Blaine

Blaine had two jobs. He was a bartender at Jericho on Friday and Saturday nights and a piano player at a cabaret bar Monday through Thursday. The rest of his time was spent composing, playing in a band with Nick, Jeff, and their lead guitarist Matty, and waiting for auditions to show up for orchestra work. This is the life he gets for Majoring in Music Composition and Minoring in You'll-Be-Waiting-Tables-The-Rest-Of-Your-Life-Just-like-Your-Father-Said. Blaine knew it'd be hard, but he'd rather be making ends meat doing what he was doing than sitting in a stuffy office at his father's law firm and hating life. He could play three instruments: Piano, Violin, and guitar. There were others that he could play, like the cello, but he only knew them by association to being able to play the piano, violin, or guitar. He wanted to be playing for a professional orchestra, or doing pit work on a Broadway Musical, but landing one of those jobs was just as hard as landing a lead role on stage. New York City was a place where dreams are both made and crushed.

He lived in China Town in Brooklyn in a place that was fairly nice looking. He lived in a house, but that was only because he lived with five of his friends and between five people, rent and utilities were easily manageable. The house was sort of set up to look like two apartments on top of each other. Nick, Jeff, and David lived downstairs and Blaine and Wes lived upstairs. Blaine and Wes turned what was supposed to be their living room into a composing room. Wes also minored in Waiting-Tables-The-Rest-Of-Your-Life, however, he majored in musical theater and was currently an ensemble cast member for Godspell. His dream was almost true. Blaine wasn't quite close.

Blaine often helped Wes with learning music for auditions and Wes would sing Blaine's songs that he wrote to give Blaine an idea as to what it sounds like. Their partnership worked well.

"Hey. You're late. Where's my coffee?" Wes jumbled together.

"Oh. Sorry. I completely forgot." Blaine and Wes had plans to meet up after Wes' rehearsal.

"You forgot?"

"Yeah. I mean, I was at the coffee shop you told me to go to, but I sort of got held up." He rubbed the back of his neck and looked away.

Wes looked at Blaine awkwardly. His expression alone told Blaine he was expecting an explanation.

"I met someone and we sort of got to talking. By the time he left, I completely forgot about coffee."

"You met someone?" Wes wagged his eyebrows. "Is he cute?"

"Very." Blaine couldn't help the smile that spread across his face. "I really want to see him again, but I don't know how to get in touch with him. He was in a hurry and ran out before I had a chance to give him my number."

"That sucks."

"Yeah. It really does. The funny thing is that I'd never seen him before then suddenly I see him twice in a twenty-four hour span. He was at the bar last night and we met when I tried to serve him, but he left. Then oddly enough I see him again today at the coffee shop. Weird huh?"

"That is weird. Maybe lightning will strike a third time."

"I hope so. He seems sweet. And he really is cute."

"Apparently. You've said it twice."

Blaine blushed. "But he is though! Wes, he's got these pouty Julia Roberts lips and his eyes are this amazing color of blue-green. He looks kind of like a doll, which sounds weird, but it works. And he's finishing up a double Master's degree, which means he's smart. Sebastian Smythe tried to take him home last night and he rejected him instantly. Clearly he has good taste since he didn't go home with him. His clothes are designer brand, but he's not overdone or stuck up."

"Wow…" Wes placated. "So you just met him and you're already in love with him, huh? I thought Blaine Anderson didn't fall in love at first site."

"I am not in love with him. He's just interesting, that's all."

"Uh-huh. Interesting…" Wes smiled like he didn't believe Blaine in the slightest. "Come on, you and Michael have been broken up for months and this is the first time I've seen you excited about anything. Plus, you just gave me his bio like it was a rapid fire round."

"I don't know him enough to be in love with him or even like him romantically… but he is interesting. I'd like to get to know him. If only I can see him again."

