Blaine stopped himself from texting Kurt five times throughout the day, so when he finally had to meet in for work he was relieved and hoped that it would be a nice distraction.

It wasn't.

The pub was close to empty the entire evening, and Blaine kept fumbling with his phone in his pocket. He had a feeling that Tina was keeping an eye on him, but he tried his best to avoid her gaze all night.

As they walked home together when their shift was over he could feel that she was holding something back. He just didn't want to ask because it would probably result in another discussion about whether or not he should have told Sebastian about Kurt.

"You seem pretty chipper these days," Tina shrugged as they sat down on the uncomfortable seats on the train. Blaine kept his eyes locked on the city rushing by them outside, but after some time he figured that he'd better face her.

"Yeah. I am. Why do you say that?" He said, and realized that he was suddenly talking in a defensive tone.

"Nothing. I was just wondering how that could be, that's all. I'm happy that you're happy. I haven't seen you smile this much since… I actually don't know if I ever saw you smile this much. At least not after… never mind," she trailed off and Blaine felt a pounding start in his head.

"I don't wanna discuss this. I'm tired," Blaine simply muttered and waved her off. He went back to looking out the window where the bright city lights were sharp in his eyes and brain. He definitely knew where she was headed with this.

Neither of them said anything on the rest of the way home. Blaine was completely bummed out; he wanted so badly to share it with Tina. She was his best friend and he wanted to let her into his happiness.

But who even said that Kurt was the reason for this recent happiness? It could just as well be his job, his friends - Sebastian. There were plenty of reasons for him to be happy. Why did she have to overanalyze and put too much into everything?

xXx

If possible the pub was even more dead Tuesday evening than it had been Monday. It was a bore to be there and as Blaine and Tina were working alone they ended in a deeply engaged conversation with an artist couple about whether or not it was ethical to use real human bones for art as long as the artist didn't kill to use them.

Tina and Blaine were both very much against it. They found it creepy and disrespectful to the diseased. The artist couple on the other hand argued that the piece of art in question was made of bones from a man who had allowed it in his will.

"Hey, is this a bad time?" Kurt's voice sounded and Blaine turned startled around to stare directly into Kurt's eyes.

"No, not at all. We were just… talking. Hi!" Blaine burst out. Why was his heart racing like that?

"Cool. You get off in an hour, right? I was thinking… coffee or something after. If you want?" Kurt beamed and found seat at a bar stool next to where Blaine was standing. He smiled and introduced himself to the couple Blaine and Tina had been talking to and they quickly got Kurt dragged into the issue they had been discussing.

Tina had been out in the back room to get ice and clean dishtowels, but dropped her jar when she saw Kurt. Fortunately he was so engaged in his conversation that he didn't even notice. She turned her back on him and hurried to Blaine's side.

"Is that… why is Kurt here?" She asked anxiously.

"Calm down. He asked if I wanted to go out for coffee tonight and I said yes," Blaine shrugged and filled a glass of water for Kurt.

"Now you go say hi to him. And be nice, alright - for me. Please," he begged her. She rolled her eyes and sighed heavily before she stepped around Blaine so she could head for Kurt.

She stayed nice all evening. Kurt was excited to see her. They hadn't had much to do with each other when he had been at Silverlake, but he remembered her as the girl who had a horrible stutter, and he was thrilled that she had grown out of it.

Around 8.30 Martin and their other co-worker, Julia, came in and they slowly prepared to take over from Blaine and Tina. Customers were slowly starting to buzz in, and when the clock struck 9 Blaine was relieved that Tina hadn't said anything sharp to Kurt.

"Tell Sebastian," she whispered in his ear as she hugged him before she left to catch the train home. He didn't say anything. He just squeezed her and let her go so he and Kurt could go for the café they had been at the last time they saw each other.

They ordered their coffee and found back to the same table. Blaine hid his hands in his lap while they waited. He didn't want Kurt to see how nervous he was, but he couldn't stop twisting the corners of a napkin.

