A/N: My apologies for this taking so long! School has kept me busy and I struggled with the ending. BUT this one is twice as long as the other chapters, so that's a treat! I hope the next chapter comes out faster! Also I'm aware that I switch tenses, it's just how I roll, apparently.

Several city blocks away, a young man with pale skin and an elfish complexion hangs up his phone and chews his lower lip, his brow wrinkling.

Where on earth had that come from?

Kurt had been working at Vocal Fantasies for almost 6 months now and he'd never had a conversation like the one he'd just hung up on. The voice on the other end for once wasn't panting and laden with need, or gruff and unashamed, but somewhat timid, sincere. Like he really did just need someone, anyone to talk to.

Of all the people in New York City, Kurt Hummel could definitely relate.

He wonders if he'll ever get to talk to Blaine again. A pang in his chest tells him that for some reason he really, really wants to. Maybe he can be the one who makes Blaine's loneliness go away, and he hopes that Blaine could even do the same for him.

Living alone in a rickety apartment in the slums of NYC hasn't gained him many friends, to say the least. There are other reasons why he doesn't have anyone to call his own, any real friends, but right now Kurt really doesn't feel like listing them.

His conversation with this Blaine has put him in a strangely good mood, and he smiles as he takes off his headset and shoulders his bag, his shift over.

For the first time in a long time he leaves work feeling the opposite of dirty and ashamed.

He feels hope.

After waking up the next morning with a smile on his face for the first time in far too long, Blaine decides he has to talk to Kurt again.

First off he didn't hang up on Blaine's problems. He'd actually listened, cared even. People like that were few and far between in Blaine's life, and the fact that Kurt, a complete stranger, had given him what he pines for, even just a taste of it, is special to Blaine.

Secondly, Kurt had sounded just as lonely as he is, and for reasons unknown to Blaine, that broke his heart.

Someone with a voice like Kurt's and kindness to spare with strangers really shouldn't be sad.

The several hours Blaine had between the end of his shift at the music store and a ridiculous hour to be awake were spent internally struggling with whether or not to call Kurt.

Or, more accurately, call the sex line again and try to find Kurt. There must be other people who work there, and Blaine has no idea what Kurt's schedule is.

After a rather convincing pep talk, Blaine finally convinces himself to call again. There's no harm in trying, right? And if he's lucky someone will give him Kurt's schedule.

He picks up his house phone, dials the number (that he's shamefully memorized from a day of staring at it), and waits with bated breath as it rings.

Once.

Twice.

Three times-

"Vocal Fantasies Phone Sex Services, how can I make your dreams come true?"

The voice was deep and raspy, and most importantly not Kurt. Blaine's face fell and he had to contain his sigh as he replies.

"I-Is Kurt available? Can I, talk to him?"

"Hummel's not here, but I'm sure I can help you out with whatever you need, baby~." This guy was laying the sleaze on thick.

"I don't suppose you could tell me when his shift is?"

The other voice sounded irritated. "No, that's against our privacy policy. Look kid, you're paying to talk to me, so let's talk, hmm? I have a rather pressing matter to unload on you, sweet-"

Blaine hangs up. He doesn't bring himself to care. He just wants to talk to Kurt again, to get to know him.

It's weeks before Blaine ever does reach Kurt again. It's a rainy afternoon and Blaine's on his lunch break. The store has been empty all day and he's the only one working, so he sits on the cashier counter and weakly nibbles at his turkey sandwich.

His thoughts, as was common of late, drift to Kurt. The mysterious man on the other side of a phone line. Blaine had called at least 20 different times, desperate for Kurt to be the one to pick up, but it was to no avail. He'd almost given up altogether, certain that Kurt didn't want to burden himself with Blaine's problems after all and that he'd somehow found a way to avoid talking to him and Blaine was feeling more and more on the crazy side of desperate as the days went on.

He glanced dully around the dimly-lit room, made even more bleak by the grey light flooding in through the storefront windows, and pulled out his phone. His fingers ghost over the keypad in hesitation. It had been a while since he'd tried calling at this time of day, and really at this point he has nothing to lose.

It's like he lost Kurt and all the possibilities tied to him already.

So, setting himself up to be disappointed once again, he dials the number and puts the phone to his ear.

He waits through the ringing and prepares to mouth along with the required opening phrase when someone picks up.

"Vocal Fantasies Phone Sex Services, how can I make your dreams come true?"

Blaine's breath catches in his throat.

His eyes widen and he's frozen, unable to reply. It's really him... It's Kurt! He'd almost forgotten what that beautiful voice sounded like.

"You there sweetie?"

Blaine finally finds his voice after some fish-like mouth-gaping and breaths out, "Kurt."

Kurt is silent on the other end for a moment and Blaine is terrified that his fears will be realized.

"B-Blaine? Is it really you?" he sounds shocked, almost in disbelief. Blaine hopes to any god that will listen that it's a good thing.

"Yeah, it's me. I, tried to call, all the time, but-"

"I'm sorry." the two simple words have a finality about them that unsettles Blaine.

