Kurt sat in his Navigator, his forehead pressed lightly against the steering wheel, feeling exhausted.
It had been 30 minutes since he'd so abruptly left Glee club, after he'd almost kissed Mr. Anderson. As soon as Kurt had walked out of that classroom, he'd broke into a run, not stopping until he reached his Navigator, gasping, and unable to prevent the tears that welled in his eyes as he sobbed.

Lifting his head, Kurt stared into the rear-view mirror of his car, noting how red and puffy his eyes looked at that moment.

Ugh, he thought to himself, I look disgusting.

After crying for so long Kurt felt drained, and all he really wanted to do was go home, climb under his covers and sleep. Preferably for the rest of his senior year, so he wouldn't have to face Mr. Anderson ever again.

He felt…pathetic, to say the least. He liked his teacher a little more than acceptably normal- a relationship that would never work. He felt like Rachel did when she'd been 'in love' with Mr. Schuester in their sophomore year. Kurt had thought it was the stupidest thing in the world, and had teased her endlessly about her infatuation with the teacher. And now, he was in the position she'd been in.

Except, he thought, why does this feel more serious than Rachel's stupid crush?

Sighing, he looked towards the clock on the stereo.

4:55

Shit.
He only had 5 minutes to change into his uniform and get to work. Glee Club had ended 15 minutes ago, and Santana was probably already there, wondering where he was and what had happened. He quickly started his car, drove out of the school parking lot and made his way to the Lima Bean, hoping his manager didn't decide to come in today.

"Where've you been?" Santana asked, hands on her hips. "And what was with leaving Glee Club early? I mean, if the rest of us have to suffer through Berry's bullshit, you do too."

Although she looked quite angry, Kurt didn't miss the worried tone in her voice. Thankfully, their manager hadn't come in, and it was a rather slow day at the Lima Bean with not many customers present.

"Looking this good takes time, Santana." he replied, fastening his apron behind his back, opting to lie. "I...was doing my hair."

"You expect me to believe that you left Glee early because of your hair? Do I look like Finn to you?"

"If you're implying that Finn is an idiot, and asking me if I think you're an idiot...then no. You don't look like Finn to me."

Reaching up to take a box full of sugar sachets off the shelf, Kurt began stocking up the near empty containers on each table, with Santana following closely behind.

"Was it because of Anderson?" she asked.

His breath hitched at the mention of his teacher's name.

"What? No!" Kurt answered, busying himself with the sugar sachets, hiding his everlasting red cheeks.

"It totally is. I can tell. You know, he left early too. Not long after you did."

Kurt turned to look at her.

"Wait...what?"

"Uh-huh. And," Santana said, smirk ever present. "I would totally accuse you guys of sucking face, but he's been here ever since."

Kurt's eyes grew wide.

"Mr. Anderson is here?" Kurt hissed. "Where?"

"Over there." She replied, pointing towards a table in the back of the quaint coffee shop. Sure enough, there Mr. Anderson was, holding a cup of coffee in one hand and a novel in another.

"Oh."

He'd come after all.

Don't be stupid, Kurt thought. He probably just felt like coffee. This is a coffee shop after all.

"Well, I'll just leave you two to it then." Santana said, a coy look on her face as she 'accidentally' knocked over the box of sugar sachets that was on the table, spilling them all over the floor.

At the sound, he noticed Mr. Anderson lift his head, catching his eye. Kurt quickly looked away.

"Santana, that wasn't an accident- clean this up you-" he began, before heaving a sigh, knowing she'd ignore him. "Oh, whatever, I'll just do it myself."

He knelt down to gather the spilt sugar sachets, gathering as much as he could in his palm before standing to place them on the table...only to come face to face with Mr. Anderson.

"Here, let me help you."

"No, no! It's okay...I'll do it."

They both knelt down at the same time, causing them to bump their heads hard against the other, and both exclaim 'ow!'

"Sorry! I'm sorry." Kurt said, panicked, putting a hand to his head.

