"I have a boyfriend," Kurt says, efficiently stopping the (admittedly attractive) guy at the bar who had begun flirting with him. The guy's face drops, his lower lip jutting out in a slight pout. A blush rises, reaching all the way to the tip of his ears, but Kurt can barely make it out in the dim lighting.
"Shit, yeah. Of course, I mean how could someone like you not have a boyfriend? Fuck-um I'm sorry," he rambles, and Kurt finds it strangely endearing. And even stranger, he finds his high school-like awkwardness slightly sexy.
"Don't worry about it," Kurt assures him, taking a swig of the beer that was just handed to him by the bartended (a new thing that Travis had gotten him into, he usually preferred a Long Island iced tea). He hands the tender a $5, telling him to keep the change, he risks another glance at the guy; he's shorter than him, with beautiful, dark hair, just barely long enough to form adorable ringlets on the top of his head. His eyes are… well, just about the most beautiful honey color Kurt has ever seen.
Um, earth to Kurt! You have a boyfriend! A really nice boyfriend who… likes (loves?) you, a lot! You should not be checking this guy out!
"I'm actual quite flattered, I-uh, I've never actually been hit on in Ohio. Well…" He thinks back to Dave and his odd ways of affection, and shudders. "Never mind. Anyway, thank you, but uh, I should get back to my friends."
The guy nods rapidly, offering a, "yeah of course." Kurt offers him a smile, turning back to find Rachel and Mercedes both staring at the exchange.
"Now, now, Girls, nothing to see here," he says exasperated.
"But he's so cute, Kurt! Did you see that blush? I swear he was Blushing all the way up to those ridiculous eyebrows!" Rachel basically squeals across the table, grinning at her best friend. It was obvious she was already pretty intoxicated, but it didn't take much to get Rachel drunk.
"Unfortunately, I have to agree with Rachel on this one," Mercedes adds. Rachel turns to look at her crossly, swatting her arm jokingly. "Girl, don't look at me like you don't know that you have some whacked out ideas sometimes." Rachel considers this for a moment, before reluctantly nodding in agreement. "Anyway," Mercedes says turning back to Kurt who has an eyebrow raised waiting for whatever nonsense is going to spew from his two best friends next. "I think you should dump that Travis guy and ask him out," she says pointing to… the guy Kurt had neglected to learn the name of.
Kurt rolls his eyes at the people he calls his best friends as they both fawn over the other boy as he stands awkwardly by the stage at the other end of the bar. "Things are going good with Travis," he says, forcefully snapping their attention back to the conversation at hand. "We've been together for almost three months now, it's close to being my longest relationship ever."
"But Kuuuhhrrrrttty," Rachel uses her best whine, pouting exaggeratedly, "he's so cute!"
"He lives in Ohio, Rachel, what the hell would I do with a boyfriend in Ohio? Plus why would I take the chance of ruining my relationship with my wonderful boyfriend when I don't even know this guy? He could be a total dick." This argument seems to shut the girls up, but he still catches them looking over to the other man every few minutes through out the night.
…
It's nearing 10 o'clock, and Kurt's finished two beers, but he's only slightly buzzed. What ever buzz he has going is quickly gone a soon as the first act of the night is announced, and it's the guy from the bar.
"Ok guys, it's time to get open mic night started," one of the workers says loudly, too loudly making the microphone pop, to the crowded bar. "Please welcome our first performer, Blaine Anderson!"
Blaine, Kurt thinks, Pretty name to go along with a pretty face. Ok so maybe he's not completely sobered up.
Blaine takes the stage with much more confidence than he had when he was trying to talk to Kurt. He flashes the crowd a dazzling smile, "Hi," he says into the mic hovering over the piano keys, he takes a seat at the beautiful stand up that doesn't look like it's gotten much use. "This one," he clears his throat awkwardly, and Kurt thinks he can just make out a blush creeping back onto his face, "this one is for the very stylish man at the bar, to whom I made a total ass out of myself to."
Kurt blanches.
Is he nuts?
In New York, yeah sure, dedicate a song to a guy you just met, and flirted with, why not? In Ohio? Does he have a death wish?!
…
Blaine's always been more comfortable expressing himself through song, so much more confident, and sure of himself. He only has to focus on the emotion, instead of finding the words to say, he's always had a bit of struggle with words, not just when it comes to flirting with cute guys at bars, who have boyfriends.
Jesus, Blaine, he has a boyfriend! Why are you doing this? You're just setting yourself up for failure.
He starts up the song anyway, slowing down one of his old favorites so that it fits more with the elegant sound of the piano.
Standing on the corner of 6th and How To Forget
Trying to do right by you all night Annette
You can go ahead and get married
and this will be our secret thing
I won't tell a soul except the people in the nightclub where I sing
He wants so bad to look out into the crowd, try and spot the man who so obviously doesn't live here, or not anymore at least, who he seriously has no chance with at all, the guy who probably won't even remember him in the morning when he is back in the arms of his amazing boyfriend. This doesn't mean anything to 'Mr. Boyfriend', but he still can't work up the courage to try and seek out his gaze.
I don't want to get you all worked up
He knows his cheeks are flaming even brighter when he drops his voice, making it as gruff, and sexy as he possibly can, because why the hell not?