They spent the night on talking about random stuff. Old memories, the artist couple from the pub, and Kurt told that he had recently got a big part in a play on a theater close to the pub. He was very excited about it, and Blaine couldn't do anything but watch him as he told about the play, his part and how nervous he was about doing it. He had only had small parts before, but one day his audition had pulled through and he had been the lucky one.

Blaine found it remarkable how much they had in common despite the fact that they had grown up in so different lives. Kurt still shared his taste in music, movies and mostly everything else. It was a great comfort, and it felt like an assurance that their childhood friendship hadn't just been a spoof of his memory.

They walked to the train together, but unfortunately they weren't going to take the same so they had to say goodbye on the station. Blaine had to stop himself from not throwing his arms around Kurt. He needed to know if his hugs still were the same as they were, but he figured that it wouldn't be the best way to end the evening considering that it was only the second time they had talked.

"I was thinking… you said that you were playing in a restaurant - do you mind if I come see you? I mean… I won't be in the way or anything, I'll behave as any other guest would, I was just…" Kurt rushed out right before he was about to leave.

I did not see that coming.

"Sure. Of course you can," Blaine agreed and told him that he had a playing job the next day, before Kurt sent him a warm smile before he squeezed his wrist and hurried on the train.

Blaine was left to watch the train leave with Kurt in it, but the feeling of Kurt's fingers around his wrist still burning on his skin. He wanted to call him straight away, to ask him to come back so they could hang out all night instead but he didn't.

When he came home Tina was asleep on the couch, and Blaine already knew that she had been waiting for him to come home so she could pull the full interrogation on him. He woke her up and helped her safely to bed before he headed for his own room.

As soon as he was in bed himself and was nearly asleep his phone vibrated on the nightstand next to him.

Kurt: "Goodnight. It was really good seeing you. Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow."

Blaine typed a dozen different replies but ended up deleting all of them. They all sounded stupid and desperate. Instead he fell asleep with a crooked smile on his face and a promise to himself that he would tell Sebastian the next time he saw him.

xXx

Blaine was nervous. He hadn't expected to be this nervous just because Kurt was coming to hear him play. He played for lots of people every week. Besides, Kurt had heard him sing before, Kurt was one of the reasons he even started singing to begin with.

However, he had changed his clothes several times and crossed out songs, just to write them back down on the list. Now he was finally sitting at the grand piano and Kurt hadn't shown yet, so he had come back down to earth and let himself blend into the music.

The restaurant was a fancy place so he was wearing an almost equally fancy suit and tie. He never came such places himself when he wasn't playing there so the first few times he had been there he had felt awkward and misplaced. Now it was easy and homely because he knew that the piano was there just for him.

And there he was. Kurt strolled into the restaurant looking like he had been there so many times before, like he belonged. He took place in the bar where he had a perfect view to Blaine at the piano. He ordered himself a drink and smiled warmly at Blaine when their eyes met across the room.

He was wearing a nice, dark purple suit with a dusty green shirt and a tie matching his suit. If Blaine hadn't known better he would just have taken him for one of the regular customers.

It was hard to concentrate when Kurt was sitting there observing him over the dining people. He would much rather go over to sit next to him than to be sitting by the piano so far away. He constantly had to remind himself that as soon as he was done he would be able to spend time with him again.

He kept his gaze locked into the keys and had to go over the lyrics in his head to not miss a word or a sentence. When he was done and headed to the backroom to say goodnight to the host he was relieved that he hadn't messed up one time. He took a moment to get a hold of himself and then headed out to meet Kurt by the bar.

"Blaine, that was amazing! That was so -" Kurt said but stopped himself to search for words. As soon as Blaine had sat down next to him Kurt had clasped his hand onto Blaine's lying between them on the bar. His eyes were slightly red and he was clinging a crumpled up napkin in his free hand. Had he been crying?

