Blaine had been living in New York for three months now. He was so happy to be back in the country, and away from England. He hated that he was torn away from everything he knew. Torn away from the person he loved. He hadn't tried to reconnect to anyone, mainly because he didn't know where everyone was.

And he was. In New York. Six years later. And twenty three years old.

He hadn't found a well-paid job yet, so he was currently working a few shifts in a coffee shop, and busked on his breaks and in his free time.

And on top of all that, he'd lost his voice, so he took extra shifts at the coffee shop while he waited for it to pass.

And that's what he was doing now. A warm Friday afternoon, standing at the till, doing a shift he'd never done before.

He was bored. Mainly because no one was coming in for coffee and the place was almost deserted.

But he also thought that was a good thing. Because he looked terrible. He needed to shave for one. And his hair was un-gelled like normal, but was getting a bit long. And he had dark circles under his eyes from no sleep.

He heard the jingle as the door opened and a man walked inside. Blaine looked up tiredly, his jaw dropping when he saw him. He couldn't believe it.

Out of all the coffee shops in New York. Out of all the free shifts he could've taken. He walks in now!

Blaine shakes himself, putting his mind into action, hating that he was resting his voice so it would heal faster.

He moves away from the counter to the machine, making a Grande Non-fat mocha, surprised he still knew the order. He then grabbed a pen and wrote the side:

Grande Non-Fat Mocha.

Kurt Hummel.

Be here this time next week?

He knew he probably sounded like a stalker, but he wasn't going to let a chance like this go because of a stupid sore throat. He walked back to the counter where Kurt was already standing, waiting.

Blaine smiled and Kurt shot a quick one back, clearly not recognizing him.

"A grande non-fat mocha please." He spoke in a monotone, but his voice still sent butterflies fluttering into Blaine's stomach. Blaine smirked and slid the coffee along the counter, watching as Kurt picked it up, his eyes widening in shock.

"How did you… Are some kind of crazy stalker!" He said, taking a step back.

Blaine laughed silently and shook his head. He pulled a napkin from the pile and quickly wrote on it.

Old friend who you don't recognize.

He shows it to Kurt who cocked his head as he read it. "Who… are you?"

Someone. Come back next week when I don't have a sore throat and you'll find out.

Kurt frowned as he read this. "Can't you just tell me? I don't play these stupid games…"

Blaine pouted and put his hands together in a begging motion. Kurt's lips twitched, showing he wanted to smile at him.

"Fine. I'll come back. It better be worth it, stalker." Then, with a wink, Kurt turned around and left, Blaine watching him as he went, trying not to stare at his ass…

Blaine's throat had healed up quickly, and he was giddy by Friday. He hadn't needed to take an extra shift today, so he was busking just outside the little shop, his guitar in his hand. He waited patiently for Kurt, hoping he really did turn up, and played a few tunes while he waited.

He looked better today, he wasn't tired and he'd shaved and even gotten a haircut. He'd debated gelling it down in hopes it would him more easy to recognize, but he'd voted against it.

"Hey there, stalker!"

Blaine turned at Kurt's voice, smiling widely. Kurt looked great. His hair was styled up and he was wearing pristine clothes.

Blaine waved shyly, wanting to save letting Kurt hear his voice until he sang. He noticed a coffee cup in his hand and realized he must've already been inside.

"You're still not going to talk?" Kurt smirked, shifting a little on his feet.

Blaine simply motioned to his guitar, smiling, his stomach filling with butterflies again.

Kurt smiles back faintly. Blaine knew he was waiting now. Waiting for Blaine to play. So Blaine begun. He'd practised all week and had decided on this song because it felt important to him. To them.

He breathed in slowly, nervously, before he finally began to sing along to the melody he was playing.

You think I'm pretty, without any make up on,

You think I'm funny, when I tell the punch line wrong,

I know you get me, so I let my walls come down,

Down.

He was watching Kurt's face intently, waiting for him to react. His head was cocked to the side, as if he was trying to figure something out.

Before you met me, I was alright,

But things were kind of heavy, you brought me to life,

Now every February, you'll be my Valentine,

Valentine.

Let's go all, the way tonight,

No regrets, just love,

We can dance, until we die,

You and I, we'll be young forever!

It was when he hit the chorus. Kurt's jaw dropped and the coffee cup slid from his hand, hitting the floor and bursting, sending coffee all over them.

"You make me feel like I'm living a teenage- Shit Kurt!" He stopped playing and looked down and his now ruined shoes, his eyes traveling upwards to check the damage done to Kurt's clothes, knowing he'll be pissed off, but his line of sight was blocked as Kurt was now moving forwards and gripping him into a tight hug, shaking a little and breathing heavily. Blaine thought he might be crying, and the sob that sounded soon after confirmed that.

"Hey, hey, shhh." He wrapped his arms around Kurt, wishing he could put his guitar down. "It's okay." He rubbed Kurt's back consolingly.

Kurt pulled back, looking at him quickly; his mouth open to say something, but nothing came out, and then he was wrapping Blaine up in his arms again, reluctant to let go in fear he'll disappear again.

It had taken Kurt a while to calm down, and Blaine had decided to take him to his apartment so they could talk privately. He put his guitar away and told Kurt to sit down while he made coffee.

This wasn't because he was trying to be nice. Coffee calmed him down. Reminded him of Kurt. They had connected over it. It was what they did.

