Having Quinn Fabray in his house was weird.
When Kurt had woken up that morning, every thought he had was about Sectionals. For the entire day, that was all he thought of, especially when the club found out about their set list being leaked.
During that hectic hour when they were putting together a new setlist, Kurt and Quinn had ended up practicing next to each other. During that time he couldn't help but think of what had happened between her and Finn. While it was wrong that she cheated on him and lied to him for months, and part of him hated her for hurting the boy he dearly loved, seeing her cry when he found out the truth, and when Finn came back a hero to save them from losing Sectionals did pull on his heartstrings a little.
It was true that he had been thinking about him and Quinn's similarities ever since he found out she had one in the oven. They were both shamed, mocked, and harassed for something that wasn't really on them. Well, in Quinn's case it was on her, but Puck did persuade her into it with wine coolers. Could she even really consent?
He had meant to say something after Sectionals, and Quinn's improper brushing opened the door. Talking to her wasn't unpleasant, aside from her blindness to his own troubles. She was sweeter than he'd thought she'd be when they entered his house. And once they were downstairs, and she started crying, well, they sort of bonded.
It was nice. He didn't realize how lonely he was feeling before. They spent the rest of the afternoon chatting about school and Glee as he altered a few of her dresses.
"You know, your style really isn't that bad. Babydoll dresses are too on the nose, but your color choices really do complement your hair and face." he commented as he passed her the purple dress he had just finished.
"Gee, thanks." she said sarcastically.
"No problem. Go try that on and we'll see how it fits." Kurt said, clasping his hands together.
Quinn nodded, and walked into his bathroom. After the dress was on, she walked out with her hands on her hips. "It's a little too big right now, but I think after a few months it'll fit just fine."
Kurt did a few small claps. "Perfect. I think I've really outdone myself. That was the dress that was the smallest, you know."
Quinn smiled at the good news. Then, the door upstairs opened, then slammed.
"Kurt! I'm home!" a deep voice boomed through the house.
"That's my dad." Kurt said, standing up.
Quinn could feel her stomach lurch. She should have been gone by now. Sure, Kurt's dad was cool with his son being gay, but that didn't mean he was okay with teen pregnancies.
Before she could excuse herself and go home, there were footsteps on the stairs, and Kurt's dad was walking into his room.
"So? Did we win?" he asked expectantly and excitedly. He hadn't noticed her yet.
Kurt grinned. "We did! First place prize! You should see the trophy, Dad! It's gold and so glamorous." he exclaimed happily.
Burt hugged him and clapped his back with his hand. "I'm so proud of you, kid. I know you wanted to sing that solo, but you took it like a real champ."
They separated, and that was when he noticed Quinn. "Whose this?" he asked.
Quinn cleared her throat. "Quinn Fabray. Kurt and I are in the Glee Club together." she introduced.
Burt grinned. "Nice to meet you. Burt Hummel." he said, extending his hand. Quinn shook it. He had a strong grip, and a firm handshake.
"I'm helping Quinn with a clothing dilemma." Kurt explained.
"Well I don't know much about clothes, but I think you may have made that dress a bit too big, Kurt." Burt commented.
Kurt glanced over at her, eyebrows raised. Quinn sighed. "I'm pregnant. Kurt was changing my clothes to be maternity ones for the next few months."
There was silence. Burt looked at her for a second, then looked around.
"Well, that's real nice of you, Kurt. Quinn, you're welcome to stay for dinner. If you kids need me, I'll be upstairs watching Deadliest Catch."
He waved and walked back upstairs. Once the door was closed, Kurt turned back to his sewing machine. "Well that went very well."
Quinn nodded. "Yeah. It did. To be honest I wasn't sure if he'd be okay with it."
Kurt shrugged. "Well he has a gay son, so I think anything goes in the way of noncomfrmity." he paused. "He's a really good person."
Dinner at Kurt's was better than it was at Puck's, that was for sure. Burt had insisted that they eat out in celebration, so they ordered from a deli. Quinn had offered to pay for her food, but Burt waved it away,
"You won, too." he said, putting her money back in her hand.
Quinn smiled. "Thank you."
They ate around the television, which Kurt had changed to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, claiming that it was bad for Quinn's baby to hear bleeped out cursing.
