Happy Saturday, everyone! How was your week? :)
I'm so happy with everyone's reactions to this, so far. Hope you'll keep enjoying CS. I'm having such a great time writing it, so it's nice to see that you're enjoying reading it as well!
Big hugs and a lot of love to Christine for being such a great beta.
Shoutout to Sofi for helping me keep my motivation alive.
As he made his way back across the lot, Kurt told himself it would be very weird if he started dancing or skipping like a school boy. It would certainly make him look immature and childish, and that was the last thing he wanted Blaine to think about him.
It was sort of adorable how worried Blaine had seemed about the age difference – and maybe some other time, Kurt would have shared his concerns. But, if he had to be honest, he didn't really care about it. There was something about Blaine that kept pulling him in, that made him want to know more about him, that made him want to spend time with him. It didn't hurt that he was absolutely gorgeous and Kurt just wanted to kiss him until they were breathless and weak in the knees.
That thought sent his mind straight to the gutter – he pictured himself on his knees on the floor of Blaine's bedroom, undoing Blaine's pants and reaching into his underwear to…
"Hey, Hummel!" Santana's voice snapped him out of it. "Over here, where are you going?"
He had walked right past her. He turned back around and headed back into line. Santana was leaning against the wall, arms crossed over her chest, eyebrow arched as she regarded him. She was wearing such a tight, tiny dress, Kurt couldn't help wondering how the hell she had managed to fit into it.
"Sorry about that. So, the line hasn't moved at all, huh?" He commented, trying for nonchalant and clearly failing spectacularly.
"Oh, don't," Santana said, pressing her finger against Kurt's chest. "Was that who I think it was?"
"I… yes?" Kurt replied. He really didn't feel like giving Santana more details than were necessary.
"Well, damn, Hummel," she muttered, and she sounded truly impressed. "I can see why you've been so unbearably dumb lately. He's hot."
Kurt let his head fall back against the wall. Why was it that every time he saw Blaine, his body seemed to set on fire? He groaned. "He really, really is, isn't he?"
"You weren't gone long enough to get dirty. What happened?" She asked, interest piqued.
"He asked me out," Kurt said, and he could feel the stupid-looking smile on his face. He couldn't really stop it, it just happened. "He was really sweet about it, actually…"
"He looked at you like he had just discovered America or something," Santana muttered, smirking. "Who would've thought you'd have what it takes to get it on with an older guy?"
Kurt rolled his eyes and parted his lips to give her one of his witty, sarcastic remarks, but the girl behind them in line shuffled towards them.
"Sorry, I couldn't help but overhear…" She said, and Santana turned to her like a hawk. The girl didn't seem to notice the murderous look on her face, though, because she simply continued: "And I have to say, that's not the guy to sleep with if you want to get into the show. He just works as a personal assistant for his brother, you know, Cooper Anderson? That's the guy to sleep with if you want to make it…"
Santana's glare could have eviscerated someone. "Excuse me. Maybe you have no talent and need to sleep with people to get what you want, but I don't need to do that to win this thing. Just watch me. It's going to be a piece of cake. Now get back in line and wait until it's time for me to crush you."
The girl, clearly spooked by Santana's abrasiveness, gaped like a fish out of the water before she simply stepped back and shrunk against the wall.
Kurt wasn't going to tell her this, but it really was impressive how Santana carried herself.
"You didn't say he was Cooper Anderson's brother," Santana hissed at him, like she didn't want anyone else to eavesdrop.
Kurt bit his lip. "I didn't know. He didn't tell me who he worked for."
"Well, that's interesting," Santana commented, standing on her tip toes to try to look ahead and find out if the line was moving any time soon. "I mean, if I had a famous relative I would probably use it to pick up chicks all the time."
"Trust me, he doesn't need to mention his brother to get guys," Kurt said with a sigh and Santana smiled lasciviously at him. "Can you stop being such a pervert for just a moment? It's exhausting."
Santana rolled her eyes. "There's nothing to do while we wait. At least you could let me dissect your sex life for entertainment."
"Nope. I agreed to come with you, even though this was my only day off this week. You owe me," Kurt retorted.
"Fine, be boring, then," Santana sighed dramatically.
She was quiet for a while, and Kurt was grateful for it. He had been so shocked to run into Blaine here of all places, and he still couldn't believe he had asked him out. He didn't really care about Blaine being Cooper Anderson's brother or that Blaine hadn't mentioned it. They barely knew each other, and there were plenty of things Blaine didn't know about him either.
But he was eager to share them with him, and he was eager to find out more about Blaine, as well.
For the first time in what felt like forever, Kurt actually felt giddy about the possibility of getting to know someone.
Now he just needed to wait for Blaine to call him.
On shooting days, even the smallest breaks were useful. While the tech crew fixed some lightning issues, Blaine recorded a few short videos to post on Cooper's social media accounts once the show started airing. Cooper grinned at the camera and talked about what a great season this was and what a great team he was putting together. His smile was almost blinding.
"Okay, I think I got what I needed for now," Blaine said as he re-watched the videos very quickly. "We'll make a few more tomorrow. Oh, hey, I just got a call from Carly Matthews. She wants you on her show next week. Should I schedule it?"
