AN: I apologise for the delay in getting this final part out! But RL and the amazing fanfics on here kinda scared me from continuing. But I've continued and it's finished! Part 3 of 3. Many thanks to Dangling Hearts for the beta-ing.

EEE

David is grateful that he's still a member of the hockey team, having a spare change of clothes in his locker. He showers, scrubbing hard at the blue corn syrup that is now staining his skin and burning his eyes.

He's drying his hair, his face red from the sobs that had wreaked his system, when his phone starts to shout Check It Out at him. He tosses the towel to the side, angrily drags his clean boxers on before reaching to answer the call.

"Hey," he mumbles, his voice heavy with tears – has he not cried enough these last few weeks?

"Dave, son, are you ok? You sound upset," Paul asks his son, resting his cell between his shoulder and the side of his head as he grabs a patient's file from the filing cabinet.

"I was slushied, but I'm fine, honestly. Just getting changed now – I'll be home in 10 minutes."

Dave ends the call, not wanting to hear his father's worried tones down the line again. He's dealt with the guys from the football team a few times now, but this was the first time he'd actually received any kind of retribution. In all honesty, he should've expected it sooner but there it was.

He'll never forget the feeling of the cold slush as it slammed into his face, the burning as it raced into his eyes.

His phone vibrates in his hand, pulling him from his dark thoughts.

Hi Dave. All caught up with our routines for sectionals?

It's a message. From Kurt. He's texting with Kurt. Like they're friends. Gone is his depressed mood. He whistles a jaunty tune as he finishes dressing, and dances the steps he'd spent the afternoon learning as he moves out of the locker room, into the car park and to his truck.

He tosses his school bag and his gym bag into the passenger seat as he sets his iPod up through the sound system. He sets it on shuffle as he startes the engine. He quickly types out a reply to Kurt – I'm all covered I think! How's the preparation for your dad's wedding going? – and finally heads home.

'What a day', is his main thought.

He arrives home to find his dad's Chevy already parked up outside the garage. Parking alongside, he lets the engine idle, gathering up happy thoughts before he ventures inside. His dad doesn't need to know how much this slushy attack has hurt his feelings, especially when the empty cups were clasped in his former buddies hands.

He cuts the engine off, grabs his bags and jumps from his car.

Opening the front door, he is greeted with aggravated tones and a shattering of glass.

"Dad?" Dave calls out, tossing his school bag on the floor and continuing into the kitchen. He finds his father slumped over the breakfast table, water dripping from the wall and shards of glass scattered across the floor.

"Dad?" Dave whispers, his heart pounding in his chest. His phone vibratesd, another text received, but he ignores it.

"It's alright David, just a crank caller...," Paul replies, hanging up the receiver on its stand. He sighs heavily, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Trying to obscure his tainted clothing, Dave shuffles past his father towards the utility room and shoves the blue-dyed clothes into the washing machine.

"Son? Why are you in different clothes than you when you left for school this morning?" his father still asks, as he slides his glasses on.

"It's nothing. Just got a slushy spilled. No big deal."

"Isn't that what you used to do to Burt Hummel's son? A slushy facial, isn't that what you called it that day in the hospital?"

"Well... it is. The football guys... I joined glee today, and obviously word's gotten round. Sam, the quarterback, he was catching me up on the dance steps and songs for the sectionals competition. Some of the guys from the football team must've been working out or something, but they caught up with me after practice and slushied me... I've done worse Dad, so there's nothing I can say against it. It's my payback. It's karma. It's what I deserve."

Dave pours in the washing powder, sets the machine and turns it on. The water rushes through the machine and the suds form almost instantly. His dad tries to talk to him but Dave ignores him and continues to his room, snatching his school bag from the floor before he rushes up the stairs.

He sets himself up with his homework, books and pencils and sheets of paper scattered around his desk. He spends a few hours jumping from Trig to AP English and Biology. After a while he remembers that he received a text during the conversation with his dad and retrieves his cell from his pocket; another message from Kurt:

Hey, me and Blaine are planning on going to the Lima Bean on Friday and then maybe catch a movie, feel like joining? It'll be the start of our very own LGBT here in Lima. Tempted?

Dave smiles, it'd be nice, even if the prep boy was with them.

I'd be up for that. But aren't you busy practicing for sectionals and planning your dad's wedding to Hudson's mom?

His phone soon vibrates with a reply.

Yes, but there is always time for my favourite gays!

Dave snorts at that.

He replies, saying that he'd talk with Kurt about their plans in glee tomorrow but that he's gonna get some food now.

