Kurt pushed aside several shirts muttering the word 'no' under his breath when he regarded each one. Pausing at a blue shirt, he pulled it out of his closet and tugged it on, considered his reflection in the full-length mirror on the back of his closet door, then shook his head and removed the shirt, hanging it back up carefully and pushing it along the rail to join the rest of the rejected clothing. He returned to searching through his clothes, getting more frantic as time went on.

"I don't know why you're making such a big fuss about your outfit." Rachel commented from where she was sitting on Kurt's bed watching his desperate searching for a suitable outfit. "You keep saying it isn't a date, so why not just wear what you would put on if you were going out to dinner with me?"

Kurt tried on another shirt. "Because-" he held a tie up against him. "Because it's…different," he said lamely. He wrinkled his nose at his reflection and put the tie and shirt back in the closet.

Rachel picked up a pot of cream from his nightstand and examined it. "How is it different exactly? Enlighten me."

Kurt watched Rachel replace the pot of cream and pick up a tube of moisturising cream in the mirror whilst he debated over a shirt and waistcoat ensemble. He snatched up a pair of jeans from where he had discarded them earlier on his bed. "It just is," he pulled the jeans on and examined his reflection from all angles. "I see you every day, you've seen me at my best and my worst, so it doesn't matter so much what I wear around you. Tim is different, I haven't known him as long and I don't see him as often."

Rachel put back the tube of cream she had been frowning over and raised an eyebrow at Kurt. "That's a lame excuse and you know it."

Kurt said nothing to this and pulled off the jeans he was wearing, discarding them as too casual. "Just because you're happy to go out in outfits that would make fashion designers weep, doesn't mean everyone is."

"My fashion sense has improved a lot lately!" Rachel protested. "You said so yourself!"

"Only thanks to me," Kurt retorted, tugging on another pair of jeans.

Rachel watched him try different outfit combinations in silence for a few minutes before speaking again. "I still think you aren't telling me everything about this evening."

Kurt silently tried on a few more shirts until Rachel's staring became too much. "Fine!" He burst out, spinning around to glare at his friend. "It's a date alright! Happy now?"

Rachel clasped her hands together, a huge smile on her face. "I knew it!" She squealed. "You two are so cute together!" She bounced on the bed and Kurt couldn't help but smile at her reaction. "I can't believe it has taken you this long to go on a date."

Kurt surveyed his reflection, smoothing out his waistcoat. "We both went home for the holidays and were really busy, not exactly the best time to start dating."

A loud buzzing interrupted whatever Rachel was about to say.

"Shit, I'm not ready!" Kurt fumbled through his ties.

Rachel jumped to her feet. "I'll let him in and keep him entertained until you're ready." She all but skipped out of the room.

"Don't you dare say anything that will require me to yell at you for later!" Kurt shouted after her.

Holding three ties against him at once, Kurt strained his ears as the faint sound of voices drifted into his room. He tied his chosen tie with shaking hands and quickly smoothed out the collar of his shirt just as Rachel's laugh rang through the apartment. Rushing now, he grabbed his wallet and phone and gave his hair one final check over, before hurrying into the living room.

Rachel and Tim both looked round when he entered the room and Kurt dropped his eyes, brushing imaginary lint off his jeans as Tim's eyes swept over him.

"You look stunning as always, Kurt."

Kurt smiled slowly at him. "Thanks, you look great too."

Tim shrugged as he looked down at the well-fitted shirt and jeans he was wearing. He flashed a bright smile at Kurt. "Ready to go?"

Kurt nodded. "Just let me grab my coat."

Rachel winked at him as he and Tim headed to the door.

"Have a good time, guys," she said as Tim held the door for Kurt

Tim shot her a quick smile over his shoulder. "We will."

As they descended the stairs in Kurt's building, Tim glanced over at Kurt. "I chose a small restaurant a few blocks away for dinner – their food is fantastic. I hope that's ok."

"Sounds good."

They stepped outside into the cold evening and began making their way slowly up the street. The moon was a smudged creamy fingerprint over some of the smaller buildings and most of the stars were washed out by the city's bright lights which made Kurt feel a small pang of homesickness for Lima. He missed being able to lie on his back and gaze up at the night sky, all his problems fading away, insignificant under the vast inky sky scattered with the diamond pinpricks of distant stars and universes.

They fell into easy conversation as they walked and Kurt found himself laughing a lot – he had forgotten how much he enjoyed spending time with Tim. When they reached the restaurant Kurt recognised the name that was displayed over the doors and large window at the front of the building. "Oh, I know this place. Finn took Rachel here once, she raved about it afterwards."

"Well, that's four positive comments I've heard about it now, so I don't think we have to worry about a poor meal spoiling our night."

Kurt met his eyes and smiled, his heart pounding as he followed Tim into the restaurant.

"It was ridiculous!" Kurt laughed, shaking his head.

Tim grinned at him. "That one definitely won't be added to my DVD collection."

