“Are you sure you don't want me to come too?” Violet and Jamie both turn to look at him in disgust, tendrils of hair falling down on their faces. “Okay… It was just a suggestion.”

“Dad? I'm fourteen.” Violet sighs, turning back to the mirror and putting her sugar plum lipstick on. Well gloss tint, kurt didn't want his daughter hitting the town like a hussy, thank you very much.

“Yeah Kurt, we can look after ourselves…” Jamie adds with a flair beyond her fourteen years, turning to join in the prep.

“Listen, when you two stop getting into trouble at school. Don't roll your eyes at me Violet Hummel! You're lucky all you got was garage shifts after your latest stunt!” Kurt adds, watching them both imitate his speech in the mirror. “As I was saying, you're still my baby, and her annoying best friend… I worry!”

“I know you love me really Mr H!” Jamie adds, looking for her phone when it rings and running out the room to answer it, calling out the door as she goes. “Oh its, big G! I better take it!”

“Does her dad know she calls him that? That girl is like a whirl wind…” Kurt sighs shaking his head. “Are you sure you don't want me to take you? Or pick you up?”

“Daaaaad!” Vi whines, stopping short of throwing herself on the bed and ruining her outfit. “You said I could go, do I need to call Grandpa to remind you why you have to let me go?”

“No!” Kurt huffs, not at all petulantly, thank you very much. Burt had given him a thorough talking to about it every day this week, reminding him not even subtly that a year older then Violet is now, Kurt had made her. “This is your first group hang out, and with a guy I don't really know…I mean, Stefan told me he seems polite enough but…”

“Stop pestering the poor child!” Kira arrives back with a glass of wine for each of them, hers decidedly bigger, but Kurt decided not to mention it. “She is going out with a freaking millionaire! Let's face it probably a trillionaire, or at least he will be when his oil tycoon dad pops his clogs…”

“Kira? You're making her sound like a gold digger!” Kurt exclaims taking a chug on his wine, the red liquid calming his nerves about his daughters first ‘date that's not a date' date.

“It's true though Dad!” Vi adds, Kurt frowns at her. “But like, that's not why I'm going, I just think he's cool. He loves all of the same bands as me, and his dad made him go to public school, he's got nice eyes too!” She smiles coyly, turning round to pick up her coat and bag. “I could stare at them for ever…”

“She's got a thing for eyes too, it seems…” Kira whispers into Kurt's ear, he swats her away.

“Okay, I just can't believe you're going out with a boy, you're getting so grown up!” Kurt breathes heavily keeping his tears at bay. “Make sure you text me, when you get back to Jamie's, not on your, whatever you're calling this, that's rude. And don't let her get too carried away with his friend. And just, have a good time.”

“VI, MY DADS OUTSIDE!!” Jamie calls from downstairs. Violet immediately burst into action, grinning wide and slapping kisses on Kurt and Kira before running out her bedroom. The front door slams.

“Make good choices…” Kurt whispers.

“Cheer up, she's going to be in a crowded bowling alley. With Richie Riches body guard, nothing bad will happen!” Kira leans over to hug Kurt close, just for a second before jumping up off of the bed. “Come on let's get ready, acoustic night won't wait for us!”

****************************

 “Dude, stop pushing me. I can walk, I'm not a child!”

“Stop moaning then!” Wes huffs, shoving Blaine forward again in through the doors of Rosey's. “Come on all the good seats will be at the front.”

“Why are you so excited? It's probably just going to be some tragic want to make it big guy and his guitar, who sings totally off key and wouldn't know a melody if it smacked him in the face.” Blain grouches, as Wes keep pushing him further to the front.

“Blaine? I love you, but you really need to lighten up.” Wes sighs, slapping him on the back. “I thought acoustic night would cheer you up, you've been in a slump since that stupid gala-“

“Maybe because I made an ass out of myself, why did I think a guy like that would be genuinely interested in me?” Blaine cuts him off, shrugging when Wes tries to hug him.

