Here's a slightly longer Kurtofsky effort than my others. There are several further parts in the pipeline. It's set some time after the Gleeks senior year, so future-fic, non-con, some language, some new characters, maybe a little sexy times later on. Obviously, I don't own any of the wonderful sand in the sandbox Ryan Murphy et al have given us all to play in. Also, to pre-empt the inevitable torches and pitchforks, I don't hate Blaine, I just needed his character to be a certain way for events to unfold. Thoughts and comments appreciated.

Part one

A crowded hallway in an American high school. As Kurt makes his way towards the choir room, he soaks in the activity around him, the chatter of teenage voices, the slams of lockers being shut, the scuffs and squeaks of shoes carrying students in all directions. He quirks a smile and hefts his leather satchel, sighting his destination ahead.

"Kurt?"

The voice alone stops him. It isn't the voice of one of the students. It's a deeper rumble. A man's voice, and something else, a familiar tingle creeps up his spine.

The afterschool bustle continues around him as he turns slowly to see who called him. A man approaches him through the crowd of teenagers, dressed in navy and gray sweats, tall, wide-shouldered and hammer-armed. A faded Marine Corps t-shirts stretched across a powerful chest. He moves far more gracefully than a man his size should.

Kurt silently scoops in these details as his gaze rises to meet a pair of piercing hazel eyes watching him from a few feet away. The face is broad and strong, dusted with stubble. No. It can't be…

"It is you!" The voice is quiet and deep, so different from the melodrama of the kids he's used to in this school.

David Karofsky. In the flesh.

"Karof… David!" exclaims Kurt suddenly, physically fighting an old urge to back away. 'Wha.. what are you doing here?"

He's changed so much. He's bigger, for one thing, taller and broader than in high school, and harder. The sweats- he must work here, gym or sports. His face though, something in the eyes, strength, but also something sad.

David palms the back of his neck and glances at the floor, suddenly shy. "I.. I just coach the school team down at the Y twice a week, I'm uh, just here to pick up the gear… uh, football. I help out with football." He trails off, and watches Kurt again.

"Do you.. do you teach here?"

Kurt hasn't moved. His stage training has taught him to strike a pose and keep it, not to give his audience too much while he plans his next action.

Kurt responds "No, I'm also just a supply teacher- I take the school glee club after classes, and some music lessons now and then."

The traffic in the hallway has subsided, since the school day is over. His glee kids will be waiting for him in the room a little down the hall. The déjà vu of this scene makes him lightheaded. He's in a high school hallway, about to go to glee, and here, in front of him, is David Karofsky.

Almost eight years later.

The final bell fills the hall with a shriek, jerking the two of them out of their silent vigil.

Kurt twitches, eyes on Dave, and hikes a thumb behind him. "I need to go, my class is waiting…"

David likewise seems to wake from a trance, shuts his mouth and scratches the short curls on the side of his head. He nods, and offers a small smile. "Sure, yeah, I.. I need to get the gear.."

And yet neither moves.

Kurt's mind is racing. Who is this guy? The Dave Karofsky Kurt remembers was a sad eyed, scowling, yet penitent ex-bully. His final year at McKinley had been both triumph and tragedy- his victories on the sports field and academic successes, punctured by the fall out of his admission to being gay.

Kurt had tried to help, the entire glee club had- but it had all driven Karofsky further into… what exactly? Not the closet. His so-called best friend had seen to that. He had just seemed to fade away once the news was out and the hype died down. He was there, in the backs of classes, and there on the football field as required. It just seemed that all any joy had left his life. His best friend, Azimio had forsaken him, that much was known. Rumours flooded the halls and classrooms about his home life, and then, in the final weeks of high school, just before graduation, he had vanished.

Kurt makes a decision, needing to break this strange stalemate and get to glee.

"Dave, would you like to… get coffee sometime? I live... I live in the city, maybe we could grab a coffee and catch up? Maybe after one of your practices? I finish glee here at seven thirty Tuesdays and Thursdays. "

Dave stares at him for a second longer, and then blinks, as if Kurt's offer had reached his brain several seconds after his ears had reported Kurt's speaking.

"Sure! Sure, I'd love that…" he responds slowly, as if not completely sure he's heard right.

Love thinks Kurt

Dave reaches a beefy arm into his pocket and draws out his phone. "Does your phone have touch-number?" he asks Kurt holding his phone out, dwarfed in his broad palm.

Kurt smiles and reaches for his own slim handset. "Of course," he grins, fluttering his eyelashes dramatically. "Do you think these kids would listen to a word I said if I didn't have the latest technological whatever to boost my cred?"

Dave grins at this, and his face is transformed. Kurt doesn't think he's ever seen Karofsky smile, and he wishes suddenly he'd tried harder in high school to make that happen.

The two men fiddle with their phones for a second, preparing them to swap contacts, and then tentatively they reach out and tap their handsets together. Each emits a soft beep as the contact is accepted and stored.

Having moved closer, Kurt looks up into Dave's eyes, and doesn't miss the creases around them. Whether exhaustion, or something more, he realizes he's suddenly curious to meet Dave for coffee and maybe unravel some of the things that haunt his face.

Dave smiles at him, and backs off a little, pocketing his phone and leaning against a nearby locker. Kurt does likewise, and their eyes never leave each other.

"So, I'll give you a call about that coffee. I'm coaching again on Thursday, but I have to work on Thursday night. Could you maybe do Friday afternoon?"

Kurt nods. "Friday is great. I'm not teaching here, but I'll be available from four. Let me know where and when exactly, and I'll be there."

Dave huffs a small smile. "Cool" he says softly, eyes on the smaller man before him. Kurt is instantly thrown back to that day in the McKinley halls when a younger, softer Dave had sobbingly apologized to him, and they'd parted with the same word.

So much had happened before that moment, and so much after, but Kurt would let that lie for now until Friday afternoon when he'd meet this taller, wider and softer spoken David Karofsky for a coffee and a conversation.

Dave looked over Kurt's head suddenly, straightening off the locker. "I think your audience is getting restless." he points out gently. nodding down the corridor behind Kurt.

Kurt's eyes widen and he snaps his head behind him. One of the girls in glee is looking out the door down the hall at them. "Crap! I need to go," he offers Dave a sheepish smile, which Dave instantly returns.

"Sure, I'll let you know about Friday" he says as he begins to back off.

Kurt nods, and turns to head towards the choir room.

"…and Kurt!"

He stops and turns to hear Dave's parting words,

"Thanks… I'm, uh, looking forward to it" Dave is still facing him, dwarfing the lockers, smiling sheepishly.

Kurt nods at Dave, and smiles, "me too."

With that, they go their separate ways.