"I love Carly, she always touches my biceps," Cooper replied, making his brother roll his eyes at him. "Do you think this is going to take much longer? I'm starving. That salad we had earlier seems like a million years ago already."
"I don't know, Coop," Blaine said, quickly typing reminders into his phone. "I'll order your dinner and we'll pick it up on our way home. What do you want?"
"Steak. Mashed potatoes," Cooper said dreamily. "With lots of dinner rolls. And maybe a chocolate lava cake for dessert." As Blaine nodded, Cooper leaned a bit towards him: "Order some for yourself and come have dinner with me."
"Oh Coop, I'd love to, but I should head straight home," Blaine said distractedly. "I'm so behind on my laundry, it's getting embarrassing. I'll have to come to work in my pajamas soon."
Cooper scoffed. "Laundry is boring. I told you a million times: we can hire a cleaning lady for you. Maybe my cleaning lady can work at your place on the days she isn't at mine. You shouldn't be worrying about those things."
One day, Blaine's eyes were going to get stuck from rolling them at his brother so often. "I don't mind cleaning up after myself. I'm a grown man, Coop. I can handle it. I've just been too busy this past week."
"Little brother, you need to live a little," Cooper said, as he did too frequently.
"Sorry, Coop. Not all of us can go on the Carly Matthews show and get our biceps stroked," Blaine muttered, and glanced over his shoulder as the lightning crew retreated and filming resumed. "Okay. Time to get back to work. I'll be backstage."
Blaine took his usual spot away from the cameras, keeping an eye on things in case Cooper needed him. It was hard to focus on work when he knew there was a new contact saved on his phone.
He couldn't believe Kurt had thought he wouldn't want to see him again, or that he would think badly of him for what had happened between them. Blaine was mostly in awe that Kurt was still somehow interested in him…
As if his thoughts had conjured him up, Blaine saw him standing on the opposite side of the stage, as his friend, a gorgeous Latina woman, walked to the microphone with so much confidence it was a bit intimidating. Kurt couldn't see him from where he was standing, but Blaine had a full view of him as he stood there, bouncing a bit on his feet and crossing his fingers for good luck.
God, it was unfair how adorable he was.
"Hi, my name is Santana Lopez," the young woman was saying, addressing the judges. "And I'm going to sing Amy Winehouse's You Know I'm no Good."
As soon as she opened her mouth and began to sing, Blaine could see the judges sitting up, clearly interested, even Cooper, who usually just pretended to look interested. He had to admit he was also impressed – her voice was raspy and sexy, the kind he would never get tired of listening to. She was perfect for this show.
To absolutely no one's surprise, the judges began to fight over who would get her on their team, while she stood there smiling like the cat who got the canary. But Blaine was surprised when it was Cooper who managed to get her in the end – he had fought hard, too, saying she would be the crown jewel of his already wonderful team.
He probably wanted to sleep with her.
Blaine made a mental note to talk to his brother and make sure he didn't do anything stupid. The last thing they needed was a sex scandal.
After blowing a kiss to the audience, Santana walked off stage. Kurt threw his arms around her and squeezed her tightly, clearly proud of her, and then they were ushered away so the next contestant could come through.
It was a pity that Kurt hadn't auditioned too, but Blaine hoped he would have an opportunity to hear him sing soon.
To start, he would be more than happy to listen to him talk, hopefully across a restaurant table on their date.
Blaine bit his lip. He wanted to do something special for Kurt.
It was time to start brainstorming.
The subway gave a quick, unexpected jolt and Kurt reached out to hold onto the pole. It was another crowded commute, another early morning, and Kurt groaned internally just thinking about the crazy schedule he had today: , a Theatre History class for which he had barely managed to finish the requiring reading, and then a shift at Spotlight. His bed was too many hours away and he could already feel it in his bones.
Going to the audition with Santana yesterday had proved worthy in the end, but it had also meant that Kurt had missed his only off day of the week and now he was behind both on homework and sleep. It also didn't help that, when they made it back to the loft and told Rachel about their adventures, she had immediately scoffed at them and asked why they hadn't included her, and that simple question ended up unleashing Loft War Eight.
"You could at least include me, you know!" Rachel had shrieked, glaring at them.
"Sometimes we don't include you, princess, because you're unbearable and a jealous little brat who will crush her own friends for a chance to be in the spotlight," Santana had replied in a dangerous low voice. "And you know what? Sometimes we just want to do something for ourselves without having to worry about you taking our chances away…"
Kurt had tried playing mediator, but in the end had just ordered a pizza and waited for the storm to pass. By then, it was well past-midnight.
He was both exhausted and wishing he could afford living on his own.
His phone vibrated in his pocket. Kurt considered ignoring it – maybe it was one of his roommates wanting to get him on their side for this. Kurt had learned long ago not to side with any of them. It always backfired spectacularly.
But, it could also be Isabelle, needing him to pick something up on his way to the office. With a sigh, he reached into his pocket, careful not to topple onto the people around him, as well as making sure he didn't drop his book bag or the bag with his uniform for the diner on the disgusting subway floor. He hated days when he didn't have time to stop at home to change outfits, and he would be caught dead before wearing that awful uniform to the Vogue offices, of all places. The other interns already made fun of him behind his back enough, he didn't need to give them more ammunition.
He frowned as he looked at his screen and found a text from an unknown number but his frown quickly turned into a giddy smile as he read it.