“He was Blaine, if you just-“

“No Wes, I told you. I don't want to talk about him or - Sebastian?” Blaine stops dead in his tracks when they reach the table, the familiar warbler sitting in front of him.

“Anderson! I hear you boned my boyfriend!” Sebastian grins, spreading his arm, to make both men sit.

“Sebastian, I'm soooo sorry. I would never have even hit on him if I had known. You know me. I'm not that guy. I just, I'm sorry, okay? You have to believe me!” Blaine starts begging fast, no point in making an awkward situation worse.

“Can we get two whiskeys, make them double and on the rocks…” Wes whispers to a waiter as he walks past.  

“Blaine? Don't get those tighty whiteys in a bunch. I'm joking.” Sebastian stretches out in his chair, a serene smile playing on his face. “Kurt can do whatever he wants, we aren't boyfriends. I'm too high class for him.”

“Wait. What?” Blaine looks between his two friends, resembling a guppy fish, mouth opening and closing as he thinks of something to say.

“This is what I've been trying to tell you all week. If you hadn't been being such a baby about it-“

“I wasn't being a baby!”

“Sure you weren't.” Wes raises his eyebrow at him, Blaine realises he is folded in on himself and pouting.

“I swear, I forgot how annoying you two get when you're together…”

“Hey, don't be mean to me! This was my plan!” Wes grumbles, but then his drink is placed in front of him and he forgets why he is annoyed.

“Your-“ Blaine gawps, wide eyed as his drink is placed in front of him. “You brought me here to meet him?!”

“Someone needs to sort this mess out, and Kurt won't hear it. He thinks you hate him.” Sebastian explains. “I thought if you heard what actually happened, then you would want to maybe do some white knight efforts, well without the horse or armour. Kurt had a bad experience with a horse at a carnival…”

“I'm so confused…”

“I always said your gel usage would make you slow in later life.” Sebastian mutters, earning a chuckle from Wes. “Bottom line? Me and Kurt are friends, if you want to be precise? I'm actually his best friend, Kiki will argue against that, but I am. We are not, nor have we ever been sexual partners. Trust me, I would have tried, but I was never what he needed. Yes, he was my date to my dad's event. Yes, we were shopping for dresses when Wesley saw us. But I have never, ever put my penis in any orifice of his body, or vice versa.”

“Sooo he's single?”

“Blaine, this means you have a chance…” Wes coaxes, leaning forward to rub Blaine's legs.

“But the girl? How does she fit in?”

“Vi is his daughter, that part is the only thing this idiot and your moronic brother got right…”

“Hey, don't be mean to me!” Wes whines, but then decides to drink his whiskey instead.

“But she's a teenager, I mean how-“

“Blaine, that's not my story to tell. Besides, he's mega protective so you won't need to deal with that just now.” Sebastian smiles, waving behind Blaine's head which makes him whip around.

“Oh my god, I'm going to throw up.” Blaine whispers to Wes.

“You'll be fine, just breath. He likes you, I can feel it in my bones.” Wes whispers back as Kurt and a woman approach the table.

“Sebastian, other prep school boys…” Kira regards them quickly, but Sebastian jumps up to hug her and make a show of her shoes, he knew it wasn't worth it to not notice.

“Hi, Wesley. My friends call me Wes.” Wes springs to his feet to shake her hand. “This is my gay friend Blaine, don't fall in love with him. All woman do!” Kira turns her gaze to Blaine then, eyes moving down to his feet and back up in a quick sweeping motion.

“My, what a little treat you are, seriously, what are you five-three?” Kira licks her lips before continuing. “I'm Kira, Kurt's best friend.”

“I'm his best friend” Sebastian mutters but nobody listens.

“Blaine, so nice to meet you. Sebastian was just filling us in on the…” Blaine stops short, after turning to where Kurt was to notice he was gone. “Um, guys?” Everyone turns to notice what is wrong at the same time.

“I had to lie to get him here, it's your turn to deal with him!” Kira yells at Sebastian, sitting elegantly into a seat.

