Chapter Fifteen: Surprises
When Burt arrived home an hour early from work, he did not expect to see his son – pregnant son – canoodling with that Mohawked punk. He had noticed Puck's ratty truck on the curb, but he didn't think anything of it; after all, since he and Finn had patched things up, Noah had been over more and more often. However, Burt was not ready for Kurt to be smooching with boys, whether he was already pregnant (meaning that Burt could no longer pretend that his son was virginal) or not.
Upon entering the kitchen, which smelled heavily of chocolate cake, the eldest Hummel was greeted with Kurt eating-face with Puckerman. Before he cleared his throat, he took note of the desperate way that Kurt's eyebrows knitted together and when the two boys sprung apart the look of concern that flitted over Noah's face, for Kurt, was not lost on Burt, before Puck fixed his gaze on Burt. The mechanic was appreciative of the way that the footballer paled.
"Daddy!" Kurt gasped, hands going to straighten his shirt and hair – a nervous trait that Kurt's mother had also been prone to. "This... Uhm... This isn't what it looks like?" Noah whipped his head to the younger Hummel at hearing that and rubbing his chest absently as though he were in pain.
He noticed Puck's gesture and filed it away for deeper translation later, but kept his eyes fixed on his son, "Kurt. What is going on?" Kurt's eyes flicked nervously around the room, studiously avoiding looking at Puck and his hands gripping the bottom of his shirt.
The timer for the cake baking in the oven went off and Burt sighed, taking of his cap and running a hand over his head.
"Take your cake out of the oven, son, and meet me in the living room. You too, Puckerman." He added when Noah looked a little too relieved.
As Kurt's dad left the kitchen, the countertenor slid the oven mitts onto his slim hands and, with a panicky expression poisoning his features, grabbed the cake from the oven, flipping it upside-down and out onto the cooling rack. He began hyperventilating, holding desperately to the counter.
"Kurt, calm down." Noah, also a little panicked – although for slightly different reasons – gently guided Kurt into the living room and sat him down beside Burt. He whizzed off again, only to return with Kurt's favourite herbal tea. "Calm down, Kurt. Breath." He asked Kurt to put his head between his knees and , crouching beside him, softly rubbed his back. "It's not good for the baby."
Burt watched the exchange curiously and suddenly felt as though he understood the way the two were acting earlier. The look on Noah's face was frightened, although that fright was not directed at Burt, but towards his son. The more Kurt got worked up, the more terrified Noah looked.
"Sorry, Mr. H." Puck said, before he shifted to sit behind Kurt, holding Kurt's back to his own muscular chest. Burt raised his eyebrows, but watched as Puck instructed Kurt to breathe with him, placing a large hand on his son's chest and gently coaxing Kurt to breathe more calmly. Frankly, Burt was surprised that Kurt complied, his hands clenching and unclenching on Puck's knees.
"I'm okay." Kurt whispered, and Noah smiled shakily. "Thank you, Noah."
Puckerman nodded and moved away to give Kurt the space he needed to talk to his dad. He sat in the armchair and tried to convince himself that whatever Kurt told his dad – whether he told Burt that Puck was the other dad or not – he would respect the countertenor's decision.
"So," Burt started, looking almost as uncomfortable as Kurt, now sitting alone with Burt and his hands clutched between his knees, "what exactly was going on?"
Kurt fidgeted and wrung his hands fretfully, avoiding Burt's gaze before he nodded and looked directly at Noah. "Dad, Noah is the other dad..." Puck's heart swelled with the knowledge that Kurt wasn't going to keep the truth from Burt and Burt was surprised that Kurt was willing to reveal the truth so easily. When Quinn had been pregnant, she had been so ashamed that she had kept the paternity a secret and Noah, if asked, would refuse outright about how much that had hurt. "We were... I was... We just..." Kurt stuttered a frown marring his features and a blush on his cheeks. "I don't know, Daddy..."
Burt nodded solemnly. "I... Kurt, I don't like the fact that you kept your," he gestured between the two boys, "whatever a secret, but I'm happy that you didn't lie to me." Burt rubbed his head again before he continued, "Are you, uh, are you two together now...?"
Puck was a little astonished that Kurt had been forth coming about their 'thing' as opposed to saying that they were romantically involved. Kurt looked at his dad and then looked at Noah.
