He walked off the stage and was side-tackled by Kurt. “Congratulations,” Kurt whispered into his ear before kissing it quickly. “I’m so proud.”

Blaine turned in Kurt’s hug and grabbed his face with both hands to kiss him. “Thanks, babe,” he said afterwards, hugging him back.

Gordon cleared his throat from behind them, and the boys let go of each other. “Congratulations.”

Blaine stood at attention, swatting Kurt’s hand away from his own when he tried to grab it. “Thanks,” he said quietly, his stomach doing flips.

Kathleen appeared from behind Gordon a few moments later with a smile warmer than the early summer sun that had been beating down on them throughout the ceremony. “Here he is,” she said, shoving past Gordon with her arms spread wide.

Blaine fell into her arms, tucking his face into her neck. “Hi, Mama,” he said.

Kathleen ruffled the back of his hair under his cap and kissed his cheek. “Feel accomplished?”

“Mmhmm.”

Kathleen pulled away and pushed Blaine upright. “Can you believe it?”

Blaine shook his head. “Not even a little.”

“And Kurt,” said Kathleen, opening her arms to him. “How are you, sweetheart?”

Kurt hugged Kathleen tight. Things had evolved over the years between them; while Blaine found fatherly solace in Burt, Kurt supplemented whatever motherly care he couldn’t get from Carole with Kathleen. After all, as phenomenal as Carole was, she didn’t understand what it was to have a gay son the way Kathleen did. “I’m good. Proud of this one,” Kurt said, releasing Kathleen and running a hand down Blaine’s arm.

Blaine jerked him away again, his eyes darting to Gordon.

Kathleen gave Kurt a sympathetic look. “Don’t worry,” she mouthed to Kurt, then winked. Kurt smiled in thanks. “So,” said Kathleen, “I made lunch reservations on the Upper West Side for all of us.”

Behind his parents, a little ways away, came hobbling an older gentleman dressed in an old, extremely classy suit. “Grandpa Joe, too?” asked Blaine, trying hard not to sound like he was dreading it.

“Yes,” said Kathleen with a saccharine sing-song lilt to her voice.

Gordon leaned over to Kathleen and whispered something in her ear. Neither Kurt nor Blaine had heard what was said, but Kathleen started hissing a response back, sparking a full-out argument in very hushed tones. “Who’s Grandpa Joe?” asked Kurt softly above the battle unfolding before them.

Blaine, who still wouldn’t touch Kurt, leaned over as close as he dared and said, “Dad’s dad.”

Kurt understood. “I don’t have to go. I’ll just meet you back at the apartment,” he said.

Blaine looked at Kurt with sad eyes. “I – ”

Kathleen seemed to finish fighting with Gordon and turned back to Blaine and Kurt fully. “Ready to go?”

“Oh, I shouldn’t intrude,” said Kurt with a smile. The last thing he wanted was to cause drama. “Enjoy yourselves. I’ll head back to the apartment. Maybe I’ll catch you later on.”

“Nonsense,” said Kathleen. “You’re family, Kurt. You’re coming.”

Blaine leaned in close to Kathleen. “Mom, if Grandpa Joe is coming – “

“Then Grandpa Joe can shove a bread roll up his you-know-what. He’ll deal. So will your father. We’re all going.”
Kurt and Blaine looked at Kathleen, slack-jawed. And then off to the restaurant they went.

“I would assume that by now you’d have a lady friend, Elliot,” said Grandpa Joe, shoving his food into his mouth.

“Too busy studying, Grandpa,” said Blaine, looking sideways at Kurt next to him with desperate eyes.

“Who’s Elliot?” mumbled Kurt.

“It’s my middle name. Grandpa thinks it’s stronger than Blaine,” he whispered. Every time Grandpa Joe came around – which was really only for graduations and Gordon’s birthdays – the conversation turned to Blaine’s love life. Grandpa Joe was of a higher class than everyone else (just ask him), and therefore took it upon himself to make sure all Andersons were paired up with suitable matches – female matches. The other thing about Grandpa Joe was that nobody in the family dared tell him that Blaine was gay.

