Kurt couldn't sleep. Well, not late, anyway. He always tried to on work days to avoid looking like a zombie onstage, but with the prospect of a date with Blaine looming, Kurt was up at dawn instead, making Finn breakfast and sending him off to work with a tumbler of coffee and a packed lunch. He felt a bit like a parent seeing their child off to the bus, but it didn't matter. It worked off some of the energy buzzing through his body. Kurt spent the day unpacking his things, what little there were, into one side of Finn's closet - since, as Finn had admitted, he hardly had the wardrobe to warrant the whole space. With that done, Kurt cleaned and began organizing the kitchen cabinets and finally went for a walk before deeming it close enough.

He spent the better part of an hour showering, getting his hair coiffed to perfection and then dressing. After three outfit changes, Kurt settled on a black button down with a white tie that had threads of silver woven through it and a pair of white pants with a silver stripe down each side. The whole thing was set off with a pair of silver loafers that were just the right amount of flash without going over the top. At least Kurt dubbed the ensemble successful and wandered into the living room to try and kill the time left with mindless television.

Finn's day had been nothing short of hell. He got through the day simply by going through the motions. Heartbroken over inadvertently hurting Everett, as well as being too stupid to grab Kurt when he'd had the chance, Finn didn't know how things could get any worse. Well, there was one way: His buddy Blaine had his intentions set on his stepbrother, and it was clearly evident that Kurt had fallen for Blaine and fallen hard. He only hoped that Kurt would find the happiness he truly deserved, and that Blaine would understand when he revealed what had happened between them.

Unlocking the door to his apartment, he found Kurt waiting on the couch with one of those Real Housewives reality shows on the television. "Damn, dude," he started, catching his breath at the sight of Kurt. "You look fucking amazing..." Indeed, if Blaine wasn't in the equation Finn wouldn't have hesitated in throwing his stepbrother down onto the sofa and tearing his clothes off.

Kurt blushed to the tips of his ears but looked far more pleased than embarrassed. "Do you think so? I wanted to look nice - it's supposed to be a nice restaurant - but... me." He'd had precious few occasions to truly be himself lately, and Kurt was ready to drop the mask and remember who he'd come to New York to become. It wouldn't be easy, but it would be worth it. However things turned out with Blaine, the fact that it had shaken him out of the funk he'd fallen into made him eternally grateful for the encounter.

"Trust me, Blaine won't be able to take his eyes off you." Finn tossed his keys in a bowl he kept on a little table beside the door. Then, he shrugged out of his jacket before retrieving a beer from the fridge and tumbling down onto the sofa. "Stop doubting yourself," he added, taking a long swig from the chilled bottle. "You had enough of that in high school. If I can see how awesome you are, then Blaine certainly will." Blaine had better treat Kurt right, otherwise--friendship or not--his boss would be on the receiving end of his fist. "Bro, he'd be a fool not to love you."

As in on cue, Blaine arrived outside Finn's apartment. Dressed immaculately in one his most expensive suits, he carried a bouquet of American beauties which he hoped would go a long way towards making up for having to leave Kurt so abruptly before. He'd left his phone at home, determined to make this night all about Kurt and Kurt alone. Taking a breath to calm his fluttering nerves, Blaine reached out and rang the doorbell.

Kurt spared a moment to lean over and press a kiss to Finn's cheek before he bounced off of the couch to answer the door. He opened it with a smile to see Blaine looking even more breathtaking than usual and holding a bundle of beautiful, vibrant roses. "Oh, Blaine..." It was a simple, sweet gesture, and it made him almost giddy. Kurt ushered the man in. "Let me get these in water. Obviously you two know one another already," Kurt observed as he moved into the kitchen. Thanks to his organizational efforts earlier, it took no time at all to find a large glass jar that would suffice as a home for the roses as he set them on the counter. Before he swept out the door with Blaine, Kurt added, "Finn, don't you dare eat junk food for dinner. There are leftovers in the fridge."

Finn had never seen Kurt light up the way he did around Blaine. And Blaine was similarly enchanted, fairly glowing in his stepbrother's presence. It tugged at Finn's heart, but he concealed his feelings over the matter with a wry grin. "Yes, sir," he teased Kurt. Setting down his bottle of beer, the former jock straightened with a groan and hustled the other two men towards the door. "Go on," Finn urged them. "I won't wait up."

