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“Now Blaine, I understand that after what you’ve been through, you're worried.” Kurt is empathetic but there is also a strain to his voice. “But prom is about joy, not about fear. So I am wearing this suit. I worked hard on it and I think it's fantastic. And if you don’t want to join me, I completely understand.”
Blaine sighs and turns in time to watch Kurt hustle back up the stairs to his room. He can feel both Finn's and Burt’s eyes on him. He bites his lip slightly and shuts his eyes. It takes everything in him to hold back tears as he thinks about what Kurt just said. Would he really consider not going to prom just because his boyfriend is wearing a certain outfit?
“Finn, can you go check on Kurt?” Blaine was started back to reality with the sound of Burt’s voice. Why wouldn’t he go check on Kurt himself?
Finn gets up with a bit of a start. “Yeah, yeah. Of course.” Blaine opens his eyes in time to watch him go upstairs.
Blaine turns his attention to Burt who is walking over to sit beside him. He wastes no time getting straight to the point, “What was that about, Anderson? And don’t tell me it was nothing because I’ve seen Kurt get worked up over nothing and that wasn’t it.” Burt had a small smile on his face, the one he made whenever the two of them lovingly joked about Kurt. They hadn’t known each other long, but Burt saw how much Kurt and Blaine cared for one another. That was enough to keep him happy for now, especially after all Kurt had been through this year.
Blaine let a smile tug at his lips for a second before letting out a huff, “Long story short, I went to a dance at my last school with another guy. Afterwards, some guys came around while we were waiting to be picked up and…” He had to pause. Telling this story to Kurt was hard, but telling it to Burt seemed even harder. He didn’t want to seem weak or have Burt think of him the same way his own father did after the event, as lesser somehow. He looked into his hands and swallowed hard before continuing, “they started to beat me and the other gay kid I went to the dance with. It was the main reason I left and came to Dalton.”
Burt shook his head and put a hand on Blaine’s shoulder, “You’re worried that will happen to you two at prom again?”
Blaine lets out a small cry, “Yeah...yeah.”
With that Burt pulled Blaine into a hug. He remembered their first chat in the tire shop when Blaine explained his relationship with his father. He remembered the first time he came home from work to find Blaine asleep on the couch in his living room, Carol would later tell him it was because something happened back home. He couldn’t make anything better or promise that the boy wouldn’t get hurt like that again. All he could do is be there for him right now and hold him like a parent would hold their child. Like he’s held Kurt for all these years.
It’s about 1 AM when the boys start coming home from prom. Burt had promised Carol that he would wait up and make sure that they all were safe. Finn was the first one home, he wasn’t in the mood for much conversation. Muttering something about Jesse St. Something, he would be sure to ask Carol about it the next day.
Kurt was close behind, as well as Blaine, who had agreed to stay the night rather than drive the extra hour home. Burt had insisted, partially because Carol told him to, but also because he didn’t want the boy driving back so late.
Kurt was a whirlwind as soon as he stepped in the door, the crown still on and staff in his hand. He regaled Burt with the story of the night. As soon as he mentioned the words ‘prom queen,’ Burt wanted to dive back into that school and slap all of those kids upside the head. Kurt must have noticed because immediately he switched to talking about how brave Blaine was and how they danced in front of everyone with the Glee kids looking on with pride and joy. Eventually, the boy tired himself out with his storytelling. He said goodnight to Burt, gave Blaine a peck on the cheek, and ran upstairs to start his skincare routine.
After he was gone, Burt crossed his arms and turned his attention towards Blaine. He had been standing in the corner of the room the entire time, not saying a word.
“How did all of this make you feel, kid?”
Blaine looked startled by the comment. “I…I was really proud of Kurt. He was incredibly brave and strong through it all.” Blaine didn’t sound convinced, he knew that wasn’t what Burt wanted to hear.
“I bet he was.” Burt paused for a second, “But how did it make you feel, Blaine?”
Blaine shook his head slightly, he knew he couldn't get away from his conversation. “I was scared. I didn’t want Kurt to end up hurt like I had been. I wanted to make sure that he knew, whatever happened, it was his choice.” Blaine paused for a second and smiled, “It was slightly terrifying to ask him to dance, but then once we started, he was all I could see or feel. He was so happy. And so was I.”
Burt smiled and put his hand on the young man’s shoulder, “Thank you, for keeping his heart safe tonight.”
Blaine was taken aback slightly but his face quickly softened. “Thank you, sir. For everything.” There was another pause as Blaine seemed to weigh his next word carefully, “Thank you for being there last week. My dad…”
Burt simply nodded, Blaine didn’t need to finish his thought. He knew the young man’s father hadn’t been there for him when he needed him the most. It was from this night on that Burt made sure Blaine didn’t just feel welcome as his son’s boyfriend but as one of his own kids. The boy had earned it, especially after how he had been there for Kurt tonight.
He pulled Blaine in and hugged him close, just like he would with Finn or Kurt. As he let the young man go he smiled, “Go get ready for bed, Carol made up the couch for you.”
Blaine nodded, heading towards the hall to grab his bag and head to the bathroom before Burt called out again, “And Anderson, just call me Burt.”