Kurt couldn’t help but feel a little uncomfortable as he let Steve steer him with a hand on the small of his back towards their seats. They were being led through a somewhat small but fancy restaurant that Steve had insisted served the best pasta he’d ever had. The hand on his back felt weird and warm and Kurt almost wanted to walk faster and get away from it. He didn’t understand why he was being so strange about it.

“Here you are,” the waitress said and handed them menus, “can I get you anything to drink?”

The restaurant was nice, and it was for the most part full. All the waiters Kurt saw, seemed to be rushing around and from the smell of the plates that were coming from the kitchen, Kurt was sure that everything was bound to be amazing.

“Just water for me,” Kurt said.

“A coke, please.”

They sat in silence while they went over the menus and Kurt tried hard to not compare Steve to Blaine and the dates that he’d had with Blaine back in the day, when they went to a restaurant and couldn’t stop talking long enough to keep their attention of the menu and how most often than not they ordered with each other in mind.

The waitress returned with a glass of water for Kurt and the coke for Steve.

“Will you be needing more time, or are you guys ready?”

They placed their orders and Kurt handed her his menu with a smile. “Thank you.”

“So, um, why did you finally say yes to me? I meant to ask last week, but I forgot,” Steve said after a moment of silence.

Kurt didn’t know if he should tell him. Honesty was important, he knew, but at the same time did one tell a possible boyfriend about their ex, who was still not only around but who would probably always be the one every man was compared to?

“I just thought it was time I started dating again,” Kurt said and kept it at that.

He had a lot to think about, and Kurt was almost annoyed that he had agreed to this date. His father had put things into better perspective just the other night and Kurt couldn’t help but want just a little more time before he decided what he wanted to do. Did going on this date already mean he had made up his mind?

“Well, I’m glad I’m the lucky one.”

After that things relaxed a little bit, but Kurt couldn’t help but feel that while Steve had been wonderful in bed the other night, that he and Kurt actually didn’t have a whole lot in common. Steve didn’t get Kurt’s interest in fashion one bit and Kurt was starting to think that he was way more interested in partying than anything else.

“I mean, it’s kind of stereotypical, isn’t it?” Steve asked, “the whole clothes obsessed thing. Not that I don’t like your clothes because they’re really something, but just it’s the gay stereotype.”

Kurt took a long drink from his water and then replied, “I always wanted to be a designer. Well, actually I wanted to be a performer, but I’ve always been interested in clothing.”

When their food arrived, Kurt was glad to note that it did look delicious. He couldn’t wait to start eating.

“This look and smells divine,” he told Steve.

“Do you guys need anything else?” the waitress asked.

Kurt shook his head. “No thank you.”

As they started eating their topic of conversation shifted to something else and somehow Kurt found himself talking about Santana and Brittany.

“They were friends from school, I guess, and I’ve always sort of kept in contact with them. They don’t always ask for favors, but it’s Brittany’s birthday, so I couldn’t just say no. But, yeah, we’re having this big thing for her. I’m not entire sure if it’s even a surprise anymore.”

Then he surprised himself by continuing with after a few bites, “you should come with me. I’d love for you to meet Brittany and Santana and I know they’re going to pester me about not having a date to one of these things anyway, so you might just be helping me out.”

“They won’t mind?”

Kurt shook his head. “As long as you don’t actually arrive with me, I have to do a press thing first for the place.”

Kurt knew that putting it like that could have been taken offensively, but Steve was surprisingly good about it.

“Sure. No problem.”

After they finished their meal, Steve ordered dessert, a piece of tiramisu that he tried to get Kurt to share with him.

“Nope,” Kurt said, “I don’t care how good you claim it to be.”

The check came after Steve had finished his dessert and Kurt immediately grabbed for the bill. He’d seen some of the prices in the menu and he knew that it was a rather expensive place. Steve reached it first.

“I invited you here, I’m paying,” he announced.

He didn’t let Kurt see the bill and Kurt smiled to himself a little bit because the few dates he’d gone on with guys that weren’t Blaine had always ended up with him paying. And it wasn’t about the money because Kurt had lots to spent, but more about the fact that because he had it, he should have been expected to pay every time.