Tim pushed open the door of the movie theatre and Kurt shivered when a blast of cold air greeted them. He huddled up inside his coat as he and Tim began walking away from the theatre. Just as he was about to slide his hands into the pockets of his coat, Tim reached out and took his hand. Kurt glanced sideways and he smiled shyly at him.

They walked in silence for a while, Kurt's heart racing at the feel of Tim's hand in his. Just when he began to worry that he should say something, Tim spoke.

"I've been trying to figure out how to tell you this all evening-" he broke off and shook his head. "Not just this evening, but for a while now and-" he broke off again and inhaled deeply.

They had stopped walking now and were standing on a fairly quiet stretch of street still holding hands.

Kurt frowned slightly at him; he had never seen Tim this nervous before.

Tim licked his lips. "What I'm trying to say is I really like you, Kurt."

Kurt stared at him, his eyes widening and his heart racing.

Tim's eyes were searching Kurt's, trying to gauge his reaction. "I've liked you for a while now and I hope what happened at that party last semester didn't ruin things because I was drunk and-"

Kurt cut him off before he could continue rambling. "We were both a bit drunk and-" he hesitated for a moment. "I like you too." He met Tim's eyes, still feeling a bit unsure.

Tim moved closer and bent his head towards him slowly. His lips brushed against Kurt's and Kurt shivered, his eyes fluttering closed. Tim kissed him softly at first, then with more force as Kurt began returning the kiss. When they broke apart they stared at each other, both a little breathless. A smile lit up Tim's flushed face and Kurt couldn't help but return it.

Blaine sighed and tapped his foot impatiently as Nick – yawning and grumbling under his breath – shoved the last of his books into his bag. Blaine looked pointedly at his watch when Nick finally stumbled his way over to where he stood by the front door.

"Ok, ok I'm ready!" He pushed past Blaine and yanked open the door.

Blaine followed him out and locked up behind them. "If we miss the train it's your fault," he said as he caught up with Nick on the stairs.

"We have plenty of time, stop worrying. I'm not used to getting up early anymore."

They hurried to the subway station, Nick grumbling the whole way. Blaine just didn't want to miss his usual train and seeing the handsome young man that took it. To his relief they arrived at the station with a few minutes to spare and Blaine scanned the people waiting on the platform for a familiar figure, finally spotting him down the far end.

"Why can't we just wait here?" Nick asked, trailing behind Blaine as he made a bee-line for the far end of the platform.

Blaine stopped a short distance away from the blue-eyed NYADA student, surreptitiously checking him out as Nick joined him.

"What was wrong with waiting back there?" Nick pointed behind him.

Blaine shrugged. "You don't have to fight through as many people to get on the train here."

Nick said something in response to this, but Blaine wasn't listening. He watched Blue Eyes smile slightly as he looked at his phone.

"Blaine!"

Blaine snapped his gaze around to Nick who was glaring at him looking half-annoyed and half-amused. "See something you like?"

Blaine felt heat rush to his face. "Uh, what? No- what are you- what?"

Nick smirked at him and peered at the people on the platform behind Blaine. "The one in the scarf and boots?"

Blaine looked over his shoulder at him to try and hide his blush. Trying to regain his composure, he stared intently at a billboard on the wall behind Blue Eyes for a few seconds, only turning back to face Nick when most of the heat had left his cheeks.

He shrugged nonchalantly. "I just thought he was kind of attractive, so I was just…checking him out."

Nick looked like he was trying not to laugh as he watched Blaine scratch the back of his neck whilst his eyes darted around the station. "Right," he said, turning his head away to hide a smile.

Their train arrived at the station and Blaine led the way over to it, relieved that Nick had dropped the subject. He didn't realise he had automatically followed Blue Eyes onto the train car until Nick spoke.

"Does he take this train every day?" He asked, as the train pulled out of the station.

Blaine spoke without thinking. "Except Thursdays." It took him a second or two to realise what he had said, but when it dawned on him he whipped his head around to see a smirking Nick.

His friend simply stared at him with his eyebrow raised.

Blaine sighed. "I accidently bumped into him on this train in the second week of semester and I've seen him on this train every day since – except Thursdays." He paused, debating whether or not to say more, and then he sighed again, resignedly. "I don't know why I keep watching him, but I do. I can't help myself."

Nick's smirk faded slightly. "You could always just talk to him you know."

Blaine stared at him with wide eyes. "I can't just talk to a random stranger on the subway!"

"Why not?"

"Be- because you just don't do things like that!" Blaine spluttered.

Nick watched Blaine as he stared down at his feet, occasionally sneaking a peek at Blue Eyes from under his lashes. "Well, you can just enjoy staring at him every morning, though I'm sure a certain someone wouldn't approve."

Blaine looked guiltily up at his friend, whose expression was neutral. He knew Nick was right, but it wasn't like he was flirting with this guy, he was just watching him.