Once home, Kurt realized he wasn't the only one feeling a little love-giddy thanks to the last few days. There was something uncomfortably close to jealousy when Kurt realized how chummy Burt, Carole and Finn had grown. For the first time, Kurt didn't feel needed. It was both freeing and troublesome, Kurt not quite able to decide which feeling would win out. He was happy for his father, really, he had hoped for this ever since he saw the way his father's face lit up when he said Carole's name. But there was a significant part of Kurt that mourned the end of just Burt and Kurt, they had relied on each other, only each other, for so long, and now that just wasn't the case.
"You're quiet again tonight Kurt," Burt said at dinner the second day, "you've barely told us anything about your stay with that mysterious, charitable gentleman."
"Oh yes, anyone we might know?" Carole inquired.
"Erm, no I don't think so, I got the impression he was more of a loner," Kurt said feeling the tips of his ears grow red as he lied.
"Well we're certainly very thankful he was willing to help you then." Carole said politely.
"Yes, he's um, very interested in charity work, in fact he had a project he asked me to bring up with you Dad, about that land you own near Nottingham."
"No business now, after dinner," Burt said waving the topic away with his fork.
"Hey, what if your charitable gentleman was actually that scoundrel that keeps stealing from people in Nottingham, now that would be something, that Robert Hood or whatever," Finn said offhandedly. Kurt nearly choked on his peas, Puck subtly thwacking him on the back as he re-filled his wine glass to get Kurt to stop coughing.
"Finn, honestly, the things you say sometimes," Carole said trying to brush over Finn's awkward manners, Kurt felt a tug of admiration for the woman, it was a miracle she could put up with that airhead of a son of hers, though maybe not quite such an airhead after all Kurt corrected himself. Then Finn grew ridiculously fascinated with a knot in the hardwood table and Kurt dismissed Finn'a momentary insight as sheer luck. But that didn't mean Kurt didn't keep glancing at Finn through the rest of dinner, wondering how he managed to come so close to the truth and if Kurt should be worrying about anyone else discovering his secret.
Kurt followed his father into the great room while Carole and Finn headed to their rooms, suddenly wishing he had thought out better what he was going to say.
"So what's this about our land near Nottingham? You know, its been in our family for hundreds of years."
"Yeah I know. Who's running it now, its being used as a farm I understand."
"The Lopez family, they have a whole system of farms over there, they have quite a business going with tenant farmers." The Lopez family again, that couldn't possibly be good.
"Wait you know the Lopez family?"
"Not well, but I've met Mr. Lopez on a few occasions, charming daughter if I remember right."
"You see the thing is," Kurt started clearing his throat awkwardly, "the people of Nottingham, they're living in terrible poverty, if they could use that land for themselves, for growing their own crops, it might help make things easier for them."
Burt leaned back in his chair, Kurt could tell from the way his brows had furrowed together that he was deep in thought. "Lopez and I never did agree on a contract, I could easily get out of it for next season. I don't know if we can do without the income though."
Kurt brightened a little, that was still better than an outright no.
"What's brought this on Kurt? I've never heard you worry about the poor before."
"No, well, I never realized what things were like, before."
Kurt felt Burt looking at him questionably and decided to dismiss himself before he revealed anything he shouldn't, anything he couldn't.
"Goodnight Dad."
"Night Son." Kurt heard as he headed to bed, a feeling of guilt twinging in his stomach, he hated having to lie to his dad.
Kurt woke early the next morning, his sleep disrupted by thoughts of Blaine. For a second, in the space just before waking Kurt had thought Blaine was there with him, disarmingly domestic. The thought clinging to Kurt even as he returned to full consciousness, letting his sleepy mind drift to what it would be like to wake up every morning next to him, becoming more and more familiar as the years passed, until he knew Blaine better than he knew himself. He let the fantasy take root, knowing it was silly, knowing he could never have that life, not with Blaine.
Kurt finally got up once Puck came in to tidy up. Lingering at his window, his throat tightening as he looked out towards the forest, marveling at how he had come so completely undone in a few days, he didn't know what to do with himself.
"Have you ever been in love Puck?" Almost not realizing he had spoken out loud until Puck actually answered him.
"I've made love to plenty of women Mr. Hummel." Puck answered with a grin. Kurt groaned, he really should have known better than to ask Puck a serious question. "Can't say for certain if I ever loved any of them. I do rather pride myself on my ability to recognize the symptoms, and you my friend have got it bad. Kurt Hummel running around with a rogue, who would have thought?"
Kurt blanched, making a conscious effort to close his mouth as he stared at Puck in shock, "how-"
"Don't worry, your secret's safe with me. But really, you could work on your subtlety, you turn red every time you mention your 'charitable gentleman' then you gave Finn a look like he had just announced the second coming of Christ when he mentioned Robin Hood," Puck said smiling liberally, probably in part because of Kurt's shocked expression.
"I-" Kurt's brain was working over time "you really won't say anything?"
"What would I say? Just be careful, I don't want to see you get hurt."
Kurt nodded, mind still reeling.
"Thanks Puck. Sometimes I think I under-value you."
"How about making it up to me by giving me a few weeks off while your father is at the Hudsons"
"What?"
Puck backpedaled with his hands up, "ok, ok, sorry, just a thought."
But Kurt was already throwing his clothes on, pulling his shirt down as he rushed down the hall into the great room.
"Dad," he said breathlessly, as he all but slid into the dining room from the inertia of jogging down the hall. Seeing Carole and Finn at the table with his father, Kurt tried to regain some semblance of composure, painfully aware that he hadn't so much as run his fingers through his hair, "morning, everyone," Kurt said calmly.
"Kurt." His father said uncertainly.
