“Daddy, you both don’t have to come you know?” Elizabeth said, sweetly, sitting on her bed innocently swinging her legs. Kurt was anxiously packing her school bag, checking and double checking she had everything she would need.

“I know sweetie, but we both want to be there. It’s not every day it’s your baby’s first day of school is it?” Kurt replied, a smile on his face.

“But I heard you and Daddy Blaine talking last night and you said you would be crying. I don’t want you to be sad Daddy.” Kurt’s eyes filled with tears just hearing his daughter say that, he turned away from her to wipe his eyes quickly. He sniffed and was about to turn back round to face Elizabeth when he felt some little arms hugging his waist. “Don’t cry Daddy, I will be back home tonight”

“I’m not crying because you’re just leaving for the day Lizzie, I’m sad because you’re my little girl and you’re growing up. I’m not that sad Lizzie; honestly, I just want you to enjoy your first day at school.” Kurt said, turning round and kneeling down to hug his daughter back. Her thin arms wrapped round Kurt’s neck and she whispered softly to him “I’m always going to be your little girl”

Kurt bit his lip to stop himself from crying again. Blaine walked into the room to see the two of them hugging. “Everything okay?” he asked warily, noting the tear-streaked cheeks of his husband and his daughter was actually looking like the older of the pair. Elizabeth lifted one of her arms up beckoning Blaine into the hug. He shrugged and knelt down beside them, enveloping the pair quickly.

“Not to break this beautiful moment, but if we don’t leave in five minutes, she’s going to be late Kurt” The three backed away from the hug and Kurt ran off quickly to grab a pack of tissues – he wasn’t sure he would make it through the next half an hour.

They pulled up outside of the school. Elizabeth had gone oddly quiet in the last five minutes. Kurt saw her swallow nervously before she smiled at her father’s. “Come on then!”

She hopped out of the car onto the pavement and she waved at a boy stood on in the school playground.  “Who is that Lizzie?” Blaine asked, placing a hand on her shoulder. “It’s Adam. I met him at the looking-round-the-school day. He was nice to me”

“Well, then, you know one person already then, hey?” Blaine replied, smiling encouragingly at his daughter. She nodded but she wasn’t hiding the fear in her eyes very well. She breathed in deeply and stepped forward to take Blaine’s hand and Kurt’s in the other. They walked towards the playground hand-in-hand, with every step nearer; Elizabeth squeezed their hands a little tighter.

A young female teacher walked over towards the three of them. “Hello, is it your first day sweetheart?” she spoke directly to Elizabeth with a friendly tone. Elizabeth smiled slightly and nodded. “Well, in the case, I’m your teacher; my name is Miss Young, what’s yours?”

“Elizabeth” the little girl said quietly, but she looked a little more confident than before.

“Why don’t you say goodbye to your…err…daddies?” Miss Young looked to Blaine and Kurt for confirmation, both nodded, expecting some form of prejudice heading their way. But Miss Young merely smiled at the two of them. “You say goodbye to your daddies and then you can come inside with me?” Elizabeth looked up at Miss Young and relaxed at the warm smile she was giving her.

“Okay”

“Could we have a minute?” Blaine asked politely. Miss Young nodded and took a few steps back.

“Right Lizzie, you be sure to have a good day today. Enjoy yourself, work hard and smile at people. Remember you are an awesome, amazing little girl and anyone would be lucky to be your friend okay?” Blaine said softly, looking into Elizabeth’s eyes.  “Yes Daddy” she replied, smiling quickly. She reached out her arms and hugged Blaine’s neck tightly. He squeezed her back just as hard.

Elizabeth then moved onto Kurt. “Lizzie, you make me and Daddy proud today okay? I know you will be a good girl. Just be yourself sweetie! I love you!” Kurt hugged her quickly but firmly. “I love you too” she whispered in Kurt’s ear.

“Bye Lizzie!” her parents called after her as she followed Miss Young into the school.

They stood for a while, watching Lizzie walk away, not saying anything to each other, before their hands slowly intertwined with the other, both reaching out for the other at the same time.

“Blaine?”

“Yeah?”

“Need a tissue?”

“Yep”