Update whaaaaaaa? I know! I love any and everyone still willing to read this after my ridiculous delay. I have no excuse except busyness and work really...and a nasty case of the Daltons, but that's hard to avoid really.
Um...it was mentioned that I might consider making a tumblr for this story, so people could ask questions about all the characters, and have song recs and stuff. I'd be open to putting it together if anyone were interested in having it available?
In the mean time...back to the boys. There are some new adventures coming up, so things are coming back together on the inspiration front.
Thanks to all the followers and everyone who has read or reviewed thus far.
Enjoy!
Leslie leaned into the doorway and saw her husband and son standing close.
"Is everything alright in here?"
Flint nodded, coughing slightly and trying to pretend he hadn't just spilled his guts to his dad about the boy he cared about.
"Okay." She smiled softly and turned her eyes to Flint's father. "Can I talk to you for a moment?"
Paul squeezed his son's shoulder and stepped quickly out of the room and into the hallway. Leslie closed the door behind her, but Flint could hear their murmuring voices from where he leant against the couch. After a few minutes, his mom leaned back in again.
"Flint, can you stay over tonight? Your dad and I are going to talk, and then we might want to talk with you again afterwards."
Flint frowned, but shrugged his shoulders.
"Um, yeah, I guess. I'll just be...in my room then." Exactly what else were they going to have to talk about?
"Alright, why don't you go upstairs for a while then. Dinner will be ready in about 40 minutes, and if we need to talk we can do it after that."
"Kay." Flint nodded. His hands were jammed into his pockets and he felt about seven years old right now, in all the awful and good ways he could. He had no idea what was going on. But maybe, this time at least, his parents could still fix it.
Flint closed his bedroom door behind him and fell onto his bed with a heavy flop. His pillow smelled nice, like home. But it was lacking that extra note, the scent that reminded him of Kurt, that his pillow at school had.
Oh. Crap.
Kurt.
Flint scrambled to his feet to find his coat where he'd dropped it in a pile by the floor. He pushed his hands frantically into the pockets, missing it twice before he pulled his phone out of the inside compartment on the left side.
8 new texts. 3 voicemails. 5 missed calls.
Crap crap crap. Flint speed dialled as quickly as he could and held the phone to his ear.
"Hello?"
"Kurt, hey! Sorry, I didn't get back to you for a while."
"It's okay. I just wanted to check that you were alright." Kurt paused for a moment. "So, are you?"
Flint laughed and his chest swelled at the relieved sigh that ghosted over the other end of the line.
"Yeah. Yeah, I'm okay. Had a bit of a fight with my dad. But we sort of figured things out."
"Did I get you in trouble?" Flint wandered back to the bed and laid down, resting his head on his arm.
"No, and I asked you to come anyways, so it couldn't be your fault no matter what."
"Are you sure everything's okay?"
"Yes! I'm very sure." Flint laughed.
"So when are you getting back?"
"Oh." He wrinkled his nose slightly. "Um, my parents said they might want to talk to me, so I'm gonna stay the night here."
"Oh, well...as long as you're alright." Kurt sounded faintly disappointed, but relieved nonetheless.
"I am. Thank you by the way. For coming with me." When Flint finished, he listened to the soft static of Kurt's breath over the line.
"Flint..." His heart compressed hard at the sound of his name from Kurt's mouth.
"Yeah?" When had his voice gotten all soft and thready anyways?
Just a note of a word came out before Kurt pushed past it, clearly rushing on to something else.
"Anytime babe."
It was reassuring, as it was likely meant to be, and sweet, but Flint was feeling distinctly robbed by whatever had censored Kurt's voice on the first try.
"Thanks sweetheart." Flint returned, hearing Kurt hum happily. "I'll be back tomorrow. I'll see you at breakfast, okay?"
"Yeah, I'll see you then. Goodnight Flint."
He sighed deeply, not caring that the other boy would be able to hear him.
"Night Kurt."
Their utensils clinked against the dinnerware as Flint and his parents ate quietly. He couldn't help glancing up at them every once and a while. Eventually Leslie caught her husband's eye and nodded at their son with a sympathetic smile. Paul laid down his knife and fork and pushed his plate away slightly.
"Flint?"
His fork was halfway to his mouth when he looked up, his eyes going wide. It wavered in the air for a few moments before he jammed it into his mouth, chewing and swallowing much more quickly than was comfortable. With a grimace, he gulped it down and looked apprehensively between the two adults.
"Yes?" Leslie smiled with only a little bit of a laugh, and reached out to pat her son's arm.
"You can relax you know. You aren't going up in front of the firing squad. You aren't in trouble."
Flint glanced back and forth.
"Are you sure?"
Leslie smiled, but Paul just put his hands together on the table and cleared his throat lightly.
"First, I want to apologize. For today and for not being there to support you these past few months."
Flint's jaw slackened in surprise. Whatever he'd thought was coming, he hadn't thought it would start like this.
"And while I do still think you should have asked before bringing someone to visit, I understand why it was important to you. Why he is important to you."
