Author's note: I apologise if I get some things wrong - I have never experienced Thanksgiving (or an American Football game), and as wonderful and talented as Debraelq is, I can sometimes be an idiot, so all mistakes are mine (and I've never actually had time to give the poor woman a chance to beta, but all the same her help is greatly appreciated – most (if not all) the football talk is from her). Also, I have never tasted pumpkin pie, but am very curious as to the taste/texture/smell. Do you eat it cold or warm? (Christmas (which is when I might make one) is in summertime here, so would it work cold with ice-cream?)
NOVEMBER 2025 – part two
Jen sends in both Kadin and Kruze in to his room to wake him at seven. Fortunately Dave's already awake when he hears her not so whispered instructions to her sons. She is of course standing in the doorway to his bedroom smirking at him and his hastily grabbed pillow that is covering his groin, as if she knows she's interrupted him in the middle of a leisurely cough release of tension. Her two children are crawling and bouncing on the airbed that has been put in his mom's home office for the duration of the long-weekend.
He knows he's just going to have to live with dis-satisfaction, calls for crepes by his young nephews no doubt waking everyone else in the house anyway. He makes a subtle 'get out' gesture to Jen with his head and she cackles madly before calling the boys away down to the kitchen. The mood is totally gone, and he knows if he isn't down in the kitchen in five minutes he's only going to be interrupted again.
Dave dresses quickly, forgoing a shower for now because there are at least five other people who will want showers this morning, and when he gets in there he's going to make the most of the fact that it's the only lockable room in the whole damn house, and take his bloody time. He enters the kitchen in his jeans and t-shirt, and notes the almost full dining room table.
Jen, who seems to want to laugh every time she looks at him, is setting Kruze in a highchair, while Kadin is sitting patiently in a raised chair so he can no doubt watch Dave at work in the kitchen. His fifteen year old niece Sara is looking decidedly pissed-off, and her younger brother Matthew is reading a book at the table. For reasons that haven't yet been explained to him, Sara's best friend Zach has joined them for Thanksgiving, and he's watching Dave with an almost predatory stare which is disconcerting.
His mom comes in and gives him a hug from behind before pouring herself a coffee. Dave sets about making his crepe batter, and Pat works beside him making waffles. Steve is reading yesterday's paper, and his dad and Rob, Jen's husband, are talking about something business related. He works quickly, the smell of cooking food filling the kitchen and dining room. Pat is making bacon and sausages and a whole bunch of other food that she considers necessary. They only eat twice today as a general rule, the sheer amount of food makes eating more often than that excessive. Although grazing and picking at leftovers all day is also what happens.
He knows Pat is intending to do the majority of the cooking, which is fine with him. It makes a nice change, and she's a good cook, even if she tends to get stressed and then scream at everyone for not helping. Dave always offers, and she always turns him down, so he never feels bad when she has her meltdown. He's taken to telling her if she needs help to give him a shout. It's the best he can do.
Food is cooked, served and eaten, with the flow of conversation ebbing around the table. Sara is glaring at her parents, refusing to talk apparently, except to Zach, who she shares whispered conversations with while Zach shoots looks at him. Steve tries to talk to him at one point, and Dave tries his best to pay attention, but he zones out, but apparently still makes some appropriate noises that don't make him appear too rude for not actually paying any attention.
His mom and dad are holding hands at the table, a sight that never fails to make him smile. Jen has given up trying to control Kadin and Kruze and has let them go play in the lounge along with Rob to supervise. Matthew is still reading his book, and Dave feels a bit bad for him; at eleven he's so clearly in the middle with a fifteen-year-old sister, and then his four- and two-year-old cousins. Not that it seems to currently be bothering him.
Pat starts clearing the table and Dave stands to assist. The more help he gives her now, the longer he hopes he can delay her inevitable meltdown. After stacking the dishwasher and making sure that she doesn't need his help, Dave excuses himself to go and shower.
