The Person Falling Here is Me

by nubianamy

After senior year, Puck invites Kurt and Puck for a week in Key West. Finn and Kurt struggle to hide their secret relationship, but Puck has other plans for Kurt. Puck/Kurt/Finn, cowritten with Gleeful Canuck.

(Authors' note: Gleeful Canuck and I have been following the same 'ships in Glee fandom for the past several months, and as Fuckurt Week approached, I suggested we write a story together. Knowing neither of us do anything short, we were ruthless about our plotting and edited each other's work down to a very respectable 29k. From first inspiration to final word, it took us nine days. This applies for both days four (Angst) and five (Fluff/Smut). Spoilers through the end of season 3. Warnings only for copious amounts of enthusiastic m/m and m/m/m sex, angst and schmoopy romance. Enjoy! -amy and Gleeful Canuck)

Playlist: grooveshark dot com /#!/playlist/The+Person+Falling+Here+Is+Me/88033794

---

Even when life got monumentally sucky, Finn could count on Kurt and warm milk to make him feel better in the middle of the night. Case in point, he thought, resting his chin in his hand as he watched Kurt stir the milk in the saucepan. He hadn't even turned on a musical, he was so depressed; the television had been silent since the end of Leno.

"Dude," he sighed. "I can't believe we're both single."

"Yes, but at least yours was by choice." Kurt removed the milk from the heat and poured the steaming liquid into two mugs. He sprinkled some cinnamon on top before placing one in front of Finn.

Finn made a face, accepting his milk. "Am I allowed to say bad things about Blaine now that he was an asshole, or do I still have to be all, but he was such a good guy?" He took a sip, even though it was a little too hot.

Kurt grimaced. "Why didn't you say something before now? You promised you'd have my back from now on." He stuck his tongue out in mock horror before blowing on his own milk.

"Um." Finn glanced down the hall, dropping his voice. "I thought we weren't going to talk about that here."

Kurt's expression went from irritated to mortified. "I didn't mean -" he hissed, rolling his eyes. "God, Finn, you're impossible!"

"At least I got you to crack a smile. Seriously, he's a grade A for Anderson douche." Finn stretched his legs out far enough under the table to nudge Kurt's bare toes with his own. "And you don't say something like that when you're trying to be supportive of your brother's relationship."

"I guess this changes everything for the fall." Kurt sighed glumly. "No boyfriend to stay in Lima for, no school to attend in New York. I have no inkling of what my future is supposed to look like now." Kurt gripped his mug so tightly his fingers dug into his palm around the handle. "I don't know if I can handle being here in Lima for very long. But where would I go? What would I do at this point? Beyond smile and bow, I'm qualified to do absolutely nada."

Finn watched Kurt's white-knuckled fingers, feeling uneasy. They were treading into the red zone. We're not lovers, Kurt had said, the first time they'd fallen into unbrotherly territory, and this will never happen again, and Finn had wholeheartedly agreed.

Except then it had happened again, more than once. Each time it had been awkward and embarrassing afterwards, and each time they'd vowed to put it behind them and move on with their real relationships. And now, those relationships were gone. Finn was pretty sure the things they'd been doing in secret over the past two years were still just as off-limits as they had been before they were single, but it didn't exactly feel like the kind of thing he could ask about.

He decided to go with jovial and encouraging. "Hey, don't worry. You're Kurt Hummel, right? You can audition again for NYADA. I didn't figure one rejection letter was going to keep you down."

"I just thought, I mean..." He sighed, running his hands over his face. "I nailed that audition, Finn. I know I did. And Rachel choked, but she still somehow managed to get a second attempt. And she got in... but I didn't." Kurt looked down into his milk. "Rachel said Ms Thibodeau was at Finals; I should have been more demanding with Mr. Schuester about featuring me too. She probably saw me singing and dancing in the background with you and Rachel and figured my audition was a fluke, if she noticed me at all."

Morose Kurt was more appealing than a plate of ribs. Finn knocked his chair back and came to stand behind Kurt's, resting his hands on Kurt's tense shoulders. He didn't bother to try to give him a massage, because Kurt would have just complained about how he was doing it wrong. Instead, he leaned down, his lips a mere fraction of an inch from Kurt's ear. "You're freaking out."

Kurt brought a hand up to one of Finn's on his shoulder and turned his head slightly. The movement resulted in Finn's lips ghosting over Kurt's cheek. He watched Kurt shiver in response. "I know. I'm sorry. I just need..." Kurt dropped his head and closed his eyes. "I don't even know what I need," he whispered.

"Hey, it's okay. It's late. Even if you sleep in tomorrow, you're gonna be toast unless we get back to bed." Finn backed off a little before he did something like offer to climb into bed with him. No matter how easy and simple things felt between them, Finn knew they weren't, not really. And I'm not gonna be the one to push, he promised himself. Kurt deserves something uncomplicated. At least I can give him that.

Finn stayed until Kurt finished his last swallow of milk, and then he took both empty mugs and put them in the sink. He put his hands back onto Kurt's shoulders, propelling Kurt's body towards the stairs. At Kurt's door, Finn grabbed him into a one-armed hug before pressing an almost-nonexistent kiss to the top of his head. "We can talk more in the morning; then it won't seem so desperate."

Kurt gave him a half-smile. "Since when are you the rational one?"

Finn decided not to answer that. He dropped his arm and walked to his own bedroom door, pulling it all the way closed behind him. Then he leaned against it, closing his eyes and trying to steady himself with his hands. One step at a time. He'd graduated from high school, at least. So what if he was single and prospectless? He hadn't completely run out of possibilities.

---

Puck thought trading in his truck for a motorcycle had been an awesome decision. He looked completely hot in leather, it was cheaper to drive, and if he happened to have a date, he had an extra helmet. Until then, being fancy-free was definitely the way to start his last summer in Lima.

He'd already begun to wrap up things with his pool cleaning clients. Hot mamas got pretty sentimental around graduation time, and he'd walked away from several visits, even just this early in June, with fat bonuses. Puck's bank account was getting pretty flush.

It wasn't until Mr. Stein approached him in the Safeway that he got the idea. Mrs. Stein had been a regular client for the past two years, but Mr. Stein was always away for his job, and Puck never saw him - which seemed to be fine with Mrs. Stein. She didn't complain about the Puck extras, anyway. But the intense look on Mr. Stein's face made Puck set down the can of corned beef hash he had in his hand.

"Uh, hey, man," he said, scanning the aisle for a manager. "Take it easy."

Mr. Stein stepped in close and pressed something into Puck's hands. Puck looked down. It was a white unmarked envelope. When he looked up again, Mr. Stein was already backing away.

"This will not continue," he said firmly. "Do you understand? We're seeing a marriage counselor. Our oldest is going to college. You don't get to have this."

Puck wanted to tell Mr. Stein exactly what he thought about him talking about his relationship with his wife that way, like it was a thing to be attained and then preserved, like taxidermy. He wanted to tell him that Mrs. Stein liked hard rock music and lacy purple underwear and sometimes wanted to tie him up and make him do things, but he figured that'd just make Mr. Stein more angry. He nodded instead. "Whatever you say. You'd better fix your drain, though, because if nobody's gonna clean it every week, it's gonna get mighty nasty."

He figured that was unsubtle enough to satisfy even clueless Mr. Stein, and made his way to the mens room to investigate the contents of the envelope.

It wasn't cash, as he'd kind of expected it to be. It was six travel vouchers for Delta Airlines, good for travel anywhere in the continental US. Which made sense, actually, now that he remembered what Mr. Stein did for a living. Pilots aren't home much. Puck mentally crossed pilot off his list of awesome jobs to do someday. Then he finished his grocery shopping and loaded up his saddlebags before heading back to his house.

By the time he unloaded them into the fridge, Puck's idea had already begun to take shape.

---

Burt knew about Kurt and Finn's 3AM "ladychats." He didn't really understand them, but Carole found them both comforting and adorable, so he had decided not to worry about it. It appeared they'd had one the night before, judging both from the saucepan and two mugs in the sink and the fact that neither boy had emerged from his room by 10AM the next day.

He knocked quietly on Kurt's door before opening it just a fraction and popping his head in. "Morning, kiddo. Rough night?"

"Mmm…" Kurt emerged from the pile of fluffy pillows, one eye open. He yawned around a mouthful of words that sounded like "Finn... late night... milk... talking."

"Well, Carole's almost finished making brunch. Don't bother trying to get dressed, or Finn will have polished off your share of the food before you're even done with your morning face routine."

Finn, at least, had the energy to raise his head when Burt peered into his room. He could see his hair, a mess of spikes going every which direction, like a grumpy porcupine. Burt tried to suppress his grin. "Ten minutes until we eat, sport." He moved out of the way to allow Finn to shuffle past him toward the bathroom.

The figure who greeted him in the entryway downstairs, however, was fully awake and cheerfully smiling. Burt gave him a beckoning wave, but Puck was already opening the door. "C'mon in, Puckerman."

"Morning, Mr H." Puck toed off his boots and set down his helmet. "You guys got a few minutes? I had an idea I wanted to run by you."

Burt nodded his head toward the kitchen. "You'd be welcome to join us for brunch. Carole's just finishing up."

"Noah." Carole smiled up at him. "Get yourself down a plate, mug and glass for yourself. Burt, grab some silverware for him, would you?"

"Thanks, Mrs. H-H." Puck gave her a quick kiss. Burt was charmed by the relationship between Carole and Puck. It was an interesting combination of second mother and protective big sister. Sometimes it seemed that Carole talked to Puck more than she did to her own son. Whatever the case, Puck was clearly aware there was always an open door, a place to rest his head, food if he needed it and an adult who would listen at the Hudson-Hummel house.

Kurt and Finn, both looking sleepily rumpled, appeared surprised to find Puck sitting at the table. Puck snagged a piece of pineapple from the tray and shoved it into his mouth with a smug grin.

"Figured you were leaving all the food for me on purpose," he told them.

"Yeah, like that's gonna happen." Finn reached out to cuff the back of his head, but Puck ducked in plenty of time to avoid it. They subsided under Carole's indulgent frown.

"That's enough roughhousing at the table. Would either of you like some coffee?"

They'd nearly finished their first cups when Puck slid what appeared to be three tickets across the table toward Finn and Kurt. Finn poked them with a curious finger. "You're going to Key West?"

"No," said Puck, "we're going to Key West."

Finn stared at the tickets, shaking his head in blank confusion. It was a familiar expression, one Burt saw often on Finn's face, but he didn't trust it for a minute. Finn understood more than he let on, almost all the time. Puck went on.

"See, what I figure is, I've got exactly one month before I'm blowing this pop stand for the last time. D'you think I'm planning to spend it listening to you sad sacks whine about what the universe isn't handing you? I am not. So I'm gonna get my party on, and you –" He leveled a finger at Finn. " – and you –" He swiveled his hand toward Kurt. " – are gonna help me."

Kurt looked more surprised than Finn. "Me?"

Puck shrugged. "I was guessing you might need a change of scenery right about now, Hummel. I figure, with Finn as our buffer, we can probably put up with each other for a week."

Burt watched Kurt's eyes flash, turning dark. The calm before the storm. He glanced over at Carole, sending her a silent question. She looked skeptical, but he could tell she was starting to be convinced. It certainly didn't hurt that Finn was all but bouncing in his seat. Burt hadn't seen him this excited since – well, possibly ever, not even when Glee club had won Nationals.

Carole smiled softly at Puck, reaching a hand out across the table to him. "Are you sure about this, Noah? You want to take both Finn and Kurt to Florida with you?"

Puck placed one of his hands on top of Carole's. "I'm 100% sure." He took his hand away and looked back over to Burt. "I think it's going to be great."

Carole gave Burt a tiny nod, and Burt turned to Kurt. "I'm not going to bother to ask Finn. He looks like he might blow a gasket any second. How about you, kiddo? You think you could spend a week in Florida without getting burned to a crisp?"

Kurt had recovered his aplomb and gave his father a little sniff in response. "Are you kidding? You honestly think I would pass up vacationing in the gayest place on Earth? And I'm including San Francisco and the Village. We'll probably sunburn rainbows."

"You're serious?" Finn could barely contain his excitement. "We can go?"

"Hey, you're adults," Burt reminded him. "Like we could stop you."

They weren't behaving much like adults at the moment, grinning like idiots and talking a mile a minute about the white sand beaches and warm sun. Even Kurt had his computer out, Googling the nightlife and events happening on the pier ("Oooh, look, there's a human-powered taxi service!").

"I've got a lead on a one week rental on a house," Puck told them, "but it's kind of pricey, so I'm still checking out our options."

Carole came over and rested both hands on Burt's shoulders, leaning in for a hug. "Do you think we could cover their lodging expenses? I think they really need this vacation – all of them."

"You know they're going to drink and have outrageous experiences, don't you? You okay with that?"

"Better together in Key West than all alone in Los Angeles or New York City," she said. "They'll take care of each other."

He kissed her cheek. "I love you when you're rational."

---

Puck didn't often hang out at the Hudson-Hummel house on weekend mornings. It was enough to see Kurt in delicious disarray to get his mind going places it probably shouldn't go. This morning his hair was not quite so artfully styled as usual, although it wasn't nearly as much a mess as Finn's, and he wore loose plaid pajama pants with a fitted tee shirt. It was long practice that kept Puck's awareness of Kurt on the edge of his consciousness. It felt like a privilege to be allowed to see Kurt like this; Puck wondered if Kurt had ever been this relaxed around his precious Blaine.

Carole found him in the kitchen as Puck left Finn and Kurt discussing beach-appropriate clothing to rinse the dishes. She gave his shoulder a little squeeze. "This is a generous thing you're doing, Noah."

He knew she wasn't referring to the dishes. "Well, hey," he said, waving a careless hand, getting suds on Carole's shirt. "I'm a generous guy."

She smiled. "I'm guessing you've already considered the fact that Kurt's single now."

"Yeah, like that makes any difference." He knew she'd see right through his posturing, though, and he was silent for several minutes as he loaded the dishwasher. She didn't press him for more. Eventually, he sighed, dropping his voice. "Sure. I thought about it. And I'm still going to LA in a month."

"A lot can happen in a month, honey. You know I'd be supportive if anything – happened, while you were there. I'm certain Burt would be, too."

Puck did know it. Carole and Burt were both good parents, the kind who wanted to know where their kids were and who they were with. The kind of parents who wanted to meet any "new" friends, and who graciously opened their own home to the other teens their sons considered friends, all in the name of safety and concerned parenting. Puck knew his look and his attitude tended to put some people off, but Carole especially saw through all of that.

He gave her a wan smile. "Thanks, Mrs. H-H. I think it's up to Kurt, though, and what he likes? I ain't got."

"That would be up to him to decide, don't you suppose?" She patted his shoulder. "Don't sell yourself short."

Puck watched Carole return to the dining room, where Finn was leaning over Kurt's shoulder, his face shining, exclaiming over the page they were reading about Key West. He supposed he could have teased him about the way he seemed to find pure joy in ordinary things, but for some reason, he couldn't bring himself to do it. Even something as trivial as driving to Dayton and eating at a new fast food restaurant chain was an exciting adventure for Finn. It was kind of awesome to be able to make him happy so easily.

He let himself get lost in daydreaming while he finished the dishes. Maybe the three of them would find somewhere to rent a couple of bicycles and explore a little, stopping for frozen coffee drinks and ice cream. Puck could picture the three of them goofing off in the water. No, scratch that; he and Finn would goof off in the water and Kurt would lounge on the beach with one of his fashion magazines. But Finn wouldn't let that fly. They were each big enough to take Kurt on, but together they'd just haul Kurt off his prim little ass, tossing him into the water. Kurt would probably shriek about his hair the whole time. Maybe they'd play frisbee, or beach volleyball or toss a football on the beach together. Puck was going to add his football and a frisbee to his guitar on his 'must pack' list.

And there was no question that he'd need to make a trip to Dayton to pick up some fake IDs. They weren't going to miss the local nightlife, neither the beach bonfire suds nor any liquid refreshment of the fun kind. If he could get Finn suitably distracted, maybe Puck could even test the waters with Kurt. He guessed that wouldn't be too hard. Finn had that boyish charm and good looks on his side, not to mention how much he'd filled out in the last year, especially in his shoulders… not that Puck had been looking. Just the general consensus from the McKinley female population. He gave himself a little shake and went back to loading the dishwasher.

---

Finn wasn't sure what his mom was talking to Puck about in the kitchen, but he had some guesses. She cornered him later in the middle of sorting through his summer clothes.

"There's no way I can wear these shorts in front of everybody," he said, tossing them onto the bed.

"You can wear whatever you want," his mom assured him. She sat on the edge of the mattress, folding his shirts and tucking them neatly into his suitcase. "I want you boys to go and have a good time and take care of each other."

"We will, mom."

But she clearly wasn't done yet. "I know you and Kurt especially are going through some big adjustments right now. This trip will be a really fun adventure."

Definitely an adventure, Finn agreed silently. Getting Kurt away from the house, away from all memories of Blaine, might be just the place for the two of them to consider the thing-they-didn't-talk-about. High school was over and both their plans had drastically changed. Who knew if or for how much longer they'd sleep just down the hall from each other. Maybe what had been happening between them had run its course, but Finn didn't want to believe that now, not with both of them single at the same time.

He knew it wasn't just about messing around, although that part was kind of amazing. But that might have been partially because the things Rachel didn't want to do, Kurt did. Finn wasn't sure what it said that he seemed to be more sexually compatible with Kurt than with his ex-girlfriend.