[UNKNOWN – 7:09 AM]: Hi Kurt. This is Blaine. It was really nice running into you yesterday.
Kurt saved the contact and then stared at it for a moment, biting his lip and trying not to squeal and dance in the middle of the train. Admittedly, it wouldn't be the weirdest thing to happen in a New York subway, but Kurt had too much dignity for it.
[KURT – 7:10 AM]: Hi, Blaine! I agree. Definitely the highlight of my day. Hope you're having a nice morning?
He arrived at his stop and hurried to get out before the doors closed on him. He walked out of the subway platform, glancing at his phone every few seconds (like a loser, a voice that sounded a lot like Santana's said in the back of his head), but there was no reply.
By the time he made it to Vogue, Blaine still hadn't replied. Kurt reread his own text a few times. Did he sound too eager? Maybe he should have waited a few minutes before he replied at once (like a loser, the voice repeated). God, he was really bad at this. He sat at his desk and hit his head against it for a moment, allowing himself to wallow for a moment, since the other interns still hadn't arrived.
He decided to put his phone in a drawer so he would stop checking it every ten seconds, and got to work. By the time Isabelle exited the elevator and paused at his desk to say hello, cupping his cheek lovingly for a second before she made her way to her office, Kurt had managed to pull himself together. He ignored the way the other interns were glaring at him and simply continued working on a report Isabelle needed, until he left his desk to fetch her morning macchiato.
Once he was back, he sat primly on his chair and finally pulled the phone out of the drawer, just in case, maybe someone had an emergency and needed to call him. Maybe his dad called. Maybe Rachel locked herself out of the loft again and she needed help. Anything was possible…
There were two new texts.
[BLAINE – 8:20 AM]: Sorry. I just finished at the gym. How are you?
[BLAINE – 8:20 AM]: And I certainly can't complain about my morning now :)
Oh god. He was a dork. He was a sexy dork who was probably covered in sweat from working out…
Kurt gulped and tried to think about less enticing things. His brother's dirty socks. That time he had walked in on Santana getting a bikini wax. The suspicious leftover vegan food Rachel had cooked three weeks ago and kept in the back of the fridge and had started growing moldy things that smelled horribly…
Once he was sure his cheeks had stopped burning, he typed a response:
[KURT – 8:29 AM]: I'm fine. I have a really long day ahead, but suddenly it doesn't seem so bad.
This time, Blaine replied almost right away.
[BLAINE – 8:31 AM]: I'm sorry you have a long day. If it makes you feel better, mine looks super long, too. In fact, my whole week is going to be a bit of a mess.
[BLAINE – 8:32 AM]: Which brings me to this: our date. I know you're a busy guy, so let me know when you're free. I might need to move a few things around, but I'm really looking forward to it.
[KURT – 8:34 AM]: I'm looking forward to it, too. And assuming by date you mean dinner, my only evening off next week is Thursday.
[BLAINE – 8:36 AM]: Thursday it is, then. I have to run now, but I'll talk to you soon? Have a nice day, Kurt!
[KURT – 8:36 AM]: You, too!
Kurt was so excited about his upcoming date (even if it was almost a week away, still), that he didn't care about the other interns making impressions of him as he followed Isabelle to a meeting later. He didn't care about his Theatre History professor giving them extra work and thus ruining whatever free time he would have managed to squeeze out of his weekend. He didn't care about Gunther screaming at him or about the table full of obnoxious teenagers who kept complaining in order to get free French fries.
It was so nice, having something to look forward to.
The texting became an everyday thing. Kurt was pleased to discover Blaine was the kind of guy who would send good morning and good night texts, and he was always so sweet that Kurt was beginning to worry he would get cavities. But he didn't care. He found himself smiling at his phone so often, he could barely focus on anything else.
It had been a long time since something had made him feel excited and eager like this. He wanted to treasure it for as long as he could.
[BLAINE – 8:43 PM]: Okay, I think I made up my mind. My top three Disney movies are: Tangled, Aladdin and Hercules.
[KURT – 8:43 PM]: Oooh, I like that you didn't go with the most obvious ones. Good job. The music on those three is amazing, too.
"Okay, can you please stop texting?" Rachel said, clearly annoyed. She pointed at the television. "It's so disrespectful to Barbra."
"Believe me, Rach," Kurt said, eyes still glued to his phone. "Barbra has no idea I'm not watching Hello Dolly! for the millionth time. And you know I could just quote the entire movie back at you."
"What he has going on in his phone is a lot more interesting than your boring movie about women whose only goal in life is to get married," Santana said, from where she was standing at the kitchen counter, making herself a sandwich, still in her diner uniform. "Straights are so weird."
Rachel frowned. "What does that mean?"
"It means straight people should realize there's more to life than finding someone to marry and have kids with..." Santana said, only to get interrupted by Rachel huffing impatiently at her.
"No, no, I meant who is Kurt talking to?"
"Oh, you haven't told her about your new sugar daddy?" Santana smirked.
"What sugar daddy?" Rachel asked, pausing the movie. "Why am I the last one to always find out about stuff?"
"He's not my sugar daddy. Can you please stop calling him that?" Kurt protested, glaring at Santana before he turned to Rachel. "I met someone. We're going on a date next week. That's all."
