This was orignally written for a challenge on an LJ community. It was a mixed pairing story of Dave/Kurt and Rachel/Quinn. I have removed the Rachel/Quinn parts and added in some more to the story going on between Dave and Kurt. It's not set at a particular time, I just sort of love the idea of after all the crap they went through they were able to form a friendship that gradually turned into more and this is three little moments between them surrounding that. Enjoy!
Dave isn't stupid enough to think that the past can be erased; he knows there will always be a little something in Kurt's eyes that shows he won't ever forget what Dave put him through. But Dave does like to think that they are building their way to some kind of friendship, that perhaps after time that look will fade into something else, some distant memory of a person who is nothing like what Dave wants to be. It doesn't surprise him that Kurt has managed to smash through every other friendship he has ever had and make them look fake in comparison. Sure, it's easy with Azimio; he can put a smile on his face and ignore the awkward moments when Az doesn't really know what to say. He can elbow him and tell him to get his head out of his ass and carry on with their Halo tournament. He can pretend it doesn't bother him that everyone acts a little differently around him now. Most of the time, it's easy to pretend.
He can't deny though, there is a huge sense of relief when he can let down that guard and not have to force his way through a conversation and fake a smile. Kurt doesn't let him and Dave knows he doesn't have to. Sometimes Kurt will look at him, he'll be spilling his feelings and things that have pissed him off and Kurt just nods. Taking in each and every word and making Dave feel like it's okay to be so damn angry some days and to want to hide away on others. There's just no judgement there, just Kurt; his kind eyes and strong hands clinging onto his.
It's a strange feeling when it hits him. Like a sharp twinge in his chest and a knotting in his stomach. Dave has envied people before, seen them with a talent or a gift and wished he had half as much. But this level of jealousy hits like a strike to the face. The problem is, it's not something he really knows what to do with. It's not even justified. Dave doesn't have a claim over Kurt and who he talks to, who he is friends with and especially who he dates. What doesn't help is that Blaine always looks so perfect all the damn time, smiling and laughing, touching Kurt way too much and making Kurt's eyes scrunch up in that cute adorable way they do when he smiles. Blaine is everything Dave feels envious of all rolled up into one perfect little package, even he can't deny just looking at the two of them together they are well suited.
It doesn't help that whenever Dave tries to subtly bring up the subject of the break up with Blaine, Kurt goes unusually quiet. He muttered something once about how sometimes things just didn't work out. Dave just nodded and didn't push. His experience comes down to one fake relationship with Santana but even he knows when to play it cool.
What he should do is walk away. Actually, he should stop hiding round the corner of the lockers and just go walk up to Kurt and meet him like they had planned. But Blaine, for some reason, is like repellent for Dave. He has always feels awkward around him, on edge and angry like he wants to put that pretty face of his through a brick wall. He knows Kurt senses it, of course he does, Kurt is smart and he watches Dave now, close and intently. It used to leave him feeling self-conscious and unnerved but now he finds it strangely comforting. To know that Kurt cares enough to make sure he is okay and that he wants to keep checking.
Dave looks away, finally, he pulls his eyes away and rests his forehead against the locker. It's bad enough that he was already nervous about tonight. Kurt had just casually looked up from his French homework and suggested they go see a movie, Dave's choice because Kurt can pick next time. Dave didn't even know what to say, so he just nodded and that was that. He does so much of that recently, finding himself agreeing to Kurt's random ideas. If it means he gets to see the wide, happy smile on Kurt's face when he agrees, then that's all the better. He has been repeatedly telling himself that it isn't a date; friends go out for movies all time. He peeks his head around the locker and Blaine is holding onto Kurt's arm, fingers gripping in soothingly and they are standing way too close for Dave's liking, so much that he is seriously considering going over there and pulling them apart. Then he sees the look on Kurt's face, he looks sad, unsure... Dave has flashbacks of the look in Kurt's eyes when he would slam him against the lockers or shove into him, it's an echo of the same look and this time instead of being the one who put it there he wants to be the one to take it away.
