"Hi, would you mind if I joined you?"

It's Friday afternoon and Blaine is sitting at the Lima Bean with Mike when the unexpected but unmistakable voice hits him right between the eyes. Or, well, ears. He turns slowly, almost afraid to look, and sure enough – gorgeous, with a careful smile, it's Kurt.

It's funny, how many thoughts and realizations can run through one's head in the second or two it takes to smile and nod.

Suddenly Blaine is very aware that he's never seen Kurt in the coffeeshop before, even though he's here almost every day.

He manages to notice how many tables around them are empty, so it isn't like Kurt has nowhere else to sit – which means he came over to them because he wanted to.

His brain also registers the fact that Rachel is nowhere to be seen, which is a first.

He even has time to freak out a little, because he hasn't bothered to style his hair as carefully as he should have after PE, and the cardigan he is wearing today is his favorite, but it has seen better days, and he can feel the tips of his ears getting all hot, which means he is blushing, and Kurt is looking right at him and probably noticing all these things and more, and why is he so nervous all of a sudden?

And then he thanks all the deities he can think of that Mike knows him so well after all these years, because with one look at Blaine's face, he takes control of the situation, keenly aware of what flustered Blaine is capable of.

"Hi, Kurt! Sure, have a seat. Another coffee addict, I see?" Mike takes a sip of his tea with a teasing smile. Blaine glances at the paper cup in Kurt's hand on instinct, takes in the black M on the side – mocha then, right? Not that he'll ever need that knowledge; he just... likes to be informed.

Kurt smiles bashfully as he sits down. "Oh, addict is such a harsh word. I don't have a problem with caffeine. I have a problem without caffeine." – and they all laugh, the ice breaking. Blaine isn't ready to speak yet, afraid to say something really awkward, but Mike is right there.

"So Kurt, what do you think of West Side Story?" The school musical was just announced yesterday, so the topic is fresh and perfect. "We're both planning to audition, how about you?"

Kurt gives a little shake of his head. "Probably not. Rachel will be trying for the female lead though."

Something excited coils deep in Blaine's chest – he hopes for the role of Tony, and the prospect of maybe acting alongside Rachel's Maria is unexpected and very welcome, and makes him want it even more.

"There's some stiff competition, I heard, but with Rachel's voice... she'd be amazing." He can feel himself blush harder as he says that and there is something in the way Kurt quirks his eyebrow, something curious, almost analytical, even as he nods.

"Yes, she would. I guess we'll see."

The conversation flows easily after that. They stay mostly around the topic of Glee and the upcoming Sectionals – Blaine and Mike fill Kurt in about the clubs they'll be competing against, the Hipsters and the Warblers, and tell him about their experiences last year. Kurt's face is animated and expressive as he talks and laughs at Mike's jokes, but his eyes always come back to Blaine, keen and searching for something that Blaine would gladly give him if he only knew what it is.

All too soon, their cups are empty and Kurt is looking at the clock over the bar, getting up.

"Okay, I need to run – I promised Rachel I'd pick her up from the library. See you on Monday!"

Blaine wants to stop him, ask for his phone number – damn, ask Kurt to have coffee with him again, and bring Rachel, too – and thankfully Kurt is gone before he can open his mouth, because then reality hits him. What's going on with him? Is he really thinking about asking Kurt out – and not just him, asking both of them? Seriously, even if the idea of dating two people at the same time, and siblings at that, wasn't preposterous; even if he had any chance with them at all – even then, Blaine isn't gay. Or even bisexual. Not that it would bother him, he just... never felt like he might be.

Although now, he's not so sure.

He looks at the door where Kurt disappeared, intrigued by his own train of thoughts, until Mike nudges his shoulder with a half-amused, half-curious face. Blaine shrugs, smiles it away. He'll think about it later. Another day, maybe.

Or not. Maybe he'll just see what happens.

---

"Are you sure you don't want to audition, Kurt? It's not too late." Rachel twirls in front of the full-length mirror one last time.

"I'm sure. You look stunning, by the way."

"Of course I do, when have I ever looked less than great in anything you made?" She leans closer to the mirror to make sure her make-up hasn't smudged. "How's Blaine doing?"

