Author's note: I guess it's a two-shot now. :D

Finn had his headphones on, like Burt had suggested. Thing was, there was a vent in his room that apparently connected to the living room or something because he could hear something. And it wasn't just Burt yelling.

After a second, he hit the pause on his iPod.

"You led me to believe that it was Finn, Kurt!" Burt's voice was harsh. "Do you think that was fair?" Whack!

He couldn't stop the flinch. That sounded like...

Kurt let out a yell that confirmed it. Holy crap, Burt was totally paddling Kurt!

Finn wasn't exactly sure how he felt about that. Like, he wasn't a complete jerk and he didn't want his brother to be in pain or anything. And Kurt was obviously in pain. He was practically howling down there. Plus, he'd been in Kurt's place not that long ago and he knew how brutal it was. Another loud whack made him flinch again.

But he'd just heard Burt confirm that Kurt was to blame for this whole mess. Not just the part with the car, which was actually more Blaine's fault, since he'd been driving. But Kurt had been directly to blame for the fact that Burt had paddled him. Which was completely unfair.

He felt like a real creeper listening to all this though, so he hit play again and turned the volume up. As R.E.M. echoed through his head, he couldn't help thinking.

He had been sure that Burt wouldn't spank Kurt. It was part of the reason it had sucked so bad when the guy did it to him-he had known that Kurt wouldn't get the same treatment. So this was, well, weird.

A small part of him was kind of pleased by it though. That sounded weird even in his own head, but it was true. Kurt had seriously just thrown him under the bus by not explaining to his Dad what was up, and Finn had paid the price. He was still kind of stiff and that had happened a couple days ago. Not in any serious pain anymore, just not completely unaware of his butt. And nobody should be aware of their butt on a regular basis. So he'd kind of resented Kurt (and by extension, Blaine) for being so ready to let him take the rap for all this crap. Heh, that rhymed.

Yeah, but he'd also decided that he was going to protect his brother, he reminded himself. Like, he could have spoken up. But he hadn't. It still would have been better if Kurt had just told his dad in the first place. At least then they both wouldn't be hurting.

Cautiously, he paused his iPod again. It was quiet now, and he was glad for it. No matter how pissed he was at Kurt, he knew how much that freaking paddle hurt (and why hadn't he hid the stupid thing yet? He'd meant to, but he'd been busy with the garden and trying to avoid Burt) and he wouldn't have wished it in an enemy. Well, maybe a really sucky enemy. Like Jesse St. James could use a serious beat-down. But he wouldn't wish it on Kurt, anyway. He was basically just glad that Burt had treated them the same.

That was it. Burt had treated them the same, and that was why he was just a tiny part happy that Kurt had gotten his ass whooped too. Like, he felt sorry for Kurt, no doubt about it. But Burt hadn't just yelled at him, or whatever-Kurt hadn't gotten off easy. And Finn didn't feel so much like Cinderella anymore. Not a chick, though, like a guy Cinderella. Like he wasn't just the unwanted step-kid. 'Cause Burt had treated then the same. Even if that same had totally sucked. At least it had sucked fairly.

He heard footsteps heavy on the stairs. Burt, then, 'cause Kurt was light on his feet. "C'mon kid, bedtime," he heard Burt say quietly, and Kurt mumbled something Finn couldn't hear in reply.

Finn pressed play again. He'd check on Kurt tomorrow. If Kurt was in anywhere near as bad of shape as Finn had been, he wouldn't want company tonight.

The next morning, Finn was up late. He was grateful that after the full story came out, he'd been allowed to resume his usual vacation schedule of sleeping late and eating cereal straight from the box. Burt was at the shop, and Finn was grateful. Things were still pretty awkward between them; it was kind of hard to know how to act around a dude that had just paddled him for no freaking reason. He'd apologized, but still. It wasn't like anyone told you what you were supposed to do in that situation. Even Google didn't have an answer for that one. He had checked. It was disturbing and not helpful at all.

