Kurt had only agreed to a date with Joshua because he had been so persistent. He didn't like him like that, but he was a good guy and he worked with him, so he thought maybe he would give him a chance and hopefully have a good time out. Which surprisingly, they did.
Kurt had been working in Elle, a fashion magazine, for about 5 years now and they were right on top of their game this year. Kurt's best idea was due out next month, a Broadway themed clothing line. Everyone was excited about the response to something so bold.
Joshua was an editor too, mostly working in the photography department, and Kurt had hoped they could work together on this months issue to really kick things off. The idea was bold but so far, Kurt had many compliments come his way.
"I can't believe how bold that idea was." Joshua said as they began walking through Central park after their very romantic and expensive dinner.
"You don't think it'll be too garish or too 'out there' for people to relate to?" Kurt asked with a little nervous air and Joshua turned confused eyes on him.
"Absolutely not, no," He told him, making Kurt smile a little in relief,"Broadway is big at the moment, especially here in new York. Theater just seemed a little too risque for other designers to do, but with Kurt Hummel's magic fingers and sharp mind all over it, I know it'll be a hit."
"You're too sweet." Kurt said as his cheeks tinted with a hint of blush, and Joshua took one his gloved hands, holding it gently, swinging their arms together as they walked.
"Actually that compliment isn't just from me, the whole department is excited to be a part of this project, and i've heard rumours that other magazines are trying to steal the idea."
"Wow."
Kurt had no idea that his ideas were so popular, but the magazine had actually sold more numbers ever since he had started working there. They always came to him when the ratings and sales seemed to be plummeting, asking him to think of new and exciting things. Which he did, every time. He had extraordinary fashion sense, and everybody loved the risk that came with his ideas.
It always managed to up their intake. Which made him beam with pride.
"Hey Kurt, I know this is a first date and everything, but did you maybe want to go for a drink?" Joshua asked kind of nervously and overly politely and Kurt gave him a small smile.
Joshua was a little taller than Kurt, with a handsome face and sharp jaw line. His light brown hair was a little longer than Kurt's and was styled on one side of his head. His deep brown eyes were kind and Kurt always found he liked looking into them, but he didn't find Joshua attractive. He was a friend.
"I'm not that big of a drinker." He said with an apologetic shrug and Joshua nodded.
"Maybe something closer to hot chocolate then?"
"I-" Kurt started but a loud deep barking interrupted.
It was getting late, and the park seemed to be getting darker, it was August and the sun disappeared quite wuickly in the evening now. As they both turned to the sound, they saw a big, black dog shape running full speed in their direction.
The teeth were glinting brightly in the low light as the dog barked while it ran. Kurt had no idea what to do, and Joshua stepped closer as it came upon them.
It jumped and it's paws landed on Kurt's chest, pushing him to the floor. He landed with an oomph on his back, the huge black dog on top of him, and Joshua was screaming for someone to help.
Kurt realized after a second that the bites he were expecting were actually licks and nuzzles and he opened his eyes to look at his furry attacker.
"Oh god, some one help please!" Joshua was still yelling and Kurt slowly pushed himself into a sitting position, eyeing the rottweiler sitting on his legs.
"Joshua, I'm ok," he said with a chuckle as the dog started to lick his face, "I think I know her."
"Her?" Joshua asked a little confused, still wearily watching Kurt pet the dog.
"Mary-belle is that you?" Kurt asked as he held the dog's face up in the low light, her green-brown eyes looking back at him, "Hey girl, hey precious!"
He began a real stroke and pat as he realized that it was a dog he knew, and she happily whined and stretched out along his upper body while he scratched at her furry neck and back.
"Mary-belle!"
Came a very familiar voice, and Kurt looked up as her owner approached them in the forever casing darkness.
"I am so sorry, she got away from me, she's very friendly and she doesn't bite so don't worr- Kurt?"
Blaine Anderson. The guy he hadn't seen for 7 years, his best friend and olde college roommate, also the past love of his life, was standing there with confusion and delight on his face.
"Blaine, hi." Kurt said with a wide smile as Blaine helped pull the dog off of him, and Kurt stood up, brushing off his clothes.
Blaine then pulled him into a warm hug as they both laughed.
"Wow, you look great Kurt." Blaine said with a huge smile as he pulled away, giving Kurt a once over with his eyes and Kurt gave him a small smile.
"You too," Kurt replied as an awkward silence descended upon them, but Kurt turned his attention to the dog that was still nuzzling his jeans, "she got so big."
"Yeah, nearly 7 years old now," Blaine said as he gave Mary-belle a few pats on her head, "she's a right madam now though."
"I remember, her birthday is in September." Kurt said with a small smile, and Blaine nodded.
"Yeah, 21st."
"Wow, seems so long ago." He mused, and Joshua looked between them for a while, not interrupting and not going near the dog.
"Yeah."
"Last I heard, you moved to L.A?" Kurt asked and Blaine laughed.
"I did, yeah, I moved back to New York in March this year, I'm a musician."
"Wow, I had no idea."
"Erm...Kurt?" Joshua interrupted when there was a break in the conversation and Kurt's eyes shot to him and he gasped.
"Oh my gosh, Joshua, I'm so sorry," He said with an apologetic smile, reaching for Joshua with one hand, "this is Blaine Anderson, my old college roommate."
"Oh, you guys shared a dorm?" Joshua asked as he and Blaine shook hands politely.
"No, we had an apartment." Blaine corrected and Joshua nodded in understanding, before Blaine raised ana eyebrow, "sorry did we interrupt something?"
