AN: What's this two stories have gotten an update in 1 day? Can it be true? Yes, yes it is. I have actually finished another story, it's Held. That's a personally pretty tender story. It's quite lengthy and has some twists and turns but definitely check it out if you're looking for a non WIP by me. :)
–
Chapter 39
–
It was only when Sebastian woke up on Friday morning with a text from his father reminding him about the flight to NYC that afternoon that he remembered that he hadn't really broached this with Kurt. It wasn't like he'd forgotten but he'd hoped his father wouldn't go through with it. His father had made threats or demands before but then found it unimportant enough to make Sebastian actually do it. How often he'd gone to France and how long he'd stayed there had been a case in point.
He wasn't sure how he was going to broach this with Kurt and especially so last minute. The frequency would be the hardest part to believe. He glanced at his watch and decided that he would probably just crash Kurt's school, take the consequences of missing his own and be back in time for the ride to the airport.
He was forgetting one vital thing though and that was that Kurt didn't have as much school time he could miss as Sebastian and it was already problematic how much he'd missed; but Kurt would probably point out that the start of the semester meant a restart, one that he'd already missed a day+ of. Besides, entering McKinley and roaming it's halls would be a lot easier than the other way around.
Sebastian texted Kurt with a lazy message wondering where he was right then. He didn't want to over-concern Kurt but still wanted to surprise him.
4th period. Kurt text back.
When is your lunch?
After this class. Kurt wrote back. Why?
Need to talk to you.
Sounds ominous. I'll call you when I'm free, will ii be ok to call you in 23 minutes?
I'll do you one better. Meet me in the parking lot.
There was a brief pause in messages which could have been for a numerous amount of reasons but then Sebastian's phone dinged. Is everything ok?
Everyone is safe and health and we're still good. Sebastian was quick to reassure, knowing Kurt's mind would spiral to terrible conclusions if he didn't. We just need to talk, in person.
I saw you yesterday and the day before and the day before that.
I know, I know. I'm sorry it took me so long to bring it up. Anyway you could leave class early? All they were doing was texting during Kurt's class anyway, it couldn't be anything too strenuous or taxing or involved.
He could practically feel Kurt's heavy sigh. I'll be out soon.
Kurt came out a few minutes later and looked around the parking lot, spotting Sebastian near his car and headed over. "What's going on Sebastian?"
"Any chance I could steal you for lunch?"
"We only get 20 minutes." Kurt crossed his arms over his chest and started tapping his foot. "So spill. Why are you here?"
It really would seem suspicious after the last couple of really good days. "Can we at least sit in my car?" It was a pretty good idea, the tinted windows would give them some privacy and Kurt sighed and his shoulders drooped before he got into the vehicle, admitting as much. "I wish I'd brought food so we could eat and talk."
"Just start talking." Kurt demanded and Sebastian hesitated, unsure how to start.. "Did you cheat?"
"What? No!" Sebastian turned to Kurt. "How could you think that first?"
"You've been warning me since the day we met. I figured might as well toss it out as quickly as possible since you seem to have trouble telling me what it really was. Worst thing checked off the list, done."
"Is that worse than me killing someone?" Sebastian asked in shock.
"You killed someone?" Kurt speared him with his intense blue-green gaze.
"Not yet." Sebastian muttered and Kurt slowly nodded with eyes narrowed, waiting for Sebastian to just come out with is. Sebastian now knew that Kurt was just flinging the worst at him to make whatever he did say seem better in comparison. Sebastian appreciated that. Also appreciated that even if the situations were true, he wasn't running away. "My dad wants me to go to NYC every weekend now."
Kurt was patient and didn't push but when it looked like Sebastian was just going to end the topic there, he spoke. "Why?"
"He wants me to start in on the family business, work and work my way up, get to know every aspect of it and be mentored by his business partner and son there. I'm expected in France more often too, working under him and with him and his next in line and his son, supposedly a week a month but I don't see that panning out logistically."
