Asleep on the couch with Sam, his phone tucked away in his messenger bag by the door, Blaine in fact didn't read anything into the fact that Kurt hadn't yet called him.  And he didn't notice when Kurt's text came through, Sam having deposited him into bed sometime after midnight.

But he went looking for his phone the next morning, and promptly dropped it on his toe when he read not one, but two texts from Kurt: 

1:24 a.m.

From Kurt:  I spent hours tonight afraid to dial the phone and now it's too late to talk.  Seeing you today was both the best and the most frightening thing that's happened to me in ages.  Talk tomorrow?

8:02 a.m.

From Kurt:  I really hope this is the right phone number, otherwise someone is going to be very confused.  Please tell me this is you.

Blaine re-read the first message about a dozen times before he realized it had already been over an hour since Kurt had sent the second one, and he was still waiting for an answer.  He settled himself back on his bed and tried to still his trembling hands enough to type out a coherent response.

9:15 a.m.

From Blaine:  It's me.  Although how does that prove anything?  Anyone could say it.

9:17 a.m.

From Kurt:  Fair point.  But now I'm sure it's you. 

Blaine giggled, but before he could type something back, another message popped up.

9:19 a.m.:

From Kurt:  So would you like to get coffee with me, or did my first message scare you away?

9:20 a.m.:

From Blaine:  Far from it.  And yes.

Blaine winced as he re-read his message, realizing it could be taken the wrong way.

9:22 a.m.

From Blaine:  You know I meant yes to the coffee, right, and no to the scaring away?

9:25 a.m.

From Kurt:  Glad to hear it.

9:27 a.m.:

From Blaine:  For the record, I'm both thrilled and terrified.  And nervous, if that isn't implied in the terrified category.

9:30 a.m.:

From Kurt:  Why are we so scared?

9:32 a.m.:

From Blaine:  Too scary to say?

9:35 a.m.:

From Kurt:  I can accept that.  So, coffee?  When/where? What's your schedule like?

9:38 a.m.:

From Blaine:  I'm free anytime after 3.  Do you know Layla's Café?

9:40 a.m.:

From Kurt:  I've never been but I know where it is.  I think today at 4 will work – my dad is supposed to check out of the hospital today.  If things get delayed, I'll text you and we can reschedule.

9:42 a.m.:

From Blaine:  I'm so sorry, I though you meant today.  It doesn't have to be today.  When did you want to meet?

9:43 a.m.

From Kurt:  I want it to be today.

9:44 a.m.

From Blaine:  Okay, me too.  See you at 4.

9:45 a.m.

From Kurt:  See you at 4.

Blaine squealed and flopped back on his bed.  He had a coffee date with Kurt.  Not necessarily a date date, but that didn't matter.  Not when compared to the simple fact that he was going to see Kurt today.  On purpose, not just a random encounter Kurt couldn't avoid.  He couldn't believe it. 

The weird thing was, Blaine was sort of surprised at how much he wanted to see Kurt.  If you had asked him in the months after the break up whether he wanted to have coffee with Kurt, he probably would have just shrugged, not caring much either way.  There was a period there when he just didn't have the desire to do much of anything.  Nothing seemed to make him happy, and he had a hard time getting up the interest to even care.  But so many things had changed since that time, including, apparently, a very serious interest in seeing Kurt.  Which was at this moment unquestionably there, sparking through every inch of his body, making it impossible to focus on much of anything else.

Blaine felt like he should do something to prepare, but he wasn't sure what to do.  He had gotten a haircut pretty recently, and it wasn't as if Kurt had seen any of the clothes he had bought in the past year.  Plus he had physical therapy at eleven o'clock, and he was supposed to meet Sam at the gym at one.  As long as he got out of there by two o'clock or so, he should have time to get home, shower and dress, and get to Layla's by four, even at his slow stumble.  His “leisurely pace,” as Sam called it.  “No need to rush, Blaine,” Sam liked to say, taking Blaine's arm as they meandered down the busy sidewalks.  “Just because these city folk don't understand our leisurely pace, doesn't mean we have to change for them.”

As Blaine's head filled with thoughts of things that could go wrong between now and then, he realized there was nowhere near enough time to go to the gym today.  He sent Sam a quick text to let him know he wouldn't be coming, to which Sam immediately replied “Date with lover boy? What time?”  Blaine responded, and received “I'll be home by 3 and we can walk over together” from Sam.

Blaine figured Sam must not be very busy at the gym this morning, since he was replying to his texts so quickly, and decided to call him before Sam got any ideas into his head.  “Sam, you're not coming to coffee with me and Kurt.  I'll be okay, I promise.”

“Who said I was coming for coffee?  I just said I'd walk you over.”

“You don't have to do that, Sam.”

“You'll be nervous, and you don't want to be late.  It's no big deal, it's like two blocks from the apartment.”

“Which is why I will be fine on my own,” Blaine insisted.

“Have it your way.  I'll still be home by 3, you can always change your mind,” Sam said easily, hanging up the phone.

Blaine wrote himself a note to pick up some of the fresh grapefruit juice Sam liked on his way back from physical therapy.  He didn't know what he had done in some previous life to deserve Sam Evans as a friend, but it must have been something good.  If he and Kurt were really soulmates, he mused, where did that leave Sam?  Given all the crazy that was life with Kurt, if he was going to be with Kurt again in another life, it would be really helpful to have Sam to be there too.  Could soulmates come in threes?

When three o'clock rolled around, Sam was in fact back at the apartment, bouncing on Blaine's bed as Blaine poked through the clothes in his closet.  Blaine had settled on a mustard colored pair of tight jeans, much like a pair he had worn in high school (and which he knew Kurt would remember – those jeans had never gone unnoticed where Kurt was concerned).  But he was having trouble choosing a shirt.

“Gee, which black polo should I wear today?” Sam teased.  “The one with the little white stripe on the collar, or the one with two little white stripes on the collar?  So many options!”

“I don't know why I'm even listening to a guy whose entire wardrobe consists of plaid button downs, t-shirts, and jeans that don't fit properly.”

“There's nothing wrong with my jeans, B, I just like to leave a little to the imagination.”

“Baggy is not attractive, Sam, no matter what you say.”

“And skin tight cannot possibly be healthy, no matter what you say.”

“Guess we'll have to agree to disagree.”  Blaine selected a polo and sat down on the bed as he pulled it on, ignoring Sam's laugh when he saw it (it was black, with two little white stripes on the collar).  “What do you think?  Am I ready?”

“You look great, dude.  Really.  Nothing to worry about.”   Sam smiled.  “Now let's go.”

“You don't think it's a little early?”  Blaine had actually planned on leaving soon, but he was surprised that Sam was on the same page.

“I'm guessing you want to get there before he does, buy him a coffee, get settled, that kind of thing.  Am I right?”

“Yeah, you are.”  Blaine took Sam's offered hand and let him pull him to his feet.  “Is it weird that I'm so nervous?”

“'Course not.  Even if there wasn't tons of history and two traumatic break-ups in your past, you've got a date with a hot guy – no pressure!”

“Thanks a bunch, Sam.”  Blaine took his cane firmly in his hand, made sure his wallet was in his pocket, and ran his hand through his hair, likely disturbing whatever semblance of order he had cajoled it into after his shower.  “And it's not a date.”

“Whatever.”  Sam took Blaine's free arm and gestured towards the door.  “Let's do this.”