"Hey, what can I get for you today?" A friendly pair of bright blue eyes blinked twice, and a beautiful pair of lips stretched into a grin as they took in the man before them.
"Umm, I'll have-" the beautiful man stumbled on his words-"I'll take the- I'm sorry, what's good? It's my first time here." He rubbed his neck sheepishly as he smiled shyly up at the barista across the counter from him.
"Well, everything here is good," He said. "You think I'd make something that wasn't good?" He puts his elbow on the counter and leaned his head on his hand, tilting his head in a way that he hoped conveyed his joking attitude.
"No, no, that's not what I was saying at all!" A horrified expression flickered across his face. "I just- what do you thinks good here? What do you like-" he leaned across the counter, checks out the barista's name tag-"Kurt?"
"What do I like?" Kurt made a show of thinking. "Well, the lattes here are nice, especially if you like something sweet, but we have a really good drip. I really love something short and dark." He grinned at the man across from him, who blushed slightly. "So, what'll it be?"
"Umm, a medium drip sounds great for now, thank you. I'll try a latte next time though."
"Okay, who's it for?"
"Blaine. My name's Blaine."
Kurt grinned again, his blue eyes crinkling happily, before he turned around and poured the coffee.
"Well," He scribbled a name on the cup before handing it to Blaine. "It was very nice to meet you, Blaine."
"I really think he was flirting with me!" Blaine collapsed onto the bed later, holding his phone to his ear.
"I'm sure he was, Blainy-bear." Tina, Blaine's best friend, said from the other line. "Who wouldn't flirt with a cutie like you?"
"Literally every guy I've ever liked." Blaine sighed dramatically. "But Tina, you don't understand, he was so perfect. His hair-"
"-was all swooshy and tall-"
"-and his smile-"
"-was pink and perfect and friendly yet sassy-"
"-and his eyes-"
"-were a perfect color that you had never seen before, but the boring writer might describe it as blue-"
"-and his ass-"
"-Blaine. Stop."
Blaine laughed into his phone, rolling over on his striped comforter.
"Fine." He laughed again, then quieted. "Tina, what should I do?"
"Get good at holding your caffeine."
Kurt rolled his eyes as his roommate, Rachel, continued to throw a fit.
"Kurt, you cannot honestly expect me to work at a coffee house that is both non vegan as well as non popular! That coffee house is not conducive to my singing ability, and there is absolutely no chance of my amazing talent getting discovered there!" She stomped a foot, huffing loudly.
"Get over it, Berry." Santana crossed into the room, practically collapsing onto the couch. "We all have to work to pay our share of this dump we call our apartment, and if you aren't paying rent, Lady Hummel and I have every right to throw you out on the street so you can go scurrying back to the rats nest you came from."
"It's Queen Hummel to you, Santana." Kurt was long used to his friend's offensive jokes by now. "And she's right, Rachel. You need a job, and the coffee house is hiring. They pay pretty well for a middle of nowhere café."
Santana picked up the remote, turning on the television, only to flick through the channels and turn it back off.
"Tip pretty well too, if you show off your cleavage." She smirked. "Or fantastic junk, as our darling Kurtsie-kins learned today."
"What?" Rachel turned towards Kurt with a gaping mouth. "I thought you said nothing interesting happened today!"
"Berry, you wouldn't know if someone was hiding something if they hid it right beneath your gigantic schnozz."
"Well, at least I don't have to use my cleavage to get tips, like a common whore!"
"At least I have cleavage, and not the small animals that somehow sneaked their way into your bra-"
"Ladies, enough!" Kurt finally interrupted, crossing his arms over his broad chest. "Rachel, you need a job. Santana, quit provoking her."
"I'll get a job if you tell me about the tips you got." Rachel blinked innocently at Kurt.
"Nothing happened today! Santana is just making things up for the surprisingly vicious rumor mill that runs in our apartment!"
"Nothing is totally Kurt's type and tips a whole lot of something." Santana pulled a twenty out of her bra, waving it around like a matador waving a flag at a bull. "Stole it from the jar while you weren't looking."
"Santana, give that back!" Kurt reached towards it, but Santana quickly shoved it back in her bra, cackling.
"What once was boob money stays boob money." She grins knowingly. "If you want it so much, come and get it."
Kurt glared viciously at her; with a gaze fierce enough to make anyone besides Santana quake with fear. When that didn't work, he took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and plunged his hand down her shirt.
She squawked loudly, flailing as he fished until he found the money. He pulled it out, grinning triumphantly.
"I didn't think you'd actually do it!" She shrieked, and then smirked as her manicured fingers adjusted her bra. "You do have nice soft hands, though. Sure you're not a lesbian? That's the best groping I've had all week."