"We're on a date." Joshua said and Kurt smiled a little tightly as Blaine's eyes widened and turned to him.
"Oh god, I'm so sorry about that," he said as he gripped onto his dog's collar and pulled her away, "and look what she did to your jacket Kurt."
"Mud comes off Blaine, don't worry." He said with a laugh.
"Sorry for interrupting your date, guys, really I am," He said as he moved the dog away slightly, making Joshua feel more at ease, and he turned his gaze just to Kurt, "maybe we should catch up over coffee?"
"Yes, sure," Kurt replied, "I still use the same number so text me."
"Ok," he said with a smile before waving at them both and dragging his dog away as she whined and tried to get back to Kurt, "have a good night."
Kurt and Joshua waved him off, and Kurt turned to Joshua with a sigh.
He knew now what was happening. Seeing Blaine again had dredged up old feelings, that Kurt had long buried and he knew that Joshua didn't stand a chance, so he had to let him down.
xoxoxo
Blaine texted him the following Friday, 3 days after seeing him and Mary-Belle in the park. And asked him if he would be available for coffee that same afternoon. Which Kurt obviously text back yes.
They met outside a small cafe near the park, and Kurt was surprised to find that the Rottweiler was with him. Mary-Belle was so sweet, and gentle, and so unbelievably hilarious. Kurt watched as she saw him, and immediately tried to escape from Blaine's hold on her to run to him. He laughed as he made his way to the outside table and took a seat.
Mary-belle sat beside him and rested her chin on his thigh, and he smiled as he absently stroked her head. Blaine rolled his eyes and smiled gently at her actions.
"She remembers you," he said as Kurt looked up at him with raised eyebrows, "she does. You used to do everything with her. Walked her when I was in classes, fed her, bathed her. Dogs know good people, and she knows you. She missed you."
Kurt smiled as he looked from Blaine to Mary-belle and back again.
"You think so?"
"And she isn't the only one. I've missed you." Blaine continued and Kurt looked back up at him, "I'm sorry for what happened between us, Kurt."
"I'm sorry too," Kurt said as he reached for his coffee cup, Mary-belle resting her head on his lap, "it wasn't just your fault Blaine."
"It was mostly my fault." Blaine said as he lowered his gaze to the table in front of them.
"No, it wasn't, you were right to freak out a little." Kurt reassured him, taking one of his hands in his own, squeezing his fingers gently.
"But I shouldn't have freaked out, I made you feel so bad that you felt like you had to leave," Blaine said as the words got a little choked up and Kurt tilted his head with a sad smile, "it killed me, when you left."
"I should have stayed and talked about it with you." Kurt said and Blaine shook his head, as his eyes filled up with tears.
"Why would you, when I made you feel so terrible?" he said and Kurt gripped his hand a little harder.
"It's ok."
"None of that was ok, Kurt." Blaine choked out and brought his other hand up to his face as the tears fell, wiping them away quickly.
"Hey," Kurt said as he shook his fingers a little, "don't cry, it's over and done with now. I'm here Blaine."
"I know," He said as he sniffed and then tried to stop his tears, giving Kurt's hand a squeeze back, "I'm sorry, I just can't help but picture your face. It was awful."
There was a slight pause as Kurt thought back to that night, the night that ended their friendship.
"Blaine, I don't regret it you know?"
Blaine just raised an eyebrow and stared at him silently.
"I regret how it happened, but I don't regret that night."
"Me neither." He responded with a smile and Kurt felt little better.
Mary-belle whined and nuzzled his leg, wanting attention, and also feeling the emotion in the air. Kurt chuckled a little as he patted her head and scratched her ear.
"Can we start over?" Blaine asked when Kurt looked back up, locking their gazes.
"Of course."
The coffee date turned a little lighter after that. They regaled each other with everything they had done over the last 6 years, laughing and joking around like they used too. It was nostalgic and so wonderful to have Blaine back in his life now.
Kurt made a vow to himself that day, to never leave like that again.
xoxoxo
*Flashback*
They both stumbled into their apartment, laughing as they almost tripped each other over. And trying not to trip over the dog as she came bounding over to greet them happily. She didn't understand that they couldn't walk straight, and she whined as Kurt caught her toes a few times.
Blaine shushed her and apologized every time. They made their way over to their couch and collapsed in fits of giggles. The party was good, and they both had so much to drink, and now they had terrible giggles.
Blaine was laying against the back of the couch, and Kurt was laying across his lap, trying to toe his boots off, which wasn't working and ended up making them laugh even more. Mary-belle sat on the carpet in front of the couch, just watching them for a while.
"Help." Kurt slurred after another laugh, and Blaine rolled his eyes with a smirk as he reached over to untie Kurt's boots for him.
"What would you do without me to help you, baby." Blaine murmured and Kurt laughed again as his boots finally fell from his feet.
"Absolutely nothing." He replied and Blaine slumped back to the couch, placing a hand on Kurt's messed up hair.
"How many guys asked you to dance tonight?"
"Too many," Kurt sighed, pushing against Blaine's hand, as the fingers started tugging through the ends of his hair, and almost giggling as the dog leaned forward and licked his hand, "what about you?"
"No-one," Blaine said and Kurt turned to him with a confused and surprised look, "they all thought I was with you."
Kurt snorted a little.
"And nobody wants to get on the wrong side of Kurt Hummel." he finished and they both devolved into laughter again.
"I feel like doing something," Kurt said as he sat up, Blaine's fingers still in his hair, "I'm too buzzed."
