Author's note: So I was a little unsure about this, because I don't know if this is really something Puck would do, but I couldn't stop thinking about it and now here we are. This is also because I really want to see someone help Kurt when he's so clearly heartbroken.
It's been a while since Puck last saw Kurt, and it's been even longer since he saw him so heartbroken. In fact, the last time Puck saw Kurt in any kind of sad state, it had been when Finn died.
This time, there's a very different reason for the look on Kurt's face. It's a look that speaks openly about how much he's in pain, how little it'll actually take to make him run off so he can cry in private (because even a heartbroken Kurt won't cry in public, not unless everyone else is crying as well). Puck may not be one of Kurt's closest friends, but they have a bond nonetheless, and Puck knows him well enough to know when he's unhappy.
Kurt smiles at the homecoming bonfire, but the smile is wiped from his face as soon as he spots Blaine and Karofsky.
Puck is not blind. He sees how Kurt's face doesn't just fall, it shatters. He knows from Sam that Kurt and Blaine had a bad break-up, and he knows that it was Kurt who made the decision to end it. He also knows from Rachel that Kurt regrets it intensely.
He knows from Kurt's face that the regret is painful and that the following consequences are heartbreaking.
Puck looks over at Blaine and Karofsky all cuddled up together, watching the fireworks, and he doesn't get it. Blaine and Karofsky? Brain does not compute.
"Hey," he stops Rachel as she skips by, and she turns to look at him. He nods in the direction of Blaine and Karofsky. "Did you know about that?"
She looks over her shoulder at them, and a kind of sadness passes her face.
"Not until Kurt told me. He found out a few nights ago, when he met up with Blaine at Scandals," she replies. She tells Puck the story that Kurt told her of how that night went, and he feels a deep twinge of sympathy for Kurt.
Yes, Kurt broke up with Blaine.
Yes, Blaine had every right to get a new boyfriend.
Yes, this is Kurt's own fault.
But Puck is not feeling sympathy for Kurt because of the break-up, because that really is on Kurt. Puck feels sympathy for Kurt because he knows that no matter how you ended up there, it's always painful to see the person you're in love with be happy with someone else.
For the rest of the night, Puck keeps an eye on Kurt. He's not watching him as such, because Puck has friends to hang out with, fun to have, sparklers to light, a girlfriend to hold and kiss and tickle, but he glances in Kurt's direction every so often to make sure that he's okay.
Kurt looks so sad, so ready to just crawl into bed and not get up again until the pain is gone, every time he looks in Blaine and Dave's direction. Maybe for that reason, Kurt seems to keep his eyes averted from them as much as possible, but as it is when you're in love, he can't quite stop sneaking glances at them, and that's when his face falls all over again. It doesn't matter how many times he looks at them, or how happy he is when he does – as soon as he sees them, his face falls.
Puck wants to help him.
If Finn were still here, he'd help Kurt. He'd do what he could to help Kurt through his heartbreak. Maybe Finn wouldn't really do much except be there for him, maybe playing mediator between Kurt and Blaine. Puck isn't actually sure, but he is sure that Finn would do his to help.
But Finn isn't here anymore, so Puck will do his part for him. He feels like he owes Finn that.
The question remains exactly what Puck can actually do for Kurt.
Kurt has his girlfriends to have sad movie marathons with, while eating buckets of ice cream. He can cry on their shoulders, he can get advice and support from them, so that's not something Puck can do (he's not really into that kind of stuff anyway, so it's no loss). And exactly what else anyone can do to make Kurt feel just a little better, he's not sure. Kurt is not the type of guy to drown his sorrows in alcohol and random strangers.
But taking Kurt out to drink might not be a bad idea in itself.
"You're distracted," Quinn says with an amused frown, poking Puck in the stomach.
"I'm thinking," Puck says and pinches her side lightly.
"Don't hurt yourself."
"Ha ha, very funny," he rolls his eyes. Quinn looks very pleased with herself, and he can't help but smile at her. "I was thinking of taking Kurt out for a drink tomorrow night."
