[FIC] Dilemma: When Burt Hummel Meets Kurt’s Boyfriend (Glee, Finn/Kurt)
Title: Dilemma: When Burt Hummel Meets Kurt's Boyfriend
Fandom: Glee
Pairing: Finn Hudson/Kurt Hummel
Author: milky_haven aka Atsu Tenshi
Rating: PG-13
Spoiler: None, really. I try to be as spoiler-free as possible.
Warning: Slash.
Disclaimer: I do not own Glee. Glee belongs to Fox.
Summary: Burt who is still getting use with his son’s sexual orientation is dreading with the latest dilemma; Kurt wants to introduce his boyfriend to his father and is inviting said boyfriend for dinner on weekend.
A/N: Thank you so much to the lovely kyuubi_paw for the beta. Other mistakes are mine.
Dilemma: When Burt Hummel Meets Kurt's Boyfriend
Burt is shaking with laughter and sips his beer. Captain Sig looks at one of his crew and curses in front of the cameraman.
“He’s not even walking - he’s fucking CRAWLING!”
Burt laughs out loudly and almost spills the beer on his lap. Captain Sig, being the most sarcastic captain in Deadliest Catch, always amuses him to no end. It’s not just the thrill to watch the fishers in Deadliest Catch struggling to catch crabs and dealing with the weather, it’s also entertaining to watch the critics, jeers, pranks, and complaints from captain to crew, crew members to each other, or even crew to captain.
“Dad, I want to talk to you about something.”
Burt looks up from the TV and sees Kurt’s anxious face. He knows that Kurt will never disturb him when he is watching his favorite show unless it is something really important and besides, Kurt looks a little pale but he is flushing at the same time. He wonders if Kurt is sick but he knows that the boy will definitely tell him if he does come down with something. Perhaps he is telling that he’s sick but then the visage on his son’s face tells him otherwise.
Burt turns down the volume and plans to watch the rerun on weekend. His son’s well-being is more important and he will do everything in his power to make sure Kurt gets the best from him, it’s a promise that he made to himself when he saw his wife’s body buried six feet under the ground. He places his beer on the table and tells his son to sit.
“What’s up?” He asks.
Kurt fidgets in his seat, as if unsure if he should say something or not and this makes Burt even more curious. He thinks this must be very important for his son to appear so nervous. He waits patiently for Kurt to spill whatever that is making him anxious.
“Dad, I’ve told you that… I’m gay.” Burt nods his head. He is still getting use to that fact. His son’s sexual orientation is something that he’s been thinking about ever since Kurt asked for heels as a present when he was three, and it became even more obvious when he found out the secret stash of Kurt’s tiara collection (after years of trying to tell himself that he’s just being paranoid). And he thinks that he is already doing a good job because at least, he accepts Kurt for being who he is.
Kurt continues, “Well, I thought that you should know. I’m… I’m dating someone.”
Burt stops himself from doing something out of character. He’s a man that thinks before leaping into action. So he is going to think before he says something stupid or that will hurt his son’s feeling.
His son is gay. Check.
His son is dating… someone.
Dating. Someone.
Since he is aware of his son’s sexuality, this someone could be a man. Burt shudders at the word ‘man’ because it sounds like his son is actually dating someone who is older and probably a cradle robber and he swears he’ll kill any old man who is trying to defile his son’s virtue! So scratch that word and replaces it with ‘boy’. Now that sounds a little better.
So… His son is dating a boy.
“You’re dating a boy?” He asks quietly.
He sees that Kurt almost rolls his eyes but stops half-way and turn to look at anywhere but his father. He nods his head and he opens his mouth to say more. The skin on Kurt’s face suddenly turn into a brilliant scarlet that he finds very endearing because it reminds Burt so much of his wife. Kurt does have his mother’s beauty.
“I want to introduce him to you, dad. So I invited my boyfriend over for dinner this weekend?” It’s a statement and it’s a question too. Kurt slowly turn his gaze to his father and Burt could see something in those green eyes; fear, rejection, hope.
“Okay,” he blurts out before he can really think about it properly. He cannot deny his son’s request since he knows this is important to Kurt.
*
And Burt Hummel finds himself in the grocery store on Tuesday evening. Last night revelation makes him rethink of every possibility. What if Kurt’s boyfriend is a punk with tattoos all over his skin, or worse, a gothic freak that wears heavy eye-liner, or a sleazy hippie-
Burt takes a deep breath and lets out the air through his nose. He should give some credits to his son. He knows that Kurt wouldn’t be dating someone like that but his mind couldn’t stop thinking of all the possibilities.
He chides at himself. “Burt, you’re just being a fool. Think positive.”
Kurt plans to cook for that Saturday night which shows Burt how important this is because Kurt rarely cooks. It isn’t because Kurt is lazy and doesn’t cook well but Burt enjoys cooking and Kurt loves to eat his cooking. His son only cooks on very special occasions, like Burt’s birthday dinner just with the two of them and his wife’s passing anniversary.
So the least Burt can do is to buy all the things that are needed for that night.
He has already spent an hour in the grocery store. One item after another is slowly mounting inside the cart. He looks at his watch and knows that Kurt has probably finished with his Glee practice and is on the way back home. He checks his list for the last time and sees one more item left, Kurt’s neat cursive hand-writing wrote, ‘Noilly Prat dry vermouth’.
He pushes his cart to where he knows he can find it when suddenly he hears someone, “Oww!” from the front of his cart. He couldn’t really see where he is going, to be honest. There are more than three hundred items inside the cart, god knows how much food Kurt is going to cook, he’ll probably feed the entire neighborhood. He turns his head (since the sight in front of him is blocked with raw meats heaped on top of some other food ingredients that should not be mentioned) to the side and see who he had just hit.
“Sorry,” he apologizes to the person.
“It’s okay,” the person says and shows his face to Burt. A young good-looking boy, probably a year older than Kurt, goes to stand at the side, away from the cart that has just hit him. He is holding onto the grocery’s basket. “It’s my fault. I was looking at something and wasn’t aware that I’m in the way of a... wow!” The boy’s eyes turn wide when he sees the amount of items inside the cart.
Burt laughs, “I know. My son is going to cook dinner this weekend for-” He pauses. There is no way he is telling anybody that his son is cooking dinner for Burt and the yet-to-meet boyfriend. “-the family.”
“Oh, I see. Your family must be very big.”
Or the boyfriend must be an obese lard dude, Burt thinks.
Burt and the boy parts way with a nod and he goes to continue his search for the dry vermouth.
*
“Hey, baby. What you doing?”
“Shopping some grocery stuff. My mum has an extra shift so I’m taking over. Just arrive home?”
“Yeah, my dad isn’t back yet. So I’m all by myself and starved.”
“You don’t cook?”
“I do. But I prefer my dad’s. He cooks brilliantly!”
“When do you cook?”
“When I feel like cooking. But… I will be cooking this Saturday night.”
“Oh. God, I can’t believe I’m going to meet your dad.”
“You’ll be fine. He will like you. He’ll find you a very charming boyfriend.”
“I hope so. Oh, just now a moving cart ran into me and the stuff that this man has inside the cart can feed five times the size of my football team- what are you laughing at?”
“Finn Hudson, the captain of McKinley football team is run over by a moving cart?”
“Owh, shut up, Kurt Hummel.”
“Baby, I think my dad is home. I’m going to shower. I’ll text you later.”
“Love you, princess.”
“You know, I love it when you call me that.”
“Because you’re very high-maintenance.”
“I take that as a compliment. Love you too, baby.”
*
Three more days to go before Burt finally meets Kurt’s boyfriend. Now when he thinks about it, Kurt hasn’t even mention about his name or his age or his school (if the boy is still schooling or perhaps the boy is a drop-out). Burt chides himself again. “Think positive, Burt. You have nothing to worry.”
And all the thinking is giving Burt a headache that he thinks it’s a good idea to go out with the guys to the bowling alley even though it is Wednesday night. They usually go bowling on Friday night but it’s just so happens that Daniel had broken off with his five-year girlfriend and needs to spend all his frustration through bowling (and not drinking in the bar because none of them wants to wake up with a headache for work tomorrow).
“I’m thirty-nine and single while all of you have a wife and children. I feel so left out.”
Jack throws his ball down the lane which hits all the pins with a strike. Then, he turns to Daniel and pats his shoulder. “You know, being single is not bad at all. You’re not committed to anyone except to your career. No wife to scream at you when you forget to throw out the rubbish, no children to shout at you that you buy the wrong flavor of toothpaste.”
“But you love them, right?”
Jack grins at him, “With all my life. But that’s beside the point. You’ll meet someone who treats you well and respects you, eventually.”
