Chapter Seven
Walking into the kitchen to face Burt knowing that he knows is a tense moment, even if the tension is quickly broken by Burt cracking a smile and gesturing for both boys to sit. Sebastian, for his part, doesn't look nearly as nervous as he should and Kurt kind of wants to hit him for it.
"I, uh, I'm not sure how to do this," Burt starts before gesturing to Kurt. "I want to talk to both of you for a minute, so Kurt…do you think you could…uh…translate for me?"
"Sure, dad," Kurt agrees, nodding. Something bad is about to happen. He can feel it in his bones. It seems like the perfect moment for…
"Alright, I want to have a little talk with you two about safety."
Oh dear God, no. His dad is going to give them the talk and Kurt is going to have to…No. God, no.
"Relax, Kurt," Burt says waving dismissively, and it's only then that Kurt realizes he's been voicing his anguish. "We're all guys here."
"Way to make it worse, dad," Kurt groans and he swears he hears Sebastian stifle a laugh beside him. He turns to Sebastian. "Do you know what's going on right now?"
Sebastian is smirking as he nods.
"And you know what is about to happen."
Sebastian nods again and signs, "To be honest, I can't wait to see your face as you have to relay information."
"Sometimes, I want to hit you. You know that right?"
Sebastian laughs again and smiles, gesturing for Kurt to stop being rude and let his father continue.
"Alright," Burt begins, settling into his chair and trying to mask the discomfort he feels. "I know you two are teenagers and believe me, I remember what that's like. Hormones flying all over the place and—"
"I'm not saying that," Kurt protests.
"Yes you are. If it's going to be happening in my house, you'd damn well better be able to say it," Burt says, his voice amused as Kurt signs along with his words. And god, Sebastian won't stop grinning. "Moving on. I know you're both old enough to understand the risks of what you're doing and at least one of you isn't going to come home pregnant—yes, you're saying that, too, Kurt—" Kurt growls toward the table and Burt continues. "I just want to know that you're being safe."
Sebastian nods toward Burt and at least he looks a little serious. "Yes, sir. We haven't reached that point in our relationship yet, but you have my word that we'll be safe when the time comes."
Kurt dictates and Burt nods once. "Good man. Now, I don't like all this sneaking around, so I want it to stop. If you're sneaking around, there's a chance I'm going to catch you and I'm sure that none of us want that to happen."
Kurt shakes his head quickly. "No, we most certainly do not."
He's mortified beyond words and Sebastian looks as though the idea amuses him. What doesn't amuse him? "I'm sorry, Mr. Hummel. It was mainly my fault. I apologize."
"Jesus, Sebastian, are you trying to charm my dad out of his pants, too?" Kurt signs quickly and Sebastian laughs. Burt asks what he said, but Kurt just shakes his head.
"He says it was his fault today and he apologizes," he explains.
Burt waves a dismissive hand. "I just want to make sure that you're not going behind my back, because that's a good way to get in trouble quick."
"No, dad. No sneaking around. No trouble," Kurt answers lamely, willing the conversation to be over faster. "We know all the basics."
"Good. Then that's done." Burt seems pleased with himself and Kurt just breathes a sigh of relief, maybe accidentally on purpose stepping on Sebastian's toes underneath the table for being an asshole. It does him little good. Sebastian just laughs.
Kurt dives to answer the door when the pizza arrives and when he comes back, Seb and his dad are having a conversation. He hears his father talking as Sebastian watches before he picks up a pen and writes on a piece of paper. Kurt just rolls his eyes and wonders if there is anyone who can resist Sebastian.
By the end of the meal, Kurt is essentially just playing the role of interpreter between his father and Sebastian. Burt can't seem to get enough of talking to him. And Kurt learns that Sebastian loves football and comic books and Burt offers to show him the first edition Batman something or other and Sebastian's eyes light up.
"Ohio State is playing tomorrow if you want to come over and watch it with Finn and I. God knows we can never get Kurt to pay attention. Did he tell you he was on the football team?" His dad is rambling and Kurt flushes.
No. He hadn't told Sebastian that, but he's sure, from the look on Sebastian's face, that it's going to come up now.
"I'd love to come over…if it's okay with Kurt…?"
Kurt rolls his eyes. "Of course it's okay, idiot."
Burt nods with a smile and reaches out to shake Sebastian's hand. "It's good to meet ya, kid."
"You too, sir," Sebastian answers and Burt's face lights up.
"That means, 'You too', doesn't it?' Burt asks.
Sebastian smiles and nods. "Very good."
Burt leaves with a proud smile after that and Sebastian moves to help Kurt with the dishes. "That went well," he notes, kissing the top of Kurt's head before reaching down toward his own pocket to pull out his phone. He frowns toward the screen and shows Kurt a message from his mother saying he should start making his way home.
"That's okay," Kurt signs, smiling. "I think we've done about all we can do here."
"I somehow doubt that," Sebastian answers with a smirk and Kurt smacks him, much to Sebastian's obvious delight.
It's endearing and warming how much Sebastian laughs, Kurt thinks. He finds himself just getting lost in the happy sound. He must be staring and grinning stupidly because Sebastian has to tap him on the shoulder to get his attention. Kurt grimaces apologetically but Sebastian is smiling.
"Want to tell me where you just went?" he asks, grinning smugly as if he already knows the answer.
"Not really," Kurt admits, blushing. Sebastian leans forward and kisses him.
"You're pretty cute, Kurt. Did you know that?"
And of course, Kurt flushes a darker shade of crimson that makes Sebastian's smile widen. Kurt signs a simple "Thank you." and takes Sebastian's hand as he pulls them out the back door toward the car.
