Sebastian/Blaine, 3476 words, r-rated

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Never Can Tell What Lies Ahead

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"Into the woods and down the dell."

Fresh leaves crunch beneath his feet, the hint of birdsong somewhere in the distance of the woods offset with the sounds of the wind gently stirring the dense vegetation. There's a heady scent of dark soil still moist from last night's showers, their footsteps the sole sign of civilization.

"The path is straight, I know it well."

He whips at dead leaves with a stick Sebastian found earlier, but his boyfriend had tired of carrying it around, especially since they lost the rest of the group. Sebastian had made it quite clear for two weeks now that a senior class excursion to the woods left much to be desired, even with the added activities; they'd spend their morning playing tennis and soccer on the camp grounds, and a group of them had decided on a long hike through the woods. Only when he coaxed Sebastian away from the others with the promise of a little outdoors fooling around had Sebastian's mood improved.

They'd slowly left the group behind to make their way to a small stream, sunlight dancing whimsically in the water, and settled there for most of the afternoon. Sebastian had pushed him up against a tree and kissed him slow and sweet, withholding anything deeper, not quite like he was teasing but cherishing every moment – somewhere at the back of his mind the poet in him dared the thought of thinking it a goodbye, but experience taught him Sebastian just got like this from time to time, a little nostalgic, perhaps at the prospect of graduating soon, undoubtedly his favorite moments with his boyfriend.

For a good half hour they'd stripped out of their shoes and socks and gathered rocks from the stream, simply because they could, and afterwards he'd sat cradled in Sebastian's arms, his boyfriend's lips at his temple, casually insulting whoever he could think of. He'd laughed and laughed until his cheeks hurt, but Sebastian kissed it better, right up until the moment they'd noticed the woods growing darker.

Now they were lost without a map, no cellphone reception, and losing daylight fast. As far as brilliant ideas went, his didn't go exactly as planned. They were going to be in so much trouble.

"Into the woods and who can tell, what's–"

"Would you cut it out?" Sebastian calls over his shoulder, smacking a low-hanging branch with his bare hand, his agitation back in full force. He's long since accepted that while Sebastian never wore his heart on his sleeve, he never had any issues showing his discontent. It had taken him time to adjust to, feelings that were self-evident to him needed a little push in Sebastian, and ones he'd rather not be the cause of poured out like grains of sand through careless fingers. Thankfully he'd deciphered Sebastian after painstaking trial-and-error. They've been together for almost two years now, marked by ups and downs, but mostly a whole lot of fun.

Fun Sebastian's decidedly checked out of today.

"What's gotten into you?" he calls while Sebastian aimlessly marches on. His body still buzzes from their late afternoon shenanigans, Sebastian's lips marked up and down his neck and then a straight line to his lips, soft dents in his hips where Sebastian had colored circles into his skin. The fact that Sebastian doesn't seem to feel the same sort of bums him out. "We're in a forest in Westerville, we're together, worst case scenario we'll spend the night cuddled close for warmth."

Sebastian halts in his tracks, reaching his hands for his sides. "Worst case scenario the cops will find one of our cold corpses on the forest floor in the morning, half eaten."

"By bears?" he jokes, but Sebastian doesn't move a muscle. He sighs and idles a few steps closer, trying to ignore Sebastian's whole 'approach with caution' stance. "Sebastian, what's wrong?"

He can't keep pretending not to notice, flags have been going up left and right for a few weeks and he's put it off for long enough – they had a wonderful day despite Sebastian's reservations and now he's ruining it with this mood of his, a mood that's been slowly poisoning their time together.

During Warbler practice Sebastian is quiet and standoffish, and lets others take care of the choreography he usually enjoys piecing together. He's sung duets with Nick, Jeff and Trent in the past three weeks for lack of his usual duet partner and even his fellow Warblers started questioning Sebastian's dedication to the team. Sebastian hung out with his lacrosse buddies and had failed to invite him several times, and even though he didn't expect Sebastian to spend all his free time with him, it would've still been nice to be considered.

