Archive of Our Own

Syd isn’t sure if she’s driving Finn Hudson, starting quarterback, or Finn Hudson, overly excited five-year-old on the way to meet Santa. From the moment she puts the car on the interstate, Finn is either bouncing, vibrating, or chattering – sometimes, all three. By the time they hit Illinois, Syd steals his phone and plugs it in. “Sing, Hudson.”

The first song that pops up on shuffle is “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” and Hudson belts his little heart out, which does put a stop to the chatter. “The Breakfast Club, Hudson? Really?”

Finn stops singing long enough to give her an unabashed grin, then carries on with, “Will you walk on byeeeee? Will you call my naaaaame?”

“No, I won’t call your name.” Syd shakes her head, but the rest of the drive to O’Hare is uneventful, at least until she pulls into the parking garage.

“We’re cutting it really close,” Finn says, frowning at whatever he has pulled up on his phone. “Their flight’s on time. We need to get in there or they won’t know where to find us. Syd, look, we’re not gonna make it in on time. Come on!”

“Chill, Hudson. We’ve got at least ten minutes.” Syd follows him into the terminal, shrugging slightly when she realizes that, for once, Finn’s not wearing a single piece of clothing with red, a ‘W’, or a Badger on it.

“I just like to be where they can find me. I don’t want them to have to look for me. I should be right there so I’m easy to find.”

“You are always easy to find. You tower over everyone in this airport!”

“Still,” Finn says, shrugging.

Syd sighs and decides to buy herself a cup of coffee, since they’re standing right beside a kiosk. “Coffee, Finn?”

“Hmm?” Finn scans the faces in the crowd.

“Coffee, you want one?”

“Oh, yeah, sure,” Finn says. He reaches in his pocket and hands her a five. Syd hands the money over to the guy and gets two cups of coffee, handing one to Finn.

“Board says they’re at the gate, Finn.”

Finn nods. “Yeah. They walk fast.” He takes a sip of his coffee and continues to peer at the mass of people. A few minutes pass, and Syd can tell the moment Finn spots them. He hands his cup over to Syd without really looking at her or even checking to see that she’s holding onto it before he lets go, and Syd glances at him. He’s beaming like he’s auditioning for the part of the sun in a play or something, his grin taking up at least half his face and his eyes crinkled up happily. It strikes Syd suddenly that she’s seen a lot of Finn’s moods, but she’s never seen him this uncomplicatedly happy. Finn bounces in place for a split second before he takes off for where Noah and Kurt are walking towards them, grinning as well.

When Finn reaches them, he wraps one arm around each of their waists and manages to lift both of them off the ground with the ferocity of his hug. Syd can see Noah and Kurt both laughing, and then Noah’s kissing Finn, Kurt’s mouth somewhere on Finn’s ear. It’s not exactly chaste, Syd can’t help but think, and then they’re reversing themselves, Finn kissing Kurt and Noah kissing Finn’s neck. There’s a few people staring because, yeah, all-male threesomes, not the most common thing even in O’Hare.

Finn is running his hands all over Noah and Kurt’s backs and through their hair, touching their faces. This goes on for about thirty seconds before Finn seems to startle and look back in Syd’s direction with a sheepish smile on his face. He gives her a little wave, looking almost like he’s tipsy or high.

Well. It’s not like Syd didn’t believe Finn—his excitement at the beginning of the month when he told her “They were in Iowa! They came to me in Iowa!” was a big clue—but seeing the three of them together is a little different. She smiles ruefully and heads towards them, still holding two coffee cups.

“Hello, boys.”

“Hey, Syd.”

“Hi, Syd.”

“Syd!” Finn grins at her. “Found them!”

“You did,” she agrees with a nod. “You two didn’t know you were playing hide and seek, did you?”

For some reason, the three of them find that hysterically funny. “So bad at that game!” Finn exclaims, his arms still wrapped tightly around Noah and Kurt.

“Brittany would be appalled,” Kurt says, still giggling.

“Right.” Syd’s confused, but then again, this is Finn Hudson, so it’s not anything particularly new. “Luggage?”

“Two bags,” Noah answers her.

“I’ll get ’em! Which ones?”

“The black ones?” Kurt jokes.

“How about you point at them, I’ll pick ’em up, ok?”

“You take all the fun out of things,” Noah sighs dramatically, and for a minute Syd is reminded that for the moment, her life is some kind of comedic stereotype.

“That’s me. Total fun ruiner,” Finn agrees.

“You are.” Kurt grins as they approach the baggage claim. “Whatever are we going to do about that?”

“Hmm. I think kisses.”

“Kisses, hmm?” Noah leans over and kisses Finn so thoroughly that Syd’s almost embarrassed, but she’s too busy trying to assimilate this Finn with the Finn she usually sees and knows. The Finn Syd knows doesn’t ask for kisses or even give them that easily.

“Is that more fun?” Kurt asks when Noah pulls away.

“More fun for me,” Finn says.

“I’m sure,” Kurt responds, his tongue running over his bottom lip before he does just as Noah did, leaning forward onto Finn. Finn kisses Kurt like he’s devouring him, hand on the back of Kurt’s neck.

“Oh, there they are,” Noah says, pointing to two bags circling towards them.

Finn pulls away from Kurt with a goofy smile, looking like maybe he won the lottery or something. “Got it!” he says, releasing his grip on Kurt and Noah, and reaching for the bags. Finn slings the garment bag over his shoulder and pops the handle up on the rolling suitcase. “We good? Can we go?”

“That’s everything,” Kurt agrees with a nod.

“Then let’s go!”

Syd leads them back to her car, because she can tell Finn would have no luck at finding it again. When they go through one set of doors, she can hear a sound that can only be described as a giggle. From Finn. Syd is glad that she’s young and there’s no history of heart problems in her family.

“I'm gonna drop the bags if you do that!” Finn says to one—or both—of them.

“So we should stop?” Noah asks.

“I didn’t say that. Just wanted to let you know I might drop the bags.”

“There’s nothing breakable,” Kurt responds, and Syd would swear his voice sounds almost whimsical.

“I’ll try not to drop them, though,” Finn says. “Don’t wanna wrinkle your clothes while they’re still in the bags.”

Syd honestly thinks that until that day, she would have said Finn Hudson didn’t know what an iron was, and here he is, discussing wrinkling clothes. What sorcery is this?

“Hey Syd,” Finn says, sounding suspiciously like her bratty nine-year-old cousin. “Remember how we talked about where everyone has to sit, and you said I have to sit in the front? I don’t really have to sit in the front, right?”

