Kurt instinctively moved his hand towards the big umbrella stick lying against the coat rack and was ready to take a good swing and then run as fast as he could. After years of practise his old run and hide reflexes were still working and counting the distance from the threat was full on. As the man took a step closer Kurt dropped his bag and went for the umbrella.

"Whoa, whoa! I'm not...I'm supposed...oh shit, ow!"
Kurt took a swift stab that landed at the man's right side and continued simultaneously move away from him:
"Where's Rachel? Don't move!" Kurt was retreating into the hallway and already regretted dropping his bag; his phone was in the bag. He was making quick and erratic movements and tried not to trip into anything. Maybe he could first run to Mrs. Groberg's apartment and call the cops, her door was always wide open into the hallway because of her cats. Did she have a bolt on her door? Could he outrun the man? Probably not but he had the advantage of knowing which way to go and surely he would not follow Kurt out into the corridor naked. But Rachel must be somewhere in here she said she was coming straight home after classes. Oh god why wasn't she answering?
"Rachel! Rachel are you here?" His voice was cracking under the stress.

The man was now rubbing his side and had raised his right hand up defensively:
"Do not panic. I'm not going to harm you. Remain calm and nothing will happen to you. I'm First Captain Joseph Harmon from West Point Military Academy, New York and I assumed that Finn Hudson had a right to enter this apartment. The current situation suggests otherwise."
He was stretching his side as he was talking in a quiet and calming way while stepping slowly away from Kurt.

Kurt was entirely baffled and lowered the umbrella:
"Finn's here?"
"Yeah, at least he was until...he wasn't." Joseph looked around as Finn would magically appear out of nowhere in this tiny apartment.
"I didn't know. He didn't say anything last week when he called." Kurt placed the umbrella back into the coat rack and slowly walked back inside.

Joseph was holding his forehead half hiding his face:
"Boy that was a bad introduction and calming down attempt. I really need practise on that. And you are not even an alien."
"An alien?"
"It's a joke we have, how to address the aliens if we ever come across one."
Kurt was tilting his head.
"I know it sounds weird, it's a joke...it should be fun. No? OK, not really fun then."
"You would say 'remain calm and nothing will happen to you' to an alien with ray guns and lasers?"
"What lasers?"
"Don't the aliens always have ray guns and lasers?" the moment Kurt noticed his realistic tone in his question he began blushing: Was he an overgrown five year old Star Wars fan?
"Yeah, yeah...they do don't they?" Joseph answered with a smile. "It would take more than words to calm down a ray gun equipped angry alien with an umbrella as a back up."
"Much more."
Kurt crouched down to pick up his bag and became acutely aware of the fact that there was a First Captain Joseph Harmon standing naked in front of him. Kurt had for a moment paused his eyes to Joseph's dick and panicked at the thought that the man was going to notice it. He coughed and looked down. Joseph seemed to be completely oblivious to the fact that he was still standing naked in front of a stranger in a strange apartment with the front door fully open into the hallway. Kurt fiddled with the buttons of his coat and Joseph continued to talk:

"I guess he forgot to mention and this was not planned at all. We only decided to come here since we found out about our free weekend on Wednesday." he was now leaning into the wall and was still rubbing his side.
"That was some mean footwork, have you been practising martial arts or some other weird shit?"
Kurt unbuttoned his jacket and folded it neatly in his arms:
"Just years of practise in avoiding assholes. I'm so sorry. I've never in my life hit anyone but I had a stressful day and met an idiot on the way home...I know that's not an excuse to strike at..."
"No stop it. It's OK, it's going to be fine. Little rough education is always needed. But to return to your earlier question, I don't know where Rachel is. She's that tiny girl right?"
"Yeah, the tiny girl."
"Well she and Finn must have left together. He said something about getting food since there isn't anything in here." Joseph was generally pointing towards the kitchen.

Kurt nodded and remembered suddenly that he hadn't cooked anything in days. The fridge probably looked like a burial ground for sandwich wrappers and food boxes. He and Rachel had recently returned to their secret love of take-outs and the last time he had done anything in any kitchen had been on Christmas when he had gone home to see dad and Carole.
"We don't stock that well." he huffed and placed the jacket neatly to the hallway shelf. For a moment they stood in a tranquil silence and looked each other directly in the eyes. Joseph's eyes were dark brown, almost black. His left eyelid was slightly squinting and for a while they kept blinking in unison.

Joseph was the first one to shift his gaze and Kurt could sense he had for some reason noticed the glaring fact of his nudity. He slowly placed his hands in front of his privates and looked stunned:
"This is odd, huh?"
Kurt couldn't tell whether it was a question or a statement. They were still glaring each other in the eyes as they heard someone bang the buildings front door shut and that someone stomping up the stairs. Kurt took a deep breath:
"I think now would be a good time to get dressed." He could recognise Finn's elephant steps from anywhere. Joseph passed Kurt just inches from his shoulder as he headed back to the bathroom.

The smell of shampoo and after shave lingered in the hallway around Kurt when Finn was screeching at the doorway:
"Hey man, I knew you would come home when I went for food." Finn turned Kurt around and engulfed him into a long and tight hug. Finn had bulked up significantly for the last few months during his stay at a Preparatory School. Suddenly Kurt made the connection. Finn was a student at the West Point prep and this guy came from the West Point.