"No." He said, just as Noah said yes.
Burt regarded the two boys before chuckling a little, "So glad that you cleared that up for me."
Noah smiled wistfully, moving his gaze from Kurt to Burt, "I want to be with Kurt, Mr. Hummel and not just for the sake of our baby." Puck looked at Kurt briefly before continuing, "The thing that we had was great, sir, it's different from being with girls." Burt allowed Noah to go on although he felt anger towards the footballer for taking Kurt's innocence. "He, I don't know, he just gets it. And I don't feel as though I have to pretend to be anything I'm not." He smiled at Kurt. "I like how I feel around Kurt."
Burt considered this before turning to Kurt and raising a brow, the countertenor shrugged one shoulder. "I don't know, Daddy." He repeated before he flushed prettily, "I... I don't like Puck," the footballer's face fell, but Kurt quickly reached out to touch the back of his hand, "but I like Noah. I like how he makes me feel. I like the guy who... who made my first time so special." Noah smiled shyly and turned his hand over to hold Kurt's slim hand in his. Kurt sighed heavily, looking at their hands before pulling his away. "I just don't think that it could ever work, no matter how much either of us want it."
Burt was beginning to feel as though he was part of a Jerry Springer show or something. Both of the boys sitting with him wanted to be together, but Kurt was just so stubborn. He smiled lightly thinking about how long it had taken for him to convince Kurt's mother to be his girlfriend; they had been around the same age as Noah and Kurt.
"Why not, Kurt? I mean, if you both want to be together, what's stopping you?" Noah nodded, "This doesn't mean I approve." He grumbled and Puck lowered his head submissively.
"It just won't work." Kurt receded into the Ice-Queen routine, sipping his tea as though he realised he'd need a distraction. "It's just not how high school works, Daddy."
"What do you mean? Why not?" Burt asked, a frown on his face as he leaned forward.
"Because, Dad, I am at the bottom of the food chain in that place – it's not as bad as it was before Dalton, but it's still awful – and Noah shouldn't have to suffer that!" Kurt took another sip of tea, "I wouldn't make anyone suffer that. Besides, no matter what Noah says in the comfort and safety of our house, Puck has a reputation to uphold."
Burt cast his gaze to the Mohawked boy briefly and he was taken aback by the open look of sadness on his face before he stared at his son. Here, in his living room, was a boy practically throwing himself at Kurt and he wasn't willing to take the risk, but the mechanic couldn't help but chuckle.
"You're so much like your mother, Kurt." Kurt's head whipped up, "She was damn stubborn too. You know, when I asked her o date me in high school, she told me to take the high road. I was the quarterback and she was a show-choir-kid-"
"Gleek, Dad."
"- but God if I wasn't determined. Like you to Puckerman, she didn't want to 'ruin my rep'. I kept bugging her though, right up until she offered a pity date – in secret of course – when she found that actually, I wasn't all that bad, that I wasn't the dickhead jock I pretended to be." Burt sighed. "If Noah proves himself to you, Kurt," he gazed at both boys pointedly, "give him a 'Lizzy-Pity-Date' and I'm sure you'll be pleasantly surprised. I'm sure that if you asked Jimmy at the garage that he'd tell you I was the 'Noah Puckerman' of our school days."
"Talking of the shop, Daddy!" Kurt saw his chance to change the subject and he grasped at it, "Noah has been looking for a job, but thus far he's had no luck. I was wondering if you'd consider him?"
"Kurt, why are you being so stubborn about this?" Noah asked, desperation on his features.
"I thought you wanted a job...?"
"You know what I mean." Noah growled, running a hand through his hair before, agitated, he knelt before Kurt. "Kurt, I don't care what people think. I did, but why should I care now? What we had, have or could have would mean so much more to me than them. So why can't we be together?"
Kurt was silent for a moment, staring at Noah, before he spoke. "There's no love, Noah. I can't be in a relationship with someone if there's no love." Kurt wiped ferociously at a tear before he looked at his dad. "So, do you think you could offer him a job, Daddy?"
Burt sighed, holding up a hand at Noah when he went to argue, Puck respectfully quietened. "Sure... If he's willing to work hard, he's welcome. Can I trust in you to run him over the basics tomorrow?"
"Yes, Dad." Kurt said, smiling.
