The phone rang just as Blaine was tipping out the popcorn he had made to go with the movie he'd picked out to watch. He hurriedly dumped the last of the popcorn into the bowl and scrambled across the kitchen and out into the living room, where he began frantically searching for his phone amongst the papers and books on the coffee table. His phone stopped ringing and there were a few seconds of silence - bar the rustling of paper and scrabbling of fingers on the wooden table surface - before the phone started ringing again, loud and insistent and this time Blaine was able to identify where the noise was coming from.

Darting around the table, he began tossing aside cushions on the couch until his fingers closed around his cell phone. He jabbed the button to accept the call and, after glancing at the caller I.D., pressed the phone to his ear. "Hey, George, what's up?"

George played the drums for him on his records and at all his live performances. He had met the blonde-haired Floridian during his first year at NYU, along with most of the other members of the band, and they had been friends since.

"Blaine, I was just calling to see if you wanted to come out with me and a couple of other guys tonight. I figured you would want to relax a bit after spending the day rehearsing."

Blaine bit back a sigh and sat down on the couch. George was always trying to drag him along to some bar or club and while he enjoyed it occasionally, most nights he just wasn't in the mood - it wasn't really his sort of scene. Yes, they had spent most of today at Chelsea Piers rehearsing his performance for the Trevor Project Live event being held tomorrow night, but Blaine was envisioning a night on the couch watching movies, not going out to some club and getting drunk.

"I don't think so, sorry," Blaine said, already bracing himself for George to start wheedling and trying to persuade him to come. "I'm more in the mood for some couch-and-movie time tonight."

He could almost hear George's eyes rolling. "But that's boring, Blaine! Stop being so boring! Come out and have fun with us!"

"Not tonight, George, maybe some other time."

"That's what you always say," George protested. "Just a few drinks and then we'll leave. I promise not to force you into dancing again!"

"Tempting, but I'm still sticking with no."

George sighed heavily. "Fine."

Blaine suddenly felt guilty for turning down his friend's offers all the time. "I am sorry, but I've been so busy promoting the new single lately that I just want a night in."

"No, it's fine," George assured him, "I understand. Maybe some other time. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah, have fun tonight!"

After George had hung up he set his phone down on the coffee table and went back into the kitchen to get his popcorn. He scooped up the bowl, snagged a can of soda, and padded back through to the living room, shoving the DVD into the player before throwing himself down onto the couch with a contented sigh.

Around fifteen minutes into the movie a character called Kurt was introduced and Blaine found himself becoming distracted from the movie as he began thinking about Kurt Hummel. It had been almost a week since he had appeared on Kurt's show and not a day had gone by that he hadn't regretted not asking for the other man's phone number. He kept daydreaming about Kurt; his sparkling blue eyes and wide smile were tattooed on Blaine's brain and whenever he was relaxed, Kurt's face would appear in his mind's eye. He would give anything to see the talk show host again.

He shot up from where he had been sprawled on the couch into an upright position as a sudden thought occurred to him. Kurt was a big supporter of the Trevor Project as well; maybe he was going to the event tomorrow night.

Snatching up his phone from the table in front of him, he scrolled through his contacts and called his manager, Charlie.

"Charlie Robertson speaking."

"Charlie, the Trevor Project Live tomorrow night, do you know who else is attending?" Blaine fidgeted with a loose thread on the slightly frayed hem of the old Dalton t-shirt he was wearing. There was a pause at the other end of the line.

"I have the whole guest list here," Charlie said after a moment. "Do you want me to email it to you?"

"No, just read out some of the main guests attending." He didn't want to just ask if Kurt was on the list and make it obvious how much he wanted to see the other man again.

There was another, shorter pause and Blaine could tell Charlie was frowning right now, puzzled as to why Blaine wanted this information. "Neil Patrick Harris, David Burtka, Lady Gaga, Kurt Hummel, Jesse-"

"Ok, thanks," Blaine interrupted him, his stomach having given a small squeeze upon hearing Kurt's name. He gave a small cough. "I just wondered who some of the people speaking at the event would be."