"Don't keep all the juicy details from her," Santana said, walking towards the couch and dropping down between them, forcing them to move away to make room for her. She looked at Rachel like it was the greatest joy getting to spill the details on Kurt's sex life. "They met at the diner, he's thirty seven and apparently he screwed his brains out."
"Santana," Kurt hissed.
"Wait, wait, there's more," Santana continued, grinning widely. "We ran into him at my audition the other day, and it turns out he's Cooper Anderson's brother."
Rachel's eyes went so big, Kurt was worried they would pop out of her skull. "Oh my god. He must be so attractive!" Then she paused and turned to look at Kurt. "But Kurt… he's so much older. And it's not like you to get involved with a total stranger…"
"I know, okay? I know," Kurt said, throwing his head back against the couch. He really didn't want to have this conversation. "But it feels different with him. I just… I just want to see where it goes."
"Hopefully it'll lead to a few orgasms that will make you mellower and easier to live with," Santana retorted, taking a bite of her sandwich. "Hey, Berry, maybe you should get yourself one of those. You're worse than he is. I bet we can find someone who's willing to get naked with you…"
They started arguing instantly, which unfortunately, Kurt was used to. But he was glad for it this time, because it made them focus on each other and allowed Kurt to slip into his room unnoticed. He had a lot of school work and though it didn't sound like the most entertaining thing right now, at least it allowed him to escape his roommates.
His phone vibrated with another text. He was glad neither Rachel nor Santana could see the way he instantly smiled down at it.
The car expertly threaded through the busy Manhattan streets while Blaine typed on his phone, always busy, always taking care of everything. If he didn't slow down soon, he would age prematurely, Cooper thought. And Andersons were prone to bald spots. He didn't think his little brother could pull it off.
Cooper groaned as he reached to massage the back of his neck. "Today was endless, and it wasn't even a full day. It was just press. I'm so glad we get to just relax for the rest of the day now. Would you like to stay for dinner? We can have a few drinks, watch a movie..."
Blaine hummed distractedly. "Sorry, Coop. I can't."
Cooper hid his disappointment very easily. "Oh, come on. You don't have to work all the time. I'm your boss, and I say you can have a night off."
Blaine didn't even look up from his phone. "I know I can have a night off. I just can't hang out. I have plans already."
"Tina again?" Cooper asked with an arched eyebrow. He didn't want to sound so judgmental, but he couldn't help it. Tina had always seemed so annoying to him. He didn't understand how Blaine had kept her around for so long. "You need other friends, Squirt."
For once, Blaine didn't even roll his eyes at the nickname. "Not Tina. I have a date."
Now Cooper was definitely interested. He sat up a little, all his attention on his brother. "A date? That's great. Do I know him?"
"No, you don't," Blaine replied simply, and finally looked up from his phone. "He's not in the business." He paused and seemed to consider his words. "Well, not yet, at least. He's interested in theatre and fashion, though, so he might be, one day."
Cooper waited for more details, but Blaine didn't look like he was willing to volunteer any. "And? That's all you're going to tell me?"
With a sigh, Blaine let his head fall back against the smooth leather of the backseat. "Yes, Coop. That's all I'm going to say, at least for now. It's just... it's new, and it might not go anywhere, and I don't want you to say the wrong thing and ruin my excitement. I honestly haven't felt this excited about going out with someone new in a very, very long time."
As the car turned into Cooper's street, he considered what his brother had just said. It sat heavily inside of him, so Cooper's natural instinct was to ignore it and change the subject, but he didn't this time. Sometimes, it was really exhausting ignoring the ugly things he felt and thought.
"I don't want to ruin anything," he muttered with a little frown. "I just want to know what's going on with you. You never tell me anything, Blaine."
"Nothing worth mentioning ever happens to me, Coop," Blaine shrugged, like it wasn't a big deal.
"We're all we've got, you know?" Cooper said, his voice so quiet it was almost impossible to hear it in the New York traffic. He didn't like this – it felt unsettling. He cleared his throat and pushed past the sudden vulnerability that seemed to have seeped into him. He smiled his brightest smile. "So, is he hot?"
Blaine groaned, and pulled the door opened once the car stopped in front of his building. He exited so Cooper could slide across the backseat. "I'm not answering that. So, tomorrow we have an early start. I'll pick you up at seven, okay?"
Cooper stood in the sidewalk and watched his brother for a few seconds. He still remembered what he used to look like when he was younger. He had always been such a sweet kid, eyes so full of hope and wonder. But through the years, Blaine had dimmed and dimmed, until he was nothing but a shadow of what he used to be. Cooper just wanted him to smile again. But he didn't know what to do or what to say…
He did what he did best. He pretended everything was perfectly fine. With a big grin, he patted his brother's shoulder: "See you tomorrow, then. Good luck tonight," he winked suggestively and then turned to walk into the building.
Life was easier when you acted your way through it.
Leaning against the car, Blaine tried not to fidget too much, but he had to admit, at least to himself, that he was nervous. The Condé Nast building loomed tall and elegant in front of him, and every single person that came out of it looked impeccably dressed. It was a little intimidating, and he was glad he had stopped at his place to change before coming to pick up Kurt. He was wearing a really nice white sweater underneath his navy peacoat, dark jeans and his favorite Oxford shoes. He surreptitiously turned to check his hair in the car window's reflection. Everything seemed to be in its place.
