CHAPTER 6
"Just drop the boxes anywhere I guess. I was in such a hurry I didn't mark things very well. I'll just have to go through them to see what's inside." Blaine suggested, motioning for the boxes to be set up against a wall in the living room.
"And this?" Coop asked, smirking.
"Oh God, be careful Coop! If you drop that, it's totally the end of my existence, man!"
"Bro, it's a coffee pot….chill!"
"It's MY coffee maker, it cost me a fortune, and it's a hell of a lot nicer than that poor excuse YOU have. I need to be able to brew my own life blood in the morning! At least until I find a good coffee shop in the neighborhood."
Coop set it down on the counter like it was a Ming vase and rolled his eyes at Blaine.
The afternoon continued with more boxes that their mom had sent up with personal items inside. The new furniture arrived around 4 pm, and the movers were, thankfully, careful and didn't scratch or break anything. They even set up his bed, and the bed he'd purchased for the spare bedroom. He'd decided to make the small middle room into the spare bedroom. It truly was an odd room, though. No windows, no closet. He was afraid being in there would be claustrophobic or something. He figured he wouldn't spend much time in a spare bedroom, and then picked the other bedroom with all the light for his music and instruments.
"So are you ok about this?" Coop asked.
"What, the move? Yeah, I'm good. Why do you….um…. ask? You already miss me?" Blaine smirked.
"You've been spacing out all day….zoning to the point that you're not hearing anyone….you just…go away for a minute or so."
Blaine felt the blush all the way to his toes, and dropped his eyes to the dark, hardwood floor. He'd been remembering his dream and how he'd woken up in a state that required his immediate attention. That, in and of itself, wasn't what had made him blush. The subsequent 'taking care of' the problem was so intense it left him shaking and slightly confused, breathless and overwhelmed with persistent need. He'd never felt that way afterward….and this was over a complete stranger?
"Nope, all's well, I'm …um….just tired I guess….." he began.
"Uh huh. Spill Blainers. You're blushing, you won't make eye contact with me and you're stumbling over words. Who is he?"
"WHAT?!" Blaine looked up, startled that he was apparently SO obvious.
"Blainers, you're my little brother. I've known you your whole life, and when you get like this, it's because of a guy. Don't act like I'm stupid…is he hot?" Without any filter or thought, Blaine blurted out words that made him almost flinch.
"ThehottestfuckingthingI'veeverseen Coop…!" he blurted, eyes flying wide and his hand quick to cover his mouth. Coop just laughed and grabbed his arm, pulling him down on the new sofa.
"Ok, so spill, and for crying out loud, PLEASE tell me it wasn't someone at the bar?" he laughed.
"No..no..he….um….I don't know who he is, really….at all…..oh Coop, he's so beautiful." Blaine whimpered, dropping his eyes again.
"Ok, so you're gonna ask him out, right? Not such a hard thing to do"
"I can't…I literally have no idea who he is…" he began and then continued on, telling Cooper all about the morning in the coffee shop.
"So basically, there's probably an icicle's chance in hell that you'll ever see this guy again" Coop said sadly.
"Like getting struck by lightning, I'm thinking" Blaine frowned.
5:07 from Jeff You in man?
5:08 from Blaine I'm in! So relieved. I thought this was going to be stressful, but I feel like the weight of the world has been lifted off me!
5:10 from Jeff Glad to hear it. We still invited up?
5:11 from Blaine hells yeah, dude! Whenever you want!
5:12 from Jeff good I'll be there! Trent was able to get off work, so he's coming too!
5:14 from Blaine I can't wait. You guys are gonna love NY!
5:16 from Jeff Obv you already do!
5:18 from Blaine I gotta call you later and tell you about work last night. F-ed up! LOL
5:20 from Jeff Get on it, man. I'm home!
5:22 from Blaine Can't….movers here. I'll call when they leave.
5:23 from Jeff Sounds good!
Blaine's mother had been sending a box or two a day of Blaine's things up to Coop's apartment. It wasn't as if there were SO many boxes, but more than they could shove in a cab, and after figuring out how many cab fares they'd end up paying to move them all, they rented a small van and packed it all up. Blaine was down on the sidewalk getting the last box when he saw the kids across the street outside playing again. This time the little girl had a jump rope and the boy had some small cars. He was drawing roads with the chalk from the afternoon he'd first seen them, and driving them all over the place while his mom sat on the concrete with him. The little girl turned and waved, smiling at him.