Kurt sighed loudly. "Come off it, Santana. I'm going to use this-" He waved the money,"-to go buy myself some cheesecake, to make up for the mental anguish caused by touching your breasts."
"Oh, bring me back a vegan muffin!"
"And some vodka!"
"Hello, what can I get for you- oh, hi Blaine!" Kurt internally grimaced as he remembered the haphazard state his hair was in this early in the morning and the smudge of chocolate on his cheek from Santana messing with the syrups.
"Hey Kurt." Blaine bounced slightly, a soft movement that Kurt wasn't even sure he was aware of. "How are you?"
"Good. Tired, I guess, but it's early. I never was an early riser, even when I was in school."
"Oh, how old are you?" Blaine's eyes widened as he realized what he said. "Oh, I'm sorry, that was rude. When did you graduate?"
"Blaine, relax, it's fine. I graduated a year and a half ago. I'm a sophomore in college. Not much older than you, I'm afraid." Kurt's eyes scanned Blaine briefly. "What are you, a junior?"
"Senior, actually."
"Oh, graduating soon then. Well then, what can I get you?"
"I'll have a medium drip and a muffin, please."
"Coming right up." Kurt poured the coffee, saying a silent thanks to whomever that the coffee was freshly brewed. "What kind of muffin do you want?"
"Blueberry, please."
"Blueberry? Good choice." Kurt's eyes zoomed in on Blaine's chest and arms, glancing briefly until Blaine crossed his arms uncomfortably, not sure why Kurt was staring. "Goes well with your sweater." Kurt offered as an explanation.
"Thanks." Blaine uncrossed his arms, smiling down at his blue sweater. "My friend Tina got it for me. Normally her clothing choices are a bit –eccentric- but I actually quite like this one."
"Oh, a girl." Kurt felt a swoop of disappointment in his stomach as he ran Blaine's order up. "You guys dating or-?" He left the question unfinished.
"No! No. We're just friends." Blaine glanced around the coffee shop, and leaned over the counter slightly. "I'm gay."
Kurt couldn't keep the smile off of his face or the happiness out of his voice.
"Oh! Well," he glanced at the register. "That'll be $3.28. Our cutest customer of the day gets fifty cents off."
Blaine blushed brightly, shuffling awkwardly. "Thanks." He said, shoving some money in the tip jar and grabbing his order, not looking up to meet Kurt's eyes.
"Have a nice day!"
"You too!" With that sentiment, Blaine scurried out the door. Kurt watched him leave, smiling slightly at the endearing persona of the boy.
"I saw that!" Santana crowed, creeping out from back room that she had been watching from. "Damn, boy, get that."
"Santana." Kurt admonished, turning to face her. "You can't keep disappearing every time a customer you think might possibly be gay comes in. We're going to have complaints of homophobia, and I'm going to make you explain the irony of that."
"Yeah, everyone who works here happens to be gay. We should rename it The Gay Café!"
"No."
"Besides." Santana walks up to Kurt, circling him slowly. "If the customer is gay, you're more likely to get good tips than I am."
"Customers tip on how good the service is, not how likely the barista is to service them in the back!" Kurt slapped a hand over his mouth. "Oh God. You've made me filthy."
"I've done my job then." Santana circled him one last time, her heels clicking against the floor menacingly. "Besides, if the service is what you're getting tipped on, explain your last customer. You were way too personal, took forever to get the coffee, questioned his sexuality, and made him feel awkward more than once. Yet-" She plucked the only bill from the otherwise empty tip jar. "He still gave you a twenty."
"Not my fault the kid's rich." Kurt grumbled. Santana waved the bill in his face.
"Maybe he was just making up for your little discount. Oh, Blaine-" She imitated, her voice going unnaturally high. "Our cutest customer gets a special discount! Fifty cents off and my hand in marriage!" She gags. "Disgusting."
"Shut up, Satan."
"Make me."
"You'll have to get me drunk first."
"Deal."
Blaine picked up a tray from the lunch line at the over crowded public school he was currently attending. Tina and Mike trailed closely behind him as they grabbed their own trays.
"I don't know, guys." He sighed forlornly as the lunch lady put a scoop of some odd substance on his plate. "Maybe I was the only customer that morning."
"I'm pretty sure he was making up that discount." Mike winced as the same food splattered on his plate. "Coffee houses don't normally get to pick and choose people they call cute. Next time ask for his number."
"But he thought I was a junior! He thought I was too young, obviously."
"Blaine, he probably was just making sure that you weren't too young to date him! You do look pretty young for your age."
"Thanks, Tina." Blaine sighed and walked over to the lunch table, ignoring Tina's squawk of "What?" behind him. He poked at his food with a fork.
"What's up, dude?" Blaine's other best friend, Sam, took the seat next to him. "Are you okay? 'Cause if something bad happened I can totally, like, try to do something to fix it."
