Disclaimer: I don't own Glee.
A/N: Italic = Kurt singing
Bold = Quinn singing
Bold Italic = Kurt and Quinn singing
The songs are: Kurt sings 'Stay' by country superstars Sugarland, Quinn sings 'Jolene' by the legendary Dolly Parton, and they both sing 'Turning Tables' by the incomparable Adele.
Stay
"Hello? Oh, hey babe," Puck whispered, hoping Kurt wouldn't wake up. He snuck to the bathroom, careful not to turn on the vent, and resumed speaking in his normal tone of voice. "No, no I just dozed off a bit here at Finn's. Yeah, I'm just really beat from football practice. What's that? No, I'll be over in a little bit. Yeah, I'm leaving now. Okay. Okay, I love you too. Bye."
Kurt kept his eyes shut despite being woken moments earlier by the sound of the cell phone ringing. He'd laid perfectly still, hoping that if he didn't move Puck wouldn't answer the phone, and for once he'd stay longer than an hour. But as always, the phone woke Puck up. Kurt knew the routine by heart: Puck'd answer it, go to the bathroom so Quinn wouldn't notice he was whispering, make up another excuse for being late for their date, and then leave without even waking Kurt, leaving the countertenor to wake up alone yet again.
Kurt launched into song, expressing his situation through the only medium he knew how. Puck wouldn't be able to hear him. He was too focused on getting to Quinn before she suspected something was wrong to pay attention to Kurt; besides, after sex, Puck never seemed to want anything to do with Kurt.
Kurt stared up at the ceiling, twirling his bangs around his finger as he sang, "I've been sitting here staring at the clock on the wall, and I've been laying here praying, praying she won't call. It's just another call from home, and you'll get it and be gone and I'll be crying."
Puck pulled on his jeans, searching the floor for the shirt he'd ripped off earlier that afternoon in his lust. Finding it, he slipped it on before locating his keys and, clutching them tightly so they wouldn't jingle, crept quietly to the door of the motel room they'd rented every Wednesday for the past three months. He pulled the chain from the door, carefully unlocking the deadbolt and just as he began to turn the doorknob Kurt's high voice cut through the silent room.
"You're leaving." It wasn't so much a question as a statement, an observation of something he knew was inevitable.
"Go back to sleep, Kurt," Puck urged. Again, this wasn't so much a suggestion as a plea. Puck knew it was better for everyone if instead of being awake Kurt was unaware when he left.
"You don't have to go," Kurt said. "And I'll be begging you baby, beg you not to leave. But I'll be left here waiting with my heart on my sleeve, oh until the next time we'll be here, seems like a million years and I think I'm dying."
"Don't do this," Puck said exasperated. He sighed. He really wished Kurt was asleep. It always made it so much easier to leave him when he wasn't awake to see him go. "I have to go. She's waiting for me." He was always careful not to mention Quinn by name. Kurt knew this unspoken rule as well. Saying her name seemed to bring her corporeal form to their shabby motel room. Saying her name made her real, it made her more than just a figment of their imaginations out there in the real world. It brought her into their world, where her judging eyes and pursed lips would shine dangerously on their coupling.
"Let her wait," Kurt begged. "Call and cancel. Tell her you'll reschedule." Kurt climbed out of bed, his underwear-clad figure slinking up to Puck's, whose back was still to the room. Puck wondered why he hadn't left yet, why he let Kurt even conjure up such ideas in his mind. Kurt wrapped his arms around Puck's torso, hoping it would be enough to keep him there. "What do I have to do to make you see, she can't love you like me?"
"Stay. Just…just stay here, with me," Kurt pleaded. Puck relaxed into Kurt's embrace, and for a fleeting second Kurt thought he'd won. "Why don't you stay? I'm down on my knees. I'm so tired of being lonely. Don't I give you what you need? When she calls you to go, there is one thing you should know: we don't have to live this way. Baby, why don't you stay?"
But just as quickly as the moment came it passed, and Puck wrenched himself from Kurt's grip. He opened the door and walked out without another word.