“Where else would you sit?” Syd asks slowly.

“In the back? I could sit in the front for part of the time?”

“Finn, I told you that you had to sit in the front because you don’t behave.”

“How do you know if I behave?” Finn protests. “I can behave. I behave all the time. Any time I’ve been in your car, I’ve behaved! I’ve never not behaved in it.”

“I’ve been listening to you for the past ten minutes!”

“What? I’m behaving! I’m behaving right now!”

“And they clearly were not.” Syd raises an eyebrow, waiting for him to squirm.

“They can behave. They behave all the time, too. Most of the time.” Finn pauses. “Some of the time. When necessary.”

“It’s more that I doubt your—all of your—commitment to this being ‘when necessary’.”

Finn’s mouth makes a funny shape, his shoulders hitching a little, and he manages to look a little askance as well as sheepish and confused, all at the same time. “Well. Well. Well, shit.”

Noah and Kurt both start laughing at that point, not meeting Syd’s gaze. “I think she has us there,” Noah points out.

“See? They realize it!” Syd says triumphantly.

Finn makes a decidedly disgruntled face, then looks at Kurt expectantly. Kurt lifts one shoulder in a sort of ‘well, what can you do’ gesture. “Clearly she’s intelligent.”

Syd snorts. “Thanks.”

“Fine, I’ll sit in the front,” Finn sighs.

“There’s a bed tonight.”

“Tonight’s hours from now,” Finn mutters.

“Patience, darling,” Kurt says softly, where Syd can barely hear it, and this time when Finn pulls the two of them close, she turns away slightly. The sound of kissing is enough for her to guess at what’s going on. Syd shrugs. At least Finn’s not uncomfortable about her witnessing any of this.

Syd says “Finn, turn around and sit in your seat!” for at least the fourth time, and Kurt sighs, sitting back alongside Noah.

“He can either keep turning around,” Kurt says slowly. “Or you can sit in the parking lot for 45 minutes at the Best Western outside Gary.”

“I like that idea!” Finn says. “Hey Syd, how about I buy you lunch? You can sit in the Steak 'n Shake for 45 minutes instead!”

Syd looks like she can’t decide how to respond before she sighs. “All right. Best Western it is. And then you will all behave?”

“Absolutely,” Noah says, grinning.

“Sometimes they like it when I misbehave,” Kurt says archly.

“It’s the best when he misbehaves,” Finn mutters under his breath, possibly only loud enough for Kurt to hear.

“Thank you, darling.”

“What? Why are you thanking him?” Syd asks, voice full of suspicion.

“Because he’s, ah.” Kurt looks at Noah, who grins.

“He’s a very accommodating lover,” Noah finishes.

Finn makes a quiet eep noise and turns beet red, which doesn’t make him look any less pleased with himself.

“I’m just gonna drive a little faster to Gary and drown my sorrows in industrial beef.”

“That’s probably a good choice.”

Kurt can’t help but laugh at the difference in atmosphere when they pull up at the Best Western versus the month before. They climb out and let Syd pull away, and Kurt wraps an arm around Finn’s waist as Noah does the same from the other side. “Soon as we get inside the room, darling,” Kurt murmurs under his breath as they enter the lobby, “we’re going to get you naked and have our wicked, wicked way with you.”

“Room faster please,” Finn says.

They are not, Kurt decides, very subtle, the three of them checking in together for a single room with a single, large bed. The clerk just blinks a few times, though, and doesn’t say a word, which means it does not, in fact, take long at all to get inside the room, where Kurt’s hands fly to Finn’s waistband and he can see Noah removing Finn’s hoodie and T-shirt both.

“God, clothes off faster,” Finn whines.

“Eat you up faster,” Kurt counters, pushing down Finn’s jeans and underwear and sinking to his knees. Kurt slides his cheek along Finn’s hip before licking across the tip of Finn’s cock. “Mmm, so good, darling.”

Finn makes a low whining noise. “Fuck, Kurt. Come on, come on.” He thrusts forward the slightest bit, like he can’t help it or isn’t even aware he’s doing it.

“We missed you,” Kurt sighs quietly, then closes his mouth over Finn’s cock, taking him deep into his mouth. He slides his tongue around Finn, moving slowly as he can hear Noah sliding a finger inside Finn as well. Finn makes a low, drawn-out moan, a shudder running through his body.

“God, you two,” Noah says. “Fuck that looks so pretty.” Kurt looks up to see Noah grinning down at him. “Don’t you think so, Finn?”

Finn’s eyes are mostly closed, but he opens them a little wider and looks down at Kurt. “Mmm. Beautiful. Kurt’s so beautiful.”

“And your cock is, too.” Kurt closes his eyes and listens to Noah talking, listening to the unmistakable sound of Noah adding a second finger, then a third in rapid succession. “After he blows you, do you want him to fuck you, Finn?”

Finn thrusts forward into Kurt’s mouth a little harder at Noah’s words. “Yes. God. Anything.”

“Mmm, and I want you to fuck me, darling. Yes?”

“Yes,” Finn moans. “Yes, just, fucking yes. Anything, Puck, anything.”

“So good,” Noah murmurs, and there’s the sound of a wet, sloppy kiss on Finn’s neck or shoulder. Kurt runs his tongue over the slit at the top of Finn’s cock, and then changes his angle slightly, taking Finn into his throat.

Finn’s making desperate moans and whimpers, rocking his hips forward in time to Noah’s movements, then he squeaks a little and jumps. Kurt grins, picturing Noah’s hand on Finn’s nipples, pinching and prodding.

“Come for us, Finn,” Noah whispers. “Come for us now, and then you can fuck me and Kurt can fuck you and we’ll all come together.”

Finn starts to come the moment Noah tells him to, twining his fingers in Kurt’s hair and crying out. As soon as he stills, Kurt releases him and stands, pressing his mouth to Finn’s as Noah nips at Finn’s shoulder. Finn forces his tongue into Kurt’s mouth, running it across Kurt’s tongue and tasting himself.

“Mmm, let me taste, Finn,” Noah whispers.

Finn pulls his mouth from Kurt’s and turns to Noah, sliding his fingers behind Noah’s head to drag him forward into a fierce, deep kiss. “Yes, my boys,” Kurt murmurs. “God, my beautiful boys, my baby, my darling, I love you both. So beautiful.”

“So dressed,” Finn says, breaking the kiss with Noah.

“Are you going to do something about that?” Kurt asks, smirking a little.

