From the prompt-a-klainefic Tumblr: Kurt is a massive nerd, reading all the time, a bit clumsy. Still fashionable, though. Wearing glasses. Doesn't have a lot of friends. He likes music, so he finally lets his dad talk him into joining glee to make some friends. Blaine's the star of glee along with Rachel. Kurt kinda thought they were together. But then Blaine, popular, gorgeous, talented Blaine, starts very obviously courting him. Kurt believes it's a joke at first, until Blaine can convince him he really likes him.

"Okay, kid. Here's the deal."

Kurt looked up from his battered copy of A Clash of Kings, absentmindedly pushing his glasses up his nose. "What?"

"You need to join a club. Any club. I get that you're not into sports, but there are other things at McKinley, right? Maybe something with sewing, or music, or something?" Burt said, taking a seat across from Kurt at the dining room table.

"There's a glee club, yeah," Kurt said slowly, still unsure of what his father's intent was.

"Great. A glee club. Join that, and I'll get you tickets to that show you've been telling me about - Nasty? Evil?" Burt said.

"You mean Wicked?" Kurt asked. "Wait, really?"

"Yes, really. If you want, you can take me - and I'll go, no complaints. But I'm hoping that by the time it comes around…," Burt trailed off, a thoughtful look on his face.

"You're hoping what, Dad?"

"Well, to put it bluntly, that you'll have friends, Kurt. At least one friend who might want to go with you."

"So this is bribery?" Kurt asked, a slight scowl forming.

"Yeah, kid, it is. I'm out of other ideas," Burt said frankly. "Unless you're willing to join without me sweetening the deal."

Kurt widened his eyes and pressed his lips together comically.

"That's what I thought. So we've got a deal?"

"Sure, Dad. I'll join glee club. Not like it can hurt my nonexistent social status."

"That's the spirit," Burt said, making Kurt stick out his tongue. "Now, what do you want for dinner?"

Kurt hesitated outside the choir room the next day, trying to work up the nerve to walk into the room and ask to join.

What's the worst that can happen? he asked himself. When his brain responded by imagining about a thousand disasters at once, he rolled his eyes and pushed forward, frustrated with his own antics.

The antics that greeted him in the choir room, though, were something he hadn't expected.

Brittany Pierce, Santana Lopez, and Quinn Fabray were all practicing a very salacious dance move in the corner, which had caught the attention of most of the guys in the room. On the far side of the room, two girls Kurt didn't know - one Black and one Asian - were bickering over something as a boy in a wheelchair watched on and occasionally interjected in favor of one of their points. And up by the piano-

"Who are you?" Rachel Berry asked piercingly.

"Oh, hey," Blaine Anderson said, shooting Kurt a smile that made him shiver. "Were you looking for Mr. Schue?"

"Um, kind of," Kurt said quietly. "I was going to ask him about joining glee club."

The smile on Blaine's face widened. Kurt didn't know how one person could have that much joy.

"Really? That's great!" Blaine said.

"We always need more background singers," Rachel said - Kurt thought she might genuinely think she was being friendly by saying so. "Mr. Schue!"

"Yes, Rachel?" he replied, coming out of his office.

"Kyle here-"

"Kurt," Kurt corrected.

"Yes, that. He wants to audition for glee club!" Rachel said, smiling broadly.

"Awesome!" Mr. Schue said, turning to face Kurt. "Do you have anything prepared?"

"Um. Sure?" Kurt said, frantically trying to think of a song he knew well enough to audition with. "Do I need sheet music, or-?"

"Just start singing. The band will catch on," Mr. Schue said dismissively before going to take a seat on the risers. Blaine, Rachel, and the Cheerios moved to join him, leaving Kurt alone at the front of the room.

"So, uh, my name's Kurt Hummel, and I'll be singing 'Blackbird,' by the Beatles," Kurt said, trying not to let his gaze dart around like he was some kind of trapped animal. One deep breath later, he began to sing.

It took him a moment to get over his nerves, but once he was comfortable, he allowed himself to look at his audience head-on, trying to gauge their reactions to his voice. Most of the glee clubbers seemed indifferent, but Blaine had an awed smile on his face that almost made Kurt lose his place in the song.

There was a smattering of applause when he finished.

"Fantastic, Kurt! Welcome to glee club," Mr. Schue said, moving back to the front of the room. "Now, this week's lesson…."

Mr. Schue kept talking, but Kurt was so lightheaded with relief that he couldn't pay attention. Once he was seated, he felt a gentle touch to his knee.

"Nice job," Blaine whispered when Kurt turned to look at him. "Glad you decided to join!"

Kurt just stared, dumbstruck. Before he could think of a reply, Mr. Schue called Blaine and Rachel forward to work on their upcoming duet as the rest of the club members practiced harmonies, keeping him occupied for the rest of the meeting.

Still, if he occasionally looked up to stare at Blaine and his beautiful profile, he figured no one could blame him.

"Kurt! Hey, Kurt!"

"Wh-" Kurt jumped, turning away from his locker to see Blaine Anderson approaching him.

"Good morning," Blaine said. "You have C lunch, right?"

"Yeah," Kurt said, a little breathless with surprise.

"I thought so. Wanna join me today? I'd like to get to know you better," Blaine said.

Kurt took a second to reply, trying to make sure Blaine wasn't trying to play a trick on him somehow. "I - yes. I'd like that. Thanks for inviting me."

"Believe me, it was my pleasure," Blaine said with a smile. "I've got to run to class now - meet me in the cafeteria?"

"Okay."