"Hi" he waved, smiling back at her.
"Are you moving in there?" she asked.
"Yep, moving in today. That's my window up there." He pointed.
"Evee…." Her mother said, carefully, do we talk to strangers?" she smiled, giving Blaine a glance.
"No, mama" she said, looking chastised. "But you're here, so it's ok, right?"
The mother walked over to Blaine and extended her hand. "Welcome to the neighborhood. I'm Maggie, and this very forward little girl is my daughter Evelyn….Evee for short. And this little guy, she said, grinning at the sandy haired boy who appeared behind her, "is Matthew".
"Blaine….Blaine Anderson" He smiled, extending his hand.
"Well, Blaine Anderson, you're not from our fair city, are you?" she laughed, noting his lack of New York accent.
"No ma'am, I'm from Ohio, actually" he answered. "Just moved up here a few weeks ago. It was time to escape the mundane!"
"Well, welcome to New York. I'm sure you'll love it. There's something here for everyone I think."
"Thanks…really….for the welcome. New York gets a bad rap sometimes. Everyone's supposed to be rushed and rude. Glad to see it's not all that way." He teased.
"Not all of us, but there are quite a few that fall into
that category!"
"Noted…"
"Well, Blaine, we'll let you finish with your boxes. Good luck with the move!"
"Thanks….so far, so good!" he said, glad to have met someone friendly.
By 6:30 everyone was gone and Blaine was laying on his new sofa with his feet dangling over the arm, feet swinging back and forth. He felt like a kid in a candy store. New furniture, new place, new life! He couldn't keep his smile from beaming and he was glad he was alone. Anyone who saw him right now would think he was crazy. He was finally where he'd wanted to be for SO long, and it felt amazing!
He called Jeff around 7:00 to tell him about his evening at work. Jeff howled with laughter when he told him about the 'piano man' fiasco and couldn't seem to get past it. Every few minutes he would just bust out laughing again, even in the middle of another story.
"Seriously man, I was totally thrown off. Nobody told me about it, nobody warned me or anything and suddenly here this guy is, practically in my lap and licking me!"
"Oh man, that's hilarious. I'd pay good money for a photo of your face at that moment!"
"Very funny! You can laugh it up all you want, but seriously, I was being totally molested by strangers and they were only using their eyes! I think I've been traumatized! Can I collect worker's comp for this?"
"So the guys in the band are pretty cool, though?" Jeff asked
"Yeah, they all seem like nice guys….pretty crazy. Joe, the bass player, he's really quiet, which is weird because of the whole work environment thing….I mean, to look at him, you'd think he'd belong in an office on Wall Street…he's really a straight arrow!"
"Speaking of straight arrows…these band members…they know you're gay?"
"Oh…well, yeah. I think after the licking incident we covered that much."
"Are they?"
"Are they what? Licking?"
"Are any of THEM gay, moron!" Jeff laughed.
"Oh…..oh…well…..I didn't ask?" Blaine admitted. "If I had to guess, I'd say Finn is not, Joe isn't and Nick…I'm going strictly on gaydar here….I'm thinking yeah, maybe…..even probably" he thought, thinking of Nick slapping him on the ass the night before. And Allyse….well, she shakes everything she's got with the same vigor as her tambourine, but I don't think that matters much to you…or me!"
"Ooooh….so….this 'Nick'…someone you might wanna get to know better?"
"Jeff! I've known the guy one night…I couldn't say. He's a good looking guy and all that… and he seems like a good dude, but I don't know him, and you know how I am about picking up guys in bars!"
"Oh don't get started on that crap again….bars are a totally acceptable place to.." Jeff started….
"Not for me…..nope. End of conversation." Blaine tensed, but managed a quick laugh to lighten his mood.
"Well, technically, it's not picking up a guy at a bar for you. It's more like inter office fraternizing!" Jeff snickered back. "But yeah, ok, I get it….."
"Oh, and that's so much better, right? Inter office fraternizing…..dude, you're ate up!"
The boys talked for a bit more, making more plans for the upcoming visit, and then Blaine had to hang up to get ready to go to work soon.
"Don't go getting licked again tonight ok?" Jeff teased.
"I hope not….wow, that was just…creepy!" Blaine laughed.
"I'll talk to you later, dude…..take it easy!"
"Yep, you too, man!"