"Right," Charlie said, not sounding totally convinced. "Is there anything else? Are you all set for tomorrow?"

"Yeah, I'm all good for tomorrow and no, there's nothing else. Thanks, Charlie." He let the thread from his t-shirt slip through his fingers.

After Charlie had hung up - after letting him know once again what time he would be picked up tomorrow - Blaine once again set his phone down on the coffee table, this time with a smile on his face and a fluttering feeling of nervous anticipation. He was going to see Kurt tomorrow and he was determined to get his phone number.

The car rolled to a stop and Blaine tugged at the black bowtie he was wearing, a nervous gesture he was barely aware of. After smoothing out the jacket of his suit he climbed out the car and, with his personal assistant trailing along behind him like a shadow, he made his way towards the press line, towards the flashing cameras, shouting photographers, and eager reporters.

He scanned the attendees already scattered along the press line, posing for photographers or talking to the reporters, but he couldn't see Kurt anywhere. Several people behind the metal barriers separating the press from the event attendees were shouting his name. Turning towards the nearest reporter, he hitched a smile on his face and tried to focus on the questions he was asked and the replies coming out of his mouth, but he couldn't stop his gaze from wandering over the people crowding the press line or from checking every new arrival to see if they were Kurt.

He was posing for some photographs when Kurt arrived. The photographers calling his name and asking him to look in their direction and the bright flashes stinging his eyes from the cameras trained on him were forgotten when he saw Kurt and the smile on his face widened. Kurt looked stunning in his well-fitted suit, the dark grey of the material making his blue eyes stand out. His hair was swept up in its usual coif, the lights picking out blonde and chestnut streaks in his brown locks. Blaine was filled with the sudden urge to run down the line towards him, but restrained himself, forcing his eyes back to the photographers and the blinding flashes of their cameras.

Despite knowing that there was little chance he would get the opportunity to speak to Kurt before the event started, seeing as how they arrived so far apart from each other, he still couldn't help the tinge of disappointment he felt when they moved through into the large room the event was being held in without him having the chance to talk to the person he so desperately wanted to. They weren't seated at the same table either; Kurt was at a table a few over from the one Blaine was at. Blaine could only just see the back of his head if he leaned back in his chair, provided a tall woman in an emerald green dress wasn't sitting back in her chair when he looked - sometimes it sucked being shorter than the average male.

The event was enjoyable; the speakers were interesting and the performers all did a great job. Blaine was able to almost forget about Kurt as he watched, until Kurt came out on stage to do his part.

He listened raptly to everything Kurt said, leaning forward in his seat with an elbow on the table and his chin resting on his hand. It could have been a figment of Blaine's vivid imagination, but he was sure that at one point halfway through his speech, Kurt's eyes met his for the space of several heartbeats; he could feel the connection of their gazes as if it were something tangible and his heart accelerated at the feeling.

After Kurt finished his piece, Blaine stood up and left his table, followed by the members of his band, who had been sitting at the same table as him, to head backstage to prepare for his performance.

"Ready to rock this joint?" George asked, clapping him on the back once they had reached the small room where their instruments, bar the drums, were.

"I don't think you can use that expression when playing at a charity event," Blaine replied as he picked up his guitar and began automatically checking that it was in-tune.

George scratched under his chin with one of his drumsticks. "Sure you can." He watched as Blaine's fingers slipped off one of the tuning pegs and frowned. "You're not nervous, are you?"

Blaine shook his head, keeping his eyes on his guitar. "No, I'm fine."

This was the truth - he wasn't nervous. His body was just still thrumming with the aftereffects of his brief connection with Kurt; his hands were still shaking, his heart still racing, and he imagined his face was a little flushed.

George didn't look convinced by his answer, but before he got the chance to say anything else one of the assistants working backstage appeared to tell them that they were due onstage in a minute.

As they waited to go out, Blaine took the time to discreetly smooth out his clothes and make sure his gelled hair was sitting perfectly. His band did their usual pre-show activities: George attempting to twirl his drumsticks and only just avoiding dropping them or hitting someone, whilst everyone else chatted easily. Then they were called out and Blaine walked out onto the dim stage whilst his band hurried ahead of him to take their positions.

