May 1, 2012, 10:20 a.m.
Chance Meetings
You never know who's going to become your friend. Friends are always chance meetings.' (Steve Guttenberg) AU where Blaine and Kurt never really got to know each other. But Blaine meets someone special six years later.
K - Words: 3,051 - Last Updated: May 01, 2012 691 0 0 1 Categories: AU, Romance, Characters: Blaine Anderson, Kurt Hummel,
Every day we meet new people basically everywhere we go; in class, at our usual coffee shop, at work or even during a weekly trip to the gym. But it’s not about the people you meet every day or once a week or during your normal routine – it’s about the people you meet by chance, when both of you abandon routine. It’s rare to ever meet these people again, but sometimes you do because sometimes you’re meant to find this person because they belong into your life.�
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For once, the bus is actually on time and everyone, standing at the bus stop, sighs in relief. It’s too early for most of them to get angry about a late bus, even though most of them do it anyway. They all have meetings to attend, deadlines to meet, places to be at a certain time.�
All but one. When he had moved into the city to go to college he had wanted to room in the dorms but instead his parents had bought a nice apartment on the other, more prestigious side of the city. (“Blaine, it’s a good investment and you’ll at least have the peace and quiet to study. There’ll be no discussion about it, you’re moving into that apartment.”) And even though he hadn’t been happy with the decision at first, he has come to appreciate it. He loves the daily commute through the whole city and yes, busses were notoriously late and yes it was a pain in the ass in winter, but he loves it nonetheless. �
He had realized pretty quickly that you could meet so many new people every day as well as see the same ones every day or even on the same day every week. Taking the same busses every day, he had quickly memorized that he would meet Kyle and Andrea on the bus to his first class on Monday and Thursday and he normally had a chance to catch up with David on the bus home on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays. There were a couple of faces he had started to recognize but mostly he just sat and watched the people around him.�
But it weren’t the regular and on time bus rides he enjoyed, but the times when he either missed a bus or just decided to walk to a different stop. Times he saw people on the busses or at the stops that he’d never seen before. And he craved the small moments he connected to them. It could be one simple glance or a few shy smiles, sometimes a bit of small talk and well, sometimes even more.�
He never shared more than his first name, well sometimes, they stumbled into his apartment, ripping at clothes, looking for the quick release, but he always made it very clear that it was a one-time thing with no chance of a repeat performance. Blaine wasn’t sleeping around much but he was a guy and he had urges, and even masturbation couldn’t fulfill them completely. He wasn’t really looking for a relationship; he simply lacked the time of getting to know somebody and maybe start something serious. He got by without having to answer to anyone, to just live his life one day to the next.�
So here he is, on the bus on his way back home on a completely normal Monday. A few vaguely familiar faces scattered around the bus but no one he usually talks to. At the back of the bus his eyes lock onto a pair of cerulean blue eyes, looking at him curiously and as if they know each other. Blaine studies the face of the stranger, trying to jog a memory of the beautiful boy. Maybe he’s just someone he’d seen before, even though he’s pretty sure that he’d remember such a delicate face.
He smiles at the stranger and his smile is quickly mirrored by the other man. His smile widens just a fraction and he’s sure he can see a faint blush rising in the brunette’s cheeks before the man breaks the eye contact by looking down at his hands.�
Blaine smirks, moments like this one have quickly become the highlight of his days, which isn’t as sad as it sounds. He just likes getting to know new people.
He lets his gaze travel through the bus over the other faces before focusing back on the face in the back. The other man has lifted his head back up and is looking directly at Blaine once again. His eyes are closer to a grey tone this time, as he smiles shyly at him. Blaine gives him his dazzling performer smile, showing that his earlier smile hasn’t been just a nice gesture.�
The game of looking, trying to figure the other one out and shyly looking away, continues for a while and Blaine loses himself in the man’s eyes so deep that he almost misses his stop. He gets up reluctantly picks up his bag and steps towards the door. Throwing one last look to the end of the bus, he smile, utters “Bye” and steps onto the pavement. His eyes follow the bus until it disappears around the next corner.�
Blaine smiles to himself before digging his hands into his pockets and walking towards his apartment. The weather is clear and sunny, almost too warm for an early spring day. In the back of his head a small voice scolds him for his decision to get off the bus at his usual stop, instead of walking from a later stop, in favor of staring at the other man a bit longer.�
But he quickly pushes the nagging feeling away. This isn’t anything like him. He gets to know people on the bus or throws a few glances and smiles around and that’s usually it.�
Hours later Blaine is sitting on the couch in his too fancy apartment, reading a book for school, with music playing low in the background, as the image of the man from the bus, pops into his head once more. The delicate way the young man had blushed and shyly looked away, stirs something in him, something he can’t really describe. It would be nice to see the other man again but Blaine quickly shakes his head and goes back to his book, he simply isn’t like that.�
