Sorry this took so long! No smut in this one, but a lot of story changes! Some people wanted to see Blaine at work, so I put some of that in here. Also, Ellen's Stardust Diner IS a real place in NYC. It is AWESOME if you ever get the chance to go, take it!

Chapter 6

"Santana?" Blaine gasped looking at the woman standing in his doorframe. He stood aside, "Come in, come in!"

She strutted into the apartment, her heels clicking against the floorboards, "How have you been Blaine?" She grinned at him.

"I was good, now I'm kind of in shock," he commented, "What are you doing here?"

"I thought I was taking Hayden on a date?" She asked, looking at Blaine like it was the most obvious thing in the world, "When she asked if I could pick her up at Kurt and Blaine's apartment, I figured it was you two. I mean, honestly, Blaine isn't that common of a name now is it? And to be dating a Kurt, I figured you two bozos moved yourself here." She looked around, "Nice place."

Blaine couldn't tell if she was being sarcastic or she actually found the apartment nice, "Well, let's go see Hayden before she thinks we've eloped."

"The other hobbit is somewhere in the city if you want to elope, I'm not that into short guys." Santana grinned at Blaine, hugging him, "Where's your better half?" Blaine couldn't help but notice Santana's face soften when she thought of Kurt.

They should have kept in contact with people better.

"He's not here, but seriously, Hayden can probably hear everything we're saying so let's go see her," Blaine led Santana by the arm to the living room.

Hayden stood and hugged Santana, "You look beautiful," Santana commented.

Hayden's blush stood out on her skin, "You do too. But how do you know these two?"

Santana smirked, "Went to school with Kurt, before he was a packaged deal with this one," she motioned to Blaine.

Blaine noticed Hayden twitching as Santana peered around the apartment, "Well, I suppose you two should be off, don't let me hold you back."

Santana grabbed Hayden's hand, "Tell Kurt I said hello."

Blaine looked at Hayden uneasily, "Well…."

Hayden silenced him with a hand, "We'll talk about it later," she murmured.

The two girls walked out of Blaine's apartment together, hands clasped.

"So let me get this straight, you knew Kurt before Blaine?" Hayden was amazed, she couldn't imagine a Kurt without Blaine or vice versa.

Santana pulled another breadstick out of the basket, "I did. He was completely lost without him, I'm going to be honest. He was bullied, he wasn't really sure of himself, and he didn't feel comfortable being himself, you know? Then Blaine came and we all saw this shift in him that just seemed to put a spark in him."

"Wow, he seems so different from that now," Hayden remarked.

"Well, we've all changed since high school," Santana smiled at a memory, "Except Blaine, he's always going to be the same, I'm pretty sure of it."

"Adorable, hilarious, caring?" Hayden tried.

"Short." Santana's eyebrows met her hairline, "Now, why couldn't he tell Kurt I said hello?"

Hayden didn't know how to phrase it, because she knew it wouldn't make sense to anyone, "It's just, I'm not fully out of the closet yet…"

"Woah. I think you're an amazing person, Hayden, but I can't be with someone who isn't proud of who they are. Coming out was a big deal for me." Santana looked at Hayden with regret.

"No! I mean, look I am going to come out, I just don't want to come out to Kurt yet," Hayden tried offhandedly.

Santana leaned towards Hayden, "Look, Hummel is one of the people you do come out to. He's dealt with it before. People like coming out to him. He's got a nice face for it, always looks understanding. So what's the real reason?"

This date definitely was not going the way Hayden intended, "Okay, at first it was just because I was uncomfortable with everyone knowing. But being here with you makes me want everyone to know. I don't care who knows who I'm attracted to. But I still don't want to tell Kurt yet because I want this to be as natural as possible. I don't want outside input from too many people. Blaine doesn't know you well enough to really influence anything." Hayden reached out and grabbed Santana's hand, "Do you understand?"

