Java Joe's was a quaint sort of place, similar to The Lima Bean in only one way; it served coffee.
The seats were mismatched, some leather, some wicker, even a chaise lounge tucked away in the corner. A chalkboard told anybody who read it that 'The Neon Queens' and 'Earth Accents' performed every Thursday and Saturday night, and that they were also available for weddings. Hung over the door - in a way that meant they chimed out in their little twinkly fashion each time the door swung open - were half a dozen wind chimes, some with bird feathers strung to them and others with brightly coloured beads. A large dream catcher hung among them, for reasons that weren't apparent to anybody but Java Joe himself.
He was a plump, balding sort of man, whose cheeks were reddened with the cheery grin he always kept on his face, and who walked with a slight limp on his left side due to a leg injury. He served each and every customer with the same grin, smiling from the moment he clambered out of bed to the moment he clambered back in. Joe lived for life.
Blaine had always felt out of place at Java Joe's. The warm browns and earth tones suited him perfectly, yes, but it was the place where many people went to think, and Blaine often had little time to think. The Warblers, his school work and Kurt's casual outings often left little room for thinking time.
It was Valentines Day, and Blaine trudged in through the door feeling a thousand times more downtrodden and emotionally drained that he had that morning.
He was grateful to find that Joe didn't take part in Valentines Day celebrations, the cafe devoid of any decorations or happy couples. In fact, it was devoid of anybody. Only Joe sat behind the counter, whistling to himself as he leant back and rocked his chair against the wall. He wore a Stetson low over his face, raising it as the wind chimes called out loudly into the silence of his shop. He nodded once at Blaine and rose from his chair, removing the Stetson and placing it gently on the counter, moving to greet Blaine.
"What'll it be, son?"
"Medium drip, please."
Blaine was handed his coffee and said his thanks to Joe, who simply replaced his hat and nodded once more, returning to his position in the chair. Blaine wandered among the odd tables and chairs until he found the polished oak table that he was so fond of and sat down silently. He breathed in the smell of his coffee and allowed it to steam for a while before taking a large gulp, glad for the burning that seared down his insides. At least he knew he still had some feeling left in him.
Ten minutes passed, whereby Blaine sat by himself and let his mind think the events of the past day over, however just as he was on the verge of coming to some sort of conclusion, a tall boy walked through the door, setting the wind chimes off in their tiny melodic ringing. He was slim, yet well-built, muscles on his arms and chest that suggested he was athletic, and his dark brown hair waved only slightly. His blue eyes scanned the tiny cafe for a moment before finding the only occupied table and its occupant. He seemed to look Blaine up and down before moving fluidly to the counter.
Blaine stared down at the table as the boy ordered an exotic coffee with lots of cream, and he looked up to see the boy heading straight for his table, holding a coffee cup tightly in his hands.
He sat down in the seat opposite Blaine, sliding his coffee cup down onto the table. "I'm Jesse." The boy said, offering a small smile. He took a sip of coffee before licking a line of froth from his top lip. Blaine glanced at him and then looked away.
"Blaine."
Jesse raised an eyebrow. "You're a Warbler?" He gestured to Blaine's uniform with a wave of his hand.
"And proud of it." Blaine replied almost defensively, keeping his tone firm but flat, and Jesse's mouth lifted at the corners. His eyes flickered over the Dalton crest on Blaine's breast pocket a few times before returning to his face. Blaine leant back in his chair slightly, eyes narrow with recognition. "You used to be the lead in Vocal Adrenaline?"
Jesse nodded, and Blaine mirrored his action slowly. They both reached for their coffee cups at the same time, looking away from each other to tip their heads back and drink quietly. As soon as they set their cups down, Blaine's phone lit up on the table. The caller ID read 'Kurt'. He looked at it and sighed.
"Not gonna get that?" Jesse asked, and Blaine shook his head. They both stared at the phone until the screen darkened, indicating that Kurt had either hung up or been sent to voice-mail. Blaine sighed again.
