After looking up shelters all morning, he finally gets the nerve to visit one. The place doesn't look too promising. It's small and there are only two cars in the parking lot. Still, he's here for a cat, not to critique the facilities.

The bell jingles on the door and a girl pops her head out from a back room. “Hi!” she says, looking surprised by his presence. “Hi, I'm Alison, how can I help you?” The girl looks like she's still in high school.

“Um, I was just here to... maybe adopt a cat?” he says. The building is old, ancient for New York standards. A few dogs bark in the back room, and Alison's face lights up.

“Yeah, definitely! Sure thing. Just come with me.” She leads him into the back where the animals are kept and past a row of dogs of all shapes and sizes. Kurt really isn't much of a dog person, so he doesn't pay them much mind.

The selection of cats is small. There are a few younger kittens who have probably been thrown out after some irresponsible owner didn't spay their cat and ended up with a bunch of kittens that they didn't want and didn't care to sell on their own. There's a thin black and gray striped cat with yellow eyes that take up most of it's face. “These are the cats we have right now,” Alison says. “I don't spend as much time with the animals as some of the other volunteers, since I'm new and I'm only here once a week, but I'll ask Blaine to help you out when he gets out of his meeting. I'll be in the front if you need anything.”

Kurt nods and Alison disappears back out to the front of the shelter. Kurt looks through the bars at the different cats that are all staring at him. He looks at a blue-eyed half-Siamese and then at a fluffy white kitten. He isn't quite sure what he's looking for.

As he peers into the cage of a big orange and white tabby with judging green eyes, it hisses at him. He jumps back slightly. “Hey now,” he says gently, reaching for the bars. “It's alright, buddy.” He leaves his hand in front of the bars for the cat to carefully sniff. The cat shoots him a wary look and moves closer. Kurt slips his fingertips through the bars and the cat nuzzles his hand with the side of his face, eyes still locked on Kurt. Kurt can't help but smile.

“He normally doesn't take to people so easily,” a voice says from the doorway. Kurt nearly jumps, jerking his hand back to see a boy leaning against the door frame. The guy looks to be about his age, but a little shorter, with well-managed dark curly hair and a warm smile. He's wearing an “Adopt Today!” tee shirt, just like the girl in the front had, but his looks almost too-small and hugs the muscles in his chest and arms.

“That's Toby,” the guy continues, walking over to them and opening the cage. “He's a personal favorite of mine.” He lifts Toby into his arms and rubs his head. The grumpy old cat lets his eyes close and he purrs, leaning up to rub his face against Blaine's. “He's been here a long time. Almost got put down a few times since no one ever wants to take him home. It's hard for him to trust people, you know? He's been through a lot, this guy.” The boy meets Kurt's eyes and Kurt feels his breath catch in his throat.

“He seems sweet,” Kurt says, but he isn't sure if he means the cat or the boy. The boy smiles and reaches out a hand, the other arm still full of fluffy orange cat.

“My name's Blaine.”

“Kurt.” They shake hands and Kurt feels a warm thrill at the contact.

“It's very nice to meet you, Kurt,” Blaine says. He nods to the cat. “Wanna hold him?”

Kurt nods slowly and Blaine carefully transfers the cat into his arms. The cat shoots Blaine a look and Blaine raises his eyebrows in return. Kurt wonders if Blaine thinks the cat understands him, but from the way the cat instantly relaxes into Kurt, he thinks that maybe Toby understands Blaine a little better than he thought.

“You're a natural,” Blaine says. “Have you owned cats before?”

“No, never,” Kurt admits. “Back when I lived in Ohio, my dad didn't like cats. He's more of a dog person, and so is my step-brother, so since we couldn't agree, we just never had any animals. I'm newly roommate-less and figured I'd get some little guy to keep me company.” He looks down at the cat who is lounging lazily in his arms.

“Oh, cool, I'm from Ohio, as well,” Blaine tells him.

“Really? Which part?” Kurt asks.

“Westerville. I went to Dalton Academy, it's an all-boys private school.” Kurt thinks for a moment, wondering why that name sounds so familiar.

“Dalton... Oh, we competed against their Glee club! We beat them at Regionals two years in a row.”

“You were in New Directions?” Blaine asks. “All I remember is a short girl with a big voice.”

“That's Rachel, she was kind of our lead, and she was my roommate until a few days ago... You... were the lead, weren't you?” Blaine nods.

“I was. Well, I started sharing the spotlight with Sebastian because he had a lot of money and kind of bought his way to the top, but yeah, I was normally the lead. That's crazy that we passed right by each other in high school and we're meeting now in New York, huh?” He smiles brightly and Kurt thinks his knees feel a little weak.

“Yeah,” he says. “Crazy.” His eyes lock on Blaine for a little longer than they probably should. “So um, what papers do I have to fill out to take this guy home?”

Blaine helps Kurt fill out the necessary papers and reaches over to pet Toby one more time before Kurt takes him. Kurt's eyes soften. “You're really attached to him, huh?” he asks.

“He's been here as long as I have,” Blaine admits. “And hey, if you wanna know the secret to his heart, you should sing to him.” Kurt raises his eyebrows.

“Sing to him?” Blaine nods.

“Yeah, I uh...” Blaine blushes. “I sing to him when no one's around. Normally Sweeney Todd, but...”

Kurt makes the connection with the name. “Nothing's gonna harm you, not while I'm around,” he sings softly. Blaine nods again, looking at the cat instead of at Kurt. “That's sweet,” Kurt insists, noting Blaine's embarrassment. “I will.”

He hands over a fifty dollar bill to pay for the twenty dollar adoption fee and tells Blaine to keep the change. It feels almost wrong to leave, but he knows he has to. “Take care of him,” Blaine says before Kurt walks out the door.

“I will.”