Daniel sighs. “This is like the third serious relationship and I don’t know… I don’t understand women.”
Jack and Burt laughs and then Burt says, “Women are always the problem, huh?” And then he winces, it feels weird to say that… it’s like…
“Maybe I should bat for the other team?” Daniel and Jack laugh but Burt doesn’t.
“What’s up, Burt?” Jack asks when he realizes Burt isn’t laughing along with them.
Daniel frowns at Burt, “Yeah, it looks like you’re the one who needed this night more than me. I can count the worry lines on your forehead.”
“And the white hair,” Jack interjects with a small laugh. This time, Burt laughs along and shakes his head. “I just have been thinking a lot lately. That’s all. It is your turn now, Dan?”
“Let’s pause our game here and nibble on something.”
So they order mushroom pepperoni pizza and cokes.
Cokes are in their hands as they wait for the food.
“Is it Kurt?” Daniel asks him.
“Why do you think it’s about Kurt? There’s nothing wrong with him.” Burt tells them, suddenly feeling defensive about his son.
“Whoa, Burt. Chill. I’m just asking. Besides, you have this same look when you found out he bedazzled his shirts when he was nine,” explains Daniel.
Jack adds, “And when you found he was singing and dancing to Destiny Child when he was twelve.”
And of course, when he found the tiara collection… but he thinks they don’t really need to know that.
“You see, Burt. We have been your best friends even before you were married. We were your best men during your wedding, we were there when Kurt was born, and also during that time… when… she passed away,” Jack pauses.
Burt sighs and asks them, “Your point is?”
“You will hate me if I say this but I think this is for your own good. And for the sake of your son. I think that… Kurt is different. He’s not like most boys out there. He’s more feminine-”
“Like gay!” Burt nearly growls the words at them.
Daniel rolls his eyes and sighs. “Burt, I think Kurt is gay and you have to learn to accept it. I know it’s hard and it takes time for you to get use to his sexual orientation but if you accept for who he is, life will become easier.”
Burt almost wanted to tell them that in fact, Kurt has already admitted to him that he’s gay. But how is he suppose to tell them that his latest dilemma is not because he still feels awkward with his son’s sexuality but at the fact that his son is going to bring his boyfriend to meet him this Saturday and they are going to have dinner together!
However one question comes into his mind. “You guys aren’t disgusted of Kurt being… gay?”
Jack looks at Burt as if he does not recognize him, “Dude, why the hell would I be disgusted. Your son is like a son that I never have. You know how I always wanted one but having three daughters are already enough for me. And, remember my cousin, Lisa, she’s a lesbian.”
Daniel gasps. “That hot cousin of yours is a lesbian?! Damn. Now I wish I'd been born a woman. At least I can get a chance with her.”
Burt turns to look at Daniel. “And you, Dan? The reason you’re not…”
“Homophobic? I guess I’m just open-minded.”
And then, Burt suddenly feels like all the weight in this world lifts up from his shoulders. He feels more relax and happy than before. Perhaps part of his insecure regarding Kurt’s sexuality is because he is afraid of his best friends’ reactions once they found out the truth. However, it seems that none of them care and are readily accepting Kurt for who he is more easily than Burt does.
Burt smiles at them. “You know what, I really love you guys.”
Jack groans at Burt. “Please, cut the chick-flick moment, Burt. It’s so not you!”
Finally, the pizza-box arrives at their table.
Jack opens the box and is shock with what he sees. He shouts, “There’s no mushroom. This is plain pepperoni pizza! Yuck!” And not far away from them, another person shouts about the same but opposite statement. “This is not plain pepperoni pizza! There’s mushroom!”
All three heads turn to look where the voice came from. Five lanes away from them is the same young boy that Burt meets last night with an older pretty lady, probably the boy’s older sister. The boy and the older lady are looking at them too since they also heard Jack’s loud statement about his pizza.
Understanding dawns on both parties. It seems that the person must have accidently given their pizza to the other, and the other’s pizza is given to them instead. Since both are pepperoni, the person must have not realized that one of the pizzas had mushroom topping.
The older lady turns to the other boy and they exchange a few words before he stands up and carries over the box of pizza. He walks to their table and gives a sheepish smile. “I guess this is yours.” He turns his gaze to Burt and nods his head, acknowledging that he still remembers the man.
Burt grins at him, “And this must be yours. We haven’t touch them yet.”
Before the boy could reply to Burt, Daniel butts in, “You know young man, you and your sister should eat some veggies, like mushrooms. It’s healthy for young people!”
The boy raises his eyebrow at Daniel and then a small laugh escapes him. Daniel looks somewhat offended at the boy’s reaction and he seems to realize it so he stops laughing but his smile still stays on his lips, “I’m sorry if I sound rude just now. That’s not my sister. She’s my mum. My mum and I do eat veggies but not mushroom.”
Jack and Burt laugh after they listen to the boy who is already shaking in laughter. Daniel is embarrassed at first before he finally laughs along with them. The boy is charming. Burt really likes this boy and thinks that if Kurt meets him-
Burt shouldn’t lead his mind there. He mentally shakes his head.
*
“How was your night out with your mum?”
“Great. At least she looks less stressed.”
“That’s great.”
“So what were you doing?”
“I have the TV all to myself so I had on the Gossip Girls marathon.”
“Your dad isn’t home?”
“No, he’s out with Uncle Jack and Uncle Dan.”
“Anyway, something interesting happened tonight, this guy actually thinks that me and my mum are brother and sister.”
“Oh my god!”
“I know. I told my mum. She’s flattered.”
“Every mother would be fawned. It’s hilarious though.”
“Kurt…”
“Hmm?”
“What should I wear this weekend? And please don’t tell me to wear something glittery or bird feathers-y.”
“Bird feathers-y? Where on earth did you learn that word?”
“Just being creative.”
“An egregious ingenuity.”
“…”
“You’re lost there, Finn?”
“Seriously, what does that mean?”
“Your creativity is outstandingly bad.”
“Why do you like to do that?”
“Do what?”
“Always with big words.”
“It’s my forte.”
“What is forte- never mind. Forget I ask. Anyway, since you’re good in clothes…”
“A light color dress shirt, a pair of denim jeans, dress shoe or sneakers, and you’ll be looking hot.”
“Well, I may look hot to you but I want to… you know…”
“You want to what?”
“… I want to impress your dad.”
“Oh, honey. You’re so sweet. Well, why don’t you try Charles Tyrwhitt?”
“You want me to be Charles Tyrwhitt? Who’s that? A Hollywood celebrity?”
“No. It’s a name of this one brand shop. Basically it has all the fabulous-looking casual shirts to dress shirts, ties to cufflinks, and chinos to corduroys. It’s not too pricey. I think it’s the one and only fashionable place that my dad shops at. There was one time I try to make him see how wonderfully superb Prada’s but he stubbornly refuses to see the light. So for me, Charles Tyrwhitt is a godsend.”
“Okay… So I guess… I’ll go to Charles Tyrwhitt after our Glee practice tomorrow.”
“Good choice. You sure you don’t want to try Prada?”
*
As soon as he finishes with his work, Burt drives to the mall, thinking that at least he should look presentable when he meets Kurt’s date. Not that he doesn’t have the right attire for the occasion but Burt thinks it’s a good reason to shop for new clothes. He actually finds shopping very relaxing, something that nobody knows, not even Kurt’s mother. It’s like his dirty little secret. He looks at his watch and knows that he wouldn’t make it on time to cook dinner. He calls Kurt.
“Yes, dad?”
“I’ll be back a little late. You don’t mind order Chinese takeout?”
“No problem. Where are you, dad?”
Burt wants to tell him that he’s shopping for clothes but when he thinks about it, he wants it to be a surprise for Kurt. At least, he shows the effort to look immaculate for Kurt’s important night.
“I’m going to… buy stuff for the workshop. Anyway, get me roast pork fried rice.”
“Okay. Moo Shoo vegetable and Peking duck?”
“Sure. Make sure they don’t forget the sweet sauce for the duck this time.”
He ends the call with a promise that he’ll be back before seven.
He goes to several shops until he finds himself in Charles Tyrwhitt. There’s something about the cutting and the quality of their garments that shows the beauty both of the modern and classic fashion. When he looks at the third dress shirt, he sees the same young boy that he has encountered for two days consecutively. He looks a little bit lost inside the shop, as if he knows he has a reason to be in that shop, but isn’t sure if he should be there or not. A young woman speaks to him as she tries to assist him. He still looks awkwardly embarrassed that Burt thinks he should try to help the boy.
“Hey,” Burt greets him.
