Hey guise! I sort of noticed that no one had really written about any other times Kurt was on the football team. Voila! Please enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't own Glee.
The air was cool on Burt's face as he sat in the high school bleachers. It was the fourth quarter and McKinley was down three points. Not that the school population had much hope. McKinley football was a joke. Especially since they let the gay kid join the team. Burt watched his son sit on the sidelines, forcing himself to watch the teenagers run back and forth over an odd-shaped ball. Kurt was barely interested. He was only here to do one thing and that did not include cheering for the boys that tormented him on a daily basis. That's what the girls in skirts were for.
His elbow rested on his knee, cupping his frozen cheek as he watched. This was so boring. If it weren't for the padding that protected him from the cold, Kurt would stand up and go home. But he knew he couldn't. His dad was watching. He wanted to make the man proud. He sat up a bit straighter and clapped when the crowd did, earning him a few stares. What?
Oh. One of their players had been hurt.
Whoops.
As a couple of their guys helped the injured player to the sidelines, Tanaka looked at Kurt. "You're in." When Kurt didn't respond, Tanaka barked, "Hummel!" Kurt perked up, looking over. "Yes?" "You're in."
…
"In? As in play?" "Did I stutter Hummel? Get out there!" Kurt stared at the coach with a gaping mouth. "Coach you can't-" "GET IN THERE RIGHT NOW HUMMEL!" Kurt bit his lip, grabbing his unused helmet and sliding it carefully over his perfectly groomed hair before jogging out to the huddle of his teammates. Seeing number 3 running out, Burt stood up and grinned. His son…his son was out on that field! He clapped enthusiastically. "There ya go son!" He called. His son was being included in the game. So what if it was pretty much over? He was being included…finally.
Kurt shivered a bit. The cold was worse out here. The players were staring at Finn, who looked hopelessly at Kurt. "Alright, since Kurt's the smallest he's also the fastest. Kurt, I'm going to throw you the ball. Just get it as far as you can okay?" Kurt gulped and Karofsky growled. "Don't fuck this up, fairy." Kurt's heart jumped into his throat. "W-Wait why-" "Break!" and before Kurt could ask for a change of plans the group broke and went into formation. He looked at their form, rubbing his arm a little. "Kurt what are you doing?" Finn asked. "Over here by me." He nodded, jogging over to Finn's side. "Right."
Adrenaline started to pump through his veins as he heard Finn call out some random numbers, and the formation broke. He was scared still before he heard Finn yelling, "Kurt run!" He started to run across the field, turning a bit. He saw Finn throw it and he ran backwards, his arms extended to the sky. The last thing he remembered was the pigskin touching his fingertips, a weight crushing down on him, then darkness.
Burt shot to his feet with the rest of the crowd as six huge players piled on top of number three. He couldn't even see his son underneath them, but it was a hell of a play. He would have to hear about Kurt getting his jersey wrinkled and his hair ruffled later by "those buffoons".
The players slowly got up and suddenly Kurt was visible. He lay on the turf, his small body twisted at an odd shape. When Kurt didn't move Burt knew something was wrong.
Finn ran over to Kurt, sighing. "Well you almost caught it." He reached out a hand to help the smaller boy up but Kurt didn't take it. Finn blinked. "Kurt? It's okay dude, there's going to be other games." He waited a moment but Kurt still didn't respond. Puck ran over. "Dude Hummel, now's not the time to act a queen." Usually that would prompt a response from him but he received nothing. Puck kneeled down and shook the boy. "Hummel?" Finn moved down and wrapped his arm around Kurt's shoulders, propping him up. "You oka-" Both boys were silenced by the sight of blood trickling down Kurt's lips. "Shit!" "MEDIC!" Finn yelled.
The medic ran over and at the sight of the blood panicked. He pulled out his cell phone, his eyes not leaving the smallest player. "911? I have an emergency. Internal bleeding. McKinley High, the football field."
Finn and Puck paled. Internal bleeding? Finn shook Kurt a bit and Puck stopped him when the action only made more blood trickle down Kurt's pale chin. "Dude, knock it off!"
The medic stayed on the phone with the dispatcher. "Boys, lay him on his side, make sure he isn't choking on any blood."
Finn seemed frozen so Puck took Kurt's helmet off before lying him on the turf on his side. For the moment he forgot that the entire student body was watching and that he actually cared what they thought of him. He rubbed Kurt's back slowly and watched as more blood poured from Kurt's mouth. "Shit Hummel." He whispered. "You better be okay."
Time seemed to have stopped as all eyes were on the three boys on the field. It was deadly silent, save for the running steps headed for them. Puck didn't bat an eye as Burt Hummel slid to his knees next to his son, his green eyes full of tears. "Kurt, come on kid come on." He mumbled, cupping his son's cold cheek. "Come on Kurt please look at me please." He whispered, tears sliding down his cheeks.
Finn was broken out of his trance when Kurt coughed weakly. Burt smiled softly, stroking his son's cheek. "Hey there kid…hey." He whispered. Kurt's blue eyes slid open halfway, and he managed to look up at his father.
"Dad….dad…"
Burt could have danced. "Yeah kid, I'm right here. Daddy's right here." He leaned down, kissing Kurt's freezing forehead.
"Did…I do…" He was barely audible, but he was trying, and Burt knew exactly what Kurt wanted to know. It was the only thing Kurt wanted to hear from him, from anyone who would stop and watch him for a few moments.
Approval.
"Yeah kiddo." Burt said softly, running his fingers through Kurt's brown hair lightly. Usually such an action would make Kurt snap his hands up and force the other away, but it didn't look like he would be doing that anytime soon. In fact it looked like he didn't mind at all. "You did great Kurt." He whispered. "You were amazing."
Kurt smiled weakly, his eyes closing again as he went limp on the hard, cold turf just as the sirens were nearing.
The entire football team stayed on one knee as Kurt was lifted onto a stretcher and wheeled off the field with Burt close behind. As they walked to the waiting ambulance someone in the audience clapped. Then two people clapped, then three. Soon an entire stadium was clapping for Kurt, and Burt only wished his son was conscious to hear what he always wanted:
An audience clapping just for him.
To be continued