- - -

Two Days Earlier

Blaine was glad to be back at his office, working with paper work. It wasn’t really lawyer related work and he could remember clearly when he’d hated doing any of the paperwork, but suddenly he didn’t mind. It was better than being at court for Rachel’s many problems with a musical that she was no longer even a part of.

Daisy was helping him even while working on the research he’d set her weeks ago for the money that Burt had offered him for charity work. Already, she’d given a large amount for a playground to be kept just some streets away and although Blaine hadn’t had the chance to meet with the woman in charge, he was glad that in some way he was accomplishing some good while trying to find some fault in Mr. Smith’s company.

It was still a whole lot of guess work and Blaine didn’t like how little Burt was sharing with him. Burt had a lot of rivals, and just as many friends. This one was special for a reason. Burt didn’t go for so much trouble with all the others. Somehow this man, whoever he was, had messed with Burt before. There was no other explanation for it.

“Blaine!” Daisy called from the adjacent room.

Daisy rarely called out for him, so he knew it was important.

“Yeah, Daisy?”

She entered his office then, holding her laptop in one hand and looking apologetic and suddenly he knew she’d made a mistake. Daisy didn’t make mistakes often, but she forgot things, or misplaced things all the time.

“What is it?”

“The last name was wrong,” she said, “it was spelled wrong because I got it from a phone call and the website had it wrong too.”

And then things began to make sense. Of course this new rival was bad news. Of course Burt was worried. But why Burt had hidden it from him and made him work hard to get the answer annoyed him and perhaps worried him even more. Burt did things for a reason.

“It’s Smythe, isn’t it?”

Daisy nodded. “How did you know?”

Blaine didn’t answer for a long moment. He couldn’t believe it. How hadn’t he seen it coming though.

“When I was a kid I can’t remember how many times I heard my dad talk about a person he only called Smythe. What I can remember is the contempt with how he said that surname. And I guess he’s back.”

“But if Mr. Hummel knew who he was, then why have you look for all this information?” Daisy asked.

She set her computer down on his desk and dropped into one of the chairs in front of his desk.

“It just doesn’t make sense wasting your time like that,” she continued.

“I don’t get it either,” Blaine said, “but there has to be a reason. He must have known everything there was to know about him back then, but maybe he hasn’t tracked his every move since that last trial. I can’t remember what happened, I was too young and my mom was still trying to keep me out of all of this at the time.”

Daisy nodded and stood up again, picking up her computer. She paused at the door.

“I almost forgot. Rachel Berry’s coming in later to see you and a Ms. Fairfax called.”

“Thank you, Daisy.”

Blaine sat back in his seat in contemplation. Smythe. The name was familiar from his childhood but from something else too, he just couldn’t remember where. He stood up and gathered his things. It was time he spoke to Burt again.

“Daisy, I’ll be back later. If Rachel comes by just tell her to drop me a call and Rebecca Fairfax must not have had something important to talk about otherwise she’d be pestering you right now.”

Daisy nodded. “See you,” she said and continued working on the laptop.

Blaine called Burt’s office on his way out but Burt’s assistant redirected him to Hummel Plaza.

“He stayed home today,” she told him, “sorry, Mr. Anderson.”

“It’s alright. I’ll stop by the house, then. Thanks.”

Blaine flagged down a taxi and gave the address. He was dropped off some twenty minutes later and walked inside the building to the elevator and almost ran straight into an attractive looking man who seemed a bit distracted by his phone.

“No, no, everything is going perfectly fine,” the man said into his phone, “you have nothing to worry about.”

Blaine excused himself and got onto the elevator, the doors began to close, but not before Blaine heard the man say, “Kurt loves me. There’s no way this won’t work.”

By the time he got to their first floor, Blaine had tried to compose himself enough to not come up with numerous scenarios for why that man could have said that and he walked through their foyer with the sole purpose of finding Kurt and asking about him. He found Kurt seated at the dining room table with what appeared to be a late lunch.