The boy turns around and grins brightly at Burt. “Hello, sir. Glad to see you again.”
“Yeah. How strange that is? This is the third time we meet, three days in a row.”
The boy laughs. “You know, I never know your name, son.” Burt puts out his hand and the other boy shakes his hand as he tells him, “Finn.”
“You can call me Burt. You need help, Finn?”
Finn smiles shyly, “Am I that obvious?”
Burt just smile back at Finn. “Very. What’s the occasion?”
“I have an important dinner this weekend. So I need something that makes me look smart but casual at the same time.”
Burt thinks it’s just sounding a little similar to his situation except that Finn probably was going dinner with family or girlfriend… or a girlfriend’s family…
Burt turns to look at the young lady who is still standing around, waiting to assist Finn.
“Show this young man some casual dress shirts.”
In the end, Burt and Finn end up choosing dress shirts and showing them to one another. It is sort of fun and Burt remembers when he shops with Kurt sometimes. It was always fun even though Kurt’s taste is more classy (and a bit feminine and so many bright colors for Burt’s taste) than his own. But somehow, Kurt finds the joy to dress-up his father. Nowadays, ever since he’s with Glee, Kurt usually hangs out in the house almost every weekend, with his iPod and especially the iPhone which Kurt clings to for 24/7. And after Kurt confessed he is dating someone, it finally dawns on Burt why the iPhone is surgically attached to Kurt.
Burt shows two casual dress shirts to Finn. “There’s the blue one. There’s also this blue and red stripe that might look good on you.”
“I think I like the blue and red stripe too,” states Finn but he seems to be talking more to himself.
“Remind you of something?” Burt asks.
“Yeah. Of him.” Then Finn quickly rushes into his sentence, “I mean, the blue and red stripe will definitely look great on me, right?”
Burt just shrugs away the weird comment and asks, “You don’t need a tie?”
“No, because I’m going to wear with jeans.”
“Yeah, I think this will work with jeans.”
Finn takes one of the dress shirts that he sees and shows it to Burt. “This will look fine on you, Burt.”
He looks at it. “Blue and gold check. Classic collar. Hmm… I’ll try this.”
By the end of their shopping, Burt buys the blue and gold check classic dress shirt, a blue and white multi-stripe tie, and a royal blue enamel cufflinks. He thinks of buying another chinos for himself but remembers of the new one that he bought last month and still never get the opportunity to wear it. Finn buys the blue and red stripe casual dress shirt and a grey v-neck knit sweater.
“Thanks for helping me with this. You have no idea how important this weekend for me. Have fun on your big family dinner this weekend,” Finn tells him, an amuse smile plays along his lips.
Burt laughs. “Yeah, thanks. You too, Finn.”
As he drives back home, he wonders… he remembers Finn saying how important the weekend for him. Burt shakes his head, thinking it’s just a coincidence.
Somehow, at the corner of his mind, he thinks how wonderful will it be if Kurt’s boyfriend is just like Finn.
*
From: Sexy Finn
Time: 21:30
I got everything I need frm Charles.
From: Princess Kurt
Time: 21:31
So what’s the color of ur shirt?
From: Sexy Finn
Time: 21:32
It’s a surprise. =)
From: Princess Kurt
Time: 21:33
I need 2 match mine with urs. I don’t want 2 look like a clown.
From: Sexy Finn
Time: 21:34
U will never look like a clown with whatever u wear.
From: Princess Kurt
Time: 21:36
U know, I might wear those, as quoted by u, bird-feathers n glitters. :P
From: Sexy Finn
Time: 21:37
R u blackmailing me?
From: Princess Kurt
Time: 21:38
;p
*
“Care to tell me the name of your boyfriend?”
Kurt rolls his eyes but he’s grinning at Burt. “No, dad. Wait until I introduce him to you.”
“You tell me almost nothing about him except the fact that you’re dating him and that’s it. Is he that fat? Because I’m kind of worry with the amount of food that you are going to cook. It can last us for months.”
Kurt hums to himself, ignoring his dad’s jibe.
Burt sighs with a smile and ruffles Kurt’s hair which he receives a glare from the boy. “Okay, I give up. I’m going to watch Dirty Jobs.”
Kurt tries to smooth back his hair and asks, “It’s Friday night. Isn’t it your night out with Uncle Jack and Uncle Dan?”
“Not tonight.” He walks out from the kitchen. Kurt continues to look at the food list on the piece of paper, deep in thought as he chooses between the spiced pot roast and the apple-flavored pot roast. A few seconds later, Burt walks back to the kitchen and asks, “Are you sure that you don’t want to tell me anything about this boyfriend of yours?”
Kurt looks up from his list and smiles at his father. “Fine. I’ll tell you a thing or two. He’s my schoolmate.”
“I know that, well, I guess it at first until you confirmed it to me.”
“He’s in a football team.”
“That’s a nice start.”
Kurt’s smile gets wider. “He’s the captain of the football team.”
Burt nods his head as he tries to remember this captain of the McKinley’s football team. He has seen Kurt’s game and knows some of the faces of the football team. And he thinks he had seen this captain once during the game but he couldn’t seem to remember his face anymore.
“So you two get to know each other when you’re on the football team?”
“Not really. He’s in the Glee club too.”
Burt is very surprise. The captain of the football team is also in the Glee club. That is something.
Burt laughs and jokes, “Since he’s the football captain, I bet he must be popular in school.”
Kurt doesn’t answer him but his smile falters.
Burt wonders with the sudden change and asks, “He’s not popular?”
And his son laughs at Burt and shakes his head. He props his chin on his hand and answers his father, “No, dad. He’s the most popular guy in McKinley. Everyone has a crush on him. Everyone wants him. Everyone wants a piece of him… Because of his popularity, we don’t really date on school ground. Except of course, when we’re in the choir room or in the auditorium or during Glee practice. Only the students in New Directions know about us.”
Burt frowns and feels angry. “Is he very insecure about being in a relationship with you?”
“It’s not him. It’s me, dad. I’m the one who feels insecure. I don’t want people to look at him and treat him differently because he dates me. I want him to keep the normalcy for his sake. There are times when he will suddenly hold my arms in the hallways or put his arms around my shoulder as he talks to me and I can feel other people staring at us. He sits next to me in Spanish class and even has lunch with me and Mercedes instead of sitting with his usual popular crowd in the cafeteria. He’s very sweet, dad. And I love him for that. But at the same time, I hate him for that. I don’t want people to realize there is something going on between the two of us and they’ll start pushing him away.”
“Does he know about this?”
“I told him.”
Burt thinks for a moment before he asks Kurt. “And how does he felt about it?”
“He got very angry at me. In the end, he said that he trusts my opinion and that I know what’s best for him. So we are working on it. He still tends to show a tidbit of PDA here and there but we don’t go out publicly. However, he tells me that he doesn’t really care what people think of him. He stops caring ever since Quinn and Pu… eh, perhaps I’m telling you too much.” Kurt gives Burt a sheepish smile.
Burt just shrugs his shoulder. He’s happy that Kurt is telling him a few things about this boy and his relationship with said boy. The more he listens about it, the more interested he is to meet him. Besides, after listening the way he treats Kurt in public, even though how much Kurt pushes him away, it tells Burt that this said boy must really care about Kurt.
Burt gives a pat on Kurt’s shoulder and moves away from the kitchen. He’s already missing a few minutes of Dirty Jobs.
“Dad,” Kurt calls.
Burt turns to look at his son.
“Thank you.”
“For what, son?”
Kurt smiles brightly at him. “For everything. For agreeing to see him and have dinner with him. For being interested and wanting to know about him… for listening to me about us.”
Burt feels overwhelm with feelings and he has this strong desire to go there to hug and throw Kurt in the air just like when he was a toddler.
“C’mere, Kurt.” He opens his arms and Kurt instantly jumps into his arm. He hugs the small body tightly, relishing the feeling of how grown up his boy already. Sometimes, in his eyes, he still sees that three year old boy who wants a pair of heels as a present. But now, here he is, all grown up with his mother’s beauty and is in… love with a boy that Burt is yet to meet.
“No matter what, I will always love you, son.”
“Love you too, dad.” Kurt pulls away to look at his father. “Thank you so much.”
*
“So tonight-”
“We dine in hell.”
“Excuse me?”
“Sorry, Kurt. I suddenly had the urge to quote from 300.”
“Just relax.”
“How am I suppose to relax?”
“Mash some avocado or papaya and put on your face. Then cut some cucumber for your eyes. And make sure you burn some lavender oils-”
“Hang on. You expect to put food on my face will make me relax?”
“I’m kidding, Finn. I wouldn’t expect you to unwind in my way.”
