Chapter Text
One of the many things Kurt took pride in was his room. It had a very minimalist vibe to it that was calming. Simple yet elegant.
Technically his bedroom was the basement of his house but it wasn’t anything he had ever been upset about. He had a few pieces of furniture here and there like his bed and vanity and then he had a bunch of empty space that he could do whatever with.
One thing that Kurt liked was space.
Kurt’s room was his sanctuary. He had always loved coming home every day after school and spending his afternoons and evenings holed up in his room. Whether he spent his time with his sewing machine or DVDs of his comfort movies, he had always felt at peace in his bedroom.
He had spent practically all of his childhood in his room. As a kid who didn’t have any friends and a father who worked all the time, he was on his own most of the time. He had quickly adapted to being alone and it had never really bothered him.
His father had thought differently though. He had felt guilty for always leaving Kurt alone and when he realized that it wasn’t doing his kid any good, staying inside when he ought to be out as a teenage boy, he forced his son to join a club at his school.
So Kurt joined the show choir club at his school. And that had greatly altered his life for what was probably the best but sometimes felt like the worst. It got him out of his shell and allowed him to pursue one of his passions, which was singing.
He met people who were just like him, outcasts along with people who used to gossip about him and throw him into dumpsters. They all turned out to be pretty nice. Annoying a lot of the time but overall, they were good people.
Kurt just had a hard time connecting with them. At the end of the day, they were his friends, his family even. It just didn’t always feel like that. There was always some type of drama among the group. They were all very dramatic and that was coming from him. It made him uncomfortable.
And that’s when he needed the solitude that his room provided him. After a long day at school and glee club, a night alone was exactly what he needed.
A night where he could take a warm bubble bath while drinking sparkling cider while imagining what his life would be like in four years, living in a Manhattan penthouse while his former tormentors cleaned his toilets.
Or a night where he could sing the entire Gypsy Rose soundtrack out loud while doing his skincare routine without being outshined by Miss Rachel Funny Girl Berry or told him sounded like a girl from Puckerman.
His room held memories within its walls. Specifically memories of his mother, who had passed away when he was seven. She had been a stunning and spirited woman who had shared his love for fashion and musical theater. She had been his best friend.
Now more than ever did Kurt need those memories of his mother. They kept him calm and grounded when everything in his life seemed to be spiraling. He remembered the nights he would spend laying on his floor with his mom’s favorite coat or her perfume, trying to keep her memory alive.
And now everything was being ruined because Kurt was moving.
Last spring, Kurt had introduced his father to someone. It had been his friend Finn’s mother, Carole. His dad and Carole had really hit it off to Kurt’s surprise. Finn and his mom moved in with Kurt and his dad and they started to act like a family. His dad proposed to Carole that summer and now they were getting married in the fall.
Technically, this entire mess was his doing. He was the one who had introduced his dad to Carole and it wasn’t exactly because he thought they would make a good couple. He hated to admit it but the only reason he had introduced his dad and his soon-to-be step-mom was because he had had a crush on Finn and had wanted to get closer to him.
He knew it made no sense to do that and he knew his plan had backfired on him. His excuse was that he had been a naive sixteen-year-old who fell for the handsome quarterback who was one of the few people who was nice to him. It seemed pretty valid to him.
Once he saw Finn for the person he really was, his attraction towards him came to a stop. It turned out that Finn was just like all of the other jocks at his school. Ignorant and arrogant and obnoxious and annoying. Messy and bigoted and homophobic and aggravating and irritating. No sense of style, no working brain cells, no recognition of order or cleanliness.
Kurt obviously hadn’t thought his plan out all the way, which was a first. Usually, he had backup plans for his backup plans. He hadn’t thought about the possibility that once he got closer to Finn, he would quickly become repulsed. He supposed the saying never meet your heroes had some logic to it.
And to make things even worse, not only was Finn his soon-to-be step-brother, but he was also his dad’s soon-to-be step-son. Again, Kurt knew it was all his fault but he couldn’t help but be a little jealous of his father’s relationship with Finn. They went to football games together. They were always going to his dad’s favorite diner where they ate greasy burgers and drank sugary milkshakes. They were always outside working on cars or inside the garage lifting weights. They were always talking about girls .
Finn did everything Kurt didn’t. Finn was everything Kurt wasn’t. Finn was perfect in his dad’s eyes, the son he had always wanted.