"Nothing happened, Sam." Blaine frowned. "Do I really look that sad?"
Sam nodded. "Like a kicked puppy."
"Great."
A look of understanding dawned on Sam's face. "Is this about, like, that waiter or whatever that Tina was telling me about? 'Cause she told me not to tell, but I can definitely go kick his ass for you if you want."
"He's a barista, Sam. And there's nothing to tell."
"But Tina said you were into him! She also told me not to tell you she said that." Sam made a face. "Sorry bro."
"I only met him yesterday, word sure travels fast." Blaine mused, attempting to take a bite of his food, but the indiscernible goop was scalding.
"Love happens instantly, man. When I met Mercedes, I knew for sure she was the one, in like a heartbeat."
"So I've heard. Many times, in fact."
"She's amazing." Sam smiled dreamily, looking off into the rambunctious cafeteria before snapping back up. "But seriously. Are you going to go back to the coffee shop?"
"I don't know. Maybe?" Blaine considered. "I don't want to be clingy."
"Come on! Let's go after school!"
"What? No! That's too soon!"
"Please?" Sam batted his eyelashes obnoxiously at him.
Blaine huffed loudly.
"Fine."
"I guess working here won't be so bad. I do look rather good in red. It's a shame you can only choose between red, blue, and black though, I'd like to speak to the management regarding versatility in the-"
"Cool it, Berry. We all know that if you had your choice, there would be cat designs on every article of clothing ever made, but unfortunately we do not live in a horror movie, where I'd actually have the option to kill you."
These were the first words that Blaine heard as he walked into the coffee shop, Sam bobbing behind him. He glanced at the counter in a way that he hoped was subtle as he checked for Kurt, but didn't see him there.
The coffee shop was nearly empty, with just a few people at a table and someone just coming from the line. But three in the afternoon wasn't exactly rush hour for coffee shops, so Blaine wasn't surprised.
"Dude, where's the hot waiter guy?" Sam whispered loudly, causing a surprised look from the customer walking out.
"Sam, it's called a barista." Blaine walked up to the counter. "Sam, what do you want?"
"Uh-"
"Hello, I'm Rachel, and I'm required to say these words as well as a mundane greeting because of corporate requirements. Can I interest you in a non-vegan latte or a non-vegan biscotti?"
"God, Rachel, you can't say that if you want a tip and to keep your job!" A black hair woman shoves the short brunette out of the way of the counter.
"Sorry about that, she's new. Hi, I'm Santana, and- oh, I know you." The woman- Santana, Blaine's brain supplies, - smirks, and Blaine feels somewhat threatened for a reason that he can't quite place. "You're the guy that's going to keep my apartment stocked in vodka and name-brand Oreos."
"What?" Blaine questions, feeling bewildered, while Sam also looks confused beside him.
"Sorry, you can only get a cutest customer discount once a day. But if Trouty Mouth over there wants a regularly priced coffee, I can get it for him. You'll have to wait though, Kurt's on break."
"What? I'm not here to see Kurt!" Blaine protests, elbowing Sam roughly in the side as he mutters "Liar," under his breath.
"Oh, is this the customer you were telling me about?" The shorter woman, Rachel, pushes her way forward. "Kurt was right, he is cute. Are you sure you're gay?" Rachel turns her attention to Blaine. "Because while I cannot condone flirting with customers the way that Kurt has so obviously done here with you and the way that Santana does with all of her customers-" Rachel shoots Santana a glare- "as it is completely immature and does not create a proper workplace environment, you must admit that we'd have delightful looking children, perhaps vaguely Eurasian looking."
"I- uh-" Blaine looks to Sam for help, but Sam looks away, amused.
"Go away, Rachel." Santana uses her hip to shove Rachel. "Now, where were-"
"Santana, you can't just shove Rachel like that, no matter how insufferable she's being! What's going on?" A high voice sounds from the back, and Blaine can't help grinning when he hears it.
"Your boy toy is here, and he brought a subspecies of fish with him!" Santana cackles.
"What are you-" Kurt manages to make his way to the front of the counter,"-Oh. Hi Blaine." He shoots a glare at Santana and Rachel, flipping them off under the counter and motioning for them to leave. Santana winks wickedly before skipping off, probably to find a good hiding spot.
"Feel free to disregard anything that they said. My roommates can be quite," he grasps for a word, "overwhelming. And they never can stay out of my business." He raises his voice significantly towards the end, glaring in the direction that Santana and Rachel had left in. "Now Blaine, what can I get you and your friend?" He smiles calmly.
"I'll have a large coffee, lots of milk." Sam butts in. "We're just friends, by the way. I'm straight, and Blaine here is completely and totally single. I'm going to go get us a table. I'm Sam, by the way. And he's single." He punches Blaine on the shoulder as he walks by, leaning in his ear to whisper, "See what I did there?" as he walks by.