He doesn't waste any time, knowing that right now every second is both precious and crucial. He would have jerked off last night, but Jen and him had stayed up talking until one, so he'd fallen asleep instantly when he hit the airbed, not even mindful of the fact that his feet stuck out the end and got cold. He double checks that the door is definitely locked and blocks from his mind the fact that the house is filled to the brim with his family. They are easily banished by the thought of Kurt in a similar situation…
He can't help but let out a soft groan at the thought, and even though he knows the sound of the water will effectively hide any noise he makes, he feels like he's doing something completely taboo. He steps into the hot water, hand on his rapidly hardening dick, using some liquid soap to act as a lubricant.
He doesn't need any fantasies right now. Kurt's blatantly sexual response to his own teasing text message last night have made him feel more confident about the situation, despite their lack of contact in the last month. He knows they'll be seeing each other this holiday sometime, he just wishes he knew when. And how. And where. Just the simple knowledge that he will soon be with Kurt again, hand moving firmly on his cock as he remembers Kurt's responses the last time they were together.
His hand moves faster, mind whirling as he fills it with images of Kurt, both real and imagined. What they've done and what he's hoping they can do soon. Fuck, let it be soon. He bites into his forearm as he comes, effectively muffling himself and thankful for it. He stands there for a few moments, letting the water run over him, feeling the warmth that always follows post-orgasm, his whole body tingling with the pleasure of release. He's disrupted
"You going to be long in there?"
"Oh for…" Dave mutters, but decides to be glad that they didn't knock on the door just a few minutes ago. "Just a couple more minutes," he calls out and sets about quickly washing.
Kurt's shoes are filled with candy.
He's forgotten that it's one of Finn's weird Thanksgiving holiday traditions. Or rather Carol's tradition. Although he's fairly certain that Finn is of the opinion that no holiday can have too much candy. Kurt checks and sure enough even his new niece's tiny shoes have candy in them, which of course Finn will eat, seeing as she doesn't have anything but milk yet.
He's looking forward to spending time with them today. Crazy and all. Last night Kurt had excused himself from a family dinner, mainly because he wanted to catch up with Blaine, but also because it was Melanie's family and her parents are quietly homophobic. At least Kurt thinks so. They've never said anything to him, or to anyone in his family as far as he can tell, but they always make him feel like they're looking at a strange new species when they look at him. So he'd been glad when he had Blaine to use as an excuse to skip the first of a series of family meals.
He'll have to see them later, when they come around for lunch, but he's hoping he can sneak off and see Dave while his dad and Finn are distracted by football. That's the theory anyway. He knows Dave likes football, but he's pretty confident he can lure Dave away with offer of oral-assisted orgasms. He grins at the thought, and it's a bit ill-timed because both his dad and Carol smile back at him as he sits at the table. He's so glad that no-one can tell what he was thinking about.
Finn hasn't waited and is forking waffles, banana, bacon and maple syrup into his mouth as if the plate is about to be taken away from him. Both Carol and Melanie are looking at him with despair. Kurt piles his waffle with fresh berries, knowing Carol has bought them especially. Ryan is banging his plastic cutlery on his plastic plate, no doubt upset that he isn't being fed at the same rate as his father.
Kurt looks around at his family, it's just the seven of them for breakfast, and he's not sure whether a sleeping baby can count, seeing as she isn't even in the room, but he's happy he's here, enjoying Carol's admonishments to Finn and hearing them echoed by Melanie to Ryan. Finn and his dad talking about what games are on. He feels a bit disconnected, but he also knows that these people love him and accept him always.
After his shower Dave goes back down into the kitchen and the frosty silence when he enters is deafening. He glances between his mom and Pat, who he knows have always struggled to get on, either because or despite of their only twelve year age difference. How they're going to cope suddenly living in the same town he has no idea. He suddenly very glad he lives in Chicago. He has no idea why they're glaring at each other and Pat is stuffing the turkey with such force he can't help but wince.
His phone chimes with a message and he quickly pulls it out of his pocket. It's a message from Jen, and he can't see her, but no doubt she'll know what's going on. She avoids the conflict, leaving it to Dave to deal with, because Pat would never forgive her for taking his mom's side, no matter how irrational she's being.
'It's the great pumpkin pie standoff,' he reads, and he rolls his eyes. Every time they end up sharing a holiday it's the same freaking thing. Steve likes the homemade pumpkin pie that no doubt Pat has made and bought with them. His dad likes the store bought type, and not just because his mom can't cook to save herself and he's trying to save her feelings; he honestly prefers the store bought ones over homemade versions.
