Title: Laundry Day
Author: Star
Rating: PG-13
Pairings/Characters: Kurt/Blaine
Word Count: 1,600+
Summary: Kurt intends to just get her laundry done, not meet the girl of her dreams.
Warnings: cisgirl!Klaine. AU. Alternate first meeting.
A/N: For Alyssa who prompted an alternate cisgirl!klaine meeting; at a laundromat where either Blaine and Kurt's laundry gets mixed up or Kurt puts a red shirt in with her whites and Blaine is there to console her. Massive thanks goes to Hannah for everything. b29;
Disclaimer: Not mine. I just have a vivid and healthy imagination.



Kurt couldn't wait until she got an apartment with a laundry room because having to traipse across New York City to a Laundromat was beginning to get tedious. If she wanted clean clothes, however, she had to do it. As amazing as it would be, she couldn't afford to buy new clothes all the time, a fact that had hit her in the face as soon as she moved to the city. Living in New York as a NYADA student wasn't quite the whirlwind of glamour and fashion the teenage Kurt Hummel had dreamed of; as it was she could only just afford to share a tiny apartment with the two school friends she had moved to the city with. She loved both Rachel and Santana but an apartment with three girls in close quarters was sometimes intense in all of the wrong ways.

Kurt loaded up the washing machine with her first load of clothes – all of her dance outfits for Cassandra July's class. She would never understand the aversion that Ms July had to colours being worn in her class but it was just as well that Kurt looked amazing in blacks and charcoals.

Once all of her clothes were in the washing machine, Kurt pushed the buttons and waited as it whirred to life. She glanced around to check no one was looking in her direction – she was the only customer, she clearly had amazing timing – and quickly unhooked the bra she was wearing. It desperately needed to be washed as well. She added it to the bag holding her whites and delicates and sat down on the low bench. She pulled her phone out of her pocket and settled herself in to play Angry Birds while she waited.

The door sounded behind her, indicating that someone else was coming in. Kurt didn't bother to look up until she felt a small thud through the bench as someone set their basket of laundry down next to hers.

She fumbled with her phone for a moment before looking up at the most gorgeous head of dark, curly hair she had ever seen. The woman hadn't noticed her yet, so Kurt took a moment to give her a once over, and stifled a smile when she noticed that she was also clearly wearing the only clean clothes she had left.

The woman caught her staring and smiled at Kurt. "Even though I know I have to do my laundry at some point, I swear I always leave it until the last possible second."

Kurt nodded her agreement. "You and me both," she said. "I always end up coming here in my holey shirt and yoga pants from two seasons ago." Clothes Kurt never thought she would be caught dead in when she was a teenager.

"I'm Blaine," the woman said as she sat down on the bench to sort out her things.

"Kurt."

Blaine shot her another smile and leaned over to open the washing machine next to Kurt's, throwing her clothes in as she talked. Kurt watched her interestedly and turned so that she was facing Blaine.

"I've seen you around somewhere, haven't I?" Blaine asked, interrupting herself to ask.

"Oh, um, I'm not sure," Kurt replied, tucking her phone back into her handbag. "I go to school at NYADA."

"That's where I've seen you!" Blaine exclaimed, leaving Kurt a little startled. "Oh, sorry, I go to NYADA as well. I'm a senior."

"Sophomore," Kurt replied with a nod. "How hard is it being a senior? Is it horrid? Should I just quit now?"

"God, no," Blaine said emphatically as shut the door on her machine. She stood, keeping her gaze on Kurt the entire time as she put some money into the coin slot and pushed the buttons on it to get it started. "It gets better, believe me. The ones who can't handle it drop out by the end of sophomore year and there's at least one person who has a break down per month. So by the time you get through to senior year, there's only a handful of people left. Which means fewer people to compete against."

Kurt stared at Blaine with shock. "That doesn't sound like it gets better."

"It does though," Blaine said. "Because once all of the ones who can't handle the pressure leave then it gives you more one on one time with the instructors and it betters your chance at making it. Clearly you want to be on Broadway or you wouldn't be at NYADA, right?"

Kurt nodded.

"And you've made it to your sophomore year," Blaine continued. "I'm sure it's fine."

Kurt nodded again. "If you say so."

"I do," Blaine said.