"Oh, I'll have him back home at a respectable hour," Blaine assured him. As badly as he wanted to take Kurt back home with him, tonight wasn't about fulfilling desire. It was about romance and getting to know one another better. "Goodnight, Finn."

"Night," Finn called after them.

As the door closed, Blaine turned to Kurt and frowned slightly. "Is everything okay? Finn seemed... a little out of it."

"Oh... well, his boyfriend broke up with him. It was... difficult. They seemed pretty close," Kurt answered with a rueful smile as they made their way down to Blaine's car. He considered mentioning that the boyfriend in question was Blaine's brother, but that particular secret wasn't his to keep. "I thought maybe we could talk a little if we have some time before dinner?" It didn't seem fair to spring the news on Blaine in the middle of an expensive meal that he couldn't easily escape. If things were going to be broken, it needed to be done in private. Kurt's heart beat faster, and he prayed that Blaine would be understanding. Kurt reached for the other man's hand and led him to a bench out in front of the building. "I think that it's important that we be honest with each other. I've spent almost a year lying to everyone - to my family, to myself. I don't want to do that anymore. No lies. No hiding. Especially not from you."

He swallowed and pressed on, knowing that stopping might mean chickening out, "You know Finn and I aren't brothers? Not by birth, I mean. He's my stepbrother, and in high school, I was... well, I was in love with him. He was painfully straight, and I was painfully awkward, not to mention the only person who was out at my school. Things changed after our parents got married, but when I saw him again the other night... when he found out everything and still didn't... didn't just give up on me the way I always figured everyone would if they knew... and then finding out that he's bi and... it..." Kurt took a breath. The narrative was becoming broken, and he knew he'd start to make no sense at all if he didn't get himself together. "We slept together. That night and... and once more since. I know that you and I haven't made any promises about fidelity, but I still... well, obviously, it isn't like me to just sleep with anyone or I would have slept with someone before now. Finn and I talked, and we agreed that it's not something that can happen again if things are going to work with you and I. I mean, not... not... secretly." That sounded awful, and Kurt flushed. "I just mean that I really want things to work with us. It's important, and I'm going to do whatever I can to make sure that it does. If... you still want it to."

Blaine listened patiently even as a sense of dread filled his heart. Of all the things he might have expected Kurt to tell him, learning that he and Finn had been intimate wasn't one of them. At first he wasn't quite sure how to react. He had to admit the idea of the two of them together was incredibly hot. The image filled his mind, and Blaine felt a hot pulse of desire race through his blood. Despite their friendship, he would have never guessed that Finn was bisexual. And he gave the other man props for hiding it so damned well. Realizing that he was leaving Kurt hanging after his heartfelt confession, Blaine offered him a warm smile as he reached out to grasp his hand. "Of course I do," he answered softly. "Thank you for being honest and telling me. It means a lot. Actually, it means more than I can hope to express." Indeed, if Everett had been open and truthful with him about Cooper from the start, then maybe things could have been different. Sadly, things were never going to change between him and his brothers. But there was still happiness to be found with Kurt. And he intended on risking his heart for this beautiful, special man.

Kurt's face lit up, and he threaded their fingers together. He couldn't stop smiling and impulsively leaned in to steal a quick kiss. "Thank you. I was... god, I was terrified." Especially given the fact that he and Finn were living together, he'd expected Blaine to be furious. Instead the other man was understanding, even grateful for the honesty. "Just so you know, no one but you will be touching me again... well, unless we both decide it's a good idea." Kurt blushed at the words, but it would have been a shame to close the door on the idea. "Anyway, since that's settled... I believe we have a dinner to get to."

"Yes, we do," Blaine agreed, his lips tingling sweetly from the kiss. Kurt's smile was infectious, and he could feel the grin spreading across his face threatening to split his features in two. "One thing before we go." His hand cupped the exotic dancer's lovely cheek, warmed with color beneath his palm. "I very much doubt I'll ever be able to share you with anyone." That was very true. He wanted Kurt all to himself, even if the visual of him and Finn feverishly intertwined proved more than a little enticing. Driving towards the restaurant, Blaine made small talk and found that Kurt's company was the balm he needed to soothe the pain of the last couple of days. Kurt was sweet, clever, interesting, and possessed a wit that Blaine had rarely encountered before. "I hope you'll like the food here," he said, parking the car and opening the door for his date. "It's my favorite place to dine in the whole city."

