I tucked the end of the top sheet in at the end of a cot looking around the cabin. “Hard to believe that in just a few hours we’ll have ten little nine year olds filling this space.”

“It always amazes me the first couple days just how loud they can be and how much sheer space they manage to take up.” Finn noted, busy labeling space on the shelving at the back of the room for sports gear. “I mean, they’re really little people! But you’d never know that when they swarm you all together.”

“Swarm you?” Blaine asked with a gulp. He was rather limited in this whole unpacking thing by having his dominant arm unavailable for use. Instead, he was decorating name tags to go above the kids beds with stickers of superheroes. Important work.

 I glanced between Blaine and Rory, Finn’s co-counselor. Rory was one of the new international staff, from Ireland. He looked about as freaked out by the idea of swarming children as Blaine. I bit back laughter as I fielded that question, not really trusting what Finn would say. “They’re not going to try to overtake you like you’re in the Hunger Games arena or something. Relax. The younger campers can just be a little more… enthusiastic. They still think their counselors are the most awesome people on the planet and therefore need to tell them every experience they had in the five minutes they were apart.”

“Or they need to tell you about how they peed the bed and got snot all over their shirt because they blew their nose into it and they think their pinky toe is bleeding, even though they can’t see any blood. Plus there’s a bird chirping, so they can’t possibly go back to sleep. Of course they need to wake you up at five in the morning to tell you all of that. Loudly and enthusiastically.” Finn noted, still facing the shelving as he stuck on another piece of tape. Yeah, see, that’s why I hadn’t trusted him to answer that question.

Rory and Blaine both went paler and paler as that whole episode of word vomit spewed from Finn. I just turned to them and rolled my eyes, resisting the urge to go whap Finn upside the head. I had lots of practice resisting that urge, really, so it was nothing new. He was practically my big brother after all, even if we only saw each other during the summer.

“Finn, stop scaring the new people before they even meet the campers. If you run them off, I’m not helping you run the cabin all summer with just the two of us.” I mock-threatened before adding, towards the other guys, “It’s really not that bad. Someone will probably say most of that, but not all at once. Spread it out over the seven weeks these guys are here. And in the meantime they’ll say a lot of hilariously random things.”

Finn turned around with an abashed look on his face. “Oh! I didn’t really mean to scare all of you.” The tall counselor moved to help me spread a blanket evenly over the bed. “They do say some of the funniest things without realizing it. Do you remember the summer we had a kid trying to convince everyone that chocolate would kill him?”

“Oh God. Yes. Because apparently chocolate is full of arsenic and will kill you! He was eight or nine at that point, right? Because I remember he grew past it by the time he came back the next summer.”

 I moved down to check this kid’s trunk for anything else we should unpack for him, since I’d finished his bed. “Oh, man. I think I may have a soft spot for, um, Liam already.” I held up a little sweater vest to show the other guys. Rory and I were busy getting things settled for the four guys who were riding the bus up from the New York City area, since they were such little guys. All their stuff got shipped up earlier since the bus wouldn’t hold a full summer’s worth for every kid on it very well. The rest of the kids would have their parents help them unpack. “Ooh. He’s got some adorable little button down shirts in here as well.”

Blaine leaned over to peek in, distracted from all the nervousness over Finn’s stories by this. “That is very cute. It’s interesting to imagine these guys will be like from the clothes they packed. From the size of those, at least we know Liam is going to be more my build than Finn’s.” Blaine’s tone was a bit tentative still, unsure of himself, but at least he was trying. I could see a big difference in how open he was, with me at least, after our conversation last night.

“I think I’ll prefer this one. He brought cleats.” Rory held up a small pair of soccer shoes from the trunk he was looking through. “Kyle obviously appreciates real sports.”

I rolled my eyes over towards the Irish counselor. “Ah, your biases are showing already. If we’re going to have a grand fight over sports, can I put in my vote for archery? It’s a gentleman’s sport. No nasty sweating involved.” I teased, carefully pulling out the shoes from Liam’s trunk, putting them onto the shelf under the bed. “Oh good. He did at least bring a pair of sneakers and water shoes, along with the stylish but not so camp appropriate loafers.”

“Football is the only real sport worth mentioning.” Rory noted, apparently distracted as well from his earlier fear. Good. “And not the crazy version you Yanks play.”