Carole lay a hand on his arm, her face concerned. "How are you doing, honey? Do you still think you did the right thing making Rachel go to New York without you?"

"It was maybe the hardest thing I've ever done in my life," he agreed, feeling the constriction in his chest. "But I still think it was right."

Her hand tightened. "I think so, too."

"And I am sure that you guys think this just proves how stupid and crazy I was to propose to Rachel in the first place." He rolled his eyes, watching her try not to smile. "I honestly thought we would end up in New York together. I still don't think that's totally out of the question, you know? But I can't just go to New York for her, and I definitely can't let her stay here for me."

She looked more worried now. "Do you think she'll try to come back for you? Or will you end up following her to New York?"

Finn moved a hand up to rub his forehead just above the corners of his eyes, effectively shielding his eyes from his mom. "I may have let her believe that me joining the Army is not completely off the table." Finn heard his mother's sharp intake of breath and hastily continued. "But it is - off the table, I mean. Completely. I'm not going to do that. I just, I needed to tell Rachel something, to try to let her down a little easier." Finn took his hand away from his eyes and looked at his mom, pleading with her to understand. "I didn't want her to have a reason or hope to come back for me, or an excuse for myself to wimp out. I'm just kind of..." He sighed. "I need to figure some stuff out, on my own, for myself."

She gave him a searching look. "Finn... I don't know if you know, but Noah... he has feelings for Kurt."

Finn shifted his feet uneasily. "How'd you know about that?"

"He told me a long time ago. Finn, I get the feeling that he's always expected me to talk him out of it, but... I think, maybe, they could be good together. Good for each other. And that was what I wanted to say. If Noah decides to tell Kurt how he feels, I don't want you to get all overprotective-big-brother on him."

Finn swallowed the lump in his throat. It was all he could do just to nod for her to continue.

"Now, I know Kurt's breakup is quite new. What he had with Blaine was his first relationship, and I don't know how long he is going to need to recover from all of that... Blaine cheating on him with Sebastian, I think that hurt him more than he's willing to let on. But if the two of them might want to explore their feelings, I want you to promise me you won't stand in their way. Don't be afraid of Burt; I can handle him."

Finn nodded again, and watched her smile and close the door behind her. He felt vaguely ill. He wasn't sure how this trip had gone from an awesome opportunity to expand on his feelings for Kurt and what that meant for them, to a disaster waiting to happen. He could just see the way it would play out: he would have to sit by and watch as Puck, his best friend, swooped in and took away yet another person Finn cared about. And Finn had all but promised his mother he wouldn't interfere in that. Why did I do that? He wanted to kick himself.

He sighed. His only hope at this point was for Kurt not to reciprocate Puck's feelings. And who was he kidding?! Like that was going to happen! It wouldn't be so terrible if Finn could tell Carole that Kurt just wasn't ready to move on, but the problem was, if Kurt wasn't ready to move on with Puck, then it definitely wouldn't be the right time for him and Kurt either. Finn fought back the hysterical laughter that was threatening to overtake him. It felt suspiciously like it might turn into tears.

---

Finn took a bite of his ice cream cone, slamming the passenger door of the Navigator and following Kurt into the mall. "Wow, I can't believe your dad gave you his credit card."

"He's not going to stand between a man and his fashion statement." Kurt pulled out a small notebook and a pen and began jotting down notes. "Let's see. We'll each need at least four pairs of shorts, two button up shirts, three tanks, a couple of tee shirts, two sets of swim trunks, a pair or two of jeans. We might as well get you new sandals while we're here. Oh, and a hat and sunscreen. Do you know where your sunglasses are?"

"Dude." Finn stared at him. "What's wrong with the jeans I have at home?"

"Everything." Kurt gave him an unflattering once-over. "You've been wearing the same style since ninth grade. They didn't fit properly then, either."

"You remember what kind of jeans I wore in ninth grade?"

Kurt ignored him. "You're going to have to trust me."

Finn finished the last bite of ice cream cone, licking his fingers. "Fine. But don't even think that you're gonna get me into those skinny, painted-on things you like to call jeans."

"Oh, god, Finn. I wouldn't put you through that experience."

He decided Macy's was the best they could do on short notice. Finn stood patiently while Kurt dug through the racks, occasionally holding something up against his frame to consider. He put back more than he kept, but it wasn't long before Finn's outstretched arms were draped with possibilities.

"I don't need any tee shirts or tank tops, either."

Kurt tried to stifle his sigh. "You're not taking any of your McKinley High Athletics tees with us to Florida. And you do need tank tops, for at the beach and wearing under the button up shirts."

Swimwear was harder. "I like those kind over there," Finn gestured with his chin to the board shorts that Kurt had all but ignored.

"No." Kurt shook his head vehemently. "Those are not the type of swimwear you take to Key West. You'd stand out like a sore thumb."

From the ornery look on Finn's face, it appeared that that was exactly what Finn wanted to do, but he followed Kurt to the dressing rooms without further comment. When Kurt passed him outfits over the door, reminding him not to forget the undershirt and how many buttons to fasten, Finn didn't object.

Kurt struggled into the charcoal skinny jeans. "How does it fit? Can I see?"

"The jeans are okay, but the shirts are too small."

Boot cut was definitely a better fit for Finn than regular or loose. He cast an appraising eye over the dark indigo wash, paired with a grey tank and a wide red, white and navy striped shirt. Finn had done up almost all the buttons on the shirt, and while it was admittedly more form-fitting than the ones he had at home, it wasn't as if he was in danger of it ripping at the seams while he moved about. "Can I see it with all the buttons undone, like this?"

Finn obligingly undid the buttons on the shirt, allowing Kurt to see the undershirt. "See? It's way too tight."

"It's supposed to look like that. Look at mine." Kurt let the shirt slip down his arms to reveal the way the tank clung to his chest and across his shoulders.

Finn looked away quickly, scowling. "Yeah, but it looks good on you. I just look like... like the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man."

Kurt seized Finn's upper arms and spun him around so he was looking into the mirror. "I do not see any marshmallow man here." He ran his hands across Finn's shoulders. "I see a hard-working athlete."

Finn snorted. "That's not what Santana would say if she were here."

"Santana's a bitch!" Kurt snapped. Finn visibly recoiled, and Kurt made an effort to calm down. He moved to one side so he could find Finn's eyes in the mirror. "I don't understand why her opinion matters so much to you."

Finn stared at his worn sandals. "Because she was the first girl I was with. I was naked in front of her, and she made fun of me, and she's gonna keep making fun of me every chance she gets."

Kurt resisted the urge to wrap him up in a hug. "Not everyone shares Santana's opinion on your body, Finn. In fact, I think if you asked, you'd find most people are in disagreement with her." He patted Finn's chest briskly. "Choose two jeans and shirts you like the best and put the others out here on the door; these are all the same style. Let's try the shorts next."

The khaki shorts were fine, but Kurt especially liked the teal crew neck shirt. The cut of the sleeve of the tee accentuated his biceps. He opened the door at the same time Finn did. "Good?"

"Yeah, these are good." Finn grinned, nodding at the mirror. "Dude. That shirt makes you look like you have some serious guns."

Kurt flexed one of his arms, watching Finn's eyes widen. "You think?"

Finn reached out and ghosted his fingertips over Kurt's flexed arm. "Definite gun action here." His voice was a little hoarse. It was a lot more intimate than Kurt had anticipated for the changing room, and he struggled to contain his reaction. He couldn't ignore the way his skin exploded with sparks of electricity everywhere that Finn made contact.

It took him a few moments before he could respond. "Those look fine. Try the last pair."

Kurt decided he liked the simple white shorts and black v-neck tee. This time he had to wait for Finn to open his door.

"Dude, these are way too -" he complained. Then his eyes caught Kurt's reflection in the mirror, and he closed his mouth and just stared. Kurt crossed his arms over his chest.

"What?"

Finn's cheeks were red, but he just shook his head. "Nothing. The, um, black. That's... whatever. It's fine. But these shorts you gave me, they're... they're just short."

"Those look good," Kurt insisted, "but you don't have to get them if they're uncomfortable. We still have swimwear to go. Are you ready for this?"

He grimaced, eying the pile of skimpy trunks. "I don't know, man."

"You said you would trust me."

Finn scoffed. "Of course I trust you. You're like number three on my most trusted list; Mom first, then Puck, then you."

"And do you think you'll be the only one in Key West wearing a swimsuit at the beach?"

"No! It's just..." Finn lowered his voice to a whisper as he pulled Kurt into his dressing room with him. "Okay, so we're going to Florida, you, me and Puck? The girls all think Puck is hot because of his guns and his abs and whatever. And you are gay hot - I mean all the gay guys in Key West are going to think so. I just know it. And then there's me, and I'm just kind of big and bulky and clumsy. Girls might find me cute, but I'm not built or hot or anything. It's like that time you gave Rachel that makeover and she looked like a sad clown hooker." Finn was starting to sound panicked. "Kurt, I don't want to be the sad clown hooker on our trip!"

"Oh - Finn." Kurt covered his smile with one hand. He shook his head. "What I did to Rachel was all kinds of wrong. She trusted me and I abused that trust. I knowingly misled her just to make myself feel better." Kurt caught Finn's eye. "I'd never do that to you. I promise you won't look like a - a sad anything." He chose the hunter green suit from the pile and pressed it into his hands. "Start with these."

Kurt had just pulled on the light blue tank to go with the smallest of the three swimsuits he'd chosen when he heard Finn's groan. "Uh-uh. This one is a definite no."

Finn was pressed up against the wall in the corner behind the door, his arms crossed protectively across his body, shielding as much of it from view as possible. When he saw Kurt, however, his arms dropped to his sides, slack. "Dude, you can't go out in public in that!" he sputtered. "Puck and I would end up spending all our time beating the guys off you. Then we'd probably get thrown in jail for it being like a hate crime." His eyes were resting everywhere and anywhere but on Kurt.

"Fine," he soothed. "You don't have to wear the green one. But you don't get to dictate what I wear. It's not about whether or not you appreciate it."

Kurt thought he heard Finn mumble something about appreciating the suit just fine as he shut the door. Kurt changed out of the skimpy blue trunks and traded them for the same style Finn had just been wearing, but in red, before knocking on the door. "Are you decent?"

The door swung open to reveal Finn glancing over his shoulder at his butt in the mirror. "I guess these aren't so bad compared to the first ones," Finn admitted. He squinted at Kurt. "Hey, are those the same as the ones I just had on?" Kurt nodded. "Better on you. Get those instead. We still might have to threaten guys mooning over you, but at least Burt won't have another heart attack."

Finn's last pair was a set of navy trunks. He looked the most at ease in these. Kurt could easily picture Finn in those on the beach, tossing a frisbee around. "Nice," Kurt said, and Finn smiled, relaxing.

Finn went over to the shoe section and picked out a new pair of sandals while Kurt tried on hats. "That one totally suits you," he said, admiring the white straw fedora with the black band. "It reminds me of that hat Puck wore when he sang that song to Mercedes sophomore year."

"The world may come to an end," Kurt marveled. "Finn Hudson noticed, and remembered, someone's fashion efforts." He picked up a beige one with a black band and handed it to Finn. "Although I have to admit, that was an amazing number. So unlike Puck's usual image."

Finn put the hat on his head. "What do you think? We should totally get one for Puck, too." He chose a grey one with a white band.

In the end, both Kurt and Finn ended up purchasing some things on their own (Finn bought his own sandals and the hats for him and Puck, while Kurt purchased the charcoal jeans, the teal tee that showed off his 'guns' and the tiny blue swim trunks) and the rest went on the credit card Burt had handed to Kurt. Then the boys headed to the sunglasses hut for new shades.

Kurt was still deciding on sunglasses when Finn offered to go to the drugstore for sunscreen and aloe. "SPF 45 at least, please," Kurt called after him. "And no chemical sunblock."

---

Even though he knew he didn't have to be sneaky about doing it, Finn tried not to make a big deal about going to Kurt's room after he got ready for bed. He liked sitting with Kurt, watching him put the cream stuff on his face. It felt comforting to sit on his bed and have Kurt share that little ritual with him.

"My mom asked me about Rachel this afternoon," Finn said, his arms around his knees. Kurt glanced over at him, then quickly back to the mirror.

"How was that?" he asked hesitantly.

"I told her I thought it was the right decision, even though it was hard? I mean, I'm not denying we had issues." He thought he might actually be able to say it, with Kurt focusing elsewhere. "She… there were things she didn't want to do? And that kind of felt bad, because - um. After you did them…"

He watched Kurt stiffen. "Finn."

"Just… it's okay, right?" He hoped he didn't sound too much like he was pleading. "You're not seeing anybody, I'm not seeing anybody. We can at least talk about it."

Kurt set the tube of cream down on the vanity. "I… yes. We can talk about it."

Finn let out the breath he was holding. "I was just thinking about that, and how… I guess everybody has things they like. Things they… want."

Kurt's own breath was coming a little more quickly now. Finn tried not to focus on the rapid rise and fall of his chest, the flush on his cheeks. "Sure. Yes."

"I think with Rachel, it seemed like there were a lot of things she didn't want that I wanted. And that was…" He paused.

Kurt's eyes found his, for just a heartbeat. "Frustrating?"

"Um." The way he said the word made it unbelievably seductive. "Maybe. Disappointing, definitely. Scary, to think about doing without them?"

He watched Kurt place his hands flat on the vanity, leaning in a little.

"How was it with Blaine?" Immediately Finn wasn't sure he wanted to know. "Um, I mean.."

"He said he wanted the same things as me," Kurt said. "But the way he did them made it hard to enjoy them. He tried, but he was so hesitant. I always wondered if he was just doing them for me." He sighed. "It just wasn't very good. If I hadn't… with you, I probably wouldn't have realized, but…"

"Oh," Finn whispered. He considered breaking into song, but he thought that might be a little much. He's saying I'm better at those things than Blaine. Me. He thought about the items he'd picked up at the drugstore that afternoon when he told Kurt he was buying sunscreen, the condoms and lube, and the possibilities made his head swim. "Uh… well, you're the only one who ever… you know. With your mouth."

"A blowjob, Finn. It's called a blowjob. You're eighteen. Don't you think you should be able to say that word?

Finn wasn't sure he'd ever heard Kurt say it before, actually, but hearing it now made him want to do whatever he had to do in order to get Kurt to say it again. "I can say it," he replied, with a little indignant heat.

Kurt stood, facing him, both hands on his hips. "Yeah? Let's hear it."

"Kurt, what are we, twelve?"

"I want to hear it," Kurt insisted. "Tell me."

Tell me, Finn gibbered in his mind, his hands clenching on his knees. He dropped his voice, letting it get a little rough. "A blowjob. You gave me a blowjob."

Kurt's eyelashes fluttered closed, and Finn watched him make a hitching gasp. "Oh god."

"You… you like doing that."

Kurt made a quick nod, his eyes still closed.

"You liked doing it with me."

Another nod, this one more slow, almost dreamy.

Finn unfolded his legs, wondering if Kurt would notice the erection poking into the elastic of his waistband. Honestly, though, he wanted him to notice. To do something about it. He took a step toward him, then paused. "Do you… would you like to…?"

Kurt bit his lip. "Lock the door."

Finn could do that. He could lock the door, and he could turn around and see Kurt watching him. Staring at his crotch. He put a hand there, giving it an impatient squeeze, and heard Kurt let out an anticipatory whine.

"Where?" Finn asked.

"In my chair. Here."

The vanity chair was small, with barely a back on it, not really enough to lean against, but Finn wasn't going to argue. He lifted the waistband off his hips and slid his pajama pants down to his ankles. Kurt wasn't taking his eyes off Finn's dick, which was fully erect now. He sat down on the stool, spreading his legs wide, and hesitated only a moment before grasping his dick in his hand. It made Kurt gasp again, then groan, sinking to his knees and rubbing a hand over his own crotch.

They'd never done anything like this before, not with the lights on, so Finn guessed he owed Kurt a minute to get used to the way his dick looked before putting it in his mouth. He held it out, firmly grasping the base with a thumb and two forefingers.

"You – you really want to?" he asked, feeling almost shy.

"Oh my god," Kurt said again, with fervent need, "yes."

You can do that anytime, he wanted to say, for as long as you want to. It was a little too close to the things he really wanted to say, though, and right now, he was focused on what Kurt was doing, which was kind of hovering over him with his mouth, and breathing on him, and – Finn bucked forward, accidentally smearing his precome on Kurt's upper lip.

"Oh," Finn blurted, "I'm sorry –"

But Kurt was licking his lips, and - god, he looked like he'd never tasted anything more appealing. He gazed up at Finn, eyes wide and opaque, and then folded his perfect pink lips over the head of Finn's dick.

Finn breathed out an ohhhh, letting Kurt take him in, feeling that rhythm he remembered so well from the one time they'd done this before. It had pretty much become the highlight of all his fantasies, the memory of the sensation of his dick in Kurt's mouth, but this, this, was a bazillion times hotter. Because now he could see Kurt, could see him – doing what he was doing.

"You're sucking my cock," Finn whispered. He watched for any distaste on Kurt's face, but saw only desire, and a quick nod of his head. Yes. Yes, I am. I'm doing that for you. It was a little unreal. But he thought Kurt deserved to hear what he was thinking, so he just opened his own mouth and let the words tumble out. "That feels so good, you have no idea, and - you look amazing, I can't believe you want this, but it's just – it's everything, it's so good."

