Blaine arrived at the coffee shop early on Sunday and was sort of pacing outside the caf�. He was nervous for two reasons: he was finally spending time with Kurt and because of his audition. He tried to stay still and lean up against the outside wall, but then he looked too fidgety. Pacing was better.

"Hi!" Kurt approached Blaine with a naturally cheery smile.

"Hi!" Blaine returned.

"You look nice. Coffee? You could have waited inside for me, you know."

"Yeah, about that." Blaine looked apologetic.

"You have to cancel?" Kurt looked mildly disappointed.

"Yes. Well, postpone? I have an audition in an hour. Hence the dress clothes. I'm really sorry."

Kurt thought and sighed. "How long will the audition be?"

"Not long. I can't imagine it would last more than ten or fifteen minutes."

"Are you busy after that?"

"No."

"Well, why don't I come with you? We can have coffee afterward."

Blaine beamed. "That would be great! You don't mind coming? It might be boring for you."

"It's no problem. Plus, it won't take long, like you said. I don't mind waiting."

"Yeah? It's not weird or anything? I know this is our first time hanging out."

Kurt chuckled. "It's fine, Blaine. Stop worrying."

"O-Okay."

"So where is this audition?" Both men started walking and headed for the subway.

The audition was at a dance studio in Manhattan. Though his appointment was for four, he knew that he would never get in at four. That's why it was important for him to get there early. He counted himself lucky because by the time he and Kurt got there, he was third in line. Had he gotten there five minutes later, he would have been fifteenth.

"I'm so sorry," he said again. This might take a bit longer because there are other people. You don't have to stay if you-"

"Relax!" Kurt laughed. "It's fine. I don't mind waiting." A half hour later, Kurt was sitting in a chair just outside the audition room and turned his ear towards the door to listen. Blaine was playing an Elton John song and then another Kurt couldn't recognize. He thought Blaine was a wonderful pianist. Kurt found himself getting lost in the sound of the songs. When they ended he heard talking for a few minutes and then Blaine came out into the hallway. "All set?" Kurt asked.

"All set."

"That was quick."

"Yeah. Sometimes they are and something they aren't. Thanks for waiting."

"You play really well. You must get lost in the music. I got lost just listening to you."

Blaine smiled, but his heart leaped at the praise. He thought that any compliment from Kurt would make him react the same way. He probably could have told him that his left pinky toe was interesting to look at and he would have smiled on the outside and went giddy on the inside. "Sometimes I lose the consciousness that there are people around me, but that's only when I'm playing for me or composing."

"Coffee?" Kurt suggested with a smile.

By the time they reached the subway Kurt had quizzed Blaine on everything that he could think of about his musical background. When he found out that Blaine was an aspiring composer, he became increasingly curious about it.

"I don't know how this will sound, but do you want to come to my apartment instead of coffee? I can show you my music room. Also, if you really want coffee, I can make some there. I mean, it won't be barista coffee, but it'll be halfway decent coffee."

Normally, if someone who Kurt didn't know all that well asked him back to his apartment, Kurt wouldn't go, but Blaine was friendly and interesting and he felt that, in some way, they were friends. "Sure. Why not."

"Yeah?"

Kurt smiled. "Yeah." They hopped on a different train than planned and headed to Brooklyn. On the train they talked more about music and Blaine apologized some more for changing plans at the last second.

Kurt didn't care and said he was happy for a change of pace.

"Most things in my life are completely controlled and planned out."

"Mine too," Blaine added.

"Look at us," Kurt said playfully, "deviating from safe and sound normalcy."

Blaine smiled and looked down at his clasped hands in his lap. "Maybe it's just you. I only get flustered around the cute ones."

Kurt cocked his head and he had a dough-eyed look. Blaine's attempt at flirting made him smile. Blaine had a bashful thing going for him that Kurt found utterly adorable. It wasn't until he got a text message from Vin that he remembered he had to be mindful of the fact that he needed to take his boyfriend's feelings into consideration.

V- Made it home safe. I miss you already

K- I can't wait for you to be here a month!

V- And then a few months after that, I'll be able to call it home : )

K- : )

V- How did your interview go?

K- Good. Can't complain. A cakewalk really.

V- I'm glad. So what are you doing now that you don't have a massive load of studying to do? Relaxing I hope.

K- Coffee with Blaine.

V- Blaine, the bartender?