Quinn looks very confused. "You and Kurt? Going out drinking?" she sounds confused too. "Why?"
"He's hurting," Puck shrugs. Quinn looks around, and Puck can tell by the softening of her face, the way she looks a little sadder, that she's spotted Kurt, and she probably caught him looking at Blaine and Dave again. "I think he could do with a night out, and I don't think any of his other friends is gonna take him."
Quinn turns back to Puck and pulls him in for a hug.
"You're a good man," she says and pulls away just enough that they can see each other's faces and so she can kiss him. "And a very good friend."
"I try," he smiles and kisses her again.
Kissing Quinn is how he spends most of what's left of the night.
"You want to take me what?" Kurt frowns.
"Drinking at Scandals. Tonight," Puck repeats himself calmly.
"But… why?" Kurt asks, bewildered.
"Because I think it'd do you some good," Puck replies. Kurt's face freezes for a moment in surprise, and then it goes just a little more blank, like he's protecting himself. "Look, I know it must really suck to see Blaine with Karofsky, so I thought I'd take you out tonight. You can get some stuff off your chest."
"I appreciate the gesture, Noah, but I'm really not into the whole drowning your sorrows in booze thing," Kurt says.
"It's not about that," Puck corrects him. "It's not about forgetting for a night or having a one night stand with a total stranger, because I know you're also not into that. It's about getting you to loosen up on your feelings a little bit and letting yourself be heartbroken for a night, because the situation you're in right now sucks. Having some drinks might make it easier for you to really let go and just… I don't know, cry about it, like you need to."
Kurt still doesn't look entirely sure. So Puck spends maybe ten minutes convincing him that it'll do him some good, and eventually Kurt relents.
"Okay, I'll go to Scandals with you tonight," he says it with a sigh, but there's a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. Puck knows gratitude when he sees it, even if it's hidden.
"Great. I'll pick you up at nine tonight, and I'll drive you home again later," he heads out the door. "See you then!"
Puck buys shots for both him and Kurt for the first round. After that, he buys himself a beer and orders three more shots for Kurt.
"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Kurt asks warily as the bartender lines them up.
"It'll get you started, loosen you up a little," Puck says.
Kurt moves on to mixed drinks after the shots, while Puck continues to nurse his one beer, ordering himself a glass of water every now and again throughout the night to make sure that he's good to drive later.
The night is fairly quiet for a night out, and that was the plan, so Puck isn't disappointed. He stays sober, and while Kurt may get drunk, he doesn't get up to anything dramatic. He doesn't dance on the bar, in fact he doesn't dance at all. He doesn't flirt terribly with the other patrons, and at the end of the night he doesn't throw up. They just sit at the bar together.
At first, neither of them really talk much. They tell each other about their lives, about the new glee club, but nothing too deep. Not at first.
Several drinks in, Kurt becomes far more chatty and also far more upset. And this is exactly what Puck had wanted to happen tonight, because this is where Kurt gets his feelings out. He eventually leans against Puck's shoulder and starts crying, alternating between heaving sobs and quiet sniffs. Puck just goes with it and wraps an arm around Kurt's shoulders as he listens to him talking about the break-up. Kurt spends a good while verbally kicking himself for what he did, which involves a few choice words of self-deprecation that Puck really doesn't ever want to hear any of his friends say about themselves.
Kurt talks about seeing Blaine with Dave and how much it hurt, no matter what he tried to tell himself.
"I don't know if I can face them again," he sniffs in one of his quieter moments.
"Then don't," Puck says. "You don't work together or live together, –" Kurt whimpers. "– so you don't have to see each other."
"He said that he wants us to be adult about it. And – god, Karofsky wants us all to be friends," Kurt cries.
"Screw that. Screw being adult about it. What does that even mean, anyway?" Puck says with a frown, and starts rubbing Kurt's arm where he's got a grip on it. "If being around Blaine right now is too painful, then don't be around him. Like I said, you don't work or live together, so your paths don't naturally cross in your everyday life. If you need time to come to terms with the current situation before you feel like you can handle seeing Blaine again, then take some time away from him."