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Over the next few days he tries to talk himself out of hoping that he’d meet the other man again. It hadn’t even been his usual bus and if the other man usually took this one, Blaine must’ve missed him the few other times he had accidentally taken that one. No matter how hard he tries, the picture of the young man keep popping up in his head in the most awkward situations. Like on Wednesday, when he has that gorgeous blond from his evening bus bend over a table. Every time the other man pops into his head, Blaine gets angrier, causing him to rock his hips a little harder. He has met plenty of pretty boys on the bus but none has ever managed to invade his thoughts so completely. The harder Blaine fights against it, the clearer the picture gets in his head, until all Blaine can see is that beautiful blush. He imagines having the boy under him, watching him fall apart and comes with a shout.�
It isn’t until about five weeks later when Blaine runs through the pouring rain like a maniac to catch the bus that he sees him again. He runs his hand through his wet hair, glad that he stopped using gel once he arrived in the city. Blinking the last drops of rainwater out of his eyes, he quickly scans the bus for a free seat when his eyes fall on him. The stranger has obviously already noticed Blaine and his eyes, a deep blue today, are trained on him.�
Careful not to fall into any other passenger he walks towards the free seat opposite him and plops down, eyes never leaving the other’s face. “Hello again,” he says in a smooth voice, smiling widely at the other man.�
“Hi,” the stranger replies and in Blaine’s ears it sounds like heaven. The boy’s voice is beautiful and unique, sending a delicious shiver through his body. Somewhere in the back of his head something is scratching to break free, an almost forgotten memory of a day from a long time ago. But he just can’t remember what it is.�
“Shitty day, eh?”
“I think that’s an understatement. I missed my earlier bus and almost got soaked before I could seek shelter in a Starbuck’s.”�
Blaine smiles, “As long as there’s enough coffee, the day isn’t completely ruined.”
The other man’s lips move into a smile, “Truer words were never spoken. There’s very little a grande non-fat mocha can’t solve.”
“I’m more the medium drip kinda guy but yes coffee can solve a lot and even turn a bad day around.” For a moment Blaine watches as the other man pulls his bottom lip between his teeth and chews on it for a second.
“Exactly, sometimes a few minutes spend drinking coffee with someone you just met can make your day and change everything. Sometimes it helps to talk to a stranger who can give you a little pep talk.” The man smirks, eyes sparkling at Blaine.�
“I’ve to agree. A chance meeting can always brighten your day, even without coffee.”�
The brunette simply nods his head, eyes crunched up in a warm smile. For a few moments neither says a word as the rain outside keeps pounding against the roof of the bus.�
“So this isn’t your usual bus?”
“Nope, I’m usually out of class earlier but I got held back today by my professor,” the brunette pauses for a second, “I normally don’t look like a wet cat.”�
“Aw, you’re selling yourself short. At least your hair still looks pretty close to perfect, while I look like, well for the lack of a better comparison, like a very shaggy, wet dog.”�
The brunette lets out a musical laugh, which once again sends a delicious shiver through his body that has nothing to do with the cold of the rain.�
For a few minutes he simply enjoys the comfortable silence they were sharing, continuously catching the other man looking at him out of the corner of his eyes.�
“I can’t believe it’s almost April. Do you ever feel like the time just runs away from you?” the other man speaks up, eyes focusing at the city whizzing by outside the window.�
Blaine’s eyes focus back on the beautiful man, flicking over his delicate features, “All the time. But I can’t wait for nicer weather, sitting outside, drinking coffee, and just enjoying the sun.”�
“Or wearing nicer outfits, without having to make sure that you wear a coat, so you don’t freeze to death. I’m willing to go through a lot to look fabulous but losing my toes to frostbite is even too far for me,” the man smiles, eyes sparkling as he talks about fashion and clothes.�
Before Blaine can say anything in reply, the man gets up, tugs his bag over his shoulder and steps into the aisle of the bus.�
“It was nice talking to you but this is my stop. Maybe we’ll accidentally see each other again.”
Blaine smiles, heart aching just a little bit at the thought that he might not see the other man again. “Yeah, I hope so. My name’s Blaine by the way.”�
“Oh I know, see you soon Blaine,” Kurt replies, smiling widely at Blaine before stepping off the bus, leaving Blaine to stare after him in confusion.�
What did he mean that he know his name. Had the feeling in his gut about knowing the other one been right all along?�
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It’s not until early June that he meets him again. It’s not on the bus this time, neither is he in a hurry or has to get off at a certain stop.�
Blaine walks into his favourite caf�, the one a few streets away from his apartment. He normally can’t find the time to actually sit down here for his medium drip but today he does. The sun is shining, everyone is outside enjoying the weather, when Blaine walks into the caf�, eyes instantly scanning the crowd, like he has done everywhere he went for the past few months. �
He almost gives up, coming to terms with not seeing the guy again, trying to ignore the painful feeling in his chest. The same one he’d carried around since the last time they saw each other. But then his eyes land on a lone figure, tucked away at a table in the corner, one hand wrapped tightly around a cup of coffee, the other one occasionally turning a page in a book.�
An instant smile spreads across his face at the almost peaceful sight. He’s found him again. And even though Blaine is used to meeting the same people on the busses every day, this was special. This was the third time they’d met by chance, out of their routines, just by pure luck.�
Stepping up to the counter he orders two coffees, waiting impatiently until they’re ready, grabbing them before the barista can even set them down. He makes his way over to the corner slowly, drinking in the man’s appearance.�
“One grande non-fat mocha,” he says softly, once he’s at the table.