Kurt slammed the door shut. He sank to the ground, wrapping his arms around his knees as he sobbed uncontrollably on the dirty motel floor.
glee
"You're late," Quinn said icily. Puck swooped down and gave her a quick peck on the cheek as he moved to sit across from her. Quinn had sprung this date on him this morning, and try as he might he couldn't get her to cancel. And he knew he wouldn't be able to cancel on his standing date at the motel with Kurt; not because Kurt wouldn't, but because he, Puck, couldn't. He couldn't go another week without Kurt, without feeling his touch or his kiss, without tasting his flesh or feeling the warmth of his body. So Puck had made the decision to juggle both dates that night. Judging from the unhappy look on Quinn's face, he'd made the wrong choice.
"You order yet?" Puck asked as casually as he could, hiding from Quinn's glare behind the menu.
"No," Quinn replied monotonously. "I've been waiting for you." She continued to stare at Puck, despite the laminated menu blocking her view. She wondered if tonight would be the night she gathered enough strength to confront him about where he went every Wednesday. Oh yes, she'd known for quite a while, but it wasn't until earlier that morning that she'd discovered who he'd been cheating with. Finding out it was Kurt nearly drove her wild with rage. How did the docile, prancing, flamboyant Kurt snag Puck? And worse, how could she compete with him? A woman she could easily destroy, citing the familiar territory and mindset. But she had no idea how to win Puck back from a man. They were completely different, in every sense of the word. They had different parts, different mindsets, different ways of making Puck happy. How could she compare?
"You smell," Quinn said, pulling her menu up to glance at the dishes despite being more than familiar with every item Breadstix had to offer.
Puck continued to hide behind his menu. "Sorry, babe. I didn't have time to shower after practice." He'd fallen asleep with Kurt, something he usually never did, waiting for the small brunette boy to drift off to sleep before slipping out when he wouldn't notice. He'd been so tired that afternoon, however, and Kurt's body was so warm and inviting, that he'd drifted off as well and was awoken by Quinn's call, ensuring he wouldn't have time to rinse off the smell of sex from his body.
"Were you really in such a hurry to meet up with Finn that you couldn't shower at school? What did you boys get up to anyway?" she asked coldly.
Puck put his menu down. He looked to Quinn, but she refused to look up from her menu. "Just played some games. You know, epic Call of Duty marathon and all that. Really tired us out." He hoped the lie stuck.
"Must be some game," Quinn commented, turning the page of the menu half-heartedly.
"Yeah," Puck agreed. Movement from the entrance caught his eye, and he turned his head as he saw the unexpected sight of Kurt and Mercedes being escorted to a booth on the opposite side of the restaurant. Despite being seated so far away they were still visible, the restaurant being sparsely populated because it was a weeknight, and Puck saw as Kurt stole a quick glance at their table. Puck's heart dropped into his stomach. He hoped Quinn wouldn't notice them, or worse, invite them over. Beads of sweat began to form on his brow. He excused himself to the bathroom, walking away hurriedly before Quinn could ask him what was wrong.
Quinn wondered what had caused Puck to behave so oddly. She surveyed the restaurant, her eyes finally falling on the booth Kurt and Mercedes occupied. Kurt had eyed Puck as he rushed to the restroom, and now he linked eyes with Quinn.
The band on the stage at Breadstix began to play, the sharp chords of the guitar contrasting with the high-pitched twang of the violin. She thought she would sing a song of rage and anger at Kurt's act, but instead she found herself pleading with him through song.
"Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, I'm begging of you please don't take my man." She licked her lips, her eyes shining with tears as she sang to Kurt, neither of them willing to back down from their stares. "Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, please don't take him just because you can."
"He talks about you in his sleep, and there's nothing I can do to keep from crying when he calls your name, Jolene. When I can easily understand how you could easily take my man, but you don't know what he means to me, Jolene."
"Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, I'm begging of you please don't take my man. Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, please don't take him just because you can."
She gritted her teeth once she realized how low she'd sunk, begging her boyfriend's lover not to steal him completely from her. What had happened to the once great Quinn Fabray that she'd resorted to begging for pity? Hastily wiping away a stray tear she rose from the table, rushing from the restaurant. Kurt saw her leave, and without a word to Mercedes rushed just as quickly to the bathroom that Puck was currently occupying.
"Are you okay?" Kurt asked once he'd arrived at the restroom. He saw Puck leaning over the sink, water dripping from his face. He grabbed a couple paper towels from the dispenser and walked over to Puck, mopping the water from his face.