“You put food on your face and it makes you relax?”
“It’s also good for the face.”
“I guess I’ll just stick to my way… which is to freak out!”
“Baby, you are not freaking out right now!”
“Well I am now!”
“You know what, you stay put there and I’ll come to get you. I’m bringing you to the spa.”
“Spa?!”
“I am going to introduce you the wonders of tropical body spa. We shall have a foot bath, then passion fruit and watermelon body wash, and then apply some pineapple papaya kiwi scrub before we go for body massages with coconut mango passion fruit oil. After that, we are having avocado banana almond body masks and soak ourselves in a warm bath with papaya lemon spearmint bath foam.”
“How can you remember all of that?”
“It’s my monthly ritual. And since it’s due this month, I might as well bring you along. You’ll be the first person to come with me.”
“Should I feel honored?”
“Yes, baby. You should. Now stay put. I’m on the way.”
*
Burt has tried several attempts to go into the kitchen but Kurt always manages to push him out.
He hears another loud clang from the kitchen, probably some pots falling to the floor again.
“You sure you don’t need my help?” Burt shouts from the living room.
“I’m okay! It’s just all this paraphernalia getting in my way!”
Burt knows that Kurt came back from his monthly body spa ritual (he can smell the fruits all over him) at three and rushed to the kitchen with terror in his face.
“I almost forget that I have to cook for tonight! I even ask them to apply the tangerine papaya moisturizing lotion on me! And that actually takes more time from what I expected!” He tells Burt as he flails around the kitchen.
Then Kurt mutters to himself, “At least he is finally at ease.”
“Hmm… who?”
“Uh, nothing, dad.”
And then two hours later, Burt looks at his watch to confirm that it is after all, five o’clock in the evening. He can already smell those lovely aromas from the kitchen and his stomach is growling. Burt is already looking forward to enjoy his dinner. A few long minutes later, Kurt finally emerges from the kitchen and pulls out his hair as he screams, “I have an hour and twenty-minutes to get ready!”
“So? It doesn’t matter. I can be ready in fifteen-minutes.”
“But not me, dad. I need at least two hours to look fabulous! Now I’m only going to be quasi-fabulous.”
“Kurt, you’re going to look good with whatever you going to wear.”
Kurt rolls his eyes and mutters, “You sound just like him.”
“I’m going to shower and change. How about you, dad?”
Burt points at the TV with his chin, “Twenty more minutes and I’m done with 24.”
*
It’s five minutes to seven. He has been entertaining himself with a can of beer and The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson for the past half an hour. Kurt still hasn’t appear from his room and he can hears Madonna’s voice blaring out from the room, well he thinks it’s Madonna because the singer’s voice sounds just like her.
He wonders if he’s the one who is going to invite this boyfriend in instead of Kurt. He has the feeling that if Kurt is still trying to make himself look ‘fabulous’ rather than ‘quasi-fabulous’, he’ll be much longer in the room and Burt shall be the one to entertain Kurt’s date. Hey, he cannot be rude to the guest. Of course, when he thinks about it, it might give him a good opportunity to question him in his scary-daddy mode.
At the same time, he feels a little anxious. He has never done this before and if he’s not mistaken, he thinks this is Kurt’s first relationship too. He doesn’t want to scare this boy off, Kurt would be very upset with him. However, there is just too many stuff inside his mind. What if Burt couldn’t get along with the boy? What if he dislikes the boy? Good lord, he sounds like a father-in-law in a dilemma about this future son-in-law… that sounds so wrong somehow!
Then, he hears the door bell ring. He looks at his watch. Right on time.
He rolls his shoulders and tries to ease off the tenseness he feels there. He reminds himself that the boy on the other side of the door is more nervous than him. Besides, he is in his own house and feels very comfortable in his surroundings; the boy wouldn’t, so basically, Burt has the upper hand here. He can throw the boy out from his house if he wants to.
“Concentrate, Burt. This is it.”
He opens the door and…
They stand like that for a few long moments. Neither move nor speak, both are just too shock with the revelation until finally, Burt able to find his voice back, “Finn.”
“Burt.”
“Wow.” They hear the new voice behind Burt. Two pairs of eyes turn to look at Kurt who shows with simple blue tartan plaid shirt and a pair of dark charcoal skinny jeans. He is grinning too brightly at them.
“Both of you are really dressed-up for the evening. This is splendid!”
Burt looks at Finn and sees the other boy blushing at Kurt’s statement.
“Hey, Kurt,” Finn greets his son, his eyes shy away from Burt. Kurt holds Finn’s arm and pulls him into the house. Burt closes the door, his body is reacting accordingly but his mind is screaming with shock.
Finn?! The boy that he has ran into three times is Kurt’s boyfriend! The boy who has been right under his nose these past three days, is the one who is dating his son?!
As soon as they are inside the living room, Kurt introduces them to each other, thinking that the shock expression from Finn and his father is just from being tense and nervous.
“Dad, this is Finn Hudson. And Finn, this is my dad, Burt Hummel.”
It takes him a few long seconds to clear his head. He let a smile creep onto his lips, suddenly feeling quite relieve with his discovery. After all, this is Finn, or Finn Hudson like his son tells him. His son’s boyfriend is Finn, the captain of the football team, a member of the Glee club, and is also the one who still shows affections in public towards his son even with how much Kurt tries to stop him. During his previous meetings with Finn, he found the boy very charming, well-mannered, and friendly. Wasn’t it just two days ago he had a wistful thinking of his son’s boyfriend to turn out as Finn or at least, someone like him.
“Hello, Finn.” He puts out his hand and Finn shakes his.
“It’s a pleasant to see you, Burt.” Even though he is still in shock, Finn smiles back at him.
Then Kurt curls one arm around Finn’s other arm and they are standing next to each other. Finn gazes at Kurt. Burt can see the adoration from Finn’s gaze towards his son and he feels a swell of comfort, knowing that Kurt is loved back.
It’s going to be a perfect night.
EPILOGUE
Kurt couldn’t believe it! It was actually his father who accidentally ran into Finn with the cart in the grocery store and it was also Uncle Dan who thought that Finn’s mother is his sister! Yet the most amusing thing he has ever heard was that his father and Finn were actually shopping for clothes… together! It is also the attire that they are wearing tonight.
Finn actually chose the mason blue and gold check for his father and his father, on the other hand, chose the blue and red thin stripe for Finn. Finn is also wearing grey v-neck knit sweater which makes him look sexy. Kurt feels very lucky. If his father isn’t there, he would be drooling all over Finn. Anyway, his father looks amazing too. And he is loving the blue enamel cufflinks. He thinks that both his father and Finn has good taste and is planning again to make them see the light in Prada! Prada dress shirts are the best!
So they have French onion soup and Waldorf salad as hors d'oeuvres. He thinks he squeezed too much lemon juice over the granny smith apples in his salad but nobody complains and the two men seem to rather enjoy with their appetizer. He serves the parmesan risotto and roasted garlic mashed potatoes as side dishes and feels slightly guilty when he takes another serving of the parmesan risotto. He really needs to look out for his weight. His father appears to enjoy more of the mashed potato while Finn compliments his risotto, thus, eradicating the guilty feeling he has while he eats his second serving of parmesan risotto. See, Finn is the most amazing boyfriend ever. He always makes Kurt feel good.
Next, their main dishes consist of chicken quiche and spiced pot roast. He was actually multi-tasking when he cooked both dishes (especially with the pot roast. Imagine that, a grueling three hours!) because he was also baking the caramel pecan pie for dessert. He feels very pleased when he sees how enthusiastic his father and Finn are over the main dishes. He has never seen his father eat that much.
When he puts the caramel pecan pie on the dinner table, his father looks up at him. “Are you trying to kill us? I’m almost bloated and yet I still have this urge to gobble up that pie.”
“Excellent. At least I know that I won’t be finishing this pie alone.” Then Kurt turns his gaze at the other boy who is sitting across from him, “I hope you are up to it, Finn,” Kurt smirks at him.
Finn looks at Burt and whispers discreetly, “You’re right. I think he is trying to kill us,” which elicits a laugh from Burt and an annoyed sigh from Kurt. Nevertheless, Kurt feels delighted with tonight’s results. His father and Finn seem to form a mutual bond and perhaps have been doing so since they met.
And that’s enough to make him feel that everything is perfect in this world.
END.
A/N: Review is love and love is good for the soul. So when you review, you make my day! I had so much fun writing this. I laughed and squealed and occasionally, got crazy in a good way. Again, thank you so much to kyuubi_paw. You rock, darling!