As the week began and went on, Blaine found himself spending gobs of time at the caf� that he saw Kurt at. He was going out of his way to sit in that caf� and work there, instead of at his piano, just to see if he'd "run into" Kurt, but it was Thursday and he didn't see him once this week. He was starting to give up hope, but refused to give up.

Kurt

Kurt really wanted to go back to Jericho, but with work, classes, his papers that were due, and his internship, he was beginning to hate himself for not taking the time to get Blaine's number. Having to find all those books and periodicals again would have been worth it by now if only he got that man's number.

He'd hoped to run into him again at the caf�, but he never saw him. On Thursday, Rachel asked him to go to a Cabaret bar, but Kurt said no and he gathered up enough courage to drag himself to Jericho to see if he was working, but he wasn't. The bartender said Blaine would be working on Friday, but Kurt had an overnight shift again for his internship on Friday.

Kurt couldn't believe he was doing this: trying to tack down a guy that he knew nothing about. He suddenly remembered that that's why Shawn dumped him and now he understood. There was a sort of peace that crept upon him and he was happy. He decided since he had his first night off in a long time, he'd stay and have a good time. He might have been alone, but hey, the music was thumping away and he looked good. Might as well make a night of it.

He ordered two shots and pounded them back like they were water. To hell with it, he thought. I'm having fun. Kurt made his way into the crowd of dancers. He let the music flow through him and he felt the warmth of the alcohol in his system. Kurt began to dance and let the energy of all the people around wash through his body and he was happy. It didn't take long for someone to approach him and start dancing with him.

Kurt felt the body flushed against his backside and he didn't care to look at the person he was dancing with because he found that he was actually having fun. The man that found Kurt ended up being a teacher that was on vacation in NYC from Vermont for the week and bought Kurt drink after drink.

His name was Marvin, but he asked to be called Vin. He was handsome, but in a completely neat and tidy way. His hair was perfectly styled, his clothes were perfectly fitted, his self tanner was the perfect color and not orange, his teeth were perfectly straight and white. Vin was almost too perfect to be considered hot. He looked more like a Ken Doll. They made out a few times on the dance floor, chatted and flirted at the bar and mezzanine, but by the bar's closing time, Kurt realized he'd lost track of time and it was now two in the morning and he had to be a Teacher's Assistant for a Human Growth and Development class in seven hours. He hadn't slept, he was drunk, and desperately needed a shower since all the dancing made him sweaty and somehow he managed to get glitter on his chest from another man who sandwiched Kurt between him and Vin.

Vin asked Kurt to come back to his hotel room with him, but Kurt declined. He was surprised he had even made out with him in the first place because he normally didn't do that unless he was really drunk, which he was. Vin was clearly a nice guy. He didn't try to pressure Kurt into changing his mind like some guys would have, or bring up the fact that Vin bought him all those drinks and Kurt wasn't going to put out. But since Kurt liked him enough to spend an entire night on the dance floor with him, he asked Vin to get something to eat with him at a bakery that was open all night. It was a block away and Kurt needed to eat something and drink water so that he could function well enough to make it home.

Vin smiled and agreed and they sat down at the bakery eating bagels and drinking their water, chatting more about their jobs and Kurt's classes. Vin asked if Kurt was going to be at Jericho the following night, but Kurt explained that he had to work. The more they talked Kurt realized that he was able to picture himself with someone like Vin. Someone who carried no baggage and didn't care if he was going to be going to bed alone. Someone who was content to just sit and talk with no promise of expectations. It occurred to Kurt that Vin was exactly his type and was starting to wonder why he was so excited about Blaine. He didn't know anything about him.

"When are you leaving to go back to Vermont?" Kurt asked

"Sunday."

"I'm working tomorrow night, or well, tonight, I guess, because it's passed midnight… but I'm free Saturday night." Kurt had originally planned on going to Jericho to see Blaine, but decided to give himself a chance at seeing how things could be with Vin. Worst case scenario, Vin isn't what he thought and he goes back to Vermont the next day.