Kurt’s dad had assured him that he had nothing to worry about when it came to Finn. His dad still loved him and Finn couldn’t replace him but Finn needed a father figure in his life and he was willing to fulfill that role. It made Kurt feel bad for being territorial because he knew that Finn’s dad had passed away when he was young and he knew what it was like to not have a parental figure in your life.
It was yet another reason why Kurt was jealous of him. It had been so easy for Finn to bond with Kurt’s dad. It was like he was perfectly fine practically replacing his own father with someone else. Kurt had tried to bond with Carole but he just couldn’t bring himself to get close with her. He knew it hurt Carole and bothered his father but his distance shouldn’t be taken personally. He had never been good at bonding with people.
But that was enough about Finn. The point was that because of his own stupidity, he was now moving, which was not something he wanted to do. His dad and Carole had explained to Finn and him that moving was a good thing. It was going to give them all their own space and they were taking a step forward together, as a family.
Kurt was conflicted. He didn’t really want to take any new steps forward, he was fine where he was in his life at the moment. He didn’t want to move. He didn’t want to lose his mom even more than he already had and he didn’t want to move out of his childhood home. He didn’t want his family and life to change.
Kurt didn’t like change. He liked routine, it was what he relied on. But now everything was changing. He was getting a step-mom and a step-brother and while he thought Carole was great, he preferred to keep his distance from Finn. His dad had a new job that made them a lot of money and kept him out most nights. He was moving.
And that was just everything he was dealing with at home. He didn’t even want to start thinking about all the problems he had at school. The humiliation and abuse he endured at the hands of his bullies. The way he was ignored and neglected in the one place he was supposed to belong in. School work and grades and preparation for SATS and college.
It was all too much.
Kurt couldn’t sleep that night. It was one in the morning but the nervousness and dread he felt was overwhelming and was keeping him up. He was sitting at his vanity, looking out his window. He had kept his curtains drawn back so the moonlight shined into his room, leaving patterns on his floor.
The feeling in his room that night was eerie, which was not doing much for his anxiety. It was pitch black except for the moonlight. It was a windy night and tree branches kept knocking into his window. It was also extremely hot and humid. The only other sound that could be heard throughout the basement was the sound of Finn snoring on the other side of the room.
Sharing a room with Finn was a lot of things. The best word to describe it was awful . Finn was your average high school boy. He thought deodorant and a thousand sprays of expensive cologne was the equivalent of a shower. He littered his dirty clothes all over the floor of his side of the room. He ate in his room, leaving crumbs and dirty dishes everywhere which attracted ants and roaches. He had his friends over all the time, friends that were just like him. Kurt had even walked in on him making out with Rachel more than once.
And to top it all off, he sounded like a wild animal when he was asleep. It was another reason why Kurt was often kept up at night.
Kurt tried his best to ignore Finn when they were both downstairs in the basement. They had a privacy partitioner up so it was like they had their own rooms, just with thin walls. He knew Finn liked to pretend that Kurt wasn’t there either. Kurt thought it was obvious that he didn’t care for Finn but it wasn’t like Finn kept his dislike for him a secret.
They weren’t in the same place at the same time too often though, seeing that they both had their own busy schedules. And in a way, Kurt was kind of lucky that Finn was so popular because it meant he always had a place to sleepover at, leaving Kurt with all of his space. It had only been a handful of times when Finn had decided to hang out with his friends at his own place instead of theirs.
Kurt’s side of the room was basically bare except for his vanity, an air mattress, and a few cardboard boxes that sat in front of his side of the partitioner. His dad had told him he was getting him a new vanity, as a moving day present or something. Finn was getting a car as his gift. Kurt thought that a bit unfair but he already had a car so he hadn’t said anything. Who gave their kids gifts for moving into a new house anyway?
Kurt knew it wasn’t so much of a gift as it was a peace offering . Even though Kurt hadn’t verbally expressed his hesitance about moving, he knew it was written on his face every time the subject was brought up. But he had been on his best behavior the entire time, doing his fair share to make sure everything was in order and that the process went by smoothly. And he knew his dad appreciated his cooperation, hence the gift.
