The last few weeks had been a strange mixture of heaven and hell. Blaine hadn't used Kurt's number for anything, hadn't sent him one message or called him at all. Why? He tried to deny the answer often, but the truth was a hard thing to ignore: he was afraid. He knew that what he wanted with Kurt was a deep, personal connection. He wanted to know about Kurt's past, present, and future, what made him tick, why he was where he was in the world. But Kurt didn't want that. At least, it seemed that he didn't want that. The last thing Blaine wanted to do was push him away, so he just didn't ask, no matter how hard it was for him to resist pulling out his phone from time to time and texting the other man.
He spent a long time in his room that day, trying on different outfits, attempting to settle on one to wear. For some reason, going on this assignment seemed different than every other one he'd done with Kurt. It almost seemed like a...date? Maybe it was the informality of it, that they were going to be strolling the fairway together, taking a few random pictures, talking to a few carnies, and snapping some shots of the first place winners before their interview with Cass and Elliot.
He tried on so many outfits: plaid shirts opened at the collar to show off his white undershirt beneath, solid-colored shirts with crazy printed bow ties, and a large number of jackets and sweaters that were not appropriate for the end of July. Eventually, he settled on a pink and white plaid shirt, rolled up at the sleeves with a white ribbed tank underneath. He left the top two buttons of the plaid shirt open so he could just see the collar of the tank peeking through. Then, he put on a pair of fitted black pants which he rolled at the ankles, completing the look with his favorite black boat shoes.
"There," he said, standing back to look at himself in the mirror. "The perfect blend of rugged and urban." Now, all he had to do was put in a bit of hair gel to tame his wild curls and he'd be set.
It didn't take long before Blaine was headed down the stairs, eager to get to the fairgrounds to meet up with Kurt. They were supposed to be meeting one another beside the Ferris wheel so they could decide what to take pictures of first.
Beside the front door, Blaine stopped to pat his pockets, checking to be sure he had his phone, wallet, and keys.
"You look very nice, Blaine," Pam told him, giving him a smile. "Are you excited about your evening?"
Blaine shrugged. He didn't want to seem too eager. "I like working with Kurt. I'm sure we will have a nice time."
Pam gave him a knowing look. "I know this is about more than just work for you."
A blush crept across Blaine's cheeks. "I try to keep it professional."
"I know you do. And that's commendable. Just don't push away opportunities that feel right, Blaine. If there's something more meant for you, don't be afraid to explore that."
"Okay…" he replied, giving her a funny look. He didn't really know what that meant.
"Well, have a nice time tonight," Pam said, turning and walking into the kitchen.
"Thanks, Mom," Blaine called after her.
As he went out the front door, something caught his attention. There was a scrap of red yarn stuck into the doorframe of his parents' house, this one a bit higher up than the last one he'd noticed. He reached out, letting his fingers trail along the string. He considered tugging on it, seeing if it would come loose, but part of him wanted to leave it exactly where it was. It reminded him of the first day he'd met Kurt, and he liked it. So, he left it, dashing to his car so he wouldn't be late to the fair. He didn't want to keep his crush waiting.