Chapter 21

Blaine was just exiting the stall and washing his hands when someone spoke beside him. “Blaine?” the voice asked, and Blaine turned curiously to look at the boy next to him, eyes widening as he recognized him.

“Oh my god,” he said incredulously, staring at the tall, pale, brown haired boy he had come to know over these past weeks. “You're… You're Kurt!” he sputtered, and the words just kept spewing out of his mouth. “Amazing fanfiction writer Kurt. Gorgeous Kurt. Oh my god. I can't breathe.” Blaine only had a moment to feel horrified at the fact that he had just called Kurt gorgeous. To his face.

The boy blushed lightly. “That's me,” he said awkwardly, smiling sweetly at Blaine.

“You're in the new directions?” Blaine asked, confused. He took in the red shirt and black pants he had seen the other members of their club wearing. Kurt nodded slowly.

“And you're in the warblers?” he asked, and Blaine nodded, grinning.
“I can't believe I'm meeting you here. This is insane!” Blaine muttered, shaking his head in disbelief. Kurt looked like he was just about to say something when the door to the bathroom opened and someone stepped inside, wearing the same clothes as Kurt was. Blaine could recognize that head of blonde hair anywhere.

“Sam?” Blaine and Kurt asked at the same time. Kurt turned back to stare curiously at Blaine. “Wait?” he asked. “You know each other?” Kurt looked between the two of them, who both nodded.

“Yeah, we met online,” Blaine explained. “We were supposed to meet today actually, before the competition.” Sam nodded in agreement, and something seemed to go up for Kurt.

“So Blaine is the guy you wanted me to meet?” he asked, direction his question towards Sam.

“Yeah, I told you he was awesome. But Kurt, I actually came in here to tell you that we're going on soon. We kinda need to go.”

Kurt looked disappointed, but nodded his head. Sam turned and went outside to join the others, but Kurt stayed behind for a second, turning back towards Blaine.

“Will you meet me backstage after the competition's finished? I really want to keep talking to you, but I have to go.”

Blaine looked down at his watch and cursed. “Shit, I have to go too. But yeah, of course I will. I'd love to meet up with you. Good luck today by the way, I'm sure you'll be great!”

“Yeah, you too,” Kurt said, smiling. “I'm sure you'll be great too!”

With those words, they silently exited the bathroom and went to join their groups. Blaine had a hard time focusing in the last few minutes before they were going on stage, but managed to pull himself together enough to charm the pants off the audience with their rendition of Hey Soul Sister.

Afterwards he stayed by the edge of the stage to watch Kurt and Sam and the rest of the New Directions perform their songs. Blaine had to admit, as much as he trusted the Warblers talent, that Kurt's group was going to be tough to beat.

In the end, the Warblers tied with the New Directions, and no one, except perhaps The Hipsters, who lost, could be anything but happy about it.

Blaine escaped from the Warblers as quickly as he could, confident that Kurt couldn't have gotten away from his own group any faster, and waited for him backstage. A few minutes later, Kurt emerged from one of the green rooms, grinning widely as he saw him. Blaine opened his arms hesitantly and Kurt flew into them, hugging him tight.

“Congratulations, you were amazing out there,” Kurt exclaimed once they broke apart.

“I could say the same about you, though I wish I could have seen more of you!” Blaine answered, equally excited.

Kurt blushed and looked away. “Yeah, well, I'm not overly fond of being in the spotlight, if you can believe it,” he said.

Blaine shook his head. “I don't think I can, to be honest, but whatever makes you feel comfortable.”

Kurt smiled and rolled his eyes.

“So,” Blaine began, biting his lip. “I don't know if this is coming off too strong or anything, but could I have your number? I'd really like it if we could meet up sometime for a coffee or something?”

Kurt reached into the pocket of his jeans to pull out his phone, holding out his hand for Blaine to do the same and give it to him. Blaine did, and they exchanged numbers. “Call me sometime,” Kurt said, giving him back his phone.

“I definitely will,” Blaine replied happily. “You know, I knew you lived in Ohio, but I never thought you could live so close to me. That's pretty insane.”

“I agree,” Kurt answered. “It is pretty wicked. I still can't fully comprehend the fact that I'm meeting my best tumblr friend. By accident, no less. If I wasn't an atheist I might believe that it was fate or god's will or something silly like that.”

“Yeah, I feel you,” Blaine said jokingly. A door slammed open behind them, and as Blaine turned he saw Jeff and the rest of the Warblers piling out towards the front door. Jeff noticed him and came over curiously.

“Hey, Blaine,” he said, looking Kurt up and down as he talked. “We're leaving soon, so you might want to get your stuff and join us in the bus.” Blaine was about to answer him and tell him that he would be right there, but Jeff was evidently not finished talking. “You're the guy aren't you?” he asked Kurt, who looked half curious, half scared.

“Blaine's little cyber boyfriend, Kurt or whatever? Nice to meet you.” And with those words, he turned, leaving a horrified Kurt and a blushing, humiliated Blaine behind.

“I swear I never said that to him,” Blaine hurried to reassure Kurt. “I told him we're friends, that's all, I swear.”

“It's alright,” Kurt answered, looking less shocked by the second. “He just surprised me. Now, it looks like you have to go join your friends, and I should probably get back to mine too, but call me, alright?”

“Yeah, I'll definitely do that,” Blaine answered firmly. They hugged again before going their separate ways. Their first meeting might have been unexpected and slightly weird and hurried, but they would have many more meetings after that to make up for it.