He took a swig from the milk carton. His eyes crossed the windows and he choked, spewing milk from his nose.

Hastily he wiped his face with the hem of his tee shirt and dropped the milk onto the counter. What the heck was Kurt doing outside? And sweating. Dude, was that a smudge of dirt on his forehead? That was just wrong.

He went to the door and opened it. "Kurt?" he called.

Kurt looked up from his awkward position kneeling on the ground. "Hey," he said softly. He dropped his head back down and concentrated on re-planting the pitiful looking plant he held in his gloved hand.

"What are you doing?" Finn asked. He took a step outside and let the door bang shut behind him. It was pretty cold, he thought, crossing his arms over his chest.

"What does it look like, Finn? I'm planting." He sounded irritated, but that wasn't unusual-Kurt often was irritated with him. At least when he asked obvious questions.

"No, I know that," Finn said. "But, uh...why?"

Kurt let out a sigh. He dropped the plant into the hole he'd dug, then brushed the dirt off his hands before very slowly and carefully got to his feet. Finn winced just watching him. Yeah, Burt had really let him have it.

"Dude, it's cold out here. You should come inside and warm up a little or something," Finn suggested. He stared at the ground, poking his toe repeatedly against the wood under his feet.

Kurt looked at the damaged row of plants, only half-fixed, then looked at Finn shivering in bare feet on the front porch. "I don't know. I don't want Dad to get even more mad at me."

"He doesn't want you to freeze to death. Just take twenty to warm up," Finn wheedled.

Kurt looked like he was considering it, so Finn dropped the clincher. "Dude, he let me come inside and warm up. And I'll make cocoa."

That got the tiniest little smile out of his brother. "Okay," he said. "But don't call me dude."

Finn heated the milk in the microwave, then stirred the chocolate powder inside it. He grabbed the aerosol canister of whipped cream from the fridge and added a giant dollop on the top of each cup, then slid one down the counter to where Kurt was standing awkwardly. Kurt wrapped his fingers around the hot mug. "Thanks," he said in a voice just above a whisper.

"Yeah," Finn replied. He leaned against another part of the counter. He could sit now, if he wanted to, but he didn't want to make Kurt feel any more awkward than he already did. And the red tinge of his ears and cheeks said he was feeling way awkward right now. Finn took a giant sip from his mug to cover the silence and nearly choked on the whipped cream. He coughed a few times and wiped his mouth on the sleeve of his sweatshirt.

"That's so gross," Kurt complained.

"Sorry. Forgot," he said, wiping his sleeve against his jeans. There was another long silence between them.

Finn took a deep breath. He had to ask him. Otherwise this was going to bug him until he was old and gray.

"Hey, um...Kurt?"

"Yes, Finn?" Kurt took a much daintier sip from his own cup. How did he manage not to get whipped cream all over his nose? It was like magic.

"Uh...how come you didn't tell your dad that it was you?" The sentence came out in a rush. Finn dropped his eyes to his mug, not wanting to look at his brother.

He heard Kurt sigh. "I really messed that up, didn't I?" the smaller boy said wryly.

Finn peered at him. Kurt was staring down into the half-melted cream on top of his cocoa.

"Well, yeah, kind of," Finn said. He put down his mug and scratched lazily at his elbow. "Your dad was super ticked off at me. Like, way, way ticked off." He picked up the mug again and slurped the rest of the whipped cream off the top.

"I know," Kurt said. His eyes were still staring downward.

"That really sucked, dude. Your dad can be pretty scary sometimes."

"I know," Kurt repeated. "He's usually not, but when he thinks that I could have been hurt...the Papa Bear comes out. It's not pretty."

"Yeah, I kind of figured that out," Finn said. Even though he wasn't really sore any more, he instinctually rubbed his backside. Kurt's eyes went wide and flicked up to Finn's face. Finn felt himself blushing. Crap! The dude hadn't known...crap, crap, crap!