He tried not to look at Kurt as he performed, tried to keep his gaze from drifting over to the table where he knew Kurt was sitting. He tried, but he failed - multiple times.

Kurt's gaze was fixed on him every time he glanced in the young man's direction. The first few times Blaine looked in Kurt's direction he glanced away after only a split-second, his gaze skittering away to look in the opposite direction. As his performance went on and Kurt's gaze on him never wavered, he became more daring and allowed himself to meet and hold Kurt's eyes. Kurt was like a drug to him; the more he gave in to the pull he felt towards the blue-eyed man, the more he wanted to look over at him.

The song ended and the room filled with applause, but to Blaine it was empty of everyone but himself and Kurt. Their eyes met again as Kurt applauded him and Blaine felt a smile spread across his face which was answered with a nose-crinkling smile from Kurt.

Kurt wove his way through the crowd, his eyes searching for the short, dark-haired figure of Blaine. He had just managed to escape a long conversation with a couple of actresses - one of whom had recently been on his show - who had cornered him after the event had ended just as he had been about to shoot off and catch Blaine before the musician left his table. Blaine was nowhere to be seen around the table he had sat at now; the only people beside it were Blaine's bass player and a young brunette woman who appeared to be flirting with him.

He was nearing the far end of the room now where the crowds had thinned out to just a few small groups of people standing talking and Kurt still hadn't found Blaine. Just as he was beginning to worry that Blaine had already left, he caught a glimpse of hazel eyes, tanned skin, and gelled hair through a gap in a gathering of people. He walked quickly in the direction he had seen Blaine at a pace that was verging on a jog and then there was Blaine; he had his back to him as he said something to a woman in a blue dress who was just walking away from him. Kurt waited until the woman had turned away from him before he approached the shorter man.

"Blaine," he said and the musician turned, his eyes questioning until he saw Kurt and the pleasant smile on his face widened.

"Kurt, hi! I was hoping to get the chance to talk to you tonight."

Kurt's heart leapt. "Really?" He tried not to read too much into Blaine's words.

Blaine nodded. "Yeah, we always seem to miss each other at these events and after meeting you the other week I rea- I wanted to see you again." He tugged gently on the edge of his bowtie.

Blaine was making it difficult for Kurt to stop his mind from overanalysing his words and warping their meaning into what his heart wanted. He scuffed his foot along the floor. "Yeah, me too." He paused. "I really enjoyed your performance tonight," he said a little shyly, remembering the charged glances they had shared - blue eyes meeting hazel, the rest of the crowded room falling away until it was just the two of them. He was glad for the dim light, hoping it was enough to conceal his blush from Blaine.

Blaine let out a small cough. "Uh, thanks. I'm glad you still enjoyed it even after hearing the same song live not too long ago."

"I never get tired of hearing your music, I could listen to you sing for hours," Kurt said without thinking. He flushed when his brain caught up with his mouth. His hope that the light was too dim for his blush to be noticed turned out to be futile; the colour staining Blaine's cheeks was clearly noticeable.

A voice called Kurt's name and Blaine glanced in the direction it had come from, suddenly looking a little frantic. He pulled out his cell phone. "Here," he said, handing it to Kurt, "add your number and I'll call you sometime and we can meet up again in a less formal setting."

Kurt accepted the phone from him and typed his number in with shaking fingers before sending himself a text so he had Blaine's number on his own phone. "Maybe we could meet for coffee sometime?" he suggested as he handed Blaine his phone back.

Blaine smiled softly at him. "I'd like that."

The voice called Kurt's name again, sounding louder this time and Kurt held back a reluctant sigh. "I'd better go see what they want," he said, jabbing a thumb over his shoulder in the direction of the voice.

"Yeah, ok, I'll call you," Blaine promised.

Kurt smiled and gave him a small wave before turning and walking towards whoever was shouting to him, his feet dragging with reluctance, but his heart light with a happiness that was almost giddy.