unsteady

finn c. hudson 29 Real Estate Agent New Yorker in Training

[longhornberry]

lunch surprise

[fhdsn-blog]

thewildek‌:

“Daddy was just happy it wasn’t a Puckerman,” she chuckled, taking a moment to sip some water. Her family loved Finn, perhaps more than she could’ve ever imagined, but that was the past. They’d all grown up, but their love for the young man hadn’t changed. After all, Kitty had taken the blame for the breakup, stating she wasn’t ready for something so serious so soon. In a way, it hadn’t been a complete lie. She hadn’t wanted to spare him the truth, but that meant owning up to things in her past that hadn’t been quite ready to do. In the end, losing him was easier. “Does she visit a lot? If so, we could grab lunch or something.”

“Yeah, most of the people I know from work aren’t really big fans. They prefer 5 star restaurants and delivery.” Coming from Lima, she didn’t really care much. Guess that made her different from her big-city companions. “Look at you, Hudson. Moving to Long Island and buying a house. Must really pay off to be a realtor in New York. Maybe I picked the wrong line of work,” she teased. “it’s nice to know someone from your graduating glass is doing something with their life. Pretty much Rachel is probably off somewhere pushing someone off stage for the spotlight, and there’s no really no telling what Santana’s up to.” She’d adored her senior class, not that she would’ve ever admitted it back then. They were all special, sometimes weird and annoying, but also special. “And if you just so happen to talk to any of them, don’t you dare tell them I brought them up.”

“She doesn’t,” he said, shaking his head slightly. His mom had been in their small town for her whole life; coming to New York City was a really big adjustment for her. She would never say it because she didn’t want him to feel bad, but he could tell. And he didn’t blame her for it. “She doesn’t like it up here. She’d never admit it to me or anyone, but I can tell. I have to go to Penn Station to help her with the LIRR and she just ... looks really overwhelmed. It’s kinda hard, but I try to go out there as much as I can.” It wasn’t nearly as much as he wanted and, yeah, some of that was due to Margaret’s disdain for the place but he tried. 

He didn’t really understand how people weren’t fans of food trucks. “They’re my go to for lunch. So if you find a good one, let me know. I’m still trying to find the perfect one.” At her comments, he chucked and shook his head. “Nah. It’s ... not a big deal.” It still made him feel kind of good that someone thought he was doing well for himself. He knew he was, but it was nice to hear it. While she was talking about the various members of her graduating class, the waitress came and dropped their check off. He grabbed it, of course, and slipped his card inside. “I thought Rachel was here, but I could be wrong. But I don’t talk to anyone. You’re pretty much the only one. And it was by accident.”

[longhornberry]

lunch surprise

[fhdsn-blog]

thewildek‌:

“That’s because God Bless your mama, but she wasn’t the sports type. We talked about dresses for Homecoming for like, four hours one night. I miss her,” she admitted quietly, feeling somewhat embarrassed. Finn’s mother had been far more down to earth than her own, plus, she’d never forgiven her parents for overlooking the major point in her life that had changed her. Instead of helping her, they’d blamed her. Still, the incident had brought her to Lima, and Lima had introduced her to Finn. It all worked out. “He’ll love you as long as you grab us a deal. He’s not changed much.” Just a little more money and a lot more down time. “Relax. It’ll be fine.”

She didn’t mind the small talk, mostly because it was Finn, the most good intentioned man alive. “I’ve been hanging out at the old courthouse a lot. My dad has a few friends there. If I’m not there, then I’m probably eating at some food truck or sitting in my hotel room,” she grinned, head shaking. “What about you?”

“She loved stuff like that. I remember when I told her I was going to Homecoming with out her having to say anything ... she was really excited. She used to have to beg me to go to dances and stuff. So going with you without her intervening was pretty big.” That never really happened after that; she had to beg him to even consider going to prom. But he went for her. He’d do anything for his mom. “Yeah, she misses you too.” Even though he was engaged now - and his mom loved his fiancé - Kitty had still been one of her favorite girls he’d ever been involved with. He remembered her saying that something about the two of them was really balanced. At the time, he didn’t understand it. Now, though, he could see where she was coming from. “I’ll try my hardest. I’m pretty sure I’ll be able to grab you one. I’m not that worried.” 

