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Chapter 25
AN: There's an Easter Egg in here for some of you. ;)
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There was a lot at Iz's house to distract the two of them, including a full-sized movie screen when it got darker out. But after the movie that usually cheered Kurt up, and only did it's job marginally today, Kurt insisted on going home. Sebastian drove them back and tried to help him out as they pulled up into his driveway. Kurt was on a self-reliance kick and got out on his own and ambled his way up to the front door which was still unlocked from them leaving.
He had keys and a way through the garage but chose the front door since it was the easiest just then. Sebastian followed behind lazily with hands in his pockets. Or at least outward appearances seemed lazy and unconcerned.
He scowled when he found Finn entertaining both parents and they were laughing at whatever he was saying. Kurt stopped short and a scowl crossed his features, but for an entirely different reason. There was a lot of junk food out on the coffee table they were surrounding and he moved forward.
Sebastian's feet were right next to his as he moved and he grabbed him before he bent to pick up the stuff. He reached for it instead while Kurt laid into Finn. "Dad can't eat any of this. He has to prepare for surgery next week. No junk, no sugar, no salt, no dairy. Nothing that's going to push back his surgery or recovery time!"
Burt held out his hands, trying to keep everyone calm for all their sakes. He thought Kurt was overreacting with Finn. "I didn't eat any of it, Kurt, it's ok buddy."
Kurt paused. "You didn't?"
"Nope. I know better." Burt gave a small smile in reassurance and Kurt breathed a little easier.
"Ok." Sebastian still picked it up because he knew Kurt's ire with the snacks were more than just Burt's health. That had just been priority one. "But it still shouldn't be out here like this. There should be a tray and plates and coasters for the drinks."
"Oh, right. I meant to grab those, sorry honey, I just got sidetracked." Carole jumped to her feet and kissed his cheek before going into the kitchen to grab the coasters she'd set out.
Kurt's ire fizzled a little now that everything had been addressed. Finn was eying Kurt with a new emotion in his eyes but neither Kurt nor Sebastian knew what it meant.
"So... can I have friends over tomorrow?" Finn asked cautiously.
Kurt's shoulders tensed and Sebastian stepped closer to him, offering his warmth and reassurance. Neither said anything, waiting for the adults to move first.
"Not this weekend, honey, it's a pretty stressful time." Carole spoke without needing that extra time. "Maybe another time."
Finn sighed and flopped back onto the couch and glanced at the two of them still standing there. "Aren't you going to sit?"
Kurt hobbled over to his dad and squatted to check on him. "Have you been checking your blood pressure every hour?"
"You're going to raise my blood pressure." Burt ran a hand through Kurt's hair. "Relax, I've been checking. I've been eating healthy. There's nothing wrong with me, kid. This is just a precautionary surgery." Kurt's eyes betrayed him and Burt sighed and he hugged Kurt to his chest. He didn't know how the two of them were so polar opposites but their hearts were both in the same place, they both cared deeply for the other and would move mountains for each other. "I'm the dad, remember? It's my place to worry, not yours."
Kurt nodded against his shoulder and eased himself away. "I can't help but worry anyway."
"I know." He nudged Kurt's chin with his knuckle. "Did you have a nice time with Sebastian?" He wasn't looking for details but was hoping it had helped relax his tension somewhat, time away to relax and recoup.
"Yeah." Kurt glanced over at Sebastian who had nestled himself into the middle of the couch, giving Kurt a body between him and Finn. "He's something else."
"He's something all right." Burt glanced over at Sebastian too. He hadn't been the type of boy that he'd thought Kurt would ever date in a million years but he was glad for him. Really glad for him to be in Kurt's life. Kurt was doing wonders for the boy too. It was taking time but time really was healing both of them.
Kurt struggled to get back up and Burt reached out a steadying hand but Kurt managed it on his own. He squeezed his dad's hand before he made his way over to the couch. Finn pressed his foot against Sebastian's leg to move. Sebastian didn't, even though Finn was stronger than him, he refused to budge from his spot between them. "Kurt, sit next to me." That shocked everyone and Sebastian was already going to do things to Finn for touching him, with his foot especially but he was suddenly ultra suspicious of Finn's motivation.
"No, that's all right, there's already a spot open for me here." Kurt dropped down into it, having had enough pain with his foot for the short duration he'd been on it to want to deal with musical spots. Sebastian reached between them and encirlced Kurt's fingers with his own. He held Kurt's gaze, reading so much into his eyes and Kurt let him. He lifted Kurt's foot up into his lap and Kurt gave a short nod to the question in Sebastian's eyes.