Finn starts pulling Noah’s blazer off without answering, just a naughty grin. “Can’t believe you didn’t even take off your coat,” he mutters. “Too many things on you!”

Noah laughs. “Yeah, well, Kurt actually kept that in mind this time. One of us had to thwart you somehow.”

“We were riding with Syd. I was already thwarted,” Finn says, pulling Noah’s shirt over his head. “This is just time-wasting now. We’re wasting time with all these clothes.”

“I think you’re getting less patient as you get older, Finn, instead of more patient.” Kurt nips at Finn’s neck, grinning against his skin. “Unwrapping the present is part of the fun.”

“I let the bagel bites sit on the counter until they’re cool,” Finn says. “You’re not bagel bites.” He kicks Noah’s shirt out of the way and goes to work on the front of his jeans.

“No, we’re better than bagel bites,” Noah argues, curling one arm around Finn’s neck and kissing along Finn’s jawline. “And you feel better after having us than after eating bagel bites.”

“Yeah, but you’re a lot harder to wait for,” Finn says, pushing Noah’s jeans down to the ground. “Step out of those.”

“Make me,” Noah retorts.

Finn raises an eyebrow, then shrugs. “If you say so.” He takes a step towards Noah, placing his hands on his shoulders, shoving him back towards the wall a little roughly, his thigh pressing between Noah’s legs. “Step out of them.”

“What will you do if he doesn’t?” Kurt can’t help but ask, grinning. “Maybe I should tell him not to, so I can watch.”

“Well, I guess if he won’t do it on his own, I’ll have to make him,” Finn says, pushing Noah a little more firmly against the wall. “Can you do it on your own, Puck? Or do you need help?”

“I think I could use a little help.” Noah smirks up at Finn. “Are you going to help me?”

“Helping myself, anyway,” Finn says. He hooks his heel in Noah’s jeans, where they’re still puddled around his ankles, and leaning Noah into the wall hard, uses his foot to yank the jeans off. He kicks them out of the way and kisses Noah forcefully, pressing as much of his body against Noah’s as he can.

“Mmm, very nice.” Kurt perches himself in the middle of the bed, sitting cross-legged. “Very nice, boys.”

“I’m nice,” Finn says. “Puck’s not so nice. He doesn’t cooperate at all.”

“And yet, we’re both still naked.” Noah shrugs. “Unlike someone else in this room.”

Finn’s eyebrows come together in thought. “Hmm. You know, you’re right. That’s really not fair at all. Kurt, are you gonna cooperate or are you gonna act like Puck?”

“Why don’t the two of you come find out?”

Noah and Finn exchange a glance, and Noah smiles slowly. “Shall we?”

Finn grins. “I am pretty good at this stuff,” he says, and before Kurt can blink, Finn’s tackled him against the bed, flat on his back, Finn’s mouth pressed firmly to Kurt’s. Kurt slides his arms around Finn and pinches him gently, sliding his tongue into Finn’s mouth. Finn shifts slightly to the side, and Noah’s fingers are at Kurt’s waist, quickly removing all clothing on Kurt’s lower half. Noah kisses the tip of Kurt’s cock and then moves to the side, the bed dipping beside Kurt.

Finn kisses down the point of Kurt’s chin and down his throat until he hits the neck of Kurt’s sweater. He props himself up on one arm and glares at Kurt. “Turtleneck? Really?”

“Only one layer, darling.”

Finn gives Kurt his grumpy look and then starts yanking the turtleneck over Kurt’s head. Once it’s off, Finn casts it onto the floor. “One less layer.”

“Mmm, good, we’re all naked,” Noah states unnecessarily. “Blue eyes?”

“Yes.” Kurt runs a hand down each of their chests. “Aren’t you going to fuck him, Finn?”

Finn holds his hand out expectantly in Noah’s direction. “I dunno, he want me to?”

“Oh, I think so,” Kurt says with a wide grin, as Noah drops the bottle of lube into Finn’s hand.

“Thanks!” Finn says, closing his hand around the bottle. He flips the lid open and pours some into his hand, grinning all the while. Finn applies a liberal amount of lube to his cock and then tosses the bottle to Kurt, reaching out to grab Noah around the neck and pull him close. “Is it like he says? You want me to fuck you, Puck?” Finn says, his voice low and his mouth close to Noah’s ear.

“Fuck, yes,” Noah answers. “Already ready for you.”

“Oh yeah? Sure I don’t need to check for myself?”

“Check with your cock, forfuckssake.”

Finn turns and catches Kurt’s eye, winks at him, then hooks his arm underneath Noah’s knee, throwing him down onto his back and pushing into him in one swift motion. “Like that?”

“Fuck yeah.” Noah exhales. “Yeah, just like that.”

“My turn,” Kurt murmurs, crawling behind Finn and kneeling. “Going to fill you up, too.”

“Yesss,” Finn says, thrusting into Noah. “Now. Kurt, now!”

Kurt laughs and runs a finger over Finn’s entrance. “Are you sure, Finn?”

“Yes, sure, I’m sure, just fuck me,” Finn pants, alternating between pressing back against Kurt’s finger and pushing forward into Noah.

Kurt hums under his breath and pushes just the tip of his cock into Finn. “Like this, you mean?”

Finn makes a low-pitched whine. “Pleeeease, Kurt.”

“Since you ask so nicely,” Kurt murmurs, sliding fully into Finn. “Did you miss us, darling? Miss this?”

“Yes,” Finn says. “Yes, so much. God, Kurt, so much.” He leans forward and slams his mouth against Noah’s, thrusting harder.

“Yes,” Kurt nods, pushing into Finn again. “We missed our darling. Missed feeling you, Finn. Our Finn. God, look at you, loving us.”

“Mmm, love you,” Finn mutters against Noah’s mouth. “Love you, god, love you. Puck, god, so much, love you, love you.”

Kurt leans forward, changing the angle of his cock slightly, and reaches around Finn with one hand, twining their fingers together around Noah’s cock. “Oh my boys, my boys,” Kurt says, his words slurring together a little. “So good, fill you up, god, come for us,” he continues, feeling his own body start to shudder and Noah coiling in infinitesimally and Finn tightening around him.

Kurt slumps on top of Finn as he rides out his orgasm, feeling Finn and Noah both coming underneath him, Finn with a drawn out “fuuuuuck!”, Noah groans a little and then they’re all collapsing in a messy tangled heap. Kurt feels lips on his shoulder and another set on his neck and he has to focus before he can attempt to identify whose is whose.

“I think,” Finn says, his voice drowsy, “that we can behave better now.”