Kurt frowned. "They're pairing you up with a lot of 'sons'."
"Hunter's straight and they don't know that Cedric isn't. It isn't to set me up with anyone. They'd rather brush that part of myself under the rug. A lot of me actually."
Kurt took his hand instantly as those words left Sebastian's mouth. He held it tight and shook his head. "I don't. I don't want to hide any part of you."
"You haven't seen all of me."
"I've seen enough to know you're a good person. I couldn't be with you if you weren't. You've had a rough past, but you pulled yourself out of it. You're amazing and if there are still rough edges, that's ok too. I don't care if those never go away, they are what make you, you."
"I love you so much." Sebastian groaned and pulled Kurt to him so he could bury his face in Kurt's shoulder and wrapped his free arm around Kurt. He breathed him in. "I don't know what we are going to do."
Kurt didn't say anything for a long moment, smoothing Sebastian's hair in continual strokes and making reassuring sounds. "Well, for starters, I'm going to get dad to release the Wednesday ban. It'll be the only day of the week I'll be able to see you for the foreseeable future. He should be open to that."
Sebastian made a distressed sound. "One day a week?" He pulled back, shaking his head. "I'll drive down Monday through Thursday if I have to. I have a helicopter too."
"That's a lot of back and forth during a school week. You'll be so busy with homework, Lacrosse, Glee and now NY..."
"I'll use my drivers and do my homework in the car and drop out of those clubs or something." Sebastian protested.
"I have after school activities too." Kurt frowned at Sebastian. "And you're not dropping out. I love supporting you with Lacrosse, I like being your personal cheerleader. I am looking forward to our rivalry with Glee and you have college to think about, both of those will look good on your application."
Sebastian mulled over Kurt's words, not pleased but accepting what he was getting at. "Then what are we to do?" This would hurt their relationship, no matter how strong they were, only a few couples could do the long distance thing. Sebastian knew they would be one of the rare ones but it was going to be hard. He could already see the strain that this would cause and the pitfalls they might be faced with. One thing he knew about both of them though, they'd both be true to the other. He couldn't see either of them cheating and if they wanted to, they'd break up with the other first.
"It hasn't started yet, you're leaving today for the weekend." Kurt reminded him, cupping Sebastian's hand with both of his now. "We'll find opportunities, like we did this week, to see each other more often. We can meet in the middle for dinner or something on the days neither of us have late plans with our respective activities. We could probably afford to miss once or twice too but not quit. You can still come over on Wednesdays, maybe I can come up on another day. We'll work it out."
"You're so mature." Sebastian was in awe of his boyfriend sometimes.
"Well, I am a genius." Kurt teased.
"That is true." Sebastian agreed and Kurt blushed, not actually believing what he said about himself, nor Sebastian's ready agreement. Sebastian stroked Kurt's hand with his thumb. "I'm going to miss our Friday family meals."
"We'll keep a spot for you at the table." Kurt promised. Then he smiled a fake bright smile. "The girls have been badgering me about my ongoing weekend plans and how I never have time for them. This will help with that too. It's going to be ok."
Sebastian attempted to match his look, but both were worried about the future. A bell rang and Kurt jumped and glanced down at his phone. "Crap, I've got to go."
"You missed lunch." Sebastian complained, realizing that he'd monopolized Kurt's time to the point of making him miss out on a meal.
"I've got snacks. I'll be ok." Kurt pressed a kiss to Sebastian's cheek and then disappeared from the car and back into the business and presumably off to class.
Sebastian sighed and restarted the engine, pulled out of the parking lot and headed back to Westerville and the new future his father had laid out for him. He hoped Kurt was right and that everything would work out.
–
Kurt wasn't exactly sure how to broach the topic with his dad that afternoon. He skirted around the kitchen as Carole cooked and Finn was at... well, Kurt wasn't sure where Finn was, just knew that he'd be here for dinner and wasn't at football or glee practice.
