“What time is it?” Blaine asked as they entered the kitchen.

“Around eleven,” Kurt answered, glancing at the clock above the stove. “Why?”

Blaine rubbed his face with his hand. He needed to shave, not to mention shower. “I have a class at one.”

Kurt rolled his eyes. “Right, of course. And you wouldn’t dare miss class.”

Blaine raised his eyebrows at Kurt. “It’s important. Finals are in a few weeks.”

Kurt nodded. “Yeah, yeah, I get it.” He looked away from Blaine, pausing for a moment. “You want something to eat?”

Blaine groaned. “I don’t know if I can stomach anything.”

Kurt laughed. “Right, I forgot. You’re an amateur. Sit down, I’ll fix you something.”

Blaine watched Kurt move around the kitchen, sipping the mug of black coffee he’d been given. Kurt made scrambled eggs, insisting that they would make Blaine feel better. Blaine noticed how everything Kurt did was graceful-how he expertly cracked eggs on the side of a bowl, whisked them with short, swift movements, stirred them with a spatula as they heated in the skillet. The two didn’t talk much while they waited for the food-but they didn’t need to. They’d reached a point in their friendship where they didn’t have to be talking every second to enjoy eachother’s company. In normal relationships it seemed that it took a lot more time to arrive at this point, but Blaine and Kurt’s friendship had been fast from the start. Less than two weeks ago they’d been strangers, meeting by chance on the side of the highway. Now Kurt had somehow become one of the most important people in the world to Blaine. None of it felt forced or awkward-it was almost as though they’d been destined to be friends, Blaine mused. Like they were meant to meet eachother, and only once they’d become friends was everything right in the world.

Blaine ate the eggs Kurt made him. Unsurprisingly, they were delicious. After finishing them and a second cup of coffee, he felt considerably better.

“I need to go,” Blaine said.

Kurt nodded. “Alright. I’ll clean up in here, you can go get your stuff.”

Blaine climbed back up the stairs and went into Kurt’s room. He took off Kurt’s pants and put them in the hamper in the bathroom. He changed back into his clothes from yesterday, patting his pockets and then realizing that his wallet was in Kurt’s car, which was parked at the bar. He sighed, but knew that he could get through the day without it. He went back downstairs. Kurt was leaning against a kitchen counter, cradling a mug and gazing out the window. Blaine looked at him from the kitchen doorway. He looked like a beautiful painting or photograph. Kurt himself was nothing less than art.

Blaine felt like freezing time and staring at that image forever, but he couldn’t. He cleared his throat, and Kurt turned to him, surprised.

“Your car is still at the bar.”

Kurt nodded. “I know. And your wallet’s in it.”

“I don’t need it right away,” Blaine said.

Kurt smiled slightly. “Good. I’ll get it back to you by tonight.”

Blaine grinned back. “Great. Text me?”

“Of course.” Kurt stood up straight and set down his mug. “I’ll walk you out.”

They went outside together and walked to where Blaine’s car was parked on the street. They paused in front of the driver’s side door.

“I’ll talk to you later today,” Blaine said.

“Yep,” Kurt confirmed. “Thanks for a fun night.”

Blaine smiled widely, automatically. “No, thank you.”

Kurt leaned forward then, bringing Blaine into a hug. Blaine was surprised at first. He wasn’t used to this-when was the last time someone besides Maia had embraced him? But this was Kurt, and Kurt felt safe. Blaine hugged him back.

“Goodbye, Blaine,” Kurt said softly before pulling away.

“Bye, Kurt.”

Blaine opened the car door and got in. He drove off, glancing in his rear view mirror to see Kurt standing in the street, watching him go.

After his Chemistry class, Blaine met Maia and they went to Starbucks. They sat at a table, Maia swirling around the straw in her caramel macchiato while Blaine sipped at his black coffee. Maia had had to pay for both of them-Blaine was still wallet-less. This fact prompted the inevitable inquiry from Maia, so once they sat down Blaine began to explain his night at the bar, though he left out how he’d stayed at Kurt’s for the night, instead vaguely finishing the story with the cab ride. To Maia’s credit, she listened to the whole thing without interrupting or even rolling her eyes. Blaine tried to describe it right-the people and the songs and Kurt and the feeling of being alive. He could tell that Maia didn’t quite understand, though.

“Well, I’m glad you had fun,” Maia said when he finished. She was biting her lip, but she sounded earnest.

Blaine nodded. “Me too. And I really am sorry, it just completely slipped my mind that we’d talked about hanging out-“

Maia nodded slowly. “It’s okay.” She smiled slightly, taking a sip of her drink before going on. “You want to make it up to me?”

Blaine took her hand and squeezed it. “Absolutely.”

“My mom’s birthday is next week,” Maia said. “Can you help me shop for a present on Sunday?”

Blaine smiled back, glad that Maia had forgiven him. It momentarily slipped his mind that he didn’t think he’d done anything wrong in the first place. “Of course. And,” he added, “I’m taking you out on Saturday.”

Maia smiled, lighting up her whole face. “I-“ she faltered, then took a breath. “Thank you, Blaine.”

He shook his head. “Anything for you,” he said, and then he leaned forward to kiss her.

Kurt dropped by OSU that evening to give Blaine back his wallet. Blaine met him outside the dorms and they chatted for a bit before Kurt walked back to his car and drove away. This time, it was Blaine who watched Kurt drive away.

Blaine sat on a bench, reading from his history textbook, when he felt his phone vibrate. He wondered who it could be-Maia never texted him during art, especially since she knew he’d be waiting outside her classroom. Blaine check his phone.

It was a text from Kurt. Where are you, right now?

Blaine’s eyebrows drew together. He glanced up at the door to the art building. Then he typed out a reply. On campus. Why?

Kurt’s response was rapid. But where, exactly?

Blaine noticed that he hadn’t answered the ‘why’ part. Perplexed, Blaine texted back. On a bench in front of the art department building.

Kurt’s answer was short. Stay there.

Blaine bit his lip and checked the time. Maia’s class got out in ten minutes.

Within three minutes, however, Blaine felt someone tap on his shoulder. He turned around to see Kurt standing behind the bench. “Fancy seeing you here,” Kurt said.

Blaine smiled. “What’re you doing here?”

Kurt walked around the bench so that he stood in front of Blaine. “I was in the neighborhood so I thought I’d stop by. Also, I could use some company.”

“Company?” Blaine asked, tapping his fingers on his history book.

Kurt nodded. “I’m going to the music store a couple blocks away. You don’t have any classes soon, do you?”

“No…” Blaine answered, his eyes flickering to the building door. “No more today.”

Kurt smiled. “Great. Care to join me, then?”

Blaine glanced down at his phone, still sitting in his lap. Six minutes until Maia’s class was out. He kept tapping his fingers, unable to answer.

“Blaine?” Kurt said, his voice tinged with concern. “Are you okay? If you don’t want to come-“

“Yes.” Blaine said suddenly, firmly. “Yeah, let’s go.” He stood up, clutching his textbook.

“Are you sure?” Kurt asked. “You don’t have to.”

“I want to,” Blaine said earnestly, meeting Kurt’s eyes. “Let’s go.”

Kurt smiled slowly, then. “I’m parked this way.” He pointed.

Blaine nodded, and they began to walk. Blaine looked at his phone, then back at the art building. Taking a deep breath, he resolutely pocketed his phone and asked Kurt what he needed at the music store, quickening his pace as he did so.