It kind of bothered Kurt that his father thought he had had to get him a gift as a thank you for being helpful. It wasn’t like he was some brat who only did things because he expected to get something out of it. He liked Carole and he supposed Finn wasn’t terrible (it was better than living with Karofsky) and he knew they made his dad happy and Kurt wanted his dad to be happy.
Kurt didn’t want to stand in the way of his dad’s happiness. He had a feeling he had already done that enough. He knew he was difficult. He knew it was hard for his dad to understand him. He knew about the phone calls his dad received regarding him. He knew the stress he caused his father.
Well, now his father didn’t have to worry about that kind of stuff. Kurt had the bullying under control and his dad had a new family that he loved. He seemed happy. Who was Kurt to keep his dad from happiness?
Kurt supposed he could afford to look on the bright side of things more than dwelling on the negative. At least he was going to get his own bedroom. An actual room too, not a basement. Then he would have his space back.
The only difference was that his space would be entirely new to him, something foreign that would take some getting used to. He would have to make new memories while still trying to keep a hold of the old ones.
Kurt sighed. He was exhausted but he already knew he wasn’t going to get any sleep that night (or should he say early morning), not with Finn’s grizzly bear impersonations and all his thoughts whirling around his brain at the speed of light. He considered getting up and finding his sleeping pills but he thought against it.
He had been prescribed a one-time prescription of sleeping pills a few years ago when he had to have surgery for a broken arm. He had been thrown into a dumpster one morning per usual but had landed on his arm funny and had ended up in the hospital.
He still used the pills from time to time. He only had a few of them left but they were useful. He only used them when he was running on one hour of sleep and a cup of coffee and needed something else to keep him moving. Kurt was a busy person, he had a lot to do every day and he couldn’t afford to be held back by a few nights spent tossing and turning.
He had to preserve what he had left for more important situations, at least until he could get his hands on more. He would just have to push through and deal with the burning sensation in his eyes and the heavy feeling in his limbs. It was nothing he hadn’t dealt with before, nothing he couldn’t do.
It was now two in the morning. In six hours he would be helping his dad and Carole load the last of their boxes onto one of the moving trucks they had rented. In six hours he would bid his final farewell to his childhood home. In six hours he would arrive at his new house which was on the other side of town. In six hours his life would change even more than it already had.
Kurt continued to sit at his vanity. The moonlight that shone into his room slowly faded away. The moon slowly went down and the sun slowly came up. The sky slowly changed from black to navy black to pink and orange to baby blue. The stars were slowly replaced by clouds. Everything moved so slowly.
Around six o'clock, Kurt decided that it was a reasonable time for him to get up and start preparing for the day. He got up from his vanity and made his way into his bathroom. He was able to arrange the basement so that the bedroom ended up on his side of the space. He couldn’t imagine having to use the bathroom after Finn. The mere thought of doing so was repulsive.
He had two hours to get ready, which really wasn’t a lot of time by his standards. He immediately got to work, turning on the shower and stripping himself of his oversized t-shirt and sweatpants that he had worn to bed. He got inside of his shower, scrubbed down his body, washed his hair, and then got out, grabbing his towel and drying himself off.
He wrapped his towel around his waist and went back into his bedroom to put on his clothes. He had put together a simple outfit for that day, a white three-quarter-sleeve t-shirt with a black vest, black skinny jeans, and his favorite scarf which was a dark shade of purple. Every moment was an opportunity for fashion and Kurt wasn’t one to waste his opportunities.
Once he was dressed, he went back into his bathroom to brush his hair and teeth. He swooped his hair up with a brush before spraying it with hairspray so it would hold. Then he grabbed his toothbrush and toothpaste and brushed his teeth. Once he was done, he took all his items and carried them out of the bathroom with him, placing them on his vanity.
Kurt plugged his earbuds into his phone and turned on some music while he did his skincare routine. His mom was the one who had introduced him to skincare. It was one of the things he had continued to do after her death that made him feel close to her. Plus it was kind of therapeutic and soothing to him.
While Kurt had been rubbing his moisturizer into his skin, Finn had woken up and made his way into the bathroom, not paying any attention to him. Kurt didn’t know if that should make him happy or angry. He heard Finn turn on the shower and then returned his attention back to his music and his skin.
Once Kurt was ready for the day, he gathered all the belongings he had out and placed them inside the box at the front of his room with all his bathroom essentials. Once everything was tucked away in its box, the realization that this was the last time he would get ready in his room sunk in. Kurt tried to convince himself that it was bittersweet but the sweet part wasn’t resonating with him.
