It's Hard To Be The One Who Stays [Kurtbastian]

At Crossroads (May, 2012 & February, 2021)

(May 2012)

Kurt spends the morning of his eighteenth birthday alone.

"Come pick me up at noon, okay?" he had told Sebastian, as he leaned through the car window for his good bye kiss. He was born on 9:46 AM on a bright May morning, so noon would leave him about two hours after his Name manifested to get ready.

Kurt sits cross-legged in bed, alternating between staring at his watch—ticking down to 43, 44—and the smooth skin of his right ring finger.

He thinks with a thrill about the silver rings he's ordered for Sebastian and him, waiting right now at the jewelry store downtown. He and Sebastian will go pick them up on their way to brunch and shopping. They'll have one of their rare real date nights, before coming back to Sebastian's mansion to exchange the rings and properly celebrate, far far away from Kurt's dad (who had only very grudgingly agreed to this plan, with a "I will pretend to believe you're at Mercedes' and in return you will tell me nothing" face).

9:45, 9:46.

Kurt watches with breathless anticipation as the ink surfaces on his skin and etches his Name.

It isn't Sebastian Smythe.

(February 2021)

There are two missed calls from an unknown number.

Kurt stares at his phone, as he hefts his clothing bag over his shoulder and waves to the other dancers packing up.

"Don't forget—extra rehearsals on Wednesday at 9:00!" Randy yells behind him.

"Got it!" Kurt says, walking out the door. He's typing out an unnaturally upbeat message to let Sebastian know he'll be back in an hour while wondering if he has time to sneak a trip to Neiman's. He certainly needs the retail therapy, and the Chinese dry cleaner place they really should switch from probably won't even have his clothes yet—when the phone rings again.

It's the same number, and Kurt, stupidly, picks up.

"Hello?" Kurt says.

"Hey, Kurt," the voice on the phone says, and Kurt knows with a bone-deep certainty and dread whose smooth alto voice that is. Kurt immediately wants to hang up, but he can't, even though he should, because that would be rude, right?

So he stays on the phone.

"It's... Uh. It's Blaine. Blaine Anderson," the voice confirms. "I'm sorry this seems a little... stalkery, but I got your phone number from Brody. Because. Well, because I really needed to talk to you."

Blaine waits. Finally, breathing deeply, Kurt settles on, "Yeah."

A/N: *dodges stones* We all knew we were getting here with our summary right? Don't worry, we're about halfway through. We have a long way to go!