"Okay. Well, Puckerman, could you stay and chat with me whilst Kurt sorts out cake?" Burt smiled at his son as his eyes, so much like Lizzy's, widened in fear. "I promise I won't kill him, but I know you want to get back to your baking."
Kurt looked to Noah, searching his face before he nodded and shuffled off to the kitchen.
Noah could honestly say that he had never felt as nervous as he was in that moment. Sitting across from the considerably intimidating Burt Hummel, the footballer could feel his heart beating a million miles a minute. Burt leaned forward on his chair, resting his chin on his clasped hands as he glared at Puck.
"So, Puckerman." He started, brows low over his eyes, "You're the other dad, huh?"
Noah swallowed audibly. "Yes, sir."
"You wanna be with my son?" Noah nodded. "And to hell with the consequences?"
"Sir, I... I really like Kurt and I want to be with him no matter what people think. He makes me feel good about who I am."
Burt shrugged and leaned back, spreading his arms across the back of the sofa in a typically alpha male gesture. "Have you thought about what could happen to Kurt?"
"Nothing would happen to him. I'd kill anyone who touched him." Noah growled as if the very thought caused his hackles to rise protectively and Burt smiled.
"Okay. If Kurt decides to indulge you, I expect you to treat him with the upmost respect. That means no funny business and I expect him home before ten on week nights, eleven-thirty latest on Fridays and Saturdays." Noah nodded mutely. "Good. Now... About that job."
Saturday was always a messy day for Kurt. He was up at six as usual due to his epic body-clock and showered, moisturised and dressed before eight. He mourned the loss of his morning coffee, but made do with a mint tea as he contemplated the day ahead. After completing his French and English papers he was going to meet Noah at Hummel's Lube And Tires and run him through the basics – he loved working at the garage, it made him feel 'normal', but it always played havoc with his cleanliness, something Kurt prided himself on. After that he was going to take another quick shower followed by a long bubble bath before cooking dinner for the family.
Kurt sighed heavily. The talk with his father and Noah the day previous had drained him, but he stood by his own reasoning. He and Noah wouldn't be happy together. They were too different and although he loved Noah, the older boy didn't love him and Kurt couldn't bear the thought of trapping him. He could and would have full access to their child, he wouldn't take that from him, but if both parents were in his or her life, there wouldn't be that argument either.
After a relatively small breakfast of waffles (smothered in chocolate) Kurt grabbed his grey pea-coat from the stand by the door and the keys for his Navigator from the bowl. He shouted up to Finn to tell him that breakfast was on the table and was unsurprised to hear the noises made by Finn's clumsiness in his haste to get to the warm food on the kitchen table.
Chuckling lightly, Kurt slid behind the wheel his car and, after securing his seatbelt, revved the engine before pulling away from the drive to head off towards Puck's place. The drive was short and quiet, with the WICKED soundtrack playing in the background and it gave Kurt a little more time to think. If Noah asked him on a date with those hopeful hazel eyes, he knew that he'd give in. He smirked as he thought of what Burt had told him the night before, about his mother's patented 'pity-date', but that wouldn't mean that the two of them would end up happy.
Kurt knew just how much the separation of Noah's parents had affected the other teen; he would die before something similar happened to his own child. Perhaps it was better for everyone if Noah and Kurt remained 'friends' as opposed to putting the child at risk of a messier situation.
As he pulled up outside Noah's house, he ran a hand through his hair before stepping out of his car and walking to the front door to ring the bell.
Sure enough, Noah came to the door looking flustered, "Hey, Kurt, I have a problem... Ma went out with one of her friend that she hasn't seen in years so I'm stuck with Lily." Noah rubbed the back of his head looking both disappointed and panicky.
Kurt sighed, "It's fine, Noah." The countertenor smiled before calling Lily down from upstairs, "She can stay in the back of the shop, I'm sure I can find something to keep her occupied."
"Hey Kurtie!" Lily jumped up to grab Kurt around the neck and Noah twitched nervously at the thought of the countertenor getting hurt.
"Hi, sweetie." Kurt replied, settling Lily in his arms, "Right, you're brother and I are going to go to the garage, do you want to come with us? I think I have some old drawing stuff you can play around with?"
"Oh! That'll be fun! Noah never thinks of fun things to do! He just likes to watch sports." She pouted and Kurt put her down, ruffling her hair.
