Trust

Chapter Eight

“Why am I so nervous?” he’s pacing, wringing his hands and trying to resist the almost uncontrollable urge to run said hands through his hair because he’s just spend hours styling it and he’s not going to ruin that work.  “I know him.  We’re…acquaintances,” he decides, because he doesn’t really think they count as ‘friends’ yet, but the point is that Blaine knows him more intimately than anybody else in the world. 

Although he’d dearly like to say he could know Blaine the same way, because the other man in actual well-fitting clothes is a sight to behold and Kurt wants to touch so, so badly. 

And that’s not something he experiences all that often, truth be told.

“You’re nervous because you haven’t really been on a proper date,” Rachel replies simply, stopping him and reaching to grab his hands.  “Now calm down.  Deep breaths.  It’s just coffee, you met him there yesterday.  There’s nothing different.”

“You’re right,” he smiles tremulously at her.  “You’re right, Rachel, of course you are but I can’t…stop feeling like this is really important.”

“Of course it’s important!  And I expect to meet him at the earliest opportunity, because anybody that can grab your attention has to be a keeper,” she winks and Kurt laughs. 

“Finn said the same thing,” he replies and she stills for a moment before smiling sadly, and Kurt knows it’ll be okay.  It’s been hard, having Rachel and Finn living next door to each other but completely ignoring each other, but Kurt knows they were friends first and now that Rachel’s happy with Paul, maybe they can be friends again.  “But I have to go or I’ll be late.  Do I look okay?  Is my hair good?  Do I need to…”

“You’re gorgeous, Kurt.  You always are,” Rachel all but pushes him out the door and Kurt turns to it helplessly, hearing a short laugh behind him as he turns to see Finn standing there. 

“It’s not funny!”

“Dude, you and Blaine were, like, totally cool yesterday so it’ll be exactly the same.  Now c’mon, I’ll walk you there,” Finn holds out his arm and Kurt scowls at him and wraps his hands around it, letting his stepbrother lead him down the stairs and out to the street.

“So long as I have your word that you won’t loiter outside and try to spy on us,” he mutters and Finn shrugs. 

“Hey, dude, can we have one of those secret code-things?  You know, like you send me a text if it’s not going well and I phone with a pretend emergency?  Those are so cool!” Finn’s eyes lit up and Kurt sighs.  His brother really does act like a child sometimes. 

“No, Finn.  Blaine and I will have plenty to talk about, I’m sure,” he promises as they reach the coffee shop.  “Now, shoo.  Go to the bookstore next door and read sports magazines or something.  I’ll call you when I’m done.”

“Unless you go back to his place,” Finn replies, doing this exaggerated eyebrow-wiggle that he probably thinks is sexy but really makes him look like he has a facial tic, and Kurt swats at him and leaves him standing in the street. 

At least Finn’s distracted him from the task at hand, but now that he’s here he’s more nervous than ever and he takes the deepest breath he can and lets it out slowly before pushing the door open, scanning the tiny café for Blaine and he spots the older man almost immediately, all tousled curls and bright eyes as he sits up and waves, leaving his bag on the chair and walking over. 

“Hey!  Was waiting for you,” Blaine smiles and joins Kurt in the line, knocking their shoulders together and already putting Kurt far more at ease.  They get up to the till and Blaine waves off Kurt’s wallet, ordering a plain coffee for himself.  “And a medium non-fat mocha for my friend,” he adds with a wink and Kurt can’t stop the fact that he’s blushing now. 

“You know my coffee order?” he whispers and Blaine shrugs. 

“I’m not creepy, I swear.  I saw you in here one other time with this really tiny, really loud girl, and I couldn’t help but overhear…”

“I bet you couldn’t,” Kurt shakes his head but he’s flattered, really.  It took Finn about ten trips to remember his coffee order.  “And that’s Rachel.  My official roommate, but as you so aptly noted, she’s loud.”

Blaine smirks and suggests sharing one of the muffins the shop has on the counter and Kurt agrees, and they take their coffees and the muffin back to the table Blaine’s saved for them and sit, looking at each other nervously before Kurt starts to giggle.

“So.  This isn’t awkward at all,” Blaine laughs with him, tilting his head to the side and Kurt just stares at him because now, in the daylight, just as Blaine and not a fellow employee, he’s stunning.  “Kurt, honestly, if this is too weird…”

“It’s not,” Kurt says immediately, pulling his gaze away from Blaine’s.  “I mean, it is, in a way, but I can’t…say that I didn’t want this to happen.  You and I on a date,” he clarifies and Blaine heaves a sigh of relief. 

“Okay.  Good.  That’s what…I wanted, too,” he looks cautious before reaching his hand across the table and Kurt feels a small thrill in his stomach as Blaine’s fingers settle over his, his touch warm and soft and Kurt curls his fingers against Blaine’s palm because he just really needs to touch.  “So.”

“So,” Kurt breathes out carefully.  “We’re kind of going about this whole thing backwards, aren’t we?  So why don’t we start from the beginning.  Introduce yourself to me,” he smiles and Blaine laughs, but he nods and starts to speak.

“Blaine Anderson.  23 years old, music major with special emphasis on composition, going for my Master’s degree at the moment but it’s a pain in the ass when inspiration is dead.  I’m originally from Westerville, Ohio,” Kurt’s eyes widen at that because honestly, what are the chances?  “Mom and Dad still live there, both of them know I’m gay but aren’t super-supportive.  I’ve got a brother named Cooper who’s an utter idiot but I love him dearly, and I graduated from Dalton Academy.”

