Chapter Text
If there was one thing Kurt Hummel loved, it was weddings. Not just in the sense of going to them, but everything about them. The ambiance, the food, the decor, the music and dancing, the way at least half the people in the congregation would cry even if they didn’t look the type, and the clothes. Especially the clothes.
There had been a time that he’d thought about going into wedding planning. It’d seemed like a perfect career path, what with the fact that he had a trunk full of color coded binders that were more organized than any of his notebooks for school had ever been. They had just been accumulating and growing since he was old enough to use scissors to take clippings out of magazines. And he had done his fair share of it over the years, though only for friends and never professionally. That had been enough to convince him that his focus should have been elsewhere – after dealing with the behind the scenes of the wedding and not being able to enjoy it as he usually did, he had a feeling that might ruin one of his favorite things in the world for him.
But the clothes.
Tuxedos were always a plus, because it was like some law of nature that anyone looked good as soon as they put one on. There were choices involved, of course – single or double breasted, tails or no, cummerbund or vest, tie, skinny tie, bow tie, pocket square, plain black or pinstriped, or maybe not even black at all – but as much as Kurt loved tuxedos, and he really truly did, they definitely weren’t his favorite piece of the fashion puzzle that was a wedding.
Bridal gowns were so much more versatile and gave such insight to the person who was wearing them. There was a difference between a person who would choose a mermaid gown with a high neck and one who wanted to walk down the aisle in an organza princess ball gown. Kurt had always known that what a person wore tended to speak about them, and when it came to bridal gowns it was no different – maybe even more so than what was hanging in the closet at home.
The other reason that he preferred working with the gowns to tuxedos was the women themselves. Of course there was the dealing with entourages of friends that came along ‘for support’ (though in Kurt’s years working in the industry he saw much more there to judge than support, based on comments and expressions in general) but in the end it came down to the woman who was the one getting married. She was the reason he loved what he did, because there was nothing that got to him quicker than seeing that look on her face when the moment happened.
Because there was that moment when she put on the dress for the first time.
Kurt lived for that moment at work – the way he could always see it in her eyes and on every facet of her face. The second the back of the dress was zipped or laced up, clipped back to pull it to the right fit for her, and she looked at herself in the mirror that first time to see what she looked like. It was always so immediate and almost always silent – a moment of taking it in breathlessly before the quiet words started, because it was almost always murmured or whispered like the moment was sacred and deserving of delicacy in speech, which it was.
Maybe that was why Kurt was so good at what he did, because he understood how that was the goal. It wasn’t about meeting a quota, or hitting a certain price point, but getting to that moment where his customer was rendered speechless for just long enough for them both to know that yes, that was it. Of course it didn’t hurt that he had a serious eye for fashion and what styles looked best on certain body types, but also that he honed in on what the bride-to-be was saying – not just with her words but also her reactions, her facial expressions, because no matter how she felt about the dress, good or bad, there would always be an almost immediate reaction as soon as she saw herself in the mirror.
“Kurt!” It wasn’t uncommon for the consultants to come to him when they were having problems with clients, it was kind of part of his job for that to happen since he was the fashion director, and it wasn’t even uncommon for them to look harried when they did. Sugar, the one headed straight for him, looked more flustered than anyone he’d had to help in a long time.
“Are you alright?” he asked, zipping up the bag to the dress he’d been returning to the rack before turning to look her over for any signs of actual harm. It wouldn’t have been the first time a future bride had gone berserk and injured someone, though he couldn’t recall it happening since the time two had wanted to try on the same dress at the same time and it had ended with a ride to the hospital for more than one party involved.
“Yes,” Sugar replied quickly, her hands moving to her hips as she came to a stop. “I just have the most impossible situation out there.”
“What is it – bride or friends?”
“Bride. I know we try not to say anything negative but she might actually be Satan. I keep finding dresses that fit everything she’s asked for but she’s hated them all!”
“Don’t worry, we’ll figure it out,” Kurt soothed, reaching out a hand to rest on her shoulder. Sugar might have been one of their newer consultants but she was generally pretty good, so he was certain she’d been doing all she could before resorting to asking for help. “Why don’t you go offer her a glass of water or something and I’ll be right out.”
Kurt smoothed down the lapels of his jacket as he glanced down at his watch, just double checking to make sure he didn’t have an upcoming appointment before making his way through the store room. It was just rows and rows of racks of dresses that he could gladly lose himself in for days, taking in the lace, satin, bateau and sweetheart necklines. They were all being kept clean and preserved in carefully zipped bags, and Kurt made it almost all the way to the front before something – or rather someone – caught his eye and stopped him in his tracks.
“Excuse me,” Kurt said, keeping his tone cordial but clearly no nonsense as he cut across the distance between them. He tried to keep from being rude to customers and their friends, and the man who had been wandering along the row of dresses clearly wasn’t the actual customer which meant he most assuredly was a friend – or worse to be rude to, a groom. “This area is for employees only.”
“Oh, I’m sorry.” The man started, turning quickly to look at Kurt, and Kurt almost faltered in his step. If Kurt didn’t know every employee who worked there so well, the guy standing there in the bow tie and pinstriped vest might have been able to pass as someone who should have been back there. “I didn’t mean to – I was just trying to look, to help.”
“It’s fine,” Kurt cut in smoothly, shaking his head. “Was there something specific you were looking for? I’m sure if you told the consultant helping you, they’d be glad to find you some options. I could lend a hand in a few minutes, but right now I’m headed out...”
“Oh no, it’s fine,” he replied, his hand moving up to his chest briefly before he waved it airily around at the dresses. “It was part trying to help but also needing a few minutes to get away. I wasn’t looking for anything in particular.”
“I’ll walk you out, then.” Kurt started down the aisle, glad when the man fell in step beside him. Just walking past him had given Kurt enough time to take him in completely – from the shine of his shoes to the cut of his pants, the way his vest nipped in at his waist, all the way up to how his hair was parted and gelled so particularly. He was definitely handsome and well put together in so many ways that Kurt could appreciate, but he was also there which meant he was with someone. “I’m Kurt, by the way.”
“Blaine. And again, I’m so sorry.”