Btw, what do you guys think? Should I write a sequel? Because I have this crazy idea of Carole Hudson turns to meet Finn’s boyfriend LOL! =)
ATSU TENSHI
Fandom: Glee
Pairing: Finn Hudson/Kurt Hummel
Author: milky_haven aka Atsu Tenshi
Rating: PG-13
Spoiler: None, really. I try to be as spoiler-free as possible.
Warning: Slash.
Disclaimer: I do not own Glee. Glee belongs to Fox.
Summary: Burt who is still getting use with his son’s sexual orientation is dreading with the latest dilemma; Kurt wants to introduce his boyfriend to his father and is inviting said boyfriend for dinner on weekend.
A/N: Thank you so much to the lovely kyuubi_paw for the beta. Other mistakes are mine.
Dilemma: When Burt Hummel Meets Kurt's Boyfriend
Burt is shaking with laughter and sips his beer. Captain Sig looks at one of his crew and curses in front of the cameraman.
“He’s not even walking - he’s fucking CRAWLING!”
Burt laughs out loudly and almost spills the beer on his lap. Captain Sig, being the most sarcastic captain in Deadliest Catch, always amuses him to no end. It’s not just the thrill to watch the fishers in Deadliest Catch struggling to catch crabs and dealing with the weather, it’s also entertaining to watch the critics, jeers, pranks, and complaints from captain to crew, crew members to each other, or even crew to captain.
“Dad, I want to talk to you about something.”
Burt looks up from the TV and sees Kurt’s anxious face. He knows that Kurt will never disturb him when he is watching his favorite show unless it is something really important and besides, Kurt looks a little pale but he is flushing at the same time. He wonders if Kurt is sick but he knows that the boy will definitely tell him if he does come down with something. Perhaps he is telling that he’s sick but then the visage on his son’s face tells him otherwise.
Burt turns down the volume and plans to watch the rerun on weekend. His son’s well-being is more important and he will do everything in his power to make sure Kurt gets the best from him, it’s a promise that he made to himself when he saw his wife’s body buried six feet under the ground. He places his beer on the table and tells his son to sit.
“What’s up?” He asks.
Kurt fidgets in his seat, as if unsure if he should say something or not and this makes Burt even more curious. He thinks this must be very important for his son to appear so nervous. He waits patiently for Kurt to spill whatever that is making him anxious.
“Dad, I’ve told you that… I’m gay.” Burt nods his head. He is still getting use to that fact. His son’s sexual orientation is something that he’s been thinking about ever since Kurt asked for heels as a present when he was three, and it became even more obvious when he found out the secret stash of Kurt’s tiara collection (after years of trying to tell himself that he’s just being paranoid). And he thinks that he is already doing a good job because at least, he accepts Kurt for being who he is.
Kurt continues, “Well, I thought that you should know. I’m… I’m dating someone.”
Burt stops himself from doing something out of character. He’s a man that thinks before leaping into action. So he is going to think before he says something stupid or that will hurt his son’s feeling.
His son is gay. Check.
His son is dating… someone.
Dating. Someone.
Since he is aware of his son’s sexuality, this someone could be a man. Burt shudders at the word ‘man’ because it sounds like his son is actually dating someone who is older and probably a cradle robber and he swears he’ll kill any old man who is trying to defile his son’s virtue! So scratch that word and replaces it with ‘boy’. Now that sounds a little better.
So… His son is dating a boy.
“You’re dating a boy?” He asks quietly.
He sees that Kurt almost rolls his eyes but stops half-way and turn to look at anywhere but his father. He nods his head and he opens his mouth to say more. The skin on Kurt’s face suddenly turn into a brilliant scarlet that he finds very endearing because it reminds Burt so much of his wife. Kurt does have his mother’s beauty.
“I want to introduce him to you, dad. So I invited my boyfriend over for dinner this weekend?” It’s a statement and it’s a question too. Kurt slowly turn his gaze to his father and Burt could see something in those green eyes; fear, rejection, hope.
“Okay,” he blurts out before he can really think about it properly. He cannot deny his son’s request since he knows this is important to Kurt.
*
And Burt Hummel finds himself in the grocery store on Tuesday evening. Last night revelation makes him rethink of every possibility. What if Kurt’s boyfriend is a punk with tattoos all over his skin, or worse, a gothic freak that wears heavy eye-liner, or a sleazy hippie-
Burt takes a deep breath and lets out the air through his nose. He should give some credits to his son. He knows that Kurt wouldn’t be dating someone like that but his mind couldn’t stop thinking of all the possibilities.
He chides at himself. “Burt, you’re just being a fool. Think positive.”
Kurt plans to cook for that Saturday night which shows Burt how important this is because Kurt rarely cooks. It isn’t because Kurt is lazy and doesn’t cook well but Burt enjoys cooking and Kurt loves to eat his cooking. His son only cooks on very special occasions, like Burt’s birthday dinner just with the two of them and his wife’s passing anniversary.
So the least Burt can do is to buy all the things that are needed for that night.
He has already spent an hour in the grocery store. One item after another is slowly mounting inside the cart. He looks at his watch and knows that Kurt has probably finished with his Glee practice and is on the way back home. He checks his list for the last time and sees one more item left, Kurt’s neat cursive hand-writing wrote, ‘Noilly Prat dry vermouth’.
He pushes his cart to where he knows he can find it when suddenly he hears someone, “Oww!” from the front of his cart. He couldn’t really see where he is going, to be honest. There are more than three hundred items inside the cart, god knows how much food Kurt is going to cook, he’ll probably feed the entire neighborhood. He turns his head (since the sight in front of him is blocked with raw meats heaped on top of some other food ingredients that should not be mentioned) to the side and see who he had just hit.
“Sorry,” he apologizes to the person.
“It’s okay,” the person says and shows his face to Burt. A young good-looking boy, probably a year older than Kurt, goes to stand at the side, away from the cart that has just hit him. He is holding onto the grocery’s basket. “It’s my fault. I was looking at something and wasn’t aware that I’m in the way of a... wow!” The boy’s eyes turn wide when he sees the amount of items inside the cart.
Burt laughs, “I know. My son is going to cook dinner this weekend for-” He pauses. There is no way he is telling anybody that his son is cooking dinner for Burt and the yet-to-meet boyfriend. “-the family.”
“Oh, I see. Your family must be very big.”
Or the boyfriend must be an obese lard dude, Burt thinks.
Burt and the boy parts way with a nod and he goes to continue his search for the dry vermouth.
*
“Hey, baby. What you doing?”
“Shopping some grocery stuff. My mum has an extra shift so I’m taking over. Just arrive home?”
“Yeah, my dad isn’t back yet. So I’m all by myself and starved.”
“You don’t cook?”
“I do. But I prefer my dad’s. He cooks brilliantly!”
“When do you cook?”
“When I feel like cooking. But… I will be cooking this Saturday night.”
“Oh. God, I can’t believe I’m going to meet your dad.”
“You’ll be fine. He will like you. He’ll find you a very charming boyfriend.”
“I hope so. Oh, just now a moving cart ran into me and the stuff that this man has inside the cart can feed five times the size of my football team- what are you laughing at?”
“Finn Hudson, the captain of McKinley football team is run over by a moving cart?”
“Owh, shut up, Kurt Hummel.”
“Baby, I think my dad is home. I’m going to shower. I’ll text you later.”
“Love you, princess.”
“You know, I love it when you call me that.”
“Because you’re very high-maintenance.”
“I take that as a compliment. Love you too, baby.”
*
Three more days to go before Burt finally meets Kurt’s boyfriend. Now when he thinks about it, Kurt hasn’t even mention about his name or his age or his school (if the boy is still schooling or perhaps the boy is a drop-out). Burt chides himself again. “Think positive, Burt. You have nothing to worry.”
And all the thinking is giving Burt a headache that he thinks it’s a good idea to go out with the guys to the bowling alley even though it is Wednesday night. They usually go bowling on Friday night but it’s just so happens that Daniel had broken off with his five-year girlfriend and needs to spend all his frustration through bowling (and not drinking in the bar because none of them wants to wake up with a headache for work tomorrow).
“I’m thirty-nine and single while all of you have a wife and children. I feel so left out.”
Jack throws his ball down the lane which hits all the pins with a strike. Then, he turns to Daniel and pats his shoulder. “You know, being single is not bad at all. You’re not committed to anyone except to your career. No wife to scream at you when you forget to throw out the rubbish, no children to shout at you that you buy the wrong flavor of toothpaste.”
“But you love them, right?”
Jack grins at him, “With all my life. But that’s beside the point. You’ll meet someone who treats you well and respects you, eventually.”
Daniel sighs. “This is like the third serious relationship and I don’t know… I don’t understand women.”
