Kurt struggled out of the blankets that he had been cocooned in, his dazed eyes blinking open and orienting himself with his bedroom, which was submerged in blackness. He couldnt recall how hed gotten himself home, when the last thing he remembered doing had been walking toward Blaine, who had asked him if he was okay. In his head, his mind was spinning around brief flashes of images-of Blaines mouth descending onto his, of the side of Blaines head as the man stared at the endless road ahead. And then Blaine wasnt there, when Kurt needed him, and Kurt felt a twinge of unwarranted anger toward the man who he wasnt aware had done anything that could cause Kurt to be cross with him.

Shifting around on his bed, Kurt moaned as a wave of queasiness took its toll on his stomach. He flopped back on the pillows, closing his eyes, until a deep voice muttered, "Breathe through your mouth. Itll pass." Kurts eyes flew open as he recognized that masculine voice. Raising his head, Kurt gaped at the shadowy figure that sat in the corner, his golden eyes glowing like a cats. Even with his shoulders slumped and his arms crossed over his chest, Blaine looked intimidatingly large, like a panther lurking around its preys territory.

Suddenly, Kurt released a high pitched screech, gathering the blankets around his meekly clad body. Blaine lost his predatory stance, rising to his feet at once and pacing over to Kurts side. Kurt slapped him away, his hands becoming sore as they whacked his solid chest. "Get away! How did you get in here? Im not dressed!"

Despite Kurts exhausting efforts, Blaine wasnt put off, and instead grabbed Kurts wrists with one hand. He reached for Kurts shoulder and gave him a rough shake, "Stop that!" Blaine barked, "Youre wearing yourself out."

Kurt glared at Blaine, slinking away from him when he lowered onto the edge of the bed. After hed settled down, it all came hurtling back to him, and he whimpered, "Why am I home? I dont remember anything. I was... I was at work, and you were there! You asked if I was okay. I just... I just cant-"

"You fell, Kurt." Blaine said simply, placing a hand on the bump where his knee had appeared. Kurt jerked it away from him. "You hit your head. After I made sure that you were okay, you passed out. I took you home."

"You... helped me?" Astonished by the action that seemed to be above Blaines level of compassion, Kurt fidgeted until his rigid back was aligned with the wall behind his bed. Blaine cocked his head at Kurt, his eyes darkening as he thoroughly looked him over. Kurts bottom lip quivered, "Why do you stare at me so intensely?"

Blaine frowned, his eyes flickering with a consuming emotion that Kurt didnt identify, before it was gone again, replaced by the glaze that concealed desolation. "I dont know why." Raising his dark head, Blaine gave Kurt a morose look, as if hed just been told that the love of his life had darted into traffic. "Youre such a tiny thing, to affect me this much."

"A-Affect you?" Kurt said shakily. He shut his eyes when Blaine held his large hand out, cupping it over the roundness of his cheek. The heat of that scratchy hand seeped into his skin, which he hadnt noticed had been so cold that hed been shaking. All he could do was press his face into Blaines weathered palm. When he opened his eyes, he found the corners of them glistening with wetness. He didnt understand what was occurring between them, these bouts of irrepressible attraction that came up when they least expected it, when they were flailing to get away from each other. "I affect you, Blaine?"

He saw Blaines chest rattle as he scraped one knee over the rumpled bed sheets, pushing himself higher onto Kurts bed, until he was sitting on his knees and knuckles. Kurt took a shaky breath, as well, whipping his face away when Blaine crept closer to him, his wide chest obstructing his view of anything else in his bedroom, of the reality that was outside of Blaine. Kurt smelled the outdoorsy cologne that Blaine had spritzed onto himself, putting concentrated pools of it above his collarbones and under his chin. Blaine swung his leg over Kurts hips, making the smaller boy sink into his mattress to avoid his touch. "You move me, Kurt." Blaine grunted, the airiness in his voice making Kurt turn his head. Blaine hovered above his shivering body, his curls spilling over his forehead. His pupils had expanded and swallowed up his yellow irises, and his lips were slightly curled, as if something animalistic was tearing him apart at the seams.

