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Kurt knew they were friends. Close friends even. They occasionally text each other about assignments and had been seated beside each other in a couple of classes. There was even an awkward moment of Sebastian accidentally holding his hand instead of his own coffee cup. The taller man simply chuckled under his breath with an apology. Kurt swore he could feel the phantom touch for a full minute after.
Fast forward to Friday night and Kurt is feeling a little lightheaded, looking for Quinn in between the band of sweaty bodies on the makeshift dance floor in the middle of giant living room. Kurt usually prefers his Friday nights soaking in a tub with all his nourishing oils and flower petals, but Quinn's begging eyes were one of his weaknesses, and damn his best friend.
He was also hoping to run into someone he knows would probably be partying on a Friday night.
"Kurt."
Speaking of the devil.
Kurt smiled to himself before turning around to stare up at Sebastian who was looking a bit out of breath.
"Look what the cat dragged in." Sebastian smiled, "I didn't think I would find you here."
Kurt rolled his eyes good naturedly. "What? I'm not cool enough for this party?"
"That's it, though. I'm pretty sure you're too cool for this party."
People around him had been talking to him about Sebastian's apparent crush, but Kurt never believed them. He would always dismiss it and remind certain someone of Mr. Smythe's affinity to flirt with every human being, boy or girl. Although, at the back of Kurt's mind, he is always struck dumb by the man's bashfulness at times and he will also have no reason or explanation for the way Sebastian normally gravitates and hovers around him, talking or not.
"Anyway, do you want a drink or something?"
"Actually—"
"Or you're probably here with someone are you?"
"Yes," Kurt tried to ignore the subtle twitch in Sebastian's smile, and before he could stop himself— " It's Quinn. I'm with Quinn."
"Oh. Cool." Sebastian practically beamed, his expression so pure and childlike Kurt's feeling like he need to file this and overanalyze it later. "Where's she?"
"I'm actually looking for her but judging from this really loud music, and crazy crowd it will be an hour before I find her."
"I could help you look for Quinn."
"Really?" Kurt asked, looking around for the glaring eyes he feels are targeted at the back of his head. "You're not with anyone?"
"No one special. Trust."
"Alright."
Kurt watched as Sebastian smiled down at him. "It's a little too loud." Kurt felt more than he sees it how the man's eyes trailed from his eyes down to his lips for a split second. "Want to platonically hold hands so we don't lose each other?"
"Uh—" Kurt gasped as someone pushed him forward to Sebastian's chest who was ready to stabilize him by wrapping his arms around Kurt. Kurt gulped and feels Sebastian chuckle.
"Case in point." Sebastian said, sliding his hands to Kurt's and clasping it with a squeeze and a smile straight to Kurt's eyes. "Come on."
Kurt is pretty sure right then and there that he knows it's the truth. For some unfathomable reason, this modern day Don Juan is taking a liking on him. To add insult to injury, Mario's Let Me Love You started blasting from the speakers.
The first one to talk to him about it was Santana.
"I've been looking for you, nerd."
"Yay, you found me." Kurt deadpanned, hyperfocus on the heavy book he was reading in the library but it's hard to focus on reading on the functions of bile when there's boot tapping on the hardwood floors. "What do you need, Satan?"
"I just had to escape Sebastian's constant narration of your salad droppings quip."
Kurt snorted with a shake of his head. "One should know."
It was silent for a second, and Kurt got to read a page before Santana started talking again.
"You know the guy likes you, right?"
"Smythe? You're insane." Kurt laughed, the sheer ridiculousness of it eating at his stressed-out brain. "Thanks for the laugh."
Kurt leaned back on his chair, watching Santana side eye him with a raised eyebrow.
The second time someone told him was when he was out on a date with a cute Senior named Adam. The date was going good at first, but it was evident as the night fizzled that they were only to remain friends, more on Kurt's side.
"I just don't think I'm ready to date full-time. It's not you; it's me. I swear."
Gracious Adam just smiled at him with his bright blue eyes. "I totally understand." he whispered as he leaned forward in Kurt's personal space. "You still need to know that I'll be waiting on the sidelines."
"Well," Kurt whispered, mind reeling from the kiss. "It's not a long line."
"I don't believe that." Adam pecked him one more time. "I'll have to rumble Sebastian on the front of the line, though."
"Sebastian?" Kurt asked, incredulous.
"Kurt." there's something about the way Adam pronounces Kurt's name with the letter T evident at the end that is always too tempting for Kurt. "You're not serious. I was actually surprised you said yes to me."
"You're insane." Kurt chuckled.
"I'll let you know, even though this is burning my chance to date you. I think he looks at you the way I think I look at you."
The third and fourth time were said in passing, but it's already a defining moment that Kurt's starting to look at Sebastian Smythe a little differently.
They were on their way to the park for a little picnic with a bunch of their friends when Kurt had the urge to pee really badly in the middle of the walk.
"I really have to use the restroom."
Kurt knows that Sebastian knows him enough not to suggest peeing on a bush or a post somewhere. He watched as Sebastian looked around the block before looking at him again.
"I can buy a tacky piña colada from that Hawaiian-themed bar so you can use their bathroom?"
Something tugged at Kurt's heartstrings, and he could not stop himself from preening. "Really? You'd do that for me?"
"Of course." Sebastian shrugs, like it's the most obvious thing to do. "Always."
Kurt knew it then, and he was trying to give Sebastian a hint, but the latter has always been too shy or equally oblivious to latch to the bait. On a really desperate and wine-drunk Friday night with Quinn and Santana, Kurt tried to flirt via text.
Kurt: HELP!
Sebastian: Where's the fire? You okay??
Kurt: Can you send me a picture of yourself very very quick!!!
Sebastian: Umm why
Sebastian: Kind of a weird way to start a conversation.
Kurt rolled his eyes as he took a sip of wine.
Kurt: Because I'm playing cards and I really need a king to win.
Sebastian: Awwwwwwww hahahahahhaha
Sebastian: That's so cute
Sebastian: Damn you.
The picture sent had Kurt both annoyed and salivating. How can this man harbor this crush their friends had been baiting around and still has the emotional capacity to go out every night?
"Maybe he's just trying to get over someone." Santana teased, Kurt didn't realize he was thinking out loud.
"Maybe a crush." Quinn winked.
Twenty minutes of looking before Quinn's text and three drinks later, they've given up on the noise and was sitting in a bench at the rooftop looking out into the void of what seems like an endless sea of buildings and skyscrapers. It's been a hot and humid summer and the cool night breeze felt amazing on his overheated skin. Kurt can feel Sebastian fidgeting beside him before he breathes out and turns to look at Kurt. Kurt, with his heart on his throat, turned to look at the man.
"I have a very not-so-little crush on you. Just want to get it out of the way."
Kurt smiled and leaned his head on Sebastian's shoulder as they talk about all and everything for a couple more hours before Sebastian walked him home with a kiss to his forehead.
It was a week later and another coercion from Quinn that Kurt found himself on the same party. Only now, Sebastian knows that Kurt was coming. Not even thirty minutes later that they found themselves together again like magnets. Lacking breathing room, Kurt tiptoed up to whisper something on Sebastian's ear.
"I'm going outside! Do you want to come with me and non-platonically hold hands so we don't lose each other?"
Sebastian cracked what Kurt would describe as a mile wide smile and kissed him breathless then and there in the middle of someone else's giant living room.