Blaine's throat closed up and a wave of dread washed over him, tightening his chest like it was caught in a vice. He hadn't seen Kurt in over five years, why today? His heart raced and his palms were slippery on the body of his guitar, his stomach clenching unpleasantly. Kurt was supposed to be living in France for crying out loud! Why did he have to come back? Why did he have to look so nice? He aged like a fine wine, beautiful and graceful as ever. His jaw was softly angular and his porcelain skin was still radiant. And his eyes… perfection. His chestnut hair was styled differently, more vertically styled rather than the swoop he wore in high school.

"Blaine, you haven't changed a bit," he smiled taking Blaine in with his eyes, "except the hair, thank God you stopped plastering it with that gel." Typical Kurt, Blaine rolled his eyes.

"You too, still dressing like a prince I see." Kurt made a twirl and Blaine couldn't help as his eyes slid to Kurt's backside. The white pinstriped trousers hugged his hips and thighs making it impossible to look away. He mentally slapped himself as Kurt turned and faced him again. Blaine was impressed, as he usually was at how Kurt dressed and today was no exception. Black combat style boots, those damn tight pants and a black sweater— cashmere, Blaine supposed.

"I designed it myself," Kurt said, bragging in his usual superior tone.

"Bravo," Blaine said trying desperately to keep the panic out of his voice. They stayed there awkwardly looking around and thinking of small talk topics. "I thought you were in Paris!" Blaine blurted, sounding more upset than he intended to.

Kurt must have picked up on it, but he hid it behind his mask and didn't react to it, "I was yes, and now I'm back. Do you work here?" Kurt asked as his eyes came to rest on the apron Blaine wore.

Blaine looked over his shoulder through the front window of the shop and nodded, "yeah, want some coffee?"

Kurt nodded and strutted inside. Blaine watched him go and hurriedly shut his guitar in its case, his hands visibly shaking from the anxiety Kurt's presence caused. He hurried inside and stashed his guitar in the back room. He nearly jumped out of his skin when he turned for the door and saw Elise pulling a bag of coffee filters from a shelf. He placed a hand on his chest and tried to slow his racing heart rate.

"What is with you?" Elise asked, "you look as if you just saw a ghost."

Blaine barked out a breathy laugh and covered his mouth, hoping Kurt hadn't heard it from the front of the counter. Elise looked at him like he was crazy and arched an eyebrow, waiting for an explanation. "Okay," he whispered grabbing her elbow and steering her to the doorway of the back room, "see that guy out there?"

Kurt was looking around the shop with a small smile on his face, "yeah?"

Blaine swallowed hard, "that's Kurt," he breathed.

"What?" she practically shirked. Blaine clamped his hand over her mouth and her eyes bulged out of her skull. She wiggled her fingers under Blaine's shaking hand and pried it off her mouth. "What?" she whispered.

"That's Kurt, he's back in New York, he wants to buy coffee. Elise he wants to buy a coffee!" Blaine was teetering on the edge of hysterical now. His breathing was erratic, coming in short violent gasps and he was practically ripping the hair out of his head as he ran his fingers through the curls.

"Blaine calm down, he just wants coffee," Elise cooed placing a hand on his arm.

Blaine's entire body was shaking uncontrollably from head to foot to the point where his teeth were chattering with panic. Elise scooped him into a tight hug, Blaine hugged her back, clutching her like she was the only thing that could tether him to the ground. She rubbed soothing circles into his back and Blaine bent his head and buried his face in her shoulder, sucking in deep breaths in a futile attempt to calm down.

"It's okay, why are you this upset?" she whispered in her ear.

Blaine stepped back and looked at her in bewilderment, "he ripped my heart out without any remorse, which may have screwed up any chance of a normal relationship with Nate, and you ask why I am upset?" his voice shot up an octave and his cheeks took on a red hue.

Elise planted her hands on her hips, "look, I get he hurt you, but why freak out now? The past is in the past. You guys wanted to try being friends, right?" Blaine nodded. "So this might be the perfect time to get over him once and for all! Maybe you're panicking for nothing and you guys can go back to being best friends," she suggested with a shrug.

Blaine crossed his arms and continued nodding. His breathing slowed, "you're right, you're right. I'm over reacting a bit—"

"A bit?"

"A lot, okay! I just don't want to get hurt again…"

Elise walked up to him and placed her hands on either side of Blaine's face, forcing him to look her directly in the eyes. "Then don't let him, just be friends. Who knows, maybe this is the closure you need." Blaine nodded slightly, "now get out there and get the man his coffee." She gave Blaine a reassuring smile and he smiled back. He ran his hands through his wild curls and took a deep breath. He grabbed a bag of coffee grounds and strode out of the back room like nothing had happened and he hadn't just had a panic attack.

"Quite a quaint little shop you have here, do you own it?" Kurt asked when Blaine came out of the back.

Blaine smiled and set about making the coffee, "no, I don't, E—"

"I am the owner of this shop. Hello, I'm Elise Durand," she came strutting around the corner taking Kurt in as she reached out and grasped his hand.

"Kurt Hummel," he replied shaking her hand, "your shop is delightful," Kurt beamed clasping his hands together.

