Author's Note:

This chapter is from Kurt's point of view again. Now it's Blaine's turn to visit Kurt's workplace, and Kurt pulls out all the stops to wow him.

Chapter 3: Take on Me

Though Kurt had chewed out Rachel for encouraging him to flirt with Blaine the cute shop assistant, he ended up on the store's doorstep only a few days later.

Isabelle's new photoshoot was two blocks away from the candle store, and all day, Kurt had been thinking about popping into the store to check if by chance, the candle he'd ordered wasn't ready yet. He'd managed to talk himself out of it during his lunch break, but in the evening, instead of heading home for a quick dinner and a change of clothes before he was expected at the Starlight diner, his feet developed a will of their own, and brought him to the candle store.

Well, now that I'm here, I might as well ask about the candle, right?

So in he went, and he wasn't even a little surprised that the candle wasn't ready yet. Blaine had said it would take a week, hadn't he?

But instead of hurrying away – because he still had to eat before his shift started! – he started chatting with Blaine, and he didn't stop until his phone beeped a reminder.

Uh-oh! My shift starts in fifteen minutes! I will never make it in time. Gunther will be so mad!

And off he ran, with a quick apology to Blaine.

He WAS late, of course, and Gunther told him he'd better not make a habit of it or else he'd be fired.

Kurt arrived home exhausted, and had to work to keep his eyes open long enough for his moisturising regime. After brushing his teeth and stripping down, he sank into bed with a relieved sigh.

However tired he was, sleep eluded him.

He kept tossing and turning, thinking of how he'd chatted so long with Blaine that he was late to work, and he was never late! And now Gunther would keep a tally of the times Kurt was late, like he did with Santana, and Kurt might find himself tossed out and unable to make the rent. Ugh. Why had he not kept an eye on the time? He never meant to stay at the candle store that long, but Blaine was just so easy to talk to, looking genuinely interested in all Kurt had to say. Though maybe that was the salesman in him? Accommodating Kurt as he did with all his customers? The guy had seemed as into it as Kurt was, but the fact remained that he'd kept him long after his store's official closing time. He must have been itching to go home, and internally gritting his teeth that Kurt just would not leave.

I bet he didn't dare say anything but was annoyed all the same… Like I was tonight when those two drunks took their sweet time to leave. And they gave me no tip either. Ugh.

He sighed and turned onto his other side again.

It took hours for him to fall asleep. By the time he finally drifted off, he'd made a list in his head of all the possible jobs he might consider if Gunther did fire him, and he'd thought of a way to apologise to Blaine. Everyone liked a sweet treat, right?

And this time I won't stay that long. I'll just drop in for half a minute. Tops.

The next day, he managed to stick to his resolve, but what kept him up that night was Blaine's perplexed face when he'd handed him the cinnamon roll. Had it been a bad move? Was it too pushy? Did Blaine think Kurt was stalking him? He hadn't looked scared, just surprised, so probably not. Best not go out of his way to see Blaine again, though.

Though another photo shoot kept him in the neighbourhood, he resisted the temptation to go to the candle store again the next day.

The universe chose to reward him for this good behaviour when he decided to go buy himself a piece of cheesecake in the evening: Blaine stepped out of the bakery just as Kurt arrived.

Kurt beamed and greeted Blaine as an old friend, but soon regretted that impulse.

Blaine had not noticed him, apparently, and Kurt's chipper greeting had surprised him to the point of choking on the pastry he'd just bought.

Kurt, internally cursing himself out, hit Blaine between the shoulder blades with the heel of his hand until the piece of food came back up.

Kurt apologised and offered to buy Blaine a new pastry, and when Blaine said that wasn't necessary, Kurt took him to Starbucks instead. He bought them drinks and a few slices of banana, walnut & pecan loaf to share.

Again, once they got talking, the conversation flowed so easily that it had Kurt wishing this was a date.

Well, once I've got my candle, I can ask him out for real, if I ever bump into him again. I know what bakery he goes to, after all.

Right then, Kurt's phone beeped, and his stomach lurched.

Oh no! I'm going to be late again!

The Starbucks they'd gone to was several blocks closer to the Starlight Diner than Blaine's store. Kurt ran for all he was worth, and managed to clock in only two minutes late.

Gunther still grumbled a lot, even when Kurt said he'd been kept late at his other job.

I will have to set an earlier reminder on my phone. Thirty minutes at least.

