"What do you mean you've never had a spa day?" Rachel gapes at Kurt, disbelief etched into her features. "Oh my God, Kurt, how can you truly lay claim to the title of diva if you have never enjoyed the pampering

Her pitch rises until Kurt has to resist the urge to clap his hands over his ears to drown her out. "Rachel! Rachel! First of all - I'm not laying claim to any titles. And second - where exactly in Lima would you recommend an openly gay teenager go to get a massage?"

"Well, you're not in Lima anymore, and you're almost not a teenager. I'm taking it upon myself to fix this situation." Rachel is already thumbing through her phone, with that special Rachel Berry Is Getting Things Done look that she has. "We are going to have a spa day like no other, Kurt Hummel. And it is going to rock your world."

*

It's not like Kurt's opposed to the pampering. He's up for trying any new facial at home, sinking money into skin care and products, spends hours styling and primping - but there's still some part of him that just can't fathom the idea of someone's hands on him.

He's turning twenty years old in a month. He's been in New York for a year.

He's gone on two dates. The first ended with a hug and a promise to call that was never fulfilled. The second lasted an hour; Kurt had felt strange enough going into a club but the feel of the boy's hand trying to shove down his pants had made the world shrink down somehow. He'd fled the club struggling to breathe and stopped halfway home to cry, feeling miserable and like a failure in the world of romance. Even Rachel Berry has managed to log a couple of one-night stands in their days of college thrill.

Kurt Hummel is utterly untouched, pristine and virginal, and he's not sure that he wants the first hands that stroke over his skin to be attached to a charge on his debit card.

Unfortunately, his pride won't let him explain all of that to Rachel, and he just nods and resigns himself to it when she announces chirpily over brunch that she's made the appointments.

*

Rachel doesn't even notice his hesitation as she lays out plans for the day. She has a brightly colored pamphlet from the spa they're going to, with little pink star stickers by the things she wants to do. "First we start off with our facials, then hour long Swedish massages,  pause for lunch - there's a little cafe right across the street that we can order in from and they'll deliver it right to us! then in the afternoon we finish up with manis and pedis."

"Are you sure you want to devote all day to this, Rachel? Because if we just skip the massage it looks like we could finish up before lunch." Kurt gives another attempt at dissuading her, thinking maybe they can meet in the middle.

"Oh, but Kurt, the massage is the highlight of the day! The facial, while fantastic I'm sure, is just the opening act. I booked us the eighty minute massages - this is all for you, Kurt."

"How are you even paying for this?" He thinks maybe he can appeal to her pocketbook. Neither of them are swimming in spare cash, only able to work part time in an effort to devote enough toward honing the craft with as many theater groups and performances as they can. NYADA is a million times more competitive than glee club, but even with financial aid they do need money to live on - money for the necessities in life, like food and last minute broadway tickets. Rachel is a ticket taker at a small theater near their housing unit, and Kurt works at a coffee shop. There's no way she should be able to afford any kind of spa day.

"Oh, that was easy. I told my Dads you've never been and they understood what an absolute travesty that was, so they're footing the bill. You can send them a thank you coffee basket. They like dark roast." Rachel blithely shoots down his last attempt at worming his way out of it.

*

"You really are nervous, aren't you?" Rachel asks. They're in the lounge room at the spa, waiting for someone to come and greet them. They'll be given a place to change into thick, cushy robes and then taken for the facials.

Any other time, Kurt would be thrilled at the idea of a facial... but since it comes before the massage, all he can focus on are his nerves.

When Kurt doesn't respond, Rachel reaches over and pats his arm delicately. "It'll be fine."

"Ms. Berry, Mr. Hummel?" A pert, petite girl with a clipboard approaches and shakes their hand. She's dressed nicely, not a hair out of place, but the smile on her face is genuine. "Follow me."

*

The robe is nice, and the room smells amazing - faintly spicy, like incense, but dull enough to not make his head swim. Two of the walls are fountains and the sound of water rushing down makes his heart rate slow a little bit.

The facial is nice, and the girl doing it compliments him on his perfect skin. He can't help but puff up a little at that - he's earned that compliment, he's had a skin care regimen since he hit his preteen years - before, if you count sitting on the bathroom counter watching his mother put on lotions and demanding she do the same to him. He smiles at the memory, one of the last remaining ones he has that seem crisp and perfectly clear to recall. He shuts his eyes and for just a moment it could be her patting cream onto his cheeks.

He opens his eyes and Rachel's looking at him with a pleased smile on her face. She doesn't talk, not wanting to interrupt the process, but her smile says it all.

