Chapter 7- A Lunch

Kurt straightened his tie yet again. He didn't quite know why he was looking so formal for a casual lunch with Sebastian, but he thought that he should at least wear his best outfit for what Adam was reluctantly calling a date.

After Santana's supportive words, Kurt hadn't expected Adam to react the complete opposite to his news.

"I'm meeting Sebastian for lunch this weekend," Kurt said happily, smile fading when Adam's face dropped evidently.

"You're what?"

"Adam, I…"

"No, Kurt, this isn't what was supposed to happen. Sebastian put you in danger, don't you see that? You could've been killed! I'm sorry to be the one to rain on the parade here, but I can't stand the thought of you being put in a situation like that ever again. When I picked you up from his manor, bloody and bruised, I felt sick. I was worried that he'd touched you. When I found out that it wasn't him, it was almost worse. Because those guys aren't ones to be messed with. They've been all over the news for killing people and hurting people without a care in the world."

"But I'm fine aren't I, Adam? I know not to make such a mistake again! I know what I can and can't handle! Please, I need you to be okay with this!"

"Why, Kurt? We both know you're going to do what you want regardless of what I think! Look, I'm sorry for getting so out of sorts about this, but I care about you too much to let something bad happen to you if there's any chance I can dissuade you from going to meet him."

Kurt faltered, touched by Adam's reasoning, but disagreeing. As far as he saw it, Sebastian was it for him and he couldn't let another chance to be with him slip by without trying to hold onto it as tightly as he possibly could. "I'll never stop trying to know him again, Adam."

"I know. I can't control what your heart wants as much as you can't. I just can't help but notice the warning signs."

Kurt stepped into Adam's arms, the taller man wrapping them around the small frame in front of him. "I know what I'm doing, Adam, I know I do. I won't let myself be put in danger ever again. I'll keep things under the radar as much as I can."

Adam nodded. "Though will you promise me that you'll leave him if there's any chance of you being put in danger?"

Kurt nodded. "I will. It's not going to be like last time, I promise."

"Kurt, are you ready yet?" Santana drawled, tired of Kurt taking hours to get ready. Surely she understood how nervous he was. "He already likes you, you don't even have to impress him a second time! Anyway, I thought that this wasn't even a date?"

Kurt clucked, finally satisfied with the strength and placement of his knotted tie. "It's not a date, that doesn't mean I can't look nice! What do I always say?"

Santana smirked. "It's not a good time unless there's cock?"

Kurt waved her away. "Okay, that was one time and I was hammered. What else do I always say?"

Santana and Adam chorused the same catchphrase at the same time. "Every moment of your life is an opportunity for fashion."

Kurt nodded, pleased with their memory and delivery of the line. "You both should remember that, lest you leave the loft looking with blind hitchhikers."

"So you're telling me that there's no section in Vogue for blind hitchhikers? I'm thoroughly disappointed at their lack of diversity," Adam quipped slickly.

Kurt rolled his eyes fondly. "I hate you both. So I'm finally done, how do I look?"

Santana nodded. "Passable."

Adam shrugged. "I don't know, you look okay at a push."

Kurt glared. "My earlier proclamation still stands. Now tell me I look hot before I go."

Adam's face relaxed and he smiled. "You look amazing."

Santana smirked. "Marlon Brando's gonna want to jump you the moment you walk in."

Kurt cocked his head. "Hey, I told you, it's not a date! We're just...friends, catching up."

Adam raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, okay, repeat that phrase when you get back and see how applicable it is."

Kurt stuck his tongue out. "You're both unsupportive and I hate you. I'll call when I'm on my way home."

When Kurt got to the diner, Sebastian was already there. Always punctual, Kurt thought briefly before he opened the door and stepped inside. Taking a deep breath, he took his seat. Sebastian was wearing his usual Armani suit and Kurt's nostalgia for the days gone by only grew with every second that ticked by. It was like that first day all over again.

"Hey! You look great. I'm surprised you came, actually."

Kurt smiled, settling into his seat. "You expected me not to?"

Sebastian shrugged. "Part of me thought that one of your friends would change your mind. I was going to give it an hour and then I was going to leave. I'm really glad you showed up."

Kurt glanced down at his shoes before nodding. "I'm glad you asked me."

"Kurt, I-."

"Bas, I was-."

They spoke at the same time, the subsequent laughs synchronising.

"You go," Sebastian offered.

"I've really missed you these past few months. It's been really hard to be away from you."

