November 2012

"Hey Hummel, get your pretty little ass over here!" Kurt turned around as he heard Jake yell his name across the theater at NYU. Jake was one of the first friends he made in college and was also the only other countertenor in the boys a capella group at NYU. And despite Jake's crude attitude, the two developed a tight-knit relationship. Jake often came over to his dorm to practice and work on homework well in to the night.

"My ass is not pretty, it's SEXY!" Kurt yelled as he strutted back to the stage from the doors in a way only he could pull off. He had been told by many people here that he walked as if he were on the runway. And he knew that but it was only because he was confident. After years of self-doubt and ridicule Kurt finally felt that the world was his runway and that showed in his demeanor.

Kurt walked up to Jake and stood with both hands on his hips, tapping his foot annoyingly. "What do you want, Martin?"

"Drop the attitude Hummel, I just wanted to know if you wanted to work on our new piece tonight."

"We all know I don't need any practice, my voice is perfect," Kurt paused as he heard some of the other guys hanging around laugh at his response, "but I suppose I can help you out." he continued. "You ready to go now?"

"Yeah, just let me grab my stuff." Kurt watched as Jake watched walked around the stage. He had to admire his physique. Jake was six feet tall, and had brown hair that was shaved on each side and longer in the middle, spiked up just a little for flair, and his eyes were ocean blue. Kurt had to admit that he found Jake rather attractive. He was in pretty good shape and had style that even Kurt envied. Today he was wearing a green button-down shirt, black suspenders, and a pair of black pants that accentuated his ass perfectly when he bent down to pick up his bag and jacket off the stage. In the back of his head, Kurt feels like he should probably feel guilty for thinking these thoughts about someone other than Blaine. But the truth is, he doesn't. Kurt and Blaine spent countless hours at the Lima mall rating the hotness of random guys, so what makes this different?

"Alright, Kurt let's get out of here!"

Jake huddled close to Kurt as they walked out in to the streets of New York. The temperatures were dropping quickly, and on this particular day Kurt swore the temperature had finally dropped below freezing. As they walked, their hands kept on bumping and every time they touched Kurt felt a little spark, an urge to reach out and grab it. He blamed that on the fact that this was the most contact he had with a guy since he saw Blaine last. And to be honest he missed it. He missed the loving touch of Blaine, the small circles he rubbed into his hand as they were walking down the street holding hands, and the lingering feeling of light kisses on his neck. There was no way he had a crush on Jake. That spark he felt was involuntary. Everyone wants to feel physically wanted, and without Blaine around all the time he has not felt physically wanted in a long time. Regardless, he jumped, distancing himself farther from Jake and wrapping his scarf tighter around his neck to compensate the loss of Jake's body heat.

The sudden movement did not go unnoticed by Jake. "The boyfriend wouldn't be pleased with this would he?" Jake motioned with his hands, pointing to the two of them, over-exaggerating to make a point.

"I just- I can't, I'm sorry. He doesn't deserve to be treated this way."

"Oh man, Hummel, you have it bad, don't you?"

"I just want to make him proud." he said as he looked down at his hands, praying that Jake didn't see the tears forming in his eyes. He would never hear the end of it from Jake if he did.

Luckily he was saved from any more awkward situations because they had finally walked the ten blocks to Kurt's dorm.

The building he lived in wasn't much. But living in Manhattan, he was just lucky to have a place to live. He lived with four other guys on the fifth floor of the dorm building. It was a converted loft. The college had built two rooms out of bricks, but the bricks did not go all the way up to the ceiling where various pipes were visible. The dorm also had a small living room with a little futon, two beanie bag chairs, a table made out of boxes Kurt had found at a vintage shop, and across from the dorm was a small kitchen. It wasn't high style by any means. But Kurt was proud of it. He decorated most of it by finding unique things at Ikea and vintage shops. As a result, Kurt thought the loft had the quintessential Manhattan Loft look. It was artsy in all the right ways. It wasn't clean; how could it be with four boys busy with the schedules they held? But in Kurt's mind it was perfect.