Santana's eyes softened, "I do. Look, we can't keep it a secret from him forever. Blaine knows, so it isn't fair for him to have to keep it from Kurt. We can't make them fight, I have several friends who would kick my ass if I helped cause the breakup of the golden couple."

Hayden giggled, "the golden couple?"

Santana rolled her eyes, "Yeah. They're the ones that everyone is rooting for, you know? The ones that are supposed to make it. High school sweethearts and all that."

"Do you really think someone can stay with their first love forever?" Hayden didn't want to sound too hopeful, but looking at Santana across from her, she already felt herself falling.

Santana nodded slowly, "I didn't believe it before those two." She grinned, "They belong together. But seriously, let's not make us the Kurt and Blaine show. They have enough attention. Let's focus on us."

The date ended hours later, with Santana asking Hayden on a date for the next weekend.

Kurt hated Mondays. He especially hated this Monday because it marked the first day of September. It also marked the first day of classes are Ardmore, and it was weird not to be there.

He walked into work on Monday morning to see Hayden throwing darts at balloons on the back wall, "What exactly are you doing?" He laughed as he stowed his bag in the back room.

Hayden jumped, "Oh Kurt! You scared me! I'm painting," she looked at him, "want to help?"

Kurt looked at the wall and Hayden's clothing, "I don't have a change of clothes or I would," he really wasn't too sad about not getting paint everywhere.

"I have coveralls in the back, put them on and come help," Hayden threw a dart at a particularly large red balloon and the paint splattered everywhere, almost hitting Kurt.

"If you insist," Kurt retreated and put the coveralls on quickly, remembering that he desperately needed to call his dad.

Hayden clapped when he walked back in, "That's the spirit! Get your creative juices flowing!" She handed him a paint covered dart.

He aimed and hit the yellow balloon nearest him, sending green paint flying towards his face, "I'm turning into Elphaba!" he groaned, wiping the paint off but only making more of his pale skin green.

"That reminds me, how do you like working for Wicked?" Hayden asked, filling more balloons with paint. "Not as awesome as here, right?"

"Definitely not." Kurt thought for a moment, "I do wish I had weekends off to spend time with Blaine though. We seem like we're both constantly moving in different directions and only see each other at night or early in the morning."

Hayden mentally filed that away, she needed to give Kurt the day off someday soon so they could spend healthy time together, "Well, you guys had Sunday morning and afternoon together, what did you do?"

She didn't miss the smile that played on Kurt's lips. He loved Blaine so much, and his look was mirrored, if not intensified, by Blaine when she mentioned Kurt. She hoped that she could find that love with Santana. "We went for a run in Central Park. Well, he ran and got sweaty and I looked fabulous trotting beside him. Then he made us this amazing lunch and we hit up one of the free movies downtown."

"Fun!"

Kurt nodded, "It was. I had to take his phone at one point though because he kept texting someone," he looked at Hayden.

She immediately felt guilty, "I'm sorry, I just…was excited about something."

Kurt looked interested, "About what?"

Shit. Hayden hadn't expected him to be that interested, "I found a website that sells beads from Morocco for really cheap. I promised Blaine I'd make him a bracelet." She hoped that was a good enough lie. It was true to a point, she did mention the beads, but that wasn't why she was texting him.

"Beads?" Kurt looked confused, "You two are strange. I'm glad you're friends, but strange. Maybe diamonds. That I could see being excited over."

The wall was now thoroughly saturated with paint and it was nearing lunchtime. "You hungry?" Hayden asked, still feeling guilty about lying to Kurt, "Want to go to lunch? My treat?"

"Are you asking me on a date?"

Hayden feigned surprise, "Don't tell Blaine about our torrid affair!"

Kurt laughed, "You're nuts. But I will accept your offer because I'm hungry. As long as you don't try to make me eat wallpaper paste."

Hayden gave Kurt an exasperated look, "That was good soup, I don't care what you say. Even Blaine, Mr. I'll Have A Burger and Cheese Fries Please, liked it."