There are things they've stopped talking about, and every time he catches Sebastian staring at him from across the room a sad smile will paint his boyfriend's features, one too reminiscent of an impending goodbye, though he can't for the life of him figure out why. If Sebastian wanted to break up he'd tell him, he's never been afraid to tell him the truth, and besides, every time Sebastian whispers 'I love you' when they curl up in bed together it's too honest, too real to mean anything else. So what's going on that Sebastian's so hesitant to discuss?

"Nothing," Sebastian says, staring at his feet. "I'm fine."

"You're not fine. You've been defensive– and closed off, and every time I try to cheer you up you blow me off."

"That's not true."

His eyebrows rise. "You said no to a blowjob last night."

"I wasn't in the mood."

A smile curls around a corner of his mouth. "You're always in the mood."

"Not everything is about sex, Blaine," Sebastian bites. "And not everything's about you, either."

Silence reverberates in the concise distance between them, laid there in smeared accusations by Sebastian's harsh words and a tone he doesn't appreciate, and his own foolish attempt at making light of the situation. If he didn't know any better he'd say Sebastian was angry with him, but last he checked he hadn't done anything to warrant this kind of behavior. Apart from Sebastian pulling back they're the same couple of boys who fell in love over a cup of coffee, medium drip, one laced with Courvoisier, shy smiles but easy conversation, entwining with flirty innuendo he'd never tire of.

"I'm sorry," Sebastian says, yet can't bring himself to find his eyes. "I don't want to fight."

He bites his tongue, but not hard enough, because before he knows it his own anger claws through his chest, an explosive mist assaulting his ribcage. "Talk to me."

"Blaine–"

"Don't Blaine me." They've played this game before. Their arguments don't usually result in shouting matches, but if that's what it takes to coax a reaction out of Sebastian, then he damn well will shout; it's not like anyone's around to hear them. "I am not moving until you tell me what's up. God help me, Sebastian Smythe, I will stand here all night and sing the entire soundtrack to–"

He's no sooner decided to make a stand or an explosion of thunder nearly sinks him to his knees, roaring on for countless of moments as if the sky decided to aid in his fight.

Drops of rain pelt down on the leaves and branches overhead, but it's not long before the water breaches the green ceiling and finds its way to them.

Just his luck.

"Oh God."

Sebastian's by his side in the blink of an eye. "What was that you said about cuddling up for the night?"

"I take it back." He whines, not even bothered enough to resent Sebastian for having relocated his charming sense of humor. "We need to get out of here."

Sebastian folds a protective arm around his shoulder and pulls him close, before the two of them are hurrying through the woods without direction, but with the clear purpose of finding somewhere dry. Rain starts coming down in straight thick lines and lightning flashes in front of his eyes, quickly followed by another roar of thunder.

By some stroke of luck he's not sure they deserve at this point, they happen on a small cabin, a parks service way station more than likely, but all he sees is four walls supporting a strong roof and shelter for the night. If there's a cabin here there's bound to be a path or a road nearby, so by morning they might be able to find their way back to the camp.

They hurry inside with another lightning strike hot on their heels, grateful to be out of the rain.

"Let me find the light," Sebastian says, and leaves his side momentarily, his boyfriend soon revealed to him in deep shadows; there's a single light bulb for the entire cabin, but it doesn't help much. There's a small wooden bunk in a corner, two chairs without a table, and a wood-burning stove that will more than likely not work in this weather.

"At least we're dry," Sebastian answers his unspoken thoughts. At least they're dry, he reiterates to himself and dries his face with his sleeve. It's more than they could've hoped for, really, after sneaking off and going their own way, after losing track of time and getting lost. Maybe he's even willing to accept that they needed this, needed the frustration to finally pry loose whatever had Sebastian wound so tightly and get somewhere. He crosses his arms over his chest, dreaming of having Sebastian's arms around him now to keep him warm, but he meant what he said outside. They'll talk, whether Sebastian likes it or not.

And Sebastian seems to pick up on his determination. "You're not going to start singing again, are you?"

He's never felt like this around Sebastian, uncomfortable under his own boyfriend's judgmental gaze. "You love it when I sing."

He hates how small his voice sounds.