Kurt watches him go with interest. "He's certainly… different." He smiles and shakes his head. "Reminds me of my stepbrother." The statement instantly quells any fears Blaine had about Kurt being attracted to Blaine.
"Yeah, but he's well intentioned." Blaine laughs.
"I can see. So, what can I get you, single Blaine?" Kurt asks. "Sorry to tell you, only one discount can be given out per day. Come again tomorrow." He winks, and Blaine feels butterflies in his stomach that he definitely did not give permission to be there.
"Um, I'll try the latte this time? See what you can do with foam?' He grins.
"Okay, that'll be-" Kurt checks the register-"$6.78. It'll be ready in just a moment."
Blaine goes to wait with Sam.
"Dude, I can see why you like him!" Sam exclaims. "He's hot, and nice yet pretty snarky. Good choice."
"Yeah, he's pretty awesome. Have you heard from Mercedes lately?"
"She's doing great! She says she prefers L.A. winters to Ohio winters any day." Sam chatters on about Mercedes.
"Sam!" A voice calls.
"Oh, that's mine!" Sam goes to get it, and then comes back with it. "The coffee here is great!"
"Yeah, I know, that's why I kept coming here."
"Whatever."
"Blaine!" Kurt calls, and Blaine goes to get it.
"Now, be very careful with this one." Kurt says as Blaine pays him and tips. "I know there's a lid on it, but before you drink out of it you should check the foam, okay?"
"Okay! Have a nice day!"
"You too!"
When Blaine gets back to the table, he urgently pops the lid off.
"Oh my god." He exclaims.
"Tina has got to see this." Sam says, taking a picture of the foam.
"It's beautiful." In the cup, the foam lies in the shape of a perfect heart. Blaine can feel his smile growing wider and wider, and has to physically restrain himself from bouncing. "Wait, don't send it to Tina!"
"Oops." Sam said sheepishly, showing Blaine the message he sent. "Look what Curt did to Blaine's coffee!" The message read.
"Now she's going to freak out." Blaine groans as he felt his phone vibrating from his coat pocket. He reads the messages, which were all some combination of exclamation marks and capital letters. He glances over to Kurt, who was wiping down the counters, before grinning foolishly.
"We better go home now." Sam advised. "I have to babysit at four."
"Okay, but if you spill that coffee in my car I'm making you clean it up."
"Deal."
After the incident with the latte heart, Blaine came back almost every morning for a coffee or a latte before school. Normally, there was just Kurt in the front when he came in, rearranging the display to his pleasing or wiping something down, but occasionally Santana would be there, with or without Kurt. Rachel didn't work mornings, as Santana explained to him one morning while Kurt finished styling his hair in the bathroom, as her sleep was 'too important for an up-and-coming star like her to miss.'
"Up-and-coming?" Blaine asked, tilting his head to the side. "What's she in? Would I have heard of her?"
"She's in nothing! That's why she's so irritating! She acts like she's so much better than everybody else when in reality, she's stuck in the same miserable town making a little over minimum wage just like the rest of us!"
Throughout the course of the end of January and part of February, Blaine tried a multitude of coffees, telling Kurt his opinion of every one.
"Too sweet." He said to a frothy creation with a number of shots of chocolate and two of vanilla. "Tastes more like the pumps than the coffee."
"Good taste." Kurt said. "Most of our younger folks love this kind, exactly for that reason."
"Well, I'm glad to be special." Blaine grinned, holding Kurt's gaze with his beautiful brown eyes for a moment before dropping his eye shyly.
"You're very special." Kurt remarked. "Biscotti to make up for your trouble?"
Early February, Blaine came in and did his business as normal. He got a medium drip, skipping the muffin because Tina had promised to bring in a cookie for homeroom. He reached out to tip, twenty clenched in his hand as usual, when a large hand grabbed his wrist.
"You know, you don't have to tip a ton to be my favorite customer, right?" Kurt released his grip, which felt like it was burning Blaine's skin.
"But the service here is so good!" Blaine protested. "It would be a tragedy not to tip as much as possible."
"You tip more than the coffee's worth!"
"Because I want to!"
"Save your money for college!"
"Please." Blaine scoffed. "My parents are paying for college. Trust fund baby, you know? At least this way I know their money is going towards something useful."
"Too bad. Buy silly bands or whatever kids your age are doing these days." Kurt rolled his eyes.
"Fine." Blaine muttered, reaching to grab his coffee. "How much?"
"It's on the house. I haven't given you a discount in a while, that can help make up for it."
Blaine narrowed his eyes.
"Fine. I'll see you tomorrow Kurt!"