He's trying to decide whether to walk away and leave them to battle it out, or point out that there are seven adults and five children, two pies are going to get eaten, just like he told them last time. That and his dad likes to eat cold pumpkin pie for breakfast the next day so extra is always a necessity for his holiday enjoyment. He hears the doorbell and yells out a quick 'I'll get it!' before grabbing both Steve and his dad and pulling them into the hallway.
"Look, go and tell your respective wives that you want their bloody pies. Dad, make sure you don't tell Pat her pie is too spicy for you, that's how Steve likes it. Steve, don't tell my mom that store bought tastes like plastic, it's my dad's favourite. Just go and make some peace between the women, I'm going to get the door!"
He leaves them with a stern look to go and deal with the drama in the kitchen and he is hoping that whoever is at the door can take him away from what is shaping up to be a potentially drama-filled day. Or add to it he realises when he opens the door to find his grandparents standing there, both grinning like fools and holding a pie. At least this one isn't pumpkin.
"Grandy," he greets his grandmother, and he's suddenly feeling acutely embarrassed. He hasn't called her that in years, and it's a bastardised version of grandma and granny, neither of which he could apparently pronounce as a child. He generally calls her Noelle, her given name. A soft hand reaches up to pat him on the cheek.
"No young man for us to meet David?"
"Give the boy a break No-no," his grandfather instructs before shoving the pie at Dave. Dave accepts it with a grin. This will brighten up the holiday. For him at least. No doubt it's going to cause more drama between his mum and Pat, because Noelle is going to be in that kitchen and nothing is going to stop her. He's suddenly wishing he'd had the common sense to book into a hotel like they have, then at least he'd have somewhere to escape to.
"I'm just asking. I want my David to be happy."
"I'm perfectly happy Grandy," Dave says, and even though he feels stupid using his childhood name for her the wide grin he gets in return makes it worthwhile.
"Just keep it that way son. Now, you going to invite us in?" his grandfather asks and Dave takes a step back and opens the door wider. He gets a firm shoulder grasp from his grandfather as he passes by and Dave closes the door.
"Oh, there's a stand-off in the kitchen regarding pie. I'd avoid that territory until peace negotiations are done…"
His grandmother gives him a withering look and Dave shrugs internally, he's done his best to warn her. If she wants to go in there now she'll only have herself to blame if she gets caught in the cross-fire. He can hear yelling now, but it doesn't sound like his mom. His mom isn't the type to yell anyway, more the soft sigh and disappointed look type. He sees his parents beating a hasty retreat out of the kitchen towards them and he looks towards the direction of the kitchen.
It's Pat yelling alright, he recognises her meltdown tone, but quiet-calm-boring Steve is also yelling, and then Sara's voice is screaming back. He doesn't need to listen closely, no doubt everyone in the house can hear Sara calling her parents all sorts of names, and it's blatantly clear that while Pat and Steve are happy and excited about their upcoming move to Lima, Sara is definitely not. The argument is suddenly truncated by a screamed 'I hate you both!' and the violent slamming of the backdoor.
A pleading look from Pat has him following Sara outside a few minutes later. She's curled up on the porch swing with the blanket wrapped firmly around her. He huddles into his own jacket and wonders how the hell he drew the short straw to come out and talk to a screaming irrational teenager. He knows why of course, but it doesn't make him any happier about the fact. He's far too much of a softie sometimes.
Her face is red and wet and he knows she's been crying. He's not close to her, despite his efforts to try and get on with her the best he can. She's always made him feel a bit uncomfortable. He leans against the side of the house and looks out over the back garden.
"I don't want to talk. Especially to you."
Dave shrugs, drawing upon his inner well of patience. He keeps quiet, knowing she'll most likely break and blurt it all out, or stomp away and leave him in peace. Win-win really. He can at least go back in and say he tried.
"I don't want to move to this stupid town. It's boring and small and I don't want to leave all my friends and my school and it's just not fair!" She's glaring at him with a level of furiousness he hasn't seen in a long time, and he can't help but be secretly amused by it.
