Instead, he shares a cramped apartment on St. Mark's with a guy he never sees, has a job at a tiny coffee shop two blocks away and that's the extent of his life. He has no real friends to speak of. Sure, he's friendly enough with his coworkers but considering he never sees them outside the shop, it difficult to call them friends.

His romantic life is an even bigger mess. He had hopes that New York would help him out of his shell and that he might finally meet the man of his dreams, but the insanity of the city only reinforces his feelings of loneliness and despair. It seems all anybody wants is immediate gratification. He'd tried going out a few times when he first got to the city, but the bar scene was just too sleazy for him. He wants romance and tenderness, not a quick fumble in a dirty bathroom stall.

And not even the internet can give him what he's looking for. Everything is all in your face smut that just leaves Kurt feeling cold and turned off with second hand embarrassment.

Kurt has all but resigned himself to a life of celibacy when he stumbles across tastefulmalenudes.com when looking for discount designer clothing websites. Kurt's not quite sure how Google decided those two things are related, but it's exactly what he's looking for. It has men posing in artistically arranged photos, usually in black and white, light streaking across their bodies in an extreme fashion, their faces hid in shadow. His favorite shot has one of the models laying on a bed, white rumpled sheets cradling his body, his arms spread wide, highlighting his biceps and his legs spread invitingly with one knee bent out to the side. His face is tipped away from the camera elongating his gorgeously bitable neck. His body is covered with a sheer black cloth that clings to his lean frame and hard cock in a mouth wateringly enticing manner.

Kurt has no idea who this man is, but he is the star of all of Kurt's fantasies. He has a slight build with toned but not overly pumped up muscles. A narrow waist leads to slim hips and he has that perfectly well-defined muscle between his hips and abs that Kurt just wants to kiss and lick and bite until it's covered in hickeys and teeth marks. He has a mop of thick, curly hair on his head that Kurt wants to bury his hands in as the guy goes down on him.

Kurt snaps his attention back to his computer as he keeps scrolling. Some decent shots have been posted since the last time he checked in, but none of the other guys manage to capture his attention like the mystery man.

And then there he is.

Kurt's breath catches in his throat as the new picture fills his screen. He's turned in profile, his beautiful figure backlit by light streaming in through a set of French doors. His dick is erect, sticking straight out from his body making Kurt's mouth water at the thought of dropping to his knees and swallowing him to the root. The muscles in his arms and legs are flexed and shining with some kind of lotion or oil. As usual, his face is turned away from the camera and Kurt can't help but be disappointed. He wants nothing more than to see the face and eyes of this beautiful man. He's just… perfect.

Kurt feels himself growing hard as his thoughts race. He hastily pulls his t-shirt over his head, letting it fall to the floor and pushes his jeans down to his knees. He licks across his palm before reaching down to pull a few quick strokes over his dick. He stares at the picture harder, committing it to memory before closing his eyes and giving in to the fantasy.

He walks into the room, warmly lit by the sun. He's just come from the shower and is wearing only a pair of gray sweatpants that are so old the only thing holding them up is sheer force of will. He sees the man standing by the door, gazing out at the gardens. His body is shining with a sheen of sweat and he's hard again, despite the activities that had sent Kurt to the shower in the first place. Kurt's bare feet slap quietly on the wooden floor and he drops gracefully to his knees in front of this man. He leans in, breathing deep, inhaling the scent of his sex and manhood. He runs his hands over the acres of glistening, golden skin and finally settle on his pert ass.

His mouth is watering and he can't wait anymore. He leans in and swallows this man to the root. There's a faint taste of latex from the condom they had used, but it's soon washed away as Kurt's mouth floods with spit and precome. The man's hands come to rest in Kurt's hair and they tug lightly as Kurt licks and sucks like he's a dying man.

"So good," the man whispers, his voice rough and gravelly with overuse. "Yes, baby. Yes. Right there. Oh, my Kurt. Your mouth is positively sinful. Yes. Yes. So close, baby. So close."

Then, with a sharp tug and a harsh cry, Kurt's mouth is filled with his release. Kurt moans around him and swallows every last drop. The man drops to his knees when Kurt finally pulls back and his mouth is immediately recaptured in a brutal kiss.

"So good, baby," he whispers against Kurt's mouth. "So good to me. Love you so much."

Kurt comes with a harsh cry over his fist as the vision clears. He's once more alone in his room, the picture of the man on his desktop the only link to the wonderful fantasy.

He wants to cry with how pathetic he is.

