Chapter 2

Two weeks later, both young men were still riding high on the news that they would, all being well in their relationship, have a few more years together. The remaining members of Adam's show choir, the Adam's Apples, had been thrilled and delighted to learn that their leader and friend would be sticking around for a while longer as well.

A general atmosphere of celebration hung over the couple, and Kurt could feel in his bones that life was on an upswing and that some further good thing was about to happen. He could not explain what it was, or why he felt that way, but he could not shake the certainty.

His studies had been brutal this week as midterms came and went, but Kurt had passed every class with flying colors; even his "Introduction to Dance" class with Cassandra July. That had been his last one, completed at the end of the day on Friday. She had watched his entire performance with crossed arms, narrowed eyes and a skeptically pursed mouth, but when he was finished and the last note of music had died away, the class had broken into honest applause and the formidable Miss July had broken her stern façade to give him a genuine smile and a, "Much improved, Hummel. We'll make a dancer out of you yet. You pass."

He had been on cloud nine ever since, and Adam had brought him out today to celebrate. Neither had much money to spare right now, so they contented themselves with strolling through the urban jungle hand in hand, walking casually up and down the streets of Broadway and drinking in the sights along with two large iced mochas. It was fun and free to look over all the billboards and marquees, debating the merits of various shows as they drifted from theater to theater, sharing mutual dreams of that day in the hopefully not-too-distant future when they would be a part of it all.

The appearance of the two dreamers was a pleasant treat to the eye, and they were unknowingly catching approving glances from they walked. Though of similar height, Adam was bulkier, with square shoulders, prominent chest and bicep muscles showed off by a plain, fitted blue t-shirt and worn jeans that hugged him like a second skin; his messy, straight blond hair half hidden beneath a rainbow colored beanie. The skin of his face carried more lines than one would expect in a man of only twenty-two, but the easy laughter that wrinkled the corners of his deep set eyes and creased the area around his widely grinning mouth as he chatted with his boyfriend gave plenty of evidence as to their origin.

Kurt, by contrast had a slender well toned form shown off to good advantage by his multi-hued green, gold and taupe designer button down shirt. The silky material of the garment slid and clung sensuously to his skin as he moved, suggesting that a hedonist hid beneath the sweet face and innocent looking blue eyes that gazed around the busy city with such sparkling enjoyment. Threads of red and gold in his dark brown hair caught the surrounding sunlight and turned his well combed coif into a fiery crown of color that highlighted his milky skin and lightly flushed cheeks.

Together, they could have been some modern day incarnation of Shakespeare's Oberon and Puck, if those two had chosen to cast Titania aside and run off together into the world of man.

They were just about to take a break from the sightseeing and go find something to eat when Adam's attention was caught by a tall sandwich board that was half hidden in the entryway of a small theater, a bright red COMING SOON banner diagonally stretched across one corner.

"Kurt, look at this one!" Adam cried out excitedly, pointing his free hand. The picture showed a beaming blonde woman in a sparkling red dress, her arms raised high in triumph as she was hoisted aloft by two handsome, muscular, shirtless men. "April Rhodes! I saw her debut production Cross Rhodes a couple of years ago. Supposedly it was her life story, though it was hard to believe that most of that could have possibly come from one person's real life, but the show was stunning. Catchy songs, brilliant performances by everyone, though the leading man somehow didn't quite ring true for me, and a plot that had me riveted from the opening act to the final curtain."

Looking distinctly amused, Kurt bit his lip. "What was wrong with the leading man?"

"I don't know. Somehow the part just seemed miscast to me, as if they chose the wrong sort of actor to play it. The man won a Tony award, though, so clearly there were a number of people who disagreed with me. Oh, but it was a wonderful show, Kurt! I nearly pulled something in my abdomen during the last act, I was laughing so hard. And according to this, it looks like the actress has a new production coming in the fall. We should find out more about it and see if we can get tickets!"

