Chapter 8

The day after the talk show was a Friday. Kurt texted Blaine when he was done with his classes, around lunch time. Blaine texted back hours into the afternoon, having been busy filming all day. He had to go quite quickly.

On Saturday Kurt texted Blaine pretty early, asking him to let him know if he had some time for them to see each other during the weekend. Blaine said his weekend was a mess. Josie, the girl who had played Amy in ‘Amy and Chase’, the show Blaine had became known for, was in New York and they were doing a last goodbye run of press and fans meetings. He said he would let Kurt know if he got some free time later in the weekend.

By Sunday afternoon Kurt was not only convinced he was not going to get to see Blaine that weekend but that something else was going on. They had texted every day as usual and Blaine wasn’t openly avoiding him, but he didn’t sound like himself. He was distant. Kurt started to worry Blaine hadn’t meant some of the things he had said on TV or he was regretting them. But mostly, he really wanted to talk to Blaine, to know what was going on in his head and try to help.

Kurt had managed to let it slip that he had seen the interview. Blaine had changed subjects quickly.

After dinner that day Kurt was on the couch, in his pijamas, sketching in a little notebook. Meanwhile, Rachel was working on some homework. They had some music in the background and every couple of songs one of them would start singing softly along the music, the other joining shortly after. As they were perfecting their own version of Air Supply’s ‘Making love out of nothing at all’, Lady Gaga interrupted them from Kurt’s phone. It was a call from Blaine and he went to take it to his room.

“Hey!” He answered, excited to hear from the other boy.

“Hey you!” Said Blaine, sounding sleepy.

“How was the signing? You just made it home?”

“I actually finished like two hours ago but completely passed out on my couch... Fans meetings are quite energy drainers.”

“Oh! I’m sorry about that. Wanna go sleep? We can talk tomorrow...” Kurt suggested, feeling better about them already now that Blaine had called.

“No, I’m okay. I took a nap, I’m good as new.” Blaine assured quickly.

Kurt laughed softly.

“Actually...” Blaine started to say before Kurt could talk, “ How inappropriate of me would be to ask if I can see you tonight?”

That took Kurt by surprise, but he was glad Blaine asked because he wanted a chance to talk, too. And, with him starting his new job the next day, he knew they’d probably not get another time to do so until the following weekend.

“I guess I could do that.” He said with a playful tone.

“Great, I... There’s this little coffee shop near Central Park, I would text you the address, would you meet me there? There’s a place I want to take you to from there.”

“Oh, ok. That’s fine. See you there in an hour or so, that’s ok?”

“Cool. See you, Kurt.”

“See you.”

Kurt quickly went to change out of his sleeping clothes and put himself presentable, while wondering what Blaine’s plans were.

When he was ready he left his room and found Rachel still in their living room. The girl looked up at him and raised an eyebrow.

“I’m going to see Blaine” He explained, a goofy smile making its way to his lips by itself.

“I figured.” Said Rachel matter-of-factly with a wide smile. “Have fun!” She added as he waved and went to the door.

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Kurt made it to the coffee shop just in time. It was small, cosy and quite hidden given the location. He quickly spoted Blaine near the counter, waiting for him.

They shared a quick but warm hug and Blaine called the barista by her name, talking to her affectionally. He ordered their coffees, turning to Kurt with a raised eyebrow and asking “Grande not-fat mocha, right?” So... Blaine knew his coffee order, that made something twist in Kurt’s belly.

Blaine then turned the other way, where a guy who was twice Finn’s size was standing, he looked completely unamused. “Nate?” Blaine asked and the huge guy, Nate apparently, just shook his head. Blaine went on, talking to the barista as if nothing had happened.

When they got their coffees Blaine directed him out of the shop and started walking towards Central Park. Kurt saw, from the corner of his eye, that Nate guy following them. He was either a bodyguard of it was going to get really akward, really fast.

Blaine realized where Kurt was looking and said, “Yeah, sorry about that. It’s probably going to be empty by now and he is definitely staying by the gates, but I had to bring him, just in case. Just completely ignore him, he would keep some distance and you won’t notice he’s around. ”

“It’s fine, really.” Kurt answered, and he meant it. Blaine was just taking care of them and this was the kind of thing Kurt had told himself he would be helpful about. So, not bitchy remark, he reminded himself, and smiled at Blaine.

“Thanks.” Blaine said absently, in a low whisper Kurt almost didn’t catch.

“So, how was your weekend?” Asked Kurt bumping their shoulders, trying to lighten the mood.

“Fine, I guess. I love ‘A & C’ fans, they’re so enthusiastic. But it was exhausting... And Josie was there, that never helps.”

Kurt turned to look Blaine in the eye, curious. Back when the show was cancelled there had been rumours that Blaine and his co-star didn’t like each other, but now that Kurt knew Blaine was such a darling, he had just thought those hadn’t been true.

 “Mm, may I ask?” He wondered, softly, trying not to pry.

“There’s not much to it. She thought a kid fresh out of high school was not good enough of a counterpart for her from the begining. I didn’t even know what I was doing at first, so I just tried to be nice.” Blaine explained, sounding frustrated and keeping his eyes on the floor. “But, turns out, that doesn’t work with her and I had been bullied and understimated enough my whole life to take that crap from her, too. I snapped once and apparently all she had wanted for a year and a half had been for me to give her a reason and it just scalated from there.” He finished, sighing.

“Who would have guessed there was such a bitch under that cute face.” Kurt reasoned.

“She’s awful, and she’s not even that cute.” Blaine played along, the cutest expression on his face.

“And what made you think I was talking about her?” Kurt backfired with a wide smile, crooking his head to the side .

Blaine opened his mouth in faked offense, taking a hand to his chest. Kurt almost voiced his immediate thought that no one who ever saw that expression would believe Blaine to be completely straight, but he refrained. Not the time for such a coment, yet. Instead, he laughed, Blaine joining immediately.

They kept walking, heading to Central Park, while talking.