Kurt giggles. “Mmmhmm. We should at least make it to the state line, now.”

“If I start turning around again, you think we could get her to stop twice?”

“It is Tuesday,” Noah says, grinning. “I’m sure she wouldn’t want to interfere with our, ah, religious practices.”

“How much time do we have before Syd’s back?” Finn asks.

“Not long,” Kurt answers after a moment. “We should probably dress. And put on deodorant.”

“S’not going to help much.”

“It might fool Dad and Carole, at least until we can shower,” Kurt muses. He sighs. “All right, dressed we must get.” Kurt sits up reluctantly, scanning the room. “Hmm. How did we manage that?”

“Puck didn’t cooperate,” Finn says.

“Those jeans over there are yours,” Noah retorts. “Not mine.”

“I’m not the one who took those off. Or, I don’t think I am.”

“You weren’t.” Kurt grins and scrambles off the bed. “Maybe if we’re waiting on Syd, she’ll drive through and get us milkshakes.”

“I call sips of everybody’s!” Finn says. “I’ll get something with chocolate so it’s a fair swap.”

“I’ll give you a sip of something,” Noah grumbles.

“Promises, promises,” Finn says, grinning.

Kurt finds it somewhat amazing that they do, in fact, manage to be waiting for Syd ahead of her arrival, even if it is only for a moment. “You going to be able to really sit in your seat now, Hudson?”

“Yup, ’cause I’m getting in the back,” Finn says. “Behaving!”

Syd raises both eyebrows. “Uh-uh.”

“Puck was saying he was feeling kinda motion sick,” Finn says. “He probably needs to sit up front for a little while. Anyway, I’m too worn out to misbehave now, right, Kurt?” He gives Kurt an almost-innocent conspiratorial glance.

“We did our best,” Kurt says mildly.

“Twice, Syd,” Finn says, holding up two fingers as if to emphasize his point. “In forty-five minutes.”

“Oh my God,” Syd cries. “What is my life? How did this happen to a nice lesbian from Wausau?”

“You know, if I sit up front with you, I could probably tell you all about it,” Finn says, his innocent look becoming almost comically pronounced. “Once you figure out where all the legs go—”

“Poor Syd,” Kurt interrupts Finn. “She must feel right now like I do when lesbian sex is mentioned.”

“Fine, fine!” Syd throws up her hands. “I now know that yes, there is something worse than a college-age gay couple. A college-age trio.”

Finn grins, obviously barely resisting the urge to say “yay!” or clap his hands. He does do a little victory fist when Syd turns her back.

“Motion sickness is a terrible curse,” Noah sighs, and Syd unlocks the door, seemingly resigned.

“I bet you’ll feel better in a couple hours, dude,” Finn says, leaning up to pat Noah on the shoulder. “Then you can sit back here with me for a while!”

“What is my life,” Syd repeats, shaking her head. “This turkey had better be good, Hudson.”

“Mom sourced the turkey. It’s Amish.”

“Great. No buttons.”

“No more motion sickness after this?” Syd huffs as they pull back onto the interstate.

“Not from me, I feel great,” Finn says, grinning at Syd in the rearview mirror.

“I bet.”

“You know what would be even better though?” Finn asks.

“No, I don’t. And I don’t want to know.”

“This battery thing. It’s really taking up a lot of space back here,” Finn says, ignoring Syd. “Can’t they make smaller battery things?”

“Oh god. No. No, they cannot.”

“Just seems like a waste of otherwise good space,” Finn says, reaching over the battery-console to stroke the inside of Noah’s thigh. Noah grins and lets his legs fall open a bit more, thumping the side of the console-thing with one hand.

“It’s like the fucking console was in the Nav.”

“It is,” Kurt agrees. “Stupid consoles.”

“Total cockblockers,” Finn says, very seriously, sliding his hand further up Noah’s leg, moving his fingers in little circles.

“You know, as a lesbian, I don’t like cock even a tiny tiny bit.” Syd sighs.

“Clitorference?” Finn suggests.

Syd snorts. “You need to stop listening to Noel so much.”

“She’s expanding my vocabulary,” Finn says, moving his hand to cup Noah’s cock through his jeans. “I feel smarter just hanging out with you girls.”

“Glad to be of service.”

Noah reaches across the car with one hand, sliding it under Finn’s shirt and letting his fingers dip barely under Finn’s waistband on the side. He meets Kurt’s eyes in the rearview and exchanges a smirk with him.

Finn continues rubbing Noah through his jeans, leaning over to kiss him along the side of his neck. Noah tilts his head towards the window, pushing his own hand under Finn’s jeans, squeezing gently. Finn exhales sharply against Noah’s neck, increasing the pressure with his hand.

Noah turns his head back in Finn’s direction, brushing their lips together before slowly increasing the pressure, deepening the kiss as he curls his fingertips slightly around Finn’s cock. Noah can feel Finn’s hand fumbling with the button of his jeans, the kiss becoming slightly frantic.

“Oh, geez, dudes.” Syd sighs. “Hudson, really?”

Finn pulls away from Noah, though only slightly. “Hmm? Really, what?”

Syd shakes her head. “We’re not even to the border yet.”

“It’s just kissing, Syd,” Finn says.

“Yeah, right. You aren’t that covert.”

Finn looks down at his hand and Noah’s half-unfastened jeans. “Oh. Oops.”

“Oops. Right. I’m going to tell the rest of the Elevens about this, you know. I need to share my pain.”

“Sorry. I’ll behave,” Finn says, leaning back against his seat. “See? Behaving.”

“Right.”

Noah smirks, not bothering to fasten his jeans. Syd’ll lose interest in a few minutes; Finn won’t. Sure enough, after a couple of minutes, Syd’s eyes are completely focused on the road and Finn’s mouth is back on Noah’s, his hand already working on Noah’s zipper again. Once the zipper’s undone, Finn slips his hand inside Noah’s jeans, wrapping his fingers around Noah’s cock through his underwear. Noah exhales as quietly as he can, sliding his own hand back into Finn’s pants, under his underwear, skin sliding against skin.

Finn puts his mouth next to Noah’s ear. “You think Kurt would provide a distraction? I wanna misbehave.”

Noah turns his head, their cheeks resting against each other. “I want your mouth on me,” Noah responds in a whisper. “So nice, filling your mouth.”

“Kurt’s gonna have to provide a really great distraction,” Finn murmurs, tightening his grip on Noah’s cock and moving his hand up and down.

“Yeah,” Noah agrees, pushing into Finn’s hand and closing his eyes. “Fuck, yes.”