Blaine's hand drops and he leans in close to whisper something in Kurt's ear and then he is walking down the corridor. Kurt remains still for a few moments, staring down at the ground, his face serious. His eyes flicker up briefly, glancing down the corridor in Dave's direction, before he can hide behind the locker and avoid being caught staring, Kurt's eyes lock with his and the sadness and seriousness are gone. All he sees is that same bright smile when he agrees with Kurt and his crazy plans. He can't stop the smile returning, there is something instinctively built inside him now to always return this smile to Kurt. There's something in Kurt's eyes as he makes his way toward Dave, something that looks very much like hope.
Kurt's plan had been working so well; it mostly consisted of him ignoring all his feelings and hoping they would go away. Stupid teenage hormonal feelings make his head all fuzzy and confuse him to the point where he can't sleep at night and when he does, he wakes up to dreams leaving him hot and the sheets bunched round his ankles. He is not going to think about them, not at school, not at home, not ever. It's all been working perfectly well until Blaine catches him staring.
To be fair, Kurt hadn't exactly realised he had been staring for quite so long. But Dave was doing that weird scrunched up face thing he does when Santana talks to him. Like she is saying something he really doesn't want to hear. And he looks cute, and there is his brain betraying him again. What makes the whole thing more infuriating is that Blaine's reaction is the exact opposite of what he expected. Instead of judgement and shock, Blaine is full of support and encouragement. That's not even the most infuriating thing though. For some reason, Blaine seems to find the whole thing unbelievably adorable.
Apparently, the etiquette for when you break up with someone doesn't apply to Kurt and Blaine. Blaine says it's because they were such good friends before they were in a relationship. Kurt just thinks that Blaine is so easy going he may as well be horizontal, so it's hard to feel any anger or bitterness. And their break up was so lame. It was of "I think we make much more sense as friends so let's just do that, yeah?".
So he spent all of last night texting Blaine when he should have been ignoring his feelings. The issue for Kurt is, the awkwardness and hesitance there used to be between him and Dave, it's not there anymore. In fact, it's quite the contrary. He and Dave have a natural easiness between them, he feels like they shift around each other, both knowing what the other one means when they can't quite vocalise it. They can somehow sense each other's moods, when it's okay to push a conversation further and when it's time to let it go. It used to catch him off guard, he had been so used to a mix of heightened emotions around Dave then when they found a calm level ground, he didn't know what to do with it at first. Now he finds himself expecting it, he achesfor it.
It's how he ends up staring like a crazy stalker; every day without fail, he'll manage to seek Dave out and just watch him. It's so freaking creepy, even Blaine agrees with him on that. Mostly because he says that if Kurt just told Dave how he felt he would be able to stare at him freely without feeling like a total weirdo. It's not even like he and Dave don't spend time with each other every day. They study and go to the movies and it's all really easy and normal. Sometimes he thinks Dave must realise how much the whole thing is eating Kurt up from the inside. But Dave is calm and casual, laughing along with Kurt's jokes and just being generally this amazing person he has come to need in his life. Even that should be astonishing to Kurt, that this person who he never imagined could ever be part of his life is slowly becoming a central part.
Today, there's something different as he lurks around the corner, he sees Santana; she has her hand on David's back, patting it lightly. He can only see Dave's profile but he can tell he looks sad; he is frowning and his eyes look down on his full plate of food. Santana moves closer and he knows it's completely irrational, because the amount of conversations he has had with Dave that confirm his sexuality are countless, but he can't help it. He wants Santana with her short skirts and pretty hair to move the hell away from him.
"What are we looking at?" Kurt yelps as Blaine rests his head on his shoulder. "Oh, of course. David."
"I was looking at Santana, actually."
"Right. Cos she is so your type?" Blaine moves away and leans against the door frame opposite him. "Will you just talk to him already?"
"I don't know what you're talking about." Kurt holds his head up high. Still staring, mind you, at Santana's stupid patting hand. Kurt huffs. "Does she have to sit so close? I mean, really?"
Blaine's eyes widen and Kurt knows he is biting his lip to stop himself from laughing. "You do realise that they are not each other's types like... at all. Your irrational jealously is so..."
"If you say adorable I will slap you in the face Blaine Anderson."
Blaine holds his hands up. "Okay, I won't. I still think you should tell him how you feel. What are you so afraid of? I know it's not him, not anymore..."
"Please, I don't think I could stand it if you got all insightful on me again. I'm dealing with this in my own way."
"And by dealing you mean ignoring your feelings, staring at him around corners and just generally hoping the whole thing will go away?"