Jesse's hair was the kind that stayed relatively straight until it reached the end, where it flicked out wildly in all directions, and he pushed it back off of his forehead to keep it from hanging in his eyes. Blaine had similar problems, but preferred to gel his hair into a manageable style. As he took another sip of coffee, a single piece of hair broke free of the gel and instantly curled.
"What are you doing in a place like Joe's anyway?" Jesse frowned. "It's a bit far from your campus."
Blaine blinked. "I needed air."
"You don't have to be so tense." Jesse laughed, and Blaine's face instantly hardened. He held up his hands to the Warbler. "I know I've got a bad reputation, but I'm not here to spy on you. Honestly."
He waited for a response.
"I'm not wearing a wire or anything-", he assured, "-I come here to think sometimes."
Something in his expression pleaded innocence with Blaine, who rolled his eyes and leant forward in his chair, softening his face slightly. "If you're sure.." He slid his half-full coffee cup between his hands, watching it carefully. "I come here to think too." He finally admitted.
"I just got kicked out of college." Jesse said, tone level and deep, eyes looking straight into Blaine's.
"I just got rejected by a junior GAP manager." Blaine shrugged, tracing his finger along a scratch in the polished wood table.
Jesse paused thoughtfully, as if carefully deliberating the words to use. "Man," he breathed, "that's rough. Sorry."
"Doesn't matter now."
Blaine's phone lit up again, the screen reading 'Kurt' once more. This time, Jesse positively smirked.
"You've either got one hell of a worried best friend or a creepy-ass stalker there, Blaine." He smiled, and Blaine managed the smallest of smiles in return.
"Best friend." He nodded. "But.."
"But?" Jesse raised an eyebrow. "But what?"
"Nothing." Blaine waved away the matter, straightening a little in his seat. After a sip of coffee, he pointed a finger at Jesse. "So, why were you kicked out of college?"
"Ah," Jesse pulled a face, "That's a long story."
Blaine glanced at his watch. "I've got time."
The other boy shook his head but grinned. "Being the lead in Vocal Adrenaline had its perks. I didn't even have to go to lessons, they just paid an Asian kid to take my exams. I figured it would be the same at UCLA.." He trailed off with a sheepish grin.
"I'm guessing it wasn't the same at UCLA?"
"No, it was not."
Blaine took another sip of coffee. "But why come all the way back here?"
Jesse rubbed the side of his neck with his palm. "There's a girl." He smiled. "She's wonderful and amazing, talented and my god, she can sing." He paused. "And we broke each others' hearts." He slapped the back of his hand to his forehead dramatically, laughing at himself as he did so. "It all seems a bit over the top, I know, but I do regret hurting her."
"So you've come back to find her?"
"I don't need to find her, I know exactly where she is. I've come back to make amends, and to ask her for a second chance." Jesse stopped, and his face fell a little. "I'm not sure if she'll take me back."
Blaine bit his bottom lip. "You can always try."
"Yeah."
A few minutes passed in silence, during which both boys finished their coffees, and Joe came hobbling around to their table and took away the old cups, replacing them with the exact same orders they had and claiming that they were on the house with a friendly grin. A further period of time passed where conversation was filled mindlessly with talk of the weather, and lips were occupied with cup-rims for the majority of the time. After half an hour of the same absent chatter, Jesse pulled out a pen and a notepad from his pocket.
"Here," he said, "This is my number." He tore off the sheet of paper and handed it to Blaine, who was taken aback at the gesture. "Text me whenever you want." Then he added quietly, "It's not like I have anything else to be doing."
Blaine folded up the number and placed it into his breast pocket, then took the notepad and the pen from Jesse and wrote down his number too. Then he slid the pad and pen across the table to Jesse, who stood up.
"Are you leaving?" Blaine asked softly.
Jesse smiled weakly. "Got to find some work so I don't get turfed out onto the street."
"I'll walk out with you."