Kurt was grinning brightly enough to light up one of the surrounding marquees as he took in Adam's excitement. "You're so cute when you get like this! I think a couple of tickets could probably be arranged. It might take me a little finagling, but I have a connection or two that could probably get us good seats at a hefty discount."

Adam's eyes widened from his squinting study of the poster's details, revealing their vivid blue. "Are you joking? Kurt, that would be brilliant! Who do you know? Do I know them? Is it someone from NYADA?"

He was speaking so rapidly that his accent was suddenly much heavier, making Kurt chuckle at the additional sign of eagerness. "Wow, I had no idea you were such an April Rhodes enthusiast! She would be thrilled. Do you mind if I tell Mr. Schuester that you hated the leading man in Cross Rhodes? I'm not sure if he's still in contact with April or not, but I suspect he'd be a lot more likely to help us if he knows you didn't approve of his replacement."

Adam stopped moving, staring at his boyfriend with shocked eyes. "Wait a moment. Are you trying to tell me that you know April Rhodes?"

Eyes sparkling, Kurt nodded. "I do, actually. She attended McKinley with my old choir teacher, Will Schuester. They were friends and he brought her back during my sophomore year to make up a few missed high school credits and join the glee club. I think that was about a year before she came to New York to try her luck. Mr. Shue was originally supposed to play the male lead, which may be why you sensed something off about his replacement. It was written partly about him, you know, but he decided to honor his commitment to us instead of trying to make it as a Broadway star. I thought that was both amazingly sweet and weirdly insane."

"That makes two of us, cutie!"

The two young men nearly jumped out of their skins when a tiny blonde woman popped out from the doorway where she had apparently been lurking in the shadows eavesdropping, her small figure neatly obscured by a decorative curtain. She teetered forward on a pair of startlingly high heeled platform shoes that still only brought her to Kurt's chin as she flung her arms around his body and squeezed him in enthusiastic greeting.

"April!" he exclaimed with a startled laugh. "Oh my God, this is such a surprise! How long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough to take in every word of that very flattering conversation," she said cheerfully, making Kurt jump as she gave his ass a little squeeze before separating herself from him and bounding over to shake hands with the saucer eyed Adam, nearly pumping his hand right out of its socket with enthusiasm. "Hey there, handsome. I'm April and I just love meeting fans. Especially such good looking ones!"

Adam was gaping at her like a love struck school boy, none of his usual dignity anywhere in evidence as he struggled to recover from his momentary bout of star struck paralysis. Finally, he began shaking her hand in return, gushing, "My dear Miss Rhodes, this is such an honor! I'm a huge admirer of your work, you have no idea! Cross Rhodes was one of the first Broadway productions I was fortunate enough to see when I came to the city and it honestly changed my life!"

She pushed playfully at his chest, fingers lingering a bit on the firm muscles. "Well, aren't you just the sweetest thing? You're not another one of Will's kids, are you? I'm absolutely sure I would have remembered you."

"No, April. Adam is my boyfriend," Kurt interrupted firmly, prying her hands off when Adam just stood there gaping like a fool, not even seeming to notice that his idol's hand was well on its way to feeling him up in broad daylight. "He and I go to the New York Academy of Dramatic Art together. He was a senior at NYADA when I enrolled this past January."

April's attention abruptly refocused and she spun on one of those frightening spike heels to take a step closer to Kurt, staring up into his eyes with startling intensity. "I thought you were just visiting from Ohio! You live in New York now?" He nodded, fighting the urge to step back as her sudden proximity brought his nose far too close to her alcohol scented breath. "Well, why didn't you say so? That means we're neighbors. Whoo!"

He jumped when she squealed right in his ear, but grinned helplessly when she announced, "Reunion party!"

Before either Kurt or Adam could think of a reply to that, April had trotted around Kurt's body and linked her elbows with each of theirs, hauling them down the street with a startling degree of strength and determination. They practically had to jog to keep up with her.

Neither had the slightest idea of their destination, but they grinned at each other over their companion's head. The journey promised to be something of an adventure in itself.