"Nope. It's not. Life sucks like that sometimes," Dave responds, and he's trying to decide between the tough-love approach or the cajoling compromise approach. "I know you probably haven't thought about it from their point of view, but your parents wouldn't be uprooting you and your brother if they didn't have to. They'll be leaving their friends as well. Your dad hasn't had a job in three months…he kind of needs one to keep you in clothes, and going to those piano lessons you love so much. Stuff like that…"
He knows it's a small guilt trip, but it also doesn't make it any less true. Sara is a pretty selfish teenager, and he knows she won't have considered the bigger picture. And neither Pat or Steve would have pointed these facts out to her, trying to protect her from the realities of the world. Dave thinks she needs the reality check. She's quiet, staring out at the frozen back garden, and a quick glance down at her tells him she's crying again.
"They love you, and want what's best for you…if they have to move to be able to do that, then that's what they will do, even if they have to make you unhappy in the short-term," Dave says, and he keeps his voice soft, not wanting to upset her further, but also wanting to drive the point home. Pat and Steve had been so excited last night, with the stress of unemployment gone from their lives.
"I didn't even know dad didn't have a job…" Sara whispers, and Dave's heart clenches. In his mind, she's old enough to have been told that. To be made aware of what they were facing as a family unit. How they've managed to hide it from her he's not sure.
"You guys need to sit down and talk. They do understand that you don't want to move, but they need to look at the bigger picture."
"The bigger picture sucks."
"Yeah, sometimes it does. But you'll make new friends. And you'll be able to visit. McKinley High is pretty cool. You go to any other high school and I'll have to disown you," Dave says, and he gets a small smile and she shuffles over on the swing to give him room to sit.
Once he's made himself comfortable and taken the corner of the proffered blanket she's like a burst water balloon, talking to him like he's her best friend. He learns about her boyfriend who she's having sex with, and fuck he hopes Pat has given her the safe-sex talk. He hears about how Zach has been living with them for the last three weeks since his parents kicked him out for being gay and Dave suddenly understands the predatory stare he was on the receiving end of an hour or so ago (and he hates to think how they've been coping feeding an extra mouth).
He learns how Matthew has been getting amazing grades at school and they are considering putting him up a year, but how she is struggling to pass. Dave listens, and he wonders when the last time Pat sat down and actually talked to her, because Sara seems almost starved for attention. He offers his opinion on coffee syrups, movies he's seen recently, and any other topic that Sara seems to want to talk about. She pauses for a moment, chewing on her top lip while studying him before asking him whether he likes being gay. He's not entirely shocked, but neither is he sure what she means. He shrugs.
"Do you like being white?" he replies, and he's trying to get her to think, and he can tell he's succeeded when she doesn't respond immediately.
"Yeah. No. Well, most of the time I like it I suppose. Sometimes I think it would be cool to be black or Asian though."
"But you can't change the way you were born."
"Huh. No. So…you like being gay most of the time?"
"I don't think about it now. It's just a part of who I am Sara," Dave says, and then decides that's a pretty piss-poor explanation after all the opening up she's just done. He decides on a whim to treat her to some of his deeper thoughts.
"Being gay is not my sole defining factor. I didn't used to be that way, when I was your age, a little older, I hated it, thought it would define me for the rest of my life and no one would ever be able to see past this 'gay' label that I'd end up with. It took me a couple of years to realise that labels are what you make of them, and if no one could see past that one label then they'd miss out on all the other ones…"
"Like what?"
"Lots. But, good cook, police officer, friendly, football player…a hundred years ago you'd have had female as a label, telling you that you couldn't do certain things. They're very restrictive things, labels. Like judging books by their covers."
"So, labels are like, stereotypes?"
"Yeah. Exactly. There will always be people that fit the stereotype and generalisation, otherwise they wouldn't be called stereotypes and generalisations, but there will be far more people who don't. I'm not what people would consider stereotypically gay, but it doesn't make me any less gay."
"Oh. Right."
"You feel like going back inside? I'm starting to freeze," Dave suggests, hoping she says yes, because he is cold, his jacket not warm enough over just his t-shirt, and his feet were just shoved into his shoes with no socks.
" Yeah, okay. It's been nice talking Uncle Dave. Thanks. You're pretty cool you know?"
"I try," Dave replies sardonically, but he's glad that at least this piece of drama seems to have been dealt with.