The words seemed to inspire Kurt to take him in deeper, to move with a faster pace, and Finn had to stifle his moans as he felt the tension mount. Then Kurt sucked hard, and he felt the sensation hit with excruciating pleasure.

"Kurt," he said quickly, "you'd better – I'm going to – oh –"

Kurt had moved his hand to replace his mouth, and once again, the rough, quick stroke was exactly what he wanted. Kurt had done that with Finn before, but never had Finn been so slick and so close to coming. He squeezed his eyes tight, feeling his balls tighten and pulse with release.

He really wasn't sure if he wanted to see what would happen next, how Kurt reacted to the mess of Finn coating his hand, and concentrated instead on keeping his noises to a minimum. It wasn't likely their parents would walk by in the hallway, but if they did, he really wasn't prepared to explain what was going on, considering he barely understood it himself.

"Finn," he heard Kurt say, his voice thick and ragged with need, "touch me. Please."

This, too, he'd done before, in the cover of darkness in Kurt's bed, fumbling under the waistband of his pajamas. He hadn't looked before, hadn't seen his erection in the light, but Kurt didn't really look all that different than he did. He felt familiar to his hand, and he knew the way Kurt liked him to cup his balls in his hand, to stroke the tight muscle underneath, to let the skin slip over the head as he stroked. In mere minutes, Kurt was gasping, his body straining forward to thrust into his hand, whispering, "Finn, Finn, god, Finn…"

Finn guessed that getting a blowjob from anyone would probably be pretty awesome, but he was especially pleased with the way Kurt seemed to love the way he touched him, how Finn could leave him panting and limp and incoherent. Rachel had never gotten like that, not even on those occasions when she'd had an orgasm herself. He ran his clean hand along Kurt's bare stomach, wiping up stray dribbles of come.

"I should –" Kurt let his shirt drop down, hesitating. Finn snatched his hands away. He couldn't even make himself ask for a tissue; he just wiped his hands on his own shirt and pulled up his pajama pants.

"It's okay," he said quickly. "I'm… I'd better go back to my room."

Kurt was already standing, straightening himself up. "Good night, Finn."

Finn didn't stay and wait for Kurt's reply; he just let him draw his own conclusions about how things had gone. All Finn could think, besides oh my god that was awesome, was how comforting, how warm and inviting Kurt's bed had seemed. He would have given anything to convince Kurt to invite him to stay the night. Instead, he climbed into his own bed, not even bothering to wash his hands, and let his own dreams consume him.

---

When Puck told them he had a lead on a rental cottage in Key West for a week, Kurt hadn't quite imagined this. He stood on the sidewalk looking up at the two story cottage while Puck and Finn took care of the luggage. It was a pale buttercup yellow with blue shutters. Kurt still could not fathom how Puck had discovered this property.

A short, balding man stood up on the porch and approached Kurt. "Noah Puckerman?"

Kurt stifled a snort as Puck came around from behind him and offered the man his hand. "I'm Noah. You must be Mr. Jaymes."

"Hope you enjoy your stay, boys. My number's on the fridge for emergencies." He offered the keys to Puck who in turn passed them to Kurt. "All of the paperwork was taken care of by fax. I put copies of the contract in the folder on the kitchen table."

"Thank you, sir," said Finn.

Mr. Jaymes looked at the three young men in front of him and then shook his head. "I must say, when I got the call from a Burt Hummel in Ohio, I thought it might actually have been Congressman Burt Hummel. I mean, how many Burt Hummels can there be?"

Kurt watched as Puck grinned slyly. "It was Congressman Hummel."

"But my brother and I," Kurt nodded to Finn, "usually just call him Dad."

Mr. Jaymes looked from Finn to Kurt and then to Puck like he couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Well, you gentlemen have a wonderful stay. Keep the noise down after 11 PM. The keys can be left in the mailbox slot once you've locked up on Saturday." He gave them a wave. "I'll hope not to hear from you, but call if there's a problem."

Kurt grabbed Puck's arm before they could get any further up the walkway. "How did you find this place?"

Puck looked completely smug. "Dude; I have connections. Professional and personal. I asked a buddy I know online about places in Key West and he suggested this one."

Finn's eyes lit up. "Are you saying there's a pool?"

"No pool, but the beach is close. There is however, a hot tub." Puck waggled his eyebrows at Kurt.

Kurt led the way up the path to the front door, holding it so Puck and Finn could bring in their gear. They dropped everything in the living room and made their way around the cottage.

"The hot tub's back here." Puck was already in the backyard, a strip of land as barely as wide as the house. Kurt guessed the hot tub itself would scarcely fit the three of them if they ever all wanted to partake at the same time. "I think both bedrooms are upstairs."

They climbed the stairs and found two bedrooms with a bathroom between them and a door leading out to a broad porch on the second floor. There was hardly a division between the interior of the house and the porch. Kurt could hear the infamous Key West roosters crowing through every open window.

He paused in the bigger of the two bedrooms, contemplating the king bed and half bath. The smaller one had a queen. The porch had two chairs and a table much like on the front porch. I wonder if Finn can carry up or down one of the other chairs and squeeze it into the small space so we can all sit out together, Kurt mused. Otherwise someone is going to have to sit in someone else's lap.

"I think Kurt should take the big bedroom," Finn suggested as they climbed down the stairs to sort out the luggage. "It has that bathroom. You know, dude, for all your face creams and that."

"No problemo," Puck said easily. "And I can take the futon couch in the living room, because, let's face it, Finn isn't going to fit on a futon."

Kurt put a hand on Puck's arm as they reached the bottom of the stairs. "Are you sure?" he asked. "I can just as easily sleep down here."

Puck shook his head, but his smile was wide. "Uh-uh. Burt and Carole are paying for this place. I gotta make sure you dudes get the bedrooms."

---

"I can't believe these shirts are right out here in public." Finn peered down Duval Street at the groups of tourists, laughing and drinking. "I think we'd get expelled for wearing half of these shirts at school."

"Not anymore, dude." Puck poked Finn's shoulder, grinning. "You seem to forget we are out of that school. Nobody can tell us what we can or can't wear."

"Try telling your employer that," sniffed Kurt.

"My employer is me, dude. And I'm telling myself I should wear... that one." Puck pointed a finger at If people could read my mind, I'd get punched in the face a lot. None of them could refute this. They followed Puck into the shop.

Finn was mostly embarrassed by the fact that the more risqué of the shirts made him so uncomfortable, while Puck and Kurt seemed dead set on one-upping one another with pointing out grosser and more outrageous statements. Puck laughed hilariously at the one with the graphically illustrated Warning: Choking Hazard, Package contains large parts. He turned to Kurt.

"Hey, is it true that gay guys love sucking cock?"

Finn stared determinedly at the t-shirt reading An apple a day will keep anyone away if thrown hard enough, willing his face not to turn scarlet. Kurt choked on a laugh. "You're seriously asking me that?"

"I'm seriously asking you that," Puck assured him. "You're my expert. And don't give me that sociological all people are different, sexuality's not binary bullshit. I want it straight up. Do they?"

Finn peeked at Kurt. He was watching Puck with obvious curiosity. Finally, he said, cool as anything, "Yeah, pretty much."

"Guys," Finn said, hearing his own voice come out pained.

"Awesome," said Puck reverently. "I bet dudes give way better head than chicks."

"Sorry, I wouldn't have any basis for comparison."

Puck pointed out the J.O.C.K. Wrestling - physicals today after practice shirt. Even Finn could tell those two guys weren't really wrestling. "So, are you a top? A bottom? You switch?"

"Puck!" Finn cried. They barely looked at him.

"I don't think I want to know how you know those terms." Kurt was smiling. He was smiling, and Puck was smiling back.

"The same way I know everything I know about sex, Hummel. Ex-pee-ree-ence. You don't go around the block a couple times without seeing some sights."

Then Kurt seemed to notice Finn's discomfort at last. He reached out and took his hand, towing him toward the door. "Come on. There's a hundred more things to do before the sun goes down. Who wants to check out Leather Master before we get our free shots at Sloppy Joe's?"

Finn thought the evening crowd was skewed a little toward the forties-and-grey-beard set. "I thought this place was supposed to be full of young gay guys?" he said doubtfully.

Kurt gave him an oblique look. "We can go up to the Bourbon Street Pub later." He moved in to walk next to Finn, bumping against his arm and lowering his voice. "I didn't know you were looking."

"I'm not!" he yelped. "Jesus, Kurt."

He didn't even know how to explain why he was so irritated. It definitely had something to do with the way Puck was staying within three feet of Kurt at all times, but even more to do with Kurt accepting his crass, outrageous comments like they weren't a big deal. Like he liked the attention.

But Finn was so over himself being jealous already. He wanted to appreciate Kurt and Puck getting along, his two favorite dudes. Maybe it wouldn't even be so bad if they got together. At this point, with Puck flanking Kurt on the other side as they walked, looking at him like that, he could almost see it happening. He sighed to himself and tried to put on a brave face.

---

Well in advance of sundown, they made their way towards Mallory Square and Sunset Pier. Puck was the navigator, wielding the map like a real tourist, and Finn the muscle, pushing their way through the people in their path with a personable, "Excuse us," "Pardon us," "Would you mind?" along with one of his killer smiles. Kurt just followed along, not quite half a step behind, his brain slightly muddled already with alcohol, trying to rationalize the weirdness this trip had already been.

Like terrible 80s pop rock music would suggest, there must be something in the air tonight, thought Kurt. If I didn't know better, I would swear Puck was flirting with me. And Finn was no better. One minute he was the same adorable, over-excitable kid-in-a-candy-store, and the next moment he was moodier than all the Glee girls combined. Kurt wasn't quite sure what to make of it, but he thought Finn should really be happy. If Puck and I weren't getting along, this could easily be the longest seven days in history.

"Dude, here it is!" said Puck with a loud shout. Here appeared to be the middle of the pier, where Puck and Kurt were pressed up against the rail, crammed in tightly against each other. Finn stood behind them, effectively blocking them from being jostled by the growing boisterous crowd. Small carts sold souvenirs, while street performers juggled, did magic tricks and played various instruments for passers-by.

"Nice," Kurt said. Puck grinned at him.

"This is supposed to be the place to be at sunset in the Keys."

Finn returned from the drink vendor, carrying three blue frozen concoctions that went down like Kool-Aid. "This is totally awesome, Puck." His voice rang out loud over the music, the crowd and the festivities. He rested a casual hand on Kurt's shoulder. "We owe you a big one. Right, Kurt?"

"Yes, yes, of course," Kurt replied. "I'm not sure I entirely know your reason for choosing Key West as your destination of choice. But I honestly can't complain."

Puck nodded his head to the music. "Hey, this is our chance to cut loose, before we have to go off and be adults. Get a little crazy." He cut a complicated move on the boardwalk that had two women whistling and clapping.

Kurt could feel Finn chuckling behind him. He didn't bother to stifle his own giggles. The color of the sky had already deepened, from golden-yellow, to rust, then to red. It didn't seem inappropriate for three boys on the verge of adulthood to cling to some childish ways.

"Turn around, lemme get a picture for Mom and Burt!" Finn exclaimed. He turned Kurt to face him and pulled his phone out of his pocket, snapping the shot. He smiled, tipping it to show Kurt. "Look."

Kurt blinked at the picture Finn had managed to capture. His skin was flushed from heat, alcohol and the conversation. His eyes were wide and shining and his smile large and genuine, contrasting with the fiery red flames of the sunset, glowing on the water.

"I told you when you tried out for football: red's your color, dude." Finn voice was soft as he put his phone back in his pocket. Then his hand moved to Kurt's hip, not quite holding him, and leaned in to speak into his ear. "I'm so glad we're here, Kurt. Together."

It didn't feel strange to put his hand on top of Finn's and let their fingers interlace. He turned his head slightly and was rewarded with a bright, full smile.

"Me too," Kurt whispered.

By the time Puck returned from flirting with the two women on the boardwalk, they'd moved apart again, but Kurt held onto the sensation of Finn's arms around him as the sky moved from crimson, to magenta, to indigo.

Puck's bare shoulder nudged his as he leaned on the railing, looking out over the water, and he tapped Kurt's paper cup with his own. "Here's to being one of the freaks on Sunset Pier."

"I'll drink to that," said Kurt, smiling.

---

The young gay guys apparently did not come out until after sundown. After Kurt's comment earlier about him looking, Finn tried not to notice all of them, shirtless and buff and looking like a bunch of carbon copies of one another - nor his indignant instinct to put an arm around Kurt and whisper you're hotter than all of them.

"So you never answered my question." Puck reached down, snagged a crumpled piece of cardboard off the sidewalk and made a basket into the trash can as they passed it.

Kurt played innocent so well, even if Finn totally knew he wasn't. "Didn't I? I think that means you need to ask the question again."

"Are you a bottom or a top?"

Finn couldn't even imagine those words coming out of his mouth. He was pretty sure Kurt was blushing, and that somehow made it even harder to listen to his reply, but Finn couldn't exactly see himself wandering away or putting his fingers in his ears.

"And you actually want to know the answer?"

Puck smirked. "All information is useful sometimes."

"Yeah, that's what I'm afraid of. I'm going to wake up tomorrow and find you've hacked into my Facebook and changed my status to Kurt Hummel is a -"

"Absolutely not," Puck swore. "Completely doesn't go beyond the three of us."

Kurt paused outside the bar they were passing. "Then I think, if I'm going to answer that, I need more alcohol."

"I can totally arrange that." Puck pushed the door open, ushering Kurt in first, then Finn. Finn paused in the doorway, leaning in a little as he passed him, and saw Puck's smile slip.

"What are you doing, Puck?" he murmured.

"What does it look like?" Puck glanced at Kurt, already settling himself on a stool and chatting with the busty blonde bartender. "How many more chances like this am I going to get with him? I'm guessing zero."

Finn ground his teeth. "He's not another one of your chicks, dude."

"What?" Puck stared at him. Then he hauled him away from the door, just out of view of the bar. "You know I know that. How many years have I been keeping my distance? I'm not fucking around here."

"Yeah? Do you think Kurt knows that?"

"I think Kurt doesn't need to know. He's got his whole fucking life ahead of him. Right now, he needs a distraction from that douchebag who broke his heart, and maybe a chance to get a little experience with somebody who won't." Puck's face was determined. "You have my word, bro. I know you're watching out for him. You've gotta trust me that I'm gonna do the same."

Finn had no way to explain that that wasn't the problem at all, that he did trust Puck, kind of more than he trusted anybody outside his family,ever. That the reasons this felt so confusing and complicated were all about something he couldn't even tell Puck about, and that felt awful, hiding this thing with Kurt from him, especially when he knew how Puck felt about Kurt. His stomach churned with anxiety. No matter what happens, I'm going to lose.

"Okay," he said, sighing. "You can -"

The rest of his words were smothered by Puck's sudden crushing hug. "Thanks, man," he breathed against Finn's neck. Then he was backing away, grinning like a madman. He held up two fingers like pistols, pointing at Finn. "Wish me luck."

"Good luck," Finn whispered, but Puck had already entered the bar, pulling up a stool right next to Kurt's and slinging a companionable arm around his shoulder. Finn waited a few minutes before wiping his eyes, fixing a smile on his face and joining them, a few seats away.

He was relieved to note that the conversation they were having with the bartender was about Puck's shirt rather than Kurt's proclivities in bed. She smiled at Finn. "What can I get you?"

"Something not too sweet?" He watched Kurt sip his frou-frou drink with umbrellas. "I like lemonade."

"A cobalt kiss," she suggested, pouring a shot of vodka. "Blue curacao, Sprite and lime juice."

It was actually delicious, and Finn drank it a little too fast. When he nudged his glass toward her for another one, he mentioned, "That's my brother. The dude with the umbrellas. And my best friend."

The bartender nodded. "The three of you having a good time?"

"This place is awesome," he said honestly. "But it's kind of lonely being the third wheel."

She pursed her lips, surveying the bar. "There's a group of girls who came in earlier. I'm guessing you wouldn't have to leave alone, if you didn't want to."

He poked at the cubes of ice with his stirrer. That's kind of the problem. I don't want to leave alone, but the guy I want to leave with is currently flirting with my best friend. "Thanks."

It got more depressing as the night went on, as Kurt got his groove on on the dance floor and Puck and Finn both watched him. Puck was progressively more friendly with Kurt, grinding behind him in passing. When Kurt returned to the bar to get some ice water, Puck goosed him and Kurt squeaked, laughing.

"You know," he said, as Puck's hand slid from his shoulder to his waist, "if you keep doing that, people are going to think we're together."

"Hell," Puck declared. "This is Key fucking West. Tell me you care."

Kurt smiled into his water glass. "No. Not really. But I thought you might."

"Check it out: this is me, not caring. And if people want to wonder about us..." He leaned forward and planted a loud, sloppy kiss on Kurt's forehead. "Let's give 'em something to wonder about, then."

Kurt stared at Puck as he threw himself back onto the dance floor. Then he glanced back at Finn, blue eyes twinkling. "Is this really happening?"

Finn turned around and leaned back on his arms, resting on the bar, his eyes only registering Kurt and Puck. He didn't know why he wasn't more surprised when their bodies slotted together easily on the crowded dance floor, grinding against each other to the pulsing beat of the music and flashing lights. Puck bent his head down to whisper something to Kurt, who in turn threw his head back in laughter before saying something to Puck in return. Finn's fists instinctively clenched and his mouth turned down in a scowl as Kurt claimed Puck's lips with his own.

The bartender returned with Finn's check. "Can I get you anything else?"