"I'm sure that I'll love it," Kurt answered without any hesitation. Though he had to admit to some slight disappointment that Blaine wasn't necessarily open to the idea of a threesome, Kurt knew that it would be worth it to have Blaine. As soon as he stepped out, Kurt slid his hand into Blaine's. He felt proud to be by the man's side, proud that Blaine thought highly enough of him to take him out to a fancy restaurant. "Honestly, excited as I am about the food, I'm a lot more excited about the company." Already Blaine had accepted more about him at face value than anyone outside his family and the glee club ever had. Once they'd been seated at a table next to a window with a beautiful view of Central Park, Kurt smiled warmly at Blaine. "This is perfect. Thank you."

Blaine drank in Kurt's expression, feeling his pulse quickening at the genuine happiness and appreciation shining in those beautiful eyes. "I would love to treat you like this every night," he confessed, reaching across the table and grasping his date's hand. With Kurt he felt as if he could truly offer his heart to someone for the first time. Everything he had ever longed for and dreamed about was sitting right before him, wrapped in the sweetest, loveliest package imaginable. "Since we're being honest with each other, there's something I feel I should tell you." He caressed the top of Kurt's hand with his thumb, finding it easy to open himself up to the other man. "I'm not close with my brothers, not like you are with Finn. They both left me to help with the family business while they pursued their own interests." Blaine sighed, the subject a decidedly unpleasant one. "I'm the only one my father has. So, when he called that night we were together, I felt obligated to leave."

Kurt felt his heart breaking at the sadness in Blaine's voice. He gave the man's hand a warm squeeze. "I'm sorry. That's... it's hard being estranged from family." Though it was one of the more painful subjects for him at the moment, Kurt ventured, "I'm... I have another brother, actually. Cameron. We were always... always so close and... but after I moved here... I hid everything from him too just like I did with Finn and everyone. I'm going to call him now, but... I don't know... I don't know if he'll care. I haven't exactly been available for any of my family. I don't mean to say that it's the same with your brothers," he added, not wanting Blaine to feel he was trying to press the man, "but just... remember that they may have reasons too. Possibly stupid, selfish reasons like mine, but... reasons."

"I appreciate that, Kurt," Blaine replied softly. "But I don't think my brothers and I will ever see eye to eye." //Especially not after the other night...// "You, on the other hand, should definitely see about getting in touch with Cameron." He smiled, his thumb continuing to draw invisible patterns atop Kurt's warm, soft hand. "I'm sure the two of you can patch things up. And, on an entirely selfish note, I would love to meet him." Before he could comment further, the waiter arrived with the most expensive bottle of champagne the restaurant had to offer. And, as soon as the glasses were poured and sparkling, Blaine lifted his in a toast. "To us, Kurt."

Kurt clicked his glass against Blaine's and gladly echoed the toast. The champagne tickled his nose. Though he was hardly a connoisseur of any alcohol, he knew that the drink in his hand was probably a hundred dollars or more better than any sparkling wine he'd ever had at New Year's Eve. "I don't think I've ever felt quite like this. It's going to sound silly given the way we met, but being here with you, feeling like this... it's like a fairy tale. Maybe a slightly modernized one," Kurt allowed with a hint of a smile as he thought of how very un-Disney their relationship had been, "but a beautiful one."

"Everything with you is beautiful," Blaine said, reaching across the table to grasp Kurt's hand again. "I feel so alive with I'm with you. It's like everything I've been missing in my life is sitting right here in front of me." He meant every word, and Kurt was the first man he had ever truly expressed himself to. Opening himself up and giving his heart to someone had not been an option in his hectic day-to-day life at the office. Kurt, however, was most definitely worth risking everything for. "After we eat, how would you like to take a stroll through the park?" he wondered, indicating the view with a nod of his head.