Kurt snorted, "Where are we going?"

"I thought we'd go see him in action, actually," Hayden smiled devilishly at Kurt, "Embarrass him a little?"

Kurt felt his heart race, "I don't know. I mean, I want to see him. They only let him start singing alone today. Do you think he'll mind?"

Hayden really didn't know, "I don't think so. He'll love it!"

Hayden locked the store up and led Kurt the three blocks towards the restaurant. There was a line outside and Hayden groaned, "Great. We're going to be waiting forever."

Kurt peered inside the window and saw Bryce standing at the podium, "I don't think so. I'll talk to Bryce." Kurt pushed through the line and smiled his brightest smile when he saw Bryce, "Hey there! Think you can get a friend and me a table?"

Bryce looked back at the crowd, "You know, that's against the rules."

Kurt saw Blaine with a tray of milkshakes and grinned even wider, "Please? No one will notice." He glanced over at a table right by a half-wall that just emptied. "There's one empty right there in Blaine's section."

Kurt missed the glare Bryce sent towards Blaine, "Look, just don't say anything to Blaine about you getting in so quickly. I can't lose my job." He smiled down at Kurt and winked, "It'll be our little secret."

He led Kurt and Hayden towards the small table, "Thank you so much," Hayden smiled up at Bryce, "this was really nice of you."

"Anything for Kurt," Bryce winked at Kurt again before walking back to the podium.

Hayden shot a disgusted look towards the host, "Ew. He was flirting with you."

Kurt looked up from his menu, "Doubtful."

"Are you blind?"

"Gah!" Blaine said when he saw the duo, effectively stopping their conversation. "What are you guys doing here?" He bent down, kissed Hayden's cheek, and gave Kurt a quick peck on the lips. When he stood he saw the owner walking by, "Welcome to Ellen's Stardust Diner, is this your first time here?"

"Uhm. Yes?" Kurt said, thinking his boyfriend lost his mind.

Blaine watched his boss walk away, "Sorry. My boss walked by. Anyway, I'm so glad you guys could come! I'm performing after I take your order!"

Hayden grinned, "Yes! I knew I'd picked around the right time. You look really cute in your apron by the way." She pulled on it a little, "You should wear them all the time."

Kurt rolled his eyes, "Please don't. Do you think you could get me a mint chocolate chip milkshake?" He winked at Blaine, "I'll be bad a splurge, just for you."

Blaine grabbed his pen, "I don't wanna get you that."

"Well, you have to," Kurt retorted.

"Why?"

"Because you love me."

Blaine paused, "Nah."

"But you do," Kurt gave Blaine his best puppy dog eyes. "Pwease?"

Blaine cracked and started laughing, "Fine. If you promise never to do that again. Do you want food?"

"A garden salad with Italian dressing?" Kurt wrinkled his nose, "Even though the milkshake will completely ruin it."

"Of course, and my favorite hippie over here?"

Hayden jumped in her seat, "Oh? You remembered I'm here? I'll have an orange sherbet milkshake and a black-bean burger well done." She smiled cheekily at Blaine.

He grinned at her and ruffled Kurt's hair before walking back towards the kitchen. "I hate when he touches my hair." Kurt tried to fix it the best he could using his phone as a mirror.

Hayden just smiled, "I think it's so cute that you two still flirt with each other, it shows that you still have little crushes on each other."

Kurt turned a faint pink but didn't speak.

A blonde girl stepped onto a stool at the microphone and got everyone's attention, "Okay everyone! This is one of our newest, and cutest, waiters, Blaine. He's going to give us some Hairspray. Cheer extra loud if you want him to dance with you!"

"WOOOO!" Hayden cheered as Kurt hid his face behind his hands, mortified.

The music started and Blaine, sans apron, stood on the partial wall right behind their table.

