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[dancin_maxxie]

The last two months have been hard on Maxxie. In little ways, and in big ways, but nothing that he wants to complain about. He turned into a girl, and that was weird, but it's about the only thing that centers directly on him. (That involved Claire, too, but nothing Maxxie did hurt her by it.) But he fucked a guy he shouldn't have twice, kissed a

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[highf]

Apparently, Kurt is not the only young man of his age who sings showtunes as an outlet. On a practical level, this is something that he knows, the fact that the theater industry is rife with people like him, people who share his interests, people who he would deem rivals in every sense- but the thought of such people existing and walking the same paths as Kurt himself is a distant one. Hard to conceive of, when he's yet to come across any such people himself. They sing showtunes in glee club, sure, but with New Directions it was all at the point of a nostalgic man who'd hit his prime several years ago, and in the Warblers, it was always meant as a novelty that would resonate with the older audience or catered towards the image of the group, one sustained over many decades. To actually come across someone who, without an audience, without any prompting, would sing from Company is a first for Kurt, who happens to be walking by the stage simply because it's a place he goes often, a place where he reflects, practices, lives

[highf]

Parting his lips and prepared to engage with whatever drops from Maxxie's lips next, Kurt finds himself at a slight loss with the compliment, all at once closing his mouth again and resting his cheek against his knuckles, shy. The vote of confidence is appreciated, Kurt can't deny that. At the same time, there are certain issues which aren't possible to brush over in a minute, and with all the remarks that have passed by him over the years, names and descriptions innocuously pinned to him that have circled back, this just happens to be one of them. If he's to be honest, it's not just having people assume that he loves the glitter and gold that bothers him (he's aware of how he dresses, after all, and that his ideas are all shaped around that spotlight).

"I recently had another growth spurt, a couple of inches that have definitely helped around school," he says first, so as not to completely discount Maxxie's remark, even as his cheeks flush something fierce. "But if my well-meaning school counselor still referred to me as looking

[dancin_maxxie]

"Yeah, but... that's what other people think." Maxxie realizes just how stupid this sounds after he's said it; he bites his bottom lip and huffs out a laugh at his own expense. Of course that's what other people think and of course what they think matters. But that's not the point that Maxxie's actually trying to make

[highf]

"I was the only out student- no, only out person at McKinley, before I transferred over to private school," Kurt point outs, not unfriendly or harsh in tone, but simply in the interest of letting Maxxie better see where he's coming from at all. There's simply a lack of education, a lack of exposure, and for all that he keeps his eyes glued on the pride parades, wherever they may be, it isn't the same as knowing what to do in the everyday. Maybe he shouldn't need reassurance when it comes to these things, but Kurt's pretty sure that everyone comes across this type of insecurity at some point in their lives, even if some aren't nearly as prone to dwelling on the matter for long. Only he hasn't had the background support. "Dalton had more out guys, but I'd only been there for a short while before I landed up here on the island, so

[dancin_maxxie]

As… lackluster as Bristol’s gay scene could be at times, Maxxie can’t say he’s ever been completely alone. Then again, he knew where he was going. He sought out the company of others, knew pretty well from the beginning what he wanted to be and didn’t let himself waver from that. He knows it’s not that easy for others and that hiding it a lot easier than taking chances. He feels for Kurt, wishes things were different, but he can’t really understand it.

“Well, you’re not alone now,” he says with a gentle smile. “And you’re a performer. You’ve got to learn to work with what you’ve got, which is just yourself, your body, and that means being comfortable with it. But that’s a lifelong thing, I guess, so…” Maxxie trails off with a shrug. He wants for all his friends, most of the people around him, to be happy, but he doesn’t want to be pedantic about it. No one likes that. “I guess I’m stuck in the short shorts and you get the hunchback, Riff Raff. Maybe one day we’ll switch.”

[highf]

There's something distinctly uncomfortable about discussing his issues with body image, like a slight itch under his skin that makes him want to move, shift, slink into denial. Maxxie is a safe enough audience that he doesn't, and there's a great deal of reason to keep on the topic for the sake of principle alone, but when he offers an out (more or less), Kurt grabs it, flashing Maxxie a smile that would have fooled most people, soft and confident- if not necessarily in the ways that they're discussing now.

"It's a work-in-progress," Kurt declares at last with a grin. He isn't crippled by any of it, he reminds himself, even if he isn't as willing or able to parade himself as wholly as Maxxie or Sam. (And if even guys like Finn find themselves at a loss, is it really surprising that Kurt does as well?) "I don't exactly plan on letting up on my lifelong attempt to expand my limits. But... thank you."

[dancin_maxxie]

"Welcome," Maxxie says simply.

Serious conversations aren't really Maxxie's strength. He knows they're necessary sometimes, but he doesn't feel comfortable in them, ever. There's always something else going on that he can't ignore and this moment isn't any different. He cares about Kurt's opinion of himself, about how he lived back home, all that. But he can't ignore how much fun they could be having.

"Come on," he says, climbing back onto the stage. Crouching down, he offers Kurt both his hands to help him up. "Two dudes and a stage. I think it's time for a duet."