author's note: written for the second kurtbastian week 2012 (day 1: meeting the family)
Sebastian was in a hurry. He only had time to stop and grab a coffee on his way to a meeting down town. Fortunately the queue wasn't long and in a matter of minutes he was heading back to his car...where a small boy was puking his guts out into the gutter and a very distressed mother was hovering over him and stroking his sweaty forehead.
Sebastian looked around for cabs and then sighed when he realized he was going to be late. "Can I get you somewhere? Maybe a hospital?" he asked.
"Thank you. That would be nice," replied the woman gratefully. The kid was done puking for now and his mother steered him to the back door Sebastian held open.
Sebastian took a sip of his coffee and sent the rest of it wistfully into the gutter too. "Just in case," he handed the empty cup to the mother.
"How was work today?" Burt's voice drifted from the kitchen.
Carole dropped her keys onto a table beside the front door and went to join him.
"Nothing serious luckily. There was this kid with food poisoning. Pretty exhausted, but he'll be okay. Some young man helped the kid's mother carry him in and then excused himself quickly. She told me later he was a complete stranger who just offered help. It was nice."
Damn, another closed door, another dead end. "Why do you have to be so independent, Hummel?" Burt cursed his propensity to avoid crowds of assistants. Right now an entourage wouldn't hurt or at least someone who wouldn't chalk up his disappearance to a quick departure from an event.
It was a publicity stunt at an abandoned factory in Columbus; the whole shebang – all the media and a bunch of important heads. Not really his cup of tea but he didn't mind too much today. The goal was to create new jobs and he knew the project was good.
Without any hope he tried his dead cell once again in the one place he knew reception was. Yeah, cell reception, or rather a lack of it, was what had started this. Or should he blame the phone call, a very important phone call mind you, that he received when the tour through the factory ended and everyone was wrapping up and leaving? He had wandered off to find a place where he could hear better and meanwhile they had all left and for good measure locked the entrance. It wouldn't have been such a problem if the long phone call didn't eat all his remaining battery power.
He went to search the old offices at the second floor for something that could open a door. Also, a street ran close enough to that side of the building that he could call to someone there. If anyone chose to go strolling through an industry area... Not much chance as the only shop that interrupted the wall on the other side of the street seemed to be closed.
While going through cabinets and drawers, he looked out of windows from time to time. And was it really necessary to build all the windows so high off the ground? He could only reach them here on the elevated part off the main hall.
He ended a futile search of yet another empty office when he saw a car stopping in front of the shop. He quickly pried open one grimy window as best as he could and called at the young man who had climbed out of the car.
Sebastian was a little suspicious when they didn't pick up the phone. But everyone assured him the shop was certainly open so he agreed to drop the broken clock there on his way to airport. Who was he to argue. He spent most of the time in New York and came home to Columbus only for holidays and special occasions like his mother's birthday this weekend.
His suspicions proved to be right though when he pulled up outside the shop's front.
"Shit." What was he supposed to do with the clock now? If it was only to him, he would throw out the hideous thing but it was a family heirloom.
He got out of the car and went to try the door just to be sure the shop was really closed. Yep. He had to return home; he was screwed. If he missed the plane, Kurt would kill him. It was Rachel's opening night somewhere in something and Kurt would need a lot of moral support against Rachel's obnoxious gushing.
He hurried back to the car but was stopped suddenly.
"Hello! Do you hear me?" someone was shouting.
Sebastian looked around but the street was empty.
"I'm up here across the street."
Sebastian scanned the building and found an arm waving out of a barely opened window.
"Yeah, I can see you. Do you need any help?" Sebastian called, crossing the street to get closer.
"As a matter of fact I do. I'm locked in here and my cell died. Could you call the mayor's office? They arranged this thing today and would know who has the keys. Ask for Tom Collins."
"Are you hurt?"
"No, just stuck here."
"Okay, wait a moment. I'm on it." Yeah, a moment, time Sebastian didn't have. He was going to miss the plane for sure. Ohio was cursed.
He searched the web on his cell for the needed number and called the office. He managed pretty quickly to get someone on the task of bringing the keys.
"They'll be here in 15 minutes."
"Thanks."
Sebastian checked his watch. He could make it in good time if he went straight to the airport. He just needed to get rid of the clock.
"If it's okay, I need to rearrange some things." Sebastian gestured to his cell unsure whether the man was looking at him.
"Go ahead. I'm not running anywhere."
Sebastian dialed home. After he arranged for someone to meet him at the airport, he spent good five minutes in a discussion with his mother about some important issue or other.
Finally he succeeded to end the phone call and checked the time again.
"They should be here with the keys any minute," he addressed the window. "I'll drive to the front to meet them."
"Sure. See you there," came a reply.
Sebastian got in the car and drove around the block. When he neared the entrance he could see someone already unlocking it. He only waited to make sure the man was safely out of the building, then waved at him and drove off to the airport.
Sebastian subconsciously shied away from any direct contact with the Hummel-Hudson household. Even though he and Kurt were really friends for more than a year and dating for another 4 months, he still hadn't met them. Except for Finn during that high school slushie disaster.
The distance between New York and Ohio or Washington, respectively, provided a nice buffer zone and he managed to avoid even the occasional visits.
It was not that he didn't like them, more that he knew they wouldn't like him. No matter what Kurt might have told them lately. And they didn't even know about the recently established relationship. Kurt and Sebastian didn't exactly hide it, they just weren't sending out announcements. They enjoyed exploring the new dynamic without others butting in.
