This is just something small I came up with after watching the (most saddest 33 second of my life) preview for 'The Quarterback', the tribute to Cory Monteith aka Finn Hudson. I know it's not the best nor does the title match but hey, I like it.
Disclaimer: I own nothing. Please Read&Review. Thanks
RIP Cory Monteith
"Don't Stop Believing..."
Open all the Draws
A deep sigh echoed in the SUV as Kurt ran his hands over his face and up through his hair. He hated doing so and became more aware of how much he had been doing it over the past couple of days. He leaned back against the seat and closed his eyes, still exhausted from the redeye flight just the night before. He sat there for a few moments before gazing back at the house from the small driveway. It was as he last saw it just a week back but it looked different, felt different. This may have been his house but it wasn't his home.
Sighing once again to calm what little frayed nerves he had left, Kurt exited the car and headed to the door. Fumbling with shaky hands, Kurt managed to open the front door with his spare key and entered the empty dwelling.
The house was silent, so much so it almost seemed foreign to Kurt. The halls had become too cold, too unforgiving. He gradually made it to the stairs and clutched the railing. He glanced at the photos that lined the walls only to snap his head forward. The family photos seemed only to bring back memories just a bit too early for the young man.
Once reaching the top of the stairs, Kurt steadily walked to the closed door at the far end of the hall, opposite his old bedroom. He stood there, blankly staring at the white door. Part of him didn't want to enter the room, to open it to the world and just leave it just as he left it. The other wanted him to go inside so he could remember how he left it.
Releasing the deep breath Kurt was holding, he grabbed the door knob with one hand and actually knocked with the other. Catching himself rather quickly, Kurt let out a weak chuckled and shook his head. He felt a little stupid, knocking on a vacant room door, but it came almost naturally. He remembered how some liked their privacy, and after nearly walking in on Finn and Rachel together one too many times, the knocking became a habit.
Giving the doorknob a twist, he pushed the door open, staying where he stood. He let the door softly swing open, allowing himself a few seconds to ready his thoughts. It had only been a few days since his brother's passing but every minute since his fathers' call; time seemed to slow down, nearly to a stand still. He couldn't sleep, he wasn't eating well or even at all at times but he felt like he needed to press on; to be strong for his dad, Carole, Rachel and the others.
Once the door came to a stop, Kurt's tired eyes traced the room. The cleanliness of it shocked Kurt. The bed was made; the floor was swept with no dirty clothes littering it. A chest of drawers opposite the door was covered in framed pictures, along with a few other small trinkets. The desk to Kurt's left was a tad unorganized; a few books were out of place along with a few pieces of paper and a couple pens. The room wasn't very bright, only lit by the sunshine breaking in through the white curtain.
Eventually finding himself stepping into the room, Kurt automatically ducked down in the doorway. Like the knocking, this also became a habit; due to the pull up bar Finn placed on his doorframe. After a few bumps to the head, some bruising and several arguments later, Kurt found himself at a lost and just ducked to prevent further injury.
Just reaching passed the doorway, Kurt stood still, taking the room in in its entirety, eyes finding the familiar faces of friends and himself in the pictures that littered the room. While the smiles and grins of the photos made a small smile tug at his own lips, more familiar objects tore away at Kurt's heart. His old full length mirror faced out against the opposite corner, Finn's old football Jersey, cased in a frame hanged over the small TV facing the bed. The blue painted walls seemed pleasant and welcoming but to Kurt, they looked cold to the touch. The room itself felt numb to Kurt, almost too adult and mature for Finn, but the one thing lying on the foot end of Finn's bed said otherwise. There, draped over the foot edge was Finn's old letterman jacket.
Kurt felt his breath hitch in his chest and his eyes starting to glaze over. He chewed at his bottom lip for a moment before taking a step further into the room. He hesitated at first but something that felt much like a deep curiosity, he gingerly reached for the jacket. Holding it by the collar, he pulled it to him and ran his thumps softly over the material, tracing the red and black strips. His hands started to tremble as memories of high school came flooding back, one in particular...
"Wait." Finn held up a hand causing Puck and the other football payers to stop. Kurt gave him and the others a dirty look before shoving his messenger bag and designer jacket into Puck's chest. "One day, you all will work for me." He sneered at the football players...at Finn. "Okay." Finn just shrugged his backpack back onto his shoulder and cocked his head to the side with a snide smile and Kurt was, once again, thrown into the dumpster...
No... That was not the Finn Kurt was going to remember, and with a swift motion, Kurt draped the jacket over his own shoulders and pushed his arms through the sleeves.