“Oh, hey, Blaine,” he greeted cheerfully, “hungry? I can ask Maria to make you something.”

Blaine began to shake his head, but his stomach grumbled in protest and Kurt laughed.

“I’ll be right back,” he said, “it’s nice to have company for meals.”

He was back almost instantaneously and slid into his seat gracefully. “So other than hunger, what brings you by, if it isn’t to see me?”

Blaine remembered then the original reason. “I came to see Burt, actually. I called his office, but I was told he’d be here. I needed to talk to him about that rival of his.”

“Well, he’s not here,” Kurt said, “it’s his and Carole anniversary for something or other and Carole insisted they do something together for once that doesn’t involve some ridiculous party; she’s planning one for their actual anniversary anyway.”

“Oh. I guess I’ll wait for tomorrow.”

Kurt nodded and moved his fork around his salad. “Before I forget I was supposed to ask if you were coming to Brittany’s party. It’s in two days.”

Blaine paused for a moment and then he remembered. Kurt had invited him months ago and mentioned it again during their movie night with Amie. He’d sort of already agreed to it.

“I’m not sure, I’ll have to talk to Nick, but probably.”

Kurt nodded. “Well, try to come. I have to introduce you to Steve.”

Steve. It took Blaine a moment to remember who Steve was, but then it hit him. Steve was the guy he’d been with that one night. His stomach churned and his throat tightened. Blaine didn’t understand. What was this feeling, this anger coiling inside him?

“It’s kind of new,” Kurt continued, “but I think you’d like him and as a plus me having a date might set Nick right.”

Blaine nodded. “Yeah. I’ll…I’ll let you know.” He had to go to that party.

Maria came out, then, with a sandwich and Blaine gapped at it because that was his favorite sandwich ever, a sandwich that Kurt had made him once in that very kitchen and that had hit every one of his taste buds.

Kurt had remembered.

“You remember,” he whispered.

Kurt smiled a little and nodded. “After we broke up, after I left, it was the only thing I could eat. I gained like thirty pounds, it was horrible, but for some reason, it was all I wanted.”

Blaine couldn’t help but reach over and grab Kurt’s hand. He gave it a squeeze.

“I haven’t had one like this in years, although I have to say this one probably won’t be as good as one actually made by you.”

At that Kurt began to laugh again.

It was good being friends again. Amazing, even. Blaine reached for the sandwich and brought it up to take a bite and it was absolutely delicious.

- - -

One Day Earlier

Blaine woke up with a start and he almost fell right off of his and Nick’s bed when he did. He sat up a little slower and glanced at the alarm clock warily. It was two hours before it’d go off, but Blaine knew he wasn’t going to get back to sleep. He rubbed at his eyes. He needed to stop dreaming about Kurt. But somehow every few days he dreamt about him. Some of the dreams were tame and random, but others were more R-rated. Blaine rarely remembered them for the most part.

He slowly got out of bed and glanced at Nick once to make sure he was still sleeping, before padding out of the room to the living room, where he plopped himself on the couch and wrapped the colorful throw they kept folded there, around his shoulders.

Two hours later, found him in the kitchen making French toast.

“Good morning,” Nick said, “what are you doing up?”

Blaine shrugged and turned to peck Nick on the cheek, “woke up and couldn’t go back to sleep,” he said, “French toast?”

Nick grabbed his usual mug from a cupboard and poured himself coffee. “Yeah. Sure. Odd not being the one making breakfast.”

Blaine finished making the last of the French toast and refilled his own cup of coffee before he sat down at the table with Nick.

“I meant to ask you last night,” he said carefully, “but I forgot. I told you about the party Santana’s having for Brittany, well it’s tomorrow night and I told Kurt we’d try to come.”

“Oh, he’s acknowledged that you come with a date. How nice,” Nick said.

Blaine sighed. “Nick,” he muttered, “please.”

“I never liked Santana and Brittany is the most confusing person I’ve ever met, but if you do want to, then why not.”

Blaine had expected more of a fight. He had expected Nick to actually argue against going and even go as far as making excuses. He couldn’t understand why and he hoped more than anything that Nick wasn’t possibly up to something.