Afterwards, Kurt took their plates and went to the kitchen to clean them, insisting that Quinn was a guest, and she didn't need to clean. He also instructed Burt to keep her company.
They watched the movie in silence, and Quinn started subconsciously rubbing her stomach.
"Can I ask how far along you are?" Burt asked.
Quinn sat up a little. "About five months." she told him, albeit a little nervously. Not that she would ever admit that.
Burt smiled. "You look great. You know, this kind of reminds me of Kurt's mom. You could barely tell she was pregnant until her third trimester, she was so small. People were so surprised when we told 'em. After a while we started making up names for all the faces they'd make. The Big-Eyed Surprise was the most popular. Elizabeth was so proud of that name." he reminisced.
Quinn smiled a little. She knew it was vain, but she liked hearing that she looked so small, even though she'd been pregnant for months. And the name he had was pretty accurate.
"Yeah, I've seen that look plenty of times." she said.
Then an awkward silence hung in the air. Quinn was enjoying the movie, but frankly felt like she was overstaying her welcome. She stood up, got her purse, and bid goodbye to Mr. Hummel. She walked to the kitchen, where Kurt was loading a few spoons into the dishwasher.
"Hey, I have to go. Can I collect my clothes on Monday?" she asked him.
Kurt nodded. "I'll give them to you after Glee rehearsal."
"How much?" Quinn asked, holding out her wallet.
Kurt shook his head. "This is just as fun for me as it is useful for you. If I were to accessorize them, then I'd charge."
Quinn smiled. "Thanks, again, Kurt. See you Monday."
The rest of the weekend went by slowly. Quinn spent most of Sunday in the Puckerman's basement. That was where Puck's mom had given her place to live. She didn't mind Quinn moving in, but said there was no way she was going to stay in Puck's room. And since there was no guest room, the basement it was.
It wasn't bad. There was a pullout sofa bed that she slept on, an ancient TV that looked like it was older than her was in the corner, which Quinn had been able to get it working after messing around with the antenna for a good ten minutes, and a small bookshelf she used to store her toiletries and cosmetics, along with the few books and pictures she brought from her parents house. The small closet was for her clothes, which was now even barer since she gave some to Kurt.
It was functioning as a bedroom, but not very cozy. She'd gotten to know Puck's little sister, Allie. She was sweet, and kept trying to get Quinn to name her daughter Tiana or Cinderella. She loved Disney movies more than anything. And Puck's mom was alright, but Quinn could tell she was a little judgy of her. Probably because she'd lied about Puck not being the father. That was kind of bitchy of her. But couldn't she see the kind of person her son was around girls? Puck wasn't going to stay faithful to her unless she gave it up to him everyday, which was downright nauseating.
She spent the rest of the weekend mostly in her room, doing homework. She was determined to keep her straight A's, even while pregnant. She'd be damned if this baby cost her her education. It was really all she had left at this point. .
Monday rolled around, and Quinn was brutally slushied by Azimio. "Congrats on winning Gay Sectionals!" he cheered as the bright red slush dripped down her face. And apparently, she was not the only member to be hit. Everyone else in Glee, except for Artie, all got hit by the Jock Jerks, something Rachel was proud to come up with.
Speaking of her, Quinn couldn't decide if she hated Rachel or not. She knew it was wrong to hate, but Rachel had ruined what was left of her stability in life. All because she wanted Finn for herself! She even admitted it straight to her face! How could she just turn the other cheek and forgive Rachel?
Kurt interrupted her train of thought by handing her a bag of her clothes, all neatly folded. "I ironed them once I was finished. It'll keep the clothes fresher."
Quinn smiled, and took the bag. "You're a lifesaver."
Kurt smiled back. "Would you like to come over to study for the end of semester chemistry exam we have in a few weeks?" he offered.
Quinn was a little taken aback. "Really? But you aren't even in my chemistry class."
"We have the same teacher, though. I always start studying a few weeks in advance to stay ahead, and having a partner could be useful."
Having nothing else worth her time, Quinn agreed. They went to Kurt's, and studied all afternoon. But Quinn made sure to be gone before dinner. She did not want to be in another awkward situation with his dad again.