K- Yes. What happened to Blaine, the one with the beautiful eyes? Lol

V- : /

K- Is everything okay? I was joking about his eyes. You're the one who said that when you met him.

V- Just a little jealous I suppose. I'll be fine. I trust you. Besides, he seems like a nice guy and I trust he's not the type to try to steal you away.

K- It's just coffee, Vin. You don't need to be jealous.

V- I'm jealous that he gets to see you when I can't. I'd be jealous of anyone, guy or girl, that had that position really.

K- It's just one month. One month and you'll be here with me.

V- Sorry I'm so sappy right now. I just miss you. I'm tired of always waiting to be with you.

K-I know, Vin. Me too.

V- Can you just tell me that you miss me to make me feel better?

K- : ) I miss you! Soooooo much! *ugly cry* Please come back!

V- okay okay! : ) I'll let you get back to coffee with Blaine, the one with the beautiful eyes.

K- Call me later if you want. If not I'll talk to you tomorrow.

V- xoxo

K- xoxo

Kurt and Vin weren't in the 'I love you' stage yet, but sometimes Kurt thought Vin might be on the verge of saying those three little words. Sometimes he wished that Vin would say it because he sometimes felt like he wanted to say it back, but he knew that if he sometimes wanted to say it and the rest of the time wasn't sure, then it was better to wait because he didn't want Vin to be in love with him when he wasn't. He didn't think it was fair. He also didn't want to say it just to say it. Love was important and not something to rush or waste.

He felt a little bad for not saying that he was having coffee at Blaine's apartment, but Vin did say that he was jealous and Kurt didn't want to make it worse.

"Everything okay?" Blaine asked.

"Yeah. Vin just got home and he was telling me his trip went fine."

"It must be hard… watching him walk away all the time." Blaine got a blank look on his face for a moment as he pictured all the times Kurt walked away from him. It was strange. He barely knew Kurt, but he already felt for him.

"A little. I think it's harder for him because he's the one leaving, but I've been pretty busy with work and school, so I've had distractions. He just has work, so he isn't so lucky." Kurt sighed. "So when will you find out about the audition?" he asked, changing the subject.

It took another half hour of train ride and walking time to get to Blaine's apartment. "Wow," Kurt said when he saw the outside. "You have this whole thing? Blaine you don't have an apartment, you have a house."

Blaine smiled with pride. "Well, it's not just mine. I live with four other guys. You'll probably meet most if not all of them. Wes, I think, is at rehearsal, but the others might be here." He put his key in the door and when he opened the door, Kurt and Blaine did this awkward exchange over Blaine gesturing to let Kurt in first, but Kurt insisting that Blaine go first because it was his house.

They toed off their shoes and Blaine lead Kurt to the living room around the corner. Kurt looked around as he went. This place was much bigger than his and Puck's tiny apartment. His own apartment had exactly four rooms. Two bed rooms, a bathroom, and a kitchen/living room combo. It was small, but function. This place looked like a palace compared to his place.

In the living room, two guys, a tall blonde and a short brunette, were playing a shoot 'em up game on an X-Box and big screen TV, while another, darker skinned man, sat in an oversized chair with a bunch of papers. The order went as follows: tall blond: Jeff, short brunette: Nick, man buried in papers: David.

They all waved and said some form of hello while Blaine explained that David just got his MBA at NYU and was looking at all the paperwork for his doctoral program. They went upstairs and Blaine showed Kurt the kitchen, where he started brewing coffee, pointed out the bathroom, whose bedroom was whose, and then brought him into the music room.

Kurt was in awe. The floor, chairs, and piano were covered in paper, there were various instruments around the room, and recording equipment in the corner. "Wow. You really have your stuff together."

"Not all of it's mine. The violin's are mine, the piano is mine, and a couple of the guitars, but the rest belong to Nick and Jeff downstairs. Except the recording equipment. Half of that belongs to Matty, some of it belongs to me, and the rest belong to Jeff. Matty pretends to be poor, but he's not. He's a trust fund kid. You should see his own set up at home. It's insane."

"Who's Matty?"

"Oh, sorry. He's our lead singer and lead guitarist. He lives on the other side of Brooklyn. He's a bartender at Jericho too. I think he only works there for something to do. He really is filthy rich."

Kurt looked around again. "And I bet you were little orphan Annie?" He was being sarcastic.

Blaine scratched his head. "Um. Well. No. Not exactly."

