Reading Between The Lines
Ladylywrites
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Reading Between The Lines: Chapter 1


K - Words: 1,066 - Last Updated: Aug 25, 2014
Story: Closed - Chapters: 1/? - Created: Aug 25, 2014 - Updated: Aug 25, 2014
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Author's Notes:

Klaine alternative meeting and a kind of belated reaction fic to 5x06 (Frenemies) | I may write more to this, but I won't say when because I don't know. Enjoy! :)

It was a very cold, placid day. Beyond the faint fog that misted up the library windows, the world was caked in white; snow fell down in tendrils outside, peeling off from the sky above and drifting slowly, slowly, slowly to the ground. It was nice, just watching it fall. It was, in a way, therapeutic. Lord knows Kurt needed that right now.

Sighing, he lifted his head off of the glass pane and tore his eyes back to his book. He was perched on one of the librarys window seats, back to one wall, reading book resting on his knees, and his feet against the other. Technically, they werent allowed to put their feet up on the cushion -- hed seen visitors get glared down more than once over it by the owner and the assistants -- but today, as if they could sense he was coiled like a spring, nobody had bothered him. Kurt was grateful for that.

"Excuse me?"

But of course, that couldnt last.

Kurt dragged his eyes up from the words on the page in the direction of the voice. A couple feet away, a young man -- he couldnt be older than himself -- stood, a small smile on his lips and his hands clasped neatly in front of him. The name tag on his jumper showed Kurt that he worked here and it read Blaine in small, bold lettering. His eyes were either a light shade of brown or a hazel, his skin tan, and his hair slathered in gel, combed neatly into place. He must have crazy curls, Kurt thought absently. That thought was closely followed by, Oh god, hes cute then, a little after, Im really not in the mood for conversation.

"Sorry," Kurt said quietly, flashing a blink-and-youll-miss-it smile. He swung his legs off the cushion, guessing thats what he came to ask him to do, and returned to his book. He wasnt really reading it anymore; the words were swirling around his head but they werent resonating. So when the man didnt retreat, Kurt pulled his head up and looked over, raising an eyebrow. "Any particular reason why youre still here?"

He could tell from Blaines expression how sharp his tone had been. "No, I was... Its closing time," the man said, voice a little off-put. "Thats all I wanted to say. Sorry if I, uh, interrupted you."

"You did," Kurt replied bluntly, closing his book -- he didnt bother marking the page -- and begrudgingly sliding off the window seat. He was getting comfortable there. When he heard footsteps beginning to walk away, he first felt relieved the exchange was over, that he could go. But then he looked up from where he was putting his book back in his bag, to Blaines retreating back, to his hand rubbing the back of his neck...

That feeling didnt last long.

"Wait!" Kurt strode after him. He really didnt want to have a guilty conscience weighing his shoulders down. And he did feel guilty -- he was taking his mood out on a complete stranger, and he felt horrible for it. The poor guy did nothing wrong. He probably had his own problems, and Kurt was adding to it. By the time Blaine had stopped and turned around, Kurts gaze had softened and there was a solid, lead weight in his chest.

"Can I help you?" the man asked, confused.

Kurt sighed. "Im sorry. For snapping at you. Its just been a really long day for me," he said.A soft smile tugged at Blaines lips, and Kurt mirrored his expression.

"Dont worry about it. Really, you didnt do anything."

"I was short with you for no reason. I call that something."

"Its not." Blaine smiled slightly easier, gaze switching between Kurts eyes. Up close, he could see that they were more hazel than brown, and his eyelashes were as long as they came, fanning out at his cheeks and fluttering. God, he was adorable. "Why are you so stressed?"

Kurt pulled himself back to planet earth with a dramatic sigh. "Oh, you dont want to know," he said with a soft laugh. But Blaine still stood there, head cocked curiously to one side, and he looked so genuinely concerned that Kurt couldnt help continuing. "My roommates are feuding," he started. "One of them got a role in a musical, the other auditioned for the understudy without telling her, and now theyre at loggerheads and Im stuck in the middle of their World War Me stupidity. As if I wasnt preoccupied enough with college, and work..." Kurt shook his head.

"Sounds like you live with a couple of divas," Blaine responded. Kurt all but snorted.

"Yeah, you could say that," he muttered. "They can be wonderful, dont get me wrong, and weve known each other for years, but... It can get a bit much."

Blaine grimaced sympathetically. "I understand. Thats why youve been here all day then, Im supposing? To avoid them?"

"You hit the nail on the head." Kurt laughed weakly, hitching his bag higher over his shoulder and stuffing his hands in his pockets. For a few moments, neither spoke; then, both spoke at once.

"Whats your name?" "Im Kurt."

Kurt pressed his lips into a line so he wouldnt grin. "Im Kurt," he repeated so Blaine could hear. The pink creeping over his cheeks was obvious. “And your name tag says you're Blaine?”

Blaine let out a small chuckle that was more breath than laugh and ducked his head shyly. “Yeah, that'd be me. Look, I, um- I've got to clear up in here and stuff, so…”

“Oh! Oh, of course, sorry,” Kurt said quickly. “I should- I should get going.”

“Yeah. I mean, not that- that I want you to, it's just—“

“No, no, it's okay. Rules are rules, right?”

“Right.” Blaine wet his lips and Kurt told himself to stop staring, to stop wondering how they'd feel on his. In fact, he was so caught up in not looking and not thinking, he barely registered the man's voice as he asked, “See you around?”

If Kurt wasn't mistaken, there was hope in his tone. “See you around,” he confirmed, and as he made to leave the library, with his heart was considerably lighter than it was when he entered, he made a decision to borrow a lot more books from now on.


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