But the more he thought about it the more he was persuaded that the meeting should happen soon. Kurt had a very special relationship with his family. Sebastian decided to at least attempt to get in their good books.
"I bought the tickets for Christmas. It was high time. Almost all the flights were full. You're welcome by the way," Kurt said while sorting through his school papers on a desk.
"Thanks. I'll get you the money first thing." Sebastian watched Kurt thoughtfully from a couch. "I want to meet your parents," he said then suddenly.
Kurt looked up genuinely surprised. "Really?"
"Yes. We are both spending Christmas in Ohio, only 2 hours' drive from each other. What better opportunity? They're bound to ask. It would be ridiculous not to meet them." He paused. "I mean if you are up for it. I'd like you to meet my family too."
Kurt walked to the couch and sat beside Sebastian facing him. "Of course, I am in. Great idea. But what brought this up? I didn't think you would willingly take this step so quickly. In fact I was working on some cunning schemes to persuade you," he grinned.
"Well, I'd better start changing that first impression if I want to call your pants mine in the long run." Sebastian replied and his lips were immediately assaulted by Kurt's wild kisses. "What was that for?" Sebastian inquired when they broke off.
"You know, the implied future tense for you and me." Obviously happy Kurt settled back into the cushions and went on, "So you are after my pants?"
"Rather after what's in them. Speaking of, if you are finished with the school stuff, let's take advantage of your room mates-free apartment."
The day of the visit came. Sebastian was currently entering Lima on his way to lunch with the Hummel-Hudsons and trying to stay calm as his mind was working overtime.
After they had agreed, and after an awesome sex he might add, he and Kurt both called their families to let them know and arrange the visits. As it happened Sebastian was the first to be thrown to the lions. He wasn't sure what to expect. Kurt's call didn't sound particularly bad but Sebastian noticed the slight tension when Kurt listened to a reaction on the other end. When he asked, Kurt brushed it off, "They'll love you when they get to know you properly."
Sebastian turned right and slowed down when the navigation told him he reached the address. Yes, there it was. He parked the car and with his head held high strode to his doom. He should definitely stop thinking about it like that.
He could hear voices from the house as he stepped on the porch. He rang and waited. How loud would you have to speak to be heard outside? They must be... No, they can't be shouting, can they? An unpleasant feeling settled in his guts.
The door opened and revealed fuming Kurt yelling over his shoulder, "I'm not a kid any more. You should trust my judgement." Then he turned to Sebastian and pulled him into a tight hug, burying his face in Sebastian's neck. "Hi, I missed you," he mumbled.
Sebastian squeezed Kurt lightly, surprised. "It's been only a few days."
"I know. It's just..." Kurt trailed off.
Sebastian guessed the row was about him. He didn't like causing a rift in Kurt's family which was obviously making Kurt unhappy. "Come on. Let's meet your parents. I've got some wooing to do." He disentangled himself from Kurt, took his hand and walked inside.
They entered the kitchen from where a heated discussion was still heard. Sebastian steeled himself before speaking. "Good-" his greeting died on his lips as Kurt's parents looked at him with shocked faces.
"You?" they both said in unison and then looked at each other surprised.
This was not good, was it?
"Uh," Sebastian glanced at Kurt but he was confused too.
"You are Sebastian Smythe?" Burt was over his initial shock, although his face was a battlefield of various emotions.
"Uh, yes?" it turned out as a question.
"The slushie-throwing kid?"
"Well, yes, but-" He hadn't expected his dirty past to come up this early in the conversation.
"You sure did some growing up since then." Burt cut him off. Carole was smiling at him. What? Smiling?
"I hope so." He exchanged another bewildered glance with Kurt. He couldn't find his footing in this roller coaster.
"Why don't we talk during lunch? You must be hungry after the long drive." Carole offered and ushered the confused duo into the dining room.
"You remember me from a few minutes at the hospital at Thanksgiving?" Sebastian asked disbelievingly.
"You caught my eye. I thought such a handsome young man would be a nice match for Kurt. Who pretended to be single at the time by the way." She glared at Kurt who fidgeted guiltily.
"You sure can make an impression," Burt joined in. "I was a little pissed off when you drove off at the factory without giving me a chance to thank you properly."
"Sorry, I was running late for the airport and Kurt would have strangled me if I left him alone with Rachel that night." Sebastian explained.
"How come you never mentioned it?" Kurt asked Sebastian.
"The great drama of one Rachel Berry tends to drive me crazy sometimes. So I'm going to plead temporary insanity as the reason." Sebastian grinned at him.
Kurt laughed and Burt and Carole joined in as they were well acquainted with Rachel's dramatics.
The dreaded lunch – yes, Sebastian had to admit he had been really nervous – turned out to be pretty comfortable. They continued talking after, getting to know each other. And when it was time for Sebastian to leave, there was no doubt that he would be welcome from now on.
Kurt escorted Sebastian out to his car and they hid behind it kissing for a while.
"Tomorrow is your turn," Sebastian said when they broke off.
"Hm." Kurt was studying his shoes.
"Don't tell me you are nervous." Sebastian tried to catch Kurt's eyes. "You don't have to be. They will love you."
"They might not." Kurt seemed unsure.
"There's always a possibility that you saved our cat from a tree or something," Sebastian said.
"You have a cat?"
"Yep. A small cunning monster."
"We must talk more." Kurt mused.
"But there are better things you can do with your mouth than talking." Sebastian captured his lips in a kiss.
"Maybe," Kurt laughed when free again. "Although we should leave that for now. Trust me, dad would still chase you with a gun if you don't behave."
"Okay. Until tomorrow then."
"Tomorrow."