A week later, Kurt is working the morning shift at the caf�. He's just finished making the last drink of the early rush and is leaning against the counter to try and catch his breath when something catches his eye. He turns to look and what he sees makes his stomach drop. The sun is blazing in at a harsh angle from the early morning hour, casting everything in extreme shadow. There's a man sitting there, his hair crowned by a halo of glowing light. His beautiful, thick, curly hair that Kurt would know anywhere. That profile that Kurt has studied religiously is even more gorgeous in person. And his eyes are this amazing golden hue that seems to sparkle in the sun.

Wait a second. His eyes?

Kurt's eyes widen as he realizes he's been caught staring. He tries to turn away but he's just frozen in terror. Luckily, the guy just stands, winks at Kurt and tosses his cup in the garbage can by the door before heading out.

Once he's gone, Kurt's knees give out and he slides down to the floor. His pants are probably covered in filth and coffee grounds, but Kurt can't find it in himself to care.

The guy is real.

He's real and apparently living in New York. Kurt's life just got a whole lot more interesting.

Kurt is exhausted. He ended up having to work a double shift when one his coworkers called in sick. His feet are killing him, his shoulders are sore and his hands hurt from eight million shots he'd pulled today. He closes the door to his apartment and turns to lean his forehead against it, letting out a deep sigh of pure fatigue.

He startles as someone presses up behind, covering Kurt's eyes. For a moment, Kurt considers crying out when he gets a whiff of a familiar scent as the person leans in to press a kiss to Kurt's neck. He relaxes in the embrace and tilts his neck to give him easier access.

"Welcome home, honey," he whispers.

"You scared me," Kurt admits. "I wasn't expecting you today."

"I got off early. I was hoping I could do the same for you," he replies in a wicked tone.

He licks a stripe up Kurt's neck to nibble on his ear, making Kurt's knees go weak with want. He finally turns around, taking a moment to gaze lovingly into those honey colored eyes before crashing their mouths together in a hungry, open mouthed kiss. They stumble down the hall to Kurt's bedroom, slowly stripping each other, leaving a trail of clothes behind them.

Kurt falls to the bed and is immediately blanketed by a warm body. They cling to each other desperately, reveling in the feeling of skin on skin. Kurt can feel them both growing harder as they move against each other and he knows they won't last. He rocks his hips, pressing up into the body above his, moaning and crying out as the sensations overwhelm him.

"I can't," he gasps. "Can't wait. More please."

His weight is pressed deeper into the bed as they rut against each other frantically. It's so good, so perfect. Kurt knows he won't last. A few quick thrusts and he's spilling his release between their bodies.

Kurt jolts awake with the force of his orgasm. His pajama pants are clinging to him uncomfortably and he shivers as the cold air hits his skin. He flops back down onto his bed, his eyes tearing in frustration. He doesn't know how much more of this he can take.

Three days later, Kurt's on the morning shift again and he's anxious to see if the guy comes in. His vivid dream from the other night is still haunting him, but he can't help hoping for another look.

He's on the bar, going through the motions of making drinks and calling out names. It's kind of nice, the monotonous rhythm of the early morning rush. Pull the shot, steam the milk, pump of flavor and pass it off.

"Blaine!" Kurt calls out.

"Thanks," a voice replies.

Kurt looks up to nod his response and freezes. It's him. It's the guy.

Oh, holy shit, he thinks.

The guy, Blaine, is even more gorgeous up close. He's smiling at Kurt, the corners of his eyes crinkling ever so slightly, and he's standing there, waiting for a response. Kurt swallows around the lump in his throat and forces out a smile.

"No-no problem," he manages to stutter out.

"Have a nice day," Blaine says with a wink and walks out, sliding a pair of bright yellow sunglasses over his eyes.

"You should totally hit that."

Kurt looks over to see Anne staring at him from behind the register.

"What?" Kurt asks, feeling himself grow hot at the suggestion. "Why would I…? No! What? That's just ridiculous."

"He was totally checking you out," she insists. "If I had any chance, I would be all over that. But I'm pretty sure he doesn't play for my team."

"Whatever," Kurt insists, grabbing a rag and wiping down the counter. "You're crazy."

Anne just raises an eyebrow and is cut off from saying anything by another slew of customers. There's no way Blaine was checking him out. He was probably just staring a little because of how Kurt was staring at him a couple days ago. It doesn't mean anything.

Does it?

Kurt is working the evening shift the next day and he's honestly relieved about the break from Blaine as it seems he only comes to the shop in the mornings. After their brief encounter over Blaine's coffee the day before, Kurt had gone home and had the most intense orgasm ever. Now that he knew Blaine's name and what his voice sounded like, his fantasies had gotten a lot more specific and explicit.