“How long until the next service station, you think?”

“Too fucking long.”

Finn releases Noah’s cock and then pushes his hand inside Noah’s underwear, grasping him again, slowly pumping his hand up and down. “Fucking console.”

“Yeah.” Noah sighs and thrusts up. “Fuck.”

“Wanna pull you over it and into my lap,” Finn says, almost growling into Noah’s ear. “Don’t even care who else is in the car.”

“Oh my god. You people.” Syd sounds more resigned than anything. “I just asked, you know, not in my car.”

“Hey, Syd!” Finn says, a little sheepishly, but not as sheepishly as he could sound. “Sorry, Syd!”

“Could the two of you please keep your cocks inside your pants, and your hands outside your pants?”

“Uh.” Finn sounds like he’s thinking about it very carefully. “Maybe?”

“Trouble just has a way of finding us,” Noah offers. “It’s like we were meant to be in trouble with someone, somehow.”

“But his cock is awesome,” Finn says, under his breath.

Noah grins. “Thanks.”

“Why do you two keep thanking him? Finn?”

“They’re just grateful people, Syd,” Finn says. “Really great, grateful people… with awesome cocks,” he adds in a whisper, grinning at Noah.

Noah snorts, trying not to laugh. “Yep. That’s us.”

“We are,” Kurt says suddenly, sounding very placid. “Horribly grateful. And this is the week of Thanksgiving, you know.”

“I hope I survive this holiday.”

They hold out until the last service station before Toledo, though Finn thinks it’s very possible he’s permanently broken his Puck by that point, with every twenty minutes or so of touching and kissing being interrupted by an irate Syd yelling at them to keep their hands to themselves, and what are they, preschoolers, and do their mothers know that they never learned about personal space?

By the way, no, Finn’s mother doesn’t know about the personal space thing. And it’s gonna stay that way.

“Syd, we gotta stop,” Finn says, when they see the signs for the station. “Seriously. I’m gonna die.”

“You are not going to die,” Syd says flatly. She’s probably rolling her eyes, too. “None of the three of you are going to die. But I’m going to stop, so that I don’t die.”

“I just have to pee, is all. Geez, Syd,” Finn says.

“Hmph.” Syd pulls off the interstate and parks in front of a charging station. “You have fifteen minutes.”

“If I need ten, I’m doing it wrong,” Finn says. “In and out, I promise. Right, Puck?”

Puck grins. “Yeah, sure. C’mon, blue eyes.”

“See? Everybody needs a break!” Finn says, as they all tumble out of the car. Or, Finn tumbles at least, but then, he’s been hard for about four hours now, and that’s not exactly awesome for walking. He throws one arm around Kurt, appreciating an opportunity to touch him again after two whole hours, and the other around Puck, because he may as well do that while he can.

Once the three of them enter the bathroom, Finn bodily hauls Kurt and Puck into the handicap stall in the back, pulling Kurt against him, his mouth on Kurt’s as he fumbles with the door latch. Without unwrapping his other arm from Puck, Finn runs his hand down Kurt’s chest, down the front of his jeans, feeling Kurt’s cock pressing against the zipper all hard and sad. Finn wants to go on kissing and touching him, too, but Puck’s been waiting for two hours now, and he shouldn’t have to wait any longer.

Finn turns his mouth to Puck, crushing Puck’s lips under his and sliding his hand into Puck’s hair. Puck leans against the wall, relaxing into Finn’s touch. “What was it you wanted?” Finn asks, moving his mouth along Puck’s jawline. “My mouth on you?”

“Yeah,” Puck answers roughly. “Fuck, now, Finn.”

Finn’s already unfastening Puck’s jeans, sliding down the zipper and pushing jeans and underwear down Puck’s hips just enough to free his cock, then dropping to his knees. Finn wraps his hand around Puck’s cock and moves it up and down, once, twice, then slides his lips around the head and slowly down until Puck’s nudging the back of his throat.

Kurt steps close behind Finn, one hand on the back of Finn’s head, and Finn feels Kurt leaning across his back to kiss Puck. Finn runs his tongue up the underside of Puck’s cock, his hand still encircling the base. Puck tastes so good, his skin, the feel of him in Finn’s mouth, this doesn’t happen often enough. Finn wraps his free arm around Puck’s waist, pulling his body closer, swallowing him deeper. Puck’s hips thrust forward, tiny movements into Finn’s mouth. Kurt’s hand is still on Finn’s head, urging him closer and closer to Puck.

Puck lets out a low moaning sound, and above Finn’s head, he can hear a slow laugh. Puck’s body coils in slightly before Puck comes hard, jerking forward into Finn’s mouth. Finn laps at Puck’s cock until Puck stills, then rubs his face against Puck’s stomach. Kurt slumps against the wall to the side of Puck, one hand down his partially unfastened jeans.

“Better?” Finn asks.

“Yes.” Puck grins, and Kurt rests his head on Puck’s shoulder. “You were right about the timing, too.”

“Under ten?”

“Mmmhmm,” Kurt answers, giggling a little.

“That means we have five minutes to get coffee,” Finn says. “We should probably get one for Syd, too.”

“We should probably send Syd a fucking two hundred dollar organic fruit basket,” Puck counters, snickering. “Poor lesbian.”

“Syd’s the best,” Finn agrees. “I’m glad she let me show her pictures on my phone before she kicked me out of the QSA that time!”

It’s already dark when they reach Lima, but Carole’s been texting Finn every ten minutes or so, assuring them that yes, dinner would be warm when they got there, and oh, yes, Audrey was still awake, too. Finn’s patience with the constant texts has gone steadily downhill since they left Toledo, until Syd grabs the phone from Finn’s hand and tosses it back to Noah.

“Here. Pretend to be Finn for the last ten miles.”

“Not tall enough.”

“All you have to text is ‘thanks, mom’ and ‘see you in a little while, mom’ and that’ll make her happy,” Finn says. “But my thumbs are so tired.”

“There’s also always the parent-pleasing ‘I’m excited, too!’” Kurt snorts.

“Right.” Noah shrugs. “‘Thanks, mom, see you in a little while because I’m excited, too!’ Got it.”

“He’s a natural.”

“Well, usually mine are more like ‘Okay, Hannah, I didn’t buy out American Girl or Nintendo World this time either’.”

“Sometimes she uses these weird abbreviations for things,” Finn says. “My mom, not Hannah. I mean, Hannah might, too. We don’t really text.”

“Hannah probably taught them to your mom.” Noah smirks as a new text comes through. “Oh, yeah, definitely.”

