Kurt's not addicted to coffee; he just likes it a lot. It's his go-to drink, whether he needs a pick-me-up after an all night cram session (because the academics at Dalton are unreal compared to the lethargy of McKinley's), or whether he and Blaine just need some means of spending time together and hanging out, as teenagers do.
Unfortunately, Blaine's somehow become his unofficial "coffee buddy" as of late, and when he goes up to the register at the first Starbucks he can find (about twenty five minutes outside of Westerville, at some outlet mall or other), the dapper male is on his mind. Despite the fact that this particular coffee excursion's whole point was to get Blaine off his mind. And the moment he accidentally begins to order a medium drip, instead of his own nonfat mocha, he wants nothing more than to slam his head into the counter in front of him.
Naturally, he doesn't, because he's fairly certain that that would cause a lot of people to worry about his sanity, and he definitely doesn't need strangers to think he's a batshit crazy flamer instead of just a regular flamer. But it doesn't mean that he really doesn't want to, and that desire must be playing out through his features and his tone as he revises his order.
The barista makes an interested noise that finally prompts Kurt to look up at them, and when he does, he wishes he'd capitalized on the head-slamming. There are about three people that he really didn't want to have to deal with today – those people are, in a very specific order, Blaine, Rachel, and Finn. (The latter for absolutely no reason other than the fact that he's such a delightful moron that he'd most likely bring up Blaine's and Rachel's brief romance in an off-handed and totally inappropriate way.)
But somewhere lower on that list – after Wes, with his goddamn gavel that he really shouldn't smack around so much, and Puck, with his damnable abilities to pick the locks on liquor cabinets – is the guy staring at him with a half-amused, half-concerned look of recognition on his face.
"Hey, you're that guy," the messy red-haired male says with a slightly awkward smile as he punches Kurt's order in. Kurt resists the urge to roll his eyes, but only barely, and ends up settling for a weak smile that probably looks more like a grimace. (As it should, because it actually is more like a grimace than anything else.)
"Yes, though I usually answer to Kurt," he responds a bit more snippily than he intended to. Jeremy or whatever his name is seems to get the picture that Kurt's really not interested in small talk right now, and seems to deflate a little as he mumbles an uncertain, "Four fifty-three," only to have a five dollar bill nearly shoved at him.
Kurt thinks that he'll feel bad for the way he's treating someone he has no reason to hate like he does later, when he's got his damn mocha and he's managed to direct his mind to non-Blaine-related topics. For now, though, he glares daggers at Jeremy's back as the boy – man; he's a legal adult – sets about making Kurt's order.
Except when Jeremy – Kurt's pretty sure that's his name, anyway, although the more he looks at him, the more he thinks that he looks like a Sebastian – turns around and gives Kurt a knowledgeable look, Kurt feels bad a little too soon for his unnecessary cruelty, and averts his gaze out of shame. "Hey, I go on break in about ten minutes. If you're not busy, why don't you stick around? We'll talk."
The idea is certifiably deranged. Kurt's knowledge about this guy is limited to four things – that he's over eighteen; that he was the assistant manager at the Gap; that he's gay, but in the closet; that he's a friend of Blaine's (although he thinks that there might be a fifth, too; he doesn't seem like a fan of Robin Thicke, not that Kurt can blame him) – and this guy's knowledge about Kurt is even less. But something about the way that he's looking at Kurt seems weirdly trustable, and something about the way that he's talking to Kurt in an even, understanding tone of voice is really comforting, and before Kurt knows what he's doing, he's nodding.
"Sure," he says a little too hastily for his tastes. He briefly fears that he looks desperate, before he abruptly remembers that he shouldn't care. Except it seems like he really does when Jeremy / Sebastian / Gap Guy gives him a smile that makes Kurt see exactly what he assumes Blaine saw in him. He has a really pretty smile.
The ginger male doesn't say anything else as he gives Kurt his beverage, and shoots him a brief wink. "See you in ten minutes."
Kurt doesn't bother hiding the fact that there's a broad smile overtaking his features as he nods, and takes a seat at a small table by the window. And as he sits down to sip at his drink, he doesn't even begin to notice that Blaine is nowhere to be found in his thoughts, which somehow go from thinking about Gap turned Starbucks Guy, to thinking about Mercedes (because he could never understand her coffee order; he hates frozen coffee drinks), to thinking about Santana (because she and Mercedes have sung two duets together for Glee Club, whereas Kurt never got to do one with his baby girl), to thinking about Brittany (because even though Santana likes to pretend otherwise, he knows that she's still really in love with Brittany, and he wishes she would just accept it and do something already), to thinking about Mike (because he and Britt dance incredibly together, and he also has a really nice ass).
xoxox
Just as Kurt's mind wanders back to Sam (and more specifically, Sam's hair) for about the third time, someone drops into the seat across from him, and he abruptly remembers why he's sitting in Starbucks by himself in the first place.
