"Where are we?" Kurt asked as he stepped out of the SUV onto a quiet street. The windows of the car had been tinted dark to avoid paparazzi taking photos inside; it also prevented seeing exactly where their 20 minute journey had taken them.
"Upper West Side" Blaine chuckled and joined him on the side walk "I promise we're still in Manhattan and I am not abducting you or anything..."
"I hadn't thought of that, until now"
"Oh sorry" the rockstar smiled nervously and rubbed the back of his neck "This is just one of the few places in the city that the paps don't know about. I usually bring Nate here before I go away for work"
Kurt smiled and looked at the cafe that was hidden between a bookstore and an antique store. It was the perfect hiding spot especially for Blaine and Nate, a relationship that doesn't need to be in the media spotlight. The pair made their way into the cafe and sat down at a table against the wall. It was a quaint little place with comfortable couches, over flowing bookshelves and the intoxicating aroma of coffee.
"What can I get you?" Blaine asked as he stood from the table
"Uhm, non fat Mocha" Kurt smiled and reached for his wallet but by the time he'd pulled it from his pocket Blaine was at the counter. Sneaky.
The singer returned a short time later balancing Kurt's Mocha, his own Medium Drip and a plate of biscotti in his hands. Sitting back down, he slid the mug to Kurt as well as encouraged the food.
"I wasn't sure what you liked so I picked a couple flavours" Blaine chuckled referring to the biscotti "This place makes the best biscotti outside of Italy"
"And you've been all over Italy no doubt?"
"Twice" he smiled weakly "You've never been?"
"It's on my ever growing bucket list. It's just above Paris and Melbourne"
"Melbourne? As in Australia?" the singer chuckled wondering why it was such a high rank on his bucket list.
"I have a fascination with Australian accents and skin like mine doesn't go anywhere near a beach no matter how pretty Queensland beaches look in photos. I hear the market shopping is great. My wardrobe since high school has always consisted of a lucky bargain from a market or thrift store"
Blaine nodded with a soft laugh. He could understand why Kurt would want to steer clear of beautiful sunny beaches. One minute out there would ruin his perfect porcelain complexion. "Understandable, I haven't made it down to Australia just yet. It was planned for the last tour but I try not to be away from Nate too long" he smiled "I can only ask my Mom to help him with so much homework at once"
"It's amazing" Kurt mused "You have this incredible career and could be partying til your heart's content but instead you devote every waking moment to that beautiful little boy. It's incredibly admirable"
Blaine could feel the heat rise in his cheeks as he looked down at his lap. No-one had said anything like that to him before. He'd had people say he was stupid for having a kid with his particular career but Nate was in Blaine's life long before his music career "You're too kind Kurt, an even better father would have a normal job and be home all the time..."
"What is normal? Hell, my father went from owning his own Tire and Lube shop to running for Congress" the young doctor chuckled "Is it just you and Nate? His Mom..."
"Passed away a few days after Nate was born"
Kurt gasped "Oh Blaine, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have brought it up"
"It's ok, you didn't know" he insisted and rested his hand over Kurt's that lay on the table "Really. I haven't thought about her in a little while to be honest"
"I still shouldn't have brought it up"
"Kurt, it's fine" Blaine assured him noticing that his hand still rested over Kurt's "At least it shows the media haven't dug deep enough into my past to leak anything about Quinn"
"Quinn? You grew up in Ohio right?"
"Yeah..."
"This might be a long shot but are you talking about Quinn Fabray?" Kurt asked as he pieced all the information together. Blaine nodded silently "Nate is her little boy" the doctor gasped "I went to school with Quinn"
"Really?"
"Yeah we sang together in glee club" Kurt smiled remembering fond memories he shared with the beautiful blonde "When she was in the accident, we all went to the hospital but she was in intensive care and the nurses wouldn't let us in. None of us ever found out what happened to her baby after she passed away. Quinn was so reserved through the pregnancy, we had no idea who the father even was. We thought her Mom took custody of him when he was born".
"Judy was a godsend when Nate was born but she never once fought me for custody" Blaine began "I remember you guys coming to the hospital that day, you sang 'Keep Holding On' out in the waiting room"
"Yeah" the doctor nodded with a sniff. It was a hard day when they lost Quinn; she was a beautiful friend and presence in their club.
"Quinn and I grew up together and she was my best friend til the end" Blaine smiled sadly. It hadn't been long ago that they remembered the 10th anniversary of her death; he had taken Nate home to Ohio especially. "She was by my side all through middle school and the years it took me to understand my sexuality. This one night in sophomore year of high school I'd had a particularly bad fight with my father about being gay and disgracing the family so I went to Quinn. She'd had a fight with, I can never remember his name, Pick? Pock?"