Except secretly I do
I'd be lying if I said I didn't have designs on you
I'd be lying if I said I didn't have designs on you
Maybe he's crazy, but shit he feels good. He has no idea why; he's making a complete fool of himself, serenading a guy who has already turned him down. Yet he can't help but feel on top of the world. He doesn't hit on many guys, and has never sung to any. Maybe it's just adrenaline, and he will feel absolutely mortified when the song ends, but for now he will put his heart and soul into.
Though I do wish you'd come over But I'm warning if you do
I'd be lying if I said I didn't have designs on you
I'd be lying if I said I didn't have designs on you
…
Kurt is absolutely speechless as the song comes to a close, and Blaine stands up awkwardly exiting the stage weaving through the crowd before vanishing from his sight. His mouth is open, and he isn't sure how long it has been like that, probably throughout the whole performance.
He blinks; somewhat snapping out of the trance that Blaine's voice had left him in. He risks a glance at the two women at the table, knowing that they are sure to jump down his throat. And sure enough, "You have to go find him!" Rachel yells, and at the same moment Mercedes says, " a total dick huh?" To which he rolls his eyes.
"Rachel, I-I can't! I- Trav-"
"Oh, fuck Travis!" Mercedes demands, and Kurt thinks this is a very inappropriate time to throw out a witty, "I already have!" So instead he just shakes his head.
"Mercedes, I-"
"Kurt you were just serenaded! If you don't go after him I am officially revoking your card to the, 'I'm a Romantic,' club."
Kurt sighs, eyeing the two girls; he wishes he could smack the expectant looks off of their faces, it's just making this all the more difficult. Shit, they are really convincing. He rolls his eyes one final time before bounding from the chair; going in the direction he saw Blaine travel in. It leads him to a door, and for a moment he's relieved. He could turn back now, tell Rachel and Mercedes that he looked, and he wasn't there. He doesn't have to go through the door, yet he does.
He opens it quickly, knowing if he doesn't he'll wuss out halfway through. The alcohol does nothing to warm him from the bitter winter winds that attack his skin as he steps outside into the dimly lit alley, and he shudders, cursing himself for not bringing his coat.
He nearly misses the figure, a few yards away, leaning against the brick wall of the opposite facing building, hidden in a shadow. Kurt approaches cautiously, not wanting to startle him, the man did just come out to a bunch of drunken Ohioans; Kurt knows how scared he'd be out here all alone.
"Blaine?" The man's head pops up from where he is studying the ground. Kurt swears he sees a slight smile grace the shorter boys face.
"I-I'm sorry," he says for the second time that night, he drops their eye contact, studying the ground again that's covered in a thin layer of snow. "I have no idea what got into me up there. Music just kind of takes over my self control."
"I completely understand," Kurt says, because he does. He knows what it feels like to have to sing something, just to get his feelings out there, and out of him so that he doesn't explode, it's not something that's easily controllable, "and I just wanted to say that that was extremely-"
"Stupid of me?" Blaine says with an un-amused laugh.
"I was going to say brave." Blaine's head shoots up at that, his eyebrows nearly touching his hairline.
"R-really?" He stutters out.
"Pff, I could never do what you just did. Not here anyway. I mean it's not hard to tell I'm gay, but to be so open about it, to act on it in front of dozens on people, I would never have the balls to do that. In New York yes, in Ohio definitely not."
"So that's where you're from then? New York?"
"Moved there for college; I lived in Lima my whole life before that, so I know how cruel people can be here. Honestly, Blaine, that was one of the most courageous things I've ever seen in my life. And you have a beautiful voice, if I might add."
Blaine hangs his head again to hide his face flushed with embarrassment, and just a little bit of pride. "Thank you."
"No, thank you." The taller man inches closer, hooking a pale finger under Blaine's chin, gently prodding him to look up and meet his gaze. "I'm Kurt by the way," he says before he can't wait any longer and he connects their lips in a very chaste kiss, just enough to taste the wheaty taste of beer on Blaine's baby soft lips.
He doesn't know if it is the alcohol, or if he is truly mad, but he finds himself saying to hell with Travis. Has Travis ever serenaded him? No. Has Travis ever even tried to show Kurt a romantic gesture, something that would sweep him off his feet like Blaine had? No, he wasn't sure Travis had a romantic bone in his body. And Kurt had no illusion that they were ever meant to be "forever." Travis was just someone who's company he enjoyed, and who he could take to all of his friends parties so he wouldn't have to go alone. And the sex wasn't terrible either, but Blaine had done more for him in two hours than Travis had done in almost three months.
He feels Blaine stiffen as he pats at his pockets in search for his phone, he pulls it out of his right pocket, thankful there's no pass code, because that would be so unsmooth, and quickly enters his number. He knows he'll feel like a tool later for putting a winking emoji next to his name, but for now he doesn't give a shit.
"Give me a call if you're even in the city, yeah?" He says slipping the phone back into the other man's pocket.
"As soon as I get back to my dorm," Blaine assures bashfully, shooting Kurt a sly grin. Kurt raises a questioning eyebrow, a smirk crawling onto his face, "at Julliard."
Kurt can't help the smile that pulls onto his face. He pulls Blaine down by the lapels of his pea coat; stealing one more, slightly longer kiss before breaking away and heading back for the bar. He stops at the door; throwing the boy another smile he says, "see you around, Blaine."