He put off the conversation while he helped Carole cook. Burt came over to the fridge to look for a drink that wouldn't put his son into cardiac arrest. He ended up pulling out the pitcher of water and pouring himself a glass. Burt turned to look at Kurt in curiosity after he took a moment to take in the room. "Sebastian sleeping?" It was quiet outside of the kitchen.
It gave Kurt the perfect opportunity to bring it up. "Sebastian's not here and he's not going to be coming over on the weekends anymore."
Burt frowned deeply at the news. "Did you two break up? Did something happen while you were visiting Dalton?"
"It's not any of the above." Kurt reassured and went into an even briefer version of events than Sebastian had given him. "Do you mind if he comes over on Wednesdays again since that will now be the only day of the week he can?"
"Of course not. I never wanted to split you two apart. He's more than welcome here whenever he gets the opportunity." Burt opened his arms up in an offer and Kurt darted into them quickly. "Are you ok?" He asked the top of his son's head.
Kurt nodded against his chest. "It's going to be an adjustment but we'll work something out. It's not never."
When dinner rolled around and Finn asked about it too, Kurt sighed, giving a version of events that would fit with the narrative they'd given Finn so far. No need to muddle to situation further. "Sebastian's parents have asked him to spend his weekends in New York."
"Oh, they're back in the picture, are they?" Finn's words were just a tad bit harsher than expected and Kurt looked at him oddly. "I hate absentee parents, they're the worst sort."
"I'd personally say physically abusive are but, please do go on." Carole said a bit fascinated by her son's take on the world.
"I mean, emotionally abusive are up there too." Burt added and they glanced at each other knowingly. Kurt looked at them for a long moment and then turned away to look at Finn once more.
"None of them are great." Finn concluded. "He's spent so much time here, I just thought maybe they were gone for good."
"They live in Paris." Kurt explained, he was pretty sure they'd been over this point before, but he hammered it home again. "But yes, they're definitely 2 of the 3 brought up so far. Wouldn't surprise me if they had hit all 3 targets." Kurt shook his head at the adults, as far as he knew, Sebastian's parents hadn't ever actually raised a hand to him. Sebastian just alluded before that darkness lurked in the gene pool and he'd been forthcoming about his great-grandfather's behavior.
"So why is he in New York?" Finn looked absolutely confused.
"His aunt lives there, they want him to learn from her." It was not totally wrong and he'd reach out to Sebastian tonight to see how he was doing and where he was staying. If he wasn't already at his Aunt Izzy's then Kurt would suggest spending his weekends there. She could be a bright side for him.
"So... we will have an empty seat at the table and Sam's already been over before... think I can invite Puck or Rachel for dinner some nights?" He was looking toward Kurt for his permission and Kurt sighed.
"When it's just the 4 of us, fine, Puck can come over."
"But not Rachel?" Finn looked disappointed and glanced at his mother but then his eyes fell back to his plate.
Carole's heart went out to him and despite the fact that Finn had been in the wrong so much, and how much she disliked Rachel personally, she did think the girl was helping him. "Well, maybe once a month Rachel can come over, right Kurt?"
Kurt gritted his teeth, she wasn't the worst that honor belonged to others at their school, but she was not someone he wanted to spend a lot of time with. When Carole and Finn looked at him so imploringly while Burt's look was much more measured, Kurt gave in. "Fine but only when Sam can be here too." He might as well get something out of it.
"Deal." Finn capitalized on it instantly, not letting Kurt back out of it and he did regret it instantly.
Dinner finished and he wasn't sure what to do with his extra free time. Usually he and Sebastian would take off now but Sebastian was in New York. Sometimes they did things as a family after dinner but tonight everyone was kind of splintering off. Carole and Burt had movie tickets and Finn was going to Rachel's. Kurt would be left alone in the house. A normal Friday and it would be perfect for him and Sebastian.
