Prompt: Jack O'Neill -"The very young do not always do as they're told." - "Stargate SG:1'
Nine year old Kurt Hummel listened to the shower running above his head as his father took his normal after work shower. He was supposed to be watching Power Rangers but Kurt had long forgotten the action taken place on the screen. It seemed trivial in the scheme of things.
After working at the garage all day, his dad now came home to more work - cooking, cleaning, and taking care of him. Kurt saw how tired his Dad got and so little by little he had tried to start helping his father out. He cleaned his room without being told to. He did his homework at the Jones' after school so his father didn't need to worry about him doing it. He swept the floors and dusted, two tasks he had always helped his mother with. Kurt had even started helping his father with dishes after dinner.
Still Kurt didn't feel like he was doing enough as his father often fell asleep in his easy chair watching the nightly news. Still hearing the shower running, Kurt looked toward the kitchen. Dinner still needed to be made. He had often helped his mother with dinner though there were certain tasks he wasn't allowed to do for fear he would hurt himself. Still, he was a year older now and things had changed. His father needed his help.
Heading for the kitchen Kurt thought about what he could do to help with dinner. They were going to have spaghetti tonight and though Kurt knew that cooking the hamburger was something he should let his dad do, surely if he cooked the pasta it would save some time. Kurt knew how to do that and his mother had taught him how to tell if the pasta was cooked enough.
Kurt set upon his task. All was fine until he bumped the pot handle climbing down from a chair after putting in the noodles. Kurt cried out as the boiling water hit his sock clad left foot and splashed his legs. Next thing he knew he was being swept off the floor by his father, who removed his socks before putting his left foot under running cold water.
"It's going to be okay buddy," Burt said calmly, as he reached for a couple of dish towels. After soaking the towels thoroughtly, he wrapped one around each of Kurt's feet, the right foot having been splashed with water to a lesser degree, turned off the stove and hurried for the truck with his son.
"What were you doing messing with the stove?" Burt asked, as he flew toward the hospital.
"I wanted to help with dinner," Kurt replied through his tears. "I'm sorry."
Burt sighed. "It's going to be okay, buddy," he assured Kurt, reaching out for one of Kurt's hands and feeling guilty that he hadn't done enough to protect his son.