A/N: This is a Valentine's Day fic but I couldn't post it yesterday :)
I tried so hard, my dear to show
That you're my every dream
Yet, you're afraid each thing I do
Is just some evil scheme
A memory from your lonesome past
Keeps us so far apart
Why can't I free your doubtful mind
And melt your cold, cold heart
When Noah Puckerman wants something he usually gets it, so imagine his surprise when
Kurt Hummel turns out to be a harder pray than he had originally thought.
The first time they meet Noah is barely out of college just starting to work as an intern into a law firm and Kurt is still stuck doing photocopies for the magazine he will end up directing. To make some money Kurt also works as a mail deliver and Puck finds him hot even on that first day.
Puck waits and studies Kurt every day and on Valentine's Day of that same year, he gives Kurt his first present, a small wooden plaque that says 'I'm the hottest ass around'. Kurt looks at him frowning before turning around and leaving, but Puck smirk for the rest of the day because Kurt left with his gift.
The second year Kurt isn't an intern anymore, he is writing his first articles and even though Puck has never really understood the first thing about fashion, he still buys every issue of the magazine just to read what Kurt writes.
He starts working on his first important cases and days spent flirting with Kurt suddenly appear a memory from a decade before. Still, when the 14th of February rolls around, he sends a package up to Kurt's floor; a soft pillow for his chair with a note that reads, 'So you can be comfortable while judging everything people wear.'
He gets a note in response that says to stop harassing him, but Kurt doesn't return the gift and Puck chooses to believe that Kurt will use it up at his desk and think about him; dreaming doesn't cost anything.
On the third year Puck gets sent to another branch of the study, in Boston, and his only way to keep track of Kurt is keep buying the issues of his magazine. Sometimes he'll look at the pile of half read magazines that he has stocked in his wardrobe and would laugh at himself because it's the third year and he still has to exchange more than a few words with Kurt.
That Valentine's Day he takes a picture of the pile of magazines and sends it to Kurt. This time the note reads, 'I hate everything about fashion except you.' He sends it to the office in New York and hopes that Kurt is still working there an not in another branch. He doesn't get a reply.
On the fourth year he gets moved to Seattle and he hates it not only because he is far away from his family, but because Seattle doesn't have anything that reminds him of Kurt. The office is completely different from the ones in New York or in Boston and he can't pretend to be waiting for Kurt to deliver his mail. The months seem to pass too slowly and by the time Valentine's Day finally arrives, he has at least dozen of ideas on what to get Kurt.
He is still buying the magazine but has no way to know if Kurt is still in New York or if he got last year's gift. He buys a shelf and sends it to the magazine addressing it to the attention of Mr. Kurt Hummel. The note inside reads, 'For when you get your first Pulitzer.' This time he gets a response and he can hear Kurt's haughty tone while he reads it.
'I can't get a Pulitzer writing about fashion and your latest gift just made me the joke of the place.'
It doesn't ask for Puck to stop sending gifts and Puck smiles for a whole week just thinking about it.
On the fifth year Puck starts wondering whether Kurt still remembers his face or delivering mail to his desk what felt like a lifetime ago. That thought doesn't help the blues he is feeling from being still stuck in Seattle, and for a while he even thinks to stop that stupid thing, that he's probably just a joke to Kurt. However on Valentine's Day he can't stop himself from sending something. He tells himself he is foolishly hoping that Kurt may actually be looking forward to getting his gifts and that makes him wonder whether Kurt has found a boyfriend in the last few years or if perhaps he already had one when they first met.
He ends up sending a picture of himself singing at the karaoke night of the office, he is sure he looks good and write a note that says, 'I keep wondering whether you remember my face. I'd say I'm hot enough you'd never forget me, but you aren't stuck in a boring city so you probably already forgot what I look like.' He gets a note a few weeks later and when he opens it he tries to stop himself from smiling like a fool.
'I remember you. Why do you keep sending me stuff?'
It sounds defensive even just reading it and Puck writes simply the truth. 'I like you, that's all.'
The next letter just says, 'You don't know me,' and when Puck replies with, 'I wish you'd let me change that,' he's not surprised to not receive a further answer.
When the sixth year arrives, Puck finally sees the bright lights of New York once again. He goes back to his old office, finds a new guy delivering the mail and the magazine on the last floor isn't Kurt's anymore.
Asking around about Kurt turns out to be a great source of information. In five minutes he discovers that the magazine has moved to another building five months before and that Kurt is quickly moving up the ranks.