Before he can remember that he's not supposed to like this guy, he smiles at the older male and offers a pleasant, though incredibly boring, greeting of, "Hey." Jeremy returns the greeting, and smiles back in that pretty way of his. Kurt pretends to be fascinated with his drink to avoid looking the boy in the eye, because he can feel a blush threatening to darken on his cheeks, and he really doesn't need that today, after everything.
"So, how can I be of service to you?" Kurt asks finally, setting his cup to the side and clapping his hands together on the tabletop. "If it's about Blaine, I'm afraid that I can't help you," he warns with insincere apology. The bitter, under-his-breath muttering of, "I can't even help myself when it comes to him, apparently," is out before he can stop it, and he instantly regrets agreeing to wait for this strange guy he's now starting a conversation with. Because this guy represents exactly when Kurt should have realized that he needed to give up on Blaine; when he heard that Blaine was in love with some guy that was assistant manager at the Gap. This guy represents exactly what Kurt should have done, to avoid being in the situation that he is now; that he should have accepted that he and Blaine wouldn't work out and broadened his horizons.
Except somehow, when Jeremy – maybe his name is Sebastian; Jeremy doesn't seem right, although Kurt gets the feeling that it does start with a J - just looks at the tabletop and nods with a sort of thoughtfulness, Kurt regrets it less. It must be something about his attitude – he's so calm, and easy-going (his dress indicated as much from the first time they "met"), and it's actually rather calming. It's a nice change from Mercedes' bitchy, protective one, anyway. (Not that he doesn't love his girl to death for being so angry for his sake, because he does, and it makes his feelings of worthlessness go away in a snap; he just needs someone serene at the moment, though.)
"Actually, I just wanted to talk," Sebastian admits simply, holding his empty hands in a show of innocence. Kurt can't help the expression of surprise that takes up his face as he gapes at the male's earnest look, and he reasons that it must be really pathetic to see, because Sebastian chuckles a little bit. "You looked upset, like you wanted to bang your head into a wall or something." Kurt hopes that he doesn't look too guilty, and tries to nonchalantly glance out the window. Sebastian laughs again, and Kurt knows that that must have made the accusation appear accurate. "I know we don't really know each other – Jeremiah, by the way – but…y'know, you're a friend of a friend – sorta – so I figured that I might as well give it a shot."
Jeremiah. That's it. Kurt's embarrassed that he couldn't remember that on his own, but defends himself with the reasoning that it sounds like the name of an Amish man with a large black beard, and this particular Jeremiah has no beard, and doesn't seem Amish in the slightest.
With a forlorn sigh, Kurt gives Jeremiah a thin smile before replying unsurely, "That's…unnecessarily noble of you, but I appreciate it just the same. Although, I can't say that I deserve it – I've been a horrible friend to our mutual link, hence my caffeine-fueled depression."
Despite the admittance, Jeremiah doesn't seem any less keen on listening to what Kurt has to say, and the countertenor gives him another smile – a little stronger, and more genuine this time, albeit sadder – before elaborating. "I have…strong feelings for Blaine, and he told me he just wants to be friends. Which I'm totally okay with, really, because he's one of my best."
Jeremiah just nods silently, and cocks his head lightly in a wordless urging for Kurt to continue. Kurt fights to ignore the way that Jeremiah's hair looks very cute as it flops against his face, and proceeds.
"But last week we went to a friend's party, and he got drunk and ended up making out with her." He punctuates the confession with a loud exhalation that looks like it startles Jeremiah.
No, it's the content that startles him. "Her?" Jeremiah repeats in completely-warranted surprise that Kurt can empathize with entirely. He confirms as much with another repetition of the pronoun, and the ruddy-haired boy gives a low whistle for emphasis on his following declaration of, "Ouch."
"She asked him out – while intoxicated, I'd just like to add – and he said yes, and…we had an argument. I said more than a few things I'm not proud of and would really rather not repeat about bisexuality, and he said some things that I would really love to forget. I know that I probably deserved all of it, because he was there for me when I needed someone to talk to, and I should have been there for him when he finally had a crisis, but…"
Kurt pauses to take a swig of his drink, and Jeremiah waits patiently for him to pick up. Briefly, Kurt considers abruptly changing the subject to something, anything, less painful than this one, but the unspoken But…? is lingering in the air, and he knows that it's one of those times where it's just going to stay there like an awkward elephant until he finishes. Preferring to take care of it now, rather than later when it'll be a dozen times worse, Kurt lets his gaze catch onto Jeremiah's as he concludes his tale.
