Blaine loved the holidays. It was his favorite time of year. The songs, the lights, the snow. Everything seemed to be sprinkled with magic.
But this year was a bit different.
It was his first year in New York City. Normally, Blaine would have loved to walk around and look the city in all its Christmasy glory but walking around the city streets seemed to have less appeal when you were forced to do it alone.
It wasn't by choice that Blaine was walking around Central Park by himself on a snowy winter afternoon just weeks before Christmas, but being new to the city and not having the guts to talk to anyone except when forced to really put a damper on making new friends.
Blaine sighed as he walked along the cleared path. He reminded himself that it was his choice to move out of Ohio and come to New York. He had graduated from college with a music degree a few months ago and knew that if he wanted to use his degree he would have to move to the big city. It wasn't hard leaving Ohio, sure he had a few friends, but his family had been absent since he was in high school. The only family member he still talked to on a regular basis was his brother Cooper, who was currently in LA trying to be an actor.
As Blaine thought about his brother and the lack of company for the holidays he didn't even hear the loud "Watch out!" shouted his way as a rather large snowball hurtled towards him. The snow and ice hit him straight in the face. Blaine stumbled backwards from the blow which caused him to slip on a patch of ice. He lost balance and fell into an uncoordinated heap into a large pile of snow. The sound of kids yelling sounded a few feet away as Blaine tried to get his bearings. As Blaine wiped the melting snow from his eyes a soft hand landed on his shoulder.
"Are you ok?" An almost musical voice asked. Blaine looked up through his snow-soaked lashes to find the most beautiful pair of eyes he had ever seen. The eyes were attached to the most stunning boy, no, man, Blaine had ever laid eyes on. His skin was like porcelain, his hair the color of chestnuts, his smile was warm and inviting. His whole presence made Blaine's heart beat fast in his chest.
"I…I…" he stammered. The boy's eyes widened as Blaine looked up.
"Shit, you're bleeding!"
"Bleeding?" Blaine questioned quietly as he looked down to see his glove stained with blood. The boy nodded quickly as he helped Blaine out of the snow drift Blaine yelped when a sharp pain shot up through his ankle as soon as he set it on the sidewalk.
"What, what's wrong?" he asked worriedly. Blaine looked up at the beautiful stranger, unable to force the words past the knot in his throat. He looked down and mumbled something about his foot.
"Did you hurt your ankle when you fell?" the stranger asked. Blaine nodded as he kept the injured foot pulled up off the ground. "So we have a bloody nose and a sprained ankle…do you want me to call an ambulance?"
Blaine's eyes widened, he shook his head furiously. The situation was already bad enough. "Ok, will you at least let me help you patch yourself up? I only live a few blocks away and I promise I am not a psychopath." the boy said with a slight laugh.
Blaine stood helplessly in the middle of the sidewalk. His nose was bleeding heavily, he could tell by the taste of blood on his lips. His ankle was throbbing despite being off the ground and his head hurt from the force of the snow ball. He knew there was no way he could make it back to his apartment in Brooklyn without help. He would have to accept the kindness of this strange, but beautiful man. Blaine nodded shyly.
"Ok, I am Kurt by the way. What is your name?"
"B..Blaine." Blaine whispered.
"Ok Blaine, can you put any weight on your ankle?" Kurt asked as he stepped up to Blaine's side. Blaine hesitantly put his ankle down but let out another yelp as more pain shot up through his leg. "So that is a no." Kurt said as he looped his arm around Blaine's waist. Blaine immediately tensed up. "Hey, it's ok I am just here to be your crutch." Kurt said as he felt the waves of anxiety float off Blaine. Blaine let out a nervous laugh before sinking in against Kurt.
The walk to Kurt's apartment wasn't far but took longer than expected due to Blaine's ankle. They arrived at the small apartment nearly a half hour later. The bleeding from Blaine's nose has stopped, leaving a nasty trail of dried blood down over his lips and chin. His ankle throbbed as Kurt carefully set him on his couch.
"I am going to get a towel for your nose I will be right back." Kurt said before hurrying to the back of the apartment. Blaine looked around the apartment cautiously. It was not unlike most apartments in New York, small but nice. Cramped but still homey. There were few framed Playbills lining the walls; Blaine wanted to get up and get a closer look but his ankle is keeping him trapped on the couch.
"Ok, I think I got everything." Kurt said as he bustled back into the room. In his arms are a few towels, a pair of sweatpants and a hoodie as well as a rather large first aid kit.
"I…I don't think we need all that." Blaine said quietly as Kurt sat on the couch.
"Oh, I know but my step mom bought it for me last Christmas when I slipped on some ice and didn't have anything to take care of myself with. She is a nurse so I think she went a bit overboard with the first aid kit but some of this stuff might come in handy. Like…" Kurt paused searching through the mass of medical supplies. "This!" He cried pulled out an ace bandage. "Do you want to take off your coat?" Kurt asked, looking up at Blaine who is still wearing all of his winter gear.
"Umm, yeah." Blaine said with a nod as he starts to shrug off his outer layers. He shivered as his wet clothes stuck to his body.
"I brought you a change of clothes. They might be a bit big but at least they are warm and dry." Kurt said, placing the clothes in Blaine's lap. Blaine cheeks flushed with the thought of wearing a stranger's clothes.
"I'm..I'm ok." Blaine mumbled as another set of shivers shook his small frame.