Kurt smiles back. Maybe this isn't so bad.

*

This is definitely so bad.

He's sitting in the lounge area again, a cup of tea in his hand that he sips on while they're waiting on the massage therapists. "I'm just going to go," he says, sitting up. He puts the tea cup on the little table beside him. "You enjoy the massage, and I'll be back for the mani and the pedi."

"No!" Rachel looks shocked and dismayed. "You can't just leave!"

"Rachel, I'm just not-"

The door opens and in walks a girl whose name tag reads Arissa. The girl reminds Kurt a little of Tina Cohen-Chang - round face and sweet smile.

Maybe, Kurt thinks, this isn't so bad. He can handle this. Sure, she'll be touching his body, but she's - well, she's a girl.

Arissa looks straight at Rachel. "Hi there! You can just follow me into the massage room. Kurt, you'll be with Blaine - he's on his way right now."

Arissa and Rachel both leave. Rachel looks over her shoulder and gives him an excited wink. Kurt manages an awkward smile back but he isn't sure how his misery isn't painted all over his face right now.

A guy. He's going to be rubbed all over by a guy.

He could still leave. There is still time. He can make up some excuse so that she doesn't know what a wreck he is over this, and how badly his irrational fear of being touched by a stranger is getting to him.

Maybe it'll be a girl, he thinks. Maybe it's not too late - Rachel said she'd arranged it all, and Kurt realizes now that he should have been more forceful, because Rachel is entirely the type to think she's doing him a favor by requesting a guy.

He's almost convinced himself to stand when the door opens and in walks someone that, on any other day and in any other place, would make Kurt absolutely swoon. Pale olive skin, a soft mouth, hair that's curling over his forehead despite the obvious attempt at gelling it into place.

He's an absolute dream and right now Kurt just wants to throw up a little.

"Hi, I'm Blaine." Blaine holds out his hand and it takes Kurt a few seconds to jolt to his feet, thrusting his hand out too. Blaine's handshake is firm and his skin is so soft. "You okay there?"

"What? Yes. I... uh. This is my first massage. I've never-"

Blaine nods understandingly. "It's fine. I'll walk you through it. Come on, let me show you the room."

Kurt trails behind him, listening through the pounding of blood rushing through his ears as Blaine explains that he's going to give Kurt a moment to get comfortable and take the robe off, then telling him what position to take on the table. The door closes with a click behind Blaine and Kurt rushes to get situated, leaving his underwear on.

There's a soft knock on the door.

"Y-yes! I'm ready." Kurt calls out, wondering if Blaine can even hear him.

Blaine steps back in. His voice is warm and soft, modulated to be calming, Kurt thinks - it's... it's nice. Sexy.

He's exactly the kind of guy Kurt has always dreamed would put his hands all over Kurt - only in his dreams there's never monetary compensation involved.

The lights go even more dim and soft music starts to play while Blaine speaks. "If there are any areas you want me to focus on, or if you want more or less pressure anywhere, just let me know."

The impossibly soft, lush blanket draped over Kurt gets shifted aside at the end, around his feet. He hears a cap snapping open and then warm hands are lifting one heel and squeezing. Kurt lets out a soft gasp of surprise when Blaine strokes his thumbs firmly up the arch of Kurt's foot.

Blaine laughs gently, a sound that wraps around Kurt even though he doesn't see it. He keeps his eyes locked straight ahead, open sometimes and sometimes drifting shut, while Blaine does magical things to Kurt's feet. He bites back another noise when Blaine starts to stroke higher with his hands, up Kurt's leg. A thrill goes through Kurt but to his relief it's nothing strong enough to cause arousal - it would be, maybe (definitely) if not for the nerves churning through him still, but that's the last thing he'd want to happen right now.

Blaine says nothing through the entire process, moving from one leg to the other at one point. Kurt keeps wondering if he should talk, if talking is something you DO during one of these, or if it's supposed to be silent. Nervous chatter is not uncommon for him but in the dark, in the quiet of this room, with this man's hands on him.... he's terrified of what might come out of his mouth.

So he doesn't. He stays quiet, and just lets himself... relax. He isn't even aware of how much time passes before Blaine has worked his way up to Kurt's shoulders, standing behind him. A hand cups the back of his neck and he breathes in harder than he intends. His eyes flick upward and he catches a glimpse of Blaine's face in the dark room, tongue peeking out caught between his teeth, face a picture of concentration. He catches Kurt watching him and smiles a little, fingers digging into a particularly tense spot. Kurt barely has time to react before Blaine is guiding his head to the side and stroking down over his chest, not going past the barrier of the blanket but rubbing against his shoulder and then down his arm.