Kurt glances through the gap in the backstage curtain again.

"Spectacular. He's killing them with this song. He'll be perfect." A small, private smile; a whisper. "Just... perfect."

---

When the cast is announced a few days later, it's Rachel's Maria opposite Blaine's Tony after all, and as much as Blaine hoped for such a turn of events, it's suddenly nerve-wracking. It's one thing to fantasize about the perfect chemistry onstage (and, when he's feeling brave, off-stage, too), breathtaking performances and standing ovations, and quite another to have hours of rehearsals to face together, with all the mundane, human things – stress and sweat and exhaustion, awkward dance moves and forgotten lines. It's all part of the process of settling into a role; he knows, it's not his first time. But when your partner is somebody you want to impress – someone you've barely exchanged a few sentences with so far – there are traps everywhere.

How close is too close? How to touch her hand when your own is sweaty and gross? And god, stage kisses...

Rachel as an acting partner turns out to be a lot to take. She's nice and professional, but she's also a perfectionist. Focused, calm, in control of her voice, her every move. It feels like she's putting everything into this role, all of her passion, every ounce of her considerable energy. It's scary. And humbling.

They hardly talk during the first rehearsal, apart from reading their lines, learning their marks and moves, and Blaine feels awkward and fumbling, standing opposite her for the first time as Tony. Which is silly – he's a good actor and he knows it, he shouldn't be so self-conscious, but there's this crush he can't seem to shake and it's just... it's a lot to handle.

When they sing together, the tension melts away, if only for a moment, because it's perfect and thrilling in a way singing so often is for Blaine. Their voices blend together beautifully and when they finish Tonight, Coach Beiste has tears in her eyes and Artie is beaming at them, clearly happy about his choices.

And then there's applause from the audience, loud and solitary, and Blaine looks up to see Kurt, sitting in the third row smiling, and immediately the fumbling returns, doubled.

That first rehearsal lasts almost four hours and when Blaine finally gets home and drags his feet up to his room, he's so tired he crashes, ignoring the sweaty clothes and dinner and homework. Keeping up with Rachel's pace is a real challenge.

The next two rehearsals are somewhat easier, though Rachel is still intimidating and Kurt still watches them from his seat in the audience. Blaine knows he's getting better, which makes him feel more at ease; but he also knows he's not his best yet. There's this block that he can't push through, and it's frustrating. He feels self-conscious – under their eyes, aware of their attention and unable to tell what they're thinking. He can't turn it off; it occupies a part of his mind that should really be directed towards the play. Being distracted onstage is a cardinal sin, after all.

The way Rachel looks at him when she acts, though, warm and sweet, the way her hand rests on his gently – it makes him feel as if he is walking on clouds. And yet, he still feels too shy to touch her properly in the scenes where they should come off as intimate, even passionate. He needs to work on it.

And fast, as it turns out during the Friday rehearsal.

"Can I be honest? This song is about sexual awakening, as is the whole musical. And while Rachel is the very picture of passionate, Blaine, you just seem... bashful. Can I ask, have you ever actually –"

The end of Artie's question hangs in the still air, unspoken, and in the silence that follows all Blaine can do is pray for the earth to swallow him. He knows, even without looking, that everyone's eyes are focused on him, and he should say something, has to say something –

What can he say when the truth is, he's never even kissed anyone, not really (because a peck on the lips in third grade does not count)?

"I... um... I'm waiting for the right person."

He knows he's flashing about fifty shades of red, stumbling over words, but all he can think of is that two people he kind of likes, a lot, are here, witnessing the most embarrassing moment of his life. He can't really look at either of them, but from the corner of his eye he can see how calm Rachel seems, not moved by the topic in the slightest, and of course she wouldn't be, they came from LA. They must have had plenty of sex there, and here is Blaine, the silly, awkward virgin with his outdated romantic notions, who can't even play experienced convincingly.

Artie clears his throat.

"Blaine, look. As your friend, I support your... strange aversion to fun. But as your director, I am concerned. How do you expect to convey the human experience to an audience when you haven't even opened yourself up to one of humanity's most basic and primal ones? I know you don't have a girlfriend, but I've seen all those girls swooning over you every time you have a solo. I'm sure any one of them would jump at the opportunity to help you here. Maybe you should consider taking the time before opening night and just... enjoying yourself. Call it an acting exercise."

