A/N: I listened to this album so many times, it put the stories in my head, just begging to be written. Before I go to bed, I'm going to write a good portion of the next chapter for my story "I'll Close My Eyes, and I'll See You." Promise it's coming. Meanwhile, enjoy this collection! I have most of them written, and cross your fingers they're all up tomorrow. Reviews are love!
Disclaimer: I do not own Glee, or "1989".
-Welcome to New York-
Truth is, he got lucky on his first day. Drove into the city in his old pick up and mostly everything he owned, without a plan. He had about $3500 to his name, saved up from summer jobs he didn't really have to have. His mother inherited every thing his father left when he died, some ski accident up in Colorado with his secretary.
But he knew early on, even as a kid, he didn't want any of it. There was something about being handed so much that made him feel a little less pure. So he left Lima, OH a note for his mother on the kitchen counter.
She never did call.
Anyway, he figured he might find some cheap hotel outside the city, stay there until he found an apartment. But then he stopped at some coffee shop because it looked interesting and he was tired, and there in the window was a bright blue flier asking for a roommate.
He called the number, curious, and this girl answered the phone.
Rachel Berry was her name, all five feet and a couple inches. She was trying to make it on Broadway, without school or any kind of proper training. Just her voice, and some agent she found on the internet. He liked her, she was nice and didn't give him crap when he told her where he came from.
They lived in this giant loft, sectioned off into private areas, with one bathroom and a tiny corner kitchen. He took the space by the window, fit a bed from a local thrift store, a dresser and this crooked desk in his "bedroom."
In the beginning it was just him and Rachel and this guy named Kurt, who was really into fashion and had a boyfriend. He worked at this café with Rachel, where they wore fifty style uniforms and sang a jukebox song every half hour. While he himself spent days working at a local record shop.
They would stay up late eating take out, sharing stories of lives so long ago and waiting for the world to hand them their dreams. It was comforting, fun.
Until Kurt got attacked.
After that, Blaine (the boyfriend) moved in. No one wanted Kurt walking home alone, especially if there were assholes that hurt others because of who they loved.
So there were four.
It took about a year before he realized that Rachel was more than his roommate. He started noticing her hair and how nice it was that she left him his own plate in the fridge when he got home late from work. But, he kept quiet, because roommates and all.
Until he found her crying in her "room" one night after some asshole casting director told her she wasn't pretty enough. She cried on his shoulder while he told her otherwise.
They were closer after that. Not in love, but closer.
Kurt and Blaine moved out before Christmas. They found a safer area (more "friendly" as Blaine called it), and it was just two.
A friend of his from high school, Noah Puckerman, showed up at their doorstep one afternoon. Apparently his mother had given Puck his address. Rachel caved only because they really couldn't afford the rent between the two of them.
They stayed in the city for Christmas. He lugged up a real tree and they decorated it with handmade ornaments and a strand of colored lights. Rachel made the best sugar cookies he had ever tasted.
Puck thought it would be hilarious to put mistletoe in the doorway, and all of them had narrowly avoided it, until Christmas Eve when he helped Rachel take out the trash and well…yeah they kissed.
They were in love after that.
Kisses in corners of used book stores, and arms wrapped around arms.
Rachel got her big break in March. Some musical called "Funny Girl" was being revived and Rachel was their lead. He took her out and they had dinner and he brought flowers and everything. And he doesn't know if there was something in the air that night that gave him courage he didn't know he had, but he asked her to spend the rest of her life with him.
Somehow she said yes.
Life moved fast after that. He and Rachel found their own shoe box apartment and Puck found a girl. The critics loved Rachel and he decided to get a teaching degree.
Every time he steps out into the city, onto a sidewalk covered in pieces of gum and cigarette butts, he feels a new energy. He doesn't stop to think if they'll ever run out.
They all came here alone, found each other through "Roommate Wanted" fliers and empty apartment floors. This city was waiting for them, it's this great, real, true love that doesn't stop changing. He likes being on his toes.