The brunette startles out of his concentration, eyes wide, shooting up to him. Blaine can see the exact moment that the stranger recognizes him, because his face lights up in a dazzling smile.
“You know my coffee order.”
“I have a fairly good memory,” Blaine replies, the smile on his face matching the other ones’.
“Do you want to sit down?”
“I’d love to,” he pulls out the chair opposite the man and sits down.�
“What brings you here, Blaine?”
“Oh the nice weather, some free time, my addiction to caffeine.”
The stranger simply smiles in return and Blaine is once more completely amazed by the beautiful man in front of him.
“You know, it’s a bit unfair that you know my name but I don’t know yours, which brings me to the real question, how did you know my name?”
“You don’t remember.” It’s not a question, just a simple statement.�
“Remember what?”�
“We’ve met before,” the brunette looks down at their coffee cups, “we even shared a cup of coffee. You helped me a lot you know.”
Blaine is shocked, he had the right feeling all along, they did know each other, well at least they’ve met before. For a split second something flickers before his eyes, a picture of Dalton, the Warblers performing something, a staircase. Why can’t he remember?
“It’s okay, you know. It’s probably my fault. You gave me your phone number but I never called.”
“I…,” Blaine starts, still more confused than he’d ever been.
“It’s funny that we’d meet again. Almost six years after we met the first time, far away from Ohio and in a big city, by pure luck.”
“We met at Dalton?”
“Yes, but I wasn’t a student. I was, well, spying on our competition but instead of beating me up or throwing me out, you sat down for coffee with me, we talked. You saved my life that day.”
Blaine’s eyes shoot up, more pictures now invading his mind, pushing a cup of coffee across the table, sending David and Wes away to talk to him alone.�
Suddenly a huge smile spreads across the strangers face. “Do you hear that?” he gestures into the air and Blaine tries to listen for whatever the other one wants him to hear.
My heart stops when you look at me
Just one touch, now baby I believe
This is real, so take a chance
And don’t ever look back, don’t ever look back
“Teenage Dream, that’s… that’s the song we sang that day. I…” Blaine’s eyes widen, memories suddenly rushing in, “I told you that the Warblers were like Rockstars and I… I can remember your whole face lighting up during the performance.”
The man smiles, “Yes, it was the first time in a long time that someone was really friendly, without making assumptions about me. You took my hand and showed me a short cut,” he laughs, “well, don’t think I didn’t realize that that wasn’t a shortcut at all.”
“Sorry, I guess my 16 year old self wasn’t any better than my 21 year old. Struck dumb by pure beauty.”
A slow blush creeps into the stranger’s cheeks, “You sure know how to charm someone.”
“So, three, well now four, chance meetings, huh?”
“Yeah, you know I don’t really believe in fate or stuff like that but still, I guess everything happens for a reason.”�
“I’d like to think so. It’s funny how you meet people at random, ever notice that?”
“You mean, like meeting a seeming stranger on the bus and charming him with dazzling smiles?”
“Yes, and ending up in a caf� months later because you just can’t stop thinking about him.”
The stranger smiles, blush darkening on his face. “You’re straight forward.”
“I never do stuff like this, but… would you go out with me? If I give you my number will you call this time?”
“Yes and yes, I will call this time.”
“Good, because I’d really hate having to wait for another few months until we randomly run into each other again.”�
Blaine slowly stands up, eyes still fixed on the other man, as he extends his hand.�
“It was nice to meet you again.” With a wink he turns around, before the other one can say anything else.�
He stops outside, fishing his phone out of his pocket, answering the incoming call. “Hello?”
“How about tomorrow night for that date?”�
He turns around, looking through the big glass front of the caf�, eyes locking instantly on the brunette who’s holding a phone to his ear.�
“Sounds like a plan. Tomorrow night it is. I’ll see you then, Kurt.”�
Blaine sees a smile extend over Kurt’s face as he uses his name, finally able to remember it, as he hangs up the phone.�
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Sometimes chance meetings aren’t random at all, sometimes two people who were always meant to know each other meet, no matter the distance or the passing of time. It’s the people we meet at random, the one’s we can’t get out of our head, no matter how far away they are. The one’s we never want to be without that change our lives. Chance meetings that bring people together change our lives for the better and keep us going, making the seemingly dull life just a fraction brighter.