Where Do All The Characters In The Verse Live?

St. Sebklaine: Their principal residence is in New York but the boys have an apartment in Paris and a bungalow in San Francisco as well. The penthouse that they all share was Kurt and Blaine’s first. When they got together with Sebastian he moved with them. Jesse has moved in, but is still holding onto his apartment-a point of contention between him and Bas. The Paris apartment was a graduation gift from Analise to Sebastian, but they all love the place -even Jesse. They take frequent trips to Paris to visit Bas’s family there. The San Francisco house was Kurt’s idea. He wanted them to have a place that was new for everyone without any history for anyone.

Taking A Bite Out Of The Big Apple: Rachel shares an apartment downtown with her boyfriend Tyson. Nick lives in the Vinegar Hill area and still has his own apartment, but he's holding onto it by the skin of his teeth because Melody (who still lives with her parents on the upper east side) is pushing for a commitment of some kind from him, and if he won't put a ring on it, she figures the key to his castle is the next best thing. Geneva and Jeff both live in apartments in the Tribecca area. Mercedes has a downtown loft that is literally across the street from Sam-which is either a blessing or a curse depending upon whether they are on again or off again. Brittany and Cooper both live in the same building as the boys. Brittany lives a unit a few floors down and Cooper occupies the other penthouse unit in the building. Brittany's boyfriend Armando and his daughter Carmen live in a brownstone in Brooklyn. Jamison lives near Jacinda in a luxury condo near Central Park West. Amal, Donovan and Tessa all live in the Chelsea area. Christian and his wife live in a loft in DUMBO (down under the manhattan bridge).

There's No Place Like Home -Or Ohio: Burt and Carole still live in the Hudmel family home-a fact that never fails to make Kurt feel nostalgic when he visits even though Carole has redecorated. The Anderson's haven't moved either, and Carter, Imelda and Feliciano still reside in Westerville. Jason and Laurie St. James live in a luxury condo on West 4th in Cincinnati and Lucy and Wes have lofts in the neighborhood as well. Finn and Olivia also live in Cincinnati, and have recently purchased a home in Hyde Park. Noah and Naima share a two bedroom in the Clifton-Gaslight district of Cincinnati, and Santana and An-Li both have apartments in the area. Quinn and Hunter live in the same building-but not together-in Indian Hill. Shelby and Beth live near MCC in newly renovated townhouse.

The French Connection: Analise, Catherine and Melina all live Paris, Melina has recently moved into Analise's villa and Catherine has her own residence but they all live in the 7th arrondissement.

What Are The Boys Careers?

Kurt: While I usually like to make Kurt a fashion designer, in this ‘verse he’s a Broadway star. It was a long, slow climb though and his breakout part was actually in a play he penned himself based on his life story. He recently started a run in his dream role as the Emcee from Cabaret.

Blaine: Blaine is an actor who has had several supporting roles in a string of successful television appearances and is on the verge of breaking out into major stardom.

Sebastian: Sebastian is an up and coming agent in one of Hollywood’s top talent agencies. Blaine and Kurt are both his clients and he’s getting a reputation for being able to spot “the next big thing”.

Jesse: Jesse is a Broadway star who, after signing on with Sebastian, is currently starring in his first television show playing a struggling singer/songwriter.

What Are The Relationships Like In The Poly?

Klaine: Kurt and Blaine are still Kurt and Blaine, but they are a little older and a little wiser and a lot more secure as individuals and as a couple. They are still very much in love and see their marriage and their relationship as the foundation the poly rests on. If they aren’t right, then it throws everything else off. They have had their ups and downs but fully believe they are soulmates and the feelings they have for Bas and Jesse don’t take anything away from what they have.

Seblaine: Bas and Blaine are very comfortable with each other. Blaine has come to understand who Sebastian is as a person and can see the difference between the front he puts on for the rest of the world and the person underneath. Blaine is the first real best friend Sebastian has ever had and he’s very protective of him. The attraction Bas felt in high school was surface level; what he feels for Blaine now goes all the way to the bone. He loves him and he’s in love with him. Blaine has fallen in love with the man Sebastian has become and is grateful to have him in his life.

Kurtbastian: Kurt and Sebastian started out as rivals and the underlying sense of competition between them has never really gone away, they’ve just channeled it into more positive endeavors than trying to beat the other into submission. Which isn’t to say they don’t still compete (their inability to let the other each other win is the reason Blaine banned family game night) they just aren’t vicious with one another anymore. They understand each other, maybe a little too well. Kurt calls Bas out on his crap and Bas forces Kurt to give up a little control and step out of his comfort zone. They have a tremendous amount of respect for each other and were extremely surprised at well they clicked sexually. The love they have for each other is a little sharper and even a little darker than what they feel for Blaine. They challenge each other and support each other and never stop surprising one another.

