That night was a quiet one; each parent retreated to a separate corner of the house to take care of a hurting kid. The Hudsons played video games downstairs and the Hummels curled up on the couch in front of the TV. But, before she had gone down to meet her son who was busy hooking up the console, Carole had given Burt yet another questioning look and he had responded with a simple nod. Kurt couldn't help but notice how absolutely helpless they each looked.
The pair of Hummels got through a record 3 chick-flicks without too much protesting from Burt, but it would go down in the record books as 2.5 at most because, long before the third film ended, the two were both fast asleep. Burt had the reclining part of the sofa stretched out to full capacity and Kurt was curled up against his side, head in his father's lap.
The next morning, Kurt wakes up early, as usual, and goes downstairs to find his running gear. When he gets outside and starts running, Kurt can't help but take note of how different his body feels today. It's been over a week since his last…encounter with Jim and so he isn't feeling nearly as achy as he's used to. The lack of pain, combined with the vague feeling that he's not running away from anything anymore, makes Kurt feel almost…normal. He'd forgotten what normal feels like, but maybe this is it; only the burn in his thighs as he hits mile 5, the sting of cool air in his lungs.
When he returns home, Carole is already busy preparing breakfast (banana pancakes, bacon, scrambled eggs). He takes a quick shower and then heads back upstairs. Carole is still the only one in the kitchen and she only smiles at him sadly when he makes a beeline for the fridge and pulls out a grapefruit to go with his coffee.
"How are you doing this morning Kurt?"
"I-I assume my Dad told you about…yesterday."
Carole just nods and pours another round of batter into the pan. Kurt slices his grapefruit in half, pulls a spoon from the drawer and then clears his throat;
"I, um…have you told Finn?"
Carole shakes her head. "We figured that was a conversation the two of you needed to have on your own time."
"Thanks. And…um…I'm f-…I mean. I went running this morning. 6am. Little over eight miles. But it only hurt the way it's supposed to. I'd forgotten what that feels like."
Carole reaches over and squeezes Kurt's hand and the two fall into the motions of early morning in a comfortable silence. Carole flips the pancakes and Kurt pulls the coffee beans out of the freezer.
Later that day Puck comes over and the three boys are playing video games in the basement. The same inane fighting game Puck and Finn are always playing. Kurt, normally, rolls his eyes and joins in only after a healthy dose of teasing, but today he's actually getting really into the game. Now he understands why the first thing Finn does when he's had a bad day is come down here and attach himself to the screen; something about beating up gross, dirty, pixilated men is oddly therapeutic.
While his character on screen is shooting some goblin looking thing, Puck clears his throat and asks, "You two talk yet?"
Kurt shakes his head at the same time that Finn says "Yeah. Kurt apologized. It's all cool."
Finn's guy almost gets hit.
"Apologized?"
"Yeah, he told me…"
"That's not what he means Finn," Kurt says, jumping on the screen and cutting Finn off in real life.
"Then what…?"
"Jim."
Finn's guy does get hit this time and Finn in real life swallows audibly.
"W-What about him?"
"He, uh, he did me too," Kurt says, not taking his eyes off of the game, so he notices that Finn's character comes to a complete halt; Finn is obviously not operating the controller anymore. Kurt sighs.
"Y-you mean…why didn't you tell me? I wouldn't have…"
"Well, you were curled up on the bathroom floor in my arms. Hardly seemed appropriate."
Something on the screen explodes. Finn's character still isn't moving, and for some reason it's really annoying Kurt.
"C'mon Finn, you have to play." But Finn isn't done:
"Yeah, but…it had to have happened before right? Why…"
"Look, Finn," Kurt snaps, finally looking away from the screen, "when it started, I barely knew you. And by the time everything between us was good…I just…couldn't."
"When it…you mean…more than once?"
Kurt just nods, eyes back on the game. "
What…what did he…?"
"Please Finn, just play the game."
"For how long? Can you at least answer that?"
"Six months," Kurt responds, not missing a beat, "give or take a of couple days."
The trio resumes playing in silence and Kurt thinks that the interrogation is finally over. But after a few minutes Finn flings down his controller and explodes.
"You know…that's real selfish of you Kurt. You should have told someone, your Dad at least. Then Jim would have gotten in trouble way before now…"
"…and you would have never gotten hurt, is that it? Gee Finn, I'm sorry that my reluctance to be 'that gay kid who was so desperate that he let an old slimebag do him up the ass' in this shithole town inconvenienced you. Know what? I promise you that the next time somebody is abusing me, my first thought will be to protect you" Kurt says, icily. But just a moment later he tears his eyes away from the screen and says, softly "Finn. I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean that. I just…"
"No…I…that was my bad too."
"If I had known that he would actually…I would have told Finn, I promise. I just never thought…I thought he'd be satisfied with just me, especially because he…got whatever he wanted. Without too much of a fight….after a while."
Kurt sees Finn flinch at his words, as though he's finally processing what Kurt's saying.
"I, uh…all those nights you were whimpering in your sleep…were they all…?"
"Yeah."
"God. I am so sorry Kurt."
"It wasn't your fault."
"Yeah but I should've…I heard you. I should have known."
"Finn, I made sure nobody knew. I…I wouldn't have told you the truth anyway."
Just then Puck clears his throat and the two boys turn to look at him.
"Are you ladies going to finish this game or what?" Puck jokes, obviously uncomfortable with the situation. As if reading each other's minds, Kurt and Finn shake their heads and simultaneously pounce on Puck.
After a minute, Kurt sits back and watches the two bigger boys mock-wrestle on the sofa, making sure to move the controller cords out of the way so they don't accidently knock the console to the ground. Kurt wedges himself into the very corner of the couch, tucks his knees up to his chest, and bites the inside of his lip, drawing blood. But he's smiling, so that's got to count for something.
Puck is obviously letting Finn win, letting himself be pinned to the sofa, letting out fake protests all the while. Kurt's never much cared for Puck, but he's got to admit that he appreciates the way Puck knows just what to do to make them both feel better, and just how willing Puck has been to set aside all of the tensions that have run between him and the other two boys.
"Ok, ok Finn, you win, I give up!" Puck says, gasping for air although it's obviously an act. Kurt smiles wider.
"What are you smiling at Hummel?"
"You."
"Oh…okay."
"Are you two going to cuddle again? Cuz if so…"
"Finn?" Puck cuts him off, still pretending to be pinned to the couch.
"Yeah?"
"Shut up."