"Thank you. Are you okay?" Blaine wasn't sure he was allowed to ask, and he didn't want to make Kurt uncomfortable if it was breaking his boundaries, but he couldn't just sit back and ignore it if Kurt had been crying.

"Yeah. Sure. It was just… so beautiful, and moving. It was really good seeing you perform again. I have missed that in my life." Kurt chuckled at his own words and dried his eyes one last time before he jumped to his feet so he could lead Blaine out of the restaurant.

They went to a less fancy place to eat and after that they walked casually through town. Blaine asked how his rehearsals were going and Kurt got completely carried away in telling him about it. Blaine couldn't help smiling at his enthusiasm, and he found it incredible how passionate Kurt was about what he was doing. Yet, he couldn't help wishing that he could get to hear Kurt sing as well.

"Blaine, I have to say that - it was really amazing. You were really amazing. A voice like yours shouldn't be kept away in restaurants and bars. You should be out there - serenading the world!" Kurt exclaimed when they reached the train station and they both knew that it was time. His cheeks were a little flushed and even though he was staring Blaine in the eyes he seemed like he was uncertain whether it was appropriate for him to say such.

Blaine was caught off guard. What was he supposed to say to that? That was why he had come to New York to begin with - to make a living of music. But it wasn't like he could jump into it as a career from one day to another.

"If I have to I will carry you to it. Your talent needs to be shared," Kurt said determinedly. He didn't seem shy anymore. His eyes were hard and shiny through the dark of the train station and Blaine had no words to return to him.

Out of nowhere Kurt had put his arms around Blaine. He dragged him into an embrace and squeezed him hard. It was just like hugging him when they were kids - only a billion times better. Kurt's arms were warm and soft, and his scent was intoxicating as it filled Blaine's nostrils.

His train rolled into the station and they had to let go of each other even though neither of them were ready to. Kurt squeezed around his wrist like he had done the other day and then he disappeared into the nearest train cart.

As soon as Blaine was in his own train he received a text.

Kurt: "I'm so happy to have you back in my life."

Blaine: "I have missed you"

Without Blaine realized it he was standing by Sebastian's door. He hadn't asked if he could come over or if Sebastian was asleep. He actually hadn't talked to Sebastian all evening - but now he was standing there and he knocked carefully on the door.

It was a little while before the door was opened and Blaine started to think that he was already in bed and fast asleep. He started to walk away when Sebastian dozily looking opened the door. As soon as he saw who was waiting for him his tired face lit up in a smile.

Blaine hurried to drag him into a kiss with his arms locked around his boyfriend before either of them even got to say anything.

"Hey babe. You alright?" Sebastian asked as soon as Blaine had pushed him inside so he could close the door behind him. Sebastian looked surprised, but also as if he wasn't sure whether he should be worried or not.

Blaine let his hand run down the front of Sebastian's shirt and crook his finger around the hem at the bottom before he let a smile take over his face.

"I just really missed you, that's all. I'm sorry if I woke you up," Blaine said, only now realizing that Sebastian had to have been asleep already.

"Nah, that's alright. You can wake me up like that whenever you want. Do you wanna join me?" He assured him and Blaine nodded before he placed a kiss on Sebastian's jaw.

He borrowed a t-shirt from Sebastian and went to the bathroom to change out of his suit. He folded it neatly and put it on the dresser under the window before he snuck under Sebastian's arm and pecked him on the ear.

Sebastian moaned against his cheek before Blaine turned around so they could lie the way they used to with Sebastian holding him from behind. Blaine could feel in the hazed way he kissed his neck that he was already asleep so he figured that it wouldn't hurt getting out his phone to set his alarm.

As he unlocked it he accidentally pushed the inbox button instead of the clock button. Or was it an accident and not some subconscious action? He wasn't sure, but now he was faced with Kurt's message.

Kurt: "I'm so happy to have you back in my life."

He couldn't stop himself from smiling broadly. He felt warm inside and didn't want to put the phone away. He already wanted to hear Kurt's voice again even though it couldn't be more than an hour since they parted at the station.