"Bye Blaine." Kurt turned toward the counter, and as soon as his back was turned to Blaine, the tanner man shoved a twenty in the tip jar and darted out the door.
"Blaine!" Kurt called after him, crossing his arms as the door slammed shut. "Asshole."
"Happy Valentines Day!" Blaine chimed, skipping into the coffee house holding a box of cookies. "I brought you something!" he held the box out.
"Ooo, what is it?" Kurt peeked into the box. "Oh! Chocolate chip! My favorite."
"I thought dick was your favorite thing to put in your mouth." Santana muttered from the door. Kurt shot her a glare. "Wait, I forgot, you're an ass man, aren't you?" She tapped her shoe on the ground, smirking viciously.
"Go away, Satan." Kurt said. "Note to self: Never get drunk with Santana." He stretched his arms above his head, and Blaine most definitely did not peek at the way his arms and chest looked before he brought them back down. "Thanks for the cookies, Blaine. They were very sweet."
"Yeah, well, they were going to be heart shaped, but I accidentally burned them." Blaine rubbed his neck sheepishly. "But yeah. Happy Valentines Day."
"You too." Kurt replied. "Oh! Before I forget! Give me a moment, please." He turned and busied himself with them familiar motions of making a latte. "I spent all night practicing how to make this, I hope you like it." He poured the milk in, his face screwed in concentration. "Do you like cinnamon?" Blaine nodded.
"Perfect." He got out a stencil, a put a puff of cinnamon on it. Blaine craned his neck to see what he was making, but couldn't quite see it. "Tada!"
In the cup a perfect 'XOXO' was written, along with a thin cinnamon heart stenciled in along the outside.
"Oh my God, Kurt, that's amazing! How long did it take you to learn to do the art?"
"I have my talents." Kurt smiled mysteriously. "Now, shoo, you're going to be late for school. The education of our young people is very important to me."
"But this coffee is so beautiful, it would be a shame if I didn't watch more get made." Blaine pouted.
"Blaine. Go."
"Fine. Thanks for the coffee. How much-"
"Nothing! It was a trade for the cookies!"
"Fine." Blaine stuffed a twenty in the tip box. "Happy Valentines Day!"
"Blaine, don't you dare leave that twenty-" the door slamming shut cut off Kurt. He smiled fondly. "Brat."
"Hummel, you better hurry up and tap that." Santana stepped out from behind the door. "He clearly wants your fabulous D."
"D? Really? What are we, high school kids?"
"No, but you're fucking one." Santana frowned. "At least, you should be. You would be, if you let Auntie Snix help."
"I don't need your help getting a boyfriend!" Kurt turned. "We're taking it slow."
"Not moving at all doesn't count as slow, baby gay."
"Shut up."
"Oh my God, that's so romantic!" Tina chased after Blaine down the hall.
"Blaine, please please please tell me that you got his number. This will be a great story to tell your grandchildren."
"No, I didn't get his number. I don't know how to ask. And we're not going to had children together."
"You don't know that." Tina nudged his shoulder. "You could be soul mates. This could be the universe's way of telling you to get his number."
"I doubt it." Blaine said cryptically. "Nothing bad is going to happen if I don't get his number."
"You could be missing your chance! Come on Blainers! I wouldn't do this if I didn't love you."
Blaine laughed. "I love you too Tina. Now go to class!"
"Get his number!"
"Bitches, we are drinking fine tonight, courtesy of Kurt's gigantic dick and his fabulous boo." Santana waltzed into the apartment, waving a bottle of alcohol in front of Kurt and Rachel's noses. She poured a glass. "To Hummel's ass." She drawled.
"Santana, I know for a fact that is ten dollar wine, and you have not been stealing my tips. They are hidden safely in an undisclosed location." Kurt deadpanned, making a disgusted face at the bottle. "And he's not my boo."
"You stare at his ass like he is."
"Rachel!"
"Sorry, sorry." She held her hands up in surrender. "But everyone notices the way you stare. You're so obvious."
"Yeah, well, I'm hoping that he'll take a hint."
"Not likely." Santana took a swig of the wine, disregarding the glass. She scrunched her nose. "Ew. This wine is disgusting."
"Told you."
"Well, I need to drink it to be able to stop seeing your heart eyes. They're obscene."
"I don't have heart eyes!" Kurt collapsed next to Santana on the couch.
"Do too!" Rachel supplied unhelpfully. She grabbed the bottle of wine from Santana's grasp. "Gimme."
"Berry's right. The only one with bigger heart eyes than you is the shorter gay."
Kurt crossed his arms irritably, and then stood up.
"Screw you guys." He walked over to his bedroom. "Now, I have a paper to write. If you get drunk try to keep it down." He crossly walked into his room, closing the door harshly behind him.