“And studying is important,” continued Grandpa Joe, who was a bit hard of hearing and otherwise too self-important to notice Kurt and Blaine’s aside. “But that’s all done for the moment. You might think about finding a companion. A good-looking young man like yourself, you must have some takers?” said Grandpa Joe.

“Not really, no,” said Blaine with a sigh. Kathleen, who sat on Blaine’s other side, put a reassuring hand on his back.

“Now, tell me again who you are?” said Grandpa Joe, gesturing to Kurt with a fork.

“I’m Kurt. I’m Blaine’s – roommate,” said Kurt with a smile. “We’re good friends.”

Gordon, who had been very focused on the steak burger he ordered, cleared his throat. “What about that Ashley girl?” said Gordon. “You’ve talked about her in the past.”

Kathleen kicked him under the table.

“Ashley’s just a friend,” said Blaine, his face turning redder by the minute. Kurt suspected that it wasn’t out of embarrassment.

“Your grandmother Rosie,” said Grandpa Joe, “she started out as just a friend. You’d be surprised how things can change if you play your cards right. Know what I mean there, Elliot?” He winked at Blaine.

“And how is Grandma Rosie? Let’s talk about that,” said Blaine. “Or anything else,” he added quietly, ripping off a bite of his chicken sandwich.

“When you come back to Ohio, Elliot, I’ll introduce you to a family friend. Their daughter is just a year or two behind you. Goes to Otterbein, right in town. You could see each other. Very pretty girl, very pretty, and smart. A religious studies major.”

“I’m not coming back to Ohio, Grandpa,” said Blaine.

“You’re not?” said Gordon.

“Kurt and I just renewed the lease on our apartment. I’m sticking around here.”

Kathleen smiled at him.

“You’ll just keep taking your mother’s money like that?” asked Gordon. “It’s not right, Blaine. I think you should move back to Ohio.”

“I got a teaching fellowship. I’ll teach elementary school somewhere in the city in a few months, while I’m getting my Masters. They cover the tuition, and I get a stipend. Between that and my savings, I should be able to cover my rent.”

“I told you all of that, Gordon,” said Kathleen sternly.

“It’s through Teacher’s College at Columbia,” continued Blaine. “No reason for me to move anywhere.”

“Teaching?” scoffed Grandpa Joe. “You won’t last five minutes. It’s a nightmare of a profession.”

“I think he’ll be pretty good at it,” piped Kurt. “Blaine’s great with kids.”

“Well, that may be, young man, but the public schools in this city are abysmal. You’ll have nothing but grief.”

“Maybe I can make a difference,” said Blaine, clenching his jaw.

“Law school,” said Grandpa Joe, “now that’s a respectable move. Like your father here, Elliot. What do you do, Kirk?”

“It’s Kurt, Grandpa,” snapped Blaine, emphasizing the ‘t’ so much that he nearly spit in his mother’s water glass.

“I’m a French major,” said Kurt, slipping a comforting hand onto Blaine’s knee secretly under the table. “I have another year before I graduate.”

“A French major? What on earth are you going to do with that?” asked Grandpa Joe.

“I’m so sorry,” whispered Blaine. “You don’t have to answer that.”

Kurt squeezed Blaine’s knee. “Actually,” he said, his eyebrow arching in a way that Blaine knew meant nothing good was about to come of this. “I’ve had internships at fashion magazines for a couple of semesters. French is important for fashion. Or for any business, really. Lots of languages are.”

Grandpa Joe fumbled his fork. “I’m sorry, did you say fashion?”

“Yes,” said Kurt, sitting up straight and releasing Blaine’s knee so as to fold his hands in front of his salad.

“Please,” whispered Blaine, clutching his napkin tightly. “Don’t.”