"Have you ever tried being away from you, Kurt? It's torture. I've done nothing but feel so guilty for everything that happened. I just thought...I thought you'd always be safe and I failed on my promise."

Kurt sighed, shaking his head, flashes of that day filling his mind. "Sebastian, that's water under the bridge. It was hard at first, because I thought that being away from you was best for me. I was wrong about that. Sure, I was safe, but you weren't around."

Sebastian stared past Kurt's head out of the window. "Was I wrong to ask you here today?"

"Why would you say that?"

"Your safety is the most important thing to me, Kurt. I hate myself for them hurting you last time. The more you're around me, the more you're in danger. I can't be the one to actively put you in situations like that."

"If it's my choice, then why would you feel guilty?"

Sebastian laughed, shaking his head. "Without me, you wouldn't be exposed to things like that. I allowed my family's grievances to get in the way of us and hurt you. That is something that I swore wouldn't happen and I failed."

"Will you stop saying that?" Kurt asked. "You didn't fail, you had no control over the situation. I never blamed you, Sebastian, not once. It was not your fault. It wasn't my fault, it was their fault. I don't want you blaming yourself anymore for this."

Sebastian lips slowly quirked into a sad smile. "Thanks, Kurt. That means quite a lot to me that you think that. I ordered you a hot chocolate with a shot of vanilla. You still like that, right?"

Kurt nodded, smiling. "You remember."

Sebastian frowned. "Of course I do. Kurt, I don't think I'll ever forget anything you've ever said to me. You have a way about you that—."

Kurt put up a hand. "You have no idea how much I want to hear these words. I mean, I've wanted nothing else for three months. But I just think that we should start slow."

Sebastian nodded. "I understand. I don't think I can, but for you I can try."

"I appreciate that. I mean, we have a lot to learn about each other and what's happened over these past few months. Right?"

Sebastian nodded. "I haven't done all that much, but I imagine you've been taking NYADA by storm."

Kurt smiled. "Well thanks to you I've had more time to practice and rehearse. Quitting my job helped me focus on what I really wanted. I realised just how close I am to fulfilling my dream and the thought of that excites me every day."

Sebastian's head was supported by a hand, elbow firmly on the table. "I love when you talk about Broadway and your dreams. I've never seen somebody so passionate before. I've missed you."

Kurt smirked. "You were right, you really can't start slow, can you?"

Sebastian groaned. "I'm sorry. I just never thought I'd get the chance to have lunch with you again. Now that I am I just want to take you away from everything and be with you all the time, to make up for these past few months and the mistake I made."

Kurt bit his lip. "I want this. Every bone in my body is probably telling me that I shouldn't, but I can't help that I do. I love you, Sebastian and nothing has changed about that since I left the manor. Can we, just, start again?

"You have no idea how much I want that," Sebastian beamed, putting a hand atop Kurt's.

"But I can't go back to the manor. I know that was part of our original deal, but it's just something I can't do."

Sebastian's eyes widened. "I actually forgot about the deal. Consider it null. I would never make you go back there, Kurt. Hell, if it meant I got to be with you, I'd never go back there."

"I wouldn't ask that of you."

Sebastian frowned. "I don't think you have to." He nodded to himself. "It's decided. I'm going to get my own place. Move out of the manor. I have enough money to keep myself afloat for a considerable amount of time. I'll get an apartment somewhere and you can come over all the time."

Kurt smiled, seeing Sebastian's plans take shape in his mind. His own space, no danger, independence. It was what somebody like Sebastian needed. "Sounds like you've wanted this for a while."

"I just didn't know it until now. I guess I have you to thank for that. As I do for a lot of things."

Kurt stared deeply into Sebastian's eyes. "You don't have to thank me for anything."

"So…we're really doing this? Trying this whole thing again?"

"If you remember, it wasn't us that fucked it up. This is going to work, Bas, I just know it. I don't have to miss you anymore."

Sebastian impulsively leaned across the table and kissed Kurt's cheek. "Uh, I didn't know how slow you meant, but…I mean, if that's too fast or that's not okay…"

"Bas, that's okay. In fact, that was perfect. You don't have to tiptoe around."

Sebastian nodded. "So it's just us. You and me, making an actual go of this."

Kurt nodded. "This can work."

Sebastian nodded on the outside, but his insides were freaking out. Sure, he had Kurt back in his life and that was more than he could have hoped for. But every single day he hated himself even more for hurting Kurt in the first place, even if he only put him in the situation that caused it. Would he be able to keep Kurt safe in the future? He needed to be or else it would destroy him.

"I hope so."