Blaine hadn't been this nervous about a date in a very long time.
He had already texted Kurt to let him know he had arrived, and had received a quick reply from him, telling him he was just tidying up his desk and would be down soon. Maybe he should have brought him flowers. Was Kurt the kind of guy who appreciated flowers?
Every thought flew out of his head as soon as Kurt stepped out the glass doors and onto the sidewalk, looking around, clearly searching for Blaine. He was wearing brown pants and a blue floral-patterned button down, and had his coat draped over his arm. The way his face lit up when he finally spotted Blaine shouldn't have sent such a rush of instant warmth through him, but it did.
"Hi," Kurt said, a little breathlessly, as he stopped in front of him. "Sorry to keep you waiting."
"Don't worry about it," Blaine smiled at him and, after hesitating for just a second or two, he leaned in and pressed a swift kiss to his cheek. He was rewarded by Kurt practically beaming at him as he pulled away. He stepped back from the car so he could open the backseat door. "Shall we?"
Kurt glanced at the sleek black town car before he slid inside, followed by Blaine. As soon as the door was closed, the driver made his way back into traffic wordlessly, while Kurt looked at the car interior.
"This is very nice," he said, running his hand over the smooth leather seat. "You didn't have to go to the trouble, though. I was fine taking the subway…"
"I know, but I felt like it would be a waste of time, finding a cab or walking down to the subway stop…" Blaine said, biting his lip and hoping he hadn't made a mistake. "The car is actually in my brother's service, so I just borrowed it for the night. He didn't need it today."
"Ah, your brother…" Kurt murmured. He watched Blaine for a moment. "Cooper Anderson, right?"
Blaine couldn't hide his surprise. "Yes. How did you know?" He tried to ignore how the fact that Kurt knew about his brother unsettled him slightly. Nothing good ever came from people knowing about Cooper before he had the chance to tell them. Sometimes, nothing good ever came after he was the one telling them, either.
"Someone mentioned it when I was with Santana at the audition," Kurt shrugged like it wasn't a big deal. "It must be cool to work there."
"It can be, I guess," Blaine said carefully. "It's also very tiring, and sometimes it's a very, very shallow world… " He paused, gauging Kurt's reaction to his words. He seemed interested, listening to him attentively, but it didn't look like he was overtly interested in Cooper – he seemed to only be asking because he was Blaine's brother. Or at least, that was what Blaine chose to believe. "Honestly, it's not as amazing as people want to think it is."
Kurt smiled as he nudged him playfully with his shoulder. "Well, if you ever feel inclined to share some showbiz gossip with me, I'm in. I find it very entertaining." He turned to look out the window for a moment, and changed the subject – Blaine wondered if he had noticed how awkward Blaine had felt talking about Cooper and work, or if it was just a coincidence. "Where are we going?"
"It's a surprise," Blaine said, nudging him back and earning yet another smile. Maybe he should start a tally. He wanted to treasure each smile he got from him.
"I'm intrigued," Kurt replied, bouncing a bit in his seat. He looked down at himself. "Am I dressed appropriately for whatever it is we're doing?"
"Yes," Blaine said, and grasping every bit of courage he could, he added: "You look gorgeous."
He loved the way Kurt's cheeks lit up with a pink blush, and how pleased he looked at the compliment. "Thank you. You look wonderful, as well," he said, and reached to press a hand against Blaine's chest, his thumb swiping momentarily over his sweater. "I like this sweater. It's beautiful."
Blaine had to bite back the cheesy words on the tip of his tongue – no, you're beautiful – but allowed himself to put his hand on Kurt's over his chest. "Thank you."
For the rest of the drive, they were both contented just watching the Manhattan streets pass by their windows, their hands tangled on the seat between them. Blaine tried not to pay too much attention to the way his heart was trying to pound its way right out of his chest. There was something about Kurt...
He had spent hours and hours thinking about this date, planning everything, trying to come up with the perfect places to go. He wanted Kurt to have a good time, to see him smile and enjoy himself. But everything he came up with didn't seem good enough – just dinner might be boring, dinner and a movie wouldn't allow him to spend as much time talking to Kurt as he wanted to. He didn't want a classic date. He wanted it to be special. Kurt was special, in a way he couldn't quite explain yet.
When the car finally stopped at their destination, he saw Kurt look around in confusion, as if unsure of where exactly they were going. Blaine didn't wait for him to figure it out. He simply exited the car and went around to open the backseat door for him, offering his hand which, to his delight, Kurt accepted at once and didn't let go off once they were standing on the sidewalk.
It was a highly touristy spot, and they could hear snippets of conversations in a dozen different languages. Kurt followed him, still dazed, until he saw where exactly Blaine was heading.
"Blaine?" He said, eyes a little wide.
"Come on," Blaine chuckled, pulling on his hand because Kurt had stopped walking.
The heliport looked over the East River, the outline of Brooklyn right on the other side. There was a long line – city tours were popular, especially at this time of day – but Blaine made for the information desk directly.
"Hi," he said at the person behind the desk. "I have a reservation for two, for Anderson."
"Mr. Anderson, of course," the receptionist grinned up at him politely. "We were expecting you. This way, please."