“I haven’t seen Kurt in a while,” Nick continued and he cut a piece of French toast, stabbing it with his fork, “and I think it’s time he sees you on my arm. He has to realize you’re mine seeing as you insist on being his friend.”

Blaine gulped. It wasn’t going to go well. Nick had never been very possessive of him. He didn’t get jealous easily and was easy going and even polite when someone hit on him, but any mention of Kurt made Nick act crazy. Blaine thought it had to be about how hurt he’d been after he and Kurt broke up, or maybe even the fact that if anyone could get between them it would be Kurt.

“What are you planning?” he asked.

“Nothing. I just want him to see you happy with me. He has to realize that you are only friends, Blaine. I trust you. You know I do. I just don’t want him getting the wrong idea that if he tries hard enough at enticing you that you’ll just go back to him. And if he cares for you at all, then he’ll realize that you’re happy with me and Mia now and that that is more important.” He frowned a little and in a smaller voice asked, “you are happy with me, aren’t you?”

Blaine didn’t hesitate to offer his reassurance. “Of course I’m happy. What would make you think otherwise?”

Nick shrugged. “We’ve been fighting more, Blaine…and you spend more time running around getting things done for the Hummels than spending time with me or Mia. But you like your job, I know you do, so…I don’t know what I should think.”

“I love you,” Blaine said at once, “I love you and Mia and I wouldn’t know what to do without you in my life.”

Yet, everything Nick mentioned made him think. They had been fighting more and more of late about the smallest things that didn’t matter before. And Blaine knew they weren’t talking like they had before all of it happened.

Nick reached for his hand and Blaine let him take it.

“I love you too.”

“So, I’m going to tell Kurt we’ll be there, then,” Blaine said after they’d finished eating, “I have to go see Burt, but I’ll stop by the gallery to get Mia and then we can go out to dinner tonight. Maybe just the two of us?”

Nick grinned. “I’d like that,” he said.

- - -

“It’s not the elder Smythe,” Burt said.

He was sitting behind his desk in his office and looked weary.

“He had a son, then?” Blaine asked

Burt nodded slowly. “Yes. Two of them. Sebastian’s the younger, he went to Dalton, graduated a few years after you and Kurt so you might not have known him. I never met the other son. They moved to France after what happened back then, and I never thought that they’d be back to try and destroy me and the family again.”

Blaine still hadn’t been told everything that’d happened in the past with the man named Smythe, but he was beginning to suspect that it’d been bad.

“What happened?” he asked.

Burt shook his head. “I don’t want to talk about that. The point is, the two sons are up to something with the Smythe company and as great as their goals look to be on paper, they are aiming for much more.”

Blaine nodded. In his research he’d run into a number of the things that the Smythes stood for which included a number of his own causes.

“They want revenge,” Burt continued, “for what I did to their father, but I don’t know if they know what their father did to me and Kurt or why he really left New York.”

Neither did Blaine. He wanted to point that out to Burt, but it was as if Burt didn’t even seem to realize that Blaine really knew nothing about what had gone of between Burt and Mr. Smythe.

“I have someone working on the eldest Smythe,” Burt continued, “his name is Steve. I think he might be the mastermind behind the whole thing. I’m not sure if Sebastian is even involved, but it would benefit us to know what we can about both of them.”

Steve. The name rang a bell in Blaine’s brain, especially when connected to the man he’d ran into when he got to Hummel Plaza just the day before. He knew it was entirely possible that they could be the same person, but at the same time Blaine didn’t want to believe that of all the people Kurt could have found in the city and decided to have more than a one night stand that it would be the son of his father’s rival. It would be too much coincidence. He resolved to not mention it to Burt knowing that maybe Kurt’s Steve was a different Steve altogether.

“But what happened?” Blaine asked, “what happened to them that they think they need to get revenge?”

Burt waved his hand. “It doesn’t matter now, Blaine. They didn’t lose the most precious thing they had because of it. I did, and I don’t want a repeat of that.”