10 Years Later- New York
Kurt walked down the street with a wide smile plastered on his face. Something about that day had made Kurt smile; he didn't know what it was but it just felt special. When he awoke that morning his brain told him to put on his best outfit and enjoy the day. Work thus far had been nothing special. Kurt was a fashion specialist for his favorite magazine and did some of his own designs on the side. His Broadway career had been put on the back-burner once he realized his fashion talents outshined his musical theater talents when he hit college. Not to mention fashion had always been a good creative outlet for Kurt.
Kurt entered his favorite café for lunch. He loved this specific café because it was walking distance from work where he wouldn't work up a sweat and they always had live music from talented up-and-coming musicians. Kurt took his usual seat and noticed that the musicians were switching. He ordered a salad and iced tea and sat back in his booth waiting for the next musician to come on. Kurt had begun looking at a fashion blog on his phone when the voice of the next musician came from the corner.
"Hello everyone" Kurt's head snapped up so fast he felt his neck pop and his heart stopped in disbelief, "My name is Blaine Anderson I will be playing a few songs for you. Enjoy." 'It can't be.'
Kurt's jaw dropped as he looked at Blaine. It had been ten years since he had seen the boy (man?). He had searched high and low to no avail, and there he was, sitting in the corner with his guitar. 'I'm delusional now. Great.' Blaine began to strum his guitar and sang a song that Kurt was unfamiliar with, but his voice was beautiful. 'Maybe I'm not delusional; I don't think my mind is capable of conjuring something so beautiful.' Kurt remembered that Blaine was a talented musician and had hoped to study music in college, but somehow he had improved a lot since Kurt last heard him.
Kurt smiled at the waitress as she set his lunch in front of him.
"He is really good." Kurt said nodding to Blaine, "I haven't seen him here before."
The waitress nodded. "Yeah, it's his first performance, but I hope it's not his last. He's quite good looking too, if I may say so myself." She finished with a wink before she walked away to pour another cup of coffee for a man in the booth next to Kurt's.
Kurt listened as Blaine finished his first song and segued seamlessly into 'Your Song' by Elton John. Kurt smiled; he had heard him sing this before. He took the opportunity to really look at Blaine.
Blaine had his hair cut shorter, but the curls were still evident. He had removed his lip ring and his industrial bar, leaving both lobe piercings in both ears and his eyebrow ring. He was wearing black Converse shoes, tight dark wash jeans, and a grey V-neck t-shirt that clung to his chest, effectively showing off his defined muscles. His eyes were downcast in concentration, but Kurt could make out his long eyelashes and a hint of hazel beneath.
Kurt checked his watch; he had fifteen minutes to get back to work. 'Guess I'll be late today, I can't lose him again.' Kurt was surprised by his own thought; he didn't even think he would say hello to Blaine, let alone worry about losing him. Kurt shook his head but stuck around anyway.
A half hour later, Blaine looked up from his guitar and Kurt nearly forgot how to breathe. Blaine's honey-hazel eyes were even more immaculate than Kurt had remembered.
"Thanks everyone. I hope you enjoyed it, next will be Zane Scott in about fifteen minutes." Blaine said.
Kurt watched as he hopped of the makeshift stage and put away his guitar, thanking customers who complimented him as they walked past. Blaine turned around and ran a hand through his hair as he scanned the crowd. Kurt put a half-smile on his face, hoping Blaine recognized him. Kurt saw Blaine look at him, past him, and then his face seemed to turn to immense shock before he turned back to look at Kurt. Blaine's jaw physically dropped and his eyes narrowed as though he was trying to make sure Kurt was actually sitting in the café. Kurt half wove as Blaine began to walk forward.
"Kurt?" Blaine breathed when he approached the booth where Kurt was seated. Kurt's heartbeat sped up at the sound of his name coming from Blaine.
"Yeah, it's me. You want to sit down?" Kurt gestured to the open side of his booth and Blaine accepted his offer.
They sat there staring at each other for a few moments. Blaine was the first to break the silence.
"I-I just can't believe you're here. How?"
Kurt smiled and half-shrugged. "Well, my plan was always New York. I always come to this café for lunch; I enjoy the live music actually. It's what attracted me to this place when I first got my job. What about you? I should ask you, how are you here?"
Kurt had to hold back a few tears that threatened to fall. 'I searched so hard, how are you alive?'
"I just graduated NYU studying music. Trying to get my big break, I guess." Blaine said gesturing around himself.
Kurt nodded still not quite believing he was having this conversation with the man he had been longing to see since that horrible night in Cincinnati.
"You were really great, Blaine. You were talented when I knew you, but now you are even more so. Really." Kurt watched as Blaine blushed and smiled.
"Thanks, Kurt." Blaine seemed to study Kurt for a moment. "You said you work around here? This is kind of far from the stages of Broadway, so I take it you decided to focus on fashion?"