Closing his books for the time being, Dave stands up and stretches, releasing the tension from his hunching over the table for the past few hours.

He heads downstairs and calls out to his father, asking him what's for dinner that evening.

"I'm gonna order some Chinese takeout , if that suits?" Paul asks, removing his glasses from his nose and withdrawing his hanky to clean his lenses.

Settling himself on the couch, Dave sighs heavily, the weight of the changes that occurred that day finally settling in.

"You alright there, son?" Paul asks, reaching over and resting his hand on Dave's shoulder, a reassuring weight to aide his son.

"Just been a freaking weird, busy day. I'm sorry 'bout storming off earlier...,"

"Don't worry, I've been expecting you to have a freak out at some point. With everything that's been going on, you held out for longer than I expected!"

"It's just... the fucking idiots in this town, dad. Az, my best friend – my best friend! – knocked me unconscious and sent me to hospital! Then my teammates fucking slushy me. And mom treats me like I'm the spawn of Satan. It's just a kaleidoscope of shit and I'm just getting so far past caring right now that I just don't give two fucks."

Paul smirks, as Dave blanches.

"Sorry for all the f-bombs."

"No problem, kid. It's a way to express yourself. I just hope you're not dropping them all in school, cause I don't want Figgin's calling me in."

"Nah, we're good."

"Speaking of, how are things with... Kurt?"

"Things are... things. But I'm heading to Breadstix with him on Friday night, with his friend Blaine. He's on about starting our own LGBT. I dunno," Dave shrugs his shoulders slightly, resting into the comfort of the sofa.

"But you still want more, right?"

"I'm in love with him, dad, of course I want more."

"Sorry, I know, I just... I want you to happy, Davey," Paul explains, ruffling his kids shortly-cropped hair.

"Aw Dad, seriously?" Dave chuckles, avoiding his dad's hand. "Just go order dinner – I'm actually wasting away here!"

"It's good to see your appetite hasn't been destroyed," Paul grumbles, walking towards the kitchen, his cell phone already dialling the number.

"And I want extra black bean sauce with my usual!" Dave makes sure to call out, as he switches the TV on to a game.

For that moment at least, life is better.

EEE

The week passes, with Dave spending more and more time with the glee club; the hockey team and non-glee footballers hurling insults and Dave and Kurt becoming ever closer. The school week comes to an end with the final glee club meeting of the week. Rachel and Finn are sitting front and centre, rapt in the discussion of song choices for Sectionals and Finn's song choices for the Hudmel wedding (as Finn himself has titled it), Sam and Quinn sitting close, Quinn blushing at something that Sam just whispered to her (something dorky, Dave assumes), Tina, Mercedes Santana and Mike are all lethargic with boredom as they listen to Rachel prattle on. Brittany and Artie are sitting close to the band and Dave can't help but wonder if the band do any actual school work instead of just waiting for a moment when a gleek, himself included, asks them for an impromptu yet incredible performance.

Kurt is rolling his eyes every few seconds, glaring at his future step-brother's girlfriend with disdain. Dave is watching Kurt in awe and wonder. And love. Because, he's said it aloud so often now, he's tried to think of when he realised he loved Kurt Hummel. And he feels that it might have been since he was 13 and he'd caught Kurt staring at Finn, practically drooling, and he looked so care free and happy that Dave couldn't draw his eyes away. And when both boys had left the hallway, Dave's mind's eye flashed to a daydream where he was the reason that Kurt was drooling.

Dave wonders how no one's noticed his staring, his obvious 5 year old mentality of 'I pick on you because I like you', but Kurt's tongue lashing shakes him from stroll down memory lane.

" – so just back the hell off, man-hands. Because, once more, it's not all about you."

"Bro, not cool! She's my girlfriend, and your friend, so back down!" Finn calls out, cuddling Rachel to his chest. Mr. Schuester reprimands Kurt, but then informs Rachel why she won't be singing the lead or the duet.

"Sam and Quinn, winners of our Duet's competition a few weeks back, will be singing our duet track – the legendary song from Dirty Dancing, I've Had The Time of My Life!"

"Okay, I understand that – their voices work particularly well together – not as well as mine and Finn's, but still, it's cutesy. But that doesn't explain why I'm not singing my solo. Those with the talent should take the foreground at our competitions, Mr. Schue!" Rachel implores, her eyes wide and glistening with tears that, not three seconds ago, didn't even exist.