“I’ve always been interested in fashion,” said Kurt, ignoring Blaine. “Since middle school, I’d say.”

Grandpa Joe chewed contemplatively. It was a look Blaine knew very well: he was confused, but displeased. “Grandpa,” said Blaine, his voice shaking a bit, “How about the Buckeyes this past season? Pretty great, right?”

“Fashion is typically an interest for women, don’t you agree, Kurt?” said Grandpa Joe.

“No, I don’t,” said Kurt shortly.

“You know,” interjected Kathleen, “I saw a great selection on their dessert menu. Anyone interested?”

“Stop,” Blaine hissed at Kurt.

“He’s being ridiculous,” Kurt hissed back.

“I’m aware.”

“You know, I think I’ve had enough. I’ll head back to the hotel. Meet you there,” said Gordon, standing up and throwing his napkin over his plate.

“Gordon, sit down,” snapped Kathleen.

“No, let him go,” said Blaine, his voice shaking again. “He doesn’t really want to be here anyway.”

“That’s no way to address your father, Elliot.”

“My name is Blaine, Grandpa.”

“I think everyone should just take a deep breath here,” said Kathleen, reaching her hands out, as if she could somehow rein in a new sense of order.

“Gordon,” said Grandpa Joe, “sit down. It’s your only son’s graduation party. Stay a while.”

Gordon grunted.

“This is ridiculous,” Blaine said to his mother.

“Blaine, watch yourself,” quipped Gordon, pointing a patronizing finger in his direction.

Blaine stood up very suddenly, accidentally shoving the table with his lap. Everyone looked at him, waiting for his next move. “Where do you get off ignoring me, treating me like dirt, – for years - and then suddenly deciding that I should listen to you because of the inconvenient fact that you’re my father?”

“Elliot, calm down – “

“I’m simply asking Daddy here a question.” Blaine’s ears were beet-red, his eyes wide, lips pursed.

“Blaine,” said Kurt, tugging lightly at his sleeve to pull him back down.

Blaine did sit down, and was very still for a moment. Then, he turned to Kurt and kissed him on the lips, his hands resting on either side of Kurt’s face to keep him from pulling away. Kurt squeaked in protest, and was ghostly white when Blaine finally stopped. The whole table was staring at the two of them. Grandpa Joe attempted to make a fuss, but, for the first time in his life, found he was completely speechless.

Gordon stretched around in his chair to find the waitress. “Check, please.”

Gordon and Grandpa Joe went back to their hotel without another word to Blaine. Kathleen went with Kurt and Blaine back to their apartment, stopping along the way to buy them some groceries. “You didn’t have to do this, Mom,” said Blaine, still feeling uneasy from the afternoon as they put away the items she bought.

“If you have kids one day, you’ll understand how good it feels to take care of your baby every now and then.” She put a hand on his cheek and smiled.

The three of them unloaded groceries, discussed summer plans – Blaine would start classes again in just a couple short weeks, and Kurt would continue an internship with a fashion magazine from the spring semester – before Kathleen resigned to having to go back to the hotel. She hugged Kurt tight a little longer than usual. Then she turned to Blaine and kissed his cheek before hugging him even longer.

“I’m sorry about today,” he whispered, tucking his head into her neck as he had done earlier.

“I’m not. I’m proud of you.” The hug lasted a moment longer, and then she headed towards the door. “Our flight’s not until tomorrow night. Can I take you two to breakfast?”

Kurt and Blaine exchanged skeptical glances.

“Just the three of us,” clarified Kathleen.

Kurt and Blaine laughed. “Sounds great,” said Kurt. They settled a time, and Kathleen left.

Once she was gone, Kurt and Blaine collapsed onto the couch, their hands finding each other and gripping tight. “Today was – “ Blaine started, but he stopped. He looked to Kurt, who was smiling at him, eyes big and round. And as if on cue, they laughed together.

“Congratulations on your graduation, Blaine."