Characters: The Hummel family
Words: 549
Genre: reaction-fic / flashback
Rating: This may hurt a little.
Summary: Reaction-drabble to Kurt taking ballet classes. Written for a self-set Kurt Hummel challenge to include 1 random dictionary word per day for 30 days.
Improvise
"It's a bit weird, don't you think?"
"I think it's cute."
"He's adorable, look at him!"
"I know, but what about school? What will the other boys say when they hear?"
"It's just a phase."
Burt tugged on the brim of his cap and cleared his throat, pretending he had just walked in. "Afternoon," he greeted the women standing by the door next to the pile-up of outdoor shoes. They were all waiting for their daughters, and he was there to pick up his son. Their conversation made him awkwardly aware of the difference. They all smiled at him, and he wondered how much of that was pity and how much was guilt for getting caught gossiping. He tried to ignore what they had been saying, but he'd be lying to himself if he pretended he hadn't gone over the same things in his mind over and over since Kurt started ballet class.
"Daddy! Daddy! I got to be the fairy today!"
Burt was torn from his thoughts by the sight of his son running up to him, holding up a glittery plastic wand like it was a trophy. His smile was infective and Burt couldn't help but smile back. He crouched and held out his arms. "Heya kiddo," he said warmly as he tried to contain the bouncing child in a hug. Kurt was too enthusiastic to bear the treatment for long. "The girls all had to be mushrooms until I tapped them and then they got to dance," he explained, tapping his dad on the head with the wand.
"Are you calling me a mushroom?" Burt joked, ruffling Kurt's hair with a big hand. Kurt giggled. "Go on, get dressed. Your mom will be home soon." He sent his son off to the dressing room with a pat on his back and rose to his feet. Several of the women were watching him.
"You know, all Catelyn talks about is Kurt," one of them said kindly. "I think he has a lot of admirers here."
Burt smiled a little, not sure what to say about that. Kurt was too young to be interested in girls, but then, girls were usually one step ahead of boys at that age. It was normal. Wasn't it?
"I think Kurt was really proud of you today," Elisabeth said as she came down the stairs. She had just put their son to bed and sat down next to Burt on the couch, shifting closer to snuggle under his arm. "He basically told me it would be okay if I had to work late next week too."
Burt winced sympathetically. "I'm sorry," he offered, kissing his wife on the cheek.
"No, it's fine. I know he likes driving in the car with you by himself, you know, father and son time and all that."
Burt grimaced a little. His wife, perceptive as ever, cocked her head. "What?" she asked.
"Nothing. I just…" Burt sighed. "I just wonder how many fathers have talks about fairies and mushrooms and tutus with their sons."
Elisabeth shrugged. "Only the really handsome ones." She kissed his cheek. "Improvise, darling."
Burt swallowed down a lump in his throat and nodded. "I love him, Beth." There was no 'but' to that.
"Of course you do," his wife replied. "He's our son."
[This is the first time I dared write Kurt's mom- I hope I didn't completely mess up.]