Glee fanfic: New Fashion (3)
Media: Fanfic
Title: New fashion
Part: 3 of 5
Word Count: 1488
Author: lola_mejor
Summary: Kurt and Blaine continue their relationship following Kurt's transfer back to McKinley high.
Characters: Kurt, Blaine, Burt Hummel, Mr Anderson
Rating: PG
Category: Angst/Romance
Author's Note: This is part three of a five part pic. In case you need to catch up, here is part 1 and part 2. Hope you like this one :-)
---
Burt enjoyed the relative silence of his workshop. Only the tinnie radio, traffic outside and occasional grunts and bangs from his assistant filled the void. The morning rush of people dropping cars off and/or calling to see if their cars were ready was over and he figured it would be at least an hour and a half before the phone started ringing with people checking up on their precious vehicles. If they only let me do my job for more than 5 minutes I'm sure their car would be ready earlier, he thought wearily, and grimaced with the effort of removing a particularly difficult component on the Mazda in front of him.
The loping footsteps of entitlement entering the workshop alerted him that apparently the rush wasn't over after all. Burt glanced backwards to see a middle-aged man approach. He has buoyant and wavy dark hair, with streaks of grey at the sides, parted firmly on the side; he was of average height but not tall and; although carrying a little extra weight around his middle from years working an office-job, didn't appear overweight. He was wearing a suit probably worth more than the Mazda in the shop, and wore it with the calm air of someone who was accustomed to spending most of his time in business attire. Burt didn't think he recognised the man as one of his customers, but surmised it could be that usually his wife dropped off and picked up their car.
"Help you?" he said politely, wiping his hands on a rag and wandering towards the counter.
"Are you Mr Hummel?" the man asked steadily. Burt couldn't tell but he thought he noticed a hint of agression in his voice. He's probably just a lawyer, Burt thought to himself, they all talk like that; and the suit fits.
"Yes I am," Burt said, placing both palms on the lower bench in front of him, waiting for the man to declare his purpose.
"I am Miles Anderson, I believe you may have met my son, Blaine." Mr Anderson had paused before saying his son's name, his voice hitching slightly.
Burt let out a silent breath of apprehension and then put his hand out. "Yes, it's a pleasure to meet you Mr Anderson." His hand remained in vacant space between them for a couple of seconds before Mr Anderson took it.
"And you Mr Hummel," he responded solemnly. "Would you have a moment? I'm a little concerned about my son."
"Oh?" Burt raised his eyebrow. "Yeah sure, ahh... is here ok? I don't really have an office." He giggled nervously gesturing around the workshop. "I'd offer you a seat at least but wouldn't want to muss up that nice suit of yours."
"That's perfectly alright Mr Hummel," Mr Anderson maintained a cold demeanour without being outright threatening. "This shouldn't take to long."
"Well, ok then." Burt nodded, and stood back a little, folding his arms, as he waited for Mr Anderson to explain his purpose.
The relative silence that had filled the workshop was now replaced with a deafening and opressive silence; each car passing crashing into Burt's ears while the tinnie radio seemed to bore straight into his brain giving him a headache. He watched Mr Anderson carefully for the couple of minutes it took him to speak.
"I want to be clear at the outset Mr Hummel," Mr Anderson finally began. "I am not a homophobe... and I love my son."
Burt said nothing, waiting for the catch.
"But," Mr Anderson laboured on the transition, "I am concerned that he could be placing himself in danger by being so outwardly gay," Mr Anderson's words rolled together as he got into a rhythm. " And given I think he and your son are … close … I think you should be concerned as well."
Burt took a couple of deep breaths as he considered Mr Anderson's statement, realising he was serious.
"Mr Anderson," Burt began, "you obviously haven't met my son, because there's no changing who he is, what he is, or how he acts or expresses himself" He raised a hand up to to ward off any interruption. "Lord knows there have been times where I've thought perhaps it would be easier for him if was just a little more discreet, but I would never try to change who he is. He is out, he is proud, I am proud to be his father and I will defend and protect him, as well as his right to be who he is."
"That is just what I am trying to do," Mr Anderson snapped, taking offense at Burt's insinuation, "these kids don't understand how intolerant people can be - they need to learn to tone it down - before they really get hurt."
"What so they should hide?" Burt snapped just as sharply, "From what I hear both our sons have suffered already just for being who they are - which is why they each went to Dalton Academy. There will always be a risk and some people will always target them - individually or as a couple - but I support Kurt in his decision to be true to himself and not to hide in the shadows." Burt took a couple of breaths to calm himself down. "Don't get me wrong." he began again slowly, his voice rough. "I worry every day about my son's safety - I only agreed to let him go back to McKinley when I was certain the school took their bullying problem seriously and could guarantee his safety again." He leaned into the bench in front of him. "I respect my son too much to try to change how he acts or who he is - and I truly believe that in supporting him, I am helping to keep him safe because he feels comfortable coming to me with his problems."