“No chance, he's going to know I was behind this…” Sebastian adds sitting back down.

“I could go and tell him me and Blaine just bumped into you, he doesn't know any of my lying tells yet.” Wes offers, already dreading how formidable Kurt could be. “Blaine, you okay to stay-“ But Blaine was gone too.

“They're either going to fall in love or kill each other…” Sebastian states, picking up his glass to down it.

“I cannot wait to see which…” Kira smiles. Wes gulps, knowing if either one is going to come back as a zombie, it's going to be Blaine.

*************************

Kurt was sitting on a bench, around the corner from Rosey's, breathing deep to try and calm down. He had never had a panic attack, or a breakdown, but he was pretty sure this was how they started. Tucking his head in between his knees, he focussed on the ground, sucking another breath in through his nose. A pair of well-polished brogues appeared in his eye line, making him force the breath back out between his teeth.

“Does this mean that running away is our thing?” Blaine asks with a laugh, Kurt doesn't respond he just continues to breath, his pulse quickening as he focuses on those shoes. “First you run out of my house, then I run out of a gala and now you've ran out on a night out…”

“An ambush more like…” Kurt mutters, keeping his head firmly glued between his knees, but the shoes move out of sight and he feel warmth radiate off of Blaine as he sits down beside him, hips almost touching.

“I didn't know either if it makes you feel better?” Blaine offers, “On the outside I was projecting confidence, but when you walked up? I swear my heart felt like it was going to burst a hole in my chest.” Kurt sighs a little, braving to sit up and face out in front of him.

“In case you didn't notice, I'm not so good with faking calm.” Kurt lets a small self-deprecating laugh. “I'm sorry, for running out on you after the night we met. I know I've said it before but, I really mean it when I say I don't normally do those things.”

“I meant it when I said stop apologising, we were two consenting adults.” Blaine risks putting a hand on Kurt's knee, screaming internally when he doesn't move it away. “I'll admit the morning after wasn't the best, but you panicked. It's not the worst thing to ever happen to me, a bit sad, but nothing I couldn't bounce back from. I didn't stop thinking about you though, Wes said I was ‘moping'. Wow I sound like a sad act.” Blaine ducks his head in embarrassment, a small smile playing on his lips, When Kurt looks over all the breath leaves his body. This man, is stunning.

“I did too, not think about me that would be self-centred, but you. I thought about you, a lot if I'm honest. I wished I could have changed what I did, but you looked so peaceful and I realised I had to get home for violet…I just kind of panicked.” Kurt let out his breath, trying not to stare too hard at Blaine, he didn't want to seem like a weirdo.

“Violet is….you're daughter?”

“Yeah…” Kurt sighed, he had never been in this situation, where he genuinely liked someone enough to tell them about Vi. It terrified him. “She's fourteen, I was just about to turn sixteen when she was born. I know, stereotypical teen pregnancy in high school, except that I'm gay, a gold star one except for that one night.”

“So she lives with you? Sebastian said you're really close?” Blaine asks gently, curious but not wanting to push Kurt too far.

“Yeah, her mum…” Kurt stops briskly, taking in a deep breath and shaking his head started again. “It's just me and her, I have my family and the Smythe family. I've never really been brave enough to tell anyone about her. I mean all my friends know, but I've never had a guy I was serious enough with to feel I could tell them. Does that mean that I'm a bad parent?”

“I'm glad you wanted to tell me, I want to know everything about you.” Blaine let out a shaky smile that ran all the way up to his eyes, those warm molten honey eyes. “I don't think it makes you a bad parent to keep her protected either. Why introduce her to people if it isn't going to last?”

“Can we, maybe, can we try this again?” Kurt asks, not even realising that he has picked up Blaine's hand in his own, but Blaine does and a thrill runs through his entire body.

“There's a coffee shop up the road? How about it?” Blaine stands, then reaches his hand out for Kurt to take again, which he does without even thinking. Trying to Ignore, but failing impossibly, the feeling of belonging that it brings.