Jack and Burt laughs and then Burt says, “Women are always the problem, huh?” And then he winces, it feels weird to say that… it’s like…
“Maybe I should bat for the other team?” Daniel and Jack laugh but Burt doesn’t.
“What’s up, Burt?” Jack asks when he realizes Burt isn’t laughing along with them.
Daniel frowns at Burt, “Yeah, it looks like you’re the one who needed this night more than me. I can count the worry lines on your forehead.”
“And the white hair,” Jack interjects with a small laugh. This time, Burt laughs along and shakes his head. “I just have been thinking a lot lately. That’s all. It is your turn now, Dan?”
“Let’s pause our game here and nibble on something.”
So they order mushroom pepperoni pizza and cokes.
Cokes are in their hands as they wait for the food.
“Is it Kurt?” Daniel asks him.
“Why do you think it’s about Kurt? There’s nothing wrong with him.” Burt tells them, suddenly feeling defensive about his son.
“Whoa, Burt. Chill. I’m just asking. Besides, you have this same look when you found out he bedazzled his shirts when he was nine,” explains Daniel.
Jack adds, “And when you found he was singing and dancing to Destiny Child when he was twelve.”
And of course, when he found the tiara collection… but he thinks they don’t really need to know that.
“You see, Burt. We have been your best friends even before you were married. We were your best men during your wedding, we were there when Kurt was born, and also during that time… when… she passed away,” Jack pauses.
Burt sighs and asks them, “Your point is?”
“You will hate me if I say this but I think this is for your own good. And for the sake of your son. I think that… Kurt is different. He’s not like most boys out there. He’s more feminine-”
“Like gay!” Burt nearly growls the words at them.
Daniel rolls his eyes and sighs. “Burt, I think Kurt is gay and you have to learn to accept it. I know it’s hard and it takes time for you to get use to his sexual orientation but if you accept for who he is, life will become easier.”
Burt almost wanted to tell them that in fact, Kurt has already admitted to him that he’s gay. But how is he suppose to tell them that his latest dilemma is not because he still feels awkward with his son’s sexuality but at the fact that his son is going to bring his boyfriend to meet him this Saturday and they are going to have dinner together!
However one question comes into his mind. “You guys aren’t disgusted of Kurt being… gay?”
Jack looks at Burt as if he does not recognize him, “Dude, why the hell would I be disgusted. Your son is like a son that I never have. You know how I always wanted one but having three daughters are already enough for me. And, remember my cousin, Lisa, she’s a lesbian.”
Daniel gasps. “That hot cousin of yours is a lesbian?! Damn. Now I wish I'd been born a woman. At least I can get a chance with her.”
Burt turns to look at Daniel. “And you, Dan? The reason you’re not…”
“Homophobic? I guess I’m just open-minded.”
And then, Burt suddenly feels like all the weight in this world lifts up from his shoulders. He feels more relax and happy than before. Perhaps part of his insecure regarding Kurt’s sexuality is because he is afraid of his best friends’ reactions once they found out the truth. However, it seems that none of them care and are readily accepting Kurt for who he is more easily than Burt does.
Burt smiles at them. “You know what, I really love you guys.”
Jack groans at Burt. “Please, cut the chick-flick moment, Burt. It’s so not you!”
Finally, the pizza-box arrives at their table.
Jack opens the box and is shock with what he sees. He shouts, “There’s no mushroom. This is plain pepperoni pizza! Yuck!” And not far away from them, another person shouts about the same but opposite statement. “This is not plain pepperoni pizza! There’s mushroom!”
All three heads turn to look where the voice came from. Five lanes away from them is the same young boy that Burt meets last night with an older pretty lady, probably the boy’s older sister. The boy and the older lady are looking at them too since they also heard Jack’s loud statement about his pizza.
Understanding dawns on both parties. It seems that the person must have accidently given their pizza to the other, and the other’s pizza is given to them instead. Since both are pepperoni, the person must have not realized that one of the pizzas had mushroom topping.
The older lady turns to the other boy and they exchange a few words before he stands up and carries over the box of pizza. He walks to their table and gives a sheepish smile. “I guess this is yours.” He turns his gaze to Burt and nods his head, acknowledging that he still remembers the man.
Burt grins at him, “And this must be yours. We haven’t touch them yet.”
Before the boy could reply to Burt, Daniel butts in, “You know young man, you and your sister should eat some veggies, like mushrooms. It’s healthy for young people!”
The boy raises his eyebrow at Daniel and then a small laugh escapes him. Daniel looks somewhat offended at the boy’s reaction and he seems to realize it so he stops laughing but his smile still stays on his lips, “I’m sorry if I sound rude just now. That’s not my sister. She’s my mum. My mum and I do eat veggies but not mushroom.”
Jack and Burt laugh after they listen to the boy who is already shaking in laughter. Daniel is embarrassed at first before he finally laughs along with them. The boy is charming. Burt really likes this boy and thinks that if Kurt meets him-
Burt shouldn’t lead his mind there. He mentally shakes his head.
*
“How was your night out with your mum?”
“Great. At least she looks less stressed.”
“That’s great.”
“So what were you doing?”
“I have the TV all to myself so I had on the Gossip Girls marathon.”
“Your dad isn’t home?”
“No, he’s out with Uncle Jack and Uncle Dan.”
“Anyway, something interesting happened tonight, this guy actually thinks that me and my mum are brother and sister.”
“Oh my god!”
“I know. I told my mum. She’s flattered.”
“Every mother would be fawned. It’s hilarious though.”
“Kurt…”
“Hmm?”
“What should I wear this weekend? And please don’t tell me to wear something glittery or bird feathers-y.”
“Bird feathers-y? Where on earth did you learn that word?”
“Just being creative.”
“An egregious ingenuity.”
“…”
“You’re lost there, Finn?”
“Seriously, what does that mean?”
“Your creativity is outstandingly bad.”
“Why do you like to do that?”
“Do what?”
“Always with big words.”
“It’s my forte.”
“What is forte- never mind. Forget I ask. Anyway, since you’re good in clothes…”
“A light color dress shirt, a pair of denim jeans, dress shoe or sneakers, and you’ll be looking hot.”
“Well, I may look hot to you but I want to… you know…”
“You want to what?”
“… I want to impress your dad.”
“Oh, honey. You’re so sweet. Well, why don’t you try Charles Tyrwhitt?”
“You want me to be Charles Tyrwhitt? Who’s that? A Hollywood celebrity?”
“No. It’s a name of this one brand shop. Basically it has all the fabulous-looking casual shirts to dress shirts, ties to cufflinks, and chinos to corduroys. It’s not too pricey. I think it’s the one and only fashionable place that my dad shops at. There was one time I try to make him see how wonderfully superb Prada’s but he stubbornly refuses to see the light. So for me, Charles Tyrwhitt is a godsend.”
“Okay… So I guess… I’ll go to Charles Tyrwhitt after our Glee practice tomorrow.”
“Good choice. You sure you don’t want to try Prada?”
*
As soon as he finishes with his work, Burt drives to the mall, thinking that at least he should look presentable when he meets Kurt’s date. Not that he doesn’t have the right attire for the occasion but Burt thinks it’s a good reason to shop for new clothes. He actually finds shopping very relaxing, something that nobody knows, not even Kurt’s mother. It’s like his dirty little secret. He looks at his watch and knows that he wouldn’t make it on time to cook dinner. He calls Kurt.
“Yes, dad?”
“I’ll be back a little late. You don’t mind order Chinese takeout?”
“No problem. Where are you, dad?”
Burt wants to tell him that he’s shopping for clothes but when he thinks about it, he wants it to be a surprise for Kurt. At least, he shows the effort to look immaculate for Kurt’s important night.
“I’m going to… buy stuff for the workshop. Anyway, get me roast pork fried rice.”
“Okay. Moo Shoo vegetable and Peking duck?”
“Sure. Make sure they don’t forget the sweet sauce for the duck this time.”
He ends the call with a promise that he’ll be back before seven.
He goes to several shops until he finds himself in Charles Tyrwhitt. There’s something about the cutting and the quality of their garments that shows the beauty both of the modern and classic fashion. When he looks at the third dress shirt, he sees the same young boy that he has encountered for two days consecutively. He looks a little bit lost inside the shop, as if he knows he has a reason to be in that shop, but isn’t sure if he should be there or not. A young woman speaks to him as she tries to assist him. He still looks awkwardly embarrassed that Burt thinks he should try to help the boy.
“Hey,” Burt greets him.
The boy turns around and grins brightly at Burt. “Hello, sir. Glad to see you again.”