"Thank you, just opened a couple months ago."

"Is it just you and Blaine who work here?" Kurt asked glancing over at Blaine who was busy trying to look busy and making Kurt's coffee.

"Well, Blaine is the real power house that makes us successful. How do you two know each other?" Elise asked innocently glancing at Blaine.

Kurt smiled and paused for a moment, "we are old high school friends."

Blaine gritted his teeth at that comment, friends from high school? Had any of the time they been together meant anything to Kurt? Could he forget about all the kisses, the dates, and intimate moments they shared so easily? They were each other's first, and all he could say was they were friends from high school? Blaine finished putting together Kurt's coffee and snapped a lid on the cup. He looked up at Kurt who was alone in the shop, admiring the black and white photos on the wall. Elise must have left to give them time to talk. Damn it. Why did she feel the need to do that? The last thing Blaine wanted to do was be alone in a room with this familiar stranger. Blaine watched him as he studied the pictures, black and white photographs of famous New York City attractions. His frame was still similar, long arms and a he still had that grace that was present even when he was standing still. The corners of his pink lips turned up when he saw one particular picture, a shot of Blaine and Elise in front of the shop they had taken for an ad in the paper. Blaine wanted to just keep watching the familiar movements this stranger made, and it worried him. Why? Kurt was kind of attractive— scratch that, he was extremely handsome— but looking at him made Blaine's stomach bunch up in knots that were both pleasant and nauseating. Snap out of it, he told himself.

"Coffee is ready," he called over to Kurt. The man started a little, forgetting Blaine was in the room with him. He smiled and sauntered over to the counter taking his wallet out of his tight pants. "Four, twenty-five," Blaine said.

"Actually can I get one of those pieces of biscotti too?" Kurt asked.

"Of course," Blaine replied removing one from the tray under the glass counter and wrapping it in a napkin for Kurt. "Is that all?"

"Yes." Kurt reached out for the extended cookie in Blaine's hand and their fingers bumped, sending a shockwave through Blaine's body.

He quickly retracted his hand, "four, seventy-five."

Kurt reached into his wallet with his long fingers and plucked out a ten dollar bill. "Keep the change," she smiled.

"Thanks," Blaine replied depositing the money in the cash register.

Kurt blew on his scalding coffee, "how long have you been in the city? Are you living here?"

Blaine nodded, "I've been living in an apartment a few blocks away from the shop for a few months now."

Kurt nodded and took a bite of his biscotti. "Mmmmm! This is delicious, you bake this?"

"Yeah, I make all the baked goods in here," Blaine replied politely.

The room grew silent as Kurt blew on his coffee and nibbled on his biscotti. Blaine stood there awkwardly, pretending to be interested in the loose threads on his apron. This is exactly the awkward moment Blaine wanted to avoid, and now here he was standing across from someone he had been so close with, and not feeling the ease he used to feel in Kurt's presence. Kurt took a sip of his coffee and smiled. "I don't remember giving you my order," he said with a grin reminiscent to that of the Cheshire Cat in Alice in Wonderland.

Blaine froze, eyes widening. "What?"

"I never actually gave you my coffee order," Kurt stated looking up at Blaine.

He could feel all the remaining color in his face drain as he realized his mistake. Oh God, what did you do! You made him his old coffee order from high school! He stuttered a moment and fell silent, not sure how to respond. Kurt must really think he is crazy now, how Blaine remembered his exact coffee order and assumed it was still his favorite. He peeked up at Kurt who was snickering at Blaine's embarrassment. Blaine shook his head, "I'm sorry, I could have sworn you ordered."

Kurt bust out giggling and oh, it sounded just like it used to when they were together. The joy lit Kurt's face up, making him look like an angel. He wiped the tears from his eyes and chuckled a bit more. Kurt's laughter cracked Blaine up and he too laughed along with Kurt at his own blunder.

"I can't believe you still remember that!" Kurt gasped in between giggles. He paused, his tongue caught between his lips, trying to stop himself form laughing.

"Grande, non-fat, mocha, latte is still your favorite right?" Blaine asked after he stopped laughing.

Kurt nodded, "and yours is still a medium drip?"

Blaine was stunned, "yeah!" he replied with a grin that stretched from ear to ear.

"We should catch up," Kurt said taking another sip from his coffee.

Blaine shrugged, "I get off work at seven tonight, wanna get dinner?" Blaine asked before he could stop himself.

"I'd like that," Kurt smiled gorgeously, "I'll meet you here around then?"

"Sounds great," Blaine replied with the most genuine smile he could muster.

"See you tonight, Blaine," he said and left the shop.

Blaine stood dumb-founded behind the counter. Why on Earth did he offer to go to dinner with Kurt when not ten minutes before, he had a panic attack about being in the same state as him? He was numbly shaking his head and thinking back to their conversation and didn't notice when Elise came back in.

"Blaine? You're pale, are you alright?" she asked, concern coloring her voice. Blaine nodded without looking up at her. "What happened?"

Blaine waited a moment and replied calmly, "he wants to get together and catch up tonight."

"What did you say?" she asked taking a step closer to the counter separating her from Blaine.

He looked up at her, his gaze numb and dazed, "I said yes."