If Kurt had looked dazed before, it was nothing to what he looked like now. He held onto Blaine's hand like he was afraid he would get lost on the short way from the office to the helicopter waiting for them right outside. Blaine paused, glancing at him in concern, wondering if maybe he should have ruined the surprise to make a question that now seemed very obvious and necessary.
"Kurt," he said, and a pair of stunning blue eyes settled on him. "Are you afraid of heights?"
"No, I'm not," Kurt replied at once. "I'm just... this is not what I expected."
"Is that good or bad?" Blaine asked, frowning. Well. He had already screwed up and the date hadn't even properly begun yet.
Kurt's face softened. He must have realized Blaine was actually worried. He reached up and cupped his cheek for a moment, in a very reassuring way. "Good. Definitely good."
Blaine exhaled and a little smile appeared on his lips. "Okay. Let's go, then."
Blaine had booked a private tour, so it was just them and the pilot. They fastened their seatbelts and put on the headphones and despite how nosy the helicopter was as it launched into the air, Blaine still could hear the little squeal that Kurt let out. He laughed and reached for his hand again.
"I've never been in a helicopter before!" Kurt exclaimed.
Despite the beautiful views of the Hudson River, the Brooklyn Bridge, Ellis Island and the entirety of Manhattan, Blaine barely looked out the window, too busy staring at Kurt's profile. He looked so bewildered, his nose almost glued to the glass as if he was afraid he would miss something if he sat back. As they were flying back, Central Park spreading under them in all its green lusciousness, Blaine tugged on Kurt's hand.
"Look at that," he said.
The sun was going down in the horizon, hiding behind the buildings, reflecting on the water. From there, the world looked both dark and light, half of it already giving way to the night, the other half holding on to the last few minutes of sunlight, the sky turning into hues of orange and pink. It made Blaine feel like this vast, vast world still had so much to offer him, even when it made him weary sometimes.
He saw more than heard Kurt gasp at the sight. He knew how breathtaking it was the first time you ever saw New York like this, in all its splendor. It made you feel so small while simultaneously the world seemed to widen endlessly – it was full with possibility. But right now Blaine didn't care about the sunset, except for the way it reflected in Kurt's blue eyes.
"Blaine, this is beautiful," he murmured with a watery smile.
So are you, so are you, so are you.
He told himself the swoop in his stomach was due to the landing and nothing else. Kurt was laughing as they stepped out of the helicopter and made their way back to the car. He looked so full of life, so full of wonder. For a moment, Blaine thought that maybe that was the age difference making itself known – as years went by, Blaine had lost that spark that was still so, so present in Kurt's eyes. He wondered if he was way in over his head. What was he doing with a guy like Kurt, who should have been dating a fellow college student or even some intern at Vogue?
Kurt pulled him from his thoughts as he stopped in front of the car, tourists all around them in the busy New York evening, and wrapped his arms around him, holding him. "That was amazing. Thank you so much. Did you see how the light fell on the buildings? I had never seen this city like that before... it makes me fall in love with it even more."
The warmth that he had felt as soon as Kurt stepped out of Condé Nast earlier returned, tenfold. He wanted to stay just like this, basking in the closeness.
But Kurt pulled away after a few seconds, so Blaine smiled at him and said: "I'm glad you enjoyed it. Are you hungry? I made reservations for dinner."
Kurt's smile was soft as a caress. "Famished," he replied.
Kurt couldn't stop talking on the car ride over to the restaurant. The way he moved his hands as he told Blaine all the wonderful things he had seen as they flew over the city was nothing short of endearing. Blaine had always liked going on those tours, and it hadn't been his first flight by far – there was something about being so high above the best city in the world that always seemed to put things in perspective for him. Whenever he felt a little lost, he went all the way down to the heliport. But today, for the first time, it hadn't been about finding himself, but about giving Kurt something new, about seeing the excitement in his eyes…
He was almost sorry when they arrived at the restaurant and Kurt quieted down. Blaine guided him inside. Masa was one of his brother's favorite restaurants in New York. He and Cooper went there whenever they felt like going out together, and he had brought Tina here for her birthday last year, too. He watched as Kurt took the place in, the elegantly modern installations, the small trees planted in strategic spots to add some natural touches to the décor, the long marble bar on one side, the music playing softly in the background as not to interrupt the flow of conversation.
They sat at a small table in the top floor, the glass ceiling and the tall windows letting in the undying light of New York City. Kurt's lips were parted in silent awe as they sat down.
"They make the best sushi in the city here," Blaine commented as the waitress brought over the menus. "But if you don't like it, they have other things that are amazing, too. The lobster risotto is really good."
Kurt had accepted the menu and was regarding it at a bit of a distance, as if it were an explosive. "Blaine," he whispered, leaning over the table, a little scandalized. "There aren't any prices on this menu."
Blaine gave him a little smile. "Don't worry about it." He thought it would please Kurt, but he looked really taken aback. "Hey, I promise. It's fine."
Frowning, Kurt pushed the menu away. "Okay. I've never had sushi, but I'd like to try it."
Blaine's smile fell. He felt like he had done something wrong. The enthusiasm Kurt had shown until now seemed to have vanished. Good job, Anderson, he thought bitterly. You've screwed it up a lot quicker than I thought.
Before he could say anything, the waitress had returned, so they ordered, but once they were alone again, he reached across the table and tentatively touched the back of Kurt's hand.