"That's not very adult," Kurt mumbles, frowning.
"It doesn't need to be. Seriously, screw that. What you need to do is take care of yourself and your own needs, before you start taking care of anyone else's," Puck says. He knows it's what Quinn had to do to pull herself up after she had Beth. "Right now, you're in your cookie dough days." At that, Kurt giggles. "I know, funny term. But that means that if you need to just wallow and be sad, then that's what you do."
"So I just ignore Blaine?" Kurt asks and sniffs again. "That's not exat – ex – that's not gonna make him want me back."
"Well, maybe be polite if you see him in public, but don't ask him to hang out, and maybe turn him down if he asks you," Puck explains. "You need to get yourself back on your feet in this situation before you can work on yours and Blaine's relationship in any kind of constructive way."
There's a contemplative silence around them for a moment before Kurt starts blubbering about the mess he's made.
Telling Kurt to take care of his own needs and not care about being adult about it is the only advice Puck really gives him. He feels pretty good about that advice, though.
Around one in the morning, Puck decides that the night has been long enough. He achieved what he wanted and what he thinks Kurt probably needed, so there's not much else to do.
He takes Kurt home, and then he heads over to Quinn's house to get some sleep.
On Monday, Kurt pulls Puck aside before they start the glee club meeting.
"Thanks for taking me out Saturday. You were right. I needed that," he says. There's no embarrassment or awkwardness on his face or in his voice. Just simple gratitude.
"You're welcome," Puck says, clapping Kurt on the shoulder. "Anything to help a friend. Well, almost anything."
Kurt snorts.
"And thank you for the advice," he continues. "I think you have a good point. I need some time to get my head around the situation. I need to get used to seeing Blaine with someone else. And it's okay if I need to take some time on my own to do that." He looks down at his shoes, suddenly seeming a little nervous. "I called my therapist and told him about what you said. About me needing to take care of my own needs before I start taking care of anyone else's. And he said you were right."
"I know I'm right," Puck says confidently. Kurt tries to give him a withering look, but it's ruined by the smile on his face. Puck smiles back. "Especially because I know that's what Blaine was also told to do just after you broke up."
"Really?" Kurt's face kind of twitches, and Puck doesn't know what it means.
"Yeah," Puck nods. "I think people might be forgetting that the dark times he went through right after you broke up? You're not going through that until now. Like I said, these are your cookie dough days."
"What does that even mean? And where did you get it from?"
"YouTube. And it means that right now, you just wallow and take your time while it hurts. Even if the break-up isn't fresh anymore."
"Yeah, well. I need some time, I guess," Kurt shrugs. "But really. Thank you for the night out. It's much appreciated."
"Glad I could help," Puck says. He opens up his arms. "Now come here. Let's hug it out."
Kurt rolls his eyes, but they hug nonetheless. It's not a tight, long hug, it's just a hug between two good friends, and when they pull away there are no extra squeezes or anything. They just smile and head into the choir room, where everyone else is just about done getting ready.
"I'm so proud of you for doing that for Kurt," Quinn says in a low voice when Puck joins her.
He considers making a smartass comment, but instead he chooses to just smile at her and say, "Thanks."
"Despite how different the two of you are, I think you were the only one to really see exactly what it was that he needed," she smiles at him fondly. "Who'd have thought that Noah Puckerman would be one to give Kurt the best advice?"
"I can be surprising, you know," he says. "And besides. Finn isn't here to do that kind of thing for him, so I just figured I'd do it instead." Quinn gives him a sad sort of smile. Sometimes Finn is still a sore subject for them. Other times he's not. "Plus, I think most of these people actually realize that a break-up can start hurting months after it happened. Although by now they should get that seeing the person you love in the arms of someone else is painful no matter how it ended up being like that."
"They should," Quinn agrees. "It's a good thing you do. You are a very good man."