"I –"

What can he actually say to that? When put like this, it makes sense, and maybe it shouldn't be that big a deal, but to him, it kind of is. He's been raised this way, to believe that sex should mean more than just fun, and it's hard for him to imagine being intimate with someone he feels absolutely nothing for. Except, how can he just say it out loud here?

Artie is clearly waiting for some kind of response from him and Rachel looks at him with – Blaine doesn't even know, is it sympathy or pity? Should he just agree, throw his reservations to the wind and do it for the sake of art?

Help comes from the least expected place.

"I'm sorry, Artie, but that's crap. You don't need to have sex to play a sexy experienced guy, just as you don't have to kill anyone to play a murderer." Kurt's voice from the audience is loud and clear. It's the first time Blaine has ever seen him in a confrontation and he sounds so certain and calm, so strong. "I don't think sleeping with a random person just to get it over with is something anyone should feel they need to do. And honestly, Blaine? You are a perfect Tony, you just need to be bolder when it comes to Rachel. She can be overwhelming, I know, but she really likes you, and you like her back. Just let it show."

Blaine sputters over some half-words that fail to make any sense at all, shocked by the turn of events and the fact that his crush is apparently so obvious, but Kurt's face is warm and earnest, and Rachel is nodding and smiling sweetly, and okay, maybe he can do that.

When they try the scene again, he lets go of his reservations, lets go of Blaine entirely and becomes Tony, no holding back. Maria's brown eyes are huge and full of affection, her every move a seduction, every touch a promise, and Tony feels the love and passion, the desire streaming through him, and he gives his all.

Artie's surprise when they take a break is almost comical, and the praise he offers sinks into Blaine's skin like balm. Better still, Kurt applauds louder than ever and Rachel squeezes Blaine's hand, beaming like a little sun. "You were amazing! I'm so glad you are my Tony."

It's not the end of surprises that night.

Rachel and Kurt are waiting outside the auditorium when Blaine leaves, and he blushes to the tips of his ears when they turn to him.

"Hey. You were really good out there tonight." Kurt's voice is warm, laced with a smile, and Blaine's heart stutters a little.

"Thank you. And thank you for..." Don't say defending me, don't say that. "... saying what you said, back there. It meant a lot."

Kurt shrugs and starts walking towards the exit, Rachel and Blaine following. "I'm not particularly fond of people telling other people to change just because they say so. It rubs me the wrong way. You didn't look like you were too eager to jump to it, either."

"No, not really."

They're already outside, where the parking lot is dark and quiet, almost empty at this late hour, and suddenly Blaine is not ready to let this evening end.

"Coffee! Um, I mean... will you go for coffee with me?"

The instant the question leaves his mouth, though, he knows it's all wrong. Rachel's smile freezes a little, and of course, he was only looking at her because Kurt stands to the other side of him, and he meant both of them, and it almost sounded like he was asking her out on a date, and–

"Blaine, I –" she looks apologetic and he fumbles to correct, head whipping left to right to look at them both.

"I mean, all of us. Post-rehearsal coffee. As, you know... friends. Actors. And friends. Yes." God, he shouldn't be allowed to speak to people he's attracted to. His face is burning.

Kurt's laughter sounds like music, light and sweet.

"We'd love to, but we can't. Not tonight at least, it's late and we need to be home soon. But maybe another day?"

Oh. Of course. He'd assumed again.

"I'd like that."

It takes almost a week before they finally manage to get to the coffee shop.

It's been a good rehearsal, no missed marks or forgotten lines for once, the chemistry between Tony and Maria sparking just right, and even the stage kisses finally clicked and look the way they should. Blaine almost bounces off the stage, happy and bubbly, when a small, warm hand grabs his.

"How about that coffee tonight?" Rachel is glowing, the way she always does after a good performance, and Blaine nods with a grin.

"Sure. See you outside in ten?"

They drive together and Blaine is surprised to learn that the siblings don't have a car – they walk to school, or sometimes take a bus. It's not unheard of, but it's still unusual with a good half-hour walk from their neighborhood, and Blaine files it away as another strange thing about them.