Kurt closes his bedroom door. Carol has made it into a second guest room, which Kurt has no issue with, it means a queen-sized bed and a tastefully decorated room, if slightly too feminine for his tastes. More often than not his dad uses it as his den, making use of the large TV that is mounted on the wall. He goes and sits in the window seat, making himself comfortable for the following phone conversation. He slides his thumb across the screen and selects Dave's number from his contacts list.
"Hi," Dave greets before the third ring is complete, and the background noise almost drowns him out. Kurt figures everyone must be at Dave's parents place.
"Hi. Happy Thanksgiving," Kurt says, and he can't help but smile, it feels good to be talking to him.
"Yeah. Happy Thanksgiving. You having a good day?"
"Could be better…" Kurt says, and he hopes his implication is clear.
"You fu- funny guy. Let me just get out of the living room."
Kurt grins, waiting for Dave to speak again.
"Right, I'm out. What were you saying?"
"Just wondering what your plans are for this afternoon?"
"You want to meet up don't you?" Dave asks, and he sounds resigned, and Kurt feels a little jolt of worry-fear-annoyance. He's not really sure. Dave sounded glad to hear from him, but doesn't seem to want to meet up.
"Well, that was the plan…"
"I can't. Not today. I promised Az I'd come round and watch the game with him."
"I can't believe you're blowing me off for Azimio Adams and a football game," Kurt says, and he knows he sounds like a selfish jerk, but it's been over a month since he's seen Dave, because last night across a restaurant did not count.
"Yeah. I can't believe it either, but it's something I need to do," Dave says, and then he explains his reconnection with Azimio just yesterday, and how he wants Dave to talk to his gay son. Kurt decides that fate must like a sense of karma to make Azimio Adam's son gay. As much as he doesn't like it, he has to concede that his desire to spend time with Dave needs to be secondary in this case.
"So, when are you free?" Kurt asks, and he's starting to think that maybe they should have booked some time together, rather than playing it by ear, because at the rate they're going they're going to be in the same place for four days and not actually see each other. Which isn't okay.
"Not tonight. My grandparents arrived this morning and are going to want to do their whole board game competition tonight. And tomorrow I promised my sisters I'd look after their sons for the day. Fuck. What was I thinking?"
"You obviously weren't. So. Tomorrow night then? Plans?"
"No. Tomorrow night I'm free. After dinner anyway. I'll be exhausted though, and probably rambling crazy. Think you can deal with that?"
"I can definitely deal with that. I'll have you anyway I can," Kurt says, and he didn't mean for it to come out as suggestive, but once he's said it he knows it is, and Dave's spluttered cough-laugh on the other end of the line indicate he's taken it that way. "I didn't actually mean it that way, but it doesn't make it any less true."
"You know you're going to kill me this holiday period right? A guy can only handle so much sexual frustration."
"I'm sure you're taking care of anything that arises," Kurt says, and he's feeling positively lecherous now, deliberately trying to think of things he can say that can be laden with innuendo.
"I would, if I was allowed some actual time and privacy."
"Oh, you poor thing. Stuck in a houseful of people. Must be torture."
"You have no idea," Dave says, and he actually sounds like he's undergone a morning of torture. "Remind me to book a hotel next time I come back to Lima."
"Is it honestly that bad?" Kurt asks, and he's curious. It had looked like Dave was pretty happy to be with his family last night.
"It has the potential to be absolutely catastrophic. I'll tell you about it tomorrow night?"
"Tomorrow night…" Kurt agrees, although he can't believe it's going to be another day and a half before he gets to see Dave, although considering it's already been a month he supposes another thirty-six hours isn't too long. He fully expects time to drag though.
"Where shall we meet up?" Dave asks, and that's when Kurt realises the problem. He can't bring Dave back to his dad's place, and he can't go back to Dave's parents place. It's like they're teenagers all over again. That hotel room idea is starting to sound like a brilliant idea, but of course they're all booked up now, and quite frankly the last time he was with Dave was in a hotel room. He doesn't want to make hotel rooms a common theme for when they meet up; just the idea of it makes him feel wrong somehow.
"Kurt? Where shall we meet?" Dave asks again.
"Uh, no idea. Name a place, I'll find it."
"Okay. You heard of Cookies? It's a bar."