"It works for everyone else!" Kurt throws his arms up dramatically. He appreciates a good scene in the hallway and turns around quickly, stalking off arms flamboyantly swinging at his sides. It doesn't go unnoticed that he hears Blaine mutter "oh please" as he stalks off. But Blaine is stupid and doesn't understand Kurt's flair for the dramatic.
Kurt rarely has random outbursts of anger but apparently when he does he really needs to remember to keep himself in check. This particular occasion ended with Blaine pulling him off Azimio Adams for calling Dave a "stupid fag". He has heard a hell of a lot worse from Azimio's mouth and most of it directed at him, but the anger he felt at hearing those words directed at Dave was very much overwhelming.
The smirk Blaine gives him as he finally lets go of Kurt's arm doesn't go unnoticed. Also, without saying a word Blaine points to the choir room and smiles before walking down the corridor and helping Becky with her book bag. Stupid Blaine.
It's hard to spot Dave sitting on the floor in the corner of the room, mostly because he is curled into himself and attempting to pull out his hair with his hands. Kurt sits by his side, leaving a little distance. He wants nothing more than to close the distance and put his arms around Dave's shoulder but there is something in Dave's whole posture that screams at Kurt to just sit at his side.
Dave has been struggling with Azimio's reaction for months now. From what Kurt can get out of Dave, Azimio hadn't been angry or aggressive, he hadn't really been anything. It was just another thing a long list that he and Azimio didn't talk about. It's only over the past month things have got worse, Dave distancing himself from Azimio and the football guys, more and more coming to sit at Kurt's side at lunch rather than with the team. It all seems to have been boiling up to this one moment.
"I think this is karma."
"What?" Kurt tries to keep the anger he is still feeling at bay, he knows that if he thinks about it too much he'll want to find Azimio and yell at him until his voice is hoarse.
Dave looks up, his face serious. "I was awful to you, to so many other people and this... it's what I deserve."
"I'm not even going to dignify that with a response."
"It's true." Dave mumbles the words but Kurt can still make them out and it only adds to how pissed off he is already because he thought Dave had gotten past the self-deprecating bullshit. He sure as hell isn't going to let someone as ignorant as Azimio Adam's make Dave take a huge step backwards. Kurt forgave Dave a long time ago, but he never gave much thought to whether Dave had forgiven himself.
"Does it look like I blame you? That I'm still angry with you? I'm not David, we're past that. And this, this is all on Azimio. It's his ignorance. I wish that he would have accepted you, I really do... maybe one day..."
Dave shakes his head. "No. Not any day. You only caught the end of what he had to say to me. He's been holding onto his feelings about this for months now. He was kind enough to inform me that I'll burn in hell."
Kurt clenches his fists and ignores the familiar urge to run out of the room and hunt Azimio down. Instead he takes a deep breath and nudges Dave's shoulder slightly. "Guess I'll see you there?"
Dave smiles slightly, it not reaching his eyes at all. "I just wish I could make him understand that, I'm still me, you know?"
Kurt nods. "Yeah, I do know."
"Why is it so easy with you?" Dave shrugs. "I don't need to explain myself or I don't know... I feel like you don't need me to explain every single thing for you to just get it."
Kurt does get it. He really does, he feels it every time they talk and maybe it should feel weird or awkward considering their history but it just doesn't. Maybe not everyone will understand, not Mercedes or his Dad but Kurt feels like those are going to be easy in comparison to anything else he has dealt with. Kurt reaches over and grabs onto Dave's hand, entwining their fingers tightly. "I do understand; I feel it too."
Dave smiles again, brighter this time. Kurt doesn't question it; he leans in, his body instinctively wanting to be close. He reaches his arms around Dave's waist and clings on, squeezing him perhaps tighter than necessary. He feels Dave tense under the contact but it lasts no longer than a second before Dave is relaxing into it. Dave's arms move around Kurt to pull him closer, one hand toying with the hair at the nape of his neck and a contented murmuring sound leaving him.
An unreadable amount of time passes; they ignore the bell and remain holding on tightly. Somehow Kurt's lips kind Dave's neck and he plants kisses and whispers promises of how everything is going to be okay. Dave must believe him because he doesn't protest or push Kurt away, he just holds on tighter.