“Yeah. How strange that is? This is the third time we meet, three days in a row.”
The boy laughs. “You know, I never know your name, son.” Burt puts out his hand and the other boy shakes his hand as he tells him, “Finn.”
“You can call me Burt. You need help, Finn?”
Finn smiles shyly, “Am I that obvious?”
Burt just smile back at Finn. “Very. What’s the occasion?”
“I have an important dinner this weekend. So I need something that makes me look smart but casual at the same time.”
Burt thinks it’s just sounding a little similar to his situation except that Finn probably was going dinner with family or girlfriend… or a girlfriend’s family…
Burt turns to look at the young lady who is still standing around, waiting to assist Finn.
“Show this young man some casual dress shirts.”
In the end, Burt and Finn end up choosing dress shirts and showing them to one another. It is sort of fun and Burt remembers when he shops with Kurt sometimes. It was always fun even though Kurt’s taste is more classy (and a bit feminine and so many bright colors for Burt’s taste) than his own. But somehow, Kurt finds the joy to dress-up his father. Nowadays, ever since he’s with Glee, Kurt usually hangs out in the house almost every weekend, with his iPod and especially the iPhone which Kurt clings to for 24/7. And after Kurt confessed he is dating someone, it finally dawns on Burt why the iPhone is surgically attached to Kurt.
Burt shows two casual dress shirts to Finn. “There’s the blue one. There’s also this blue and red stripe that might look good on you.”
“I think I like the blue and red stripe too,” states Finn but he seems to be talking more to himself.
“Remind you of something?” Burt asks.
“Yeah. Of him.” Then Finn quickly rushes into his sentence, “I mean, the blue and red stripe will definitely look great on me, right?”
Burt just shrugs away the weird comment and asks, “You don’t need a tie?”
“No, because I’m going to wear with jeans.”
“Yeah, I think this will work with jeans.”
Finn takes one of the dress shirts that he sees and shows it to Burt. “This will look fine on you, Burt.”
He looks at it. “Blue and gold check. Classic collar. Hmm… I’ll try this.”
By the end of their shopping, Burt buys the blue and gold check classic dress shirt, a blue and white multi-stripe tie, and a royal blue enamel cufflinks. He thinks of buying another chinos for himself but remembers of the new one that he bought last month and still never get the opportunity to wear it. Finn buys the blue and red stripe casual dress shirt and a grey v-neck knit sweater.
“Thanks for helping me with this. You have no idea how important this weekend for me. Have fun on your big family dinner this weekend,” Finn tells him, an amuse smile plays along his lips.
Burt laughs. “Yeah, thanks. You too, Finn.”
As he drives back home, he wonders… he remembers Finn saying how important the weekend for him. Burt shakes his head, thinking it’s just a coincidence.
Somehow, at the corner of his mind, he thinks how wonderful will it be if Kurt’s boyfriend is just like Finn.
*
From: Sexy Finn
Time: 21:30
I got everything I need frm Charles.
From: Princess Kurt
Time: 21:31
So what’s the color of ur shirt?
From: Sexy Finn
Time: 21:32
It’s a surprise. =)
From: Princess Kurt
Time: 21:33
I need 2 match mine with urs. I don’t want 2 look like a clown.
From: Sexy Finn
Time: 21:34
U will never look like a clown with whatever u wear.
From: Princess Kurt
Time: 21:36
U know, I might wear those, as quoted by u, bird-feathers n glitters. :P
From: Sexy Finn
Time: 21:37
R u blackmailing me?
From: Princess Kurt
Time: 21:38
;p
*
“Care to tell me the name of your boyfriend?”
Kurt rolls his eyes but he’s grinning at Burt. “No, dad. Wait until I introduce him to you.”
“You tell me almost nothing about him except the fact that you’re dating him and that’s it. Is he that fat? Because I’m kind of worry with the amount of food that you are going to cook. It can last us for months.”
Kurt hums to himself, ignoring his dad’s jibe.
Burt sighs with a smile and ruffles Kurt’s hair which he receives a glare from the boy. “Okay, I give up. I’m going to watch Dirty Jobs.”
Kurt tries to smooth back his hair and asks, “It’s Friday night. Isn’t it your night out with Uncle Jack and Uncle Dan?”
“Not tonight.” He walks out from the kitchen. Kurt continues to look at the food list on the piece of paper, deep in thought as he chooses between the spiced pot roast and the apple-flavored pot roast. A few seconds later, Burt walks back to the kitchen and asks, “Are you sure that you don’t want to tell me anything about this boyfriend of yours?”
Kurt looks up from his list and smiles at his father. “Fine. I’ll tell you a thing or two. He’s my schoolmate.”
“I know that, well, I guess it at first until you confirmed it to me.”
“He’s in a football team.”
“That’s a nice start.”
Kurt’s smile gets wider. “He’s the captain of the football team.”
Burt nods his head as he tries to remember this captain of the McKinley’s football team. He has seen Kurt’s game and knows some of the faces of the football team. And he thinks he had seen this captain once during the game but he couldn’t seem to remember his face anymore.
“So you two get to know each other when you’re on the football team?”
“Not really. He’s in the Glee club too.”
Burt is very surprise. The captain of the football team is also in the Glee club. That is something.
Burt laughs and jokes, “Since he’s the football captain, I bet he must be popular in school.”
Kurt doesn’t answer him but his smile falters.
Burt wonders with the sudden change and asks, “He’s not popular?”
And his son laughs at Burt and shakes his head. He props his chin on his hand and answers his father, “No, dad. He’s the most popular guy in McKinley. Everyone has a crush on him. Everyone wants him. Everyone wants a piece of him… Because of his popularity, we don’t really date on school ground. Except of course, when we’re in the choir room or in the auditorium or during Glee practice. Only the students in New Directions know about us.”
Burt frowns and feels angry. “Is he very insecure about being in a relationship with you?”
“It’s not him. It’s me, dad. I’m the one who feels insecure. I don’t want people to look at him and treat him differently because he dates me. I want him to keep the normalcy for his sake. There are times when he will suddenly hold my arms in the hallways or put his arms around my shoulder as he talks to me and I can feel other people staring at us. He sits next to me in Spanish class and even has lunch with me and Mercedes instead of sitting with his usual popular crowd in the cafeteria. He’s very sweet, dad. And I love him for that. But at the same time, I hate him for that. I don’t want people to realize there is something going on between the two of us and they’ll start pushing him away.”
“Does he know about this?”
“I told him.”
Burt thinks for a moment before he asks Kurt. “And how does he felt about it?”
“He got very angry at me. In the end, he said that he trusts my opinion and that I know what’s best for him. So we are working on it. He still tends to show a tidbit of PDA here and there but we don’t go out publicly. However, he tells me that he doesn’t really care what people think of him. He stops caring ever since Quinn and Pu… eh, perhaps I’m telling you too much.” Kurt gives Burt a sheepish smile.
Burt just shrugs his shoulder. He’s happy that Kurt is telling him a few things about this boy and his relationship with said boy. The more he listens about it, the more interested he is to meet him. Besides, after listening the way he treats Kurt in public, even though how much Kurt pushes him away, it tells Burt that this said boy must really care about Kurt.
Burt gives a pat on Kurt’s shoulder and moves away from the kitchen. He’s already missing a few minutes of Dirty Jobs.
“Dad,” Kurt calls.
Burt turns to look at his son.
“Thank you.”
“For what, son?”
Kurt smiles brightly at him. “For everything. For agreeing to see him and have dinner with him. For being interested and wanting to know about him… for listening to me about us.”
Burt feels overwhelm with feelings and he has this strong desire to go there to hug and throw Kurt in the air just like when he was a toddler.
“C’mere, Kurt.” He opens his arms and Kurt instantly jumps into his arm. He hugs the small body tightly, relishing the feeling of how grown up his boy already. Sometimes, in his eyes, he still sees that three year old boy who wants a pair of heels as a present. But now, here he is, all grown up with his mother’s beauty and is in… love with a boy that Burt is yet to meet.
“No matter what, I will always love you, son.”
“Love you too, dad.” Kurt pulls away to look at his father. “Thank you so much.”
*
“So tonight-”
“We dine in hell.”
“Excuse me?”
“Sorry, Kurt. I suddenly had the urge to quote from 300.”
“Just relax.”
“How am I suppose to relax?”
“Mash some avocado or papaya and put on your face. Then cut some cucumber for your eyes. And make sure you burn some lavender oils-”
“Hang on. You expect to put food on my face will make me relax?”
“I’m kidding, Finn. I wouldn’t expect you to unwind in my way.”
“You put food on your face and it makes you relax?”
“It’s also good for the face.”
