Date part one: woot woot

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"What the hell, Blaine," came a cranky voice from the other side of the phone. "Do you have any idea what time it is?"

"Yes, it's six AM and I'm officially in the middle of a panic attack," Blaine's eyes had burst open about fifteen minutes earlier and his mind immediately started racing with all of the things that could go wrong today. He had slipped into the staff room to make a panicked phone call to his best friend from back home. "Wes, I don't think I can do this."

"What is 'this,'" he asked, voice thick with irritation. "Because if 'this' is interrupting my beauty rest, then I think you're doing just fine."

"First of all, that's not funny and second of all you know what. My first date with the most beautiful boy on the planet is due to start in a mere two hours and I think I'm going to throw up," Blaine ranted. "Not to mention, that my entire cover will be blown if anyone sees me in my outfit."

"You know I should hang up on your for insulting me, but I'm a good friend so I'm going to ignore that first part," Wes said with a yawn. "Why don't you just wear something else. Doesn't he see you in shorts and a t-shirt every day."

"Wesley!" Blaine yelped, "Have you seen the photos I sent you. This guy is like...the height of chic. I'll look like an idiot if I don't dress appropriately and plus I...I want to let him see a little bit of the real me."

Wes sighed, "Blaine, has it ever occurred to you that it may be time to let a few more people up there see the real you?" Wes was familiar with Blaine's hesitance when it came to revealing his sexuality at camp, but this year it had caused Blaine particular anxiety. "I don't have any personal experience, but it seems like the whole sneaking around thing could get old fast, and if this Kurt guy is half as impressive as you've made him out to be it sounds like he's worth it. And you said the guys have generally been cool about Kurt, so why wouldn't they be cool with you?"

It was Blaine's turn to sigh and he fiddled with a thread on his pajama pants that he was still wearing, "Look, I totally see what you're saying," Blaine said before hesitating for a moment. He knew that Wes would let the silence stretch out for as long as it took to gather his thoughts and Blaine was grateful for the comfort of his best friend. "I'm just...I'm just not ready yet. Maybe in a few weeks, but not now."

Wes made a noise of understanding, "I understand, man and I'm not pressuring you. It's just something to think about," Wes said, sleep finally entirely out of his voice. "So, what you're going to do is put on that outfit that I know you spent a stupid amount of time figuring out and go impress that boy. If anyone says anything about your bow tie, tell them to stuff it."

Blaine snorted at Wes's comment and smiled widely for the first time that morning, "you're right. I hate when that happens. Go back to sleep now. I'll try not to call you so early again."

"Yeah, yeah," Wes replied, "famous last words," and with that, Wes hung up the phone.

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Blaine pocketed his phone and headed down the stairs of the hall that held the staff room to go get ready. "You're up early. I thought it was your day off," Blaine turned his head towards the office nook where his Dad was sitting at a desk doing some paperwork at the Intermediate unit director's desk.

"What are you doing in this end of camp?" Blaine asked, walking over and sitting down at a chair across from his dad.

"It's Jim's day off and I told him I would come in before senior camp wakes up and finish up some paper work for him," his dad responded. "But, that still doesn't answer my question."

His father leveled him with that familiar 'dad' look over his glasses—the look that says I'm not stupid. I know something's up, I'm just waiting for you to say it. It wasn't a look that Blaine had seen from his dad until relatively recently, but he was getting used to it. "I just had a hard time sleeping this morning is all. I decided to call Wes," Blaine said pulling the arms of his sweatshirt over his hands and looking down."

"It there...is there something wrong?"

Blaine knew that conversations like this didn't come all that easily to his father, but he appreciated that he was trying and figured the least he could do is confide in him. "I...um...I actually have a date this morning. Well, I guess it's a date. I've been sort of seeing this guy since camp started and this is the first time we're actually going out somewhere together."

"With Kurt, right?" Blaine looked up fully for the first time in the conversation with a look of utter shock on his face. "Don't get upset, I don't think anyone else knows, but you're my son and despite anything else, I do know you. Plus, he's the only other gay guy here that I know of, so unless you've bagged a townie..."

"It's Kurt," he said, laughing a little at his dad's use of slang. "He's...he's really great. I mean, we haven't known each other that long, but I feel like he gets me, you know?"

"He's a good kid, responsible," his dad said, leaning back in his chair. "The UDs down here don't have enough good things to say about him, but Blaine...you're a good kid, too. I know it might be easier said than done, but just be yourself and if Kurt can't see how great you are, well then it's his loss. You know what you're grandfather always used to say about Fire Light. If they don't like you here..."