It's not a very long drive to Sebastian's house. It's right on the edge of Westerville in a really, really nice neighborhood. Kurt hadn't noticed before that all of the other houses were just as grand and expensive-looking as Sebastian's and he's glancing around as he drives and feeling just a little bit of voyeuristic thrill at seeing how the other half lives.
When they pull up, Sebastian's mother is unloading groceries from the back of the car and Sebastian jumps out quickly to help her, Kurt following suit by taking the last of the bags and shutting the trunk as she thanks him repeatedly.
"You're welcome, ma'am," Kurt answers again as he sets the bags on the kitchen counter. He wipes his hands on his jeans and holds out a hand toward the woman. "I'm Kurt Hummel."
She takes his hand and smiles as she shoots a look toward her son. "Oh, so you're the Kurt Sebastian won't shut up about?"
She signs the words as she speaks them in an easy, well-practiced motion that Kurt someday hopes to master. Finally, Sebastian looks a little sheepish and he's looking down toward his feet. Kurt can just make out a faint hint of pink coloring his cheeks. "Yes, ma'am."
"Please, call me Vivian," she says with a wave of her hand. "You're making me feel like an old lady."
It's easy to see where Sebastian gets his easy, playful charm from. Kurt is sure he's never met a more endearing woman in his life. She takes a few steps until she's standing next to Sebastian and stretches up on her tiptoes to kiss his forehead. He rolls his eyes but there's a fond smile on his face.
The moment she turns around to put the eggs in the refrigerator, Sebastian turns to Kurt. "She treats me like I'm four years old, but it's okay. I think I still have to love her."
Sebastian jumps when his mother smacks him on the shoulder and Kurt can't help but laugh at the easy familiarity they share. It reminds him of Finn and Carole and he wonders if Sebastian's father is in the picture.
"So, Kurt, are you going to be staying for dinner?" she asks, turning back to face him.
But Sebastian answers before Kurt gets a chance. "We had pizza with his dad before we left."
"Well, Sebastian, that doesn't mean that you get out of eating dinner. I'm using a new recipe for chicken tonight and you're going to be my test subject." She smiles as she finishes and Sebastian is making the face of a long-suffering man.
"I'd love to stay for dinner, Mrs. Smythe—" He breaks off when she gives him a look and he smiles as he corrects, "I'm sorry, Vivian."
"Better," she supplies, nodding. She smiles so he continues.
"But I really should be getting home. I have tons of homework to do before school tomorrow. I've been blowing it off all weekend," he admits, because it's true. He's barely started his English essay.
There's a small smile on her face as she looks between Kurt and Sebastian. He wonders what exactly it is that she's seeing, but finds it doesn't matter when he sees the smile on Sebastian's face. "Well, it was very nice to meet you, Kurt. Don't be a stranger."
Kurt says his polite goodbyes and lets Sebastian lead him out to the driveway. He forces Kurt to take one of his hoodies because it's really starting to get cold. He smiles as he smooths the jacket over Kurt's shoulders. "It looks good on you. It looks better on me, but you look alright, too, I guess."
"Thank you for the glowing compliment, Sebastian. You sure know how to make a guy feel good about himself," Kurt teases, leaning against the side of his car. Sebastian smirks and shrugs. "Your mother is very sweet."
"She likes you a lot. I can tell," Sebastian adds before grinning. "I like you a lot, too."
Kurt feels very much like a giddy fourteen year old and he knows he's smiling stupidly as he signs, "I like you a lot, too."
Sebastian is smirking as he leans forward to kiss him on the lips, just a soft, slightly lingering goodbye kiss. "Drive safely, Kurt."
He climbs in the car feeling just a little dumbstruck, and he's smiling like an idiot as he pulls away, Sebastian standing in the driveway with a smile watching him leave.
—
School drags on forever on Monday and by the time Kurt gets home, makes dinner and does his homework, it's all he can do to change into something more comfortable and fall onto his bed. He's barely texted with Sebastian all day and he finds himself wondering how his day went.
He doesn't have to wonder for long because, as if on cue, he hears the chiming sound of an incoming Skype call. He laughs as the video loads on a shot of Sebastian yawning widely.
"Tired?" Kurt asks and the smile that lights up Sebastian's face is almost breathtaking. It's as if he's been waiting all day just to talk to Kurt.
"It was a long day," he answers, still grinning widely. "What did you do?"
He goes through his day, explaining how he had to explain to Rachel for the thousandth time that not every outfit needs to be accompanied by a pair of pedal pushers and how his History teacher called on him just to be a dick because he thought that Kurt wouldn't know the answer. (and please the question was about the British monarchy. How could the think that Kurt wouldn't know that?) Sebastian laughs at that, but doesn't contribute much and slowly, Kurt starts to feel self-conscious for monopolizing the conversation.
"I'm sure you're sick of listening to me. What did you do today?"
Sebastian yawns again but he's still smiling as he goes through his classes until finally signing, "We had to read a poem in English class today and it reminded me of you. And that's so stupid. Why did I just tell you that?"
There's a moment between them were neither one moves and they just smile warmly at each other, making the most of the comfortable lull in conversation until Sebastian signs, "And now I should go to bed before I say something really stupid."
Kurt swallows thickly, feeling warm down to his toes. "What might that be?"
But Sebastian just grins secretively, his eyes dancing with warmth and affection. "Goodnight, Kurt."
Kurt shuts the laptop and falls into bed, feeling happy and content in a way he doesn't ever remember feeling.
A/N: Reviews are always appreciated. :) This story is all outlined and set. It's looking like the end count is going to be nine chapters.