Kurt smiled, 'He remembers.' "Yeah. I realized it would probably pan out better than Broadway. I could always do that later in life anyways. But yeah, I'm a fashion specialist for Vogue and I do some of my own designs on the side."
Blaine's eyes widened as Kurt spoke. "That is really impressive, Kurt. Congratulations."
Kurt nodded his thanks. He looked down to his empty plate and studied the leftover dressing from his salad. He was trying to decide whether or not to ask Blaine what had happened after Kurt was forced back to Lima by his two best friends.
"What's going through your mind?" Kurt looked at Blaine in surprise. "I know you are debating whether or not to ask me something. I remember that look. You're afraid I won't respond well." Blaine smiled and half-chuckled, his eyes showing he was remembering many occasions where the same look had been used in the past, "Just ask. I won't get mad. I promise."
Kurt sat for a moment, still debating and began to laugh quietly as he watched Blaine. He was chewing his lip where the ring used to be. Old habits die hard, apparently. 'Now or never.'
"Alright. This might be a little odd, especially since we are just seeing each other for the first time in years. It's just that I've thought about this many times because it changed me a lot. What happened that last night we saw each other? What happened after that?"
Blaine sat back in his seat, his face molded into an emotionless trance.
"You said that night changed you? How so?"
Kurt sighed and took a moment to find the right words. "Well, I didn't know what happened to you. Leading up to that night you had disappeared without a word. Your phone was disconnected; I had searched high and low for two months and I finally found you. Then, you start attacking some guy and tell me to run-for us to run- and you didn't follow. I went back to get you and I heard you scream. It seemed like the tables had turned; that you were being attacked." Both men flinched at the memory, "Then, I was forced into my car by Tina and Mercedes and they drove me back to Lima, much to my protests. At the time I didn't even realize I had been put into the car until the door was slammed in my face. I just knew I had to get to you. Hearing your scream broke me. I lost track of everything around me except the fact that you were screaming and obviously in pain." Kurt took a deep breath in an attempt to clear the sound that was ringing in his ears, "I kept searching, Blaine. I searched until I had to move here for school the following year. Every break that I was home I searched. I never found you. Until now. I have worried for ten years. I never thought I'd see you again. I almost stopped letting myself hope. The one thing that never changed was that I never stopped searching. So, would you please tell me what happened?"
Kurt wiped at the tears that had begun to fall. He watched Blaine do the same. Blaine nodded.
"I will tell you, but not here." Both men looked around and met several curious glances. "I have a place just outside of the city if you want to go there, or we can go to your place. Let's just go somewhere where we can talk privately, please."
Kurt nodded, understanding that Blaine's story wasn't going to be a pretty one.
"Let's go to mine, it's about fifteen minutes by cab." Kurt said as he laid money on the table to pay his tab and stood.
The entire cab ride was spent in silence but they both caught each other staring many times, as though checking to make sure the other was still there. On the ride Kurt took a minute to call into work, letting them know an emergency came up and he wouldn't be returning that day.
Once they reached Kurt's building, Blaine got out and examined the building with wide eyes.
"Looks like you've done really well for yourself."
Kurt just shrugged and led the way inside.
Five flights of stairs later, Kurt unlocked the door to his home. He gave Blaine a quick tour before telling Blaine to sit on the couch and he would get a couple glasses of water. A couple of minutes later, Kurt sat on the opposite end of the couch as Blaine and looked at him with a patient smile on his face. 'No pressure, but get talking Blaine.'
"I really like what you've done with your apartment." Blaine commented, obviously stalling.
"Thank you." Kurt said politely.
They sat in silence for a couple minutes longer before Blaine cleared his throat, meeting Kurt's gaze again. His eyes bored into Kurt's for a moment with a sincere look that was just-Blaine. Kurt was relieved that his eyes remained clear as he began to speak. Kurt knew Blaine wouldn't hold anything back, and in turn Kurt knew he wouldn't be able to either.
"Well, I guess I should start my story, huh?"
A/N: I don't own Glee or its characters. I ALSO don't own Vogue or 'Your Song'. Okay, I know, I know. I am updating on an off day! Well, it's VALENTINE'S DAY! Happy Valentine's Day! I may not have made myself clear in my previous A/N, the last chapter wasn't the last chapter of the fic, just the last one with gay slurs in it. I talked with a couple of people talking about the ending of my fic, it ain't over yet, people! :) Thank you to everyone who is sticking with me after last chapter! Thanks to everyone who reviewed and to those who have joined us since last chapter! OK! IMPORTANT! I need you guys to help me decide: do you want a mega chapter (i.e. two chapters squished together) and get Blaine's full story next time, or should I keep it spread out over two chapters? Okay, I'll see everyone on Saturday (unless you review, see you sooner!). MUAH!