"—and then he sat back down next to me and just spent most of the night with his arm around my shoulders, " Kurt gushed, holding his phone to his ear while he easily spun the deck chair in front of him around. "I don't know what it means, Mercedes! He just walked me to my car, said goodnight and left. I haven't heard from him yet today. Oh wait, holy crap speak of the devil," Kurt laughed, pulling his phone back when a notification sounded, "he just texted me. I will, okay! I'll text you what he said, ohmygod, goodbye Mercedes." He ended the call and pulled up the text message, still spinning the chair in front of him.

Goodmorning! :D Busy today?

Kurt stopped the chair and smiled at his phone for a beat. He couldn't help the overwhelming feeling of excitement that rushed over him at seeing Blaine's text. He tried to be as casual as possible with his response.

Morning :) No, not really. You?

He barely had to close the text message screen before Blaine responded, and his heart skipped a beat thinking about how maybe, possibly Blaine had been anxiously waiting his response.

No plans yet, want to do something? I can come pick you up. Text me your address!

Kurt honestly couldn't believe this was happening. He had no idea what Blaine meant by any of this, but he sure as hell wasn't going to waste an opportunity to find out. He fired off an affirmative answer, along with his address and suddenly dropped his phone.

What was he going to wear?

Okay I should be there in about an hour.

Kurt's heart leapt into his throat and he grabbed his phone, heading inside and raced to his room. He had his closet doors open before he was even all the way in his bedroom. He sat down, hard, on his bed and started pulling various items out of his closet, letting them hover momentarily before groaning and sending them back.

Kurt swallowed hard; realizing that the only time Blaine had seen him without his Dalton uniform was when he was in his coveralls. He had no idea how Kurt dressed. "Finn!" he yelled. "Get in here!"

"What's wrong?" Finn called, running into Kurt's room. He saw the clothes going in and out of Kurt's closet. "Oh, no please tell me you're not blowing up your closet again."

"No!" Kurt exclaimed, exasperated. "Blaine's coming over to pick me up in an hour and I have no idea what to wear!" He continued to bring different combinations of shirts and pants out, nothing looking right.

Finn scrunched up his face. "Hold up, okay. First, what's going on with Blaine? And second, there's no freakin way you'd ask me for help on what to wear. You scoff almost every time I walk out the door."

Kurt flung a scarf at Finn's face. "That's because you have a horrid sense of style. If you'd just let me—" he paused and rolled his eyes when Finn narrowed his eyes at him. "Right, fine. I have no idea what is going on with Blaine, it's like he did a complete one eighty on me yesterday. I'll explain later, right now I'm freaking out because he's never seen me in normal clothes! What if he takes one look at me and runs the other way? Should I tone it down?"

Finn held up his hand and shook his head, laughing. "Dude, calm down! Just dress like you, man. You'll be fine. And cut it out," he said, dodging a hat, this time seeing it coming, "it's normal to be nervous on the first date. You remember how I was when I first took Quinn out, I puked!"

"This isn't a date, Finn!" Kurt sighed, and flopped back on his bed. "He just asked me if I was busy and if I wanted to do something. He's coming to pick me up, that's all." He pulled a pair of skinny jeans and a button down out of his closet, turning his head to look at Finn. "Think that'll be okay? Look like I'm trying too hard?"

"Kurt, I'm the last person you want to ask for clothes advice, but I'm sure you'll look fine, text a picture of yourself to Mercedes or something if you're that worried," Finn said and walked over to Kurt, holding his hand out. "C'mon, get changed. I know you're going to spend a crazy amount of time worrying over your hair, too."

Kurt groaned and let Finn help him up off the bed. "Oh god, don't remind me, my hair!"

Kurt was busy trying to get his hair to stay just right when he heard the doorbell. "Finn, don't you dare go downstairs," he called, and took a deep, calming breath as he stood and left his room. He was at the top of the stairs when Finn stuck his head out of his bedroom.

"Good luck on your date!" he grinned.

"It's not a date, Finn! And don't tell dad and Carole if you see them before I get back! Just tell them," Kurt said, already heading down the stairs, "just tell them I went out with the girls." He made it to the front door and bit the inside of his cheek to try to stop the smile that was starting as he opened the door. "Hey, Blaine," he breathed.

Blaine smiled and cocked his head to the side a tiny bit. "Hey, Kurt. You look great."

"Oh," Kurt said, feeling his cheeks betray him. "Thanks." He sidestepped Blaine to get out of the doorway and closed the door behind him. "So, shall we?"

"We shall," Blaine said, grinning, and Kurt felt his heart trip a little. He didn't think he could ever get over that smile. And, the curls. Kurt was so thankful that Blaine hadn't gelled his hair today, because ever since that day in the shop, he was dying to see Blaine's hair free again.

Kurt had barely closed the car door when Blaine turned and looked at him, his calm demeanor that he had at the door lost, now looking at Kurt with nervous eyes.

"Kurt, I'm just going to come out and say this, okay? Because if I don't do it now, I'm going to lose my nerve and then it's just going to drive me nuts all day," Blaine said quickly, hands gripping the steering wheel tightly.

Kurt's eyes widened and he nodded, not trusting himself to speak.

"Okay," Blaine breathed and reached over to grab one of Kurt's hands. "I think I like you—er, well. I know I like you."

Kurt suddenly remembered they were still in his driveway and he darted his eyes to the front window, where he saw Finn peeking out at them. He smirked a little and closed the drapes, knowing Blaine would have thought it was Finn, if he had been paying any attention. He looked back at Blaine, who looked like he was holding his breath. He squeezed Blaine's hand. "You uh," he paused, taking a deep breath. "Wow, okay. Blaine. I like you, too."

