This chapter is from Blaine's point of view again. He was smitten already, but now he sees Kurt perform, and he's just blown away.
Chapter 4: Worth Every BiteIf Blaine had high hopes of seeing Kurt over the next days, they were dashed. Kurt didn't show up on Thursday nor on Friday.
When Blaine's former roommate Tina dropped in just before closing time, he looked so dejected she insisted on taking him out.
"I'm taking you to the Spotlight diner. I love it there. Tons of eye candy, and the waiters sing while doing their work. Ever so often, they just burst into song and everyone joins in with the singing and dancing. Going to that diner is like stepping into a real live musical."
"That sounds great, Tay-Tay."
At the diner, Blaine ordered a burger and fries, and until his food arrived, he asked Tina about her work and her relationship with Mike. Encouraging her to talk about herself kept her from prying into his life. He really didn't want to own up to another crush that would never lead anywhere.
Apparently, Tina was getting frustrated that Mike still hadn't proposed to her. "And we've been dating exclusively for over five years now, Blaine, FIVE! How much longer is he going to make me wait?"
Blaine patted her arm comfortingly. "He'll propose, I'm sure. But I think that, at the moment, he's got too much stuff going on to be thinking of proposing. The schedule of a doctor in training is crazy. Last time I heard Mike, he said he'd just done a 36-hour shift. Said he was glad he could take the subway home. If he had to drive, he'd crash his car for sure."
Tina sighed. "I know. We live together, and I've seen him ten minutes tops the past week. Tonight, he's at the hospital again until tomorrow morning. If I didn't know he was working so hard, I'd think he's seeing someone else."
"He would never, and you know it. And he's doing all these crazy hours thinking of you, and the family he wants to have with you. I can promise you that."
Tina nodded. "You're right. It's just… I keep getting invitations to weddings, and baby showers, and every single one of them is a reminder that time is ticking, and that I'm running behind."
"Tina, you're twenty-five, you still have all the time in the world!" Blaine protested.
"For now, yes, but what if Mike waits until he's completely done with his internship and residency? He still has six more years to go!"
Blaine bit his lip, not knowing what to say to that. Because yes, it was very probable that Mike would wait. And yes, he could see why that was a problem for Tina. He could maybe talk to Mike about it, but he hated adding even more pressure when the guy already had so much to deal with.
Thankfully, at that moment, their order arrived, and Blaine tucked into his food as if he hadn't eaten for days.
By the time he'd cleared his plate, Tina's attention was elsewhere. "Look, they're going to sing a song! You're so going to love this!"
The music starting up sounded very familiar, and soon Blaine had forgotten about Tina's troubles and was singing and vibing to the waiters' excellent performance.
And then Blaine's eyes fell on the couple twirling closest to their table, and his jaw dropped. Was that Kurt or was he hallucinating?
As if to answer that question, Kurt winked at him and then belted out the highest line in the whole song with an ease that was absolutely stunning. Wow!
For the rest of the performance, Blaine's eyes stayed glued on Kurt.
"Seen something you like?" Tina sing-songed when the song ended, all the waiters dispersed and Blaine looked away with a sigh.
Blaine grinned at her. There was no denying Kurt caught his eye, and what a lovely surprise it was that he just happened to work here, singing and dancing like the second coming of Fred Astaire.
"That one's cute, isn't he?" Tina continued. "And what a voice! He can reach higher notes than I can!"
"Kurt is amazing," Blaine agreed.
Tina's eyes snapped to his. "You know him?"
Ah well, there was no avoiding this conversation, was there?
"His name is Kurt. Kurt Hummel. He came to my shop last Saturday. Ordered a candle to help him sleep."
"And you offered to help him sleep by giving him a mind-blowing orgasm, completely for free?"
"Tina!"
Tina smirked, unrepentant. "Maybe you didn't say it, but you thought it. You want to climb him like a tree, admit it."
Blaine ducked his head, and Tina burst out laughing. "I'll take that as a yes."
She got up, put her coat on and threw some money on the table, after which she hugged him and whispered, "Stay here until his shift is over. You might get lucky!"