Kurt finally looked at Blaine for the first time since walking into the room. "I was kidding. I don't care either way. My dad was a mechanic. I never had to want for anything, he made sure of that, but I know what it's like to work for things."

"Was?"

"He's a congressman now."

"Oh wow! Wait… Ohio congressman?"

"Yes." Kurt look curious of what Blaine was getting at.

"As is Congressman Burt Hummel?"

"Yes."

"No way! That's your dad?"

"Yes?"

"I voted for him before I left Ohio. My dad didn't, but I did. He seemed into equality and supported the arts. He's done some great things."

Kurt beamed with pride at his father that he loved so much. "He has. He'll be happy to know I'm friends with a supporter. Hold on, you're from Ohio too?"

Blaine shrugged. "Yeah. Didn't I tell you?"

"No! That's is so weird! We're both from Ohio. Where are you from?"

"Westerville. I went to Dalton Academy."

Kurt looked more shocked than he ever had in his life. He knew Dalton Academy well. "Shut up! No you didn't."

Blaine laughed. "Yeah I did. Why?"

"I was like this close to going there my junior year." He pinched his fingers together to emphasis a small amount. "And my Glee Club used to compete against your school every year. The Warblers, right?"

"Your glee club? The only club I know of that we consistently competed against every year was the New Directions. I don't know where they were from."

"That was us! I was in that. New Directions! Holy shit this is a trip." Kurt touched his head.

"This is so strange. Talk about twilight zone. I think I just felt the earth move." Blaine was being sarcastic, but it really was a strange coincidence. They'd been in the same room multiple times before. "You guys were really good. You beat us every time."

"Except for that one time we tied, but…"

"Yeah you beat us at regional's later. Don't remind me. We were so bummed to not be going to National's in New York that year."

"That was the trip that made me positive that I had to live here. No offense, but I'm glad we won."

"Well, in that case, I'm glad you won too."

They stared at each other, smiling for a few seconds. Kurt broke their eye contact and looked around the room again. He sat down at the piano and opened the cover. He flitted his fingers across the piano. "Play me a song?" he asked.

"Seriously?"

"Yes. Please?"

Something about the way Kurt pouted made Blaine's heart melt and he sat down next to Kurt on the piano bench. He put his fingers on the keys and started to play the first song that he popped into his head.

I can only give you love that last forever

And the promise to be near each time you call

And the only heart I own is yours and your alone

That's all, that's all

I can only give you country walks in spring time

And a hand to hold when leaves begin to fall

And a love whose burning light will warm the winter night

That's all, that's all

There are those I am sure who have told you

They would give you the world for a toy

All I have ask for these arms to enfold you

And a love that time will never destroy

Now if you're wondering what I'm asking in return, Dear

You'll be glad to know that my demands are small

Say it's me that you'll adore for now and ever more

That's all, that's all.

That's all, that's all

Blaine flitted his fingers down the length of the ivory keys and ended the song. He had a serene smile on his face. He'd always liked that song. It was one of his particular favorites. He looked at Kurt to gage his reaction to his singing, playing, and song choice Kurt was already staring at him. "What?" he asked.

Kurt was stunned into silence. Between the song, Blaine's voice, and the way he played the piano, he felt himself getting a little choked up. It'd been a while since he was moved by a song. Kurt batted his eyes, checking to make sure he wasn't dreaming. "That was beautiful." Blaine looked like he blushed and turned his head back down to the piano keys. "No really." Kurt touched Blaine's arm and Blaine looked back. "That was… wow." He covered his heart with his hand and breathed deeply. "Thank you for playing for me."

There was silence as Blaine's glossy eyes bore into Kurt's. "You're welcome."

Kurt was suddenly very aware that he had lips because his nerve endings were tingling. There was an electricity between them at that moment. The tension was palpable.

Blaine glanced down at Kurt's lips and then cleared his throat, before turning back to is piano. He remembered Kurt had a boyfriend and brought himself back to reality. "Do- um. Do you play?" He cleared his throat again and his fingers started playing different intervals.

Kurt gulped and batted his eyes again. "No. Not really. I mean, I know how to do scales and play silly, simple things like The Entertainer and Chopsticks, but that's pretty much it." He got up and started walking around the room. He was glad for the space between him and Blaine. "You play all these instruments?"

Blaine stopped playing the piano keys and stood up. "Yep. The violin," he pointed to three violins of different sizes that hung on the wall, "all these guitars," there were many that littered the room, "and the piano."