"Awesome. See you later!" Blaine sped off in his typically energetic way, waving at Kurt as he left.

Kurt returned the wave for a moment before catching himself.

Stop that, he thought, reaching to grab his books off his locker shelf. Blaine's just being nice, that's all. Besides, he and Rachel have been together, like, forever. Don't even go there.

Still, he couldn't stop himself from daydreaming about an actual romantic dinner date with Blaine.

"Over here!" Blaine called when Kurt entered the cafeteria.

Kurt followed the sound of Blaine's voice and almost stopped dead. Blaine had somehow made sure no one else from the club had joined them, even though Kurt knew most of the members - including Rachel - had that lunch period.

"This is...intimate," Kurt said, blushing at his word choice.

"I'm fine with that if you are," Blaine said, eyes sparkling with an emotion Kurt couldn't place.

Kurt sat down across from Blaine, unsure of how to strike up a conversation. Thankfully, Blaine was less shy.

"So. Tell me about yourself," Blaine said easily.

"Is this a job interview?" Kurt teased. He was surprised to feel himself grinning at Blaine freely. "Is the next question going to be about my five-year plan?"

"How'd you guess?" Blaine asked, snorting. "But seriously, I'd like to get to know you. I've noticed you in class before but never had the chance to talk to you, so...I'm seizing the day."

"Really?" Kurt asked. At Blaine's nod, he continued, "Well, I don't know if there's much to tell. I like reading and fashion. And singing, obviously. I'm still figuring out if I want to major in theater or something more 'practical' in college."

"I realize I've only heard you sing once, but I'd say you have just as good a shot as anyone," Blaine said. "If theater's what will make you happy, then do it."

Kurt blushed a little, pleasantly surprised by the compliment. "Thanks, Blaine. So, uh, fair's fair. Tell me about you."

"If you insist," Blaine said, winking. "Um, I'm also into singing. Aware of fashion trends, even if I don't follow them religiously. Definitely want to do theater in college, though I don't think I'm as gung-ho about NYADA as Rachel is."

"You don't want to go to school with your girlfriend?" Kurt asked, curious.

Blaine choked. "What?"

"I don't - what part of that wasn't-"

"I'm not dating Rachel," Blaine said. "I'm gay."

It was Kurt's turn to choke. "Pardon?"

"I haven't made a huge deal about coming out, but yes, I'm gay, Kurt," Blaine said. "Rachel and I are just good friends. And we get a lot of duets in glee club."

"I think the rumor mill needs some updating, then," Kurt muttered. "Not that you need your life gossiped about! I just know I'm not the only person who thinks - or, well, thought - you were a couple."

"I get it," Blaine said. "To be fair, it probably doesn't help that Rachel's a hugger. I'm used to just linking arms with her at this point."

Kurt hummed in understanding.

"Well, now that we've cleared that up...tell me your favorite musical," Blaine said, a playful smile appearing on his face.

Kurt answered instantly, prompting a conversation that spanned the rest of the period. By the time they left for their next classes, Kurt felt warm and content, as if he'd been talking to a person he'd known for years rather than a few minutes.

He could only hope that feeling lasted, even as he tried to rationalize it.

Much as Kurt tried to talk himself down, his feelings for Blaine only grew. How could they not? In the days after their first lunch together (which became a regular occurrence), Blaine had serenaded him in glee club, complimented every single outfit he wore, and brought him a little bouquet of flowers from his garden at home after Kurt mentioned loving the smell of hyacinths.

"These are just friendly gestures," Kurt told himself as he drove home one day, the scent of hyacinths filling his car. "Things anyone would do for a buddy. He's out of your league, Hummel. Don't get too caught up in the moment."

The breaking point came the next day.

"Kurt! Can I speak with you for a moment?" Blaine asked as they were packing up to leave glee club.

"Sure, Blaine, what's up?" Kurt allowed Blaine to draw him off to the side of the hall.

"I don't know how to lead up to this, so I'm just going to say it: you move me, Kurt. I feel like I've been looking for you forever, and I just - I really love spending time with you. Would you, perhaps, like to go out with me sometime?"

Kurt's breath caught in his throat. "You - you can't be serious."

"What? I - I don't-"

"You're joking, aren't you? God, of course you are. I'm sure one of the other guys in here made you a bet you couldn't seduce the school nerd, so he's watching from around the corner to make sure you're not lying. Well, thanks but no thanks, Blaine-" Kurt cut himself off as Blaine reached forward to squeeze his hand.

"Kurt, I don't know what you're talking about," Blaine said seriously, keeping a loose hold of Kurt's hand. "I've been interested in you since the moment you walked into the choir room - no one put me up to talking to you."

"But I'm...me," Kurt said, gesturing down his body with his free hand. "I'm nothing special."

"I disagree," Blaine said. His voice was gentle enough that Kurt almost wanted to cry.

Instead, Kurt fiddled with his glasses, adjusting them up and then down his nose. "Then...yes."

"Yes?"

"Yes, I'd like to go out with you, Blaine. A lot."

Blaine's grin was bright enough to outdo the sun. "Tomorrow, then? We can have dinner somewhere nicer than the cafeteria."

"Wow, high standards," Kurt teased. "Sounds wonderful. Except I can't, actually."

"Wait, why not?"

"I have tickets to see Wicked," Kurt said. "Although the other one remains unclaimed…."

"Would it be alright if I accompanied you?" Blaine asked, playfully dapper.

"I was hoping you would say that." Kurt squeezed the hand Blaine still held, prompting Blaine to move in closer.

The kiss they shared at that was sweeter than any high note Glinda could hit.