Kurt wrapped his arms around Blaines neck, his oval nails scratching red, puffy lines into Blaines skin through the material of his shirt. Blaines weight descended onto his squirming body. Gasping, Kurt unconsciously hooked his feet around Blaines ankles, feeling his masculine length as it settled over him. His clothes crinkled as Kurt bunched them in his fists. He was almost embarrassed with himself when he thought about what Blaine would feel like, stripped naked, all of his muscle pressing down on Kurt. Kurt, who Blaine must have undressed when hed laid him down on the bed, pressed upward at Blaine, his underwear riding up his thighs. All Kurt had on to cover his chest was a thin tank top, which had folded up around the middle. Kurts bare stomach rubbed the buttons on the front of Blaines shirt. He whimpered softly, hardly mindful of anything that was going on around him, when he felt Blaines breath on his lips.

His scrunched eyes snapped open, and he found himself face to face with Blaine, who was huffing raggedly, his lips gnawed and irritated. "Can I kiss these plump, pink lips that I have to spend every day eyeing from across the room? Watching you swipe your tongue across them to moisten them? And lick after you get a drink of water? And when a crumb falls onto them... and I have to keep myself from lunging across my desk and rubbing my mouth over them?"

Kurt shuddered at the raspy, bold words, his eyes becoming larger as he stared up at Blaine, who looked like nothing less than a starved, deranged man about to devour his first meal. A zing of pleasure hit Kurts lower belly, making his eyes roll back. He had never seen a man look that way because of him before... so hungry, so desperate. Kurt knew that, with one word, he could have Blaine ripping out of his clothes and pounding Kurt into the mattress. Sucking in his lips, Kurt weighed the consequences of every decision very carefully. Despite how much he wanted Blaine, to the point that he felt like he was suffocating to have his first breath of air, Kurt raised his hand and pressed it to Blaines chest. "N-No." He said, the word coming out like a question. Blaine instantly rocked backwards, his face hardening. "If you want to kiss me, you have to take me out on a proper date. Be a gentleman, and pick me up on time, and hold my hand, and show an interest in me. And then I will consider kissing you."

Blaine sat back on his heels, removing most of the pressure from Kurts chest, "Kurt... you think Im not interested in you? Has it not been obvious?"

Kurt curled his legs up, turning slightly on his side-the way he laid when he slept. "Blaine, you havent been obvious about much of anything. Youve said very little to me... and then... then I fell, and you carried me into my apartment. And now... now youre here, in my bed. It might be my lack of experience, but I think that anyone would be confused by you."

Blaine chose his next words very carefully, "Kurt, I... Im sorry." Moving off of Kurt, Blaine sat down beside of him. He idly plucked at a loose string on Kurts comforter. The position they were in, despite being a few inches apart, was surprisingly intimate to Kurt, who had never had a conversation with anyone in his bed before. "Im not... Im not as good at this as I should be. Im not open with new people. But I... Ive been enticed by you since the first time I laid eyes on you. And then you were good to me, even though I had been nothing more than an asshole to you. I just... I want you. All of you... your conversations... your body." Blaines eyes roamed over Kurts chest, which the blankets had fallen down. He cleared his throat, "Youre too beautiful for your own good. No... dont shake your head. You cant deny that you are absolutely exquisite."

After Blaine finished speaking, Kurt opened his mouth as a soft yawn slipped out of it. He tugged at Blaines sleeve, "Stay the night with me. Its too late for you to be driving home."

Blaine chuckled at some unknown thought, and he started pulling at the buttons on his shirt. "Honey, its not even ten. And I wont be able to stay over for the whole night."

Kurt buried his face in his pillow, feeling Blaine lay down beside of him, shirt open, but still hanging off of his arms. "Stay for as long as you can, then. I like having you here. Youre comforting." Blaine slid an arm around Kurts waist, drawing him impossibly deeper into his beating chest. Another yawn broke out of Kurt, who rolled over and snuggled into Blaine. "And you dont get to call me pet names until after our first date."

"You put a lot of pressure on this first date, dont you?" Blaine laughed, the vibrations ricocheting through Kurts body, as he drifted off to the sound of Blaines pounding heart. "Im going to romance your pants off, Kurt."