Sebastian sighs, guilt wrecking his brow for a mere instance before it's gone and he wonders if it was there at all. They can't escape this anymore; either they leave here with these frustrations set like stone, ever-expanding until one of them starts resenting the other, or they talk now, they talk it through, they shout at each other while the outside world isn't looking, because if there's one thing he's absolutely certain of is that when they talk, they fix things. It's when their relationship gets marred with silences one of them forces on the other that things go awry. And they've both done that plenty.

When Sebastian finally speaks, his voice shrunk the same size as his, it's the one thing he hadn't expected. "I love you," Sebastian breathes, that same all-consuming love saturated in every word, meaning in each of the eight letters, leaving him to question what could be so bad that Sebastian feels the need to erect a wall between them.

His miscomprehension creases between his eyebrows as surely as it sets in his lungs, constricting the flow of air, his throat closing up. "I love you too."

"No, it's–" Sebastian shakes his head and lets out an almost scornful laugh, like he can't believe he's explaining this now, here, or he has to explain at all. "I love you, and graduation's coming, and– I'm terrified."

"Seb–"

He takes a step forward. Terrified of what? Of leaving Dalton? Of moving? Of things changing?

"Let me finish." Sebastian holds out a hand and inches a step back. "I'm terrified that NYADA's going to be amazing and we'll move in two different directions, and–" Another laugh follows, and now it's obvious it's at Sebastian's own expense; he's bottled this up for so long it's coming out all at once in all the wrong ways and he doesn't know what to do with himself. Which isn't something he's ever seen happen to Sebastian, his silver-tongued idiot.

So he draws in a shuddery breath, waits, gives Sebastian time and space to arrange his thoughts.

Sebastian brings his hands together, the tears in his eyes now small golden pools in the cabin's sparse lighting. "I want it to be amazing for you, you should get to live your dream, but–" He shrugs his shoulders. "Where will I fit in? I'll be stuck in my dorm to–"

Sebastian closes his eyes.

He doesn't know how much time passes before he speaks – his tongue's heavy and his mouth dry, he's still not breathing properly and his heart aches with the mirror reflection of Sebastian's pain. How could he not have seen this? He's been so preoccupied with the idea of living in the same city that he hadn't stopped to think about what the distance might mean for them. Because NYADA and NYU might be in the same city, but the past two years they've been two doors apart, and they might as well be sharing a dorm given how much time they sneak into each other's rooms. Their roommates have pretty much become each other's new roommates.

"Can I say something?"

In the time it takes for Sebastian to look at him he decides. He will do whatever it takes to convince Sebastian right here, right now, that there's no need to be afraid, that both NYADA and NYU will be amazing and they'll share that experience. Because they love each other.

He walks over slowly, aware of every single step he takes, as if each might be his last and the last one separating him from Sebastian might mean a tumble straight down the rabbit hole. He reaches a hand for Sebastian's arms, thumb stroking the material gently.

"What makes you think you won't be right by my side?"

Sebastian sniffles. "You'll make new friends who have the same interests as you. You already have this Adam character. What about me?"

"What about you?" he asks, because the answer is so clear to him, it's so obvious he hadn't stopped to think, he hadn't stopped to consider. Of course there's a place for Sebastian in his life; the very same he's occupied for the past two years. "Sebastian, you're my boyfriend. Do you really think that means so little to me? I need you."

"What for?"

It's okay, he thinks, this is okay, Sebastian just needs to hear it again. They're here, they're talking, and there's nothing they can't do when they're together.

"You're right," he says. "Our lives are going to change. I'll be living on my own, in a different city. What if I don't make friends? What if I fail? I'm terrified too, Sebastian, but not of losing you. I know that as long as I have you I can face anything."

He can see it now, how Sebastian had been saying goodbye in incrementally subtle ways, how he was slowly pulling at the seams where their lives met and was gently loosening the strands one by one; he's such an idiot. How could he not have seen this coming?

"We could move in together."

"You said–"

"I said I wanted to college experience," he interjects, stifling the argument before it can start. What he said and what Sebastian said doesn't matter now, what they're saying is what's going to fix this. "And you didn't disagree with me. I can't read your mind, Sebastian, you need to talk to me about what you want."