"Because we finally have a crooner in our midst!" Schuester exclaims, and he rushes over to Dave with sheet music in his hand and explains to all that, when Dave will be singing the Michael Buble version of Feeling Good, Brittany and Mike will be dancing a waltz/tango/quickstep with a couple of R&B dance moves thrown in for good measure.

"But we - I – haven't heard the puckhead sing yet! What are we supposed to do, just believe that he has the talent to win us the trophy at Sectionals?" Rachel asks, sitting up as straight as can be.

Kurt growls – actually growls– before jumping to his feet.

"I've heard him perform, Rachel! He's amazing! And obviously Mr. Schue agrees, otherwise he wouldn't be offering Dave the solo! Get over yourself Rachel!" Then he storms from the room, and Dave is in awe once more.

"Uh, Finn, could you please go and bring him back here?" Schuester asks, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration.

"I got it, Mr. Schue," Dave interrupts, suddenly on his feet and heading for the door.

Puck, being Puck, wolf-whistles before calling out, "You go gets yours, Karofsky!" as Santana quickly jumps to her feet and follows Dave.

"Where are you going, Santana?" Mr. Schue asked, blocking her exit.

"If there is gonna be gay kissing, I want to watch!"

Schuester sighs, twirls her round and pushes her back towards the seats.

EEE

Dave finds Kurt at his locker, not far from the choir room. He yanks open his locker and withdraws a book before groaning in frustration and throwing it to the floor as he slams his locker door closed again.

"So...," Dave starts, his hands in his pockets as he kicks a stray scrap of paper across the floor. "That was a pretty impressive outburst back there."

Kurt sighs, leaning back against the lockers, "It's the only way to get through to Rachel. You have to be theatrical, otherwise you're just white noise."

Dave smiles as he comes to a stop before Kurt. "I was thinking more along the lines of you, Kurt Hummel, defending me, David Karofsky, to your friends and then having a diva storm out. Definitely not something I ever expected to witness."

Kurt blushes, a deep red as he looks up a Dave through his eyelashes.

"She was insulting you right there in front of everybody! It was worth it though, she needs to be taken down a peg or two."

Dave just smiles the brightest of smiles that makes Kurt blush an even deeper shade of red.

"So, tonight – coffee and a movie?" Dave asks, as the pair stands in the quiet corridor. Blushing, Kurt nods.

"Yep! It's a thing that me and Blaine started when we first met and I thought it might be time to include you in our group!" He smiles so effectively that Dave can't help it as his heart skips a beat.

Kurt's phone chirps at that moment, the pair jumping as Katy Perry sings out about skin tight jeans.

"It's Blaine," Kurt cheers, so happy to have a distraction. Answering the call, Kurt quickly listenes as Blaine rushes out his apologies, 'awh'-ing at the times when he's upset and laughing at how angry Blaine could suddenly become at Wes.

Kurt ends the call on his end and locks his iPhone before returning it to his pocket.

"So, Blaine isn't coming anymore?" Dave assumes, having only heard Kurt's side of the phone call.

"Yep. The Warblers have added more rehearsal time before Sectionals and, since Blaine is their lead, he can't exactly miss the performance."

"So, that means it's just the two of us tonight?"

"That it does."

"So, would this qualify as a date then?"

"Not yet. Maybe it's more a precursor to a date?"

"I am more than okay with that, dude."

"Don't call me dude."

"Pick you up at 8?"

"Yep. Be prepared for the talk from my dad."

"Will I need a bullet proof vest?"

And finally, Kurt laughs, the tension from his form gone ever since Dave began the quickfire version of 20 Questions.

They separate in the car park, heading in opposite directions. And as they each settle in behind the wheel of their respective vehicles, they both receive a text message from one Santana Lopez.

If you two are that cute in school, I may just have to barf rainbows from the cuteness. Get your act together boys.

Dave can't help but think that this could be the start of something new, then cringing at the thought that he actually quoted a Zac Efron film. When it hits him, that he actually has a kinda date with Kurt Hummel, he can't help but punch the air in victory.

His worries settle soon after that, when he realizes that he might actually need his dad's help with choosing a date appropriate outfit – as Kurt Hummel is the style king of Lima and, thus, needs to be held in that high acclimation by his coffee partners.

In the weeks and months that follow, however, Dave will realise that there is no need to worry, for Kurt only requires his fashionista status to be admired, not be competed with. It takes Dave months to realize this, as he has been too busy making out with the counter tenor since the football team won the championship game when, in a state of bliss and victory, Dave couldn't hold back any longer.

He kissed Kurt Hummel again and Kurt Hummel kissed him back.