They kept talking about NYADA, trading stories. An inordinate number featured the crazy Cassie July, but Blaine reassured Kurt that she got nicer after the first couple of years. Maybe she could do this after all.

Kurt took out her first load of clothing and stuffed them into a dryer before putting her whites and underwear in for the second load, mentally cursing the 'one machine per person' rule that the tiny laundromat had.

Blaine's first load finished a short while after Kurt's and she hastily put in a second load before taking her things to the dryer next to Kurt's, talking all the while about her first year vocal lessons with Carmen.

"She made the girl cry," Blaine said as she sat back down next to Kurt on the bench. "It was horrifying and so many of us thought we were going to get kicked out too."

Kurt gaped. "I know Carmen can be tough but wow."

"Ah, crap, I forgot to put my shirt in," Blaine said. She stood up and whipped off the bright red shirt she was wearing and Kurt looked away, a little flustered. She watched out of the corner of her eye as Blaine pulled on a small t-shirt from her handbag and slipped it on over her head. The shirt clung to Blaine in all of the best ways and Kurt had to tear her gaze away from staring at Blaine's pronounced breasts before Blaine caught her.

"So, what's your ultimate Broadway dream role?" Blaine asked, reaching around to her handbag to close it.

Kurt smiled to herself as she adjusted the loose top she was wearing where it had slid down one shoulder. "Wicked," she replied without hesitation. "It has been since I was a kid. My mom used to play the Wizard of Oz soundtrack and we would sing along. She told me I'd make the most beautiful Glinda and when I discovered Wicked, I've wanted to be nothing else ever since."

"You'd make a good Glinda," Blaine agreed.

Kurt blushed at the compliment. "You've never heard me sing, though."

"Well, you have to have some talent to get into NAYDA," Blaine pointed out and Kurt nodded.

"What about you, what's a role you've always wanted to do?" Kurt asked, tucking her legs up underneath her on the bench so she was facing Blaine completely.

Blaine reached into her bag and pulled out a packet of jerky, offering a piece to Kurt, who accepted gratefully. "I want to do all of them. I actually auditioned for Phantom of the Opera last week."

"Oh my god, that's amazing!" Kurt gushed.

"I have a call back for tomorrow too," Blaine added. "Hence the last minute washing that I need to do."

"That is fantastic, Blaine!" Kurt exclaimed. "I'm sure you'll knock their socks off."

"Thanks," Blaine replied.

Kurt's machine beeped, letting her know that her load was done and she opened the door to pull her things out. She stared in horror when she realised that all of her white items were now pink. She let out a noise of frustration as she pulled all of the items from the machine and into her basket.

"Kurt, I am so sorry," Blaine said the moment Kurt pulled Blaine's red shirt from the washing machine. "I didn't even realise. I'm so sorry!"

Kurt huffed and closed her eyes, taking a few deep breaths. "It's okay," she said after a few long moments, glancing up at Blaine.

"I really am sorry," Blaine repeated.

Kurt stood up, the basket in her hands. "Don't worry about it," she said. "I can always buy new things."

"Here, I'll give you the money for it," Blaine offered.

"Don't be silly," Kurt said, taking her things to the dryer. She turned away from Blaine completely and took deep, steadying breaths as she put her things in the dryer.

"Please let me make it up to you," Blaine said sincerely. "If not buying you new underwear then let me take you out to dinner?"

Kurt blinked. "Really?"

Blaine nodded. "I've been giving you hints all night long that I'm interested," she said. "And I know you've been staring at me too. I caught you checking out my boobs when I walked in. And again when I put this shirt on."

"No, I didn't," Kurt said half-heartedly, her cheeks flushed as she ducked her head. "Okay," she agreed. "Dinner would be wonderful."

"Great!" Blaine said, handing her phone to Kurt.

Kurt entered her number and passed the phone back to Blaine. Blaine beamed at her and fiddled with her phone for a moment before putting it back into her pocket.

Their clothes finished drying at the same time and Kurt repacked her things back into the sports bag she had brought them in while Blaine did the same.

"I'll call you," Blaine said once they exited the laundromat together.

Kurt smiled. "I'd like that."

Blaine opened her mouth but quickly shut it again before closing the gap between them and kissing Kurt softly on the lips. "And maybe I can buy you new underwear when we're dating?"

Kurt grinned. "If you're lucky, I might not need any," she said, pulling Blaine back in for another kiss.