“You’re fine, don’t worry,” Kurt replied with a soft smile, glad when it was returned by Blaine as he held the door open for the both of them to move out into the showroom. “I’m sure you’re missed by your bride-to-be, so I’ll just keep your trespassing between the two of us just let you off with a warning this time.”
“Why thank you,” Blaine said, his eyes sparkling as he grinned. “I appreciate it. Speaking of, I should be getting back before anything happens...” He trailed off and rocked on his heels before he started to take a few steps back. “Thanks for not giving me a citation.”
Kurt barely had time to watch him go, which he considered a pity, before Sugar entered his line of sight and drew his attention away. He certainly hadn’t been staring, because that would have been unprofessional, but he’d definitely been appreciating Blaine’s fashion choices in much better lighting than had been in the storeroom. There was a lot to appreciate, but then there was Sugar, and Kurt moved over so she could speak to him without the entire room hearing them.
“The water placated her but not for very long,” Sugar murmured, just loud enough for him to hear. “She got a call or something that might have made it worse?”
“It’s all going to be fine,” Kurt said, resting a hand on her shoulder and feeling her take in a deep breath. “If it’s not the day for her to find it, it’s not the day, but we’re going to do our best to find it for her if we can – and if we do, maybe we can make up for whatever that call was and make her smile. Okay?”
“Well it’d be the first time she’s smiled since she got here,” Sugar replied before taking another breath and letting a bright smile take over her features, turning on her heel. She led him across the room to where she had her client waiting, a pretty but annoyed looking Latina woman who only had one person sitting on the couch with her.
Blaine.
“Santana, this is Kurt Hummel, our fashion director,” Sugar began, drawing the attention of both Blaine and the woman beside him, who narrowed her eyes as they swept up Kurt to his face. “He knows our collection better than anyone, and—”
“Listen princess,” Santana cut in, and Kurt wasn’t entirely sure she was talking to Sugar. “All I want is a dress that accentuates how smoking damn hot I am, okay? All I’ve been shown so far has made me look mediocrely sexy at best. None of this soft and pretty shit – that’s not me.”
“Alright,” Kurt replied calmly, clasping his hands in front of him. “Did you have any specific ideas on silhouette? I know Sugar has been working with you, but the more details you can give me, the easier it will be for me to find something you want.”
“As I told pintsize, I want a mermaid gown but I don’t want the bottom of it to be all crazy big and poofy. No taffeta, no satin.”
Kurt kept a mental checklist as Santana went on a little more, but he let his attention shift to Blaine for a few seconds, because he figured that might be a better gauge of if Santana was actually as bad as she was coming off as a first impression. He could easily see why Sugar had gotten so flustered, but the way Blaine was sitting there with his lips pursed and an attentive but worn expression on his face told him that she couldn’t have been that bad overall. He hoped she was just nervous and that was what was making her so prickly.
“I think I know a few dresses that fit those criteria,” Kurt said once she’d finished speaking and looked up at him with a raised eyebrow like she’d just thrown down some kind of challenge. “Why don’t you go with Sugar back to the fitting room and I’ll bring them back to you once I’ve gathered them together?”
There were several options running through his head as Santana got up and strode off toward the fitting rooms with Sugar scuttling along beside her. Kurt was about to turn to go off to collect the different gowns when Blaine got to his feet and reached out to touch his arm to stop him.
“She’s nervous,” Blaine murmured, glancing in the direction she’d gone before looking back to Kurt. Those eyes of his were just so earnest and shining, deep like Kurt could get lost in them with how much he clearly cared about Santana and how she was dealing with the whole experience. Kurt had lost count of how many brides he’d seen who were lost in their nerves and anxiety to the point that they left without Kurt feeling like they’d been helped at all. “She’s not normally like this. Well, not quite like this.”
“Blaine, it’s fine.”
“Apparently her future wife is here,” Blaine added quickly, biting his lip as his gaze flitted around the showroom. Kurt blinked, not sure exactly what he’d been assuming but he hadn’t been expecting the words future wife to be coming. “She wasn’t supposed to be but somehow they both made appointments on the same day without realizing it and she got a text from her saying that she was about to go try on poofy dresses. That kind of... upped the nerves. That might have been why I was wandering through your giant room of dresses – trying to help but also get away from the volcano of nerves that is Santana Lopez.”
“What’s her name? The future wife?”
“Brittany. Brittany Pierce.”
“I’ll find out who’s assisting her and give them a heads up about the situation,” Kurt replied, absently checking the buttons on his jacket. “Thanks for letting me know.”
It was easy enough to check the schedule for the day to find the consultant who was helping Brittany, but with Santana already closed off in a fitting room, Kurt didn’t want to delay getting a dress to her any further. He swiftly made his way through the storeroom, grabbing a few options he’d been thinking about off the racks and gripping the hangers over his shoulder as he moved toward the fitting rooms to deliver them.
There were plenty of mermaid gowns, the majority of which would look stunning on Santana, he was sure, but her specifications had narrowed it down pretty well. He’d almost selected at least one that would have been rejected, just because he knew it would look amazing, but considering how testy she’d already been and then what he’d learned from Blaine, well, Kurt didn’t exactly want to go around poking any bears.
Thankfully there was another consultant moving through the corridor as Kurt walked toward the fitting room where he saw Sugar, and he quickly asked them to find out who was working the Brittany and get back to him about it. Keeping the two brides separate wouldn’t be that difficult, he hoped – after all, the showroom was certainly big enough to make it possible – but everyone involved on staff needed to be aware of what was going on otherwise it could get messy. The two brides running into each other on their ways in and out of the fitting rooms, for example.
After handing the dresses off to Sugar, Kurt went back out to the showroom to find who he needed to talk to about Brittany. It only took a brief conversation to explain what was going on, and to quickly realize that he hadn’t put much thought into what Santana’s fiancée would be like, but his brief introduction to Brittany when she’d come over was definitely not what he’d expected. For one thing, she seemed pleasant. And another, she seemed to not be stressed about being there at all. At least there was that small favor.
