Author's Note : The sequel to this story is now up. You can find it under "Glad You Stayed" - here's a little preview…

Chapter One

"Alex...are you okay?" Steph asked, looking at her boyfriend curiously.

He was staring at Kurt, who was finishing his third plate of ribs at Marc and Paul's table. They were sitting out on the private terrace under a glorious summer sun. Their whole group had been invited to celebrate the Fourth of July and the end of summer finals, Kurt's summer showcase and Brody's graduation. Everyone had finished eating by now except Kurt.

"Where does he put it all?" Alex mumbled in awe.

Steph frowned. "Like you didn't have three plates yourself," she chided him.

Alex shrugged. "Yeah, but I'm..." he gestured at himself, making a round motion with his hand. "And he's...!" He waved his hand down vertically.

Kurt looked up and blushed. "I can't help it," he mumbled. "It's all so delicious! I haven't had anything that wasn't soy or steamed in weeks, and with all of these side dishes and sauces, I am pretty much in heaven."

Alice smiled fondly. "You sound like Seb."

"I'm glad you're all liking it. I can't take credit unfortunately," Marc said. "It's all Paul's. He won't even let me in the kitchen when he's cooking."

"You're right, I don't," Paul commented, crossing his arms over his chest. "Because you always try to eat everything before it's done. You're worse than the dogs." He moved the last of the garlic bread towards Kurt. "Help yourself, Kurt."

"I think I will, thank you," Kurt replied eagerly.

"Don't forget that Kurt puts in more hours than the rest of us put together at the gym," Sebastian said, slipping Lola a piece of bread off his plate.

"That's true!" Alice said.

"Mmm!" Kurt protested, putting a finger up, because he still had food in his mouth. He quickly finished chewing and added: "Right, I was gonna tell you, Alex. The NYADA gym opens for the public in summer because so many students are off on vacation. Their rates are pretty good and if you want to stay on when the semester starts you could get a discount through me..."

Alex smirked. "Is that a hint?"

Kurt licked his fingers. "If you want it to be," he replied. "The way I see it, the more calories you burn, the more pizza you can eat. That's really why I work out." He winked.

Alex grinned at him. "Thanks for the offer, but I try to avoid any kind of physical activity that resembles fitness..."

Steph rolled her eyes. "I might take you up on that Kurt...if the offer is extended?"

"Yes! Yes, of course, it's a mixed gym. I can send you the info," Kurt said, smiling happily. "The trainers aren't there in summer but I can help you get started if you like. I just told Alex because he said he wanted to, a few weeks ago."

Steph beamed at him.

Alex gave him a sheepish grin. "Ye-eah...saying something and doing it…worlds apart," he confessed.

Kurt smiled and helped himself to the rest of the garlic bread. One of Marc and Paul's dogs noticed he was the only one with food left on his plate and she came to nudge his knee. Kurt leaned down and gave her a stern look. "Lola, this is my food. I'm not such a pushover as uncle Bas."

Lola barked once and went over to Sebastian, putting her head in his lap and whining plaintively.

Sebastian chuckled and ruffled her head. "Did uncle Kurt refuse you food, baby girl?" He asked her, in a voice akin to one used when talking to toddlers.

He took a new potato from the dish in the centre of the table and held it up to her. She sat up straight and barked.

"Catch," he said, throwing it in air for her. Lola jumped up and caught the potato in her mouth.

"That's enough Seb," Marc said. "Or you can be on poop duty."

Sebastian grinned at him.

"Kurt," Alice called to him. "How was Ohio? We were all so busy with exams after that weekend, I feel like I've not seen you in forever."

Kurt smiled softly. "It was good. Mostly." He exchanged a glance with Sebastian. "My dad had a few...misconceptions about me and Bas, and Satire..." He offered Marc an apologetic look. "We cleared it up!" He added quickly. "It turned out Blaine had come to see him, filling his head with lies about us."

"And your dad believed him?" Alice let out, shocked.

Kurt shrugged awkwardly. "There was a lot he didn't know about Blaine. I hadn't exactly been honest with him." He reached for Sebastian's hand. "But we cleared the air between us, and Bas bribed my dad with crêpes and steak and pretzels-" He winked.

He had known about the little deal between Sebastian and his dad from the moment the lady at the bakery asked if his dad wanted 'another one', but had kept his mouth shut to let them have their little secret.

"...and it was smooth sailing from there. Well, until Blaine showed up..."

Kurt and Sebastian braved the shocked faces of their friends and took turns talking, telling them about the confrontation between Blaine and Carole in the mall.

Paul shook his head. "That boy seems very disturbed," he mumbled.

"He's fucked up, that's what he is," Marc added angrily. "I'd like to take that little punk and shove a broken bottle right up-"

"Marc."

Marc looked at his husband's 'not-in-front-of-the-children' look and held up his hands in resignation.

"Where does his family stand in all of this?" Paul asked, looking at Kurt.

"Well," Kurt started, "I think he's been twisting the narrative to his parents from the start, but...the day after we saw Blaine, his brother came to see us..."

...to read the rest of this chapter, as well as 3 more (so far- we post every Sunday and Wednesday), please check out "Glad You Stayed"! See you there :-)