Kurt is beginning to think maybe the pleasure of the touch will win out over nerves after all when Blaine asks him to turn onto his stomach. Kurt is filled with relief, not exactly thrilled to have a hard on threatening any any point but infinitely more okay with it if he's not laying on his back where it would be obvious.

Blaine's hands are slicker again when they come back to him, and the scent of the massage oil is stronger again. Blaine starts to rub his back and it feels sinfully good. He doesn't have to worry about where to look, doesn't have to worry about anything - just enjoys the rest of the time and lets his mind drift to how this would feel if it they were in a bedroom...

He feels a stab of regret when Blaine's hands move away. "Our time is up," Blaine says. His voice seems deeper now; Kurt figures probably because he hasn't spoken in an hour. "You're welcome to the shower, there's a variety of shampoos, soaps, and moisturizers to choose from plus clean towels right there, and I'll be waiting with some water for you when you're done."

"Thanks," Kurt says. He stays laying down expecting to hear the door shut and he's surprised when he feels Blaine's hand on his back first, palm between his shoulder blades stroking down just a little.

And then he's gone.

*

Kurt comes out of the room twenty minutes later, showered and clean. Blaine's sitting on one of the couches and Kurt's breath almost catches. Somehow he looks even more gorgeous now that Kurt isn't about to throw up from nerves.

Okay, it still isn't ideal, but Kurt will be jerking off to the feel of warm strong fingers digging into his skin for months he's sure, and right now he can't quite regret the experience.

Blaine looks up and smiles. He has a glass of water he hands to Kurt. Their fingers brush and Kurt can't help but smile.

"You'll need to drink plenty of water today. If you want more after that glass, you're welcome to just grab a bottle from the cooler right over there." He gestures to a refrigerator that's decorated to blend with the cabinets around them.

"Thank you," Kurt says, almost wincing at how breathless he sounds.

He's not sure if he's supposed to stay or go. He's not sure <I>where</I> to go if he is supposed to go.

"So," Blaine says, grinning a little. God, Kurt marvels, how is he so gorgeous? "How was it? I don't actually get many people in that have never had a massage before."

"It was very..." Hot. "Relaxing."

Blaine beams at him. "Well, that's what it's supposed to be. You were pretty tense, you know. You should come back in... maybe in a couple weeks. Here, this is my card - the number is just the spa reception desk one, but if you come back ask for me again. Just call about a week in advance - I'm usually booked up a week out."

Kurt takes the card, looking down at the bolded name on the pale blue card. Blaine Anderson. "Yes... I will. Th-Thank you."

Blaine just smiles at him for a moment longer and then steps back. "Come on, I think your friend is already in the salon room."

*

There's no one else around, just Rachel with her feet propped up and a magazine in her hands. "Kurt!" She squeals when she sees him. "How was it?"

Kurt drops into the chair beside Rachel like all of his bones have suddenly turned to cooked spaghetti. "I think I'm in love."

Rachel laughs and claps her hands together. "I know it. Isn't it the best? Oh, my dads will be so proud. I kept telling you there was no reason to be so skittish about this and you have absolutely floated past it. This is truly a milestone in the awakening of the young gay male."

"Rachel, you do realize you aren't actually a gay man yourself, don't you?" Kurt says, voice dry. "But, fine, it wasn't so bad."

Rachel looks at him expectantly.

"Fine, it was amazing." Kurt says.

He's saved from having to go into it more by the manicurist showing up.

*

An hour and a half later, they're heading out. Kurt lingers while Rachel pays, hoping for a glimpse of Blaine.

He's pretty surprised to actually get one. Blaine walks toward them, and Kurt's stomach does a little roll.

"Heading out?" He asks Kurt. "I hope you enjoyed your day here.

Kurt doesn't notice the double take Rachel does.

"Yes, it was... very... relaxing."

Blaine laughs. "Good. Glad we did our job. And don't forget... if you want to come back..." His smile deepens and he reaches out, putting a hand on Kurt's shoulder. "Just ask for me."

"I will," Kurt says, voice faint. "And thank you."

*

"I tipped well," Rachel says, as they walk out and toward the corner. "Just so you know."

"That's good." Kurt's lost in his own thoughts.

"So was that..." She glances back.

"Yep." Kurt gives her a look that.

She looks thrilled. "He is an absolute dreamboat! And he was making cute eyes at you!"

"Cute eyes-" Kurt rolls his own eyes. "He probably just wanted to make sure that we tipped well."

"Well." Rachel looks entirely too pleased with herself. "I did."