That done, Kurt walked back to the area where he knew Blaine was waiting for Santana to come back out – hopefully wearing a dress she didn’t hate, and maybe even liked. He was sitting there so patiently, legs crossed and an impartial expression on his face that looked a bit like vague interest as he looked around the room at everything going on around him. It was the rare person who came along with who didn’t immediately pull out their phone to occupy their time while they waited.
“Everything should be taken care of,” he said as he stepped up beside the couch, and Blaine’s gaze moved from the girl trying on a dress across the room to up at Kurt, his eyes lighting up.
“Thank you so much,” Blaine replied, scooting over a little to make more room and then gesturing for Kurt to sit. “Or, I mean, unless you were just stopping by to say that and had to go help someone else...”
“No, I can sit.” Kurt slid onto the couch, unbuttoning his jacket as he did and offering Blaine a soft smile. “I’m invested in this whole dress finding adventure now.”
“I really appreciate it.”
“So what’s your role in all this?” Kurt asked, truly interested and also figuring it was a good topic of conversation while they waited. Just like how what dress a bride chose said a lot about them, so did who they brought with them to find it. From what he could tell, Blaine was a good choice to bring – he seemed like a calming presence compared to, in his own words, the volcano of nerves that was Santana. “Just a friend? Relative? Best man?”
“Best man,” Blaine confirmed with a nod, his eyes almost sparkling as his smile grew. “Well, attendant. They aren’t having groomsmen and bridesmaids because... well, obviously. But yes, best attendant.”
“Quite the honor,” Kurt replied, going to speak further when he caught a glimpse of Sugar and broke off. “Here we go...”
Santana looked stunning in the dress, there was no question about that, and Kurt watched as Blaine shifted beside him, uncrossing his legs and perching himself on the edge of the couch to look at her as she stepped up on the pedestal in front of the mirrors. She was hard to read, but at least she didn’t look as annoyed or frustrated as she had when they’d first met, so Kurt was taking that as a plus.
The dress she was wearing was the one Kurt had expected her to like the least out of what he’d picked, though he’d been confident she would look amazing in it – which she did. It was lace, had a high neckline, and had the potential to come off as soft and pretty but mostly Kurt saw it as looking regal and posh. He hoped that part came off more than the delicacy of the lace and kept Santana from losing confidence in his dress finding abilities.
“You look incredible,” Blaine said softly, getting up to his feet so he could move in closer to his friend. Kurt followed suit, walking to stand by Sugar to let his gaze sweep over Santana and try to evaluate her expression.
“This ribbon can be something other than white,” Kurt commented, gesturing to the embellishment around her waist. “It could easily be matched to one of your wedding colors, or flowers, or anything you’d like.” He paused, looking up at her. “How do you feel about it?”
“I like it,” Santana began, head tilting as she looked at herself in the mirror. “I thought I’d hate it because,” she paused, gesturing up to the neckline, but then shrugged and glanced over the shoulder at the train.
“It makes you look elegant,” Blaine offered, which was exactly what Kurt had been thinking when he picked it out, so he was glad at least someone else saw it too.
“So you like it, but I’m not getting the impression you love it,” Kurt continued, raising an eyebrow as she looked back to him. “Right?”
“I mean it’s definitely the best thing I’ve tried on so far but I don’t think I want it.”
At least the sharp edge that had been in Santana’s voice when they’d first met was gone, which was good because Kurt wasn’t sure how much of it he could have dealt with if he knew he was giving her quality choices that matched her criteria. It was the only dress he’d taken to them that had a neckline like that, so if that was where her concern was, it wouldn’t be repeated.
“Well let’s go get you into one of the other options then,” Sugar piped up, clearly glad that it was going better than it had been earlier when she’d been on her own. Blaine held out a hand to help Santana down from the pedestal, a gesture that made Kurt smile, and seconds later it was just back to the two of them sitting on the couch again, waiting.
“That was a gorgeous dress,” Blaine said, folding his arms across his stomach and looking over. “I’m kind of sad she didn’t like it more.”
“I’m sure she’d look incredible in anything we have here, honestly,” Kurt offered, absently picking a piece of lint off his sleeve. “That was a wild card pick, I didn’t expect her to want it but I expected her to look great, with the hope that it might open her eyes to more options than she’d previously considered.”
“You’re sneaky.” Blaine grinned at him, eyes sparkling, and Kurt couldn’t help but grin back. “I like that.”
“Well she didn’t give me many options with all that pickiness,” Kurt said, waving his hand airily. “There are only so many dresses, you see...”
“I don’t believe that for a second,” Blaine scoffed, still grinning all the same. “I saw your giant room of dresses.”
“Illegally, I might add,” Kurt added, playfully giving him a look. “I could still kick you out.”
“Oh would you like to explain that to Santana?” Blaine asked innocently, eyebrows raising. “And then have to deal with her on your own afterward?”
“Explain to her that her best attendant was trespassing in our store to avoid dealing with her wrath? I mean, I’m not sure who would get it worse...”
“Okay, okay, shhh....”
“Alright, I’ll keep it our little secret,” Kurt relented with a grin. “So assuming you know Brittany fairly well, what kind of dress is she going to be looking for? Is it going to clash with what Santana’s wanting, or will they work?”
Blaine smiled softly, tilting his head in thought for a moment before answering. “Brittany’s kind of like a fairy princess, so I don’t think she was joking about the dress being poofy when she sent that text. I think it’ll work, though. I can’t imagine it clashing.”
They went through two other dresses – one a silk organza with a sweetheart neckline that looked divine and Kurt thought she was going to go for in the end but she didn’t, and the other in lace with that same sweetheart neckline but with cap sleeves that ended up being slightly too much on the delicate side for Santana’s liking. Blaine was easy to talk to while they waited, far easier than most friends who came along, which made Kurt not mind at all that he probably should have been doing other things than just sitting there and talking. If someone needed him, they knew exactly where he was and that they could come get him if necessary.
Still, he excused himself after the third dress to go check on how Brittany was doing. She’d also only brought one person with her for input, another blonde girl who seemed far less bubbly than the bride but still pleasant all the same. Blaine had been right about the dress choices she was making, considering that while Kurt was over in that area he saw her in a ball gown with a beaded bodice and taffeta layered skirt. It definitely met the poofy description, but even having just barely met her before it was clear that the dress was too elaborate and serious for Brittany. It definitely wasn’t the one she was going to choose at the end of the day.
