The cafe was warm and crowded and charming and just a little too sunny for a boy nursing a hangover.
Picking at his fruit salad and silver dollar pancakes, Kurt was starting to feel a little better.
His phone vibrated with a text from Rachel.
SO WHAT HAPPENED?
Kurt let out a heavy sigh and rubbed a hand over his face.
Adam sat quietly across from him, his forehead creasing with worry, but he said nothing.
"Sorry, It's just Rachel. I….."
Kurt paused.
"It's okay Kurt. I'm a big boy. You can talk about it if you want. Or not talk about it. I can take it."
Kurt snickered.
"That's what she said," he answered quietly.
Adam laughed brightly, and the tension between them was gone.
Well, mostly.
"It's just Rachel," Kurt said. "I ignored her the whole flight home and she can't stand it. So anyway, how was your weekend?"
"Oh, the usual."
In a more formal, clipped British accent than his usual speech, Adam said haughtily,
"Polo date with Prince Harry. Tea at the palace."
Kurt tried not to swoon.
Adam lifted his tea in a mock toast to Kurt, pinky finger ridiculously extended.
"Nice." said Kurt, grinning now. "Harry's hot."
"I'll tell his majesty you said so," Adam returned, his smile finally reaching his eyes. "Actually I had a rehearsal for…."
"Well, look who it is. Adam. Freaking. Crawford. How have you been buddy? You trying to avoid me?"
Kurt watched in amazement as Adam turned several shades of red, his beautiful mouth gaping.
"Tommy," Adam managed. "How are you?"
The guy looked familiar to Kurt. A bit stocky with a round belly, the scruffy beginnings of a beard, straight brown hair and beautiful blue eyes, with a cocky smile and perfect teeth. He sparkled with life and charm and was very attractive.
He looked at Kurt. "You're in my Shakespeare class."
"Guilty as charged." responded Kurt.
"So Adam, who are you rooming with this year?" said the stranger.
"I got the RA job, so I have a single. I'm in charge of the third floor. Bunch of hooligans."
"Better you than me!"
Turning to Kurt, the new guy eyed Kurt with an unsettling combination of hunger and disdain.
"Aren't you going to introduce me, Adam?"
"This is Kurt Hummel. Kurt, this is Tommy Albright, my old roommate."
Kurt raised one perfect eyebrow at Tommy and took his hand.
"Pleasure."
"Oh the pleasure's all mine, Kurt" purred Tommy, stroking his thumb over Kurt's hand. Tommy smirked. "Or should I say Adam's? Did he keep you up late, Kurt? You look like you've had a rough night…"
"ALBRIGHT!" Came a voice from a nearby table full of young men. "Get your ass over here and stop flirting with the freshman if you want to order!"
"Coming!" yelled Tommy.
"So's Brad!" the whole table shouted.
"Have a lovely day boys. Enchanting to meet you, Kurt," said Tommy as he headed back to join his friends.
To his horror Kurt heard one of them asking "is that KURT HUMMEL?"
Kurt put his head down on the table and groaned.
"I'm so sorry," said Adam.
"It's fine. So is that the famous roommmate you were telling me about?"
"In the flesh. "
The two of them burst out laughing again, which didn't help Kurt's headache. He waved their waitress down to ask for another bottle of water.
Now it was Kurt's turn to wait patiently while Adam fumbled.
"He….I….it's been awkward ever since, Kurt. Our friendship was never the same.
Something I never want to happen with you. You're important to me too Kurt, whether we end up as friends or.."
Adam trailed off.
"Me too," said Kurt.
"Besides," Adam said, glancing over at his friend across the room, "Tommy's an idiot."
A cute blond guy with his hair in his eyes and way too many rubber bracelets stared right at Kurt and said something to Tommy about an "upgrade." Tommy slapped him on the back of the head.
Kurt laughed.
"His name is really Tommy Albright?"
"Really," answered Adam. "His mom was a big Brigadoon fan. She's not the first mom to do that. Anne Hathaway was the name of Shakespeare's wife after all."
"Mmm. Shakespeare," replid Kurt. "I like Shakespeare." He looked up at Adam over his coffee cup.
Adam's smile started slow and grew into a supernova.
"Indeed."
Hearing his phone vibrate with another text from Rachel, Kurt noticed the time.
"Well, Adam, I'm sorry but I've got to run. Where are you heading next?"
"I'm going to stay here. I have a paper to finish. Merchant of Venice."
Kurt nodded and stood up.
Adam joined him. "Would you like a hug?" Adam asked quietly.
"A gentle one," answered Kurt, putting on his sunglasses. "My head is pounding."
"The gentlest."
Adam wrapped Kurt softly in those amazing arms and held him. Kurt hugged him back and inhaled the smell of coffee clinging to Adam's soft flannel shirt.
Let me learn from where I have been,
Kurt heard as music played from two small round speakers above his head.
He really hoped he hadn't screwed this up and that Adam really was okay.
All must be well.
Just give me time….
sang the voice above him with a trace of a British accent.
Kurt held back on the hug a bit, resisting the urge to snuggle closer. Being in Adam's arms felt more like coming home than waking up with Blaine in Lima had.
But Kurt was going to handle Adam's heart with care, because he had just left Blaine's arms that morning, and his head was swirling with the two men he cared about.
Kurt had some thinking to do and some choices to make, and he was so, so grateful that Adam seemed accepting and patient about the whole thing. Kurt still wasn't sure he deserved it as he stepped away from their embrace.
"I'll see you at Apple's rehearsal on Tuesday then?" Adam asked.
"You, me and Sondheim," Kurt agreed.
Adam looked relieved. "Told you, it's going to be epic, if it doesn't kill us all first."
"I'll be there," Kurt answered. "And thank you. For brunch. For not hating me. For…everything."
"As if I could ever hate you," scoffed Adam, his tone light, his voice a little rough. His eyes still looked a little hurt. But he looked okay.
Kurt really hoped Adam was okay.
As for his own heart….well.
Buttoning up his pea coat and readjusting his scarf, Kurt headed out the door and toward the subway back to Bushwick.
Where Rachel was waiting. And a phone call had to be made.
It was going to be a long evening.
He took out his phone to respond to Rachel.
On my way to the train home. I'm hungover and my heart is a little tender. Please be gentle with me.
:( Of course honey, came her response. I have so much to tell you. Hurry home sweetie.
As he stepped onto the platform to wait for his train, Kurt didn't see Tommy back in the cafe return to their table, pull up a chair and ask Adam,
"So. Did you tap that tasty ass? 'Cause Damn."
notes:
The song playing in the cafe is Below My Feet by Mumford and Sons
"So's Brad" is a Rocky Horror reference.