“What’s she saying now? It’s not about the sleeping arrangements again, is it? Seriously, tell her the air mattress is fine,” Finn says, his voice creeping back towards the frustrated tone. “I’m not sleeping on the fucking thing anyway. Tell her whatever you think will make her stop.”

“No, it’s about salad dressing,” Noah laughs. “She’s out of ranch and will Thousand Island or an oil and vinegar dressing work?”

“Tell her I’m just gonna starve to death this whole trip. It’s all ruined.” He pauses for a moment. “No, don’t actually tell her that. Yeah, Thousand Island or oil and vinegar or any other kind of salad dressing, just please, please, please no more texts until we get there!”

“Got it.” Noah taps out a return message, then turns off the sound on Finn’s phone. It’s not like there’s anyone else that needs to get in touch with Finn, even if they forget to turn it off silent for a few hours. Or days.

“Well, I for one am going to starve now,” Kurt says, sounding amused. “If there’s no ranch dressing, what will I put on my veggies?”

“Is your mom seriously this way all the time?” Syd asks Finn. “Salad dressing freak outs?”

“Nah, it’s just that you’re the first girl he’s brought home in a couple of years,” Noah laughs. “Maybe she’s hoping you’ll convert from lesbianism.”

“Puck!” Finn reaches back to swat at Noah’s leg. “No she is not. Syd, I swear, my mom doesn’t have any hopes like that.” He pauses and grins at Syd. “Well, maybe a little bit, she does. She’s just really hung up on this being the perfect Thanksgiving in Lima. The way they’re supposed to be, or how she thinks they’re supposed to be, and I guess that includes salad dressing now.”

“Messing with you, dude,” Noah points out, raising an eyebrow. “Oh, turn there, Syd.”

“Are you sure? Google said—”

“Yeah, Google’s wrong, around here,” Noah laughs. “Trust me, I’m the navigator. Not the vehicle. The position.”

“Right.” Syd does as instructed, though, and soon enough, they pull up in front of the Hudmel house.

“Well,” Finn sighs. “Let’s do this thing?”

“How bad can a few days be?” Kurt asks rhetorically. “There’s only so many traditional Thanksgiving dishes the oven can hold.”

They all climb out, and Finn goes around to the back of the car, loading himself up with all the bags, Syd’s included. “Ok, I think I’ve got it all.”

“You make him carry all the luggage?” Syd asks.

“He won’t let us help,” Kurt explains.

“Syd, it’s my job.”

“You heard the man.” Noah shrugs. Before they can get up the stairs to the porch, though, the door swings open. Burt’s in the doorway with Audrey on his hip.

“Hey, you all made it,” Burt observes, as Audrey starts to squeal, “Bubba! Bubba!”

“Aud!” Finn squeals right back at her. “Hey, best baby ever!”

“Hi, little girl,” Kurt greets her, smiling. “Hi, Dad. Are you up late, Audrey?”

“Stop blocking the door,” Noah says good-naturedly, poking Finn in the back. “Rumor has it we brought a lady with us, we should let her eat dinner.”

“That’s not a lady. That’s my Syd,” Finn says, but as soon as Burt moves out of the doorway, Finn shuffles through, setting the bags down in the living room.

“Hi!” Syd says somewhat awkwardly, as Audrey stares at her. “I’m, uh, not a bubba.”

“You’ll always be a bubba to me, Syd,” Finn says. “Audie-Aud, this is Syd. Can you say Syd?”

“Sib!” Audrey parrots. “Bubba, bubba, bubba, sib!”

“Yeah, just like that.” Finn beams at Audrey. “When’d you get so smart?”

“Finn, you gonna go in and see your mom?” Burt asks. “She was in the middle of layering something in a dish.”

“Oh, yeah,” Finn says. “Sure. Thanks, dad. I’m gonna go in and say hey.”

Finn wanders out of the room, which means that Noah and Kurt actually get a chance to see Audrey. “Look at you, getting bigger,” Kurt beams at her, taking her from Burt. “Come see us. We brought you a present. Shhh. Don’t tell your daddy.”

“I haven’t gone deaf yet, you know,” Burt says. “Please tell me it’s something small this time, at least?”

“Define small?” Noah responds, grinning. “It fit in our luggage, anyway.”

“I’ve seen your luggage,” Burt says. “That’s not all that reassuring.”

“Don’t listen to Dad. Our luggage is perfectly reasonable,” Kurt addresses Audrey. “It’s important to have luggage that expands for gifts and purchases. Remember that.”

“That’s number forty-three.”

“What’s number forty-three?” Syd asks. “Huh?”

“Kurt’s fond of life lessons,” Burt sighs. “This is the forty-third, I guess.”

“It’s important to pass these things along!” Kurt protests. “I have to do it in concentrated nuggets, too.”

“Uh-huh. Well, she’ll be—” Syd cuts herself off, shaking her head. “Anyway, can you point me towards your powder room?”

“Down the hall, to your left,” Burt says. “Keep your eyes peeled for toys, though. Let’s save the broken necks until at least the second day of the visit.”

“Right,” Syd nods, heading down the hall.

“I think you’re intimidating her,” Kurt whispers when they hear the door closed.

“Yeah, she hasn’t been this quiet since we landed.”

“I’m sure it’s an adjustment after life in Madison,” Burt says. “She’ll get used to us!”

“She’s from Wausau,” Kurt notes absently. “She mentioned it on the way. Is dinner almost ready?”

“Dinner’s almost ready!” Finn announces, returning from the kitchen. “Oh, where’d Syd go?”

“Powder room,” Noah says blandly.

“Oh. Well, ok, then,” Finn says. “Anyway, dinner. Aud! You wanna eat!”

“Zrooom!”

“Totally!” Finn reaches down and picks Audrey up.

“It was nice while it lasted,” Kurt says mournfully.

“Yeah, when Audrey gets too old to be carried around, you guys are going to have to have another one,” Noah jokes as they walk into the dining room.

“No, silly,” Carole laughs. “Finn will have to provide his own by then.”

“Yup, just whipping them right out of my pockets like a magic trick,” Finn says, setting Audrey down in her high chair. “Babies everywhere. I possess that ability.”

“Which ability?” Syd asks from the doorway. “The ability to make your lesbians cry?”

“Spontaneous baby-making,” Finn says. “Which, you know, that might make some of my lesbians cry. Noel, she’d just, she’d weep big fat spontaneous baby tears.”

“She would,” Syd agrees. “You’re right. Oh, sorry,” she says to Carole. “Hi. I’m Syd.”