Slowly, a routine started. Quinn would go over to Kurt's house a few times a week to study and do homework, and that slowly morphed into her going there on weekends, when Kurt wasn't at his dad's garage. They even went out for ice cream a few times, since that was her main pregnancy craving. Kurt was also good about her sucking on lollipops to soothe her morning sickness, even though he was worried about the stickiness. An Angry Pregnant Quinn was apparently more worrisome.
After about two weeks, Quinn started staying over every day after school. Staying at Kurt's house was just so much better than Puck's. It was calmer, Kurt was a good study partner, had the same taste in music, and was just a better friend in general.
She even started staying for dinner. After Burt saw her car in the driveway for the first time, he came in, elated.
"Is that your car, Quinn?" he asked.
Quinn, from her spot on the couch, eating a small bowl of rocky road ice cream, nodded. "It is."
"That is one of the best cars I've seen outside of a car show. It's beautiful." Burt raved, going on and on about the model of the car, the color, and the fantastic shape it was in.
"You can go pop the hood if you want to." Quinn offered after he went on about the interior engine. Burt ran out with a hop in his step.
"I think he has a car crush." Kurt singsonged. Quinn laughed.
"Should I be worried?" she asked.
"Absolutely." Kurt said, sipping from his cup of Earl Gray. They shared a look and burst into laughter. That had been happening a lot.
That night, after Quinn went home, Burt found his son in the kitchen, stirring cookie batter.
"Who's that for?" he asked. "Didn't you say something about sugar making your figure bigger or something?"
Kurt nodded. "It does, but it's for Quinn. She's been going through ice cream like crazy, and I figured it'd be best if she switched to a different sugary treat. No way I'm getting her off the lollipops, so ice cream it is."
Burt nodded, stealing a chocolate chip from the bag lying on the counter. "How's she doing? I've been wanting to ask, but thought it'd be too personal to ask her."
Kurt sighed. "She says she's fine, so she's fine."
Burt shrugged. "Yeah, but sometimes you say one thing to cover up how you really feel." he paused. "I'm not trying to cause trouble or anything, but I've met Quinn's parents through the garage, and a couple of your Teacher Parent night things. They don't seem like the most… free people I've ever met. You're sure Quinn's okay at home?"
Kurt looked down at his bowl of batter.
"Kurt?"
"She's not living at home anymore." Kurt mumbled.
Somehow, Burt heard him. "She what?"
Kurt looked up, tears in his eyes. "She got kicked out a few weeks ago. She started living at Finn's but then he found out he wasn't the dad, so now she's living at Puck's."
Burt was silent. Then, he began to yell furiously.
"They just kicked her out like that?! How could they do that to their own KID?!" He paced around the kitchen, waving his hands in the air and smacking an empty cooking tray across the counter.
Kurt just stood and watched. He'd learned by this point to let his dad just ride out his anger. It was like a toddler having a tantrum. Sometimes you just need to let him let it out.
"Are you done?" he asked after a couple of minutes. Burt nodded.
"I'm sorry, it's just... Things like this remind me of how bad life can get for people who are different. If that was you, in that family… I don't even want to picture it." Burt told him.
Kurt sighed and dabbed the tears from his eyes, carefully, so as not to arouse puffiness. He walked over to his dad, and gave him a hug. They both needed it.
When they split, Burt looked Kurt in the eye. "Is Quinn okay? Living with that boy?"
Kurt shook his head. "She says she's fine, that her bed is comfy, things like that. But she's always over here, and lately she's been so reluctant to go back over there. She even cried the first time she came over. Dad…" he paused, unsure of whether or not he should. Oh, screw it. He needed to. For Quinn's sake.
"I don't think she feels loved anymore. By anyone."
Burt sucked in a breath. He looked like someone had just punched him in the gut. "That's…that's horrible. Here's what we're gonna do. You're gonna find her tomorrow, bring her here, and we're gonna talk. See how she's really doing and invite her to live here."
Kurt lifted his surprise. "We're what?"
Burt nodded. "You two are close, right? She's here all the time, she's eaten dinner here almost as much as Mercedes. If her home life is bad, well, why should we leave her to rot in it?"
Kurt was grinning and nodded. "Okay, Dad. I'll ask her tomorrow. Thank you!" he squealed. He'd secretly been wanting this for weeks. Quinn was quickly becoming one of his best friends, and he had been dying to have her there permanently.