"I would absolutely love that," Kurt answered, already picturing making his way through the brisk evening air with Blaine's hand held in his own. Their food arrived, and Kurt let go of Blaine's hand for the time being so that they could both focus on the gorgeous meal. The food was perfection, and Kurt realized how long it had been since he indulged in anything that might be classified as fine dining. They ate in companionable silence, sharing shy smiles and glances over their food. From time to time, Kurt couldn't resist nudging Blaine's foot beneath the table. Finally sat back with a sigh of utter satisfaction. "I hope you know that you could very easily spoil me with meals like this. I'm a good cook, but nothing quite this fancy."

Blaine broke into a wide grin. The image of Kurt busying himself in a kitchen being a very pleasing one, indeed. "Are you now? Well, I would love it if you came over and cooked for me sometime," he offered, easing off one of his hand-made John Lobb shoes from Paris. He couldn't help tickling Kurt's leg beneath the table with his socked toes. "In fact, you're more than welcome to visit any time you'd like." Flirting with Kurt came as naturally to Blaine as breathing. The other man was the most beautiful sight he'd ever laid eyes on, and it frankly boggled his mind to think no one else had ever snatched Kurt up. Lucky for him, they hadn't. Even as he continued eating, Blaine found it difficult to tear his gaze away from Kurt. His mind turned to Kurt's living situation with Finn, and he wondered aloud, "Do you think your brother will be okay about us dating?"

"Yes," Kurt agreed without hesitation. "I know it seems odd given... given the situation, but... he wants me to be happy, and you make me happy. He's having a hard time after breaking up with E- with his boyfriend. But he'll be just fine." He tilted his head, realizing he had never really questioned much how Blaine and Finn got along. Obviously they weren't intensely close or Blaine would know about Finn's involvement with Everett, but he'd always gotten the impression that Finn was fond of his employer. "What about you two? Any bitter feuds I should know about?"

Blaine paused mid-way through chewing when Kurt started to name Finn's boyfriend. It sparked a sense of familiarity in him, but before he could explore it further, he was answering Kurt's question. "No," he chuckled softly. "We've been friends since college, and we've even gone on a a few double-dates over the years." Blaine gave a little shake of his head. "Finn really hid his sexuality well. I would never have guessed." He took another sip of champagne, and then fixed Kurt with a curious expression. "Tell me, did you ever meet his boyfriend?"

"No," Kurt answered honestly. "I hadn't seen Finn since Christmas when you sent him to the club, so I haven't really kept up. Like you said, he hid it well. I would have liked to, but... I've only seen pictures." Porn and pictures weren't precisely the same thing, but there was absolutely no chance that Kurt was going to say anything about that. When and if Blaine did realize that Finn and his brother had been involved, he didn't need to have the added weirdness of that in the mix. "I'm sorry things didn't work out with the two of them. Finn seemed pretty crazy about him. The last time I saw him like that was in high school with Rachel."

Blaine nodded, pouring himself another glass of champagne as he finished the first. "Your brother always gave off this air of being a ladies man," he commented, still playing with Kurt's ankle beneath the table. "Well, I should say he seemed really confident." Indeed, on those double-dates he and Finn had shared, Blaine had lost track of how many times he'd glanced in the rear view mirror to Finn heavily making out with his latest female conquest. "Whoever his boyfriend is--was--I'm sure he must have been especially attractive to grab Finn's attention."

Kurt couldn't help but smile at that, his face warming at the feeling of Blaine touching him even in so relatively innocent a way. "Mmm... that's an understatement," he agreed readily. "Apparently whether we're related or not, he shares my excellent taste in men." The comment was almost too telling, but Kurt couldn't imagine Blaine connecting the dots from so innocent a hint. As he took the last bit of risotto, Kurt topped off his own champagne and took a sip. "You know, you're a terrible influence. I usually don't drink at all on nights I work."

"I'm not much of a drinker myself," Blaine confessed, smiling as he took in the becoming warmth coloring Kurt's features. "Mostly business parties, and special occasions." He raised the glass to his lips again, his eyes sparkling along with the champagne bubbles as he added, "This definitely qualifies as special." Blaine's pulse quickened, which was becoming something of a habit whenever he had the luxury of being in Kurt's presence. Once they both finished their meal and indulged in dessert, Blaine eased his shoe back on, and then paid the bill. He held out his hand for his date, and wondered, "Are you ready for that stroll now?"