Flint couldn't break away from his father's gaze, just sat, trying to understand what was going on.
"Your mother and I spoke, and there are a number of factors that have influenced our decision."
Oh crap. He was going to get grounded. Or...honestly, he had no idea what was happening.
"What decision?" His gaze finally flicked back to his mom and across the table again.
"We want you to know that we see how hard you work at school. We got your midterm results, and apart from a few comments that you could benefit from-"
"Applying myself?" Flint groaned. He got that on nearly every report.
His father's mouth twitched in amusement.
"Yes, that. But apart from that you did very well. You fulfil your responsibilities to your friends, and to your family. We do notice how hard you work, you should know that."
Flint felt his ears turning red. He'd known that his father was fairly proud of him, or at least rarely disappointed, but he'd never heard it so plainly before.
"So we've decided you deserve a reward for your hard work. It comes with some conditions, but if you are willing to fulfil them, then..."
Flint frowned in anticipation as his father glanced across the table to his wife and smiled.
"Then you, and if his parents will allow it, Kurt, can go to Carolina for the upcoming long weekend."
"I...uh...what?" Flint struggled out. His parents were letting him go on a trip with his boyfriend? Out of state. To Carolina.
"Now, as I said there are conditions. You will represent our family at your cousin's wedding on the Friday, although you will have the next two days to enjoy yourself. You'll be staying at Aunt Donna's house. And we will have to meet with this Kurt of yours, and his parents, before you get the final go ahead."
Flint's head was spinning slightly as he tried to catch up.
"But, I mean...Carolina for three days...and...but it'll be expensive, and Kurt..." Flint frowned a little, not wanting to tell them that Kurt probably couldn't afford the plane ticket.
"You'll be staying with family, and we'll be covering the tickets. Both of them."
Flint bit his lip.
"I can't...I mean...really?" He broke out into a wide, happy, if a little hesitant smile and Leslie laughed.
"Yes, really."
"Thank you! Thankyouthankyouthankyou." Flint shoved out from his chair and hugged Leslie tightly before moving to the other side. He looked at his dad for a moment, then wrapped his arms around him tightly.
"Thanks for understanding." Flint whispered, pulling back with a bit of a cough. They way his dad was looking at him made his throat ache a little. His dad smiled softly.
"We love you. Don't forget that."
Flint swallowed thickly and shook his head.
"No. I...I can't believe..." He bit his lip and glanced back and forth for a moment, clearly holding something in.
"What is it dear?" Leslie asked kindly. Flint frowned and then blurted out.
"I know its late, but can I please go back to Dalton tonight? Please? I promise I'll drive really extra carefully. And call when I get there and-"
"Yes. It's fine. Go ahead." Leslie shooed, her eye catching with her husband who just shrugged and looked faintly amused.
"Okay! I'll call you tomorrow. We need to set up plans for you to meet Kurt!" Flint ran back to the other side of the table and kissed his mom's head before grabbing his dishes and taking them out to the kitchen at a jog.
"Well at least he still has manners." Leslie smiled. "I think the sanity might be slipping slightly."
Paul snorted into his glass of wine, which was only made worse but Flint's head sticking through the doorway.
"Yeah, I definitely heard that."
"Hurry up Flint love, you don't want to be late for curfew." Leslie sang and Flint waved them goodbye as he dashed out of the kitchen and through the front door with a bit of a slam.
"We are making the right decision here, aren't we? They are young boys..." Paul trailed off for a moment, frowning. "I wish they would have just waited til university to date like Vanessa."
Leslie smiled.
"I wouldn't be too worried. I told Donna to put them in the room next to my aunt Judith."
Paul's smile spread.
"She's the notorious light sleeper, yes?"
"Mmmhmmm. And moral standards to shame a saint." Leslie joked. "I wouldn't worry. I think the boys will be well looked after."
Kurt sat down at his desk and stared at his screen. Since Flint wasn't going to be back, he had some alone time. And he was considering whether or not to explore something he'd been...wondering about. Only for a little while. Maybe kinda longer than a little while. Just thinking about it though. Abstractly. Not...oh hell. Kurt opened up the browser window, growling slightly in frustration at the warmth over his face. Honestly. He was sixteen. He was alone in his room. He didn't have to be embarrassed about...
Kurt took a shaky breath, glancing around his empty room nervously. He tapped his fingers over the keyboard. He didn't want to just...google it. That seemed really...not him. Plus he could end up at some site that showed him things he was totally not prepared to see at this point. He could try a magazine site. Cosmo and Glamour always seemed to have advice splattered across the cover. And Santana had said something once about the British one being even more...in depth. So...Cosmo UK.
He found something that seemed to be sort of what he was looking for. It was easier than he'd thought. Just...right there on the front page. And yes, it was all girls all over boys in the pictures, but the principles behind it didn't change.
At least it wasn't terrifying or anything. That was good.
And it wasn't clinical. Which was strangely comforting. Some how anatomical pencil sketches were equally as distasteful as some of the graphic things he was sure were out there.
Kurt scrolled through the slides with a bit of a frown on his face.
