Burt was waiting for Kurt when he and Sam arrived at home after school. They'd skipped Glee practice, of course, and they'd left immediately after the last class period. Kurt didn't feel like facing anybody else in the club anyway. Except maybe Britt and Santana.
It was funny. A few weeks ago, Kurt would tell anybody who asked that the two girls he would need the most at this time in his life would have been Mercedes Jones and Rachel Berry. Now, Mercedes was like a stranger to him, and he couldn't even think about talking to Rachel about this because of her relationship with Finn.
Kurt threw his bag down and crawled onto the couch. Sam sat at his feet and pulled them onto his lap.
Kurt had never felt so exhausted in his life.
"Kurt," Burt called from the kitchen. "Is that you?"
"Yes, Dad." Kurt sighed and closed his eyes. "Do you want to go out for dinner later, Sam? I don't think I can do family dinner tonight. I'm buying." Kurt knew Sam still struggled with money since his parents were still living in Kentucky.
"Sure. You don't have to pay though."
"Yes, I do. Consider yourself my own private detective after today, so I owe you a dinner at least."
"You could pay me in sex, you know." Sam laughed, rubbing his hand up Kurt's leg in a dorky attempt at seduction. Lucky for him, Kurt loved dorks.
Kurt snorted. "Charming. You're lucky I love you."
"I know."
"Kurt, we need to talk, and I have a feeling that Sam should be in on it. Mr. Schuester called me earlier today," Burt called out.
Great.
Kurt got up and pulled Sam with him towards the kitchen. Burt was seated at the morning table, coffee in hand, and he gestured for them both to sit.
"Dad. Before you start. I have no intention of telling you details about today. What happened between Finn and me today was life-changing for me. And it explains so much of what's wrong with how Finn and I interact with each other. But there are some lines I won't cross. I told him I wouldn't tell you and Carole what he's done, and I won't. No matter what you say to me right now." Kurt sat down and folded his hands in front of him.
"Nice speech. You been working on that one all the way home?"
Kurt snorted and ignored that question.
"Actually, Mr. Schuester had some interesting things to say about Finn. It seems that after you and Sam left the auditorium, some of the members of Glee let Mr. Shue know about some of Finn's behaviors. He mentioned Santana, Mercedes, and even Rachel."
Mercedes backed him up? What the hell for? She'd already abandoned his friendship, so what was in it for her now? Was there a chance that she'd admitted that she'd been wrong?
"What did they say?"
"First of all, do you mind telling me why you kept it a secret that Finn compared you to a rapist?" Burt narrowed his eyes at Kurt.
"You want the whole truth?" Kurt waited for Burt's nod of assent before he continued. "Well, at the time, you were still recovering from the heart attack and I didn't want to worry you. But during the same conversation, I didn't bring it up because you'd already sided with Finn."
"What do you mean I sided with Finn?" His father looked honestly confused.
"You remember that conversation we had over me wanting to sing with Sam? Well, those things that Carole told you. They weren't a hundred percent true. Finn manipulated both of you into believing that. And when you said you agreed with Finn that I was using Sam, I didn't fight you over it because I was worried about your health."
"Okay, fair enough. I'm sorry for that. I should have listened to you more. Now you tell me exactly what happened with Finn."
"Dad, that story would take at least two days. It goes all the way back to when I had a crush on him."
"Okay, summarize. I already know most of what was said today. And for the record, Finn admitted to it all after you left, and he requested to go talk to Ms. Pillsbury about it."
"Okay. To summarize my crush," Kurt began ticking points off on his fingers. "Sadly, I looked longingly at him during classes. I sang a song to him. I did flirt, what little bit I knew about flirting at the time. I helped him with his relationships with both Rachel and Quinn. In a fit of jealousy, I helped Rachel with a makeover that he would be sure to hate—but in my defense, she came to me for that. I didn't go to her. I forgave him for continuing to participate in my bullying even though he knew I had a crush on him. I made the 'call me' gesture with my hand when Glee sang Lean on Me. I smacked him on the butt during Glee's performance of Push It, but that was totally in the choreography. Other members got smacked on the butt, too. The only other thing I can think of was when I attempted to help him remove his eye make-up with a moist towelette. I may have missed some, but I don't think so."
