This was THE best day of Blaine Anderson's life.

He aced his music theory test.

He found time to shop around the city and clean his apartment.

He finished his homework.

He cooked his favorite foods for dinner.

And he had coffee with Kurt Hummel.

Blaine was in heaven. He was still replaying the morning over and over:

**** Blaine sat at Starbucks, nervously tapping his foot, adjusting his scarf, and ignoring his Medium Drip for watching the door. He stood when Kurt finally entered. Kurt spotted him and dragged his...guest over.

"Sorry. But Jasper wouldn't leave until I 'properly introduced' you two. Blaine this is Jasper. Pronouns they/them/theirs. Jasper, Blaine."

Blaine relaxed. He's still talking to me. His barriers are still down. He shook his head and put on his most charming smile. He knew it was playing a bit dirty but if the friends liked you it was easier for the person of interest to like you.

"Hello, Jasper. It's lovely to meet you. Kurt, you didn't tell me you had such beautiful friends!" It was true too. Tall, thin, obviously a dancer, nice green eyes, styled dark hair, and they were dressed stylishly, similar to Kurt. Kurt tried to suppress laughter and Blaine smirked while Jasper blushed.

Jasper turned to Kurt quickly.

"Kurt, if you don't keep this one I will gladly take him off your hands." Kurt's smile faltered briefly but then laughed stiffly. Blaine tilted his head. Strange…

Jasper didn't notice.

"Okay, well I'm just gonna get going and leave you two alone, then." Jasper smiled suggestively and walked out of the coffee shop. They reminded him a bit of Santana..only less Satan. Kurt turned to him, blushing lightly.

"Sorry about them. I'm gonna go get coffee." Blaine just smiled as Kurt left and ordered a Grande Non-Fat Mocha. Hmm, he'll have to remember that.

When Kurt returned they talked about everything. It was glorious.

They talked about Kurt's Dad and sadly his Mom, and they talked about Ohio and Glee and High School friends and hobbies and school and dance and music and New York and just well...everything.

Kurt was now laughing at an old Warblers story.

"I'll need to hear you sing sometime. I'm sure you're wonderful." Kurt smiled at him for that. That became Blaine's goal. How many times could he get Kurt Hummel to flash that gorgeous smile at him?

"Maybe. Maybe not." Kurt said coyly, tilting his head, which he had resting on one hand, elbow resting on the table, and smirking. Blaine smiled blindingly over his nearly empty cup.

"We'll see about that." Kurt took the last sip of his drink. A comfortable silence swept over them before Blaine's blurting problem came back full force.

"Kurt…do you have a boyfriend?" Kurt flinched. Visibly flinched. Blaine winced.

"No. No I don't." The wall was back up. Did mentioning boyfriends or dating really bother Kurt that much? He tried to get the wall back down again.

"Um, well that's fine. I haven't had one since high school. Anyway, have you seen this month's Vogue issue?"

And Kurt was off. The wall crumbled slightly, thank god, and the sparkle returned. He would find out what that was about eventually.

After that it was very pleasant they talked more, if that was even, possible before Kurt was called away to rehearsal.

Blaine couldn't be happier.****

-o0o-

They went on several coffee dates. Well Blaine called them dates but he wasn't really sure that's what they were. But Blaine was going to make their next outing a date if it killed him. He needed to tell him. Kurt was beautiful and strong and funny and nice and kind of sarcastic and bitchy sometimes but he was perfect. And Blaine was going to ask him out. He had even brought a flower. He was going to do this. At this coffee date. In three minutes.

'I am going to die,' Blaine thought anxiously.

Blaine sat down at the usual table (Blaine always smiled at the thought that they had a usual table) and waited for Kurt, absent-mindedly twirling the flower around. It was now or never.

Blaine looked at his watch. It had been 10 minutes…. Kurt's never late.

.:Hey, are you coming? Is something wrong? –B:.

After sending the text, Blaine waited, playing Angry Birds on his phone to occupy him.

Blaine checked the time when he realized he finished his coffee. It had been 20 minutes and no sign of Kurt. Blaine, slightly irritated, picked up the phone and called him.

~~"H-hello?"~~ He was immediately worried.

"Kurt? Are you alright?" Kurt sniffled over on the other line.

~~"Oh! Blaine. I'm fine. I-I got c-called away to p-practice and I f-forgot to call you. I'm so sorry."~~ Blaine was on edge. Something was up. Why would Kurt be crying at practice? And this was not like him to forget obligations. Kurt was always punctual and polite.

"Kurt are you sure you're okay? You're not..Upset or anything?" Kurt sniffed again.

~~"Of course not! I'm f-fine."~~ Kurt was obviously not fine.

And he was going to find out why.

"Okay Kurt. Have fun at practice okay? We can reschedule."

Blaine tucked the flower into the inside pocket of his coat and was immediately in a taxi on his way to the Fallen Flowers studio. Let's see if Kurt is really there.

-o0o-

Blaine arrived there in a panic. That ride had taken forever and he was ready to jump out of the cab while it was moving and walk there himself. Blaine threw money at the cabbie and jumped out, rushing into the building.

KurtKurtKurtKurtKurtKurtKurt. OOF!

A bag went flying nailing Blaine in the head. Ow.

"Oh! I'm so sorry. I didn't see you. I really shouldn't draw while walking…" Blaine looked over at the other member of the collision to see Jasper grabbing their bag and collecting a sketch book and pen off the floor. A short girl with dyed hair helped them off the floor.

"Jaz, you really should be more careful."

"Oh, like you can talk. You could have warned me."

