Maybe Happy Ending - The Love Device

Chapter 4:

"I'm... I'm so sorry."

Blaine cut Kurt's apologies midway.

"Don't be. I'm partly to blame."

"But you... I... we..."

Kurt couldn't seem to form a coherent thought. The noise around them grew louder. Blaine approached him to say something in his ear, but just whispered "never mind", scratched his neck and walked away.

Kurt watched as he said something to Sam and disappeared backstage. There would be a second set of Blaine on the stage. But Kurt couldn't stay there any longer. He left for the cold air of New York's night, without saying goodbye to neither Sam nor Blaine.

When he got home, he splashed some water on his face and went to sleep, turning down his phone.

On the next morning, no communication from Blaine or from Sam. Maybe the other boy also needed some time to sort out his thoughts too. Kurt went on about his day, not without checking his phone every five minutes.

By the end of the day, with still no messages from Blaine, Kurt decided to go to their coffee shop for a chamomile tea. No use asking for the baristabot for information about the musician. Kurt asked for his tea to go and almost soaked someone he bumped into with the hot liquid.

"I'm so sorry!"

"You keep saying that."

"Blaine!"

The other boy smiled a coy smile while scratching the back of his neck:

"We need... we need to talk."

"That's why you've been avoiding me since yesterday?"

Blaine looked confused:

"Hum, if I remembered it correctly, you were the one the left without saying goodbye last night and the one who turned out their phone."

"How do you know I turned off my phone?"

Blaine looked down and bit his lower lip:

"I might have asked Sam to check on you..."

"But there were no missed calls from your number nor his..."

Blaine looked at him as if it was obvious:

"Hum, Sam is a helperbot."

Kurt cocked his head:

"Still doesn't explain anything."

"Kurt, bots don't need to call to check on a person, he talked to your apartment central system and..."

Blaine went on, but Kurt was no longer paying attention. He hated all the modernity of New York and its Orwellian ways. In Paris, he could still find some places free of these modern life facilities Kurt hated so much. That was a big part of why he didn't have a helperbot and people found it charming about him. Well, other people, not Blaine. Blaine wanted only Kurt's friendship; he cared enough to check if Kurt had made home safe, but not enough to call the next day.

"Kurt, are you listening?"

"Sorry, no."

Blaine smiled a more at ease smile:

"I guessed that much. I said I think I owe you an apology."

A little light inside Kurt's chest went off.

"For leading me on and stuff, right? I get it, we're in the heat of the moment, you kissed me, and now you want to apologize."

"Yeah... yeah... something like that..."

Kurt narrowed his eyes, and his lips were faster than his brain:

"Why are you lying to me, Blaine?"

Blaine's eyes widened:

"How could you tell? We've met two days ago!"

"Why are you being so rude?"

Blaine sighed. Kurt kept his stare, waiting for an answer. Blaine avoided making eye contact until he gave up and met Kurt's stance. Kurt's eyes pressured for an answer. Blaine's ones softened. He closed them for a second, inhaled slowly and then his lips seemed to be the ones faster than his brain, for the next thing Kurt felt was the warmth of Blaine's lips on his again.