"Somebody needs to get laid." Santana remarked, pulling the bottle from Rachel. "And for once I'm not actually talking about you, off key Barbra."
"Hey! I'll have you know, that Barbra and I have many similarities, not just our admittedly rather large noses. We are both very-"
"Shut up."
Normally, Kurt had barely opened the coffee shop and wiped down the counters when Blaine walked in. He figured that was relatively normal, as the shop opened up around 6:30 in the morning, and most high schools in the area started at 7:00 or 7:30 Blaine was on his way to school anyways. As the time grew to late February, there would often be flurries of snow on the ground, adorning the small door front with their white flakes.
One morning, Kurt was opening the front door of the coffee house when he noticed a shape standing next to the door, shivering. Blaine was coated with snow, his normally blue coat almost completely white and his nose a bright red.
"Blaine!" Kurt exclaimed wildly. "What are you doing?"
"I want-t-ted s-some coffee." Blaine shivered wildly, trying to smirk. Kurt opened the door to the shop, motioning inside wildly.
"Get inside!" Blaine shuffled inside, brushing the snow off of his jacket. "How long were you out there?"
"N-not very long." Blaine's lively brown eyes met Kurt's with earnest. "Like t-twenty minutes or s-so."
"Why on earth didn't you wait in the car?" Kurt pointed toward a seat near the counter, which Blaine took gladly as Kurt started wiping off the counters.
"Didn't think of it, I guess." Blaine shrugged and took off his hat; his dark curls a mess under it. Kurt yearned to reach out and pull one, but he resisted the urge.
"Why on earth were you here so early? I mean, of course I always strive for punctuality, but this seems a bit excessive for some coffee…" Kurt trailed off, looking at Blaine in concern.
He shrugged. "I woke up early, and there didn't seem to be a point to waiting around my house until it was time to go."
"It was snowing! You could have at least waited in the car!" Kurt shook his head.
"I didn't want to! Please, like you've never waited outside a crazy amount of time for something."
Kurt flashed back to when he was 16 and waited with his friends for seventeen hours for concert tickets.
"It was a good concert! Totally worth waiting outside for!" He protested, feeling himself start to smile. He shook his head. "Okay, no, it was a shitty concert."
"See!" Blaine grinned, bouncing up. "You're crazy, and I'm out of my mind!"
"Whatever. What do you want?" Kurt washed his hands.
"A latte would be good."
A few minutes later, Kurt walked out from behind the counter and grinned as he delivered a latte. "For you, dear sir." He presented the latte with a flourish. "I'll give you a warning, it is hot."
"Thank you, kind barista." Blaine looked down at the foam design on the latte. "Kurt! That's amazing!"
On the latte was a drawing of a pair of lips, slightly curved into a smile.
"Thanks, Blaine." Kurt said. "Anything else? A muffin, a scone…?"
"No thanks. How did you become so good at this? Isn't it hard?"
"Not really, to be honest." Kurt moved back behind the counter. "It takes a lot of practice, but once you get the hang of it it's no big deal."
"You're amazing."
Kurt smiled, looking away.
"Thanks."
"Fancy seeing you here in the afternoon." Kurt smiled lightly at Blaine. Blaine grinned whole-heartedly back.
"Surprise." He brushed some phantom lint off of his pants. "I really like the decorations in this place.
Kurt glanced around cryptically, a slight frown crinkling up his freckled nose.
"They're hideous." He frowned deeper. "Every year I tell the manager that we don't need to put the St. Patrick's Day decorations up on the first of March, but she never listens."
"I think they're cute." Blaine pulled his jacket to the side, revealing a bow tie with a shamrock pattern. "See?"
"Well, normally I think that tacky decorations are horrific and should be saved for nursing homes and hospitals, I suppose for you I can make an exception. Although," Kurt turned around from the counter, facing the coffee machine. "You make pretty much everything look cute." With his back turned, he missed the shorter man rubbing his neck awkwardly and blushing darkly, as he was prone to so.
"So, what would you like?" Kurt asked.
A million things ran through Blaine's mind at that moment, a large amount of them inappropriate and involving a very attractive barista.
"J-just a drip, thanks."
"You sure I can't interest you in something sweeter?" Kurt winked at Blaine.
"You mea like a muffin? Sure. Could I please have a cinnamon one?"
Kurt internally smacked his head at the other boy's obliviousness, but kept his expression to be a neutral one. "Coming right up." He put the muffin onto the counter.
"That'll be $2.98." Blaine dug out three single bills from his pocket, along with a twenty.
"Blaine." Kurt glared at the twenty. "Don't you dare."
"Dare do what?" Blaine blinked innocently, his curls framing his face like a halo.