Kurt looked around the space that he had spent the last sixteen years in. He had spent his entire life in this very room. He didn’t know what he was really expecting. He had dreams of moving to New York once he graduated high school. He knew there would come a day when he would have to say goodbye to his bedroom. He liked to think he wasn’t someone who was sentimental and got upset over physical possession.
Oh who was he kidding, he hadn’t spoken to Mercedes for two weeks when she accidentally sat on his DVD of The Sound Of Music and broke the disc.
Still, he kind of had the idea in the back of his head that even when he moved out, this would still always be his dad’s home, meaning Kurt would get to come back to it anytime he visited his father. But now he would be returning to a room that he had spent less than two years living in. It just didn’t sit right with him.
He must’ve gotten lost in his thoughts because he hadn’t noticed that Finn was now out of the shower and was watching him from the bathroom door until he heard the boy clear his throat.
“Umm… you good, dude?” Finn asked him, seeming awkward. Given, Finn was awkward but it was obvious that Finn knew he had walked in on Kurt having an emotional moment and was embarrassed about it.
“Yes.” Kurt said shortly, also a little embarrassed. He felt kind of stupid for getting upset over a damn room.
Kurt bit his tongue and kept himself from reprimanding Finn about referring to him as a dude and turned on his heel. He gathered up the last of his boxes and carried them out of the basement and up the stairs. Of course that was the last time he was ever going to be in his childhood bedroom and the memory was tainted by Finn.
Kurt made his way onto the first floor of his home and sat his boxes down at the front door before making his way into the kitchen. His father and Carole were standing up at the counter since all the furniture was out of the kitchen as well. His father and Carole both had coffees along with a bag from McDonald’s .
“Morning buddy!” Burt greeted his son energetically that morning. “Ready for the big day?”
“Yeah.” Kurt faked a smile, nodding his head as he looked at his father. He was as ready as he would ever be for a day like this.
“Is Finn up yet?” Carole asked Kurt. “We have to leave right at eight and I know he’ll want to eat breakfast before we leave.”
“Yes, he’s up.” Kurt assured her. “He was just getting out of the shower as I came up.”
“Wonderful!” Carole exclaimed, digging around in the McDonald’s bag before presenting Kurt with a platter of food. “We got you boys something special for today. Pancakes and hash browns.”
Kurt reluctantly took the platter from Carole and smiled at her. His smile was genuine. Kurt really liked Carole. She was kind and considerate and seemed to like him all right. She definitely wasn’t like one of those evil stepmothers from the fairy tales his mother used to read to him, in fact, she was the opposite.
Kurt knew she meant well but Kurt didn’t eat McDonalds . Too much grease, too many carbs and it was all nutrient-dense and empty calories. Kurt would just be nice and give his food to Finn. Finn was ginormous and practically a bottomless pit, he could use the extra food more than he could.
“Oh cool, McDonalds!” Finn lit up as he entered the kitchen, making his dad and Carole laugh.
Finn ate like there was no tomorrow, scarfing down both his own meal and Kurt’s in less than five minutes. Watching him eat like a pig quickly diminished Kurt’s already slow appetite so he just sipped on the coffee Carole had gotten him. McDonald’s coffee sucked but he needed some caffeine in his system before he started snapping at everyone.
Once everything in the kitchen was cleaned up and everyone was situated, they all made their way outside to wait for the moving van to arrive. Kurt tried not to stare at the empty living room and dining room for too long. He had already made his peace with the rooms and had already accepted that he would never see them again. He kept his gaze straight forward as he grabbed the last of his belongings and stepped outside.
His dad and Carole went to talk to their neighbors and Finn called Puck, leaving Kurt alone with his thoughts. He stood on the porch, leaning against one of the poles that kept the structure upright. He was starting to get a headache now.
It was almost eight o’clock now. He had around twelve hours before he could go to sleep. If he could even go to sleep that night. Sleeping in a new room might take him some getting used to which would mean more sleepless nights for him.
“Kurt?” Kurt snapped out of his trance and looked up to find his father walking towards him.
“You alright?” Burt stood beside him, wrapping his arm around his son and bringing him into a one-armed hug. The sudden touch made Kurt flinch.
