with Duet Guy as the note dragged out. His heart was pounding fast, eyes moving all over his face as he tried to memorize every detail, because shit, this guy was hot, and was he crazy, or were their heads moving closer together?
Their moment of solitude was broken (probably for the better, this is Ohio after all) by the clapping and cheering from the crowd as the DJ walks up to them. Quickly, before they’re kicked off the stage, Duet Guy sticks his hand out. “Blaine.”
It took a moment for Kurt to realize oh, that’s his name, before he shook Blaine’s hand. “Kurt,” he says with a smile, which is only matched with an even more enthusiastic one from Blaine.
“Do you wanna hang out? Grab some hot chocolate?”
Kurt grins even wider. “Yeah, that would be nice.”
—
Blaine Anderson has never been happier that his mom forced him to a party. He was expecting a night full of drunk straight kids making out, and instead got one with an unexpected duet, and a cute guy with it.
Neither of which were bad things. In fact, Blaine doesn’t think he could ask for a better night.
He and Kurt were standing outside at a table, hot chocolate mugs in hand while snow fell softly around them.
“You’re a singer, right? Your voice is really good!” Kurt asks, and Blaine feels himself blush, hoping he can just pass it off as the cold.
“Um, no, not really. I mean, I’ve only ever performed at malls and theme parks, and I was in a glee club for a bit at my old school, but I’m transferring after the break so I think that’s the end of that,” he responds to Kurt’s bewilderment.
“Really? I could see you on Broadway someday, Blaine.”
Blaine smiles. “Thank you. What about you? You must have quite the audience back at home with a voice like that!”
Kurt grins, turning his head slightly so he’s looking at Blaine sideways, giving him a playful (and slightly flirty) smile. “Why, yes, my shower head is my biggest fan.”
Blaine laughs along before they’re interrupted by the crowd counting down loudly behind them. Suddenly, both Kurt and Blaine faced each other in panic, realizing that it’ll be New Years' in a few seconds, and they’re about to be surrounded by kissing teens in celebration.
The chanting ends as they reach one. Fireworks are going off behind them, and also in Blaine’s body as he looks at Kurt, then at his lips, then back at Kurt, who's doing the same. Just like earlier up on that stage, Blaine swears their heads are moving closer to one another.
Blaine’s mind is racing, screaming what are you doing!? You’re falling for a guy you’ll never see again! And this is the middle of Ohio, surrounded by a crowd of people! Somebody is going to have a bad reaction! And yet, part of him kept moving closer, because if this is his last time meeting Kurt, he better make it worth his time.
Fireworks are lighting up their faces in shades of pink and blue as Blaine glanced up at Kurt’s eyes (they’re a gorgeous blue-green color) as if he’s asking for permission. Kurt nods, just barely, as he licks his lips.
Just as they’re centimeters away from meeting, the moment is broken by Kurt’s phone buzzing from a little pocket in his vest (which, can Blaine just say, this kid has the best fashion sense. And that pocket is adorable.)
“Shoot, that’s my dad. He wants me back now so we can get up early and miss traffic.” Kurt sighed as he swiped on his phone, not really looking like he’s ready to leave.
Blaine nodded, before something sparks in his brain. “I’ll text you! I’ll text you tomorrow! Here, give me your number,” he says as he hands his phone over to Kurt.
“Oh! Right!” Kurt smiled, taking out his own phone and handing it to Blaine. They both tapped in their numbers, taking photos quickly for their respective contacts, before switching their phones back.
“Singing with you was really fun, and I would love to do it again sometime,” Blaine smiled down at his phone, where is new contact was saved forever. “So where do you-” he turned to face Kurt once again, but the other boy was already gone.
Blaine glanced back at the crowd behind him, then back up at the fireworks that were still going on, smiling softly to himself. Once they were over, he moved to go inside and find his mom when he felt a buzz in his coat pocket.
Fishing out his phone once again, he opened the new message that was waiting for him.
From: Kurt Hummel: Thank you for tonight :) it was the most fun I’ve had all vacation
From: Kurt Hummel: So, how do you feel about musical theatre?
Blaine laughed, letting his head drop to his chest as he read the message over again, glancing up at the contact photo just to make sure he wasn’t dreaming.
Something was telling him this wasn’t the last he was going to see of Kurt Hummel.
I wish I could just be a like physical injury whump writer instead of a crippling mental illness writer😭😭 like these bitches just want to kill themselves😭😭
@no-way-0ut sent me this and like i cant stop thinking about it
The painting is Le Suicide by Edoard Manet and im not sure when/how these 2 were joined up but its so fucking perfect for cobwebs in the attic that i'm going to update one of the fun covers with it because!!!!