"Me too."
"So what shall we do?" Kurt asked him a little excitedly and Blaine mused for a moment.
"It's 3am, I don't think we can go out again." He said and Kurt nodded along.
"Wanna play 'Dance Party'?"
They both looked over to the television cabinet at the Xbox underneath, and then nodded together.
Blaine stood to turn it on, and Kurt fetched them a couple of bottles of water from their tiny refrigerator, avoiding the dog as she followed after him.
They stood side by side, on their dance mats, as blaine picked out their favourite one to jam too.
As they were both still too wasted, they ended up completely messing up all of their moves, the screen telling them that all of their moves were misses. At one point Blaine fell flat on his ass on the floor, and as Kurt laughed at him, he messed up his own moves.
At the end of the song they both had 0% score, which they also laughed about. After two more tries at the same moves, thy gave up and collapsed on the couch again with combined sighs.
"Well that didn't go as planned." Blaine laughed, and Kurt leaned against him a little, closing his eyes.
"We're too drunk to dance now." Kurt said seriously, and Blaine nodded.
"I agree."
"Which was why we left the party anyway."
"Exactly."
As they sat together, sighing simultaneously and then giggling at each other, Mary-belle became bored that they weren't showing her any attention and walked back into the kitchen to lay on her bed. Kurt felt a little lighter than he has done for quite a while, whether it was the alcohol or the company he had no idea. Maybe a mix of both.
"Blaine?"
"Hm?"
"I'm glad I came home with you," Kurt said and Blaine raised an eyebrow and looked down at him, "I mean like, usually at parties I know that sometimes people leave with someone and regret it the morning after, but I'm glad that didn't happen with me."
"Me too, I'm not one for random one night stands."
"Me neither," Kurt said as he sat up a little, and Blaine watched him as he sat and slumped on the couch, "do you think I'll ever find a boyfriend?"
"Of course," Blaine reassured him, "you need to hold out for the right one."
"When will I know he's the right one?"
"Someone who makes you laugh, someone who is a shoulder to cry on, someone who supports you, someone who cares about your passions, hobbies," Blaine explained, and Kurt gave him a small smile, "you need someone who will love you forever, no matter what, and someone that respects you."
Blaine placed a hand on Kurt's knee, and gave him a serious look.
"Don't settle for anything less than you deserve." He told him, "You deserve someone incredible."
They held gazes for a second, and Kurt was just staring at his best friend in awe.
They don't know who started it, they can't remember, but all of sudden they were kissing, hard, deep kisses. Kisses full of tongue and teeth and passion. Needy and desperately clinging to each other.
Kurt soon found himself sucking on Blaine's tongue in his mouth and climbing onto his best friend's lap. At this point neither of them were thinking with their brains at all, they were thinking with their cocks.
They moaned simultaneously as their clothed cocks rubbed together, and then hands were every where, pulling at shirts, and flicking off buttons, peeling away layers and layers to get at each other's skin.
Blaine moaned as he dipped his head and mouthed at his friend's pale chest, biting and leaving small red marks behind. As his mouth closed over a nipple, Kurt bucked his hips down.
"Blaine..."
"Kurt."
They both moaned as they writhed on the couch together, before Blaine flipped Kurt onto the cushions, on his back, and climbed quickly between his legs. They both were too far along to stop now, and soon enough Blaine was tugging down Kurt's jeans and taking his hard cock down his throat.
*End flashback*
xoxoxo
Kurt and Blaine had gotten their friendship back on track. They both felt so much better now that they had discussed what had happened between them. acknowledging that it was both their faults.
Blaine had invited him to take Mary-belle for walks a lot over the last two weeks. Kurt had offered to buy him lunch, and dinner. Blaine had turned up in Kurt's workplace with breakfast bagels and coffee when Kurt was having a rough morning.
And Kurt was overwhelmed with affection for him. He knew that Blaine's thoughtfulness and respect and general kindness was how Kurt had fallen deeply in love with him when they met. And it was the same now. He knew he would fall again, it was inevitable. Blaine was everything to him.
Everything he ever wanted.
But...Kurt knew that because of their history, he couldn't make the first move. He never wanted to go down that path again. The last time he had to walk away from Blaine, or felt like he had to, it almost killed him. And he knew that if it ever happened again, he would never recover his broken heart.
As they stood right now, Kurt was happy just being friends with Blaine again.
But he was starting to get the feeling that Blaine wanted it to be more. The way he acted, the way he spoke to Kurt, the very nice, often romantic gestures he did. It all applied to Blaine having feelings for him. Kurt didn't want to rock any boats, and he didn't want to screw anything up, but he hoped beyond hope that it wouldn't be long before Blaine asked him out.
"Hello?"
Kurt looked up from his desk, spotting Blaine in his open doorway, and sharing a smile before inviting him inside.
"Hey, what are you doing here?" Kurt asked as he got up to hug him, before Blaine sat down on the chair in front of him, as Kurt leaned his hip against his desk.
"Well, I was just around, had nothing to do, so I thought I would personally come down and invite you to dinner tonight?" Blaine said with a warm smile and fond look in his eyes and Kurt laughed.
"Where are we going?" He asked with a shrug and Blaine gave him a calculating look.
"I was hoping you would let me cook for you," He said, and Kurt raised an eyebrow, "at my place?"
"Really?"
"Yeah, I've missed cooking for you," He said and Kurt's heart almost melted at the pouting look on Blaine's face, "do you remember all those late afternoons when we would try a lot of weird and funny recipes?"
