A Thin Line Between Love and Hate (Kurtbastian)

2.

Kurt found himself pacing around the floor, trying to decide what to do.

The night before had been awful. Awkward. Horrible.

He'd embarrassed himself in front of Blaine, trying to be bold and upfront, saying exactly what was on his mind. Replaying it afterwards, he came of sounding really desperate.
And it had all been in vain. Blaine had moved on, of course he had.
But with Karofsky!
Kurt still couldn't quite comprehend how that had happened, why it had happened.
But it had, and Blaine seemed happy. So wasn't being happy for them, the most reasonable thing for Kurt to do?

What really confused him though, was what had taken place afterwards, in the bathroom.
Ironically enough, the one person Kurt did not want to see, showed up.
He'd rather have embarrassed himself ten times over, than having to stand face to face with the meerkat looking teen.
Except that wasn't quite who he had seen.

Sebastian had.. changed. In some indescribable way.

His hair wasn't as high, and the night before his smirk hadn't looked quite as evil, his eyes not quite as cold.

He even seemed to care.

Another thing, the most confusing thing, was that Sebastian had asked Kurt if he wanted to get coffee.

During the day, Kurt had told himself that it was ridiculous. There was absolutely no reason for him to go get coffee with Sebastian Smythe, the guy who'd somehow managed to torment him more than the bullies, during his years in high school.

He probably wanted to torment him even more now; make fun of how he always had known that Blaine would leave him.

He decided not to go.

***
And even so, at 11.30, he stood at the Lima Bean, trying to look like he wasn't looking for Sebastian - he wasn't, he was just there to get some coffee. But he was late. Sebastian wasn't even there.

That's what he thought at least.

"I didn't think you'd show up, Hummel." His voice said from behind him, startling Kurt, who turned around to face him.

It almost brought Kurt back to his senior year, when Sebastian would suddenly turn up while he was at the Lima Bean with his friends, coffee cup in hand, smirking as if he'd just thought out another master plan to win over the New Directions.

Minus the warbler jacket and the evil smirk, Sebastian didn't really look like he'd changed.

He must've stayed silent for a while, because Sebastian cleared his throat, watching Kurt.
"You there, princess?"

Kurt shook his head. "Yeah, I am. Just.. confused." He admitted.

Sebastian raised an eyebrow. "Well, I told you we'd talk, so come on then, instead of standing here, let's go sit."

Sebastian turned to walk towards a table, leaving Kurt standing there.
"I haven't gotten coffee yet." He said, walking to the line.
This caused Sebastian to stop, but not to turn.
"Do you honestly think that I don't know your coffee order? I spent most of my high school time in this place, and heard you or Blaine order it at least once a week." Sebastian walked to a booth, sitting down.
Dumbfounded, Kurt walked out of the line, and over to the booth, where Sebastian was sitting.

true to his words, Kurts usual coffee order was standing across the table.

Kurt slid into the booth, aware of Sebastian's eyes on him.

"So, what have you been up to since high school?"
The ex warbler asked, and even though Kurt was still slightly confused, and wanted to keep up his guard, he started talking.

Everything just came tumbling out, everything since he'd gone to New York to live in the loft with Rachel, working for Vogue, breaking up with Blaine because he cheated, getting into NYADA, getting picked to play Peter Pan for Rexington's old age home, everyone leaving New York, and him, alone, eventually even Blaine leaving, right up until the night before, where Sebastian had witnessed Blaine telling Kurt he was dating Karofsky.

For the first time since forever, someone had listened to his story, without interrupting at all.
Sebastian had simply been sitting, stirring his coffee, occasionally drinking of it.

When Kurt finally fell silent, Sebastian nodded.
He tensed up, surely the ex warbler would ask questions about him and Blaine.

"So, you played Peter Pan with a bunch of old people?" Sebastian chuckled, amusement dancing in his eyes.

Kurt, although surprised by this, laughing, nodding.
In return, he asked Sebastian the same question he'd been asked, what had he been doing since dalton?

Sebastian hadn't been out of school, for as long as Kurt, but answered his question as well as Kurt had.
He'd gone to France, studying art for some months, before travelling through Europe. Then he'd come back to the states, where he'd lived in New York, continuing his studying of arts.
"You didn't really think being a warbler was the reason I came to Dalton? Dalton had a killer art program, that lured me into that web." Sebastian chuckled, when he'd noticed Kurts confusion about why he hadn't kept up singing.
"It's nice to know you like my voice, princess." Sebastian added teasingly, causing Kurts skin to flush.
"That.. wasn't what I meant." He stuttered.
"Sure It wasn't." Sebastian laughed.
"So, what are you doing in Ohio if it's going so well with the art studying in New York?" Kurt asked him.
Sebastian took a drink of his coffee, slowly lowering the cup to the tables surface, before answering.
"Taking a break, the art course I was taking ended, so I decided to go home for a bit. The question is, if you're still in NYADA, why aren't you in New York?"

Kurt answered the question, and Sebastian nodded.
"When are you going back?"

"A year from now. I was supposed to have an internship at Rexington, but I decided I wanted to help Rachel get the glee club at McKinley up and running again."

Sebastian nodded again. "Right. Well, I should get going. I'll see you around, Hummel." He got up, taking his now empty cup with him, turning to leave.
Kurt got up too.
"Wait. Can we do this again?" He asked, surprising both Sebastian and himself.
Sebastian sent him a smile. Not a fake one, the one he'd often worn in high school, but a real one, a real, genuine smile.
"Sure we can. Meet me here tomorrow, same time?"

Kurt nodded, and together they walked out of the Lima bean, before walking their separate ways.
***