Author's Note:
I can never resist looking at a story from the other point of view as well, so here's another chapter, as a New Year's gift from me to you... Enjoy, and I wish you all the best for 2019!
Chapter 2: Best Part of My DayKurt hummed a song under his breath as he took advantage of a calm moment to wipe down the counter and slip into the back room for fresh pastries. As he started stocking the pastry case, the humming morphed into full-out singing, with even some hip wiggling.
He was happy, so sue him! The Hudmel Christmas celebrations had been as wonderful as ever, and this morning he'd woken up in time to snatch a slice of pumpkin pie for breakfast before Finn gobbled it all up. And to top it all off, his dad had bought him those new boots he'd been salivating over for months. That must have been Carole's good influence, but still, he was over the moon. No wonder, then, that he felt like serenading all the coffee shop customers.
Kurt was about a quarter into the song when suddenly, another voice chimed in. A lovely tenor, with perfect pitch, but still, it made Kurt shut up at once and whirl around, his eyes probably the size of dinner plates.
The man who stood in front of him was gorgeous. Wow. Kurt had no idea such levels of beauty existed outside of Photoshop. And the man's smile was breath-taking. Literally. Kurt felt a little light-headed all of a sudden, and had to remind himself to gulp in some air.
Another voice, also lovely, reprimanded the gorgeous man – Cooper, apparently – for interrupting Kurt, but Cooper shrugged that off and placed his order.
Kurt jotted it down on a cup and turned to the other customer, whom he recognised as the bashful private school boy who came in nearly every day to get a medium drip, and sometimes biscotti. The boy was handsome, polite to a fault, and tipped really well.
Kurt took a new cup, wrote down "Medium drip" and then had the customer confirm it just in case he'd wanted something more festive for the holidays. The boy gaped at him, seeming stunned that Kurt remembered him and his coffee order. If Kurt wasn't mistaken, he was even blushing a little.
Aww, that's so cute!
Kurt winked at the boy and then turned to the machines to make Cooper's mocha, picking up the song where he'd left off.
Will they duet with me again?
And sure enough, when the chorus approached, Kurt heard them whisper about it, and the boy sang the "bright eyes" line this time around.
Kurt smiled at him encouragingly, and continued singing. The boy, buoyed by Kurt's approval, sang along whenever his part came up. They sounded great together, if Kurt did say so himself.
When the song ended, the boy looked at Kurt from under his lashes with a shy smile, and complimented Kurt's singing voice.
Well, that was a compliment Kurt could certainly return, and he extended that praise to Cooper as well, subtly fishing to know what kind of relationship Cooper had with the boy.
Cooper grinned happily and said they were brothers, and that the boy had a crush on Kurt that made him drive two hours to see Kurt.
Wow. Two hours! Nearly every day? That was insane! And yet you couldn't call the boy a stalker. There was nothing creepy about him. He'd never come on to Kurt. He'd never even given a hint of his crush, except for the smiles and the blushing.
Which the boy was doing again now. Blushing, that is. He seemed so far from smiling that it smote Kurt's heart, and before he knew it, he'd brushed his hand over the boy's to comfort him.
The boy looked up with wide eyes, mortified and a little confused, and maybe even anxious?
Don't be scared, honey!
Kurt told the boy that he'd noticed him too, and liked him. Well, he did, that wasn't a lie. He'd just never seen him as boyfriend material. The boy was a customer, for one. And the school uniform just screamed, "Out of your league!"
It seemed like Kurt was mistaken about that, though, if the boy came all this way just to see him.
Cooper gestured to the boy that he should ask Kurt for his phone number, and Kurt couldn't help giggling.
The boy looked mortified again, so Kurt hastened to ask for his name and shake his hand. Blaine. Hmm. Yes, that suited him.
And what was that? Blaine asked him out?
Kurt happily agreed to a date, and then stifled another giggle when Cooper interfered again. Apparently, Cooper had tickets to Rent and didn't want them.
Blaine looked undecided, so Kurt helped him make up his mind. "I like Rent. So when and where do we meet?"
Now Blaine looked at Kurt, his mouth hanging open. He rallied quickly, though, and told Kurt the time and the place.
Tonight, huh? Well, Dad won't be happy about me missing Friday Night Dinner, but he'll understand.
Kurt sent Blaine off with a smile and a promise to meet him that evening, and as soon as the coffee shop was empty, he called his dad to inform him of the change in plans.
Burt harrumphed. "Okay, kid, you can go. But bring him along to the next Friday Night Dinner, ya hear me? If ya have a boyfriend, I wanna meet him."
"Daaaaaad!"
"Take it or leave it."
Kurt grinned, thinking of the Rent song, and of going to see the play with Blaine. He had a good feeling about this one.
"Okay, then. Thanks, Dad!"