Kurt let out a loud laugh as he remembered all of those stinky, disgusting things that they made. Some of the stuff they didn't even try they just threw it away and laughed about it for days.
"Remember that? How could I forget, some of it was the stuff out of nightmares." He told him and Blaine chuckled as he got up out of the chair.
"Well, I have, believe it or not, gotten a lot better at cooking." He said pointing to his chest and Kurt gasped in mock surprise.
"No, you?"
"Miracles can happen."
"Right," Kurt said and they shared a smile and a small look of wonder, "but sure, ok, did you want me to come over after work?"
"Yes, as soon as you want to." Blaine said as he moved in for another hug, and Kurt almost melted into a puddle on the floor.
The phone on his desk rang obnoxiously and Kurt turned to glare at it, as Blaine released him.
"I'll text you when I leave." He told Blaine, who just gave him a cute salute before moving towards the door.
"Ok, see you later baby." he winked and then was gone, and Kurt sat on his desk, ignoring the phone ringing for a moment.
He smiled to himself as he rounded his desk and sat back in his chair.
"See ya." He whispered to nobody and shook his head of the fluff that had built up, before picking up the phone.
xoxoxo
*Flashback*
Kurt yelled out loud as Blaine swallowed him whole, feeling the muscles in his throat working around the head of his dick.
Blaine was working on removing both of their jeans and underwear while working Kurt's cock over, sucking and licking the silkily smooth hardness in his mouth. Kurt was moaning and groaning, as he writhed around on the cushions.
He batted away the dog a couple of times as she came over to see what was going on. Blaine laughed and shooed her away before sucking on three of his fingers and placing them underneath Kurt, massaging gently over his hole as he swallowed down his cock again.
"God-" Kurt moaned out as Blaine's fingers moved inside him one at a time, stretching him out with a delicious burn, "fuck...faster."
Blaine looked up at him, without removing his lips from his cock, and pushed his fingers in a little harder and faster, watching as Kurt's mouth dropped open and a slew of curse words and gasps fell from it.
After 10 minutes, Kurt stopped his movements by pulling his hair, and Blaine took the warning and let his cock slip from his lips. He moved swiftly back up Kurt's body, claiming his lips in another passionate, desperate and hard kiss, while settling his hips between them.
As he removed his fingers, he brought his hand up between their faces, detaching his lips from Kurt's and licking his palm. Kurt helped him too, swirling his tongues through his fingers, until Blaine's hand was wet, and Blaine wrapped his fingers around the head of his cock, lubricating himself.
Kurt wrapped his arms around Blaine's shoulders as he moved into position, sweeping the head of his cock over his stretched hole a few times, making Kurt gasp and whine as the rim caught on his dick.
He made sure to make eye contact with Kurt, as he pushed in, and kept their gazes locked as they both moaned loudly.
Blaine's hips stuttered a little as he pumped his way inside Kurt quickly.
Both of them too drunk to be careful or slow.
Kurt's nails were clawing at his back and his ass, trying to pull him in closer, and Blaine snapped his hips harder. Kurt yelled and threw his head back, pushing down into the cushions as he placed his thighs around Blaine's waist.
Blaine buried his face in Kurt's pale neck, sucking and biting a path up to his jaw, tightening his arms around Kurt's chest, running his hands up and down the smooth skin and taut muscles.
"I'm gonna- I'm gonna c-cum..." Kurt moaned into the side of Blaine's face as he bit his way down his cheek to his lips.
Blaine pushed his tongue in and out of Kurt's mouth, in the exact same pace he was pumping his hips and Kurt screamed into his mouth as he came.
Warm, wet splashes hit Blaine's chest, and he felt the muscles of Kurt's body tighten around his cock, and he moaned loud before cumming inside him. The aftershocks were like another wave of pleasure, and Kurt couldn't stop moaning. The low rumbles of his chest lulling Blaine to sleep, and he let his weight drop onto Kurt's chest as he closed his eyes.
*End flashback*
xoxoxo
Later that night...
Dinner was incredible. Blaine had really stepped up his skills in the kitchen. Even Mary-belle enjoyed the left overs, which she was finishing off as Blaine refilled their wine glasses and led him to sit on the couch.
"So, what's your verdict on my skills?" Blaine asked with a big grin and Kurt laughed into his wine glass.
"Better than mine." Kurt replied with a smirk and Blaine clapped him on the shoulder, rolling his eyes.
"Oh shut up, nothing can compare to your immense skill in the kitchen department," He said as he placed his glass on the table in front of them, "How are you doing anyway?"
"Good, I'm at the stage of my life now, where I can say I'm happy."
"That's great."
"How's Cooper?" Kurt asked, remembering all the years that Blaine's brother had annoyed him, and had wanted him to come out to L.A.
"Still an ass," Blaine sighed with a small amused smile, "but he has a girlfriend now, she's keeping him calm."
"So is it just you and Mary-belle here? No boyfriend?" Kurt asked after a slight pause.
"No boyfriend," Blaine shrugged, "had one in L.A but we didn't really last long."
"Oh I'm sorry."
Kurt rested a hand on Blaine's knee, locking their gazes and giving him a kind, comforting look. Blaine smiled in appreciation and took Kurt's hand in his, squeezing his fingers.
"It's ok, we're still friends though."
"That's great."
"No love of your life?" Blaine turned the question around and Kurt gave him a wry smile before slumping slightly.
"No, I mean there has been dates but nobody that I really like."
"Ah," Blaine understood how that could be, "single life isn't all it's cracked up to be is it?"