So he hit up Mercedes to see if she was interested in a girls' night. She squealed and invited him over instantly. He was going to need hobbies to occupy him over these long lonely weekends because he couldn't do girls' night every day, even if he mixed through his crew different nights. Mercedes at least kept him late into Saturday with different activities.
On Sunday, he did what he never thought he would, and he let himself into Isabelle's house and walked over to garage, running his hand over the car they'd built together. They wouldn't be able to do this together anymore. It made him sad but he was glad they weren't in the middle of a project at least.
Sebastian was so bored in New York while he was attending the door. He was texting Kurt constantly and they were both texting with the Niff and some of the other boys from Dalton.
Still, with all this constant updating of news, he was still surprised on Monday; there was a new couple pairing up in their glee group and Kurt took a moment to reassess his feelings. It made a weird sort of sense but seemed wrong and right at the same time – Tina and Joe. He had no idea when or how those two got closer.
They also had an exchange student, Rory, from Ireland. Santana was suspicious of him since he was staying with Brittany. Kurt couldn't figure out how that came about either but he was a pretty nice guy and he was just the right amount of odd to fit in perfectly with them.
He had a few new weekend activities he could participate in, spending time with Tina and Joe to figure out what made those two attracted to each other. He also had a new guy he could try to befriend, and hopefully without the taint of 'making him seem gay'.
Monday did not bring with it only interesting news, but information he was dreading too. The trio of jocks were back on campus. He got a microphone shoved into his face the moment he noticed them. They weren't even fully down the hallway when he was being asked how he felt in very inciting words. He glanced at them, hoping they didn't hear and they didn't turn around to look at him.
They left him alone that week and he breathed a little easier. It helped that Puck had his arm over Kurt's shoulders or Finn walked next to him between classes. Santana and Brittany wrapped their arms around his too, which was strange for Santana but also something that she'd definitely started doing in slow increments since the New Years party. Sam continued to walk with him from class but only because he wanted to, less because he wanted to intimidate anyone away, but if you told him that's what he'd been doing, he'd do it even more.
Or he'd be with a few other people at once. That... he was sure they'd be more than happy to defend him or present a force against others, but that did seem genuine. Nobody except maybe Mercedes stopped and glared down his bullies when they got too close.
The other football players actually called out to him in greeting when they walked by, they had since the party. A thoughtful look crossed his face one day when it continued. "Nope, no, no way, uh-uh." Santana refuted when she saw his face. "You're trying out next year for the Cheerios, not football."
"Couldn't I do both?" Kurt pondered out loud and Santana nearly shot her head mouth off at him when Brittany gently took her hand as they walked.
Quinn wobbled beside them, trying to look as graceful as a pregnant girl could be but she was pretty petite and didn't carry it off quite as well as she'd hoped. She hadn't gained the weight like a lot of women though, and so many women would be incredibly jealous. "Actually, there's an opening since Sue decided to kick me off the team rather than bench me." She didn't sound too miffed about it though and it was explained a moment later. "She told me that I wouldn't be considered part of the team once I could no longer hide the pregnancy or touch my toes. Since December and January were pretty quiet months she let it slide longer. She's going to have tryouts to replace me for the rest of the season."
"Ooh, do it, Hummel, do it!" Santana pushed. "You'll be top of the food chain around here, even higher than the football players."
"I don't know, I have a feeling that my rep will fall because of it, not grow. You might even lose some of your own shine too."
Santana scoffed and polished her nails on her uniform. "My rep is impeachable, no matter what I do or say. I'm a badass and a force to be reckoned with. No one would dare go after me."
"But not everyone is like you." Kurt glanced at Quinn and then even more briefly at Brittany before returning to face Santana squarely. Santana had definitely mellowed out about taking over Quinn's position by force when she put together that she could have it by default. Kurt knew once she had it though, she would not peacefully give it back. Take without bloodshed, defend to the very bitter end.
Santana's face hardened."I would like to see them try."