Hey little girl with the cash to burn
Well I'm selling something you won't return
Hey little girl take me off the shelf
'Cause it's hard having fun playing with yourself
"Once you've browsed through the whole selection
Shake those hips in my direction

Blaine slid down the platform, which was actually wider than a wall, Kurt now noticed. He jumped down at a table three away from them and started dancing with a woman who looked to be about forty.

A prettier package you never did see
Take me home and they unwrap me
Shop around but little darlin'
I've got to be

The ladies' choice"
Ladies' choice
The ladies' choice

Kurt laughed when he saw the woman slap Blaine's butt as he walked away to the next table. There he found a girl around sixteen with acne and braces who had been giving him puppy dog eyes since she walked in.

Hey little girl looking for a sale
Test drive this American male
It's going to take cash to fill my tank
So let's crack open your piggy bank
"Hey little girl goin' window shopping
I got somethin traffic stopping

Blaine was shaking his hips in an almost obscene way at this point, flirting up a storm with anyone in a ten feet radius. The girl was a bright red color but she didn't let go of Blaine's hand when he tried to move towards the next table.

Hey little girl on a spending spree
I don't come cheap but the kisses come free
On closer inspection I'm sure that you'll agree
I'm the ladies' choice
The ladies' choice
The ladies' choice

He left the girl quickly and skipped Kurt and Hayden's table to move to a table of women clutching I Heart NY t-shirts and bags from Broadway shows. They were all in their late fifties and seemed to have particularly active sex drives. One woman was wiggling her tongue at Blaine and another was taking pictures of him.

Wow!
Hey little girl on a spending spree
I don't come cheap but the kisses come free
On closer inspection I'm sure that you'll agree

He stayed there only a short time and spun around. He slid on his knees over to Kurt and Hayden's table, grabbing both of their hands as he sang out the rest of the song, women leaning over the counters and the balcony up top, cameras flashing.

Oh, hey little girl listen to my plea
I come with a lifetime guarantee
One day maybe we'll find that baby makes three
It's the ladies' choice
I'm the ladies' choice
The ladies' choice
I'm the ladies' choice, choice, choice
I'm the ladies' choice..

Blaine finished the song with his back flat on the ground and he was practically heaving. Everyone clapped and Blaine stood up, grinning at Hayden and Kurt, "Was that okay?"

"I think you just impregnated several women," Hayden remarked, staring at the women near them fanning themselves and passing glances towards Blaine.

Kurt raised an eyebrow, "At the same time? That takes talent."

Blaine leaned forward and whispered into Kurt's ear, "You already know I have talent in the bedroom."

Hayden pointedly looked away as Kurt turned pink.

Blaine brought them their food quickly but had to rush off to tend to another table where a tourist man was snapping at him.

They ate together until Kurt had a thought when he saw a thirty-something man check out Hayden, "Hey, Hayden, I know it's not my place, but do you have a boyfriend?"

Hayden stopped with her burger halfway to her mouth, "No." She took a big bite into it, hoping to keep her mouth full so she couldn't talk.

"Don't you want one?" Kurt was sincerely interested. It might mean she'd stop texting Blaine constantly. Kurt didn't want another straight girl pining after his boyfriend. Not that he really thought that would happen. Hayden seemed to approve of their relationship, but still, Kurt could never be too careful.

Hayden shrugged, "With the store and making things, I really just don't have time for anything like dating anymore." It was a lie, and she knew it, but she just couldn't tell Kurt. Not yet.

Kurt seemed to believe this, Rachel Berry did the same thing, and now she was on the touring cast of some big musical. Maybe there was merit to that train of thought.

They finished their meal and Blaine smiled, "If you two think you're paying for your meal, you're stupid."

Hayden refused, "You are not paying for this, Blaine. Plus, that's like making Kurt pay for his own meal too."

Blaine conceded, "Fine. But don't leave me a tip."

"That I can agree to," Hayden remarked as she handed Blaine her credit card. She left a twenty on the table when they left anyway. Blaine reserved to use it to take her for coffee sometime soon.