“I’m Carole,” Carole smiles at her in a friendly enough way. “It’s so good you could make it over to our corner of the midwest.”

“Less cheese, more Amish,” Syd quips.

Carole laughs. “Right. Well, sit down, everyone!” They do, falling silent as they eat, the sound of chewing occasionally punctuated by an exclamation from Audrey. When they’ve finished, Carole tries to interest them all in dessert once Audrey’s in bed.

“I’m wiped,” Syd begs off. “I’m going to go ahead and go to bed. I know it’s early, but.”

“That’s a good plan,” Finn says. “A lot of driving today. I mean, riding, I guess. Driving for Syd, riding for us.”

“Are you sure, honey?” Carole looks fretful. “We could have some coffee and chat.”

“Coffee and chat sounds like a good morning activity,” Finn says. “I might take a bowl of that cobbler up with me, though.”

“All right. Boys? Syd? Do any of you want a bowl to take upstairs, too?”

“No thanks,” Syd replies, genuinely yawning.

“Sure,” Noah answers. “We’ll each take a bowl. Riding in an electric car is hard work. Whenever we ran low, Syd made us pedal to generate more electricity.”

“Yep. Flintstones car, except with taller wheels and a generator,” Syd agrees.

“And this awful battery console thing. It’s huge!” Finn says. He stands up and pulls some bowls out of the cabinet. “Kurt, you want to scoop us up some cobbler and I’ll get Syd’s bags and show her up to Aud’s room?”

Kurt nods as Syd stands to follow Finn. “Let me guess,” Syd says as they walk into the living room to get her bags, and then up the stairs. “This is your job, too?”

Finn’s response is lost, and Noah laughs to himself. When Kurt finishes, they grab the bowls, a stack of napkins, and three spoons before heading upstairs. As they pass the living room, Noah notes that all the luggage is gone, and he doesn’t doubt they’ll find it upstairs.

Finn’s still setting the luggage down as Kurt places the bowls on the dresser and Noah closes and locks the door. “Syd really tired, or just giving us an excuse?” Noah can’t help but ask.

“Tired of us, probably,” Finn says. “She looked pretty tired, but she also said she didn’t want to hear us. Well, me. I think we broke her on the drive here.”

“I don’t think we want anyone to hear us,” Kurt says thoughtfully, already shedding his top layer. “But we might’ve.”

“Poor Syd,” Finn says, shaking his head sadly. He seems to take a cue from Kurt, because he starts pulling his hoodie over his head.

“She did volunteer to drive,” Noah points out, taking off his own clothes so that they end up in the bed with bowls of cobbler and no clothes within a few minutes. “Mmm. Much better.”

Finn snuggles between Noah and Kurt, bowl in hand. “So much better than car. Or dinner. Or anywhere.”

“Yes,” Kurt agrees, leaning into Finn. “We missed you, darling.”

“Mmm, missed me since the rest stop or the hotel?”

“Yes,” Noah answers for them. “Missed you since both of those. And the airport.”

“And Iowa.”

“I miss you all the time,” Finn says.

“Not right now, I hope,” Kurt says, and Noah leans over and rests his head on Finn’s shoulder. As he closes his eyes, he can hear the soft sound of Kurt’s lips on Finn’s neck. Finn makes a happy sound and turns his head to rub his face against Noah’s hair.

“Not right now,” Finn agrees. “By Sunday, though?”

“Not thinking about that,” Noah says firmly. “It’s Tuesday right now.” He puts his bowl on the table and slides his hand under the sheets and up Finn’s thigh. “It’s our Tuesday.”

“It is!” Kurt laughs for a second. “Hmm. It is our Tuesday, darling.”

“I guess you’re right,” Finn says. “I’m two for two on the Tuesdays before Thanksgiving. That’s a pretty sweet record, right there.”

Somehow, they do manage to keep the volume low enough that Syd, Audrey, Burt, and Carole all remain ignorant of their evening activities. It’s possible Syd’s aware, Noah would concede, but she doesn’t come knock on the door to demand that they keep it down, at least.

“We’ve gotta find a way to move Wisconsin and New York closer to each other,” Finn says. “Too long between visits.”

“Transporters?” Noah offers, feeling a bit sleepy. “That’d be quick at least.”

“Do they make those? Why don’t we have some of those?” Finn asks.

“Wrong century, unfortunately,” Kurt says, slowly rolling to the side. “We’re a mess.”

“I’m a mess,” Finn says. “Way more me than you.”

“We’re messy by association,” Noah points out. “It’s not like we could sleep and not get messy.”

“That your way of telling me I need to shower?”

“Hmm.” Noah considers it. “No. Just information. You are messy, therefore we will soon be messy.”

“Awesome,” Finn says. “Come be messy with me, then.” He grabs Noah around the middle and pulls him close.

“We do like to get messy with you,” Kurt agrees. “Haven’t tried the just being messy.”
“S'good to try new things, right?” Noah grins.

“Yes,” Finn says, adamantly. “New things. Definitely good.”

“So let’s sleep messy,” Noah concludes.

“You’re gonna wake up stuck together,” Finn says. “Just be prepared.”

“We’ll take our chances.”

The sky is just light when Finn wakes up, face down on the bed with his arm draped across Puck and one of his legs shoved between Puck’s knees. When Finn wiggles his fingers, he feels silky skin that he knows belongs to Kurt. Kurt barely moves and then exhales loudly, clearly still asleep.

Finn rolls himself onto his side as best he can, which isn’t all that best, considering the leg trapped between Puck’s legs has fallen asleep and his foot is tingling. He flexes his foot and wiggles his toes, trying to calm the pins and needles sensation. “Mmm?” Puck murmurs, shifting.

“Sorry. Foot’s asleep,” Finn says. “You legged it into submission.” He wiggles his toes again and pulls his leg back enough to run his foot down Puck’s calf.

“Hmm.” Puck sounds amused as he flips onto his back carefully, then continues rolling so he’s facing Finn. “Morning, darling.”

Finn leans forward enough to brush his lips against Puck’s. “Good morning. It’s early.”

“It is,” Puck nods, closing the distance between them again, putting more into the kiss. He runs his tongue along Finn’s lips, and Finn closes his eyes, letting his lips part. Puck deepens the kiss, his hand going to the back of Finn’s neck and holding him in place before he pulls away with a grin. “Let’s wake up Kurt now.”

“Best idea all day,” Finn says. “How should we wake him up?”

Puck’s grin is naughty. “Mouths. You want his mouth or his cock?”