Kurt made it back to the couch just before Sugar emerged and he didn’t even have a chance to sit down. She looked ecstatic, which was great news, and Santana was walking right behind her with an honest to God smile turning up the corners of her mouth.
It was the last dress that Kurt had found for her, and from the beginning he was almost certain it would be the one she would pick. She’d said she wanted to look smoking damn hot and if Kurt was only limited to choosing three words for how she looked as she stepped up onto the pedestal, it would have been those. The dress was lace with beaded embroidery, with just enough embellishment to sparkle and keep it from appearing plain – as if it could have ever been described as that – and it hugged to Santana’s body like it had been made for her from the very beginning.
“Oh wow,” Blaine breathed, getting to his feet and walking up beside her, fingers moving up to touch the lacing of the corseted back before meeting her gaze in the mirror. “San...”
“Don’t tell me I’m turning you straight, Blaine,” she interrupted, but her tone was just light and teasing, not anywhere near the harshness from earlier, though there was something behind it that Kurt couldn’t place. “Because I’ve got news for you.”
Blaine just scrunched his nose as he watched her in the mirror, and there was something in his expression that Kurt could place. He looked proud, though of what exactly Kurt wasn’t sure. Maybe that Santana had gotten over her nerves and anxiety and whatever else she’d had going on earlier in the day and managed to let herself find something she liked – though Kurt hoped she loved it rather than just liked. No matter what it was, Blaine’s eyes were shining.
“How do you feel about this one?” Kurt asked, though from the look on Sugar’s face when they’d come back out, he was pretty sure he knew.
“This one...” Santana started, her gaze lowering to look down at the hem of the skirt and then follow the gown the rest of the way up in the mirror before she met Kurt’s gaze in it, and her eyes were shining too, just like Blaine’s. “This one is perfect.”
“Here,” Sugar said, shifting over closer and handing Kurt a veil. “Let’s make it look official.”
Santana was too tall for Sugar to put the veil on while she was standing up on the pedestal, so Kurt gladly took it and stepped in closer. It took a little bit of pulling her hair back, since she’d been wearing it loose which didn’t exactly lend itself to being helpful when it came to the comb of the veil staying put. It was done simply enough, and once the veil was secure in her hair and draping down over her shoulders, Santana burst into tears.
“I’m sorry,” she managed to choke out amidst the tears, reaching out and resting a hand on Blaine’s shoulder as he handed a handkerchief up to her. A tear or two had slipped from Blaine’s eyes as soon as Santana had started off, and Kurt stepped over to offer him his own handkerchief to wipe his eyes, which Blaine took with a grateful smile. “I’m just, I’m really happy...”
“It’s okay,” Blaine murmured, and Kurt’s gaze followed Blaine’s hand as it moved to take Santana’s from his shoulder and hold it in his own, his lips brushing over the back of it.
“I’m getting married...”
“I know, you told me a while ago,” Blaine replied with a hint of teasing in his voice, and Santana pulled her hand away to swat at him. That seemed to be enough to help her get a handle on herself again, and she drew in a deep breath to calm down.
“This is it,” she said firmly, staring at herself in the mirror and giving a nod. “This is the dress.”
Sugar led her back to the fitting room to get her changed back into the clothes she’d worn in, and Blaine smiled over at Kurt once they were left on their own. There was a moment of silence before Blaine held his handkerchief out to him, a faint bashfulness in his eyes.
“Thank you, I didn’t really think...” Blaine waved his hand around a little once Kurt had taken it back, giving a shrug as if that explained the rest.
“It’s no problem,” Kurt replied, tucking it back into his pocket and offering him a smile.
“I mean, I know it’s your job, but thank you for finding that dress,” Blaine continued, reaching out to touch Kurt’s arm lightly. “There couldn’t be a more perfect one for her.”
“I do my best.” Kurt smiled a little more as he took in Blaine’s touch, and he felt the edge of something in his pocket under his handkerchief – one of his business cards. “Oh, here.” He pulled it out and held it over for Blaine to take. “I’m sure you’re going to have your hands full – best attendant and all, and one bride is usually enough to deal with let alone two... if there’s anything else I can do to help...”
It wasn’t something that Kurt did – ever. Sure, he gave his card to people for questions they had, but never with the offer to help them outside the parameters of his job. He had way too much on his plate for that kind of thing, and that was what wedding planners were for, but he wasn’t kidding about the two brides situation. And Blaine was ridiculously handsome. It was mostly that second part, if he was being honest, but if anyone asked he wouldn’t admit it.
“Oh,” Blaine said softly as he took it, turning it over in his fingers and looking down at it before letting his gaze move up to Kurt’s again. “Thank you.”
“Kurt? Could you help me with something?” Mercedes called from the next area over, making him close his eyes briefly for the horrible timing of it all. There were lines that he never allowed himself to cross, because business and personal lives were best kept separate, but it wasn’t like Blaine was the client there – Santana was. The fact that he’d met him at his job was merely a coincidence, and that was why he pulled a pen from his pocket as he opened his eyes and took the card back from Blaine.
“Sugar will be taking Santana up to the front once she’s changed, so you can meet them up there,” he explained as he scrawled his cell phone number on the card beneath his business line, handing the card back to Blaine and tucking his pen away again. “Don’t be a stranger, okay?”
He barely had a chance to watch Blaine’s eyes flicker over the new number on the card before meeting his again before Mercedes called his name a second time and he offered Blaine a smile before turning on his heel to go help her, and the entire way over he couldn’t help but hope that Blaine would take him up on that.
When he glanced over his shoulder back to where Blaine was standing, he was gone, and Kurt hoped it wasn’t the last he would see him.
-----
To be fair, Kurt hadn’t expected Blaine to call. It had been a complete chance to give him his phone number in the first place, and it wasn’t as though their first encounter with each other had been any kind of typical. He didn’t even know if Blaine had a boyfriend but he did know that he hadn’t seen a ring on his finger, which was just one of those things he automatically noticed thanks to the line of work he was in, not just when the guy was incredibly cute. There was still that little bit of hope, however, that lingered in the back of his mind and came to the forefront of his thoughts every so often – that chance that it might still happen.