So, Kurt was convinced to try out. His own misgivings were echoed by his dad and Finn when he told them that night that he was planning on trying out. Finn nearly wailed in frustrated tears over how Kurt was just trying to dig him a grave and put him under a concrete slab. First for being gay, then for being in choir, then dragging Finn into it – which he hadn't, then their parents being together – wrong order but no one corrected him, the joining the football team somehow – by being good but no one pointed that out, then by quitting and then by their parents getting engaged and now he was going to be a male cheerleader.
Finn bemoaned the loss of status that his chaste girlfriend slept with the biggest sex-fiend in the school, just ahead of Santana- who couldn't even salvage his rep because while she was probably the hottest girl, it was also not an achievement he could boast about alone. It just eared him a pat on the head for being so naïve. If he'd managed to sleep with Quinn, now that would have been an achievement in their eyes. Even Brittany who was intentionally working through all the males at McKinley would have been a bigger boon to his reputation.
As for Sebastian, they hadn't missed a beat in their regular beginning of the week communication. Sebastian may have been texting more not only because he missed Kurt but because of the return of the trio. He just wanted to make sure Kurt was ok and if he missed a check in every 2 hours, then he was calling Kurt and Kurt wasn't sure what he'd do if Kurt didn't pick up.
Sebastian had actually only called twice and the second time, Kurt picked it up with "Baby, I'm ok, you've got to stop worrying so much, it's not good for your health."
Sebastian grumbled something but he agreed, he wouldn't call again unless it'd been something far more ridiculous between texts. So of course Sebastian was the first one to hear about the girls convincing him to try out for the cheer squad. He'd called Sebastian at lunch time to discuss it on that Tuesday and Sebastian's response was a jovial one. He highly encouraged Kurt to do it and Kurt nearly didn't because Sebastian found it so funny. He pouted and nearly called Sebastian out for being a jerk and maybe a few other choice descriptions but Sebastian spoke before he could. "The fantasies you're creating for me..." Sebastian's voice purred on the line and Kurt shivered in delight. "Football Kurt meeting Cheerio Kurt and little ol' me in the middle."
"What am I wearing?" Kurt asked nearly breathless and found a private corner to listen. "Describe it."
"Of course your clothes are what will get you off." Sebastian teased. "Then again, in this case, it'll do the same for me. Until I get them off of you."
"Sebastian." Kurt whined. "Stop teasing me."
"Are you alone?"
"No." Kurt wasn't, he just wasn't being noticed at the moment.
"All the better." Sebastian breathed in his ear.
"Jerk."
"I wish I could." He was nearly laughing again and Kurt breathed in and out slowly to try and calm down. Sebastian had hit a nerve when he mentioned this particular fantasy.
"I suppose if you were in the middle you'd be able to do that for one of me."
"Kurt." It was Sebastian's turn to complain about the poor timing of all of this. "Shit... let me... that's perfect." Sebastian was away from the phone for a long moment before he was back on the line. "Janitor's closet, you?"
"Alcove." It was probably where trash cans were supposed to go, out of the way in their own designated spot to help contain any overspill to one area. Or vending machines. Both of which were not currently there, nor had they ever been. The anchor in his back only added to weight to what he thought might have belonged there.
"Ok, ok, the fantasy... The American football version of you is wearing everything, pads, helmet, those tight knee length pants with the high socks."
"So the typical unattractive garb."
"I find it attractive. Maybe the most attractive sports wear, but damn, you looked hot babe in it."
Kurt braced himself for the very explicit description he was going to hear about the miniskirt and nothing underneath. "And the Cheerio outfit?"
"Forgive me for this, but damn, the way I see you dressing up as a cheerleader-"
"Bas..." Kurt started, not sure he wanted to hear this after all.
"You're in Dalton colors, long fitted pants and a skin tight shirt made of very flexible material to match you personal abilities. You can bend into the most interesting positions. Hell, you could probably take care of yourself and me while I'm in between you while never taking your hands off of me. We could both help the other you out."
