"Kurt, I'm trying to read."

"This is important."

Blaine closes his book and sets it down on his night stand with a sigh.

"It's gonna happen soon. Stop worrying."

"I don't understand why it's taking this long. Does she think we'll mind?"

"Of course not. Kurt, one of our best friends is a lesbian."

"And, you know, we're gay. Just FYI."

Blaine laughs. They had an inkling when she was four, a big suspicion when she was eleven, and now that she's fifteen they just know. She's a little awkward around Alex and his girlfriend. Blaine's overheard moments of silence during sleepovers when the other girls talk about boys and ask her who she likes. When she had to kiss a boy for the school play she'd really had to power through it. Kurt and Blaine have discussed it, and they want to let Sophie tell them she's gay in her own time, because it's a rite of passage and she needs to be ready, but it's taking so long.

"I'm just worried. I thought she was going to tell us at Thanksgiving, when she said she had something to tell us-"

"And she ended up telling us she aced that Chemistry paper, I remember. And we were just as proud of her for that, weren't we?"

Kurt sighs.

"Of course we were. But Blaine, what if she's bottling everything up? What if she's torturing herself over it? This is the first time she hasn't come straight to us about something."

"I know, but she will eventually. It's not because she doesn't trust us, or because she's scared of anything. Even if she doesn't tell us until she's inviting us to her big lesbian wedding, we let her make that choice for herself."

Kurt frowns and rests his head on Blaine's shoulder, curling into his side. Blaine takes his glasses off, knowing he's not getting back to his book tonight, and wraps an arm around him.

"I don't want her to be scared about anything."

"I know. But just try and remember how weird it all was when we were that age. Maybe she just wants to figure everything out for herself before she gets her embarrassing dads involved. I'm sure everything will be fine; we just need to let her know we're here for her and we love her. That's all we can ever do, honey."

"Mmm. God, my husband's so wise," Kurt says, nuzzling against Blaine's chest. "With the reading, and the glasses, and those grey hairs at your temples-"

Blaine jerks away.

"Those what? Where?" He tries to scramble out of bed to look in the mirror, but Kurt flops down onto him, pinning him down.

"Shush. They're sexy. Distinguished."

"But Kurt-"

"Nope. Don't you dare leave this bed."

Blaine takes a deep breath and slides further into bed, coiling both arms tighter around Kurt.

"Is it so sexy that you want to-"

He looks down to see Kurt's eyes are already closed. He's a little relieved. Not that he's old or anything, obviously, but all he can manage right now is a sleepy cuddle. A young, vivacious, exciting sleepy cuddle.

"So, sweetie, how was school today?"

Sophie doesn't look up, just goes still and blushes a little.

"Oh. Fine. Had a sub for English, so I couldn't ask Miss Harris for help with my paper, but she'll be back tomorrow. I'll ask her then."

"That's good. You're sure I can't help?"

"No- I mean, she knows how they grade them, so."

"Right, right," Kurt says. "Everything else okay?"

"Um. There's a thing. Like, not a big thing, but…"

"It's okay, honey," Blaine encourages, "you can tell us."

She looks from one father to the other, then at her brother, who's watching their awkward little scene unfold. He gives her a casual shrug.

"It doesn't matter. Just- I'm, uh, thinking about getting my hair cut. Not too short, just something different."

"Okay, Soph. You know," Kurt says, "if you do want it short, that's fine with us." Alex rolls his eyes. How could three gay people at one table be so damn coy about their gayness?

Sophie swallows.

"Yeah?"

Blaine takes her hand.

"Of course. You'd be beautiful either way."

She sits up a little straighter in her chair.

"Actually, there is another thing. There's this- you know Zoe? In my class?"

"Uh-huh?"

"Well, she- we-" she takes a deep breath and looks at the three expectant faces staring at her. "You know, don't you?"

"Know what, darling?" Blaine asks, the picture of innocence.

"Yeah, we know. It's cool," Alex interrupts. Kurt tries to kick him under the table, but hits Blaine instead.

"Ow!"

"Sorry- look, sweetheart, you know it's fine, don't you? And I mean, if you tell us you're not-"

"I'm telling you I am, dummies. If you knew then why didn't you say anything?"

"Well, we- we thought you should do it in your own time. We didn't want to put any pressure on you."

"Is there any reason you waited to tell us?" Kurt asks, anxious to make sure she doesn't feel ashamed or awkward.

"Gee, I can't imagine why she'd feel weird telling her gay dads that she wants to have sex with girls," Alex drawls in that annoying teenager voice that he only uses when his dads are being particularly dense. Sophie's cheeks go furiously pink and she stares at her plate. Oh. Suddenly it all falls into place. It isn't about being gay. It's about not being their innocent baby girl any more. Alex grins, stacks the plates and goes to wash up, pausing to kiss Sophie on the side of her head. "Love you, Soph. I'm proud of you."