Awhile later, Sebastian spoke. They'd watched an episode of some show on the TV. Finn was glowering for a bit but then got really into the show, distracting him from his thoughts. "Want me to make dinner?" Sebastian asked the room and Carole shook her head.
"I've warmed up some of what Kurt made the other night. Should be enough for all of us." Carole looked over at Burt amused. "A few of the neighbor ladies have heard that Burt is basically housebound for the foreseeable future. You'd be surprised how quickly they can make up a dish to present in their concern. I didn't know so many women had a crush on your father." Carole laughed not in the least bit worried about any of them catching Burt's eye now after so many years.
"What did you do with them?" Kurt asked slightly amused too, he'd had a few try to talk to him to try and use him to get to his father. Most were turned off by the young boy over the years though.
"Put them in the freezer. I'll send them with Finn or Puck in the future."
"Sounds perfect, Puck and Sarah are going to love them." Kurt nodded and Sebastian hated that he couldn't just nuzzle and cuddle with Kurt like he wanted. However, Kurt's words had Sebastian looking over at him.
"Someone I need to worry about?" He asked softly and Kurt shook his head.
"Puck is Finn's best friend and Sarah's Puck's sister." Burt explained and Sebastian wondered at the need to explain. "Puck's also dropped off his truck on occasion at the shop and hung about while it got fixed. Has told me stories of Kurt during shop and the gift he'd given him last year. Brought it out to show me, knowing Kurt wouldn't have shown or told me about having some of his stuff on the honors' wall nor at a showcase."
Kurt blushed a little. "Noah came over and told you all of that?" He'd known Burt liked Puck and they were friendly enough at the New Years Party while Sebastian was out of town, but he hadn't realized he was that close with his dad.
"Yeah, he was angling for maybe a part time job too. I think I might hire him on." Burt gave a shrug. "Finn's going to start in a couple of weeks too, when we've been both cleared to return and so we can both show them the ropes, best to do it at one time rather than both individually. We can go over their skills individually later."
Kurt glanced uneasily at Finn but didn't see any of that anger radiating out at him anymore. Something about the time they were gone had cooled Finn off considerably. Kurt didn't trust it. Sebastian definitely didn't trust it.
Except, Sebastian now had a million questions about this Puck running through his head too.
–
Finn was in and out on Sunday, heading out to hang with Puck and Quinn at different times but he did make sure he stopped in for a couple of hours between them and didn't stay gone for too long.
Kurt and Sebastian cuddled on a lounger outside in Burt's backyard while he read a book not too far away from them. When Finn left for the second time, he snapped the book shut. "All right, spill. You two have been giving Finn all sorts of looks today."
"He's just been... nice... it's hard to trust." Kurt answered and Sebastian's shoulders were tense as he dragged Kurt on top of him so they could both sit up more and look at Burt across the deck.
"He has been nice, I grant you that. It's the boy I've seen whenever I've gone to Carole's or we have our own individual outings together. I haven't really seen him present when he's been around you. I can understand that it might be a little unnerving, but we had seen a little of that when we were on our vacations."
"Yeah, but we're here in Lima and we've completely upended his life here." Kurt had been sure that Finn would be even angrier than ever. That his behavior when he snapped about waiting on Kurt would follow and maybe get worse.
"He's still in the town he knows with the people he knows. It's not like we dragged him off to a new city." Burt pointed out. "Maybe he's finally growing up."
"Maybe..." Kurt didn't trust it. "Except there has to be more to it."
"What makes you so sure about that?" Burt shifted.
"Nothing you need to worry about right now in your condition. It can wait until after the surgery." They shouldn't even be talking about this right now. "When you've recovered."
"We will talk about it now. I need to know everything that's happened, including how exactly you got your injuries. I heard a little from Sebastian that day in the hospital, but I want more details, chiefly who did it to you."
"It's fine, dad. It's nothing to concern yourself with at this juncture." Kurt gave a small shrug that pulled on his shoulder but the time off and heavy pain killers were doing wonders to his inflammation and pain.
Sebastian rubbed a hand over his arm, creating friction and warmth where he touched. "It's already been taken care of. It's not something to worry about come tomorrow, it won't happen again."
"What did you do?" Kurt glanced up at his boyfriend who shrugged.