These past few weeks had been all about what he wanted; Sebastian's spot at NYU had been locked months ago, but between his audition for NYADA, the pre-selections, and the endless wait for his acceptance letter it had somehow all become about him. He needed the perfect audition song and he needed the right outfit; he needed to start drinking more tea to spare his voice which also meant no blowjobs to spare his throat; he would get into NYADA on his own and he would show all the nay-sayers in his life what Blaine Anderson was made of.

He never stopped to realize that so much of him lay bound to Sebastian.

"You know how I get." He casts down his eyes, picking at a lose strand on Sebastian's sweater, admitting to flaws not a self-evident thing for either of them. "I get so excited about my own plans that I forget about everyone else's."

"One of your more charming character flaws, actually."

He looks up to catch a fleeting glimpse of a smile, but it's a smile he chooses to see as a sign. The storm outside might be raging, but inside the tempest was cooling.

"If living with me is something you need, then let's do it." He reaches his arms around Sebastian's neck, forcing him on his tiptoes. "Because I'm in this with you."

Sebastian draws in a breath and nods, settling their foreheads together. They breathe as one for a few moments, hearts tempered alongside the storm, falling over and over into the depths of each other's eyes. He can't believe how little it took to erase the doubt that had slowly gathered over the past few weeks, more proof that they should communicate more openly and honestly whenever they could. But that's a conversation for later.

They make their way to the bed and he lies down in Sebastian's arms, cuddled close for warmth after all; their Dalton hoodies are surprisingly unscathed, but nothing beats the heat of two bodies in desperate need of comfort, of healing, of togetherness.

"You think they're still out looking for us?"

Sebastian shakes with a laugh. "Trent's probably got the state police combing the woods."

"Hmm," he hums, swimming in the quiet reassurance that they're safe, they're okay, and the thought that after the summer they'll be living together. He can't remember why he'd said what he said, that he wanted the real college experience – what does that even mean? Why wouldn't he want to live with Sebastian?

"You're already decorating our apartment, aren't you?" Sebastian asks, carding long fingers through his hair, curls undone by the rain earlier.

He giggles and nods, scooting up Sebastian's body again to reach his lips – Sebastian turns on his side, a leg sliding between his, sinking into a heated make-out session that warms up the entire room. How could Sebastian possibly think he could give up any of this? He's not with him because he's the only option around, because he just happened to be there for him; Sebastian found him in the midst of self-hatred and questioning his own worth, Sebastian took the time to look at him, really look at him, and cultivate all his passions. Sebastian introduced him to the Warblers, encouraged him to get into community theatre, selflessly helped him with auditions, and helped him deal with problems at home. They were friends long before they became boyfriends, and he needs both of those sides of Sebastian. And if that's selfish than so be it. It's a character flaw he learned from Sebastian.

"How about that blowjob now?" Sebastian mutters to his lips, stealing kisses down his neck.

He chuckles. "You're insufferable."

"And yet you suffer."

Their lips lock again, and rationally he knows Sebastian was joking, that charming sense of humor and all, but he can feel Sebastian's hard-on pressed against his thigh, and his hips have already started rutting against Sebastian's for more friction, so why the hell not? It's not like anyone's around to catch them. He slides down Sebastian's body, pushing his hoodie up his abdomen to rake his teeth over the skin there, rubbing his boyfriend through the denim of his jeans.

"Blaine, I wasn't actually–" Sebastian says, sighing when he frees his dick.

He doesn't waste time on any teasing, they could both use the release so he wraps his lips around the head of his boyfriend's dick, his hand around the base, and starts a rhythm that has Sebastian writhing in no time. He loves having this power over Sebastian, a power he enjoys relinquishing all the same, but there's something truly beautiful in seeing Sebastian unwrapped, unraveled and at his mercy, his abdomen tighten and relax again, faster and faster the closer he comes to his orgasm.

It's not long before the first drops of semen hit his tongue, Sebastian's groaning through his release, and he unconsciously twists his hips against the sheets, his forehead dropping to Sebastian's groin as his own orgasm slams through him unexpectedly.

He clambers up Sebastian's body again, crashing down on top of him, too spent to do anything else.

"Into the woods and who can tell–"

He snorts, his boyfriend's singing lulling him into the truest sense of security.

"–what's waiting on the journey?"

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fin

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