Finn knows he sounds a little whiny when he answers, “Both,” and Puck laughs.

“One at a time,” he says, sliding his hand over Finn’s chest.

“Fine,” Finn sighs. “I’ll start with his mouth and work my way down, then?” Finn frees his trapped leg, then leans across Puck to press his lips to Kurt’s, flicking his tongue against them gently. Finn slides his hand through Kurt’s hair, cupping the back of his head as he licks at Kurt’s bottom lip. Puck wriggles out of Finn’s arms, moving down to Kurt’s legs and his cock.

There’s the tiniest catch in Kurt’s slow, deep breathing, and then he starts kissing Finn back, his mouth opening slowly and his tongue barely moving against Finn’s. After a few more seconds, Kurt’s fingers begin to slowly run through Finn’s hair, and Finn increases the pressure of his lips against Kurt’s. Kurt’s lips yield and his body shudders a little after a moment, and Finn slips his hand out of Kurt’s hair and down to stroke Puck’s head. He rests his palm on the back of Puck’s head, not directing, just letting it move along with Puck. Puck pulls away from Kurt with a low chuckle after a minute. “We don’t want him to come this way, do we?”

Finn laughs against Kurt’s mouth, then pulls back. “No way. I have plans for him!”

“Plans?” Kurt echoes, a bit sleepily.

“Yeah, sleepyhead,” Finn says. “You think you can wake up enough to be inside me?”

Kurt giggles. “Mmm. Maybe. You sure you want that?”

“It’s either that or a shower, and I can still have a shower after, so…” Finn nips at Kurt’s ear, exhaling across it. “Fuck me.”

“We are messy. Really messy,” Kurt adds, sounding strangely happy about it. “Almost gross, even.”

“Yeah, we’re filthy. It’s terrible. Seriously, Kurt, you should fuck me.” Finn sounds needy, even to himself, but he is needy, so who cares? “Come on, come on.”

“I will, darling. Filthy, hmm? Noah, let’s get more filthy.”

The three of them tiptoe downstairs quietly so they don’t wake Syd up, since she might still be sleeping off the trauma of driving them to Lima the day before. Carole and Audrey are down in the living room, and Finn immediately takes Audrey out of his mom’s arms with a declaration of, “Sorry, she’s my baby now!”

“Good luck getting her back before Friday night,” Puck says to Carole as he and Kurt both sit on the floor near Finn and Audrey.

“Oh, I do have quite a bit of cooking to do,” Carole says with a smile. “Won’t it be nice to have a home-cooked meal for Thanksgiving again? Noah, your mother and Hannah are still coming, right?”

“Last time Hannah texted me, yeah,” Puck answers.

“Hey, Audie-Aud, let’s do Superman!” Finn says, raising Audrey up into the air. “You like Supermans?”

“She’s a little cranky, Finn,” Carole warns. “She hasn’t had her breakfast yet.”

Audrey doesn’t look or sound cranky, though. She giggles as Finn lifts her higher, then says, “Shit!” in her sweet little babyvoice. Finn tries to stifle his laugh.

“She’s still worried about us getting enough rest, it seems,” Kurt says, hiding a smile behind his hand.

“Oh, did she say sit?” Carole forces a laugh. “I almost thought she said— well, I’m sure you boys can imagine.” Carole stands up and walks towards the kitchen. “I’m going to get started on a few things. Would you like me to put on another pot of coffee?”

“Yeah, that’d rock, Mom, thanks!” Finn says.

“I’ll let you know when it’s ready,” Carole says, then disappears into the kitchen.

“You really did teach your sister how to say ‘shit’,” Puck whispers, then laughs.

“She’s so smart,” Finn says. “She remembered it from last time.” He flies Audrey up and down a few time while she laughs.

“We’re doing so well at teaching her things,” Kurt says.

“Finn?” Carole calls from the kitchen. “Can you come give me a hand?”

“Can I bring Audie-Aud?” Finn calls back.

“No, let her play!”

“It’s a tragedy, Finn, you have to let us see her now,” Kurt says with a little grin.

“Fine,” Finn grumbles, handing Audrey to Kurt. “But I’m stealing her back when I get back out.”

Puck shrugs. “We didn’t doubt it.”

Finn walks into the kitchen, where Carole is cutting slices of bread into cubes. “I thought we could have that chat we didn’t have last night,” Carole says with a smile. “Coffee’s almost ready.”

Finn nods and takes down two mugs, pouring coffee for both of them as soon as it stops brewing. “You need me to help with anything?”

“Oh, there’s some vegetables to chop,” Carole says, nodding towards another section of the counter. “I know we talk on that FaceTime every week, but I still feel like I can hardly keep up with your life now. School and football really are going well?”

“Yeah, it’s great,” Finn says, moving to the counter where Carole has vegetables peeled and needing chopped. He starts cutting potatoes into chunks. “Little tougher this year, but I’m still really enjoying all of it.”

“I was a little surprised when you said you had changed your major,” Carole says with a little laugh. “You’d seemed so certain before. Are you sure psychology’s going to be it?”

“I liked those classes the best, and they’re the ones I did the best in,” Finn says. “And that TA, she said she thought it was the right area for me, and I think it is, Mom.”

“Well, I’m glad you’re enjoying them, Finn.” Carole pulls out a few things from the refrigerator and starts measuring out sour cream. “I always thought perhaps you’d bring someone home for Thanksgiving one of these years,” she says slowly. “I just thought it would be a serious girlfriend, to be honest with you.”

Finn focuses on the potatoes so he doesn’t have to look up at his mom, and he feels a small twinge of guilt. “Yeah, I know,” he says. “Just not there, I guess.”

“I mean, Syd seems like a wonderful friend,” Carole adds quickly. “And I am glad you’ve made good friends at Wisconsin.”

“Syd’s the best,” Finn agrees. He gets what his mom is fishing for, but he doesn’t really have an answer for her, at least not one she’ll accept at this point.

“It’s just so good to have you boys home for a few days!” Carole says then, putting down whatever she’s stirring and walking over to Finn. “Even if I swear you get taller every time I see you, now.”

“It’s all the cheese,” Finn says, keeping his face serious.

“Oh, you!” Carole says, shaking her head. “Teasing your mother.”

“But yeah, it’s good to be here for a few days,” Finn says. It is good to see his mom, Burt, and especially Audie-Aud, but it doesn’t really feel like home anymore. “I’ll make sure I pack up all of Aud’s stuff before I kidnap her back to Madison with me.”

Carole shakes her head again. “Oh, you!”