Footsteps were heard running up the stairs and in less than thirty seconds, a short, brunette man with messy styled hair popped in the room. "We're ordering Korean food if you guys want in."

Blaine looked to Kurt. "Do you have dinner plans?"

Kurt thought for a few seconds. "Um. No. No I don't."

"Do you want Korean food?"

"Uh, yeah. Sure. I haven't had it in ages."

"Great."

Kurt thought this was beginning to turn out to be an interesting afternoon and evening. What started out as coffee, turned out to be a mini adventure, his own personal concert, and now dinner.

When dinner came, the guys downstairs were watching a game on the TV that Kurt and Blaine had no interest in and they went back upstairs to the music room. Blaine laid out a blanket and they sat down on the floor with their food and a bottle of water each. Blaine also put the radio on to a station that played a variety of music.

"Vin seems nice."

"He is."

"What does he do?"

"He's a teacher."

"Of what?"

"Eighth grade science."

Blaine liked the way Kurt smiled when he said Vin was a teacher. Kurt looked proud of him. He wanted that. He wanted someone to be proud of him the way Kurt was proud of Vin. Although Vin did something of substance, something important. Vin was a middle school teacher, someone who shaped young minds. Blaine was a piano player at a bar and a bartender. He tried not to berate or compare himself, but when it came down to it, Vin had two things that Blaine wanted: a worthwhile job that made him happy and Kurt. "That's great," Blaine said.

"Yeah, he does this mad scientist thing at the beginning and end of every year. He dresses the part and does a bunch of experiments with chemicals that make the kids go OO and AHH. I wish I had a science teacher like him when I was in school. I might have actually enjoyed that class if I did."

"You sure you would have been able to pay attention with a teacher that looked like a Ken Doll?" Blaine smiled trying to show Kurt he was complimenting Vin.

Kurt smiled and chuckled silently. "Good point. Probably not."

Both men took bites of their food. "You know, I've been meaning to ask you for your number since the last time we had coffee, but I never had a chance. I'd really like to hang out more."

Kurt smiled softly. "I'd like that too. Here, do you have a pen?" Kurt leaned and reached over toward what looked like discarded papers on the floor. They were all papers with music staffs. He grabbed a blank one.

"In this room? Always." Blaine got up and took a cheap blue pen from the piano stand and handed it over.

Kurt's fingers brushed Blaine's when he took the pen and his eyes flicked away for a second, stuttering their normal action, at the feeling of Blaine's skin. He scribbled the pen point to get the ink to come out and jotted down his cell phone number. Blaine happily took the paper and his pen and reached to put them both onto the piano bench. The pen rolled off, but the piece of paper stayed. "Make sure you actually call me because if you don't I'm going to think that I'm one of those people that isn't all that much fun in retrospect."

"Oh. I'll definitely call. And believe me, in retrospect, you're anything but boring." On the contrary, to Blaine, in retrospect, Kurt was the kind of person worth going to a coffee shop everyday and waiting to spend just one minute with him.

"You know, it's strange. I barely know anything about you, yet I can talk to you like I've known you for years."

Blaine grinned. "Yeah. I feel the same. Weird, huh?

"Yeah. Weird."

Kurt used his chopsticks to eat some more. Blaine was trying not to stare, but there was something about the way Kurt ate his food. He was so delicate with everything, gentle and precise. He had to keep reminding himself that he was looking for too long and tried to mask it by shoveling more food into his mouth as neatly as possible.

By the time Kurt decided to go home, they'd discussed everything from music to high school, to college, to Burt Hummel's politics. When Kurt was saying goodbye and walking back to the train station, he realized that they never did have that cup of coffee that they said they would and hoped that Blaine would call soon to make plans.

"Is he your boyfriend?" David asked.

"Yeah, we didn't know if you wanted privacy or not, so Jeff and I stayed downstairs," Nick added.

"Is this was you three discussed the whole time we were up there?" Blaine asked.

"No. We only talked about it for five minutes."

"Well, he's not my boyfriend. We're just friends. Actually, you'll never believe who his father is."

Blaine sat down on the couch and continued to gush over his afternoon and evening with Kurt Hummel, the son of a congressman, and talked endlessly about everything. When he was finally done, the other three guys got it in their heads that Blaine was crushing on Kurt harder than a teenage girl.