 “Are you sure you don't want me to come too?” Violet and Jamie both turn to look at him in disgust, tendrils of hair falling down on their faces. “Okay… It was just a suggestion.”

“Dad? I'm fourteen.” Violet sighs, turning back to the mirror and putting her sugar plum lipstick on. Well gloss tint, kurt didn't want his daughter hitting the town like a hussy, thank you very much.

“Yeah Kurt, we can look after ourselves…” Jamie adds with a flair beyond her fourteen years, turning to join in the prep.

“Listen, when you two stop getting into trouble at school. Don't roll your eyes at me Violet Hummel! You're lucky all you got was garage shifts after your latest stunt!” Kurt adds, watching them both imitate his speech in the mirror. “As I was saying, you're still my baby, and her annoying best friend… I worry!”

“I know you love me really Mr H!” Jamie adds, looking for her phone when it rings and running out the room to answer it, calling out the door as she goes. “Oh its, big G! I better take it!”

“Does her dad know she calls him that? That girl is like a whirl wind…” Kurt sighs shaking his head. “Are you sure you don't want me to take you? Or pick you up?”

“Daaaaad!” Vi whines, stopping short of throwing herself on the bed and ruining her outfit. “You said I could go, do I need to call Grandpa to remind you why you have to let me go?”

“No!” Kurt huffs, not at all petulantly, thank you very much. Burt had given him a thorough talking to about it every day this week, reminding him not even subtly that a year older then Violet is now, Kurt had made her. “This is your first group hang out, and with a guy I don't really know…I mean, Stefan told me he seems polite enough but…”

“Stop pestering the poor child!” Kira arrives back with a glass of wine for each of them, hers decidedly bigger, but Kurt decided not to mention it. “She is going out with a freaking millionaire! Let's face it probably a trillionaire, or at least he will be when his oil tycoon dad pops his clogs…”

“Kira? You're making her sound like a gold digger!” Kurt exclaims taking a chug on his wine, the red liquid calming his nerves about his daughters first ‘date that's not a date' date.

“It's true though Dad!” Vi adds, Kurt frowns at her. “But like, that's not why I'm going, I just think he's cool. He loves all of the same bands as me, and his dad made him go to public school, he's got nice eyes too!” She smiles coyly, turning round to pick up her coat and bag. “I could stare at them for ever…”

“She's got a thing for eyes too, it seems…” Kira whispers into Kurt's ear, he swats her away.

“Okay, I just can't believe you're going out with a boy, you're getting so grown up!” Kurt breathes heavily keeping his tears at bay. “Make sure you text me, when you get back to Jamie's, not on your, whatever you're calling this, that's rude. And don't let her get too carried away with his friend. And just, have a good time.”

“VI, MY DADS OUTSIDE!!” Jamie calls from downstairs. Violet immediately burst into action, grinning wide and slapping kisses on Kurt and Kira before running out her bedroom. The front door slams.

“Make good choices…” Kurt whispers.

“Cheer up, she's going to be in a crowded bowling alley. With Richie Riches body guard, nothing bad will happen!” Kira leans over to hug Kurt close, just for a second before jumping up off of the bed. “Come on let's get ready, acoustic night won't wait for us!”

****************************

 “Dude, stop pushing me. I can walk, I'm not a child!”

“Stop moaning then!” Wes huffs, shoving Blaine forward again in through the doors of Rosey's. “Come on all the good seats will be at the front.”

“Why are you so excited? It's probably just going to be some tragic want to make it big guy and his guitar, who sings totally off key and wouldn't know a melody if it smacked him in the face.” Blain grouches, as Wes keep pushing him further to the front.

“Blaine? I love you, but you really need to lighten up.” Wes sighs, slapping him on the back. “I thought acoustic night would cheer you up, you've been in a slump since that stupid gala-“

“Maybe because I made an ass out of myself, why did I think a guy like that would be genuinely interested in me?” Blaine cuts him off, shrugging when Wes tries to hug him.