He raised his eyebrow when she said she was spending her spare time at the old courthouse. That was weird; he didn’t know a lot of people that spent their free time down there. “That’s cool. At least 90% of the food trucks are good here, even if they look kinda sketchy.” When she asked him what he’d been up to, he shrugged and let out a breath. “Just settling in. I moved out to Long Island, so that’s a bit of a change. So it’s pretty much just working and fixing up the house.”

[longhornberry]

lunch surprise

[fhdsn-blog]

thewildek.

“I was a dumb freshman and you were the big football star, Hudson. Besides, I hated math.” She liked him though, perhaps far too much to admit aloud. She’d cared about him in ways she hadn’t known possible, mostly because she’d always trusted him above all else. He was kind, helpful, and seemed to always do the right thing at the end of the day, and she hadn’t pegged herself worthy of that in the end. “That makes two of us.” She was happy for Jake, proud more so than anything. He was beating the Puckerman reputation and for that, she wanted to applaud him.

“I’m putting my money on you, Hudson. If I didn’t think you could do the job, I would’ve walked out already.” It was true. If she didn’t think he was capable of finding something she wanted, she wouldn’t have to let him down easy, or hell, even plan for a backup realtor in case things fell through with him. “Look, odds are he’s going to want to catch up. He adored you back in high school. Daddy’s little girl dating the big football star really got him going. So don’t think you can get out of it,” she assured, gentle smile on her lips. “You’ll be fine. It’s not like it’s a big deal. He’s probably just going to ask a lot of easy questions and then jump straight into this apartment hunt.”

At her comments about her father’s comments about them dating, he rolled his eyes. As much as he wanted to deny it, he knew that Kitty’s dad really did like him. “I don’t want to get out of it. I liked your dad. We had a lot in common. And I could talk sports with him. I could never do that with my mom.” When they were involved back in high school, Finn actually enjoyed hanging out with the guy. “I know it’s not a big deal. But still. I want to make a good impression on him. He hasn’t seen me in, like, a long time. I’m not the quarterback anymore. I’ve, you know, done a lot more with my life.” He didn’t know why he wanted to impress her father; they weren’t dating anymore. They hadn’t even said a word to each other in years. “He’s probably going to ask a lot easier questions and be a lot easier to impress than you will.”

It wasn’t long before the waitress had come back out with their drinks and their food. “So, uh, what have you done since you’ve been here?” he asked after a few moments of eating. “Or did you just want to talk about the apartments and your dad?” 

[longhornberry]

lunch surprise

[fhdsn-blog]

thewildek:

“Once? Try a few times. Not my fault you always tried to flirt your way out of it,” she joked, bottom lip slipping between pearly whites. Finn Hudson had been an amazing guy, even before their brief time spent together as a couple. He was the polar opposite of the Puckerman’s, both of which she’d entertained. She’d always considered dating Noah a sort of punishment; she’d known his loyalties weren’t with her, but at the time, she’d considered it something she deserved. “I talked to Jake a few months ago. He followed me on Instagram and said something about finally going to college. He didn’t say where though.” Jake had made a change for the better, but she was sure Finn didn’t wanna hear her Puckerman rant. “Thanks.”

When the waitress showed up, Kitty felt slightly embarrassed that she hadn’t even paid attention to the menu until now. “Water and a caesar salad,” she rattled off in return, attention quickly shifting back towards Finn after the waitress had faded away. “Yeah, that’s what you keep saying. I’m just waiting on you to showcase just how good you really are.” She trusted Finn, and oddly enough, she believed that if anyone would do whatever they could to help her out, it’d be him. “He’s going to wanna sit down with you for dinner, you know that, right?”

