Blaine did indeed show up the next day. He walked in with a cheery hi! and a silly diva act that he’d better get his medium drip NOW, or shit was gonna go down. Kurt felt like he had never laughed that hard before in his life because he felt like getting hysterical as soon as Blaine walked through the door. Today Blaine made him so nervous because Kurt had to work extra-hard to stay just a friend. An acquaintance. An employee. God was Kurt screwed. Blaine had him and he knew it.

….

A few days later, Kurt was watching Blaine at the counter (not creepily, he told himself, just…admiringly) as he pushed down on the plastic top of his medium drip. Kurt literally could not tear his eyes away. Who knew arms could be so sexy? He practically jumped out of his skin when he felt a hip brush his arm. “Enjoying the view?” Serena winked at him. “Shut up, Serena, just shut up!” he hissed. Blaine looked up just then and Kurt turned crimson, immediately glancing down to fiddle with the cash register. When the cash drawer popped out and hit him in the gut, Serena said, “Look, Kurt. I say this because I care. You’re both obviously smitten, why don’t you just make it official already?”

“It’s not that simple,” Kurt muttered.

“Oh, but isn’t it? Look at him, Kurt.” Kurt did. Blaine was perched on the arm of one of the sofas, with a newspaper in one hand and coffee in the other. “Do you really think he’s paying attention to that newspaper? Because to me it looks like he’s trying to send out a message – notice me, Kurt, notice me.”

“You are certifiably batshit,” said Kurt.

“So are you for not taking advantage of that,” she said, casting a significant glance at Blaine’s chair. “He’s been a perfect gentleman and you know it, so why not give the boy a little of what he wants? I bet he’s been late to work every single day waiting around for you.”

“Don’t be stupid, Serena, no one starts work at two in the afternoon.”

“NOW, Kurt.”

Kurt sighed, knowing better than to argue about anything with Serena. “Whatever, just give me my mocha,” he said, pointing to the half-finished cup on the counter behind them and pulling off his apron. He might as well break, customers never came in this late in the day.

Which is how Kurt found himself standing in front of Blaine a few seconds later with a newly refilled grande nonfat mocha and absolutely nothing to say.

Blaine appeared to be still reading his newspaper. “Um...” Kurt said, trying to make himself known. Oh, way to go, Hummel. How genius.

Blaine lowered his newspaper. “Didn’t see you there,” he said jokingly, and his eyes literally sparkled. The question Oh my god, how are you this perfect, are you a vampire? bubbled up in Kurt’s head, but he managed to suppress it. But then he also noticed that Blaine was kind of uncomfortable too, and blushing up to the tips of his ears. Suddenly Kurt realized –

“Oh god. How much did you hear?” He sank into the love seat opposite Blaine. Now he was the one blushing all over.

“Uh…enough.” Blaine smiled and folded over his newspaper.

“Got it. I am going to kill Serena!” he called, making sure she heard him. He heard a giggle as someone walked into the back room and shut the door. They sat in silence for a moment. Blaine cleared his throat.

“So!” Kurt said. “Uhm…have I really been making you late to work every day?”

Blaine laughed. “A few times. But I don’t have to work today until six, so…”

“So?”

“So we can talk all we want.” Kurt could tell Blaine was trying to be casual, but there was something hiding beneath those words, a burning desire that made Kurt shiver. He decided that Blaine just really needed to get laid.

….

It was a week before they talked about anything really of note. They really just got to know each other during their daily conversations. Blaine was an actor in an improv comedy troupe a little ways away, which was why his coffee schedule was so weird – he and half the cast snuck out during the director’s meeting. He had just moved here – he had found an apartment literally the first day he had walked into Java House. And Blaine got to find out about Kurt: coffee clerk to pay the bills (not that the measly paycheck could cover Alexander McQueen very easily), but auditionee whenever he got the chance. They spent as much time as they could talking before Wesley, the skinny, combed-over manager, checked to see if his employees were getting actual work done, or before Blaine had to leave for work. Kurt had no idea where they stood, if they were engaging in an extremely platonic relationship or if they were just being friends or if Blaine was just a very open-minded straight guy who wasn’t very observant or what. Blaine didn’t either. Both were kind of waiting for the opportune moment.

….

“Phoenix, huh?” Kurt asked him.

“Yep. City of sun and tans and not much else,” Blaine told him.

“Is that why you left?”

“Well, no…I mean, I didn’t have any more shows to do there, the lease was almost up on my apartment, I guess I just decided to take off one day, and here I am.”

“Really?” Kurt didn’t believe him. Not one bit. Or maybe he could just tell that Blaine was hiding something.

“Okay, there were…romantic complications…too.”

“I knew it. There always are.”

“So…what exactly was your romantic life like back in Phoenix?” Kurt asked him. Blaine cringed inwardly.

“Oh…well, I didn’t really have any steady dates. I, um, mostly just…” he waved his hand around vaguely. “You know.”

“No, I don’t know.” Blaine cringed again. Kurt was purposefully torturing him.

“Okay, you caught me – I’m a man-whore,” Blaine groaned. Kurt giggled a little, but didn’t say anything, looking a little worried. “But – ah – not like this!” Blaine blurted. He could feel himself turning red. “I mean, this isn’t me…whoring around.” He saw Kurt’s lips twitch a little, so he decided it was safe to continue. “Most of my relationships in the past have been…well, not really relationships at all. Mostly one-night stands – or a couple of dates where eventually one of us forgets to call back and neither of us really cares.” He winced. “I’m not really proud of it.”

“You shouldn’t be,” Kurt murmured, and Blaine’s eyes immediately snapped to his in alarm, but Kurt was smiling gently, forgiving. Blaine smiled back and traced a pattern on the table between them, absentmindedly staring into Kurt’s eyes. They were such a pretty green and just so…wait. Kurt had said something. What did Kurt say?

“I’m so sorry, what?” Blaine asked, blushing again.

“If I’m not a lame date or a one-night stand, then what am I?” Kurt’s lips twitched again in amusement.

Blaine smiled.

“A new chapter. A better chapter.” And then he leaned in and pressed a kiss to Kurt’s perfect cheek, savoring the feel of his pale, smooth skin.

…

Kurt knew as Blaine pulled away that he had turned bright red. The place where those (gorgeous) lips had touched him felt like he had stuck it in a wall socket. Most of him was flying but the rest of him felt…incredibly guilty. He hadn’t told Blaine anything about Karofsky, Blaine didn’t know he was getting damaged goods, and Kurt didn’t want to tell him. It was nice not being “the victim” to someone. He squeezed his eyes shut, needing the darkness for a few seconds. The sun really was horribly bright.

“K-Kurt?” He opened his eyes and there was Blaine again, looking petrified that he’d done the wrong thing. Kurt smiled, because Blaine looked adorable even when scared out of his wits.

“Sorry, Blaine. It’s just…I…uh, wow.” Kurt finished inelegantly.

“Ohmygod you’re not already going out with someone, are you? Because I thought…” Blaine trailed off, looking helpless and biting his lip. Kurt wanted to laugh. Really hard.

“No. No, Blaine, I…I like the idea of being a…new chapter. I really do.” Kurt moved his hand across the table to cover Blaine’s. When that happened, Blaine looked like he just might recover. He grinned at Kurt. “Good sir, may I please take you to dinner tomorrow?” he asked, the spark back in his eyes.

“Yes. Yes, you may.” Kurt grinned back.