Author's note: Had this floating around in my head all freaking day. HAD TO GET IT OUT. It is neither TWB, or my piece for the Kurtofsky Secret Santa, and it's based on nothing but the little clips I have seen of future episodes, so nothing definite spoiler wise except for what's already screened in the USA and what is no doubt being speculated and hoped for in every Kurtofskian-mind.

Written and posted, so likely riddled with typos. Not related to any of my previous stories.

Set in Season 3 – after "The First Time" by six weeks or so?

One-shot for now. (Might be expanded on once TWB is finished)

NEEDING THE RAIN

Dave can hear someone crying in the sole cubicle in the men's bathroom. Normally he'd ignore it, do his business and leave, because he's never been good with tears, and approaching another guy in a bathroom is just…no. Well, not in the Lima Bean anyway. But there's something he can't ignore, and against his better judgement he pauses.

"Hey, you okay man?" Dave asks, and he feels like ten different types of idiot talking to a door.

"I'm fine." Sniff "Fine. Thanks."

Dave recognises that voice, and his stomach clenches ever so slightly because it's Kurt. Crying. His mind is racing, trying to come up with all the possible scenarios that would explain this situation. He asks anyway, just in case there is a small chance he's wrong and it isn't Kurt.

"Kurt?"

"Karofsky?"

"Uh…yeah," Dave replies, and he's a bit taken aback, because the last time they'd seen each other Kurt had called him Dave. He'd liked that. Probably too much, but what can he do? But then he realises that Kurt's just recognised his voice as well, and feels ridiculously pleased. He rolls his eyes at himself, because he's completely useless. He knows Kurt isn't interested in him. He knows Kurt has a boyfriend. A boyfriend who he'd just seen sitting at a table by himself.

"You want me to go get your boyfriend?"

"NO!"

Dave raises his eyebrows and looks himself in the mirror above the sinks. That was a very adamant response.

"Um, okay. Can I do anything? Get you anything?"

"Can you go tell Blaine to leave? I don't want to see him."

Dave frowns, because that seems like the opposite of what should be happening right now, but he lets out a slow breath and nods, and then realises Kurt can't see him.

"Okay. Sure."

Dave heads back out into the café and just holds a finger up to Pete, indicating that he'll be a moment. And he'll probably be several moments, but Pete has his phone to keep himself occupied.

"Hey Blaine…" Dave greets, pulling the chair and sitting down opposite the guy, and he's glad Kurt said his name, because he's made a conscious effort to not know it.

"Karofsky. Uh…can I help you with something?"

"Yeah, two things. First, you can tell me why Kurt is in the bathroom crying. And then you can leave."

He grabs the guys wrist as he goes to stand, shaking his head and motions for him to sit back down. It feels odd to hear people calling him by his last name again. Everyone calls him Dave at Carmel.

"He's upset. I need to go comfort him…"

"Yeah. I thought so too, except Kurt asked me to come out and ask you to leave…So, why is he crying?"

Blaine looks away, and smarmy is all Dave can think. He gets that the guy is attractive. Can understand why Kurt thinks he's hot, but Dave just doesn't like him. And he knows a big part of that is solely because he's Kurt's boyfriend, but he doesn't give a shit. For him right now that's a valid reason enough to not like the guy.

"Why is he crying?" Dave repeats, and Blaine turns to look at him and he shrugs in the effortless graceful way which Kurt has.

"I just…I broke up with him."

"What? Right now? Here?"

Blaine nods and looks away again and Dave feels like slamming his hand down on the table to get his attention, but instead takes a deep calming breath, letting it out slowly to a count of ten.

"So, what? You thought breaking up with him in public was a good idea?"

"I just…didn't want to cause a scene."

That doesn't seem right. Because seriously? Kurt's never been afraid of making a scene before, so why would simply being in a café stop him? Because he's hurt Dave realises, and he's gone to hide and lick his wounds.

"A scene? Fuck you're a dick. You should have fucking well done it in private and given your relationship the respect it deserves. Given Kurt the respect he deserves. He probably didn't even see this coming did he?" Dave says, and he keeps his voice low, but he's getting pretty pissed off on Kurt's behalf. It's been one of the things he wants in life, and that's for Kurt to be happy after all the shit he's had to deal with, including Dave himself.

"Uh, he might have. There's this other guy…"

His attention snaps back to the guy sitting opposite him and he feels his jaw clench, the pounding of blood in his ears, and he tries the calming technique again. Deep breath in, out on a count of ten.

"Did you cheat on him?"

"That's none of your business," Blaine responds, and it's snooty-nosed indignation and Dave really wants to smash his head into the table.

"I don't care. Tell me. Did you cheat on him?"

Blaine obviously gathers that this isn't an optional question, but he crosses his arms

"No. Nothing's happened. But, I want it to…"

The last is whispered. A guilty confession. Dave frowns, and however unwillingly, he has to give the guy his dues. At least he broke up with Kurt before he cheated on him, although he doesn't imagine it's going to be much consolation, because he's seen the way Kurt looks at Blaine, and it has always made his heart ache with want. Maybe not so much for Kurt to look at him like that, but for anyone to look at him like that.

"Right. Well. You can leave now…"

"Uh, Kurt doesn't have a ride home."