She smiles shyly, still blushing.

Blaine takes a breath, still holding onto Sophie's hand.

"It's totally okay, Sophie. It's normal to have those kinds of feelings at your age. Is there anything you want to ask us about?"

She holds in a laugh.

"No offence, guys, but this really isn't your area."

"Oh. Yeah. We could call Santana?" The idea immediately makes Kurt wince. There's friendly advice and education, then there's just plain old corruption.

"God, no. I don't think I can handle her 'welcome to the team' speech just yet. Don't worry, I know what's what. Sex Ed at my school is pretty good."

Kurt and Blaine smile at each other. At least things have gotten better since they were at school. Blaine stands up while Kurt quietly tries to remember a conversation he had with his dad at sixteen.

"I'm gonna go help your brother with the dishes. I'm so proud of you, Sophie. You know, just because we're- us, it doesn't make this any less brave. We all love you."

He hugs her and strokes her hair.

"I love you too, Dad," she says with a sigh and an eye-roll, but she's grinning.

Kurt keeps smiling at both of them, and when Blaine leaves he scoots his chair closer to Sophie.

"Look, honey, I know there's not much I can teach you about… the mechanics of what you might do…" god, he sounds as hopeless as his own father, "but I can help with the whole- feelings side of it."

She narrows her eyes a little, worried about just how sappy this could get.

"Yeah?"

"Well, I- what you might not realise is that sex isn't- it isn't just a physical thing. There are a lot of complex emotions involved, and it makes you totally vulnerable. Don't get me wrong, it can be so nice, but it's scary too." She tries not to roll her eyes. "I mean, it's more about, you know, feelings. Connecting to another person."

Sophie pats Kurt's hand where it's holding hers.

"I know, Dad."

"But Sophie-"

"Dad."

"When you're a teenager-"

"I'm a girl, Dad. I'm probably more emotionally mature now than you were when you got married. I'm gonna be fine."

"Oh. Yeah. I just want you to know that- um- you matter."

She laughs.

"You've told me I matter every week since I was two. Thanks for trying. And it's way too early to be thinking about that, anyway. We only just kissed this afternoon."

All thoughts of responsibility and maturity fly out of the window.

"You kissed? Oh my God, when? Where? Who kissed who? How did it happen – did you say anything? Did she? Is she your girlfriend?"

"Oh my god," she giggles, "we kind of hung back after glee club," Kurt beams, amazed that his daughter has met someone the same way he did, "and we were talking about songs and choreography, and she said something about us doing a duet together, and I just- kissed her."

She can't contain her smile, all teeth and dimples and looking so much like Blaine, and suddenly Kurt feels like he's at a sleepover with the girls, desperate to make them both hot chocolate and talk about kissing and clothes and glee club. He tries to restrain himself.

"And how- was it- nice?"

She pauses, taking a breath, and nods eagerly.

"She's… I really like her, Dad."

Kurt grabs her into a hug and kisses her cheek.

"I'm not freaking out, okay? I don't care if it's boys or girls or both. You never have to pretend not to feel things for our benefit."

"I know, really, but-"

"It doesn't make you any less our little girl."

He doesn't have to say it, not really, but she can't help being glad he did.

"Okay. Thanks."

He stands up, picking up his glass of wine, keeping a hold of her hand.

"You wanna watch a movie with us?"

"Not tonight. I've got homework."

"Sure. Not going upstairs to call Zoe?"

She blushes again.

"Maybe."

"Okay. Well, if you ever want to talk about stuff, or have her over for dinner or anything-"

"I know. Love you, Dad."

"You too. Night, babe."

"Night," she says with an excited smile, running upstairs, phone already in her hand.

Kurt sighs happily and goes into the living room where Blaine's sprawled on the sofa, a different book in his hand than the previous night. He can never stick to one at a time. He snaps it shut and smiles at Kurt eagerly.

"Everything okay? I hope it's alright that I left you to it; I didn't think we should crowd her. You seemed like you had everything under control."

"She's good. Our little girl has a girlfriend."

"Shit."

"I know," Kurt flomps down on the couch next to Blaine, his head finding its usual place on his husband's chest. "That makes us, like, sixty, right?"

Blaine shifts a little so that Kurt is nestled between his legs, and teases tufts of hair between his fingers.

"I still remember her first day of school, and her first steps, and the first time she sang-"

"Blaine, don't. You know I'll start sobbing."

"They're growing up."

"We all are."

"Not funny. I'll dye your hair grey in your sleep."

He laughs.

"Sorry, sorry. Do you ever just think- our kids are so great, aren't they? Even the straight one." Blaine laughs. "I just really really like them. Do you know what I mean? Like, I think I'd like them even if I didn't have to."

"Same. Well done us." He presses a kiss into Kurt's hair. "Thanks for having them with me."

Kurt pulls Blaine's arm around himself.

"I wouldn't do it with anybody else."