The faceless man now had a face and a voice, both of which he used to drive Kurt insane. He would whisper sweet nothings in Kurt's ear as his hands danced across Kurt's skin. They rolled around the imaginary king sized bed, plush with the softest linens Kurt could imagine, the room lit with soft candlelight. It was erotic and sexy, but sweet and romantic. It was everything Kurt ever wanted it to be.

Too bad it only existed in his head.

That night, after they're done closing, Kurt finds himself being dragged to some bar with Anne and Jason. He's always resisted their efforts before, so he's not sure how they convinced him to go out with them tonight. Or how they managed to get him in the bar considering he's not even twenty-one yet.

But, there he is. Sitting on an uncomfortable stool and sipping a strawberry daiquiri. Anne is out on the dance floor with Jason and Kurt is seriously contemplating ducking out once he's done with his drink. It's not like they'd miss him anyway.

"Can I buy you another?"

Kurt immediately freezes at the sound of the voice. He's only heard it once, but he would know it anywhere. He slowly turns on his stool and finds Blaine standing about six inches away from him. He coughs as he chokes on his drink.

"Hi," Blaine says with a grin.

"Hi," Kurt replies.

"I'm Blaine."

"I know," Kurt says and then promptly mentally facepalms. "I mean, I'm Kurt."

"It's nice to finally properly meet you, Kurt."

Kurt looks down to where Blaine has extended his hand. He knows what he should do, but he can't seem to make his body work. He just stares at it dumbly, willing his own hand to reach out and shake it and just… touch him. He takes a deep breath and looks back up, locking eyes with Blaine. Something in the calmness he sees in Blaine's face gives him the courage he's looking for and his hand reaches out and grasps Blaine's firmly.

"Hi," he says again.

"Hi," Blaine says shaking Kurt's hand.

They stand there for a few moments, smiling dumbly at each other.

"Do we know each other from somewhere?" Blaine asks.

"No! What?" Kurt says in a panic. "No. We don't. Why-why would you think that?"

He laughs nervously and quickly gulps down the last dredges of his drink.

"You just look at me like you know me from somewhere," Blaine explains. "But I can't place you in my mind and I know I would remember you."

Kurt blushes at Blaine's words. This has never happened to him and he's not quite sure how to respond. He knows the right thing would be to fess up to Blaine about having seen his pictures on the website, but he's kind of embarrassed about it. He's seen Blaine naked, in all his glory, and Blaine has no idea who Kurt is in the slightest. This whole situation is just so strange.

Kurt ends up just shaking his head and signaling the bartender for another drink. Blaine also orders another beer and has paid the bartender before Kurt can even get his wallet out.

"Thanks," Kurt says.

Blaine raises his bottle in response and they toast. They sit there in silence for a few minutes, just sipping their drinks, but it's oddly not uncomfortable. When Kurt is about half way through his daiquiri, Blaine reaches over to pluck the glass from his hand, sets it down on the bar and then takes Kurt's hand and pulls him out onto the dance floor.

Kurt has no idea what he's doing. He kind of shuffles side to side for a bit, shimmying his shoulders in a vaguely sexy manner before Blaine moves in closer, resting his hands on Kurt's hips. Kurt's hands fall to Blaine's shoulders to steady himself. He can feel the rum from the drinks is starting to kick in. The room seems to be spinning ever so slightly and he's starting to feel warm. He can't help the giggle that escapes his lips. This whole situation is so absurd that Kurt can't even believe it's happening.

"What's so funny?" Blaine asks.

"This," Kurt replies before he can stop himself. "That I'm here with you, of all people."

Oh, my God, SHUT UP! Kurt yells at his brain.

"Ah ha! So, you do know me," Blaine replies.

"Not really," Kurt admits. "I mean, I've been fantasizing about you for months ever since I found that website you model for where you're just naked and glistening and delicious. But I don't think I could say that I know you. I mean, I just learned your name a few days ago."

Thankfully, Kurt finally manages to stop rambling and he can't believe he told Blaine all that. He really wishes the floor would just swallow him up and put him out of his misery.

"So," Blaine says, moving in even closer and pressing the full length of their bodies together. "You know what I look like naked. It seems only fair that you return the favor."

That just stops Kurt dead in his tracks. He freezes on the dance floor, his eyes widening in shock and his feet are moving towards the exit before he even knows what's happening. He's outside and half-way down the block before he hears someone calling his name and feet pounding the pavement as they run to catch up with him. He knows it's Blaine; there's no one else it could be, so he just keeps walking, his head down and his cheeks red with embarrassment.