Most of it was pretty much common sense. Some of it he stored away to remember for some...eventual point.
Flint jogged up the stairs of the dorm and down to Kurt's dorm room. He skidded slightly to a stop and started pounding on the door.
"Kurt! Open up!"
Kurt's eyes went wide at the phrasing and he slammed the computer shut, pushing back from the desk and scrambling to the door, trying to make sure his hair was smooth and in place. He grabbed the door and pulled it open.
"I thought you were staying at home tonight?" Kurt said with confusion. It wasn't improved much when Flint's arms wrapped around him tightly and squeezed.
"Oh-kay easy babe. What's going on?" Flint stepped back and Kurt couldn't help returning the wide grin across his boyfriend's handsome face. His cheeks heated slightly, knowing what was on his computer screen just a few feet away.
"I have awesome news." Flint grabbed Kurt's hand and pulled him over to sit on the edge of the bed.
Kurt laughed lightly at his enthusiasm.
"What is it then?"
"My parents said that I can go to represent my family at my cousin's wedding over the long weekend, which is cool and all," Flint waved it away as though it were inconsequential. "Anyways, the really great part is that I get to enjoy Caroline for the other two days."
"That's great." Kurt smiled, and it was genuine. Flint deserved a break.
"No, there's more. They said you can come. And they're paying for everything and we're staying with my Aunt Donna, so you don't have to worry about anything."
"Flint- I-" Kurt stuttered. He had so many questions, but at the front of his mind was a big flashing sign saying "Weekend alone! Weekend alone!"
"You'll love it. It's gonna be in the same house where my mom grew up. It's awesome. Lemme show you! I've got pictures from last summer on my facebook." All of a sudden Flint off the bed and was at his desk, pulling open his laptop before he could stop him. Kurt shut his eyes tightly, feeling his cheeks flare up intensely.
"Just let -Bo-ahhh. Whaaaaa..." Flint leaned back a bit from the screen and tried to look at Kurt without breaking eye contact with it.
"Flint, I-" Kurt sighed and rolled his eyes back in consternation. Of course this would happen to him. Because everyday was "Embarrass Kurt Hummel Day."
Flint seemed to gulp air in, not swallowing it back but just inflating slightly for a moment.
"Is that...are you...I mean, to me?"
Kurt glared back at him sharply.
"No Flint, I was making sure I would know enough to properly critique your performance." He shot back, before scoffing slightly and grumbling. "So yes. I was looking at it...for...you."
"Wow." Flint sat down on the edge of the desk, hands clasping tightly over the edge. "You um...you wouldn't happen to know a word for incredibly hot and incredibly flattering?"
"Do you have one for unbelievably embarrassed?" Kurt shot back, crossing his arms over his chest and scooting back on the bed.
"Mortified?" Flint offered, along with a gentle smile.
"Thanks. Hey Flint, I'm mortified."
Flint frowned and moved back the the bed. He climbed on, shuffling himself next to Kurt. He reached out a hand to stroke Kurt's pink cheekbone softly. He just turned into the touch, forcing his eyes further away from the other boy's.
"Come on sweets, you shouldn't be embarrassed." Flint murmured.
"And yet miracle of miracles..." Kurt muttered.
"Hey." Flint opened his arms up a little, and Kurt leaned into them with a huff.
"So does this mean...that we're ready for more?"
Flint nuzzled against Kurt's nose, hoping that avoiding direct eye contact would make his boyfriend feel less threatened by this conversation.
"I..." Kurt couldn't help leaning into Flint's affectionate motions. "I...I think I am. Are you?"
"Yeah. And I don't just mean one way. I want..." Flint pressed a kiss to the corner of Kurt's mouth, murmuring his words against Kurt's open lips. "I want this mutually. I want to make you happy Kurt. Any way I can. Any way you'll let me."
Kurt looked up at him fully and nodded.
"Okay. I... I'd like that. Not right right now though."
Flint smiled.
"Mmmmm. Yeah, I've had a long day. Can we just do this for a while though?" Somehow Flint managed to shuffle them down to their sides, his arms wrapped around Kurt tightly. One hand stroked gently at the smooth hair under his chin while Kurt pressed soft kisses against the fabric of his shirt.
"You're such a big cuddle sloth Flint."
"Maybe. But I'm your sloth." Kurt grinned and knew the other boy would be able to feel it against his next.
"I think I like that just fine."
Flint was drowsy, just enjoying the heat and firm weight of Kurt's body against him. Until Kurt spoke out in the dark silence that surrounded them.
"Oh. Not to be a downer babe, cause I really want to go, But I just thought of something."
Flint frowned and cocked his head slightly.
"What?"
"To clarify, your parents WANT you to go away with your boyfriend to another state for three days?"
Kurt said calculating. Flint stalled for a second, not liking where this was heading.
"Kind of?"
"Well I just thought should mention, good luck convincing my dad, because he has yet to go crazy as well. Although even just suggesting it might do the job."
Flint's eyes opened wide.
"Oh. Right."
"Right."
"Damn."
