Hello Fanfictionites! I do apologize for the delay with this chapter. So much stuff has been happening in my life that I had so few opportunities to work on this story during the weekdays. Anyway, here is the latest installment. It's kind of a filler chapter, but it's a fair segue into all the action that's coming up in the next and future chapters. Please enjoy, and I thank you all for reading my Fanfic!

Over the course of the following two months, Kurt busied himself in the Yale theatre department by designing costumes for three different student productions. He was pleased with himself because his work was being recognized and his designs were receiving accolades from theatre reviewers in both student and local New Haven publications. Professor Davies, his instructor, was so impressed with him that she even invited him to a fall fashion show in New York City in the hopes of inspiring some new designs from the talented young man.

Kurt was so lost and active in his work that Sebastian had only crossed his mind a handful of times. He hadn't seen any trace of him since that pivotal evening at Koffee. Whenever the boy would cross his mind, he'd often wonder how he was doing. Kurt feared that he'd never have the chance to speak with Sebastian again, but as classes took precedence over everything else, those worries quickly faded into the background.

Unbeknownst to either of them, the two would see each other again, but it wouldn't happen until mid-October.

Kurt sat alone at a table in the middle of the Partners Café on Crown Street. He consulted his watch and waited for his date to arrive. The time was 7:30, the exact time that the mystery person was due to arrive. Kurt immediately launched into an inner panic, thinking that the young man whom he had been getting to know for the better part of three weeks via a dating website hadn't found him interesting or exciting enough and was planning on skipping out on their meeting.

As if on cue, a handsome blonde stepped through the door wearing a leather jacket. His beautiful, medium-length golden hair caught the cheap-colored lights and looked so silky and smooth that Kurt almost wanted to run his fingers through it.

He sidled up to the table, recognizing Kurt from the photo on his profile. "Kurt Hummel, right?"

Kurt nodded, laughing nervously. "That's me!"

The blonde extended his hand, grinning. "Jim, once again. Jim Hanraddy." The two shook hands. "You know, you're photograph really doesn't do you justice. You're really quite beautiful."

Kurt could feel his face burn as he blushed. "Thank you. You're quite handsome yourself."

Jim waved the comment away, but Kurt could tell that he was savoring the compliment. He plopped down in his seat on the opposite side of the table and stared at Kurt momentarily before speaking. "I can't get over how absolutely ravishing you are."

"Oh, please." It was Kurt's turn to wave away. "I'm not a looker by any stretch of the imagination."

"Oh, I beg to differ," Jim said, reaching across the table and placing his hand on Kurt's. "You've got a face like an angel and I'm sure the rest of you isn't so bad either." His eyebrows soared to astronomical heights and Kurt's heart started racing at the underlying inference that he sensed from the boy's tone.

Luckily, right at that moment, the server appeared. "Good evening, gentlemen," he said with a warm smile. "What can I get you two tonight?"

"I'll have a Mai-Tai," Jim replied, not taking his eyes off of Kurt.

Kurt audibly gulped before he ordered. "I'll just have a glass of water, please."

The server must have sensed the awkward tension, because he simply said "Very well" before flouncing off to the bar.

Jim smirked. "Alone at last," he said, and gently nudged his foot against Kurt's leg under the table.

"Look, Jim," Kurt began. He knew he had to speak up at some point, and he figured that sooner would be better than later. "I'm not interested in a physical relationship. I kind of like the idea of dating and romance, you know?"

Jim's grin grew even wider and more sickening. "What do you think we're doing right now?" He leaned in and whispered. "But I've got some great ideas for us to try after dinner." His foot made an even more brazen move by gently brushing Kurt's crotch. The boy visibly jumped and cried out in shock.

"Would you knock that off?" Kurt was seething. This was not at all how he had pictured Jim would be like.

"Oh, putting up a fight, are we?" Jim didn't seem to have any limits, or an off button for that matter. "I like the ones who struggle. It makes it more of a challenge to get you out of your clothes…"

Kurt wanted to yell. He could even feel the sound of it forming in the back of his throat, but it was quickly held back when a familiar voice broke through the silence.

"Didn't you hear what he said? No means no."

Kurt's head snapped up to gaze at the face of his savior. A mix of relief and shock came over him when he saw that it was Sebastian Smythe.

The cocky grin on Jim's face was long gone and in its place was a dead-serious expression that was meant to be menacing but simply looked as if he were trying too hard. "Oh, and who are you exactly? His mistress?"

It happened in a flash. Sebastian decked the slob right in the nose and the appendage exploded in a scarlet burst of blood. Jim fell to the floor with a loud thud, causing innocent patrons to turn into onlookers. Kurt was on his feet, heart pounding in his ears.