"Yeah, dad and Finn have mentioned it. Apparently the fries are something special, according to Finn anyway," Kurt says.
"They're pretty good. So, after eight tomorrow night?"
"Yeah, sounds good," Kurt agrees, but his mind is trying to figure out what exactly they can get up to now that he's realised they have nowhere to go. He's sure he'll think of something. He hopes he thinks of something, because Dave is right, a guy can only handle so much sexual frustration.
Dave parks outside Azimio's small two-bedroom house and resists the urge to bang his head on the steering wheel. He can't believe he's here when he could be with Kurt. The only thing that is stopping him driving to where ever Kurt is, is the fact he isn't one hundred per cent sure where Burt Hummel and Carol Hudson live. Well, that and the fact that Burt Hummel still kind of scares him a little bit. He could look it up, but he knows not knowing is currently helping him fight the temptation.
His libido is making hip-thrusting movements towards his compassion, which is rolling its eyes in disgust. He needs to quieten his mind, because he has to talk to another teenager, and the last thing he needs is to be distracted by thoughts of Kurt, especially while hanging out with Az, who would give him endless amounts of shit if he knew. Maybe. He's not actually sure what his reaction would be. He gets out of the car and heads up to knock on the front door which opens quickly.
"Hey man, I was wondering if you were going to sit out there all day. Trouble?" Az asks and Dave shakes his head and then shrugs and then nods. "Like that huh?"
"Definitely. Really need a break from my life right now," Dave says, and it's just his family he needs a break from, and he's hoping his time with Az will help. "Family causing you grief?"
"Yeah, not intentionally though. Just normal stuff. Which is bad enough. I gotta say, I'm really looking forward to watching this game."
"Yeah, Packers playing the Steelers, gonna be good."
"Yep, makes who root for pretty easy," Dave replies and Az's face lights up.
"AJ made me this shirt last Christmas, I've got to show you."
Dave waits while Az disappears from the room, and he wonders where AJ is. Probably at his moms and being dropped around shortly. Dave knows Az's family have their Thanksgiving dinner in the evening. He has no idea what he's going to say to a kid he's never met before, let alone with Az sitting right there, no doubt looking uncomfortable the whole time.
Az comes back into the room and he's wearing a t-shirt with 'I'm a fan of the Browns ... and any team playing the Steelers' written across it. He grins, it pretty much fits what he knows of Az's loyalties when it comes to football. Along with the rest of Ohio.
The front door opens and a tall young man enters. He's clearly AJ, even if Dave had come across him in the street he'd have recognised him as Az's son. The eyes and ears look like a copy-paste job, but AJ is taller, his nose definitely from his mother's side of the family. He's lanky and a bit un-coordinated in the way some young men are who have suddenly grown a lot in a short space of time.
"Hey dad! Hey, you're wearing the shirt I made you. Cool."
"Hey buddy, have a good morning with your mom?"
"Meh. It was alright. Who are you?" He asks Dave.
"I'm Dave. A friend of your dad's from high school," Dave offers, and he has no idea how Az wants to broach this whole subject. He's clearly not told AJ why he's here. Probably hasn't had a chance. They have about thirty minutes before the game kicks off, which should be plenty to cover everything that Dave can think of.
"Dave's gay," Azimio blurts out and Dave turns to him with a raised eyebrow.
"Smooth Az, real smooth," Dave mutters, but he chances a quick look at AJ to find him studying him curiously. "Your dad thinks you might have some questions which he can't answer, so asked me to come talk to you."
"Um…were you guys really friends in high school?" AJ asks, and Dave knows this boy is no idiot. He might know his dad will love him regardless, but for his dad to suddenly produce a gay friend? Yeah, he'd be a bit suspicious too.
"Yeah, we played football together. I live in Chicago now. My parents live here though," Dave says, offering up the information freely, and it's the second time today he's opening up to a teenager. "I wasn't out in high school."
AJ asks some more questions, and Dave answers them honestly, and ignores Az as best he can. When did you come out? Why didn't you come out in high school? What do you do now? Do you have a boyfriend? When did you first have sex? Dave curtails the questions from delving too much into his private life, but uses them to start talking about safe sex and respecting not only your own body, but that of your partner.