"I'll pay for their drinks, too," he said, gesturing at the dance floor. "Would you mind telling them I'm waiting outside when they come back? I need a little air."

---

His room was a little stiflingly warm with the door closed, but there was no way Finn was going to invite conversation with either Kurt or Puck once they returned from their circuit of Duval Street. He could hear them talking and laughing, interspersed with several periods of silence, and he could only imagine what was happening during those times. It was a little painful to think about, and a little stimulating, but mostly he still felt confused. The residual alcohol buzz wasn't helping.

Eventually the sounds stopped entirely. Finn stood up, listening at the door before opening it slowly and peeking out into the dark hallway. It was quiet. He tiptoed down the stairs far enough to catch sight of Puck, crashed out on the couch. Puck hadn't even bothered to unfold the hideabed.

Then Finn went back upstairs to Kurt's room and stood in the doorway, listening to his slow breathing for a few long minutes. He wondered why Kurt was alone in his bed. That was something of a relief, though he felt kind of bad for him, too. If he'd been dancing with Kurt like that, there was no way he'd have chosen to end up alone in his bed.

"Kurt?" he whispered. There was no answer. He pushed through the door into his room, shutting it behind him. "Are you awake?"

"Mmmm..." He heard Kurt turn over. The noise was so familiar and comforting that Finn found himself moving to the foot of his bed.

"Can I..." he swallowed hard, trying not to cry. "Can I come in?"

"Yeah. Yeah, sure." Kurt still sounded muzzy with sleep, but he sat up. His chest was bare, and Finn could see him rubbing his face in the faint light from the window. A rooster crowed outside. "Are you okay?"

"I should ask you the same thing." He sat close enough to touch Kurt's leg with his knee. "Tonight... how did it go? I mean, I saw how it went, but..." He trailed off, waiting.

"Um. Yeah." Kurt let out an embarrassed laugh. "God. That was completely unexpected. And really fun. I had no idea Puck had a sense of humor."

"You're kidding, right? He's completely hilarious. I can't tell you the number of times he made me snort my milk in elementary school."

"No, I know." He stopped. Finn put out a hesitant hand, resting it on Kurt's leg, and felt him startle. "But tell me you've ever seen him like that."

Every time he's ever tried to impress a new girl? But even Finn knew that wasn't quite fair, or even true. He sighed. "No. Not like that."

"I still have no idea as to his motivations, but whatever he was doing, it was really nice. And sweet. I didn't know he was..." Kurt paused. "Finn, are you okay?"

It was pointless to try to hide it from Kurt. "No."

"Yeah, I didn't think so." Kurt sounded unhappy. "I didn't... I want you to know that we didn't... do anything. I didn't think that would be fair to you."

"To me?" He felt Kurt's hand reach for him, and he took it before he realized it contained Kurt's handkerchief. He wiped his cheeks and blew his nose. "You don't have any obligation to me, Kurt."

"Of course I do. You're my -" He heard Kurt hesitate, then push on, "I care about you."

"I care about you, too." That was easy to say, at least. "I was mostly checking in because, um. I figured if things had gone well, that you guys would be..."

"Behaving like eighteen-year-old boys?" He leaned back against the wall. "We did some of that."

That brought up some very specific, very guilt-inspiring images of what Kurt and Puck might have been doing. "Yeah? I mean... that's good. Um... was that good? I'm not trying to ask, but..."

"You can. Ask. If you want to."

Finn squirmed a little on the bed. "I don't think that would be... I don't know. I'm still trying to wrap my head around this idea."

"Tell me about it." He could hear the tension in Kurt's voice, but he wasn't sure what it meant until Kurt tugged on his hand, pulling him forward. "Would you come here? Please?"

"Oh, um... yeah? I could do that." He hovered there, feeling Kurt pulling on him but not exactly sure where to go, until Kurt threw the sheet back and patted the bed. He could see him pretty clearly now, in the dark, and they were both only wearing boxers, and Kurt wanted him to lie down next to him? "Are you sure you want -?"

"Please," Kurt said again, and Finn had no way to say no to that, not when he wanted so much to say yes, god, yes. He slid his legs beneath the sheet, wondering if he should lie down or sit there, and Kurt kind of sighed and touched Finn's shin with his toe. Suddenly they were kissing, Kurt's hand pulling Finn's head down to meet his, and all Finn could think was wait, we're not supposed to kiss, this thing isn't supposed to involve kissing. And immediately following that, Puck did that with you, less than two hours ago, and he moaned quietly into Kurt's mouth.

"Is this okay?" Kurt asked breathlessly between kisses. His hand had found the hem of Finn's undershirt, the one Kurt had picked out for him, and was sliding underneath it to rest on his chest.

"Okay," Finn gasped, "yes, please, this is okay, can you -?"

Kurt was already moving, shifting a knee over Finn's legs to straddle him. He pressed Finn down onto the bed with both hands before shoving Finn's shirt over his ribs, past his shoulders and over his head. When he leaned down to kiss Finn again, more urgently this time, Finn could feel the pressure of Kurt's chest and arms, and below that, the hot, firm pulse of his cock. He shuddered, dropping his own hands automatically to hold Kurt's ass, and heard Kurt groan in response.

"Kissing you," Kurt said, breathing hard, "is unbelievably hot. You have no idea how many times I've thought about kissing you."

"Me, too." Finn rubbed his cheek against Kurt's, feeling the scratchy surface of his unshaven skin. Kurt's naked skin seemed to unlock all the words inside him he'd never been able to say. "I knew you'd be an amazing kisser." He mouthed his way down Kurt's neck. "I could tell, the way your mouth felt, that first time, when you..." He peppered wet open mouthed kisses across Kurt's collarbone. "I've waited so long for your amazing tongue in my mouth, the way its been on my - on my cock."

"Oh, god," whined Kurt, as Finn's tongue licked behind his ear.

"You guys looked so hot on the dance floor." Finn paused. He wasn't sure why he'd said that. He should have said you looked so hot, or I loved watching you dance, because implying that he was there to perv on Puck and Kurt together, that seemed kind of rude.

But Kurt didn't appear to take it that way at all. He wasn't hesitating anymore as he ground his cock into Finn's hip. "I loved that you were watching."

"Really?" The statement hit him hard, and he gripped Kurt more firmly, holding him still and thrusting harder, more urgently. "God..."

"Take your boxers off," Kurt said. "Your skin... you feel so good, Finn."

They kissed and shed the rest of their clothes and kissed some more and lost themselves in touching one another everywhere they could reach. Finn never would have guessed the brilliant friction of two cocks together could feel so perfect, but it did, and for a little while he tried desperately to slow things down, just so he'd have more time to feel that sensation.

Then Kurt's mouth was on his neck. "He let me go down on him."

"Oh - oh, god." There was another image he'd never be able to erase from his imagination. "On the couch?"

Kurt's breath hitched. "On... the porch."

Finn's moan came out loud, mirroring Kurt's, and he clutched at his back, holding him tighter as he picked up the pace, grinding with more purpose. He was so close. "How - was that?"

"You really want me to talk about that now?"

Kurt seemed anxious, but Finn could also feel his response to the question, and the way Finn was responding to Kurt's response was pretty intense. "Yes," he said. "Yes. Right now."

He felt Kurt's body shaking on top of his, the quivering in his thighs as he thrust, the clenching in his ass. "He was - I made him... I don't know if I can do this, Finn -"

"He's got a big dick," he said, and Kurt gulped, making a desperate noise. "I've seen it. And he's totally built, his legs, those abs... he's so hot. I bet you loved touching him."

"Finn," he pleaded. "You know that doesn't mean that I don't think you're... hot. Because I do, god, I can't even explain how much."

"No, really, it's okay." It actually did seem to be okay, surprisingly okay, at least in this moment in which it was pretty obvious how much Kurt got off on his body. Finn felt calm, even confident that he could handle hearing that Kurt had done this thing with Puck, that Kurt had loved doing it as much as he had loved doing it with Finn. "He's great, and you're great, and the two of you together are... you're fucking hot, that's what you are." He cradled Kurt close, pressing him against his neck with one hand while he gripped his ass with the other. "And - I'm going to come, Kurt, like right now, I'm sorry -"

"No, no, it's good, Finn, it's so good. You're so good." The words became meaningless, lost in a miasma of kisses and murmured encouragement. Finn could almost believe it was going to be okay, that Kurt wanted it this way - that Finn getting off on his stomach while fantasizing about the two of them together wasn't completely appalling.

As soon as he slowed his thrusts and Kurt came to rest on top of him, Kurt was sitting up, reaching for his own cock, but Finn broke in with a croaked, "Please, let me - I wanna suck you..."

"You don't have to," Kurt protested, but Finn wasn't interested in being turned away. It wasn't a competition, he told himself. It wasn't. He didn't need to be better than Puck at everything. He just wanted Kurt to remember him, for something. Tensing his muscles, he rolled Kurt over onto his back and quickly inching down to fit between his legs, running his hands up between Kurt's thighs to spread them wider. Even if he hadn't been imagining doing this for weeks, Kurt's noises would have been enough of an inspiration for him to keep going.

The most difficult thing about giving a blowjob, Finn quickly learned, was not taking a guy's dick into his mouth. That was actually pretty easy to do, and at least judging by Kurt's reaction he wasn't doing too badly. The hardest part was that he couldn't say anything while he was doing it. Kissing you is awesome, he could have said, and I can't kiss you if I'm busy with this. Or, your body is so beautiful, I had no idea I could think that about you, and now I think it every day.

But what he really wanted to do, and what being in this position made him think even more about, was to ask Kurt to answer the question Puck had asked. He knew what top and bottom meant, at least as far as the Internet and the limited gay porn he'd seen would tell him, and he was pretty sure he knew what it meant to be a switch. He had no idea what he himself would be, but if Kurt knew what he was, Finn would totally be willing to try the other thing.

I could wait, and ask, he thought, and get completely freaked out about it. Or I could just... try something. His fingers found the skin around Kurt's balls, slippery from his own saliva, and slid them down to rest over the pucker of Kurt's ass.

"Finn," Kurt squeaked.

Mentally crossing his fingers, Finn gave a little push. Kurt's reaction took about five seconds. For the first two, he froze, quivering. For the second two, he pushed back - and in the last one, he came, without warning, in Finn's mouth.

"Oh god oh god," he babbled, "Finn, I'm - I wouldn't have, but I couldn't help - that feels so -"

Finn swallowed, trying not to grimace, but it wasn't the worst thing he'd ever tasted, and he thought he could handle doing it again if it was going to make Kurt fly off the handle like that. He kind of wiggled his finger, not quite going inside, but making it clear he could, if Kurt wanted that. That was enough to send Kurt back into nonverbal-land for a little while. Finn couldn't help but grin, feeling smug. He still wasn't sure if Kurt defined himself as a top or a bottom, but he was pretty sure he could live up to things if Kurt picked the latter.

"Not so bad?" he said, resting his head on Kurt's thigh. He felt Kurt's hand touch the top of his head, and he sighed in contentment.

"Unbelievably good," Kurt assured him. "All of it. Finn, you - that was -"

Finn climbed up to cover Kurt with his body, kissing him. "Yeah. It really was. I was so scared you wouldn't - after things with Puck, that we wouldn't -"

"Finn." Kurt kissed him, hugging him a little around his shoulders. "I honestly don't think you have to worry about how things with Puck would change anything between you and me. We're - well." He laughed, much more relaxed now. "We're family."

He supposed that idea could have been weird or creepy, but it didn't feel anything like that, and Finn decided not to worry about it. "Yeah," he agreed. "Family."

Kurt yawned. "Do you suppose my family could go downstairs and get me a glass of water?"

"You bet." Finn fumbled around on the floor for his slightly-moist boxers, pulling them on over his legs. He could see Kurt watching him with a little smile on his face, and it felt good. Nice, and safe, and warm in his stomach, and... he sighed wistfully to himself. No sense in denying it anymore. I'm so completely gone. He leaned in and kissed Kurt quickly, seeing his surprised, pleased smile, and smiled back. "Be right back."

Finn got as far as the kitchen cupboard before the light in the family room came on. He nearly dropped the glass in his hand. Puck was sitting up, cross-legged on the couch, staring stony-faced at Finn.

"What the fuck was that?"

Puck didn't sound curious, or friendly, or anything pleasant. He was furious. Finn opened his mouth and stood there, trying to figure out what to say or where to start, but apparently he took too long because Puck was on his feet, coming toward him. Finn stumbled back against the counter, knocking the cutting board to the floor. It made a loud clatter on the tile.

"You - and Kurt?"

He'd never seen Puck look so betrayed. Finn could only imagine that this was how he had looked the day in Glee when Rachel had spilled the beans about Beth. That felt so long ago, and they'd recovered so much of their trust since then, it felt like there was no way they'd ever feel that divided again - until now. And now it's my fault, Finn realized, his stomach sinking into his feet.

"It's not like you think," Finn began, but Puck was already yelling.

"What do you mean it's not like I think? Because I think I heard you guys getting each other off pretty clearly a few minutes ago. I think I was fooling around with him earlier and I listened - I listened - when he said he wasn't ready for anything more." Puck reached out and gave Finn's shoulder a little shove, pushing him against the refrigerator. "And you? What did you do?"

"I went to check on him!" Finn shouted back, because there wasn't any way he was going to be heard otherwise. "I didn't know what had happened, only that you guys were sleeping apart and I thought, maybe, he'd need someone to - "

"To what? I can't believe this." Puck wheeled around, throwing his hands into the air. He stared at Finn, incredulous. "You lecture me about using him and - and what, were you planning on taking advantage of him all along?"

"We already were doing stuff!" he shot back. "Nobody was using anybody. We've been doing stuff together since before our parents got married."

Puck took two steps back. "You fucking bastard." His face was pale. "You - and you knew how I felt, and - the whole time, you were messing around with a guy and you didn't tell me?"

"I'm sorry," Finn said, cringing, because he could see exactly how it felt, as plain as day on Puck's face. "I should have told you about Kurt."

"No, you asshole!" he yelled. He ran his hands over his face. "Fuck, man, if you were going to mess around with a guy, why not with me?"

"Wait - what?" he sputtered, but Puck was gone, grabbing his shirt and heading out the front door. When Finn tried to run after him, he was stopped by Kurt, standing on the stairs, wearing a heartbreakingly confused expression.

"He heard us," he said. Finn nodded slowly, one hand on the open door. Puck had already disappeared down the street and into the night. Kurt sat down on the step where he was. "Finn, what happened? He sounded... well, distraught."

"I don't even know. I think I'd better..." He gestured after him, and Kurt nodded.

"I'll wait here, but I'll have my phone if you want to reach me. Finn..."

The way Kurt sounded, Finn couldn't walk away. He went to sit beside him on the staircase and rested a hand on top of his clasped ones, letting out a slow breath. "I think... I don't know what's going on, but I really messed up here. I don't know if I can fix it."

Kurt pulled him close into a hug. "Whatever you're doing, you'd better put on some clothes. I don't think the denizens of Key West would appreciate seeing you in your boxers in the same way I do."

Finn gave him a wan smile before running back upstairs to tug on a shirt and shorts. Kurt had closed the door to his bedroom by the time Finn was ready to leave, so he didn't interrupt to say goodbye. His mind was already reeling.

Puck didn't make it very hard for Finn to find him. He'd walked exactly one block and sat down on a bench near the corner. Not to mention he was still dressed only in his boxers and an undershirt. He hadn't even put on shoes.

Finn approached him warily, watching for flying limbs, but Puck was just sitting there, staring at his hands.

"I thought," said Puck, before Finn could talk, "since I was a kid, that it was going to be me and you against the world. That we would - that we'd take on whatever happened, together. But that's not what happened. Do you know what happened?"

"I proposed to Rachel," Finn said quietly.

"No." Puck sneered. "Dude. I knew that wasn't going to fly. It was when I asked if you'd go with me to LA. And you said no." His voice broke on the last word. Finn tried to reach out and put a hand on his arm, waiting for Puck to shrug it off, but Puck barely seemed to notice it. "You told me you were going to New York with Rachel and that was it."

Finn sighed. "Yeah."

Puck turned to face him now, staring intently into his eyes. "Why?"

"Why did I do that?"

"Why didn't you say you'd come with me to L.A.?"

"Because - because you don't ditch your girlfriend for your best friend, no matter how much -" He cut himself off, watching Puck's face change. It was almost a smile, although he wasn't sure if something that bitter could be called a smile.

"No. I guess you don't. Except you do. You ditch your girlfriend for your brother."

"I didn't -" Finn couldn't even finish that sentence. He sat with it in his lap, weighing the truth of it. "I didn't intend to do that," he finally said. "Not... not at first."

"Yeah." Puck's eyes were back on his hands, twisting and clenching, making the muscles in his arms stand out. "I guess I know that."

"I really did love Rachel."

"Yeah, well, while you were off playing both sides of the fence junior year, when Kurt was at Dalton, I saved sectionals with Lauren. Lauren, who made me do more than a guy in some crappy chick flick. I worked my ass off for that girl, and she took off." Puck huffed bitterly. "That's right, Lauren dumped me. Didn't know that, huh? Probably should have been something a so-called best friend knows, right?"

He winced. "I'm sorry."

"And Shelby - I don't know. By then, I was ready to settle for what I could get, because I wasn't going to get what I really wanted."

Finn's mouth was dry. "What... did you really want?"

"Somebody who would treat me with respect. Who'd listen to me, and take me seriously, but who could have fun, too. Somebody who'd let me take my shot at a real relationship, even though I apparently suck at them." He straightened out his hands, looking at his fingers, tanned and devoid of rings, just as Finn's were. He gave a short laugh. "So I just gave up. Fuck high school, I'm out of here."