Burt let his last comment sit thickly over the air between them and took half a step back again. He had probably gone a bit far in his defence of Kurt, but had spoken from the heart, so didn't offer any qualifying comment or attempt at apology.
Mr Anderson visibly shrunk into himself at Burt's last comment. He looked behind him and, seeing a dusty chair, shuffled backwards to sit in it - not paying any heed to his suit.
"So they are boyfriends, then?" He said more to himself than Burt. "So he really is..."
Burt moved around the counter and leaned on it, facing Mr Anderson. "I think you need to talk with your son, Mr Anderson," he said quietly. "I'm not gunna tell you how to raise your kid, but from the brief conversations I've had with him, I'd say Blaine is a sweet, sensitive kid who is searching for acceptance. Yes, he's gay; yes, he is dating my gay son; and yes, I accept and support that."
The words seemed to make Mr Anderson sink into himself even more, putting his face in his hands. "I don't even know how to talk to him anymore," he said quietly. "Every time I try it works out worse than before - how do I find the right words?"
"From what Kurt tells me," Burt continued, "Blaine is afraid." Mr Anderson looked up, confused, but kept listening. "Outside of Dalton and that Glee Club - the Warblers - he is a scared kid. And he's scared because so much of the world is hostile toward him. He needs people in his corner; he needs to know his father is in his corner."
"But I am-" Mr Anderson started.
"Of course," Burt interrupted, "but these kids - for all their sophistication and demands to be treated as equals, they're still kids. They don't always get it because their emotions and - lord knows in Kurt's case at least - melodrama clouds everything. Just try to sit with him, ask him questions and listen to what he has to say; be open to it."
Burt let out a long sigh and ran a hand through his hair. He turned around, retrieving one of the many rags laid about as the first step towards getting back to his work. "I'm sorry, I said I wouldn't tell you how to raise your kid... I know I've over-stepped," he allowed a small smile to cross his face. "I understand your concern for Blaine's safety because I have the same concerns for Kurt, every day."
Mr Anderson had stood up and was brushing down his suit. This time when Burt offered his hand it was taken without hesitation and the two men shook hands solemnly for a moment.
"Talk to your son, Mr Anderson. Make it clear that you're there for him, in his corner."
Burt waited in silence as Mr Anderson walked out of the workshop and into the bright sunlight before turning back to the Mazda, more weary than ever.
---
Link to Part 4.
Title: New fashion
Part: 3 of 5
Word Count: 1488
Author: lola_mejor
Summary: Kurt and Blaine continue their relationship following Kurt's transfer back to McKinley high.
Characters: Kurt, Blaine, Burt Hummel, Mr Anderson
Rating: PG
Category: Angst/Romance
Author's Note: This is part three of a five part pic. In case you need to catch up, here is part 1 and part 2. Hope you like this one :-)
---
Burt enjoyed the relative silence of his workshop. Only the tinnie radio, traffic outside and occasional grunts and bangs from his assistant filled the void. The morning rush of people dropping cars off and/or calling to see if their cars were ready was over and he figured it would be at least an hour and a half before the phone started ringing with people checking up on their precious vehicles. If they only let me do my job for more than 5 minutes I'm sure their car would be ready earlier, he thought wearily, and grimaced with the effort of removing a particularly difficult component on the Mazda in front of him.
The loping footsteps of entitlement entering the workshop alerted him that apparently the rush wasn't over after all. Burt glanced backwards to see a middle-aged man approach. He has buoyant and wavy dark hair, with streaks of grey at the sides, parted firmly on the side; he was of average height but not tall and; although carrying a little extra weight around his middle from years working an office-job, didn't appear overweight. He was wearing a suit probably worth more than the Mazda in the shop, and wore it with the calm air of someone who was accustomed to spending most of his time in business attire. Burt didn't think he recognised the man as one of his customers, but surmised it could be that usually his wife dropped off and picked up their car.
"Help you?" he said politely, wiping his hands on a rag and wandering towards the counter.
"Are you Mr Hummel?" the man asked steadily. Burt couldn't tell but he thought he noticed a hint of agression in his voice. He's probably just a lawyer, Burt thought to himself, they all talk like that; and the suit fits.
"Yes I am," Burt said, placing both palms on the lower bench in front of him, waiting for the man to declare his purpose.
"I am Miles Anderson, I believe you may have met my son, Blaine." Mr Anderson had paused before saying his son's name, his voice hitching slightly.
Burt let out a silent breath of apprehension and then put his hand out. "Yes, it's a pleasure to meet you Mr Anderson." His hand remained in vacant space between them for a couple of seconds before Mr Anderson took it.
"And you Mr Hummel," he responded solemnly. "Would you have a moment? I'm a little concerned about my son."