Sam was staring at him in amusement.
"What? I've been obsessed with my behavior for almost two years now. I can't help it if I memorized it." He turned back to his father. "The only thing that I did that might be considered creepy stalker-like behavior is that I introduced you to Carole. At the time, I knew she was very nice, but I didn't actually expect you to fall in love. And I'm not going to apologize for doing that."
Burt smiled. "Good."
"The only other stuff is what you walked in on in the basement. When I redecorated the room. I even asked him to go over the ideas with me, and he wouldn't. He said he didn't care. So I went with colors he liked, and he still went off like he did."
"So that's it? That's the extent of your crush?" Burt looked stunned.
"Yes, dad. No inappropriate touching. No graphic sexual innuendo. No dressing like a hooker and parading in front of Finn. Such is the life of a hopeless prude." Kurt darted his eyes at Sam when he snorted. "You hush."
"Finn made it sound worse to Carole."
"He often does," Kurt sighed.
"And for that, he compared you to a rapist?"
"Yes, he said that if he had done to a girl the same things I'd done, there would have been a restraining order taken out. He added that I didn't understand that the word no means no. And honestly Dad, Finn never once told me to stop liking him. He never said he was uncomfortable until that night in the basement. He actually used to seek me out at school. And he used this argument to get me to leave Sam alone."
"Which I never wanted in the first place, by the way, Mr. Hummel. In fact, Finn came to me and gave me a hard time about agreeing to sing with Kurt. He told me that singing would Kurt would be a death sentence for me because even though he didn't have a problem with gay guys, the world did. Of course, what he said to me was nowhere as bad as what he said to Kurt." Sam's eyes darkened with anger.
"Apparently. Mr. Shue said that he confessed that he'd been trying to keep guys from being interested in you. But not because he was being a protective big brother. In a weirder way."
"Yes, but it's not a creepy incest thing, Dad. It's borderline though. It's a subtle manipulation that I wasn't even aware of until today. He wants my attention, but not in a sexual way. But he does want me to love him the way I used to sophomore year. He just doesn't want to love me back that way. He can't because he's straight. But he'd rather I be without a boyfriend, so I can pay him lots of attention, than for me to be happy and with somebody. He's only ever gone after guys I've been attracted to. He drove Sam and me apart last year, and when Blaine transferred, he started in on him. He wants to have his relationships with Quinn and Rachel, but he wants me there because I'm nicer to him than they are. He has to be at the center of someone else's life, and if it isn't one of the girls, he wants it to be my life that revolves around him."
"That's surreal. I don't even know what to say about it."
"And when he bullies, it's psychological. Sam was the person who figured it out. Finn was bullying me into not dating Sam today. He was calling me an embarrassment to myself and to Sam, and then Sam figured out that Finn's jealous. Not because he wants to be with me, but because he wants me to want him."
"Finn called you an embarrassment?" Burt's eyes flashed with anger.
"Dad, that's not even the worst he's ever said to me. I've just always kept it from you for the sake of you and Carole. But the point is that Sam called him out on it, and he didn't deny any of it. He admitted that he'd rather I be miserable but dependent on him than to be happy with someone else. His jealousy just isn't normal."
"He needs counseling, Mr. Hummel. More than what Ms. Pillsbury can provide," Sam said.
"I agree. And I'll talk to Carole about it. She knows that we got a call, but she doesn't know details. Is there anything you don't want her to know?" Burt looked back at Kurt.
"Could you not tell her that I told Finn she'd be ashamed of him? I was so angry at him, I lashed out."
"I won't tell her, but I think you're right about that."
"Dad, I think I may need it too. I've spent almost two years convinced that there was something wrong with me because of him. He's the reason I hate for people to touch me. He has always made me feel so bad about myself, so guilty, and so wrong, and it was all unjustified. He did it all just to keep me there to make him feel better. I have so many hang-ups that involve comments he's made to me that I can't even begin to explain them all."
"Okay, will do. And we'll make it a different one than he gets. So no awkwardness."
Kurt got up and pulled his father into an embrace. "I'm sorry I never told you."
"I'm sorry you had to go through all that," Burt's eyes were watering when he pulled away.
"Can Sam and I go upstairs if we keep the door open? And I'd like to take him out to dinner tonight. I'd rather not do family dinner if that's okay with you."