“Listen, you loved me flirting my way out of it. If you didn’t, you would have told me. And you helping me with my homework meant I got to spend more time with you. I was all about that back in the day.” He didn’t want to admit it to himself, but being around her again was comfortable. Almost natural. Those thoughts disappeared when she mentioned reconnecting with Jake Puckerman. However, his face didn’t falter. Finn had never liked those two. It wasn’t any certain event that had made him develop less desirable feelings about the brothers; their personalities and character just didn’t line up with Finn’s. And the thought of one of them trying to push their way back into Kitty’s life wasn’t something he liked. Not that he had any place in her life anymore but still. There would always be a soft spot in him for her. “Well ... I’m glad he finally got his life together.” 

“I like when people doubt me and my ability to put them into a place that’s perfect for them. It makes it a lot more fun when they end up in a space that they love and stay in forever.” Given that she was so young, she probably wouldn’t end up in this place for the rest of her life. But she wasn’t just a random person that walked into his office;they had a personal connection, which meant that he would do just about anything to get her what she wanted. “Uh, what?” he questioned, arching his eyebrow slightly. If he was remembering correctly, the blonde’s father was very intimidating. Though, Finn had also grown up and he was no longer dating his daughter so ... maybe it would be easier. “As long as you’re there, I think I’ll be okay.”

[longhornberry]

lunch surprise

[fhdsn-blog]

thewildek.

“All I’m saying is that my father isn’t going to settle,” she shrugged, giving him the fair warning he deserved. Compared to her father, she was easy to please. “I appreciate you not wasting my time. I have a week to settle in before I start my job. In the mean time, I’m staying at a nice hotel with a beautiful look of the city. Can’t really say I ever imagined being here,” she paused, allowing the reality of it all to sink in. She was looking for an apartment in the city and Finn Hudson was the one helping her. How freaking ironic could life possibly get? Kitty leaned closer to get a better view of the listing. “Only one bed, one bath, though?” She was looking for something a bit bigger, mostly at her parents request. They wanted a place to stay when they inevitably visited, and whatever daddy Wilde wanted, he’d probably get.

“Believe it or not, but I went to a private school in Northern Kentucky. I got a full ride scholarship.” She wouldn’t get into the details, but nothing had really fell into her lap other than the scholarship itself. Her major had started off as theater, but she’d changed halfway through her second semester out of a new interest. It was only then that her past fueled her dedication, which in turn, had brought her to New York. Nodding now that it was her turn, Kitty swallowed hard and shrugged. “I wanted to be out of Ohio. I looked a lot of places for jobs, and I just stumbled across this one. I flew up for my interview about a month ago and I just heard back last week. It’s better pay here than a lot of other places, but everything else is higher too,” she added, not really wanting to think about how massive her caseload would be after the first week in the office.

“No, I believe it. You always seemed kinda smart. You helped me with my math homework once.” Yeah, he still was able to remember stupid stuff like that. “That’s awesome though,” he smiled. It was nice to hear that she was doing well. Once he left their small town, he didn’t really hear that much from or about anyone other than his best friend. And even that didn’t last that long. He couldn’t remember the last time he had heard from someone that he knew in high school. Somehow Kitty ended up being the first one. Part of him wanted to be surprised but the other part of him was not surprised at all. “I don’t blame you about wanting to be out of Ohio. I thought that I could do it - stay there - forever but ... yeah. Obviously I couldn’t.” He never thought he would be able to make it out of there, let alone be as successful as he was. “But, yeah. Congratulations. When do you start?” 

Before she could answer, the waitress came over to their table. Finn had almost forgotten that they were supposed to order lunch. Not just sit and catch up with each other. To be fair, he didn’t think he was going to have to sit and catch up with anything. This was supposed to be - and still, for the most part, was - a business lunch. “I’ll just have water and the mac and cheese.” It was a super basic order, but Mom’s had the best mac and cheese in the city. Hands down. (He’s tried a lot of places.) “You’re not going to have to settle on an apartment, either. Two bathrooms is hard, but I’m pretty good at my job. And I don’t want your dad to yell at me.”

[longhornberry]

lunch surprise

[fhdsn-blog]

thewildek. 