It wasn’t uncommon for Kurt to get calls from numbers he didn’t have in his phone, either, so any time that happened there would be that glimmer of hope and then it would immediately disappear once he checked his voicemail and it was immediately obvious that it hadn’t been Blaine. Thankfully work kept him busy enough that it was a rare day when he thought on it for more than a few seconds after deleting the voicemail, because getting whisked off to help someone find their perfect dress was more than enough distraction.
“Hey, Kurt…”
That was why it caught him off guard when Blaine’s voice came through his phone after a particularly long day at work where there had been more than one meltdown due to an overbearing mother that Kurt had then had to have stern words with – to remind them that it wasn’t about them and maybe they should keep their focus on what their daughter wanted because this was supposed to be happy and the only tears they liked to see there were ones of joy.
“…it’s Blaine. Anderson. I don’t know if you remember me because I know you see a lot of people every day but if it helps I was with a Santana Lopez when I was there, and you’d said if I had any questions about wedding things I could call… so that’s what I’m doing! I thought maybe we could meet for coffee or something? If the offer still stands, I mean. Obviously if you’re too busy or don’t have the time, that’s fine, but I figured it was worth a shot. Anyway… let me know!”
Of course Kurt had hoped Blaine would call for reasons other than needing help with his friend’s wedding, but considering that was the entire reason Kurt had given for giving him his card in the first place, he wasn’t particularly surprised by it. He saved Blaine’s number in his phone and returned his call, leaving a message when it went to voicemail about how he’d be glad to try and answer any questions that Blaine had and a basic skeleton of his schedule to try and figure out when they could meet. Then all he could do was wait again.
As it turned out, both he and Blaine were spectacularly good at just missing each other’s calls. Kurt wasn’t sure if they could have done any better at it if they’d tried, but after the fifth attempt to call and coordinate something, they switched to texting because it was easier to answer right away, quickly, and also made for a less frustrating experience on both ends as opposed to missing yet another call.
In the end, they settled on a day when Kurt knew he could swing coming in late to work because the schedule was unusually empty for the morning, and there was a coffee shop close enough that even if it ran a little over he could make it there in less time than otherwise. Despite working there for so many years, Kurt had never heard of the shop that Blaine had found when he’d searched – and when they sent someone on coffee runs it was always to Starbucks, because that was the easiest. When he walked in that morning, he wasn’t sure how he’d never been there before.
It was a quiet calm in the midst of a busy, bustling city. Sure, it was off a side street and not quite in the middle of everything as so much else was, but as soon as the door shut behind him it was like he’d entered another world. Kurt couldn’t even hear the streets outside, and it wasn’t because there was music playing loudly or anything like that but somehow, and he had no idea how, it was soft ambient noise and gentle conversations and laughter. It was enough to make him stop and pause just inside the doorway for a long moment, taking it in, before realizing he was probably blocking the door and should move.
“Kurt!” Blaine had been settled at a table but as soon as Kurt looked over, he was already getting to his feet. He looked just as put together as he had the first time Kurt had seen him, just slightly dressed down if it could even be called that – nice jeans instead of dress pants, cardigan instead of a vest, but still a bow tie. “I’m so glad you could make it.”
“Of course,” Kurt replied, adjusting his bag over his shoulder. “Have you been waiting long? I didn’t think I was running late...”
“Oh no, I just got here a few minutes ago – I got an express train so that cut my trip down some.” Blaine smiled, closing the distance between them. “I didn’t get anything to drink yet, I was waiting for you.”
“Then shall we?” Kurt asked, cocking his head toward the counter for a moment before Blaine nodded and they moved up to order. Blaine insisted on buying, despite Kurt’s protest, since Kurt was only there because of his need for help. It’s only fair, he’d said, swiftly stepping in front of Kurt to block him from being able to hand any money to the barista behind the counter.
No one took the table where Blaine had been sitting before they both had their drinks and they were able to reclaim it easily. Kurt slid into his seat still in slight awe of the atmosphere of the cafe and how it still felt like it was set aside from the rest of the city. He lifted his bag off his shoulder and hooked it over the back of his chair, crossing his legs and holding his cup between both his hands as he looked across the table at Blaine, who had done somewhat similar things to get settled.
“Now. How can I help?”
“There are some slight details that I don’t have the information to figure out,” Blaine began, stirring his coffee before lifting it up to take a sip. “I’ve only been in one wedding before and it was my brother’s and his now-wife was very detailed and organized and there was pretty much an itinerary for everyone and everything involved, which I think was mostly to keep my brother on task, but the point is that I didn’t have to be in charge of anything.”
“And now you do,” Kurt prodded, gesturing airily with one of his hands before placing it on his cup again and taking in the warmth against his fingers. “What’s giving you trouble?”
“Well neither Santana nor Brittany seem to have opinions in regards to attire for the men in the wedding party and they put me in charge of it,” Blaine continued, and Kurt thought that had been a wise choice by the brides since everything he’d seen of Blaine’s personal style that far lent itself to good choices. “Which is all well and good, but I only know what Santana’s dress looks like and I don’t want to choose anything that would look ridiculous with Brittany’s. Which I was hoping you would have intel, because I tried to ask her and she was less than helpful.”
“Ah yes,” Kurt said, humming softly as he tilted his head in thought. “If I remember correctly...” He knew that he did, because he’d made sure to check in on Brittany once Blaine and Santana had left just to make sure everything was going smoothly. “It’s very beautiful and cute at the same time. Tea length, strapless, organza, almost looks like there are polka dots on it...”
“Polka dots?” Blaine asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Very tasteful polka dots,” Kurt amended, letting go of his cup to reach around to his bag and dig into it. “I don’t have a picture...”
“Oh I didn’t expect you to,” Blaine said quickly, shaking his head. “Especially since I didn’t warn you or anything, it’s okay.”
Kurt pulled out a notepad and a pencil, holding them up to show him a moment before clicking out the lead of the pencil and quickly drawing a simple sketch of the dress he’d seen Brittany settle on. It wasn’t the easiest thing to show how subtle the dots were, but he tried his best and then slid the pad across the table to him. “They almost look like petals on the organza,” he supplied as Blaine looked down at the drawing. “Not like polka dots polka dots. It’s a very sweet look.”