"...They're never gonna like you," Blaine finished for him with a little smile. "I should um...probably go get ready now," his dad gave him a wave as if to dismiss him and Blaine stood up to go, but before he was fully out the door he turned back towards his father, "Dad?" he said, waiting for him to look over, "Thanks. This talk, it meant a lot to me."

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"Well don't you look handsome!" Kurt greeted when he opened the door to his cabin for Blaine later that morning. "I like those shorts, tres chic!"

Blaine was wearing a pair of tailored, pink sear sucker shorts, a navy blue polo, and a bright yellow bow tie. Ordinarily, he would have positively preened after a compliment like that from a person with a wardrobe like Kurt's, but he was too distracted by what Kurt was wearing, "You look...you look gorgeous, Kurt."

Kurt giggled lightly, "thanks, honey," Kurt replied, letting the term of endearment roll confidently from his lips and taking the compliment with a grace that Blaine could only dream of. "So where are we going this morning?" he asked, closing the door behind him and following Blaine to the staff parking lot.

"It's this little cafe not far from here," Blaine said, opening Kurt's door for him like he's been taught by his grandmother all those years ago. She obviously hadn't anticipated the circumstances quite correctly, but he felt the applied none the less.

Kurt positively swooned. He'd never been out with someone like Blaine before, all manners and dapper etiquette. He thought in that moment that he could get used to being treated like this. Kurt reached over to stroke the back of Blaine's neck once they were seated and on their way, "You know, I love your curls, but I like this look, too," Kurt said, referring to Blaine's neatly gelled hair. "It's very polished, very old movie star. I feel like I'm on a date with Gene Kelly."

Blaine smiled, softly, "I'll take that as a compliment," Blaine responded, smiling wider when Kurt brought his hand down and linked it with Blaine's over the center consul. "So, this is a date then?" Blaine said hopefully,

"Of course it is."

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"Oh my god, Blaine," Kurt said, not even bothering to swallow fully, "this is the best french toast I've ever had!"

"I know, right! I love this place," he said, beaming with pride that he had picked the right restaurant. "My dad used to always take me here on parent visiting day. I always felt a bit like we were playing hookey."

"So, you're dad has always been at camp with you then?" Kurt asking, popping a piece of strawberry into his mouth.

"Yeah, he took over as senior UD for my grandfather before I was born," Blaine replied, taking a bite from his own plate of waffles. "I was in Pooh Corner from the time I was born until I was old enough for junior camp."

"Um...so it was just...you and your dad?" Kurt asked, trying to be sensitive to all family situations. "Growing up I mean."

Blaine took a second to collect his thoughts, "When I was really young my mom was sort of the classic absentee mother. She was never cruel, but she just...wasn't there," Blaine began. "She spent most of her time on business trips and since my dad is a journalist, he could work from home. I had a babysitter occasionally, but mostly I was raised by my dad. One day, when I was six, my mom went on a business trip and never came back."

Kurt reached over and squeezed Blaine's hand. He knew first hand that there was no point in saying he was sorry or tossing out any other meaningless platitude, and besides, Blaine's hand felt good in his. "So are you and your dad close?" Kurt asked, putting his fork down and giving Blaine his full attention.

Blaine hesitated again. This was where things got more complicated, "I think at this point I can say...yes," Blaine said thinking back to the chat they'd had this morning. "It wasn't always that way, though. I think my dad blamed himself for what happened with mom and looking back, he was probably depressed for much of that time. My big brother made him see a therapist at some point and that helped, but then I came out of the closet and transferred to boarding school and we barely saw each other. My father is not a homophobic man and he's never had a problem with my sexuality, but I guess...I guess he just didn't really know how to relate to me."

Kurt nodded, understandingly. He still remembered a time when he and his father had the same problem, "so then what changed?"

Blaine smiled at that, "It's a funny story actually," Blaine said, reluctantly pulling his hand away so he could resume eating his breakfast. "Remember I said my dad was a journalist? Well, he was covering a talk by this politician who was discussing gay rights in Ohio. Apparently he talked a lot about growing up with his gay son and it resonated with my dad. He ended up buying his book and everything. We've been getting a lot closer since then. I even talked to him about our date this morning." Blaine busied himself with his breakfast so he didn't notice Kurt gaping at him. "What?" he asked when he finally looked up.

"What did you say the politician's name was again?" Kurt asked, still looking at Blaine incredulously.

"Oh um...I didn't. I think it started with a B...Burt something?"

"Burt Hummel," Kurt filled in for him, his expression shifting to amused. "I believe the man you're referring to is my father, congressman to the 4th district of Ohio."

It was Blaine's turn to gape, "no kidding," he said. "I guess I owe your dad a huge thank you then."