"Just had a talk with the principal. It was nothing big." Though it had cost him.
"Speaking of Monday-" Burt interjected before those two could get into it. He wanted to know what Sebastian meant too. "What's the plan there? I need to call them in the morning about whether or not to expect you for classes."
Kurt was getting a little restless, he'd spent more time immobile than he was used to when he wasn't with Sebastian in private or following his dad around. Carole took care of the cleaning and meals and Finn had done all the heavy lifting, including changing the basement around to accommodate the three of them down there.
It would change over on Monday when Sebastian was back up at Dalton. Everyone was a little uneasy with this new arrangement and how it would play out.
Except he hadn't been working on his homework all weekend and was sure he could occupy himself tomorrow without Sebastian around. He knew he would need to go back Tuesday but he'd been too worried about Monday to split away. They had called Saturday and there was going to be surgery on Thursday. He'd have that day and Friday off too.
"I'm going to stay home." He knew it would put back his education and shrink what remaining absences he'd be allotted but he'd take it. His dad was more important.
"Ok, I'll give them a call about when to expect you for the week." Burt nodded and then eyed Kurt a little too knowingly. "Finn did something to you, didn't he?"
"He's one of my chief bullies, yes." Kurt knew his dad wasn't going to let it drop.
Burt's expression wasn't pleasant upon hearing that confirmation. "And you were going to let me have him stay in this house, in your room? Have access to you while you were sleeping?"
Kurt held up his hands in peace. "Finn's slept in the same room before. He's never done anything to me on those occasions. Honestly, I don't think he will here either. It's only at school that he seems motivated to do me harm in anyway, spurred on by some of his football buddies."
"They will never come over then. You will tell me the minute one of them steps foot into this house if their presence hasn't already been discussed and nixed." Burt said forcefully and Kurt felt some of the shackles around his lungs loosen. Maybe he could slip them altogether. "You're going to remain safe, Kurt. To achieve that goal, you need to tell me if you think that's ever changed. You are also going to tell me if he ever uses any slurs against you."
Sebastian had been quiet during most of that exchange, letting the Hummels work it out. He was tempted to tell Burt exactly the things Finn had said to Kurt but Kurt's hand on his knee stopped him. He knew that these two would have to work things out between the two of them, outside interference would never work long term. Though it was really hard for Sebastian to sit back and let them sort it out.
Burt regarded Kurt for a long moment. "You will tell me if he does anything more to you at school, correct?"
"I will." Kurt agreed.
Burt hesitated and Sebastian willed him to say what Sebastian hoped he would. "If anyone hurts you at school?" Sebastian breathed a little easier now that they were all on the same page.
"Of course."
"And if anyone touches you?"
"Where's this coming from?" Kurt shifted uncomfortably.
"I remember what you said about the previous choir director. He may not be the only one out there."
Kurt turned cold and flickered his eyes to his dad. "We're not all like that." Although if Sebastian hadn't come along, Kurt would have been floundering trying to figure out how to flirt with boys and how to get someone else to agree to move from friendship to more. In the right circumstances and view point, someone might have thought that of him.
"Predatory gays." Sebastian supplied the title. "They exist but so do terrible straight people." Kurt didn't look at him to see if he was talking about first person experience with that. "Sometimes they're born out of someone being that way with them. Everything that happens in the hetero world can happen in the gay world too."
"No one has touched me." Kurt said firmly to give them some relief and move on from this awkward conversation. It was after he said it though that he remembered a hand on his arm, moving slowly along it, a large body in his space... He breathed in and forced that memory out. Karofsky was just messing with him, trying to scare him. He'd been calling him weak and girly and threatening him. It just stuck out because it was a different type of bullying than he'd grown used to. He hadn't touched him, he had just touched him. That was unique on it's own.
The rest of Sunday went quick and Monday morning was upon them too soon. Kurt yawned and groaned and walked upstairs with Sebastian. While Dalton started later than McKinley, the two teenagers sans Kurt would have to leave at about the same time to get there on time. Sebastian had just a little more to do, he hadn't been planning on staying so late and so hadn't brought any uniforms. He had the added bonus and pleasure of having to change when he got to Dalton and listen to his roommate go off on him about being gone all weekend again.