If anything, Kitty was excited to start her journey in the Big Apple. According to a few of her colleagues, her caseload was going to be massive, but she wanted her reach to be as far as humanly possible. Before it all though, she had to find a place to live. Which, suddenly fell into the hands of a man she’d once known, hell, even dated. It wasn’t like any of that mattered now. They were both older, more mature, and beyond the point of old memories and flashbacks.

“Kitty,” she corrected, taking a seat across from the male. In a city so new, Finn felt familiar. It was both terrifying, yet refreshing. “Yeah, and I’m guessing you’re the one that’s going to make that happen.” Sitting up straighter, the blonde pulled her phone from her bag, immediately flipping to the pictures she’d found that resembled apartment setups she’d like. “Something modern, but not overly so. I’m not trying to get a million dollar setup, but I’m also not trying to live in a dump,” she shrugged, holding up an image she liked a lot. “Time out, though. How long have you been in New York?”

“That’s what I get paid for.” He leaned across the table slightly to look at her screen. Her request was easy. There were a lot of properties listed that he could show her that would give her what she wanted at or under her budget; it was just a matter of if she actually liked them. “Is anyone trying to live in a dump, though?” He laughed softly. “But that’s easy. That’s how most apartments are in the city, if you don’t live in new construction. Which I’m not going to show you because they’re priced insanely high for what they are.” He pulled out his phone and started to scroll across the screen. “The only thing is is that they’re not going to come furnished. Unless we decide to negotiate it like that. But I found this listing earlier.” After selecting it, he passed his phone over to the blonde. “It’s $695,000 and in Greenwich. Not super modern and stuff. But ... yeah.” 

“I’ve been in New York for a while. Right after graduating college. I interned with the Corcoran Group while I was in college and then they offered me a job. It just kinda ... fell into my lap,” he shrugged. Being from where they were from, the last place he thought he would end up was New York City. Being there for the summer to intern was a great experience, but ending up there for his full time job? Definitely wasn’t in his life game plan. It was a totally separate world from his hometown, yet somehow he had found his place in both of them. “It wasn’t my first choice, but I’m comfortable now. I know how to use to Subway and the LIRR. That was a pretty big accomplishment for me,” he paused, “But, uh, how’d you end up here?”

[longhornberry]

lunch surprise

[fhdsn-blog]

thewildek:

New York was something entirely new for the blonde. She’d grew up in a smaller town than Lima, and went to college in Kentucky’s biggest city. Still, Louisville was nothing compared to the busy streets of New York. The agreement between herself and her parents had been quite simple; graduate in four years and find a job, and in return, they’d give her whatever she needed. In this instance, it was a place to live. After a brief talk with her father, the eldest Wilde set a date. He’d be traveling up almost an entire week into her search, but she wanted to have options for when the man and his wallet finally arrived.

As expected, Kitty put in the address she’d been given, wondering exactly what her realtor was going to be like. For all she knew, it was some creepy guy, but her newest friend had assured perfection from the man’s work. After a short walk, the blonde found herself entering the restaurant, eyes immediately falling on the tallest man in the room. From behind, he reminded her of someone she’d went to high school with, and well, it all clicked. “How many incredibly tall Finn’s exist in this small world?” Feeling an internal moment of panic, Kitty swallowed down all fear and stepped forward with a small smile, thankful that at least the golden hearted male was at least someone she’d once known. “Listen, Hudson, let’s get one thing straight. It’s Kitty, alright? Never Katherine.”

Finn’s day was going as routinely as possible. He commuted as usual, went to a few showings as usual and closed a deal as usual. Just as he was returning to his office, however, Margaret sent him a text. She had this thing about not texting during the day because she was supposed to be working, so that was a little out of the ordinary for her. Thinking something was wrong, he quickly took his phone out to read the text. Of course it wasn’t anything important. His fiancé had alerted him earlier in the day that her new coworker was going to be contacting him about finding her a place to live. The message contents didn’t really surprise him; she was always taking people under her wing like that. After sending out a quick reply, he settled into his office chair and got to work on some paperwork. The one part of his job that he dreaded the most. 