Blaine exhaled, looking relieved. "Oh, phew." He pulled his hand away and started the car. "We probably better get going before your brother comes out and murders me or something."

"Oh, Finn?" Kurt asked, cocking an eyebrow. "He's harmless," he laughed and tried to push away the feelings that were threatening to overcome him. Yes, Finn was harmless. Kurt wasn't. He had no idea how to handle a…dating relationship. Is that what this was? Or, what it would turn into? Honestly, he was scared to death. A hand covering his own shook him out of his trance.

"Hey," Blaine said calmly, navigating through Kurt's neighborhood with one hand on the wheel. "I'm nervous, too. I honestly have no idea what I'm doing," he squeezed Kurt's hand quickly and flipped his own over so he could interlink their fingers.

Oh, Blaine had no idea. Kurt just smiled and concentrated on the fact that Blaine was rubbing his thumb back and forth across Kurt's hand. It was a small gesture, intimate gesture, and it was making Kurt's chest feel like it was having its own firework display inside.

---

Kurt closed the front door behind him and leaned up against it, suddenly breathing heavily. He heard voices in the living room, so he pushed himself off the door and as soon as he was in eyesight of the living room he flung the curtains closed, turned the TV off along with sending the remote across the room - well away from his dad's reach - and turned his dad's recliner so he was facing him.

"Kurt!" Burt exclaimed, "What on earth makes you think it's okay to walk in here and do all that? We've talked about this, you can't just barge in and start—" he stopped and leaned forward in his chair. "Kid, come, sit."

Kurt glanced around, noticing the slightly shocked expressions of both Finn and Carole, both of whom he hadn't even noticed were in the room. "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle everyone, I just—"

Finn stood up and rested both of his hands on Kurt's shoulders. "Was it that bad?" he asked softly. "Do we need to go blow up your closet again?"

Kurt shook his head and his eyes darted to his dad, who was watching the exchange with interest. "No, it was fine, great, even," he said to Finn. He sighed, exasperated. He hated sometimes that Mercedes didn't know, and he had to relate parts of his life, however embarrassing, to his stepbrother and his dad. He pushed Finn's arms off of him and went to sit down next to Carole. "I just got back from hanging out with Blaine."

Burt let out a huff and nodded. "I take it something happened and that's why you came in here, all guns ablazin?"

Carole patted Kurt's knee. "Honey, what's wrong? What happened?"

Kurt sighed and glanced at Finn, who was still standing in the entranceway to the living room. "Are you in or out? Because if you're in, you better come in now otherwise you won't be able to."

Finn looked confused but shrugged and sat down on the other side of Kurt. He understood when he saw all the magazines that were on the coffee table falling to the floor.

Kurt lifted the coffee table up and moved it so it was square in the middle of the room, near the ceiling, and sent it spinning in a perfect circle. "Sorry," he sighed, motioning at the coffee table, "I just need something to focus on, something heavy."

Burt seemed hardly phased by the flying furniture that was only a few feet away from him. "You're obviously upset, Kurt. I can't help you if you don't tell me what's going on."

Kurt's eyes focused on the coffee table, really not wanting to have this conversation in front of his entire family. "So, Blaine likes me."

"Well, that's good news, isn't it?" Carole asked softly.

Kurt's eyes darted to her briefly and he nodded, before returning to look at the coffee table. He slumped just barely against Finn, knowing Finn wouldn't mind. "I have no idea what to do," he groaned. "We went for coffee, then walked around outside a bit, did some window shopping, then he dropped me off."

"Kurt," Burt started, scratching his head. "I know this is difficult for you, but if you two date, it's perfectly okay. We went over this."

"Yeah," Finn started, and shrugged. "Dating isn't that bad. So that was a date? See, I told you, I was so right!"

"Finn," Kurt said, shoving against him. "Cut it out, it wasn't. I'm just, I'm scared," he said softly.

Carole tilted her head to the side slightly and looked at him with concerned eyes. "Scared of what?"

"Of this!" Kurt exclaimed, gesturing at the coffee table. He had it slow to a stop, and sent it spinning in the opposite direction. "How do I keep that from someone I'm a relationship with?"

"Kurt, your mother did just fine in high school with her boyfriends without ever telling them," Burt said, and started glancing around the room. "I'm sure you'll be just fine, you're just nervous, that's normal. Now, bring the table down and let me have my remote back, the game is about to start."

Kurt took a deep breath and brought the coffee table back down, and put all the magazines back. He sent the remote to his dad and stood, "Thanks guys, sorry I freaked out on everyone. It's not exactly something I can call and freak about to 'Cedes."

Carole reached up and grasped Kurt's hand, causing him to turn and smile at her. "Kurt, you know your dad loves you, and I do, too. We'll always be here if you need to talk, and I understand that this isn't the most comfortable conversation to have, but your dad does understand some of what you're going through."

"Right, I know," Kurt breathed and he was almost out of the living room when his phone buzzed.

Had a great day today :D Coffee early tomorrow before school?

He couldn't contain the smile that split across his face, if he tried. Screw being scared, Blaine liked him back! He quickly ran up to his room and fell back on his bed before he tapped out a response.

Of course. Oh, and I had a great day too, btw.

Letting his phone fall to his side, Kurt spread out his limbs so he was spread eagle on his bed. A feeling of giddiness rose up in him and he had to fight back a squeal of laughter. He didn't want to think about what his dad had said, about how his mom kept her abilities from her high school boyfriends. About how she had only told one other man besides his dad, and she thought she was going to marry that man.

Kurt was just going to be happy for right now, because Blaine wasn't even his…boyfriend yet. He smiled at the thought of that word.

Yeah, he definitely wanted to be Blaine's boyfriend.

And he was pretty sure that Blaine felt the same way, after today.