Disclaimer: Glee belongs to Ryan Murphy and Fox, not me.


"Daddy!"

Kurt frowned at his computer screen. He was almost done typing up his newest blog article; just a few more sentences and he would be done.

"Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!"

"Coming, baby," he called back, clicking save and scooting away from his desk. He could always finish in a little bit, or maybe after he'd put Gabriel to bed. He glanced down at his worn out tee shirt and jeans. Really, he'd meant to take a shower and put on decent clothes, but somehow he'd never gotten around to it. Oh, well.

He jogged down the stairs, brushing his hair out of hair out of his eyes. Gabriel was swinging on the banister, but he jumped up when he saw Kurt, beaming brightly.

"Hi, sunshine!" Kurt said, swooping his little boy up. Gabriel threw his arms around his neck and smacked a kiss on his cheek. "How was kindergarten today? Did Hawthorne give you a hard time at recess again?"

Gabriel shook his head. "Nope, he tried to take my ball, but I asked for it back nice, and he still took it, but then I told the teacher, and then he got a time out," he said.

"Good," Kurt said, brushing a lock of hair out of Gabriel's eyes. He sighed. "I can't believe your kindergarten graduation is next week."

"And then I go to first grade!" Gabriel chirped. He paused, pursing his lips. "Oh! Daddy, I got you a flower. Here!" He thrust a pretty white bloom into Kurt's hands. "Do you like it? One of the leaves got bended, but Uncle Finn said you'd still like it."

"It's lovely," Kurt said, brushing his thumb over the sweet-scented gardenia petals.

Gabriel beamed with pleasure, revealing the missing tooth in his smile. "The nice Mr. Flower Man helped me get it," he said.

"Where did you meet nice Mr. Flower Man?" Kurt asked.

"I helped Uncle Finn get flowers," Gabriel said proudly. "We found pink fluffy ones for Aunt Lucy. And I found some that smelled like socks, but we didn't get those."

"Well, thank goodness for that," Kurt said. Gabriel leaned his head on his shoulder, rubbing his cheek against the soft worn fabric of his old tee shirt, and Kurt patted his back.

Finn stuck his head out of the kitchen. "Oh, there you are, Kurt," he said. "Have you been in your room all day again?"

"I was working," Kurt said stiffly.

"Did you get Lucy's text?" Finn asked. "She wants to know if you've found a date to Rachel's wedding."

"Why does she want to know?" Kurt asked.

"Well, she says that if you haven't found a date, she has a guy who'd love to meet you," Finn said.

Kurt shifted Gabriel to his other hip. "I don't need a date," he said.

"Need, or want?" Finn asked quietly.

Kurt gritted his teeth. Finn gave him that look again, that concerned look tempered with pity, and Kurt bristled, but before they could start into their old conversation again, Burt walked in from the garage.

"Grampa!" Gabriel squealed, wriggling out of Kurt's grip and running for his grandfather. "Grampa! Grampa! Grampa!"

"Hey, little guy," Burt said, grinning broadly, and Gabriel hugged him tight around his knees. "You have a good day at school?"

"Yeah, I got a sticker in music class and I played with the cars and my teacher didn't move my clothespin so I stayed on green," he reported.

Burt laughed and bent to kiss the top of his golden head. "Sounds like a good day of kindergarten to me," he said. He glanced up at Finn. "Good day at school for you too?"

"None of my kids failed their pop quiz and nobody got hurt at football practice. That's a good day of high school for me," Finn grinned.

"He forgot his anna-sery and we went to a store and the flower man got him flowers for Aunt Lucy and look, Grampa, look, I got a flower for my daddy!" Gabriel beamed, pointing to the gardenia in Kurt's hand. "It smells really pretty."

Burt raised an eyebrow. "Forgot your anniversary again this year, huh?" he said, amused. Finn rolled his eyes.

Gabriel ran back to Kurt, flinging his arms around his waist. "What're we having for dinner?" he asked. "Fish sticks? I like fish sticks. Can we have fish sticks?"

"Probably not tonight, kiddo," Burt said. "We had fish sticks last night."

"Is Aunt Lucy making dinner?" Gabriel asked Finn, tilting his head to the side like an inquisitive bay bird. "Can you ask her to make me fish sticks?"

Finn grinned and stuck his hands in his back pockets. "Nope, I'm taking her out to dinner tonight," he said proudly. "I'm going to wear a suit."

"Look at you being all grown up," Kurt smirked.

Finn elbowed him lightly in the side. "When's the last time you wore a suit?" he teased. His watch chirped and he glanced down at his wrist. "Okay, I've got to head out to pick up Lucy. We'll be back for Friday night dinner, though."

"Remind Lucy to bring my new cookbook back, there's a recipe in there I want to try," Kurt said.

"And that reminds me, you need to text her back," Finn said.

"Just tell her no for me."

"No what?" Burt asked.

"She has a guy who wants to meet me," Kurt sighed. He rolled his eyes. "So I can have a date for the wedding. Why does everything think I need a date?"

"Because everyone takes dates to weddings," Burt said. "And you haven't been on a date since-"

"I don't need a date," Kurt said flatly. "Besides, between running around doing things for Rachel and keeping an eye on Gabriel, I won't have time to pay attention to a date at the wedding."

"'Cause I get to be the ringbear!" Gabriel said.

"No, sweetie, you're the ring bearer," Kurt corrected him, tapping the tip of his finger against his nose.

Gabriel frowned. "Ringbear, Daddy," he said seriously. "I'm the ringbear."

Kurt sighed. "It'll be fine," he told Burt. "I'm perfectly happy going to the wedding stag."

"But-" Finn started to protest.

Kurt bent to pick Gabriel up and held him on his hip. "Don't you have a wife you need to go pick up?" he said.

"Oh, shoot!" Finn said, grabbing the keys to his truck. "I've gotta get Lucy. Tell Mom I said hi and I'll be here tomorrow at five."

"Will do," Burt said.

Finn leaned in to hug Kurt around the shoulders and kiss Gabriel on the cheek. "Bye, Kurt. Bye, Gabe," he said as he darted out the front door.

"Bye, Uncle Finn!" Gabriel called. He wriggled out of Kurt's grip. "Daddy, can I watch toons now?"

"No cartoons, sweetie, it's a school night," Kurt said. "Go put your school stuff away, and when Nana comes home you can help her make dinner, okay?"

"Okay," Gabriel said, plopping down on the floor to take off his sneakers. Kurt picked up his son's small Star Wars backpack and rifled through it for his take-home folder. He could feel his father's gaze on him.

"Kurt, you know it's okay if you start dating," Burt said quietly. "It's been six years. That's long enough, don't you think?"

Kurt shrugged and didn't look back at him. "I'm fine, Dad," he said. He held out his hand and his son grabbed onto his fingers happily. "Come on, baby, let's go put your things away and find a place for your flower."


Author's Notes:

UGH GABRIEL IS CUTE.

But Kurt is so sad. Poor darling.

But it's okay. Blaine will meet him soon enough.