Puck leaned into Kurt's touch, but when he regained his senses he pushed Kurt's hand away, his brow knitting together in rage. "What the fuck are you doing here?" he hissed.
"I had no idea you were going to be here." The lie was so blatant that a few seconds after it had left his mouth not even he believed it.
"Bullshit," Puck retorted. "What are you trying to do? Are you trying to ruin everything?"
"No," Kurt said lowly. Seconds passed between them, Puck's anger cooling to a low simmer and Kurt hugging himself in an effort to keep from touching Puck. Finally Kurt said, "But would it really be so bad if - ."
" – Fuck, not this again," Puck swore, running his hand down his face. "Look, I'm with Quinn, okay? I'm not going to leave her for you."
"Do you really think she's going to stay with you once she finds out you're gay?" Kurt shot back, Puck's denial stinging him.
"I'm not a fag!" Puck defended. "I'm not going to march in some Pride parade with you, or hold hands downtown while we go to some drag bar where a couple of old queens sing torch songs all night. I got a good thing going with Quinn. She's good and nice and - ."
" – And safe and a good cover," Kurt accused. "You're gay, Noah." At this Puck turned away, unable to face Kurt's accusations. "How could you be anything else? You love it when I touch you." Kurt strode up to Puck and ran his hands under his shirt. Puck was still turned away from Kurt, but he hadn't budged from where Kurt was feeling him up. "You love it when I kiss you," Kurt said, becoming more confident with each passing second that Puck didn't push him away. "You love that I'm flat where she curves. You love my short hair and strong hands. You love my hardness," Kurt said, grabbing Puck's hand to rest on his erection through his pants, "where she has nothing at all." He pulled Puck's face to kiss him when suddenly Puck's eyes shot open, bringing him out of his lustful reverie. He pushed Kurt away to the side, out from where he could touch him.
"Stop," Puck commanded with finality. "Quinn's waiting for me."
"She left," Kurt said, Puck's dismissal of him piercing through his heart. He gritted his teeth in anger once he realized he still thought of Quinn when he should only be thinking of him. "I don't think she wants to wait for you anymore."
"Fuck!" Puck exclaimed, running from the bathroom without so much as a backward glance at Kurt. Kurt bit his lip in frustration, angry at always coming in second place in Puck's heart to Quinn. He grabbed a tissue and dabbed at the tears forming in his eyes, staring at his reflection in the mirror.
"You keep telling me, baby, there will come a time, when you will leave her arms and forever be in mine. But I don't think that's the truth, and I don't like being used and I'm tired of waiting."
"It's too much pain to have to bear, to love a man you have to share," Kurt sang mournfully, tears streaming down his face without stop.
"Why don't you stay? I'm down on my knees. I'm so tired of being lonely. Don't I give you what you need? When she calls you to go, there is one thing you should know, we don't have to live this way. Baby why don't you stay?"
Kurt wiped the tears from his eyes. Seeing the pathetic, desperate visage staring back at him through the mirror spurred him into action. He wasn't going to be Puck's dirty little secret anymore. He'd been begging him for weeks to end it with Quinn. Well if Puck wasn't going to tell her, then he would.
glee
The next day at school, Quinn strode through the halls with her usual sense of entitlement, hoping no one could see through her veneer into the frightened, lonely little girl inside. She clutched her books tightly to her chest, flipping her long golden hair as she walked confidently to class.
If anyone asked her about Puck, she'd say they were doing fine and that things had never been better. She'd lie through her teeth if she had to. Because truth was, she had no intention of breaking up with Puck. She would carry on with her feigned ignorance until he confessed to her, and she wouldn't confront either him or Kurt until then. She had repeated this mantra to herself last night until she'd fallen to sleep. So she was surprised when she found herself walking up to Kurt in front of a row of lockers with Mercedes, casually asking him if he had a minute to talk. He nodded, although he did have a look of morbid curiosity on his face as he agreed. She led him into an empty classroom, unsure of exactly what it was she had planned.
"I know," she said, dropping the strong, confident act she had exuded only moments before. "About you and Puck."
"I suppose it was eventual that you find us out," Kurt said, his arms crossed defiantly.
"Why, Kurt? Why did you do it?" she asked, her nostrils flaring in both anger and pain.
"We had no intention of harming you," Kurt said, his guard up should this indeed turn into a surprise attack. "Noah assured me he was going to break up with you."