"Yes he does," Dave replies easily, and knowing now why Kurt wants Blaine gone it's easy to make that call. If Kurt is uncomfortable riding in his truck, then Dave will wait for him until his Dad or Finn can come pick him up. Hell, even Pete can drop him home. "I'm gonna go see how Kurt is. You need to be gone when he comes out."

Blaine stands, and this time Dave doesn't stop him. He looks in the direction of the bathroom, then down at Dave, nods once and then turns on his heel and walks out of the coffee shop. Dave shakes his head, because he just can't…understand how someone would choose anyone else over Kurt. He stands and heads to the bathroom again, waving a hand at Pete again, who is looking decidedly amused.

"Kurt?" Dave asks as he pushes the door to the bathroom open, and Kurt's standing at the sink, patting his face with wet towels, looking miserable but trying to put on a brave face. "He's gone. He told me what he'd done. Shitty place to do it…"

"Yes, well, it's difficult to fight for someone who doesn't want to be fought for."

Dave's not sure what he means by that so he just shrugs.

"You want me to take you home?"

"No, it's okay. I've asked Finn to come and get me."

"Okay. Uh…you want to wait with me?"

"I…yes. Thank you David, that would be nice…"

Dave holds the door open for him, and points to where Pete is sitting and Kurt stops suddenly.

"Oh. Are you on a date?"

"What? No! No! Definitely no…ew…gross."

"I know you've been having a hard time coming to terms with your sexuality David, but I think you could at least bring yourself to be mature enough to not call it gross."

Kurt's voice is thankfully quiet, and the café is fortunately almost empty, but Dave realises he's misunderstood Dave's response. Because while Pete knows he's gay, Dave would never ever date him.

"Dude. That's my brother…"

"Oh. Oh. Really? He looks nothing like you…"

Dave knows he doesn't, and he can't help but feel a tiny stab of hurt. Pete is all chiselled lines and hard muscle, and Kurt's right, they look nothing alike.

"Yep, he really is. Guess you know who got all the good genes now huh?" Dave says, and he steps past Kurt to sit at the small table with his brother, who pushes his (probably now lukewarm) coffee across to him and is looking at Kurt before pushing out the extra seat with his foot.

"Pete, this is Kurt. Kurt, my brother Pete."

"Hi, nice to meet you," Kurt says, and he sticks his hand out to shake Pete's. Dave shoots his brother a warning glance not to say anything, because Pete can be a complete and utter arse-wipe when he wants to be. He seems to sense something in Kurt though, or takes note of Dave's warning glance and simply shakes Kurt's hand in response.

"Nice to meet you too…"

There's no conversation. Dave's feeling too uncomfortable, keyed up, and Kurt seems too sad and caught up in his thoughts to want to actually talk. Pete just leans back and watches them both, sipping his coffee and keeping equally silent. Thank god. Silence is broken only by the quiet chatter of the five other people in the café and the two people working behind the counter.

When the door opens with a blast of icy air Dave flicks his eyes up and Finn is standing there, eyes narrowed on both Kurt and him, and Dave stiffens slightly, because he has no idea what Kurt has said, and anyone who knows him well enough can tell he's been crying.

"What did you do Karofsky?"

"Finn. Honestly. If Dave had done something bad do you really think I would be sitting at a table with him?"

This use of sound logic stops Finn in his tracks and Dave smiles ever so slightly. Kurt gathers up his jacket and bag before standing, and Finn is just standing there looking embarrassed to have jumped to conclusions, hands in pockets and staring out the window.

"Thanks Dave. I mean it. Thank you."

"Anytime." Dave shrugs, and he means it. Although he doubts Kurt knows that. He watches as Kurt leaves with Finn, wrapping a scarf around his neck, head bent against the cold and he looks world weary and beaten. He lets out a long sigh, because there's nothing he can do now. Done all he can really.

"So…we arrive and he's with one guy, you then spend far too long in the bathroom only to come out, scare off the original guy, then spend like ten minutes sitting at a table not talking to each other and then he leaves with another guy? Screwed up man. Totally screwed up."

"Fuck off Pete. The first guy was his boyfriend. Ex-boyfriend now I suppose. And the guy he just left with? His step-brother. As for me…Kurt was the guy I bullied at McKinley."

"Oh…well. That explains a whole lot more. He just got dumped? Three days before Christmas? Man that sucks."

Dave has to agree, although he doubts there's ever a good time to be dumped. Pete starts talking about what to buy their parents for Christmas and Dave offers his suggestions. They finish their drinks and head out to go shopping and do the list of errands that had been handed to them just before they left the house. When he gets home Pete challenges him to some Xbox, so they waste a good hour until their mom yells at them to stop making so much noise. They just grin at each other and Pete punches him on the shoulder, hard, before saying he's got to go ring his girlfriend.

He heads upstairs, turning on his computer. He has plans to play some World of Warcraft and up skill his mining this holiday. He checks his e-mail and stops when he sees a Facebook Alert for a friend request. He's sure he stops breathing for a second, and he clicks into it. It's Kurt. Sending him a friend request. And there's a message as well.

'I really needed a friendly face today, and while the fact it was yours is surprising, it was no less welcomed. Thanks again Dave.'

He leans back in his chair, and he's torn, because it's almost a backhanded compliment, but it's just so exactly Kurt like. He stares at the 'Add' and 'Ignore' buttons like they will have the answers, and his hands moves on the mouse, because the answer is obvious.

There's no choice.

He clicks.