"What do you have to be sorry about? It's not like I can just expect you to be the only one to ever answer, I shouldn't have called so much-"

He's cut off again, and Blaine really hopes its sadness he heard in Kurt's voice and not false sympathy. "I'm sorry that I led you on like that. It wasn't fair of me to hang up on you and I didn't want you to get attached... To me." it sounds like Kurt is struggling to keep his voice even. "It's also against the job policy and I- Just, don't waste your time with me, ok? I'm not worth it."

Blaine knows it must've taken a lot of pushing to get Kurt to admit something like that, something that must be one of his biggest insecurities, for whatever reason he feels that way. Blaine also thinks that he has no intention of leaving Kurt now.

"Kurt... Do you even know what you've done for me? For weeks I've had a reason to get up in the morning, I've felt hope for the first time in years, all because of our short conversation that night. You took the time to talk to me about nothing at all simply because I needed it, you took the time to care. Even if this is the last time we talk, I couldn't stop trying to reach you again, I needed to tell you how much you've helped me. Any time spent talking with you isn't a waste." There. It was all out. Now all he had to do was wait for Kurt's reply.

After a heavy silence it came. "I... Blaine, please..." Blaine's heart sank before Kurt spoke again. He was reciting a phone number. "Call it. Now. I can't let you keep paying for this, please, just call." his voice was resolute, but on the verge of tears.

"O-Ok, I will." Blaine doesn't quite know what to feel as he scrambles for a pen and paper and scribbles down the number. Kurt disconnects the line and Blaine hurriedly punches in the new number, holding his breath and praying for Kurt to pick up. He breaths a sigh of relief when he does.

"Thank you for calling, Blaine."

"Of course. I, really wanted to keep talking to you. Aren't you, um, still working?" Blaine asks tentatively.

"Fuck them. All they care about is money, they don't care about their 'clients'. I've been thinking about quitting for a while now, actually..."

Blaine decides this is a good time to ask something that's been on his mind since he got hung up on that first night. "Why are you working there, Kurt? I mean it seems like you hate it, and you are obviously not a greedy sleaze-ball."

"I... Really need the money. I can't really afford to quit." Blaine is suddenly ashamed of his well furnished apartment that his parents helped him buy when he moved out to NYC for college.

"Why not get a different job? I know it's not easy, but you should at least be happy..." he really doesn't know what to say. He wishes he could help.

Kurt laughs humorlessly through the phone line. "I have three different jobs, actually. I have to. And that barely covers my food and rent."

Blaine is shocked. A person like Kurt really shouldn't be in a position like that, and it kills him that he doesn't know how he can help. "Do you live in New York? I live in the city, we could get together for coffee or something-"

Kurt's breath hitches but after a moment he replies "No. At least... Not yet."

That 'yet' gives Blaine more hope than it probably should, and he presses on. "O-Ok. So Kurt, would you like to get to know each other better? Now that it's just you and me, no one standing to make money off of it." that gets a small chuckle from Kurt and Blaine feels like he's on the right track to getting Kurt to open to him. "I gave you a short version of my sop story last time, I want to know more about you."

He thinks he can hear a smile in Kurt's voice as he says back, "...I'd like that."

Blaine's smile threatens to split his face and he's so glad he decided to call today. "So I'm guessing working three odd jobs isn't what you dreamed of doing as a little kid. What brings you to the big apple?" he hopes his suave persona is showing trough from his prep school days. He doesn't want to scare Kurt away.

"Haha," comes the dry reply, "No, I, I want to be on broadway. Someday."

"Broadway! I'm a huge fan, as you must be. I'm sure you're stunning, with a voice like that. I'd come see you every night." Damn it, where did stalker mode come from?!

Kurt just laughed, that sweet, soft noise from all those weeks ago and doesn't seem disturbed at all. "Thank you, I'll let you be the judge of that someday. What about you, Mr CD sorter? What's your dream-job?"

"I've always wanted to own my own restaurant, and be the head chef. I've only ever had diner jobs that don't allow for a creative pallet, though." Blaine would always have a special place in his heart for performing, but since he was a little boy he's always loved to cook. To try new things and create bold flavors, surprise people with his dishes. It was probably bred from all those years helping his mom bake cookies in the kitchen, he muses to himself.

"Oh, that's really interesting... Special. I've never met a chef before. I mean, I can cook better than anyone I know, but I'm not an artist at it or anything. Congrats Mr. Anderson, I'm intrigued." he could hear the smile in Kurt's voice.

The conversation went on for another hour, flitting from favorite musicals to preferred pets to family, specifically Kurt's. Blaine listened in awe as Kurt told stories about his dad's sense of humor and his brother's mannerisms, and he carefully told Kurt in turn about his mother's strained acceptance of him and his father's never-ending disappointment in him.

They end the call with promises to save each other's contacts and to talk again soon, and after a drawn out goodbye a huge grin spreads slowly across Blaine's face.

He holds the phone to his chest and sighs contentedly.

He finally has something look forward to.

A/N: Yeah… I know the end is a bit meh, but there you go. I hope you guys are still enjoying it, and reviews mean a lot to me! Thanks for reading!