"Kurt. I'm sorry. Did I do something wrong?"
There was a hint of shame in Kurt's face. He leaned in a little closer, like he didn't want anyone to overhear and muttered: "I can't afford this."
"It's my treat," Blaine reassured him at once.
"It doesn't matter that it's your treat," Kurt replied, and he looked really upset. "Look, the helicopter thing was really charming, but I bet it was expensive as hell, too. And now this… I would never be able to take you on a date like this, Blaine."
"And I don't expect you to," Blaine said earnestly. "Truly. I don't care about that. But I just… I guess I just wanted to impress you," he finally admitted, a little sadly. "I wanted you to have a nice time and I was afraid you would be bored with me."
Now Kurt visibly relaxed. He turned his hand so he could hold Blaine's and gave him a soft grin. "You don't need to impress me. I already like you, Blaine," he said kindly. "We spent a whole night just talking and having what has to be the worst coffee in Manhattan. And yet I went home with you… doesn't that tell you that I'm most definitely not bored?"
Blaine let out a breath he hadn't even known he'd been holding and realized that he had been tense the entire day. He finally relaxed and smiled at Kurt. "I'm sorry. I'm really out of practice and I haven't been out on a date with a guy as amazing as you in a very long time… or maybe ever. I was just worried that the chemistry I felt the other night had just been in my imagination or that… you know what, I don't even know what I thought." He shook his head and groaned. "Oh god, I planned a date my brother would go on with one of his girlfriends."
Kurt laughed, which helped dissipate whatever tension was still left at the table. "It's fine, Blaine. I just want you to know that I don't expect to eat at the most expensive restaurants or anything. I'm fine having a pizza at some hole-in-the-wall pizzeria or even just the most generic coffee at one of the million Starbucks in this city," he said as he squeezed his hand. "I just want to get to know you. That's all."
Blaine lifted their joined hands and pressed a kiss to Kurt's knuckles. "Have I told you how amazing and sweet I think you are?" He enjoyed the way Kurt chuckled shyly, before he said: "Okay. We can definitely leave if you're uncomfortable."
Kurt didn't even have time to reply before the waitress arrived with their food. He looked down at it, biting his lip, before he glanced back up at Blaine. "Okay. We can stay this once. But next time I'm choosing the restaurant, alright?"
Next time. "Deal," Blaine agreed immediately.
Next time.
Kurt grabbed his chopsticks and stared at the food expectantly. "Okay. How am I supposed to eat this?" He asked with a quick laugh.
"So, you grab a piece, like this…" Blaine said, demonstrating. "And you only dip the fish side in the soy sauce. If you dip the rice side, it'll be a mess because it'll fall apart. It's supposed to be eaten in one bite." He popped it into his mouth and chewed, as he encouraged Kurt to try for himself.
Kurt carefully did as he was told and, as soon as the sushi touched his tongue, his eyes went wide. "Oh my god," he said with his mouth full. "Blaine, this is amazing."
Blaine chuckled. "Isn't it? I'm glad you like it. Try this with the wasabi now…"
For a while, they were so entertained by the food that they didn't talk about anything else, but once the novelty wore off a little, Kurt put the chopsticks down and, resting his cheek in his hand, regarded Blaine curiously.
"So, Blaine Anderson," he said, keeping his voice serious, though there was a mischievous spark in his eyes. "You mentioned you haven't dated in a while. Can I ask you about that? Because honestly, I can't believe a guy as attractive and kind as you hasn't found anyone yet…"
Blaine was sure he was blushing at the compliment, so he looked down sheepishly. Kurt made him feel like a teenager again. "Well, relationships are just… complicated, I guess. And in my line of work… I don't know, it's hard to find someone you can trust."
There was a slight frown on Kurt's face now. "That sounds really lonely. What do you mean?"
Blaine sighed heavily. "Let's just say that more than once I dated guys who ended up being more interested in getting into the showbiz than in being with me. The minute they know I'm Cooper's brother…" He paused. He didn't really like talking about this, but he wanted Kurt to know him. All of him. "I was engaged a while ago. A few months before the wedding, he met a producer at Cooper's birthday party, who promised him a role in one of his new movies. He packed his bags and was on a flight to Los Angeles the next day."
"Blaine," Kurt reached across the table for his hand again. "That's terrible."
Blaine shrugged, like it wasn't a big deal. It had been years ago. He was over it. It stung, of course, to think he had been used only as a means to get into this world, to make connections with the right people, but he figured he was better off alone than with someone like that. "I'm okay. It did suck back then, but it comes with the territory, I guess."
"I'm still sorry it happened to you. You're really sweet, you don't deserve it," Kurt replied, and he looked truly upset about this, like he couldn't believe someone would do that to Blaine.
"It's in the past," Blaine smiled through the words. "What about you?"
"Oh my dating history isn't very interesting," Kurt said, nose scrunched adorably. "There weren't many options in Lima, Ohio, so I only started dating once I came to New York. I had a couple of relatively serious boyfriends, but that's about it."
"So Lima, Ohio isn't a hot dating scene?" Blaine asked, eyebrow arched teasingly.
"Well, it could be, if you were interested in dating 50 year old married guys who went to the local gay bar to get away from their wives," Kurt replied. "Or the closeted jock who spent most of his time bullying me only to hate-kiss me in the locker room."