“It definitely looks like something she’d wear,” Blaine replied, his fingertips brushing across the page before his gaze flickered up to meet Kurt’s and he nudged the notepad to the middle of the table between them. “So professional opinion, if I’m allowed to ask for it...”
“Of course, go for it.”
“It’s happening at the Foundry, out in the courtyard, the girls in the party are wearing cocktail length dresses... I’m thinking full out suits are not necessarily the best way to go.”
“And neither Brittany nor Santana have opinions regarding this?” Kurt asked, raising an eyebrow.
“I was informed not to show up naked,” Blaine said with a hint of dryness in his tone, the corners of his mouth curving up. “And of the colors involved, but other than that it was left to my discretion – though it will be cleared by Santana before it’s finalized...”
“I’m guessing this isn’t a black tie affair in terms of the guests who are coming, then.”
“Not at all.” Blaine pulled out his phone and swiped through a few things on the screen before holding it over for him. “Those are the dresses the girls are wearing.”
They were pretty dresses, Kurt would readily admit – cocktail length, boat neckline, a pleated slim skirt with a nice waistline, and when he flipped to the next picture he could see the detail of the low back, which had a bow flat against the bottom of it. They were simple but elegant, and he immediately thought of the only other person in the bridal party he’d met – Quinn – and how it would look on her, which was stunning. “Are they going to be in this color?”
“Yes,” Blaine answered, sitting up a little to peek down at his phone. “Well, some of them.”
“And the others?” Kurt asked with a raised eyebrow, his gaze moving from the picture on the screen up to Blaine.
“Well the wedding color are red and pink, so... either that shade of pink,” Blaine replied, nodding down to the phone, “or red.”
“I mean, a suit would look well with these,” Kurt began, passing the phone back to him. “But you’re right, it might not necessarily fit the best if it’s somewhat casual and outside in summer, and you’re allowed to play around a little with what you’re wearing. It can still be classy and elegant without a jacket.”
“I was thinking of not having a jacket,” Blaine agreed with a nod, swiping through a few more pictures on his phone before turning it back to Kurt. “This was what I was considering, overall. A light grey pant, which seemed to fit better with the setting, and then the tie could match the colors...”
Blaine was right that it worked, because the picture on the phone was of him dressed exactly as he’d been describing. Grey trousers with a light pinstripe, white button up dress shirt with white suspenders over top, and a red bow tie to finish it off. There was someone else with him in the picture, another man dressed identically save for the fact that he was wearing a pink skinny tie instead. Kurt tilted his head as he mulled it all over, the brides’ dresses, the bridesmaid’s dresses, and the outfits there in front of him, and he had to admit that it was destined to be a rather nice looking wedding all around.
“That looks great,” he said with a soft smile, stealing one last glance at the picture before giving the phone back for what he assumed was the last time. “You seem to have this situation under control – I’m not sure why you thought you needed my help at all.”
“Honestly?” Blaine bit his lip with a grin, setting his phone off to the side and looking up at Kurt through his eyelashes. “That was kind of just an excuse to get to buy you coffee.”
The words took a moment to sink in, considering that Kurt was still in the work mindset in regards to helping Blaine figure something out for the upcoming wedding. His head tilted slightly and the corners of his mouth turned up into a more genuine smile as he tightened his grip on the cup and let it all register. Of course he’d been hoping for that sort of outcome when he’d given Blaine his number, but the original call and following conversations hadn’t given him much thought that that had been the reason for it all. Except there they were.
“You could have just led with that,” he teased gently. “I love coffee, I would have agreed so easily...”
“Well I didn’t know,” Blaine replied, smiling as he took a long sip of his coffee. “I know how busy you must be, so I couldn’t be sure. I figured if I lured you here with wedding talk...”
“It was a good strategy,” Kurt conceded, and as if on cue from Blaine referencing that he was busy, his phone buzzed with the alarm he’d set to remind himself to head to work. “Speaking of...”
“Oh, you have to go?” Blaine asked, disappointment flickering across his features.
Kurt was sure he looked the same himself, because he didn’t want to go. He’d been completely content to sit there in that little piece of quiet in the middle of a loud city, getting glimpses into Blaine’s life with the offhand comments about his family, or how he spoke about his friends, but all good things had to come to an end and work called. At least he knew about that coffee shop then, and how much of an escape it felt like, which was only part of the reason he said what he did as he gathered his things back into his bag. Blaine was the much bigger part of the reason.
“So, next week."
“Next week?” Blaine repeated, his head tilting to the side and his brow furrowing.
“Next week I’m buying the coffee,” Kurt said, slipping the strap of his bag over his shoulder as he got to his feet. “I’m not sure what day will work but I’m sure we’ll find a time. That is, unless you find yourself with actual questions regarding this wedding in which case you’re free to make an appointment.”
A light smirk played at the corners of his mouth as he watched Blaine’s features brighten, and that was exactly what he’d been hoping for – that disappointment that had been there to melt away and the possibilities for the near future to take over instead. He knew that he’d had that feeling when Blaine had mentioned it all being a ploy just to buy him coffee, so he’d wanted to return the favor.
“Next week,” Blaine replied with a nod, smiling and getting up to his feet, his hand extending out and Kurt brought his own up to meet it, taking in the soft warmth of Blaine’s skin and the firmness of his fingers pressed against his own. “I can’t wait."
-----
Kurt did buy the next week, then Blaine the week after that. Meeting once a week for coffee quickly became a habit, despite the day of the week changing dependent on schedules. They traded off paying just like they’d started, and when they forgot who had done it that week prior and started to question it, the barista was easily able to answer for them, which they took as a testament to just how much of a regular thing it had turned into.
Meeting Blaine for coffee was easily the highlight of Kurt’s week every week, and that was saying something considering how much he genuinely enjoyed his job and looked forward to going in every day – despite the stress that was involved, he lived for those moments of finding the dress and those moments always made up for any frustrations along the path. But those mornings when he woke up a little earlier than usual and got to escape into the quiet calm of that coffee shop with Blaine, those were his favorites.