Blaine skids to a stop in front of Kurt, reaching out to grab his shoulders to stop himself from falling down and to make sure he has Kurt's attention.

"Hey," he says, breathlessly. "What's going on? You know that was just a joke, right?"

"No!" Kurt explodes, the remnants of the rum making him bolder than he would normally be. "It's not 'just a joke'. I'm a horrible, pathetic loser and there's no way you would actually want anything to do with me once you find out just how big of a loser I really am."

"What? Kurt, what are you talking about?"

"Do you know why I fantasize about you? Why I visit that website? Because the only time I ever leave my apartment is when I go to work. I don't even know how Anne managed to drag me out tonight. I tried going out when I first got here and meeting people, but this city is just so much more than I thought it would be and I'm completely scared out of my mind most of the time. And I don't want some quick fumble in the backroom like most guys do. So, here I am, almost twenty-one and I've never even been kissed. And now if you'll excuse me, I need to get home."

Kurt has no idea if what he's just said makes any sense, but he needs to get away from Blaine. He moves to side step around him, but Blaine won't let him pass. They do an awkward dance on the sidewalk as Blaine blocks any attempt by Kurt to continue on his way.

"Blaine, please," Kurt begs.

"No," Blaine says. "I'm not letting you get away that easily."

"What do you want from me?" Kurt finally asks.

"Did you know I've been coming to your coffee shop for the last three months?"

Kurt just quirks his head in confusion. That can't be right. Kurt would have noticed Blaine before that first time a couple weeks ago if that were true.

"It's true," Blaine continues as if reading Kurt's mind. "I noticed you the first time I ever set foot in there. You just… you never looked up. You were always hiding in the back or staring at the espresso machine so hard I was worried it might break out into flames. You always looked so sad and I wanted to know why and I wanted to try and make everything better. Then one day last month, one of your coworkers said something and you actually laughed. I looked up and the smile on your face made my heart flip. You looked so beautiful in that moment. I vowed that the next time I saw you, I would say something, but it just never seemed to be the right moment. Then you finally saw me and I felt like the luckiest man on Earth. But I had a job and I had to go. So, when you called my name for my drink the other day, I thought that was my chance, but the way you looked at me, you looked so scared, so I left. But I couldn't forget about you. So, when I saw you at the bar, I just had to try."

"Try what?" Kurt asks, his heart pounding so hard he's afraid it might jump out of his chest.

"To just… talk to you. That's all. And when you mentioned those pictures, I just, God," Blaine laughs. "I'm not ashamed of them, but I've never met anyone who knew me because of them. I didn't know what to say and I just said the first thing that popped in my head. But, that's not what I want, Kurt. I mean, it is, but some time way down the line and only if you do, too. Mostly, I just want to get to know you. I want to know why you're here and what happened to make you so sad. I want to be your friend and if one day that turns into something more, then great, but if not, that's fine."

Kurt can only nod in response. He can't believe this is happening. The literal man of his dreams wants to get to know him. How is this his life?

"It's really not that late," Blaine says, smiling softly. "Did you maybe want to go somewhere and talk?"

"Um, I, uh," Kurt hesitates. He does want to go somewhere with Blaine; he really does. But he also just wants to go home and collapse on his bed. A lot has happened tonight. He blames his near exhaustion on what happens next. "My apartment is actually just down the block, if you want."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah," Kurt insists.

"Then lead the way."

They walk side by side in silence until they reach Kurt's building. He lets them in and they climb the stairs to his fourth floor apartment. Unfortunately, it seems his roommate is actually home for once as the sound of some action movie blaring on the TV from the living room fills the apartment. Kurt grabs a couple bottles of water from the fridge and directs Blaine to his bedroom. He turns the radio on low and they sit on his bed.

Kurt has no idea what to do.

Blaine starts talking to fill the silence. He tells Kurt of growing up in Ohio, only a couple hours away from Lima. How his dad had cut him off when he came out after high school, but he'd managed to get a full scholarship to NYU, which is where's studying. He wants to be a music teacher, showing kids the things they could do with song. He'd started modeling as a way to make some extra spending money since it was easy to fit around his schedule. He tells Kurt of the friends he's made in his classes and that, while he does miss his family and hopes to reconcile one day, he's happy with the life he's made for himself here.

By the time Blaine is done talking, almost an hour has passed and they've rearranged themselves so they're lying side by side on the bed. A feeling of peace has settled over the room and Kurt can't quite understand how he can feel so comfortable with someone he's just met.

"So," Blaine says softly, reaching out to push some hair off Kurt's forehead. "What's your story?"