Kurt wanted to make a comment about how Blaine was too arrogant, and hadnt even gotten his first kiss yet, but he was already asleep, nestled in the crook of Blaines arm.

When Kurt awoke the following morning, he eased himself up slowly, rather than all at once, and frantically felt around for his alarm clock. Rubbing his eyes, Kurt peeked around his room and found the curtains drawn apart, letting in large pools of sunlight. Across the room, his bird twittered and pattered around his cage, hopping from his food bowl to a branch to the bedding at the bottom. He scuffled his feet through the material, drawing Kurts sleepy, unfocused attention over to him. Mornings were when Pavarotti was most active, when he was feeling rested and motivated by food. "Good morning, Pavarotti. Do you want to stretch your wings?" Kurts voice was heavy, and when he slid from beneath his blankets and thumped his feet to the floor, he felt as if he weighed five hundred pounds.

Waddling over to his dresser, Kurt started to open Pavarottis cage, when he noticed a slip of paper lying beside of it. He reached for it, but Pavarottis beak clacked against the metal bars as he chewed on them, so Kurt quickly opened it and held his hand out. Pavarotti popped onto his palm and bowed his head, his wings spreading out and flapping a few times. Although Pavarottis cage was large enough to fit two more birds, he dramatically acted as if he was being squished in its confinement if he was left in it for too long. Briefly forgetting about the note, Kurt picked up the bag of birdseed and reached into the cage for Pavarottis bowl, when he hesitated, counting a number of seeds that hadnt been cracked open.

"Did Blaine feed you, Pavarotti?" Kurt asked his bird, who stuck his legs behind him, one at a time, and curled and uncurled his toes. He seemed unresponsive to the bag of food, so Kurt set it down. "He must have left recently, then. Lets see about this note." Setting his bird on the floor, he watched him strut away, going after a stray ball that Kurt had bought for him to play with around the apartment. Pavarotti nosed it around, making the bell within it jingle. Taking the note with him, Kurt returned to his bed and sank onto the edge of it. He unfolded the note and read, Good morning, Kurt. I fed your bird in case you slept in. Dalton is closed for the week-reconstruction. Stay in today. Relax. I picked up what was in your desk and left it on your counter. A strawberry muffin and orange juice are in your fridge. I put my number in your phone. Call me whenever; we can plan a date for this weekend. Thank you for last night. Ill see you soon-Blaine.

Kurt had just finished reading the last word, and was oblivious to the silly smile on his face, when Pavarotti, who had climbed up the side of his bed, snatched the note and shook it back and forth. Kurt glowered at his bird, "Oh, Pavarotti! Youre just like my dad... disapproving of any man I see romantically." Pavarotti, satisfied with the amount of shredding hed done to the piece of paper, chirped up at Kurt, who smiled fondly and shook his head, stroking the birds head. "Im glad that Blaine thought to put his number on my phone, instead of on the piece of paper. Dont worry, little one. No man will ever replace you. I would kick him to the curb if he didnt approve of my Pavarotti."

He perched his tiny bird on his shoulder, feeling his claws inch their way over to the curve of his neck. Pavarotti nuzzled his fuzzy face into Kurts cheek, a low, humming noise rumbling out of him as Kurt turned his head, kissing him. "How could I ever need any other man when I have my Pavarotti?" Kurt cooed, "But you would be pretty terrible at relationship advice, so I guess well be having Unique over. You like Unique, huh? When he babysits you, he always gives you more treats than you need. Hes why youve got this big gut."

An hour later, Kurt was finishing massaging his moisturizer into his face when he heard a jarring knock at the door. Peeling away from his mirror, Kurt almost backed into Pavarotti so he could get a good view into his living room. Almost two seconds later, the banging was louder, and lasted longer. "Kurt! Let me in!"

Kurt rolled his eyes at the sound of Uniques voice, snapping the moisturizer bottle closed. "Unique, the door is unlocked." He called, and watched with huge eyes as his best friend barreled into the room, a pair of sweatpants dragging off of his feet, with a loose jacket halfway zipped up on his shoulders. Kurt smiled at his best friend, who was panting and rubbing his hands over his crusty face. "What a statement youre making. Did you just wake up?"