"No it is not."
After another long pause, Kurt decided to watch Blaine. He was a little nervous, and his eyes were darting around a little as he was trying to make the situation less awkward. The longer the silence ran on though the more awkward their situation became.
Eventually Blaine looked back into Kurt's very amused eyes, and he sighed a little. He gave a slightly nervous chuckle before running a hand through his curls.
"Is this weird? I mean, I'm really glad we're friends again, and I've missed you in my life terribly, but does it seem weird?" Blaine asked and Kurt tilted his head as he sipped at his wine.
"A little," He answered, "I guess it still has an awkward air about it."
"I'm still sorry about that."
"Well we said we would start over right?"
"I guess, but it still nags at me," Blaine told him sadly, dragging a hand down his face,"and I don't know what to say to make it better."
"You can't say anything, it happened a long time ago, Blaine." Kurt tried to ease his nerves a little but Blaine shook his head.
"I know," He eventually ae out with a laugh, "6 years, and I don't know how to talk to my best friend."
"Hm." Kurt sat thinking for a while, before he looked around Blaine's living room, "Do you still have 'Dance Party'?"
"Yeah." Blaine answered with a raised eyebrow but a glint in his eye and Kurt gave him a challenging grin.
"Let's play then."
"Good idea."
xoxoxo
They met in college, in their second year. They both needed to get out of the dorms and find somewhere new. Kurt never got along with his dorm roommate, and Blaine's one had already found someone else for the next year.
They both had come across the same ad online for the apartment. Some girl wanted to get rid of it, because she was moving in with her boyfriend. Kurt had been amazed at the size of it at first, but lept his head as he asked the important questions.
She had told him on his visit that someone else wanted to view it too that day, and Kurt's heart sank a little thinking he wouldn't be given a chance at all.
But something strange happened.
Blaine had been viewing and talking to the girl about the place, and she happened to mention that there was another person interested, also from college. Blaine was intrigued and asked the girl to set up a meeting so that they could both meet.
Kurt had been surprised at the girl's request when she called him back the next week, to ask him to come and meet the other guy that was interested.
He went of course.
He and Blaine got along really well, and after a few different conversations about life, about family, about college, they decided the best plan of action was to share and be roommates.
And life was suddenly falling into place.
Blaine let Kurt have creative influence over the decorating, which Kurt very much enjoyed. What Kurt was also surprised to learn was that Blaine was gay, and he was extremely tidy. He liked things in a certain order, and Kurt appreciated it.
They soon became fast friends, which later turned into best friends.
But Kurt's heart was always open, which got him hurt a lot of times, and without really knowing it, he fell in love with Blaine.
And it was hard at first, to hide his hurt and disappointment every time Blaine gathered admirers and dates, but Kurt took a back step and focused on school. That's what got him through it all. That and Blaine just had this urge to make him smile all the time.
All of that of course was destroyed after that New Year's party.
xoxoxo
After a long while playing 'Dance Party' the tension and awkwardness melted away. They were both laughing and holding onto each other's shoulders trying to make the other mess up their moves. It worked when Kurt managed to sweep a leg out and catch Blaine's foot, sending him tumbling onto his ass on the mat.
Kurt laughed joyously and continued his moves, until a hand grabbed his ankle and pulled him down too.
They both sat on their butts, laughing together, before the dog bounded over and proceeded to attack Kurt. She jumped on him, waggling her tiny stubby tail, licking over his face and neck, drooling on him. He tried pushing her away but he was laughing too much and she took advantage to lay on his chest.
"Mary-belle, stop it girl, come on," Blaine laughed as he took hold of her collar and dragged her away from Kurt, who was still chuckling and rolling on the floor while wiping off his face, "you ok?"
"Well, I feel like I've been dunked in slime, but I'm ok." Kurt said with a laugh as he took Blaine's outstretched hand and pulled himself up.
"That eased the awkwardness I guess."
"That it did."
They both moved in for a hug at the same moment, both infinitely glad that they had each other back in their lives.
"God I missed you so much..." Blaine whispered to him and released him, both exchanging a tiny smile as they sat back on the couch, feeling a lot of weight had fallen off.
"Me too, I actually can't believe I survived without you," Kurt said with a small chuckle, Blaine shooting him a smirk, "what do you think life would be like if we hadn't lost all that time?"
"Do you think we would still be living together?"
"Oh probably. It was so hard for me to leave, not just because of you, but everything." Kurt explained, and Blaine nodded.
"Yeah, we built that place together," Blaine sighed a little, "it was full of so many memories."
"Do you still have that photo?" Kurt asked, suddenly remembering something, "you know that awful Christmas sweater one?"
"I have everything."
"Really?"
"Yep."
They both grinned as Blaine then took Kurt's hand and brought him to his bedroom, where he got out a whole case of photo albums, and they spent the rest of the night looking through and laughing as they reminisced about their college years together.
And what life was like with a big ass dog too. Kurt remembered the exact moment that Blaine had brought Mary-Belle home.
xoxoxo
*Flashback*
Kurt glowered at Blaine as he stood cradling the small black and tan dog in the doorway. He had a huge grin on his face, totally ignoring Kurt's glare.
"What the hell is that?" Kurt had said as Blaine stepped into the apartment.
"A puppy." Blaine said in an upbeat tone, with a small shrug as he cuddled the dog a little closer.
"I know it's a puppy Blaine, but why is it here?" Kurt said as he placed his finger against one temple, and closed his eyes.
"It's mine."
"What?"