On the way out Bryce grabbed Kurt, "Hey, I was wondering if maybe you could help me with something? I'm trying out for this role in a new show and I need someone to help me mark lines. Think you could help?"

Kurt was taken aback, didn't Bryce have other friends in the business who knew more? Kurt didn't even audition for anything yet. "Why don't you ask Blaine? He was a theater major?" Kurt tried.

Bryce paused for a moment, trying to think of a way to talk himself out of this, "Okay, I'll cave. I was hoping you would help me and fall in love…in love with the role and want to audition too. Kurt, I can see you're too big to work in some Holly Hobby boutique."

Hayden's head snapped as she shot a glare towards Bryce, then looked towards Blaine to see if he was witnessing this exchange as well. He was busy flirting with a southern woman and didn't seem to notice. The boy knew how to get tips, Hayden gave him that.

"Okay, okay. Uh, when do you want to meet up?" Kurt was apprehensive about meeting up with Bryce, but he decided it was time to start looking for roles.

"7 AM tomorrow? I want to get something done before I work. I'll be less apprehensive that way." Bryce gave Kurt pleading eyes.

Kurt wanted to say no, but something in Bryce's eyes told him that Bryce needed him. "Fine. I'll meet you at the Starbucks where we went on Saturday, okay?"

Bryce grinned and hugged Kurt, resting his head on top of Kurt's head. The hug felt awkward to Kurt, he wasn't used to hugging someone who was taller, much less inches taller than himself. "You are lucky to get me out of bed that early."

"Oh, I know," Bryce laughed, "and I appreciate it."

The next morning Kurt kissed a sleepy Blaine on the top of the head as he padded around the apartment looking like a lost puppy. "Why do you have to leave Kurt? Now I have to make my own waffles, I'm going to burn them, and there are only two left. And then I'm going to starve. And die. Why can't you stay here with me?"

Kurt laughed, "I have to go meet Bryce or I would willing stay here and make you waffles. Just douse them in more syrup than normal and you won't even taste the scorching." He kissed Blaine again, regretfully.

Blaine sighed, "We should just switch jobs."

Kurt took the subway ride by himself again, and this time it wasn't quite as scary.

When he walked into the Starbucks he saw Bryce sitting there with two coffees in front of him already. Kurt was immediately transported back in time to Blaine sitting in the Lima Bean waiting for him after glee rehearsals. It seemed like a lifetime ago, but it really wasn't.

Bryce stood and pulled out Kurt's chair, "Good morning!"

"Wow! You are a morning person!" Kurt laughed, "It's good to be around one of those."

"Blaine not a morning person?" Bryce took a sip of his coffee, watching Kurt over the rim of his cup.

Kurt sipped his coffee, he didn't have the heart to tell Bryce that he detested dark roasted coffee. "Not at all. He's adorable, really, he is, but he's needy in the morning."

"Ahh," Bryce leaned back in his chair, "Neediness is adorable." He smiled at Kurt's sudden face, "I'm kidding, of course."

Kurt couldn't help but notice the lines around Bryce's eyes as he smiled. They added character to his face. His eyes resembled Kurt's in a way, they were bluish green, but had far more green in them, especially today, Kurt noted.

Bryce kept talking about the role and how he thought Kurt could really add a new dimension to it. Kurt kept tuning in and out of the conversation.

Because damn, it was still early, and he was still tired, and he'd give anything to be snuggled up to Blaine on the couch watching The Rugrats, just like they did every morning.

It wasn't until Bryce leaned forward and touched his face that he snapped out of his reverie. "You had something on your lip," Bryce said, shrugging.

"Thanks," Kurt said, feeling slightly uncomfortable.

His face was still warm where Bryce's fingers had been.

Question: Do we want to see more of Santana/Hayden through their eyes? Or would you prefer to just see it through Blaine and Kurt? I promise the next chapter will be up more quickly!