The three boys had breakfast together then Sebastian, Kurt and Finn headed out to the driveway where their cars were. Sebastian turned to Kurt, his hands resting on Kurt's shoulders, mindful of Finn being there too. He'd gone to his car to warm it up and was heading back while Sebastian would be going to his car to leave. He had started it with a push of a button on his phone, so it was already toasty warm in this surprisingly cold morning after all the warmer days. He looked into Kurt's eyes. "You'll be fine and I'll be back before you know it."
"Don't, stay up there, you're right, I'll be fine." Kurt rested his hands over Sebastian's and tried to reassure him completely. Sebastian didn't need to keep coming back and forth for him. He appreciated it but it was too much.
Sebastian rolled his eyes. "You know I'm coming back tonight."
Kurt held his gaze and then gave a small nod. "Thank you."
"No need for thanks, I'm just selfish." He leaned in and kissed Kurt before he took off.
Finn pinned Kurt to the sidewalk with a glare. "I told you not to tell." Burt and Carole had sat him down for a long conversation last night after Kurt had gone to bed. He'd thought he was doing better but they called him out on everything he'd been doing at school. It was missing quite a few gaping holes and things, but the idea was there.
"You said I would be dead meat. Well go ahead, hit me and see what happens." Kurt spread his arms wide, bracing for an impact.
"Hit you? Dude, I don't hit people. Especially not small, weaklings like you, and definitely not while injured." Finn frowned at him, his anger fizzing out quickly. Kurt opened his eyes to assess Finn. "What made you think I would?"
Kurt dropped his arms. "So then what was the plan to enact your revenge on me, making me dead meat?"
Finn shrugged. "I was hoping that would be enough to hold your tongue. I didn't actually think about going further than the stuff we've been doing to you."
"Oh." Kurt was happy to learn that.
Finn looked awkward. "I haven't even raised a fist to anyone, I don't go brandishing it at people. I'm not really a violent person. I'm sorry about the foot. I didn't know we did that to you that morning. You should have told me. I definitely shouldn't have shoved my tray at you. I wouldn't have, if I'd known I had hurt you. That hadn't been the point."
"And the toss after school, with the slur on the side of the dumpster?" Kurt checked.
"I didn't have any part of that. What did it say?" Finn asked, genuinely interested in the answer.
Beyond his anger, Finn was proving to be a big soft giant. Kurt was quickly reassessing what he thought he knew about Finn. That anger really had made him look so much bigger and terrifying. If this Finn held out, then Kurt could imagine the two of them being friends, maybe, some day. Sooner or later, they might end up being brothers.
A slushy in defense of a girlfriend, Kurt could understand.
He could also forgive a young teenage boy acting out against a change in family situation. Not everybody handled that well. Time would tell, how Finn treated him from now on would set the tone for their story. Kurt shook his head. "Don't worry about what it said. If you didn't have anything to do with it, you don't need to know. I believe you."
"I promise you that I've learned my lesson. I'll never hurt you again." Kurt held his breath. "Intentionally or unintentionally. No more locker shoves, no more dumpster tosses. Nothing like that."
"Slushies?" Kurt asked cautiously.
"No more from me." Finn agreed.
Kurt nodded. "Ok, that's enough for me. I'm not sure if it will be enough for Sebastian. You'll have to convince him too... and our parents."
"I'll work on it." Finn hesitated. "We're still not friends though. I don't think we ever will be, but I'll work on treating you better. I've been so angry and I don't like that me."
"I guess that's all I can ask for." Kurt watched as Finn headed to his car and then he headed back in. Sebastian text him a few times and Kurt reassured him that he was fine.
Carole helped him set up a temporary study area in the kitchen so he had an eye on his dad no matter where he ended up for the moment. Sometimes he went outside and sometimes he came in and made himself a sandwich or sat in the living room. Honestly, it was so they could keep an eye on Kurt too, make sure he kept his foot elevated and continued to take his anti-inflammatories.
They surprisingly didn't step on each others' toes all day, Carole being a mediator was great to have. She kept them both busy and distracted in different rooms and gave her progress report to each of them so they wouldn't worry as much. Then she had them together watching something they'd both enjoy. Had them both outside enjoying the sun.
Except Kurt was still very bored. He wanted to go downstairs and work on one of his projects now that he'd studied so much. They were hesitant to let him go but then agreed because he promised to keep his foot elevated and would call out if he needed anything. He had a broken foot, he was not an invalid, he reminded them again.
They gave him that, he probably would have been at school if he hadn't been so worried about his dad. The fact that he wasn't mother henning over Burt was a small blessing, he thought Carole was doing a good job with his dad. So he put some space between them so he could do another thing but he would be back up soon.