The next afternoon at school, Kurt strode up to Quinn's locker, where she was arguing with Puck.
"For the last time, if you and Santana are going to sleep together, don't make it so I can hear it! If I'm getting water in the kitchen, I shouldn't be able to hear you two!" Quinn yelled.
"Babe, I have needs!"
"Don't call me babe! I'm not your babe. And, it's always about your needs, isn't it? What about my needs, Puck? Huh? What about mine?!"
Quinn slammed her locker shut. Puck stammered. "Just, go away, Puck!" she ordered. And he actually did leave, walking down the hall in a huff.
Puck shifted from foot to foot. "Well that didn't look fun." he commented.
Quinn sighed. "Definitely not. I know we aren't exclusive, but it's so gross hearing him moan over Santana from two rooms over."
Kurt winced. "I don't envy you in that regard."
Quinn chuckled. "So, are we still on for this afternoon? Mrs. Cummerfield's exam is next week, and those hydrogen equations still are hard to remember."
Kurt nodded, and they started walking down the hallway. "It's not entirely your fault. The baby was making you feel pretty bad yesterday afternoon."
Quinn made a face at the mention of how much morning sickness she had the day before. She'd spent an hour hunched over the toilet in Kurt's bathroom, convinced she was going to puke her organs out.
They walked out to Kurt's car, (Quinn had carpooled with Puck as usual. They had a routine worked out) and headed on the road. Once they got to Kurt's house, Quinn took note of Burt's car.
"Is your dad okay?" she asked.
Kurt nodded. "He actually is here because we want to talk to you about something."
Quinn looked nervous. "What? You're just telling me this now?"
"I wanted to make sure you'd come, for starters. I figured as soon as you knew you would try and get out of it." Kurt stated, checking his reflection in the mirror.
Quinn nodded. "Yeah, I'm going to leave right now. I'm calling Puck to come get me."
"No, you're not." Kurt said blatantly.
"Oh? How are you so sure?"
"Because inside that house there are two different varieties of cookies. Double chocolate chip, and peanut butter. You really want to leave those cookies abandoned?"
Quinn sighed. "Fine. I'll go in. But I will get you back for this, Kurt Hummel."
"I wouldn't have it any other way, Quinn Fabray."
They walked inside, and Burt was sitting on the couch with a plate of cookies, and two cups of lemonade.
'Hey, kids. Have a seat. We need to talk." he said, gesturing to the two chairs. Kurt sat, then Quinn.
"So, uh, how was school?" Burt asked a little awkwardly.
"Good."
"Fine."
Burt smiled as Quinn helped herself to a cookie. She nibbled the edges, then ate it in two bites.
Kurt cleared his throat. That seemed to spark something in Burt.
"So, Quinn. Kurt told me about your home situation." Quinn glared at Kurt. "No, no, don't get mad. I pushed him to talk." Burt said, attempting to be the peacemaker.
"Anyways, I did some thinking. We have an extra room here, you're already over here a lot, we both like having you around, and if you don't want to be living with Puck, you don't have to be. Why don't you move in with us?" Burt offered.
Quinn was shocked. Did Burt really say what she thought he said? Was she being asked to move in with the Hummels? Did she want to move in with them?
Yes. She really did. Hanging out with Kurt was so much fun. They listened to music, danced around a little, and watched old Gilmore Girls episodes together. And he matched her need for academic excellence. He was probably the closest friend she had at the moment since Santana was spending so much time with Puck, and Brittany was off in her own Brittany world.
But, she couldn't just move in, That was way too big a favor.
"I'm sorry, but that's just too much." she told them. She ached while doing it, but it was the polite thing to do.
Kurt took her hand. "Please, Quinn. I know you're practically miserable with Puck. Move in with me and my dad."
Burt nodded. "It's okay. If you're worried about finances, I just totally lucked out on the Morrison's car down the street. That thing was totally screwed, and I made a pretty penny off it."
Quinn smiled. "Are you guys serious? Do you really want me here? All the time?"
Both of them nodded. Kurt's eyes were pleading with her.
It was a really good offer, and she did really want to get away from Puck's house.
"Okay. I'll stay here." Quinn said.
Kurt squealed and gave her a tight hug.