Chapter 26

Kurt and Finn had barely made it out of the car when two pairs of loving arms swooped them into an embrace. Carole gave them both pecks on their cheeks, and examined them closely to check if they hadn’t lost weight while away from home-cooked meals. Burt patted both boys on the backs and took to unloading the trunk of the Navigator.

‘Where did you lose Blaine? I thought he’d be coming with you to say hello or something,’ he said casually to Kurt.

‘We dropped him off on our way. It seemed more logical.’ Kurt shrugged his shoulders, as indifferently as he could, despite the fact he was already beginning to miss his boyfriend. ‘Anyway, we’re all pretty exhausted, so he’s gonna visit when he gets some rest.’

Burt nodded, apparently focusing hard on the task in hand. The four of them finally made their way up the driveway, the boys giving their parents a short recount of the trip, and promising to elaborate when they have had some food in them. Their luggage was discarded in the hall, as they went on to the kitchen.

‘I’m starving,’ Finn complained, dropping to a chair.

‘As always,’ Kurt said with faked annoyance, joining him at the table.

‘I’ll fix you something in a minute, guys.’ Carole beamed at them from next to the fridge, glad to have her sons back safely. There was something about Kurt’s demeanour that was new, though. A kind of glow, a joy she’d never seen in him before. She wondered if her husband had noticed that, too, but one glance at Burt told her yes.

‘So when’s that boyfriend of yours coming to properly introduce himself?,’ Burt asked his son, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

‘Dad, you know him, remember?’ Kurt rolled his eyes. ‘There’s no need...’

‘Oh, there is a need. I want a proper dinner to welcome the new addition to the family.’

‘Blaine’s already like family,’ Finn pointed out with a frown.

Burt chuckled. ‘That he is, but now it’s official. Humour me, I’ve never had the chance to welcome my son’s boyfriend into the family.’

‘Okay, family dinner it is,’ Kurt sighed. Thank goodness Blaine was worth all the fuss.

‘Tell him I want to see him on our doorstep tomorrow, six PM sharp.’

***

Just as Blaine was beginning to understand what his boyfriend had meant by saying he’d miss him, his phone buzzed to life, forcing him to sit up on his bed and pick it up. It seemed that the moment he was home and his suitcase was unpacked, all of his life force leaked out of him. It was still daytime; the brightness was making falling asleep practically impossible, so he just lay there motionlessly for a good half hour. He could think of nothing but the person he wished to have by his side. And by some telepathic power, he must have made Kurt call him, not even two hours since they’d parted.

‘Hey, what’s up?,’ Blaine asked into the receiver.

‘Nothing, except for the part where you’re coming to dinner at mine tomorrow night at six,’ Kurt blurted out, forcing light-heartedness; he was perfectly aware how nervous his boyfriend was about Burt’s opinion of their relationship.

Blaine swallowed loudly, his heart rising to his throat. That was the exact situation he was dreading. Having known the Hudson-Hummels for years as his best friends parents was different than looking at them as his potential parents-in-law. In actuality, they were his dream parents-in-law; it was them who showed him love and care, provided him with familial warmth when he could count on none from his own mother and father.

Now he was only scared he wouldn’t be what they’d dreamt of for Kurt.

‘Nothing?,’ he mumbled to the phone finally. ‘That’s not nothing, Kurt.’

‘I know. But they love you, there’s nothing to worry about,’ his boyfriend assured him, wishing he could circle him with his arms to lift his spirits. ‘And if anything goes wrong – which it won’t – you know that no matter what happens, I love you, right?’

‘Right,’ Blaine replied quietly. ‘And I love you, too, which is why I’d never do anything to come between you and Burt.’

‘You won’t come between us,’ Kurt told him. ‘Just don’t stress it, okay? It’ll be like a Friday night dinner, only on a Sunday. Nothing special, ‘cause Carole’s cooking, not me.’

The last remark made Blaine giggle, exactly the way Kurt had intended.

‘Okay, I won’t worry too much,’ Blaine said. ‘I miss you already, you know?’

‘Duh, I told you, I miss you like crazy,’ Kurt scoffed. ‘But we’ll see each other tomorrow. We have to get some sleep and all that.’