Unique frowned, "Yes! And I ran here, because New York traffic is always backed up, and I needed to get here immediately." He hurried over to Kurt, who had been wiping off his hands, and grabbed his shoulders. "The fashion statement Im making is that my best friend, totally out of the blue, called me and told me that hes going on a date. My best friend, who never goes on dates. Who never shows an interest in anyone. Who never-" Unique cut himself off, just before Kurt could speak up that hed made his point. He scratched his head, "Who is he, anyway? And where did you meet him? You met a man without me? Kurt, Im supposed to be your guidance... your conscience. I have to tell you whos cute and whos not-"

Kurt shook his head at Unique, "Unique, you have to breathe before your face turns purple. Come... lets sit down, and Ill explain everything. This is going to be difficult for you to understand." Ushering Unique into the living area, he sat him down on the couch and lowered beside of him. Pavarotti wobbled after them, and then started pawing at one of his toys. Kurt took a deep, shaky breath, having had some trouble of his own of accepting that Blaine was trying to start a romantic relationship with him. He told Unique about what had happened last night, leaving out the part when Blaine had climbed on top of him, and watched his jaw fall farther and farther down as the story progressed. Finally, he pulled out the note, which was missing its corner, and had Pavarottis saliva smeared over it, and he handed it to Unique. "He left me... this. What do I do, Unique?"

As Unique read over the remains of the note, he became so flustered that all he could do was wave his hand up and down. "Kurt!" He exclaimed after he finished reading,
"What do you mean, what do you do? You do him!"

Kurt blushed at the crude suggestion, "Unique! Im being serious." He took the note back, "I meant... when am I supposed to call him? What should I say?"

Unique laughed excitedly, "Kurt, you have to call him now!" He picked up Kurts phone and pushed it into his hands. "Call him. Call him now."

"Now?" Kurts eyes widened. "But... I dont want him to think that Im desperate. Maybe I should give him a day."

"Kurt, he slept over here last night. He brought you your stuff from work and left you breakfast. This guy is so in to you that it even hurts me to hear you say that. I mean, you didnt even let him kiss you last night. You have to call him soon, or else he might think that youre not as in to him as he is in to you." As if he had a sudden epiphany, Unique clapped his hands together and pointed at the phone. "If you dont want to be obvious about following up on the date, just tell him that youre calling to thank him for bringing you your things and breakfast. Play it cool. Let him bring up the date. If hes a gentleman, and doesnt want to leave you hanging, he definitely will."

Kurt giggled with his best friend, "Unique, what would I ever do without you?"

"Not have a date, thats for sure." Unique put in, making a smile crinkle up Kurts mouth. Kurt hesitantly turned on his phone, and he scrolled through his contacts. Although he knew that Blaine had put his number in, it still gave him a jolt of surprise to see Blaines name on the screen. He looked up at Unique, who winked and urged him on with a gesture of his hands. Biting his lip, Kurt clicked to call Blaine, and felt Unique violently shake his shoulder. "Put it on speakerphone!"

Shushing his enthusiastic friend, Kurt hit another button, and felt his heart skip a beat when the other line picked up. "Kurt?" Blaines gruff voice said, and Unique opened his mouth, a strangled noise coming out of him. Kurt swatted his shoulder, and Unique quickly stuffed a fist into his mouth, smothering all other unattractive sounds.

Feeling his face become hot, Kurt turned back to his phone and blurted, "Hi... Blaine. I just..." his voice faded away, and he glanced back over at Unique, who mouthed something to him. He finished quickly, "Thank you... for, um... the muffin and juice. They were delicious. A-And for bringing me my work. That was very nice of you. You didnt have to do that."

Blaines voice softened, "It was no trouble, Kurt. Im glad you enjoyed your breakfast. Youll have to tell me your regular order, so I can pick it up for you before work. Maybe we can even go together sometime." Kurt wanted to express to Blaine how much he would like that, but then figured it might be best if he didnt because his voice would probably sound anxious, when Blaine cleared his throat. "But, listen, Kurt... what we talked about yesterday-"

Unique clamped his hands down on Kurts arm, scooting closer to him, as if having his head hovering just above the phone wasnt near enough for him to hear anything. Kurt held his breath in anticipation of what Blaine was about to tell him. "I would... really like to take you out this weekend. Are you open?"