"No, no, I'm sorry." Mr. Anderson replied, cringing as he imitated the action.

"Let me get you some ice for that."

"Thanks."

Kurt made his way into the backroom and opened the freezer, grabbing an ice pack that had always been there for situations...well, like this. Wrapping it in a small towel, he noticed the wall next to the sink where he'd had his first...'makeout session', as Santana referred to it. He blushed, smiling despite himself and left the room, ice pack in hand, closing the door behind him.

Mr. Anderson was sitting at his table in the back, grinning when he saw Kurt coming towards him.

"Here you go."

"Thank you Kurt. Have a seat...or are you busy?"

Kurt looked around The Lima Bean. Other than an old couple sitting at a table near the entrance, business was as slow as usual at this time of the day. He looked at Santana, who was sitting leaning back at the register, filing her nails.

"I'm sure Santana will manage well on her own for a bit." he replied curtly.

He took a seat, handing the icepack to Mr. Anderson, who flashed him a grateful look as he held it to his forehead. Kurt glanced at the novel that lay on the table.

"You're reading Of Mice and Men?" Kurt asked.

"I've only a few pages left, but I've really enjoyed it so far...have you read it?"

"It's one of my favourite books."

"Oh? Do you...I mean would you...want to read the last few pages with me?"

Kurt quirked an eyebrow.

"Now?" he asked.

"Yeah...I mean...sorry. Forget I asked." Mr. Anderson replied, blushing.

"No, no! I'd love to." Kurt grabbed the book, flipping through. "What page?"

"49."

"Okay then!" He shifted his chair closer to Mr. Andersons'. "Let's begin then."

"And Carlson said, "Now what the hell ya suppose is eatin' them two guys?"

Blaine watched as Kurt closed the book, sighing, a content look on his face.

"So...what'd you think?" Kurt asked.

"...If I said that it's taking all my will power to not crawl into a corner and sob, would you laugh?" he replied.

Kurt laughed regardless, a melodious sound to Blaine's ears.

"I'm actually very impressed that you're holding it together right now. I certainly didn't."

Blaine grinned, and then a silence followed. It wasn't awkward. It was...comfortable.

"Um," Kurt said, breaking the silence. "About what happened in Glee club...I know what it looked like and I-"

"Kurt it's okay." He interrupted. "I think..."

He stopped. Blaine wasn't sure what he thought. One part of his mind was telling him to leave now; sitting in a near empty coffee shop with one of his students was dangerous territory...but then the other part just didn't want to stay away. He knew that Kurt liked him, and for some reason that thought made his heart beat rapidly- a strange feeling of content twisting in his stomach.

Stop it. You're his teacher.

"You think...?" Kurt interrupted his thoughts, his eyes wide.

"I think...I'm numb."

"...Wait, what?"

"The icepack..." Blaine finished lamely, setting it on the table.

You idiot, he thought. What the fuck is wrong with you?

"Oh." Kurt said, disappointment apparent in his tone. "Here, I'll put it back in the freezer."

He reached a hand out to take the icepack and then-

"No!" Before he could stop himself, Blaine had covered Kurt's outstretched hand with his own. "...You haven't used it yet."

Kurt stared at him for a moment.

"L-let me." Blaine said shakily.

Shifting his seat closer and picking up the icepack, he lifted it to Kurt's forehead. There they sat, a smile tugging at the corner of Blaine's mouth as he felt Kurt relax under the icepack he held.

"...I'm numb." Kurt whispered, after some time.

And then he covered Blaine's hand with his own, removing the icepack and placing it on the table. And he suddenly cupped Blaine's cheek, thumbing the smooth skin in tentative circles. And then he was leaning in, and Blaine knew that this needed to stop and he should have been stopping it but at that moment he was letting it happen- he wanted to let it happen.
And then Kurt's lips were pressed against his own in a warm, gentle, careful kiss, and in that moment, there was nothing in the world that had ever felt more right to Blaine.