“He was Blaine, if you just-“

“No Wes, I told you. I don't want to talk about him or - Sebastian?” Blaine stops dead in his tracks when they reach the table, the familiar warbler sitting in front of him.

“Anderson! I hear you boned my boyfriend!” Sebastian grins, spreading his arm, to make both men sit.

“Sebastian, I'm soooo sorry. I would never have even hit on him if I had known. You know me. I'm not that guy. I just, I'm sorry, okay? You have to believe me!” Blaine starts begging fast, no point in making an awkward situation worse.

“Can we get two whiskeys, make them double and on the rocks…” Wes whispers to a waiter as he walks past.  

“Blaine? Don't get those tighty whiteys in a bunch. I'm joking.” Sebastian stretches out in his chair, a serene smile playing on his face. “Kurt can do whatever he wants, we aren't boyfriends. I'm too high class for him.”

“Wait. What?” Blaine looks between his two friends, resembling a guppy fish, mouth opening and closing as he thinks of something to say.

“This is what I've been trying to tell you all week. If you hadn't been being such a baby about it-“

“I wasn't being a baby!”

“Sure you weren't.” Wes raises his eyebrow at him, Blaine realises he is folded in on himself and pouting.

“I swear, I forgot how annoying you two get when you're together…”

“Hey, don't be mean to me! This was my plan!” Wes grumbles, but then his drink is placed in front of him and he forgets why he is annoyed.

“Your-“ Blaine gawps, wide eyed as his drink is placed in front of him. “You brought me here to meet him?!”

“Someone needs to sort this mess out, and Kurt won't hear it. He thinks you hate him.” Sebastian explains. “I thought if you heard what actually happened, then you would want to maybe do some white knight efforts, well without the horse or armour. Kurt had a bad experience with a horse at a carnival…”

“I'm so confused…”

“I always said your gel usage would make you slow in later life.” Sebastian mutters, earning a chuckle from Wes. “Bottom line? Me and Kurt are friends, if you want to be precise? I'm actually his best friend, Kiki will argue against that, but I am. We are not, nor have we ever been sexual partners. Trust me, I would have tried, but I was never what he needed. Yes, he was my date to my dad's event. Yes, we were shopping for dresses when Wesley saw us. But I have never, ever put my penis in any orifice of his body, or vice versa.”

“Sooo he's single?”

“Blaine, this means you have a chance…” Wes coaxes, leaning forward to rub Blaine's legs.

“But the girl? How does she fit in?”

“Vi is his daughter, that part is the only thing this idiot and your moronic brother got right…”

“Hey, don't be mean to me!” Wes whines, but then decides to drink his whiskey instead.

“But she's a teenager, I mean how-“

“Blaine, that's not my story to tell. Besides, he's mega protective so you won't need to deal with that just now.” Sebastian smiles, waving behind Blaine's head which makes him whip around.

“Oh my god, I'm going to throw up.” Blaine whispers to Wes.

“You'll be fine, just breath. He likes you, I can feel it in my bones.” Wes whispers back as Kurt and a woman approach the table.

“Sebastian, other prep school boys…” Kira regards them quickly, but Sebastian jumps up to hug her and make a show of her shoes, he knew it wasn't worth it to not notice.

“Hi, Wesley. My friends call me Wes.” Wes springs to his feet to shake her hand. “This is my gay friend Blaine, don't fall in love with him. All woman do!” Kira turns her gaze to Blaine then, eyes moving down to his feet and back up in a quick sweeping motion.

“My, what a little treat you are, seriously, what are you five-three?” Kira licks her lips before continuing. “I'm Kira, Kurt's best friend.”

“I'm his best friend” Sebastian mutters but nobody listens.

“Blaine, so nice to meet you. Sebastian was just filling us in on the…” Blaine stops short, after turning to where Kurt was to notice he was gone. “Um, guys?” Everyone turns to notice what is wrong at the same time.

“I had to lie to get him here, it's your turn to deal with him!” Kira yells at Sebastian, sitting elegantly into a seat.