Thankfully, Nick arrived right at that moment with a stuffed dog clasped in his hands. That may well have been the only thing that kept that from breaking out into a riot between Rory and Finn over the proper meaning of the word football.

“Nick! I’m so glad you’re here.” I didn’t even try for a pretense at subtlety. “Did you get a new pet?” I let the teasing sarcasm show clearly in my voice as I gestured to the stuffed animal before grinning at the fact that I could hear Blaine’s soft laughter about the joke.

“Hah. Very funny.” Nick rolled his eyes as he glanced around the room then headed straight for one trunk. “You’ve got my littlest brother this year, Alex. He was here for the last three weeks last summer, but now he’ll tell you he’s quite big enough to be here the full summer like Dan and I.”

“Right. They all think they’re such big tough guys.” Finn piped in with amusement. “But what does that have to do with the dog?”

“Alex sleeps with, like, a whole bed full of stuffed animals at home, especially when he’s sad or upset. He refused to let Mom pack any of them. Said that he’s much too old to need a stuffed animal at camp.” Nick rolled his eyes at that, tucking the stuffed dog down between layers of t-shirts in his brother’s trunk. “Mom sent one of them up with me in case he needs it.”

“We’ll keep it on the down low unless he does.” Finn promised, turning to glance around the cabin. “Let’s hang up those name plates, Blaine, and then I think we’re ready.”

Lunch was a rather more hurried affair that day. Food had been grilled up, and we were eating outside. since the dining hall was all set up for check in already. Parents were supposed to start arriving at two with the bus pulling in at four. Which of course meant the parents would start pouring in by one.

I watched Blaine tug at the neck of his junior staff polo for a moment before I shook my head and walked over, plate in hand, to sit next to him at a picnic table. “Blaine, relax.”

“I can’t.” Blaine shifted in place, only a bite or two gone from his cheeseburger. “What if I’m horrible at this? I could scar one of them for life. For life.” He looked over at me only to wrinkle his nose at my quiet chuckling. “Don’t laugh, Kurt! It could happen.”

I tried to control the laughter, really I did, but the look on Blaine’s face? It was worth some. “You’re not going to scar a kid for life, promise. I bet they’ll love you. Being close to their size and all.” I teased lightly. I’d been trying to work a few into our conversation lately, get Blaine used to friendly teasing.

“Gee yes. Short jokes always make me feel better.” I was rather proud of the sarcasm instead of hurt in Blaine’s tone. And really, it did seem to be kind of true. He’d stopped fiddling with his collar to reach out for a chip instead.

“I know! Because I’m nothing but awesome.” I gave Blaine by best ‘haughty royalty’ look before I added more seriously. “Honestly? You’re going to screw up sometimes. That’s part of being a CIT. What’s important is that you learn from it so don’t keep screwing up the same way. That’s why you don’t get left alone with campers unless it’s a desperate emergency.” And just in case he got triggered by something again. Probably best not to mention that, though. “If you listen and show the guys you care, they’ll like you. Easy as that.”

“Right. Right. You’ve screwed up?”

“Contrary to popular opinion and rumors, mainly ones started by me, I am not actually perfect.” I noted. “For example, one of my campers was being a real jackwagon last summer, and I snapped at him. Not by best moment.” I hate how easily I turn red admitting anything. Time to cover that up with a food break and my veggieburger, since it is lunchtime and all.

“Jackwagon? Really?” Blaine gave me an amused look at that. At least he was no longer looking quite so worried and tense.

“Hi, I’m Kurt. Can I help you with that?” I asked giving a friendly grin to the family Wes and pointed me towards. “Are you going to Cabin 3?”

“I am! It’s my very first time here, but I came to see it last year. I’m staying all summer long! Are you my counselor? Do we get to go swimming? I can’t wait to go swimming. I swim like a fish through the water.” I grinned down at the kid, who, my God, was a spitting image of what I imagine Blaine looked like at that age, with big brown eyes and loose curly brown hair. The only big difference? I wish Blaine could be this bubbly and excited, instead of anxious all the time.

“I’ll be working with your cabin. Your counselors are named Finn and Rory, and they’re awesome.” I informed the kid squatting to get a bit closer to his level. “See the different color of shirts the staff are wearing?” I pulled at the sleeve of my own. “The white shirts are all the counselors and staff. The green ones are the Junior Counselors and Counselors in Training. We get to help the counselors with a cabin, and I get to help with yours.”

