Beta Reader: pussycatadamah
Disclaimer: I do not own Glee, nor the characters from the series and I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

21. Father and Son

"Hold your horses Mr. Stranger!"

Kurt looked up and noticed his father, just coming around the corner. He halted.

"Dad!" he exclaimed with genuine happiness.

"So, you remember your old man's face still?" The older Hummel said, his voice holding a touch of complaint in it, enough to make Kurt blush.

The teen walked up to Burt and hugged his father tightly. Burt hugged back.

"I missed you, buddy," he told the teen. "Feels like we haven't talked in ages."

Kurt pulled back. "I know. I missed you too," he told his father. "I've been so busy what with Glee practice and the musical and everything." And a number of other things, like his love life and his love troubles. Kurt had been busy on that front lately.

Burt nodded. "I know. So, I told Carole that the two of us wouldn't be home for dinner today," he said.

"Dad..." the teen warned.

"I know, we won't be going to a junk food place and not at 'Breadstix' either. I want us to be able to talk, remember? Not run into half your Glee Club."

Kurt smiled. "Let me leave my book bag downstairs and I'll be right back."

The place Burt drove them had Kurt Hummel's stamp of approval because it had good quality food and a range of organic salads that were also tasty. Along the way his father admitted than when he and Carole went out to eat, Finn's mother often chose this place. It got her plenty of brownie points with Kurt.

"Between you and Carole, I'll never have another heart attack," Burt joked.

"Only if you exercise as well," Kurt reminded him.

"I walk," Burt defended under his son's disbelieving look.

"Around the neighbourhood for half an hour. You need at least one hour of continuous walking to actually make a difference."

"Forget NYADA, go be a doctor instead."

The counter tenor smiled. "Why, thank you dad! I'll keep that in mind."

"Speaking of NYADA..."

"Let it out, don't hold back," Kurt told him.

"Funny, let's get inside first but I want to talk to you."

"Fine," the teen relented.

Ten minutes later they were seated, they had already ordered and were amusing their stomachs with a salad.

"I heard Finn tell Carold how Rachel was all for NYADA and only NYADA," Burt started. "Now I know how you have your dreams and that you've got talent, Kurt, but chancing everything in just one application..." He grimaced. "It's like a lottery and to tell you the truth, I don't trust in luck."

"Me neither," Kurt replied. "That's why I'm not putting my future in one application only. I've been looking into other schools as well."

"You have no idea how happy you made me just now," Burt told him. "So, which places are you looking into?" he asked.

Kurt chewed on the crunchy salad and gathered his thoughts. "Well, NYADA as you know is first choice. Then there's TISCH, also in New York, Carnegie Mellon and Parsons and Rhode Island School of design."

"From singing to clothes?" Burt noticed. "That's... Actually it suits you."

His son blushed at the praise. "Really, you think so?"

"Yes, kid, you've got talent. I've seen several of your sketch books lying around."

"I'm so relieved you think so because I've already sent applications to those schools, plus my portfolio," Kurt told him. "And I've also looked for accommodation and dorms around each of those schools. I have a list."

Burt chuckled. "Well, you're thorough."

"It's important to pay attention to details," Kurt told him. "This week I'm going to send some more applications. I'm considering Yale School of Drama..."

"Heavens help me," Burt muttered.

Kurt gave him an amused smile and went on like he had not been interrupted.

"... Brown department of Theatre arts and performance studies, Institute of Design in Chicago, UCLA for design media arts, University of California at Berkley school of information and California School of arts, Pratt Institute and OSU, to name a few."

Burt's eyebrows had risen by the time his son finished listing the schools he was aiming for. "And here I thought that I would have to convince you to send out more applications."

"I'm ambitious dad."

"I know, and it's a good thing. I've said it before but it doesn't hurt to say it again, son. I'm proud of you."

"Thanks dad," Kurt accepted the praise, feeling shame for it. "Even though I might sometimes do things you do not approve?"

Burt was about to answer him but their main course came (Turkey meatloaf with mustard glaze for Burt and steamed paprika chicken with couscous salad for Kurt). He waited until he was alone with Kurt again. "Does this have anything to do with why Blaine is not around the house as often?"

"Um, kind of yes."

"Did he do something to you?" Burt asked, feeling indignation raise in him.

"Dad! No! If anything..." the teen hesitated. "I was the one that..." He turned his face so that he was not meeting his father's eyes. "I kissed someone else." He peeked up to see what the older Hummel thought of him.

"That other person... another boy?"

Kurt nodded.

"And it was mutual with the other guy?"

Kurt nodded once again.

Burt put his fork down and stared at his son. "Be honest with me, Kurt, do you think I would get mad at you?"

"Maybe," the teen muttered.

Burt chortled. "I was at your age once," he told his son. "And I was a jock. You do the math kid."

Kurt stared at his father.

"I'm not saying it's the right thing to do, far from it in fact. I got slapped... never you mind how many times for my behaviour. It's just not a nice thing to do to the person you are with. And because I was the other person once as well, that's not a good thing either."

"I know," Kurt replied. "I'm not exactly proud of what I did."

"You shouldn't be," his father told him. "That said, I'm not the right person to judge you. You're my son. You could commit murder and I'd still love you."

"Dad..." the McKinley diva choked on emotion.

Burt focused back on his meal, just until the teen could compose himself. They each had a few more bites of their food before Burt decided to pick up the conversation again.

"Are you going to tell Blaine?"

"I... I know I should tell him," Kurt admitted. "But if he knows then... He will get so angry. I like him, dad. I don't want him to never speak to me again."

"What would you want if you were in Blaine's place."

"To know the truth."

Burt nodded. "Exactly. How about that other guy. What's going on with him?"

"We talk, we're going to be friends, no more..." Kurt made a vague notion with his left hand. "I'm not kissing him again, ever."

Burt stared at his son for a while, and then he started laughing.

"Dad? What's so funny? Come on tell me," the teen urged the man.

"Oh, Kurt, I'm not telling you."

"Dad!"

Burt smiled. "I'm sitting this one out kid. Your love life. Your mess. That's going to be a rule from now on. Just, keep me up to date, will you? Things are going to be so much fun."

"Dad!" Kurt exclaimed.

"Just eat your dinner Kurt."