If not for his forethought every time to set an alarm on his phone for the time he really had to leave to head to work, Kurt was sure that those mornings would easily turn into afternoons, evenings, and he could easily see himself spending an entire day there. The conversations were always wonderful, whether he was going on about a new collection that had come in or a bride the other day had been particularly difficult to deal with – and Blaine always wanted to know everything, preferably with as much detail as possible – or Blaine spoke about his work, which was equally interesting to Kurt because they’d managed to go through an entire month and a half of meeting for coffee once a week before Blaine bothered to mention what it was he did, and that was performing in a show on Broadway.
It was one of those things that Kurt might have realized on his own if he’d put two and two together, as thinking back on it there had been more than enough references or hints to things that would have pointed him to the conclusion that Blaine was a successful performer – though that didn’t necessarily mean Broadway. He’d paid a lot more attention to the theatre scene when he’d first moved to New York but not as much as the years had passed. That didn’t change the fact that he knew it was a big deal and the fact that Blaine was the lead in the revival of The Last Five Years, opposite Santana, was impressive.
“You’ll have to come see it sometime,” Blaine had said with a smile. “I’ll get you a ticket, just let me know.”
Going to see the show was the first time Kurt saw Blaine outside of the coffee shop or work, and it was enough to make him sad that he hadn’t known about it sooner because Blaine was incredible up on that stage. Santana was, too, and Kurt could see why they would have gotten so close performing together like they were, but Blaine. It was amazing to see the person he’d gotten to know little by little over the months just transform and perform and leave him breathless for the first time.
That night was a lot of firsts, and Kurt remembered them all. It was the first time Blaine took his breath away. Then later, after the show when they’d gone out for a drink, it was the first time they’d held hands – standing side by side at the bar and letting their fingers memorize the pressure of the other’s, palm warm and comforting against each other. It was the first time Kurt had worn a bow tie on a day when he’d seen Blaine, which he had done specifically for that reason and it had really gone over well, from as far as he’d been able to tell.
And then, when they’d left the bar and gotten to the subway that Kurt needed to take to get to his apartment, which was not the one that Blaine was taking and meant it was the point where their night was splintering off, it was the first time they kissed.
That was the second time Blaine left him breathless.
It wasn’t anything that Kurt had been expecting, but nothing that night had been. He’d gone into the night with not very many expectations at all. He’d been fully prepared to be blown away by the show, and yet somehow it had surpassed even that. There had been the hope of getting to spend some time with Blaine after, but he wasn’t sure how Blaine normally spent his evenings after shows since he’d only ever seen him in the mornings. He definitely hadn’t expected to find himself pulled in so close that he couldn’t quite tell where he stopped and Blaine began, his arms wound around tight around Blaine’s shoulders as their mouths pressed together firmly.
That was the moment that everything changed, and Kurt spent the subway ride home with the phantom feel of Blaine’s lips against his, the taste of him still on his tongue in a way that he hoped never fully disappeared. By the time he got home, he had a missed call and a voicemail left from Blaine, thanks to the shoddy cell phone reception on the train, and he let it play once he was back in the semi-quiet of his apartment where he didn’t have to complete with street noise that wasn’t being dampened in any way.
“I know I just saw you but I’m just… I’m really glad you came tonight, and that you liked the show. That means a lot to me. And everything else, I… had such a perfect night and I hope you did too. I can’t wait for coffee this week and I know it’s technically your turn but I’m buying since you insisted on getting the drinks tonight. I’ll see you soon.”
Meeting for coffee was never the same after that. Kurt had always looked forward to those mornings the most but after that night there was an extra thrill that came with it. The first time he’d walked into the coffee shop after that night, Blaine had been sitting at their normal table, waiting like always, but he’d immediately gotten up and held his hand out for Kurt’s – and they’d walked up to the counter to order with fingers laced and the light squeeze of each other’s hands. The barista had given them extra biscotti with the excuse they’d made too much but Kurt had to assume it had something with the look she’d given them, and that was one that had clearly said – finally.
Because their schedules were so opposite, and Kurt’s even busier than usual thanks to the season, coffee was all they had – which meant that meeting for coffee once a week quickly turned into twice a week, then every other day, and by the time Santana and Brittany’s dresses were finished and came in to the store, it was to the point where Kurt got to see Blaine every morning. He’d grown accustomed to it more than anything else, the same smile he got every time he walked through the door, the way Blaine’s hand felt in his own, the press of Blaine’s lips against his own or his cheek, how Blaine’s eyes almost seemed to sparkle when he laughed – and how that laugh was one of Kurt’s favorite sounds in the world.
“You’re almost late,” Mercedes greeted as Kurt walked into the backroom, fixing his jacket from where it had gotten twisted thanks to his bag as he took it off.
“But I’m not,” he replied, offering her a smile in greeting. “Sorry, there was a slight delay with my coffee.” He held up his almost empty cup as proof, but Mercedes just folded her arms with a smirk.
“Uh-huh. Sure there was. Am I ever going to meet the delay with your coffee or is he shy?”
“So what all do we have on the schedule for today?” Kurt asked smoothly, ignoring her question and moving over to look at the schedule of appointments. There were so many people coming in and they had probably every consultant on staff there because of how busy it was, and that wasn’t even counting the fittings being done outside of the normal appointments to look at dresses.
“It’s mostly business as usual, just busy,” Mercedes replied, sidling up beside him and running her finger down the list. “Nothing different than it has been.”
“Except that Tina is shorthanded so I’ll be down helping with fittings, in case anyone needs me.”
Kurt found it slightly more stressful to do that than his usual meandering around the showroom and helping pick out dresses for brides because once the alterations had been made and the dress was ready for the bride to try on for real, things could go wrong. They could have changed their mind in the time since they decided, which was rare but the worst because by that point there was usually a huge time crunch if they wanted to change to something else – and also the lack of refunds made people testy, but considering what they were working with it had to be understood. What was more often the case, if something was wrong, was the dress not fitting right due to weight gain or loss since the measurements had been taken.
Most things could be fixed with little hassle, though it was always a pain to add more to the workload, and that was why they did more than one fitting.