Az disappears from the room for a while, Dave suspects it's probably for a stiff drink, and when Az walks back in on him explaining about oil based lubricants and how they can't be used with latex based condoms he swears his old friend goes grey. He can't help but be a little amused at Az's discomfit, it's a small price to pay for the number of times Dave pretended to admire some girl's rack, or leer over a playboy magazine when they were in high school.
He winds up the conversation, hoping that he's given him enough information to make an informed and safe decision. He gives AJ his card with his number and e-mail address, telling him he can ring or e-mail if he has any further questions, or questions he doesn't want to ask in front of his dad.
AJ shrugs and gives Az a look and a smile, telling Dave there is nothing he doesn't mind his dad knowing. Dave tells him that's great, but he might change his mind in a few years, and ignores the horrified look on Az's face as he realises he might be on the receiving end of hearing about his son's first sexual encounter. Dave decides to give the poor guy a break.
"I hear the Steelers' quarterback really sucks."
Az grabs the offering like a drowning man grabs a lifesaver.
"Yeah, he's thrown more interceptions than touchdowns. They'll have to rely on their running game."
"That should give Cleveland a chance this year... if we can stay ahead of Baltimore," Dave replies, and that's it, Az is turning the TV on and talking player stats and Dave settles himself into the couch, anticipating the next three hours of distraction where he doesn't need to think about his family, or Kurt, or anything else except football.
Kurt can't help but mope for a short while when he gets off the phone to Dave. He'd been looking forward to seeing him today, and he knows he should have realised that Dave would have other plans. He's that type of guy. Self-contained. Independent. He might want Kurt, but he doesn't need him. Kurt's only just starting to realise that this is a good thing.
He sends a quick text message to Mercedes, asking if she can talk. He knows if he doesn't get a response she's too busy meeting all of Mike's family and probably quietly freaking out that she is, in fact, meeting his family. When his phone rings and vibrates in his hand he almost drops it in shock, completely unprepared for the incoming call.
"Hey, happy Thanksgiving," he says, and he settles himself back onto the window seat.
"Yeah, happy Thanksgiving. You know what I'm thankful for right now? You. You've just saved me from another three hours of football. I've already watched one game. That's pretty much my quota, and that's generally only if Mike is actually playing, because I like watching him run around and get all hot and sweaty…"
"I'm going to assume you aren't with the family right now," Kurt says, amused at her almost frantic conversation pace.
"Of course not, they're all watching the game. I'm in Mike's room. Or Duncan's. Whatever. Because you know something else? Mike's name isn't actually Mike, it's Duncan. I kept on wondering who his mom was talking to. She's the only one that calls him Duncan. Should I feel bad that I didn't know his real name?"
"Uh…" Kurt starts.
"It doesn't change who he is of course, but I just felt a bit weird that I didn't know that about him. You want to know why he goes by Mike?"
There's a brief pause, and Kurt wonders if the question is rhetorical or whether she is actually waiting for him to answer.
"He used to be teased in high school, because he was overweight. Got called Duncan Donuts. Erg, man kids can be mean. Even his dad calls him Mike now, well, Michael, but still."
"Do you're getting on with the family okay then? No evil mother-in-law?" Kurt asks quickly when she takes a breath.
"Oh, they're all lovely. I like them. They seem to like me as well. But seriously, I should have known that any family that has welcomed Harry's level of craziness with open arms wouldn't have too many issues with me. I mean, I'm pretty normal. Aren't I?"
Kurt assures her of her normalness with a few well-placed ah ha's and hmms. Mercedes keeps on talking, detailing all of Mike's family in depth, which Kurt isn't really interested in, but listens and pays attention anyway. Mercedes is talking about Mike's Scottish grandmother, complaining that she can't understand a word the woman says to her, and she's not sure whether it's the accent, or the amount of alcohol she's been drinking.
"Anyway, Harry was melting marsh mallows in the microwave and spreading it on his turkey. Everyone else just nodded as if that was normal behaviour."
"Probably is for him," Kurt replies, and he's grinning. He likes the sound of Mike's family, they sound crazy. Which will fit Mercedes, because she likes a certain level of drama in her life, otherwise he's sure she would have stopped being his friend years ago.
TBC...