"I would love that." As they headed out, Kurt slid his arm through Blaine's. Just being close to the other man made him feel as though he was walking on air. The chilly night did nothing to take the edge off his runaway pleasure. He was with Blaine. A little nip in the air was just one more reason to stick close to his lover's side - not that he needed an excuse. Kurt was pleasantly wrapped up in Blaine when the sound of a laugh broke into the haze of happiness surrounding them. He looked up, gaze sharp, to see a tall, slender man in an impeccable suit and a well-pressed trenchcoat standing in front of them.

"Mr. Anderson." Instead of respectful, the honorific sounded like sarcasm dripping from the man's tongue. He looked to be about their age, and Kurt felt his stomach twist at the look of perverse amusement on the newcomer's face. Worse there were something familiar about him, something Kurt couldn't place. "Fancy meeting you here... and with a date. A famous one at that - well, in the right circles," he added, leaning in and whispering as though sharing a secret before straightening again. He held a hand out to Kurt and introduced himself, "Sebastian Smythe. I'm a big fan of your work."

Kurt stared at the hand for a moment before taking it and shaking Sebastian's hand gingerly. "Kurt Hummel." He refrained from saying more even though he wanted to. The guy made his skin crawl, and he wondered how he and Blaine knew one another.

Smiling rather than offended at the brief response, Sebastian gave a slight shake of his head. "I can see the wheels turning. Blaine and I work together - well, and we go way back. Our families shared a vacation home, actually. We're very, very old friends."

In less than a heartbeat the atmosphere had taken on a veil of highly-charged tension. Of all the people they had to run into tonight, why the hell did it have to be Sebastian? "Friends," Blaine empathized the word. The last thing he wanted was for Kurt to get the wrong impression. He didn't care for the way Sebastian gazed at his date, or the recognition registering on the other man's face. Sebastian might be a certified snob, but that didn't mean his predilection for the finer things in life wouldn't keep him out of a strip club. "Well, it was nice to see you," Blaine lied, painting on a friendly smile. He started edging away, giving Kurt's arm a tug. Their evening had been perfect, and Blaine wasn't about to let anything or anyone sour it.

In less than a heartbeat the atmosphere had taken on a veil of highly-charged tension. Of all the people they had to run into tonight, why the hell did it have to be Sebastian? "Friends," Blaine empathized the word. The last thing he wanted was for Kurt to get the wrong impression. He didn't care for the way Sebastian gazed at his date, or the recognition registering on the other man's face. Sebastian might be a certified snob, but that didn't mean his predilection for the finer things in life wouldn't keep him out of a strip club. "Well, it was nice to see you," Blaine lied, painting on a friendly smile. He started edging away, giving Kurt's arm a tug. Their evening had been perfect, and Blaine wasn't about to let anything or anyone sour it.

"You too. Have a good night, boys," Sebastian answered with the same smug smile. "I'll see you Monday morning."

Kurt watched the man go, still glaring after him until he'd more or less disappeared from sight. "If he wasn't an old friend of yours," he muttered, "I probably would have slapped that smile off his face." Very few people rubbed Kurt the wrong way so quickly, but the way the man practically oozed when he walked gave Kurt the creeps. "Sorry, sorry... I'm sure he's... perfectly tolerable." Some of the haughty annoyance slipping away, Kurt tilted his head and regarded Blaine, "I think... I might have seen him at the club before." He bit his lip. "Is that going to be a problem for you? At work, I mean?"

The thought hadn't occurred to Blaine until Kurt mentioned it. Sebastian could be vindictive when he wanted to be. Blaine had known him to step right over others in order to achieve his goals. As ambitious as Sebastian could be, Blaine wasn't entirely sure if his old friend might cause trouble for him or not. "I'm not worried," he told Kurt. "I'm proud of you, Kurt. Proud of us." Blaine draped an arm across the other man's shoulders, drawing him in close under the blanket of stars. "If Sebastian wants to broadcast to the entire world what you do for a living, then so be it." To circumvent that, Blaine decided he would have to have a little talk with his father. With no leverage, Sebastian would have to tuck his tail between his legs and skulk away.

"I'm very, very lucky to have found you," Kurt breathed as he leaned into the other man's warm body. The coiled tension of the confrontation with Sebastian began to melt away almost at once. Instead of thinking about that or about the shift he'd be working in a few hours, Kurt let his thoughts drift and focused on the only thing that really mattered - spending time with Blaine.