CHAPTER 17: Daddy Issues

Carole had just toed off her shoes after another long shift at the coffee shop when her stepson trudged in. "I guess we're both happy to be done with work for the day, right?" she joked as he slumped next to hurt on the couch.

"Why do you even work there if you hate it that much?" Kurt asked her. "I don't have much of a choice," she told him honestly. "I never got to go to college because I had Finn two month after my High School graduation and with Finn's dad passing not even a year later I always had to work to support my family."

Kurt nodded and looked thoughtful. "What would you do if you could take your pick?" he asked her after a few moments of silence.

Carole was surprised. No one had ever asked her that, not even Burt or Finn. She just hoped Kurt wouldn't think it was stupid. She must have said that last part out loud because Kurt quickly assured her there were no stupid dreams in his opinion because otherwise he'd have to join the club.

"I'd like to have my own little bistro that would sell specialties from the south. I love to cook but the most I've been allowed to do in past jobs was make sandwiches. And without a business degree it's near impossible to get a grant from the bank," she added as an afterthought.

"Why don't you sign up for some classes at the community college in Dayton? You are still young. It's not too late," Kurt encouraged her.

She knew Kurt was right, because at close to thirty-five she wasn't that old yet. Many of her former classmates were just now starting to have kids.

"Maybe I should. You and I could look through the course catalogue together if you wanted," she told Kurt with a smile.

Kurt clapped his hands. "Great. I'll pick them up after school on Monday.

"You know, maybe that will show Finn that if I can do it, he can do it too," Carole mused. "That boy could use a positive role model. All he does is run around with this new friend of his," "Noah," Kurt interrupted and Carole nodded, "and all they do is get into trouble."

"Well, Noah definitely has a talent for getting into trouble," Kurt agreed. "No wonder Finn likes him so much." Kurt took a jab at Finn.

"But you know what? I don't want to worry about that right now. It's just us at the moment, so why don't you help me with some of my Christmas presents?"

Carole knew the offer would cheer Kurt up immediately and together they launched into a discussion about potential gifts.

Kurt was sitting at his desk finishing up his homework when there was a knock on his door and Blaine came in. Kurt turned around in his chair to face his boyfriend.

"How was work?" he asked because they had missed each other at the shop. "The usual; mostly oil and tire changes. What did you do after work?"

Kurt looked at Blaine questioningly. "You are only doing your homework right now and I know you always do it straight after school or work, even on Fridays, unless you have something else to do," Blaine explained.

Kurt smiled. Blaine knew him so well. "Carole had asked me to help her with her Christmas presents. You know I'm the best when it comes to gifts," he said cheekily.

"Well maybe you can help me too then. I've already bought most of my presents but I'm not so sure about the one I got for Burt. Do you think a new tool belt is a good idea?" Kurt just gaped at Blaine.

"You got my father a gift?" he asked incredulously. "Of course, didn't you?" Blaine asked looking confused now.

"Why would I? After how he treated me. Just because he's nicer now doesn't mean all is forgiven. He still hasn't even apologized to me." "Well, at least your father is trying to make things work."

Blaine had jumped up from Kurt's bed and was pacing the room.

"Why are you so upset? Why do you care so much about me not getting along with Burt? It's not like he is your father." He realized too late what he'd just said but the damage was already done.

Kurt had never seen Blaine so angry before, at least not because of him. "Your dad made some wrong choices but at least he gives a shit. I haven't heard from mine since last February when he signed away is parental rights."

Before Kurt could argue back, Blaine opened Kurt's bedside drawer and took out the keys for Kurt's house.

"What are you doing?" he demanded. Now he was definitely angry too. How could Blaine call Burt's treatment of him "wrong choices"?

"I'm going to spend the night at your house because I really don't want to say something right now I'm going to regret in the morning. I love you, but I can't talk to you until I've calmed down. Call me when you are ready to have a normal conversation."

Before Kurt knew it Blaine had left his room and a few seconds later he heard the front door open and close.

He knew on some level that Blaine was right, because he was sure he would have said some more things he'd regret later, if they'd continued their argument, but he was also pissed that Blaine had run out in the middle of it.

He would give Blaine time to cool off and as soon as Blaine apologized they would be okay again. He turned back to his homework but couldn't concentrate so he gave up a few minutes later and got ready for bed.

It took him a long time to fall asleep because kept repeating the argument his mind. At least Blaine had told him he loved him before he left. That had to count for something.

Finn knew something was up when he went into the kitchen the next morning and it was empty. He knew his mom and Burt were at work, but usually by the time he got up on weekends, Kurt and Blaine were already up making breakfast.

