“Mercedes, I am freaking out! I’m afraid I’m going to do something really stupid, or say something stupid and completely humiliate myself! I don’t even know what to wear!”
“Relax boy. It’s just a date, not the end of the world.”
“A date? What are you… I keep telling you it’s not a date!”
“And I keep telling you that you’re an idiot. The boy’s absolutely besotted with you. Even I can tell and I’ve never even met him.”
“Exactly. You haven’t met him, so you don’t know what he’s like. If you just met him you’d see that he’s just really, really sweet and friendly and that’s the only reason he asked me to the stupid fair in the first place. He doesn’t think of me like that at all and it would be really helpful if you could just stop pretending that he does. It’s very sweet of you, but it doesn’t really help.”
Mercedes sighed.
“Breathe, Kurt. I’m pretty sure Blaine would prefer you conscious.”
It was Friday afternoon and Kurt was panicking. Blaine would be arriving in less than two hours to pick him up and take him to the fair, and Kurt had already suffered three wardrobe crises, a small freak-out over a terribly ambiguous text from Blaine, and an incredibly awkward and not at all convincing conversation with his father about why he would not be home for dinner. And his hair was being uncooperative. All in all, Kurt was glad that Mercedes had called so he could vent his frustrations. She was usually good at brightening his mood, too, but today her cheerful insistence that Blaine liked him and that the trip to the fair was actually a date only annoyed him. He did not want to get his hopes up and Mercedes seemed intent on little else.
“Look, can we talk about this later? I really need your help with this outfit. I mean, I don’t want to look overdressed because it’ll seem like I’m trying to impress him and that’ll just be sad. Especially since it’s just a fair and there’ll be carnies and all sorts of greasy food. But I don’t want to look too casual, either. He… he always looks so good and classy and I just… Oh, why is this so difficult?”
Kurt threw his arms in the air and flopped backwards on to his bed.
At that exact moment, the door opened to reveal his father who did a double take and stared at Kurt. He cleared his throat and Kurt looked up. Burt looked a little awkward and Kurt was suddenly terribly aware that, as a result of his latest wardrobe panic, he was only wearing underwear, a striped scarf and a spectacular, wide-brimmed hat. Burt shifted a little.
“Do I want to know why it looks like you’re trying to drown yourself in clothes, but not wearing any?” He cast an eye around Kurt’s room where a veritable tsunami of clothes had washed over the bed and claimed most of the floor as well.
“Er. Wardrobe crisis. I’m going to the fair with… Mercedes! Yeah.”
His father raised an eyebrow and Kurt floundered a little.
“Yeah, that’s why I won’t be home for dinner. It’ll probably take all evening. So. Yeah.”
“Alright. Sounds good. Finn coming with you?”
“No! I mean… no, I don’t think so. He might be taking Rachel, though. As a date. It would be pretty romantic.”
Burt’s eyes pierced his, giving Kurt the distinct feeling that his father could see right into his head and read his mind.
“Would it now?”
“Yes, I mean, I guess so. Not that I’ve thought about it or anything, but it seems like it would be, maybe. I dunno.
His father chuckled.
“Be home by midnight.”
“I – I will.”
“Oh, and Kurt?” He turned around in the doorway.
“Yes?”
“Have fun.” And with a wink, he closed the door.

Kurt took several steadying breaths before lifting the phone to his ear again. He was met with laughter.
“Smooth. Very smooth.”
“Oh be quiet, Mercedes. It’s your fault! You wouldn’t stop talking about Blaine and dates and you broke my brain. It’s not funny, stop laughing!”
“Oh but it is. Kurt, sweetie, you know I love you, but you aren’t exactly a master of stealth.”
“I’ll have you know I can be very stealthy when I want to. Otherwise, Blaine would have already figured out… Oh no! What if I’m obvious and Blaine feels sorry for me and asked me to the fair out of pity?” Dread trickled down Kurt’s spine to settle in his stomach.
“Will you just relax already! I’m sure pity had nothing to do with it. Now pull yourself together! We need to find an outfit that will sweep him off his feet. Also, you owe me all the details when you get back.”