“Yeah.” Kurt smiled a thin-lipped smile. “Just thinking.”
“Look, I know-” Burt started to say when he was cut off by the loud sound of a horn honking. They both looked up to find that the moving van had arrived.
“Looks like it’s time to go.” Kurt said in a passive-aggressive tone before walking down the steps of the porch and making his way toward the truck.
He loaded his boxes into the back of the truck and then got into his car. He was kind of glad he wasn’t riding with his dad and Carol. He still had to drive Finn though. Finn’s new car was already at their new house.
Once everything was loaded into the moving truck and his dad and Carole were in their car, Kurt left. He spared his old home one more look and then started his car and drove away. He told himself it didn’t bother him anymore and that he was stupid for getting upset over a house. That didn’t make him feel any better. It felt like there was a hole in his heart.
Following his dad’s car, Kurt left his old life behind and braced himself for what waited for him in his new one. Hopefully, it got better from here.
Lima was a small town in Ohio so even though his new house was on the other side of town, it only took them fifteen minutes to get there. It had probably been the longest fifteen minutes of his entire life though. It got so bad to the point where Kurt wanted to stop his car and grab Finn’s phone out of his hands before throwing it around the window.
Finn had never ended his phone call so Kurt had to listen to the string of words that came out of his mouth, half of them being dude or bro . He had been talking to Puck so his lack of vocabulary made a lot of sense. Plus, Finn wasn’t that bright to begin with. He cheated off of Britney of all people in their shared Spanish class.
His dad hadn’t been kidding when he said that their new house was going to give them a lot of space. Their new house was huge , especially compared to Kurt’s old one. Kurt drove up the driveway of a two-story house. The lower half of the house was made out of red bricks and the upper half was made out of white panels. There were a lot of windows in the house.
The lawn in front of the house was very long and green. There were flower bushes in front of the porch. There was a porch swing on the platform and plants in pots decorated the space. There was a long driveway in front of the house that led up to the garage.
It was a very nice house. He liked it. He just couldn’t convince himself that it was his .
“We just got here man.” Kurt overheard Finn’s conversation with Puck. “Yeah, this place is massive … Bro, I’m telling you, it’s going to be epic here. There’s a huge basement and a pool… Dude, that’s what I’m saying, we could throw parties here all the time.”
Kurt rolled his eyes at that last part. There wouldn’t be any parties there if he could help it.
“Welcome home boys!” Burt exclaimed as his two sons emerged from Kurt’s car.
“This place is awesome, Burt!” Finn high-fived Burt before turning towards Kurt. “I call dibs on the biggest bedroom.”
“Oh Kurt, looks like you better go after him.” Burt told his son playfully.
Kurt could tell his father was trying to make him laugh or at least trying to lift his spirits a little but his efforts were for nothing. Instead, his dad’s efforts just annoyed him.
“That’s alright, I’ll let him have it.” Kurt shrugged. “He’ll need it. He’s huge.”
“You might be right about that one honey.” Carole laughed, unaware of the tension between her stepson and her fiance. “I’m pretty sure all the rooms are about the same size though. You’ll have plenty of room too.”
“That sounds good.” Kurt nodded his head at his dad and Carole before picking up one of the cardboard boxes with his name on it. “Well, I’m off to unpack. Let me know if you guys need any help.”
“Thanks Kurt.” Carole smiled at him. “You let us know if you need anything.”
Kurt stole a quick glance at his father. Most people found his dad hard to read since it usually seemed like he wore the same stern expression every second of every day. Kurt could see the tiny difference in his father’s expression though and he knew that they all meant different things.
This time his father was a little hurt and disappointed. Kurt could also see a little flash of anger in his eyes. This was the face his dad had worn on his face as of late whenever it came to Kurt. He didn’t really know why his dad was angry and disappointed with him.
His dad had to know he wasn’t 100% okay with moving yet he was still making an effort on his part to make things work. His dad had to understand that he was at least trying to be okay with everything.
Kurt sighed and walked away from the couple, making his way into the new house. He had already been there before since they had been moving all of their items into the house gradually over the past few months. It seemed like the living room was almost fully set up and the kitchen was getting there.
Kurt walked up the stairs to the second floor of the house. He kind of felt overwhelmed with all the different doors he was presented with when he reached the second floor. There were two halls, one to his left and one right in front of him. He could hear Finn banging around in the room he had selected, the room at the end of the hall that was in front of him.