He fixed himself a grilled cheese sandwich and was proud he didn't burn it for once. Kurt came downstairs as he was putting it on a plate looking like he hadn't slept at all.

"Dude, you look like shit." Kurt just walked past him and fixed himself some coffee. Apparently Finn wasn't the only person who didn't like mornings. "Where's Blaine? Aren't you usually attached at the hip?"

Kurt was staring intently at his cup when he answered. "Blaine and I had a fight last night. He's at my mom's house right now."

Finn was surprised. He didn't think they'd ever fight. "Dude, just apologize. Chicks love it when you do even if you haven't done anything wrong." Well, Blaine's not a chick," Kurt glared at him but it lacked its usual strength. Finn wasn't even scared.

"Doesn't matter. If you apologize first, they owe you. That's like a law or something," Finn explained. At least Kelly had always been exceptionally nice to him when he had apologized.

"Just make sure you know what you are supposed to apologize for because otherwise they're going to be even more mad." Finn was glad he could share his knowledge. After all, he'd been dating since he was thirteen.

"I'm not going to apologize. If someone needs to apologize it's him," Kurt shot back and glared at his coffee. He must have realized that it didn't work on Finn today.

"And just so you know, as my brother you're supposed to be on my side." Finn was surprised. "You think I'm your brother?" Kurt seemed surprised he'd said that as well, but he quickly caught himself.

"Why fight it if you can't change it?" Finn didn't know how Kurt meant that but it was a lot nicer than the other stuff Kurt had said to him in the past.

"Thanks, dude. I guess I hope you work it out. I'm nowhere near as good as you and Blaine at making breakfast."

Kurt gave him a stiff nod and Finn decided it was time to take his plate upstairs for a COD marathon.

Kurt had been thinking about what Finn had said all morning. Not that he planned to take his advice, but he had to admit to himself that he probably should apologize to Blaine as well, after Blaine had apologized to him.

Burt and Carole were at work, Santana out with Brittany, Finn was playing video games and Blaine was still M.I.A. He hadn't even texted him so far. So Kurt was bored. Bored enough to start reorganizing the hallway closet.

His shoulder and ankle had healed and his ribs only hurt from time to time when he moved to fast. Lifting some cardboard boxes shouldn't be a problem. Or so he thought.

He was standing on a chair trying to pull one of the bigger boxes down from a shelf when his ribs suddenly protested and he let go of the box, which fell to the floor spilling its contents.

He slowly and carefully climbed off the chair and started repacking the box when he came across an envelope that had his name on it.

He checked that the envelope wasn't sealed and when he saw that it wasn't, he quickly opened it. Inside were two tickets for the Columbus Christmas Ice Revue and a credit card receipt that had his father's name on it.

He suddenly had a quite vivid flashback to the first Christmas after his parents' divorce. His dad had kept telling him for days that he wasn't interested in that stuff when Kurt had begged him to take him, but in the end Burt had agreed and they had had a nice afternoon together.

If this was his Christmas present it would be the first one he'd appreciate in nearly seven years.

His father clearly had spent some time thinking about Kurt's present, he didn't believe Carole knew about that first Christmas, so maybe he should make the effort as well and get his father a present.

After all, hadn't he told Blaine that he wanted his father to try harder? He hated that he couldn't talk to Blaine about it right now.

Kurt put the box back into the closet just as the front door opened and Carole called his name.

He went downstairs and helped her unpack the groceries she had bought. "Blaine's not back yet?" she asked once they were done. "You know about that?" Kurt asked surprised.

"He texted me last night so I wouldn't be worried. Do you want to talk about it?" Carole asked him.

Kurt considered the offer for a moment before he shook his head. "Is is okay if I spend the night at Mercedes'?" he asked. "I need some advice from the girls."

Carole pulled him into a quick hug. "Sure honey. And don't worry. I'm sure you and Blaine will work things out." Kurt just hoped Carole was right.

Kurt had called Mercedes soon after his talk with Carole and had given her an abridged version of last night's events. She had told him to get his ass over to her house ASAP and that she would invite Rachel as well.

When Kurt arrived at Mercedes' house shortly after six, she immediately dragged him upstairs to her room where Rachel and ice cream were already waiting.

Rachel shoved a bowl into his hand as soon as he had sat down on the bed. "Now spill and I want all the dirty details," she demanded.

So Kurt told them everything about the fight, his talk with Finn and Burt's Christmas present. When he was done Mercedes hit him over the head with a pillow.

"Hey!" he exclaimed and quickly tried to fix his hair.

"The way I see it you are both stupid. You both said some things in the heat of the moment that you regret saying. The only thing keeping you apart is your pride," Mercedes lectured him before Rachel butted in.