Soon was about an hour and he was checking in on his dad once more. He sat up on the main level with him, pretending to eat while he watched his dad read. "You're doing it again." Burt pointed out and Kurt flushed.
"Sorry, I'm just worried about you." Kurt answered.
Burt set his book down at looked over the table at his son. "You realize that you're the one with the injured foot and bruises all over your body from being abused and bullied in other ways, right?" Burt questioned very straight-forward and Kurt lost a little more color, afraid Burt would ask him for more details than he wanted to share at this time. Burt shook his head. "The worried one and rightly so, is myself, and Carole. I get the surgery is worrying you, but it's routine and preventative. It's going to be ok, kid. It's the bullying at school that has to stop."
"I'll be ok, I'm a Hummel." Kurt stated proudly and Burt couldn't help but smile.
"Stubborn Hummel." Carole said messing up his hair but her words and gesture were affectionate. "Without that stubbornness there would be no Hummels and that would be a great shame."
Kurt ducked out from the hand still ruffling up his hair. "Carole." He chided and set about straightening it.
"Precious too." Carole squeezed his good shoulder gently. "Do you want anything to drink with that plate of grapes and cheese that have remained relatively uneaten?" He'd moved it around on his plate a few times.
"No, I'm good." It was just a snack anyway.
"You get what I'm saying, right?" Burt checked with Kurt. "One more act of aggression, one more time that they bully you and -"
"What?" Kurt asked moodily and shifted a little, restrained just a bit too much by the fact that he had to keep his foot elevated. He really wanted to move more than he could just then. "Come down to the school and tell them to knock it off?"
Burt frowned. "I'll come down there and knock their heads together. Perhaps have you show them who's boss by enrolling you into that new training gym ran by that lady from Boston... Mia something."
"Her name is Julie." Carole laughed. "That's the name of her gym, that Mia something."
"Julie, Mia, similar sounding." Burt shrugged. "I can't believe she's been here a year and I haven't seen her in my shop. Apparently her teacher taught her how to fix cars too."
"Yeah, I'm good and will pass on that one." Kurt rolled his eyes. "I don't exactly have the fighter's build or aspirations. My mouth can do my work for me." He had too many people trying to be his role model at the moment any way.
Burt didn't push it, he didn't actually want his son going off looking for fights or to take hits or anything like that. Apparently she only had one student anyway so it wasn't looking like it was a very profitable or stable environment. She probably wasn't that great of a teacher if no one else stayed. She'd move on to somewhere else sooner or later, it was a small town. He was surprised she'd landed on them in the first place.
"Either way, you won't be coming to the school to do that. You're an adult, they're kids, isn't that illegal or something?"
"I can still put them in their place if they hurt you. Doesn't matter if they're kids, you are too."
"And you'll be recovering from surgery." Kurt continued. "Not the best thing to be doing in that condition."
"Kurt, son, you need to be safe and I will do whatever it is I can to ensure it."
"Nothing happens besides the dumpster toss." Kurt leaned forward and rubbed his calf, it was starting to hurt even though he had it propped up with a pillow, it wasn't used to being higher like that for so long.
"And the locker shoves." Burt had remembered that one. "And that girl poking you so hard in the chest you bruised."
"I bruise easily, she wasn't poking me that hard." Kurt didn't want to have his dad worry so much. "No one has ever hit me or even threatened it."
Burt would just have to accept that as truth. "The brick through the window."
"That was Mercedes."
"Regardless, one more hand laid upon you and you're going to tell me about it straight away, correct?"
"Yes." Kurt knew there was a lot of gray ground with that. He didn't want his dad worrying and stressing out before or after his surgery and he definitely didn't want him getting involved when it could hurt him. Kurt would handle whatever was thrown at him. He had friends now that he didn't want to leave and knew if his dad didn't interfere personally, then he'd be pulling him from school and he didn't want to start over somewhere else, somewhere that gave him as much or harder of a time. "How many times do we have to talk about this?"
"As many times as I feel is necessary, first to make sure you understand and feel that you will follow through with it. Then later on we will repeat this conversation as a refresher and reinforcement and again and again as needed."
Kurt sighed, knowing that his dad was serious and wasn't going to let it drop, ever. He hung his head. "Ok, I will always keep you in the loop, as long as you promise you will discuss decisions."