"A real relationship? You think you're going to find that in Los Angeles?"

"Well, I don't know, Finn," Puck snapped. "I think I've got a hell of a lot better chance there than I ever did in Lima fucking Ohio."

Finn watched Puck's shoulders slump in defeat as he sighed. It hurt to see that posture from a guy like Puck. "I always figured you could have anything you wanted," he admitted.

That startled a laugh out of Puck. He looked at Finn. "Yeah, no. Are you out of your fucking mind? Since when did I ever get what I wanted? Finn, I got what I thought I could settle for. I never got anything close to what I wanted. And then, tonight..." His lips tightened. "I thought I might. And who got there first?"

"Kurt's not a prize, Puck," he said sharply, but he could only think of the way he'd felt, not an hour before, with his mouth around Kurt's cock, and he was ashamed. "He can choose what he wants."

"I think he did. Tonight, I think he made his choice." Puck shook his head slowly. "This isn't about that."

What is it about, then? Finn wanted to ask, but he thought he was starting to understand, and it was kind of blowing his mind. He tightened his hand on Puck's shoulder, and felt him sigh again.

"So you've been fucking Kurt since, what, as soon as you moved in?"

"No!" Finn exclaimed indignantly. "We're not. It's not like that."

Puck's mouth twitched at the corners. "It sure sounded like that."

Finn tried to explain. "It - it was an accident, the first time. I'd gotten up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom, and I could hear him crying. So I was, you know, going to hold him, until he stopped crying. But he was lying on the bed and when I tried to pull him towards me, he just... moved, against me. Before I even knew what was happening, it was over." He sighed. "At least he stopped crying." Finn looked up at Puck, gazing up at the half moon in the clear sky. "God, we were so embarrassed that night. We made a deal. We wouldn't talk about it and it wouldn't happen again. But it did."

"So, what, you guys have been secretly messing around at night, while you were with Rachel and Quinn and while he was with Blaine?"

Finn nodded and swallowed the lump in his throat.

Puck closed his eyes. "Now, that's rich. Kurt dumped Blaine for cheating with that other Warbler dude when he was screwing you all along."

There was nothing to deny. He just nodded again. "But, you know, Kurt and I hadn't kissed before tonight? I mean, it's not like I hadn't thought about it, but it was, like, one of the unspoken rules about what we did."

Puck was staring at him now. "You gave him blowjobs but you didn't kiss him?"

Well, I didn't do that before tonight either, he thought, but it was clear that kind of detail wasn't going to be helpful. "Not until after you already had."

"That's fucked up, Hudson," Puck said, completely matter-of-fact. Then he laughed, and Finn laughed, and they ended up leaning against one another, snickering like idiots, for over a minute. This time, when Finn squeezed his shoulder, Puck's hand slid over to rest on Finn's knee.

"You asked me," Finn said. "When you left the house. You asked why I never..."

"Yeah." Puck gave him a sideways glance. "I was pissed, whatever."

"No, I mean... I wanted you to know why I didn't. It's not like I didn't... I wasn't, you know, choosing Kurt over you." He waited for Puck to stop him, but when he didn't, he went on. "Because this, our friendship? It was worth more than that to me. More than a stupid hand job, or a - um. A blowjob, or anything."

"Anything," echoed Puck. He shuffled his feet in the grass. "Dork. I would even have kissed you."

Finn laughed nervously. "That... would have changed things a lot for us, huh? Which is kind of my point."

"Yeah. Except now, there's kind of no point." Puck turned his head, ducking it under Finn's so their lips brushed. FInn heard himself whimper, and felt the rush of air from Puck's mouth before Puck's pressed against his, hard.

Just as quickly, Puck released him and was standing, striding away from the bench, still barefoot in his boxers. "I need a little time to think."

"Uh, Puck?" Finn called after him. "You don't have any clothes on."

"Fuck clothes," Puck called back, still walking. "I'll see you guys when I'm ready."

Kurt was waiting on the porch when Finn arrived back at the cottage, watching him with a closed, anxious face. "How'd it go?"

"I told him about us." Finn sat in the other chair, facing him. "And then he kissed me. And then he took off."

"Oh, Finn," Kurt said softly. He glanced down the street. "There's a lot of that happening tonight." A laugh escaped his lips. "You want to know what he said to me on the dance floor?"

"Sure. What the hell." Finn was pretty sure there was nothing Kurt could tell him that would make things more confusing than they already were.

"He said, 'I wouldn't slug you if you kissed me right now.' And I told him I needed a little more incentive than that, and he said, 'I kiss better than Brittany?'"

Finn laughed, and his lips tingled with the memory. "I - yeah. I think he was right about that."

Kurt's smile was wistful. "You do, too."

"Um, yeah. I've done a lot of kissing but it never really seemed to live up to the hype, you know? Until tonight."

"Do you wish you'd been kissing him sooner?" The question was tentative, like Kurt wasn't sure he wanted to hear the answer, but Finn wasn't going to bother with anything less than truth, not anymore.

"I don't know. I told him I didn't, that I hadn't, because I didn't want something casual with him. And Puck only does casual." He groaned, sitting back in his chair, holding his head. "Or I thought he did. God, Kurt, I really fucked this up, big time."

"But you didn't know he wasn't straight. How could you have -" Kurt stopped, staring at FInn. "Oh my god. You did know."

Finn reached for Kurt's hands, grabbing them so hard Kurt was jerked to his feet. "Please don't hate me," he begged.

"I don't hate you," Kurt promised. "I'm just trying to understand."

"I knew. I've known for a long time that Puck is - that he has feelings for you. It's just, at first things were really complicated, and then you were with Blaine, and he didn't think he was good enough for you, so... he never said anything."

Kurt sunk back down onto the chair. His hands came up to cover his mouth. "I can't - for me? Puck? A long time?" He looked hard at Finn. "How long?"

"He told me back when he joined the New Directions sophomore year. That was why the locker checks, the slushies and the dumpstering all stopped."

Kurt pulled one knee up to his chest, hugging it with his arms. His face was pale.

"Wow. Ok, so - oh god, I just..." He shook his head. "So all of this... the trip? How he was tonight? This was all part of an elaborate plot to - to woo me?"

"Yeah." He sighed. "I'm pretty sure this whole trip was about you. I mean, Mom even gave me explicit instructions that I wasn't..."

Kurt's head whipped around and he cut Finn off. "Your mother?"

"Dude, he told her, too," Finn whined. "Puck has always been super close to her. She made me promise I wouldn't get in the way if Puck opened up to you. I don't think Mom told your dad, but she said you guys would be 'cute' together, and that you would 'be good for each other' and shit." Finn made finger quotes in the air and rolled his eyes.

"For the love of -" Kurt closed his eyes, shaking his head. "I'm certain she hasn't told my dad, or he never would have let me come to Key West." He stood up, both hands on his hips, and glared at Finn. "You should have told me about Puck. And as much as I hate to admit it, you probably should have told Puck about me. About us."

"I know," Finn moaned. "I did this all wrong. But -"

"But nothing. You trust him and that should have been enough. I mean, I would have had a complete meltdown, but you still should have told him." He sighed, dropping his hands to hang at his sides. "I've never had the kind of friendship you have with Puck, with anyone, male or female."

"Hey." Finn put a hand on Kurt's back, rubbing up and down. "You do now. I can be your Puck."

Kurt turned in toward him, pressing his lips to Finn's forehead in the lightest of kisses. "You're so much more than that. I think - I think we're good for each other, too."

It would be easy to make that mean so many things. But regardless of what he meant, it was so much better than he'd expected from Kurt. Finn gazed up at him, watching the way his skin looked in the moonlight. "Yeah?"

Kurt opened his mouth to respond, but then he caught sight of movement at the end of the sidewalk. Finn expected Kurt to back off, but instead of moving further away, he stepped in a little closer, tucking Finn's arm around his waist. Finn couldn't bring it in himself to protest. He felt his cheeks burning as Puck approached them.

"Puck," Kurt began, but Puck shook his head, gesturing toward the house.

"Inside."

It was easier to see Puck's condition in the light of the hallway, his flushed face, the lines marked by tears on his cheeks, the way he was stumbling on his way up the stairs. Finn exchanged a glance with Kurt as they followed him up to the master bedroom, where Puck immediately sprawled on his back, his bare feet hanging off the edge of the bed.

"I can leave you guys alone," Finn murmured to Kurt, but Puck responded again, flinging out an imperious hand.

"Both of you. C'mere. 'portant." Kurt came to sit on one side of him, Finn on the other. He rubbed his red eyes with his free hand, then blocked the light from the ceiling, squinting. "Too bright."

"I'll get it," said Kurt. Puck turned to Finn, his eyes dilating as Kurt switched off the overhead light, while Finn watched uneasily.

"Looks like you guys are okay with each other." Puck nodded to Kurt as he returned to the bed. "No big fights brewing. Everything's cool?"

"We're fine," Kurt agreed. The concern on his face wasn't something Finn was accustomed to seeing Kurt direct at Puck. That's not a bad thing, he told himself. "Puck, I -"

"Me first. I've been thinking it all through, and I don't want to forget any of it. Jus' want to make sure I've got it all straight." He snickered. "Not straight."

"Puck, it's late. Maybe we should all just go to bed and talk about this tomorrow."

Puck rose up on his elbows, glaring at Finn. "Hey, I don't know about you, but I've done enough fucking waiting." He turned back to Kurt. "Waiting for you to ditch that loser. He was never gonna be good enough for you."

Kurt looked startled, but he didn't back away. "Blaine loved me. And considering what Finn and I were doing, I don't have any -"

"Di'n't matter." He sat up, reaching for Kurt's hand, and held it, brandishing it fiercely. "He wasn't what you needed. I waited two years for you to realize that."

Kurt furrowed his brow, looking between their joined hands and Puck's flushed face. "And you think you know what I need?"

Puck's laugh sent Kurt's brow skyward again. "Babe, I know exactly what you need. Doesn't mean you want it from me. Even my ego's not big enough for me to 'sume that. But..."

Finn's breath caught as Puck closed with Kurt, kissing him hungrily. He wasn't sure where to look, because that was really hot, but it wasn't like they were a porn movie or something that he had a right to look at.

Kurt's eyes flew open at first, his exclamation muffled by Puck's mouth, but his eyes soon closed and his body went slack, supported by Puck's hands. When the kiss broke, Puck had him half-cradled in the curve of his arm.

"Um," said Finn.

"I came here figuring I'd give this my best shot," said Puck, still looking into Kurt's eyes. "Didn't think I had much of one, but maybe I could give you some good memories to take with you by the end of the summer. I didn't know somebody was already giving you what you needed."

"Puck," Kurt breathed. Puck turned to Finn. He didn't look angry, or even upset. There was a little smile on his face.

"You're so fucking lucky," he said.

"Hey, you're the one who's got him in your arms," Finn replied, trying to keep it light. But Puck chuckled, shaking his head.

"I wasn't talking to you, dork. I was talking to Kurt."

"I don't - oh." Finn swallowed and rocked back on the bed, feeling dizzy. When Puck held out a hand, he grabbed on for balance as much as for connection, but Puck apparently wasn't going to give him balance, because he yanked him forward hard enough for Finn to fall on top of him. In the next moment, Finn was drawn into a blistering kiss.

"God," Kurt moaned, still tucked in Puck's embrace. Finn felt Kurt's hand come up to touch his cheek as Puck probed Finn's mouth with his tongue. He had to wonder if it was a guy thing, this kind of kissing, or if all the girls he'd kissed before this had just been bad at it. Either way, this was exactly the kind of kissing he could get behind - maybe the kind he'd been waiting for all his life. When Kurt's hand dropped to his chest, brushing his nipples through his shirt, he shuddered.

"You guys, now," said Puck. "You and Kurt." It wasn't a command, but Finn didn't hesitate, he just reached for Kurt, his mouth soft and welcoming. Puck sighed. "Yeah, like that. So fucking hot. You think so, Kurt? You think he's hot?"

"Yes," gasped Kurt, as Finn moved his mouth to Kurt's neck, "yes, god, he's so hot, I've wanted him forever."

"Fuck, yeah." Puck's voice came out in a desperate moan. "You gonna go down on the quarterback, babe? You gonna suck his dick?"

"Puck," Finn protested weakly, his head churning with half-imagined possibilities, "this is - we shouldn't be doing this. Not when you're drunk."

Puck fixed Finn with his bright hazel eyes. "You think I'm drunk? I haven't had a damned sip of anything since the three of us left the bar together. I'm pretty sure I'm more sober than the two of you."

"But..." Finn looked at Kurt, who seemed intent on mapping the terrain of his stomach with both hands, and back to Puck. "I thought, when you took off..."

"Yeah, who's going to serve drinks to a barefoot guy in his boxers? If you have to know, I went down to the pier and cried my fucking eyes out for half an hour. Then I walked back, figuring all this shit out as best as I could." He gave Finn a pained, pleading stare. "You don't have to want this, but for fuck's sake, at least tell me that now, so I don't keep on waiting."

Finn fought to keep steady. "Kurt?"

Kurt looked overwhelmed, but one hand had moved to rest on Puck's chest, and he was gazing up at Puck with unmistakable desire. "Finn, I can't answer for you, but if you're asking me, right here, right now? This is... yes. God, yes."

Puck's hand dropped from Finn's shoulder to rest on his back, supporting him with firm pressure. "Your call, Hudson. Still time to say no."

Finn was certain Kurt could feel his heart racing out of control. Words seemed impossible. All he could do was close his eyes and shake his head.

"No," he whispered, finally, "I'm not saying no. I want... I want this." It was like the words unlocked something inside him, something incredible, and he found himself smiling, and almost crying, and it was terrifying and amazing at the same time. "I want this," he repeated, with more strength.

Puck let out a breath Finn hadn't realized he was holding, and he nodded. "Fuck, yeah," he said, sounding satisfied. "That's what I'm saying."

The whole time Kurt and Puck were taking off their clothes, Finn couldn't shake the experience of astounded wonder. He'd been hearing Puck tell him about threesomes and foursomes with vague distaste for years, thinking how do you manage with so many arms and legs? and why would you want to have to worry about twice as many people? and even you don't get tired and need a break? But the reality... he had no idea that the reality would include so much delight, and appreciation for each moment of discovery as the bodies beside him formed new combinations and configurations. So many of them were beautiful, and some were so hot, they took his breath away. Puck holding Kurt, and Kurt kissing Finn, and Finn licking Puck, and sometimes all three of them together in ways that bypassed his rational brain and went straight for his cock.

Arms and legs turned out to not be a problem, because most of the action took place in the center of each person's body. Their hands rested on each other's bodies, and their legs were spread wide to allow room for each of them to explore, to touch and kiss and tongue and suck.

Worry didn't exactly go away, but every time it seemed like one of them was freaking out even a little, the other two stopped what they were doing and focused on that person, and eventually the freak-out subsided. And kissing, so much amazing kissing, Finn thought he'd died and gone to heaven.

Being tired happened, naturally, but with three, there were plenty of opportunities to take a break, even for Finn to put his head down and close his eyes a couple times. Each time he opened them again, there was inevitably something new and beautiful and so goddamn sexy to look at, and he'd moan, and they'd turn to him and smile and there'd be more of that amazing kissing, and Kurt would touch him and Puck would touch him and he'd be right in the game again.

Finn was a little nervous about how far any of them was going to want to go, but that turned out to not be a problem, either. Nobody was pushing for more than hands and mouths, which was so fine with Finn, fine enough that he felt comfortable trying something new himself. When Finn tentatively introduced that thing on Puck, the thing he'd done earlier on Kurt, he guessed he might be opening himself up for anger or disgust or at least a rebuff. But as soon as Finn laid one wet quivering finger on his asshole, Puck just spread himself open wider and told Finn every filthy thing he wanted Finn to do to that asshole before stroking off all over his own chest.

And then Kurt begged for Finn's mouth on him, which he was more than happy to give, feeling more competent the second time. That was made infinitely more intense when Puck's hand wrapped around Finn's cock while Finn was sucking Kurt, and he came with a muffled shout seconds before Kurt finished.

There was no conversation about what would come next. Thirty seconds after they'd established that yes, everyone was done, all three of them were nearly asleep. Finn barely had the wherewithal to pull the sheet over them from the foot of the bed before passing out beside Puck, arms and hands draped limply over each other's bodies. He took with him into sleep a rich sense of satiety, as though there was no way he could possibly have squeezed one more drop of satisfaction out of that night.

---

When Kurt woke up the first time, it was still dark. He looked up from the pillow to find Finn bending over him, his mouth close to Kurt's cheek. "Are you awake?"

"Yes," he whispered. He glanced over at Puck, still passed out next to him, and allowed the sense of unreality to subside before sitting up, blinking. Finn nudged him over far enough that he could perch on the edge of the bed. Kurt tentatively put his arms around him, but Finn didn't hesitate, hugging him hard and holding on.

"You're incredible," Finn murmured. He put a gentle kiss on Kurt's cheek, then the corner of his mouth, and waited for Kurt to kiss him back before kissing his lips. "You - are you doing okay?"

"I think I am." Kurt tried checking in with himself, but most of it still seemed too much like a dream. "I can't really tell yet. I need some more sleep, I think."

"Yeah, it's only six. I'm... I'm going to move back to my bed? And please don't worry, because it's just because I need a little more space to stretch out, okay?" He brushed a hand over Kurt's back. "Maybe later this morning you could come lie down with me, though."