"Sorry, love." Blaine stepped in after that.

"Uh, no really, Jasper, it's fine. It was my fault, too. I was daydreaming." Jasper finally looked to him.

"Oh! Blaine! How are you? Oh! This is my girlfriend, Katherine." Jasper turned to their girlfriend and looked down at her happily, grabbing her hand. Blaine shook her other hand politely.

"Blaine Anderson. Nice to meet you."

"You too." Jasper glanced at Blaine with a wicked grin.

"Kathy, he's Kurt's boyfriend!" Blaine blushed and shook his head.

"Oh! N-no just his friend." Katherine raised an eyebrow. Blaine looked away from her abruptly.

"But, uh, speaking of Kurt, where do you guys rehears? Are you done for the day already?"

"Rehearsal? We don't have rehearsal today. I'm just here because I left my bag. Kurt's only here because of what day it is." They looked at him sadly.

"What day it is?"

"Oh! You didn't know?" Jasper looked around and then solemnly whispered: "It's the anniversary of his mom's death…" Blaine looked down. Oh god. That's not good. Blaine rushed past them calling thanks behind him.

-o0o-

When Blaine got to the auditorium, he froze. Kurt was onstage. A single spotlight was the only light in there, giving Kurt an ethereal glow and was dancing with no music. No, he wasn't just dancing. He was throwing everything he had into it. Tears were streaming down his face as he threw himself into every move. It was beautiful like always but it broke Blaine's heart as his moves became reckless and he slowed down. His limbs became less graceful, flinging around like they were growing heavy. Kurt stopped then, dropping to the ground on his knees, hunched over and sobbing. Blaine couldn't stand there any longer.

Rushing onstage, Blaine dropped to the ground beside him. Kurt didn't even hear his footsteps. He reached out a hand to gently touch Kurt's shaking shoulders and Kurt's head shot up at the touch.

The dancer scooted away from Blaine, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand.

"B-Blaine! W-what are you doing here? I thought we were going to reschedule." Blaine hesitated and grabbed Kurt's hand. At least he didn't pull away.

"I knew there was something wrong and I couldn't just sit there."

Kurt sat there for a minute and Blaine waited patiently for him. Finally he spoke.

"It's the anniversary of my mom's death." Blaine nodded sadly. "She was a dancer too, you know. She was...beautiful and always encouraged me to dance with my heart and soul. She died when I was 14." Kurt looked into Blaine's eyes. "She was also the last one to call me beautiful, you know. Until you."

Blaine felt awful. He felt pity but he knew that's not what Kurt needed right now. He also felt angry. How could no one else realize how lovely this man was? Kurt paused and then continued shakily.

"W-When I was 16, I got a boyfriend. He had just joined Glee and he was wonderful. He held my hand, kissed me, took me on wonderful dates, but it always hurt me that he never told anyone we were dating or even talked to me in school. H-he told me that it was just to protect us from getting hurt by anyone." Kurt shook as his anger grew. "I-I believed him like some i-idiot! I caught him under the bleachers after a football game with some cheerleader. I confronted him and tried to slap him but he caught my hand and slammed me to the ground. Yelling how worthless and ugly and stupid I was. That there was no way anyone could ever really like someone like me." Kurt paused and shaking and sobbing. Blaine didn't know what to do. Kurt calmed down enough to continue at whisper.

"I quite Glee after that, not wanting to see him anymore and threw myself into my dancing. My mother was the only one who ever thought that I was beautiful or pretty or handsome or anything like that. I know it. I wanted to make her happy and proud of me. That's why I never went to go meet people. I was too focused and I couldn't...no one would like me, anyway. I'm not beautiful, I'm not." Kurt sobbed lightly but had overall stopped crying. Blaine shook his head, angry at that asshole and disbelieving that Kurt would think this.

"But you are. So beautiful. And your mom must have been too, to be the mother of someone like you. Blaine pulled the single Gardenia from inside his coat, the soft white petals standing out beneath the spotlight, and handed it to Kurt. "Kurt..I really really like you. You might not believe me but I think that you're the most wonderful person I have ever met." Kurt gasped and a few tears escaped his eyes.

"Hey..hey why are you crying again?" Blaine's arm came around Kurt's shoulders. Kurt tensed but then slumped into him. Blaine held him close. Finally.

"It's just that they're my favorite...and they were always my mom's favorite too. She said they meant joy, and love, and all that's good in this world."

"I didn't know...I picked a Gardenia because I have always liked flower meanings and this one also means 'you're lovely.'" Blaine lifted Kurt's chin at that to look into his eyes once more as he said this. Kurt broke away and shook his head, sniffling again.

"Damn it. And I almost got away with it too. I spent so long protecting my heart but you. You are just so different. They way you called me beautiful and your determination and your smile and your laugh and just your goofy self. It broke me down and I don't know how you did it."

Kurt broke out into a little smile and laugh that tugged at Blaine's heartstrings just like always.

"Oh god. I'm a mess." Kurt mumbled as he whipped his eyes again, laughing at himself. Blaine had just about enough of that. He lifted Kurt's chin up and towards him for the last time. Blaine smiled as he turned towards Kurt a bit more.

"No, you're not. How many times do I have to say it before it sinks in?

You. Are. Beautiful."

Blaine tilts his head so his lips gently brush against Kurt's, soft and promising, before pulling away. Blaine is sure he could do that the rest of his life.

"Maybe just a few more times."

And Blaine thinks as Kurt pulls Blaine in for another kiss, this one harder and more insistent, that maybe, just maybe, he's okay with that.

FIN.