"We can discuss them but there will be some things that I will not be moved on." Kurt was weary on what those things were, he'd been pretty lenient with Sebastian once he realized Sebastian wasn't going to hurt him. He had put his foot down ahead of that knowledge and had blocked him from seeing and talking to Sebastian for a spell.
Burt thought about using this opportunity to talk to Kurt about a few other things that he didn't know about. Thing that Burt would tug upon if needed to ensure Kurt's safety even if it went against other moral objections. Safety took priority to holding onto a stance stubbornly.
He decided against it because he didn't think either of them needed the stress of that part of their lives to come out just then. He'd tell Kurt about it when he absolutely had to.
Kurt waited to see if Burt would say or add anything more to that but he didn't. Burt was satisfied for now that his point had gotten across and Kurt was relieved they didn't hash this out even longer. He shifted again and decided he'd go downstairs again for awhile. He needed a change of scenery and maybe a nap.
He started to get up and Burt moved to help him. Kurt gestured him down, to continue taking it easy but it was harder than he'd expected to get the pillow out from under his foot and maneuver off the chairs. Carole came over with a pitcher of water and three glasses for them and was conveniently there for when Kurt started to tip over. She caught his arm and subsequently the rest of him in time. Burt stirred in concern but Kurt laughed and shook his foot. "Just a bit asleep after being elevated for so long." He waved off their concern. "It does sound like it has the right idea though. I might be asleep myself if you call down to me."
He was surprisingly calmer and centered despite all the trauma and upheaval recently. They watched him head to the staircase but he had no further incident and listened carefully as he went down the stairs. He didn't slip or fall and they relaxed. His bed wasn't too far from the staircase.
–
Once in privacy, Kurt looked through the messages of his phone. Some of what Sebastian tended to send him weren't things that he wanted to be reading or looking at in the presence of his dad and Carole. He was relieved to find mostly tame messages from his boyfriend, likely because he knew Kurt would be with family. Kurt sent him back a response and got one back instantly.
They chatted briefly via text and he kept getting more chimes than just Sebastian's messages. He sighed and interrupted their flow to look at what was going on. He didn't think a Monday warranted such a SOS from whoever was texting him. But he did wonder if something happened to Mercedes and he would feel incredibly guilty if he didn't at least check in.
It was an unknown number and he flicked through them, wondering if they got the wrong number by accident. It was definitely no accident and he rolled his eyes and found Mercedes in his history and sent her a message. Have you been getting a million texts from granny?
There wasn't a response for a moment as his phone lit up with a dozen more messages from Rachel. She text like she talked, which could be summed up with one word annoying.
Nine messages came through from Rachel while he waited for Mercedes' response. He was also in a group chat with Nick and Jeff who kept sending jokes. Jeff also just sent him random texts of song birds. He really wasn't sure why. Had he missed a conversation where this was harkening back to? Jeff just started doing it this weekend. Meanwhile Nick sent him random thoughts while bored in class.
Uh... yeah, hard to keep up with her blabbering text messages. What's the deal?
Mercedes finally responded to him and he tried to find the start of a thought in the tapestry of crazy spewage. He thought he found a good thread to follow when five more messages came through, pulling him back to the most recent part of the chain. He groaned and sent Mercedes back a message. No clue, she won't stop talking for long enough for me to figure it out. You didn't give her my number, did you? He sorted out after he sent that message that Rachel was demanding to know where he and Mercedes were.
NO. Then sent another couple of messages, I wouldn't give her either of our numbers willingly. She's been wondering where I am too, I didn't realize we had a Glee meeting or that you were out. I guess I'll head over there soon It's not like we've shared classes together or anything, the 3 of us.
Don't know how she got my number either.
Kurt believed her instantly. French Club probably isn't the same on your own, huh? Unfortunately I probably won't be able to make it this week. Dad's got surgery later in the week.
No worries. Mercedes responded and it sounded reassuring. Your dad takes priority. I'll go and hit Rachel with a brick for both us.
Kurt wanted to say something about violence but this wasn't ill-thought out or a crime of passion. It was premeditated and mostly deserving. Rachel couldn't just get her way because she bombed them with texts. Then he realized Mercedes was trying to make a joke out of it and he thought about whether or not it was too early. Then he decided it wasn't and chuckled a little.
Thanks 'Cedes, I really appreciate it. I'll be in class tomorrow.
A beat and then Mercedes responded. I'm glad you're doing better than on Friday. I was worried about you, Boo. You looked more like Casper than ever. A sweaty, wet Casper.