“I guess I’ll just stick to my way… which is to freak out!”
“Baby, you are not freaking out right now!”
“Well I am now!”
“You know what, you stay put there and I’ll come to get you. I’m bringing you to the spa.”
“Spa?!”
“I am going to introduce you the wonders of tropical body spa. We shall have a foot bath, then passion fruit and watermelon body wash, and then apply some pineapple papaya kiwi scrub before we go for body massages with coconut mango passion fruit oil. After that, we are having avocado banana almond body masks and soak ourselves in a warm bath with papaya lemon spearmint bath foam.”
“How can you remember all of that?”
“It’s my monthly ritual. And since it’s due this month, I might as well bring you along. You’ll be the first person to come with me.”
“Should I feel honored?”
“Yes, baby. You should. Now stay put. I’m on the way.”
*
Burt has tried several attempts to go into the kitchen but Kurt always manages to push him out.
He hears another loud clang from the kitchen, probably some pots falling to the floor again.
“You sure you don’t need my help?” Burt shouts from the living room.
“I’m okay! It’s just all this paraphernalia getting in my way!”
Burt knows that Kurt came back from his monthly body spa ritual (he can smell the fruits all over him) at three and rushed to the kitchen with terror in his face.
“I almost forget that I have to cook for tonight! I even ask them to apply the tangerine papaya moisturizing lotion on me! And that actually takes more time from what I expected!” He tells Burt as he flails around the kitchen.
Then Kurt mutters to himself, “At least he is finally at ease.”
“Hmm… who?”
“Uh, nothing, dad.”
And then two hours later, Burt looks at his watch to confirm that it is after all, five o’clock in the evening. He can already smell those lovely aromas from the kitchen and his stomach is growling. Burt is already looking forward to enjoy his dinner. A few long minutes later, Kurt finally emerges from the kitchen and pulls out his hair as he screams, “I have an hour and twenty-minutes to get ready!”
“So? It doesn’t matter. I can be ready in fifteen-minutes.”
“But not me, dad. I need at least two hours to look fabulous! Now I’m only going to be quasi-fabulous.”
“Kurt, you’re going to look good with whatever you going to wear.”
Kurt rolls his eyes and mutters, “You sound just like him.”
“I’m going to shower and change. How about you, dad?”
Burt points at the TV with his chin, “Twenty more minutes and I’m done with 24.”
*
It’s five minutes to seven. He has been entertaining himself with a can of beer and The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson for the past half an hour. Kurt still hasn’t appear from his room and he can hears Madonna’s voice blaring out from the room, well he thinks it’s Madonna because the singer’s voice sounds just like her.
He wonders if he’s the one who is going to invite this boyfriend in instead of Kurt. He has the feeling that if Kurt is still trying to make himself look ‘fabulous’ rather than ‘quasi-fabulous’, he’ll be much longer in the room and Burt shall be the one to entertain Kurt’s date. Hey, he cannot be rude to the guest. Of course, when he thinks about it, it might give him a good opportunity to question him in his scary-daddy mode.
At the same time, he feels a little anxious. He has never done this before and if he’s not mistaken, he thinks this is Kurt’s first relationship too. He doesn’t want to scare this boy off, Kurt would be very upset with him. However, there is just too many stuff inside his mind. What if Burt couldn’t get along with the boy? What if he dislikes the boy? Good lord, he sounds like a father-in-law in a dilemma about this future son-in-law… that sounds so wrong somehow!
Then, he hears the door bell ring. He looks at his watch. Right on time.
He rolls his shoulders and tries to ease off the tenseness he feels there. He reminds himself that the boy on the other side of the door is more nervous than him. Besides, he is in his own house and feels very comfortable in his surroundings; the boy wouldn’t, so basically, Burt has the upper hand here. He can throw the boy out from his house if he wants to.
“Concentrate, Burt. This is it.”
He opens the door and…
They stand like that for a few long moments. Neither move nor speak, both are just too shock with the revelation until finally, Burt able to find his voice back, “Finn.”
“Burt.”
“Wow.” They hear the new voice behind Burt. Two pairs of eyes turn to look at Kurt who shows with simple blue tartan plaid shirt and a pair of dark charcoal skinny jeans. He is grinning too brightly at them.
“Both of you are really dressed-up for the evening. This is splendid!”
Burt looks at Finn and sees the other boy blushing at Kurt’s statement.
“Hey, Kurt,” Finn greets his son, his eyes shy away from Burt. Kurt holds Finn’s arm and pulls him into the house. Burt closes the door, his body is reacting accordingly but his mind is screaming with shock.
Finn?! The boy that he has ran into three times is Kurt’s boyfriend! The boy who has been right under his nose these past three days, is the one who is dating his son?!
As soon as they are inside the living room, Kurt introduces them to each other, thinking that the shock expression from Finn and his father is just from being tense and nervous.
“Dad, this is Finn Hudson. And Finn, this is my dad, Burt Hummel.”
It takes him a few long seconds to clear his head. He let a smile creep onto his lips, suddenly feeling quite relieve with his discovery. After all, this is Finn, or Finn Hudson like his son tells him. His son’s boyfriend is Finn, the captain of the football team, a member of the Glee club, and is also the one who still shows affections in public towards his son even with how much Kurt tries to stop him. During his previous meetings with Finn, he found the boy very charming, well-mannered, and friendly. Wasn’t it just two days ago he had a wistful thinking of his son’s boyfriend to turn out as Finn or at least, someone like him.
“Hello, Finn.” He puts out his hand and Finn shakes his.
“It’s a pleasant to see you, Burt.” Even though he is still in shock, Finn smiles back at him.
Then Kurt curls one arm around Finn’s other arm and they are standing next to each other. Finn gazes at Kurt. Burt can see the adoration from Finn’s gaze towards his son and he feels a swell of comfort, knowing that Kurt is loved back.
It’s going to be a perfect night.
EPILOGUE
Kurt couldn’t believe it! It was actually his father who accidentally ran into Finn with the cart in the grocery store and it was also Uncle Dan who thought that Finn’s mother is his sister! Yet the most amusing thing he has ever heard was that his father and Finn were actually shopping for clothes… together! It is also the attire that they are wearing tonight.
Finn actually chose the mason blue and gold check for his father and his father, on the other hand, chose the blue and red thin stripe for Finn. Finn is also wearing grey v-neck knit sweater which makes him look sexy. Kurt feels very lucky. If his father isn’t there, he would be drooling all over Finn. Anyway, his father looks amazing too. And he is loving the blue enamel cufflinks. He thinks that both his father and Finn has good taste and is planning again to make them see the light in Prada! Prada dress shirts are the best!
So they have French onion soup and Waldorf salad as hors d'oeuvres. He thinks he squeezed too much lemon juice over the granny smith apples in his salad but nobody complains and the two men seem to rather enjoy with their appetizer. He serves the parmesan risotto and roasted garlic mashed potatoes as side dishes and feels slightly guilty when he takes another serving of the parmesan risotto. He really needs to look out for his weight. His father appears to enjoy more of the mashed potato while Finn compliments his risotto, thus, eradicating the guilty feeling he has while he eats his second serving of parmesan risotto. See, Finn is the most amazing boyfriend ever. He always makes Kurt feel good.
Next, their main dishes consist of chicken quiche and spiced pot roast. He was actually multi-tasking when he cooked both dishes (especially with the pot roast. Imagine that, a grueling three hours!) because he was also baking the caramel pecan pie for dessert. He feels very pleased when he sees how enthusiastic his father and Finn are over the main dishes. He has never seen his father eat that much.
When he puts the caramel pecan pie on the dinner table, his father looks up at him. “Are you trying to kill us? I’m almost bloated and yet I still have this urge to gobble up that pie.”
“Excellent. At least I know that I won’t be finishing this pie alone.” Then Kurt turns his gaze at the other boy who is sitting across from him, “I hope you are up to it, Finn,” Kurt smirks at him.
Finn looks at Burt and whispers discreetly, “You’re right. I think he is trying to kill us,” which elicits a laugh from Burt and an annoyed sigh from Kurt. Nevertheless, Kurt feels delighted with tonight’s results. His father and Finn seem to form a mutual bond and perhaps have been doing so since they met.
And that’s enough to make him feel that everything is perfect in this world.
END.
A/N: Review is love and love is good for the soul. So when you review, you make my day! I had so much fun writing this. I laughed and squealed and occasionally, got crazy in a good way. Again, thank you so much to kyuubi_paw. You rock, darling!
Btw, what do you guys think? Should I write a sequel? Because I have this crazy idea of Carole Hudson turns to meet Finn’s boyfriend LOL! =)
ATSU TENSHI