“Cool! I’ve got a new tennis racket in my bag.” The kid confided in me as I straightened up to smile over to his parents, trying not to do a double take at fact that he had two moms. I wouldn’t want everyone to always act surprised at my family when I find a fabulous man to raise kids with someday.

One of the women gave the boy an affectionate look before speaking up. “And if we leave him be, he’ll give you a run through of every item in his bag, I’m sure. The excited one here is Jared. I’m Sally and this is Lynn, but really, we’re probably better known as Jared’s moms.”

I moved to help her grab the trunk with a laugh. “I think that happens with a lot of parents. The cabin is this way. Jared, can you find cabin three for us there?”

“Yeah! Oh hey! They all have big welcome signs! Is my name on ours?” I swear that kid must be related to Tigger. Or Jeff on caffeine. Either way, he was practically bouncing as he led us to the right end of the horseshoe of cabins.

I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing as the boy burst into the cabin with a declaration of “I found it!” Or maybe it was the wide eyed look I could see on Blaine’s face. Both of them really qualified as funny. “Oh look! My bed!” I could just imagine the many nights of trying to convince Jared that camp beds were not big enough to jump on. It was tiring already.

I kept it down to soft laughter as I helped Jared’s moms get his things to his bed. He’d already started to talk to the boy next to him about everything he wanted to do at camp. Or more realistically, he’d started talking at the other kid, who seemed more the reserved type. I glanced at the name tag behind the bed. Jared might physically look like Blaine, but this boy, Seth, had his anxious expression. I considered a side bet with Finn on whether Seth would be in tears with homesickness tonight, but I didn’t want to just take his money.

Instead, I snagged Blaine’s arm and tugged him towards the counselor room at the back of the cabin, whispering a quiet ‘sorry’ when he flinched at the touch.

Each cabin had a main room for the campers, a simple bathroom with toilet stalls and sinks (another building had shared showers for  the campers), and a smaller counselor’s room. Blaine and I had left a few things in there today. I snagged my waterbottle as soon as we walked in and collapsed on Finn’s bunk. He wouldn’t mind, and it left the empty cot that would become mine midsummer for Blaine to perch on.

“Shouldn’t we be out there?” He asked me, biting at his bottom lip.

“Everyone is entitled to water breaks. Even you. I know you can’t tote bags around, but don’t get dehydrated.” I pointed out, sticking my tongue out at Blaine for the ‘yes mother’ I got in reply. “Besides Rory is out there. How’re you doing?”

“Good. I think. I haven’t said anything too embarrassing yet. We only have, what, one more camper besides the bus riders?” Despite his reaction to the suggestion, Blaine dug through his backpack to pull out his own water bottle.

“Yep. That last one I brought in is either going to be hilarious or exhausting. Probably both. Is it bad that I get kind of excited seeing happy non-traditional families?” I toed off my sandals, sinking back against the wall. Despite the chill when I’d woken up that morning, it was hot out now, at least if you were helping to lug heavy trunks around.

“I don’t think so. Kind of gives me hope for the future. I mean, I think I could want that myself someday.” Blaine paused for a sip of water before he shook his head. “If this whole experience doesn’t scar me for life and make me never want to see a kid again let alone have one of my own someday.”

“What is it with you and things scarring people for life today?” I joked, eying the crazy zigzag of light and dark skin my feet from my Chacos for a moment. “Man, I’m getting tan already. I should put more sunscreen on.” I dug in my bag for a tube of it. “Unless this ends up just being a camp tan.”

“Camp tan? Is that like tan lines from what you wear here? Your sandals are kind of crazy.” Blaine pointed out, tucking his water bottle back away.

“Crazy comfortable, in and out of water. But no. A camp tan is when you think you’ve picked up a tan, but then you take a shower and realize it was just dirt.” I smirked at the rather disgusted look on Blaine’s face at that. I think I’d had the exact same one the first time I learned that term. Or had it happen even if I was the age of these campers. “Anyway, if you want to head back out, I’ll join you once I’m re-sunscreened up. It’s a big day, after all. Wouldn’t do to become a lobster.”