“You were in the Warblers?” Kurt asks curiously and Blaine’s eyes widen as he nods shakily. 

“I was their lead singer in my Senior year, but…”

“Two years,” Kurt breathed.  “We missed each other by a semester or so.  I’m from Lima.  McKinley,” he clarifies.  “We competed against the Warblers in my junior and senior years, but you would have been gone by then.”

“Small world,” Blaine notes, his fingers moving lightly against Kurt’s.  “Oh, and I live with two of my old Warbler-mates, Nick and Jeff.  Yes, they’re dating, and yes, the sex is loud, but I wouldn’t trade them for anything.”

Kurt snorts at the last bit because with Rachel and Paul he knows all about loud sex by this point but he’s glad Blaine’s comfortable about telling him all of this already. 

“So, my turn.  You know most of the basics, but…Kurt Hummel.  21.  Used to study musical theater but changed my major to fashion because counter-tenors are not sought after as Broadway leads.  I know, I know, it’s hard to believe,” he sighs dramatically and Blaine laughs.  “My father runs a tire and lube shop back in Lima, I introduced him to Finn’s mother…my stepmother…when I was in sophomore year in high school, they got married the next year, and the rest is history,” he finishes with a half-wave, purposefully leaving out the details about his real mother because he can’t talk about her without crying and he wants to avoid that in a crowded coffee shop if he can.  “And that’s about all you need to know.”

“Oh, I’m sure there’s a whole lot more to know,” Blaine’s voice is low and undeniably flirty as he leans across the table a little farther, gripping Kurt’s hand.  “You introduced your stepmother and your father?”

“I’m not…proud of that one,” Kurt sighs, wondering if Blaine will judge him for this, but he figures it’s better to be honest.  “It was…honestly, it all worked out the way it was supposed to.  I was rather hopelessly in love with one Finn Hudson at the time, both of our parents were unattached…I had a foolish notion that they’d fall in love and we’d move in together and Finn and I would have some epic, pseudo-incestuous love affair.  I’d neglected to remember that he’s as straight as a board, but since our parents got married and we moved in together, I guess it…kind of worked out.”

Blaine, to his great relief, starts to laugh before taking a sip of his coffee and sighing fondly.  “That’s quite the story.  So.  Finn, huh?”

“Mm,” Kurt blushes.  “That’s over now, I promise.  I love him, but just as a brother.”

“I know.  I could tell.  You two act the way Cooper and I do,” Blaine tells him.  “So who do you live with?  This Rachel?”

“She’s my best friend…actually we started out as enemies because we were both eyeing up Finn, and she him and dated…and were engaged…and broke that off…and are slowly becoming friends but like you I have a problem with Rachel and her new boyfriend having loud sex so I’m at Finn’s about half the time anyway,” he explains and Blaine nods, his thumb now stroking over Kurt’s knuckles and Kurt can’t help but shiver a little bit at the light touch. 

“Okay.  That’s enough backstory for now,” Blaine decides, looking thoughtful as Kurt takes a sip of his mocha.  “So, I think it goes without saying that I really like you.  I’ve never…felt so strongly about a client, and I don’t fall for people easily so I can’t think that it’s mere coincidence.  I’ve been waiting for an excuse to talk to you…”

“Thank Finn and his utter lack of tact for that one,” Kurt smiles wryly, although he’s thankful for Finn’s bluntness in this case.  “And I’m very, very reluctant to let people close…always have been…so the fact that I’m comfortable around you says how much I already trust you.  I just have to know…is it okay?  If we…if we date, is it against company policy?”

“Kurt, we work for a porn site,” Blaine barks a laugh.  “Most of the performers there are in relationships or even married, and I don’t think there’s a rule about who you date because, let’s face it, it’s kind of irrelevant in the long run.”

“True,” Kurt shrugs.  “Just making sure.  I don’t want you to get into trouble…”

“I won’t.  Not for this,” Blaine promises, and he looks so earnest and truthful that Kurt has to believe him.  “So does that mean you want to…with me…”

”Yes,” Kurt says immediately.  “I have to warn you I’ve never had a boyfriend, but…yes.”

“Okay.  Great,” Blaine laughs, a little nervously to Kurt’s eyes, and scrubs his hand over the back of his neck.  “And for the record I’ve only had one, and that was back at Dalton, so…I guess we’re both new to this.”

“We can figure it out together,” Kurt decides, because hearing this about Blaine is rather endearing and, even though it’s obvious Blaine isn’t a virgin, the fact that they’re closer to being on the same page is comforting to him. 

“Sounds good to me.  Now, drink your coffee before it gets cold,” Blaine points and Kurt does so, the conversation devolving into lighter topics from there on out: other favorite coffee shops, favorite places in New York, the fact that they’d have to do a duet sometime soon since they were both Glee Club alumni…

And it’s easy, so easy, to talk to Blaine like this, just as two equals.  Blaine’s funny and smart and polite and Kurt knows he’ll never have anything to fear with him, at work or when they actually get to a place in their relationship where they’d turn it sexual by themselves, and that puts him more at ease than anything else. 

Plus there’s the fact that Blaine doesn’t let go of his hand the entire time. 

That’s kind of special, too.