Kurt let out an audible laugh as he saw and felt the jacket cloak him. It didn't take much for to remind Kurt of just how much bigger Finn was in comparison but this almost made the difference comical.
Kurt's hands didn't reach the end of the sleeves, the top of the collar was just high enough to touch his earlobes and the length of the jacket was just under mid thigh length on Kurt. He felt as if he was a small child, putting on his big brothers old jacket. Catching his reflection in the old full length mirror, Kurt tore his eyes from the sight and glanced back down at the sleeves. Gripping the opening in his palms, Kurt felt the soft interior cotton touch his bare forearms. The sensation nearly sent shivers down his back. Pulling in closer to himself, Kurt reached up and traced the black M stitched into the chest.
Taking the open jacket, Kurt pulled it closed around him, bringing the one side up to his face. The first, cold metal button rubbed against his cheek and his nose gently pressed into the soft cotton interior. He paused a short moment before taking in the scent of the old jacket; the scent mixed of Axe body spray, Suave for men shampoo, aftershave and a calm, warming, familiar scent that could only be describe as Finn.
A heavy sob escaped from Kurt's chest and tears streamed down his cheeks. Like a dam breaking; every moment, every memory Kurt had of Finn Hudson came flooding back into his mind. The first time he saw Finn, when he met Finn...When he was bullied by Finn...The memories broke Kurt's once strong walls down and he sunk to his knees. Memories of Finn joining Glee club, making the first six members come together and that song...that song he will never forget.
Another sob shook Kurt down to his core as he knelt there, in the middle of Finn's old room, crying into his old letterman jacket. The pain had grown numb since that call but now was the first time he truly expressed his emotions for his lost brother.
"That faggy lamp!-"
Kurt's head snapped back, his eyes trying to focus his surroundings through teary eyes. Those words sung worse now than they did back then...That argument, Finn's words, even though that fight was over, time had passed and apologizes were accepted, that evening in the basement will always haunt Kurt.
"Just put the helmet on."
"Thanks for helping me with Finn."
The image of Finn and the other offensive linemen dancing to Beyoncé on the field caused a smile to shyly spread across Kurt's lips.
"Actually, it's made from a shower curtain."
That red vinyl dress; the memory of Finn coming to Kurt's rescue in a Lady Gaga dress made a laugh break through the tears.
"Dude, that rocks! It's like Gay Braveheart."
Another laugh broke past another sob and the once cold jacket began to feel warm.
"In Glee Club, whenever two of us got together we got a nickname. Rachel and I are Finchel. Rachel and Puck were Puckleberry. And today a new union is formed: Furt. You and I, man. We're brothers from another mother"
It was those moments that started to run through Kurt's thoughts. All the Glee practices, the competitions, the nationals trophy; at the time it meant something, but not as much as all the Hudson-Hummel Friday night family dinners, or Saturday movie nights did.
Calming himself down and pulling himself together, Kurt stood and unwillingly removed the jacket. In fear of his own Cologne masking the scent of Finn on the jacket, he neatly draped it back over the edge of the bed just as it once was. Taking in the room once more, remembering all the photos, Kurt turned and exited the room, closing the door softly behind him. Once out in the dark hall, He leaned up against the door, back flushed against the cold wood and slide down until he was on the floor. Taking in deep breaths in a steady rhythm, Kurt wiped his eyes with a tissue is pulled from his packet.
"Kurt? You home, buddy?"
The sound of Burt's tired voice vibrated through the walls, startling Kurt at his sudden appearance. He heard the door close rather roughly, making him realize that his dad and Carol were home.
"Y-Yes. I'll be there in a moment."
Kurt called down, answering his father. He knew that they had stepped out just before he arrived earlier; he just wasn't expecting them back so quickly. Steadily getting to his feet, Kurt made the slow trip down the stairs. By the bottom, a certain picture caught Kurt's eye. At the last step hung a picture of Kurt and Finn standing behind stage at their first nationals win. Kurt had a smile on his face while Finn wore a large grin. They were pulled closed together with Finn's arm wrapping around Kurt's shoulders. Kurt studied the photo for a moment; enjoying the captured happiness in Finn's eyes.
It's gonna be okay...
Kurt could hear Finn's voice, but he couldn't place the words to a certain memory. The words though, were reassuring. He now knew everything now was going to be okay.
Taking his eyes away from the photo for just a moment, Kurt glanced back and could have sworn Finn's bright, happy smile had grown just a bit brighter.