"Yes. I would really like that." He tried to suppress the anxiety he felt at the idea of waking up alone with Puck. He had no idea what to expect, or even what he was going to want, if anything. But he wasn't going to stand in Finn's way of getting more rest. Kurt kissed him one more time before Finn stood and walked, naked, toward the door.

"Finn?" he whispered. Finn paused, turning back to look at Kurt. He smiled.

"It was amazing," said Finn. "Really, really amazing."

Kurt felt his shoulders relax, and he nodded. "It really was. I -" He bit down on the words he wanted to say, because this was probably not the time to introduce new concepts, especially not ones as significant as this. "Sleep well," he said instead.

"Thanks. And, um. Have fun?"

Kurt had no idea what the appropriate response to that was. He swallowed a giggle, and nodded, watching Finn carefully close the door before lying back down. Then he turned his attention to the young man beside him, watching his back rise and fall as he breathed.

Puck. He couldn't quite believe the things that had happened last night, first on the dance floor, then on the porch, and finally on this bed. Doing things with Puck had been surprisingly, almost mind-blowingly good, but it had surprised him even more how much he'd enjoyed being present while Puck and Finn were touching or kissing.

Thinking about that in much more detail was not going to lead to more sleep, however, so he firmly put them out of his mind and closed his eyes, feeling the warmth of Puck beside him.

The second time Kurt woke up, Puck's eyes were open, and he was smiling at him. Kurt choked on a little startled oh, but Puck didn't seem upset. He propped himself up on his folded arm.

"Finn bailed on us."

"He went to get some more sleep in his room around six. He said not to worry, and I should come wake him up later."

"Yeah, sure. Well, I guess I'm not gonna worry about him right this second." His green-flecked eyes swept over Kurt's bare chest. "You're even more fucking beautiful when you're sleeping."

"Am not," Kurt objected, blushing. He put a hand to his hair and groaned. "I have bedhead, and I happen to know I snore."

"Both true. And totally not related to how beautiful you are." Puck put out a hand, pushing aside the sheet covering his sculpted torso, and reached for Kurt's hair, running fingers through it. "I've always wanted to do that."

"I don't mind." Kurt smiled shyly under Puck's hand. "I actually like it before I put any product in. Something about being in bed makes it okay."

Puck's smile broadened. "There's all kinds of things that are okay to do in bed."

"Mmmm." Kurt wasn't sure how much to encourage Puck's teasing, but his smile made it hard to do anything but respond. "You're... you're pretty beautiful yourself. Especially when you smile."

"Yeah, I've been told that a couple times before." Puck unfolded his arm, sliding it under Kurt's head, and gathered him close, encouraging Kurt to rest his head on his bicep. It was surprisingly comfortable, considering how firm Puck's body was all over. Feeling their skin touch, from neck to toes, was waking Kurt up nicely. He noted, with a quivering feeling in his stomach, that Puck was already considerably awake, and he did indeed have a big... yes, Finn had been right.

"I guess you've always had girls telling you you're hot."

"Girls, guys, whatever. Not saying it's not nice to hear you think I'm pretty, but I don't have much control over that. I'd rather know I'm doing a good job at getting you the other things you want." He stroked Kurt's back, playing with that sensitive spot at the base of his spine like he knew exactly what he was doing. Maybe he does, Kurt thought, feeling the tension in his groin increase.

"So... you've been with other guys before?"

"Nope. This is a first. Well, other than straight guys in threesomes, but they're no fun. Thought about it plenty, though. And I've made out with guys, but it was always a game. Truth or dare, that sort of thing." He cupped Kurt's ass in one hand, as though he were just making conversation instead of deliberately turning Kurt on. Kurt squirmed a little under his touch, and Puck paused briefly before continuing. "What about you? You've had to have done stuff with some guy other than Blaine."

"This is it. You, Blaine and Finn."

Puck squeezed his ass again, this time letting two fingers slip into the cleft, teasing the sensitive skin. "And you're still not going to tell me whether you're a bottom or a top?"

"Ohhh," Kurt sighed. He shifted his legs, making room for Puck's fingers to probe deeper, but Puck kept his touch light. "Okay, this - seems like an appropriate location for such conversations."

"I told you, being in bed is the place to do all kinds of things." Puck circled his hole with gentle strokes, not quite touching, but pausing in all the right places. Kurt felt each pulse, hot and quick, inside him, and his hips thrust of their own accord against Puck's hip. Puck hummed approval.

"Um. Well. Mostly top, if you want to know. But I've done both, and - oh - it's good."

"It's good?" Puck murmured, watching Kurt's face with pleasure as his fingers shifted.

"It's good," Kurt echoed, "so - so good - god."

Puck had pushed forward, lying against Kurt's stomach so that his own cock nestled in the hollow of his hip. He didn't make an effort to set up any kind of rhythm, but every ten seconds or so, he gave Kurt a little nudge, and seemed to appreciate it when Kurt returned the gesture.

"So, yeah, I want to know," said Puck. He nudged again. "And I'm totally into helping open up new doors, if you haven't done stuff you might want to. Last night was... a good start." Another nudge. "But you and Finn, you guys haven't fucked each other? God, how could have him in bed with you and not do that?"

"We haven't slept in the same bed, hardly. Just falling asleep next to each other sometimes, but it was platonic, brotherly." Each flutter of Puck's fingers was driving up the tension another notch. "The two of you have had more chances for that to happen than we have."

Puck snorted. "Yeah, sure, except he was straight. Seriously, though, I always wondered about Finn. Enough to keep my hopes up, I guess." He shifted closer again, almost kneeling over Kurt, now, his finger still just barely suggesting penetration. Kurt groaned.

"How are your hopes now?" he managed to ask.

"Now?" Puck gave several long, slow thrusts, maneuvering his body to spread Kurt's legs wider. When Kurt drew them up, he moaned and withdrew his finger, grabbing his own cock and stroking it equally slowly. "Hopes pretty firmly up, thanks."

"I can see that." Kurt watched Puck jerk off with fascination. He was completely shameless, watching Kurt's face and smiling when Kurt whimpered. "And... what do you want?"

Puck glanced around, grimacing. "I want to find some lube. Mine's downstairs. You don't have any up here, do you?"

"I - no." How did I come to Key West and not bring condoms?

But Puck didn't seem deterred. "We'll make the best of it. Anything you don't want, here? Because I have plenty of ideas, but I'm cool with taking requests, too."

Moonlight Sonata in C sharp minor, Kurt thought, watching Puck move down to kneel between his legs. "No sex without condoms," he said, hearing his voice come out shaky.

Puck nodded, and kissed the skin of his inner thigh, just below the curve of his ass. "But you'll let me blow you without a condom, won't you?" Another kiss, this one right against his balls, and Kurt shuddered. "How about my tongue? Acceptable?"

"I've never," he squeaked, and Puck chuckled. This kiss was right on his perineum, and Kurt let out a gasp. "You really want -?"

"I'm all about finding ways to make you fall apart, babe." Kurt could feel the heat of his breath on his skin. He tried not to worry that he hadn't showered that morning, or the night before, and just spread his legs a little more as Puck breached him with his tongue. Kurt struggled to keep his voice down, not wanting to interrupt Finn's sleep. Puck picked up Kurt's hand and moved it to rest on his own stomach. "Come on. Get yourself all hard for me, before I suck you."

"Um... yeah." He laughed, a little breathless at the pace they were moving, but at the same time, it felt remarkably safe. This was Puck, after all, who'd been looking out for him since he'd returned to McKinley from Dalton. He wasn't worried about Puck taking advantage of him or using him for his own kicks. Puck was simply doing exactly what he was famous for, and right now, he was doing it for Kurt.

Then Puck's tongue resumed its amazing activity, and Kurt lost himself in loving that for a little while, stroking himself with remarkable unselfconsciousness until Puck brought him back to awareness with a gentle, "Okay, babe. You're ready for me."

"I'm - oh god." Puck was moving up, licking his way up the shaft of Kurt's cock to push his hand out of the way. As he watched, all Kurt could think about was Finn, doing this for him with his own adorable focus and sincerity.

Puck might have seen something on his face, because he paused. "Finn's going to be so bummed he missed this. Don't worry; you'll tell him all about it when I blow him later."

Kurt didn't even think twice about this. In this strange Twilight Zone world that Puck had brought him to, a world in which he gave blowjobs on the porch and went to bed with two men at once, he would gladly agree to dirty-talking his stepbrother while Puck gave him what he loved most. In fact, that sounded almost perfect, and Kurt found himself getting a little sentimental at the idea. "God, yes."

"See? I told you I knew what you wanted."

Puck was smiling up at him. It was the quality of his smile that made Kurt pause. There was satisfaction there, and pleasure, but... he'd seen that smile before, on exactly two other people. He reached down and touched Puck's shoulder.

"How long have you been in love with me?" he said softly.

Puck's smile faltered. He glanced away. "Fuck," he muttered.

"No, no," Kurt begged, "please, don't... it's okay. I just want to know." He tugged on Puck's shoulder. "Would you... come up here, and lie down next to me while we talk?"

"Dude, I'm a little busy right now," Puck said, his voice shaky.

"This is more important than getting me off," Kurt said firmly, "although I have no doubt you could do that with astounding rapidity. Come here." He reached down, seeing Puck's expression of near-terror, and felt something give in his chest as he opened his arms. "Right here. Please?"

"Kurt," said Puck. All of the confidence was gone, replaced with a startling vulnerability that was pushing all of Kurt's buttons. He'd never seen this from Puck before, although it made sense, given what Finn had always told him about Puck. With a little encouragement, he managed to get Puck to lie down on top of him. Kurt enfolded him in his arms, kissing him, and felt him shaking. He tried not to be too aware of their mutual arousal; he'd meant it when he'd said this was more important.

"You thought I wasn't going to notice?" Kurt suggested.

Puck laughed uneasily. "I managed to last over two years without you noticing. Guess talking about Hudson's my kryptonite."

Kurt smiled, feeling light-headed, and cradled Puck's head to his chest. Two years. "Well, Finn and I did a good job of hiding what we've been doing for almost as long, so I suppose I understand."

"Yeah, I'm still not sure how you guys managed to stay under the radar. Finn can be about as subtle as a jackhammer."

He laughed. "I wouldn't go so far as to say no one suspected. We just did our best to play anything that was noticed as friendly, brotherly or protective. And if it seemed like that wouldn't be believed, we pulled out the big guns: my past crush, and the fact that Finn is... extremely tactile."

Puck groaned. "Tell me about it. He's given me plenty of material to feed my solo sessions."

"That's..." Kurt quivered. "God, that's really hot, thinking about you doing that while thinking about him."

"You're one to talk, Kurt. The two of you? You're just about the biggest fucking turn-on ever."

Kurt felt a sudden longing for Finn. He should be here, his heart told him. But watching Puck's face, the way he was opening up to him, Kurt didn't want to get in the way of that. He touched Puck's cheek, stroking his temple, and saw him respond. There was no way Kurt could be unaffected himself.

"How long have you felt this way about Finn?" he asked.

There was no attempt at subterfuge now. Puck's feelings were plain on his face. "I don't know. Maybe it was always there. I just never let myself really think about it too much. I thought it was enough for us to be friends, best friends, and I promised myself I would never push for more." He closed his eyes, leaning into Kurt's hand on his cheek. "Yeah, that feels so good, babe."

"It really does." He moved his hand to Puck's head, feeling the contrast between the short stubble and the soft fall of his mohawk. "Every time Finn wound up single, it was all I could do to not break up with Blaine. But I figured Finn didn't need the 'I just broke up with my amazingly gay boyfriend for straight-but-curious you' pressure from me."

"Well, now you're both single. It's clear he wants you." Puck opened his gold-green eyes, gazing into Kurt's. "I bet you could talk him into trying things with you, for real."

For real. The idea was almost too much to contemplate. "Do you really think so?"

"No doubt. He left Rachel for you." His smile was a little bitter. "He wouldn't have done that for me."

"But he had no idea what was possible with you, then. I think you'd have just as much a chance of trying things with him, if you wanted that."

Puck's face softened. "We kind of are trying that, babe. Right now, if you hadn't noticed."

"Um..." Kurt glanced around. "I don't think I see Finn anywhere here, right now."

"You're telling me he's not here? We've been talking about him for the past five minutes, when I could have had your dick in my mouth." He pushed himself effortlessly off Kurt, crouching over him on all fours. Kurt stared up at him, trying not to feel like dinner. "And I think I'm done letting you distract me."

"O-okay," Kurt agreed, smiling. He ran his hands over Puck's chest, watching the way his muscles moved under the skin. It was entirely different from Finn's body, but no less appealing. The sexual energy between them was returning quickly. He shivered. "I think I could be persuaded."

"Yeah?" Puck's confidence had apparently returned, too. "You think you could grab my head and put me where you want me?"

Kurt moaned, watching Puck use his tongue to coax Kurt's erection back to its full length, and rested both hands on either side of Puck's mohawk. When Puck took him into his throat, Kurt hoped he hadn't been kidding about grabbing his head, because that was giving him all kinds of ideas about what else he might want to do. "I'm guessing you don't always want to be the one on top, either."

Puck's chuckle made him squirm, but when he felt Puck's fingers pressing insistently into him, he gasped and gave up on trying to use words. Yes, a condom would be handy right now, but he wasn't at all certain which way he'd choose to use it, assuming Puck would give him the option. Finn's gentle explorations in that direction had been exquisitely sweet, but he was a little shocked at how much he liked the idea of Puck, holding him down and sliding into him. Both images were vivid in his mind as he let Puck's mouth and fingers bring him to climax.

"You're so quiet," Puck marveled, once he'd let Kurt's softening dick slip free. He hadn't hesitated to swallow.

"Long practice," Kurt gasped, stretching out his legs and staring up at the ceiling. "God. Are you sure you haven't done this before?"

"Just in my own head." Puck came up on his knees, looking down at Kurt with regret as he stroked himself. "Don't suppose you'd want me to run downstairs and get some of that lube."

"Condoms," Kurt reminded him, with an effort. The image Puck was presenting, kneeling over him, was tempting, but he wasn't going to completely lose his convictions here. "But I bet we could pick some up later."

Puck made a face. "Yeah, yeah, okay. I hate those goddamn things, but... for you, babe, I'll make an exception."

"Your consideration is touching." It was meant as a jibe, but the words came out surprisingly gentle, and Puck paused, his expression shifting to surprise. Touching, indeed. He tried again. "If you're going to be having anal sex with anybody, Puck, but especially with other men, you've got to use condoms. Please."

"I -" Puck licked his lips. "Yeah. Okay, I can do that."

"You will? When you go to L.A.?" Kurt reached down and touched his considerable length, watching his eyes flutter closed. "I want you to be safe."

Puck made a whining noise, thrusting into Kurt's hand. "Maybe you guys could come visit me?"

Kurt sat forward, cupping Puck in both hands, wondering if he was going to be able to do this justice. He slipped his lips over the head, loving the noises he was eliciting. Kurt had no question that the pleasure of giving head was all about control. But the words Puck was saying, they were making him melt a little. He tried to keep focused on what he was doing, gripping Puck firmly in one hand while he sucked him, and listened to Puck talk.

"Here, in Key West, doing all these kinds of things I never let myself think about, with you, and with Finn... and now I'm watching him do them with you, and it's like... maybe I should be upset, because of how I feel about you? Because he's doing it with you, not with me... but it's just so damn hot, and... yeah, babe, like that..." Puck sucked in a breath. "Fuck, yeah, you're gonna make me come."

Kurt couldn't bring himself to ask Puck to keep his voice down, not here, or after that kind of confession. He held Puck's body up as best as he could while he let Puck ride out his orgasm, then helped him collapse onto the bed beside him, breathing hard.

"Wow. Yeah, guys are better at that, no contest." He turned to face Kurt, who was startled to see him blinking away tears. "Or at least you are, babe. Fuck, that was amazing."

Kurt rolled into him, pulling Puck into a tight hug. He waited until Puck's breathing had quieted before backing off to look into his face. "It really was. I had no idea it was going to be like that."

"Yeah, well, the Puckasaurus delivers. You'll see, if you let me fuck you later."

"No," Kurt said, smiling through his blush. "That's not what I meant. I mean... okay, yes, you're great in bed, but you know that. I'm saying thank you. For showing me how you feel. That made it special for me."

"Yeah, well..." Puck closed his eyes briefly with a loud sigh. "Nobody gets to see that shit from me, except Finn." He opened them again. "But I guess you do, too. And you don't mind it, which is a little hard to believe."

Kurt laughed, kissing him. "All of this is a little hard to believe. You, and Finn... but it feels good. Really good."

"Yeah." Puck nodded. "It kind of feels right."

He hugged Puck once more. "I think it's time to wake him up now."

The first stop, however, was going to be the bathroom. Kurt turned on the shower, stepping under the spray before it even got warm, scrubbing away the sand and sweat and come until he was acceptably clean. Then he heard Puck's baffled words. "I thought you said you didn't bring condoms."

Kurt stuck his head out from behind the shower curtain. "I didn't." He looked into the drugstore bag Puck held out, raising his eyebrows at the supplies. "They're not yours?"

"No condoms," Puck said, shaking his head. They looked at each other. "You don't think-?"

"You're welcome."

They both turned to face the doorway, where Finn was standing in his boxers, propped on the door frame. He looked like he was still waking up, scrubbing his face and yawning, but he was smiling.

Kurt darted in to wrap his arms around Finn's middle, squeezing him hard enough to elicit a laugh. "Dude, watch it, I haven't used the bathroom yet."

