"Boy you called me out here to tell me you think you might be dating a celebrity, but you aren't about to tell me which one?" She shook her head at him. "Oh hell to the naw. Spill."

Kurt's smile was wide, and he couldn't get it to go away, but he was still nervous. "The whole thing is really confusing but my stomach is a ball of knots and my skin is like a hundred degrees I had to tell someone even if I couldn't tell them everything." Kurt was squeezing his hands and pacing his living room.

"Can I at least get a hint?" Mercedes needed to know the answer. No one had ever gotten Kurt like this before.

"He sang me a song."

"So it's a he." Kurt stopped pacing to glare at Mercedes.

"Obviously." Kurt went back to pacing.

"And a singer."

Kurt made a squealing noise. "Yes." He remembered Blaine's heart pounding performance on the very keyboard that sat just a few steps away from him.

"JUST TELL ME!" Mercedes had had enough of Kurt's vague answers. She knew he wanted to tell her so why was he putting it off?

"Fine." He ran over to the couch and hopped right next to her. "It's—"

He was cut off by a ring. He pulled his phone out and looked at the caller ID. It was a New York phone number that wasn't in his contacts. He grinned and answered.

"Hello?"

"I just couldn't go another 10 minutes without knowing."

"Blaine Anderson." Kurt asserted looking up at Mercedes who dropped her mouth then shoved her face in the couch to prevent herself from screaming.

"Kurt Hummel. Since I know you are free tonight and I know that a cupcake isn't a sufficient meal. Would you like to get dinner with me this evening?"

"Don't you have plans? Red Carpet events, song recording, bar karaoke competitions to compete in?" Blaine chuckled over the line.

"Well a great man once told me that guys can be divas too, so I threw a tantrum and cancelled everything. Plus, I was no match against drag Tina Turner at karaoke so it's probably for the best. What do you say?"

Kurt looked at Mercedes who had been listening in and was nodding her head so rapidly Kurt thought she might snap her neck.

"I would love to."

"Great. I'll pick you up at 6."

"See you then." Kurt hung up the phone and tried not to rip his lips from smiling too much.

"You're going on a date with Blaine Anderson. Kurt, YOU ARE GOING ON A DATE WITH BLAINE ANDERSON."

"What am I going to wear?" Kurt and Mercedes looked at each other in shock before yelping and running toward Kurt's makeshift closet.

Kurt was nervously biting his thumb by the window at 5:45 pm. Mercedes had left about 30 minutes ago when she was sure Kurt wasn't going to stress drink his body weight in espresso shots.

He went back and forth between humming and tapping his foot to keep himself distracted. He had a haunting feeling that this was all some sick joke. That it was just a Blaine Anderson look alike that was playing him to get in his pants. Maybe it actually was Blaine Anderson and he was just toying with the heart of a little fanboy. He would never show up and laugh at the thought of the stupid guy waiting by the window for a fantasy that wasn't real.

Kurt shook his head and stood up. This is stupid. If he doesn't show up, it won't bother me. If he does, okay. He began pacing and looked over to his espresso machine before realizing Mercedes was right. Another shot of espresso and he would spend his whole evening in the bathroom.

He was so busy arguing with his thoughts, he almost didn't hear the knock on the downstairs door.

Fuck.

He may have spent nearly an hour thinking about all the possible outcomes of this evening, but he was pretty sure the majority of them didn't involve Blaine actually showing up. He smoothed down the shirt he was wearing, a simple blue button up tucked into tight leather jeans. He took a breath and headed downstairs.

"You're early." He noted as he opened the door to a smiling Blaine Anderson.

"Well I know how much you disapprove of tardiness." He winked, and Kurt stifled a moan. "I. uh. I brought you these." Blaine pulled his hand out from behind his back to offer a small bouquet of daisies to Kurt.

"Thank you." Kurt took them from Blaine's hand and turned to head upstairs to put them in water.

"I know it's no giant bouquet of roses or anything, but daisies make me smile." Kurt turned and looked down the stairs at him. "I was hoping they would make you smile too."

Kurt bit his lip and turned back up toward his door. Keep it together, Hummel. His thoughts were running rampant and the very small voice of reason in his head was trying to tell him that he still needed to keep his guard up in front of Blaine.

He left the door open for Blaine as he made his way into the kitchen. It occurred to him that he didn't actually possess a vase. He looked around and spotted a nearly empty milk carton he had left on the counter. He shrugged, dumped the tiny bit remaining, and filled it with water.

"Perfect." He added as he flourished his hand, placing the carton of daisies on the kitchen table. Blaine chuckled at his resourcefulness.

"Are you ready?" Blaine gestured toward the door.

"Where are we going?"

"That's a surprise." Blaine took a step toward the entrance.

"That sounds like something a kidnapper would say." Kurt folded his arms and took up a defensive stance.

"Well kidnappers and I have that in common then."

"You're not helping your situation."

"Come on, you'll love it I promise."

Kurt eyed him suspiciously then let the voices in his head that were focused on Blaine's smile win over.

"Okay. Does this outfit work for whatever it is we are doing?"

"You look gorgeous." Blaine ran up and pulled on Kurt's hands dragging him toward the door. Kurt grinned. "There's that smile."