St. Hummel: Jesse never planned on falling for Kurt. He hadn’t given him, or any of the other members of New Directions, more than a passing thought since he’d moved onto the bright lights and big stage of The Great White Way. When Kurt found his way back into his life Jesse wasn’t interested in being anything other than his co-star, but Kurt has a way of getting to a guy and he got to Jesse big time. They started out with chats during rehearsal breaks then lunches then late dinners. Eventually Kurt became one of the few people in his life that Jesse allowed himself to need. He didn’t understand when Kurt explained about Blaine and Sebastian and the relationship he had with the two of them but as long as Kurt seemed happy he wasn’t going to push. Their friendship gave way to an attraction neither of them would acknowledge or act on but everyone could see. There was tabloid speculation and rumors and it didn’t help matters that Blaine was stuck out in LA working on a movie. After they both left the play they were doing together Kurt showed up at Jesse’s and they sat down and talked about what was going on between them and if it could become something more, but he had to be open to getting to know Blaine and Bas as well. Jesse loved Kurt enough to try, with the understanding that if it wasn’t working for him he could walk away and they’d still be friends. Jesse has come to care for the other two boys, but he loves Kurt. Kurt loves Jesse but he’s very aware of the razor’s edge he’s balancing on and very careful to balance between pushing Jesse to bond with Seblaine and respecting Jesse’s feelings as they are at this moment.

St. Smythe: Jesse and Sebastian have the most antagonistic relationship of the poly. They started out not trusting each other (Jesse sure Bas was just out to steal Blaine from Kurt and Bas sure Jesse was just trying to steal Kurt from them…neither was entirely wrong) They are either fighting or fucking, there’s very little middle ground. Even when they are getting along there’s always a little bit of tension. They have reached a place where they care about each other, but aren’t in love and don’t know if they ever will be. They have great sex and have a lot in common so they have great conversations. In those rare moments where they let their guard down around each other they find they connect on a deeper level than just the physical.

St. Anderson: Blaine and Jesse have a complicated relationship. It started out revolving around Kurt but has evolved to it’s own separate entity. Jesse has found easy to be with, maybe even easy to love and Blaine has found that Jesse has grown past being the ego driven boy he remembered. Their physical relationship is a bit like Kurt and Blaine’s was when they were first getting together as teens: a little hesitant, a little fumbling but very sweet. Blaine cares about Jesse more than he thought he would but he’s acutely aware that Jesse’s primary emotions lie with Kurt and he isn’t always sure how he feels about that.

What Are The Relationship Dynamics In The Poly?

I think in every relationship people take on certain roles and that holds true in the poly as well.

Kurt: The foundation. Kurt is the glue that holds everything together. He is sort of the emotional linchpin. He is the planner, the organizer, the coordinator. He makes sure Bas gets out of the office and smells the roses every once in awhile. He keeps Jesse grounded and reminds Blaine that it’s ok to fail. He schedules the dates, makes sure everyone remembers birthdays and anniversaries and mediates the disagreements. Kurt’s own issues with control come into play here, if you can’t tell and he often has trouble letting the others take care of him or trusting that they'll do things the way they "need" to be done.

Blaine: The Caretaker. Blaine is the shoulder to cry on and the one to lean on when things go south in their personal life. He soothes the hurt feelings and makes sure that everyone is comfortable and happy. Blaine has a hard time being happy if the people he cares for aren’t happy and he can’t be comfortable knowing his boys aren’t so he takes it upon himself to keep the peace and soothe the hurts that come up along the way. He's gotten better over the years at making his needs known but sometimes he still has trouble asking for what he wants and being "the squeaky wheel".

Sebastian: The Gatekeeper. Sebastian solves the problems that come in from the outside and determines who gets through to their inner sanctum. Bas is the one that sizes up people and decides if they are friend or foe. He puts out the media fires, keeps friends and family from intruding too deeply, cuts trouble off at the pass. Bas doesn’t love easily but when he lets someone in he loves fiercely. He loves Kurt and Blaine; he’s coming to care for Jesse and he will ruthlessly and efficiently eliminate any threat to his boys or their happiness. Sebastian has control issues that rival Kurt's but of the four of them he's actually the one that loves the fiercest. Sebastian's heart is like a nearly impenetrable, completely inescapable vault. It's almost impossible to find the way in, but once he's given someone a place in his heart, he holds them there forever. Sebastian doesn't loves hard and he doesn't know how to stop being in love once he falls, which is why he's so very careful about who he lets into his heart.

Jesse: The Confidant. Jesse is still figuring out where he fits in but more and more he finds himself in the role of secret keeper and confidant. He’s found that the things the boys keep from each other they tell him: their petty jealousies, insecurities, fears. By being trusted with their secrets he’s slowly coming to reciprocate and trust them with his.

What Are The Sexual Dynamics In The Poly?

Starting with Klaine because that is, ultimately, the foundation where everything rests. When they first started having sex Kurt still had a very romanticized notion about sex and the role it *should* play in a relationship. Even though Kurt understood on an intellectual level that sex could and often does exist without love, for him he couldn't imagine sharing that type of intimacy with someone he wasn't completely devoted to and felt safe enough to be vulnerable with (not an easy feat for Kurt). Blaine by contrast, didn't hold the exact the same view of sex -he saw no problem with sex for pleasure as long as everyone was fully informed and consenting-but he believedthat sex was better when two people were in love.