Blaine sighed into the phone, flopping back on the bed, unwilling to end the call. He still couldn’t touch or kiss his boyfriend, but the angelic voice that was filling his ear had to do for the next twenty four hours and he wanted to soak up as much as he could.

‘Why are you always so damn right?,’ he groaned.

‘I don’t know, good genes I guess,’ Kurt replied nonchalantly. ‘And I can hear you’re beat, so I’m gonna let you rest.’

‘Don’t.’

‘You don’t want to rest?’

Blaine put the call on speaker, too tired to hold the phone to his ear anymore.

‘I do. I don’t want you to leave.’

‘I’m not there, sweetie,’ Kurt said. ‘If you’re seeing things, I guess that would be the best proof that you do need to rest.’

‘I wish I was seeing you,’ Blaine murmured. ‘That would be awesome. But I guess if I need to rest, so do you.’

‘I’m fine, Blaine,’ Kurt assured him. ‘It seems some of my exhaustion rubbed off on Finn, ‘cause I’ve never heard anybody snore this loud at five in the afternoon, if ever. And I live with Burt Hummel.’

He fell silent, waiting for a bark of laughter or a response, but nothing came. With a soft smile and an infinitesimal shake of his head, Kurt cut the connection, and went straight to his messages.

I was wishing for an appreciation of my wit or at least a nice round of who’s-gonna-hang-up-first, he typed, but I guess I have to forgive you for falling asleep on me. Figuratively. Sleep tight. ILY. xoxo

***

When Kurt woke up in the morning, his phone announced he had a new message.

It said, I wouldn’t mind falling asleep on you. Not figuratively.

A wave of heat flooded Kurt’s cheeks, even though there was no one else to see the text.

Better hold comments like that back tonight, he responded. My Dad may not appreciate them as much as I do.

The phone buzzed with a response not twenty seconds later. You do then?

I do, but let’s keep that to ourselves.

***

The atmosphere at dinner was warm and friendly as always. Everything went smoothly, just like any other night when Blaine was having a meal at the Hudson-Hummels’. Nobody even mentioned the change in Kurt and Blaine’s relationship status until the dessert was eaten, and Carole forced Finn to help her with the dishes.

‘So how did this happen?,’ Burt asked, indicating the two boys with his finger.

‘Dad,’ Kurt grumbled, his cheeks turning pink.

‘What? I want to know, I’ve waited long enough for you two to catch up.’

Kurt and Blaine exchanged a look, half embarrassed, half overjoyed.

‘He sang to me,’ Blaine said. ‘But then he thought I didn’t like him back.’

‘And then he sang to me, and I thought it meant something else, ‘cause I got it into my head that he didn’t- you know- that my feelings weren’t reciprocated.’

‘And then we- talked it out,’ Blaine finished with a tinge of hesitation.

‘Good you did,’ Burt said, nodding. ‘If you hadn’t, I would’ve gone crazy watching you two totally clueless.’

‘So you knew,’ Kurt stated.

‘Sure I did, everybody knew, kiddo. And I told you, he’d be stupid if he didn’t fall head over heels for you.’ He waved at a surprised Blaine.

‘You told him that?’

‘He did,’ Kurt admitted, and his father nodded happily. ‘I guess I’m not the only one who’s always right.’

Burt forced himself to lose his wide grin and be serious. After all, this was no laughing matter.

‘Now, guys, Blaine, I want you ask you one question. Is this really, from start to finish, what you want? Are you one hundred per cent invested in this relationship?’

Locking his eyes on Burt’s, Blaine put his hand over his boyfriend’s.

‘I am. This is everything I’ve ever wanted and all I will ever want.’

Burt squinted, examining the sincerely solemn expression on Blaine’s face.

‘Then I guess you have my blessing,’ he said and Blaine let out a relieved sigh. ‘Although I might have to reconsider the sleepovers.’

‘Dad, you know we shared motel rooms in California, right?’

‘Okay, okay.’ Burt raised his hands defensively. ‘I don’t need to know any more. Just be decent.’

Kurt and Blaine could barely hold back a chuckle, the memories from their first night on the road vivid in their minds.