Now here we are, so close
Yet so far, haven't I passed the test?

"Come on Kurt, just give it a try! You are both so ridiculously attractive, talented and amazing I feel it's a sin not to bring you two together!"

"Rachel, I thought you understood I am in a relationship right now?"

"With someone who has a relationship with someone else? Come on, who says you need to jump Blaine's bones right away? I just thought you guys should meet each other."

Kurt knows that once Rachel Berry's fixed her eyes on something, she does not let it go. She's worse than a dog chewing on a bone who will bite you off if you try to challenge her. Kurt knows he's long lost this battle the moment Rachel opened her mouth. Add Quinn to the mix and it's a landslide victory.

"Fine, but show me first what he looks like. I need to know at least if he's my type or not."

Rachel runs rejoicing towards her side of the apartment and comes running back with her laptop. She opens Blaine's facebook page and Kurt's jaw drops in an instant. Blaine, he even likes how buttery the name feels on his mouth – particularly when he pictures bedding the guy and moaning his name. Blaine is freaking attractive – glossy eyes like honey-colored marbles and everything in his face just going together to form the perfect face, and it's just a picture. Kurt gets excited more than he'd like to admit.

Then Kurt is torn. He is instantly drawn to this Blaine guy, already wondering what his voice sounds like, if he's also into fashion and if he sleeps with the light on. The rotten side of his brain is reprimanding him for even looking at anyone else other than his married lover.

As expected, Kurt gets cold feet, He does not tell Liam about the blind date or god forbid, Liam will end up ignoring him again, which he can't risk. He tried challenging Liam before and he ended up spending his month's worth of salary to woo his lover back. Worse, he felt like a stupid puppy doing everything that Liam said just to forgive him, and continued being that stupid puppy just so he would never get mad again.

Thankfully, Rachel's stubborn-as-a-bull attitude did not waiver. And she ends up dragging him across Manhattan to Serenity (really, Rachel?) and into a maze of tables and chairs, lovers and acquaintances everywhere, to a table where eyes of honey and lips that are meant to be kissed all the time come to life.

"Blaine, sorry we're late. This is my good friend Kurt Hummel."

Kurt didn't notice he stretched out his own hand, it's usually the other way around. But what he did not expect was that no matter how handsome the guy looked in pictures, those did not do him justice. He momentarily forgets all his doubts, and drowns into those earnest, glossy eyes and oh-god-so-sexy-voice. He has a nice genuine smile, and his eyes crinkle up when he does. He only breaks out of his trance when his cheeks hurt because he had been grinning ear to ear for probably ten minutes now.

"So…" Blaine starts awkwardly. "If you might notice, I am totally new to this."

Kurt giggles like a five year old, "No, no it's okay. I am too… I mean, I'm new to this."

And the conversation starts from there. They start on common ground – Rachel Berry, her nuances and the perks of having her as a friend. Two hours turn to three, then five, and not an awkward silence has passed. It was as if they were two old friends meeting after many, many years. Two souls who got a little lost and found their way back to each other.

Then Kurt's phone rings at midnight, seconds after Blaine asks if they can stop for coffee.

"Sorry, I have to take this."

"Sure."

Kurt steps aside to take Liam's call. Booty call at 1 in the morning? Sounds a little sketchy, if only Kurt hadn't been doing it for the last 9 months.

And then, Kurt feels guilty.

"Hey, Blaine I'm sorry but I can't have coffee with you. I had lovely, lovely night. Thanks for your time." Kurt walks the opposite direction, worried that Liam will vanish forever if he doesn't make it on time.

Kurt feels guilty not for Blaine, but for sneaking behind Liam's back. Because he had fun with somebody else. And Kurt is too emotionally invested in Liam to say no, or to even try and explore other options.