I had a mighty need for masquerade ball!Klaine.
Blaine ducked into one of the curtained alcoves that lined the ballroom, tossing a hasty apology over his shoulder-
-and running smack into another person, who let out an "oof!" of surprise.
"Oh my God, I'm so sorry!" Blaine said, carefully moving himself to the other end of the small, dimly lit nook. "I was just-"
He abruptly cut himself off once he looked up into the stranger's face. Though most of it was obscured by his ornate silver-and-navy swirled mask, the man's eyes were still visible, and God, if Blaine had to only look at those for the rest of his life, he wouldn't be mad. They were a stunning blue-grey, made bright by the complementary colors of the man's mask. Blaine kind of felt like a slob when he compared his own simple black mask to the other man's finery.
"You were just?" the man said, sounding amused. His voice was just as attractive as his eyes, which didn't really help Blaine's concentration any, but he managed to power through.
"I was just trying to escape the flock of girls that was following me around the dance floor," Blaine said. "They seemed very sweet, but I couldn't figure out a good way to tell them that I don't play for their team."
"If I knew how to help you, I'd give you my advice, but that's never really been an issue for me," the man said, smiling wryly. "People tend to just assume I'm gay. They're not wrong, of course, but it would be nice to be asked once."
"I'm sorry, that's gotta suck," Blaine said, sympathetic. "Would you like me to ask you your sexuality?"
The man smiled at Blaine's lame attempt at a joke. "I think I'm alright, but I appreciate the offer."
"So why are you hiding out in here?" Blaine asked, hoping to extend the conversation. He wasn't about to let a guy who looked and sounded like this one did to leave his life any sooner than he had to. "Is every other guy at the party trying to beg you to be their partner for the Cinderella dance tonight?"
"Not quite," the man said. "I was just getting a little overwhelmed, so I decided to take a break for a minute to recenter myself when suddenly you came in and knocked me off-balance in an entirely different way."
"I'm sorry!" Blaine said quickly, feeling horrible. "I can go, I don't want to int-"
"No, please stay," the man said, taking hold of Blaine's wrist. "This is the first good conversation I've had all night. I swear, some of the guys here are about as interesting as my stepbrother's unwashed gym shorts."
"Have you noticed they all try to work their acting credits into every conversation?" Blaine asked, laughing. "It's like they can't even order a cup of coffee without mentioning that they were Extra #4 in a Starbucks commercial once."
"Oh my God, that happened to me last week!" the man said, laughing along with Blaine. "Needless to say, I remembered a homework assignment that I just had to do and ran out of there like the building was on fire."
"I can't blame you," Blaine said. "At least you could think of an excuse. I probably would've just stammered something unintelligible and bolted before I could laugh right in his face."
"I have impeccable manners," the man said, eyes sparkling. "After all, I haven't accidentally assaulted anyone tonight."
"Hey!" Blaine said, genuinely shocked. "I apologized for that!"
"I know, but I think you could really make it up to me by asking me to dance," the man said.
Blaine took the hint. "Would you like to dance with me? We can show all those boneheads how it's done."
"Well, how can I say no to a proposition like that?" the man teased. "Lead the way, dapper Dan."
Blaine escorted the boy to the dance floor, feeling tingles shoot through his body when he reached down to take his hand. As they reached the center of the room, a slow song began to play and Blaine began to laugh.
"How convenient," he said, resting one hand on the man's waist and leaving the other intertwined with his own. "Also, how cheesy."
"Don't tell me you don't like High School Musical," the man said, giggling quietly. "I might have to leave you right here and now if you say that."
"I love High School Musical," Blaine said, swaying them in a slow circle. "I just didn't realize our prestigious, world-renowned drama school also loved it."
"Everyone loves HSM," the man said. "Everyone."
They lapsed into silence as Troy and Gabriella sang on.
And with every step together
We just keep on getting better
So can I have this dance?
Can I have this dance?
The night seemed to pass at light speed as Blaine and the mystery man kept dancing, their embrace becoming increasingly more intimate as the time progressed. Their small talk also bloomed into full, deep conversations as they discovered that their opinions were either totally identical or differed wildly, allowing for playful arguments that just made Blaine's infatuation grow more and more.
They were having a full-blown discussion about which Julie Andrews movie was objectively the best (Blaine thought it was Mary Poppins, his partner The Sound of Music) when suddenly the DJ's voice came over the speakers.
"It's time for the Cinderella dance, dudes and dudettes! Find your favorite partner and share one last masked moment before revealing your true identities once this song ends!"
"I suppose we'll be sharing this dance, too?" Blaine said, smiling teasingly.
"I dunno, didn't you say that girl in the purple dress was really into you?" the man said, returning Blaine's smirk. "She might come cut in."
"You would really leave me to the wolves after the night we've had?" Blaine asked, enjoying how easy it was to joke with this man. "Is this because I said I prefer Sinatra to the Beatles? I'll take it back if I have to!"
"I guess I can't leave you out to dry after a change of heart like that," the man said. "C'mon, partner. One last dance before I finally get to see the rest of that gorgeous face."
"My sentiments exactly," Blaine said, glad he sounded much more composed than he felt. He was so anxious to see the other man's face (and hopefully learn his name) that he thought the butterflies in his stomach were about to fly his whole body off the ground.
The song seemed to last both a thousand years and no time at all, and soon enough the last few notes were hanging in the air. Blaine took a deep breath and counted to three mentally before reaching up and untying the ribbon holding his mask to his head, averting his eyes until his whole face was visible again.
When he looked back at his partner, he had to stifle a gasp. "It's you!" he said, stunned.
"It's you!" the other man said, looking equally shocked.
"Oh my God, I cannot believe I've been dancing with Kurt Hummel all night," Blaine said. "I've been crushing on you since-"
"-classes started, oh my God," Kurt butted in. "How did I not know it was you under that mask, Blaine? I've been staring at you in Golding's class since the first day."
"Wait, you've been crushing on me?" Blaine asked, thrown for another loop. "I've been crushing on you."
"This is possibly the most rom-com-esque thing that's ever happened to me," Kurt said. "I didn't even know something like this could happen outside of the movies."
"Is this the big kissing scene, then?" Blaine asked, only half joking.
"I wouldn't complain about it."
That was all the invitation Blaine needed. He leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to Kurt's lips, intending to keep it relatively chaste. Kurt apparently didn't share his thoughts, though, and pulled him in to deepen the kiss.
"Come out for coffee with me?" Kurt asked when they split apart. "Now, if you can?"
Blaine just nodded, woozy and hearing the lyrics of the last song repeat in his head after that kiss.
In the arms of my love, I am flying
Over mountain and meadow and glen
And I like it so well
That for all I can tell
I may never come down again.