Kurt helped himself to breakfast trying to start off the conversation casually as he took a seat, "so whats this I hear about you visiting at the Hudson's for a few weeks."
"Well Carole was kind enough to invite us. I was, um, going to talk to you about this later,"
"Oh ok." Kurt said lamely picking at his food. The rest of breakfast passed awkwardly, Carole and Finn excusing themselves rather quickly leaving Burt and Kurt alone.
"You're angry." Burt observed.
"I'm not angry, I'm just not used to hearing news from Puck,"
"Right, so you hate the idea of staying home alone while I travel and stay with them for a few weeks."
"What? No! I think its a great idea, I would love for you to do that, really, I hate it that you never get out to visit people. It's just that I worry about your health."
"I'm feeling fine Kurt."
"You're week, you're supposed to be taking things easy."
"I'll be careful, I promise."
Kurt smiled at his dad, he always did his best not to make Kurt worry but he couldn't help it, it was his responsibility to worry. "Then I suppose I promise to make sure the estate doesn't fall to pieces while you're gone." Kurt said, hoping he wouldn't regret agreeing to this so quickly.
Burt clapped him in the shoulder. "I don't tell you enough, how I proud I am to see the young man you've become."
"Thanks Dad," Kurt said, still beaming as his father left the dining room. Wondering if his father would say the same thing if he knew he'd been lying through his teeth ever since he got back, that he was running around stealing things with a wanted criminal, that he had enjoyed it even, that he planned on doing it again, that the smile on his face was as much thanks to the extra time he'd have with Blaine as it was for his father's happiness.
If possible, the inhabitants of the Hummel estate were in an even better mood once the prospect of Burt traveling home with the Hudson's had been confirmed. Kurt only wished his father would stop making hints that he felt bad about Kurt staying home to manage the estate, it really wasn't a problem, in fact Kurt was thankful he didn't have to try to come up with an excuse for not spending prolonged periods of time with Finn the witless wonder. Ok so he wasn't that bad, but he certainly wasn't great company.
By the time the third day finally rolled around Kurt was all but cursing himself for convincing Blaine to give him so much time at home. Puck mentioned that he could use a little help mending the fence and Kurt agreed, figuring it was the best way to spot Blaine without him having to get too close to the house, inwardly groaning when he thought about what Blaine would say about him working on the fence yet again.
He'd covered his planned absence by saying he wanted to go on a multi-day hunting trip, hoping that his sudden interest in camping was believable. Before following Puck out to the meadow he grabbed the sack he had packed and said goodbye to his dad, saying he was heading out after he gave Puck a hand. His father gave him a slightly quizzical look, like he knew something wasn't quite right, but then Carole came back in the room and he waved Kurt off with a smile.
Kurt almost cricked his neck when his eyes swept over him the first time, perched in the Y of an oversize tree branch, done up the way Kurt had first seen him, mud streaked over his arms and face and up into his hair, tangled with leaves.
Kurt vaulted the fence jogging towards him before he had made a conscious decision to, watching Blaine disappear from the tree branch as he jumped to the ground.
"Blaine." Kurt murmured when he came into view, he had steadied himself in a hurry, leaning against the tree, his arms crossed, one foot over the other, like he'd been standing all day waiting like this. Kurt launched himself at him, not really anticipating where his limbs were going to go. They ended up around Blaine's neck, Blaine's hands wrapping around his waist. Kurt dropped his hands to squeeze around Blaine's shoulders in a tight hug, feeling Blaine relax into the hug, sighing happily into Kurt's shoulder.
"Hey stranger," Kurt said, pulling back enough to pull a leaf from Blaine's hair, twirling it between his fingers in front of Blaine's face, arching his brow in question.
"Camaflouge, very important." Blaine said with a smile, snapping the leaf from Kurt's fingers and twisting it back into his hair.
"Or someone likes to play dress up," Kurt said examining the web of branches above him.
"Did you say something Hummel?" Blaine teased.
"Nothing," Kurt said, letting his hand trace over Blaine's mud streaked bicep, "just that we'll have to get you cleaned up soon," he added, trying to look at Blaine alluringly through his eyelashes, which didn't really work given his height advantage. Never the less, Blaine's eyes widened a little, his mouth drifting open just a bit. "Because I can't take you seriously when you look like a forest elf," Kurt said dissolving into giggles. Laughing all the harder at Blaine's tight lipped attempt to suppress his own laughter, chuckling along with Kurt when he couldn't hold it in any longer.
Ten minutes later Kurt and Blaine were on their way back to camp, Kurt having gathered his sack and crossbow and waved a quick goodbye at Puck, disappearing before giving Puck the chance to get in a smart comment.
They made their way slowly, pausing to enjoy the little pockets of beauty the forest had to offer if you were willing to look for it. Blaine pointing out the path for Kurt as they went, helping him remember the landmarks that would be the fastest, easiest route between the Hummel estate and the camp.
"And this tree here..."
"I remember, its the tree where you wanted to blindfold me, the camp is right down there. But right now, I think we should get you to that creek."
"Be serious for a second, you think you can get here alright?"
"Yes," Kurt said assuredly, "have a little faith will you."
"I would never doubt you. I just," Blaine said fiddling with his bow, "I hate the idea of not being able to find you, I wouldn't want you to feel that way."
"I have a feeling, that we'll always find each other," Kurt said with a hopeful smile that softened Blaine's features, Kurt's heart melting into a gooey mess at the way Blaine looked at him, like he was the only person he ever wanted to look at. It tugged the corner of Kurt's mouth up a little higher his head tilting a little to the side before they both started walking at the same time.
AN: Thanks for reading/reviewing! Merry Christmas/festive holiday of choice!
Coming soon: Blaine's been hiding something and Kurt finds out what it is.