He decided that he would want the room that was farthest away from Finn so he turned to his left and went down the hall. He made his way to the end of that hall and walked inside the room that was to his left. He turned the doorknob with his free hand and entered what was to be his new bedroom.
The room was in the back of the house. There was a big window that took up most of the wall that was to his right. He had a perfect view of the backyard which had a swimming pool that was surrounded by pool chairs. He supposed it would be a nice sight to wake up to each morning.
The room was spacious. Not as spacious as his basement but he would have a decent amount of room after all his furniture was set up. He set his box of items down on the floor and took a look around.
The floors were made up of fake wood that was a light shade of gray. The walls were a yellowish shade of white that didn’t go with the floor whatsoever. He would definitely be repainting them. There was a closet on the opposite side of the wall with the window. It seemed like it was a walk-in one which made him perk up. He also had his own bathroom.
There were two boxes in the corner of his room, one that contained his bed frame and one that contained his mattress. They all got new beds and mattresses so they wouldn't have to take their old ones apart and move them into the house. Kurt hoped he would be able to put the bed together on his own. He didn’t want to have to ask his dad or Finn for help.
Overall, Kurt was satisfied with the room he had picked out.
He decided to get started with unpacking right away. There were two weeks left of summer before school started back up and Kurt wanted his room to be put together by then. He started by taking his mattress out of the box and letting it unroll itself and fluff itself up. Then he began the dreaded task of putting his bed together.
Kurt was by no means a handyman. He helped his dad out at his garage sometimes but that was as much hands-on work that he did. As cliche as it was for him, he preferred to cook and play around with clothes. He knew it didn’t help the stereotypes that were thrown around about people like him but he couldn’t help who he was or what he liked.
Putting together his bed was pretty self-explanatory though. Finn was probably the one who was going to end up needing help since he had a below-average IQ and no common sense. Kurt quickly grasped the concept of what he needed to do and immediately got to work.
Kurt took breaks in between building his bed. Carole got them all breakfast from his dad’s favorite diner. Kurt picked at his burger and ate a few fries while his family enjoyed their meal. Kurt couldn’t help but feel like an outcast in his own home. Finn and his dad were alike and Carol enjoyed some of the things his father did and had also had a good relationship with her son.
Kurt was nothing like Finn or his dad and didn’t have a lot in common with Carol. They both liked cooking and occasionally Kurt could engage Carol in a conversation about clothes but that was about it. Carol was definitely more comfortable around her own son and that was okay. It just kind of sucked because his own dad seemed more comfortable around Finn too. No one was comfortable around Kurt.
After lunch, Kurt’s new vanity arrived. His dad helped him carry it upstairs into his room since it was a two-person job. Kurt almost considered taking his focus away from putting his bed together in favor of his vanity but turned the idea now. That would just make a big mess and he needed to do one thing at a time or else he was going to get overwhelmed.
“Oh.” Burt gasped a little as he entered his son’s new room.
“Is there a problem?” Kurt frowned, turning towards his father.
“No, not at all.” Burt assured him. “I just didn’t know you had started on your bed.”
“What did you think I was doing up here?” Kurt asked his father, mumbling.
He knew he was coming off as cold and snippy but he couldn’t help it. He knew what his dad was implying. His dad was surprised to find that he had already started putting his bed together because he thought he couldn’t do it by himself. Kurt may not be a manly man but he was independent. He could do things on his own.
“Kurt, I meant to talk to you about this earlier but we need to talk.” Burt confronted his son. “This attitude problem of yours isn’t sitting well with me.”
“I don’t have an attitude problem.” Kurt lied.
“Then what’s with this iciness you have towards me, Carol and Finn?” Burt questioned Kurt.
“Not everything is about you, Carol and Finn.” Kurt raised his voice, his pitch getting higher. “I’m sorry if you guys think I’m icing you out but I’m not.”
“Kurt, I’m not going to be back-talked by my own son in my own house.” Burt raised his voice as well. “You can either tell me what’s going on or lose the attitude.”
“Fine.” Kurt threw his hands up in the air, turning away from his dad and back towards his bed.
“Are you sure you know what you’re doing?” Burt sighed, walking up to Kurt.