"Of course. That's understandable. It'll give Carole and me an opportunity to talk to Finn."
Burt turned to Sam and pointed. "You."
"Yes, Mr. Hummel?"
"You're the one who went after that Dave kid right? The one that fought him for Kurt?" Burt gestured to him with the coffee cup in his hand.
"Yes, sir." Sam smiled.
"And you're the one who taught Anderson to keep his hands off my son?" He took a sip. "Wish I could have done that myself."
"Yes, sir."
"And you called Finn out today on his bullshit."
"Yes, sir," Sam was grinning now.
"Okay, you I like. So far. Don't screw it up." And he left the kitchen without another word.
Wow.
"Sam, you are home free baby. He's never liked someone that quickly." Kurt grinned and pulled Sam back towards him. Sam fell into Kurt and kissed him.
"Don't get me in trouble already," he warned against Kurt's mouth.
"So I guess I won't tell him that you asked me to pay you with sex?" Kurt laughed when Sam's face paled.
xoxoxoxoxoxoxox
It didn't take long for the members of New Directions to find out Kurt and Sam were at Breadstix.
Kurt and Sam had started out at a table for two, but with the arrival of each new member of the group, they'd been forced to move to a larger table.
"So much for it being a date," Sam whispered at him.
"Kurt, it was unreal. After you two left, he just broke down. He kept muttering that you were right. It was like he was having a nervous breakdown," Puck marveled at Finn's behavior. "He got removed from Glee Club by Figgins at our request, because Mr. Shue refused to kick him out. So Coach Sylvester actually suggested that we have a council like the Warblers do. He's considering letting us, too."
Wow. That would be nice.
With a council, there wouldn't be any favoritism. Now, that was a Glee Club he could enjoy. Unfortunately, now he'd quit. He'd consider going back only if those changes actually took place.
"I don't really want to talk about this, guys. I've let Finn have too much control over my life as it is. That's over. I'd rather not discuss it."
Rachel wasn't there. She texted Kurt that Finn had asked her to be with him when Burt and Carole talked to Finn, so he'd texted back that he understood.
Britt and Santana had come, and they were sharing a plate of spaghetti and were lost in conversation with each other. They really were adorable together.
Britt had bent over and whispered "We quit, too" in Kurt's ear before the girls sat down to eat. Kurt was touched that she and Santana had done that for him. "And you are coming back to the Cheerios. Coach has a spot for you, she said."
"Really?" That wasn't totally unexpected. Sue Sylvester had a soft spot for him, and she'd do as much as she could to help him. Eventually, she'd torture him and make him wish he'd never rejoined, but she did that to all her Cheerios. It was her form of tough love. "I'll think about it."
Tina and Mike had hugged Kurt, but they'd gotten a smaller table off to the side where they could be alone. Artie and Puck were bonding over something having to do with community service jobs, but Quinn was noticeably absent. She could hold a grudge for a while, it seemed.
Even Blaine was there, but he was definitely not texting, which was unusual. It was unusual and weird that he was even here at all, actually. Kurt would have assumed he'd be with Sebastian.
Kurt glanced at Blaine, and then he turned back to meet Sam's gaze, and the blonde nodded his head gently. Kurt wouldn't attempt to talk to Blaine if it made Sam uncomfortable in any way. They would have a long way to go before Kurt could ever consider Blaine a good friend again, but it wouldn't hurt to try. They'd go their separate ways after this school year anyway, since Blaine was still a junior and Kurt would be off at Kent State.
"Blaine. You okay?" Kurt offered him a basket of breadsticks.
"Yeah. I'm sorry about your eye, Kurt. I really didn't mean to do that."
"I know. I shouldn't have called Sebastian that. It was rude. I knew how you felt about him, and I did it on purpose."
"Yeah, well you were right." Blaine sat back in irritation.
"What do you mean?" Sam asked him.
"He IS a whore. That afternoon, after I left Kurt's house, I went straight to Dalton to see him. I walked into his dorm and found him with his cock in Blake Hanson's mouth. And Hanson isn't even a Warbler." Blaine threw his napkin down on the table.
As if the boy not being a Warbler made it worse somehow.
