Chapter 7- A Change

Three Months Later

That Morning

Kurt looked up from his crossword puzzle to Adam, who was crossing the room to go and make breakfast.

"Do you really find it so hard to put some clothes on in the morning?"

Adam shrugged, smirking. "I've literally just woken up, Kurt, don't hound me about fashion now. At least I'm not entirely naked." Kurt quickly appraised his almost naked body, taking a quick moment to notice how tight Adam's underwear was. Normally, he wouldn't have noticed such a thing, but he was feeling extra lonely today.

Kurt cocked his head in agreement. "At least. So what glamorous plans do you have today?"

"More recruitment for the Apples and then lunch with Santana I think. I take it you're moping again today?"

Kurt gaped. "Um, I take offence. I'm not moping. I'm just…organising my mind in a healthy way."

Adam rolled his eyes. "So, in Kurt speak, that translates as 'thinking about him until it doesn't hurt anymore'. Am I close?"

Kurt abandoned his defensive tactic and launched the cushion he was holding across the room, smiling triumphantly as it hit its target. Adam's quiet howl made him chuckle and he crossed the room to ensure that Adam didn't set fire to the apartment while he was making breakfast.

"No, Adam, that is not how you make pancakes. Did you not learn anything before moving to New York to live on your own?"

"That's how I like them," Adam protested weakly.

"Burned to a crisp so that they break your molars?" Kurt raised an eyebrow quizzically.

"A little charcoal never hurt anyone."

A grin. "I'm amazed you've made it this far in adult life."

"Less talk about me. When are you going to do something that doesn't involve NYADA or watching thirteen episodes of Bones in one day?"

"You leave David Boreanaz out of this. I've got a few things lined up."

Adam waved his hand passively. "Bullshit. Do you want to come to lunch with Santana and I this afternoon? It'll get you out of the house."

"I've got a day off from classes today, Adam. It's very rare that this happens so I had a marathon date planned with David, but I have a feeling that you're going to usurp them."

Adam grinned wickedly. "You're damn right I am. Make sure you look presentable."

"I may be moping, but I'm still Kurt Hummel."

"Aha! So you admit you're moping."

"Enough of that, Imogen Heap. Yes, I'm moping and I know it's been three months, but Sebastian and I have a genuine connection and it was hard to decide to let that go."

"Kurt, he put you in danger. By inviting you to live with him, he put you in danger and I can't roll with that."

"I can't just ignore how I feel about him, even now." Kurt didn't want to go back to that place, he wanted to feel happy again. But he knew that there was only one way that that would happen.

"Time heals, Kurt, but it might take longer than three months. Maybe if you distract yourself, you'll get over Sebastian faster."

"I don't want to hear his name!"

Adam sighed. "I know, chicken. But the more you get used to saying and hearing it, the easier it'll be."

"How do you know about this stuff?"

Adam sighed, fidgeting awkwardly. "I had to get over you, remember? And look where we are now. You're my best friend and I wouldn't swap what we have for anything. Maybe you and Sebastian can be friends."

"Maybe. I guess you're right. But that would require seeing him and I'm not sure if I can do that."

Adam smiled. "All you can do is try."

That Afternoon

"So you're telling me that you don't want to marry Seeley Booth?"

Santana rolled her eyes. "Why did you get him started, Adam? I swear, this is never going to end. Dr. Brennan would get it. Booth is too apathetic and tries way too hard to appear cold and super masculine."

"You've only seen season one, Santana!" Kurt protested, sipping his milkshake in short bursts. "His character development is something to be admired."

"Whatever."

"How are your dance classes going, Santana?"

She shrugged. "I kick ass. Everybody in there was like Nina Sayers."

Adam frowned but Kurt nodded, understanding her.

"They're technically perfect, but they have no natural rhythm. They're lifeless, more concerned with perfecting the steps rather than feeling them."

Santana smirked. "I dance circles around all of them and I've not trained in years."

"Well, you're inherently rhythmic. That has to work in your favour."

"I suppose. Anyway, ladies, I'm going to make a quick stop at the bathroom before we leave. Gotta look my best for the girls."

Adam grinned. "I'm gonna do the same. Go to the bathroom, I mean. Be back in a minute, Kurt."

Kurt nodded, sipping the last of his milkshake, deciding to do some people watching.

After several minutes of observing a mother and her newborn, his eyes flickered towards the door.

"Oh, you have got to be kidding me," he whispered sharply to himself.

Stood, six feet high, dressed immaculately in what Kurt immediately noticed was Calvin Klein attire, was the very last person he wanted to see.

Ironically, it was also the person he wanted to see the most.

Kurt held in a breath, trying to look as inconspicuous as possible, praying that Sebastian wouldn't notice that he was there.

"Kurt!"

Reluctantly, Kurt looked up from his empty glass. "Sebastian. I didn't expect to see you here."

Sebastian swallowed heavily, sighing. "I don't usually come in here. I wanted to scope out somewhere new."

Kurt folded his arms, clearly not believing him. "Were you following me?" He snapped icily. He wasn't sure how he was going to react upon seeing Sebastian again, whether he would want him back or remember the reasons why they broke up.

Sebastian held up his hands. "No, I wasn't. I promise. You wanted space from me and I've given you that. Even though it's been nothing but difficult to be away from you."

"Sebastian…"

"I'm not trying to start a pity party, Kurt. I'm just saying that I hope you know this hasn't been easy. I didn't want you to think that I'd just moved on without a second thought."

"My friends are here," Kurt said, deflecting. "They're in the bathroom."

"I probably shouldn't be here when they get back. It was great to see you. C-Can…we have coffee sometime? To catch up?"

