A/N: Oh my god, it's been exactly a month since I updated, and I am so sorry about that. Lots of stuff got in the way – including breaking my laptop, which has all of my writing on it, so now I'm working off an old computer until mine is fixed and rewriting what I can so I don't keep anyone waiting any longer. So here is Chapter 14 (and I promise, Chapter 15 is about halfway done right now, so it should definitely not be another month before I update again). Also, coming up in the near future: on my currently broken laptop, there is a long-ass (like 10-15 pages – I never write one-shots that long) finished one-shot companion story to this, set in the college years during the semester before Kurt and Blaine break up, centered loosely around Dolly Parton's "Jolene." So keep an eye out – that will get published as soon as I have my laptop back. Until then, enjoy!
The ride home was a blur. Leaving the choir room and telling him it was too late was one thing, and maybe Rachel could have been right about him wanting to be pursued – but flying off to New York? He wanted to be as far away from Kurt as possible, because it really was over.
Kurt rushed past his family in the living room when he got home, hoping that his brother and sister-in-law would take the hint that they'd done enough damage for one day and leave him the hell alone. He sprinted upstairs, about to reach his room when he stopped. Heavy footsteps were following him, and Kurt sighed before whipping around, ready to berate Finn with a stinging retort. "Dad," he breathed, a little relieved and a little terrified. "What's up?"
"Can we talk, Kurt?" Burt asked, nodding toward his son's door.
"Sure." He ushered them into the pristine room, sitting on his bed while his father grabbed the chair from the vanity and pulled it closer.
Burt took his hat off, playing with it for a moment before he spoke. "I've tried to stay out of your business. It's not because I don't care – but you're a man now, Kurt, and I didn't want to overstep. You needed your space. I get that. I didn't stop loving you."
"I know, Dad."
Burt just nodded, but he looked relieved. He paused, looking down at his hands before bringing his gaze back to his son with a sad little grin. "Remember that week – when was it, your sophomore year? You were sixteen, I know – when I came downstairs to find you messing around with that cheerleader? Brittany, right?"
Kurt winced. He definitely remembered that week – the Mellencamp, the making out, the flannel. "Yeah. It was a dark day for fashion."
Burt laughed, running his hand across his forehead as his expression changed. "You tried so damn hard, poor kid. You wanted me to see you trying, see your macho side. But it was hard for me to notice. All I saw was how miserable you were." Burt had dropped the hat and was now looking straight into his son's eyes. "You were so busy trying to cover up who you were that you couldn't even pretend to be happy. And you know what, Kurt? You've been that way for eight years now."
"I know who I am, Dad," Kurt said, immediately defensive.
"Yeah. You do. But Kurt, you're still hiding so much. You're trying so hard to be independent, to prove that you don't need a man that it's obvious you're denying yourself happiness, just like when you were sixteen. Blaine is a part of you, Kurt. You've spent all these years trying not to need him – but you do."
He was fighting hard against the tears that were trying to escape. "He doesn't want me anymore, Dad." He cursed himself for the crack in his voice. "He went to New York to get away from me."
Burt chuckled. "For such a smart kid, you can be pretty dense, Kurt. You know Blaine better than that – that's how he deals with this stuff, by not dealing. Doesn't mean he doesn't want you to go after him. He's scared. He doesn't know if he can trust you. Show him he can." Burt shook his head, smiling. "You've always known what you wanted, Kurt, since you were a kid. Why are you pretending you don't know now? You've wanted to go after him since that Christmas you left him, and now that you've finally figured it out you can't back out because of your pride." He took his son's hand between his, squeezing it gently. "Love like that doesn't come around too often. I got lucky. After your mom, I didn't think I'd ever be able to love again, until you introduced me to Carole in some misguided plot to hook up with your brother."
Kurt cracked a smile, letting himself laugh for what seemed like the first time in ages. "You're making it sound worse than it was. He wasn't my brother then."
"Whatever." Burt smiled. "Point is, Kurt, you're in love with Blaine, and he's in love with you. You're better together. Why not go for it?" He stood up, rubbing his son's shoulder bracingly, and headed towards the door.
"Thanks, Dad," Kurt said, the smile lingering. "Love you."
Burt turned around, his hand on the door. "Love you too." He paused, giving his son that same sad smile. "It's okay to want to be happy, Kurt."