Before Puck can say anything to that, Rachel clears her throat pointedly, and everyone stops talking and muttering so they can get started.
After Santana proposes to Brittany, Puck realizes just how much she doesn't understand what Kurt is going through.
And it pisses him off.
He watches Santana's rant from the end of the hallway, frowning more and more with every word she says. It's not like he doesn't get that she's angry with Kurt. Her moment with Brittany was ruined by Kurt. Not every relationship is the same, and no matter what, right after the proposal is not the right time to point out harsh realities that may not apply to every relationship. Because it's not like Kurt is entirely wrong. He knows from experiences what can happen to a young engagement, but he's also wrong because he doesn't know if the same will apply to Santana and Brittany.
Not that Puck has any sympathy for Santana after what she said to Kurt.
She didn't do any of the things Puck would have done. She didn't yell at Kurt for ruining her moment or for being a cynic and a pessimist.
She attacks him for his outfits. His dance moves. His smile. His hobbies and interests. Those are the things she attacks him for. And those are things that have absolutely nothing to do with the situation or even why Kurt and Blaine broke up. She's not being realistic. She's not demanding an apology or an explanation. She's just being a bitch.
Which is why Puck corners her as soon as he can.
He roughly grabs her arm and pulls her out to the empty parking lot (school is still in session). "Why were you such a bitch to Kurt?" he asks her, his tone as harsh as his facial expression.
"Seriously?" her tone is full of disbelief. "After what he said in the choir room, you don't think I had a right to be angry?"
"Sure. With what he said. Not with him as a person!" Puck says angrily. Santana rolls her eyes, which just infuriates Puck even more. "Don't roll your eyes at me! You were not any more rational than he was with your little rant, because it had nothing to do with what he said!"
"I was just giving him a few honest truths. It's what I do," Santana shrugged.
"You basically told him that he's crap," Puck snarls. Santana has the decency to look a little sheepish, even as she crosses her arms over her chest. "You told him that he's ugly and boring and, what was it you said? Intolerable. You wanna know who else is intolerable? You." Santana just rolls her eyes again. "And I know you put on a tough act when you hear that, like you don't care, but I'm gonna say my piece anyway. If anyone in New Directions is intolerable, it's you. Because even when you show support or care for someone, unless it's Brittany, it comes out as criticism. You call people names and point out their flaws even when it has nothing to do with the situation. And you know that none of what you just said to Kurt had any relevance. You know Kurt was the one who did the dumping."
"Even more of a reason for me to not be sympathetic at all," Santana drawls. "He did this to himself."
"And what, he's not allowed to regret what he did?" Puck asks. It takes a moment, but then Santana's face softens a little and she looks down. "He's heartbroken right now, because Blaine is with someone else, and that's painful for him to watch. You should know how that feels."
"I do," Santana mumbles.
"Then you'd better apologize to him for what you just said, and maybe he'll apologize to you for what you said," Puck says and heads back inside. Before the doors close, however, he calls over his shoulder. "Not that I would after what you just did."
Walking down the halls of McKinley to find Quinn so they can go home, Puck has never felt more smug or righteous.
He feels good about himself for what he's done. He's looking out for Kurt. He's taking that big brother role that Finn left behind, and he's pretty sure that he's doing a good job.
Not to mention that dishing it out to Santana is always a pleasure when she's being awful.
Kurt deserves better than what she gave him. Kurt deserves to be happy again. And Puck isn't really all that fussed about whether or not that happiness will be accompanied by the renewal of Kurt and Blaine's relationship. At the moment, that's what would definitely make Kurt happy, and Puck is not a fan of Blaine dating Karofsky, of all people. But if Blaine really doesn't love Kurt like that anymore, and doesn't trust their relationship, well then. Kurt will have to find happiness elsewhere.
And Puck will be right next to him and helping him find his happiness elsewhere if he needs it.
The term "cookie dough days" is something I got from a youtube video called "Stages of a break-up" by Lilly Singh, aka iisuperwomanii.