"I'm usually all for grand romantic gestures but in this case I think you should just go to him and talk. I'll drive you myself if I have to," she threatened.

Kurt was glad he had his two best girlfriends, because they were never afraid to tell him what he needed to hear.

He wanted to go to Blaine because even though they had only been apart for a day he already missed him. "Thanks ladies. I guess I'm going to go now," he said as he picked up his overnight bag.

"And don't you dare come back here tonight," Mercedes called after him as he waked down the stairs. Kurt had no intentions to do so. If everything went well with Blaine, Blaine would hopefully agree to come back to the house with Kurt.

Blaine had spent most of the day composing and deleting texts for Kurt but he didn't want to come off as too needy – after all he had told Kurt to come to him – and he also had his pride and for once didn't want to be the better person.

By the end of the day, however, he was ready to call Kurt and beg for his forgiveness but discovered he had left his charger at home and his phone was dead.

He got dressed quickly and grabbed the keys to the piece of junk he had bought off one of Burt's costumers for basically nothing, before opening the front door where he promptly collided with Kurt who had been about to ring the doorbell if his raised finger was any indication.

For a moment neither of them said anything before Kurt straightened up and looked directly at Blaine. "Can I come in? We need to talk."

Blaine stepped aside to let Kurt in. "Were you going somewhere?" Kurt asked him as he took off his coat. "Your house. I didn't want to wait any longer," Blaine explained. Apparently he didn't sound as neutral as he had panned, because Kurt immediately launched into an apology.

"I'm sorry I didn't come sooner but I needed time to work a few things out first." Blaine took Kurt's hand and pulled him toward the stairs. "Come on, let's talk downstairs."

They were sitting on Kurt's old bed facing each other as Blaine decided to make the first move. "I'm sorry I downplayed what your dad did to you. You hit a sore spot when you said Burt wasn't my dad because actually he treats me a lot better than mine did, but I shouldn't have said what I said. I'm sorry."

During his little speech he had taken both of Kurt's hands into his own to keep them connected. Kurt gently squeezed his hands before he took a deep breath.

"Thank you for saying that. You really hurt me because you made me sound like a whiny little bitch who had no idea what real problems are. But I'm sorry for what I said too. I knew why you were feeling the way you felt and I used it against you." Kurt looked down at their entwined fingers.

"You've been one of the only persons who has never hurt me in the last couple of months and then I go ahead and hurt you on purpose. I'm a horrible boyfriend." Kurt looked close to tears as he said that.

Blaine surged forward and pulled Kurt into his arms. "No you are not. We were both angry and we said things we shouldn't have, which I guess is normal when people fight. So let's just agree that we both have daddy issues we need to work through. Together if possible."

Kurt looked at him with so much love and adoration that Blaine felt his heartbeat accelerate. Before he knew it Kurt had pushed him onto his back and was straddling his hips as he made quick work unbuttoning Blaine's cardigan and shirt.

All the uncertainty he'd sometimes seen in Kurt's eyes when they had been in a situation like this where boundaries were unclear, was gone. He thought Kurt had never looked more beautiful than he did in that moment.

"I don't want to hold anything back from you any longer," Kurt whispered against Blaine's lips. "Are you sure? What about your parents?" Blaine had to ask.

The last thing he wanted to do right now was do something that would upset Kurt, just because he had misunderstood Kurt's intentions.

"They think I'm spending the night at Mercedes," Kurt explained before he leaned in and captured Blaine's mouth in a dirty kiss. "I've never been more sure about anything else," Kurt panted against his lips after he broke the kiss and then proceeded to show Blaine exactly how much he meant it.

Kurt woke up with a smile the next morning still spooning Blaine. He was glad he and Blaine had finally taken that step together because he felt even closer to Blaine now, if that was even possible.

He felt Blaine stir in his arms before his boyfriend turned around and gave him a sleepy smile. "Good morning," Kurt whispered before he kissed Blaine on the lips, not caring about morning breath for once.

He had Blaine back and that was all he cared about in that moment.

"Are you okay?" Blaine asked him after they had stared at each other silently for a few moments. Kurt kissed him again to show him how okay he was. "Never been better. Come on, let's go home."

They got dressed in silence while Kurt pondered what it meant that he had just referred to his new house as home. His mom's house would always hold a special place in his heart, especially after last night, but his new house was starting to feel like home too.

Kurt wasn't sure if he should worry about that or not, but for now he was content watching Blaine struggle with the buttons of his shirt until Kurt pushed his hands away and finished the rest of them for him.

They had all the time in the world to figure things out together.

Klaine finally lost the big V. I leave you to fill in the blanks ;)