GLEE FIC: A Mother's Touch - Single Ladies (1/1)
Title: A Mother’s Touch: Single Ladies
Summary: Elizabeth helps Burt to understand his son as Kurt joins the football team.
Fandom: Glee
Characters: Kurt, Burt & Elizabeth Hummel
Rating: PG
Spoilers: anything up to 1x04
Category: AU, Fluff
Word count: approx. 1,006 words
Warnings: None
Prompt: ‘Alternate History: Someone never died’ for au_bingo card
Other Parts: Never Been Kissed
Notes: Sorry it took so long to get the next story up! I’ve had it done for a few weeks but I didn’t get around to writing it up until today!! Please enjoy : )
Next up will be ‘Theatricality’ - I hope!!!!!
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Burt Hummel trudged back upstairs, confused. The conversation he’d just had with Kurt had been strange… well, no, the words hadn’t been but the way Kurt had been acting, all nervous-like…
“Did you find out what Kurt is up to?” Elizabeth asked her husband as she peeled the vegetables for dinner. She and Burt had been married for twenty years, with only one child, but they were all happy. And confused, going by the expression on Burt’s face.
“He was dancing with two girls and wearing some sort of skin-tight leotard and vest,” Burt explained. “Said he was doing some conditioning work because he’s on the football team now.”
Elizabeth smiled at the confusion in her husband’s voice. “What’s wrong with that?”
“He’s gay, isn’t he? I mean, I know he hasn’t told us but…” Burt trailed off. “He’s never liked football and I thought that was because… you know.”
“Being gay doesn’t mean he can’t play football,” Elizabeth pointed out. “Are you sure he’s actually on the team or do you think he was just saying that to explain the dancing?”
“I don’t know.” Burt thought about it. “It was one of the girls who mentioned Kurt being on the team and he seemed a little surprised.”
Putting the carrots in a saucepan, Elizabeth observed, “Then he’s probably not on the team but he doesn’t want to you to think badly of him.”
“Why would he think that?” Burt wanted to know. He might not completely understand his only son but he accepted Kurt the way he was.
“Because Kurt’s a teenage boy,” Elizabeth said with a smile. “And teenage boys want to impress their fathers.”
Burt supposed he could understand that. “But he’s got so much more in common with you with the clothes and the singing and everything.”
“He also wants to be close to you. Why do you think he’s been going to the garage more this year?” When Burt just looked blank, Elizabeth continued, “Because he wants you to be proud of him by being the kind of son he thinks you want.”
“But I’m already proud of him.” Burt was confused again. “He doesn’t need to do anything else.”
Elizabeth shook her head. “And no matter how much we tell him that, he’s not going to listen until he accepts who he is.” She kissed Burt’s cheek. “Now, no pestering him about football. Let’s wait and see what happens about that first.”
“Okay.” Burt was willing to trust his wife on this.
**********
A week later, Elizabeth and Burt were jumping up and down with excitement as well as pride. As Burt had commented earlier, Kurt looked so small out there on the field; he hadn’t yet had a growth spurt like the other football players. But that hadn’t mattered when Kurt - the team kicker - had kicked the winning goal!
Burt was so proud! His son - his gay son - was the hero of the football team! He watched as the boys lifted Kurt onto their shoulders; there was no hint of bullying now. Burt had never thought he would see this happen, see Kurt play football, and he was very happy. Even if Kurt never played another game, he would always have this.
Next to him, Elizabeth was smiling broadly. She knew how much Burt missed having a son to do ‘boys stuff’ with but she was proud that he had never once said anything like that to Kurt. Burt was a wonderful father, treating Kurt like any other boys and, when Kurt had been younger, he had participated in tea parties like it was normal for boys to do that. She was so lucky to have them both.
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When the Hummels got home that evening, Kurt started to head to his room; his moisturising regime couldn’t wait any longer. He was so happy, so proud of himself, and he knew his parents were too. To have heard the words ‘well done’ from his father had filled his heart to the point of bursting. Kurt always knew that he had his father’s love but now he also had Burt’s respect; he would never forget this moment.
“Kurt?”
He turned to face his father. “Yes, Dad?”
Burt glanced at his wife, then back at his son. “We are both so proud of you, Kurt. We just wanted you to know that.”
“Thank you.” Kurt swallowed the lump in his throat and gathered the courage he needed. It was now or never. “I have something to tell you. Being in glee club and being on the football team has taught me that I can be anything I want to be, and what I am is… I’m gay.” He watched his parents carefully, scared of their reaction.
Elizabeth grinned. “We know.”
Kurt was stunned. “What?”
“We’ve known since you were three years old,” Burt confirmed casually. “All you wanted for your birthday was a pair of sensible heels.”
A wave of relief swept over Kurt. His parents had known and still loved him. Kurt hugged his mother, so happy that they hadn’t disowned him or something.
“I suppose I’m not thrilled with the idea,” Burt admitted; he knew what kids were like and that Kurt would be an easy target for gay-bashers. The thought of getting a call from the hospital or police was frightening. “But if that’s really who you are, then we can’t change it and we love you just the same.”
Kurt flung himself at his father, thrilled to have his support. “I love you,” he said into Burt’s shoulder.
“I love you too, kid,” Burt replied, holding Kurt tightly.
Elizabeth looked upon the scene with pride. She had watched Burt struggle with the knowledge of Kurt’s sexuality for years and knew that Burt had meant every word. That didn’t mean her husband would automatically accept everything Kurt did but he would always make the effort to understand. That was all any of them could do. But they would always love Kurt, no matter what.