He didn’t know how long it was before his phone buzzed again, but he quickly reached for it. Katherine. The girl that his fiance told him was going to reach out to him. Throughout their conversation, he was browsing listings. Her demands weren’t incredibly unreasonable and, if he was being honest, he was extremely good at his job.  She’d get what she wanted. He’d thought he would spend the rest of the day in his office, but Katherine asked him to meet her. Understandable, he thought. Lunch was a reasonable choice, so he decided on Mom’s and headed out. It was comfort food; everyone loved comfort food. The restaurant wasn’t that far from his office and, once inside, requested a table for two. As he was about to make his way into the table, he saw her. No way it was Kitty Wilde. He couldn’t help the small smile on his face from forming. “Katherine has a really nice ring to it though,” he teased, shifting into his seat. “Uh, so, I guess you need an apartment?”  

[fhdsn-blog]

text message 📩 realtor 🏠

KATHERINE: Good luck. 🍀

FINN: Mom’s on 48th and 9th.

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text message 📩 realtor 🏠

KATHERINE: Lunch works too. Your pick since you’re the NY veteran.

FINN: That’s a lot of pressure.

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text message 📩 realtor 🏠

KATHERINE: Works for me.

KATHERINE: Yeah, totally.

[ ... ]

KATHERINE: Would you mind meeting for coffee before we get started tomorrow?

FINN: Uh, yeah sure. We can grab coffee. Or lunch. Because I don’t like coffee.

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text message 📩 realtor 🏠

KITTY: Good luck, sir.

KITTY: Whenever you’re free? I’m pretty much ready whenever you are.

FINN: Give me a day to look around.

FINN: We can start tomorrow?

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text message 📩 realtor 🏠

KATHERINE: You’ve found one with this job.

KATHERINE: Preferably close to a sketchy looking Chinese restaurant. 🙃

FINN: That’s what you think.

FINN: Easy.

Finn: Any particular day you want to start looking?

[fhdsn-blog]

text message 📩 realtor 🏠

KATHERINE: Hope you’re up for a challenge.

KATHERINE: Anywhere is fine. I’ll be working in the midst of the city, but I’ll be traveling around offices, so location is necessarily a huge factor. Just a better part of the city.

FINN: Always up for a challenge.

FINN: Alright. I’ll look around. Is there anything else you want me to consider?

[fhdsn-blog]

text message 📩 realtor 🏠

KITTY: Just giving the heads up, my father is overly protective and wants the best of the best. All that I ask is that we don’t dive directly into super modern crap.

KITTY: At least two. I don’t have anything right now, but I’d be looking to get a pet after I’ve settled in.

FINN: Ah, nice. Okay. Makes it a little more challenging.

FINN: Okay. And any particular neighborhoods in the city or is anywhere good?

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text message 📩 realtor 🏠

KITTY: I don’t think money is going to be an issue overall. That’s just the starting price, but I get it. My father is actually flying up sometime soon to help shop around.

KITTY: All I’m needing is two.

FINN: Alright. There’s actually a lot in your budget in the city. So you might not have to spend that much.

FINN: Bathrooms? And do you have any dogs or anything?

[fhdsn-blog]

text message 📩 realtor 🏠

KATHERINE: If that’s what it takes, yeah.

KATHERINE: Would prefer to buy, but renting is also an option.

FINN: New York is hard to buy in, especially for that price. That may be the list price, but it’ll end up going for $1.5 million or something.

FINN: Alright.

FINN: How many bedrooms did you want?

[fhdsn-blog]

text message 📩 realtor 🏠

KATHERINE: It’s creepy no matter how you twist it, but I’ll let it slide, considering it’s your services I need. In the least creepy way possible.

KATHERINE: I’m new to the city and I’m looking for something that I can stay in for a few years. Which, either a house on the outskirts of the city, or an apartment closer in.

KATHERINE: As for the budget, we’re looking toward the $750,000 range.

FINN: Alright. So you’re cool with taking NJTransit or the LIRR if needed to work?

FINN: And you’re okay with buying OR renting?