"You know what." Kurt put the two pennies in Blaine's hand. "Now shoo. Soon the three o'clock rush will be here, and we'll have actual customers."
"What, I'm not an actual customer?" Blaine pouted.
"No, you're way cuter than the actual customers." Kurt winked at Blaine again. At a loss for words to say, Blaine shoved the twenty in the tip jar and hurried out of the shop.
"Have a nice day!" Kurt called after Blaine, but the door shut before he got a reply.
"Do you think I scared him away, Rach?" Kurt glanced at Rachel under his eyelashes. "I didn't want to come on too strong, I just wanted him to take a hint, you know?" He took another bite of his cheesecake.
"I'm sure it's fine, Kurt. He probably just hurried away because he had somewhere to be." Rachel, clad in her pajamas, pulled the blanket that she and Kurt were sharing up to her chin, then gasped and put it back down as her toes were exposed to the chilly apartment air.
"But what if he's scared away forever?"
"Kurt, he didn't come in for coffee one morning. He was probably running late, or sick." Rachel frowned. "Of course, a real performer never gets sick. Are you certain that he's a performer? Because I myself haven't been ill since I was two years old and my dads discovered that I was lactose intolerant, which of course led to me discovering that using animal products was cruel anyways…" She waved her hand in disregard.
"I wish I had his number, so I could ask him." Kurt pouted.
"He's just a scared kid, Kurt. He's probably never had a real relationship before!"
"Oh, like I have? He's hot, Rach, he probably has all the boys fighting over him."
"You're hot too babe."
"I know." Kurt stabbed at his cheesecake moodily. "That doesn't mean I'm his type."
"Kurt, you're everyone's type."
"Shut up."
"Tina, I'm sure he's just being friendly." Blaine grabbed his backpack from his locker and slung it over his shoulder. Tina snorts.
"Yeah, right. Whenever I'm 'just being friendly' with someone I call them cute several times and charm their socks off." The pair walked out the door. "Blaine, he was flirting with you!"
"He was not." Blaine squawked. "I'm sure that he doesn't even like me. He might be straight, I don't know." Tina laughed again.
"Yeah, right." Tina rolled her eyes. "From what you've told me, he's totally into you! You should take me to the coffee shop, right now!"
"I can't, T." Blaine crossed his arms. "He doesn't work afternoons on Friday, he has class. Do you-" He hesitated. "Do you think he's too old for me?"
"Not really." The pair stopped by Tina's car. "You've almost graduated, and you've always been mature. And it's only two years, it's not like he's already graduated college."
Blaine opened the car door for Tina, and helped her in. "Why, thank you."
"You're welcome, fair lady."
"See, talk like that to him and you'll charm the pants off of him."
Sam's phone vibrated in his pocket as he brushed the little girl's hair.
"Just a sec, sis." He said, and pulled his phone out of his pocket.
Picture Mail Received at 6:45 A.M.
From: Blaine Anderson
To: Sam Evans
Message: Do you think this looks like an ass?
Sam laughed loudly as the picture of Blaine's latte came up. The froth in it was slightly disheveled, as if it had been carried, and the foam had a pattern with a distinct curve. It was definitely an ass.
Message Sent at 6:47 A.M.
From: Sam Evans
To: Blaine Anderson
Message: Idk bro, cld be a #3.
"Sam, could you please put my hair in pigtails?" His sister whined, tugging on his shirtsleeve.
"Sure, sis, just a second." His phone went off again.
Message Received at 6:48 A.M.
From: Blaine Anderson
To: Sam Evans
Message: It is most definitely an ass.
"Berry, wait until you hear what my favorite gay did today!" Santana called into the apartment.
"Santana, don't you dare." Kurt warned, following Santana into the apartment. "Rachel, don't believe anything she says."
"What'd he do?" Rachel came out from her room. "Oh! Did he ask Blaine out?"
"No." Santana crossed her arms. "But Lady Hummel got his balls together and drew a fabulous ass on a latte for his favorite customer. A familiar fabulous ass, in fact."
"Kurt, you did not." Rachel gaped.
"Oh yes he did." Santana smirked. "I saw it. It was identical to boy wonder's own."
"I didn't draw his ass on a cup of coffee." Kurt replied indignantly, turning on the television.
"Ah, so you admit that you did draw an ass, Hummel?"
"No comment." Kurt muttered, collapsing into the couch. He scratched his leg with one hand, turning the channel with the other.
"Rachel, you should have seen the shorter gay blush. He looked like a cherry." Santana bragged.
"Kurt, this is so exciting!" Rachel squealed. "This is excellent songwriting material! Of course, while it would be more appropriate if you sang the song because it's your story, I would be honored if you allowed me to instead sing the song. While you are very talented, my talent surpasses yours and can move an audience emotionally in a way-"
"Berry, you're mediocre at best." Santana interrupts.