“Yes, I do.” Kurt said harshly, flinching beside his dad.
“Look kid, I know this isn’t easy for you.” Burt sat down next to Kurt, attempting to reason with him. “I know how much that house meant to you and I know you aren’t happy about moving but you gotta trust me on this, bud. This is for the better. It’s for our family. Don’t you get that?”
“Dad, I do get that.” Kurt took out a deep breath. “I’m happy for you, I’m happy for us . I’m not upset. It was just a house.”
“Well, that’s not what it seems like.” Burt looked down at Kurt with disbelief.
“I’m just a little worn out.” Kurt confessed. It wasn’t really a lie, it just wasn’t the entire truth. “And it’s not even about moving. It’s just school and Blaine and regular teenager stuff. I’m fine.”
“Well, you could have just said that.” Burt told Kurt.
“It’s hard for me to open up.” Kurt explained to his father with a half-assed excuse. He was internally rolling his eyes at himself.
“I know kiddo.” Burt patted Kurt on the back. “I remember when I was your age, all that pressure to fit in and get good grades. I know what it’s like.”
Kurt just nodded. Maybe his dad thought he knew how he felt but he really didn’t. Kurt was dealing with a lot more than good grades and high school cliques. He couldn’t blame his dad for not understanding though. It wasn’t like Kurt was really ever honest with his dad. He hated lying to his dad but he had good reasons for doing so. His dad didn’t deserve to worry about him just because he was different.
“Just tell me next time instead of biting everyone’s head off.” Burt laughed to himself.
Kurt didn’t remember biting anyone’s head off (even though he had definitely felt like doing that quite a few times) but he just nodded his head again. He knew he needed to control his irritation better. He knew he tended to be a bitch a lot of the time which added to the list of reasons why people didn’t like him.
He couldn’t help the fact that he found most people insufferable though. That was their problem, not his.
“I will.” Kurt lied to his father again. “Sorry for being a jerk.”
“It’s alright, bud.” Burt patted his son on the back once more before standing up from his spot on the floor. “Let me know if you need help with your bed.”
“I think I’m more than capable of putting a bed together.” Kurt told his dad, forcing himself to smile so his dad didn’t think he was being snippy. “I got it.”
“Good to know.” Burt nodded, making his way toward the door to Kurt’s bedroom. “Hey, Finn asked me a little while ago if he could go to a party with some of his friends. I think the dancer and the kid with the mohawk from your glee club. Why don’t you tag along with him?”
“Oh, I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Kurt shook his head. “I’m good. I have a lot of work to do for my room.”
“Kurt.” Burt started to say, his voice stern. “I know you and Finn have your issues with each other but you two need to get over it. You’re going to be brothers for Christ's sake.”
“How do you know this is about Finn?” Kurt asked his father. “Have you ever considered that I’m just not much of a party-goer ?”
“That’s another thing.” Burt went on. “You need to get out of your shell more. I know you’re friends with those kids in the glee club but there’s no harm in expanding your social circle. I was practically friends with everyone when I was in high school and it did me a lot of good.”
“I’m not you , dad.” Kurt reminded his dad.
He didn’t want his dad comparing him to how he was when he was in high school. It had been easy for his dad to fit in in high school. He had been a straight football player, someone who was naturally outgoing and talented. Kurt was the complete opposite of that. He was a gay cheerleader who was reserved and whose talent went unnoticed.
“I’m just saying that you should go.” Burt shrugged. “You’ve been in the house all summer.”
“Dad, please-” Kurt started to beg his father when he was cut off.
“For me.” Burt said, his tone making it clear that he was deciding that Kurt was going and that his decision was final. “Do it for me, Kurt. At least go and keep an eye on your brother and his friends. Keep them out of trouble.”
“Oh, so you want me to babysit Finn and his friends?” Kurt asked his father, sighing when his father only glared at him in response. He was making things worse. “Fine, I’ll go.”
“Great.” Burt instantly cheered up. “I’ll tell Finn you’re tagging along and see what time he’s leaving.”
Kurt put his head in his hands and brought his knees up to his chest as his father left his head. All he had wanted to do was put his room together and now he was going to a party which was the last thing he had ever wanted to do.
He took the instruction manual to his bed and threw it against his wall, trying to expel some of his growing anger. He could definitely see the night going well.
Note his sarcasm.