"The best thing a man can do on a first date is be a friend. I think that's the biggest mistake men make on the first date. Just get to know me. Be my friend. Just kick it with me as if I was hanging with a homeboy. It shouldn't be this awkward situation. It should be that we're there, having a great time." - Adrienne Bailon

March

Sam rolls his eyes at Blaine. "Okay, got it. I need to make myself scarce tomorrow. I wasn't planning to be here anyways. Yesterday, Henry bought the last of the Mass Effect Trilogy, so we'll be on the Xbox all day at his place. Maybe we should have a signal – like you leave a tie on the door if you don't want me to come in. I really don't want to catch you guys going at it in the living room."

"Sam!" Blaine exclaims. "That's not going to happen. Didn't you hear the part about how I'm taking your advice and spending time with Kurt to get to know him better?"

"Well, there's lot of different ways you can get to know somebody. Don't write off the physical stuff. You haven't gotten any in ages, and Kurt is hot!"

"How many times do I have to tell you that I won't mix business with that sort of pleasure. Besides, I want to take things slowly… get to know Kurt… see if we click together first. I'm a long way off from taking Kurt to bed."

Sam gets up and gives Blaine a hug. "I know, bro, but rules are meant to be broken. I want you to be happy and find someone who will treat you like you deserve. I just have this feeling that Kurt could be the one. But you're right. Take things at your own pace. Now, I'm off to bed. I need to a good night's sleep if I want to kick Henry's ass on Xbox tomorrow."

"Now, you're sure you know what you're doing, Mr. A?" Amy, his middle-aged housekeeper asks. She has never seen her boss in the kitchen before, and she can barely contain her giggles when she notices Blaine wearing her frilly purple apron.

"Of course I know what I'm doing. Now, off you go, or you'll be late for your appointment at the Cardigans Salon. Tina's booked your usual color and cut, and she added a mani-pedi as well. I've taken care of the tab, so get whatever you want."

"You spoil me rotten, Mr. A. Now, just in case, there's a chicken casserole in the fridge with the heating instructions on top. If you don't need it, I'm sure Sam will polish it off when he gets back later. I've checked the guest bathroom and it's all in perfect order, along with the rest of the apartment. Oh, I didn't check Sam's room, but I doubt you'll be using it."

Blaine kisses her on the cheek and then helps her put on her thick winter coat. "You spoil me rotten too, Amy. Now get out of here and go have some fun!" With a quick wave, she's out the door and enters the private elevator.

Blaine is relieved that Amy has left before Kurt arrives. It isn't like he needs to be totally alone with Kurt - obviously not for their first casual 'meeting'. However, it's important to Blaine that he's the one to cook the meal for Kurt, to top up his drink, to attend to his every need. He wants to take care of Kurt. Amy is too darned good at her job and she wouldn't let Blaine do a single thing. Blaine chuckles to himself at the thought of having to get rid of Amy temporarily because she is too efficient.

Blaine also doesn't know what Kurt's reaction would be if he learnt that Blaine employs a full-time housekeeper. Take that back, he does know what Kurt's reaction would be. While Blaine thinks that Amy is essential to keep his private life humming along smoothly, Kurt would think the whole concept of having a full-time housekeeper is extravagant and overindulgent. Blaine really wants to make a favorable impression on Kurt today, so it's easier to give Amy a special day off.

Blaine goes through his mental checklist to make sure everything is ready for today's lunch with Kurt. Food prep… done. Dining table set… done. Candles… done. Music playlists… done. The only thing left is to check is his outfit one last time. Blaine dashes into his bedroom and stands in front of the full length mirror. He roars with laughter when he realizes that he's still wearing Amy's frilly purple apron. That's definitely not the look he's after. He immediately discards the apron and looks at himself critically.

Blaine has picked out today's 'date' outfit with care. He's wearing his favorite pair of slim-fitting blue jeans. He faces away from the mirror so he can check the back. Blaine's pleased that the jeans still hug his ass as snugly as when he was a teenager. He smoothens down the crisp white cotton shirt and the green shawl-collared cardigan, ensuring there's no lint to be seen. Lastly, he double-checks that his check-patterned bowtie is straight. He doesn't often wear bowties in public anymore – Blaine needs to project a different image as Vogue's editor-in-chief. But he still loves the whimsy of bowties and wears them in his private life. The gentle press against his throat grounds him and makes him feel in control. Blaine's thought about slicking back his hair, but ultimately decided against it – his curls would definitely break away from the steam in the kitchen while cooking. With a final glance in the mirror, Blaine concludes that yes, he is ready for his 'date that isn't a date'.