"Liar, you are freezing. I am going to go check something and let you change. I will be back in five minutes to help you wrap your ankle. Put the clothes on, Blaine. I will be in the other room." Kurt left before Blaine has a chance to argue. He sighed as he carefully began to shuck off his wet clothes. After a few minutes a small struggle with the pants, Blaine was wearing Kurt's clothes. They were warm and soft and smelled divine. Blaine took another smell of the soft fabric just as Kurt walked in with two coffee cups in hand.
"I promise they are clean!"
Blaine's cheeks blushed furiously. "I know…they just…"
"Shh, I am just teasing. I know my clothes smell fantastic. I refuse to buy bargain brand detergent." Kurt set the steaming mugs down on the table before moving towards the end of the couch. "Here, for your nose." Kurt said as he handed Blaine a wet hand towel. Blaine gave him a shy smile as he started to dab at his bloodstained nose.
"Can you put your ankle up on this pillow?" Kurt asked softly. Blaine nodded again as he carefully maneuvered his injured ankle to sit upon the soft pillow. Kurt carefully pulled up the leg of the sweat pants to reveal a very swollen and bruised ankle. "Wow, that snow ball really did a number on you." Kurt said as he gently touched Blaine's ankle. His touch was gentle and warm against Blaine's chilled skin. "Ok, before I start I have to tell you my knowledge doesn't go much beyond basic first aid and an unhealthy obsession with medical shows. So you can't sue me or anything if my ace bandage forces you to amputate your ankle or something." Kurt said as he started to unspool the wrap.
"Wait what?" Blaine cried as he sat up. Kurt laughed.
"Blaine, I am kidding. You will be fine."
Blaine let out a small laugh of his own. "Ok. Dr…" "
Hummel." Kurt supplied.
"Dr. Hummel." Blaine murmured. They settled into a comfortable silence as Kurt carefully wrapped the bandage around Blaine's ankle. When Kurt had finished he carefully placed Blaine's ankle back on the pillow.
"I made us some hot chocolate." Kurt said as he handed Blaine a cheery red mug.
"Thank you, you really didn't have to do all this." Blaine said as he sipped the warm drink.
"It was my pleasure Blaine. I can't imagine what you would have done if I hadn't been there."
"I probably would have died in that snow bank and no one would have been the wiser." Blaine said with a small smirk.
Kurt barked out a loud laugh. "I am sure someone would have come looking for you eventually."
Blaine shook his head. "I don't think so."
"Blaine, are you telling me that there is nobody in this city that would be worried if you didn't come home one night?"
Blaine took another sip of hot chocolate, he wasn't sure why he felt the need to tell his sad and lonely story Kurt, someone who he had met barely an hour ago, but something about him caused Blaine to spill out his heart. "No, I moved here a few months ago and I haven't really made any friends."
"Don't you have any family?" Kurt asked, his voice laced with concern.
"Not here, my brother is in LA and parents live in Ohio; that doesn't matter though, I haven't spoken to them in months."
"Wait, you are from Ohio?" Kurt asked sitting up in his chair.
Blaine nodded, "Yeah, why?"
"I grew up in Ohio, I'm from Lima."
"Really? I grew up in Westerville!" Blaine said his eyes brightening.
"We were practically neighbors. What a small world." Kurt said with a smile. Blaine smiled back. He couldn't believe this was happening. A few hours ago he was alone in Central Park now he was sitting in a beautiful boy's apartment drinking hot chocolate and laughing like they were old friends.
Suddenly Blaine's brain seemed to catch up to him. He was sitting, in a stranger's apartment drinking hot chocolate. His hands began to shake from nervousness; he couldn't believe this was happening. Blaine quickly set his still hall-full mug and began to sit up from the couch. "I…I have to go."
Kurt shot up from his chair. "What do you mean? Blaine is everything ok?" Blaine shook his head as he sat up.
"No, I'm sorry Kurt. I have to leave. I've sorry to bother you. I will just put my clothes back…"
"Blaine, stop." Kurt words were commanding but soft. "You can barely stand on your ankle, let alone walk home. I want you to stay. It's nice to have some company."
Blaine shook his head. "No, I don't think so."
Kurt sighed. "Can you at least tell me why you are leaving so soon? Did I do something wrong? Is it because…" Kurt said motioning to himself.
"Because of what?" Blaine asked quietly.
"Because I am a duck. Geez, Blaine because I am gay." Kurt said, his voice hardening a bit on the last word. Blaine's eyes widened.
"No, god no. That isn't it. I didn't even know you were…"
"Pshh, seriously Blaine. Your foot was resting on a silk throw pillow and I saw you eyeing my playbills earlier. You are also wearing a hoodie from Marc Jacobs. Everything about me screams gay." Blaine stifled a small laugh.
"What are you laughing at?" Kurt asked, a smile playing on his lips.
"I wanted to leave because I got nervous; I've just never had this happen before. And I am laughing because I have a few of the same playbills in my apartment."
"Wait you are telling me that you have never had a kind gay stranger save you from dying in a snow bank?" Kurt teased.
"No, I haven't. I am also telling you that your gayness doesn't bother me because I am gay too." Blaine said as his cheeks flushed scarlet. Kurt laughed as he sat back down in the chair across from Blaine.
"Well, good, because this first date was awkward enough, I didn't need your possible fear of gays messing it up even more."
Blaine's heart sped up once again. "First date?" Kurt just nodded as he sipped his hot chocolate. "If it's any consolation this is the best first date I have had since moving here." Blaine smiled as he brought his mug to his lips. "It's the best first date ever."