And off she was before Blaine could protest, leaving him to stare after her in bewilderment and exasperation at her quick exit.
Her suggestion had merit, yes, but he didn't want to come across as creepy. So yes, he'd wait for Kurt to stop working, and then he'd tell him his candle was ready. That was innocent enough, wasn't it? And then hopefully, they'd get talking again as easily as they had done before, and who knew what might happen next?
So Blaine stayed at the diner, and ordered a piece of blueberry pie and a cup of coffee. He ate the pie as slowly as he could, but when his plate was empty, Kurt was still running to and fro with heavy trays, and the waitress assigned to Blaine's table had already asked four times if everything was in order and if Blaine needed anything else. Now she was hovering near him, ready to take away the plate as soon as he stopped dipping his pointer finger in the tiny crumbs that remained and popping it into his mouth as if the pie was so yummy he had to eat every last crumb of it.
Finally, there were no crumbs left, and Blaine had to admit defeat.
The waitress disappeared with the empty plate, but all too soon, she returned. "Did you want anything else, sir?"
"Do you have any other desserts? Cronuts, maybe?" Blaine asked hopefully.
She shook her head. "No cronuts, sir. Only blueberry pie, apple pie and chocolate cake."
"Chocolate cake it is, then," Blaine decided. "Thank you so much."
Again, he took his time with the cake, not just to wait for Kurt, but also because his stomach was already uncomfortably full.
When his second dessert plate was empty, and his coffee cup too, he knew he couldn't stretch out his time at the diner any longer, and he asked for the check, making sure to tip well.
He sighed as he put on his coat, and he took his phone out of his pocket to text Tina that it had been no use, her running off like that, and that he hadn't gotten to talk to Kurt anyway.
But before he could start texting, a slightly breathless voice said, "Hey!"
Blaine's heart leapt, but he forced himself to keep his cool as he chatted with Kurt.
At first, Kurt seemed enthusiastic to be talking to Blaine, but after a bit, his smile drooped and his voice went quiet, and he went away soon after.
Must have been tired after his shift. Ah well, he promised to drop in tomorrow for his candle, there's always that.
That prospect made Blaine whistle happily as he left the diner.
Outside, he patted his very full belly and grimaced.
Better go home on foot now. Walking will help settle my stomach.
It hadn't been such a good idea to eat a piece of chocolate cake after what had already been a very filling meal. But then he thought of Kurt coming to talk to him after his shift, with an easy grin that made it seem like he was happy to see Blaine too.
That was worth every bite. And I hope we'll keep seeing each other even after Kurt's picked up his candle. I really like him.
K&B
Blaine spent the next morning in jittery anticipation, and yet he missed Kurt's entrance because he was busy giving his sales talk to a new customer.
As soon as he surveyed the store again after wrapping up the candle she had bought, though, he saw Kurt's profile, and he grinned ear to ear and hurried towards him.
"Kurt!"
Kurt looked up from where he'd been examining the peppermint candles that helped against indigestion – the same kind Blaine had used the previous night to calm his stomach after subjecting it to so much rich food so late at night.
"Hey Blaine. You said my candle was ready?"
It sounded flat and stiff, and that made Blaine's grin wobble at the edges for a moment.
I guess he must really need the candle. I've seen Coop short-tempered often enough after too short a night.
"Yes, yes, come with me."
Blaine took Kurt's candle from under the counter and mentioned he was to light it in his bedroom for twenty minutes or half an hour max before he went to bed.
Blaine made sure to wrap the candle with great care, all the while telling Kurt which essential oils it was infused with – lavender, chamomile and ylang-ylang – and summing up other tips and tricks that might improve his sleep quality.
Kurt didn't really react to anything Blaine was saying. He just hummed every now and then, and was quick to pay when Blaine told him the amount due, taking the bag with the candle with a nod and a thank you and walking away.
"Kurt?"
Kurt turned around, quirking an eyebrow.
"Do drop in and tell me if the candle helps, will you?" Blaine asked, and then added, with an awkward chuckle, "Or just to chat, really, I love talking to you."
Just when Blaine wanted to cringe for being so obvious about his crush, Kurt's face thawed into a beautiful smile. "I will, I promise."