Kurt is just walking out of the Starbucks a few blocks away from the Vogue offices when he hears some vaguely familiar tune. He turns to see a boy who looks about his age playing a cover of some song on the violin—some song that Kurt can't quite figure out. He starts piecing words together in his mind, humming along with the melody until it finally comes to him. The realization makes him chuckle. Payphone by Maroon 5. Definitely not Vivaldi but it is actually quite good.
He stays there for a few minutes, watching the boy from behind the crowd that's already formed. He glances down at his watch and notices that, yeah, he really does have to get going but he can't seem to move. The way that the boy is totally uninhibited in his playing—eyes closed, arm relaxed, flowing through the notes, his body swaying slightly—is mesmerizing and Kurt doesn't want to miss a second of it.
As the song progresses into the last verse, the boy moves with more force, tapping his foot, and moving his body with more fervor. His fingers, Kurt notices move at lightning speed against the neck of the instrument, but with such grace that Kurt can't help but envy this boy he doesn't even know. So much talent, so much love, for something that manifests itself into something so beautiful.
The boy draws out the last note and Kurt claps along with the rest of the crowd, bouncing up onto the balls of his feet, and without even thinking about it, he makes his way up closer to the boy, who is now fiddling with the bow and plucking the strings, apparently oblivious of the looks of amazement from the dispersing group of people around him.
Kurt fishes a five-dollar bill out of his back pocket and tosses it into the violin case that's laying out, causing the curly haired boy to look up and lock eyes with Kurt. And holy crap, Kurt didn't knotice because his eyes were shut the whole time, but god this guy's eyes are this amazing green-brown color and they're almost as captivating as his music.
"Thanks," he hears the boy say, and he fumbles with his mind for a few seconds trying to get himself to say something, anything.
"Yeah, no, no problem. I mean, you were amazing," Kurt blushes.
"Thanks," Blaine smiles and looks around, seeing that the crowd has mostly dispersed around him, some people throwing a few dollars into the case before they leave, "I'm glad you enjoyed it. Nothing like a good Maroon 5 song, I guess."
"No definitely," Kurt smiles and then sways slightly, trying to think of something else to say, something that can keep the beautiful, talented, amazing just talking to him.
"You have two coffees?"
"What?"
"You have two coffees?" Blaine asks again, pointing to Kurt's hands.
"Oh," Kurt says lamely, and then, "shit," as he remembers why he really was here in the first place and how he's already going to be five minutes late and how he just doesn't seem to give a fuck in this moment.
"My boss. I was here to get coffee for my boss."
"Ah," Blaine says, "so you have to go?"
"I do." Kurt frowns and stares down at the coffee, hoping it will disappear right then and there along with his obligations for the rest of the day.
"Well it was nice to meet you…?"
"Kurt. Ah, yeah, I'm Kurt."
"Blaine." Cute, adorable, incredibly attractive boy—Blaine—smiles and sticks out his hand.
"Right. Blaine. Nice to meet you too," Kurt returns the handshake. "Well, I'm ah…I guess I have to go."
"Right. You do. Where do you work?" Blaine asks, putting his violin down in the case and collecting the money.
"Um, Vogue. Well… , really."
"Are you serious?" Blaine looks up at Kurt, with something of awe, which causes Kurt to blush and swoon even harder than he already has been for the past five minutes.
"Yeah."
"That is so cool. I mean, I guess I can tell by your clothes, you know?" Blaine hooks his case closed and shoves the money into his back pocket. "You look amazing." It seems then that Blaine realizes what he's said and blushes.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome. Do you mind if I, um, well I guess I could walk you to the office? If that's okay?" Blaine picks up his violin case and tries not to look Kurt in the eye.
"Um, yeah! I mean, yeah, of course. That sounds great!" Kurt smiles and starts walking down the street, not even caring at this point if he's going to be late or if Isabelle's coffee is going to be cold because he's met a boy.
They walk for a few seconds in silence and then round a corner, walking right by a homeless man who is sitting on the remnants of a cardboard box. Blaine stops, momentarily confusing Kurt, and digs into his back pocket, pulling out a few ones and giving them to the man with a smile. Kurt looks back and forth between Blaine and the man, who exchange a few cordial words, and is even more confused because isn't that the money that Blaine's just earned from playing?
Kurt doesn't say anything but they do share a few more smiles and some small talk. After the third time this happens, though, Kurt is too curious not to ask.
"Isn't that the money you just made?"
Blaine looks at Kurt, seemingly confused. "Yeah?"
"And you're already giving it away?" Kurt asks, trying very hard not to come off as abrasive or cold.
"Yeah…?"
"Oh, I just…I really don't know how to say this," Kurt mumbles, running his hands through his hair and immediately regreting it. He trails off and hopes Blaine understands.
It takes him a minute, but Blaine is there. "Oh. You mean…you thought…? No, I mean, I just do this," Blaine gestures to his violin, "for fun. I don't need the money. And I know that people aren't gonna understand if I tell them that I don't want their money—I mean I tried that a few times and it just didn't work—and so, I don't know, there are so many homeless people around the city. And I grew up in New York, and everyone just accepts it and so…I don't know? I try to help them what little I can." Blaine smiles and turns to Kurt who is even more in awe of the boy.
"That's…that's great. Wow."
"Eh, it's nothing. I love music, and if it helps me help people…I don't know, that's pretty cool."
Kurt stops as they reach the doors of his office building and smiles, almost regretfully.
"I like you." And shit, he did not mean to say that out loud, but Blaine just smiles even brighter and lets out a beautiful melodic laugh.
"I like you too, Kurt."
Kurt squeals, mostly internally, and proceeds to ask Blaine for his number and gives the beautiful boy a quick kiss on the cheek before he scampers up to Isabelle's office. And when he's being teased by Isabelle for delivering her coffee cold he barely even notices because he's too busy picturing himself and Blaine walking down the aisle, backed by a violin cover of Payphone by Maroon 5.