Kurt and Blaine were each other's firsts and together they found their kinks, squicks, boundaries and limits. Over time they became bolder and explored a further and opened up to new experiences. They have gone from being awkward schoolboys who didn't quite know what to do with their hands to sexually confident men who know exactly how to take each other-and their partners-apart.

Sebastian has never held sex up as some type of Holy Grail of romantic love. Sex for Sebastian has always been about fun and pleasure and he's never suffered from any shame or low self-esteem related to his promiscuity. From a physical standpoint, when he started sleeping with Kurt and Blaine it was pretty much everything he expected: sizzling hot sex with two men that he was insanely attracted to. What he hadn't counted on was the emotional connection. Sex with feelings wasn't new to Sebastian but sex with love was entirely new experience. He wasn't prepared for the feelings of vulnerablity or for the level of intimacy that having sex with people he loved brought up and it took him quite a while to reconcile the physicality of sex with emotional intimacy.

Jesse's views on sex are a hybrid of Kurt's old romantic idealism and Sebastian's previous hedonism. For Jesse there is a sharp distinction between having sex and making love. He doesn't have any hang ups regarding sex for pleasure and has had his fair share of one night stands, friends with benefits and random hook ups but he's also been in committed relationships where sex was about an expression of emotion. When it comes to sex with Kurt, Blaine and Sebastian, the simple truth of the matter is that he makes love to Kurt but he's just not there yet with Blaine and Bas.

Okay But Who Tops and Who Bottoms?

Disclaimer: I'm well aware that not every gay man is strictly a top or strictly a bottom and that in a lot relationships switching up the roles is a thing that happens...I'm also aware that opposite is also true. Some gay men ARE strictly tops or bottoms so...there ya go~

Jesse: Jesse exclusively tops but a lot of that is tied into his perception of bottoming as a submissive act and not feeling comfortable enough with Blaine and Sebastian to put himself in that position. He is however seriously thinking about bottoming with Kurt.

Kurt: Kurt primarily bottoms but his hardly exclusive about it. If he's in the mood to top then he has no issues doing so.

Sebastian: Sebastian is primarily a top but will bottom on RARE occasions (think Brian Kinney in QAF type of rare occasions and there you go)

Blaine: Blaine is a switch. He tops and bottoms in equal measure and has no problem doing either.

What do their family/friends think?

The Hummel-Hudson's: Burt was taken aback at first but he knows his son and he knows that Kurt wouldn’t be involved in anything that didn’t make him happy so he’s choosing to trust Kurt’s judgment. It’s a little outside of the realm of his experience, especially now that Jesse is involved, but he’s always prided himself on being open minded and accepting of Kurt’s choices and this is no different. Which isn’t to say that he relates to them all equally. He’s closer with Blaine and loves him like he’s his own. He’s grown to respect Bas and care for him but it’s not quite the “you are family” vibe he has with Blaine. He and Jesse are like oil and water. Carol doesn’t disapprove but she’s cautious. She worries that Kurt and Blaine might regret opening up their relationship. She makes an effort to treat all the boys with the same amount of openess and love she shows Blaine, but it’s harder with Jesse. Finn doesn’t really understand but he’s trying not to judge. At his core he’s a simple guy with simple, traditional values and doesn’t understand how polyamory can be functional but he’s a live and let live kind of guy. The only issue he has is that he REALLY doesn’t understand why Kurt had to drag Jesse St. James back into their lives.

The Anderson's: The Anderson’s are very traditional. After a very rocky start they have come to accept and love Kurt as they do Blaine. Their boyfriends however are treated with brutal civility. Bas and Jesse aren’t family and as far as Ma and Pa Anderson are concerned, they never will be. Kurt is the one wearing Blaine’s ring and with the Anderson name; he’s the only one that matters in their eyes. Cooper is the only one who supports the poly fully.

The Smythe's:Sebastian’s family: Bas’ father passed away his sophmore year in college. His mother and maternal grandmother approve wholeheartedly. His mother especially. Analise Smythe is far from conventional and she’s always encouraged Sebastian to follow his bliss-whatever the cost. His grandmother Catherine is a bit more grounded but no less unconventional. They adore Kurt and Blaine and have tried to embrace Jesse-as much as he’ll let them. His paternal grandmother Jacinda is a bit of tougher sell and she voices her displeasure regularly.

The St.James': Jesse’s parents have never been particularly hands on. They have only met Kurt-but only because he and Jesse performed together for a year and a half. Jesse is their favorite but that's simply because he’s the most independent and brings the most high profile accolades. Jesse was raised in boarding schools and later by an uncle who also had a hands off approach to parenting. He doesn’t have much of a relationship with his younger sister but he is close to his older brother Christian however. Christian and his wife are cautiously supportive of Jesse’s relationships. Christian isn’t sure what to make of Sebastian but he likes Blaine well enough. He thinks Kurt is Jesse’s perfect match however and part of him wishes his little brother had snatched Kurt up back when they were in high school-after all Jesse knew Kurt first.