Kurt hardly had time to lock the doors as Blaine pulled him all the way to the street. He pushed on a pair of red sunglasses once they hit the sidewalk.

"Sorry about these. It's a short walk but I still can't risk it." Kurt realized that though they had begun just walking side by side, Blaine hadn't let go of his hand. He thought about pulling his hand away, he didn't want to give the wrong signals. But then he felt a small squeeze and looked over to see Blaine grinning at him. "Is this okay?"

"It's great." Kurt squeezed Blaine's fingers back. Blaine led him down the block to an alley where he held open the door to a tinted Audi. "This seems like more kidnapping."

"It's fine. I just wanted us to have a private evening and taking the train wasn't going to allow that."

"Yes. This is much more understated." Kurt added slipping into the passenger side, feeling the smooth leather of the seats with the palm of his hand. Blaine just laughed and closed the door, jogging around the front to the driver's side. He pulled out onto the street and sped off. The sound of the engine purring drawing the eye of every bicyclist in Brooklyn. "Yeah no one will notice." Kurt murmured.

"So where are you whisking me away to? Manhattan? I'm assuming you have some sort of magnificent penthouse on Central Park West. Or maybe you consistently stay in the Ritz Carlton and have them bring you room service."

"It's actually on Fifth Avenue." Blaine glanced over at Kurt, who couldn't tell if he was joking or not. He wasn't. "We're not going all the way to Manhattan."

"We are eating in Brooklyn?" Kurt was never one for surprises he didn't plan himself. He was going to get the answer one way or another.

"I never said that." Kurt just groaned as Blaine took street after street going way faster than he should.

As they approached the bridge to Manhattan, Kurt was sure Blaine had lied to him. But instead of turning to get on the bridge, he turned along the water. He pulled up to the parking lot of a dock full of huge yachts.

"You have to be kidding me." Kurt looked through the windshield at the huge boat in front of them.

"The Dalton." Blaine smiled up at it before looking over to Kurt whose mouth was gaping. "What do you think?"

"It's humongous." Blaine held back a laugh. He had been hanging out with Sebastian too much, it took every part of him to not shout That's what he said!

"Let's go." Blaine opened his door and ran to get to Kurt's door before he could open it. Luckily for Blaine, Kurt couldn't figure out how to open it, so he was allowed his chance to be a gentleman.

"Thanks." Kurt muttered sheepishly, embarrassed he had spent that long trying to open a car door.

"No problem. One time I left Rachel in there until she screamed because she couldn't figure it out."

"What a charmer." Kurt said sarcastically. Hiding the fact that he was glad Blaine had done that. Anything to knock Rachel down a rung was well deserved in his mind. She was talented, but she needed a lesson in humility.

Blaine popped the trunk and removed a basket which took him both arms to carry.

"Are we eating bricks?" Kurt asked offering to help him carry it. Blaine just laughed and led the way to the boat.

After they boarded, Blaine gave him a quick tour. He pointed out the life vests and the bathroom first. Then he showed Kurt the interesting parts of the boat. Down below were bedrooms and a kitchen. There was also a garage on the back that housed two jet skis.

"Another time maybe." Blaine said noting Kurt's apprehensive stare. He took him to the bow of the yacht on the lower level where a small door led to a miniature music room.

"Inspiration can hit anywhere I guess." Kurt laughed.

"It really can." Blaine looked at the room with a distant expression, remembering all the times he had taken the boat out just so he could make music quietly with no distractions.

Kurt's stomach growled, and he was doing his best to pretend it hadn't happened. "I've kept you waiting long enough I think." Blaine laughed and placed his hand on Kurt's lower back to help him up the thin staircase. Which caused a whole different feeling in the barista's stomach.

The sun was just beginning to set. It was starting to get chilly as it was autumn and the breeze was blowing off the water. Blaine led Kurt to the deck where an array of pillows and blankets was set up around a small fire table. Blaine moved the basket to the ground and turned a knob which sparked the fire.

Kurt crossed his legs under him and sat beside Blaine, who was opening the basket.

"That's a lot of sandwiches." Kurt looked over Blaine's shoulder to see that the large basket was entirely filled with hoagie rolls.

"There's this place a few blocks from my apartment. They make the best sandwiches. I go there all the time, he just started to give me handfuls of them for free."

"It must be nice to have free stuff constantly pushed at you."

Blaine rolled his eyes. "I kind of hate it. I have the money I just want to pay the man for his amazing sandwiches, but he refuses." Blaine laughed and looked through his eyebrows at Kurt. "But he doesn't know that I've been secretly donating grants for his daughter's high school science club. I hear they will be able to go study evolution in the Galapagos."

"Why is this never in the news?"

"What do you mean?" Blaine put one of the sandwiches on a plate and handed it to Kurt. Reaching into a built in cooler and removing a bottle of wine and two glasses.

"The tabloids are all over you getting wasted and throwing yourself around. How come no one prints that the crazy rockstar funded a trip for a science club to go to South America?"

"It's not what people want to read." Blaine's look darkened, leaving Kurt with a bunch of questions. Questions he was sure Blaine wasn't prepared to answer, he let the topic drop.

