"What does he mean, you let him?"
Kurt crossed his arms in defiance and stared, waiting for an answer.
His father sat at the kitchen table, sports section forgotten in front of him as he glanced back and forth between his son, who stood fuming in the kitchen doorway, and his stepson, who'd had the poor timing to come home from Rachel's just when Kurt got up, overnight bag slung over his shoulder.
"I, ah. His mother and I figured that since they're engaged, they should get used to, you know. Spending more time together." Burt looked back down at the paper, clearly hoping that would be the end of it.
Kurt seethed. "So they get to have sleepovers now? How is that fair?"
"I didn't have anything to do with this," Finn said from the doorway, finally stepping inside cautiously and closing the door. The chill in the air faded quickly, but did nothing to stop the icy stare Kurt was giving his father.
"You promised me that we'd always be treated equally. That if I couldn't have boys sleep over then Finn couldn't have girls sleep over. You promised me." Kurt could feel his voice wavering, and God, he did not want to cry over his, but he was just so angry. This was his Dad, the one guy in the world that he trusted to treat him fairly.
"That's not what this was about." Burt threw down the paper and pointed a fork at Kurt. "They're engaged. It's different."
"Why because they're stupid? Finn gets to sleep over his girlfriend's house because he's dumb enough to think getting married at 18 is the key to a successful future, and I can't even stay out with Blaine past midnight?"
"Hey," Finn yelled. "That's not fair."
"That's my point!" Kurt could feel the blood rising to his face, and his hands fisted around the long cuffs of his sweater.
"Enough!" Burt stood up and spread his hands, like they were about to come to blows. Finn backed off. Kurt folded his arms again, slinking back against the wall.
"Look," Burt said, gesturing for them both to sit down. The boys did, eyeing each other carefully as they came to the table. "You boys are growing up, and we're just trying to get through the next few months before you're both out on your own. We're still the parents around here, and we make the rules. And we expect those to be followed."
Kurt started to interrupt, but a pointed look from his father kept him silent.
"Now, we've decided that since Finn and Rachel have made such a serious, adult commitment, they've earned some more rights. And I guess we never thought what that would look like to you, Kurt. But I get it."
Burt let out a long breath. "So I guess the only fair thing here is to say that if Finn and Rachel get to spend the night at each other's place, then Blaine is welcome to stay here."
Kurt's eyebrows rose in shock. "Seriously?"
"Seriously. I'll talk to Carol about it when she gets home, but it seems like the only reasonable thing to do. But we're going to have to talk about some ground rules."
Finn's brows furrowed, his concentration face. "I thought you were getting rid of the rules."
"Oh, no. There are rules. Like keeping it in the bedroom. And making sure your house guests follow the same rules you boys do about being clothed when walking around the house. Stuff like that." Burt looked back and forth between the boys. "Everyone happy now?"
"Sure," Finn said. Kurt nodded slowly. Blaine could sleep over. In his bed, all night. With the door closed. Granted, his parents would be right down the hall, but. They could wake up together, and the next night his sheets might still smell like Blaine. It was all he could do to keep from bursting into song at the thought of it.
"So, I'm gonna go take a shower," Finn said, grabbing his bag and heading for the stairs.
"Why didn't you shower at the Berry's?" Burt asked, picking up his fork again in one hand, the newspaper in the other.
"Rachel's shower is sort of short," Finn said. "And she has more products than Kurt, even, and every time I tried to bend over to get my hair wet I knocked something over, so." Finn didn't say anything else, just shrugged and thudded up the stairs. A minute later, they heard the water start.
Kurt looked over at his father, whose shoulders were shaking in silent laughter. "What's so funny?"
"Nothing." Burt turned the page of the paper. "Spring training starts next week. Maybe this year you'll go to a game with us."
Kurt let slide the myriad of responses about stirrup pants and studied his father. "What are you and Carol up to?
"Nothing."
"I don't believe you. The sudden about-face on overnight dates, questions about showering at Rachel's…" Kurt paused, waiting for his father to look up. When he did, Burt narrowed his eyes, and finally gave in.
"Alright, look. You know Carol and I aren't too thrilled with this whole engagement thing."
"Nor am I," Kurt added.
"Right. So we just figured that they should get a real good look at what married life is like before jumping into something. Moving from your parents' house to your married house is rough transition, never getting that time to do things on your own first. We figured we'd give them a taste of that." Burt finished his breakfast and got up, scraping the dregs of eggs into the sink, rinsing it quickly and stashing it into the dishwasher. "You remember when we first moved in together after the wedding? You and Finn?"
Kurt rolled his eyes. "Don't remind me. He washed my cashmere with his sweats and I missed Project Runway three weeks in a row during March Madness." Suddenly, he got it. "Oh, my God, you're trying to scare them off of each other! It's brilliant!"
"Would you keep your voice down? We're just trying to show them what an adult relationship looks like. It means sharing a bathroom, and seeing someone right when they wake up in the morning, not just all dressed up on a date."
"Well, I don't think you have to worry about Blaine and me. I've used his bathroom and it's as neat as mine, and I've seen him just woken up and while the hair might be a bit of a concern, he's oddly hyper even before he's caffeinated." Kurt set the kettle on the stove and took his French press out of the cupboard.
"So, ah, look, if he's going to be staying over here, that's the way it's gonna be, I guess, but I don't want you sleeping at his place unless his parents say it's ok. I know they're out of town a lot, and I don't want him getting into trouble if they find out he's been having guests without permission." Burt glanced at his son and Kurt caught the meaning: Blaine's parents might not be comfortable with the idea, and he didn't want to give them any reason to punish the boys.
"Got it." Kurt reached for the arts section from the bottom of the stack of newspaper and settled back down at the table. "Thanks, Dad. For understanding."
"You're growing up, kid. I don't have to like it, but I can't stand in the way. And I mean it when I say that I don't see you or Finn any differently. And now that I've got some influence, I'm gonna fight for your right to stupidly get engaged in high school too. Not that I would support that."
"Don't worry," Kurt promised. "It's not even on the horizon right now."
"Someday, Kurt." Burt left, patting Kurt on the shoulder as he passed.
Kurt smiled as he made his coffee and inhaled, thinking of Blaine and their coffee dates. Someday.