By the time Blaine came by, Kurt was dressed, his hair styled and his stomach squirming with nerves. Mercedes had agreed to cover for him, but Kurt was still terribly nervous. He had told Blaine to text him when he got there instead of ringing the doorbell because if his father answered the door to find Blaine outside, he would know that Kurt had been lying about spending the evening with Mercedes. Or worse, he might recognise Blaine, or ask him his name and make the connection to Mr Anderson. Or Blaine might ask for Colin and Burt would tell him that there was nobody there by that name. All in all, Kurt’s nerves were on end and he nearly fell off his chair when his phone finally gave off a small sound. He all but raced down the stairs, bellowed a goodbye and was out the door before his father could answer.
The ride to the fairground was quiet. Blaine beamed at Kurt in welcome, but did not say anything. He seemed preoccupied and Kurt shifted in his seat, uncomfortable and mentally debating what he could possibly say to defuse the tension and break the silence between them. All his ideas seemed stupid and awkward and before he could think of something good to say, they were there. Blaine all but shot out of his seat and raced around the car to open Kurt’s door. Kurt, caught completely by surprise, banged his head getting out and spent the walk from the parking lot to the main entrance surreptitiously rubbing the sore spot. He stopped when Blaine gave him a searching look and tried to shrug it off with a nonchalant smile. He had a creeping feeling it did not work because he could feel Blaine’s eyes on him all the way to the little ticket office.
The smiling lady behind the counter was wearing far too much makeup. It caked in places and her lips were so red it looked like she had been drinking blood. Kurt felt his skin itch; he really did not like carnies. He was so focused on the ticket lady that Blaine had to haul him away by the arm.
“But… the tickets. We have to buy tickets.”
Blaine chuckled and handed him a slip of paper.
“Already taken care of. Here you go.”
Kurt blinked down at the ticket in his hand, still struggling.
“But I haven’t paid or anything.”
Blaine actually snorted and Kurt finally looked at him.
“It’s alright, Colin. My treat. I asked you, after all.”
Kurt was about to say something when the ticket lady called after them in a hoarse voice that carried too far and turned quite a few heads.
“Hey boy! You know, you should take your boyfriend on the Ferris wheel! I bet he’d enjoy that!” Her dry cackle rang out across the square and Kurt felt his ears colour in mortification. He concentrated on not tripping over his own feet, not daring to look at Blaine. How he hated carnies.

A while later, Kurt had to admit that Blaine had been right. It was fun. They had spent some time just wandering around, looking at the different attractions, searching for the food stalls, and Blaine had been absolutely ecstatic when he found the candy shops. It had taken a lot of persuasion and promises to come back later to drag him away from the stall with caramel apples. Kurt had given up all hope of getting a balanced meal and had resigned himself to simply following Blaine around to whichever stalls he wanted to visit. It was adorable how enthusiastic Blaine was. At some point, annoyed that Kurt was taking too long to catch up with him, he had grabbed him by the hand and he had not let go since. Their hands were sweaty and warm, and, had it been anybody else, Kurt would have pulled away. It was not, however, and he still felt the occasional tingle in his fingers when Blaine would squeeze his hand to catch his attention.
They were watching a troupe of jugglers perform, surrounded by a gaggle of excited children, when Kurt felt it. It was small, feather light, and he probably would not have noticed if he had not been a little bored with the jugglers already, but there it was. Slowly, hesitantly, Blaine’s thumb stroked over his knuckles again and Kurt felt his breath hitch. He very carefully turned his head a little, but Blaine was looking at the jugglers, not him, clearly every bit as excited as the five-year-old next to him. Kurt turned his attention to the jugglers, but he might as well have been staring at a wall for all he cared. Blaine’s thumb was still stroking his knuckles and drawing little patterns on the back of his hand and Kurt was finding it hard to breathe properly.
After the jugglers, Blaine dragged him away to visit the haunted house. Kurt put on an air of haughty superiority and said it was beneath him and that these things were never that good anyway, but Blaine insisted and approximately ten seconds after they had settled in the cart, Kurt was clinging to him, eyes closed. Blaine laughed and laughed and Kurt was just about to drop a scathing remark about how he was glad Blaine found him so amusing when a large rubber spider dropped on Blaine’s head, making him jump and cry out. Blaine spent the rest of the ride trying to explain that it had been a manly exclamation of surprise while Kurt giggled. Back outside again, Blaine pulled him down a row of booths, but was then distracted by the balloon vendor. He bought the pinkest, most bedazzled unicorn-shaped balloon he could find and presented it to Kurt with a cheeky smile, and Kurt proceeded to chase him around the food area, whacking him with it whenever he could, their shouted banter almost swallowed up by the squeals coming from the rollercoaster nearby.
“You’ll never catch me alive!”
“In your dreams, Anderson!”
“I am Warbler Boy! Hear me roar!”
When they finally collapsed on a bench, Blaine suggested caramel apples and Kurt allowed himself to be hauled back to his feet and dragged to yet another stall. Blaine bought them both a big, sticky apple and for a while they relaxed, eating their apples and watching the people at the fair. Kurt was finishing his apple when Blaine looked up at him.
“So. What do you want to do next?”
Kurt stretched and sighed.
“I dunno. Something that doesn’t require much movement. Otherwise you’re going to have to carry me.”
Blaine thought for a moment.
“How about the Ferris wheel, then? There’s no queue right now and I think they’re about to light the fireworks. It’ll look fantastic from up there.”
“Sold! Let’s get going, Spider-Man.”
“Hey! It was manly surprise! Manly surprise, Colin!”