"You bought these when we went shopping, didn't you?" Kurt could feel the smile that was threatening to overtake his whole face. Then he felt Puck slide an arm around Finn, and he made room for him, letting Puck hold him on the other side. They stood that way in the doorway, a circle of arms,

"You're a lot more sneaky than I thought you were, Hudson," Puck said gravely.

Finn's face was flushed. "Me and Kurt have been hiding our thing for freaking ever, man. You think I'm any stranger to sneaky? But... yeah, I thought you guys might want... those, so I left them out on the counter this morning before I crashed out again. I'm sorry for leaving like that, but I really needed some sleep."

"We were just coming to wake you up." Kurt reveled in the feeling of Finn's hand in his damp hair. "Unless you want a shower first."

"I probably should," Finn agreed. Then he paused, caught by Puck's expression, which was distinctly predatory. "Uh..."

"I nominate me as shower buddy this morning," Puck said, raising his hand. He turned to Kurt. "You cool with that, babe?"

"Definitely," Kurt agreed, watching Finn's eyes dilate. He reached up and gave Finn a sound kiss. "I'm thinking I might go looking to see if there are any spare sheets for my bed, and I'll be waiting in there when you're done."

---

Puck gave Finn a head start in the shower. He contemplated the box of condoms. "You know there's no way I'm gonna be able to fit in these things."

"Dude," Finn said, laughing, "I didn't buy them for you. I bought them for us average-sized mortals. Jesus christ."

"Yeah, well, if Kurt's going to let me top, I might have to go out and pick up some Puckasaurus-sized rubbers." He looked up as Finn pulled the shower curtain aside and stared at him.

"You're gonna wear condoms for Kurt?"

"Yeah," Puck said, feeling uneasy. Maybe that was too much? Maybe Finn and Kurt had had some weird agreement about buttfucking? "He made me promise."

Finn's expression went to this soft place, the way he'd always been when he'd talked about Rachel. "That's really sweet."

"Fuck you," Puck grumbled, tossing the box of condoms on the counter. Finn laughed again, quietly, and let the curtain fall back into place.

"It wasn't meant to be a put-down. You guys are kind of awesome together. I guess things went well this morning, then?"

"Yeah, they went fucking awesomely." Puck reached out and flung the shower curtain aside to reveal a startled Finn holding the soap. "Cut the crap, Finn."

"Hey, the floor's gonna get all -"

"Fuck the floor!" Puck yelled, flinging out his hands. "Are you listening to yourself?"

"What?" Finn narrowed his eyes. "Am I not allowed to ask about my best friend and my brother- to be concerned?"

Puck rolled his eyes in exasperation. "He's not your goddamn brother. He's your stepbrother, and so what? He might as well be your boyfriend, because that's the way you feel about him."

Finn stared at the floor, obviously uncomfortable. "Dude, look, I'm serious, the floor's gonna get totally wet. Can't we just -?"

"Oh for fuck's sake." Puck stepped over the lip of the tub and pulled the curtain back hard enough that it nearly came off its rings. He glared at Finn. "There. Better?"

Finn's eyes travelled from Puck's face, down his body and back up. "Yeah. Much. " His tongue darted out between his lips. "If it bothers you, me and Kurt I mean, I guess we could like, not do that. I'm sure he'd do that for you."

Puck reached up and grabbed Finn's shoulders, making him drop the soap. "It doesn't bother me, dickhead. I'm pretty sure as soon as he saw those condoms he was thinking about doing you against the wall of the shower."

Finn visibly swallowed and his eyes rounded. "Uh - God. You think -?"

"I completely think." Puck edged up to Finn, close enough to see him take a breath. "Yeah, and he'd let you do him, too. I think he'd let you do anything you wanted to him."

He blinked a few times. "And how would that make you feel? Because, uh... man, I might really want that."

Puck couldn't stand it. He broke out in a grin. "That depends, I guess." He ran both hands down Finn's arms, resting them on his stomach and digging in with his nails just to see him exclaim. "If you guys did it without me, I'd say you'd have to tell me about it afterwards. In detail."

"Holy hell, dude," Finn whispered, and grabbed Puck's face, crashing their lips together in a searing kiss. Puck let him, responding with enthusiasm, grinding against him. "That's completely doable. Fuck!"

He reached around to cup Finn's ass, feeling the water trickle between their bodies. "What's the problem, man?"

"That's just good, so good," Finn panted. "I just - I mean, what if it's, uh, too good? You know, like, too quickly?" Finn threw his head back and moaned. "Again. Do that - again."

Puck felt like he'd waited his whole life to hear Finn say those words to him. His grin broadened. "Well, Hudson, I've got an answer to that." He did it again, harder, and watched Finn's eyes roll back in his head. "You wait ten minutes and start over. I guarantee nobody here's gonna mind sloppy seconds."

Finn chuckled uneasily as he brought his hands up to Puck's shoulders and trailed his hands down the expanse of Puck's chest, mapping the contours with the pads of his fingers. "It's just, you know, I want it to be ok, for Kurt. I mean, he deserves more than ok, but I want to be able to give him that at least, you know?" Finn's eyes zeroed in on Puck's chest. His eyes glittered before he slipped the tip of his pinky finger into Puck's nipple ring and tugged.

Puck felt the resulting sensation in every extremity, and even after his recent session with Kurt, he could tell the water and Finn's closeness and his fucking fingers on his fucking nipple ring were making him respond. He swore, bucking his hips into Finn, and breathed hard when Finn did it again. "I'm pretty sure he'll love whatever you've got for him. But - fuck, man -" He gasped as Finn bent down to lave his nipple with the flat of his tongue. "If you don't mind me being there, I'd do my best to help you stay focused."

"No - yeah, you being there - that's good. Real good. And um, thanks, for offering to help." Finn flicked the ring with his fingertips. "I've always wondered about this. It's always kind of fascinated me, since the day you got it." He tugged it again, watching Puck's face contort. "What's it feel like?"

"Like bunnies and rainbows, dork. What do you think it feels like?" He gave one last gasp, twisting away from Finn's fingers. "And if we don't finish up in here pretty soon, we're gonna feel the water running cold. Grab that soap." He smirked as Finn bent over. "Don't worry, I promised Kurt I wouldn't stick anything up anybody's ass without a condom on it."

Finn had scooped up the bar, but hearing that nearly made him drop it again. "You don't - I mean, I'm not asking for anything you don't want."

"You really think I don't want that?" He stared at Finn for one more incredulous second before seizing him and kissing him again. "You're saving your hard-on for Kurt. Otherwise you can bet I'd be looking for you to try one of those rubbers out on me." He dropped a hand to Finn's cock and squeezed. "You think later, after you've worn Kurt out, you might let me bang you silly?"

"Oh god," Finn whimpered, and Puck felt him contract in his hand. It was just as hot as it always had been in his imagination, just as it had been with Kurt. Maybe better, he told himself. Noah, you are so fucked.

"I promise, I'd make it good for you," he added, rolling Finn's balls in his hand. "Maybe I only know guys from porn, but trust me, I know about buttsex, and it's awesome."

The way Finn was reacting, it was all he could do not to start jerking him off right here, because based on what he knew about Finn, he guessed he could probably get him to come in about thirty seconds. But no, this was for Finn and Kurt, and Puck was going to get to watch. He patted Finn's ass, not quite hard enough for it to be deemed a slap, and kissed him quickly once more.

"You're clean enough for him, I'd bet."

Finn opened heavy-lidded eyes, a faint grin on his slack lips. "I bet you're right." He reached up, cupping the side of Puck's face, and ran a thumb across his jaw. "Kurt hates to be kept waiting."

He dried off quickly, grabbed the bag of supplies and followed Finn through the hallway to Kurt's door. Okay, maybe it hurt, a little, to think about all the years Finn and Kurt had been doing this already, but he knew he could brush it off if it meant he was going to get to be there when Finn got his cherry popped. It didn't really matter who was doing it, not if the three of them were there together. Because what Kurt had said, about it feeling good, that was the fucking understatement of the year.

"Is he awake?" he whispered, getting up on his toes and peeking in over Finn's shoulder. Finn shook his head, but moved in anyway, pulling the sheet back from where it was covering Kurt.

"Hey, KK," murmured FInn. "You ready for us?"

Puck mouthed KK? but he decided he wasn't going to make a big deal about it. After all, he'd been calling Kurt babe all night, which so far had been something he'd only ever used on chicks. Kurt seemed to like it, though. It made him wonder what Kurt called Finn. Or what he might call you? He put a hand on Finn's bare back as he watched Finn unwrap Kurt from the sheet like a present. He couldn't imagine calling Finn anything other than Finn.

"Mmm," Kurt said, stretching deliciously, and smiled at both of them in turn. "How was your shower?"

"Inspiring," said Puck. "We've got at least one big hard-on here for you."

He loved Kurt's surprised laugh, loved the way he opened his eyes wide, like he couldn't believe somebody was going to give him that. Hell, if Kurt didn't deserve two guys falling all over themselves for him, who did? He dropped the bag on the bed, breaking the box open and tossing a condom at Kurt and the lube at Finn.

"This lube sucks," he advised. "I'm gonna go see if I can score some better stuff. But I bet you guys'll have an awesome time anyway." He leaned in behind Finn, adding in a whisper, "Screw the mailman; you come when you want, dude. Just get him nice and loose, three fingers, got it? Then do him on his back. The way you're hung, you'll get his prostate better that way." He trailed fingers down Finn's back. "Yeah, I know what that is now."

Before either of them could get more distracted, Puck leaned over and gave Kurt a long, slow kiss. He thought the strangled noise he got from Finn was awesome, but the way Kurt responded, kissing him back, was pretty fucking hot. Then he smiled and backed out of the room, not bothering to close the door.

It was already after ten, and he'd seen a drugstore on the way to the pier last night. Shoving his feet into his sandals and slipping on a pair of shorts and a tank top, he jogged all the way to Duval. It wasn't taking him long to recover after that blowjob, and he suspected it was going to be the same for Kurt. He didn't want to miss all the action.

The chick behind the counter at Walgreens was unfazed by his request for "condoms for well-hung guys," and gave him several suggestions. Puck smiled big when he found the lube he was looking for. "Thanks," he said, waiting impatiently while she made change for his twenty. Then he jogged back. All told, it took less than fifteen minutes.

When Puck climbed the stairs, he tried to be quiet, not wanting to interrupt whatever was going on. He could hear voices in hushed conversation, and muted, wet noises, and plenty of sighs and groans. He grinned to himself, pausing outside the door, and listened.

"That really feels good?" That was Finn, anxious as usual. Puck wanted to slap him upside the head for introducing that tone of voice into sex with Kurt. Kurt didn't need any more fucking anxiety. Kurt's answering laughter, however, was low and sexy. It made Puck shiver to hear it.

"It really does. Just - a little deeper, kind of pushing as you - yes, like that." He moaned, and Puck decided he didn't want to miss this particular lesson. He stripped off his clothes in the hallway, kicking off his shoes, and ducked silently into the master bedroom. Kurt was spread out on his back with Finn kneeling over him, and although they paused to acknowledge Puck when he walked in, they were clearly into what they were doing.

"Don't stop, for fuck's sake," he muttered, tossing the Walgreens bag on the foot of the bed. "Whatever he said for you to do, do it again, twenty times, exactly like that. You showing him what you like, babe?"

Kurt's eyes were glassy and luminous in the shaded room. His chest was covered with a light sheen of perspiration, and he was already panting hard. "Finn," he groaned.

"That's your cue, dude." Puck reached down for the unwrapped condom and, before Finn could object, reached around him from behind to roll it on with one stroke. Finn made an amazed grunt, then twisted around to catch Puck's mouth in a kiss, all without losing the pace of his fingers inside Kurt. Uncoordinated, my ass, thought Puck smugly. That's my boy.

"K," Finn said, leaning over him as he withdrew his hand, and Puck was there with a towel. No sense in being self-conscious about where your fingers had been, he figured. Kurt reached for him, smiling encouragement, as Finn arranged himself. "This is - god, you feel so good, I'm not gonna be able to -"

"Finn, it doesn't matter," he said. "It doesn't matter how long you last because this is something I've been wanting so long, and it's already better than I could have imagined."

Finn's arms engulfed Kurt in an enormous Finn-sized hug as he kissed him breathless. Puck hung back, but he couldn't help resting a hand on Finn's shoulder, and felt him sigh. "Thank you, K. You have no idea how much this means to me."

"Less talking, more fucking," Puck murmured, and he heard Kurt's exasperated giggle. Finn took the hint, though, carefully lining himself up and slowly pushing into Kurt as both of them moaned. It was kind of crazy how proud Puck felt of the whole situation, considering he wasn't even directly involved, but each thrust got him higher until he felt like his head might explode with fucking happiness. This, he thought dreamily, kneeling behind Finn, absently rubbing himself against Finn's hip. This is what I should have been doing all along.

"Oh god," he heard, Finn's voice rising, and Kurt's imploring, "It's good, sweetie, come on, come inside me."

"I'm so sorry, KK," Finn gasped, "so, so sorry - for taking this long, for not knowing we'd be- god, we could have had this all along -"

"I've got you." Kurt's eyes were shut tight, holding on.

It was touching, not to mention insanely hot, but Puck stayed apart, letting them have their moment while he unwrapped one of the Puck-sized condoms and opened the silicone-based lube. He wouldn't need much, but he he coated the first three fingers on his right hand anyway. Before Finn could come down too far, he reached underneath and slipped one finger inside him.

"Holy shit," Finn yelped, and Puck wiggled the finger a little.

"Stay inside him," he urged. "You're gonna get hard again, and I'm gonna do you just like this."

Puck paid more attention to the feedback Kurt was giving him to indicate Finn's state of readiness, because Finn was basically a big pile of whimpering. It was cool; Puck figured he'd have a better time of it if he went slow, and Kurt didn't seem to be objecting to having Finn sprawled on top of him. He added the second finger, and finally the third, waiting until he felt Finn relax around him before kneeling behind him.

"Ready for me?" he asked, and got a heady rush of feelings when both Kurt and Finn nodded.

Yeah, wearing the condom kind of sucked. It seemed like a pointless promise. Sure, he saw Kurt's point about keeping other guys safe, but how was he supposed to say I think I only want this with you guys from now on when they were going to be in Lima and he was going to be in L.A.? It would have totally ruined the mood. So he just focused on staying in the game until he felt Finn stiffen underneath him, making totally hot oh oh oh noises as he clenched around him. Coming inside Finn would have been better without the condom, but when it came to finding things to complain about, really, Puck wasn't about to do that.

"Holy shit." Puck waited a minute until he was a little softer, then slid out of Finn, noting the grimace. "Sorry for that. First time with the Puckasaurus is a little much for anybody."

"Not - not a problem," Finn assured him, waving a limp hand. He'd slumped off to the side, still half-inside Kurt, and Puck decided he'd claim the dubious honor of collecting the condoms and ditching them in the trash can. Actually, it did make cleanup a lot easier.

Kurt was stirring now, and Puck lay down beside Kurt on the other side to watch them give each other googly-eyes. He kissed Kurt's ear. "How awesome was that, babe?"

"I have no words," Kurt said gravely, turning to Puck. He reached for him just as he'd reached for Finn, and Puck felt Kurt's whispered thank you hit him in his gut.

Then he turned to Finn, who was flat on his back by now, eyes closed. "Hey, dork," he said, knowing Finn would hear exactly what he was feeling in his voice. "You doing okay?"

"I'm - yeah." Finn's words were a little slurred, but he managed to open his eyes and focus on Puck. "I can't believe you did that."

"I can't believe I did either," Puck admitted. "It just seemed like the right thing to do. You're not gonna punch me or anything, are you?"

Finn laughed. "No, man. That was freaking incredible." He turned to watch Kurt's face. "Both of you."

It was kind of a both of you experience, Puck decided, and settled down beside Kurt, letting their sighs of contentment and satisfaction resonate inside him. He was pretty sure they all slept a little while, but eventually he stretched and sat up.

"We need to get out of the house," he declared, "and get some food, and go clubbing, in that order."

After another round of showers, Puck decided he'd wait for the two of them on the porch. Being in one house together with two other guys would make anybody a little stir-crazy. Kurt came out first, touching his shoulder.

"We're going out together?" he asked. "The three of us? As in, together?"

"Well, yeah." Puck paused, searching Kurt's face. "You want that, right?"

Kurt's face split in a smile. "Yes, I definitely want that. After last night, I was pretty sure I wasn't the only one, but... I'm just checking with you." He shook his head. "I still can't quite believe this is happening."

"This'll be a good reality check," Puck agreed. "Getting out into the world, seeing what it's like, you know? Outside this house." He put a hand on Kurt's back. "Kind of, I don't know. Practice boyfriends." He watched Kurt be speechless for a few moments before adding, "Just for this week."

"Of course," Kurt said faintly. "I - yes. That would be good."

When Finn joined them, Kurt peeled off to put his arms around him, and Finn seemed to appreciate that. But when Kurt leaned in to murmur in his ear, and Puck caught the word boyfriend, he saw Finn stiffen and glance over at him. Puck braced himself and held out a defiant hand.

"You ready to walk through Key West together?" he said. He knew it sounded like a challenge, but dammit, sometimes Finn needed a challenge.

Finn stared at the hand for a few long moments before taking it, giving Puck a half-smile. "Let's do it."

