A/N: Thank you for all the reviews. This part's a little short since it's Jeremiah and he's not as well known in canon as the others. Next part will be longer as it's Blaine.
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Most days Kurt didn't know what he'd do if Jeremiah wasn't around. Out of all his boys, Kurt knew Jeremiah was the most likely to leave one day and when that day came, he would have to find some way to deal with it. Jeremiah, maybe because he was a few years older than the rest of them, was the most independent and didn't spend a lot of time inside the main house if he wasn't needed or requested. And Kurt allowed him the privacy for the most part, as long as he kept up with his chores.
Jeremiah still had rules, just like the others, rules that had changed over the months depending on needs, such as when Jeremiah had gotten a job in the city that lasted for two weeks. He'd hated the late nights and Kurt could never sleep until he knew Jeremiah was home safe. But Kurt hadn't said a word and had let Jeremiah figure out that the job wasn't for him.
Jeremiah was the only one brought into the house for the purpose of helping Kurt. He hadn't thought about Jeremiah in years, not after the horrible serenade attempt at The Gap failed so epically, so when he was searching for someone to help him with his boys, someone who could be discreet because of his public status and the boys' problems, he'd been shocked to have Jeremiah recommended to him. And even more shocked when Jeremiah had easily agreed to move in and held no hard feelings toward him or Blaine. They'd agreed on a trial basis to see how the boys reacted to him but Kurt had known within the week that Jeremiah would stay. He had been understanding and patient with Finn, firm but compassionate with Puck, and easy-going and accepting of Blaine. Things each boy needed from whoever Kurt chose to help him. And Jeremiah's reports were always fair and honest, he never tried to hide something one of the boys did from Kurt even though he knew the boy would be punished.
It really helped Kurt knowing that there was someone he could trust at home when he had to be at work. Discretion was the hardest quality to find. Plenty of the people he'd interviewed had told him they could keep a secret but were soon telling people they knew about their job interview with Kurt Hummel, even though Kurt had strictly ordered them not to say a word as a way to test them. It was probably bordering on illegal but he'd had each applicant followed to see if they could be trusted and until Jeremiah, none had met his standard. He couldn't trust his boys to just anyone and he couldn't have the public finding out about their unorthodox relationship. He'd lose everything he worked so hard for but that didn't matter to him. He cared about the effect it would have on his boys. So when Jeremiah passed all his tests, Kurt was ecstatic.
He didn't know at the time, but Jeremiah was broken in his own ways, just like his other boys, jumping in and out of relationships faster than Mr Schuester had back in high school, looking for something but never finding it, and losing a little more of himself after each break-up. He needed some stability and boundaries without feeling smothering and Kurt knew he could provide that for him.
"Jeremiah," he said from the doorway of the bedroom Jeremiah where Jeremiah kept some clothes. The boy turned to face him and Kurt smiled to let him know he wasn't in any trouble. "I know it's still early but if it keeps raining, I want you to stay here tonight. I don't want you running across the yard in the rain and the weather said it's supposed to thunder and lightning out tonight."
"Sure," Jeremiah replied. He was the only one who could get away with addressing Kurt so casually, almost as an equal. Even Finn gave Kurt the respect that a boy should give, but Jeremiah was older and the most independent. Kurt allowed him to continue acting like they were almost equals but the second the boy stepped out of line, he'd be punished just like any of the others. So far Jeremiah had been the model of good behaviour.
If Jeremiah knew that Kurt thought of him as one of his boys, Kurt was sure he'd argue that he was a grown man who didn't need anyone taking care of him. Kurt knew he was wrong. Jeremiah needed it just as much as the others, he just wasn't as willing to accept it and that led to Kurt finding little ways to still give the boy what he needed without Jeremiah realizing it. The oldest boy was the hardest one for Kurt to get through and break down his walls, he was still working on those, but he wouldn't give up until Jeremiah knew that he belonged to Kurt just as much as Blaine, Finn, Puck, and Sam.