"I got a puppy." Blaine told him excitedly, and Kurt blinked a couple of times before scowling.
"Did we talk about it?" He asked in a tight and hostile tone and Blaine's grin dropped a little as he fumbled with what to say.
"Well no but-"
"No, we didn't, so you can march right back to where she came from and get your money back." Kurt told him before turning to stomp into the kitchen, and Blaine followed after him with a pout on his face.
"I can't Kurt, she was all alone there." He said in a sad voice, and Kurt crossed his arms, giving him a hard look.
"Well then you can explain it to her when she sits there alone."
"But it's nearly Christmas, she shouldn't be alone for Christmas."
"Blaine, it's a dog, she doesn't know about Christmas." Kurt said as he rolled his eyes and Blaine quickly placed his hand over her head, cupping around her ears.
"Ssh, she'll hear you."
"For Christ's sake, Blaine, it's a dog."
"Now she's mine," Blaine said, and then grinned as he walked towards Kurt, holding the dog a little closer to him, "well, ours."
"Excuse me, I didn't want a dog." Kurt said adamantly and Blaine only smiled.
"Oh come on Kurt, she's cute."
"She's a Rottweiler, do you know how big they get?"
"Yes."
"This apartment barely has room for us, let alone a big ass dog."
"Kurt, look at her cute face," Blaine said as he scrunched up her little round face, making it all wrinkly, and Kurt turned away before he could find the sight adorable, but Blaine followed wherever he turned, "Kurt, look. Kurt she likes you. Kurt, pet her, she's adorable."
"Blaine-" He warned but Blaine ignored him.
"Here hold her."
As the dog was plunked into his arms, all puppy smell and wrinkled skin, and big green-brown eyes looking up at him curiously, Kurt was a goner.
*End Flashback*
xoxoxo
They spent a lot of time together over the next month, and as Christmas was just around the corner, Kurt started getting a little nervous.
He wanted to get Blaine something special for Christmas this year, as it was the first one they would be celebrating together for 6 years. He needed a gift that said, I love you, I missed you, I'm glad you're back in my life and Hope it lasts forever, all rolled into one.
But Kurt obviously couldn't give away that he still loved him deeply. He wouldn't push anything onto his best friend. Not like before.
That inevitable freak out did hurt, and it killed Kurt inside. The love didn't quite diminish, and it had come back with some force when Blaine had turned up in the park.
Kurt had the perfect idea for a gift. He had found an old picture in the bottom of his drawer, one he had kept safe over the years. It was taken a couple of nights after Blaine had brought the puppy home, and it was to commemorate the name they had chosen for her.
It had been a bit of a joke, that Kurt came up with Mary-belle, because he was still a little pissed off that Blaine had bought a dog without his input. He had thought of the most unlikely cutesy name he could think of, but Blaine had tried it out and actually liked it for her.
So Mary-belle was born. Mary-belle the Rottweiler.
Kurt had laughed for about 10 minutes when Blaine had been calling her it, and he told him it was a joke, but he had just shrugged and carried on.
They took a selfie on Kurt's phone that night, with Mary-belle sitting between them, on the couch, both had big grins on their faces.
It was a picture Kurt had often looked at in the first year when he left the apartment. He hadn't had the courage to throw it away. It reminded him of good times, when he was falling in love with Blaine.
He had an idea what to do with it, and he hoped that Blaine appreciated it for what it represented. He was sure he would.
As he walked into work a few days later, with a secret smile on his face as he asked his assistant to blow the picture up for him, he felt warmth fill his chest. Blaine would know by the picture that Kurt was always thinking of him for all these years.
Just like he told Kurt he had.
A few weeks later, it was coming close to Christmas, and he received the annual phone call from his father. He had previously made sure that his father knew that this Christmas he wouldn't be able to make it home, the Christmas period was too busy for Kurt.
His father didn't mind, Kurt tried to visit often during the year to make up for missing thanksgiving and Christmas.
"Hey dad." He answered and smiled when he heard his father's gruff voice come over the other end.
"Hey buddy, how's things?"
"Good, What about you?"
"Great actually," Burt said as he chuckled, "The guys have rallied round at the shop, doing all of my work for me, and I trained someone up to work the books, so I can have more time off, per your orders."
"That's great dad, how's Carole?" Kurt said with a little amusement.
"She's good, yeah, she's actually practicing making a salt free, sugar free pie for me for Christmas."
"The recipe I sent her?" Kurt asked with a smile and his father chuckled.
"The very one. Everything going ok at work?"
"Yeah, it' fairly busy, but it always is this time of year," Kurt replied with a short nod, settling down into the couch a little, and relaxing, "but it's going well, I'm happy with the productions."
"That's great."
"Dad...I wanted to tell you something." He said with a small sigh and Burt paused.
"Ok." Kurt could hear the worry and trepidation in his father's voice, and no matter how old he got he would always appreciate his father worrying about him.
"I've been in touch with an old friend."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah, Blaine...from college."
"With the dog? How is he?" Burt asked a little surprised.
"He's good, Mary-belle is still with him, he moved back to New York from L.A a few months back."
"Great," his father paused a little, and Kurt knew the question that was coming, "so you been spending a lot of time together?"
He could always count on his father to be predictable. He rolled his eyes and held back a small laugh as he answered.
"Yeah, kind of."
"Kind of?" He could practically see his father's pensive look, and raised eyebrow.
"Alright, we spend almost all of our spare time together."
"And how do you feel about that?"
"I feel...Is it wrong to fall in love with somebody who you know broke your heart the last time you saw them?"