K&B
When Kurt arrived at the Westerville Theatre that evening, he saw Blaine pacing in front of the entrance. His hands were in his pockets, the tips of his ears and nose were red, and his hair was dusted with snowflakes. He was wearing shiny dress shoes, and what looked like suit pants under his thick pea coat, and he looked like the second coming of Gene Kelly. Old Hollywood charm, in a cute and compact package. And did Kurt mention adorable?
Blaine stood still for a moment to check his watch – an actual POCKET WATCH! – and shivered a little.
Kurt decided not to let him suffer another minute and waved, crossing the street.
As soon as Blaine saw him approach, his face lit up, and he made a dorky little jump like he just couldn't contain himself and his enthusiasm had to be let out somehow.
Kurt stifled a snigger, threaded his arm through Blaine's and steered him into the theatre.
"You were doing a great impression of an icicle out there," he remarked casually, and Blaine's ears glowed even redder.
"I was a bit too early," Blaine admitted, now unbuttoning his pea coat to hand it to the coat check lady, and revealing the gorgeous tux he was wearing, complete with a bow tie.
Kurt was suddenly glad that he'd wanted to wow Blaine and had assembled a runway-worthy outfit for himself, or else he'd have felt under-dressed.
"You look amazing," Blaine whispered, and really, Kurt could get used to someone looking at him with that level of adoration.
"Right back atcha, gorgeous," Kurt winked. "What were you going for? Disney prince or 1950s movie star? Either way, you nailed it!"
Blaine's smile was a bit uncertain, and he lowered his eyes.
"Hey, I mean it," Kurt insisted, taking Blaine's hand, and then shivering because it was such an ice block. "Okay, give me your hands so I can warm them up a little. And next time, wear gloves!"
They both enjoyed the musical to the highest, and bit by bit, Blaine's hands warmed up under Kurt's, and so did his sweet caramel eyes, glimmering with laughter at Kurt's commentary and glistening with tears when the story grew sad.
During the intermission, Blaine got them drinks and sweets, and they talked. So engrossed were they in their conversation that they didn't notice the intermission was over until the lights went out.
Kurt finished his drink and smiled to himself. Yes, he'd broken his rule of not dating customers, but Blaine was worth it.
Blaine held his hand open again, and without hesitating, Kurt slipped his into it and intertwined their fingers, beaming at Blaine, whose breath stuttered for a moment.
Five minutes later, Kurt caught Blaine sneaking a look at him, and whispered, "The stage is over there!"
Blaine ducked his head, and then, quick as a flash, darted closer to peck him on the cheek. Then, he turned to look at the stage, the very image of decorum, except for the smile that played on his lips.
Kurt muffled a laugh and focussed on the musical again, too. He couldn't help grinning, though, as wide as his mouth would go.
So the shy schoolboy has a cheeky side, does he? I like that!
After the performance, Kurt and Blaine walked out of the theatre, chatting happily until Kurt reached his car.
"Well, I'd better get home," Kurt said. "I had a lovely time, so thank you. And feel free to drop in any time in the Lima Bean. Though if it really takes you that long to drive there, we'd better meet up somewhere in the middle. There's this place called Don Downtown's Diner in Bellefontaine, do you know it? They have the best burgers and fries."
Blaine nodded, grinning. "I've been there with friends of mine. Very friendly people, even when halfway through your dinner, one of you starts serenading the waitress, and the six of you chime in until you're all singing at the top of your lungs."
Kurt threw his head back and laughed. "You've got to tell me that story sometime."
"It was a dare," Blaine confessed. "I'm not… I wouldn't…"
Kurt giggled. "I know."
Blaine shuffled a little closer, his eyes dropping to Kurt's lips. "Can I…?"
Kurt puckered up his lips and met Blaine halfway.
They kissed until they were both shivering from standing in the cold too long.
"I need to get home," Kurt sighed. "Before my fingers and toes freeze off. And before my dad throws a fit. He wants to meet you, by the way. You're coming to our place for dinner next Friday."
Blaine's eyes widened, and Kurt saw a flash of panic, but then Blaine beamed at him. "I'd love to."
Kurt handed Blaine his phone. "Give me your phone number, so I can text you the address."
When that was done, Kurt pulled Blaine in for a hug. "See you at the diner on Monday? Say, around seven?"
Blaine nodded. "Seven. Yes. Okay."
Kurt pecked him on the mouth one last time and then stepped into his car and drove off.
In his rear-view mirror, he saw Blaine touch his lips with his fingers, smiling giddily, and then spinning in a circle.
When he got home, Burt was still up, watching television. He looked up when Kurt came into the living room. "So?"
"Well, it's not Broadway, of course, but it was good enough."
Burt rolled his eyes. "I didn't mean the musical. I meant the boy."
Kurt grinned. "Blaine? I like him, Dad."
"So is he boyfriend material?" Burt wanted to know.
Kurt hummed, thinking of Blaine's sweetness and the way they'd just clicked, right from the off, talking about everything and nothing. "You know what, Dad? Yes. He just might be."