Kurt exits the subway stop and has plenty of time to spare before he's expected at Blaine's. He adjusts his messenger bag, which contains his tablet full of sketches and ideas for the Broadway-inspired Vogue issue. For the past five days, Kurt had spent every spare waking moment thinking of the Broadway-inspired issue. He hopes that Blaine likes his ideas and gives him guidance on how to focus his future efforts. Kurt considers this a huge opportunity to prove that he can be useful at Vogue for more than just modeling.

As Kurt walks along the sidewalk, he notices fresh flowers on display at the corner bodega. They look colorful and remind him of spring. He quickly focuses on a bunch of red and yellow roses. They are so beautiful, and he's not sure why, but they remind him of Blaine. Kurt decides on a whim to buy them. His father has taught him that he should never go to a meal at someone's home empty-handed. It seems like an old-fashioned custom, but he thinks that Blaine will appreciate the sentiment.

Kurt checks his watch as he enters Blaine's building. Man, this is an impressive entrance. It's bigger than my entire apartment in Bushwick. He takes a deep breath and confidently walks to the concierge desk, where he announces, "I'm Kurt Hummel. I'm here to visit Blaine Anderson. I believe he's expecting me."

The attendant stares at him for a full minute. It makes Kurt feel very uncomfortable, but he thinks it might be some sort of security inspection to make sure he isn't carrying a bomb or other weapons. So he patiently waits. "Yes, Mr. Anderson is expecting you. The elevator is the last one on the right over there."

The attendant keeps staring, which peaks Kurt's curiosity. "So I have to ask… Why are you staring at me? Do I have food stuck in my teeth? A stain on my clothes?"

"I'm terribly sorry, Mr. Hummel. It's just that Mr. Anderson has lived here for nearly two years, and with the exception of family, you're the first gentleman caller he's received."

"Well then, this will be our little secret," Kurt replies with a tightly-pressed smile. While Kurt walks towards the elevator, he thinks about the interesting bit of information that the concierge has just given him. Maybe Blaine spends the night at Sam's apartment, or rents a hotel room for their evenings together. That must cost Blaine a fortune! When Kurt enters the elevator, he recognizes 'Defying Gravity' playing in the background, and he hums along appreciatively. He glances at himself in the wall mirror and double-checks that there isn't any food stuck between his teeth and no stains on his clothes. Nope, Kurt Hummel is good to go.

When the elevator doors open, Blaine is immediately standing there to greet him. "Oh wow, how did you know it was me?" Kurt asks.

"Well... umm… it's kind of my own private elevator. And Enrique buzzed me to let me know you were on your way up," Blaine replies, looking rather sheepish.

Kurt pushes the bunch of flowers he's holding towards Blaine. "Here, I got these for you. I'm not sure what the protocol is for this sort of meeting. But when I saw these flowers at a corner bodega along the way, they reminded me of you and so I decided to buy them. I hope you like them." Kurt starts blushing with that admission.

"Aw, you didn't have to… but I'm so glad you did. They're wonderful, Kurt. And so thoughtful. I'm truly touched," Blaine replies as he takes the bouquet in his hands. He raises the flowers to his face and closes his eyes, taking in the heady fragrance of the roses. Blaine is blown away by the gesture. He loves the flowers, he loves that Kurt thought of him when he saw them, and he loves the romantic feeling of it all. Blaine moves forward to give Kurt a hug, and he soon feels Kurt's arms wrap around his back and pull him in. Kurt is several inches taller than him, and Blaine thinks that Kurt is the perfect height as he nuzzles into his neck. Blaine deeply sighs with contentment.

Kurt chuckles as he slowly lets Blaine go. "You really like hugs, Blaine."

Oh god, he heard the sigh. "I guess I do. Now let's get inside so I can get these flowers in water. Follow me."

Once they enter the apartment, Blaine is able to get a closer look at Kurt. He is positively glowing. His hair is coiffed just that little bit higher, if that is even possible. The skinny jeans hug his body in all the right places and the knee-high boots accentuate his long legs. Kurt is wearing a pale blue shirt that complements his eye color and makes them pop. Blaine can see the newly formed muscles in Kurt's arms. The outfit includes a dark grey waistcoat and a scarf from the Hermes Spring collection two years ago. Wow, Wes was right. Kurt is so ready. He's the absolute package.