Kurt still found it odd to see Sebastian Smythe nervous around him. The usually confident, swaggering man was reduced to stammering and trembling and he could never understand why. He got nervous around Sebastian, of course he did. But Sebastian was Sebastian and Kurt was Kurt. That alone was explanation enough.

"If you don't want to, I completely understand."

Kurt bit his lip. He sorely missed Sebastian in his life, but he had to focus on why he left. His own safety. He couldn't get tangled up in something like that again. "I don't know, Bas."

Kurt pretended to ignore the glimmering smile on Sebastian's face upon hearing the nickname.

Of course, he couldn't get the image out of his mind. Sebastian smiling was…quite unlike anything he had ever seen in person.

"Maybe. Did you delete my number?"

Sebastian shook his head vehemently.

Kurt stood up, tucking his chair under the table neatly. As he walked around the table, he put his hand on Sebastian's arm. "Call me in a few days? I just need time to process."

"Whatever you need. I'll give you a call on Saturday, then?"

"Sure, yeah, okay."

Sebastian nodded happily. "Okay, great! Kurt, it was really nice to see you. I've…really missed you."

Kurt bowed his head. "I've missed you so much," he whispered, as though ashamed to say it.

When he looked up again, Sebastian was nowhere to be seen.

That Evening

Kurt sat against the wall, staring lifelessly out of the window. His phone was nestled in between his hand and his chest. He didn't know exactly why, though. It wasn't like he expected Sebastian to call that very same day. He knew that Sebastian would respect his wish to wait a few days before contacting him. Sebastian may have been entitled and snippy, but he was definitely respectful and kind.

"What's gotten into you today?" Santana called from the other side of the room. Adam was out on a date, leaving he and Santana alone in the loft, about to marathon more Bones. Santana was preparing the popcorn and Kurt…well, Kurt had gotten distracted when going into his room to retrieve the boxset. Propped up on his window ledge was a small frame with a picture of he and Sebastian inside it that he had hidden from his friends for fear of being scolded about the benefits of closure.

"Nothing."

"Kurt, you're one hell of an actor, but not when you're playing yourself. And plus, nothing gets past Auntie Tana and her Mexican third eye."

Kurt sighed. It was true. He knew that he would have to tell Santana the whole truth at some point. It was better to come clean now, rather than wait until Sebastian came to the door for her to find out.

"I saw him today."

Santana rolled her eyes. "Wait, when? Adam and I have been with you all day! You wouldn't have had time to—."

"When you were in the bathroom. He came into the diner and we…we talked."

"About?" Santana asked, the tone in her voice almost scared to hear the answer.

"He wants to see me sometime. To catch up."

"And let me guess, you agreed?"

Kurt nodded hesitantly. "I asked him for a few days to think about it."

No matter how unhappy Santana was with the situation, she would never be able to stop Kurt from seeing Sebastian. She had tried with Blaine and that hadn't worked, this time would be no different. "Kurt, are you sure this is what you want? I mean, you broke it off for a reason."

"I don't know. I mean, sure, the whole situation is really fucked up, but I miss him, San. I've missed him for three months.

"Seeing him today…it really opened my eyes to how much I still care about him. This morning, I didn't even want to hear his name but, now, it's all I can think about."

"And, this catch up doesn't mean that you're going to get back together, remember? It's just a meet up," Santana pointed out.

Kurt frowned at her. "Why are you giving me reasons to go? Don't you hate Sebastian?"

Santana shrugged. "That's neither here nor there. Look, you and Adam are the only people I've got in this fucked up world. If there's a chance of you being happy, I obviously want you to take it. But, let me tell you, if he puts you in danger one more time, I'm going to go all Lima Heights!"

Kurt chuckled, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her in. "Thank you. I think this is going to be good for me. I'm not going to let him put me in those kinds of positions again."

"If you want, I could think up a few positions he could put you in instead…"

Kurt pulled away, slapping her arm playfully. "Of course your mind is in the gutter."

"Who would I be if it wasn't?"

"That's true. So it's decided. I'm going to wait for Sebastian to call me and then we'll go out for coffee and talk things over. That's my plan. For sure."

"Kurt?"

"Yeah?"

"Call him right now. I know you're dying to."

Kurt grinned. "Am I that obvious?"

Santana rolled her eyes. "I can practically smell your desperation and it's making me nauseous."

"Well that might just be the overbearing stench of your perfume."

She gaped. "The lady at the store said it would attract girls! A girl's gotta eat, Kurt."

"That's gross and I want no more of this conversation."

Santana walked after him. "What? You mean you don't want to hear anything further about my eating habits?"

"We're not friends," Kurt yelled, clapping his hands over his ears and singing a tune over Santana's voice.

As Santana laughed and went back to the popcorn, Kurt tapped his phone idly against his knee. Pushing buttons he knew through muscle memory, he bit his lip.

"Hi, you've reached Sebastian Smythe. I can't pick up the phone right now, so please leave a message and I might just get back to you."

Kurt closed his eyes. He detested leaving messages on somebody's voicemail. He had to do it. If he didn't say what he needed to, he would be on edge until Sebastian called him.

"Hey, Bas, it's me. It's Kurt. I know I said I wanted some time before you called, but it turns out I don't. I wanted to let you know that I'm free all this weekend if you'd like to meet up at some point. I think we have a few things to discuss. Let me know. Bye."

Kurt ended the message and breathed out a huge sigh of relief. Knocking his head gently against the wall, he thought about what he refrained from saying at the end of the call.

I still love you, Sebastian.

Author's Note: I know, I'm awful for making you all wait! Everything got to be way too much to handle and writing sort of took a backseat. I'm kind of back now though, but it might a while until the next update. I'm starting university in two weeks and there's still so much I need to take care of! Anyway, hope you enjoyed this. Next chapter will be Kurt and Sebastian's catch up.