"Yeah, well, he told me he wasn't cheating on me, so we've both been lied to," she said, her lips pursed and her eyes shining with unshed tears.
"I'm sorry if I've hurt you," Kurt said, his guard dropping once he saw Quinn's teary eyes. "We didn't plan for this. It just happened," he shrugged lamely.
"I don't blame you…too much," Quinn said, wiping at her eyes. "I know the power Puck has over people."
"What makes me absolutely furious is how he leads me on, and though I should know better I find myself falling for him every time," Kurt said, shaking his head.
"Yeah, just when you think you've worked up the strength to leave him, boom! He ropes you right back in. And the kicker is how he makes you feel as if you're the one to blame!" she said, her face messy with tears, her hands full of wet tissue.
"I wish I knew how to quit him," Kurt said, his own eyes now wet with tears. "I mean, look at us! We were confident, sophisticated individuals and then this walking tire-brush swoops in and makes us these co-dependent, quivering, damsels in distress."
"This is pretty pathetic," Quinn said, her tears turning into laughter.
"Yes, it is," Kurt chuckled. "And all over a boy!" he said, which made them both erupt into a combination of tears and giggles.
"I am so dumping that loser," Quinn said, blowing her runny nose.
"As am I," Kurt agreed. "And I know the perfect way to do so."
"What did you have in mind?" Quinn asked deviously.
glee
"Great practice, guys!" Mr. Schue said encouragingly. "And now, a couple of our very own New Directioners have scraped together a little surprise performance for us. Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Kurt Hummel and Miss Quinn Fabray!" he said, leading the Glee Club in a round of raucous applause.
Seeing Kurt and Quinn take the stage together made the usually tanned Puck nearly white as a sheet. Kurt stood, his arm resting on his hip, with Quinn standing demurely next to him.
"Hi guys. This is a little something Kurt and I put together and I hope you all like it," Quinn said.
"This is dedicated to someone who used to be very special to the both of us, and if they listen to the song they should realize why they now exist to us solely in the past tense," Kurt said, eyeing Puck coldly. With that both teens sat down on the stools behind them, waiting for Brad to start in with the piano before singing.
"Close enough to start a war, all that I have is on the floor," Quinn sang, staring directly at Puck. "God only knows what we're fighting for, all that I say you always say more."
"I can't keep up with your turning tables, under your thumb I can't breathe," Kurt sang, his high voice contrasting with the deep emotions of the song.
"I won't let you close enough to hurt me, no, I won't ask you, you to just desert me," they both sang, their voices joined perfectly as they looked at Puck. "I can't give you what you think you gave me, it's time to say good-bye to turning tables."
"To turning tables," Quinn sang again.
"Under haunted skies I see," sang Kurt, staring unblinkingly at an increasingly uncomfortable looking Puck, "where love is lost your ghost is found. I've braved a hundred storms to leave you. As hard as you try, no I will never be knocked down."
"I can't keep up with your turning tables, under your thumb I can't breathe."
"So I won't let you close enough to hurt me, no, I won't ask you, you to just desert me. I can't give you what you think you gave me, it's time to say goodbye to turning tables." They seemed possessed as they sang in perfect harmony, their mouths the only parts of their bodies moving, their eyes locked with Puck's.
"Turning tables, ooh," Kurt sang, his eyebrow arched as Puck gulped under their attention.
"Next time I'll be braver, I'll be my own savior, when the thunder calls for me," Quinn promised, knowing she'd learned her lesson this time.
"Next time I'll be braver, I'll be my own savior, standing on my own two feet," Kurt in turn sang, realizing how poisonous his relationship with Puck was.
"I won't let you close enough to hurt me, no I won't ask you, you to just desert me. I can't give you what you think you gave me, it's time to say goodbye to turning tables, turning tables, yeah."
The entire Glee Club except Puck applauded. Quinn and Kurt bowed before resuming their seats in the front, giving each other a quick hi-five before crossing their legs in sync.
A clueless Sam turned to Puck and said, "Man, I'd hate to be the one they dedicated that song to." Puck stayed silent, gritting his teeth as he realized he'd had two incredible partners and now he had none at all.
A/N:I hope you guys liked this one. It was my first songfic and I hope it turned out okay.
Thanks for reading and reviewing!