“No chance, he's going to know I was behind this…” Sebastian adds sitting back down.

“I could go and tell him me and Blaine just bumped into you, he doesn't know any of my lying tells yet.” Wes offers, already dreading how formidable Kurt could be. “Blaine, you okay to stay-“ But Blaine was gone too.

“They're either going to fall in love or kill each other…” Sebastian states, picking up his glass to down it.

“I cannot wait to see which…” Kira smiles. Wes gulps, knowing if either one is going to come back as a zombie, it's going to be Blaine.

*************************

Kurt was sitting on a bench, around the corner from Rosey's, breathing deep to try and calm down. He had never had a panic attack, or a breakdown, but he was pretty sure this was how they started. Tucking his head in between his knees, he focussed on the ground, sucking another breath in through his nose. A pair of well-polished brogues appeared in his eye line, making him force the breath back out between his teeth.

“Does this mean that running away is our thing?” Blaine asks with a laugh, Kurt doesn't respond he just continues to breath, his pulse quickening as he focuses on those shoes. “First you run out of my house, then I run out of a gala and now you've ran out on a night out…”

“An ambush more like…” Kurt mutters, keeping his head firmly glued between his knees, but the shoes move out of sight and he feel warmth radiate off of Blaine as he sits down beside him, hips almost touching.

“I didn't know either if it makes you feel better?” Blaine offers, “On the outside I was projecting confidence, but when you walked up? I swear my heart felt like it was going to burst a hole in my chest.” Kurt sighs a little, braving to sit up and face out in front of him.

“In case you didn't notice, I'm not so good with faking calm.” Kurt lets a small self-deprecating laugh. “I'm sorry, for running out on you after the night we met. I know I've said it before but, I really mean it when I say I don't normally do those things.”

“I meant it when I said stop apologising, we were two consenting adults.” Blaine risks putting a hand on Kurt's knee, screaming internally when he doesn't move it away. “I'll admit the morning after wasn't the best, but you panicked. It's not the worst thing to ever happen to me, a bit sad, but nothing I couldn't bounce back from. I didn't stop thinking about you though, Wes said I was ‘moping'. Wow I sound like a sad act.” Blaine ducks his head in embarrassment, a small smile playing on his lips, When Kurt looks over all the breath leaves his body. This man, is stunning.

“I did too, not think about me that would be self-centred, but you. I thought about you, a lot if I'm honest. I wished I could have changed what I did, but you looked so peaceful and I realised I had to get home for violet…I just kind of panicked.” Kurt let out his breath, trying not to stare too hard at Blaine, he didn't want to seem like a weirdo.

“Violet is….you're daughter?”

“Yeah…” Kurt sighed, he had never been in this situation, where he genuinely liked someone enough to tell them about Vi. It terrified him. “She's fourteen, I was just about to turn sixteen when she was born. I know, stereotypical teen pregnancy in high school, except that I'm gay, a gold star one except for that one night.”

“So she lives with you? Sebastian said you're really close?” Blaine asks gently, curious but not wanting to push Kurt too far.

“Yeah, her mum…” Kurt stops briskly, taking in a deep breath and shaking his head started again. “It's just me and her, I have my family and the Smythe family. I've never really been brave enough to tell anyone about her. I mean all my friends know, but I've never had a guy I was serious enough with to feel I could tell them. Does that mean that I'm a bad parent?”

“I'm glad you wanted to tell me, I want to know everything about you.” Blaine let out a shaky smile that ran all the way up to his eyes, those warm molten honey eyes. “I don't think it makes you a bad parent to keep her protected either. Why introduce her to people if it isn't going to last?”

“Can we, maybe, can we try this again?” Kurt asks, not even realising that he has picked up Blaine's hand in his own, but Blaine does and a thrill runs through his entire body.

“There's a coffee shop up the road? How about it?” Blaine stands, then reaches his hand out for Kurt to take again, which he does without even thinking. Trying to Ignore, but failing impossibly, the feeling of belonging that it brings.