Still. Ouch. "The same day?" Kurt winced.
"Yes." Blaine held up his soda to take a drink.
Puck slung his arm around Blaine's shoulders and grinned at Kurt. "Well you see, Hobbit. The problem is that you picked a Douchebag instead of a Bad-ass."
Blaine choked on his soda. Literally choked, and the entire table erupted in laughter.
"I so knew that was coming," Kurt pointed at Blaine. "How did you not see that coming Hobbit? He's been making eyes at you for months."
Blaine's head shot up and he looked straight at Puck. "You have? But aren't you straight?"
"Puckzilla is what I refer to as everybody-sexual. And Puckzilla cannot be tamed." Puck shrugged but relaxed his arm across Blaine's shoulders.
"You are a match made in heaven. Puck, he seriously needs some fight club instruction. He couldn't even knock me down," Kurt mocked gently.
Blaine stuck out his tongue at Kurt. "You aren't even supposed to talk about it, you know."
"See what I mean, Puck? Total amateur. He isn't even intimidating."
Puck wasn't listening because he appeared to be distracted by Blaine's tongue.
Kurt shook his head and just looked away. There was no hope for either of them.
Kurt and Blaine really were just better off being friends. The easy way they'd drifted back into teasing showed that maybe it wouldn't take as long to get Blaine back to himself. There was no sign of angry Blaine tonight. Kurt had an idea that maybe angry Blaine was a product of douchey Sebastian. Or maybe Angry Kurt had frightened him away earlier today, Kurt thought with a snort.
Kurt felt Sam's hand on his leg, and his eyes traveled over Sam's face. "I love you," Sam mouthed to him.
"I love you, too" he repeated silently.
Mercedes arrived without the infamous Shane in tow, and she headed straight over to their table. She smiled but didn't ask to sit with them. "Kurt?"
"Yes?"
"Can we talk? Sam too if you want."
"Mercedes, I'm done with secrets. If there is something you want to say, you can do it here."
"While we were in the auditorium today, I realized something. I realized that I'm not much better than Finn. I've tried to bully you, too. I've withheld my friendship with you over stupid things like who you are in a relationship with, and I've done it your lack of religion, and I'm sure a lot of other reasons too. And I've been such a bitch to you and Sam recently. I think I just let Shane's popularity get to me. And I'm sorry. And Sam, I'm sorry about the other day. In the classroom. That was uncalled for. Kurt was right about what he said that night at the sleepover. I was being petty. But I was angry over being called out for being petty. So in return, I did something else that was also petty. Vicious circle kind of thing."
"Yes, it was," Kurt answered for him. "But you'll be happy to know, you were actually the driving force behind Sam and I getting back together."
Kurt got up and hugged her. "This is a start. And I'm sorry for being so vicious when I called you out. I probably could have been a bit nicer about it."
"But I was insulting your man," she laughed.
"She was?" Sam perked up.
"Yes, now scoot over here closer, my man, and let her sit down," Kurt smiled and pulled Sam's chair closer to him.
"If I do, does that mean I'm forgiven and no public humiliation will be necessary?" Sam asked.
"After what you said about me loving you today, you are forgiven for whatever you do in the next five years.
"Sweet!" Sam brought his fist down in celebration.
"But there may still be need for humiliation," Kurt interrupted his display.
"Why humiliation?" Mercedes asked, and Sam groaned.
"Because he hasn't spent nearly as much time wooing me as he did wooing you. So therefore, he must pay."
"That makes a strange kind of sense, Sam."
"Thanks. Thanks so much."
xoxoxoxoxoxox
A/N
I fought with myself over allowing Kurt to forgive Blaine and Mercedes so quickly, but based on Kurt's canon behaviors, I think he probably would forgive them like this. He'd at least give Mercedes a chance to prove herself since they'd been friends for so long.
I'd like to think Kurt and Blaine would do the guy thing of bonding after a fight, so that's why I had Kurt forgive him so quickly. He's so into the Hummel School of Take a Fucking Punch, he'd adore mocking Blaine for that.
Scroll up and read "Yes, now scoot over here closer, my man, and let her sit down" again in your head.
Now, picture Kurt during the Glee tour when he asked Brittany "Are you flirting with my man?" That's how I heard this as I typed it. lol