Author's Note: This is a short preview chapter of what I've been working on for this fanfic. If it's well received, I will definitely keep going.
"What are you looking for?"
Still frazzled from the events of the morning, Kurt's eyes continued to glance over at the restaurant's entrance at regular intervals. Quite unaware of who or what he expected to walk through the door, he didn't answer. He turned his head back slowly to face Blaine, who sat across from him with a quizzical expression on his face.
There was something about the way Blaine looked at him that made Kurt feel like he could see straight through him. It was both terrifying and endearing how just a glance could make blood instantly rush to his cheeks. He turned away again, choosing to fix his gaze on the California rolls he was pushing around his plate with chopsticks. It had been Kurt's idea to get lunch at that particular sushi restaurant, but he had only suggested it out of courtesy. He knew the food was good, so Blaine would enjoy himself, but he himself had no appetite. The previous few days had been a whirlwind of emotions. He could barely believe it hadn't all been some insane, flu hallucination. Or at least a coma fantasy.
Kurt had guessed there were hidden reasons for Karofsky's homophobia, but it hadn't crossed his mind that maybe he was in the closet. In hindsight, it made perfect sense, but how quickly everything had changed had rattled Kurt's brain and made it difficult for him to think rationally about anything. Underneath his shock and confusion, Kurt was angry. All this time, Karofsky had made Kurt feel like he wasn't worth the air he breathed for being gay. He wondered how he was supposed to face Karofsky now, knowing that he had taken Kurt's first kiss and didn't have the decency to even admit it.
"You feeling any better?" Blaine asked, tenderness in his voice. Enough time had passed since his last question that he had obviously assumed Kurt wasn't going to answer.
"I suppose."
His tone wasn't convincing, and Blaine noticed. He placed his right hand on top of Kurt's, giving it a reassuring squeeze. Kurt felt the heat rise to his face again, but he hadn't the willpower to pull away. He reprimanded his weak little heart for feeling things it wasn't supposed to. Their waitress arrived with the bill, eyeing their touching arms suspiciously. Filled with undeserved shame, Kurt pulled his hand away and placed it on his lap. I fall too hard and too easily, don't I? Yet the tiny part of Kurt's heart that still believed in miracles couldn't help but notice how long Blaine's fingers lingered against his skin and he retracted his arm.
"It sounds ridiculous, but a first kiss is important to me. I just wish it had happened with someone who hadn't been shoving me into lockers since freshman year," he lamented. "Someone who would acknowledge me as someone of value in public."
"It doesn't sound as strange to me as you might think" Blaine replied, shrugging his shoulders as he stood up, pulling two twenty dollar bills out of his wallet and leaving them on top of the bill. Kurt was sure Blaine was humouring him with his compassionate response, but didn't push the subject. He made a move to stand, and Blaine extended a helping hand, which Kurt accepted against his better judgement.
"There'll be other kisses, you know."
Kurt cursed his wandering thoughts.