"Puck" Kurt chuckled
"Yes that's it" the singer laughed "Nate wasn't a mistake; he was just the product of a night of exploration, discovery and not even thinking about protection. I lost my best friend and the only girl I ever loved that day but I got to keep a little part of her in Nate"
"Does he ask about her?"
Blaine nodded "He asks for stories about her from time to time. He understands that she's in heaven with Grandpa and Sushi the goldfish looking down on him so he asks about what she was like. I'm glad he likes hearing the classics because I'm starting to run out of stories"
"I've got some if you ever need it. Quinn was... she was a beautiful person"
"I know Nate would love that, so would I"
Conversation between the pair flowed freely as their coffee went cold. They talked more about Quinn, show choir and the many times they would have competed against each other. They talked about high school, their families and their lives back in Ohio.
"I have to ask, why medicine?" Blaine asked with a soft chuckle "You love fashion and musical theatre, why not a career in those?"
"Not long after Quinn passed away my Dad had a pretty serious heart attack. I lost my Mom when I was eight to cancer and I thought I would lose him too" Kurt began and this time it was Blaine to insist that he shouldn't have brought it up. Kurt shook his head wanting to continue "My Dad survived but people like my Mom and Quinn didn't and I never wanted another family to go through losing someone like that. I wanted to help and I've always been good at science so I never regretted leaving music and fashion to be a hobby"
"And you call me admirable" Blaine smiled. He held doctors and nurses in such high respect after everything they did to save Nate when he was born. With Quinn in a critical condition there was a strong possibility that Nate may not have survived. If it wasn't for an amazing medical team he wouldn't have his little boy.
Blaine looked down at his watch as Kurt finished the last piece of biscotti "Oh wow, it's getting late. I should get you home" he chuckled "I'm sure someone will be wondering where you got to"
"No-one but 'McQueen' my goldfish" he laughed "But I should get home, I have a shift tomorrow"
"Saving more lives no doubt"
"Nope, meetings with annoying hospital board members"
"Sounds like fun"
The pair made their way out of the cafe and into the chilly night. Blaine's driver and SUV hadn't moved from it's spot outside the cafe.
"We're on 86th right?" Kurt asked as he looked around at the neighbourhood "I'm only a couple blocks away, I can walk"
"Alone? No you won't" Blaine insisted.
"I'll be fine, Blaine"
"You're not walking around at this time of night alone, at least let me walk you home"
Kurt smiled at Blaine's insistence. He was kinda cute when he scrunched his nose up in disagreement. "Won't your driver who is probably some kamikaze super soldier body guard not like that?"
"That's a new way of describing him" Blaine laughed and made his way over to the car tapping on the window. After a quick argument if you must call it that with Jeff, he walked back to Kurt "Kamikaze boy isn't happy but who is he to decide?"
"Blaine..."
"Which way?"
"You're insufferable" Kurt laughed as he pointed to his left and Blaine held his elbow out with a grin. Taking his elbow gently, Kurt walked with Blaine toward his apartment. They walked in comfortable silence as the street lights flickered above their heads. It was starting to get closer to winter and colder every night so the close proximity to each other was warm and welcoming. "This is me" the younger doctor smiled reluctantly as they reached the stoop of his brownstone building. "Thank you again for an amazing night. The show, the coffee, everything"
"I'm really glad you came tonight" Blaine smiled and shuffled his feet gently not really wanted to end his night with Kurt "Can we do this again sometime?"
"The insane sold out show or the coffee?" Kurt laughed earning a smile from Blaine "I'd like that" he smiled as he closed the gap between them and pressed a soft kiss to Blaine's cheek. "Goodnight Blaine"
"Goodnight Kurt" the singer smiled and watched as Kurt ascended the stairs toward his door. With a small wave and a smile, Kurt opened his door and disappeared behind it.
The young doctor leant against the door and sighed happily as he thought about the night he'd just had.
"That did not just happen"
Ignoring the fact that he had to be at the hospital later that morning, he was still buzzing from everything that had happened. Pulling his cell phone out of his pocket, Kurt hid the second number on his speed dial.
"What happened to you tonight?" Mercedes asked in a judgemental tone that was just begging to hear all the gossip.
"I think I just went on a date with Blaine Anderson and agreed to a second date"
Kurt held his cell at arm's length as high pitched squealing echoed through his empty little home.