It was strange, not getting any looks from locals or tourists, even though it was clear the three of them were together. Kurt seemed to be having a ball, smiling big and chattering about nothing in particular while hanging all over Puck. Puck had to admit, it felt great. He swung Finn's hand like they were eight, his other arm snaked around Kurt's waist, resting low on his hip.

They began and ended their nightclub tour in Aqua, finding sufficient music and space to groove. Finn was even more withdrawn than he'd been the other night, but Puck bought them all double shots of citron vodka and lined them up with sugary lemons, figuring that'd take care of Finn's fears about dancing.

"He's not that bad a dancer," Puck shouted to Kurt over the music. "Finn, I mean."

"I think he's just sure he's not as good as he should be," Kurt shouted back. They watched Finn watching them talk, but he looked away as soon as they noticed him. Kurt did eventually manage to get him on the dance floor, grinding seductively against him, but even that didn't seem to be welcome. Every time Puck looked over, Finn was standing up against the wall, arms crossed, watching them with a little frown on his face.

Suddenly the music changed, and Kurt's face lit up. "It's -"

"Hey, that song, from the Burt and Carole wedding!" Puck laughed, hearing the dance remix of Bruno Mars' Just the Way You Are. He grabbed Kurt in his arms, feeling the joy of holding him at last - until he saw Finn heading for the door, wearing an expression of abject despair.

Kurt slowed and stopped, watching him go. "Oh, god. I'd better go talk to him." He bit his lip, leaning in against Puck. "That's kind of our song, you know?"

"Got it," Puck said briefly, pushing him with both hands. "Go, for sure."

He waited at the bar for a few minutes before heading out to the patio to see if he could help, but Finn and Kurt were embroiled in a near-shouting match. Kurt looked frustrated, but it was Finn who seemed on the edge of tears. Puck had no way to express how much that wrecked him, seeing Finn like that, but he didn't want to interrupt.

"Don't bother worrying about me, Kurt," Finn seethed, "go back to your fucking boyfriend."

Kurt appeared frozen in shock as Finn took off down Duval, headed toward the house, but when Puck approached him, he crumpled, sobbing into the curve of Puck's neck. Puck held him, watching Finn go, and feeling completely lost.

---

Finn stormed into the cottage, ran up the stairs to his room and slammed the door. He took out his duffel bag and started throwing his shit into it. I'm not going to cry, I'm not going to cry, he repeated to himself over and over.

He wasn't sure why he'd expected things to work out. What had happened last night or this morning, between all of them, had obviously been just a fluke. Or maybe it was just because he was there and they just didn't care. But tonight at that club, it was totally the Kurt and Puck show and Finn had been back to being the third wheel - ironically, the annoying kid brother.

What did you think was going to happen? he asked himself, furiously zipping his bag shut. It wasn't like Puck was going to give up Kurt to be with him, no matter what he might have said last night. Puck had put this whole trip together just to get into Kurt's pants, and it obviously had worked. He got that. Oh, did he get that.

I came on this trip for exactly the same reason as Puck, he admitted to himself. To get into Kurt's pants. God, they had shared some wonderful times in this house. The kissing; Finn still didn't know why they hadn't been doing that all along. And then when Kurt let him touch him, taste him, coming apart so completely for Finn, he didn't know if he had ever loved someone that much before.

Shit! Finn froze, and he blinked hard a couple of times as the revelation hit him. I'm in love with Kurt. Kurt, his step-brother. Kurt, one of his closest friends. Kurt, his best friend's boyfriend. Tears pricked at Finn's eyes as he picked up his bags and started to walk down the stairs. Your best friend's boyfriend. And oh, how Finn wanted to hate Puck just then. Especially when Puck and Kurt came through the door to the house, hand and hand.

"Finn," Kurt pleaded, "don't do this."

"What's going on?" Puck reached for him, but Finn shook his head.

He prayed his voice wouldn't waver as he answered. "I'm heading to the airport to see if I can change in my voucher and fly home stand-by."

Finn saw a look of sadness and confusion cross Kurt's face, but Finn shook his head and focused on Puck. He was standing right in front of Finn, blocking his exit, reaching for the handle of Finn's duffle bag.

"You really want to go home?" he demanded. "Leave paradise?"

Finn scowled at Puck. Fuck his paradise. Well, if he wanted to know why, Finn was gonna tell him. "Why do I want to go home? Let's see. Maybe because you didn't really want me here anyway. I was just the Kurt bait. Oh, and how about the fact that I got here first, I was the one doing stuff with Kurt, and yet you managed to steal him away from me anyway, just like you did with Quinn."

"Finn," Kurt said again, more desperate this time. He grabbed Puck's arm, trying to pull him back away from Finn, but Finn just stepped forward, following Puck.

"You know, everyone tells me I'm great," said Finn, his voice rising with each word, "I'm lovable, I'm a leader, I'm so damn nice. But you know what, fuck it. Fuck them because I have to watch you walk away into the sunset with the girl, again. I'm just the nice guy loser that finishes last - oh wait... except that's part of my problem, too, isn't it?"

By the end he was screaming at them, making huge gestures with his hand and pacing back and forth, until he saw Kurt's expression. It just about broke his heart. Finn pulled his bag from Puck's grasp and went to him, making an effort to control his voice. "I'm sorry, Kurt. I'm so very sorry. I..." Finn couldn't bear to finish that thought. He couldn't tell Kurt how much he had enjoyed their time here. He couldn't tell Kurt he was in love with him. Instead Finn shuffled past them and out the door, headed down towards the nightlife where he could find a taxi to the airport.

I hate Puck, Finn thought as the taxi drove towards the airport. I hate his stupid mohawk. I hate his silly guitar. I hate his pool cleaning business. I hate this trip to Key West. I hate that he's my best friend. I hate that he's my brother's boyfriend. He let his head fall back against the back of the seat, staring up at the perfect blue sky of Paradise. I hate that I love him.

---

Kurt sank down on the stool in the kitchen after it became apparent that Finn was not going to waltz back in. He couldn't hang on to his frustration once Finn was gone, and was left with a paralyzing sense of loss. Puck, on the other hand, revved up into controlled fury.

"Your brother is completely bat-shit crazy." He paced the kitchen. "He spent too much time with Rachel and now he's just as bad as her. Fine, fuck him. Fuck 'em both. They should get back together. They deserve each other."

Kurt sighed. "I must admit that was a very Rachel-esque storm out. But I think the Finchel crazy train has all but run its course. And my br- and Finn, he's not crazy, he's hurting. I'm not entirely sure I know why, but I'd bet that jealousy is part of it." He watched Puck pace until he couldn't stand it any longer, and moved to wrap his arms around Puck from behind, grounding him where he stood.

"You think Finn is jealous? What the hell does he have to be jealous about? I should be the one being fucking jealous. I should be jealous that he started this... this whatever, with you, even though he knew I liked you. I should be jealous of you, because he went to you instead of me. I should be jealous of both of you because you've got each other. Now you're his brother and his best fucking friend." Kurt heard Puck's voice start to dissolve into tears only seconds before he wrenched away from Kurt's arms.

"You know, I could be jealous, too," Kurt snapped back. "I could be jealous that Finn loves you. I could be jealous of the years of friendship you have with him. I could be jealous that you're badass enough to be queer and not be bullied. And I could be jealous that you're in love with him."

"He's not in love with me!" Puck scoffed. "And I sure as hell ain't in love with him."

"Sure you're not." Kurt approached Puck again, more slowly this time, slipping his hands under the tank top Puck was wearing. He slid them up and down his chest. "It wasn't you who yelled at him in the middle of the night about why he didn't come to you when he wanted to mess around with a guy. And he didn't go after you to make you understand. Then he didn't come back here to me and come all over my stomach, rutting against me while he begged me to tell him about what I did to you when we came back from the club. He also didn't tell me about your big dick, or how built you are, or gush about your legs and abs."

Puck dropped his head back onto Kurt's shoulder and let out a frustrated whine. "Fuck," he groaned. He turned red, pained eyes to Kurt. "Really? Finn said that?"

"He did. It's hot, right?" Kurt pressed his body flush against Puck's back, nudging a thigh between his legs from behind.

Puck nodded as he shifted, his breathing hitching with suppressed emotion.

"So, what are you going to do about it?" Kurt whispered huskily into Puck's ear. He dragged his tongue over the shell of Puck's ear, feeling Puck shiver beneath him.

"I don't know," he whispered back. "I have no fucking idea what I'm going to do."

Kurt spun Puck around and walked him backward toward the wall, watching Puck's eyes widen. "I'll tell you what you're going to do. We're going to that airport and bring him back. And you're going to be the one to convince him."

"You think he's gonna listen to me?" Puck scoffed.

"You might have to dig deep for this one... Noah." His eyes fixed on Puck's hazel ones as Puck flinched. "Finn needs to be needed. He always has. He needs to be loved for who he is, deep down, not just on the surface. You know who that is, probably better than anyone. The stripped-bare Finn. Not the quarterback, not the Glee club leader, not the jock. Just Finn."

Puck stared helplessly at him. "What if he won't listen to me? What happens if I can't get him to stay? He already said no to me once. What makes you think he's going to change his mind?"

Kurt shook his head. "You don't think things have changed between the two of you? The three of us? We're not who were were when we came here. I don't think it would make sense to pretend otherwise." Kurt pressed his lips to Puck's, kissing him tenderly. "Just know that I'm going to be right there. I'm not going anywhere. This is about you and Finn, but I'll be waiting if you need me." Kurt curled one of his hands into Puck's and lifted it to cover his heart.

"God, Kurt," whispered Puck, sounding awed. "I love you so fucking much."

Kurt hugged him with one arm, their intertwined hands pressed between the two of them, feeling the pulse of this, the new relationship they'd begun. "I know, Noah. I can't tell you how much that means to me."

He made sure he had enough money for a cab back from as well as to the airport, then took Puck's hand, and they walked in silence to the shuttle terminal. Even in the back of the cab, Puck sat close to him, gripping his arm as he watched out the window. Kurt didn't want to interrupt his train of thought, but at one point he turned Puck's face toward him and kissed him.

"This... the last two days... it's been beyond my wildest dreams, Puck." He smiled at him, stroking the curve of his collarbone beneath his tank. "I had no idea about your feelings for me. That took me completely by surprise. But I want you to know, I don't want to let it go when we come home."

Puck's face was a picture of conflict. "You're going home, Kurt, you and Finn. Not me."

Kurt nodded, mustering his courage. "You told me you loved me. Can you say for certain that's true?"

He hesitated, then nodded, not looking away. Kurt kissed him again, gently. He stroked his face, marveling at how dear it had become to him. "I can't say I love you... yet. But I'm willing to follow you across the country to give us a chance at something real."

For a moment, Puck didn't register what Kurt had said. Then he took a sudden breath. "Kurt?"

Kurt smiled, and Puck seized him in his arms and squeezed him tight enough to make him cough. "Lung capacity," he wheezed, "singer... livelihood in L.A." When Puck let him go, they were both laughing.

"You're serious?" There was nothing on Puck's face now that looked like bravado; he was simply as joyous as Kurt had ever seen him. He felt his heart open at that expression, and he had to kiss him again. Then Puck's eyes went to the window. "And Finn...?"

"You know where Finn belongs."

Kurt stayed behind to pay for the cab while Puck tumbled out, scanning the airport for a familiar tall form, but Finn was nowhere to be found. Puck paced along the median. "He can't have left already. He just can't!"

"Let's go inside," Kurt suggested, "and ask at the counter."

It turned out, however, they did not need to ask. Finn was standing in the line to go through security, clutching his boarding pass and staring determinedly at the wall. Puck made a beeline for him, making him startle and drop his boarding pass, which fluttered to the floor.

"You can't leave," Puck announced loudly. The couple in front of Finn turned to glance at them. Finn flushed, scowling at him.

"Would you keep your -"

"Uh, no," Puck interrupted, even more loudly. Now the whole line was watching them. He reached out and grabbed Finn's arm. "You can't go home. Not without us."

"I told you." He looked exhausted. "It doesn't matter. The two of you, you should stay and enjoy Paradise. You deserve it; you do."

"We can't." Puck turned back to look at Kurt, who approached, not too closely, but Puck held out his hand until Kurt took it. "Not without you. Finn, goddamn it, you belong with us."

"No," Finn insisted. "No, that's not how it is."

Puck made a noise of frustration. He dropped Kurt's hand and reached for both of Finn's, holding them over the division barrier. The whole line had stalled at Finn, but no one seemed in any hurry to rush them along, not even the airline security. Kurt watched two airline agents whispering to one another.

"Fuck it." Puck took a deep breath and let it out. "You belong with us because I love you, okay?"

"Oh," said the security agent, cracking a startled smile.

"Is he going to propose?" whispered the woman in the baseball cap. Finn was thrown completely off-balance, but he wasn't moving. Puck seized Kurt's hand.

"He loves you, too." He turned to Kurt, nudging him. "Tell him."

"I - I do," Kurt said, trying not to stammer. He watched Finn's face open in astonishment, and tried again. "I love you."

"Sir," called the other security agent with clear annoyance, but the first one shushed him.

"You've been my best friend since we were ten," Puck went on. "Every fucking meaningful moment in my life, I've shared with you. There's nobody I trust like I trust you, with anything. Everything. And this guy..." He brandished Kurt's hand at him. "He gets you. The two of us, we've got something good, here, Finn, but it's not the whole thing. Not without you."

Finn turned, bewildered, to face Kurt. Kurt took a step toward Finn, putting his hand on top of Puck and Finn's joined ones. "We want you to stay. Stay, with us. Here, and at home. In Los Angeles."

Finn appeared struck dumb, staring at Kurt, then at Puck, until the woman behind him in line nudged his shoulder. "Tell them!"

"Tell - tell them what?" he whispered.

"How you feel."

The girl at the front of the line tossed her ponytail. "Come on, man."

Kurt just stood there, smiling at Finn, as he blinked. Puck shuffled impatiently. "What's it going to be, man? I don't know what else to tell you that would be appropriate to say in public."

There was a smattering of laughter. The woman at the ticket counter called over, "Sir? Do you need me to switch your ticket back? No charge, for you."

"I, um." Finn laughed, rubbing his neck with one hand. He bent down and picked up the fallen boarding pass, looking at it. Then he crumpled it up in both hands and made a three-pointer into the wastebasket. The entire line broke into spontaneous applause as he stepped over the divider with his long legs, took three strides toward Puck and enfolded him in a hug.

"I love you, too," Kurt heard Finn murmur. "Dork."

"Fucking right," Puck said. He pulled back far enough to glare at him. Then he kissed him. Finn made a muffled exclamation, but he didn't break the kiss, and when it was over, he was smiling. He turned and reached for Kurt.

"KK," he said, and that was all Kurt needed. He shot into Finn's arms, feeling his wild heartbeat, the warmth of his skin, the solidity of him.

"I feel like I almost lost you," Kurt said, trying not to burst into tears. "I just got everything I wanted, and - I can't give you up and go back to how we were again. Not for anything."

"No, K. You're not going to lose me - ever." He brushed a hand through Kurt's hair, and Kurt didn't care one bit. "I love you more than I thought was possible."

Then Finn was kissing Kurt, too, and Puck was right there, holding them both, and they tilted into one another, finding their own personal equilibrium, breathing together.

"You really want me here? With you?" Now Finn sounded uncertain again, but Puck just put a firm arm around his waist, holding on.

"There's nowhere else we want you." He grinned. "Not until we get you home."

---

Epilogue

Burt shoved the manilla envelopes of receipts away from himself with a long sigh. Before he could get up again, he caught sight of Carole waving at him through the front door of the garage. He smiled as she came in, dodging an elderly man in her path.

"Hey, honey," she said, leaning across the counter for a kiss. "I got something on my phone that I thought you should see."

"Are the boys all right?" It had been a long week with both of them gone, and the house remarkably quiet. Burt watched her face, but she didn't seem upset. On the contrary, she was smiling.

"Yes," she said, stretching out the word. "I think something happened, though."

She tilted her phone toward him, and he saw a picture of the three boys on an ocean pier, looking out at the sunset. It made him smile, too. "That's great."

"Go to the next one," she advised. He reached out an awkward finger and flicked to the next picture. Here Burt paused, squinting to look more closely. Surely he was - but no, that was Kurt, and Puck. Kissing.

"Well, I'll be," he murmured. "Did you see this coming?"

"Miles away. Keep going."

The next picture was Kurt and Finn. Kissing. Burt laughed at this one, until he saw Carole's face. He stopped laughing and stared. "No."

"Yes," she insisted. "Keep going."

"I - do I really want to?"

Carole reached out and did it for him, and Burt shook his head in perplexity as the last shot of Puck and Finn, kissing, flickered by. "Well... okay, this one, I could see."

"Burt," Carole protested, but he was laughing again. She rolled her eyes. "Finn texts, and I quote, We'll need to talk when we get home, about L.A. Love you guys. -K, F and P. What do you think we're going to do about this?"

Burt raised an eyebrow. "Hey, I've always wanted to visit California."

---

youtube dot com / watch?v=Yam5uK6e-bQ

Oh, my life
Is changing every day
In every possible way
And oh, my dreams
Never quite as it seems
Never quite as it seems

I know I've felt like this before
but now I'm feeling it even more,
Because it came from you
And then I open up and see
The person falling here is me
A different way to be

I want more
Impossible to ignore
Impossible to ignore
And they'll come true
Impossible not to do
Impossible not to do

And now I tell you openly
You have my heart so don't hurt me
You're what I couldn't find
A totally amazing mind
So understanding and so kind
You're everything to me

- The Cranberries, "Dreams"