So, Blaine hadn't intended to actually run into Kurt at the hardware store. But when he drove into the parking lot, searching for a space to park, he saw Kurt coming out the door, and the sight caused his breath to catch and his fingers to tremble on the steering wheel.

Kurt Hummel was hot. He was dressed in a red and black plaid shirt with fitted jeans and black boots. His hair, which had been well-done while he was at work, had apparently been fixed up once again before going to the hardware store because it was perfectly coifed. He was pulling a cart behind him, and a long pole stuck out of the top, pointing into the air directly above his head.

Sex on a stick… And sings like a dream, Blaine thought, staring at him. He could not get enough of watching the man walk across the parking lot. Suddenly, he was struck by the fact that he was going to explode if he didn't get Kurt's number. He didn't think he'd be able to go home, knowing he'd been so close to Kurt again and still didn't have a way to talk to him. He couldn't explain it, but something in his gut told him this was important. He needed Kurt's number now.

Very slowly, Blaine drove into the next lane, watching to see where Kurt's car was parked. Thankfully, the space next to him was open, so Blaine drove into it and parked. His mind was racing, wondering how he'd be able to start a conversation and get Kurt's number without seeming suspicious. There was no way he could just get out and say, "Hey, Kurt. Fancy meeting you here. I can't explain why, but I feel like I need your number. Got a piece of paper you can write it down on? Better yet, here's my phone. Why don't you put it in yourself?" No, he needed something better than that. But what?

That's when the idea came to him. It was dumb, and it probably wouldn't earn him any favors with Kurt in the coming days, but it was a surefire way to get his number. Without thinking too hard about it, Blaine opened his door harder than he normally would, letting it smash into the Navigator's passenger door hard enough to leave a dent but not hard enough to hurt anything too badly. "Crap!" he yelled, doing his best to hide his smile so Kurt wouldn't know the curse was merely for effect. "Damn it! Did that leave a dent?"

"What the hell?" Kurt asked, bolting around his car. "What the—" He stopped in his tracks when he noticed it was Blaine. "Oh. It was you. Hi."

"Hi. I am so sorry about that. I was looking at a message about an assignment tomorrow, and I wasn't paying attention to how close to your car I was. I mean, I didn't even realize this was your car. I just found a place to park and get out. But then I opened my door too hard and probably dinged you. I'm sorry!"

Kurt shrugged. "No big deal. I had this thing in a garage in New York for a while. It had some minor dents in it from that, and I was able to pull them out with this tool that my dad has. I'm sure it will be the same here. Too dark to tell, though."

Not what I was expecting. Damn it! "Well, just in case, I think we should exchange numbers. If you need my insurance to pay for it, you'll have a way to get ahold of me."

"I work with you. I can just ask for your insurance when I see you at the paper."

"Yeah. But what if I'm sick or something? Then, you won't have a way to get it."

"Are you feeling ill?" Kurt asked, taking a step back. "Because I really don't want to catch anything. My dad is really vulnerable to illness right now, and I can't risk taking anything home. Maybe you shouldn't come into work tomorrow if you—"

"No. No, I feel fine. I was just saying 'what if?' You know. Hypothetically."

"Oh."

"I would just really feel better if you'd let me have your number, Kurt. That way, if you need anything, even if it's not my insurance, you can get in touch with me. Maybe you'll need a lift to work someday because your car breaks down, and then you'll have my number."

Kurt sighed. "Fine. What's yours? I'll send you a text."

Blaine quickly rattled off his number, and a moment later, his phone beeped in his hand. He looked down, and a new message popped up on the screen from an un-programmed number. It said, "Photographer Kurt Hummel."

"Did you get it?"

"Yeah. Calling yourself 'photographer,' are you?"

"I didn't know if you'd maybe have another Kurt in your phone."

"I don't."

"Oh." There was a moment of awkward silence between them, and Blaine wondered what Kurt was thinking about.

Then, "So, what did you come to the hardware store to get?"

"What?" Blaine asked, surprised by the question.

Kurt gestured behind them. "You're here at the hardware store. What did you need?"

"Oh. Yeah. Um, I came to get some nails. I'm, uh, I'm building a shelf in my bedroom. For my-my books. So, I need some nails. I do a lot of DIY projects at home." He chuckled, hoping Kurt would buy his story.

"Oh. That sounds nice. Are you an avid reader?"

"Sort of? I collect a lot of books that have nostalgia for me," Blaine answered, happy he didn't have to lie. He actually had a few really well-built shelves at home that were really full. He didn't call himself a collector, but he supposed some might.

"Nice. I read a lot of ebooks. I don't collect too many physical ones, but I do have a few. Maybe you'll have to share your shelf plans with me someday."

"Oh. Uh, yeah. Sure. Maybe."

"Well, I need to get going," Kurt said, turning around.

"It was nice… running into you," Blaine said, hoping Kurt would laugh at the pun. He was rewarded with a soft chuckle.

"Oh, Blaine?" Kurt asked as he was climbing into his car. "You said you were reading an email about an assignment for work. What job is it? Something for tomorrow?"

"What?"

"You said that's why you hit my car door. You were reading an email about an assignment."

"Oh. Yeah. It was a-about the assignment we went on today, the horse barn at the fairgrounds. Just some notes from Tina about my interview notes."

"Okay. Well, have a good night."

"Yeah. You, too. Bye, Kurt."

"Bye."

Blaine stayed in the parking lot, watching Kurt drive away until he couldn't see the car anymore. Then, he sighed. Did he actually need anything here, or had he just come, secretly hoping to find Kurt? Definitely the second thing, he thought to himself. Definitely.

Still, he thought it might be weird if he came home with nothing, so he went inside and bought a few random things: some candy, lightbulbs, an extension cord, and some cute remote-controlled LED lights that he found in the clearance section. He paid for his few things and headed home, a huge grin on his face as he thought about Kurt's number being plugged into his phone.

When he got home, he walked in the door feeling lighter than he ever had before. His parents were both sitting on the couch, watching TV when he came in.

"How was the hardware store?" his mother asked, smiling at him.

"It was good," Blaine replied. "I bought a few things."

"It must have been really good," Joel commented. "I haven't seen you smile that big in a long time. Wanna tell us about it?"

"I door-dinged Kurt Hummel," Blaine announced without thinking. Then, his face turned red. "I mean, it was an accident, of course. He was really nice about it, too."

"Kurt Hummel? And you're happy about that? About door-dinging him?"

Blaine could feel his good mood starting to deflate. "It's a long story, Dad," he said. "And I'm getting tired. So, I'm gonna head to bed. Night."

"Night," his parents both replied, going back to their show.

Hurrying to his room, Blaine shut the door behind him and dropped down on his bed with a sigh. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and quickly programmed Kurt's number into it. Then, he lay there, holding the phone above his head and staring at it, smiling at the contact.

"You're ridiculous," he whispered to himself. "No 26-year-old man should be this happy about a phone number."

You should be when you haven't truly been happy in a long, long time, his brain replied.