"But it still hurts. I knew that he wasn't perfect – I've seen his hair without gel; those curls of his are a hot mess – but…I didn't think he could be that cruel. And he doesn't even know how strong my feelings are – he has no idea that I've been totally in love with him since we met, even though I wear my heart on my sleeve. I just don't know what to think anymore – is he really that clueless to everything? Or is he just pretending not to notice because it's easier?"
For a few moments, Jeremiah doesn't say anything, and Kurt wonders if he's ever going to. Just as he's about to speak up – again – to ask about that, however, Jeremiah beats him to it, and his question is rendered irrelevant. (He's glad; he hates to feel like he does all the talking in a – friendship? acquaintanceship? stranger-ship?)
"Look, I don't really know Blaine that well – truth be told, you probably know him a hell of a lot better than I do. I didn't even know that he sings." (Kurt doesn't bother trying to act like he's not severely bothered by this revelation. For as angry and disillusioned as he is with Blaine at the moment, he can still admit that the boy has a beautiful set of pipes that never cease to take his breath away.) "But I do know that he has this idea of the way things are in his head, and it's pretty different from the way that things are in reality. He likes for things to be storybook, you know?"
Kurt knows all right, and he smiles wryly in response. "I know all right. His anthem of romance is "Not Like the Movies," by Katy Perry."
The way that Jeremiah rolls his eyes and spits, "Katy Perry – I hate her," makes Kurt laugh hysterically, and when he finally calms down to see his companion glancing around nervously at the patrons whose attention Kurt's managed to attract, he can't help but start laughing again.'
"I'm sorry," he gasps as he straightens up, and attempts to blindly fix his hair which he's sure has broken out of its perfect hairspray-hold by this point. "Sorry, that wasn't funny at all," he mumbles, suddenly mortified.
The mortification dies down when Jeremiah grins, and shakes his wavy-haired head. "Don't sweat it. Look, all I can say about Blaine is that if you really love him – and I'm not trying to say that you don't, it's just that you're a teenager, and teenage "love" usually lasts about fifteen seconds – then just wait for him to wise up. Believe me, when he does finally see you the way you want him to, it'll be totally worth it. Until then, just – I don't know, do what they did in that movie. With that guy that was in Howl's Moving Castle? I forget what it was called…"
Kurt stares for a moment, before laughing – like a sane person – softly, and shaking his head gently. "I know the movie." The countertenor thinks that he could tell Jeremiah that – hey! I told Blaine the exact same thing when he said we should just be friends! but he decides not to. There are more important things that he could be wasting Jeremiah's precious break time on, since the older boy insisted on giving said precious break time to Kurt.
"How old are you, anyway?"
And now, Jeremiah's the one laughing loudly and attracting attention. Kurt just watches him curiously, noticing the way that he looks really, really nice when he's happy, and waits for him to finish.
"I'm nineteen. Twenty in two months."
That doesn't sound too horrible or pedophiliac, and Kurt vaguely wonders if Jeremiah had other reasons for rejecting Blaine's musical advances, but quickly dismisses those thoughts in favor of inquiring, "Can I come see you again sometime? Next time I could try and tackle one of your problems, though I don't have your mature, adult's wisdom."
Yes, Kurt thinks that he really understands what Blaine saw in Jeremiah, as Starbucks Guy smiles cheerfully at Kurt and holds up a cell phone withdrawn from his hoodie's pocket. (It's that horrific brown hoodie again, Kurt can't help but notice and cringe at.) "Or you could text me, and we could get coffee or something sometime? Not here, if you don't mind."
Kurt doesn't mind at all, and when Jeremiah's break ends and he goes back to work, Kurt makes a point of double checking to make sure he has his phone with him. He has no idea how these things work – if he's supposed to text Jeremiah? If he has to go through a waiting period so that he doesn't look needy? If he's just supposed to text, or if he's allowed to call? (He always has been a fan of verbal communications.) If that feeling in his stomach is just happiness and lightheartedness after everything he's gone through this past month or so, or if he's got the beginning of a crush brewing in him?
He really has absolutely no idea. But somehow, he thinks that everything will end up figuring itself out, if he just stays patient, and goes with the flow. No crowbars necessary. (He should probably tell Mercedes that.)
xoxox
AN: Yup. Shipname for Kurt/Jeremiah – I'm voting for Jerekurt, because it sounds like Jerry-curl, and I'm just that lame? Other (better) ideas?
AN (2): Jeremiah had better show up listed as a character on here soon. They have that Sean guy from Laryngitis listed, for christ's sake, so logic dictates that Jeremiah should be included, too. –nod-
Disclaimer: I own nothing.