Pairing: Kurtbastian
Words: 969
Genre: General? Character musing?
Rating: Harmless and/or needlessly philosophical
Summary: Since they got together, Sebastian has learned to use his ears.

Refrain

For someone who enjoys hearing himself talk a lot, especially in company, Sebastian is actually a good listener when he wants to be. In the past, he used this to his advantage to pick up on other people's discomfort; to push them harder and pick them apart just because he could. Now, he mostly uses it to know when to stay out of Kurt's way; when to approach him with care; when to give him more (or less) of what he needs, and when to rush to his aid. He has specialised in being a Kurt-listener.

It starts on the first morning he stayed over at Kurt's apartment.

Sebastian is still in bed, not planning to come out any time soon, when he hears Kurt move through the loft, humming cheerfully to himself. He closes his eyes and tried to match the sounds to what he imagines Kurt to be doing. At first, he amuses himself imagining Kurt doing dainty little pirouettes, despite the rather solid proof he got the night before that Kurt is anything but girly, but he soon notices it doesn't match the sound. Kurt is tiptoeing, but not dancing. Trying to be quiet, then- though the humming seems a little counterproductive. Sebastian focuses on the song. It seems vaguely familiar, but he keeps drifting in and out of sleep and doesn't recognise it until Kurt reaches his bed and pulls off the sheet and whistles the refrain of his chosen clean-up tune.

"It's too early for a spoonful of sugar," Sebastian groans, trying to pull the sheet back up over himself.

"It's never too early for Mary Poppins, Bastian. Besides, it's almost noon and I want to wash my sheets," Kurt replies. "I may have tolerated your mess last night, but I'm not getting into a bed that smells like your sweat tonight. Now get up-"

"I am."

"The rest of you, too, Sebastian, and get yourself into the shower. I put your clothes out to air this morning so you can get to class without smelling of cigarettes and booze, but that will only work if you wash your hair."

Sebastian sighs. Of all the lovers he's had, he just had to end up with the one boy who's not only a morning person, but a Disney fan at that. Still, he really shouldn't miss his afternoon lecture so it's probably a good thing.

Sebastian learns to catalogue Kurt's song selection according to moods; the Beatles when he's feeling homesick, Justin Timberlake when he's feeling sexy, Wicked on very good days… Mellencamp is still confusing and Sebastian doesn't know what that means yet. But it's not just music. Sometimes the absence of songs is also telling.

One morning, Kurt is so quiet Sebastian almost doesn't hear him at all. What he hears from the couch is the rustle of paper and Kurt's breathing, which sounds controlled and sharp, not at all like the soft sighs and gasps that Sebastian had evoked from his lips the night before. He is tense, completely drawn into the world of his book, and Sebastian makes the mistake of calling out to him and telling him to stop reading sparkly vampire porn and get back in bed. He learns that when Kurt is reading, he has no patience for Sebastian's cheek and insulting his literature is a sure way to get kicked out.

When he has all of that down, Sebastian moves on to smaller things, more subtle but crucial to their new co-habitation in Kurt's apartment. The way Kurt slides his keys into his pocket after he enters when he's planning to go out later or throws them into the glass bowl by the door, signalling fatigue and the need to stay in. His passive aggressive way of making more noise than necessary with things in the kitchen when Sebastian wants to watch football on tv. The difference between 'I'm fine' and 'I'm fine'. There are too many sounds that make up the song of Kurt, and Sebastian knows he has only gotten the refrain down for now, but it works. Maybe tonight, if he's lucky, he gets to hear his favourite line.

The End