Blaine doesn't even realize he's staring openly until he hears Kurt's voice, pitched lower than usual, and with a hint of amusement. "Like what you see?"

Blaine blushes furiously before responding. "Kurt, you look fantastic. I can see that Isabelle has worked her magic on you with her one of her infamous make-overs. I think you're her best result to date."

Kurt gently smiles at the flattering remark. "It was a very busy day, but I've been working really hard for the past two weeks to keep up the diet and exercise regimes."

"You should be pleased with the results then. Now, let me put these flowers in water and finish preparing our lunch. What can I get you to drink?"

"A Diet Coke would be great, if you have it. Otherwise, water is fine." Kurt hears the music playing in the apartment and remarks, "Hey, the Wicked soundtrack was playing in the elevator as well. What are the chances of that?"

Blaine clears his throat before replying. "Umm… well, the elevator is for this apartment exclusively, so I can control what music is piped in. It's all controlled through my home sound system. So yeah, I picked it out. I thought that Broadway tunes might be inspirational for our discussion today. Go make yourself comfortable in the living room. I'll be back soon."

After a few steps towards the kitchen, Blaine turns his head to ask Kurt whether he prefers his ice, and catches Kurt glancing at his ass. Blaine smirks and asks, "Do you want crushed or cubed ice?"

Kurt's mouth gapes wide, and Blaine can see Kurt's cheeks flush. "Crushed ice, please,"

"Crushed it is," Blaine replies with a wink. And if he swings his hips just a little bit more on the way to the kitchen, it's because he's thrilled that his assets are appreciated.

When Blaine has finally left for the kitchen, Kurt has the opportunity to take in Blaine's penthouse apartment. Its living area is absolutely massive. It has beautiful natural red oak floors scattered with richly-colored oriental carpets. The large leather sectional couch looks inviting and the flat-screen TV is the largest Kurt has ever seen. He browses through the large built-in oak bookcase, which is crammed with books, trophies and photos. The framed photos are mostly of family, but he can recognize a younger Sam and Tina in some of them. In the corner of the room is a baby grand piano. Kurt goes to the floor-to-ceiling windows, admiring the view of Central Park.

Blaine enters the living room, placing the flowers on a side table. He quickly returns with the drinks. "As luck would have it, I do have Diet Coke. Come take a seat." Luck hasn't had anything to do with it. I casually asked Unique what Kurt's drink of choice was during the photo shoot.

Kurt sits down on the leather couch, taking in the surroundings. "Now it's my turn to be impressed. Your apartment is amazing. It's spacious but cozy. Contemporary but homey. It's on trend but comfortable. And this couch feels like one enormous hug. It's very you."

Blaine beams at the praise, because what Kurt has just described is exactly what he has tried to create in the penthouse. He works extremely long hours at Vogue. He wants a home that reflects who he really is, and that is comfortable enough so that he can unwind and relax during his downtime.

Kurt offers him some suggestions to enhance the home décor accents and Blaine hums in approval. But Blaine's secretly daydreaming of one-day arriving home, with Kurt waiting for him as he walks through the door.

Blaine has prepared a delicious lunch of Fettuccini Alfredo, including a fresh garden salad. When he brings the serving platters to the dining table, the aroma of pasta and cheese fill the air. Blaine serves Kurt a portion, offering freshly ground black pepper and parmesan cheese. Blaine serves himself and then secretly glances at Kurt to gauge his reaction to the meal.

Kurt expertly twirls the pasta on his spoon and takes his first bite. Kurt closes his eyes and lets out a big groan. When he has finished the bite, Kurt remarks, "This tastes like heaven. You've cooked the fettuccini to perfection."

They are silent as they dig into their meals. After a few minutes, Kurt slides his plate to the side and serves himself a generous portion of the garden salad. Blaine notices that Kurt has only finished half of the serving and his face falls. It seems obvious that Kurt really didn't like it. "I'm sorry, Kurt. I have plenty of other food in the fridge. Would you like me to get you something else?"

"Oh no, Blaine. I loved the fettuccini. It's just that pasta, cream and cheese are on my forbidden foods list."

Blaine mentally kicks himself that he didn't even think about Kurt's diet… the diet that he had instigated at work. How could he be so unthoughtful when he had tried to think of Kurt's every need in preparation for the lunch?