When Valentine's Day rolls around that year Puck sends Kurt a letter three pages long where he writes about who he was in high school and who he is now. He had briefly considered flowers or chocolates but flowers would eventually wither and chocolate would finish and Puck wants something that will stay.
They still haven't seen each other in almost seven year but Puck still remembers the guy from that first day and he hopes Kurt still has his picture.
When the seventh Valentine's Day arrives and Puck is now twenty-nine, he decides that he's been playing this game long enough. He wears his favorite pair of jeans and his favorite jumper, thinks about how much times has passed (so much so that now he's a real lawyer with lots of money and people's respect and Kurt is now directing a magazine) and gets his "friends" to find Kurt's address.
Kurt lives in a place almost as fancy as Puck's, with an usher and elevators with mirrors. He spends the ride up fixing his coat and toying with the bow of his latest present. When the elevator stops at the last floor and doors slide open, he feels as nervous as if this was a first date. He shakes his head and talks himself into walking down the hall.
When he knocks he realizes that his hands are sweaty and he starts running them up and down his jeans and it's like that that Kurt finds him when he opens the door.
For a few long seconds, they stand there staring at each other and then Puck shoves his gift into Kurt's hands.
"I figured after seven years I could actually deliver this in person."
Puck takes the time that Kurt needs to stop gaping at him, to study how the man has changed. His hair is shorter than what Puck remembers and he has more muscles and while he looks older, he doesn't show his twenty-nine years.
"Open it," Puck encourages when all Kurt does is stare at the bright red package between his hands.
"I..."
Suddenly, his worst fear grips Puck's insides. "Shit, you probably don't remember me and..."
"No, of course I remember you. It's not like I receive a gift every year from lots of people." Kurt sighs and finally looks up from the present he's holding and when his eyes find Puck's he frowns. "I don't understand why you've been doing this."
"I thought I told you." Puck tries to grin like he'd normally do when flirting but he can't really bring himself. He still finds absurd what he has done for the last seven years because he doesn't know anything about Kurt, but that something that compelled him into buying gifts on every Valentine's Day, is still there telling him that this isn't like any other time and that he can't just slip back into old ways. "I like you."
"And I told you that you didn't know me."
"I know but when I first saw you I thought you were hot and I've been buying fashion magazines every month for the last seven years just to keep track of you. I'm probably crazy and you think I'm creepy but I'm just interested in you." He takes a deep breath and almost asks Kurt if he can steps inside because it feels awkward to be having this conversation on the doorstep. But Kurt is looking at him as if he's waiting for Puck to admit he's joking and he finally understands that perhaps it's not him the one who made a mistake but someone from Kurt's past.
Whoever that was, Puck is not that person. "Open the present," he says again and Kurt finally does it.
He pulls the wrapping away to reveal a red pillow that matches the one he got Kurt years earlier. The note pinned to it says, 'Use this at home. For when I can't cuddle you.'
Kurt's cheeks turn a deep shade of pink and he looks up at Puck with bright eyes and a smile.
"It matches the other one." Puck clears his throat. "The one I sent..."
"It's in my office," Kurt cuts him off. He licks his lips slowly and glances down at the pillow. "The plaque is in my bedroom because when my brother came to visit and saw it he couldn't stop blushing. The shelf is in my office and the picture of the magazines you bought is on the fridge." He blushes harder when he admits that and Puck thinks he actually loves getting Kurt to look like that. "Your picture is in my wallet because you look absolutely ridiculous and it makes me laugh whenever I'm having a bad day." He looks up at Puck and takes a deep breath before continuing. "And your letter is in the drawer of my bedside table. I'm pathetic," he murmurs more to himself than to Puck.
"I was the one who kept sending gifts you didn't want and without even knowing you."
"I..." Kurt looks up and down the hallway and ends up focusing his gaze on the wall besides Puck. "I'm sorry I was rude to you or that I never sent anything back, but..."
"No need for explanations."
Kurt nods slowly and it looks like he's ready to say goodbye and thank you for everything and Puck knows that this his last chance.
"Let me get to know you?" He asks one more time and waits.
It takes a while before Kurt finally nods.
On the eight year Puck is one of associates at his firm and Kurt is still directing the magazine. On Valentine's Day that year they have dinner together at their place and then leave to catch a late night show on Broadway. They kiss good night at the end of the evening and Puck is unbelievably happy that for the last five months he has had the chance to kiss Kurt good morning too.