He had missed Finn during Christmas since he had decided not to come home. Carole had been visibly upset about it but hadn't said anything at least so that Kurt would have heard. It hadn't been clear as to where Finn had actually spent the Holidays. Rachel was under the assumption that he had been at Lima with Kurt and Burt had just assumed that he'd spent the entire time at the campus with rest of the guys. But Kurt knew better though: his facebook update had for a moment shown his location before Finn had taken the feature down. By the 24th of December his update was sent from Tennessee and then on the 31st from Florida. Messages themselves were not that impressive. 'Enjoy the Holidays everybody' and 'Getting ready to change the year!' accompanied with a picture of a six-pack. Kurt had just laughed but now he was getting intrigued of this new, all grown up Finn that was having serious big secrets all of a sudden.

"Man I hate how everything here is so expensive and organic." Finn scoffed as he let go of Kurt.
"Organic is good for you."
"Is not if it costs an arm and a leg." Finn headed for the kitchen.

"I took the liberty of buying celebratory food since it's our weekend off. So nothing healthy in these bags. Although I remember throwing a can of peas and bag of nuts somewhere in here." he was rustling the insides of two shopping bags from the closest supermarket.
"And I got us few films to watch. You guys do have a DVD because my laptop's been broken for ages." Kurt sat by the table and watched Finn unpack his shoppings, they were definitely his shoppings including two gallons of milk, selected assortment of meats and a huge pile of pop tarts and microwave popcorns. After he had gathered all the stuff in the middle of the table both boys watched the pile with hunter-gatherer enthusiasm. Finn was practically drooling as he lifted a big tub of ice cream above his head and became all clerical:
"Oh thou, our holy Ice Cream. Do you have any idea how long it has been since our last gathering. You shall be plentiful and move straight to our bellies and thighs. To some thighs more than others." He winked at Kurt who tried to kick his shin.

"No seriously, I can't remember the last time I had ice cream. It's not allowed." Finn puffed as he sat down.
"Who's saying you can't have any ice cream?"
"Me." Joseph's voice made Finn turn abruptly around.
"Oh, sorry for not telling you I went. I had to...well we continued our discussion with Rach outside and... Well anyway, Kurt this is Joseph Harmon, Joe this is my brother Kurt."
"Hello. Nice to meet you." Joseph stepped ahead with his hand held out for a handshake. Kurt looked confused as he shook his hand. Well they had not been introduced properly:
"Kurt Hummel, nice to meet you." the grip was firm and long. They kept shaking and Joseph looked inquisitive:
"Kurt Hummel. Hummel, wait?" he pulled his hand away from Kurt and pointed at Finn.
"Hummel? The Hummel?." Finn raised his hands above his head and pretended submission.
"I know, I know gross nevotism, nepotism or favoritism or whatever it's called."
"Aah, I smelled something fishy. Never mind."
Kurt's face must have looked out of place because when Joseph sat down he and Finn both shared a slight laugh.
"Finn just never shared how he got the recommendation and now I found out his secret."
"Dad's written you a recommendation? For what?"
Finn looked serious:
"For West Point Academy silly."
"He can do that?"
Joseph cut in:
"Yes he very well can."
"Oh."

Kurt was now wondering whether he should pay more attention to things. Ever since their break-up...Kurt took a deep breath:
"I'm glad that he can help."
Finn was looking serious:
"I'm not sure he did it with agreeing to what I want but nevertheless it is appreciated."
He had tensed his shoulders and started to rip the plastic cover off from the popcorns.

Joseph tried to ease the conversation:
"So Hummel, how long have you had to endure this big guy here for?"
"Few years, several actually, but I'm not sure Finn would have been comfortable admitting to that three years ago."
"Really?" Joseph had a weird look on his face as he turned towards Finn.
"Yeah, since little brats in primary school." Kurt nodded. Finn stood up and smiled:
"You were a way bigger brat all the way to high school."
"Oh really, Mr. Hot Tub?" Kurt snickered.
Now it was Joseph's turn to look baffled
"Well he was quite the little nai..." Kurt didn't get to finish the sentence before Finn was tackling him and carrying him away from the table towards the bathroom.
"You don't dare to say anything or I'm soaking your clothes."
"I will. I will scream. Put me down." Kurt was giggling now. "Aren't soldiers supposed to protect Americans?" he screeched towards Joseph. Finn stopped and soon Kurt's feet met the floor. Finn was looking at him said in a quiet voice so that they would not be overheard:
"I've really missed you guys. I wanted to come home but I just couldn't. I really don't know why. And then I thought it was good idea to come here but I don't know now."
"Because of Rachel?"
"Yeah. I wasn't ready."
"Where is she anyway? Joseph said she was here when you came." Kurt swallowed and waited for Finn to realise his slip of Joseph and him already meeting before he returned from his shopping. Finn didn't seem to notice.
"We, well I guess we had an argument. She said she was going over at some friend from school. Brandy or Blake or something. I said you'd OK with me staying here for the weekend. You are OK with me staying here right?"
Kurt smiled:
"Yeah, I'm OK that you are here." He pulled Finn for another hug. He seemed so different, so adult.
"Do you want to talk about Rachel?"
"No. Do you want to talk about Blaine? No. There is nothing to discuss. We'll sort it out don't you dare to worry. I won't have it." Kurt nodded. He valued Finn's endearing honesty, he sure as hell didn't want to talk about Blaine so why should he expect Finn wanting to talk about Rachel.