Blaine was right. There were hardly any people by the Ferris wheel now that it was dark. They had the gondola entirely to themselves and Kurt immediately flopped down on the bench in the middle while Blaine went over to stand by the large windows to peer out in search of fireworks. They were silent for a while and Kurt was just about to tell Blaine to relax and come sit down when the first rocket went off in a shower of red sparks. Kurt jumped at the sound and got to his feet. Blaine was still standing by the window, looking out, and even though they were barely halfway up yet, the view was spectacular. The sky was lit with thousands of little falling pinpoints of coloured light, the smoke from the rockets billowing in the breeze and mingling with the cracks and bangs from the fireworks and the whoops from the people below.
They stood like that for a while, side by side just admiring the glittering night sky and letting it all wash over them. Kurt felt his heart do a funny little jolt and looked down to see that Blaine had taken his hand and was caressing his knuckles again. He looked up and found himself staring into Blaine’s eyes. He was very close and the fireworks lit up his face and glinted in his eyes. Kurt felt his throat close up, but he could not look away. Blaine drew a shuddery breath.
“Colin…” His voice was quiet, almost inaudible over the din.
“Yes?”
But he never found out what Blaine was going to say, or if he was going to say anything at all, because at that moment there was a particularly loud bang and they both jumped as if from an electric shock. They exchanged looks and suddenly they were laughing, bent over and clutching at each other and the railing for support. It took a long time for them to stop. Kurt had finally gotten his breathing under control when, out of nowhere, Blaine leaned forward and pressed his lips to Kurt’s.
It was the softest, sweetest sensation. Blaine’s lips were warm and slightly wet and it was so alien, so completely new, having another person so close. It felt strangely fantastic, just having Blaine’s hand ghost over his cheek and feeling his own heartbeat speed up and kissing, kissing, kissing. He could taste caramel apple and something else, too, that might just be Blaine, and then Blaine opened his mouth around Kurt’s lower lip and sucked on it very lightly and Kurt felt his knees wobble. They finally parted, gasping for breath, holding on to each other’s arms for balance.
Blaine was the first to break eye contact. He very carefully let go of Kurt’s arms where he had been squeezing them and stared at his feet, blushing crimson to the very roots of his hair. Kurt did not trust himself to speak and so concentrated on breathing. It was remarkably difficult to remember. Blaine raised his head again, even though he did not quite meet Kurt’s eyes.
“Wow. That was… I…”
Kurt could only manage a breathless little noise and Blaine finally made eye contact. He looked a little sheepish, but that soon turned to worry.
“Is everything alright, Colin? Did… did you not like it?”
Kurt could still only mouth soundlessly. Blaine paled.
“You… Did you not want it? You didn’t, did you? I knew it! It was too good to be true. I’m so sorr– “
Kurt could finally move again and he brought one hand to Blaine’s mouth, effectively silencing him. His voice croaked a little when he spoke.
“Of course I liked it! I’ve been fantasising about kissing you for weeks!”
Blaine’s eyes lost their panicked gleam and Kurt could feel Blaine smiling against his palm. Then he felt something else and quickly withdrew his hand.
“Eww! Did you just lick my palm?”
His only answer was a delighted giggle and a whack to the head with the pink unicorn balloon.
“I swear you are such a boy sometimes.”
Blaine let go of the balloon and instead looped his arms around Kurt’s middle.
“You say that like it’s a bad thing. I’m hurt.”
“Childish and a cry-baby. Score.”
“Wh… Just… shut up!”
“Make me.”
Blaine smirked and leaned in again. They did not see the rest of the fireworks.

When Blaine stopped the car outside the house, Kurt really did not want to get out. He did not want to leave Blaine yet and he was not sure he would be able to walk without doing a little dance every now and then, which might make his father suspicious. However, he was surprised when, instead of wishing him goodnight, Blaine opened the door and got out. He held open Kurt’s door for him and stuck out his hand to help him out. They walked, hand in hand, to the front door and Kurt sent out a silent plea that his father was not about to open it. Blaine looked at him, hand clasped around his.
“So. How was it?”
“It was… Blaine, it was fantastic. I had a lot of fun. Was… was it a date?”
“Well, I thought so. Didn’t you?”
“Yes! I just wasn’t sure if you meant it to be.”
Blaine beamed at him, tugging him closer.
“I definitely did. But just to make sure, we should go on another one. You know, as a safety precaution.”
“That doesn’t really make sense, you dork. But I’d love to.”
Blaine smiled even wider.
“It’s settled, then. I’ll talk to you tomorrow, okay?”
Kurt nodded. Then, because he thought he heard his father walking down the stairs, he took a step forward and gave Blaine a quick kiss.
“Goodnight Blaine.”
“Goodnight Colin.”
Kurt made to open the door, but was pulled back into another kiss before he could move. Giggling, he pushed Blaine away and slipped inside.
Carole greeted him from the kitchen and he all but skipped over to hug her. She laughed and carefully put down the glass of water in her hand.
“Wow. Somebody’s happy. Did you have a good time, sweetheart?”
Kurt positively beamed at her.
“Yeah I really did.”