"YOU BASTARD!" Jim lunged at his attacker from the floor.

But Sebastian wasn't through. He swiftly reached down and pulled the disheveled young man up by the hair. He yanked Jim's head back, the nose a bloody smear in the middle of his face. "Now, you get the hell out of here and if I ever see you taunting this guy again, I'll beat you to a bloody pulp." With that, he dragged Jim over to the door and tossed him out onto the sidewalk. Kurt gazed, amused, as Jim stumbled on the concrete and scrambled to his feet. He bailed in the opposite direction until he was out of sight.

By then, the patrons were too afraid of Sebastian to look him in the eye, so they simply went about their business. Sebastian stood over Kurt's table, eyeing the boy nervously.

He took Jim's seat and Kurt's eyes followed his every move. He was still in absolute shock from the violent display. On the other hand, he was grateful that Sebastian had stepped in to rid him of what was sure to be a horribly eventful date.

Sebastian's anger quickly subsided and a smile broke out on his face. "Hi, Kurt!"

Kurt chuckled. "Hello, Sebastian," he replied with a grin. "And thank you for being at the right place at the right time. I don't know if the punching was really necessary, but I think it taught him a lesson."

Sebastian shook his head. "If there's anything I can't stand, it's someone who's insistent and relentless and forces himself on other people."

Kurt's right eyebrow soared to new heights and he giggled. "Really, Sebastian? You mean like how you were with Blaine?"

The boy visibly blushed but laughed nervously. "Hey, I learned my lesson after that, I told you! I think that's part of the reason why I lost it. It reminded me of how I used to be." He stared off into space for a moment, as if reflecting on his dark, sordid past.

A silence came over the two. Kurt was going to ask Sebastian what he was doing at Partners Café, but the young man was quicker and spoke first. "How're your classes going? Are you getting by?"

"Yeah, I'm doing great," Kurt replied with a smile. "I'm moving my way up in the costume department, too. I'm putting myself out there and I'm really starting to get noticed."

Sebastian nodded affirmatively. "That's so great! I knew you'd make a name for yourself sooner than later." He paused, as if debating whether or not he should say what was in his head. "You look great, by the way. Healthy and all that."

It was Kurt's turn to nod. He decided to return the question, realizing that he had absolutely no idea what Sebastian was studying or even what his major was. "How are your classes?"

"Oh, they're terrific," Sebastian said enthusiastically. "I have a professor whose class I attend in lecture hall once a week. Now, he and I have been getting to know each other pretty well, and basically, I ended up showing him a sample of my short fiction. He read it and told me that he thinks I have a lot of potential. Get this. He works part-time as an editor for the local independent liberal arts magazine. He offered to get my work printed!"

Kurt was genuinely excited for him. "Sebastian, that's wonderful! I'm so happy for you!" He quickly added, "I didn't know you were a writer!"

"I love to write, though I'm limited to poetry and short fiction right now. I want to start a novel, but I don't have any ideas at the moment. True inspiration is rare and hard to come by."

Another silence halted their otherwise light-hearted conversation. In the interim, Kurt realized that this was the longest the two had spoken in two-and-a-half years.

The sound of Sebastian clearing his throat brought an end to the stalemate conversational stalemate. "Well," he said, rising from his chair. "I suppose I'll let you go. Do try to keep yourself out of trouble, Kurt." He flashed a charming grin. "I won't always be there to rescue you from the perverts."

Kurt called after him. "Wait, Sebastian!"

The young man turned, and watched as Kurt folded a napkin back and wrote something with a pen he pulled from his pocket. When he was done, he handed the napkin to Sebastian, who glanced at the ink message with a surprised glance. "Your number?" He seemed genuinely shocked.

"Look," Kurt began. "There's no need for us to be on poor terms anymore. You bared your soul to me and I accepted your apology. We both need to stop living in the past. I'm not going to deny the fact that I'm completely intrigued by your 180-degree transformation. I'd very much like to be friends."

After his lengthy diatribe, he held his hand out, and Sebastian stared at it momentarily with wide eyes, as if uncertain if Kurt was being completely honest. But all he had to do was simply gaze into the watery blue eyes before him and know that he was quite serious.

The two boys shook hands. "I'd like that," Sebastian replied with a smile. He folded the napkin up and put it in right-hand pocket of his slim jeans. He turned once again to the exit. "I'll send you a text message with my number." He grinned once more before he left. "Good night, Kurt! Watch out for more pervs!"

Kurt laughed and waved as he watched Sebastian disappear down the street. He had never been filled with such fulfillment as he was then. He was excited to start this brand-new chapter in his life and embraced all that it held in store.

He didn't know it then, but some of the best times of Kurt's life were about to unfold.

To be continued…