Kurt felt as if all of his blood had rushed to his head. His trembling fingers lost their grip on his phone, which almost slipped like sand through them. "Y-Yes. Is Friday night too soon?"

"Friday is perfect." Blaine said smilingly. "Can I pick you up at five? Theres this amazing place that I want to take you to. Nowhere in New York looks more beautiful than it when the sun is setting."

"That sounds wonderful." Kurt murmured gently, wincing as Uniques fingers dug into his skin. "Im looking forward to it, Blaine."

"Me, too, Kurt." Blaine muttered. "Ill see you in a few days."

As soon as Kurt clicked the call off, he was smacked by a screeching Unique, who had hardly contained himself. Kurt laughed as his best friend pinned him in his arms and swung him back and forth. "Dont break me, Unique! I dont want my first date to be in a hospital."

"You have a date! A date! And you dont even have an outfit picked out yet-"

"Unique, the date is a few days away. And it seems like hes going to take me somewhere outdoors. Ill pick out a nice sweater and a pair of jeans-"

Unique shot an accusing glare at him, "Wheres the Kurt Hummel spirit? Youre not going to reuse any of your clothes for this. You have to surprise him with a new outfit... make his mouth fall open. Were going shopping."

Kurt sighed, remembering how often he went shopping while he was in high school, only to have all of his extravagant outfits scoffed at and slowly worn to mere pieces of thread after so many times of having them grabbed by kids who were bigger than him. Back then, hed also used any extra money his dad gave him, in hopes that Kurt would invite a couple of friends to a movie, or go to dinner with someone. Instead, Kurt had gone out by himself, and shopped. Now that he lived in an expensive city like New York, his shopping trips were much more infrequent, and usually happened only when his family came up to visit and Carole took him out for the day. Kurt shook his head at his best friend, only to have Unique give him another pep talk. "Do you even know whats at stake? You could have your first kiss-"

Kurt suddenly spoke up, "Unique, what if he doesnt like me... as much as he thinks he does? What if... we spend some personal time together, and he thinks... that Im just a little too gay for him?"

Unique sighed, his shoulders lowering. His face became solemn, "Kurt... hey..." he placed his fingers under Kurts chin, "Blaine isnt from your high school. Blaine lives in New York. He knows that youre a fashion journalist. He knows what hes getting himself into. Kurt, you are a beautiful, intelligent, accomplished boy. Dont count yourself out before he even gets to know you. You two could be meant for each other. Theres a reason that, out of all of the men who have asked you out, you accepted him, isnt there?"

Kurt smiled, "Maybe youre right, Unique. I shouldnt assume the worst of him. Hes probably a very nice man."

"There you go! At least we know that hes just as gay as you are." Kurt must have looked confused, because Unique made a giant motion with his hand, "Kurt, he bought you a strawberry muffin. He could have gone with... oh, I dont know... anything else! But he got a strawberry muffin. Why doesnt he just bring you Patti LuPones memoir and every Barbra Streisand movie-?"

Kurt covered his best friends mouth, "Lets go shopping, Unique, before you hurt yourself."

Unique narrowed his eyes at him, stretching off of the couch after Kurt stood up, "The only one whos going to get hurt is you, if Im not the first one to know about the date. As soon as you get home, call me. Ill want to know if he held your hand, when and how he kissed you, and where he took you. If you dont call me Friday night, Im going to assume that he either kidnapped you, or youre sleeping with him."

"Yes, yes." Kurt said exasperatingly, scooping up his bird and placing him on his shoulder. "Youll be the first to know."

"I feel like youre not listening to me. I have good advice for you, Hummel. If he tries to stick his tongue down your throat during your first kiss, hes just in it for sex. Dont let him do that, unless youre into it."

"Got it. No tongue."

Following Kurt out of his apartment, Unique smiled wryly at Kurt, and wrapped an arm around him. "Have a good time on your first date, hon. Itll be great. I thought this day would never come." But then Unique flicked his shoulder, which his hand had been resting on. "But I was serious about the tongue thing."