Kurt sighs as he tries to figure out what to tell Blaine. In the end, he decides that he might as well just tell Blaine everything, so Blaine will leave him alone and Kurt can go back to his sad, lonely life.

"My mom passed away when I was eight," he starts. "Cancer. So, it was just me and my dad for most of my life. Then when I was a junior in high school, he had a heart attack and never really recovered. I ended up withdrawing from everything to take care of him. I quit Glee club, I ignored all my friends. Eventually, they stopped trying to talk to me and all I had was my dad. I graduated from high school and started taking some classes at a local community college because he made me and I didn't want to be more stress for him. Then, almost a year ago, he had another massive heart attack and fell into a coma. He never woke up. So, I had no family left. I had no friends. It was just me. I sat in the house for almost two months before I finally sucked it up, threw some clothes and personal belongings in a couple suitcases, put the house on the market, and drove out here. New York was supposed to be the city of my dreams, but nothing has turned out the way it was supposed to. My dad was supposed to still be here; I was supposed to be starring on Broadway; I was supposed to have this amazing life and finally meet a boy who loved me and we would be married in the spring and adopt two kids and a dog and I just don't know what happened."

Blaine reaches out to brush his fingers over Kurt's cheek and he finally notices that he started crying at some point. Kurt sits up to put some distance between them.

"So, now you know everything and I understand if you want to leave," he concludes, wiping at his eyes.

"Oh, Kurt," Blaine says, sitting up and putting his arm around Kurt's shoulders. "No. No, I don't want to leave. I know it doesn't seem like it now, but what you did was such an amazing thing. I mean, you could have just given up and stayed in Ohio, but you didn't. You're here. Sure, things haven't worked out like you wanted, but they rarely do. Hell, I never imagined I'd be modeling naked for money, but here we are."

"Yeah, but you at least know what you want to do with your life and are making that happen," Kurt replies. "I'm just… stuck. I sit in this apartment and I go to work and I find companionship in the internet."

"So, we'll get you unstuck."

"It's that easy, huh?"

"It can be," Blaine says with a smile. "If you could do anything, be anything, what would it be?"

"I want to perform," Kurt sighs. "It was really the only time I remember being happy. I want to be back on stage. I want to sing. I want to hear people to cheer and applaud."

"Okay. So, let's make that happen."

"You… You want to help me?"

"Yeah. I told you, I'm not letting you go so easily. And now that I know how amazing you really are, you'll never get rid of me."

"Thank you," Kurt says, throwing his arms around Blaine and hugging him tightly.

"You're welcome."

They pull back from the hug, but don't let go. The air in the room suddenly seems charged with excitement and possibility. Blaine reaches up and cradles Kurt's cheek in his palm.

"I want to kiss you so badly," he says. "Will you let me give you that?"

Kurt sucks in a breath and drops his gaze to Blaine's lips. Blaine licks them in anticipation and something twists in Kurt's gut with the action. Blaine leans in slowly, giving Kurt time to change his mind if he wants, but he won't. He's waited a lifetime for this and, sure, maybe it's not exactly like he thought it would be, after some romantic date, but all things considered, this is a perfectly acceptable situation.

He closes his eyes in anticipation and gasps slightly as Blaine's lips finally touch his. His hand flexes in mid-air before clasping around Blaine's bicep and holding him close. It's a soft kiss, just a gentle press of Blaine's lips to his, but it makes Kurt's heart pound with want and desire.

"Wow," he says when they finally part.

"Yeah," Blaine agrees, his voice breathless.

They sit there, just staring at each other, before Blaine blinks and clears his throat, looking away.

"I should probably go," he says.

Kurt starts to panic for moment, worried that he did something wrong, but it most show on his face because Blaine is quick to reassure him.

"Not because I want to," he adds. "Just that it's late and it's been kind of a long day. But, I would definitely like to see you again. Can I call you tomorrow?"

Kurt agrees and they quickly exchange numbers before Kurt walks him to the door. His roommate must have gone to bed because the rest of the apartment is quiet. Kurt hesitates at the door, unsure of what to do. Blaine just leans in and presses a quick kiss to the corner of Kurt's mouth. Kurt smiles shyly when Blaine pulls back.

"I'll talk to you tomorrow," Blaine says as he opens the door.

"I'm looking forward to it," Kurt says and realizes that he really means it.

"Good night, Kurt."

"Good night, Blaine."

That night, Kurt sleeps better than he's slept since arriving in the city. Because, the thing is, he believes Blaine. He knows there is no logical reason he should, and yet he does. He believes it when Blaine says he could do what he wanted. He believes that Blaine will help him, that Blaine wants to help him.

It seems Kurt Hummel's life is starting to look up.

THE END