Blaine looked at him horrified. "What? Oh my god, Kurt."
Kurt made a quick dismissive gesture with his hand. "It was probably one of the scariest moments of my life, but it turned out he was a nice guy, deep down inside. He just didn't know how to deal with what he was feeling. We sort of made amends later on but… yeah, not exactly boyfriend material." He picked up his chopsticks again. "It looks like we might need to veer off to happier topics, though. Enough angst for one date."
They finished their meal while talking about their favorite books and Kurt shared a few anecdotes he had collected at the office. Blaine didn't talk much about work – it wasn't something he was very comfortable discussing, and though he loved Cooper, for one night, just one, he didn't want to have to be thinking about him.
Once the check came, Blaine snatched it up quickly so Kurt wouldn't see the amount and felt a little embarrassed that he had resorted to something like this in his attempt to impress him. This wasn't who he was. This wasn't who he wanted to be around Kurt.
They walked out of the restaurant, Kurt's arm threaded through his, and they stood close together to ward off the night chill as they waited for the car. As they stood next to the door, Kurt reached to fix Blaine's coat and then kept his hands pressed to his chest, looking at him as he bit his lip.
"I had a great time tonight. Sorry if I was a little difficult about the restaurant and everything…" Kurt said. "It's not that I don't appreciate it. I promise I do. It's just something that I wouldn't be able to do for you…"
"It's okay," Blaine reassured him, grabbing his hands in his. His fingers were really cold. "It was stupid of me. This is not the kind of thing I would have done normally, either. I just… I guess I wanted to spoil you a bit?"
"Well, I like being spoiled, but maybe a little closer to my price range next time?" Kurt laughed and there it was again: next time.
"Of course," Blaine agreed, smiling, as the car pulled up at the curb. "Come on, we'll take you home…"
"Oh, no, please. You don't have to go all the way to Bushwick…" Kurt said at once.
"It's no problem," Blaine murmured softly.
"It… might be?" Kurt whispered, and there was something in his eyes that made Blaine's insides turn to flames. "If you take me home, I'll be tempted to invite you in and it would be a terrible idea because my roommates are the worst and we would have no privacy because we live in a loft and my bedroom hasn't got any walls…"
The want seemed to become something tangible, pooling in Blaine's belly. "We could… I guess we could just go over to my place?"
Kurt groaned and let his forehead rest on Blaine's shoulder. They were standing so close, Blaine could smell his cologne and the scent that was just Kurt's skin – it was intoxicating.
"I would love that, but…" he pulled away and looked at Blaine, eyes full of regret. "I have to be up very early tomorrow, it's going to be a bit of a nightmarish day – Vogue in the morning, and then two classes back to back, and then a late shift at the diner…" He shook his head, like he didn't even want to think about it. "I should try to get some sleep and I would need to head back home to get my uniform and… it would just be impractical."
"It's okay," Blaine said, because Kurt looked really upset that he just couldn't say yes. "I have a crazy day tomorrow, too, so I get it. But we could still take you home…"
"I'll just take the subway," Kurt insisted. "Thank you. I'm serious about not being able to resist asking you to stay the night…" he chuckled. "You're kind of irresistible, Blaine Anderson."
It had been a very long time since Blaine's heart had beat like this, like it was playing ping pong inside his chest, out of control. He didn't even know what to say, so he just cupped Kurt's face gently and moved in for a kiss, Kurt immediately grabbing onto his coat for purchase, like he was afraid his knees would give up if he didn't hold on tight enough.
In thirty seven years, Blaine didn't think kisses had ever felt this way. He had kissed his fair share of guys (and a few girls, when he was still in the closet), but it had never felt as intense as it did with Kurt, so vital. He just wanted to deepen the kiss and didn't care if they ran out of oxygen – it would be a sweet way to go anyway. His entire body reacted to it, like it came back to life after being dormant for a very, very long time.
It was hard to explain. This was more than chemistry.
Reluctantly, Kurt pulled away and bit his lip, looking so enthralling that Blaine wanted to drag him into the backseat of the car and do unspeakable things to him. He didn't care if the driver saw them. He just wanted to touch Kurt until he came, and maybe then touch him some more.
"I'll see you soon?" Kurt murmured, the hope evident in his voice.
"Of course," Blaine nodded dumbly. "Are you sure you want to take the subway?"
"I'm sure," Kurt smiled and with a deep breath, stepped out of Blaine's arms.
"Text me when you get home, okay?" Blaine asked, as Kurt started to walk backwards towards the subway. "So I know you made it safely."
"I will," Kurt's smile was brighter that the lights of the city, and Blaine felt it was like a beacon – he just wanted to follow it. "Goodnight, Blaine."
"Goodnight, Kurt."
Kurt finally turned around and walked away, only looking over his shoulder once to grin at Blaine before he disappeared around the corner. Blaine got into the car and headed home, his lips tingling and wishing for more.
He still had no idea what the hell he was doing with a guy like Kurt, but now… now he couldn't wait to find out.
No one can say Blaine isn't ready to work hard and charm Kurt, huh? I kinda want to hug him. Is it just me?
Can't wait to hear what you all thought of this super date.
See you next Saturday. Thank you for reading!
L.-
