Kurt Hummel hurried through the crowd, wrapping his scarf more securely around his neck and burying his hands deep into the pockets of his designer brand coat. December was chilly in New York City, and he had to get home in time to watch this week's episode of Fashion: Today's Top Trends. Hailing a taxi, Kurt sighed with pleasure as he felt the warmth envelope him. Thank goodness for the electric heater. He directed the driver to 420 East 80th Street and then sat back with another sigh. Ugh, this color leather really does not match with rest of the d�cor. Shaking his head, Kurt gazed out the window, attempting to push the horrible mismatch of colors out of his head.

Bright signs and blinking lights glared all around him. No surprise there, this was New York City, after all- the city that never sleeps. Cars honked, people yelled, and lights flashed. It was noisy, rowdy, and unsafe at the best of times. And Kurt loved it. Not only was NYC the city that never slept, but it also was the fashion capital of the country. There were major designer stores, with the hottest trends in America. There were the cute little boutiques, sporting the most incredible accessories to make your style truly yours. And there were everything in between: thrift stores, street vendors, the works. You never knew what you could find in New York. That was Kurt's specialty, finding the most attractive elements to outfits in the most unlikely of places. Heck, he was the best dresser out of all his classmates. He wasn't being pompous, it was the truth. Everyone knew it. Just like everyone knew he was gay.

Being gay was part of him. Kurt was proud of it. There was a time when he would have denied it, worried over others' opinions, but the truth was that he was gay. Kurt still couldn't believe how normal he felt saying it. And he wanted other people with the same sexuality to feel the same; to be proud of who they were. Campaigning for gay rights was a big part of his life and there were plenty of opportunities to do so in the Big Apple. Everywhere you went, you saw campaigns, protests, speakers… all advocating, speaking out against discrimination against gays. It felt great to a part of something so big, so real…

"Which way, Sir?"

"It's just the next left. You pass Madison Square Garden, and it's a couple blocks away after that," the driver nodded and Kurt turned his attention back to the window. New York looked amazing. Spectacular. Everything was just so larger than life. The shops, theaters, hotels, and even the restaurants were just bigger and better than anything Kurt had ever seen before in his tiny hometown of Lima, Ohio. Yeah, Kurt definitely belonged in New York City.

It would seem that every time Kurt took this route home, which was pretty much every single day, he would notice something new. A new shop, a new billboard, a new bench or tree... He simply adored how there was always something new to discover in New York.

The taxi approached the Madison Square Garden, rather slowly due to insane traffic, which was probably one of very few downsides of the city. Kurt examined the area, noting the different posters advertising huge concerts and shows. The biggest names in music performed here. It would seem that every day he drove by, a new outrageous superstar was in town for just another stop on their world tour. Kurt glanced at the posters briefly, taking in the names of the superstars that were to be performing that weekend.

Bruno Mars…
Lady Gaga…
Blaine Anderson…
Taylor Swift…

Wait.

Kurt's heart stopped as his mind fully processed what he read. His eyes snapped back to the brightly lit sign portraying a 20 year old man wearing pink sunglasses and a dark shirt that showed off his hazel eyes. Titles of hit songs and tour dates surrounded the profile with information about ticket prices and show times scattered here and there. Printed in bold letters across the bottom of the sign was the title- Blaine Anderson: Live in Concert.

Kurt's eyes darted over the pale face, the dark, curly hair, and the roguish grin. He drank in the figure of the man he once loved so passionately. Memories flooded through his mind; memories of coffee dates and kisses, of glee club and shopping. With each memory another teardrop fell. Looking back at the sign as the cab drove further and further away, more and more tears fell. Images flashed through his mind, flashbacks of times with Blaine:

Laughing together at The Lima Bean, sunlight showing off the highlights in his hair.

Singing a flirty duet, seeing the love shown so clearly in his eyes.

Leaning towards each other, lips almost touching, as he whispered the words:

I love you.

The three words had sparked such emotion in his heart. It was so long ago, but he remembered the truth behind the words. Blaine: his first love.

Kurt tried to shake the thoughts out of his head, attempting to forget the memories that lead up to the fight; the breakup.

Kurt could probably stare at that poster forever, drowning himself in these bittersweet memories. The driver of his taxi, however, had other plans. The traffic progressed, and soon the familiar face that was Blaine Anderson was out of sight.

Kurt's mind reeled with seemingly impossible thoughts. Blaine, his Blaine, was playing at the Madison Square Garden? Right in between superstars such like Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga? How did that happen? Last time Kurt saw Blaine he was just a senior in high school. McKinley, in fact. So far from famous that nobody outside of Ohio so much as acknowledged his existence. And here he was, on a poster on the Madison Square Garden in New York City. What happened in the couple years that they had been apart?

"We're here, sir," the driver said, interrupting Kurt's thoughts with a sudden jolt. Kurt smiled politely, pulling out his wallet and handing the driver a twenty dollar bill and murmuring something about keeping the change. He was about to exit the cab, but something held him back. He opened his mouth and gave a hesitant pause before speaking.

"Hey, do you know who Blaine Anderson is?" Kurt asked the driver, his curiosity taking over.

"Well, yeah," the driver said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "He sings that song... I forget what it's called. But it's everywhere. On the radio, TV, and whatnot. That kid is becoming pretty popular. Even starting up a tour, I think. Why'd you ask?"

Kurt bit his lip. "No reason. Just curious. Thank you, very much."

Kurt left the taxi and headed into the lobby of his apartment building. He didn't even consider taking the stairs like he normally would; Kurt went straight to the elevator and pressed the up arrow. He was delighted to find it already waiting for him. He pressed the glowing elevenbutton, immediately regretting his decision to take the elevator as it sprung to life. His stomach churned and Kurt felt dizzy. There was a reason he normally took the stairs.

The elevator dinged as it reached it's destination, and Kurt opened his eyes that had been clamped shut. He then raced through the doors as they opened, counting the doors in the hall as he passed them, stopping in front of the fourth door- his apartment. He unlocked the door and stepped inside.

A mixture of pastel blues and whites met his eyes as they swept over his immaculate apartment. He dropped his bag by his desk and hung his coat up. Heating some food in the oven, Kurt switched on the TV and stared at the screen as his favourite fashion show came on. His mind went blank and his ears buzzed as he zoned out, letting memories of Blaine Anderson come back and haunt him.

Coming back to reality as the acrid smell of burning food reached his nostrils, Kurt hurried to get the food out of the oven before the apartment set on fire. He dumped the food in the trash and sat at the kitchen table, swinging the bar stool slightly and twiddling his thumbs.

Hours later, he seemed to come back to life. Kurt stood up decisively and walked over to his desk. He opened his laptop and went to Google.

Blaine Anderson: Live in Concert 2012

1.7 million hits for the man he once loved.

That night, he bought a ticket.