“I think she said her first appointment was early,” Mercedes offered as Kurt took the last sip of his mocha and tossed it into the nearby trash can. “But Sugar was down there to help until you got here.”
“Thanks,” Kurt replied, giving her a smile before ducking out of the room and heading for the fitting rooms.
The first few appointments went fairly well, the only noticeable hiccup being the bride who brought her mother who clearly didn’t approve of the dress she’d chosen and had been vocal about it. While Kurt actually didn’t mind having to pull people off to the side and remind them that it was not about what they wanted because it wasn’t their wedding, he often felt like something was wrong with the universe when he had to essentially scold women who were old enough to be his mother. In the end it had all worked out and both the bride and mother had left with smiles on their faces, so he figured he could count that as a victory.
“This is the next one,” Tina said as she hauled a bag off of the rack and into the empty fitting room. Kurt glanced at the details listed on the card and recognized it immediately.
“Santana Lopez.”
“Yes, for Santana Lopez,” Tina replied, unzipping the bag to make sure everything was right. “Do you remember everyone you help or something? Because that’s insane. I remember a lot of people, but..”
“Not even close,” Kurt said with a light laugh. “Just the memorable ones.” Truthfully, he had a feeling he would have remembered Santana whether or not Blaine had been there, but that would have been more for what she had said than anything else. “And everything came in on it okay?”
“Mhmm. I checked over it yesterday and everything looked like it was supposed to—oh hi!” Tina broke off, looking down the corridor and smiling brightly. “Santana, right?”
Kurt glanced down in the direction Tina was looking and yes, Santana was being directed down the hall by another one of their staff, but she wasn’t alone – Blaine was right behind her. He bit the inside of his lip and grinned softly, clearing his throat after a moment to regain his normal air of professionalism before stepping off to the side to let Tina introduce herself and talk through how the fitting was going to go. It was only a couple minutes before she’d whisked Santana off into the fitting room to get her changed into the dress and Blaine was left outside.
“Fancy seeing you here,” Blaine said teasingly, nudging his shoulder against Kurt’s.
“Indeed it is,” Kurt replied, raising an eyebrow as he looked over at him. “Someone failed to mention they were going to be coming in today.”
“Well, I didn’t know.” Blaine scrunched his nose as he looked over to the curtain pulled across the entry of the room where Santana and Tina were. “Someone else hadn’t invited me and then last minute decided they didn’t want to come by themselves.”
“I’m glad. My day just got about ten times better than it was.”
“Only ten? Bad day, or am I lacking in cheering up power?”
“Neither,” Kurt answered, reaching over under the pretense of brushing an invisible piece of lint off Blaine’s shoulder but really just wanting to have an excuse to run his fingers against the soft fabric of the cardigan Blaine was wearing. He remembered exactly how it felt from earlier that day, but he didn’t think it hurt to have a reminder. “It would definitely be more than ten times if I weren’t at work.”
“Ah…” Blaine broke off as the curtain pulled open and he glanced over, eyebrows raised. “That was quick.”
“I’m good at taking my clothes off,” Santana replied, smirking over at him. She looked just as radiant as the first time Kurt had seen her in the dress, but this time without the process of getting harried and going through a few different options first.
“You really kind of are,” Tina agreed, skirting out from behind her and stepping in front to be able to see her better. “That was impressive.”
“Well you do have a lot of practice,” Blaine commented, and Tina looked over at him with widening eyes. “I meant because of work.”
“Probably not helping,” Kurt murmured, a smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth.
“I’m not a stripper,” Santana said, folding her arms across her chest and giving Blaine a look. “As much as Blaine might like to make it sound like I am.”
For someone standing there in a gorgeous, detailed bridal gown, Kurt thought Santana looked as though she might smack Blaine through the floor – though there was a faint look of amusement in her eyes that made him believe there wasn’t any real danger. Blaine just grinned and gave a little shrug, clearly not worried. Maybe Kurt had been lowballing a little when he’d said his day was only ten times better since he got to see him there at work, but he knew it would have been higher if he was able to kiss that grin right off his face.
Tina checked over all the aspects of the dress, making sure it was fit properly and there were no issues anywhere. She was one of the most meticulous people they had working in that department and while everyone was good, Kurt made a mental note to make sure she was the person there whenever Brittany came in for her fitting as well. It would have been fine whoever it was, but he thought it would be best for both dresses to be seen to by Tina, just to have the reassurance that everything would be done perfectly.
By the time the girls disappeared behind the curtain again for Santana to change into her street clothes, everything had been checked and tweaked and Santana had cried a little, which had made Blaine tear up, and Kurt reached over to squeeze his arm lightly once they were on their own. Blaine caught his hand before he could pull it away, fingers lacing with his and holding onto him firmly.
“I’ve been meaning to ask you something,” Blaine murmured, keeping his voice low – Kurt assumed because Tina and Santana weren’t talking as much as they had been the first time the curtain had been closed. While he didn’t think he would get in trouble for anything Blaine was about to say, he did like to keep his professional and personal lives separate so he appreciated the discretion.
“And what’s that?”
“Will you come to the wedding with me?” Blaine asked, his eyes sparkling as he looked over at him, biting his lip before going on. “I’m the best attendant; it would be a shame if I didn’t have a hot date.”
“A hot date, huh?” Kurt tilted his head, a smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth. “I mean, I’ve already seen the outfit you’ll be wearing so I think I should be able to keep up…”
“Oh good,” Blaine replied, squeezing his hand before letting go. “I was hoping you’d say yes.”
There really wouldn’t have ever been any other answer to give in Kurt’s mind, not just for that question but almost anything else Blaine would have asked him. He’d said yes to helping with Santana, yes to coffee, yes to drinks and morning dates and weddings. His hand missed the press of Blaine’s against it as soon as it was gone, and the rest of him missed his presence as soon as Santana was done and they both headed out the door – Blaine with a furtive glance over his shoulder and a little wave in Kurt’s direction. Tina was nice enough to pretend like she hadn’t noticed anything, but by that point Kurt didn’t care whether she had or hadn’t. All he could think about was the date and time scrawled on the back of one of his business cards and slid into his pocket by Blaine before he’d walked away.