Kurt rolled his eyes at that message but he felt bad when the next one rolled in. I wish you'd told me you were hurt.
I didn't think I was actually injured, just sore. Kurt text her back. I know better now.
He sent a message to Sebastian even as Rachel's kept invading his inbox and popping up over his as something Mercedes had wrote sorted something out in his head. There were four freshmen and three sophomores in Glee. What they needed were upperclassmen, but that was even harder than roping in more freshmen.
One thing that he knew was that Rachel's behavior was going to send everyone away, whether they'd already joined or not. He sent a quick text to Rachel, knowing that she was going to keep texting him. He would not hold back on texting her to stop.
I'll be at school tomorrow. Health issues.
Delete my number. Forget that you've ever had it.
Of course he knew that she wouldn't. Even if she did, she would have a back up way of accessing it.
Good, we'll have an intense lesson to make up for your absence today. There was a blissful pause in texts. How many had she sent overall in the last hour? He tried to count them but a new one came in, disrupting his count. He got to twenty before that happened though, and he knew there were even more. Don't be a Quinn Fabray.
He was tempted to ask her what she was smoking but then remembered, health issues. Rachel thought he was bulimic? What a weirdo.
Don't text me again.
He just went ahead and blocked her. If she did find another way to text him, he'd know it was her because it was too easy to sort that out. If she kept up this line of attack, he'd just get a new number and make sure no one but those he was closest to had it. Maybe he'd keep the other just for school to have on file so she'd think she had his number.
–
Sebastian came strolling through the still unlocked door and his eyes scanned the room, smiling and giving Carole a hug before he made a b-line toward Kurt, spotting him amongst his books. "Have you left this spot at all?" He put a boquet of flowers down next to Kurt, it had it's own vase so stood upright for Kurt to see the arrangement easily.
"Yes, but every time I try to get up or move around, dad tells me to go sit down and rest the foot. He won't let me put any weight on it or 'stress it out'. I keep telling him that his heart's the same way." Kurt's fingers trailed over the petals, reading the message Sebastian had clearly created for him. "Thank you." His eyes were tear rimmed as he looked up at his boyfriend. "You spoil me. I'm never going to be able to do anything that comparese." He spoke in French about the flowers. Carole didn't understand what they were saying, so spoke only to the conversation she understood about Burt.
"He's been reading, dear, other than some news in the newspaper that I don't recommend either of you reading and some sports info, his heart rate has been perfectly fine.." Carole teased him.
"Every time I've seen him, he's been puttering about in the kitchen or checking on me or giving me a hard time." Kurt complained. "If I knew he was following doctor's orders, I wouldn't have been as concerned."
"You two are so much alike." She chuckled and Sebastian nodded.
Sebastian spoke in French in return after they sorted that out, going back to what Kurt was saying about the flowers and Sebastian's gestures. "You've already given me more than you could possibly know. There's no need to feel imbalanced. You're the one who taught me about them. I would never have thought of it otherwise." The flowers spoke of love and caring and hope that Kurt recovered quickly and well and about how Sebastian would be there for him every step of the way.
He sat on the coffee table so he could face Kurt for now. He ran his fingers from Kurt's toes, up to his ankle then up his calf and thigh and over the side of his hip, his side and across his shoulder until he reached the side of Kurt's jaw and then he leaned forward and kissed him. Carole watched with some amusement and happiness with their relationship.
She sighed in support of it, they were so good looking together. They both glanced at her, they forgot she was there. "Not news to me, remember?"
They gave her that and nodded and went back to kissing. They didn't do it for too much longer, she had walked off too. Sebastian picked up the books from the couch and claimed the spot next to Kurt. "Feeling a little cooped up?"
"I'm not." Kurt denied, though he was, a little.
"Worried about leaving your dad?" Sebastian asked, understandingly.
"Yes. I went downstairs for about an hour and I swear my heart-rate couldn't sustain it without giving me pains and feeling faint."
"Did you eat lunch?" Sebastian watched him carefully.
"Carole made sure I ate a sandwich and some fruits and vegetables." Kurt answered and Sebastian nodded, pleased.
"I really like that woman."
"She likes you too." Kurt murmured, taking the books from Sebastian's hands and putting them on the side table. Then he snuggled in to Sebastian's side. "This is a nice surprise."
"You knew I was coming back tonight."