"Alright." He chuckled, "Go get anything you want to take with you and your coat, I'll just give my Dad a call."
Lily pattered off rushing to grab her things and as Kurt hit speed-dial one for his dad he noticed Noah's surprised gaze. "What?" He mouthed, tilting his head. Noah smiled and shook his head. Kurt shrugged and relayed the situation to his dad.
"So you need to bring his sister too?"
"I know it's not ideal, Daddy, but it's that or she ends up home alone." Burt sighed on the other end of the line, "It should be alright if she stays out back, I promise she won't cause any trouble. Despite having Puck as a brother, she's surprisingly well-behaved."
"Hey!" Noah protested, putting a hand to his chest and wiping away a mock tear. Kurt rolled his eyes.
"Okay, Kurt. How soon will you lot be here?"
"Only fifteen minutes I should think – oh! There she is! Do you have everything, sweetheart?" Lily nodded, "Good. Okay, Dad, we'll be there soon, love you."
"Love you too, son. Drive safe!"
Kurt hung up then placed his phone back into his pocket. He frowned when he realised that the Puckerman siblings were staring at him.
"What?"
"What happened to your pretty clothes?" Lily asked, point blank and Kurt giggled, hurrying her out of the door.
"I wouldn't want to wear my pretty clothes while I'm working on a car now, would I? Imagine all the oil and muck!" Kurt wrinkled his nose and Lillian laughed as she clambered up into the Navigator and shut the passenger door.
Just before the teens took their places in the car, Kurt turned to Noah, "And just why were you staring at me?"
Noah shrugged, his cheeks turning pink under his tanned complexion. "The way you are with Lily," he cast a fond glance at his sister then looked at his shoes, "I was just thinking that you'll make a good dad..."
Kurt put a slender hand on Noah's forearm, causing the larger boy to look up at him. Kurt's eyes were wet but he managed, "So will you, Noah." Before a few tears slipped silently down his face, "Sorry," he said, swatting Noah's tender hands away, "hormones."
Respectfully Noah allowed him a moment to collect himself and Kurt was grateful for not having to deal with physical comfort – he would put Noah's balls in a blender if he tried to take advantage of his clouded judgement.
"Let's get to the garage." Kurt said after a couple of minutes, smiling at Noah warmly.
"I don't get it..."
"Oh for the love of McQueen!" Kurt shrieked, waving his arms – one hand wielding a tire-iron – angrily. "It's one of the easiest things to do, Noah! Jeez... It's no wonder you poor truck is in such a sorry way."
"Go easy on him, Kurt!" A burly man jested as he grinned from ear to ear. Jimmy Barnes (the same Jimmy that Burt had spoken of the night before) was a friendly man and, like the other mechanics working at Hummel's Lube And Tire, protective of Kurt. Turned out that Kurt had been helping out around the shop since he was knee high to a grasshopper; it helped Noah understand the lithe muscles under Kurt's creamy skin.
The countertenor glared at Jimmy, his arms crossed, before he made a sound halfway between a growl and a sigh. "Okay, Noah, I'll show you again, but this has to be the absolute last time or I'm going to have to kill you." Puck chuckled and Kurt smiled unwillingly.
"So you've been working here since you were seven, yeah?" Puck asked, attentive to what Kurt was trying to teach him.
"Yeah, well... since my Mum died, I've been helping around the place. Neither Dad nor I wanted to be alone, so it just worked well for us." Kurt grunted as he adjusted his position, "Besides, it's good to know how to deal with cars." The slender boy moved back, grabbing the cloth from the back pocket of his overalls to wipe his hands. "Can I trust you with the last one?"
Noah nodded, smiling at the other boy, he had a smudge of grease over his nose, "Yeah, I think I've got it now. Thanks Kurt."
"You're welcome." Kurt replied before he stalked off to the back room.
Kurt was just full of surprises. Everyone knew that Burt Hummel knew his way around a car, but Kurt? His effeminate, fashionable, fabulously gay son? Noah felt honoured to be privvy to Kurt's personal life in a way that only a couple of others knew of. At least if he gives me a chance there will never be a dull moment, he thought, finishing up the job that Kurt had left him.
Sorry for late update, having a little trouble with it at the moment, any suggestions are welcome, just PM me. Don't forget to review! Much love.