The rest of the work week passed with no Blaine sightings, and on Friday evening, Kurt had no trouble conjuring up a smile for his customers at the diner, thinking of how he'd be returning to the candle store the next day.

Halfway through his shift, Rachel came to find him and whisper, "Kurt, hottie alert! I just took Table 5's order, and you really should check out the guy sitting there. Classically handsome, and wearing a bowtie – just your thing! The girl he's sitting with is just a friend, they're actually talking about her boyfriend right now. I tried flirting with the hottie, but he didn't react to that at all, so I think he's on your team. Go sing a song, make him notice you!"

Grinning and shaking his head at his friend's never-ending match-making, Kurt looked in the direction of Table 5 and froze. Was that…? Yes, it was! Blaine! Wow. What were the odds that he'd show up at this very diner?

Rachel waved a hand in front of his face. "Kurt? Kurt? Earth to Kurt! I take it you like the look of him?"

"I know him," Kurt replied simply, glancing at Blaine's table again and then back at Rachel.

Rachel frowned. "You know the guy?"

"That's the guy you sent me to, remember? From the candle store?" Kurt explained, and then he murmured, more to himself than to Rachel, "But how did he find me here? I don't think I ever mentioned the Spotlight Diner to him."

Rachel cocked her head to the side. "Of course you didn't, Kurt, don't be silly. Why would you have to mention where you work to order a candle? And that's the only time you've ever talked to the guy."

Kurt bit his lip, and Rachel's eyes widened.

"You've seen him again? Spill!"

Right then, the order for Table 12 was ready, though, and Kurt had to serve his customers before he could enlighten Rachel.

As soon as he was done, though, Rachel pounced on him and tugged him into a corner where Gunther wouldn't see them. "Tell me!"

So Kurt told her he'd gone back, twice, and bumped into Blaine on the street once, after which they'd gone for coffee at Starbucks.

"You LIKE him!" Rachel crowed. "I reckon you're glad I made you go to the candle store, aren't you?"

Kurt didn't have any clever retort to that, because she was right.

"Well, now you really have to sing!" Rachel decided. "Let's wow him with Take on Me."

Soon after, all the waiters and waitresses at the diner were singing and dancing, and between belting out some very high notes and twirling Rachel around, Kurt snuck a few glances at Blaine.

Blaine seemed to appreciate their performance. His foot tapped to the rhythm, and he seemed to be singing along.

And then their eyes met, and Blaine's mouth fell open.

Well, that only proved Rachel was right. Kurt had never mentioned the diner, and Blaine hadn't had any idea Kurt was working here.

Kurt winked at Blaine just before singing "in a day or twoooo", and saw Blaine's face break out in a delighted smile.

Nice to see you too!

After the song, Kurt was kept busy serving tables, but every time he passed Rachel, she whispered encouragements.

"He's been staring at you," she said the first time. "As soon as you can, go say hello."

Then, "I caught him checking out your butt. He clearly has the hots for you."

And finally, "He's waiting for your shift to be done, I think. His friend is already gone, but he keeps ordering another dessert or another cup of coffee."

Luckily for Blaine, it only took another quarter of an hour for Kurt to take his apron off and clock out.

Kurt didn't keep him waiting any longer. He immediately made a beeline for Blaine, who was putting his coat on and checking his phone.

"Hey!"

Blaine looked up from his phone, and when he saw it was Kurt, his face lit up.

"Hey Kurt! So these are the shifts you keep running off to."

Kurt nodded.

"I had no idea. Tina insisted we come here because you guys sing while working, and she loves that."

Kurt grinned. "Most of us are students with a performing arts major. We can use all the practice we can get. Plus, the tips are better than at other places."

"I can see why. Your performance was stellar."

Kurt's grin widened. "Thank you."

"Anyway, I wanted to tell you your candle is ready. Has been for a few days, in fact. So you can come pick it up any time you like."

Oh. So this wasn't about Blaine having the hots for Kurt at all, was it?

Deflated, Kurt mumbled that he had been planning to stop by the store on Saturday, and then he took his leave.

In the backroom, Rachel came to find him at once. "And?"

"He told me the candle was ready and I could come pick it up."

Kurt didn't even try to mask his disappointment.

"Aww… Well, maybe he has the same hang-ups about asking people out in their workplace as you have. It's obvious that he likes you. So go there tomorrow and be sure to flirt some more, and then, who knows, maybe you'll bump into him again at that bakery."

Kurt appreciated Rachel's cheery pep-talk, and decided to follow her advice.

I like Blaine too much to never see him again after tomorrow.