"We can practice in my room, Jake." he said as he continued to walk forward, walking over the trash bag that somehow made it to the middle of the room. "Sorry about the mess, as much as I try, I can't do everything around here."

"It's okay, Kurt. I have told you before I love your place." he offhandedly remarked. Kurt noticed that he called him by his first name. That was the first time that had ever happened.

They entered Kurt's room, the room that he shared with his roommate Rory. After taking his coat off, Jake fell onto the bed. He placed his hands on his side and like the two year-old he was started bouncing on the bed. "It's sex-proof, doesn't make a sound. Would be useful for you and Blaine."

"You're ridiculous, Jake. But yes, I know. It was the first thing I checked when I got here." Kurt added a wink for added effect. "So, what do you want to work on, Jake? ‘I'll Make a Man Out of You'?"

"I want to work on you, Hummel."

Kurt ignored him as he removed his jacket, unlaced his boots and grabbed his laptop off the desk. He set it on the bed and fell belly-first on the bed. "So let's start off by watching the video of our performance last week, so we can find any flaws and work on those specific points."

Halfway through watching the video (insert hyperlink) Jake looped his ankle around Kurt's and moved in closer. On instinct Kurt's body stiffened; someone other than Blaine was touching him and that wasn't normal.

"Chill out, loverboy. I am not going to jump on you."

"Sorry, just not used to someone other than Blaine touching me." Kurt said as he relaxed into Jake, enjoying the heat of another boy.

Kurt and Jake stayed like that for a while, reviewing the song and each time working on a different part. By the fifth viewing Kurt was done, exhausted from a long day of class and rehearsal. Somehow Jake's arm had ended up lying over his back, hugging him closer. He made no attempt to move because he was honestly too comfortable. He was slowly drifting to sleep when he heard the sound of his computer going off, indicating that Blaine was calling him on Skype.

He skyrocketed up to a sitting position, pushing Jake off of him and answered the call. "Stay over there!" he whispered to Jake.

"Hi, B! I miss you." Kurt said when Jake was finally out of the way of the screen. But out of the corner of his eye he saw that slowly Jake was creeping in to the picture.

"I miss you more, Kurt! How's New York?" Blaine looked stunning today; his hair un-gelled but styled just like Kurt liked it. He was wearing a bowtie that was reminiscent of the ties they wore at Dalton with a white button-down and a pair of black suspenders. He looked sexy and Kurt wanted to mess those curls up. The last time they had talked he looked at the point of breaking down. When he got lunch with Mike last week he had mentioned something about Blaine and Tina hanging out more so maybe that's why he looked better. He would have to remember to thank Tina.

"It would be better with you," Kurt said, and it wasn't a lie. He would rather Blaine be the one lying next to him, practicing for their next show and lounging next to each other, making new memories. He loved New York but as the months went on he was missing Blaine more and more.

They talked for the next ten minutes, about everything and anything. That was the thing with him and Blaine, they always had something to talk about. Whether it was about who Puck was dating this week or who was on the cover of Vogue there was never a dull moment. He loved that about their relationship. It wasn't and had never been about sex. For the longest time Kurt thought that the touch of the finger tips was as sexy as it got, although that idea in hindsight was naive.

Jake behaved for most of the conversation, but after ten minutes those little movements he was making led him to sit right next to Kurt. Kurt didn't worry about introducing him because Jake was being quiet. But he should have realized silent was bad, because Jake had started giving him a massage, casually rubbing circles into his shoulder blades.

"Stop it Jake. Don't," he whispered as he slapped Jake with the back of his hand. But Jake didn't listen. He had moved to his sides and started tickling and poking him. Kurt was so ticklish there. He couldn't stop squirming and he started biting his lip to resist making a sound. "JAKE, no, STOP."

"Who's that?" Blaine asked, with a worried look on his face.

"No one, Blaine, just a friend."

Now I know that I can't make you stay
But where's your heart?