"I did but it's still nice and I couldn't be sure with where we left things off. I told you not to come."
"And you knew that was never going to be the case." Sebastian wrapped his arm around Kurt's shoulders.
"You're early." Burt greeted while walking into the room. He'd heard Sebastian's arrival but gave them a moment in private. "You went to all your classes?"
"Yes sir." Sebastian answered with a cocky, one side of his lips quirking up in a grin. Not mentioning that he left his last class early.
Burt snorted and shook his head. "You are lucky that I know you as well as I do now. If we had just met I'd have kicked you right back out again and kept you away from my son with everything I had, thinking you were purely trouble."
Sebastian stretched out. "What are you talking about Mr. Hummel? I am all trouble." He made his voice sound innocent but totally at odds with his body language. Kurt chuckled to himself and poked Sebastian in the ribs. No one believed that any more, he'd let himself be too exposed for too long and they all knew his soft underbelly. Sebastian spun to Kurt. "Oh yeah? That's how you want to play?" He toppled Kurt backwards and came over him only to tickle him. Kurt cried out and slapped at Sebastian's hands and nearly begged for help and mercy, he was laughing too hard to make words. They knew what he was saying but Sebastian didn't let up and Burt didn't step in.
"I think the poor boy's had enough, don't you?" Carole butted in a minute later with a wide smile on her face and Sebastian stopped and collapsed down next to Kurt, wrapping him in his arms.
"Finn will be home any minute." Carole mentioned casually and brought over a tray of drinks for the four, soon to be five of them. They settled in and Kurt sighed and put some space between him and Sebastian, his foot still draped over Sebastian's legs.
"We need to tell him." Sebastian stated as he ran his fingers over Kurt's calf muscle. "It's going to be harder to hide it from him if he's living here."
"He's going to be mad." Kurt didn't want to get into that just then, not when Finn was starting to thaw toward him. "Besides, it's only a temporary situation."
Carole glanced toward Burt and his father shook his head and Kurt didn't catch the interaction, he was looking at Sebastian, but Sebastian caught it. He had a feeling he knew what that was about. Kurt was too close to the situation to see it.
"He's going to be mad no matter how he finds out." Sebastian sighed and collapsed against he back of the couch. He felt like a hypocrite, he wanted to tell Kurt's new roommate but he was unwilling to tell his own. It was for different reasons but it was too similar of a situation in many ways.
"We just spend more time at Iz's or out of the house."
"He also goes out of the house." Carole was giggling to herself. "I'm kind of enjoying this game. He kind of needs a wake up call in a lot of things. So don't run off to tell him just because of me. The longer he gets used to the two of you without knowing your both gay could potentially be for the best. So when you do tell him, he'll have to remember that he liked you when he didn't know and that you haven't changed, just his knowledge has."
"That can be potentially disastrous." Sebastian pointed out, having been witness to that before.
"I don't know how I feel about you taking Kurt away longer and more often. I still want to see my son." Burt countered.
"So nothing changes." Sebastian huffed and Kurt squeezed his hand. They'd had this discussion before but it just wasn't quite the right time yet. Sebastian kept a lot of cards to his chest and didn't share them with anyone but he wanted to be able to be able to spend time with Kurt uninhibited and that meant being truly open in this house, to all that occupied it. Kurt wasn't ashamed or wanted to hide who he was but he was also unwilling to completely let out to the entire school and town that he was gay. He wasn't hiding it, but he also wasn't broadcasting it.
"Small steps." Hell, even Puck had called him on it and accepted him. He just needed Finn to get there on his own or at least not hate him as much. He didn't want to have to suffer through all the slurs Finn and his ilk would send his way quite yet. It was already hard enough to be called the things he was by people he'd known all his life and grown up with even if they'd never been close or ever really even talked.
Kurt had suggested coming up to Westerville several times, Sebastian's friends all knew he was gay, bringing his boyfriend shouldn't shock any of them. Sebastian hadn't bit and if he didn't know Sebastian couldn't possibly have another piece on the side with how much time he spent with Kurt, he'd have been suspicious.
He knew Sebastian had his reasons and so he didn't push, not now, not yet.
His phone chirped just as they heard the telltale sound of Finn's arrival, screeching tires and all. He looked at his message from Mercedes.
OMG KURT, you'll never guess what happened in Glee today!
The door slammed shut behind Finn.
Somehow he knew the two were connected.
His stomach sank and he hoped this wouldn't bite him in the ass.