"Oh?" Burt raised his eyebrow. "Yeah sure, ahh... is here ok? I don't really have an office." He giggled nervously gesturing around the workshop. "I'd offer you a seat at least but wouldn't want to muss up that nice suit of yours."
"That's perfectly alright Mr Hummel," Mr Anderson maintained a cold demeanour without being outright threatening. "This shouldn't take to long."
"Well, ok then." Burt nodded, and stood back a little, folding his arms, as he waited for Mr Anderson to explain his purpose.
The relative silence that had filled the workshop was now replaced with a deafening and opressive silence; each car passing crashing into Burt's ears while the tinnie radio seemed to bore straight into his brain giving him a headache. He watched Mr Anderson carefully for the couple of minutes it took him to speak.
"I want to be clear at the outset Mr Hummel," Mr Anderson finally began. "I am not a homophobe... and I love my son."
Burt said nothing, waiting for the catch.
"But," Mr Anderson laboured on the transition, "I am concerned that he could be placing himself in danger by being so outwardly gay," Mr Anderson's words rolled together as he got into a rhythm. " And given I think he and your son are … close … I think you should be concerned as well."
Burt took a couple of deep breaths as he considered Mr Anderson's statement, realising he was serious.
"Mr Anderson," Burt began, "you obviously haven't met my son, because there's no changing who he is, what he is, or how he acts or expresses himself" He raised a hand up to to ward off any interruption. "Lord knows there have been times where I've thought perhaps it would be easier for him if was just a little more discreet, but I would never try to change who he is. He is out, he is proud, I am proud to be his father and I will defend and protect him, as well as his right to be who he is."
"That is just what I am trying to do," Mr Anderson snapped, taking offense at Burt's insinuation, "these kids don't understand how intolerant people can be - they need to learn to tone it down - before they really get hurt."
"What so they should hide?" Burt snapped just as sharply, "From what I hear both our sons have suffered already just for being who they are - which is why they each went to Dalton Academy. There will always be a risk and some people will always target them - individually or as a couple - but I support Kurt in his decision to be true to himself and not to hide in the shadows." Burt took a couple of breaths to calm himself down. "Don't get me wrong." he began again slowly, his voice rough. "I worry every day about my son's safety - I only agreed to let him go back to McKinley when I was certain the school took their bullying problem seriously and could guarantee his safety again." He leaned into the bench in front of him. "I respect my son too much to try to change how he acts or who he is - and I truly believe that in supporting him, I am helping to keep him safe because he feels comfortable coming to me with his problems."
Burt let his last comment sit thickly over the air between them and took half a step back again. He had probably gone a bit far in his defence of Kurt, but had spoken from the heart, so didn't offer any qualifying comment or attempt at apology.
Mr Anderson visibly shrunk into himself at Burt's last comment. He looked behind him and, seeing a dusty chair, shuffled backwards to sit in it - not paying any heed to his suit.
"So they are boyfriends, then?" He said more to himself than Burt. "So he really is..."
Burt moved around the counter and leaned on it, facing Mr Anderson. "I think you need to talk with your son, Mr Anderson," he said quietly. "I'm not gunna tell you how to raise your kid, but from the brief conversations I've had with him, I'd say Blaine is a sweet, sensitive kid who is searching for acceptance. Yes, he's gay; yes, he is dating my gay son; and yes, I accept and support that."
The words seemed to make Mr Anderson sink into himself even more, putting his face in his hands. "I don't even know how to talk to him anymore," he said quietly. "Every time I try it works out worse than before - how do I find the right words?"
"From what Kurt tells me," Burt continued, "Blaine is afraid." Mr Anderson looked up, confused, but kept listening. "Outside of Dalton and that Glee Club - the Warblers - he is a scared kid. And he's scared because so much of the world is hostile toward him. He needs people in his corner; he needs to know his father is in his corner."
"But I am-" Mr Anderson started.
"Of course," Burt interrupted, "but these kids - for all their sophistication and demands to be treated as equals, they're still kids. They don't always get it because their emotions and - lord knows in Kurt's case at least - melodrama clouds everything. Just try to sit with him, ask him questions and listen to what he has to say; be open to it."
Burt let out a long sigh and ran a hand through his hair. He turned around, retrieving one of the many rags laid about as the first step towards getting back to his work. "I'm sorry, I said I wouldn't tell you how to raise your kid... I know I've over-stepped," he allowed a small smile to cross his face. "I understand your concern for Blaine's safety because I have the same concerns for Kurt, every day."
Mr Anderson had stood up and was brushing down his suit. This time when Burt offered his hand it was taken without hesitation and the two men shook hands solemnly for a moment.
"Talk to your son, Mr Anderson. Make it clear that you're there for him, in his corner."
Burt waited in silence as Mr Anderson walked out of the workshop and into the bright sunlight before turning back to the Mazda, more weary than ever.
---
Link to Part 4.