Before Blaine can chastise himself further, Kurt adds, "The diet is impossible for me to stick to, so Oz Garcia I have come to an agreement that I can have food from the forbidden list as long as I limit myself to six bites. And trust me, those six bites of Fettuccini Alfredo were the best I've eaten since I started this diet. Besides, I love salad and this one looks so yummy."

"Well, I'm glad about that. Are you sure that the salad will be enough?"

"Yeah, it's fine."

"So what other things have you been doing as a result of your make-over?" Blaine asks.

"I have a membership at the E at Equinox gym, where I work with a personal trainer and do boot-camp aerobics classes. I also do stretching and exercises at home. I can really tell that my body is getting more toned. I now have abs. Want to see?"

Blood courses throughout Blaine's body at the proposition. How can someone so young and so innocent say things like that? Surely Kurt's not flirting with me?

Blaine then realizes that he did after all inspect Kurt's body during his office visit a few weeks ago. "Umm… No, that's not necessary. Believe it or not, I don't like looking at models' bodies. It makes it feel like looking at a man isn't anything special… like it's supposed to be."

Blaine can see Kurt visibly relax, nodding his head in approval of Blaine's response.

The meal has been cleared away and they are still sitting at the dining room table, discussing the Hamilton-inspired spread for the June edition. Blaine brings Kurt up-to-date with the progress he has made to bring the idea to life.

"Blaine, I'm really impressed where you have taken the idea in so little time. Now I'm afraid to show you my drawings or tell you my ideas."

Blaine preens at the compliment, but is quick to soothe Kurt's fears. "Well, it's easy to get things started when the original idea is so inspired. Now, tell me your ideas and get your drawings out because I really want to look them over. There's still a long way to go before the Broadway-inspired idea is fully fleshed out."

Kurt goes to his messenger bag and returns with his sketches. "I had the same thoughts with period jackets and frills on shirts. And you know I love knee-high boots. But I had two additional thoughts. The first one is about accessories… specifically, hair accessories. There are scrunchies and headbands that are unisex and could fit in with the look. If you're interested, I could see what type of hair pins are available that have a more masculine look."

Blaine looks over the designs carefully and remarks, "I can see that we're on the same wavelength about the outfits for the spread. That's an excellent idea about the hair accessories. Let me talk to Mark Townsend to see if he has further ideas about them. I can also get my staff do some research on the hair pins. They're paid to do that kind of thing. But do you mind if I run your ideas past them? I'll let you know what they come up with."

Kurt is pleasantly surprised that Blaine wants his further input on his staff's future research - like his opinion really matters.

"What's your other idea, Kurt?"

"Well, I googled Hamilton and noticed that the set was rather stark with wooden structures on various levels. That could work to Vogue's advantage when there's a photo with a few models. However, the background is a brick wall and that won't look good in print. I was thinking about a collage of images from the period – a flag, a pistol, a judge's powdered wig. That sort of thing."

"Great idea! The Marc Jacobs line should be simple in design, so there should be no conflicting patterns. We can use our regular fantastic set designer to come up with images behind the scene for our shoots. Can I put her in touch with you? Perhaps you can brainstorm together?"

Kurt's jaw drops open, before a huge smile appears. It is one thing to take a look at what the Vogue staff have come up with. It's an entirely different matter to provide direct creative input at the ground level. "Yes, of course. I would love to do that!"

Blaine smiles back at Kurt. "Keep coming up with those ideas. I would love to hear them all. Now, shall we go to the living room for coffee and dessert? Oh, my bad. I bought a cheesecake at Eileen's, but I assume that it's on the banned food list as well? Perhaps a fruit platter instead?"

"For a slice of cheesecake from Eileen's, I'm willing to sacrifice all treats for a month!" Kurt replies, excited for a taste of the famous New York cheesecake.

After polishing off their slices of cheesecake, the conversation quickly turns to more personal subjects and they find a lot of common ground. They are both from Ohio ("How did we not meet each other, living so close?" "Maybe we did without realizing… Crossed each other on the street…") and they were both members of their high school glee clubs ("We competed against the Warblers at sectionals!"). They have both faced bullying because they were gay, and they have both fled to more liberal cities after graduating.

Kurt is excited as he says, "On the count of three, name your favorite Vogue cover of all time. 1...2...3!