Kurt was bright red and he couldn't speak for a long few seconds. Sebastian didn't say anymore, just let that soak in. Finally, he had to ask. "Are you still there?"
Taking in a shaky breath, Kurt let it out with a bit of a laugh. "Can't tell by my laborious breath?"
"You didn't say anything, I was worried." Sebastian admitted. "Somehow I thought I might have gone too far."
"It's not often that you trip me up with this kind of talk." Kurt was good when Sebastian did it, probably because it was expected and wanted but every once in awhile he still got Kurt to blush. "You'll be so mad you missed my reaction." He whispered.
"Dusty pink?" He asked with a bit of excitement in his voice.
"Darker."
"Rose-colored."
"Brighter."
"Red?"
"Yep but keep going."
A long torturous groan came from Sebastian. "No... you're messing with me."
"I'm not."
"And I'm not there to see and touch?" Sebastian asked.
"Yeah." Kurt felt very warm inside and his skin was warmer to the touch than normal. He couldn't do anything to help himself out right now, but he worked hard to calm himself down. "Maybe we should have waited to have this conversation until tomorrow."
"And find out after your dad?" Sebastian was clearly shaking his head on the other end. "No way. This is all mine as is the fantasy. You've only made it better. Scratch any McKinley uniform, the red doesn't go with the blush. You're in Dalton blues, blacks and a hint of red, unlike your skin- there's no hinting there, but matching non-the-less."
"What about the tan pants?" Kurt questioned with a bit of tease.
"No tan, that color isn't allowed, just your pale skin turning that delicious shade of red. You're wearing my colors and only my colors."
"They both have red. I can support both then."
"Not in my fantasies. That place is just a buzz kill for me."
"Seb..."
"They're my fantasies." Sebastian countered and Kurt didn't have an argument for that.
"True."
Kurt heard a bell ring, warning him he had spent too much time in the hallway and he was going to be late for class. Late arrivals added up to absences. Kurt sighed. "I have to go." This would not be a fun run to the classroom but he was thankful his outfit hid anything embarrassing.
"That's my bell." Sebastian teased. "I'm the one who has to get going or he'll be late."
"Ok." Kurt had honestly thought it was his. He was going crazy. "Love you."
"Love you more."
"Not possible." But they did have to hang up with each other.
"I'll see you tomorrow and prove it." Sebastian made a kiss sound and hung up. Kurt sent him a text afterward, I can't wait.
One day a week was not enough for them. They never thought it would be and now Kurt was going to be adding another extracurricular to his load, reducing the amount of time they were together, because of course he got in. It felt like Sebastian was back in France with how often they saw each other. They came together like missiles trying to outdo the other each time. They could hardly keep their hands to themselves during dinner, but thankfully it wasn't the Friday family dinners so they weren't forced to stay home and eat with the rest of the family. Kurt was pretty sure they wouldn't have eaten at all those Wednesdays if it wasn't a forced period on them but even then their mouths were too busy with each other's, not wanting to miss a single moment of ability to touch and feel.
They saved their real communicating verbally for the texts and phone calls. This day was all about the physical. Burt even let them stay overnight at Isabelle's those Wednesdays now, begrudgingly but knew it would be a push too far if he denied them. He wanted to keep a good relationship with his son, after all. It was just one night a week and Kurt's school work wasn't suffering.
Sebastian's was, but it wasn't bad enough for his dad to relent and Sebastian refused to let it get too low for too long. He still wanted to be able to get into the college of his choice.
Burt still wanted to see Sebastian at least once a month, he'd grown affectionate toward the boy and cared about him. It wasn't for balance, it was to keep in touch with the man who would one day be Kurt's first and perhaps only love if things continued on this trajectory.
It was a fine balance they tight walked. The scales could tip at any moment and they were dependent on the other to make it work.