"Love's a funny thing Kurt, you can't help the way you feel." He said seriously, and Kurt made a noise of irritation.
"I just don't want to push anything."
"Well, does Blaine know how you feel?"
"No, I don't think so," Kurt replied, but then his eyes shifted to the package sitting next to him, "But after I give him his Christmas present tomorrow, he might?"
"Oh yeah," Burt chuckled a little and Kurt sighed, waiting for the inevitable advice to come through the phone, he could always count on his father for that, "Listen kid, I can't tell you what to do, or not to do, you're a grown man, you make your own decisions. But a little advice, I think maybe taking things slow would be the way to go. And talk about feelings."
"Yeah, I know dad." He loved his father, really loved him. Burt was incredibly thoughtful and kind.
"Carole's calling me for dinner, we're going to see that movie tonight, Gold Girls or something?"
"Diamond Show girls? Yeah she told me she wanted to see that," Kurt laughed when his father did, "I'll let you know what happens with Blaine."
"Don't worry, ok, and don't be guarded about it, be open ok?"
"Yeah ok."
"I love you Kurt, take care of yourself." His father said, making Kurt smile a little.
"Love you too dad."
As he hung up the phone, he mused to himself. He wanted to be open with Blaine, but he didn't want to push. He looked down at the gift beside him and sighed. It was something they needed to discuss, and hopefully it wouldn't turn out like last time.
xoxoxo
The Next Afternoon...
"Oh my god!" Blaine exclaimed once he ripped the wrapping paper off of the big canvas picture, staring at it with wide eyes.
"I found that picture, and I thought it would make a nice addition." Kurt said as he watched Blaine's expression, where he sat next to him on the couch, his own unwrapped present sitting on his lap
"Oh my god!" Blaine said again, and Kurt laughed.
"Is that all you have to say?" He questioned and Blaine's eyes shot to him, the awed expression in them making Kurt's stomach flutter.
"Kurt, this is incredible, thank you." He said genuinely as he brought the canvas close to his chest to hug it, before pulling it back and looking at it again.
"It's no problem." Kurt almost waved off the compliment but Blaine shook his head.
"I mean it, I love it," He said as he reached out a hand, and took Kurt's hand in his, "but now it makes my gift seem a little weak."
"Oh nonsense, I love the sweater and the brooch." Kurt said as he plucked the small brooch out of his pile, holding it up and inspecting it with a happy smile.
"You're only saying that."
"No, I really love it, it's quirky, and it will go well with a couple of my outfits at home, I love it."
"Well, you're welcome."
"You know actually, that picture has been with me for 6 years," Kurt said, finally needing to admit everything, and feeling like it was the right time, "the first year after I left, I used to look at it every other day, wondering what went wrong. Missing you...and Mary-belle of course."
"Oh Kurt," Blaine said with an awed look, that quickly turned into a frown, "all I know is that I was young and foolish and I had all these ideals about what life would be like, and the last thing I expected was to take my best friend's first time, in a drunken stupor."
"I thought we agreed not to regret it." Kurt said and Blaine quickly shook his head as he placed the picture on the couch and turned to take Kurt's hands.
"Oh no, I don't," Blaine said with a serious and contemplative look, "I really don't regret that, I just regret that we weren't together, or even in love before-"
"I was." Kurt interrupted, taking a leap. Blaine paused and looked at him.
"What?"
"I was in love with you," Kurt admitted, and closed his eyes as Blaine watched him, not wanting to see the rejection again, "you were the perfect example of everything I wanted. My perfect guy. But you were also my best friend, so I used to push my feelings away, because I didn't want to ruin that. But I did anyway."
"Oh Kurt." Blaine exhaled and Kurt felt his eyes sting a little.
"Don't pity me." He snapped a little, feeling over emotional, but Blaine held onto his hands tightly, running a thumb over his knuckles.
"I'm not, I just wish I had known." Blaine told him softly and Kurt almost laughed.
"What difference would it have made?" He said humourlessly, and Blaine inhaled.
"Because I was in love with you too."
At that Kurt's eyes snapped open and he stared at Blaine. Those brown eyes were filled with regret, love, awe, and sadness. And Kurt found that he couldn't look away.
xoxoxo
*Flashback*
"Oh my god!"
Kurt was startled awake at the yell from next to him, and he shook his head to clear his blurry vision as he opened bleary eyes.
"Oh my god! Oh my god!"
Blaine was up and hopping into his jeans, while walking backwards and forwards by the couch, as Kurt watched him. He was babbling incoherently to himself and Kurt reached down groggily for his clothes.
"Blaine?...what?" Kurt tried to reach out for him as he walked by, but Blaine flinched away and Kurt frowned up at him.
"What have we done?" Blaine said and Kurt tilted his head in confusion as his heart sunk a little into the pit of his stomach.
"What?" He asked as he sat up to pull his shirt on.
"Look what we did...oh god, oh god," Blaine was repeating over and over, clutching his chest and then his hair as he paced, "it can't be real, it can't."
"Blaine." Kurt tried to reach for him again, but Blaine twisted away from him and then sat down on the opposite chair.
"Such a stupid mistake, oh god why?" He said as he put his head in his hands, rocking his knees up and down, in a nervous habit Kurt had only seen once or twice.
"Blaine stop, will you just calm down?" Kurt said with a little more bite than intended and Blaine's eyes snapped up to his, a frown present on his face.
"Calm down?! Do you have any idea what the hell we just did?! What a horrible mistake we just made?"