"So, Blaine Anderson." Kurt said giving him a flirty look. "What made you want to be a famous singer?"

"Well, Kurt Hummel." Blaine gave him the same look. "That is a loaded question. I never wanted to be a famous singer. I only ever wanted to be a singer. Fame was just a bonus." Kurt laughed. That was admittedly a pretty good answer, though he wasn't sure he bought it.

"You were in New Directions. What happened? Why did you decide to not keep with singing?" Blaine offered him a glass full of white wine.

"I guess I had kind of hoped that I would keep with it. I actually moved to New York thinking it was the place of opportunity. I figured even though I really didn't have a plan like Rachel, I might have a better chance of ending up with one if I was in New York." Blaine pulled his legs up to his chest and rested his head on his knee giving Kurt his full attention. "My dad had some health complications causing me to go back and forth between states. I had trouble finding roles and jobs. Then the space below my apartment opened up and I decided to pursue one of my hobbies as opposed to one of my passions. I always loved baking and drinking coffee and I figured enough people in the world wanted coffee and baked goods and hey it worked out so I guess, I got a dream even if it wasn't necessarily mine."

Blaine noticed a sadness in Kurt's eyes. He may have convinced himself that he was doing what he loved, but he hadn't really convinced Blaine. "Do you still sing?"

"In the shower." Kurt laughed. He had everything he needed to perform entire shows in his apartment, but singing just reminded him of the dream he had lost.

"Can I hear?"

"If you were trying to get in the shower with me you could have just asked, no need to bring singing into this."

"You know that's not what I meant." Blaine gave Kurt a light shove. Kurt chuckled before his expression got sad again.

"I don't think I'm ready yet." Blaine nodded sympathetically. He remembered earlier that day singing for Kurt and feeling like he had just laid his heart bare in Kurt's hands.

"I understand." Blaine grinned, taking a sip of his wine.

The two men ate their sandwiches quietly just enjoying the crackling of the fire and the occasional boat passing by. They hadn't left the dock, it would mean Blaine would have to captain the yacht and wouldn't be able to spend time with Kurt.

Once they were finished eating, Blaine pushed everything out of the way, filled their glasses up, and leaned back against the pillows.

"I think I could write a song about just your eyes." Blaine's face was soft as he looked up at Kurt. "The last rays of light reflecting off the water and shining on your face, turning them into little pools of blue and silver." Blaine almost started reaching up for Kurt's face before quickly pulling his hand down and looking in a different direction.

"I don't think I fully understand you." Kurt whispered into the tension between them.

"What do you mean?" Blaine continued to look in the other direction toward the city. The city full of dreams. The city that caused his nightmares.

"There you sit cute as ever. Going into a soliloquy about my eyes, but everything I have ever heard about you is all parties, near arrests, and hooking up with guys. I'm just a little confused. When you asked me here, I was prepared to have to fight off your advances. But you're so careful around me, like if you get too close, I'll fly away."

"I told you. I'm not in control of my own life."

"Are the tabloids lies?"

This was the part Blaine was dreading. He could have been the nice guy that posed as a bad boy, but Sebastian had told him to make it more than acting. For people to believe it, it had to be real.

"Kurt, I like you. A lot." Blaine added nervously. Sitting up so he could lean towards Kurt. "I want to tell you that I'm just the guy that gives cupcakes to homeless people and anonymously donates to school science clubs. But I'm not. I told you my career is crazy and I'm not super excited about the direction it is going, but no the tabloids aren't all lies."

"So, the drinking, cops…" Kurt was most hurt by the next one. He was a romantic after all. The thought of just hooking up never sat well with him. "The men. Those are all real?"

"Most of it is not as bad as the papers make it look, but yes. It's real. It's who I am I guess." Blaine threw his hands up angrily. Before pushing off the ground and treading over to the railing. The sky was a dim blue and he could just barely see the water below.

Damnit Sebastian. Your stupid obsession with my image has completely fucked up my life. I will never be able to settle down and be in love. No one will ever be able to see past the rockstar.

Blaine's elbows were on the railing, his head hung. He nearly jumped when he felt a hand on his neck. He looked over to Kurt who had a pitying smile.

Blaine wanted to say something to reassure Kurt, but he was choked up thinking about his mess of a life. He prepared himself for the goodbye. He had officially scared him off. Kurt was about to fly away.

Kurt cupped Blaine's cheek and pulled it toward his face. He paused and let out a warm and sweet tasting breath right by Blaine's mouth. "I want to give the real Blaine Anderson a try."

Blaine sighed as Kurt pressed his lips against his. He reached up and grabbed the side of Kurt's head. They coiled around each other as the kiss deepened. Kurt felt Blaine's tongue flit at his upper lip.

They finally pulled away from each other to breathe and press their foreheads together. A few whisps of Blaine's hair tickled Kurt's temple. And Kurt smiled at the taste of wine on Blaine's lips.

"She was right. Your face does taste awesome." Blaine laughed and wrapped his arm around Kurt's neck, pulling him into a tight hug.

"Are you sure you want this?"

"Would I still be here if I didn't?"