He came in and handed Kurt his coffee and sat on the chair beside the couch, where Kurt was sitting. Kurt cradled the cup in his hand, looking down at it for a minute, Blaine's grew nervous, worried.

"H-how long have you been back in America for?"

"Three months."

"…Why… why did you move?" Kurt looks up, sadness clear in his features.

"It's not like I had a choice. If I did I'd never have left. I don't care that my brother lives in England, I cared about my friends. I cared about you." Kurt's lips twitch, but he wasn't going to smile yet, he still had plenty of unanswered questions.

"Did you mean it?"

"Mean what?" Blaine cocked his head, confused.

"The song. The one you sang the day before you left."

It was silent for a minute as Blaine looked for his voice. The words. The right ones to say.

"Yes… I did."

Kurt nods slowly, thinking.

"Then why did you run away?"

Blaine frowned. He knew Kurt would ask this. This is why there had been a little nagging doubt this week, telling him not to go back, for fear Kurt hated him.

He shook those thoughts away. If Kurt hated him… he wouldn't have hugged him… right?

"Because… because I was scared. I was scared that you didn't feel the same way. That you hated me." He looked down, feeling slightly ashamed.

Kurt was shocked, and he looked around the room while debating what to say to change this. It was mainly bare, just a few bits of furniture. Blaine clearly hadn't been here long, and Kurt almost turned back to say something when he spotted something on the windowsill.

He got up and placed his drink on the coffee table, and walked over to the framed photo. It wasn't very good quality, as it had been taken with a phone. It was a photo of him and Blaine. He remembered it. It was after their performance at sectionals and Blaine had whipped his phone and threw his arm around Kurt's shoulder, telling him to smile as he turned the phone to take the photo.

Kurt smiled and picked up the picture and walked back over to Blaine. He handed him the picture, making him look at it.

"Does that look like hate to you?"

Blaine shook his head. Kurt was smiling widely in the picture, his eyes shining.

"I never hated you Blaine. I was shocked… by the message of that song. Because… I never thought you'd ever feel that way about me. And then I found out that you do? The day before you leave? I was upset, that I didn't try to talk to you early, because I myself was afraid. I was scared because I was losing you. You saved me from my bullies. And I'd fallen for you the second we met. Even before the song. And I didn't want you to go. I never wanted you to go."

Blaine had silent tears slipping from his eyes, and it wasn't until he looked up that he realized Kurt was crying too.

"You… you liked me back?" Kurt raised an eyebrow.

"I always liked you."

"… Do you love me back?"

Present tense. Not past. And that was something Kurt picked up. And there was more to the question. It was just left unsaid, because Blaine knew Kurt would hear it anyway.

"… I haven't… stopped thinking about you for six years. I tried moving on. I got into NYADA… hell, I'm even going to be on Broadway next month. But during all that, you were always there, in my mind. Something was missing from me. That something was you. Yes, Blaine, I do love you."

Blaine smiled and lifted a hand to wipe away his tears. He really wanted to lean over and kiss him, but he refrained.

"Kurt?"

"Yeah..?"

"I… I'm a traditional guy… and I believe a date comes before a first kiss…" He bit his lip, hoping.

"If that is you way of asking… Yes. I'll go on a date with you."

Blaine thought the date had gone well. They'd talked. A LOT. Caught up with what they'd missed. And Blaine had been very enthusiastic about Kurt being on Broadway, and promised to be there for opening night.

They were walking now, aimlessly, sort of heading for Kurt's shared apartment with Rachel. He'd also told Blaine that he had yet to tell her, or anyone else, that Blaine was in America, let alone in New York.

Blaine hadn't noticed they were outside Kurt's apartment building until they stopped walking.

"Thanks…" Kurt said quietly. Blaine smiled.

"Can I… walk you up?" Kurt nodded and they continued walking, inside and up the stairs instead of taking the elevator. They stopped outside Kurt's apartment, standing there silently until Kurt spoke.

"So… tonight was amazing…"

"Yeah… it was."

Kurt nodded again, biting his lip. Blaine knew there was only one thing he could do to make this night perfect.

He reached up with his hand, pretending to brush a hair out of Kurt's face, when there clearly wasn't one because Kurt's hair is perfect. He kept his hand there, their eyes locked and they both leaned in slowly.

And then the door to Kurt's apartment burst open.

"Kurt, where have you-Oh my god. I'm sorry." Kurt frowned at Rachel, who's eyes continued to grow wider. "Blaine!"

Blaine waved with his free hand, sort of annoyed too.

"Oh god. I've ruined a moment, haven't I? Oh, fuck. Just pretend this never happened okay? And Kurt, I expect details!"

The door shut quickly and Rachel was gone.

"I am so sorry about that." Blaine just smiled.

"Don't be." He then demolished the remaining space in between them and caught Kurt's lips in a kiss. Kurt gasped in shock before kissing back slowly.

It was slow, chaste, short.

Blaine pulled away, smiling so widely it hurt. Kurt was the same.

"Wow." Blaine murmured after a second. Kurt nodded in agreement. Blaine licked his lips and let his eyes flicker to Kurt's lips. Kurt blushed and leaned in for another kiss.

.

I AM SO SORRY FOR THE WAIT!

I thought I'd have this chapter up a few days after the last one… But you know how writers block is. I had no idea how to get them to meet up. I'm okay with this. So yay.

I hope you liked this little three shot!

I love you guys for just reading it, okay?

Less Than Three, XX