There were stories from Kurt that seemed to increasingly include Sam and Puck. More about the girls and other boys in his Glee class and even sometimes football players hanging out with Kurt and Puck and Finn. Fewer stories from Sebastian that included the Niff or his other friends at Dalton. He barely saw Blaine nowadays and he roomed with him. He spoke less with his French friends. He was just too busy. The balance was tipping dangerously to one side and they'd fall off the line if it continued.
Then late March when the snow was turning to slush on the streets, cold enough to bite, warm enough to be in a mid-state between water and solid, something knocked them both off course. New Directions had a slew of attacks over the course of a week that kept becoming more vicious. Dirt in lockers, horrible notes and slurs on the outside that weren't pulled off fast enough by staff or other students. Things put in bags or clothes, including very invasive bugs. Parts of the school had to be shut down and fumigated and the clothes confiscated. Sebastian heard about that one all of Wednesday evening, Kurt didn't even stop pacing the entirety of their time together, so livid and Sebastian was upset for him so neither pointed out the lack of physical contact except when Kurt fell into his arms exhausted by the end of the night. Thursday they threw literal slush from the street into the faces of all but 3 New Directions' faces and those were the female cheerleaders. They'd been marked as the losers they'd been called their entire lives.
Everyone, including the 3 female cheerleaders were pulled out of school for Friday's classes. Not a single person had a hand laid on them, no one could identify anyone except the slush throwing jerks who were none of than those who had been expelled plus a few others. Other than a formal write up and detention, they couldn't do anything more to those guys.
Sebastian took Friday off and came down to hang out with Kurt at his house. Most of the group was getting together that evening for a party, they figured they might as well make the best of it and spit in the faces of their tormentors. Sebastian came down Thursday night and after making sure Kurt was ok, he raged with Burt and Carole. Finn had mumbled something about how he was ok too. Kurt patted him on the shoulder in solidarity.
Sebastian tossed a look their way when Kurt comforted Finn but Kurt only looked mulishly back at him, not going to apologize. "It's not a hate crime against me. I wasn't even the sole target, our Glee club was. I was just part of it, perhaps a bonus." Kurt spoke out when Burt said something about transferring schools once more. "And you've heard every single thing they've done. They've bidden their time."
"I mean, if you weren't there, maybe we wouldn't be targets?" Finn put out there and everyone stopped and looked at him with varying levels of hostility.
"The cheerios haven't been attacked." Kurt bit back, having grown closer to Finn but not ignoring his slips. "I'm just as much of their team, even more front and center and unique. Even the cheerios on the glee team haven't been touched." Nobody had wanted to see what was planned for Friday. Hopefully it would be better on Monday after they had detention for the remainder of today and tomorrow.
"Oh, yeah, I guess that's true." Finn sighed and drooped against the couch. "But the guys that hang out with you, me and Puck have been, just to a lesser extent. They got some slushies today too but nothing else."
"Hmm..." Burt considered that. "Why attack everyone now? Did something new happen?"
Kurt looked at Carole and then down to her hands that were laced together in front of her. "They know you two are getting married now."
"Yeah but that's been out for a couple of weeks." Finn rubbed his sternum. "Got into a bit of a tussle with Karofsky and Azimio about that."
"And you haven't taken it out on Kurt?" Sebastian asked in surprise.
"I'm better now. I was actually mad they were talking that way about him, not about what they said the two of us got up to behind closed doors." Finn shrugged. "Maybe it's because those positions sound too hard to achieve."
Sebastian tossed Kurt a smirk who blushed slightly, they'd done some very difficult positions. Finn thankfully missed the exchange.
"I don't like that you're fighting, Finn, honey, but I am glad you stood up for the two of you." Carole sat down on the couch next to Finn, her steam settling into a slow boil. She wasn't done fighting herself but it was a more manageable temperature now. Burt seemed more than happy to stay as steam along with Sebastian but Kurt got up and walked over to his dad, squeezing Sebastian's arm on the way.
He wrapped his arms around his dad's torso and waited until his dad's arms came around him before he spoke. "Remember your heart, dad."