Kurt felt his breath leave him and his heart stop.
"Mistake?" He asked in a small voice, trying so hard not to get emotional, which Blaine failed to notice in his freaked out state,.
"Yes mistake," Blaine repeated, and Kurt felt his heart break into pieces, and he sat there as Blaine continued his little tirade, numb, "we're not in love, we're not together, we're friends, and we just destroyed everything by fucking. Stupid drunken fucking...shit, this is not how things were supposed to turn out for me."
Blaine ended flinging himself out of his seat and kicking the side of the couch, and then pulling at his hair in frustration before moving onto kicking the wall and then the furniture around the place. Kurt flinched every time he grunted as something got kicked.
"Oh my..." Kurt stopped himself from commenting, placing a hand in his hair to try and block out the unintentionally cruel words that were tearing his heart apart.
"Shit, I didn't plan this, no, no, this can't be real, I did not just fuck my friend." Came Blaine's mantra, as he stopped his angry kicking to pace again, becoming more closed off the longer it went on.
Kurt felt the hot prickle behind his eyes as he watched his friend freaking out, totally forgetting about Kurt being in the room. Every utter of mistake, and no, and oh my god, hurting Kurt deeper and deeper until he couldn't stand the tension anymore.
"Blaine-" He choked out, but the rest of the words escaped him, and Blaine totally ignored it as he gripped his hair again.
"No, no, no, I can't do this, it's not right, it's not right."
Kurt stood slowly, grabbing the rest of his clothes from the floor, and silently making his way to his bedroom. As he shut the door and leaned against it, he finally let the anguish, heart broken tears fall down his face. He sobbed silently for a while, feeling himself sinking even more into hurt.
He had to leave. He couldn't stay after today. No more.
*End flashback*
xoxoxo
"What?" Kurt asked as he stared into his best friend's eyes, willing his heart to stop beating so hard.
"I would have told you, I loved you too," Blaine told him as he smiled sadly, "how could I not? You were always there for me, we laughed and joked about like goofballs, we cried together, we helped each other, we cheered in each other's corners. We had the same love of theatre and film, music, Broadway, we had the same dreams, we liked the same kind of styles."
Kurt laughed a little disbelievingly at what he was hearing.
"I mean, you were- are beautiful." Blaine corrected himself, throwing a bashful smile at Kurt, who smiled back, "and I always believed you were perfect."
"Nobody's perfect Blaine." Kurt to him quietly, shaking his head a little but Blaine grabbed both of his hands and pulled them to his chest.
"You were, at least to me." Blaine said earnestly and Kurt blushed and looked away with a slight cough.
They sat in comforting silence for a while, Kurt still looking away as Blaine's fingers played with his. He looked down at the brooch that Blaine had bought him, and smiled. They had always argued about accessories. Blaine loved his bowties and suspenders, where as Kurt preferred scarves and brooches.
Many days they had the discussion of bowties versus scarves, and usually they would agree to disagree. Kurt did suit scarves better than Blaine.
"I remember all those times we used to argue about style actually, bowties vers-"
"Versus scarves, I remember." Blaine finished for him and Kurt looked back at him, a slightly wary expression on his face.
"Why did you freak out that morning?" Kurt asked and Blaine tensed a little and then sighed, but Kurt went on, "I mean I know why, but I don't understand why you kept calling it...us...a mistake if you loved me?"
"Oh...OH! No Kurt, I didn't mean that..." Blaine said as realization dawned in his eyes, and he quickly pulled Kurt to him, gripping him tightly and crushing him against his chest, "shit, all this time, you really thought I was that cruel as to call you a mistake because I had no feelings for you? Oh my god, I am so sorry that you thought-"
Blaine choked off with a sob, and Kurt pulled back slightly with a sad smile.
"Look, it doesn't matter what I thought, what was really going on?" Kurt asked as he looked into the sad brown eyes of his first love again, and the sadness must have been mirrored in his own eyes, because those brown ones watered slightly.
"It ruined my plans," Blaine said, and as Kurt tilted his face in slight confusion, he let out a short laugh and continued, "I had big plans, to ask you out, to profess my love. And I thought I had ruined the moment, and that you would be pissed at me for stealing your virginity when we weren't together."
"I was so in love with you, I didn't care that we weren't together," Kurt said with a shrug and Blaine gave him a small smile, "but I did take what you said, the wrong way. I thought you were ashamed, because you didn't want me."
"Never." Blaine admitted quickly, gripping both of Kurt's hands again, placing a quick kiss on the back of one, "I always wanted you."
"Wanted?" Kurt asked about the past tense and Blaine grinned with determination and charm.
"Want...I want you."
Kurt sighed at the words, but still looked in Blaine's eyes with a wary expression.
"Really?" He asked and Blaine almost laughed at the shy question.
"I love you Kurt." He said simply and Kurt nearly melted with relief and warmth.
"I love you too."
Blaine laughed a little breathlessly as he leaned forward to close his lips on Kurt's, who was all too happy to kiss him back. Their lips connected and moved together in a slide, and Kurt felt his heart become whole again.
Kurt pulled back a little, disconnecting them and Blaine whined with the loss of feeling. Kurt laughed as Blaine's mouth descended onto his neck, kissing and sucking on it lightly.
"Blaine, I'm not a prude anymore, but if we move this to the next level tonight, promise you won't freak out in the morning?" Kurt said in between gasps, as he clung to Blaine's back.
"I won't, I promise." Blaine said smoothly in between kisses and Kurt smiled widely.
"Good."