Blaine

Blaine was not enjoying work at the Cabaret Bar Thursday night. The performers were fine. Some were good, some weren't, but there was this one woman, a young twenty something that kept handing him Barbara Streisand and Patti Lupone hits. She was very talented, but her apparent attitude was that she was better than everyone. Maybe she was, but her personality made her unlikable. She was with a group of people and they only reason he knew that was because they sat at a table fairly close to him and he thought he heard the woman, he learned her name was Rachel when the MC announced her, say a name sounding like "Kurt." He doubted that, even if she did say Kurt's name, it was the same Kurt because their were hundreds of thousands upon hundreds of thousands of people in this city and the chances of Rachel talking of the Kurt he met were miniscule.

His hands were starting to cramp up and he took a break around ten. His sub took his place and Blaine went to go sit at the bar. He ordered a Vodka Tonic and took a sip, thankful that he was allowed to drink at this job. He only ever had one because he didn't want to make a bad impression. The bartender was a pretty Latina with long black hair named Santana. Blaine was fond of her. They often hung out and she stayed at his house whenever her girlfriend and her were fighting. The fighting never lasted long. Her girlfriend often showed up in the middle of the night and they'd kiss and make up and leave.

Blaine heard the sound of Rachel belting out Funny Girl and he groaned. "Ugh. Barbara again? That girl's been up there three times already."

"Don't remind me. I had to deal with that hobbit in high school," Santana complained as she popped a cherry in her mouth.

"You know her?"

"Unfortunately. Rachel Berry, McKinley High's resident overachiever. She can sing, I'll give her that, but she's annoying. She just landed a job in a workshop for a new musical or something. She made sure she told me when she saw me. I want to ring her neck for getting everything she wants."

"Bitter much?" Blaine smiled and took a sip of his drink.

"I'm not bitter, she just had everything so easy. And she really is annoying. She has redeeming qualities, but then she opens her mouth and you forget about them. That goofy looking marshmallow next to her is her husband, Finn. I took his V-card sophomore year. Actually I'm surprised his brother isn't here. This is sort of his thing. Hey! You know what? I wonder if his brother is single. I should ask. You two would be great together. He's exactly your type. I mean, I haven't talked to him in a long time, but I'm sure he hasn't changed much. He's adorable and just the sweetest guy."

Blaine knocked back the rest of his drink and reach across the bar and grabbed a lime. He bit it. "Thanks, Santana, but I don't need to be fixed up."

"Suit yourself." Santana shrugged and went down the bar to serve a customer.

"Blaine Anderson?"

Blaine turned on the bar stool, recognizing the voice immediately. Michael, his ex-boyfriend, was standing before him.

"Hi," Michael greeted.

"What are you doing here?" Blaine asked. His first reaction to seeing Michael was about the same as every reaction to seeing him: he looked him over. He tried not to, but Michael's look had changed since he'd seen him last. His skin was a reddish olive hue, but that's because he was half Native American and half Greek. He'd grown his hair out some and his curls were more prominent now. Blaine had always preferred to see the curls in Michael's hair because it made the sweetness in his face pop that much more.

"I came with some friends. Are you singing tonight?" Michael went on, trying to keep the conversation going.

To Blaine, he seemed both eager and desperate to keep Blaine in his presence, but Blaine wasn't fooled. He remained standoffish and undeterred. "No I work here. I'm the pianist."

"Wow. That's great. You know, a foot in the door."

"It pays the bills for now. Excuse me." Blaine started to walk back to the performance area.

Michael stood in his way. "Can we talk?"

"I don't have anything to say." He tried to step around him, but Michael only got in his way again.

"I miss you."

"I broke up with you for a reason."

"I know and I'm sorry I neglected your feelings."

"I recall it was an abundance of not caring after I repeatedly told you how I felt about you constantly flirting with everyone."

"You're right. I was stupid and insecure. I disregarded you feelings. I'm so sorry. I've been trying to find a way to tell you that for months."

"I have to get back to work." Blaine left Michael standing there and went back to his piano.