"I remember it all right, I have my arms around it." Sebastian thought maybe that should have been his line but he didn't fault Burt for it. It was true enough. Burt settled down to a simmer as Kurt stayed right where Burt could feel and reassure himself that his son really was ok. He hadn't been hurt at all, just another set ruined clothes and messed up hair. "You should probably take a shower." He acknowledged ruefully.
And just like that, the wind was knocked out of Sebastian's sails. Another opportunity to have Kurt closer, safer was snatched away as if it were nothing. It would be all around so much better to have Kurt walking the same halls as him day in and day out. The rope under his feet felt slack and he was swaying dangerously, about ready to topple off. He didn't know what he would do if he did. He just hoped it wasn't something incredibly stupid.
–
Of course it was something incredibly stupid and rash and totally rational in his mind. It was too much, the back and forth to New York every week, Lacrosse, Glee, coming down to Lima to spend time with Kurt, his school work. So he just stopped. He stopped all of it, including attending classes. He refused to get on the plane and if he somehow was forced onto it, he refused to get off unless he was returned to Westerville. If they got him off the plane in New York, then he didn't do any of the work he was supposed to, even made a bit of an ass of himself, running his mouth and hoping that by the time he came to work here legitimately they could forgive and forget his behavior.
Kurt knew what he was planning. They'd discussed it the Wednesday at the beginning of April. Kurt thought it was an April Fool's Day joke. Sebastian didn't want any footprints of what they'd discussed or his plan to be found. Kurt called him out on it when he didn't come down the following Wednesday. Thankfully he didn't mention the plan nor think he was joking, just getting more and more irate when Sebastian didn't text him back or answer his calls and called him crazy.
It had to be all or nothing with this plan. He stopped doing things with his friends too.
Finally, finally, he got his parents' attention. Even when he'd gone off the rails before, his school work hadn't suffered and the school hadn't had a reason to call them up and hold them accountable. They even called his grandparents here in Ohio. They were concerned about Sebastian and thought that maybe he needed help.
His father just talked to him in the same dry tone, not bothering to even come to the states to talk to him, just a phone call. He'd let his battery die in a bid to prove the point further. The phone was the guidance counselor's and she shoved it into Sebastian's hand and put it against his ear as he laid in his bed, refusing to move if he didn't have to.
"She thinks you're depressed."
"Hmm." Sebastian responded lifelessly.
"Or stressed." Another disinterested sound and his father continued on. "Have you taken up your old behavior and activities?"
"No... not interested in anything."
"Well played, Sebastian." His father paused a moment as if considering his next move. "Your allowance is halved. You no longer have access to the helicopter but I will allow continual use of the jet." Sebastian gave a whatever sigh. His father continued. "What do you want?"
"Nothing, just to lie here and let the world pass me by." He said with just a hint of the dramatics. "At least here, I can sleep."
"Fine, I hear your demands loud and clear. If I remove the weekend mandates and only request biyearly visits to the office in France for a week at a time and a two week stint in New York over the summers, will this be over?"
"I think I can manage that." Sebastian wasn't going to press for more, even if he did make his voice sound sad and mellow. This was more than he'd been hoping for and it was probably because he played his cards too well, he couldn't fail now before the deal was signed.
"I'll send over the paperwork." It would already be signed by his father before he even got them.
"Ok." Sebastian didn't add any more inflection but moved away from the phone, giving it back to his counselor. "For you."
She took it back and made appropriate sounds to whatever his father was saying, probably giving up the special permissions he'd gotten for his son's attendance. "I think those are wonderful ideas and a great plan. I'm sure we can turn things around quickly now that he's not overstretched."
Sebastian planned to be just that this weekend. It was already Thursday afternoon. He just hoped Kurt was amenable to the plan. He already started working out the flower arrangement in his head, hoping he got the message correct.
–
Kurt slammed the door shut in his face and on the flowers he held in his hands.