"Did he really…" Kurt's voice trailed off into nothing.

"Uh," Finn mumbled awkwardly. He stared back down at his cup.

"Finn, I'm so sorry," Kurt said. "Gaga, I didn't think...I wouldn't have…I don't even remember the last time he reacted like that. I figured he might yell at you a little. Not...overreact...like that."

He sounded sincere. And sorry. And kind of miserable.

"I figured that I'm the big brother," Finn explained awkwardly, still avoiding Kurt's eyes. "So, like, it's my job to protect you."

"Maybe sometimes," Kurt said. "Like when the jocks are trying to throw me in the dumpster. But not...I mean, this whole thing could have been avoided. And that's my fault." He took a deep breath. "I'm really sorry. I'd like to make it up to you somehow."

"I mean, your dad whacked you too," Finn said. He saw Kurt freeze for a moment, then slump with a little sigh. Whoops. Was that supposed to be a secret? "So we're probably even there, right? I dunno what else you could even do." He slugged back the rest of the cocoa in one long swallow. "Burt talked to me about it. He said he was gonna, like, at least make sure he listened next time. Not judge me right away. So that's good."

The misery was still plain on Kurt's face though. Finn felt kind of bad about that. Like, the guy was already in pain. And sweating, which Finn knew was not something that Kurt ever did on purpose. That was punishment enough in Finn's eyes.

"Just...don't throw me under the bus like that again. 'Cause getting hit by a bus really freakin' hurts. Ok?" Finn said.

"I promise." Kurt took another sip from his mug. "Never again."

"Ok. Good. Uh...then that's settled." He reached over to give Kurt a friendly thump on the back, only to find himself being squeezed around the middle like a tube of toothpaste. He froze for just a second, then clapped him on the back anyway. Kurt let him go.

"You're a good brother, Finn," he said. "Thanks."

"Yeah, man. Don't mention it," Finn said.

Kurt drained the last of his drink and rinsed out the mug before loading it in the dishwasher. He rinsed and put Finn's in too.

"I'd better get back to work if I want to be ungrounded by the time school starts up again," Kurt said, turning back to the door.

"You uh...you won't mention it, right?" Finn asked. "At school, I mean? Like, this is something I never want Rachel to hear about." Or Puck. Or anyone, really. Like, he was still embarrassed about Kurt knowing.

"Gaga forbid," Kurt said without a pause. "No. We are never discussing this week again. Ever. As far as I'm concerned, this never happened."

"Okay, great. Just wanted to make sure."

"Trust me, Finn. Not a word. Not even to Blaine."

Kurt was almost all the way out the door when Finn stopped him.

"You want me to make supper? Like, an apology to the parents?"

Kurt turned around so fast that Finn stepped back. His face was intense.

"Do. Not. Touch. The kitchen," Kurt said.

"But I-"

"Finn, do you know how to cook?" Kurt asked.

"Uh...how hard can it be? Puck can do it," Finn said. He thought that was a pretty logical answer, but Kurt looked less than impressed.

"No. That's not how it works. And we are not going to get in trouble for burning the house down!"

"I'm not gonna burn it down. Even I can read a recipe," Finn tried again.

"No. No, no, no. Finn, please. For the love of Jacobs, do not try to cook anything. If you want revenge on me, that is not the way to go about it." Kurt looked slightly desperate.

Finn sighed. "Fine. I won't make supper. But just remember, tonight, when Mom and Burt sit us down to take another chunk from us both, that I had a good idea and you just shot it down."

"I'll remember," Kurt said. "I'm serious. Don't even go near the stove."

"Jeez. Calm down, man." Finn put his hands up, and Kurt seemed to take that as agreement. He turned and left the house, going back out into the cold to deal with the tattered remains of Carol's garden.

Finn glanced over at the stove again. Kurt was overreacting. How hard could it possibly be?

He'd said he wouldn't make supper. But he could totally make dessert.

The End