The Lima Bean is quite crowded for a Wednesday night, so they squeeze together at a tiny table, their knees bumping underneath. Everything seems brighter and more real somehow, both Rachel and Kurt look eerily beautiful, and Blaine may be a tiny bit infatuated. Not that it's anything new, it's only the intensity of everything tonight that makes him feel like it is.

He's surprised how okay he is, as if he left his awkwardness at home. But then again, they've talked a lot over the last few days, in Glee and in rehearsals, and even twice in the courtyard – short, insubstantial chats about school stuff and Glee stuff and the musical stuff, and now it feels like all the ice is broken and gone, and they're here to have coffee as not-quite-but-almost friends.

There's the obligatory recap and detailed analyzing of the rehearsal – because that's what Rachel does every evening, as Kurt explains, amused – and excited talk about Sectionals, but then the easy, safe topics are all used up and suddenly there's silence that threatens to turns awkward. Or so Blaine fears.

He's underestimated Rachel, though.

"Wow, I like this place. I can't believe I've never been here before, their hot chocolate is amazing."

"Really, not ever?" It's hard to believe; the coffee shop is the favorite meeting place for most of McKinley students. "Where have you been going all this time? For coffee and stuff?"

It's Kurt who answers. "Nowhere. We don't really get out much, apart from school. Our parents are... kind of strict."

Rachel's smile dims for an instant, but then it's back to its hundred watt intensity that looks only slightly forced. Blaine frowns.

"Wow, that... must be tough."

Kurt snorts delicately. "Yeah, well. How about your parents?"

"Oh, they're okay. They are both doctors at the Lima hospital, which means crazy schedules a lot of the time, so I had to learn to be quite independent earlier than most. But as long as my grades are good, I'm basically free to do what I choose. I'm lucky in that regard, I guess."

"Do you have any siblings?" It's Rachel again, openly curious, and soon Blaine is telling them all about his brother Cooper, who is an actor, and then about his ambitions of studying musical theater, about all the instruments he plays and his dream of winning Nationals with New Directions before he graduates, and a dozen other things.

It's only an hour later, when they've parted and Blaine's on his way home, that he realizes he hasn't really learned anything new about Rachel and Kurt at all. He still knows nothing about their personal lives apart from those little bits about their parents and long walks to school. They carefully guided the conversation so that he was the one talking most of the time, and then they had to go, leaving him with warm, buzzing memories of their animated faces and their musical laughter, their comments, sweet or witty, and the accidental brush of their hands over the small table. And while it's plenty more than he's had so far, he really hoped to get to know them better at last.

There are only three busy days left until West Side Story's opening night, but Blaine promises himself that when their schedules clear up a bit, he's taking the siblings for celebratory coffee. And he'll make sure they talk then. Because he may not know much about them, but he does know that he likes them. A lot. And not just in the potentially romantic kind of way – no, he's half-surprised to realize that now that he was allowed to get that much closer, he would genuinely like to be friends with them.

Up close, he can see so much more about them, and he likes what he gets to see. How Rachel's overconfidence is a mask to protect the vulnerable, sensitive girl beneath. How Kurt's dry wit and calm exterior hide his fierce, protective nature. How both of them seem to just get him immediately, on a level most people don't. It feels like they have a weird, wonderful sort of connection – almost like they share a brainwave frequency.

And beyond all that, he can see the one big thing they most likely never wanted him to see: how lonely they are, the two of them alone against the world. By choice or not, it can't be easy.

---

"So what do you think?"

"I think he's sweet. Sweet and shy and earnest, not to mention wildly talented and truly dedicated to music and acting. And really handsome."

"Rach, you know what I mean."

"I know. Yes, I can see why you're enchanted."

"I'm not enchanted."

"Attracted. Interested. Whatever you want to call it. I'm still not sure if he's what you need though."

"Well we won't know until we know, right? But do you think we can –?"

"Yes. Okay, yes. We can try."

"Thank you, Rachel."

"You're very welcome."

---

Visual add-ons by Hachi

West Side Story auditions, backstage (photoset)