author's notes: this is a story that hasn't allowed my mind a moment's rest since i started my Glee rewatch, so here it is. the first few chapters will be a string of loosely related oneshots set in the same 'verse, later chapters should become more continuous. June is an original character that i've written into some existing storylines, just so you're warned. special thanks to my beta Inwenalas. title taken from Darren Hayes' Words.
characters: June Wilder (OC), Blaine/Kurt, mention of Karofsky
setting: during 3x14 (On My Way)
CHAPTER SUMMARY: Kurt and Blaine go visit Karofsky at the hospital after winning Regionals, and run into their friend June. They haven't been on speaking terms since Valentine's, but in light of what happened to Karofsky it's much easier to forgive and forget.
BUT YOUR WORDS ARE LIKE WEAPONS;;
chapter one
"Is that June's car?" Blaine asks, pointing out the blue Ford Mondeo two spaces to the left.
Somehow, he knew she'd be here.
When June hadn't shown up for rehearsals over a week ago he knew there were several reasons for it. There was the fact that the Troubletones had joined the New Directions again and one of the only reasons she was in Glee club in the first place was to strengthen their numbers. She loved music, and loved to sing, but hadn't quite caught the performer bug yet.
Most of the other Glee kids hadn't missed her. Santana, Sugar and Mercedes hadn't gotten the chance to get to know her properly, while Rachel, Finn and Quinn—they still talked to her when they ran into her in the hallway, but they'd only ever seen her as a temporary member.
June and him were a different story—they were both the new kids at McKinley at the same time and even Kurt had agreed to make her feel more at home. Especially after she wrote that anti-bullying article for the school newspaper. She was at McKinley for five months now and even Ben Israel agreed she was the best thing to have happened to the press corps (in so far that McKinley actually had a press corps and Ben noticed anything above June's neckline).
But after what happened at Sugar's Valentine's party, Kurt and June had taken their distance from each other, and even though it tore him up, he'd backed up Kurt. June never texted or called to explain, didn't approach them at school. This past week she'd disappeared completely.
He'd tried calling a few times, because quite frankly he was worried about her, especially after Karofsky's suicide attempt. He'd even caught Kurt texting once or twice. He'd shrugged and said: "Just making sure she's still alive," after which they didn't mention it again.
He'd recognized her car the moment Kurt pulled into the parking space, but he wants to ease Kurt into this—Kurt's been blaming himself for the past few days already, and maybe it would be better if June wasn't here, but he can't stand all of them being apart. They all know what it's like to go through high school feeling alone and left out—they'd been each other's support until Valentine's.
"Yeah, I think it is," Kurt answers, his fingers tightening around his hand. He stares down at the floor, and Blaine pulls towards him, a deep-seated instinct to always reach out to his loved ones when they're in pain, at the cost of his own sometimes.
"Hey," he says softly, hand making soothing circles over Kurt's back. "You don't have to do this now, you know? We can go see him when he's home," Blaine suggests, but knows Kurt's answer before he starts shaking his head.
"No," Kurt says, sniffles, and looks up at him, trying so hard not to cry. "I need to do this."
He takes hold of Kurt's hand again, leading them both inside the hospital.
"Dave Karofsky?" Kurt's voice breaks before all the syllables are out, and he needs to repeat the name before the nurse at the front desk even hears him. She sends them down a wide colorless hallway at the end of which there's another information desk and waiting area.
"Visiting?" the orderly asks.
"Uhm, Dave Karofsky?" Kurt repeats tentatively.
The orderly doesn't so much as look up at them when he grabs a pre-printed sheet, rips off two stickers that read 'visitor' and slides them over the counter. "Down the hall, second door on the right," he adds, back to focusing on his computer screen.
Kurt's voice sounds small. "Thank you," he says, then turns to face him. He peels open one of the stickers and applies it to Kurt's jacket, smoothing his hands down to his waist.
"I'll wait here," he says.
He watches Kurt walk the rest of the way alone, the pot of flowers clutched tightly between both hands. He takes a deep breath before opening the door—a fist clutches around his heart leaving Kurt alone like this, but he knows he wants to do this on his own.
The door doesn't close, there's the sound of muffled voices from inside the room, and a few seconds later June emerges. He takes a deep breath. He's not angry with her, in so many ways Kurt isn't either, but they're both hurt by June's lack of trust in them. She could've told them.
June catches eye of him and there's a hitch in her step; she takes a deep breath, buries her hands in her pants pockets but still makes her way towards him.
They sit down together in the small waiting room—they've all been fighting, well, avoiding each other really, but he can't help but think how incredibly silly they've been. Yes, June kept things from them that they would have understood, but who were they to force it out of her?
June looks at him sideways.
"We missed you at Regionals," he says, turning his head to look at her.
"You won?" she asks, leaving out any explanation for missing it. There's no room for excuses now, and to be honest he doesn't really need one; if it'd been up to him nothing would have changed, but Kurt felt betrayed and June – he imagines – got terrified of facing them again.
He nods. "You missed quite the story."
June smiles—he feels his shoulders relax; maybe they can work things out. Maybe they can all be friends again.
"I heard Sebastian buried the hatchet," she says, surprise laced into her voice. One of her jobs for the school newspaper was cover the Glee club, another reason she joined, to get an inside perspective; show choir terrorism and subsequent solidarity would have made for one great headline.
"For now." He nods again. "How long have you been here?"
June sniffles. He wonders if she's been crying. "A few hours," she answers, and stares down at her feet. Sometimes he thinks June and Kurt are more alike than either of them care to admit—they're both equally passionate about their ideals, June's just never edited herself in the way society forced Kurt to be silent. He thinks maybe now he understands why she has such loud opinions.
He reaches out and takes her hand. June puts her head down on his shoulder.
Kurt's been a little jealous of June since they met. He's often said that June has a girl crush on him, always clinging and sticking up for him, but he likes to think that June sees him more as a brother. Maybe he's wrong, maybe June does have feelings for him; at least she's smart enough to know he'd never be able to reciprocate.
They sit like that for what feels an eternity. He doesn't mind. He's missed her.
The moment Kurt reappears in the hallway June gets up and walks over to him. They fall into each other's arms—surprise rips through him, as well as relief, because now he knows everything will be all right between them again, as long as they talk things through.
"I'm so sorry," June says, shaking her head, her voice breaking. "I should've just told you."
"No." Kurt shakes his head too, tears running down his face. "If this week has taught us anything, it's that no one should be forced out."
June wipes at her face once she releases Kurt. "Yeah, but I have you guys," she says. She's right, he thinks, she could have trusted them, she could have told them and they wouldn't have judged her, or tried to talk her into coming out. They would have understood. That's why Kurt took his distance, he'd already trusted her to know her boundaries when it came to him so all he wanted was something in return.
But now, in light of everything that's happened, maybe they'll find a new way of communicating.
He walks over to Kurt and wraps an arm around his waist. "And so does Dave," he says.
if you can, please let me know what you think!
disclaimer: without prejudice. the names of all characters contained here-in are the property of FOX and Ryan Murphy. no infringments of these copyrights are intended, and are used here without permission. June Wilder belongs exclusively to me.