"Nobody's writing any songs about me and Blaine!" Kurt protests, throwing a pillow at Rachel. He got up and walked to the kitchen, going through the cupboards.
"But Kurt, I really think-"
"Shut up." Kurt cut her off. "Blaine needs to get his act together and realize that I'm hitting on him. If he can't, well…" He trailed off. "He's really cute."
"Yes, and you need to lock that ass down quick." Santana followed behind him, slapping his butt. "He's what's supplying us with the good kind of cookies."
"Kurt, you really should do something about him!" Rachel followed after the pair, making the small kitchen completely crowded. "Do you really want to miss out on someone who could be the love of your life?"
"He's not the love of my life!" Kurt protested. "Enough! I'm going to the store, do you two want anything."
"Some soy milk."
"A sense of shame."
Kurt sighed.
"Blaine, really, we're only doing this for your own good." Tina pushed Blaine into the coffee house. "We wouldn't make you talk to him if it wasn't for your own good."
"This isn't for my own good, it's embarrassing." Blaine muttered, pouting as he crossed his arms. "I should never have told you guy when he worked afternoons."
"You know you love us." Sam pulled him to the counter, Mike nodding behind him. "Be glad that we didn't invite the whole glee club."
"Ooo, is that him?" Tina asked, pointing to Kurt, whose back was mostly turned. Sam nodded. "He's hot."
"Tina, you can't even see his face." Blaine hissed.
"Yeah, but I can see his butt."
Kurt turned around, smiling brightly when he saw Blaine. He walked over to the counter immediately.
"Hey, for those of you I haven't met-" his eyes lingered on Tina and Mike, "-I'm Kurt. What can I get for you?"
"Four lattes, please." Blaine spoke, feeling himself blush when Kurt's eyes lingered on him. He internally swore at himself, he hadn't even done anything embarrassing.
"All right, can I have your names?"
They told him their names, then went to sit down, chatting the entire time.
"Blaine!" Tina squealed, poking him. "I saw that! He totally likes you."
"Maybe. Probably not."
"Dude, yeah he does." Sam said, eyeing the cookies up front. "Didn't you see the way he smiled at you?"
Blaine squirmed uncomfortably. "He smiles that way at everybody."
Kurt called Tina's name. "That's me." She said, and got her latte.
"Aww, look! It's a teddy bear." She took a picture. "This is going on instagram."
"Your boyfriend's really good at this, Blaine." Mike said.
"He's not my boyfriend." Blaine frowned, but nobody heard him over Sam's name being called.
"Dude, look at the stars!" Sam sat the coffee down, and some of it sloshed over the sides. "Dammit. Does anybody have a napkin?"
The group cleaned up the mess as Mike's name was called.
"I got a fish. These are really cool." Mike took a sip. "I wonder what Blaine will get?"
"Probably a heart." Sam sniggered. "Or another ass. Bro, he's totally into you. He probably digs the whole bow tie thing." Just then, Blaine's name was called.
Blaine walked to the counter slightly nervously. His hands were shaking, and he could practically feel his curls starting to spring out of their gel hold.
"Hi." He croaked, smiling up at Kurt shyly.
"Here you go." Kurt handed Blaine the covered latte. "Enjoy." He smiled mysteriously.
"Thanks." Blaine wobbled back to the table, careful not to spill the latte. Once at the table, his friends crowded around the cup. "Open it." Tine urged.
Blaine gasped.
"Is that… is that what I think it is?"
"Well, he certainly drew something he knew you'd like." Sam said with mirth. Tina's eye filled with tears from suppressed laughter, and even Mike let out a chuckle.
"That- that's a penis." Blaine croaked. "On my latte. There is a drawing of a penis on my latte." He shook his head. "Guys, I-" He coughed. "Lately, I think, my favorite barista has been dropping me some hints."
"Ya think?" Tina shoved him out of his chair. "Go get his number. Now." She pushed him towards the counter.
Kurt was smiling, but he looked slightly nervous as Blaine walked towards him.
"Did you like it?" He inquired, wiping his hands on his pant legs.
"I loved it." Blaine replied. "Kurt- uh- Can I have your number? And are you free Saturday?"
"Get it, Baby Gay." Santana whispered from the door. Kurt glared at her, and then turned warmly back to Blaine.
"Of course." He smiled, scribbling it on a cup. "Did it really take me drawing a cock on your latte for you to ask me out?"
"Maybe?" Blaine shrugged. "I don't know, I thought you didn't like me."
Kurt shook his head, then leaned over the counter and caught Blaine's lips in a kiss. Santana whistled.
"You're stupid." He said fondly, shaking his head again.
"You're amazing."
"Thanks."
"I like your latte art."
"I know." They both smiled, and kissed again.