"Marion Cotillard!" they both shout together.

"Oh my god, stop it!" Blaine laughs. He blushes when he thinks of Kurt adorning the May issue's cover. Blaine will soon have a new favorite Vogue cover of all time. His thoughts are interrupted by the ping of Kurt's phone. Kurt giggles when he reads the new message and Blaine gives him a quizzical look.

"Oh, it's just a message from Chandler. You know, the Vogue stylist that was at the photo shoot? He sends the silliest of messages. Check this one out."

Can you sing to my voice mail? I want to make your voice my ringtone.

Kurt's phone pings again and he smiles again. "Chandler just sent another."

Do your feet hurt? ... You've been wandering in my thoughts all day long...

"

I'll turn off my phone now. That was rude of me."

Blaine can't help but feel jealous about the flirty text messages. Blaine wishes that he could do the same, but his position at Vogue would make them take on an entirely different meaning. "So, you and Chandler…. Are you seeing him?"

Kurt throws back his head and laughs. "No, of course not. He's a flirt with everyone. Chandler is a bit over-the-top, but he makes me smile. I can see him being a casual friend."

No! I don't want Chandler to make you smile. That should be me! Blaine vows to himself that Chandler won't ever be present at Kurt's photo shoots again.

They continue their discussions about their favorite things – book series (Harry Potter), Disney film (The Little Mermaid) and musical ('Sound of Music' for Kurt and 'Singing in the Rain' for Blaine). Blaine feels like they click in all the right ways and wonders how he could manage to get to see Kurt again outside of work.

Soon, the light begins to fade and Kurt makes his move to go. Blaine helps Kurt with his jacket, and when they are standing at the door, he gets an idea. "Kurt, have you actually seen Hamilton yet?"

Kurt ducks his head and shyly replies, "No… No, I haven't. The ticket prices weren't in my price range when I was a waiter… The tips weren't that good. And now that I have a little more money, the tickets have already sold out."

"Well, there are some perks to being Vogue's editor-in-chief, and one of those is being able to get hard-to-find tickets. Are you free next Saturday to see Hamilton?"

"Yes… Yes, I am. I would love to go see Hamilton with you."

They stare into each other's eyes, unsure how to end this 'date but not a date'. Blaine looks at Kurt's lips and wonders whether a kiss would be appropriate. However, his thoughts are quickly disrupted when Sam enters the apartment.

"Hi Blaine! Hi Kurt!"

"Sam! I wasn't expecting you back so soon. Kurt's just leaving."

"I'm off to the bedroom so you can say your goodbyes. Come join me later. I've got something special to show you," Sam replies, waving at Kurt before he disappears.

"Were you expecting Sam?" Kurt asks cautiously.

"Sort of," Blaine hedges. "He lives here too, but he wasn't due back for a while."

Kurt gives Blaine a quick hug. "I've got to go, and you shouldn't keep Sam waiting. Thanks for the lunch and everything. Let me know about Hamilton."

After Kurt has left, Blaine goes to Sam's room. "You have terrible timing, Sam!" Blaine groans, and he flops onto Sam's bed.

"Man, I told you we should have a signal…. A tie on the door."

"So what's so special that you had to interrupt me and Kurt?" Blaine asks.

"KrianFeels has finally updated their fic! And the chapter is about 15,000 words long! Don't you remember the big cliffhanger at the end of the previous chapter? Krian go to the prom together and Kevin gets crowned Prom Queen. Brian saves the day by asking Kevin for the dance when the Prom King runs away. Once the prom is over, they head back to the hotel where Kevin has booked a room. This chapter promises to be the smutty stuff that goes down after the prom."

"You interrupted us for THAT?"

Blaine and Sam are fans of Breakaway, a new cutting-edge TV show about teenagers coming of age. When Sam was looking for new Star Wars fanfiction to read, he noticed that there were fics for Breakaway as well. Sam soon discovered KrianFeels' stories about their favorite ship, Kevin and Brian, which are full of smut. They check their e-mails constantly on Saturdays, the usual update day.

"Dude, you're into man-on-man stuff, so I thought you'd want to read it straightaway."

Author's notes

Thank you to Lilyandersteen, the most fabulous beta ever, although all mistakes are mine. Come visit me a Tumblr (HKVoyage) for the story artwork and my thoughts when writing this chapter.

Reviews are like eating a slice of New York City cheesecake.

Next up: The Hamilton date.